Double hinge torsion bar

• US 8,780,570 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bohn, David D., O'Brien, Paul M., Fruhauf, Christopher Bramley
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Application Number:
  US13/027,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 361/755, 361728-730, 361/679.16, 361/679.27, 361/679.28, 4555751-5753, 455/575.7
• US Class Current: 361/755
• 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: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In embodiments of a double hinge torsion bar, a portable device includes a first housing integrated with a display device, and a second housing movably coupled to the first housing. Double hinges attach to the first and second housings of the portable device, and the double hinges are operable to open and close the first and second housings relative to each other. A torsion bar movably couples the double hinges to open and close at approximately a same timing rate, which can prevent the double hinges from binding when the first and second housings are opened and closed relative to each other.

Claims

1. A double hinge assembly, comprising:

a first double hinge that includes a first hinge chassis configured for attachment to a first housing of a portable device and a second housing of the portable device;

a second double hinge that includes a second hinge chassis configured for attachment to the first and second housings of the portable device, the first and second double hinges operable to open and close the first and second housings of the portable device relative to each other; and

a torsion bar configured to couple the first double hinge to the second double hinge and further configured to open and close the first and second double hinges at approximately a same timing rate.

2. The double hinge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the torsion bar is further configured to prevent the first and second double hinges from binding when the first and second housings of the portable device are opened and closed relative to each other.

3. The double hinge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second double hinges both include a set of double hinge cams, and wherein the double hinge cams comprise axial cams or radial cams.

4. The double hinge assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the first and second double hinges both include a hinge link configured to couple the set of double hinge cams, and wherein the torsion bar is further configured to couple the hinge link of the first double hinge to the hinge link of the second double hinge.

5. The double hinge assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the torsion bar is further configured as a pivot point through the hinge links of the first and second double hinges for one of the double hinge cams in the respective sets of double hinge cams.

6. The double hinge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second double hinges are both operable for a first actuation and a second actuation to sequence opening the first and second housings of the portable device, and are further operable to reverse sequence closing the first and second housings of the portable device.

7. The double hinge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the torsion bar is further configured to couple the first and second double hinges external relative to the first and second housings of the portable device, or internal relative to the first and second housings of the portable device.

8. A portable device comprising:

a display device;

a first housing integrated with the display device;

a second housing movably coupled to the first housing;

a first double hinge that includes a first hinge chassis attached to the first housing and the second housing;

a second double hinge that includes a second hinge chassis attached to the first and second housings, the first and second double hinges operable to open and close the first and second housings of the portable device relative to each other; and

a torsion bar coupling the first double hinge to the second double hinge and configured to open and close the first and second double hinges at approximately a same timing rate.

9. The portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the torsion bar is further configured to prevent the first and second double hinges from binding when the first and second housings of the portable device are opened and closed relative to each other.

10. The portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second double hinges both include a set of double hinge cams, and wherein the double hinge cams comprise axial cams or radial cams.

11. The portable device as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second double hinges both include a hinge link coupling the set of double hinge cams, and wherein the torsion bar further couples the hinge link of the first double hinge to the hinge link of the second double hinge.

12. The portable device as recited in claim 11, wherein the torsion bar further acts as a pivot point through the hinge links of the first and second double hinges for one of the double hinge cams in the respective sets of double hinge cams.

13. The portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second double hinges are both operable for a first actuation and a second actuation to sequence opening the first and second housings of the portable device, and are further operable to reverse sequence closing the first and second housings of the portable device.

14. The portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the torsion bar further couples the first and second double hinges external relative to the first and second housings of the portable device, or internal relative to the first and second housings of the portable device.

15. A method comprising:

providing a portable device having display device, the display device having a first housing integrated with the display device and a second housing movably coupled to the first housing;

attaching a first double hinge that includes a first hinge chassis to the first housing and the second housing;

attaching a second double hinge that includes a second hinge chassis to the first and second housings, the first and second double hinges operable to open and close the first and second housings of the portable device relative to each other; and

coupling the first double hinge to the second double hinge using a torsion bar configured to open and close the first and second double hinges at approximately a same timing rate.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the torsion bar is configured to prevent the first and second double hinges from binding when the first and second housings of the portable device are opened and closed relative to each other.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the first and second double hinges both include a set of double hinge cams, and wherein the double hinge cams comprise axial cams or radial cams.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the first and second double hinges both include a hinge link coupling the set of double hinge cams, and wherein the torsion bar further couples the hinge link of the first double hinge to the hinge link of the second double hinge.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the torsion bar further acts as a pivot point through the hinge links of the first and second double hinges for one of the double hinge cams in the respective sets of double hinge cams.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the first and second double hinges are both operable for a first actuation and a second actuation to sequence opening the first and second housings of the portable device, and are further operable to reverse sequence closing the first and second housings of the portable device.