Patent Publication Number: US-8978208-B2

Title: Folding mechanism

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to folding mechanisms, particularly to a folding mechanism configured with a hinge assembly, for opening or closing two main bodies. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A commonly used electronic device, such as notebook, includes a liquid crystal display and a hinge mechanism. The electronic device opens and closes via the hinge mechanism to enable the liquid crystal display to be viewed from many angles, thus the electronic device obtains a higher degree of maneuverability and convenience. 
     However, such a hinge mechanism as used in the electronic device is made of metallic material and includes a fixing member, a first pivotal assembly and a second pivotal assembly. The first and second pivotal assemblies generally include many components, thus the hinge mechanism becomes complicated, and is unable to satisfy the demand for lightness and thinness. In addition, the hinge mechanism receives great amount of friction during the opening or closing of the electronic device, which results in a shorter working lifespan of the hinge mechanism. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of a folding mechanism, the folding mechanism including a first main body. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the folding mechanism shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged, isometric view of the first main body of the folding mechanism shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is sectional view of the folding mechanism taken along line IV-IV shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is similar to the  FIG. 4 , but shows another working state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a folding mechanism  100  of one embodiment. The folding mechanism  100  includes a first main body  10 , a second main body  30 , and a hinge assembly  50  connecting the first main body  10  and the second main body  30 . The first main body  10  is capable of opening or closing relative to the second main body  30  via the hinge mechanism  50 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the first main body  10  of the embodiment. The first main body  10  includes a base body  11 , a mounting member  13 , a resisting member  15 , and an engaging member  17 . The base body  11  includes a mounting surface  111  adjacent to the second main body  30  and is substantially a disk-shaped. The mounting member  13  protrudes outwardly from an end of the mounting surface  111  of the base body  11 , for receiving the hinge assembly  50 . The engaging member  17  protrudes outwardly from another end of the mounting surface  111  opposite to the mounting member  13 , for resisting the second main body  30  when the first main body  10  is closed relative to the second main body  30 . The resisting member  15  is mounted in the mounting member  13 , for resisting the hinge assembly  50 . 
     The mounting member  13  is substantially a bar-shaped protrusion, and defines a receiving groove  131  along a longitudinal direction thereof. The mounting member  13  includes a pair of blocking sidewalls  133  located at opposite ends of the receiving groove  131  along a longitudinal direction. Each blocking sidewall  133  defines a containing groove  1331 , and the containing grooves  1331  communicate with the receiving groove  131 . A bottom surface  1333  of each containing groove  1331  is an arcuate surface. An inner sidewall  134  of the receiving groove  131  adjacent to the engaging member  17  defines a pair of mounting holes  135 , for assembling the hinge assembly  50 . The mounting holes  135  communicate with the receiving groove  131 . 
     The resisting member  15  is integrated within the receiving groove  131 , and includes a blocking plate  151 , a first resisting portion  153 , and a second resisting portion  155 . The blocking plate  151  is positioned along the longitudinal direction of the receiving groove  131 , and separates the receiving groove  131  into a first receiving groove  1311  and a second receiving groove  1313 . A width of the first receiving groove  1311  is narrower than that of the second receiving groove  1313 . The first resisting portion  153  and the second resisting portion  155  substantially perpendicularly interconnect the blocking plate  151  and an inner sidewall  1315  of the second receiving groove  1313  parallel to the inner sidewall  134  of the receiving groove  131 , respectively. The first resisting portion  153  and the second resisting portion  155  are received in the second receiving groove  1313 , and are respectively aligned with the pair of mounting holes  135 . The blocking plate  151  defines a pair of engaging holes (not shown) corresponding to the pair of mounting holes  135 , and the engaging holes respectively pass through the first resisting portion  153  and the second resisting portion  155 . A top of the first resisting portion  153  comprises a first contacting surface  1531 , and a top of the second resisting portion  155  comprises a second contacting surface  1551 . The first contacting surface  1531  and the second contacting surface  1551  are arcuate surfaces. The first contacting surface  1531  and the second contacting surface  1551  are lower than the bottom surface  1333  of the containing groove  1331 . 
       FIG. 2  further shows that the second main body  30  defines a mounting groove  31  at a side surface thereof adjacent to the first main body  10 , for receiving the mounting member  13  and the resisting member  15 . Each of opposite ends of the mounting groove  31  defines a fixing groove  33  communicating with the mounting groove  31 , for fixing the hinge assembly  50 . 
