Abstract:
There is provided a hinge device for a foldable apparatus which comprises a first member provided with a first hinge sleeve rigidly secured thereto and with a first abutment peripheral edge and a second member provided with a second hinge sleeve with a second abutment peripheral edge slidably held in abutment with the first abutment peripheral edge; wherein said hinge device further comprises a first disk unrotatably fitted into said first hinge sleeve and a second disk unrotatably fitted into said second hinge sleeve; and either the first abutment facet of the first disk or the second abutment facet of the second disk being provided with a plurality of engaging recesses arranged at predetermined angular positions thereof; the other being provided with a plurality of engaging projections adapted to become engaged with the each engaging recesses under the effect of resilient force of a coil spring, the engagement of said engaging projections and said engaging recesses being switched by an opening or closing motion of the first and second members;

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a hinge device to be used for a foldable apparatus comprising an apparatus main body and a cover apparatus such as a lap-top type computer, a portable telephone set or a word processor so as to make the cover rotatably fitted to the main body, said hinge device being adapted to hold the cover to any intermediary angular position relative to the main body between the fully closed position and the fully opened position and release the cover from the intermediary angular position when appropriate force is applied to the cover so that the cover may be opened and closed smoothly. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Known lock means including claw clutches and magnets that are adapted to prevent the cover of an apparatus such as a portable telephone set from being inadvertently closed in use or opened when not in use are not satisfactory particularly in terms of limited applicability, high cost and inconvenience of operation. In an attempt for dissolving the drawbacks of the prior art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-11831 proposes a hinge device as briefly described below. 
     A hinge device according to the above patent document has a configuration as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10 of the accompanying drawings. Referring firstly to FIGS. 7 and 8, an apparatus main body  1  and a corresponding cover  2  are put together by means of the hinge device in such a way that they may be opened relative to each other by an angle of α° and closed from that angular position. The hinge device  3  is constituted by a pair of main body hinge sleeves  1   a  integrally formed with and secured to the main body  1  and a pair of cover hinge sleeves  2   a  also integrally formed with and secured to the cover  2  and the abutment facet  1   b  of each of the main body hinge sleeves  1   a  and the corresponding abutment facet  2   b  of the mated one of the cover hinge sleeves  2   a  slide on each other when the cover is turned open and closed as seen from FIG.  8 . 
     A fixed disk  4  is fitted into each of the main body hinge sleeves  1   a  in such a way that it cannot rotate but can axially move relative to the hinge sleeve  1   a  by way of mutual engagement of a guide rib  1   c  formed on the inner peripheral surface of the main body hinge sleeve  1   a  and a corresponding guide groove  4   a  formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed disk  4 . On the other hand, a movable disk  5  is fitted into each of the cover hinge sleeves  2   a  in such a way that it cannot rotate relative to the hinge sleeve  2   a . In the case of the illustrated arrangement, rib  5   a  formed on an end facet of the movable disk  5  is held in engagement with groove  2   c  formed in the inside of the cover hinge sleeve  2   a.    
     Additionally, in the above known hinge device, either the fixed abutment facet  4   b  of the fixed disk  4  or the movable abutment facet  5   b  of the movable disk  5  (the fixed abutment facet  4   b  in the illustrated instance) is provided with a plurality of (three) engaging recesses  6  arranged peripherally at predetermined angular positions N 1 , N 2  and N 3  (as defined by the opening angle α° of the cover  2 ) as seen from FIGS. 9A,  9 C and  10 , while the other of them is provided with the a plurality of (two) corresponding engaging projections  8  arranged peripherally at predetermined angular positions P 1  and P 2  and projecting from the movable abutment facet  5   b  as seen from FIGS. 9B,  9 D and  10 , the engaging recesses  6  and the corresponding engaging projections  8  being adapted to be urged into mutual engagement by a coil spring  7 . 
     As seen from FIG. 10, the coil spring  7  is housed in a storage cavity  4   c  having an opening at the side of the fixed disk  4  opposite to the fixed abutment facet  4   b . Then, a rod  9  is driven from the outside of the remain body hinge sleeve  1   a  to run through the coil spring, the fixed disk  4  and the movable disk  5  so that the front end  9   a  of the rod is tightly received in threaded hole  2   e  cut into the bottom  2   d  of the cover hinge sleeve  2   a  In FIG. 10, reference symbol  9   b  denotes the head of the rod  9 . 
     As a result of this arrangement, the coil spring  7  resiliently presses the fixed disk  4  against the movable disk  5  and urges the engaging recesses  6  and the corresponding engaging projections  8  into mutual engagement. In other words, the fixed abutment facet  4   b  is pressed against the movable abutment facet  5   b.    
