Patent Publication Number: US-2005122671-A1

Title: Electronic device with improved hinge

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to the field of electronic devices, and more particularly to an electronic device with an improved hinge.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Portable electronic devices, such as notebook computers, tablet PCs, etc., comprise of two main components—a base and a lid pivotally coupled to each other. The base typically includes a keyboard and the lid typically includes a display. When the portable electronic device is closed, the angle between the base and the lid is zero degrees with the surface of the display being substantially parallel to and facing the surface of the keyboard. When the electronic device is in an open configuration, the angle between the base and the lid depends on the desired viewing angle of the user and is often between ninety and one-hundred and eighty degrees.  
      In particular, a tablet PC may be put in a writing tablet configuration in which the display becomes the writing or user-input surface and the base with the keyboard is disposed below the lid. The mechanism used in such tablet PCs is prone to failure because the motion of the lid required to convert the tablet PC from the open or closed configuration to the writing tablet configuration is complex.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises a lid operable to pivot about at least one hinge from a protected orientation to a fully extended orientation.  
      In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises a base, a lid and at least one hinge comprising a linking structure operable to couple the lid to the base and a pair of cooperatively engaged gears, a first gear of the pair of gears disposed in the base and a second gear of the pair of gears disposed in the lid to facilitate movement of the lid and the base relative to the linking structure.  
      In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises a base and at least one hinge operable to couple a lid to the base, the lid operable to pivot about the at least one hinge from a protected orientation to a fully extended orientation. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2A  is a side elevational view illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1  in a protected orientation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2B  is a side elevational view illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 2A  in a fully extended orientation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2C  is a side elevational view illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 2A  in an open configuration in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3A  is a perspective view showing an interface between a hinge, a base and a lid of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3B  is a side view taken along section  3 B- 3 B of the electronic device of  FIG. 3A ;  
       FIG. 4  is another perspective view illustrating an interface between a hinge, a base and a lid of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a detent mechanism for use with a hinge in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5  of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Electronic device  10  may be a notebook computer, a cell phone, a digital dictionary, a tablet PC, a personal digital assistant, a calculator, or a device later to be developed, etc. Device  10  comprises a base  12  and a lid  14  coupled to base  12  using at least one hinge  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, lid  14  is coupled to base  12  using two hinges  16   a  and  16   b.  If desired, in an alternative embodiment, a greater or fewer number of hinges may be used.  
      Base  12  comprises a top surface  18  and a bottom surface  20  opposite top surface  18 . Base  12  also comprises a front side  22 , a rear side  24  opposite front side  22 , a left side  26  and a right side  28  opposite left side  26 . Base  12  comprises a plurality of electronic components, such as a central processing unit, data storage devices, battery, etc., disposed within base  12 . A user-input device, for example a keyboard  30  and/or a touch pad, is provided on top surface  18  of base  12 .  
      Lid  14  comprises an inner surface  38 , an outer surface  40  opposite inner surface  38 , a front side  42 , a rear side  44  opposite front side  42 , a left side  46  and a right side  48  opposite left side  46 . The illustrated embodiment of lid  14  comprises a display device  50  disposed on inner surface  38 .  
      Due to coupling of base  12  and lid  14  using hinges  16   a  and  16   b,  base  12  and/or lid  14  may be rotated such that the angle formed by planes subscribed by top surface  18  and inner surface  38  may be any angle between zero degrees and an angle greater than one-hundred and eighty degrees. Lid  14  could be releasably locked in various positions along the path of the lid. In a releasably locked position, when a user releases the lid, the lid stays substantially in the same position.  
      As illustrated in  FIGS. 2A through 2C , electronic device  10  may be in any of a plurality of orientations.  FIG. 2A  is a side elevational view illustrating electronic device  10  in a protected orientation. For the sake of discussion and ease of understanding, the phrase “protected orientation” refers to the orientation when inner surface  38  and top surface  18  face each other and are adjacent to each other.  FIG. 2A  is an example of one implementation of the protected orientation.  
