Hinged electronic device with displacement altering hinge and corresponding systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11522985-B1
Application number	US-202117490624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Sep 30, 2021
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device includes first device housing and a second device housing. The hinge housing is coupled to a first hinge arm extending into to the first device housing a second hinge arm extending into the second device housing. The first hinge arm has a first pin extending from a terminal edge of the first hinge arm that engages a first slot defined by a first bracket fixedly coupled to the first device housing. The second hinge arm has a second pin extending from a terminal edge of the second hinge arm that engages a second slot defined by a second bracket fixedly coupled to the second device housing. The first pin translates with the first slot and the second pin translates within the second slot, respectively, when the first device housing and the second device housing pivot to change a displacement between the hinge housing and the device housings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first device housing and a second device housing;
a hinge housing;
a first linking arm coupled between a first pivot center within the hinge housing and a first bracket coupled to the first device housing;
a second linking arm coupled to a second pivot center within the hinge housing and a second bracket coupled to the second device housing;
a first hinge arm pivotally coupled about a third pivot center within the hinge housing, the first hinge arm extending into the first device housing to a first hinge arm distal end having a first hinge arm pin situated within a first translation slot defined by the first bracket; and
a second hinge arm pivotally coupled about a fourth pivot center within the hinge housing and extending into the second device housing to a second hinge arm distal end having a second hinge arm pin situated within a second translation slot defined by the second bracket;
wherein the first hinge arm axially pivots about the third pivot center while the first hinge arm pin translates linearly within the first translation slot and the second hinge arm axially pivots about the fourth pivot center while the second hinge arm pin translates linearly within the second translation slot, respectively, when the first device housing and the second device housing pivot about the hinge housing between an axially displaced open position and a closed position, thereby changing a displacement between the hinge housing and the first device housing and second device housing.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement is shorter when the first device housing and the second device housing are pivoted about the hinge housing to the axially displaced open position than when the first device housing and second device housing are pivoted about the hinge housing to the closed position.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible display spanning the hinge housing.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , the flexible display defining a service loop when the first device housing and the second device housing are pivoted about the hinge housing to the closed position.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more tensioning springs causing the first device housing and the second device housing to situate at one or more predefined angles relative to each other.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , the electronic device comprising a smartphone.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising interlocking gears causing a symmetrical rotation of the first device housing and the second device housing about the hinge housing.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the third pivot center and the fourth pivot center are each defined by a rotating post.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the rotating post defines a cross section that is asymmetrical along at least one medial axis.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm each define an asymmetrical aperture engaging the rotating post.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein rotation of the asymmetrical aperture causes rotation of the rotating post.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a first support plate pivotally coupled to a first side of the hinge housing and a second support plate pivotally coupled to a second side of the hinge housing.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a flexible display spanning the hinge housing, wherein the first support plate and the second support plate provide mechanical support for the flexible display when the first device housing and the second device housing are pivoted to the axially displaced open position.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first support plate and the second support plate allow the flexible display to define a service loop when the first device housing and the second device housing are pivoted to the closed position.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising at least one elastic tape strip coupled to the first support plate and the second support plate and extending through the hinge housing.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible display coupled to the first device housing and a second display coupled to the second device housing.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge arm pin and the second hinge arm pin each define an L-shaped cross section.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge arm pin and the second hinge arm pin are captively held within the first translation slot and the second translation slot, respectively.

19. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first linking arm and the second linking arm each comprise a dogleg linking arm.

20. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a decorative cover attached to the hinge housing.

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Lim Yong-Ho
• Cavallaro Alberto R
• Gitzinger Thomas

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/022 Primary

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• H04M1/0216 Primary

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

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