Patent Publication Number: US-2005125950-A1

Title: Hinge with a rotating function

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a hinge with a rotating function, and more particularly to a hinge with a rotating function applied to the electronic device, such as a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera and a cellular phone, such that the cover body is corresponding to the main body to be rotated.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Recently, an electronic device, such as a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera, and a cellular phone, which has a display, mainly includes a main body of the electronic device and a cover body of the display which is pivotally connected to the main body by using a hinge. When a user wants to use the electronic device, the user only opens up the cover body of the display. When a user doesn&#39;t want to use the electronic device, the user can fold up the cover body of the display and the main body of the electronic device, so as to decrease the volume of the electronic device and easily store up and carry the electronic device.  
      Generally, conventional hinge structure has simple forward opening and backward folding function and therefore a user only operates the electronic device when facing to the cover body of the display. However, if the image on the display must be simultaneously viewed by a lot of persons in different angles, the whole electronic device must be rotated in a specific angle. It is not convenient for the user to operate the electronic device. Furthermore, the electronic device may be shut down during removing motion, because the electronic device is excessively shaken to affect the function of the electronic components in the electronic device. For above reason, the hinge which can be rotated in an axial direction has been developed. The above-mentioned hinge has forward opening and backward folding function and cause the cove body of the display to be rotated and to face to other users, such that other user share the image on the display.  
      “A panel display device and rotating structure thereof” is disclosed in Taiwan No. 495,130. The rotating structure includes a rotating base formed with a first cylindrical body and two grooves which are disposed in two sides of the first cylindrical body and corresponding to each other; a pivot pivotally connected to the connecting portion of the panel display device and the rotating base; a fixing base mounted to a computer body and formed with a second cylindrical body, which includes a aperture formed in the central portion of second cylindrical body and just receiving the rotating base and two sockets formed on the aperture and corresponding to each other; and two flexible members including a flange and received by the sockets; wherein the groove just receives the flange when the rotating base rotated to a fixing position inside the fixing base.  
      The above-mentioned rotating structure disclosed in the prior art describes the important design of the hinge, wherein the hinge must have a function of assembling of simple structure, provide a suitable torque during opening and folding, and provide damping resistance during rotation. However, according to the above-mentioned rotating structure, the design that the flange corresponds to the groove is not proper, and the above-mentioned rotating structure has restricted damping resistance and is only rotated within 180 degrees. In addition, the damping resistance is generated by the friction between the flange of the flexible member and the circle of the rotating base, such that the flexible member may be deformed. Accordingly, there exists a need for a hinge with a rotating function to solve the above-mentioned problem.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge with a rotating function applied to the electronic device, such as a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera and a cellular phone, such that the cover body is corresponding to the main body to be rotated.  
      In order to achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention provides a hinge with a rotating function including a positioning base and a rotating base. The positioning base is provided with a spinning portion, provided with a position limiting portion for providing a rotational range, provided with at least one receiving groove, and provided with a flexible member disposed in the receiving groove and a touching member placed on the flexible member and exposed out of the receiving groove. The rotating base has a rotating portion placed in the spinning portion, provided with a limiting portion placed the rotational range and corresponding to the position limiting portion, provided with a slipping portion corresponding to the flexible member, wherein rotating base is rotated within the rotational range by means of the rotating portion and the damping resistance of positioning during rotation is generated by the slipping portion which presses the touching member.  
      The hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention has the following advantages:  
      1. When the cover body is corresponding to the main body to be rotated within the rotational range by means of the rotating portion, and the resistance element is a polygon and provided with an opening for preventing the resistance element from deformation of heat or friction.  
      2. During rotation, the damping resistance of positioning is generated by the slipping portion which presses the touching member, and the slipping portion is designed in different angles, thereby increasing multi-step rotating feeling.  
      The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective schematic view of a hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention.  
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective exploded schematic views of a hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention.  
       FIGS. 4A  to  4 D are sectional schematic views of a hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention showing an embodiment.  
       FIGS. 5A  to  5 D are top plan schematic views of a hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention showing an embodiment.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective schematic view of a hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention showing the hinge assembled to an electronic device. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , they depict a perspective and exploded view of a hinge with a rotating function according to the present invention. The hinge according to the present invention is used for connecting a main body  11  to a cover body  12 , such that the hinge is a pivot and further the cover body  12  is corresponding to the main body  11  to be rotated pivotally. According to the main body  11  and the cover body  12  at the electronic device  10 , such as a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital camera and a cellular phone, the cover body  12  is requested and corresponding to the main body  11  to be rotated ( FIG. 6  shows a embodiment of a notebook computer), wherein the hinge includes a positioning base  20  mounted on the main body  11  and a rotating assembly  70  mounted on the rotating base of the cover body  12 .  
