Patent Publication Number: US-2011047749-A1

Title: Hinge

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The relevant subject matter is disclosed in a co-pending U.S. patent application (Attorney Docket No. US27859) filed on the same date and entitled “HINGE”, which is assigned to the same assignee as this patent application. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to hinges, and particularly to a bidirectional hinge. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Collapsible devices, such as notebook computers and clamshell mobile phones, generally include a main body and a cover, often interconnected by a hinge. The hinge allows the cover to rotate with respect to the main body, and collapse with the main body for saving space. 
     A bidirectional hinge normally includes a horizontal pivot structure and an upright pivot structure. The horizontal pivot structure allows the cover to be rotatable with respect to the main body along a horizontal axis. The upright pivot structure allows the cover to be rotatable with respect to the main body along an upright axis. However, such upright pivot structures are often unstable, leading to unsteadiness of the cover. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a hinge. 
         FIG. 2  is an inverted view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the hinge of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of the hinge of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary embodiment of a hinge is disclosed. The hinge is mounted on a collapsible device (not shown), such as a notebook computer or clamshell mobile phone, rotatably connecting two parts. The hinge includes a bracket  10 , a rack  20 , a mounting member  30 , a stopping member  40 , and two fasteners  50 . In this embodiment, the fasteners  50  are bolts. 
     The bracket  10  is a plate, and includes a first side  12  and a second side  14 , opposite to each other. The bracket  10  defines four mounting holes  11  in four corners thereof, for mounting the bracket  10  to one part of the collapsible device. The bracket  10  further defines a pivot hole  13  in a center thereof. Two blocks  122  are formed on the first side  12 , opposite to each other from across the pivot hole  13 . The second side  14  defines two opposite depressed portions  142 , in communication with the pivot hole  13 . Each depressed portion  142  forms two inclined surfaces  144  connected to opposite ends of a bottom of the depressed portion  142  and the second side  14 , respectively. 
     The rack  20  is generally T-shaped, and includes a main body  22 , and two opposite shafts  23  extending from a first side  221  thereof. A mounting piece  24  is mounted on each shaft  23 . The mounting pieces  24  are fixed to the other part of the collapsible device. A pivot portion  25  is formed on a second side  222  opposite to the first side  221  of the main body  22 . A center hole  27  is defined in a center of an end surface of the pivot portion  25 . The main body  22  forms two tabs  251 , joining to a circumference of the pivot portion  25 . A plurality of posts  252  extends from the circumference of the pivot portion  25 , beside the center hole  27 . Two mounting holes  254  are defined in the end surface of the pivot portion  25 , beside the center hole  27 . 
     The mounting member  30  is generally a disc. The mounting member  30  defines a through hole  311  in a center of the mounting member  30 , and two curved through slots  33  around the through hole  311 . A resilient portion  34  is formed on the mounting member  30 , opposite to the through hole  311  relative to each through slot  33 . A locating block  32  protrudes from each resilient portion  34 , at a side  31  of the mounting member  30 . Two angled surfaces  322  are formed at opposite ends of each locating block  32 , smoothly transitioning to the side  31 . Two holes  35  and a plurality of limiting holes  36  are defined in the mounting member  30  around the through hole  311 . 
     The stopping member  40  is generally annular. The stopping member  40  defines a round through hole  41  in a center of the stopping member  40 . Two opposite cutouts  42  are defined in the stopping member  40 , communicating with the through hole  41 . A stopping portion  44  extends outward from an edge of the stopping member  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , during assembly, the stopping member  40  is set around the pivot portion  25  of the rack  20 . The tabs  251  of the pivot portion  25  engage the cutouts  42  of the stopping member  40 , respectively. The bracket  10  is set around the pivot portion  25  of the rack  20  via the pivot hole  13 , with the first side  12  facing the rack  20 . The mounting member  30  is in tight contact with the second side  14  of the bracket  10 . The plurality of posts  252  of the pivot portion  25  engage the plurality of limiting holes  36  of the mounting member  30 , respectively. The fasteners  50  extend through the holes  35  of the mounting member  30  and are received in the mounting holes  254  of the rack  20 , respectively. The resilient portions  34  of the mounting member  30  are deformed by the bracket  10 , generating elastic force to bias the mounting member  30  onto the bracket  10 . 
     In use, when one part of the collapsible device rotates with respect to the other part of the collapsible device along an upright axis, the rack  20  rotates with respect to the bracket  10 . The pivot portion  25  of the rack  20  rotates in the pivot hole  13  of the bracket  10 , to rotate the mounting member  30  and the stopping member  40  with respect to the bracket  10 . The locating blocks  32  of the mounting member  30  engage the depressed portions  142  of the bracket  10 , respectively, locating the mounting member  30  relative to the bracket  10 . The locating blocks  32  of the mounting member  30  are released from the depressed portions  142  of the bracket  10 , respectively, by the inclined surfaces  144  biasing the angled surfaces  322 . The stopping portion  44  of the stopping member  40  engages one of the blocks  122  of the bracket  10  to limit movement of the rack  20 . 
     In this embodiment, the locating blocks  32  engage the second side  14  of the bracket  10  to deform the resilient portions  34  of the mounting member  30 , thereby generating elastic force to bias the mounting member  30  onto the bracket  10 , stabilizing the hinge. 
     While several embodiments have been disclosed, it is understood that any element disclosed in any one embodiment is easily adapted to other embodiments. It is also to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.