Automatically closing hinge and electronic device using such hinge

• US 8,683,649 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Avision, Inc.
• Inventors: Tzeng, Chih-Chin
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US13/670,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 163/41, 163/42, 163/37, 163/86, 16/50, 16/65, 16/72, 16/76, 16/85, 162/85, 162/95, 16D/IG.10, 361/679.27, 399/380
• US Class Current: 16/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00554 Latches or hinges therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

In an automatically closing hinge, a first body and a second body are mounted on a fixed shaft, and axial and radial moving members are adjacently disposed inside the fixed shaft. The second body pivoting rearward in relation to the first body enables an inward radial movement of the radial moving member, and during the inward radial movement the radial moving member causes a forward axial movement of the axial moving member. An energy storing member in the fixed shaft is configured to store energy during the forward axial movement of the axial moving member and to release energy for driving the axial moving member to make a reverse axial movement. During the reverse axial movement the axial moving member pushes the radial moving member to make an outward radial movement. The radial moving member during such outward radial movement drives the second body to pivot forward.

Claims

1. An automatically closing hinge, comprising:

a fixed shaft;

a first body mounted on the fixed shaft;

a second body pivotable with respect to the first body and comprising a rotary sleeve rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft, the rotary sleeve having a receiving cavity;

an axial moving member disposed inside the fixed shaft and movable in an axial direction of the fixed shaft;

a radial moving member disposed adjacent to the axial moving member inside the fixed shaft and movable in a radial direction of the fixed shaft, wherein the second body pivoting rearward in relation to the first body enables an inward radial movement of the radial moving member, and during the inward radial movement the radial moving member pushes the axial moving member and causes a forward axial movement of the axial moving member; and

an energy storing member disposed in the fixed shaft and configured to store energy during the forward axial movement of the axial moving member and to release energy for driving the axial moving member to make a reverse axial movement, wherein during the reverse axial movement the axial moving member pushes the radial moving member to make an outward radial movement;

wherein the radial moving member during the outward radial movement drives the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body.

2. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the axial moving member has an inclined surface and the radial moving member has an inclined surface, wherein the inclined surfaces tightly rest against each other and are slidable relatively to each other, and the axial moving member and the radial moving member push each other through the inclined surfaces.

3. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein during the outward radial movement the radial moving member projects outwardly from the fixed shaft and exerts a force upon a wall of the receiving cavity and drives the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body until the radial moving member is engaged with the receiving cavity.

4. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein the radial moving member has a convex portion formed by an inclined outer surface, and during the outward radial movement of the radial moving member the convex portion exerts the force upon the wall of the receiving cavity and drives the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body.

5. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein when a pivot angle of the second body in relation to the first body is equal to a predefined angle, the radial moving member comes to contact the wall of the receiving cavity and exerts the force upon the wall to drive the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body.

6. The hinge according to claim 5, further comprising:

a torque limiter sleeved on the fixed shaft and combined with the rotary sleeve, wherein the torque limiter rotates with the rotary sleeve, and when the pivot angle of the second body in relation to the first body is larger than the predefined angle, the torque limiter provides torque to hold the second body at the pivot angle.

7. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the fixed shaft comprises:

a shaft body having a chamber and an opening interconnecting with each other, wherein the axial moving member, the radial moving member and the energy storing member are disposed in the chamber, and the radial moving member projects from and retracts into the chamber through the opening.

8. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the fixed shaft is inserted into the first body through a first open end and a second open end of the first body.

9. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the energy storing member comprises a spring.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a base;

a cover; and

an automatically closing hinge pivotally connecting the cover and the base and comprising;

a fixed shaft;

a first body mounted on the fixed shaft;

a second body pivotable with respect to the first body and comprising a rotary sleeve rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft, the rotary sleeve having a receiving cavity;

an axial moving member disposed inside the fixed shaft and movable in an axial direction of the fixed shaft;

a radial moving member disposed adjacent to the axial moving member inside the fixed shaft and movable in a radial direction of the fixed shaft, wherein the second body pivoting rearward in relation to the first body enables an inward radial movement of the radial moving member, and during the inward radial movement the radial moving member pushes the axial moving member and causes a forward axial movement of the axial moving member; and

an energy storing member disposed in the fixed shaft and configured to store energy during the forward axial movement of the axial moving member and to release energy for driving the axial moving member to make a reverse axial movement, wherein during the reverse axial movement the axial moving member pushes the radial moving member to make an outward radial movement;

wherein the radial moving member during the outward radial movement drives the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the axial moving member has an inclined surface and the radial moving member has an inclined surface, wherein the inclined surfaces tightly rest against each other and are slidable relatively to each other, and the axial moving member and the radial moving member push each other through the inclined surfaces.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein during the outward radial movement the radial moving member projects outwardly from the fixed shaft and exerts a force upon a wall of the receiving cavity and drives the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body until the radial moving member is engaged with the receiving cavity.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the radial moving member has a convex portion formed by an inclined outer surface, and during the outward radial movement of the radial moving member the convex portion exerts the force upon the wall of the receiving cavity and drives the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein when a pivot angle of the second body in relation to the first body is equal to a predefined angle, the radial moving member comes to contact the wall of the receiving cavity and exerts the force upon the wall to drive the second body to pivot forward in relation to the first body.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the automatically closing hinge further comprises:

a torque limiter sleeved on the fixed shaft and combined with the rotary sleeve, wherein the torque limiter rotates with the rotary sleeve, and when the pivot angle of the second body in relation to the first body is larger than the predefined angle, the torque limiter provides torque to hold the second body at the pivot angle.

16. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the fixed shaft comprises:

a shaft body having a chamber and an opening interconnecting with each other, wherein the axial moving member, the radial moving member and the energy storing member are disposed in the chamber, and the radial moving member projects from and retracts into the chamber through the opening.

17. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the fixed shaft is inserted into the first body through a first open end and a second open end of the first body.

18. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the energy storing member comprises a spring.

19. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the cover is mounted on the second body, and the first body is mounted on the base.

20. The electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising a scanning module disposed in the base, wherein the scanning module scans a document placed on a platen of the base and pressed by the cover.