       FIG. 2B  is a side elevational view illustrating electronic device  10  in a fully extended orientation. For the sake of discussion and ease of understanding, the phrase “fully extended orientation” refers to the orientation when outer surface  40  and bottom surface  20  face each other and are adjacent to each other.  FIG. 2B  is an example of one implementation of the fully extended orientation. Inner surface  38  is effectively able to pivot greater than one-hundred and eighty degrees about the longitudinal axes of hinges  16 . In the example of  FIG. 2B , base  12  and lid  14  are stacked back-to-back. It is to be understood that if the relative size of the lid and base are adjusted for design considerations, the base and lid may not be stacked back-to-back and instead one may be partially or wholly nested inside the other.  
       FIG. 2C  is a side elevational view illustrating electronic device  10  in an open configuration. For the sake of discussion and ease of understanding, the phrase “open configuration” refers to any intermediate position of lid  14  between a protected orientation and a fully extended orientation.  FIG. 2C  is an example of one implementation of an open configuration. In the open configuration, an angle a between top surface  18  and inner surface  38  may be any angle greater than zero degrees, including any angle greater than one-hundred and eighty degrees.  
       FIG. 3A  is a perspective view showing an interface between hinge  16   a,  base  12  and lid  14  of electronic device  10  and  FIG. 3B  is a side view taken along section  3 B- 3 B of electronic device  10  of  FIG. 3A . A portion  17  of top surface  18  and a portion  19  of bottom surface  20  of base  12 , in proximity to lid  14  is curved to facilitate pivotal movement of base  12 . A portion  21  of inner surface  38  and a portion  23  of outer surface  40  of lid  14  in proximity to base  12  is curved to facilitate pivotal movement of lid  14 . Hinge  16   a  comprises first and second gears  58  and  60  intermeshed with each other and disposed in recesses  66  and  68  of base  12  and lid  14 , respectively. Preferably, the cross-sectional width of gear  58  is not greater than the thickness of base  12  and the cross-sectional width of gear  60  is not greater than the thickness of lid  14 . In an exemplary embodiment, gear  58  is fixedly secured to base  12  and gear  60  is fixedly secured to lid  14 . Gears  58  and  60  may be fixedly secured to base  12  and lid  14 , respectively, using any method or manner now known or later developed. In an exemplary embodiment, gear  58  is an integral part of base  12  and gear  60  is an integral part of lid  14 . Thus, gears  58  and  60  do not rotate with respect to base  12  and lid  14 , respectively. However, gears  58  and  60  may rotate with respect to each other, facilitating pivotal movement of base  12  and/or lid  14  with respect to the other. In the illustrated embodiment, recess  66  is provided in the portion of base  12  in proximity to lid  14  and extends from top surface  18  to bottom surface  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, recess  68  is provided in the portion of lid  14  in proximity to base  12  and extends from inner surface  38  to outer surface  40 .  
      Hinge  16   a  also comprises a linking structure  56 . Linking structure  56  has rounded or contoured opposite ends  56   a  and  56   b  that are disposed in recesses  66  and  68 , respectively. Hinge  16   a  also comprises first and second elongated cylindrical mounting pins  62  and  64  with longitudinal axes  62   a  and  64   a  ( FIG. 3B ), respectively. Mounting pin  62  is disposed in a slot  70  formed in base  12  and extends through openings  72 ,  74  formed in end  56   a  of linking structure  56  and gear  58 , respectively, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is another perspective view illustrating an interface between hinge  16   a,  base  12  and lid  14  of electronic device  10 . Mounting pin  62  and gear  58  are co-axial. Mounting pin  62  is locked to end  56   a  of linking structure  56  by a locking pin  76  extending through end  56   a  of linking structure  56  into mounting pin  62 . Because mounting pin  62  is locked to linking structure  56 , when linking structure  56  rotates, mounting pin  62  also rotates relative to gear  58  about axis  62   a.  Mounting pin  64  is disposed in a slot  82  ( FIG. 4 ) formed in lid  14  and extends through openings  84 ,  86  formed in end  56   b  of linking structure  56  and gear  60 , respectively. Mounting pin  64  and gear  60  are co-axial. Mounting pin  64  may be operable to rotate relative to linking structure  56  and gear  60  about axis  64   a  ( FIG. 3B ). The position of axis  64   a  of mounting pin  64  is not fixed with respect to base  12 . Axis  64   a  is translatable and moves as lid  14  is pivoted with respect to base  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, axes  62   a  and  64   a  are located within base  12  and lid  14  respectively and are parallel to each other.  
