Patent Publication Number: US-2015074945-A1

Title: Pivot apparatus and electronic device using pivot apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwanese Patent Application No. 102134005 filed on Sep. 18, 2013 in the Intellectual Property Office Ministry of Economic Affairs Republic of China, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to mechanical linkages. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pivot apparatuses are widely used in various kinds of electronic devices, such as notebook computers, allowing them to open and close like a clamshell. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a pivot apparatus of an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the pivot apparatus from another angle. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the pivot apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the pivot apparatus of  FIG. 3 , showing the pivot apparatus in a locked position. 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the pivot apparatus in a first position. 
         FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the pivot apparatus in a second position. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded, isometric view of an electronic device using the pivot apparatus of an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial and enlarged view of the electronic device of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is an assembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 7 , showing the electronic device in a locked state. 
         FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but showing the electronic device in a first state. 
         FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but showing the electronic device in a second state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
     The present disclosure is in relation to a pivot apparatus and an electronic device using the pivot apparatus. The pivot apparatus includes a first pivoting member defining a helical gap therein, a second pivoting member configured to pivotally house the first pivoting member, and a motivating member pivotally coupled to the first pivoting member. The motivating member has a retractable pole pivotally mounted in the first pivoting member and a positioning post protruding from the retractable pole. The positioning post can slide in and follow the helical gap. When the retractable pole moves along its axial direction, the positioning post slides along the helical gap to motivate the first pivoting member to rotate relative to the second pivoting member. The electronic device includes a base and a cover pivotally attached to the base by the pivot apparatus. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a pivot apparatus  600  for pivotally connecting two elements. The pivot apparatus  600  includes a first pivoting member  10 , a second pivoting member  20 , and a motivating member  30 . 
     The first pivoting member  10  includes a pivoting portion  12  and a first attaching portion  11  connecting to one end of the pivoting portion  12 . The pivoting portion  12  is a hollow cylinder with a helical gap  13  defined therein. An axis of the helical gap  13  is the same as the axis of the pivoting portion  12 . The first attaching portion  11  defines a plurality of mounting holes  110  and is configured to attach to an element. 
     The second pivoting member  20  includes a second attaching portion  21  configured to attach to another element, and a sleeve  22  configured for pivotally housing the pivoting portion  12 . The second attaching portion  21  connects to a sidewall of the sleeve  22 . A plurality of mounting holes  210  is defined on the second attaching portion  21 . The first attaching portion  11  can be rotated relative to the second attaching portion  21  by the motivating member  30 . 
     The motivating member  30  includes an inflator  31  and a retractable pole  32  connecting to the inflator  31 . The retractable pole  32  is configured to be pivotally received in the pivoting portion  12 . A positioning post  33  protrudes from a distal end of the retractable pole  32  and along a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the retractable pole  32 . The positioning post  33  is configured to extend into, and to be guided by, the helical gap  13 . In an embodiment, the motivating member  30  is a gas spring, which is gas-filled and the retractable pole  32  can move by the gas in the inflator  31 . 
       FIGS. 1-2  illustrate that the helical gap  13  includes a first end  131  and a second end  132  opposite to the first end  131 . A distance between the first end  131  and the first attaching portion  11  is greater than that between the second end  132  and the first attaching portion  11 . A notch  14  is defined in the pivoting portion  12  and configured to receive the positioning post  33  and prevent the positioning post  33  from sliding along the helical gap  13 . The notch  14  communicates with the first end  131 . A mounting slot  15  is defined in the pivoting portion  12  and extends along a direction parallel to the axis of the pivoting portion  12 . One end of the mounting slot  15  communicates with the notch  14 , and an opposite end of the mounting slot  15  is connected to the end of the pivoting portion  12 . The mounting slot  15  is configured for allowing the positioning post  33  to slide into the notch  14 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an assembled the pivot apparatus  600 . The first pivoting member  10  and the motivating member  30  couple to the second pivoting member  20  on opposite sides of the second pivoting member  20 . The pivoting potion  12  is pivotally received in the sleeve  22 , and the retractable pole  32  extends into the sleeve  22  and is pivotally received in the pivoting portion  12 . The positioning post  33  slides into the notch  14  from the mounting slot  15 . The inflator  31  and the first attaching portion  11  are located on opposite sides of the second pivoting member  20 . A distance between the first attaching portion  11  and the retractable pole  32  is adjustable, and an angle between the first attaching portion  11  and the second attaching portion  21  varies in inverse proportion to the distance between the first attaching portion  11  and the retractable pole  32 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the pivot apparatus  600  in a locked position. In this locked position, the retractable pole  32  is received in the inflator  31 . The positioning post  33  is received in the notch  14  and resists an edge of the notch  14  so that the retractable pole  32  cannot slide axially. The notch  14  prevents the positioning post  33  from sliding along the helical gap  13 . 
