Patent Publication Number: US-10317951-B2

Title: Hinge mechanism for a computing device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The emergence and popularity of mobile computing has made portable computing devices, due to their compact design and light weight, a staple in today&#39;s marketplace. Within the mobile computing realm, notebook computers, or laptops, are one of the most widely used devices and generally employ a clamshell-type design consisting of two members connected together at a common end. In most cases, a first or display member is utilized to provide a viewable display to a user while a second or base member includes an area for user input (e.g., touchpad and keyboard). In addition, the viewable display may be a touchscreen (e.g., touchscreen laptop), allowing the user to interact directly with what is displayed by touching the screen with simple or multi-touch gestures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a hinge mechanism of a computing device, according to an example; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates various components of the hinge mechanism, according to an example; and 
         FIGS. 3A-C  illustrate various views of the hinge mechanism, according to an example. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Many form factors exist for notebook computers. A common form factor includes hinges that connect the two members of the clamshell-type design at the common end. A challenge faced by manufacturers of notebook computers is allowing for clearance of the hinges or other moving parts as the notebook computer is opened and closed, without having to give up much space from the base member or display member to accommodate the hinges. 
     Examples disclosed herein provide a hinge mechanism for a computing device, such as a notebook computer, with a virtual pivot axis, which allows for the hinge mechanism to be concealed within the base member of the notebook computer, and then emerge when the notebook computer is opened. The hinge mechanism may allow for the base member and the display member of the notebook computer to be mounted flush against each other, without the need for large gaps or cuts in adjacent surfaces of the members to accommodate the hinge mechanism. 
     With reference to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates a hinge mechanism  100  of a computing device, such as a notebook computer, according to an example. The computing device includes a base member  104  and a display member  102  that may be joined together via the hinge mechanism  100 . As an example, the base member  104  includes an area for user input, such as a touchpad and a keyboard. The display member  102  includes a display screen for viewing the video output of the computing device, and may include input means for operation by a user, such as a touchscreen (e.g., the display screen may be the touchscreen). Although only one hinge mechanism  100  is illustrated, the computing device may include any number of similar hinge mechanisms  100  along the common end shared by the display member  102  and base member  104 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the hinge mechanism  100  may include a hinge cap  112  to cover the components of the hinge mechanism  100 , as will be further described. In addition, the hinge cap  112  may contain any electrical cables that have to pass through the hinge mechanism  100 . As an example, the hinge cap  112  can be attached to either the display member  102  or the base member  104 , or can float between the two members  102 ,  104 . In the floating mode, the start and end points of the hinge cap  112  may be controlled by the angular positions of the display member  102  and/or base member  104 . As illustrated, the hinge mechanism  100  has a virtual pivot axis  132  outside of the computing device that moves in a rotary motion. As will be further described, this virtual pivot axis  132  allows the hinge mechanism  100  to be hidden with the base member  104  of the computing device. For example, the base member  104  includes an opening  101  for accommodating and concealing the hinge mechanism  100  when the notebook computer is closed. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates various components of the hinge mechanism  100 , according to an example. The hinge mechanism  100  includes a number of telescoping concentric guide rails that allows the display panel  102  to rotate to an open angle that is larger than single guide rail could allow. As illustrated, the hinge mechanism  100  generally includes a first guide rail  106  fixed to a first housing of the computing device  100 , such as the display member  102 , and a second guide rail  108  fixed to a second housing of the computing device, such as the base member  104 . Between the first and second guide rails  106 ,  108  is an intermediate guide rail  110  to connect the first and second guide rails  106 ,  108  to each other. The intermediate guide rail  110  splits the open angle of the other two guide rails  106 ,  108  and floats between the two. Further, as the notebook computer is opened and closed, the first guide rail  106  and the second guide rail  108  will pass each other, with only the intermediate guide rail  110  connecting them. 
     As will be further described, the hinge mechanism  100  may incorporate hard stops features that prevent over rotation of the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110 . As an example, the hinge mechanism may include additional intermediate guide rails to provide additional support for the hinge mechanism  100  or to cover larger open angles. As an example, the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  are held together by clamping brackets  114 , which also applies rotational friction to the hinge mechanism  100 , so the display member  102  can be positioned at any angle. As illustrated, the hinge cap  112  covers the first, second, and intermediate guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110 , for example, to conceal the inner workings of the hinge mechanism  100 . 
