Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling a lifting cover open automatically, is applied in an electric product with a lifting cover. The apparatus includes a first magnetic device disposed on the main body of the electric product, a second magnetic device disposed on the lifting cover with respect to the first magnetic device, and a controlling device disposed on the main body for controlling switch on/off between the first magnetic device and power of the electric product. An inducing magnetic field is formed when the first magnetic device is connected to the power of the electric product, and the inducing magnetic field produces a repulsive force to the second magnetic device on the lifting cover so as to have the lifting cover open automatically.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 91105311, filed Mar. 20, 2002. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates in general to a hinge apparatus, and in particular to a hinge apparatus utilizing magnetic components. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Millions of people around the world use cellular phones. With such great gadgets, the owner can talk to anyone on the planet from just about anywhere. These days, cell phones provide an incredible array of functions, as well as a variety of the aesthetic appearances. The cell phones with or without their covers are generally sold in the commercial market, classifying the cell phones by appearance. Moreover, some models are designed as the folding type, in which the screen and the keypad are respectively on the folding part and the ground part. The cellular phone with cover is referred to as the “flip-type” phone from here on. 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a flip-type cellular phone. The flip-type cellular phone  100  includes a phone body  120  and a flip cover  140 , and a hinge apparatus connecting the two. The hinge apparatus, connecting the flip cover  140  and the phone body  120 , allows the pivoting of the flip cover  140  on the phone body  120 . The flip cover  140  is designed to protect the keypad from dust and careless touch. After the flip cover  140  is opened, the user can dial a number to make a call or receive/send an e-mail or message. 
     FIG. 2A  is a drawing illustrating the motion of the flip cover of the cellular phone. With the special design, a critical angle exists in the rotation of the hinge apparatus  270 . If the user desires to open the flip cover  140 , the flip cover  140  will automatically rotate to the fully-opened position along the direction of B while the external force for opening the flip cover  140  disappears after the rotation angle is over the critical angle α. However, if the external force disappears before the rotation angle reaches the critical angle α, the flip cover  140  will automatically return to the fully-closed position along the direction of A. On the other hand, if the user wants to close the flip cover  140 , it will automatically rotate to the fully-closed position along the direction of A while the external force for closing the flip cover  140  is removed after the rotation angle is smaller than the critical angle α. However, if the external force disappears before the rotation angle reaches the critical angle α, i.e., in the condition of the rotation angle greater than the critical angle α, the flip cover  140  will automatically return to the fully-opened position along the direction of B. Simply saying, the flip cover  140  is stably maintained at only two positions, as shown in  FIG. 2B . Namely, the fully-closed flip cover  140  is maintained at the first stable equilibrium while the fully-opened flip cover  140  is maintained at the second stable equilibrium. The hinge apparatus  270  described above is adopted not only in the flip-type cellular phone, but also in the folding-type cellular phone. 
   This conventional hinge design, however, suffers from several drawbacks. After frequent usage, the conventional hinge, which typically uses a spring to provide the torsional force, will gradually lose the property of returning to the initial state following deformation, and the elastic force generated from the deformed spring is consequently decreased. Therefore, the issue of elasticity decay will shorten the utility life span of the hinge apparatus. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a magnetic hinge apparatus that overcomes the drawback of elasticity decay of the conventional hinge. 
   The invention achieves the above-identified object by providing a magnetic hinge apparatus for connecting a body portion and an active portion such as a flip cover. The magnetic hinge apparatus includes a hinge housing, a binge shaft, an immobilized magnetic device, and a rotatable magnetic device. The hinge housing has a cavity for receiving the immobilized magnetic device and the rotatable magnetic device. The immobilized magnetic device is firmly attached to the hinge housing, so that there is no relative mod on between the immobilized magnetic device and the hinge housing. The hinge shaft on which the rotatable magnetic device is assembled is inserted in the cavity. When the hinge housing rotates around the hinge shaft, the immobilized magnetic device is simultaneously rotated relatively to the rotatable magnetic device. The rotatable and immobilized magnetic devices are disposed as mates, and the opposite surfaces of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device have the same polarity. Accordingly, the magnetic hinge apparatus is stably maintained at two equilibrium positions. When the magnetic hinge apparatus is maintained at the first stable equilibrium, the rotatable magnetic device is positioned at one side adjacent to the immobilized magnetic device. When the magnetic hinge apparatus is maintained at the second stable equilibrium, the rotatable magnetic device is positioned at the other side adjacent to the immobilized magnetic device. 
   Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiment. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  (prior art) is a perspective view of a flip-type cellular phone; 
       FIG. 2A  (prior art) is a drawing illustrating the motion of the flip cover of the cellular phone; 
       FIG. 2B  (prior art) is a drawing illustrating the flip cover stably maintained at the fully-closed and fully-opened positions; 
       FIG. 3  is a drawing of a disassembled phone body, a flip cover, and a magnetic hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4A  is a side view of the magnetic hinge of  FIG. 3  while the flip cover is maintained at the fully-closed position; 
       FIG. 4B  is a side view of the magnetic hinge of  FIG. 3  while the flip cover is maintained at the fully-opened position; 
       FIG. 5  is a drawing of the disassembled magnetic hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective drawing of the assembled magnetic hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7A  is an exploded view of the rotatable magnetic device and the hinge shaft; 
       FIG. 7B  is a back view of the rotatable magnetic device assembled on the hinge shaft; 
       FIG. 8A  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the magnetic hinge apparatus is maintained at the first stable equilibrium; 
       FIG. 8B  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the rotation angle is smaller than the critical angle; 
       FIG. 8C  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the rotation angle is equal to the critical angle; 
       FIG. 8D  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the rotation angle is larger than the critical angle; 
       FIG. 8E  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the magnetic hinge apparatus is maintained at the second stable equilibrium; 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the immobilized magnetic device and the rotatable magnetic device according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 10A  is a drawing of the disassembled magnetic hinge according to the third embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 10B  is an exploded view of the hinge shaft, the rotatable magnetic device, and immobilized magnetic device of  FIG. 10A . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   First Embodiment 
     FIG. 3  is a drawing of a disassembled phone body, a flip cover, and a magnetic hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention. The phone body  320  and the flip cover  340  are connected by the magnetic hinge  370 . While the flip cover  340  is rotated, the hinge housing is simultaneously rotated around the hinge shaft. The magnetic hinge  370  allows the pivoting of the flip cover  340  on the phone body  320 , and the flip cover  340  can be maintained at the open or close position.  FIG. 4A  is a side view of the magnetic hinge of  FIG. 3  while the flip cover is maintained at the fully-closed position. The magnetic hinge  370  mainly includes a bingo housing  410  and a hinge shaft  450 , wherein the hinge housing  410  rotates around the hinge shaft  450 . In the practical application, the hinge housing  410  can be connected to the flip cover  340 , while the hinge shaft  450  can be connected to the phone body  320 . After assembly, the rotation of the flip cover  340  can be performed.  FIG. 4B  is a side view of the magnetic hinge of  FIG. 3  while the flip cover is maintained at the fully-opened position. Comparing  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 43 , the side S of the binge housing  410  is turned for 180 degrees. It is noted that the conventional elastic recovery force is substituted by the magnetic force (attractive or repulsive force). Accordingly, the hinge apparatus of the invention has no issue of elasticity decay associated with frequent usage. 
     FIG. 5  is a drawing of the disassembled magnetic hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention. The magnetic hinge  370  at least includes a hinge housing  410 , a cavity  415 , an immobilized magnetic device  520 , and a rotatable magnetic device, wherein the immobilized magnetic device  520  and the rotatable magnetic device are received in the cavity  415 . The rotatable magnetic device signifies that the relative motion can be generated between the hinge housing  410  and the rotatable magnetic device. The immobilized magnetic device  520  signifies that the relative motion cannot be generated between the hinge housing  410  and the immobilized magnetic device  520 . In the practical application, the immobilized magnetic device  520  could be a group of magnets, such as the magnets  55 ,  56 ,  57  and  58 . Also, the immobilized magnetic device  520  is situated inside the cavity  415 , and rotated with the hinge housing  410  around the axis A. The rotatable magnetic device could be a group of magnets  51 ,  52 ,  53  and  54 , assembled on the hinge shaft  450 ; consequently, it is connected to the phone body  320  through the hinge shaft  450 . During assembly, the rotatable magnetic device is assembled onto the hinge shaft  450 , and then placed inside the cavity  415 . Afterward, the immobilized magnetic device  520  is inserted into the cavity  415 . When the flip cover  340  is opened or closed, the flip cover  340  moves the hinge housing  410  and make the immobilized magnetic device  520  rotate relatively to the rotatable magnetic device. Accordingly, the hinge housing  410  can be maintained at two rotating angles by the magnet disposition of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device  520 . That is to say, the magnetic hinge can be positioned at the first stable state or the second stable state.  FIG. 6  is a perspective drawing of the assembled magnetic hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention. In particular, a folding part  603 , formed in the end of the hinge housing  410 , is designed for preventing the immobilized magnetic device  520  from dropping out of the cavity  415 . 
