Patent Publication Number: US-2023139383-A1

Title: Electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation application of and claims the priority benefit of U.S. Application Serial No. 17/541,263, filed on Dec. 3, 2021, now allowed, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Application Serial No. 16/889,721, filed on Jun. 1, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,226,651, which claims the priority benefit of Taiwan Application Serial No. 108148387, filed on Dec. 30, 2019. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device including a main display and an auxiliary display. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Notebook computers characterized by multiplexing capabilities, high computing performance, and portability have become indispensable to modern people. Generally speaking, the notebook computer includes a host and a display, wherein the display is pivotally connected to the host, and a keyboard assembly is integrated to the host. 
     To improve operation flexibility for users, a notebook computer having an auxiliary display integrated to the host has been launched. In detail, the auxiliary display and the keyboard assembly are located on the same working plane, and the auxiliary display and the keyboard assembly are juxtaposed. Since the angle and the height of the auxiliary display cannot be adjusted in most cases, it often brings inconvenience to the users as well as easily 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure provides an electronic device characterized by operation flexibility. 
     According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device including a host, a main display, an auxiliary display, and a hinge mechanism is provided. The auxiliary display is located between the host and the main display and includes a sliding part and a lifting part. The sliding part is slidably connected to host. The hinge mechanism includes a first bracket, a second bracket pivotally connected to the first bracket, and a third bracket pivotally connected to the second bracket. The first bracket is secured to the host, and the second bracket is secured to the main display. The third bracket is secured to the lifting part of the auxiliary display. 
     Based on the above, the auxiliary display is integrated into the electronic device provided in one or more embodiments of the disclosure, and the angle and the height of the auxiliary display are adjustable, so that users may easily operate the auxiliary display, and that users’ comfort of using the auxiliary display may be improved. 
     Several exemplary embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below to further describe the disclosure in details. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles described herein. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic partial side view of an electronic device in a folded state according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic partial side view of an electronic device in a first unfolded state according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic partial side view of an electronic device in a second unfolded state according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic partial side view of an electronic device in a folded state according to an embodiment of the disclosure.  FIG.  2    is a schematic partial side view of an electronic device in a first unfolded state according to an embodiment of the disclosure.  FIG.  3    is a schematic partial side view of an electronic device in a second unfolded state according to an embodiment of the disclosure. With reference to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , in this embodiment, an electronic device  100  may be a notebook computer and includes a host  110 , a main display  120 , an auxiliary display  130 , and a hinge mechanism  140 . The host  110  is configured to perform logical operations, signal control, and data access, and the main display  120  and auxiliary display  130  are electrically connected to the host  110 . On the other hand, the main display  120  and the auxiliary display  130  are configured to display images, and the auxiliary display  130  may be integrated with a touch function to facilitate users’ operations. In other exemplary embodiments, the main display  120  may be integrated with the touch function. 
     The main display  120  is connected to the host  110  through the hinge mechanism  140  to be rotatably folded or unfolded with respect to the host  110 . On the other hand, the auxiliary display  130  is connected to the main display  120  through the hinge mechanism  140 . When the main display  120  is rotatably folded or unfolded with respect to the host  110 , the hinge mechanism  140  drives the auxiliary display  130  to ascend or descend with respect to the host  110 . 
     When the main display  120  is in a folded state as shown in  FIG.  1   , the main display  120  covers the host  110 , and the auxiliary display  130  is located between the main display  120   and the host  110 . On the other hand, a display surface  120   a  of the main display  120  faces a display surface  130   a  of the auxiliary display  130 , and the display surface  120   a  of the main display  120  and the display surface  130   a  of the auxiliary display  130  are hidden inside, so as to protect the display surface  120   a  of the main display  120  and the display surface  130   a  of the auxiliary display  130  from being damaged by external forces or foreign objects. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , in this embodiment, the auxiliary display  130  includes a sliding part  131  and a lifting part  132 , wherein the sliding part  131  is slidably connected to the host  110 , and the lifting part  132  is connected to the hinge mechanism  140 . In detail, the hinge mechanism  140  includes a first bracket  141 , a second bracket  142  pivotally connected to the first bracket  141 , and a third bracket  143  pivotally connected to the second bracket  142 , wherein the first bracket  141  is secured to the host  110 , and the second bracket  142  is secured to the main display  120 . On the other hand, the third bracket  143  is secured to the lifting part  132  of the auxiliary display  130 . When the main display  120  is rotatably folded or unfolded with respect to the host  110 , the second bracket  142  is rotated with respect to the first bracket  141  and drives the third bracket  143 , so that the third bracket  143  is driven to move the auxiliary display  130  up or down with respect to the host  110  and move the auxiliary display  130  to slide with respect to the host  110 . 
     During the process of folding and unfolding the main display  120  with respect to the host  110 , the hinge mechanism  140  may synchronously drive the auxiliary display  130  to ascend or descend. Therefore, from the users’ perspective, the operation of the electronic device  100  is simple and intuitive. In another aspect, the angle and the height of the auxiliary display  130  are adjustable, so that users may easily operate the auxiliary display  130 , and that users’ comfort of using the auxiliary display  130  may be improved. 
     The host  110  includes a keyboard assembly  111 , and the keyboard assembly  111  and the auxiliary display  130  are juxtaposed. The hinge mechanism  140  is away from the keyboard assembly  111 . Further, the sliding part  131  is close to the keyboard assembly  111 , and the lifting part  132  is away from the keyboard assembly  111 . That is, the sliding part  131  is located between the keyboard assembly  111  and the lifting part  132 . In another aspect, the host  110  has a first groove  112  for accommodating the auxiliary display  130 , and the first groove  112  and the keyboard assembly  111  are juxtaposed. This is conducive to the improvement of the appearance integrity of the electronic device  100 , so as to comply with the product requirements for thin design. 