     The angle formed between the first attaching portion  11  and the second attaching portion  21  is thus locked. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the pivot apparatus  600  in a first position. The positioning post  33  can slide from the notch  14  to the helical gap  13  by rotating the first attaching portion  11  relative to the second attaching portion  21 , so that the pivot apparatus  600  can be positioned in the first position from the locked position. In this first position, the positioning post  33  is disengaged from the notch  14  and extends into the first end  131  of the helical gap  13 . A first angle is formed between the first attaching portion  11  and the second attaching portion  21 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the pivot apparatus  600  in a second position. The positioning post  33  can engage in and slide along the helical gap  13  by the retractable pole  32  moving outwards axially so that the pivot apparatus  600  can be positioned in the second position from the first position by the rotating the first pivoting member  10  relative to the second pivoting member  20 . In this second position, the retractable pole  32  protrudes from the inflator  31 . The positioning post  33  is slid along the helical gap  13  to the second end  132  by the retractable pole  32 . The positioning post  33  resists an edge of the second end  132  and stops the movement of the retractable pole  32 . The first attaching portion  11  is rotated relative to the second attaching portion  21  by the position post  33 . A second angle is formed between the first attaching portion  11  and the second attaching portion  21 . 
     The locked angle, the first angle, and the second angle are different. In one embodiment, the locked angle is less than the first angle. The first angle is less than the second angle. 
       FIGS. 7-8  illustrate that the electronic device  700 , with two pivot apparatuses  600  above, includes a base  40  and a cover  50  pivotally attached to the base  40  by the pivot apparatus  600 . In an embodiment, the electronic device  700  is a notebook computer. 
     The base  40  includes a chassis  43  and a keyboard module  42  attached to the chassis  43 . The chassis  43  includes a bottom  435  and a rear flange  436  with two first gaps  434  corresponding to the two first attaching portions  11 . Two cutouts  421  are defined in the keyboard module  42  and aligned to the two first gaps  434  corresponding to the two first attaching portions  11 . Two first mounting portions  512  are located on the cover  50  and configured to secure the two first attaching portions  11  to the cover  50 . Each first mounting portion  512  aligns with a cutout  421 . A plurality of mounting holes  510  is defined on the first mounting portion  512  to correspond to the plurality of mounting holes  110 . Two second mounting portions  431  are located on the bottom  435  and configured to secure the two second attaching portions  21  to the base  40 . A plurality of mounting holes  430  is defined on the second mounting portion  431  to correspond to the plurality of mounting holes  210 . 
     Two resisting portions  432  are located on the bottom  435  corresponding to the two inflators  31 . The resisting portions  432  are configured to resist and prevent the motivating members  30  from disengaging from the two first pivoting members  20 . Each resisting portion  432  includes a resisting tab  4321  and a pair of stopping tabs  4322 . An interior space  4323  is defined by the resisting tab  4321  and the pair of stopping tabs  4322  and is configured to receive each inflator  31 . Each resisting portion  432  and each first mounting portion  512  are located on opposite sides of the second mounting portion  431 . 
     Each pivot apparatus  600  can be attached to the base  40  and the cover  50  by screws (not shown) or other suitable manner. The cover  50  can be attached to and rotated relative to the base  40  on the pivot apparatus  600 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates assembly of the electronic device  700  in a locked state. In this locked state, the pivot apparatuses  600  are in the locked position (see  FIG. 4 ). The cover  50  abuts and is parallel to the base. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the electronic device  700  in a first state. The electronic device  700  can be changed to the first state from the locked state by rotating the base  40  relative to the cover  50 . The pivot apparatuses  600  are rotated by the cover  50  and the base  40 . In this first state, the pivot apparatuses  600  are in the first position (see  FIG. 5 ). A first angle is formed between the cover  50  and the base  40 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates the electronic device  700  in a second state. The cover  50  can be rotated relative to the base  40  to put into the second state by the pivot apparatuses  600 . In this second state, the pivot apparatuses  600  are in the second position (see  FIG. 6 ). A second angle is formed between the cover  50  and the base  40 . The first angle is less than the second angle. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, including matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.