Mount hinge for an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10401710-B2
Application number	US-201715710758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A hinge for an electronic device includes a base including a stem, a ball rigidly fixed to the stem, a first friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a first outer surface of the ball, a second friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a second outer surface of the ball, the second outer surface of the ball being on a side of the ball that is opposite the first outer surface of the ball, and a biasing member configured to bias the first and/or second friction surface against the ball to generate a frictional force sufficient to hold the first and second friction surfaces in a set position relative to the ball.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge for an electronic device comprising:
a base including a stem;
a ball rigidly fixed to the stem;
a first friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a first outer surface of the ball;
a second friction surface that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a second outer surface of the ball, the second outer surface of the ball being on a side of the ball that is opposite the first outer surface of the ball; and
a biasing member configured to bias the first and/or second friction surface against the ball to generate a frictional force sufficient to hold the first and second friction surfaces in a set position relative to the ball;
a head portion configured to contain the electronic device, the head portion being coupled to the ball and configured to rotate about the ball in at least two degrees of freedom; and
an electronic cable having a first portion at least partially positioned within the ball, a second portion at least partially positioned within the head portion and electronically coupled to the first portion, the first portion being configured to have an unlimited degree of rotational movement with respect to the second portion.

2. The hinge of claim 1 , further comprising a collar surrounding at least a portion of the ball, the first friction surface being positioned between the collar and the ball.

3. The hinge of claim 2 , wherein the head portion is coupled to the collar.

4. The hinge of claim 3 , wherein the at least two degrees of freedoms include an unlimited degree of rotational movement about a central axis of the stem and a limited tilting movement relative to the central axis of the stem.

5. The hinge of claim 3 , wherein the head portion is configured to rotate about the ball only when at least a minimum torque is applied to the head portion that is sufficient to overcome the frictional force between the first and second friction surfaces and the ball.

6. The hinge of claim 5 , wherein the minimum torque is from about 1.0 N·m to about 1.5 N·m.

7. The hinge of claim 3 , wherein the first friction surface is fixed relative to the collar, and the second friction surface is fixed relative to the head portion.

8. The hinge of claim 3 , wherein the collar is disposed around a central axis of the head portion, and wherein the head portion is configured to rotate with respect to the collar about the central axis of the head portion.

9. The hinge of claim 8 , wherein the first friction surface and the second friction surface are configured to rotate about the central axis the head portion independently of each other.

10. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the electronic cable is coupled to the first portion of the electronic cable by a slip ring connection.

11. The hinge of claim 10 , wherein the biasing member is disposed about the slip ring connection.

12. The hinge of claim 11 , further comprising a tube disposed between the slip ring connection and the biasing member, and a sealing element positioned and configured to form a liquid-tight seal between an inner surface of the tube and the slip ring connection.

13. The hinge of claim 12 , wherein the second friction surface is positioned between the tube and the ball.

14. The hinge of claim 1 further comprising an electronics board fixed to and housed within the ball, and wherein the first portion of the electronic cable includes a connector for electronically connecting to the electronics board.

15. The hinge of claim 14 , further comprising a receptacle connected to the electronics board for receiving an electronic plug, the receptacle being positioned within the stem.

16. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring configured to provide a spring force of at least 200 N toward the ball.

17. A camera comprising:
a head portion having a housing containing a camera module;
a base for mounting the head portion to a surface, the base having a stem;
a hinge assembly connecting the head portion to the base and configured to allow the head portion to move relative to the base in at least two degrees of freedom, the hinge assembly comprising:
a ball rigidly fixed to the stem;
a collar surrounding at least a portion of the ball and coupled to the head portion;
a first friction surface fixed to the collar that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a first outer surface of the ball;
a second friction surface fixed to the head portion that contacts and is configured to move with respect to a second outer surface of the ball, the second outer surface of the ball being on a side of the ball that is opposite the first outer surface of the ball;
a biasing member configured to bias the first and/or second friction surface against the ball to generate a frictional force sufficient to hold the head portion in a set position relative to the ball; and

an electronic cable having a first portion at least partially positioned within the ball, a second portion at least partially positioned within the head portion and electronically coupled to the first portion, the first portion being configured to have an unlimited degree of rotational movement with respect to the second portion.

18. The camera of claim 17 , wherein the head portion is configured to rotate with respect to the collar about an optical axis of the camera module.

19. The camera of claim 17 , further comprising a mounting plate configured to attach to the surface, the base being configured to releasably couple to the mounting plate.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Wilson Tyler
• Booth Kevin
• Law Jeffrey
• Kraz Mark
• Mueller Oliver

Classifications

• G03B17/08

  Waterproof bodies or housings · CPC title

• F16C11/106

  for ball joints · CPC title

• G03B17/561 Primary

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• F16M11/14

  with ball-joint (ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 {; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30}) · CPC title