Electronic device with hinge structure and method for manufacturing signal connection unit thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10185369-B1
Application number	US-201816035567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	May 14, 2018
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

An electronic device with a hinge structure is provided, including a first member and a second member. The first member includes a signal connection unit. The signal connection unit includes a plurality of conductive elements and a plurality of spacers. The conductive elements include a first conductive element and a second conductive element. The first conductive element includes a first annular portion and a first extending portion. The second conductive element includes a second annular portion and a second extending portion. The spacers include a first spacer and a second spacer. The first spacer separates the first annular portion from the second annular portion. The second spacer abuts the second annular portion. The second member is connected to the first member, and is adapted to be rotated relative to the first member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first member, comprising:
a first signal line;
a shaft;
an elbow connector, coupled to the first signal line, wherein the elbow connector is telescoped on the shaft; and
a signal connection unit, telescoped on the shaft, comprising:
a plurality of conductive elements, comprising a first conductive element and a second conductive element, wherein the first conductive element comprises a first annular portion and a first extending portion, the first annular portion is connected to one end of the first extending portion, the second conductive element comprises a second annular portion and a second extending portion, the second annular portion is connected to one end of the second extending portion, and the first extending portion is parallel to the second extending portion; and
a plurality of spacers, comprising a first spacer and a second spacer, wherein the first spacer separates the first annular portion from the second annular portion, the first spacer comprises a plurality of first spacer holes, the first extending portion passes through one of the first spacer holes, the second spacer abuts the second annular portion, the second spacer comprises a plurality of second spacer holes, the first extending portion passes through one of the second spacer holes, the second extending portion passes through another second spacer hole, and the second spacer is located between the elbow connector and the second annular portion; and

a second member, connected to the first member, wherein the second member is adapted to pivot relative to the first member, comprising:
a pivot connector, connected to the signal connection unit, wherein the pivot connector is adapted to couple the first annular portion to the second annular portion.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each spacer comprises a plurality of spacer holes, and the spacer holes are arranged in a circumferential direction of the spacer.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each spacer comprises a plurality of spacer holes, and the spacer holes are arranged in a radial direction of the spacer.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each spacer comprises a spacing portion and a telescoping portion, each conductive element comprises an annular portion and an extending portion, the annular portion is connected to one end of the extending portion, the annular portions of at least a portion of the conductive elements are telescoped on the telescoping portions of at least a portion of the spacers, and at least a portion of the spacers are sandwiched between two of the annular portions.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the telescoping portion comprises a chamfered edge, and the chamfered edge guides the annular portion to be telescoped on the telescoping portion.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first conductive element comprises a first bending portion, the first bending portion is connected to the other end of the first extending portion, the second conductive element comprises a second bending portion, the second bending portion is connected to the other end of the second extending portion, the first bending portion and the second bending portion are located between the second spacer and the elbow connector, and the first bending portion and the second bending portion abut the elbow connector.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the signal connection unit further comprises a first fastener and a second fastener, the first fastener wedges the first spacer, the second spacer abuts a first side of the second fastener, and the first bending portion and the second bending portion abut a second side of the second fastener.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first conductive element is an integrally formed metal element, and the second conductive element is an integrally formed metal element.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises a first bracket, the first bracket comprises a first bracket stopper, the shaft comprises a shaft stopper, and the signal connection unit and the elbow connector are sandwiched between the first bracket stopper and the shaft stopper.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elbow connector comprises a plurality of elbow conductors, the elbow conductors are bent at 90 degrees, and the elbow conductors couple the conductive elements to the first signal line.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the first annular portion and the first extending portion of the first conductive element are integrally formed with one of the elbow conductors.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pivot connector further comprises a plurality of pivot connector pads, the pivot connector pads respectively contact the conductive elements, and the pivot connector pads are curved or longitudinal.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second member pivots between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the first member, and when the second member is in the first orientation, the pivot connector is electrically separated from the first annular portion, and when the second member is in the second orientation, the pivot connector is coupled to the first annular portion.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first member further comprises a pivot bracket, the pivot bracket pivots on the shaft, the second member comprises a latch unit, and the latch unit is detachably connected to the pivot bracket.

15. A method for manufacturing a signal connection unit, comprising:
providing a plurality of conductive elements, wherein the conductive elements comprise a first conductive element and a second conductive element, the first conductive element comprises a first annular portion and a first extending portion, the first annular portion is connected to one end of the first extending portion, the second conductive element comprises a second annular portion and a second extending portion, the second annular portion is connected to one end of the second extending portion;
providing a plurality of spacers, wherein the spacers comprise a first spacer and a second spacer, the first spacer comprises a plurality of first spacer holes, and the second spacer comprises a plurality of second spacer holes;
passing through one of the first spacer holes with the first extending portion, wherein the first annular portion is connected to the first spacer;
passing through one of the second spacer holes with the second extending portion, wherein the second annular portion is connected to the second spacer; and
passing through another second spacer hole with the first extending portion, wherein the second annular portion abuts the first spacer.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising:
providing a first fastener and a second fastener, wherein the second fastener comprises a plurality of fastener holes;
wedging the first fastener to one of the spacers;
passing through one of the fastener holes with the first extending portion, and passing through another fastener hole with the second extending portion;
cutting off the first extending portion and the second extending portion; and
bending free ends of the first extending portion and the second extending portion, wherein a first bending portion is formed on the free end of the first extending portion, a second bending portion is formed

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Yu Ching Jen

Classifications

• H01R35/04

  Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle {with frictional contact members} · CPC title

• G06F1/1683 Primary

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title

• F16C11/04

  Pivotal connections (hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D) · CPC title

• H01R43/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors (of trolley lines B60M1/28) · CPC title

• H01R2201/06

  for computer periphery · CPC title