Low-profile hinge for an electronic device

• US 9,360,896 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lim, Min Suet, Cheah, Bok Eng, Loo, Howe Yin, Kong, Jackson Chung Peng, Oh, Poh Tat
• Primary Examiner(s): DELISLE, ROBERTA S
• Application Number:
  US14/229,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 162/87, 162/94, 163/66, 163/86, 163/90
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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

Abstract

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device, such as a notebook computer or laptop, that includes a circuit board coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which includes any type of components, elements, circuitry, etc.). One particular example implementation of the electronic device may include a low-profile hinge design that includes a first segment that connects to a first element using a first coupler and to a second segment that connects to the first segment using a second coupler, where the second segment connects to a second element using a third coupler. The first coupler, the second coupler, and the third coupler may each have a first coupling arm and a second coupling arm and the first coupling arm can be offset from a plane of the second coupling arm by about five degrees to about forty-five degrees.

Claims

1. A low-profile hinge, comprising:

a first segment that connects to a first element using a first coupler, wherein the first segment extends about the length of the first element and the first coupler is coupled to a first side first segment notch that extends from the first segment; and

a second segment that connects to the first segment using a second coupler, wherein the second coupler is coupled to a first side second segment notch that extends from the second segment, wherein the second segment connects to a second element using a third coupler, wherein the second segment extends about the length of the second element.

2. The low-profile hinge of claim 1, wherein the first coupler, the second coupler and the third coupler each have a first coupling arm and a second coupling arm.

3. The low-profile hinge of claim 2, wherein the first coupling arm is offset from a plane of the second coupling arm by about five degrees to about forty-five degrees.

4. The low-profile hinge of claim 1, wherein the hinge can lay relatively flat on a planer surface.

5. The low-profile hinge of claim 1, wherein a side of the first segment includes a peak profile and a side bottom edge of the second segment can rotate around the peak profile.

6. The low-profile hinge of claim 1, wherein the first element is an input device of an electronic device and the second element is a display portion of the electronic device.

7. The low-profile hinge of claim 6, wherein the input device includes a first touch screen and the display portion includes a second touch screen.

8. The low-profile hinge of claim 1, wherein the first coupler is positioned at least partially within a first side first segment notch channel in the first side first segment notch and the second coupler is coupled to a a first side second segment notch channel in the first side second segment notch.

9. An electronic device comprising:

an input portion coupled to a first segment using a first coupler, wherein the first segment extends about the length of the input portion and the first coupler is coupled to a first side first segment notch that extends from the first segment;

a second segment that is coupled to the first segment using a second coupler, wherein the second coupler is coupled to a first side second segment notch that extends from the second segment; and

a display portion coupled to the second segment using a third coupler, wherein the second segment extends about the length of the display portion.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first coupler, the second coupler and the third coupler each have a first coupling arm and a second coupling arm.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first coupling arm is offset from a plane of the second coupling arm by about five degrees to about forty-five degrees.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first segment and the second segment comprise a hinge and wherein the hinge can lay relatively flat on a planer surface.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the hinge can rotate about three hundred and sixty degrees.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein a side of the first portion includes a peak profile and a side bottom edge of the second segment can rotate around the peak profile.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the hinge is a low-profile hinge.

16. A method, comprising:

rotating a display portion around an input device using a low-profile hinge, wherein the hinge includes;

a first segment coupled the input device using a first coupler, wherein the first segment extends about the length of the input portion and the first coupler is coupled to a first side first segment notch that extends from the first segment; and

a second segment coupled to the first segment using a second coupler, wherein the second coupler is coupled to a first side second segment notch that extends from the second segment, wherein the second segment is coupled to the display portion using a third coupler, wherein the second segment extends about the length of the display portion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first coupler, the second coupler, and the third coupler each have a first coupling arm and a second coupling arm.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first coupling arm is offset from a plane of the second coupling arm by about five degrees to about forty-five degrees.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the hinge can lay relatively flat on a planer surface and can rotate about three hundred and sixty degrees.

20. A system, comprising:

means for rotating a display portion around an input device using a low-profile hinge, wherein the hinge includes;

a first segment coupled the input device using a first coupler, wherein the first segment extends about the length of the input device and the first coupler is coupled to a first side first segment notch that extends from the first segment; and

a second segment coupled to the first segment using a second coupler, wherein the second coupler is coupled to a first side second segment notch that extends from the second segment, wherein the second segment is coupled to the display portion using a third coupler, wherein the second segment extends about the length of the second element.

21. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a low-profile hinge, wherein the low-profile hinge includes a first segment that connects to a first element of the system using a first coupler and a second segment that connects to the first segment using a second coupler, wherein the second segment connects to a second element of the system using a third coupler.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first coupler, the second coupler, and the third coupler each have a first coupling arm and a second coupling arm and the first coupling arm is offset from a plane of the second coupling arm by about five degrees to about forty-five degrees.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the hinge can lay relatively flat on a planer surface and can rotate about three hundred and sixty degrees around the first element.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein a side of the first segment includes a peak profile and a side bottom edge of the second segment can rotate around the peak profile.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first element is an input device of an electronic device and the second element is a display portion of the electronic device.