      Hinge  16   a  may also comprise a frictional clutch structure  54  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In the illustrated embodiment, clutch structure  54  comprises a housing  78  disposed within base  12 . Clutch structure  54  operatively supports a coiled clutch spring member  80  in a fixed relationship relative to base  12 . Clutch spring member  80  circumscribes and frictionally engages a portion of mounting pin  62  to thereby frictionally resist relative rotation between base  12  and mounting pin  62  about longitudinal axis  62   a  of mounting pin  62 . With the exception of frictional clutch structure  54 , hinge  16   b  is similar to hinge  16   a.  If desired, clutch structure  54  may be provided on both hinges  16   a  and  16   b  or only on hinge  16   b.    
      Linking structure  56  couples base  12  and lid  14  via mounting pins  62  and  64  in a manner permitting them to rotate relative to linking structure  56  about the spaced-apart parallel axes  62   a  and  64   a.  Linking structure  56  also serves to maintain gears  58 ,  60  operatively intermeshed in a manner such that a forced rotation of either base  12  or lid  14  relative to linking structure  56  forcibly rotates the other (lid  14  or base  12 , respectively) in an opposite direction relative to linking structure  56 . For example, assuming that linking structure  56  were to be held stationary, a clockwise pivotal movement of lid  14  relative to linking structure  56  would cause a corresponding counterclockwise pivotal movement of base  12  relative to linking structure  56 . Cabling associated with electronic device  10  between base  12  and lid  14  may pass through linking structure  56 .  
      The coupling of base  12  and lid  14  for rotation about axes  62   a  and  64   a,  respectively, facilitates a smooth, controlled pivotal motion of lid  14  as it is moved between the protected orientation ( FIG. 2A ) and the fully extended orientation ( FIG. 2B ). When lid  14  is rotated between these two positions, the frictional resistance to rotation of linking structure  56  relative to base  12  provided by clutch spring number  80  permits lid  14  to automatically be held in any selected position (for example open configuration ( FIG. 2C )), between the protected and fully extended orientations. It can be seen that frictional clutch structure  54  serves to keep lid  14  in a selected, open position relative to base  12  in response to pivoting of lid  14  to such open position.  
      While this frictional retention force is provided to hinge  16   a  by locking mounting pin  62  to linking structure  56 , permitting mounting pin  62  to rotate in slot  70 , and using clutch spring  80  to frictionally resist rotation of mounting pin  62  in its associated slot  70 , other methods could alternately be utilized to provide hinge  16   a  with this frictional retention force.  
      For example, in an alternative embodiment, the mounting pin is locked in the slot, the locking pin is removed to permit relative rotation between the linking structure and the mounting pin, and a frictional force is created between the mounting pin and linking structure to frictionally resist relative rotation therebetween. In an alternative embodiment, the frictional retention force could be provided by structure located in the lid instead of in the base  12  and acting on the mounting pin.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a detent mechanism  88  for use with a hinge in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Detent mechanism  88  may be used in place of or in addition to frictional clutch structure  54 . In the illustrated embodiment, detent mechanism  88  includes a disc member  90  provided on mounting pin  62 . A plurality of notches  92  are provided on an outer surface of disc member  90 . Detent mechanism  88  also comprises a spring-loaded detent member  94  suitably supported in base  12 . Detent member  94  is operable to releaseably engage with different ones of notches  92  as mounting pin  62  rotates in a direction as indicated by double-ended arrow  96  in  FIG. 5 . In an exemplary embodiment, the location of notches  92  corresponds to the desired pivotal “stops” for lid  14 . Depending on the notch with which detent member  94  engages, electronic device  10  is in one of the plurality of orientations.  
      A technical advantage of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is that the lid may be rotated greater than one-hundred and eighty degrees with respect to the base, thereby permitting placement of the electronic device in various orientations. Another technical advantage of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is that frictional retention of the lid in one of a plurality of positions is facilitated. A further technical advantage of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is that the gears are flush with the surface of the base and lid, respectively. Thus, the gears do not add to the bulk of the electronic device.