Hinge positioning structure and unit

• US 7,913,357 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong FU JIN Industry Company Limited, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Peng, Ying-Jun, Wang, Jin-Xin
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; William L.
• Application Number:
  US12/126,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 162/77, 162/97, 163/08, 163/21, 163/22, 163/24, 163/42, 361/679.27, 379/433.13, 455/575.3, 248917-923
• US Class Current: 16/321
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/103 frictionally clamped

Abstract

An exemplary hinge positioning structure (20) includes a pair of first leaves (22), a pivot shaft (262) rotatably engaged in the pair of first leaves, and a pair of pivot shaft grippers (24) sleeved on the pivot shaft. An end of each pivot shaft gripper engaged with each of the first leaves respectively so that the end of each pivot shaft gripper is fixed relative to each of the first leaves. The hinge positioning structure further includes a resilient member (266), two ends of the resilient member connected to the pair of pivot shaft grippers respectively, and applying a force on the pair of pivot shaft grippers so that the pair of pivot shaft grippers tightly grip the pivot shaft, such that the pivot shaft is prevented from rotating relative to the first leaves.

Claims

1. A hinge positioning structure comprising:

a pair of first leaves;

a pivot shaft rotatably engaged to the pair of first leaves;

a pair of pivot shaft grippers tightly sleeved on the pivot shaft, and each pivot shaft gripper comprising a first end engaged with each of the first leaves respectively so that the end of each pivot shaft gripper is fixed relative to each of the first leaves, such that the pivot shaft is locked with the first leaves, and

a pair of second leaves fixed relative to the pivot shaft;

the pair of pivot shaft grippers being relaxedly sleeved on the pivot shaft by an external force for releasing the pivot shaft and the first leaves and allowing the pivot shaft to rotate relative to the first leaves, wherein each of the second leaves is a sheet defining an engaging hole, the pivot shaft has two engaging protrusions formed at two ends thereof, a size and a shape of the engaging protrusions are corresponding to that of the engaging holes of the second leaves, and each of the two engaging protrusions is engaged in the engaging hole of each of the second leaves respectively, such that the second leaves are non-rotatable relative to the pivot shaft.

2. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pivot shaft grippers is a columnar, helical, torsional spring comprising a plurality of spring rings, a diameter of spring rings of the pivot shaft grippers is larger than that of the pivot shaft;

each of the pivot shaft grippers further comprises a second end at a distal end thereof respectively.

3. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hinge positioning structure further comprises a resilient member, two ends of the resilient member are connected to the two first ends of the pair of pivot shaft grippers respectively, and the resilient member pulls the pivot shaft grippers to constrict so that the pivot shaft grippers tightly grip on the pivot shaft.

4. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein a hook is formed at the first end of each of the pivot shaft grippers, each end of the resilient member forms a ring, each of the two rings of the resilient member engages with the hook of each of the pivot shaft grippers respectively.

5. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resilient member is an extension/compression spring that can be extended and compressed.

6. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the first leaves defines a positioning groove, the second end of each of the pivot shaft grippers is engaged in the positioning groove of each of the first leaves respectively, such that the second end is non-rotatable relative to the first leaves.

7. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the first leaves comprises a mounting portion and a knuckle portion, the mounting portion is substantially a flat sheet, the knuckle portion is substantially a cylinder, the knuckle portion is perpendicularly connected to the mounting portion, each of the first leaves defines a circular pivot hole, and the circular pivot hole extends through the knuckle portion and the mounting portion, the pivot shaft sleeved with the pivot shaft grippers is rotatably engaged in the pivot holes of the first leaves.

8. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the positioning groove is defined in an inner sidewall of the knuckle portion defining the pivot hole and extends along a direction perpendicular to the mounting portion.

9. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pivot shaft grippers is a columnar, helical, torsional spring comprising a plurality of spring rings, a diameter of spring rings of the pivot shaft grippers is smaller than that of the pivot shaft;

each of the pivot shaft grippers further comprises a second end at a distal end thereof respectively.

10. The hinge positioning structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the hinge positioning structure further comprising two levers, one end of each of the levers is connected to the first end of each of the pivot shaft grippers, another end of each of the levers extends out of the hinge positioning structure.

11. A hinge positioning unit comprising:

a pivot shaft; and

a pair of pivot shaft grippers sleeved on the pivot shaft from two distal ends thereof, wherein each of the pivot shaft grippers has a first end and a second end, the pivot shaft grippers are tightly or relaxedly sleeved on the pivot shaft by pulling or relaxing the first and second ends of each of the pivot shaft grippers, thus locking or unlocking the pivot shaft, the hinge positioning unit further comprises two resilient members, the first and second ends of each of the pivot shaft grippers are pulled by one of the resilient members, such that the pivot shaft grippers tightly grip on the pivot shaft.

12. The hinge positioning unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the hinge positioning unit further comprises four levers, the first and second ends of each of the pivot shaft grippers are pulled by two of the levers, such that the pivot shaft grippers tightly grip on the pivot shaft.

13. A hinge positioning structure comprising:

a pair of first leaves;

a pivot shaft rotatably engaged to the pair of first leaves; and

a pair of pivot shaft grippers tightly sleeved on the pivot shaft, each pivot shaft gripper having a first end engaged with each of the first leaves respectively so that the end of each pivot shaft gripper is fixed relative to each of the first leaves, such that the pivot shaft is locked with the first leaves, the pair of pivot shaft grippers being relaxedly sleeved on the pivot shaft by an external force for releasing the pivot shaft and the first leaves and allowing the pivot shaft to rotate relative to the first leaves, wherein each of the pivot shaft grippers is a columnar, helical, torsional spring comprising a plurality of spring rings;

a diameter of spring rings of the pivot shaft grippers is smaller than that of the pivot shaft;

each of the pivot shaft grippers further comprises a second end at a distal end thereof;

the hinge positioning structure further comprises two levers, one end of each of the levers is connected to the first end of each of the pivot shaft grippers, and another end of each of the levers extends out of the hinge positioning structure.