Electronically controlled variable hinge torque

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10852765-B2
Application number	US-201916250841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2019
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A portable information handling system rotationally couples housing portions with a hinge having an adjustable friction device that adjusts a torque resisting rotation of the housing portions between alternate settings by sending an electronic pulse to an electropermanent magnet. For instance, activation of a magnetic field pulls a lever that compresses compression discs coupled to a hinge axle to increase torque, such as to hold the housing portions in position. An electronic pulse deactivates the magnetic field when an end user desires to rotate the housing portions, such as may be indicated by an end user touch at a housing portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable information handling system comprising:
first and second housing portions;
processing components disposed in at least one of the first and second housing portions, the processing components cooperating to process information;
a display disposed in at least one of the first and second housing portions, the display interfaced with the processing components and operable to present the information as visual images;
a hinge rotationally coupling the first and second housing portions, the hinge having an axle interfaced with a friction device, the friction device resisting rotation of the axle with a first setting having a first friction and a second setting having a second friction;
an electropermanent magnet interfaced with the friction device to select the first setting when magnetized and the second setting when demagnetized; and
a controller interfaced with the electropermanent magnet, the controller selecting the first or second setting based upon one or more predetermined conditions;
wherein the friction device comprises compression discs disposed on the axle, the hinge further comprising:
a compression arm aligned to press against the compression discs; and
a compression lever coupled at a first end with the compression arm and at a second end with the electropermanent magnet, the electropermanent magnet magnetizing to engage the compression lever at the compression arm for compression of the compression discs.

2. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the controller magnetizes the electropermanent magnet to select the first setting that increases friction relative to the second setting.

3. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the controller magnetizes the electropermanent magnet to select the first setting that decreases friction relative to the second setting.

4. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined condition comprises a closed position of the first and second housing portions, the controller selecting an electropermanent magnet setting having a greater friction in response to detection of the closed position.

5. The portable information handling system of claim 4 wherein the predetermined condition further comprises end user touch at one or more of the first and second housing portions in the closed position, the controller selecting an electropermanent magnet setting having a reduced friction in response to the end user touch.

6. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined condition comprises an open position of the first and second housing portions and a release of a touch by the end user at one or more of the first and second housing portions, the controller selecting an electropermanent magnet setting having a greater friction in response to the release of the touch.

7. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the compression discs further comprise:
a first set of compression discs keyed to the axle; and
a second set of compression discs keyed to compression arm.

8. The portable information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a capacitive sensor integrated with at least one of the housing portions and operable to detect touch and interfaced with the controller;
wherein the predetermined condition comprises a touch indicative of end user rotational movement of the housing portions.

9. A method for managing portable information handling system housing portion rotational orientation, the method comprising:
rotating a first housing portion relative to a second housing portion about a hinge having first and second torque settings;
toggling an electropermanent magnet in response to a first set of predetermined conditions to select the first torque setting with a first magnetic field; and
toggling the electropermanent magnet in response to a second set of predetermined conditions to select the second torque setting with a second magnetic field;
wherein the first torque setting resists rotation about the hinge with a first torque, the second torque setting resists rotation about the hinge with a second torque, and the first torque is greater than the second torque;
wherein toggling the electropermanent magnet to select the first torque setting further comprises:
applying a temporary current to the electropermanent magnet to alter the second magnetic field to the first magnetic field; and
attracting with the first magnetic field a ferromagnetic object towards the electropermanent magnet, the ferromagnetic object interfaced with compression discs that create friction in response to rotation of the hinge.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the attracting with the first magnetic field a ferromagnetic object further comprises:
pulling one end of a lever to the electropermanent magnet;
pivoting the lever about a pivot point to move an opposing end of the lever in an opposite direction; and
translating the movement of the opposing end of the lever to compress the compression discs.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the translating the movement further comprises:
applying the movement of the opposing end of the lever to an end of a compression arm; and
pivoting the compression arm about a pivot to move an opposing end of the compression arm against the compression discs.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
keying a first set of the compression discs to an axle of the hinge; and
keying a second set of the compression discs to the compression arm, the axle rotating relative to the compression arm.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the second set of predetermined conditions comprises a predetermined touch detected at a predetermined location of the first housing portion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first set of predetermined conditions comprises a release of the predetermined touch.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first set of predetermined conditions further comprises predetermined accelerations detected at the second housing portion.

16. A hinge comprising:
a bracket;
an axle rotationally coupled to the bracket;
a friction device configured to apply friction that resists rotation of the axle at the bracket, the friction device having plural compression discs; and
a friction adjuster interfaced with the friction device, the friction adjuster alternating between a first and second friction setting in response to an electronic signal pulse, the first friction setting generating a first friction different from a second friction generated with the second friction setting by varying an amount of compression applied to the compression discs by a compression arm interfaced with the compression disc.

17. The hinge of claim 16 further comprising:
a controller interfaced with the friction adjuster and sending the electronic signal pulse in response to predetermined conditions; and
wherein the friction adjuster comprises an electropermanent magnet that changes a magnetic field direction with each electronic signal pulse to adjust the friction device by moving the compression arm.

18. The hinge of claim 17 wherein the predetermined conditions comprise an end user touch at a predetermined location of an information handling system housing rotationally coupled by the hinge.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Sanchez Anthony J
• Morrison Jason Scott

Classifications

• G06F1/1618 Primary

  the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure · CPC title

• E05D3/12

  with two parallel pins and one arm · CPC title

• G06F1/1643

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05D11/082

  with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces · CPC title