Patent Publication Number: US-2012023703-A1

Title: Hinge assembly for foldable electronic device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to hinge assemblies and, particularly, to a hinge assembly for foldable electronic devices such as mobile phones, portable computers, and so on. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     At present, perhaps the most popular portable electronic device in the marketplace is the foldable mobile phone, which generally includes a cover section and a body section. The cover section and the body section are rotatably interconnected through a hinge assembly, for switching the telephone between an open position and a closed position. 
     However, traditional hinge assemblies include a large number of mechanical elements. Thus, the assembly process can be relatively complicated. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present hinge assembly can be better understood with reference to the following 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 hinge assembly. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a hinge assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but shown from another aspect. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the hinge assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the sleeve in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 3  taken along line V-V. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view after one end of the shaft portion is deformed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a hinge assembly  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present hinge system. The hinge assembly  100  includes a first member  10 , a second member  20 , a resilient member  30 , and a sleeve  40 . The first member  10 , the second member  20  and the resilient member  30  are accommodated in the sleeve  40 . 
     The first member  10  coaxially includes a head portion  12  and a cam portion  14  integrally formed together. The head portion  12  is for engaging with a body section of a foldable electronic device. In an exemplary embodiment, the head portion  12  is substantially cubic, including a plurality of planar surfaces  122 . The cam portion  14  is formed at one side of the head portion  12 , and has a larger radius size than the head portion  12 . The cam portion  14  includes at least one, e.g. two symmetrically arranged first cam surfaces  142 . Each first cam surface  142  includes at least one peak and at least one valley. The first member  10  defines a through hole  144  communicating with the head portion  12  and the cam portion  14 . 
     The second member  20  includes a latching cam portion  22  and an end portion  24  extending from the latching cam portion  22 . A longitudinal passage  26  is defined in the second member  20 . The latching cam portion  22  includes a second cam surface  222  for engaging with the first cam surfaces  142  of the first member  10 . There is one second cam surface  222  for each first cam surface  142 . The end portion  22  is substantially cubic for non-rotatably engaging with the sleeve  40 . 
     The resilient member  30  can be spiral-shaped (e.g. a coil spring). The resilient member  30  exerts elastic force on the second member  20  to push the second member  20  toward the first member  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the sleeve  40  is substantially a hollow polygonal cylinder. In an exemplary embodiment, the sleeve  40  is cubic and is for being non-rotatably connected to a cover section of a foldable electronic device. The sleeve  40  includes an open end  42 , an end wall  44 , and a circumferential wall  46 . The end wall  44  is positioned at one end of the circumferential wall  46  and is opposite to the open end  42 . A shaft portion  48  is formed on a center of the end wall  44  and is received in the space defined by the circumferential wall  46 . The shaft  48  may extend to outside of the sleeve  40 . The resilient member  30  has an inside diameter which is large enough to allow it to be placed around the shaft portion  48 . The shaft portion  48  is integrally formed with the sleeve  40  using a punch press process. In an exemplary embodiment, the end wall  44  is curved and extends into the sleeve  40  to form a hollow shaft portion  48 . A shaft hole  482  is defined in the shaft portion  48 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the resilient member  30 , the second member  20  and the first member  10  are orderly fit over the shaft portion  48 , and are received in the sleeve  40 . The second cam surface  222  of the second member  20  engages with the first cam surface  142  of the first member  10 . One end of the resilient member  30  abuts against the end wall  44 , and the opposite end of the resilient member  30  abuts against the second member  20 . The head portion  12  is exposed from the sleeve  40 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , by configuration of the end of shaft portion  48 , the first member  10  is rotatably positioned on the shaft portion  48 , and kept from detaching or separating from the shaft portion  48 . For example, one end of the shaft portion  48  is deformed to form a latching end  484  to prevent the first member  10  from separating from the shaft portion  48 . Alternatively, one end of the shaft portion  48  may be manufactured to have a plurality of protrusions by a press punch process. The protrusions can prevent the above elements in the shaft portion  48  from separating from the shaft portion  48 . Accordingly, the hinge assembly  100  is integrated into a complete unit. 
     It should be understood that the cam portions of the first member  10  and the second member  20  may have other shapes. The shape of the cam portion may be changed according to the desired open angle of the cover. The shaft  48  does not extend to outside of the sleeve  40 , but is completely received in the sleeve  40 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.