     Thus, it will be appreciated from FIG. 10 that, as the cover is moved to become open, the movable disk is rotated with the cover hinge sleeve  2   a , the engaging projections  8  projecting from the movable abutment facet  5   b  of the movable disk  5  are moved peripherally and released from the mutual engagement with the corresponding engaging recesses  6  as shown in FIG.  9 E. Then, the fixed disk  4  is moved leftward in FIG. 10 against the resilient force of the coil spring  7  so that the front ends of the engaging projections  8  are made to slide peripherally on the fixed abutment facet  4   b.    
     Therefore, referring to FIGS. 9A through 9E, while the engaging projections  8  of the movable disk  5  arranged at angular positions P 1 , P 2  are held in engagement with the corresponding engaging recesses  6  of the fixed disk at angular positions N 1 , N 2  so long as the cover  2  is closed, they come to be engaged respectively with the engaging recesses  6  located at angular positions N 3 , N 1  when the cover is opened by angle α° . 
     The above described known hinge device represents a major technological advancement over known lock means including claw clutches and magnets because the cover is effectively prevented from being inadvertently closed in use or opened when not in use and can be operated to become open and closed in a very simple way. 
     While the above described known hinge device is highly effective, it requires a cumbersome assembling process. More specifically, as may be seen from FIGS. 8,  9 A through  9 E and  10 , firstly the cover hinge sleeve  2   a  is fitted to the cover and the groove  2   c  is made to become engaged with the rib  5   a , while the fixed disk  4  is fitted into the main body hinge sleeve  1   a  so that the guide rib  1   c  is made to become engaged with the guide groove  4   a  of the fixed disk  4 . Then, the coil spring  7  is put into the fixed disk  4  and the rod  9  is driven to move through the coil spring  7  until the threaded front end  9   a  of the rod  9  is tightly held into engagement with the corresponding threaded hole  2   e  bored through the bottom  2   d  of the cover hinge sleeve  2   a  so that the coil spring  7  is compressed by the head  9   b  of the rod  9  to by turn press the fixed abutment facet  4   b  of the fixed disk  4  against the movable abutment facet  5   b  of the movable disk  5 . 
     The present invention is intended to eliminate the above cumbersome assembling operation. In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an engagement assembly with which a rod is made to pass through a second (movable) disk, a sliding disk and a coil spring and become securely and unremovably received by a first (fixed) disk so that the sliding disk is made to resiliently abut the second (movable) disk under the effect of the coil spring, while a pair of spaces are provided between the sliding disk and the remote ends of the sliding grooves of the first (fixed) disk. With this arrangement, the sliding disk is made free from any obstruction when it is axially moved as the second member (cover) is opened or closed relative to the first member (apparatus main body). 
     The engagement assembly becomes engaged with the first (fixed) disk and the second (movable) disk simply by aligning the first (fixed) disk of the first member (apparatus main body) and the second (movable) disk of the second member (cover) and bringing them into mutual engagement. Then, the second disk is unreleasably held to the second hinge sleeve so that the first member and the second member are made to pivot on each other so as to become closed or open. Thus, the first object of the present invention is to provide a hinge device to be suitably used for a foldable apparatus that can be assembled with utmost ease. 
     Preferably, the rod running through the second disk, the sliding disk and the coil spring and secured to the first disk is riveted at the front end thereof so as to make the washer abut the front abutment edge of the shank section of the rod and the first disk and hence make the rod itself unreleasable. This arrangement can significantly improve the integrity of the engagement assembly. 
     Preferably, the second disk is made to have a base plate section and a resilient claw section, of which the resilient claw section includes resilient anti-release claws that become engaged with the second hinge sleeve when the engagement assembly is fitted into the first and second hinge sleeves so as to make the anti-release edge section of the second hinge sleeve to be pinched between the resilient anti-release claws of the resilient claw section and the base plate section. With this arrangement, the engagement assembly would not inadvertently come off from the first and second hinge sleeves. 
