Hinge with gear synchronization mechanism

A hinge includes a base frame unit and a rotating unit. The base frame unit includes a base seat having two rotating recesses and a transmitting recess, and two interfering plates respectively disposed in the rotating recesses. The rotating unit includes two rotating members respectively and rotatably disposed in the rotating recesses, and a bevel gear member disposed in the transmitting recess. Each rotating member frictionally interferes with the respective interfering plate, and has a bevel gear portion meshing with the bevel gear member. A torque generated as a result of rotation of one rotating member is transmitted through the bevel gear member to rotate the other rotating member relative to the base seat so as to make stable synchronous rotation of the rotating members.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 110147165, filed on Dec. 16, 2021.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a hinge for an electronic device, and more particularly to a hinge with a gear synchronization mechanism.

BACKGROUND

A conventional hinge with gear synchronization generally has an insufficient frictional torque due to clearance existing in the rotational rail thereof. Thus, the hinge is caused to have a feeling of looseness during rotation of the hinge, and an unstable shake in use, which renders the service life shortened.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a hinge that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, the hinge includes a base frame unit and a rotating unit. The base frame unit includes a base seat which is elongated in a front-rear direction, and two interfering plates. The base seat has an upper plate surface, two rotating recesses recessed from the upper plate surface and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, and a transmitting recess recessed from the upper plate surface and interposed between and in communication with the rotating recesses. The interfering plates are disposed in the rotating recesses, respectively. The rotating unit includes two rotating members which are respectively and rotatably disposed in the rotating recesses, and a bevel gear member which is disposed in the transmitting recess. Each of the rotating members frictionally interferes with a respective one of the interfering plates, and has a bevel gear portion which meshes with the bevel gear member such that, a torque generated as a result of rotation of one of the rotating members relative to the base seat is transmitted through the bevel gear member to rotate the other one of the rotating members relative to the base seat so as to make synchronous rotation of the rotating members in opposite directions.

With the rotating members rotatably received in the rotating recesses and frictionally interfering with the interfering plates, a sufficient large frictional torque is produced during rotation of the rotating members, which renders the hinge stable and reduces undesired shaking.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS.1to3, an embodiment of a hinge10according to the disclosure is adapted to be mounted between a first device part20and a second device part30of an electronic device100. The electronic device100may be a foldable device such as a smart phone, a panel computer, a notebook, or a handheld device. In this embodiment, the electronic device100is a notebook on which three of the hinges10are mounted, and the first device part20has a keyboard and the second device part30has a display screen. Each hinge10includes a base frame unit1and a rotating unit2. The number of the hinges10mounted on the electronic device100may be varied according to the size of the electronic device100and the required frictional torque thereof.

With reference toFIGS.3to5, the base frame unit1includes a base seat11which is elongated in a front-rear direction, two interfering plates12disposed on the base seat11, and two abutment blocks13which are disposed on the base seat11. The base seat11has an upper plate surface110, two rotating recesses111recessed from the upper plate surface110and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, and a transmitting recess112recessed from the upper plate surface110and interposed between and in communication with the rotating recesses111. The base seat11further has two pairs of arcuate rails14, each pair being respectively mounted in two ends of a respective one of the rotating recesses111. The interfering plates12are disposed in the rotating recesses111, respectively. The abutment blocks13respectively extend into the rotating recesses111and at the ends away from the transmitting recess112. The upper surfaces of the abutment blocks13are flush with the upper plate surface110of the base seat11. It is noted that the base seats11of the three hinges10may be disposed on a connecting bar201of the electronic device100(seeFIG.2) so as to permit synchronous movements of the hinges10.

With reference toFIGS.5to7, the rotating unit2includes two rotating members21which are respectively and rotatably disposed in the rotating recesses111, a bevel gear member22which is disposed in the transmitting recess112, five frictional plates23which are sleeved around the bevel gear member22, superimposed upon one another, and securely received in the transmitting recess112, and two brackets24which are respectively and securely connected with the rotating members21. Each rotating member21frictionally interferes with a respective one of the interfering plates12, and has a rotating body211which is disposed in the corresponding rotating recess111, an arm plate212which is connected with the rotating body211and which laterally extends from the rotating body211and outwardly of the corresponding rotating recess111to be securely connected with the corresponding bracket24, a bevel gear portion213which is formed on a proximate end of the rotating body211proximate to the transmitting recess112and which meshes with the bevel gear member22, a frictional protrusion214which projects downwardly from the rotating body211and which frictionally interferes with the corresponding interfering plate12, a stopped protrusion215which projects from a distal end of the rotating body211distal from the transmitting recess112, and two arcuate rims216which are respectively formed on the two ends of the rotating body211. The stopped protrusion215is engageable with the corresponding abutment block13to constrain the rotation of the rotating member21. The arcuate rims216are movably disposed under and slidable along the arcuate rails14, respectively, so as to permit the rotation of the corresponding rotating member21and to restrict an upward movement of the corresponding rotating member21relative to the base seat11. The bevel gear member22has an upright axle portion221and a gear portion222surrounding and securely connected with the upright axle portion221. The frictional plates23are sleeved around the upright axle portion221. The bevel gear portions213of the rotating members21mesh with the gear portion222of the bevel gear member22. The brackets24are respectively and securely connected with the arm plates212of the rotating members21. Each bracket24extends along the base seat11in the front-rear direction and is spaced apart from the base seat11in a left-right direction. The brackets24are respectively connected with the first and second device parts20,30.

With reference toFIGS.1,3,7and8, the rotating unit2is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the rotating members21are flush with the upper plate surface110of the base seat11to bring the first device part20and the second device part30parallel to each other in a folded state, and the frictional protrusions214respectively and frictionally interfere with the interfering plates12. When the electronic device100is in use, the first device part20is pressed and the three hinges10are moved synchronously. When one rotating member21of each hinge10is rotated relative to the base seat11, the other rotating member21is rotated relative to the base seat11by means of the meshing of the bevel gear portions213with the bevel gear member22. With reference toFIGS.9to11, during rotation of the rotating members21, the frictional protrusions214respectively and frictionally interfere with the interfering plates12, the arcuate rims216are movable along the arcuate rails14and are guarded from an upward movement, and the upright axle portion221of the bevel gear member22generates a frictional force with the frictional plates23, such that a sufficient large frictional torque is produced even in the hinge10with a small size, which renders the hinge10stable and reduces undesired shaking. Moreover, the rotating members21having a larger frictional area prolong their service life. In a second position, each of the rotating members21is pivoted relative to the base seat11by a predetermined angle to have the stopped protrusions215be engaged with the corresponding abutment blocks13. With reference toFIGS.2and4, in the second position, the first device part20is turned relative to the second device part30in an unfolded state, and the connecting bar201is turned upwardly by the base seats11of the hinges10to be exposed between the first device part20and the second device part30. At this stage, the connecting bar201conceals and protects the base seats11.

As illustrated, a torque generated as a result of rotation of one of the rotating members21relative to the base seat11is transmitted through the bevel gear member22to rotate the other one of the rotating members21relative to the base seat11so as to make synchronous rotation of the rotating members21in opposite directions. Also, with the rotating members21rotatably received in the rotating recesses111and frictionally interfering with the interfering plates12, with the arcuate rims216of the rotating members21guarded by the arcuate rails14, and with the upright axle portion221of the bevel gear member22generating a frictional force with the frictional plates23, a sufficient large frictional torque is produced during rotation of the rotating members21even in the hinge10with a small size, which renders the hinge10stable and reduces undesired shaking. The rotating members21having a larger frictional area prolong their service life.