Abstract:
An automatic releasing hinge enables a device to be turned under an external force, and to be automatically released when the turning angle exceeding a selected limit so that the device may be prevented from damaging when being turned by force beyond the normal range.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to an automatic releasing hinge that enables a pintle hub disengaging automatically from a connecting section when being turned outside the normal range to avoid damages.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Hinges are commonly used apparatus for turning. For instance, personal digital assistance (PDAs), notebook computers, handsets, and face panels of many devices have hinges to perform turning, supporting and anchoring functions. However, conventional hinges are easily damaged when being forced to turn beyond their normal utilization ranges. The invention aims at providing an improved hinge that is capable of releasing automatically at the connecting section when the turning angle exceeds a selected value resulting from inadvertent operations so that the device where the hinge is installed may be prevented from damaging.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic releasing hinge to resolve the disadvantages set forth above. The hinge according to the invention automatically disengages and releases at the connecting section when being turned beyond the normal range, thus the object being mounted may be prevented from damaging and the appearance may be maintained intact.  
           [0006]    Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic releasing hinge that is simply structured with a smaller number of elements and easy to assemble so that users may assemble and repair by themselves.  
           [0007]    The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2A is a prospective view of an embodiment of a pintle hub of the invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2B is a side view of the pintle hub of the invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3A is a sectional view of an embodiment of a barrel of the invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3B is a sectional view of an embodiment of a bushing of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3C is a schematic view of the pintle hub in a turning condition.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3D is a side view of the pintle hub in a turning condition.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the pintle hub in an anchor condition.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5A is a schematic view of the pintle hub in a released condition.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5B is a schematic side view of the pintle hub in a released condition. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    Refer to FIG. 1 for an embodiment of the invention. The hinge of the invention includes an upper lid  10  and a lower lid  12 . The upper lid  10  has a first bushing  10   a  and a second bushing  10   b . The lower lid  12  has a barrel  120  which may be coupled with the first bushing  10   a  and the second bushing  10   b  to enable the upper lid  10  and the lower lid  12  to form a turning relationship. The barrel  120  further houses an elastic element  14  and a pintle hub  16  therein to perform automatic releasing function. The picture shown in FIG. 1 is only an embodiment for reference. Other shapes and forms may be adopted and function equally well.  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 2A, the pintle hub  16  includes a center spindle  205 , a first anchor ridge  201  and a second anchor ridge  203 . The center spindle  205  is hollow for coupling with an axle  35  of the bushing shown in FIG. 3B for turning purpose (which will be described later). The first anchor ridge  201  and the second anchor ridge  203  are jutting outside the periphery of the cylindrical pintle hub  16  to perform turning, latching and releasing functions. Referring to FIG. 2B, the first anchor ridge  201  has a corresponding first anchor side  201   a  while the second anchor ridge  203  has a corresponding anchor side  203   a , and the center spindle  205  has a spindle side  205   a.    
         [0020]    Refer to FIG. 3A for the barrel of the invention. The hub trough  38  is a latch trough firmly engaged with the pintle hub  16  to enable the lower lid  12  be driven and turned by the pintle hub  16 .  
         [0021]    Referr to FIG. 3B for the bushing of the invention. The first bushing  10   a  and the second bushing  10   b  of the upper lid  10  connect to the lower lid  12  through the pintle hub  16  coupled in the barrel  120 , and is turnable relative to the barrel  120 . The first bushing  10   a  connects to the upper lid  10  through a connecting section  30 , and the pintle hub  16  is coupled in the first bushing  10   a . The turning ridge  37  presses the first anchor ridge  201  and the second anchor ridge  203  of the pintle hub  16  to prevent it from releasing. When the pintle hub  16  is turned to the release trough  39  as shown in FIG. 3B, it is at a released position. Details will be discussed later by referring to FIGS. 3C and 3D.  
         [0022]    Refer to FIG. 3C for the pintle hub at the turning position. It is a schematic view done by overlapping FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. When the device is turned in the clockwise direction from the initial position, the first anchor ridge  201  and the second anchor ridge  203  of the pintle hub  16  are turned respectively in a first turning trough a and a second turning trough a′. In other words, the first turning trough a and the second turning trough a′ form a free turning space. The device has a connecting section  30  located on the lower lid  12  shown in FIG. 1. Thus the lower lid and the connecting section  30  can move the barrel  120  to turn freely in the free turning space.  
         [0023]    Refer to FIG. 3D for the pintle hub at the turning position. When the pintle hub  16  is turned freely in the free turning space (as shown in FIG. 3A), the elastic element  14  located in the barrel  120  has one end forming a first position P 31  while the pintle hub  16  has one end located in the first bushing  10   a  to become a first pintle hub position P 33 . The first anchor side  201   a  and the second anchor side  203   a  are wedged in a first bushing space  35   a  and a second bushing space  35   b  formed on the periphery of the axle  35  without escaping.  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 4, when the device is turned with the connecting section  30 , the first anchor ridge  201  of the pintle hub  16  passes over a first hump e and is stopped by a third hump f and is wedged in a first anchor trough b, while the second anchor ridge  203  passes over a second hump e′ and is stopped by a fourth hump f′ and is wedged in a second anchor trough b′. As two ends of the pintle hub  16  are wedged in the anchor troughs, the device is at an anchor position.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 5A, when the device is turned continuously with the connecting section  30 , the first anchor ridge  201  of the pintle hub  16  passes over the hump f and is stopped by a fifth hump g and is wedged in a first release trough c, while the second anchor ridge  203  passes over the fourth hump f′ and is stopped by a sixth hump g′ and is wedged in a second release trough c′. The two ends of the pintle hub  16  are wedged in the release troughs, the device is at a release position (also referring to FIG. 5B).  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, at the release position, the first anchor ridge  201  of the pintle hub is wedged in the first release trough c, and the second anchor ridge  203  is wedged in the second release trough c′. As the pintle hub  16  is wedged in the release troughs, one end of the elastic element  14  is located at a second position P 51  while the pintle hub  16  is located at a second pintle hub location P 53  in the first bushing  10   a . Meanwhile the third bushing space  35   c  and the fourth bushing space  35   d  at two ends of the axle  35  do not have gap with the first anchor side  201   a  and the second anchor side  203   b  of the pintle hub  16 , thus the pintle hub  16  can run through the space without being stopped, and may be released by means of the elastic element  14 . And the first bushing  10   a  may be separated from the barrel  120 . As a result, the invention can achieve automatic release function without compromising the exterior design of the device.  
         [0027]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiment thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.