      The above-mentioned positioning base  20  is provided with a positioning aperture  21 . The positioning base mounted on the main body  11  by using a plurality of screws (not shown in the figures) which penetrate through the positioning aperture  21 . The positioning base  20  is provided with a spinning portion  22  placed on the center of the positioning base  20 . The positioning base  20  is provided with a position-limiting portion  23  for providing the cover body  12  with rotational range. The positioning base is provided with at least one receiving groove  24 . A flexible member  25  is disposed in the receiving groove  24 , and a touching member  26  is placed on the flexible member  25  and exposed out of the receiving groove  24 .  
      The above-mentioned rotating base has a rotating portion  322  placed in the spinning portion  22  and is provided with a limiting portion  323  which is placed the rotational range of the cover body  12  and corresponding to the proposition limiting portion  23 . The signal wire of the cover body of the display which cannot be deformed is considered, and therefore the rotational range must be limited within 360 degrees (Although the rotational range of the cover body  12  of this embodiment within 180 degrees is disclosed, the rotational range in actual operation within 360 degrees can be enabled.) The rotating base is provided with a slipping portion  324  corresponding to the flexible member  25 . The cover body  12  is corresponding to the main body  11  to be rotated within the rotational range by means of the rotating portion  322 , and during rotation, the damping resistance of positioning is generated by the slipping portion  324  which presses the touching member  26 . The rotating base includes an upper shaft base  31  and a lower rotating base  32  assembled to each other. The upper shaft base  31  and the lower rotating base  32  are respectively provided with a cavity portion  311  and a protrusion portion  321  corresponding to the cavity portion  311 , and the upper shaft base  31  is used for assembling to the rotating assembly  70 . The rotating portion  322  the limiting portion  323  and the slipping portion  324  are disposed under the lower rotating base  32 , and a resistance element  40  is disposed between the rotating portion  322  and the spinning portion  22 . The resistance element  40  is a polygon and provided with an opening  41  for preventing the resistance element  40  from slipping. In addition, a pad  50  is disposed between the rotating portion  322  and the upper shaft base  31  for decreasing friction. A pad  60  for decreasing friction is disposed between the resistance element  40  and the lower rotating base  32 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4A, 5A  and  6 , they depict a sectional and top plan schematic view of the hinge according to the present invention. As described in figure, the rotating assembly  70  is assembled to the upper shaft base  31  according to the present invention. The rotating assembly  70  includes an axial shaft  71  and a mounting element  72  pivotally connected to the axial shaft  71 , wherein the axial shaft  71  and the upper shaft base  31  can be integrally designed. When the cover body  12  is rotated, the rotating assembly  70  will drive the upper shaft base  31  and further drive the lower rotating base  32  to be rotated in the spinning portion  22  by means of the rotating portion  322 . The rotational torque is generated by the friction of the resistance element  40 . The slipping portion  324  presses the touching member  26  in a normal direction and compresses the flexible member  25  to store elasticity (As shown in  FIGS. 4B and 5B , the cover body  12  is rotated to a position of 45 degrees, the sphere-shaped touching member  26  is moved downward to compress the flexible element  25  because of displacement of the cover body  12 .). The feeling of operation also is considered in the present invention, the plurality of slipping portions  324  can be designed, for example, there are three the slipping portions  324  and the distance between two of the slipping portions  324  is 90 degrees in the embodiment. As shown in  FIGS. 4C and 5C , the cover body  12  is rotated to a position of 90 degrees. The flexible element  25  which has stored the elasticity can release the elasticity to push up the touching member  26 , when the touching portion  26  enters the slipping portion  324 , thereby providing a user with snap feeling during rotation of the cover body  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 4D  and  5 D, the cover body  12  is rotated to a position of 180 degrees and is also providing a user with snap feeling. When the lower rotating base  32  is rotated from a position of 0 degree, the limiting portion  323  departs from the position-limiting portion  23  and is simultaneously rotated. When the lower rotating base  32  is rotated to a position of 180 degrees, the limiting portion  323  is obstructed by the position-limiting portion  23 , such that the cover body  12  cannot be continuously rotated. Thus, the cover body  12  can be controlled within the rotational range for preventing signal wires from deformation.  
      Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is not used to limit the invention. It is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.