Patent Abstract:
The invention discloses a hinge connector installed in a foldable electronic apparatus. In particularly, the hinge connector according to the invention includes a hollow shaft device and a cable connecting connectors, and the cable passes through the shaft device.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a hinge connector for a foldable electronic apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a hinge connector including a hollow shaft device and a cable passing through the shaft device. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Foldable structures are extensively used in consumer electrical appliances, such as mobile phones, PDAs, digital cameras, etc. A typical foldable electronic apparatus includes a main module and a folding module. The main module is composed of a first housing and a first electronic unit disposed in the first housing. The folding module is composed of a second housing and a second electronic unit disposed in the second housing. 
   In a so-called “foldable” electronic apparatus, the second housing is engaged to the first housing via a hinge connector. Further, the second housing is rotatable with respect to an axis or two axes of the first housing. By utilizing the hinge connector and a flexible conductive element (for instance, a flexible printed circuit board or a coaxial cable), the second electronic unit in the second housing can be electrically connected to the first electronic unit in the first housing. 
   The trend of minimization is an important design issue for current consumer electrical appliances. The usable space in an electronic apparatus is precious. However, most hinge connectors in prior arts are solid objects. There was not any prior art that discloses the idea of integrating the hinge connector and a flexible conductive element to increase the usable space as the invention does. With the manufacturing techniques in current days, the integrated components according to the invention can be precisely manufactured. 
   Accordingly, a scope of the invention is to provide a hinge connector for a foldable electronic apparatus. Specifically, the hinge connector includes a hollow shaft device and a cable passing through the shaft device. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A scope of the invention is to provide a hinge connector for a foldable electronic apparatus. The foldable electronic apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing, a first electronic unit, and a second electronic unit. The first electronic unit is disposed in the first housing. The second electronic unit is disposed in the second housing. The first housing includes a first knuckle and a second knuckle spaced from the first knuckle. The first knuckle has a recess. The first electronic unit includes a first connector disposed within the recess. The second housing includes a central knuckle aligned with the first knuckle and the second knuckle. The central knuckle has a cavity in communication with the recess. The second electronic unit includes a second connector. 
   The hinge connector includes a hollow sleeve device, a hollow shaft device, a third connector, a fourth connector, and a cable. The sleeve device is fitted in the cavity such that the sleeve device is rotatable together with the second housing with respect to the first housing. The hollow shaft device has a head end fitted in the recess such that the shaft device is rotatable together with the first housing with respect to the second housing. The shaft device is substantially and rotatably inserted through the sleeve device. The third connector is received at the head end of the shaft device and connected with the first connector. The fourth connector is connected with the second connector. The cable passes through the shaft device and electrically connects the third connector and the fourth connector. 
   Further, according to the invention, flexible conductive elements can be integrated in the hinge connector; the usable space in the electronic apparatus can be accordingly increased. The advantage and spirit of the invention may be understood by the following recitations together with the appended drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows the rear perspective of the foldable electronic apparatus in an embodiment according to the invention. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the assembly view of the hinge connector in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the explosive view of the hinge connector in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the sectional assembly view of the hinge connector and the third connector in an embodiment according to the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention provides a hinge connector for a foldable electronic apparatus. Specifically, the hinge connector includes a hollow shaft device and a cable passing through the shaft device. The embodiments according to the invention are described below to illustrate the characteristic, spirit, and advantage of the invention. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which shows the rear perspective of a foldable electronic apparatus  1  in an embodiment according to the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the foldable electronic apparatus  1  includes a first housing  12 , a second housing  14 , a first electronic unit  122 , and a second electronic unit  142 . 
   The first electronic unit  122  is disposed in the first housing  12 . The second electronic unit  142  is disposed in the second housing  14 . The first housing  12  includes a first knuckle  124  and a second knuckle  126  spaced from the first knuckle  124 . The first knuckle  124  has a recess (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The first electronic unit  122  includes a first connector  1222  disposed within the recess. The second housing  14  includes a central knuckle  144  aligned with the first knuckle  124  and the second knuckle  126 . The central knuckle  144  has a cavity (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) in communication with the recess. The second electronic unit  142  includes a second connector (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
   Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the assembly view of the hinge connector  2  in  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 3  illustrates the explosive view of the hinge connector  2  in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the hinge connector  2  includes a hollow sleeve device  22 , a hollow shaft device  24 , a third connector  26 , a fourth connector (not shown), and a cable  23 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the sleeve device  22  is fitted in the cavity such that the sleeve device  22  is rotatable together with the second housing  14  with respect to the first housing  12 . Also as shown in  FIG. 3 , the hollow shaft device  24  has a head end  243  fitted in the recess such that the shaft device  24  is rotatable together with the first housing  12  with respect to the second housing  14 . Further, the shaft device  24  is substantially and rotatably inserted through the sleeve device  22 . 
   Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which shows the sectional assembly view of the hinge connector and the third connector  26  in an embodiment according to the invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the third connector  26  is received at the head end  243  of the shaft device  24  via a flexible conductive element  1224  and connected with the first connector  1222 . The fourth connector is connected with the second connector via a flexible conductive element  1424 . The cable  23  passes through the shaft device  24  and electrically connects the third connector  26  and the fourth connector. In actual applications, the flexible conductive elements  1224  and  1424  can be electronic devices conforming to the industrial specification without special designs or special manufacturing processes. 
   In this embodiment, the shaft device  24  includes a hollow shaft  242  and a hollow cam  244 . The hollow cam  244  has a cam tip  2442  and is engaged to the shaft  242  to provide the head end  243  of the shaft device  24 . 
   Moreover, in this embodiment, the sleeve device  22  includes a hollow cam follower  222 , a spring  224 , and a sleeve  226 . The cam follower  222  is fitted on the shaft  242  and has a cam surface  2222  arranged to limitedly slide on the cam tip  2442  of the cam  244 . The spring  224  is fitted on the shaft  242  and urges against the cam follower  222 . The sleeve  226  has an opening  2262  at one end thereof, an aperture  2264  at the other end thereof, and a shoulder  2266  surrounding the aperture  2264 . The sleeve  226  receives the cam follower  222 , and the spring  224  also urges against the interior of the shoulder  2266  of the sleeve  226 . 
   Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shaft  242  has a flange  2422  at a distal end thereof. The shaft device  24  further includes a retainer  246  fitted on the shaft  242 ; the retainer  246  is disposed between the exterior of the shoulder  2266  of the sleeve  226  and the flange  2422  of the shaft  242  to prevent the sleeve  226  from falling off. In actual applications, the retainer  246  can be a washer or a C-ring. 
   In an embodiment, the shaft  242  is formed of a metal material, and the third connector  26  has a metal enclosure  262  contacting the interior of the shaft  242  to prevent the hinge connector  2  from electrostatic discharge (ESD). 
   As described above, the hinge connector  2  includes a hollow shaft device  24  and cable  23  passing through the shaft device  24 . It can be seen that the hinge connector  2  has few components and is easy to be assembled. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the whole foldable electronic apparatus  1  can be reduced. In addition, according to the invention, flexible conductive elements can be integrated in the hinge connector; the usable space in the electronic apparatus is accordingly increased. 
   With the example and explanations above, the features and spirits of the invention will be hopefully well described. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8