       FIGS. 3A-C  illustrate various views of the hinge mechanism  100 , according to an example. As illustrated, the first and second guide rails  106 ,  108  are concentric by sharing the same axis (e.g., see virtual pivot axis  132  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), and fit with the intermediate guide rail  110  and slide one with another. As will be further described, the intermediate guide rail  110  splits the open angle of the first and second guide rails  106 ,  108 , and floats between the two guide rails  106 ,  108 , with hard stop features that prevents over rotation of the two guide rails  106 ,  108 . 
     As an example, in order for the first and second guide rails  106 ,  108  to fit with the intermediate guide rail  110 , the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  may include various features. As an example, protrusions of one guide rail may fit into a recess in an opposing guide rail. Referring to  FIGS. 3A-B , protrusion  116  of the intermediate guide rail  110  may fit into recess  122  of the first guide rail  106 , and protrusions  118  may fit into recess  120  of the second guide rail  108 . Although only one side of the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  are described with the protrusions and recesses, similar protrusions and recesses may be found on the other side of the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  as well, as illustrated. Although the protrusions and recesses illustrated are rectangular in shape, the protrusions and recesses could be angled features and form more of a dove tail fit between two guide rails. 
     As mentioned above, the hinge mechanism  100  may incorporate hard stops features that prevent over rotation of the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110 . For example, referring to  FIGS. 3A-B , in order to prevent over rotation, the intermediate guide rail  110  may include notches  128 ,  130  to come into contact with another notch of an opposing guide rail, such as with notches of the first and/or second guide rail  106 ,  108 . Referring to  FIG. 3A , the hinge mechanism  100  is positioned in a closed position, where the computing device illustrated in  FIG. 1  is in a closed position and the hinge mechanism is concealed within the base member  104  of the computing device, for example, via opening  101 . As illustrated, notch  128  may come in contact with notch  124  of the first guide rail  106 , and notch  130  may come in contact with a notch of the second guide rail (not illustrated). As a result, the hinge mechanism cannot be rotated any further as the computing device is placed in the closed position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , the hinge mechanism  100  is in an opened position, for example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2 . In order to limit how far the display member  102  is opened, the notches described above may also be utilized. For example, once notch  130  of the intermediate guide rail  110  comes in contact with notch  126  of the second guide rail  108 , and notch  128  of the intermediate guide rail  110  comes in contact with notch  124  of the first guide rail  106  (not illustrated), the display member  102  may not be rotated open any further. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3C , the hinge cap  112  of the hinge mechanism  100  is removed in order to reveal the clamping bracket  114 . As mentioned above, the clamping bracket  114  holds the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  together, and also applies rotational friction to the hinge mechanism  100 , so the display member  102  can be positioned at any angle. For example, the the clamping bracket  114  may provide a level of resistance to a torque provided when opening or closing the display member  102 . As an example, the tension provided by the clamping bracket  114 , to hold the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  together, may be at a certain level in order to provide the sufficient friction so the display member  102  can be positioned at any angle without falling backwards while the computing device is being used. 
     As an example, there may be a small assembly gap between the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  that contain either grease or a viscous fluid to control the feel of the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  as they slide together and prevent material wear. To control this gap and reduce slop in the hinge mechanism  100 , one or more of the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  may be made slightly off concentricity as compared to the other guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110 , so that there is an interference fit. As an example, the guide rails made slightly off concentricity may be made of slightly more forgiving material, allowing it to deform slightly, taking up the gap tolerance between the guide rails. As an example, it may be possible to add secondary wear bumps in this area, to accomplish the same interference fit, or add small spring fingers to bias the guide rails  106 ,  108 ,  110  against each other in one direction. 
     It is appreciated that examples described herein below may include various components and features. It is also appreciated that, in the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the examples. However, it is appreciated that the examples may be practiced without limitations to these specific details. In other instances, well known methods and structures may not be described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the examples. Also, the examples may be used in combination with each other. 
     Reference in the specification to “an example” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the example is included in at least one example, but not necessarily in other examples. The various instances of the phrase “in one example” or similar phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same example. 
     It is appreciated that the previous description of the disclosed examples is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these examples will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other examples without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.