Abstract:
A hinge structure includes a base, a rotating member and a resilient member. The base includes a cylinder and a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder. Both the resilient member and increasing air pressure in the cylinder below the piston act as a cushioning module to make the rotating member move more and more slowly to the end of the closed position, to cushion the closing of the rotating member and any object it carries.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to articulating devices, more particularly to a hinge structure of an electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many electronic devices, such as notebook computers, utilize hinge structures. A hinge structure is located between a display and a main body of a notebook computer. To open or close the display relative to the main body, the display is rotatable about a shaft of the hinge structure. However, if an opening force or a closing force is excessive, or if the articulating items snap open or snap shut, the display or the main body is easy to be damaged. Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a hinge structure. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a piston of the hinge structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a cylinder of the hinge structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of the hinge structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line V-V of the hinge structure of  FIG. 4  in an open state. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5  showing the hinge structure in a closed state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1-3  show a hinge structure in accordance with an embodiment. The hinge structure includes a base  10 , a rotating member  20 , and a resilient member  30 . 
         [0014]    The base  10  includes a cylinder  12  and a piston  14  cooperating with the cylinder  12 . In one embodiment, a cross section of the cylinder  12  is rectangular. A cross section of the piston  14  is substantially the same as that of the cylinder  12 . Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , when the piston  14  is engaged with the cylinder  12 , a chamber  13  is defined between the piston  14  and the cylinder  12 . When the piston  14  is moved in the cylinder  12 , the piston  14  compresses or causes reduced air pressure in the chamber  13 . In other embodiments, the cross section of the cylinder  12  can be circular, hexagonal or other shape. 
         [0015]    The cylinder  12  includes a first sidewall  122 , a second sidewall  124  opposite to the first sidewall  122 , and a bottom wall  126  connected to the first sidewall  122  and the second sidewall  124 . The first sidewall  122  defines a plurality of cushioning holes  123 . The cushioning holes  123  are lined along the axial direction of the cylinder  12 . The second sidewall  124  defines a one-way valve  125 , which can only be opened from inside of the cylinder  12 . A distance between the one-way valve  125  and bottom wall  126  is smaller than a distance between the cushioning holes  123  and bottom wall  126 . A first limiting portion  128  extends from an inner surface of the bottom wall  126 . In one embodiment, the first limiting portion  128  is cruciform. 
         [0016]    The piston  14  includes a top plate  142 , a driving portion  144  extending from an outer surface of the top plate  142 , and a second limiting portion  146  extending from an inner side of the top plate  142 . The driving portion  144  has a first outer rim which is curved. In one embodiment, the second limiting portion  146  is cruciform. 
         [0017]    The rotating member  20  includes a rotating arm  22  and a cam  24  attached to the rotating arm  22 . The rotating arm  22  is oblique relative to the cam  24 . The cam  24  defines a pivoting hole  26 . The cam  24  has a second outer rim corresponding to the first outer rim. The rotating arm  22  supports or connects to an object (not shown) such as a display. The rotating arm  22  is rotatable to rotate the object or be rotated by the object. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the resilient member  30  is a compression spring. 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  show that, in assembly, the resilient member  30  is placed in the cylinder  12 , and then the piston  14  is engaged in the cylinder  12 . The resilient member  30  is located between the bottom wall  126  and the top plate  142 . The bottom wall  126  and the top plate  142  abut the opposite ends of the resilient member  30 . The first limiting portion  128  and the second limiting portion  146  are received in the opposite ends of the resilient member  30 . The pivoting shaft  16  is inserted into the pivoting hole  26  and then pivotably mounts the rotating member  20  to the base  10 . The second outer rim of the cam  24  abuts the first outer rim of the driving portion  144 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  show that, in use, when the hinge structure is to be closed, the rotating arm  22  is moved towards the cylinder  12  about the pivoting shaft  16 . The cam  24  presses against the driving portion  144  and moves the piston  14  downwards to elastically deform the resilient member  30 . In this process, the one-way valve  125  is closed, discharge of the air in the chamber  13  is allowed from the cushioning holes  123  with a limited speed, to exert a resistance upwards to the piston  14 . Thus the piston  14  can only move downwards slowly. Thus, rotating arm  22  rotates towards the cylinder  12  smoothly to prevent damage. Furthermore, the piston  14  covers an increasing number of the cushioning holes  123  when the piston  14  moves downwards, and the discharging speed of the air thus decreases, and the resistance upwards to the piston  14  increases to cushion the motion of the rotating member  20 . 
         [0021]    When the hinge structure is need to open, the resilient member  30  rebounds to exert a pushing force to slide the piston  14  upwards, and the piston  14  rotates the rotating arm  22  away from the cylinder  12  about the pivoting shaft  16 . In this process, the attempted vacuum below the piston  14  exerts a first resistance force to move the piston  14  upwards smoothly, and the pushing force of the spring decreases. Also in this process, the one-way valve  125  is opened, and outside air flows into the chamber  13  below the piston from the cushioning holes  123  and the one-way valve  125 . With the piston  14  sliding upwards, more and more of the plurality of cushioning holes are opened, and the attempted vacuum below the piston  14  is reduced by the incoming air. Thus, rotating arm  22  can be rotated away from the cylinder  12  smoothly by the piston  14  to prevent damage. 
         [0022]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.