     The hinge assembly  50  includes a sleeve member  51  and a fixing shaft  53  inserted through the sleeve member  51 . The sleeve member  51  is mounted on the first main body  10 . The fixing shaft  53  is attached with the second main body  30 . When the sleeve member  51  rotates relative to the fixing shaft  53 , the first main body  10  opens or closes relative to the second main body  30 . 
     The sleeve member  51  includes a fixing portion  511  and a sleeve portion  513  extending from an end of the fixing portion  511 . The fixing portion  511  is substantially sheet-shaped, and is positioned in the first receiving groove  1311  of the mounting member  13 . Two elastic strips  5115  protrude from the fixing portion  511  towards the sleeve portion  513 , and are configured to abut against the fixing shaft  53 . The elastic stripes  5115  are substantially arc-shaped. The fixing portion  511  defines two holes  5111  located at a side of corresponding elastic strips  5115  away from the sleeve portion  513 , respectively. Two openings  5113  are defined at the fixing portion  511  corresponding with each of the two elastic strips  5115 , respectively. Each elastic strip  5115  extends from an inner surface of the opening  5113  towards the sleeve portion  513 . The sleeve portion  513  is configured to be received in the second receiving groove  1313 , and an outer cylindrical sidewall of the sleeve portion  513  resists the first contacting surface  1531  and the second contacting surface  1551 . In other embodiments, the number of the hole  5111  can be one, three, four or more. A number of the opening  5113  or the elastic strip  5115  can be one, three, four, or more, correspondingly. 
     The fixing shaft  53  is inserted into the sleeve portion  513 , and two ends of the fixing shaft  53  are mounted on the fixing grooves  33  defined in the second main body  30 . Each end of the fixing shaft  53  defines a cutting surface  531 , thus the sectional surfaces on the ends of the fixing shaft  53  are not circular, which results in the fixing shaft  53  not being rotatable relative to the second main body  30 . The fixing shaft  53  is shaped as a rod being cut along a longitudinal direction thereof, thus an outer sidewall of the fixing shaft  53  includes a planar surface  533  extending along an axis of the fixing shaft  53  and an arcuate surface  535  connecting with the planar surface  533  extending along the axis of the fixing shaft  53 . The arcuate surface  535  resists on the bottom surface  1333  of the containing groove  1331 . A ridge  537  is formed at a connecting edge portion between the planar surface  533  and the arcuate surface  535 . 
     In assembly, the fixing shaft  53  is inserted into the sleeve portion  513 , and the planar surface  533  of the fixing shaft  53  resists to the elastic strip  5115 . Two ends of the fixing shaft  53  are fixed within the fixing grooves  33  of the second main body  30 . The fixing portion  511  of the sleeve member  51  is received in the first receiving groove  1311  of the first main body  10 , and the holes  5111  are respectively aligned with the corresponding mounting holes  135  and corresponding engaging holes. The fixing portion  511  is positioned with the mounting member  13  via using fasteners (not shown) inserting into the mounting holes  135 , the holes  5111 , and the engaging holes; and the sleeve portion  513  is received in the second receiving groove  1313 . Therefore, the mounting member  13  and the resisting member  15  are contained in the mounting groove  31  of the second main body  30 . The first main body  10  closes relative to the second main body  30 , and the engaging member  17  abuts against the second main body  30 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show that in use, when the first main body  10  closes relative to the second main body  30  (see  FIG. 4 ), the elastic strips  5115  resist on the planar surface  533 . An end of the first main body  10  adjacent to the engaging member  17  is rotated away from the second main body  30 , the first main body  10  pushes the sleeve member  51  to rotate around the fixing shaft  53 . During the rotation, the elastic strips  5115  abut against the planar surface  533 , and are deformed by being pressed by the planar surface  533 . The elastic strips  5115  applies a torsion force to the fixing shaft  53 . When a peak point of the each elastic strip  5115  reaches to the ridge  537 , the deformation of the elastic strips  5115  and the torsion force exerted to the fixing shaft  53  reach their respective maximum values. And then, the elastic strips  5115  slidably cross over the ridge  537 , and reaches the arcuate surface  535 . The elastic strips  5115  slides on the arcuate surface  535 , and the first main body  10  opens relative to the second main body  30  (see  FIG. 4 ). When the first main body  10  is rotated towards the second main body  30 , the elastic strips  5115  slide on the outer sidewall of the fixing shaft  53 . The elastic strips  5115  recover until crossing over the ridge  537 . When the engaging member  17  resists on the second main body  30 , the first main body  10  closes relative to the second main body  30 . 
     In other embodiments, two ridges  537  may be positioned at the fixing shaft  53  corresponding to the elastic strip  5115 , and the planar surface  533  and the arcuate surface  535  can be omitted. 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of its material advantages.