     FIG. 7A  is six exploded view of the rotatable magnetic device and the hinge shaft. The magnets  51 ,  52 ,  53 , and  54  constitute the rotatable magnetic device, and each magnet has two magnetic polarities. The adjacent surfaces of the magnets have relative polarities, so that the attractive force brings the four magnets together and assembled on the hinge shaft  450 . For example, if the profile  511  (of the magnet  51 ) is determined to be a north (N) magnetic pole, then the profiles  521  (of the magnet  52 ),  531  (of the magnet  53 ), and  541  (of the magnet  54 ) are respectively a south (S), a north (N), and a south (S) magnetic poles. Since a magnet has a north and a south magnetic poles, the profiles  512  (of the magnet  51 ),  522  (of the magnet  52 ),  532  (of the magnet  53 ), and  542  (of the magnet  54 ) are respectively a south (S), a north (N), a south (S), and a north (N) magnetic poles, as shown in  FIG. 7B , which is a back view of the rotatable magnetic device assembled on the hinge shaft. 
   The folding part (such as the flip cover  340 ) of cellular phone is designed to be semi-automatically opened or closed by the magnetic hinge apparatus of the invention. Accordingly, there is a critical angle in the rotation of the flip cover  340 . When the flip cover and phone body are maintained in the closed condition, an external force is required to open the flip cover  340 . If the external force disappears before the rotation angle of the flip cover  340  reaches the critical angle, the flip cover  340  will automatically return to the fully-closed position (the first stable equilibrium, such as at 0 degrees). If the external force disappears after the rotation angle of the flip cover  340  reaches the critical angle, the flip cover  340  will automatically go to the fully-opened position (the second stable equilibrium, such as at 180 degrees). 
     FIG. 8A  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the magnetic hinge apparatus is maintained at the first stable equilibrium. In the foregoing description, the immobilized magnetic device  520  is a combination of the magnets  55 ,  56 ,  57 , and  58 . The magnetic poles  551 ,  561 ,  571 , and  581  of the magnets  55 ,  56 ,  57 , and  58  are arranged as shown in  FIG. 8A . When the magnetic hinge apparatus is maintained at the first stable equilibrium, the magnetic poles  551  and  512 , the magnetic poles  561  and  522 , the magnetic poles  571  and  532 , the magnetic poles  581  and  542 , have opposite polarities arranged as mates. The attractive force maintains the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device at the first stable equilibrium; meanwhile, the hinge shaft of the rotatable magnetic device is located at the 0-degree position. 
   If the user opens the flip cover  340  to rotate the hinge housing  410  clockwise, the magnetic pole  542  will approach the pole  551  and be away from the pole  581 . If the external force disappears, the repulsive force (between the poles  551  and  542 ) and the attractive force (between the poles  581  and  542 ) will drive the magnetic pole  542  back to the state of first stable equilibrium.  FIG. 8B  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the rotation angle is smaller than the critical angle. In  FIG. 8B , 45-degree of rotation angle is taken for illustration, and the arrow denotes the rotating direction of the hinge housing  410  if the external force disappears. If the hinge housing  410  keeps rotating to 90 degrees as shown in  FIG. 8C , the magnetic poles  551  and  542 , the magnetic poles  561  and  512 , the magnetic poles  571  and  522 , the magnetic poles  581  and  532 , having the same polarity are disposed oppositely. Meanwhile, the repulsive forces, as denoted by the direction of the arrows in  FIG. 8C , make the rotatable magnetic device and immobilized magnetic device reach the maximum unstable state. If any force imbalance occurs, the rotatable magnetic device will be repelled to the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, 90-degree is the critical angle in the preferred embodiment. 
   If the external force is continuously applied to the hinge housing  410  to rotate the hinge housing  410  over the critical angle, then the magnetic pole  542  is repelled by the pole  551  and attracted by the pole  561 . If the external force is terminated right now, then the magnetic pole  542  will keep rotating.  FIG. 8D  shows the relative positions of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device, while the rotation angle is larger than the critical angle. In  FIG. 8D , 135-degree of rotation angle is taken for illustration, and the arrow denotes the rotating direction of the hinge housing  410  while the external force disappears. Finally, the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device reach the second stable equilibrium; in the meanwhile, the magnetic poles  551  and  532 , the magnetic poles  561  and  542 , the magnetic poles  571  and  512 , the magnetic poles  581  and  522 , having opposite polarities are situated as mates. The hinge shaft is located at the 180-degree position (second stable equilibrium), as shown in  FIG. 8E . 