     Still preferably, the engagement assembly is provided at an end thereof with a closure cap that can be fitted to the engagement assembly with a simple operation in order to improve the appearance of the apparatus and prevent particles of dirt from entering the engagement assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, the above object is achieved by providing a hinge device to be used for a foldable apparatus comprising a first member provided with a first hinge sleeve rigidly secured thereto and having a first abutment peripheral edge and a second member provided with a second hinge sleeve having a second abutment peripheral edge slidably held in abutment with the first abutment peripheral edge; 
     said hinge device comprising a first disk unrotatably fitted into said first hinge sleeve and a second disk unrotatably fitted into said second hinge sleeve; 
     either the first abutment facet of the first disk or the second abutment facet of the second disk being provided with a plurality of engaging recesses arranged at predetermined angular positions thereof, the other being provided with a plurality of engaging projections adapted to become engaged with the respective engaging recesses under the effect of resilient force of a coil spring, the engagement of said engaging projections and said engaging recesses being switched by an opening or closing motion of the first and second members; 
     said first disk having a sleeve-shaped main body and a sliding disk axially slidably fitted into the sliding grooves produced by cutting the peripheral wall of the main body; said engaging projections or said engaging recesses being formed on said sliding disk; 
     said second disk having being provided with resilient ant-release claws; 
     a rod being driven sequentially into said second disk, said sliding disk and said coil spring and fitted into and unreleasably secured to the sleeve-shaped main body of said first disk so as to form an engagement assembly and make the first abutment facet of the sliding disk  12 B to be urged by the coil spring and resiliently abut the second abutment facet of the second disk, thereby producing a pair of spaces having a length not smaller than that of the engaging projections between the sliding disk and the remote ends of the sliding grooves in the engagement assembly; 
     said resilient anti-release claws of said second disk becoming engaged with said second hinge sleeve by fitting said engagement assembly into said first hinge sleeve and said second hinge sleeve. 
     Preferably, in a hinge device to be used for a foldable apparatus as set for the above, said rod has a head section, an anti-rotation end section extending from the head, a shank section extending form the end section and a narrow front end section extending from the shank section, said anti-rotation end section being adapted to be engaged with a corresponding anti-rotation hole formed in said second disk, and a washer is arranged around the narrow front end section and held in contact with the sleeve-shaped main body of the first disk so as to be pressed against and secured to the front abutment edge of the shank section by riveting the narrow front end section of the rod. 
     Preferably, in a hinge device to be used for a foldable apparatus as set forth above, wherein said second disk has a base plate section provided with said engaging recesses or said engaging projections and a resilient claw section projecting from said base plate section and said resilient claw section includes resilient anti-release claws to be engaged with the second hinge sleeve when the engagement assembly is fitted into the first and second hinge sleeves so as to make as the anti-release edge section of the second hinge sleeve to be pinched between the resilient anti-release claws of the resilient claw section and the base plate section. 
     Still preferably, in a hinge device to be used for a foldable apparatus as set forth above, said engagement assembly is provided at an end thereof with a closure cap having an outer wall section, an inner engaging plate section, an engaging slit formed in the outer wall section and a void formed in the dosure cap and held in communication with the engaging slit so that the closure cat can be fitted to the engagement assembly with a simple operation of putting the washer securely held in abutment to the outer end of the first disk of the engagement assembly into the void by way of the slit and rotating the dosure cap until the latter becomes unreleasbly engaged with the inner engaging plate section. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1A through 1C are sematic illustrations of an embodiment of hinge device to be used for opening and dosing a foldable apparatus, of which FIG. 1A is an exploded schematic perspective view of the embodiment, FIG. 1B is a schematic cross sectional lateral front view of the embodiment when it is assembled and FIG. 1C is a schematic end view of the second hinge sleeve of the embodiment. 
     FIG. 2 a schematic cross sectional plan view of embodiment of FIG. 1A when it is assembled. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic perspective view of the engagement assembly of the embodiment of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIGS. 4 Through 4D are schematic illustrations of the second disk of the engagement assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 1A, of which FIG. 4A is a schematic front view and FIG. 4B is a schematic lateral view as viewed from the right side of FIG. 4A, whereas FIG. 4C is a schematic rear view and FIG. 4D is a schematic plan view. 
     FIGS. 5A through 5D are schematic illustrations of the sliding disk of the engagement assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 1A, of which FIG. 5A is a schematic front view and FIG. 5B a schematic lateral view as viewed from the right side of FIG. 5A, whereas FIG. 5C is a schematic rear view and FIG. 5D is a schematic plan view. 
     FIG. 6 is schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the second disk of the engagement assembly. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a known foldable apparatus when it is opened. 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded schematic perspective view of the hinge device of the apparatus of FIG.  7 . 
