Axis shifting hinge assemblies

In one example, a hinge assembly is disclosed, which may include a first member and a second member rotatably connected to the first member through a mounting portion. The mounting portion may include a first surface having a first protrusion and a second surface, opposite the first surface, having a second protrusion. Further, the hinge assembly may include a first cam fixed to the first member and disposed adjacent to the first surface and a second cam fixed to the first member and disposed adjacent to the second surface. The first cam and second cam being engageable with the first protrusion and the second protrusion, respectively, to shift an axis of rotation of the second member.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices such as laptop computers, mobile phones, and the like may include a base portion, a cover portion, and a hinge mounted between the base portion and the cover portion. For example, the base portion may house a keyboard, a motherboard, and/or other components. The cover portion may house a display. The hinge may connect the cover portion to the base portion and allow the cover portion to rotate relative to the base portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hinged electronic devices, such as laptop computers and flip mobile phones, may include a base portion and a cover portion hinged about a pivot axis. In a closed position, the pivot axis is positioned even with the plane of contact between the base portion and the cover portion. Because of this geometry, the cover portion and the base portion cannot open 180° (e.g., as the cover portion (e.g., hinge up) may interfere with the base portion) and/or the hinge may protrude upward out of the plane.

Examples described herein may provide a hinge assembly for electronic devices. The hinge assembly may include a first member and a second member rotatably connected to the first member through a mounting portion. The mounting portion may include a first surface having a first protrusion and a second surface, opposite the first surface, having a second protrusion. The hinge assembly may include a first cam fixed to the first member and disposed adjacent to the first surface and a second cam fixed to the first member and disposed adjacent to the second surface. The first cam being engageable with the first protrusion to move the axis of rotation from a first position to a second position during opening of the second member. The second cam being engageable with the second protrusion to move the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position during closing of the second member.

Examples described herein may provide the hinge assembly with 180° axis of rotation. Examples described herein may avoid the interference/overlap between the cover portion and the base portion when rover portion opens to 180°, particularly, between 145° to 180°.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of an example hinge assembly100. Hinge assembly100may include a first member102, a second member104rotatably connected to first member102through a mounting portion106. Mounting portion106may include a first surface108having a first protrusion116. Further, mounting portion106may include a second surface110opposite first surface108and having a second protrusion118. In one example, first protrusion116may be formed at a top portion of first surface108and second protrusion118may be formed at a bottom portion of second surface110. For example, first protrusion116and second protrusion118may be circular and cylindrical in shape.

Hinge assembly100may include a first cam112fixed to first member102and disposed adjacent to first surface108. Also, hinge assembly100may include a second cam114fixed to first member102and disposed adjacent to second surface110. In one example, first cam112and second cam114may have a non-uniform radius including a large diameter part and a small diameter part. First cam112and second cam114may be circular and include an oval exterior surface.

During operation, first cam112and second cam114may be engageable with first protrusion116and second protrusion118, respectively, to shift an axis of rotation of second member104. In one example, first cam112may abut and engage with first protrusion116to move/change the axis of rotation from a first position to a second position during opening of second member104. In another example, second cam114may abut and engage with second protrusion118to move/change the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position (i.e., shifting the axis of rotation back to the original position in a folded state) during closing of second member104.

FIG. 2is a perspective view of another example hinge assembly200for an electronic device. Hinge assembly200may include a shaft220, a first member202mounted on shaft220, and a second member204pivotable with respect to first member202. In one example, shaft220may be fixedly coupled to first member202. For example, shaft220may be fixed to first member202by means of a mounting flange. Second member204may include a mounting portion206rotatably mounted on shaft220such that second member204may pivot with respect to first member202.

Mounting portion206may include a first surface208having a first protrusion216. Further, mounting portion206may include a second surface210opposite first surface208and having a second protrusion218. First protrusion216may be formed at a top portion of first surface208and second protrusion218may be formed at bottom portion of second surface210.

Hinge assembly200may include a first cam212fixedly mounted on shaft220and disposed adjacent to first surface208. Further, hinge assembly200may include a second cam214fixedly mounted on shaft220and disposed adjacent to second surface210. First cam212and second cam214may include an oval exterior surface. For example, first cam212and second cam214may be fixedly coupled to shaft220such that the oval exterior surface may be disposed towards the bottom side.

First cam212and second cam214shift a longitudinal axis of hinge assembly200from a default first position to a second position and vice versa in response to a rotational movement of second member204as explained below. During operation, first cam212may abut and engage with first protrusion216to move an axis of rotation from a first position to a second position (e.g., by outwardly moving second member204) during opening of second member204. In one example, first cam212may move the axis of rotation from the first position to the second position when an angle between first member202and second member204is in a range of 135° to 180° during opening of second member204. Shifting the axis of rotation from the first position to the second position is explained in detail inFIG. 4A.

Further during operation, second cam214may abut and engage with second protrusion218to move the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position (e.g., by inwardly moving second member204) during closing of second member204. In one example, second cam214may move the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position when the angle between first member202and second member204is in a range of 0° to 90° during closing of second member204. Shifting the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position is explained in detail inFIG. 4B.