   According to the description of the first embodiment, the housing  410  can be stably maintained at the 0-degree and 180-degree positions during rotation. Basically, if the hinge shaft and the housing are respectively connected to the phone body and the flip cover of the cellular phone, the cover can be semi-automatically opened or closed. Hence, the cellular phone possesses the snap characteristics, wherein the flip cover at a certain angle is snapped into the fully-opened or fully-closed position. 
   Second Embodiment 
   The structure of the rotatable magnetic device and the immobilized magnetic device can be simplified. The second embodiment utilizing two magnets having the same polarity also achieves the objective of the invention.  FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the immobilized magnetic device and the rotatable magnetic device according to the second embodiment of the invention. The immobilized magnetic device, such as the magnet  91 , is assembled to the housing of the magnetic hinge apparatus. The rotatable magnetic device, such as the magnet  92 , is assembled on the hinge shaft of the magnetic hinge apparatus. The magnets  91  and  92  have the same polarity (such as a north magnetic pole) and are set at the opposite sides. Also, the hinge shaft and the housing are connected to the phone body and the flip cover of the cellular phone, respectively. The hinge housing is simultaneously rotated around the hinge shaft while the flip cover is rotated. The magnetic hinge allows the pivoting of the flip cover on the phone body, and the flip cover can be maintained at the opened or closed position. It is assumed that the magnet  92  is located at the 0-degree position while the flip cover is closed. If the external force for opening the cover disappears before the cover reaches the critical angle such as 90 degrees (i.e. the cover opening angle is smaller than the critical angle), then the flip cover will return to the closed position due to the repulsive force between two magnets. If the external force for opening the cover disappears after the cover reaches the critical angle (i.e. the cover opening angle is larger than the critical angle), the flip cover will keep rotating to the fully-opened position due to the repulsive force between two magnets. The magnet  92  is located at the 180-degree position while the flip cover is completely opened. Simply saying, there are two stable states for the magnetic hinge apparatus. The first stable equilibrium occurs while the magnet  92  is located at the 0-degree position; meanwhile, the magnet  92  is positioned at one side adjacent to the magnet  91 . The second stable equilibrium occurs while the magnet  92  is located at the 180-degree position; meanwhile, the magnet  92  is positioned at the other side adjacent to the magnet  91 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   Third Embodiment 
     FIG. 10A  is a drawing of the disassembled magnetic hinge according to the third embodiment of the invention. The rotatable magnetic devices  1200  and  1400  and the immobilized magnetic device  1300  are assembled on the hinge shaft  1100 . The rotatable magnetic device signifies that the relative motion can be generated between the hinge housing and the rotatable magnetic device. The immobilized magnetic device signifies that the relative motion cannot be generated between the hinge housing and the immobilized magnetic device. After assembly of each component, the hinge shaft  1100  is inserted into the cavity of the hinge housing  1500 . The hinge housing  1500  is simultaneously rotated around the hinge shaft  1100  while the flip cover is opened; meanwhile, the immobilized magnetic device  1300  secured to the hinge housing  1500  is rotated relatively to the rotatable magnetic devices  1200  and  1400 . By the suitable arrangement of magnetic poles of the hinge components, the hinge shaft  1100  will be stably positioned at two rotating angles. 
     FIG. 10B  is an exploded view of the binge shaft, the rotatable magnetic device, and immobilized magnetic device of  FIG. 10A . A combination of magnets  1210 ,  1220 ,  1230 , and  1240  toting the rotatable magnetic device  1200 . Similarly, a combination of magnets  1310 ,  1320 ,  1330 , and  1340  forms the immobilized magnetic device  1300 , while a combination of magnets  1410 ,  1420 ,  1430 , and  1440  forms the rotatable magnetic device  1400 . The magnetic poles of the magnets are arranged as the demonstration of the first embodiment. When the binge shaft  1100  is positioned at the first equilibrium, the magnets  1210  and  1410  are attracted to the magnet  1310 , the magnets  1220  and  1420  are attracted to the magnet  1320 , the magnets  1230  and  1430  are attracted to the magnet  1330 , and the magnets  1240  and  1440  are attracted to the magnet  1340 . Since the four magnets of each magnetic device are arranged according to a certain rule (i.e. the adjacent magnets are attracted to each other), the hinge shaft  1100  can be positioned at the second equilibrium after a rotation of 180 degrees. 
   In the aforementioned description, the magnets used in these embodiments could be the permanent magnets, electromagnets, or other materials possessing magnetism. 
   While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.