Hinged dual panel electronic device

• US 8,826,495 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Houdek, Philip J. II, Wilkins, Dan Page, Moiseyenko, Stan, Jauvtis, Nathan Isaiah
• Primary Examiner(s): Batson, Victor
• Assistant Examiner(s): SULLIVAN, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US13/151,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 16225-227, 403/121, 403/291, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 361/679.06, 361/679.07, 439/312, 439/376, 439/378, 174/98, 174/99.R
• US Class Current: 16/225
• 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: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling

Abstract

A electronic device includes a first housing body with a first hinged end, a first free end, and a first fastening surface between the first hinged end and the first free end. A second housing body has a second hinged end, a second free end, and a second fastening surface between the second hinged end and the second free end. A flexible member is fixed to the first fastening surface and passes though the first hinged end and through the second hinged end for connection to a sliding cartridge that is affixed to the second fastening surface. The sliding cartridge provides substantially constant resistance during 360° rotation between the first housing body and the second housing body.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first housing body with a first hinged end, a first free end, and a first fastening surface between the first hinged end and the first free end,

a second housing body with a second hinged end, a second free end, and a second fastening surface between the second hinged end and the second free end, and

a plurality of hinge straps including a first hinge cable strap enclosing an electronic cable;

a first sliding cartridge comprising a rod base, a guide rod, a compression spring, said first sliding cartridge affixed to the second housing body at the second fastening surface and completely located inside the second housing body;

wherein;

the first hinge cable strap is fixed to the first fastening surface and passes through the first hinged end in a high position and through the second hinged end in a low position;

the first hinge cable strap is connected to the first sliding cartridge, wherein the first sliding cartridge provides substantially constant resistance during 360°

rotation between the first housing body and the second housing body.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said compression spring is a tension spring.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the rod base is anchored to the second fastening surface, the guide rod is supported by the rod base, and the compression spring surrounds the rod base.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the first hinge cable strap member has substantially no stretch in tension.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the first hinge cable strap comprises a fabric with substantially no stretch in tension.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the first hinged end has a first cam shaped surface and the second hinged end has a second cam shaped surface such that the rotation occurs by rolling between the first cam shaped surface and the second cam shaped surface.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the first hinge cable strap forms an enclosure that allows relative motion between the first hinge cable strap and the electronic cable along the length of the first flexible member.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first hinge cable strap encloses the electronic cable, but only the first hinge cable strap is fastened to the sliding cartridge.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first hinge cable strap is fastened to the first sliding cartridge through a pierced connection.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic cable is flat ribbon cable hidden by the first hinge cable strap.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hinge straps comprises a second flexible member and a third flexible member to provide an odd number of flexible members, and the second flexible member and the third flexible member are each connected to a second sliding cartridge and a third sliding cartridge, respectively, wherein the second sliding cartridge and the third sliding cartridge are affixed to the first fastening surface and located completely within the first housing body.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first sliding cartridge, the second sliding cartridge, and the third sliding cartridge provide balanced and opposing spring forces when the first housing body and the second housing body are in a flat open position.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the second flexible member and the third flexible member are each fixed to the second fastening surface and each passes through the first hinged end in the low position and through the second hinged end in the high position.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the first hinge cable strap is arranged in a center position between the second flexible member and the third flexible member.

15. A dual panel electronic book reader, comprising:

a first housing body with a first display, a first hinged end, a first free end, and a first fastening surface between the first hinged end and the first free end,

a second housing body with a second display, a second hinged end, a second free end, and a second fastening surface between the second hinged end and the second free end, and

a plurality of hinge straps including a first hinge cable strap enclosing an electronic cable;

a first sliding cartridge comprising a rod base, a guide rod, a compression spring, said first sliding cartridge affixed to the second housing body at the second fastening surface and completely located inside the second housing body;

wherein;

the first hinge cable strap is fixed to the first fastening surface and passes through the first hinged end in a high position and through the second hinged end in a low position;

the first hinge cable strap is connected to the first sliding cartridge, wherein the first sliding cartridge provides substantially constant resistance during 360°

rotation between the first housing body and the second housing body.

16. The dual panel electronic book reader of claim 15, wherein the plurality of hinge straps comprises a second flexible member and a third flexible member to provide an odd number of flexible members, and the second flexible member and the third flexible member are each connected to a second sliding cartridge and a third sliding cartridge, respectively, wherein the second sliding cartridge and the third sliding cartridge are affixed to the first fastening surface and located completely within the first housing body.

17. The dual panel electronic book reader of claim 16, wherein the first sliding cartridge, the second sliding cartridge, and the third sliding cartridge provide balanced and opposing spring forces when the first housing body and the second housing body are in a flat open position.

18. The dual panel electronic book reader of claim 16, wherein the second flexible member and the third flexible member are each fixed to the second fastening surface and each passes through the first hinged end in the low position and through the second hinged end in the high position.