FIG. 3Ais a perspective view of an example electronic device300including a hinge306, such as hinge assembly100or200shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Electronic device300may include a base portion304and a cover portion302connected to base portion304via hinge306. Example electronic device300may be a computing system, for example, a laptop, a notebook, a sub-notebook, a mobile telephone, a personal gaming device, or other computing device with cover portion302closeable onto base portion304. For example, base portion304may house a keyboard, a battery, a touchpad, and so on. Cover portion302may house a display. Hinge306may allow cover portion302(e.g., display housing) to rotate in directions about rotational axis relative to base portion304.

FIG. 3Bis the perspective view of example hinge306, such as hinge assembly200ofFIG. 2depicting additional features. Hinge306may include first member202and second member204. In one example, first member including a main body222and shaft220may be made up of a single-piece structure as shown inFIG. 1. In this case, second member204may be rotatably mounted on first member202through mounting portion206.

In another example, first member may be made up of a two-piece structure, one being main body222and other being shaft220. In this case, shaft220may be connected to an end of main body222. For example, shaft220may be fixed to main body222by means of a mounting flange224. In this case, mounting portion206may be rotatably mounted on shaft220. Further, mounting portion206may include a mounting hole230that is being formed through a center of mounting portion206. For example, mounting hole230may be non-circular and mounted through by shaft220to allow axis shifting of second member204during rotation of cover portion302.

Further, mounting portion206may include first surface208having first protrusion216, and second surface210having second protrusion218. First protrusion216may protrude from a top portion of first surface208and second protrusion218may protrude from a bottom portion of second surface210. Hinge306may include first cam212fixed to first member202/shaft220and disposed adjacent to first surface208. Further, hinge306may include second cam214fixed to first member202/shaft220and disposed adjacent to second surface210. First cam212may include an oval exterior surface226and second cam214may include an oval exterior surface228.

Each of first cam212and second cam214may include a through hole. Shaft220may be inserted into the through hole such that first cam212and second cam214may be disposed on either side of mounting portion206. Further, first member202may be secured to base portion304and second member204may be secured to cover portion302such that cover portion302can be moved relative to base portion304in response to rotation of cover portion302about hinge306.

During opening of cover portion302, first cam212may abut and engage with first protrusion216to move the axis of rotation from a first position to a second position where cover portion302may not interfere with base portion304. During dosing of cover portion302, second cam214may abut and engage with second protrusion218to move the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position. The operation of first cam212and second cam214with respect to first protrusion216and second protrusion218is explained in detail inFIGS. 4A and 4B.

FIG. 4Ais an example operation of first cam212that abuts and engages with first protrusion216to move the axis of rotation from the first position to the second position during opening of second member204. Particularly,FIGS. 4A and 4Bdepict positions of first protrusion216and second protrusion218with respect to first cam212and second cam214during opening and closing of second member204. At402, second member204is in a closed position. In the closed position, first protrusion216may be located on first surface208at a position opposite oval exterior surface226of first cam212and second protrusion218may be located on second surface210at a position physically engaging with oval exterior surface228of second cam214.

At404, when second member204is opened from 0° to 90°, an outer perimeter of first protrusion216may abut and engage with an outer perimeter of first cam212with the axis of rotation in the first position. At406, when second member204is opened from 90° to 135°, the outer perimeter of first protrusion216may abut and engage with the outer perimeter of first cam212with the axis of rotation in the first position. At408, when second member204is opened from 135° to 180°, the outer perimeter of first protrusion216may abut and engage with oval exterior surface226of first cam212and hence move the axis of rotation from the first position to the second position (e.g., as shown inFIG. 5). In this case, first protrusion216may physically engage with large diameter portion of first cam212and hence shift the axis of rotation by outwardly moving second member204. For example, as oval exterior surface226contacts first protrusion216, first cam212may stay in place while the cam action of first cam212may drive cover portion302away from base portion304.

FIG. 4Bis an example operation of second cam214that abuts and engages with second protrusion218to move the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position during closing of second member204. At452, second member204is in 180° open position. At454, when second member204is closed from 180° to 135°, an outer perimeter of second protrusion218may abut and engage with an outer perimeter of second cam214with the axis of rotation in the second position. At456, when second member204is closed from 135° to 90°, the outer perimeter of second protrusion218may abut and engage with the outer perimeter of second cam214with the axis of rotation in the second position. At458, when second member204is closed from 90° to 0°, the outer perimeter of second protrusion218may abut and engage with oval exterior surface228of second cam214and hence move the axis of rotation from the second position to the first position. In this case, second protrusion218may physically engage with large diameter portion of second cam214and hence move the axis of rotation back to the first position. For example, as oval exterior surface228contacts second protrusion218, second cam214may stay in place while the cam action of second cam214may drive second member204to move from the second position to the first position.

FIG. 5is an example schematic500depicting a shift in the axis of rotation of second member204during opening of second member204.FIG. 5depicts base portion304, cover portion302, and a hinge306connecting cover portion302to base portion304. As shown inFIG. 5, when cover portion302is opened to 180°, the axis of rotation may be moved from a first position502to a second position504(e.g., in the direction indicated by an arrow) to avoid cover portion302interference with base portion304.

It may be noted that the above-described examples of the present solution are for the purpose of illustration only. Although the solution has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, numerous modifications may be possible without materially departing from the teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Other substitutions, Modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present solution. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

The terms “include,” “have,” and variations thereof, as used herein, have the same meaning as the term “comprise” or appropriate variation thereof. Furthermore, the term “based on,” as used herein, means “based at least in part on.” Thus, a feature that is described as based on some stimulus can be based on the stimulus or a combination of stimuli including the stimulus.