Integrated multi-pivot hinge module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10067530-B2
Application number	US-201615256412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2016
Priority date	Sep 2, 2016
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Technologies are described for a fully integrated multi-pivot hinge module to rotatably secure portions of a computing device. The multi-pivot hinge module includes multiple sequential frames that are radially aligned and configured to control a relative order of opening and closing of each individual frame. The multi-pivot hinge module includes friction, timing and kinematic components for controlling the order of rotation, degree of rotation and increasing stability of the module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising:
a set of two or more sequential frames;
a set of one or more shafts, wherein adjacent sequential frames of said two or more sequential frames are connected by an individual shaft of the one or more shafts, the individual shaft configured to be inserted through a central opening created by opposing offset regions of the adjacent sequential frames to pivotally connect the adjacent sequential frames and to define an individual frame axis for the adjacent sequential frames, each frame of the set of two or more sequential frames including a plurality of rotational limiting surfaces, the plurality of rotational limiting surfaces configured to control a degree of rotation about each corresponding frame axis by prohibiting axial rotation of a sequential frame of the set of two or more sequential frames about its corresponding individual frame axis when the rotational limiting surfaces of adjacent frames are in contact; and
a set of rotational control elements interposed between the adjacent sequential frames of the set of two or more sequential frames, the set of rotational control elements comprising a set of sequencing pins configured to translate between and engage opposing concave and convex cam surfaces defined on the adjacent sequential frames, wherein a relative position of an individual sequencing pin of the sequencing pins relative to the opposing concave and convex cam surfaces on the adjacent sequential frames determines whether a frame can rotate relative to an adjacent frame.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein further comprising a set of friction components, the set of friction components includes a friction band wrapped around at least one end of each shaft of the one or more shafts.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more removable couplers configured to attach to an exposed end of each shaft of the one or more shafts.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the shaft is shaped in a unique profile and matches a unique profile shape of at least one central opening of the opposing offset regions of the adjacent sequential frames.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rotational limiting surfaces comprises coordinating rotational limiting surfaces on adjacent frames configured to come in contact with each other to limit a degree of rotation about each individual frame axis to a predefined number of degrees.

6. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotational control elements prevent rotation about one individual frame axis until an adjacent individual frame axis has completed a defined number of degrees of rotation.

7. The hinge assembly of claim 6 , wherein when one of the rotational control elements is in a position to freely translate between the adjacent sequential frames enabling rotation of the adjacent sequential frames, the remaining sequential frames are prohibited from rotating.

8. A computing device, comprising;
a first portion and a second portion; and
an integrated multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion to the second portion and enabling transition from a fully open position to a fully closed position, the integrated multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising:
a set of two or more sequential frames;
a set of one or more shafts, wherein adjacent sequential frames of said two or more sequential frames are connected by an individual shaft of the one or more shafts, the individual shaft configured to be inserted through a central opening created by opposing offset regions of the adjacent sequential frames to pivotally connect the adjacent sequential frames and to define an individual frame axis for the adjacent sequential frames, each frame of the set of two or more sequential frames including a plurality of rotational limiting surfaces, the plurality of rotational limiting surfaces configured to control a degree of rotation about each corresponding frame axis by prohibiting axial rotation of a sequential frame of the set of two or more sequential frames about its corresponding individual frame axis when the rotational limiting surfaces of adjacent frames are in contact; and
a set of rotational control elements interposed between the adjacent sequential frames of the set of the two or more sequential frames, the set of rotational control elements comprising a set of sequencing pins of the sequencing pins configured to translate between and engage opposing concave and convex cam surfaces defined on the adjacent sequential frames, wherein a relative position of an individual sequencing pin relative to the opposing concave and convex cam surfaces on the adjacent sequential frames determines whether a frame can rotate relative to an adjacent frame.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the first portion includes a display screen and the second portion includes an input device.

10. The computing device of claim 8 , further comprising one or more friction bands wrapped around at least one end of each shaft of the one or more shafts and one or more removable couplers configured to be attached to at least one end of each shaft of the one or more shafts.

11. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of rotational limiting surfaces comprises coordinating rotational limiting surfaces on adjacent frames configured to come in contact to limit a degree of rotation about each individual frame axis to a predefined number of degrees.

12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein a cross section of each shaft is shaped in a unique profile and matches a unique profile shape of at least one central opening of the opposing offset regions of the adjacent sequential frames.

13. An integrated multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising:
a set of two or more sequential frames;
a set of one or more shafts, wherein adjacent sequential frames of said two or more sequential frames are connected by an individual shaft of the one or more shafts, the individual shaft configured to be inserted through a central opening created by opposing offset regions of the adjacent sequential frames to pivotally connect the adjacent sequential frames and to define an individual frame axis for the adjacent sequential frames, each frame of the set of two or more sequential frames including a plurality of rotational limiting surfaces, the plurality of rotational limiting surfaces configured to control a degree of rotation about each frame axis by prohibiting axial rotation of a sequential frame of the set of two or more sequential frames about its corresponding individual frame axis when the rotational limiting surfaces of adjacent frames are in contact;
a set of rotational control elements interposed between the adjacent sequential frames of the set of two or more sequential frames, the set of rotational control elements comprising a set of sequencing pins configured to translate between and engage opposing concave and convex cam surfaces defined on the adjacent sequential frames, wherein a relative position of an individual sequencing pin of the sequencing pins relative to the opposing concave and convex cam surfaces on the adjacent sequential frames determines whether a frame can rotate relative to an adjacent frame;
at least one friction band wrapped around at least one end of each shaft of the one or more shafts; and
a fang protrusion configured to attach the integrated multi-pivot hinge assembly to a computing device via a receiving receptacle of the computing device.

14. The hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fang protrusion extends from an end frame of the set of two or

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Tazbaz Errol M
• Bitz Brian

Classifications

• E05D11/10

  Devices for preventing movement between relatively-movable hinge parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• E05D3/06

  with two or more pins (E05D7/08 takes precedence) · CPC title