     The keyboard assembly  111  has an operation surface  111   a . When the auxiliary display  130  is disposed in the first groove  112 , the display surface  130   a  of the auxiliary display  130  is coplanar with or slightly lower than the operation surface  111   a  of the keyboard assembly  111 , so as to prevent the main display  120  covering the host  110  from squeezing the auxiliary display  130 . 
     In this embodiment, the hinge mechanism  140  further includes a first rotation axle  144  and a second rotation axle  145 , and the first rotation axle  144  and the second rotation axle  145  are parallel to each other. In detail, the second bracket  142  is pivotally connected to the first bracket  141  through the first rotation axle  144 , and the third bracket  143  is pivotally connected to the second bracket  142  through the second rotation axle  145 . For instance, the first rotation axle  144  and the second rotation axle  145  are integrated with torque accessories, so as to prevent the main display  120  and the auxiliary display  130  from falling instantly. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   . When the main display  120  rotates with respect to the host  110  and is unfolded, the position of the first rotation axle  144  remains unchanged. The first rotation axle  144  serves as the rotation reference axle of the second bracket  142 , and the second bracket  142  rotates along a first rotation direction R1 with respect to the first bracket  141  (i.e., the main display  120  rotates along the first rotation direction R1 with respect to the host  110 ). At the same time, the second bracket  142  drives the third bracket  143  to be lifted with respect to the host  110 , and drives the lifting part  132  of the auxiliary display  130 . 
     While the third bracket  143  and the auxiliary part  132  of the auxiliary display  130   are being lifted with respect to the host  110 , the second rotation axle  145  gradually moves up and away from the keyboard assembly  111 , and the sliding part  131  of the auxiliary display  130  slides with respect to the host  110  and moves away from the keyboard assembly  111 . The second rotation axle  145  serves as the rotation reference axle of the third bracket  143 . The third bracket  143  is configured to rotate along a second rotation direction R2 with respect to the second bracket  142  (i.e., the auxiliary display  130  rotates along the second rotation direction R2 with respect to the main display  120 ), and the second rotation direction R2 is opposite to the first rotation direction R1. 
     In a first unfolded state shown in  FIG.  2   , the auxiliary display  130  has the maximum lifting angle and the maximum lifting height, and the second rotation axle  145  is located at the highest point in the entire movement path. If the main display  120  is continuously rotated in the first rotation direction R1 with respect to the host  110 , the lifting part  132  of the auxiliary display  130  is rotated in the second rotation direction R2 with respect to the main display  120  and slightly sinks to prevent the display surface  120   a  of the main display  120  from being blocked, and the sliding part  131  of the auxiliary display  130  continues to slide away from the keyboard assembly  111 , as shown in  FIG.  3   . 
     During the transition from the first unfolded state shown in  FIG.  2    to a second unfolded state shown in  FIG.  3   , the second rotation axle  145  descends from the highest point and continues to move away from the keyboard assembly  111 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   , in this embodiment, the electronic device  100  further includes a sliding mechanism  150 , and the sliding mechanism  150  is disposed between the auxiliary display  130  and the host  110 . In detail, the sliding mechanism  150  includes a pivoting member  151  and a sliding member  152 , wherein the pivoting member  151  is pivotally connected to the host  110 , and a pivoting point where the pivoting member  151  is pivotally connected to the host  110  is close to the keyboard assembly  111 . The sliding member  152  is slidably connected to the pivoting member  151 , and the sliding member  152  is connected to the sliding part  131  of the auxiliary display  130 . While the auxiliary display  130  is ascending or descending, the auxiliary display  130  drives the pivoting member  151  to rotate with respect to the host  110  and to slide with respect to the pivoting member  151  through the sliding member  152 , so as to slide away from or close to the keyboard assembly  111 . 
     Further, the pivoting member  151  includes a base  151   a  and a gear  151   b , one end of the base  151   a  is pivotally connected to the host  110 , and the gear  151   b  is pivoted to the other end of the base  151   a . In another aspect, the sliding member  152  is located on one side of the auxiliary display  130  facing against the display surface  130   a , and the sliding member  152  includes a rack  152   a . The rack  152   a  is fixed to the sliding part  131  of the auxiliary display  130 , and the gear  151   b  is engaged with the rack  152   a . 
     According to this embodiment, the host  110  further has a second groove  113  communicating with the first groove  112 , and the second groove  113  is connected to a bottom surface of the first groove  112 . The second groove  113  is configured to accommodate the sliding mechanism  150  and can comply with the product requirements for thin design. In another aspect, the host  110  also includes a heat dissipating part  114  located in the first groove  112 . The heat dissipating part  114  is located on one side of the second groove  113 , and the auxiliary display  130  overlaps the heat dissipating part  114 . After the auxiliary display  130  is lifted, the heat dissipating part  114  is exposed to the outside, so as to improve heat dissipation efficiency. 
     To sum up, the auxiliary display is integrated into the electronic device provided in one or more embodiments of the disclosure, and the angle and the height of the auxiliary display are adjustable, so that users may easily operate the auxiliary display, and that users’ comfort of using the auxiliary display may be improved. Furthermore, during the process of folding and unfolding the main display with respect to the host, the hinge mechanism drives the auxiliary display to ascend or descend with respect to the host and to slide with respect to the host, and thus the operation is simple and intuitive. In other words, the users need not manually adjust the angle and the height of the auxiliary display. In another aspect, when the auxiliary display is lifted with respect to the host, the heat dissipating part of the host is exposed to the outside, so as to improve heat dissipation efficiency. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the disclosure covers modifications and variations provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.