Abstract:
An apparatus, for positioning a flipping cover relative to a base, includes a first member being fixed relative to the flipping cover, and a second member being fixed relative to the base. The first member defines an arched guiding channel around a rotating axis of the flipping cover. The first member forms at least one raised ridge extending into the guiding channel. The second member forms a guiding rod parallel to the rotating axis. The guiding rod is slidably received in the guiding channel. The guiding rod is deformable to get through the at least one raised ridge. A casing utilizing the above apparatus is also disclosed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to apparatuses for positioning flipping covers and, more particularly, to an apparatus for positioning a flipping cover at a desired position and a casing utilizing the same. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
       [0002]    Most electronic devices are with releasable casings. That is, each of the casings includes a base and a flipping cover releasable from the base. The flipping cover is applied by an external force to flip-open relative to the base. A torsion spring or the like is utilized to apply a force opening the flipping cover. 
         [0003]    However, the flipping cover is prone to ricocheting/wobbling back and forth when reaching a largest opening angle. It is because that the flipping cover cannot be properly positioned and stabilized. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus for positioning and stabilizing a flipping cover and a casing utilizing the same in the industry. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An apparatus, for positioning a flipping cover relative to a base, includes a first member being fixed relative to the flipping cover, and a second member being fixed relative to the base. The first member defines an arched guiding channel around a rotating axis of the flipping cover. The first member forms at least one raised ridge extending into the guiding channel. The second member forms a guiding rod parallel to the rotating axis. The guiding rod is slidably received in the guiding channel. The guiding rod is deformable to get through the at least one raised ridge. 
         [0006]    An apparatus, for positioning a flipping cover relative to a base, includes a first member being fixed relative to the flipping cover, and a second member being fixed relative to the base. The first member defines a guiding channel. The first member forms at least one raised ridge extending into the guiding channel. The second member forms an split knob with a diameter thereof greater than a width of the guiding channel. The split knob is slidably received in the guiding channel, and deformable so as to get through the at least one raised ridge to move from a segment to another segment of the guiding channel. 
         [0007]    A casing includes a base, a flipping cover pivotably attached to the base, a first member fixed to the flipping cover, and a second member fixed to the base. The flipping cover is rotatable around a rotating axis. The first member defines a guiding channel around the rotating axis. The first member forms at least one raised ridge extending into the channel to narrow a width of the channel adjacent an end thereof. The second member includes an split knob slidably received in the guiding channel. The split knob is elastically deformable to get through a part of the guiding channel where the at least one raised ridge lies. 
         [0008]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present apparatus for positioning a flipping cover and the present casing will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present apparatus, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Many aspects of the present apparatus for positioning a flipping cover and the present casing can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a casing, the casing including a first member and a second member; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the first member and the second member; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view the second member, but viewed from another aspect; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the casing from an inverted aspect; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a second member in accordance with a second embodiment; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an assembled view of a casing with the second member in  FIG. 5  from an inverted aspect. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the preferred embodiments of the present apparatus for positioning a flipping cover and the present casing, in detail. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a casing  100  in accordance with a first embodiment is illustrated. The casing  100  includes a flipping cover  20  and a base  30 . The flipping cover  20  is pivotably attached to the base  30  along a rotating axis. A first member  42  is formed on the flipping cover  20  near the rotating axis. A second member  48  is fixed to the base  30 . The first member  42  and the second member  48  engages with each other while rotating and positioning the flipping cover  20 , thus, guiding the flipping cover  20  to reach a predetermined opening angle. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first member  42  is in a rough quadrant shape with a tip  421  extending from a corner thereof. A shaft  420  extends from the first member  42  along the rotating axis and inserted into the base  30 , thus, pivoting the flipping cover  20  to the base  30  and allowing the flipping cover  20  to rotate around the shaft  420  with respect to the base  30 . The first member  42  defines a guiding channel  422  that arcs around the rotating axis. The guiding channel  422  is bounded by a first cambered surface  424  and a second cambered surface  426 . The first and second cambered surfaces  424 ,  426  are coaxial, but having a different radii. Each of the first cambered surface  424  and the second cambered surface  426  forms a raised ridge  428  thereon. The raised ridges  428  face each other. Therefore, a distance between the first cambered surface  424  and the second cambered surface  426 , i.e. a width of the guiding channel  422 , is greater than a distance between the raised ridges  428 . The raised ridges  428  are disposed near an end of the guiding channel  422 , i.e., the end being furthest from the flipping cover  20 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3  together, the second member  48  includes a main body  480 , an extending plate  482 , and an elongated arm  484 . The extending plate  482  and the elongated arm  484  extend from an edge of the main body  480  along two perpendicular directions. The extending plate  482  engages with the first member  42  to guide the flipping cover  20 . The elongated arm  484  interferes with the first member  42  to decelerate the flipping cover  20  while opening. 