     FIGS. 9A through 9E are schematic illustrations of the abutment facet of the fixed disk and that of the movable disk of the hinge device of FIG. 8, of which FIG. 9A is an front view of the abutment facet of the fixed disk, FIG. 9B is a front view of the abutment facet of the movable disk, whereas FIGS. 9C and 9D are a schematic cross sectional views taken respectively along line C—C in FIG.  9 A and ling D—D in FIG.  9 B and FIG. 9E is a schematic longitudinal cross sectional view of the fixed disk of FIG.  9 C and the movable disk of FIG. 9D showing them as they are being released from the mutual engagement. 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a known hinge device mechanism. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Now, the present invention will be described in greater detail by referring to FIGS. 1A through 6 the accompanying drawings that illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. Referring firstly to FIG. 1A, the first member A of a foldable apparatus is provided at an edge thereof with a first hinge sleeve  10 , while the second member B of the apparatus is provided at the corresponding edge thereof with a second hinge sleeve  11 . The first embodiment of hinge device is formed by the first and second hinge sleeves  10 ,  11  and an engagement assembly C to be fitted into the fist hinge sleeve  10  and the second hinge sleeve  11 . In the illustrated instance, the first member A may be the apparatus main body and the second member B may be the cover adapted to become open and closed relative to the apparatus main body, although no problem arises if the first member A is the cover and the second member B is the apparatus main body. 
     As in the case of the prior art, the first hinge sleeve  10  and the second hinge sleeve  11  are aligned and the first abutment peripheral edge  10   a  of the first hinge sleeve  10  and the second abutment peripheral edge  11   a  of the second hinge sleeve  11  are slidably held in mutual abutment. It will be appreciated from FIGS. 1B,  1 C  2  and  3  that, also as in the case of the prior art, the first disk C 12  of the engagement assembly C is unrotatably fitted into the first hinge sleeve  10 , while the second disk C 13  of the engagement assembly C is unrotatably fitted into the second hinge sleeve  11 . 
     Additionally, also as in the case of the above described known hinge device, either the first abutment facet  12   a  of the first disk  12  or the second abutment facet  13   a  of the second disk  12  is provided with a plurality of engaging recesses  13   b  arranged peripherally at predetermined angular positions, while the other of them is provided with the a plurality of corresponding engaging projections  12   b  arranged peripherally at predetermined angular positions so that the engaging recesses  13   b  and the corresponding engaging projections  12   b  are urged into mutual engagement by a coil spring  14  and the engagement of the engaging recesses  13   b  and the engaging projections  12   b  is switched as the first and second members A and B are opened or closed relative to each other. 
     In the above described first embodiment of hinge device according to the invention, the first disk  12  has a sleeve-shaped main body  12 A and a sliding disk  12 B axially slidably fitted into the sliding grooves  12   d  produced by cutting the peripheral wall of the main body  12 A from an end  12   c  thereof. The sliding disk  12 B is provided with said engaging projections  12   b  or engaging recesses  13   b , whereas the second disk  13  is provided with resilient anti-release claws  13   c.    
     Additionally, a rod  15  is driven to sequentially run through the second disk  13 , the sliding disk  12 B of the second disk  12  and coil spring  14  and unreleasably fitted into the sleeve-shaped main body  12 A of the first disk  12  of the engagement assembly C. Thus, the first abutment facet  12   a  of the sliding disk  12 B is urged by the coil spring  14  to resiliently abut the second abutment facet  13   a  of the second disk  13 . 
     As a result of the resilient abutment, a pair of spaces S having a length not smaller than that of the engaging projections  12   b  are formed between the sliding disk  12 B and the remote ends  12   e  of the sliding grooves  12   d  in the engagement assembly C as shown in FIG. 1 B. 
     The sleeve-shaped main body  12 A is unrotatably fitted into the first hinge sleeve  10  as a pair of a)dally extending guide ribs  10   b  formed oppositely on the inner peripheral surface of the first hinge sleeve  10  are engaged with corresponding guide grooves  12   f  that are also axially extending and formed oppositely on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve-shaped main body  12 A. 
     Otherwise, the embodiment preferably has a configuration as defined above in terms of the second through fourth aspects of the invention and described in greater detail below. 
     In the second aspect of the invention, the rod  15  that is driven to sequentially run through the second disk  13 , the sliding disk  12 B of the second disk  12  and the coil spring  14  and unreleasably fitted into the sleeve-shaped main body  12 A of the first disk  12  of the engagement assembly C as described above has a head  15   a , an anti-rotation end section  15   b  extending from the head  15   a , a shank section  15   c  extending form the end section  15   b  and a narrow front end section  15   d  extending from the shank section  15   c , which shank section  15   c  is provided at the front end thereof a front abutment edge  15   e.    
     As the anti-rotation end section  15   b  is received in anti-rotation hole  13   d  cut through the second disk  13 , the second disk  13  comes to rotate with the second hinge sleeve  11  when the second member B is driven to become open or closed. In the illustrated embodiment, both the anti-rotation end section  15   b  and the anti-rotation hole  13   d  have a rectangular cross section. 
