Hinge module and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10837209-B2
Application number	US-201916512389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Feb 13, 2019
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A hinge module includes a first bracket, a second bracket, a pivot assembly, a pressing component and an adjusting structure. The first bracket has at least one first sliding slot. The first bracket and the second bracket are pivoted to each other by the pivot assembly, wherein the pivot assembly has a first sliding portion that is slidably disposed in the first sliding slot. The pressing component is connected to the first bracket and the first sliding portion. The adjusting structure is connected to the pressing component that presses the first sliding portion by the adjusting structure. When the first bracket and the second bracket rotate relative to each other, the first sliding portion slides along the first sliding slot, and the hinge module generates a torsional force by continuously pressing the first sliding portion by the pressing component. In addition, an electronic device including the hinge module is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge module, comprising: a first bracket and a second bracket, wherein the first bracket has at least one first sliding slot;
a pivot assembly, wherein the first bracket and the second bracket are pivoted to each other by the pivot assembly, and the pivot assembly has a first sliding portion slidably disposed in the first sliding slot;
a pressing component connected to the first bracket and the first sliding portion; and an adjusting structure connected to the pressing component, wherein the pressing component presses the first sliding portion by the adjusting structure,
wherein when the first bracket and the second bracket rotate relative to each other, the first sliding portion slides along the first sliding slot, and the hinge module generates a torsional force by continuously pressing the first sliding portion by the pressing component;
wherein the adjusting structure comprises a lock assembly, wherein the lock assembly locks an end of the pressing component on the first bracket, and the pressing component presses the first sliding portion by a locking force of the lock assembly; and
wherein the locking force of the lock assembly is adjustable to change the torsional force of the hinge module.

2. The hinge module of claim 1 , wherein the first sliding portion is adapted to slide from a first position n the first sliding slot to a second position in the first sliding slot with the first bracket and the second bracket unfolded relative to each other, wherein the second position is located between the lock assembly and the first position.

3. The hinge module of claim 1 , wherein the lock assembly provides the locking force along a locking direction, wherein the locking direction is perpendicular to an extending direction of the first sliding slot.

4. The hinge module of claim 1 , wherein the second bracket comprises at least one second sliding slot, the pivot assembly comprises a second sliding portion, the second sliding portion is slidably disposed in the second sliding slot, and when the first bracket and the second bracket rotate relative to each other, the second sliding portion slides along the second sliding slot.

5. The hinge module of claim 4 , wherein the pivot assembly comprises at least one first connecting rod and at least one second connecting rod, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are pivoted to each other, the first connecting rod is pivoted to the second bracket, the second connecting rod is pivoted to the first bracket, the first sliding portion is connected to the first connecting rod, and the second sliding portion is connected to second connecting rod.

6. The hinge module of claim 5 , wherein the first sliding portion is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod, and the second sliding portion is rotatably connected to the second connecting rod.

7. The hinge module of claim 5 , wherein a pivot axial direction of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, a pivot axial direction of the first connecting rod and the second bracket, and a pivot axial direction of the second connecting rod and the first bracket are parallel to each other.

8. The hinge module of claim 5 , wherein the pivot assembly comprises a first shaft and a second shaft, wherein the first connecting rod is pivoted to the second bracket by the first shaft, the second connecting rod is pivoted to the first bracket by the second shaft, an end of the pressing component is connected to the first bracket, and the other end of the pressing component is connected to the second shaft.

9. An electronic device, comprising:
a first body and a second body; and
at least one hinge module, comprising:
a first bracket and a second bracket connected to the first body and the second body respectively, wherein the first bracket includes at least one first sliding slot;
a pivot assembly, wherein the first bracket and the second bracket are pivoted to each other by the pivot assembly, and the pivot assembly has a first sliding portion slidably disposed in the first sliding slot;
a pressing component connected to the first bracket and the first sliding portion; and
an adjusting structure connected to the pressing component, wherein the pressing component presses the first sliding portion by the adjusting structure,
wherein when the first bracket and the second bracket rotate relative to each other, the first sliding portion slides along the first sliding slot, and the hinge module generates a torsional force by continuously pressing the first sliding portion by the pressing component;
wherein the adjusting structure comprises a lock assembly, wherein the lock assembly locks an end of the pressing component on the first bracket, and the pressing component presses the first sliding portion by a locking force of the lock assembly; and
wherein the locking force of the locking assembly is adjustable to change the torsional force of the hinge module.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first sliding portion is adapted to slide from a first position in the first sliding slot to a second position in the first sliding slot with the first bracket and the second bracket unfolded relative to each other, wherein the second position is located between the lock assembly and the first position.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the lock assembly provides the locking force along a locking direction, wherein the locking direction is perpendicular to an extending direction of the first sliding slot.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second bracket comprises at least second sliding slot, the pivot assembly comprises a second sliding portion, the second sliding portion is slidably disposed in the second sliding slot, and when the first bracket and the second bracket rotate relative to each other, the second sliding portion slides along the second sliding slot.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the pivot assembly comprises at least one first connecting rod and at least one second connecting rod, the first connecting rod is pivoted to the second connecting rod and the second bracket, the second connecting rod is pivoted to the first bracket, the first sliding portion is connected to the first connecting rod, and the second sliding portion is connected to the second connecting rod.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first sliding portion is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod, and the second sliding portion is rotatably connected to the second connecting rod.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein a pivot axial direction of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, a pivot axial direction of the first connecting rod and the second bracket, and a pivot axial direction of the second connecting rod and the first bracket are parallel to each other.

16. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the pivot assembly comprises a first shaft and a second shaft, wherein the first connecting rod is pivoted to the second bracket by the first shaft, the second connecting rod is pivoted to the first bracket by the second shaft, an end of the pressing component is connected to the first bracket, and the other end of the pressing component is connected to the second shaft.

Assignees

• Lin Che Hsien
• Shen Chun An
• Chu Che Hsien
• Compal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lin Che-Hsien
• Shen chun-an
• Chu Che-Hsien

Classifications

• E05D11/08

  Friction devices between relatively-movable hinge parts (E05D7/086 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05D3/186

  Scissors hinges, with two crossing levers and five parallel pins · CPC title

• G06F1/1681 Primary

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

• E05D11/06

  Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  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