Patent Publication Number: US-2011072619-A1

Title: Hinge

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a hinge, and more particularly to a hinge adapted for a foldable electronic appliance such as a notebook computer, a flip phone, and the like. 
     2. The Related Art 
     Conventionally, a foldable electronic appliance, such as a notebook computer, a flip phone and so on, has a host body and a display apparatus pivoted to the host body by means of a hinge. The display apparatus can be unfolded when in use, and be folded to couple on the host body when not in use so as to reduce the size to facilitate storing and carrying. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a traditional hinge includes a second connector  20 ′ having a pintle  21 ′, a first connector  10 ′ pivoted to the pintle  21 ′ by means of a pivotal flange  11 ′ thereof, a plurality of positioning detents  30 ′ and a plurality of resilient spacers  40 ′ alternately wore to the pintle  21 ′. Finally a free end of the pintle  21 ′ is engaged with a nut  50 ′ to preclude disengagement of the pivotal flange  11 ′, the positioning detents  30 ′ and the resilient spacers  40 ′ from the pintle  21 ′. The first connector  10 ′ further has a latch finger  12 ′ near to the pintle  21 ′. One of the positioning detents  30 ′ is acted as a braking element  31 ′ buckled with the latch finger  12 ′. The second connector  20 ′ is secured to the host body and the first connector  10 ′ is secured to the display apparatus so that the display apparatus may be swiveled about the pintle  21 ′ for folding and unfolding relative to the host body. In the process of opening the display apparatus relative to the host body, the first connector  10 ′ is driven to swivel about the pintle  21 ′ that further drives the pivotal flange  11 ′ and the braking element  31 ′ to swivel relative to other positioning detents  30 ′ and the resilient spacers  40 ′ for generating friction resistance force thereamong. So the display apparatus is positioned relative to the host body by means of the friction resistance force. 
     However, the traditional hinge has too many components and a complicated assembly, and takes a high cost. So it would be desirable to provide an improved hinge capable of overcoming the foregoing problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a hinge adapted to be connected between a display apparatus and a host body of a foldable electronic appliance for permitting the display apparatus to be swiveled relative to the host body. The hinge includes a first connector, a second connector and a fastening pin. The second connector has a hollow pivotal device and a second fastening member adapted to be fastened to the host body of the electronic appliance. A peripheral outside of the pivotal device protrudes outward to form a locking rib. The first connector has a pivotal sleeve and a first fastening member adapted to be fastened to the display apparatus of the electronic appliance. The pivotal sleeve is pivotally sleeved to the pivotal device to make the first connector rotatable relative to the second connector and further make the display apparatus swivelable relative to the host body. The locking rib of the pivotal device is able to slide along and abut against a peripheral inside of the pivotal sleeve to produce friction resistance force therebetween for positioning the display apparatus at any inclined angle relative to the host body. The fastening pin is disposed in the pivotal device of the second connector and spaced from a peripheral inside of the pivotal device so that can make the pivotal device pressed inward to produce an outward elasticity to strengthen the friction resistance force between the locking rib and the peripheral inside of the pivotal sleeve. 
     As described above, the hinge of the present invention only includes the first connector, the second connector and the fasting pin, and utilizes the friction resistance force between the locking rib of the second connector and the peripheral inside of the pivotal sleeve of the first connector to make the display apparatus positioned at any inclined angle relative to the host body. So the hinge of the present invention has simple structure and assembly, and further reduces the manufacture cost. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hinge in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the hinge of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a lateral view of a first connector of the hinge of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a lateral view of a second connector of the hinge of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing that the hinge of  FIG. 1  is used in a notebook computer, wherein a display apparatus of the notebook computer is partially cut away to expose the hinge; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a hinge according to the prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a hinge in accordance with the present invention includes a first connector  10 , a second connector  20  and a fastening pin  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the first connector  10  includes a cylindrical pivotal sleeve  11 , and a first fastening member  18  connected with the pivotal sleeve  11 . The first fastening member  18  includes a substantially board-shaped coupling flap  13  connected with a peripheral outside of the pivotal sleeve  11  along a generatrix of the pivotal sleeve  11  for always showing an oblique angle between the coupling flap  13  and a corresponding diameter D, wherein the corresponding diameter D is the one passing through the junction of the coupling flap  13  and the pivotal sleeve  11 . An inside of the pivotal sleeve  11  defines a pair of buckling grooves  12  which are parallel with and further symmetrical about