Dual axis hinge apparatus for portable terminal

• US 20060037175A1
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hyun, Seung-Hee
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/221
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0222 Foldable in two directions, i.e. using a two degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0229 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means

Abstract

A dual hinge apparatus for a portable terminal provides a pair of hinge axes perpendicular to each other and connects first and second housings that form the portable terminal to each other such that they can rotate relative to the first and second hinge axes, respectively. The hinge apparatus includes a fixed housing, a rotating housing coupled opposite to the fixed housing to rotate relative to the second hinge axis, and a hinge housing coupled to a side surface of the rotating housing to provide the first hinge axis. Such a hinge apparatus couples the pair of housings to each other such that they can be positioned laterally side by side with each other. Thus, a display unit can lie transversely and lengthwise, which is convenient for using multimedia services. Using the disclosed hinge apparatus, it is easy to construct various types of information terminals.

Claims

1. A dual hinge apparatus for a portable terminal, which provides a first hinge axis and a second hinge axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the first hinge axis, and connects first and second housings constituting the portable terminal to each other such that they can rotate relative to the first and second hinge axes, respectively, the hinge apparatus comprising:

a fixed housing;

a rotating housing rotatably coupled to the fixed housing to rotate relative to the second hinge axis; and

a hinge housing coupled to a side surface of the rotating housing to provide the first hinge axis.

2. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the fixed housing is integral with the first housing of the portable terminal.

3. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a coupling shaft with a supporting plate supported on a first surface of the rotating housing and a coupling cylinder that extends in a direction of the second hinge axis and passes through the fixed and rotating housings, the coupling cylinder having a locking groove on an outer peripheral surface of its end;

a C-ring engaged with the locking groove of the coupling shaft and supported on a second surface of the fixed housing.

4. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the supporting plate is formed integrally with the coupling shaft.

5. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a plate spring interposed between the supporting plate and the rotating housing for biasing the supporting plate away from the rotating housing.

6. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a ball assembly interposed between the fixed housing and the rotating housing.

7. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ball assembly comprises:

a washer plate interposed between the fixed and rotating housings; and

a plurality of balls arranged at equal circumferential distances along a circumferential direction of the washer plate.

8. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a plurality of stopper holes formed in the fixed and rotating housings along the moving path of the balls and engaged with the balls.

9. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a camera element provided within the fixed housing.

10. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a locking piece rotatably coupled to an outer peripheral surface of the hinge housing and fixed to the second housing of the terminal.

11. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the locking piece comprises:

a pair of opposite halves coupled to each other and surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the hinge housing.

12. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a friction piece interposed between the locking piece and the outer peripheral surface of the hinge housing to facilitate rotation of the locking piece.

13. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge housing further comprises:

a hinge hole extending from one end in a direction of the first hinge axis over a certain length.

14. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a hinge shaft rotatably received in the hinge hole, the hinge shaft extending in the direction of the first hinge axis and being fixed to the second housing of the terminal.

15. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a first hinge cam fixed on the hinge shaft,

a second hinge coupled to the hinge shaft, the second hinge facing the first hinge cam and being linearly movably on the hinge shaft, and

a coil spring for applying a resilient force to bias the first and second hinge cams into contact with each other.

16. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

at least one guide protrusion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the second hinge cam; and

a guide hole longitudinally extending in a sidewall of the hinge housing and engaged with the guide protrusion, thereby guiding the linear movement of the second hinge cam.

17. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a washer and an O-ring coupled to the end of hinge shaft, wherein the coil spring is supported against the washer and the washer is interposed between the O-ring and the coil spring.

18. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein

one surface of the first hinge cam is formed with ridge-shaped portions and one surface of the second hinge cam is formed with valley-shaped portions which are selectively engaged with the ridge-shaped portions as the hinge shaft rotates.

19. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first hinge axis is positioned so that the second housing moves away from or moves adjacent to a position in which it faces the first housing as the second housing rotates around the first hinge axis.

20. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second housing rotates around the second hinge axis while being maintained in a state where it faces the first housing.

21. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second housing rotates relative to the first hinge axis in a direction away from the first housing and then rotates relative to the second hinge axis by 180 degrees so that the second housing is positioned laterally side by side with the first housing.

22. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second housing rotates, starting from a state where it faces the first housing, relative to the second hinge axis by 180 degrees and then rotates relative to the first hinge axis, with the result that the second housing is positioned laterally side by side with the first housing.

23. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a through hole passing from the fixed housing to the rotating housing,

a coupling shaft coupled to the fixed and rotating housings through the through hole and formed with a further through hole extending in the direction of the second hinge axis; and

an opening formed on one side of the hinge shaft,

wherein a flexible printed circuit extends from the fixed housing into the rotating housing through the through hole of the coupling shaft, is bent within the rotating housing, and is withdrawn through the opening of the hinge housing.

24. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the dual axis hinge apparatus is disposed on one side of one end of the terminal.

25. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the rotating housing rotates relative to the second hinge axis within an angular range of 180 degrees.

26. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a driving protrusion protruding from one end of the fixed housing and located within the rotating housing, and

a stopper pivotally coupled on the rotating housing to protrude out of and retract into an outer peripheral surface of the rotating housing,

wherein the driving protrusion interferes with the stopper as the rotating housing rotates, so that the stopper selectively protrudes out of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating housing.

27. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein

the stopper protrudes out of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating housing in a state where the second housing is folded to face the first housing, so that it interferes with the second housing to restrict a rotation range of the second housing below 180 degrees when the second housing rotates relative to the first hinge axis from its folded state.

28. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the stopper comprises:

a body protruding out of and retracting into the outer peripheral surface of the rotating housing;

a pivotal axis formed at one end of the body and rotatably coupled on the rotating housing; and

a driven protrusion formed at the other end of the body to selectively interfere with the driving protrusion.

29. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein

the stopper retracts into the rotating housing when the rotating housing rotates into a position where the second housing cannot be folded to face the first housing, even if it rotates relative to the first hinge axis.

30. The dual axis hinge apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein

the driving protrusion swivels along a circumferential direction within the rotating housing as the rotating housing rotates relative to the second hinge axis.