Covered radius hinge

• US 9,910,465 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• 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: Tazbaz, Errol Mark, Aagaard, Karsten, Witt, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawyer, Steven T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shrestha, Sagar
• Application Number:
  US14/538,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 36167904-67917, 36167921-6793, 36167955-67957, 36167901, 36167902, 16354, 16366, 16368, 16369, 16370, 16254, 16270, 16271, 16272, 16365, 16382, 16384, 16387
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• 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 1/1681 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 set of rigid hinge cover portions that are configured to be able to rotate relative to one another while collectively covering the multi-pivot hinge unit.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

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

first and second multi-pivot hinge units rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion and configured to rotate around multiple hinge axes to provide rotation between the first and second portions; and

,

multiple hinge cover portions that collectively cover the first and second multi-pivot hinge units between the first portion and the second portion, the multiple hinge cover portions being articulated so that a first region of an individual hinge cover portion can slide past a second region of an adjacent individual hinge cover portion during rotation so that an underlying portion of the first and second multi-pivot hinge unit is not exposed, the multiple hinge cover portions including first and second parallel slots, the first and second multi-pivot hinge units configured to pass through the first and second parallel slots.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the first and second parallel slots are at least as large as outside dimensions of the first and second multi-pivot hinge units to allow the first and second multi-pivot hinge units to pass through the first and second parallel slots.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first multi-pivot hinge unit further comprises a rotation limiter to limit a degree of rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the rotation limiter comprises multiple rotation limiters with individual rotation limiters associated with individual hinge axes.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the multiple rotation limiters are secured to the first multi-pivot hinge unit.

6. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the multiple hinge cover portions function as the multiple rotation limiters.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the multiple hinge cover portions are articulated relative to an inner surface and an outer surface of the computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a number of the multiple hinge cover portions is not the same as another number of the multiple hinge axes.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the multiple hinge cover portions are pivotably fastened to one another.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the multiple hinge cover portions are fastened to either of the first portion or the second portion or wherein the multiple hinge cover portions are fastened to both the first portion and the second portion.

11. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first region of the individual hinge cover portion and the second region of the adjacent individual hinge cover portion are curved.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the first region comprises a convex region of the individual hinge cover portion and the second region comprises a concave region of the adjacent individual hinge cover portion.

13. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first multi-pivot hinge unit comprises a radius hinge unit.

14. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the individual hinge cover portion approximates a portion of a cylinder.

15. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a number of the multiple hinge cover portions equals a number of the multiple hinge axes.

16. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a number of the multiple hinge cover portions is greater than another number of the multiple hinge axes.

17. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the multiple hinge cover portions are articulated so that the multiple hinge cover portions overlap relative to an inner surface and an outer surface of the computing device.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the multiple hinge cover portions are configured to cover the first and second multi-pivot hinge units while the inner surface and the outer surface change in surface length.

19. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion;

first and second multi-pivot hinge units rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion and configured to rotate around multiple hinge axes to provide rotation between the first and second portions; and

,

multiple hinge cover portions that collectively cover the first and second multi-pivot hinge units between the first portion and the second portion, the multiple hinge cover portions being articulated so that a first region of an individual hinge cover portion can slide past a second region of an adjacent individual hinge cover portion during rotation so that an underlying portion of the first and second multi-pivot hinge unit is not exposed, the multiple hinge cover portions including first and second parallel slots, the first and second multi-pivot hinge units configured to pass through the first and second parallel slots.