Hinge mechanism

• US 8,813,311 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Hsiao-Wu
• Primary Examiner(s): DELISLE, ROBERTA S
• Application Number:
  US13/898,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 162/86, 162/87, 162/94, 162/96, 163/03, 163/11, 163/12, 163/25, 163/26, 163/27, 163/35
• US Class Current: 16/286
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1064 with a coil spring perpendicular to the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A hinge mechanism includes a housing, a spring member, a slider, a rotating member and a connecting rod. The slider is located on the spring member. The slider is movable along a straight line driven by the spring member. The rotating member is rotatable about a pin of the housing. The connecting rod provides a separation linkage between the slider and the rotating member to reduce friction and to render torque and counter-torque calculations easier in the context of establishing a resting position for the hinge mechanism.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism comprising:

a housing;

a spring member located in the housing;

a slider located on the spring member and being movable along a straight line driven by the spring member;

a rotating member rotatable about a pin of the housing; and

a connecting rod providing a linkage between the slider and the rotating member;

wherein a first recess is defined in the rotating member, a second recess is defined in the slider, and the connecting rod is received in the first recess and the second recess.

2. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein the connecting rod is rotatable about a first shaft, relative to the rotating member, and the first shaft is located on a side of the pin.

3. The hinge mechanism of claim 2, wherein the connecting rod is rotatable about a second shaft, relative to the slider;

and a first angle defined between the straight line and a first line, which connects the pin and the second shaft, is larger than a second angle defined between the straight line and a second line, which connects the first shaft and the second shaft.

4. The hinge mechanism of claim 3, wherein the rotating member comprises a cam and a straight arm, the pin and the first shaft extends through the cam, and the pin and the first shaft are located on opposite sides of a lengthwise centerline through the straight arm.

5. The hinge mechanism of claim 4, wherein a gravity torque of the straight arm is equal to a counter-torque from the slider exerted by the spring member.

6. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein the spring member is a coil spring.

7. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a receiving room, and the receiving room comprises a spring room, receiving the spring member, and a slide room, receiving the slider.

8. The hinge mechanism of claim 7, wherein a cross section of the spring room is substantially circled, and a cross section of the slide room is substantially rectangular.

9. The hinge mechanism of claim 8, wherein a cross section area of the spring room is greater than a cross section area of the slide room.

10. A hinge mechanism comprising:

a housing;

a spring member located in the housing;

a slider located on the spring member and being movable along a straight line driven by the spring member;

a rotating member rotatable relative to the housing; and

a connecting rod providing a linkage between the slider and the rotating member and cause a certain distance away between the rotating member and the slider;

wherein the rotating member is rotatable about a pin, the connecting rod is rotatable about a first shaft, relative to the rotating member, and the first shaft is located on a side of the pin;

the connecting rod is rotatable about a second shaft, relative to the slider; and

the a first angle between a straight line and a first line connecting the pin and the second shaft is larger than a second angle between the straight line and a second line connecting the first shaft and the second shaft.

11. The hinge mechanism of claim 10, wherein the rotating member comprises a cam and a straight arm, the pin and the first shaft extends through the cam, and the pin and the first shaft are located on opposite sides of a lengthwise centerline through the straight arm.

12. The hinge mechanism of claim 11, wherein a gravity torque of on the straight arm is equal to a counter-torque from the slider exerted by the spring member.

13. The hinge mechanism of claim 10, wherein the spring member is a coil spring.

14. The hinge mechanism of claim 10, wherein the housing defines a receiving room, and the receiving room comprises a spring room, for receiving the spring member, and a slide room, for receiving the slider.

15. The hinge mechanism of claim 14, wherein a cross section of the spring room is substantially circled, and a cross section of the slide room is substantially rectangular.

16. The hinge mechanism of claim 15, wherein a cross section area of the spring room is greater than a cross section area of the slide room.

17. The hinge mechanism of claim 10, wherein a first recess is defined in the rotating member, a second recess is defined in the slider, and the connecting rod is received in the first recess and the second recess.