Information handling system housing lid with synchronized motion provided by unequal gears

• US 9,122,455 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Meyers, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US14/087,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20150146362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 206/363, 206/438, 206/63.5, 206/45.21, 206/45.23, 206/297, 361/679.27, 361/679.09, 361/679.03, 361/679.17, 361/679.06, 361/679.56, 361/679.07, 361/679.22, 361/679.01, 361/679.15, 361/679.37, 361/679.02, 361/679.23, 361/679.55, 361/679.08, 361/679.12, 361/679.28, 361/679.26, 361/679.52, 455/90.3, 455/575.3, 455/566, 455/575.4, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 163/02, 163/66, 162/37, 163/40, 163/67, 163/52, 163/54, 163/21, 163/30, 162/86, 163/88, 162/23, 345/633, 345/8, 345/169, 345/184, 345/156, 345/1.3, 345/1.1, 345/168, 345/204, 345/161, 345/905, 248/363, 248/438, 248/63.5, 248/45.21, 248/45.23, 248/297
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/122 Gear hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• 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 29/24 Hinge making or assembling

Abstract

An information handling system converts from a closed position to a tablet position by rotating a lid with a display 360 degrees about a hinge having motion translated between lid and housing portions through first and second engage gears of different diameters. The hinge has first and second axles held in a spaced and substantially parallel orientation by a support with first and second gears having a gear ratio of substantially 2.54 to 1. Overall system thickness is reduced by having a lid portion gear with a diameter of substantially the thickness of the lid portion and a housing portion gear with a diameter of substantially the thickness of the housing portion.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

components disposed in the housing and operable to cooperate to process information;

a lid;

a display disposed in the lid, the display interfaced with the components to present the information as visual images;

a hinge rotationally coupling the housing and lid, the hinge having a first axle coupled at an end to the housing, a second axle coupled at an end to the lid, a support holding the first and second axles distal each other, the first axle coupled to a first gear disposed in the support, the second axle coupled to a second gear disposed in the support, the first and second gears engaged with each other to translate motion between the first and second axles, the first gear having greater than twice the diameter of the second gear.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the gear ratio of the first and second gears is substantially 2.54 to 1.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the first and second gears comprise machined stainless steel.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 further comprising a spring washer coupled to the first axle to provide torque control for rotation of the first and second axles.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the support comprises first and second planar portions enclosing the first and second gears to maintain an interlocking relationship through substantially 360 degrees of rotation.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the diameter of the first gear to the second gear is substantially equal to a ratio of a thickness of the housing to a thickness of the lid.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein a diameter of the first gear is substantially equal to a thickness of the housing and a diameter of the second gear is substantially equal to a thickness of the lid.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the hinge rotates the lid substantially 360 degrees relative to the housing.

9. A method for rotating an information handling system lid relative to a housing, the method comprising:

coupling a first axle to the housing;

coupling a second axle to the lid;

coupling a first gear to the first axle;

coupling a second gear to the second axle; and

supporting the first and second gears to engage with each other through a full rotation of the lid relative to the housing;

wherein the first gear has greater than twice the diameter of the second gear.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the gear ratio of the first and second gears is substantially 2.54 to 1.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second gears comprise machined stainless steel.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising coupling a spring washer to one of the first or second gears to provide torque control for rotation of the first and second axles.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein supporting the first and second gears to engage with each other through a full rotation of the lid relative to the housing further comprises:

coupling a first planar portion to a first side of the first and second gears, the first planar portion substantially perpendicular to the first and second axles; and

coupling a second planar portion to a second side of the first and second gears, the second planar portion substantially perpendicular to the first and second gears, the first and second planar portions cooperating to maintain the first and second gears engaged with each other.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein a ratio of the diameter of the first gear to the second gear is substantially equal to a ratio of a thickness of the housing to a thickness of the lid.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein a diameter of the first gear is substantially equal to a thickness of the housing and a diameter of the second gear is substantially equal to a thickness of the lid.

16. A hinge for rotating an information handling system lid and housing relative to each other, the hinge comprising:

a first axle adapted to couple to the housing;

a second axle adapted to couple to the lid;

a support holding the first and second axles in a spaced relationship; and

first and second gears disposed in the support to engage with each other to translate motion between the axles for substantially 360 degrees of rotation of the housing relative to the lid, the first gear having at least twice the diameter of the second gear.

17. The hinge of claim 16 wherein the gear ratio of the first and second gears is substantially 2.54 to 1.

18. The hinge of claim 17 wherein only the first and second gears translate motion between the axles so that no intervening gears are disposed between the first and second gears.

19. The hinge of claim 17 wherein a ratio of the diameter of the first gear to the second gear is substantially equal to a ratio of a thickness of the housing to a thickness of the lid.

20. The hinge of claim 17 wherein a diameter of the first gear is substantially equal to a thickness of the housing and a diameter of the second gear is substantially equal to a thickness of the lid.