Systems and methods for mechanically interfacing camera to hinge of information handling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10013031-B2
Application number	US-201615282707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a first member, a second member hingedly coupled to the first member via a hinge, and a camera mechanically interfaced with the hinge such that as the first member is rotated relative to the second member about the hinge, the camera rotates as a function of the rotation of the first member relative to the second member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system comprising:
a first member;
a second member hingedly coupled to the first member via a hinge;
a camera mechanically interfaced with the hinge such that as the first member is rotated relative to the second member about the hinge, the camera is operable to rotate as a function of the rotation of the first member relative to the second member; and
a camera assembly that includes the camera mechanically coupled to the hinge within a recess formed by the hinge;
wherein the hinge is configured to be split into two parts such that a portion of the hinge comprising the camera assembly is manually rotatable relative to a remainder of the hinge such that a visual frame of the camera is not obscured by the hinge when the first member is rotated 360 degrees relative to the second member.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a keyboard assembly.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first member and the second member comprises a display assembly.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the camera assembly is mechanically coupled to the hinge such that the camera is manually rotatable relative to the hinge independently of rotation of the first member relative to the second member by way of a user manually interacting with the camera assembly.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein:
the camera is mechanically interfaced with the hinge such that the camera is configured to rotate as a function of the rotation of the first member relative to the second member for the approximately 360 degrees of rotation.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a cavity such that when the first member is in a closed position relative to the second member, the cavity accommodates physical dimensions of the camera.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is mechanically coupled to the hinge via a plurality of mechanical gears.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the camera is mechanically coupled to the hinge such that the camera is manually rotatable relative to the hinge independently of rotation of the first member relative to the second member by way of a user manually interacting with the camera assembly, such that rotation of the camera under the influence of the mechanical gears establishes a coarse position of the camera, and user interaction with the camera establishes a fine position of the camera.

9. A method comprising:
hingedly coupling a first member to a second member via a hinge;
mechanically interfacing a camera with the hinge such that as the first member is rotated relative to the second member about the hinge, the camera rotates as a function of the rotation of the first member relative to the second member, wherein mechanically interfacing the camera with the hinge comprises mechanically coupling a camera assembly that includes the camera to the hinge within a recess formed in the hinge; and
configuring the hinge such that a portion of the hinge comprising the camera assembly is manually rotatable relative to a remainder of the hinge such that a visual frame of the camera is not obscured by the hinge when the first member is rotated 360 degrees relative to the second member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first member comprises a keyboard assembly.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first member and the second member comprises a display assembly.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein mechanically coupling the camera assembly to the hinge comprises coupling such that the camera is manually rotatable relative to the hinge independently of rotation of the first member relative to the second member by way of a user manually interacting with the camera assembly.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
mechanically interfacing the camera with the hinge comprises interfacing such that the camera rotates as a function of the rotation of the first member relative to the second member for the approximately 360 degrees of rotation.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first member comprises a cavity such that when the first member is in a closed position relative to the second member, the cavity accommodates physical dimensions of the camera.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein mechanically interfacing the camera with the hinge comprises mechanically coupling the camera to the hinge via a plurality of mechanical gears.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the camera is mechanically coupled to the hinge such that the camera is manually rotatable relative to the hinge independently of rotation of the first member relative to the second member by way of a user manually interacting with the camera assembly, such that rotation of the camera under the influence of the mechanical gears establishes a coarse position of the camera, and user interaction with the camera establishes a fine position of the camera.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Knepper Lawrence E
• Meyers David M

Classifications

• E05Y2900/606

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• G06F1/1686 Primary

  the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera · CPC title

• E05D3/12

  with two parallel pins and one arm · CPC title

• E05D11/00

  Additional features or accessories of hinges {(edge protecting devices E06B3/88)} · CPC title

• G06F1/1618

  the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure · CPC title