Multi-display hinge assembly

• US 8,971,029 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Solomon, Mark C, Wong, Glenn A
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US13/429,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20130250492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 36167901-67917, 36167921-6793, 36167955-67959, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.8, 369/282, 369/291, 369/253, 369/44.16, 369/75.5
• US Class Current: 361/679.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• 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: Y10T 292/0802 Sliding and rotary
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/702 Pivoted or swinging

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a multi-display hinge assembly. According to one embodiment, the multi-display hinge assembly includes a first housing and second housing in addition to a hinge that rotatably connects the first housing with the second housing. Still further, a coupling element is configured to join an edge of the first housing with an edge of the second housing when the first housing and the second housing are placed along the same plane.

Claims

1. A multi-display hinge assembly comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing; and

a hinge rotatably connecting the first housing to the second housing;

wherein the hinge includes an interior elastic coupling element configured to join an edge of the first housing with an edge of the second housing when the first housing and the second housing are placed along the same plane,

wherein the hinge and coupling element are continuously connected with the first housing and second housing, visibly hidden, and positioned entirely within inner cavity areas of both the first housing and the second housing when edges of the first housing and second housing are joined together in a locked position,

wherein the first housing does not rotate relative to the second housing at the hinge when the first housing and the second housing are joined long said edges,

wherein when external force is applied at an edge opposite the hinge and in a direction parallel to a viewing surface of at least one of the first housing and the second housing and away from the hinge, the coupling element is configured to disjoin adjacent edges of the first housing and the second housing.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein when the first housing and the second housing are joined along said edges, the first housing does not rotate relative to the second housing at the hinge.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 2, wherein when external force is applied at an edge opposite the hinge and in a direction away from the hinge, the coupling element is configured to disjoin adjacent edges of the first housing and the second housing.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 3, wherein when the first housing and second housing are joined along the adjacent edges, viewing surfaces associated with both the first housing and the second housing are configured to operate as one large display device.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

a third housing;

a second hinge rotatably connecting the second housing to the third housing; and

a coupling element that joins an edge of the third housing with an edge of the second housing when the third housing and the second housing are placed along the same plane.

6. The hinge assembly of claim 5, wherein when the edge of the third housing and the edge of the second housing are joined, the third housing does not rotate relative to the second housing at the hinge.

7. The hinge assembly of claim 5, wherein when external force is applied at unhinged edges opposite the hinge of the second housing and in a direction away from the hinge of the second housing, the coupling element is configured to disjoin the edge of the second housing from the edge of the third housing.

8. The hinge assembly of claim 5, wherein when the first housing, second housing, and third housing are joined along the edges and positioned along the same plane, the display area spans across a viewing surface of the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein when in a locked state the first housing does not rotate relative to the second housing at the hinge.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein when in the locked state, a graphical display associated with either the first display housing or second display housing spans across viewing surfaces of the first display housing and the second display housing.

11. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge and coupling element are visibly hidden from view of a user when edges of the first housing and second housing are joined together in the locked position.