Hinge structure and electronic device with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604980-B2
Application number	US-201816230742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device may comprise a first housing structure including a first conductive part and a second housing structure including a second conductive part. The hinge structure may include a metallic bracket including a first conductive part and a second conductive part and a first cylindrical through hole and a second cylindrical through hole, a first cylindrical insulating bushing at least partially positioned inside the first through hole, a second cylindrical insulating bushing at least partially positioned inside the second through hole, a first conductive shaft contacting the first conductive part and extending through the first insulating bushing, a second conductive shaft contacting the second conductive part and extending through the second insulating bushing, and a conductive connector contacting the first conductive shaft and the second conductive shaft and configured to form an electrical path from the first conductive part to the second conductive part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing structure;
a second housing structure; and
a hinge structure comprising:
a metallic bracket including a first conductive part, a second conductive part, a first cylindrical through hole, and a second cylindrical through hole;
a first cylindrical insulating bushing at least partially positioned inside the first cylindrical through hole;
a second cylindrical insulating bushing at least partially positioned inside the second cylindrical through hole, wherein the second cylindrical insulating bushing is disposed in parallel and apart from the first cylindrical insulating bushing;
a first conductive shaft contacting the first conductive part and extending through the first insulating bushing;
a second conductive shaft contacting the second conductive part and extending through the second insulating bushing; and
a conductive connector contacting the first conductive shaft and the second conductive shaft and configured to form an electrical path from the first conductive part to the second conductive part through the first conductive shaft, the conductive connector, and the second conductive shaft.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hinge structure further includes a metallic case formed to surround the metallic bracket.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a screw connecting the hinge structure with the metallic case.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising an insulating coating on the metallic case.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display exposed through the first housing structure; and
an electrical connector exposed through the second housing structure.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first insulating bushing is disposed between a portion of the first conductive shaft and the metallic bracket to space the first conductive shaft apart from the metallic bracket, and
the second insulating bushing is disposed between a portion of the second conductive shaft and the metallic bracket to space the second conductive shaft apart from the metallic bracket.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive connector includes a first hole through which the first conductive shaft passes, a second hole through which the second conductive shaft passes, and an extension configured to provide an electrical path of the second conductive shaft.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising an elastic body formed to contact an end of the conductive connector and configured to provide a force to the conductive connector in a direction.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the first insulating bushing is integrally formed with the first conductive shaft by insert molding,
the second insulating bushing is integrally formed with the second conductive shaft by insert molding, and
the first insulating bushing and the second insulating bushing are disposed parallel with each other.

10. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the first insulating bushing is formed as a separate insert-molded product from the first conductive shaft and is inserted into a plurality of portions of the first conductive shaft,
the second insulating bushing is formed as a separate insert-molded product from the second conductive shaft and is inserted into a plurality of portions of the second conductive shaft, and
the first insulating bushing and the second insulating bushing are disposed parallel with each other.

11. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing; and
a double-axis hinge structure rotatably connecting the first housing with the second housing, the double-axis hinge structure including:
a metallic bracket including a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and at least one through hole:
a conductive shaft passing through the at least one through hole of the metallic bracket and connected with the first conductive part or the second conductive part; and
an insulating bushing disposed between at least a portion of the conductive shaft and the through hole of the metallic bracket and configured to insulate the conductive shaft from the metallic bracket;

wherein the double-axis hinge structure further includes: a hinge case formed to surround the metallic bracket; and a screw connecting the double-axis hinge structure with the hinge case.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein:
the conductive shaft includes a first conductive shaft connected with the first housing and a second conductive shaft connected with the second housing, and
the electronic device further comprises a conductive connector disposed to contact the first conductive shaft and the second conductive shaft and electrically connect the first conductive shaft with the second conductive shaft.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a hinge case configured to seat the metallic bracket and including a coating configured to prevent corrosion to an outer surface thereof,
wherein the insulating bushing is formed to surround at least part of the first conductive shaft or the second conductive shaft.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first circuit board mounted in the first housing; and
a second circuit board mounted in the second housing,
wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board are electrically connected through the conductive connector.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:
the metallic bracket includes a first metallic bracket and a second metallic bracket spaced apart from the first metallic bracket, and
the insulating bushing is separately disposed in a through hole of the first metallic bracket and a through hole of the second metallic bracket.

16. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a stopper cam, a moving cam, and a gear unit sequentially arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the conductive shaft,
wherein the conductive connector is disposed between the stopper cam and the gear unit and contacts at least part of the gear unit to provide an electrical contact.

17. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising an elastic body formed to contact an end of the conductive connector and configured to provide a force to the conductive connector in a direction.

18. A hinge structure, comprising:
a metallic bracket including a first cylindrical through hole and a second cylindrical through hole;
a first cylindrical insulating bushing at least partially positioned inside the first cylindrical through hole;
a second cylindrical insulating bushing at least partially positioned inside the second cylindrical through hole, wherein the second cylindrical insulating bushing is disposed in parallel and apart from the first cylindrical insulating bushing;
a first conductive shaft extending through the first insulating bushing;
a second conductive shaft extending through the second insulating bushing; and
a conductive connector contacting the first conductive shaft and the second conductive shaft and configured to form an electrical path through the first conductive shaft, the conductive connector, and the second conductive shaft.

19. The hinge structure of claim 18 , further comprising a metallic case formed to surround the metallic bracket.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoo Chung Keun
• Han Yong Hwa

Classifications

• E05D11/0054

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title

• G06F1/1683

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

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H01R35/04

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

• E05D3/122

  Gear hinges · CPC title