the axis of the pivotal sleeve  11 . The coupling flap  13  defines a plurality of fastening holes  14  each penetrating therethrough. The first fastening member  18  further includes a connection plate  15  connecting one end of the coupling flap  13  with the pivotal sleeve  11  at an oblique angle between the connection direction of the connection plate  15  and the plane of the coupling flap  13 , wherein the plane of the connection plate  15  is perpendicular to the coupling flap  13  and the pivotal sleeve  11 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the second connector  20  includes a pivotal device  21  and a second fastening member  28  connected with the pivotal device  21 . The second fastening member  28  includes a substantially board-shaped fastening dock  23  and a connection board  22  connecting one end of the pivotal device  21  and an edge of the fastening dock  23 . The plane of the fastening dock  23  is perpendicular to that of the connection board  22  and parallel to the pivotal device  21 , and further shows an oblique angle about the extension direction of the connection board  22 . The fastening dock  23  defines a plurality of fastening apertures  24  each penetrating therethrough. The pivotal device  21  is connected at the same side of the connection board  22  as the fastening dock  23 , and includes a prop pillar  211  connected with the connection board  22  and a cylindrical hollow pintle  212  extending from a middle of an end surface of the prop pillar  211 . A peripheral outside of a free end of the pintle  212  protrudes outward to form a cone-shaped restraining portion  213  having one end with the shortest diameter adjacent to the free end mouth of the pintle  212 . The pintle  212  defines a plurality of slots  214  which are parallel with and symmetrical about the axis of the pintle  212 . Each of the slots  214  further radially penetrates through the pintle  212  and the restraining portion  213 . A pair of locking ribs  215  are oppositely protruded from a peripheral outside of the pintle  212  and extended parallelly to the slots  214 . An inner side of the free end of the pintle  212  is provided with a female thread  216 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  again, the fastening pin  30  includes an inserting bar  31  and a handle portion  32  connected with one end of the inserting bar  31 . The diameter of the inserting bar  31  is gradually reduced from the one end of the inserting bar  31  to the other end of the inserting bar  31 . A peripheral outside of the one end of the inserting bar  31  is provided with a male thread  33  adjacent to the handle portion  32  and corresponding to the female thread  216  of the pivotal device  21 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  again, in assembly, the pivotal sleeve  11  of the first connector  10  is pivotally sleeved to the pintle  212  through the restraining portion  213 , and is restrained between the prop pillar  211  and the restraining portion  213 . Then the inserting bar  31  of the fastening pin  30  is inserted into the pintle  212 , and the male thread  33  is screwed with the female thread  216  by means of turning around the handle portion  32 . The inserting bar  31  is further spaced from the inside of the pintle  212 , so the pintle  212  may produce an elastic deformation under an external pressure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , it shows that the hinge of the present invention is used in a notebook computer  40  as an example. The notebook computer  40  includes a host body  42  and a display apparatus  41  pivoted to the host body  42  by means of the hinge, wherein the coupling flap  13  of the first connector  10  is secured to the display apparatus  41  by means of the fastening holes  14 , and the fastening dock  23  of the second connector  20  is secured to the host body  42  by means of the fastening apertures  24 . The display apparatus  41  may be swiveled about the pintle  212  of the hinge for folding and unfolding relative to the host body  42 . 
     When the display apparatus  41  is folded and closed onto the host body  42 , the locking ribs  215  of the second connector  20  are locked into the corresponding buckling grooves  12  of the first connector  10 . In the process of opening the display apparatus  41  relative to the host body  42 , the pivotal sleeve  11  is driven to rotate about the pintle  212  that makes the locking ribs  215  slide out of the corresponding buckling grooves  12  to abut against the inside of the pivotal sleeve  11 . As a result, the pintle  212  is pressed inward to produce the elastic deformation that makes the locking ribs  215  tightly against the inside of the pivotal sleeve  11  for strengthening the friction resistance force between the locking ribs  215  and the inside of the pivotal sleeve  11 . So the display apparatus  41  may be positioned at any inclined angle relative to the host body  42  by means of the friction resistance force. Furthermore, the friction resistance force between the locking ribs  215  and the inside of the pivotal sleeve  11  can be further strengthened by means of turning around the handle portion  32  to make the fastening pin  30  further go deep into the pintle  212 . 
     As described above, the hinge of the present invention only includes the first connector  10 , the second connector  20  and the fasting pin  30 , and utilizes the friction resistance force between the locking ribs  215  of the second connector  20  and the inside of the pivotal sleeve  11  of the first connector  10  to make the display apparatus  41  positioned at any inclined angle relative to the host body  42 . So the hinge of the present invention has simple structure and assembly, and further reduces the manufacture cost.