Covered multi-pivot hinge

• US 9,625,953 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Gault, Joe, Bitz, Brian, Campbell, John, Tazbaz, Errol Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US14/538,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that have hinged portions. One example can include a first portion and a second portion. This example can also include a multi-pivot hinge unit rotatably securing the first and second portions. This example can further include a covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion in a manner that extends a footprint of the computing device as the first portion is rotated away from the second portion.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a multi-axis hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion, the multi-axis hinge assembly including timed link elements that define an order of rotation of hinge axes of the multi-axis hinge assembly such that the multi-axis hinge assembly sequentially rotates starting around a first individual hinge axis of the hinge axes proximate to the second portion and proceeding only to a second individual hinge axis of the hinge axes when the first individual hinge axis has completed a defined range of rotation, the first individual hinge axis being between the second portion and the second individual hinge axis.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis hinge assembly further comprises a set of hinge covers.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a storage position comprises the first portion being substantially parallel to and above the second portion and a deployed position comprises the first portion being at an obtuse angle relative to the second portion.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the multi-axis hinge assembly further comprises a set of friction engines and wherein individual adjacent friction engines of the set of friction engines are coupled through intervening hinge covers of the set of hinge covers.

5. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the second portion defines a footprint of the computing device in the storage position as measured transverse to the hinge axes and in the deployed position the multi-axis hinge assembly extends the footprint of the computing device.

6. The computing device of claim 4, wherein individual timed link elements of the timed link elements extend through an individual hinge cover of the set of hinge covers and alternatively engage other individual hinge covers of the set of hinge covers positioned on opposing sides of the individual hinge cover of the set of hinge covers.

7. The computing device of claim 5, further comprising electronic components positioned in the first portion and wherein the extended footprint stabilizes the computing device from tipping in the deployed position.

8. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion that includes a display screen and a second portion that includes an input device; and

,

a covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion, the covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising a set of timed link elements that control a sequence of rotation such that the covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly sequentially rotates from a storage position to a deployed position starting with a first individual hinge axis proximate to the second portion and proceeding only to a second adjacent individual hinge axis when the first individual hinge axis has completed a defined range of rotation, the first individual hinge axis being between the second portion and the second adjacent individual hinge axis.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the second portion is configured to be positioned on a horizontal surface and the first portion is configured to be rotated relative to the horizontal surface from the storage position to the deployed position, wherein a footprint of the computing device is extended in the deployed position compared to the storage position, and wherein the extended footprint maintains a center of mass of the computing device above the extended footprint in the deployed position.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly further comprises a set of overlapping hinge covers.

11. The computing device of claim 8, further comprising a battery and a processor positioned in the first portion.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the covered sequentially rotating multi-pivot hinge assembly further comprises hinge elements that respectively define the first and second hinge axes.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the storage position comprises the second portion positioned on the horizontal surface and the first portion positioned over the second portion in a substantially horizontal orientation and the first portion is configured to be rotated relative to the horizontal surface to the deployed position that is obtuse to the horizontal surface.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the set of overlapping hinge covers interact with the timed link elements to control the sequence of rotation.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the hinge elements comprise friction engines.

16. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a multi-axis hinge assembly securing the first portion and the second portion, the multi-axis hinge assembly including overlapping hinge covers and timed link elements positioned in the overlapping hinge covers that define an order of rotation of individual hinge axes of the multi-axis hinge assembly such that the multi-axis hinge assembly sequentially rotates starting with a first timed link element proximate to the second portion and proceeding only to a second timed link element when the first timed link element has completed a first defined range of rotation.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the timed link elements further define a reverse order of rotation starting with the second timed link element and proceeding only to the first timed link element when the second timed link element has completed a second defined range of rotation, the second defined range of rotation being in an opposite direction to the first defined range of rotation.

18. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the first timed link element interacts with first and second individual hinge covers of the hinge covers and wherein the first timed link element blocks rotation of the second individual hinge cover until the first individual hinge cover has completed the first defined range of rotation.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first and second individual hinge covers are adjacent to one another or a third individual cover of the hinge covers is interposed between the first and second individual hinge covers.