Biaxial hinge and terminal device using the same

• US 10,401,914 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kem HongKong Limited
• Original Assignee: Kem HongKong Limited
• Inventors: Shang, Qilong
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinclair, David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milliser, Theron S
• Application Number:
  US14/729,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20150362958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/122 Gear hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/04 Flat flaps
• 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

A biaxial hinge in which a first casing and a second casing of a terminal device can open and close 360 degrees relative to each other, with a simplified structure, enhanced opening and closing speed and an improved operability. A first hinge shaft attached to the second casing via a first attaching plate is rotatable in parallel to a second hinge shaft attached to the first casing via a second attaching plate with help of several joint members. A module for restricting rotation of the first hinge shaft and the second hinge shaft is provided in association with the joint members. The module for restricting rotation includes modules for generating friction torque, modules for sucking, stopper modules for restricting a rotation angle of the first hinge shaft and the second hinge shaft, and a module for synchronously rotating hinge shafts.

Claims

1. A biaxial hinge which couples a first casing with a second casing, said first casing being thereby capable of opening and closing relative to said second casing,

said biaxial hinge comprising:

a first hinge shaft attached to said second casing via a first attaching plate;

a second hinge shaft attached to said first casing via a second attaching plate;

a mechanism for controlling rotation including a stopper portion, a synchronous rotation mechanism, a mechanism for generating friction torque, a mechanism for sucking and an elastic mechanism which are sequentially provided from one side end of each of said first hinge shaft and said second shaft;

said stopper portion comprising a stopper plate having a first bearing hole and a second bearing hole each bearing said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft so as to rotate, a first projection and a second projection each provided on the outside of said first bearing hole and said second bearing hole, and a first projection and a second projection each provided on each radial direction of said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft;

said synchronous rotating mechanism comprising a first bevel gear and second bevel gear each mounted on said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft, a gear support member having an upper projecting portion and a lower projecting portion each pass through said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft, an intermediate gear comprising an upper supporting shaft inserted rotatable in a first shaft supporting groove provided on a lower side of said upper projecting portion of a gear supporting member, a lower supporting shaft inserted rotatable in a second shaft supporting groove provided on an upper side of a lower projecting portion of the gear supporting member, an upper bevel tooth portion provided at an upper part of the intermediate gear and a lower bevel tooth portion provided at a lower part of the intermediate gear, said intermediate bevel gear meshing with said first bevel gear and said second bevel gear;

said mechanism for generating friction torque consisting of a first mechanism for generating friction torque and a second mechanism for generating friction torque, said first mechanism for generating friction torque having a first friction washer attached to said first hinge shaft and provided between said gear supporting member and a cam plate member, said second mechanism for generating friction torque having a second friction washer attached to said second hinge shaft and provided between said gear supporting member and a cam plate member;

said mechanism for sucking comprising a first mechanism for sucking and a second mechanism for sucking, said first mechanism for sucking having a first cam portion provided around an insertion hole of said first hinge shaft and provided on said cam plate, a first cam follower abutting against said first cam portions which is slidably attached to said first hinge shaft, and said second mechanism for sucking having second cam portion provided around an insertion hole of said second hinge shaft and provided on said cam plate, a second cam follower abutting against said second cam portion which is slidably attached to said second hinge shaft; and

said elastic mechanism acting on said mechanism for generating friction torque and said mechanism for sucking, said elastic mechanism comprising a first elastic mechanism and a second elastic mechanism;

said first elastic mechanism comprising a plurality of first disk springs attached to said first hinge shaft adjacent to said first cam follower and in contact with said plurality of first disk springs, a first presser washer attached to the first hinge shaft, and a first fastening nut screwed to the first hinge shaft in contact with said first presser washer, said second elastic mechanism comprising a plurality of a second disk springs attached to said second hinge shaft adjacent to said second cam follower, a second presser washer attached to said second hinge shaft, and a second fastening nut screwed to said second hinge shaft in contact with said second presser washer.

2. A terminal device, the biaxial hinge according to claim 1 being used therein.

3. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, said mechanism for synchronously rotating further comprising an upper slip washer and a lower slip washer each mounted on said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft, and each provided between said first bevel gear and upper projecting portion and second bevel gear and lower projecting portion.

4. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, said stopper portion consisting of a first stopper portion and a second stopper portion;

said first stopper portion comprising;

a first A bearing hole provided in an upper part of a stopper plate, said first hinge shaft passing through said first A bearing hole, a first stopper projection provided on the outside of said first A bearing hole; and

a first projection provided on said first hinge shaft side, said first projection abutting against said first stopper projection or not, depending on a rotation angle of said first hinge shaft;

said second stopper portion comprising;

a first B bearing hole provided in a lower position of said stopper plate, said second hinge shaft passing through said first B bearing hole, a second stopper projection provided on the outside of said first B bearing hole; and

a second projection provided on said second hinge shaft side, said second projection abutting against said second stopper projection or not, depending on a rotation angle of said second hinge shaft.

5. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, said mechanism for generating friction torque consisting of a first mechanism for generating friction torque and a second mechanism for generating friction torque;

said first mechanism for generating friction torque comprising;

a first friction washer attached to said first hinge shaft, a rotation of said first friction washer being restrained, said first friction washer being provided between a gear supporting member and a cam plate member; and

a first elastic member provided on said first hinge shaft for bringing said gear supporting member and said cam plate member into pressurized contact with said first friction washer;

said second mechanism for generating friction torque comprising;

a second friction washer attached to said second hinge shaft, a rotation of said second friction washer being restrained, said second friction washer being provided between a gear supporting member and said cam plate member; and

a second elastic member provided on said second hinge shaft for bringing said gear supporting member and said cam plate member into pressurized contact with second friction washer.

6. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, the mechanism for sucking consisting of a first mechanism for sucking and a second mechanism for sucking;

said first mechanism for sucking comprising;

a first A cam concave portion and a first B cam concave portion, each of said first A cam concave portion and said first B cam concave portion having a substantially circular arc shape, provided outside on one side of said third A bearing hole of a cam plate member also functioning as third joint member, said first hinge shaft rotatably passing through said third A bearing hole;

a first cam follower comprising a first A cam convex portion and a first B cam convex portion on a side facing said first A cam concave portion and said first B cam concave portion, a rotation of said first cam follower being restrained by said first hinge shaft and said first cam follower being thereby attached to said first hinge shaft; and

a first elastic member for bringing said first A cam concave portion into a pressurized contact with said first A cam convex portion on one hand, and said first B cam concave portion into a pressurized contact with said first B cam convex portion on the other;

said second mechanism for sucking comprising;

a second A cam concave portion and a second B cam concave portion, each of said second A cam concave portion and said second B cam concave portion having a substantially circular arc shape, provided outside on one side of said third B bearing hole of a cam plate member also functioning as third joint member, said second hinge shaft rotatably passing through said third B bearing hole;

a second cam follower comprising a second A cam convex portion and a second B cam convex portion on a side facing said second A cam concave portion and said second B cam concave portion, a rotation of said second cam follower being restrained by said second hinge shaft and said second cam follower being thereby attached to said second hinge shaft; and

a second elastic member for bringing said second A cam concave portion into a pressurized contact with said second A cam convex portion on one hand, and said second B cam concave portion into a pressurized contact with said second B cam convex portion on the other.

7. A terminal device, the biaxial hinge according to claim 1 being used therein.