         [0020]    A fixing hole  481  is defined in a center of the main body  480 . The fixing hole  481  is in a non-revolvable shape to position the second member  48  to the base  30 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the second member  48  is disposed on the base  30  with the second member  48  sleeved on a positioning pin  32  of the base  30 , thus, securing the second member  48  to the base  30 . 
         [0021]    A contacting protrusion  487  protrudes from the extending plate  482 . The contacting protrusion  487  is in contact with the first member  42 , defining a contact point therebetween on the rotating axis of the flipping cover  20 . An split knob  486  extends from the extending plate  482  towards the guiding channel  422  of the first member  42 . A diameter of the split knob  486  is smaller than the width of the guiding channel  422 , and is greater than distance between the raised ridges  428 . That is, the diameter of the split knob  486  is configured to be between the width of the guiding channel  42  and the distance of the raised ridges  428 . The split knob  486  is received in the guiding channel  422  to guide the flipping cover while opening. The split knob  486  is divided into a first portion  483  and a second portion  485  by a split  488  defined along an extended diameter thereof. The first portion  483  and the second portion  485  are elastically deformable to converge toward the split  488  so the split knob  486  can pass through the raised ridges  428  in the guiding channel  422 . 
         [0022]    The elongated arm  482  includes a curved surface  489  that protrudes toward the first member  42 . The curved surface  489  interferes with the tip  421  of the first member  42 , decreasing the angular velocity of the flipping cover  20  so as to eliminate wobbles/reverberates thereof while opening. 
         [0023]    When opening, the flipping cover  20  is released under a releasing force, applied by, for example, a torsion spring. The flipping cover  20  flips open from the base  3  relative to the rotating axis. The first member  48  rotates according to the flipping cover  20  causing the guiding channel  422  of the first member to slide around the split knob  486  that is held stationary and causing the curved surface of the elongated arm  484  to rub/interfere against the tip  421  of the first member that is rotating. A angular velocity of the flipping cover  20  with respect to the base  30  is thus decreased due to a force applied by the elongated arm  426  on the first member  42 , thus, eliminating/depressing wobbles thereof. As the flipping cover  20  opens toward the largest opening angle, the split knob  486  reaches the raised ridges  428  in the guiding channel  422 . The first portion  483  and the second portion  485  deform and converge toward the split  488  to get through the raised ridges  428 , reaching the largest opening angle. When the flipping cover reaches the largest opening angle, the split knob  486  is supported the raised ridges  428 , holding the flipping cover  20 , and, stabilizing flipping cover  20  at the largest opening angle. 
         [0024]    When closing, an external force is applied to the flipping cover  20 , and the raised ridges  428  force the split knob  486  to be deformed getting therethrough. Subsequently, the flipping cover  20  continues closing with the guiding channel  422  sliding around the split knob, until the flipping cover reaches the base  30  as a result. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , a second member  46  in accordance with a second embodiment is illustrated. The second member  46  includes a main body  460 , an extending plate  462 , and an elongated arm  464 . 
         [0026]    The main body  460  defines a central hole  461  in a center thereof and a cutout  465  at a side thereof. The second member  46  is secured to the base  30  by a screw  52  through the central hole  461 . A positioning pin  34  formed on the base  30  is received in the cutout  465  to position the second member  46  and prevent it from drifting. 
         [0027]    The extending plate  462  includes a contacting protrusion  463  and an split knob  466 . The contacting protrusion  463  resists against the first member  42  of the flipping cover  20  to define a contact point therebetween on the rotating axis. The split knob  466  is similar to the split knob  486  in the first embodiment, but defines a round hole  468  therein to make a wall thickness of the split knob  468  uniform and to increase an elasticity of the split knob. 
         [0028]    The elongated arm  464  is slightly bended toward the rotating axis of the flipping cover  20  to increase interference with the first member  42 . The elongated arm includes a baffle  467  and a curved surface  469 . The curved surface  469  interferes with the tip  421  of the first member  42  to decelerate the flipping cover  20  while opening. The baffle  467  resists against the tip  421  to prevent the flipping cover  20  from over-opening and to protect the split knob  466  when the flipping cover  20  reaches the largest opening angle. 
         [0029]    In the above embodiments, the second members  48 ,  46  are preferred to be made of self-lubricating material, for example polyformaldehyde material. Polyoxymethylene is a kind of superior self-lubricating material with high abradability. It greatly enhances performance of the second members  48 ,  46 . The split knobs  486 ,  466  slide in the guiding channel  422 , and resist against the raised ridges  428  therein. The flipping cover  20  rotates steadily along the guiding channel  422  when opening, and is stabilized when reaching the largest opening angle. 
         [0030]    Some modifications, such as omitting one of the raised ridges  428 , the split knobs  486 ,  466  being a hollow tube shape, et. al, can be made to the above embodiments. 
         [0031]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, including any preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementation of the principles of the invention, and are merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and be protected by the following claims.