     A washer  16  is arranged around the narrow front end section  15   d  of the rod  15  and held in contact with the remote end of the sleeve-shaped main body  12 A of the first disk  12 . Thus, as the narrow front end section  15   d  of the rod  15  is riveted, the washer  16  is pressed against the front abutment edge  15   e  of the shank section  15   c.    
     In the third aspect of the invention, the second disk  13  has a base plate section  13 A provided with the engaging recesses  13   b  or the engaging projections  12   b  and a resilient claw section  13 B as shown in FIGS. 1A through 3. The resilient claw section  13 B has a pair of deformable arms  13   e , which deformable arms  13   e  by turn have respective tapered surfaces  13   f  and a pair of resilient anti-release claws  13   c  located at the respective base sections of the tapered surfaces  13   f . On the other hand, in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 6, a total of four deformable arms  13   e  are arranged on the second disk  13  and the resilient claw section  13 B has a split cylindrical profile unlike the angular profile of the above described resilient claw section  13 B. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the second hinge sleeve  11  is provided with a rectangular anti-rotation opening  11   b  at an end thereof so that, as the second disk  13  of the engagement assembly C is put into the second hinge sleeve  11 , the deformable arms  13   e  having the tapered surfaces  13   f  of the second disk  13  are radially compressed and made to pass through the anti-release opening  11   b . After passing through the anti-release opening  11   b , the radially compressed arms  13   e  are allowed to restore their proper shapes and the resilient anti-release claws  13   c  are held to the outer surface of the end wall  11   c  of the second hinge sleeve  11 . 
     Thus, with the illustrated embodiment, an anti-release edge section  11   d  of the end wall having the anti-rotation opening  11   b  is pinched by the base plate section  13 A and the resilient anti-release claws  13   c  of the resilient claw section  13 B so that the engagement assembly C is reliably housed in the first hinge sleeve  10  and the second hinge sleeve  11   a  and prevented from coming off. 
     With the illustrated embodiment, as the second member A is rotated to become open or closed relative to the first member B, the second disk  13  is rotated with the second hinge sleeve  11  as in the case of the prior art so that the engaging recesses  13   b  and the engaging projections  12   b  are released from the mutual engagement and the engaging projections  12   b  are made to slide on the second, abutment facet  13   a  of the second disk  13 . While the sliding disk  12 B is made to move rightward in FIG. 1B by this sliding motion, the movement of the sliding disk  12 B is not hindered due to the provision of the spaces S so that the second member B is smoothly moved from the closed position to the open position and reliably held to that optical position. 
     In the fourth aspect of the invention, the outer end of the sleeve-shaped main body  12 A of the first disk  12  is covered by a dosure cap  17  to improve the appearance of the apparatus and prevent particles of dirt from entering the engagement assembly C. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the dosure cap  17  has an outer wall section  17   a , an inner engaging plate section  17   b , an engaging slit  17   c  formed in the outer wall section  17   a  and a void  17   d  formed in the closure cap  17  and held in communication with the engaging slit  17   c.    
     As the washer  16  of the engagement assembly C is put into the void  17   d  through the engaging slit  17   c  and then the dosure cap  17  is rotated, the washer  16  becomes unreleasably engaged with the inner engaging plate section  17   b.    
     As described above in detail, since the engagement assembly of a hinge device according to the invention is an integral entity, a foldable apparatus becomes provided with a hinge device simply by fitting the engagement assembly into the first and second hinge sleeves. Thus, it is no longer necessary to carry out a cumbersome and time-consuming operation of assembling a large number of components and the engagement assembly can be secured to the foldable apparatus simply by driving the rod to run through the related components of the engagement assembly and riveting it at an end thereof. 
     The operation of assembling the engagement assembly is completed when it is pushed into the first and second hinge sleeves. Additionally, since the first disk has a sleeve-shaped main body and a sliding disk that is held in engagement with the main body when it is put into a pair of sliding grooves of the main body in such a way that a pair of spaces are produced within the engagement assembly, the foldable apparatus can be opened and held to a desired angular position with a simple opening operation. 
     The engagement assembly may additionally be provided with a washer for improving the integrity of the assembly. Additionally, the second disk may be so configured as to include a base plate section having engaging recesses or engaging projections and a resilient claw section that improve the security of the engagement assembly fitted to the foldable apparatus. Still additionally, the engagement assembly may be provided with a closure cap that improves the appearance of the apparatus and prevents particles of dirt from entering the engagement assembly.