Electronic device including hinge module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12422899-B2
Application number	US-202318470716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2023
Priority date	Sep 21, 2022
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a housing including a first housing and a second housing configured to rotate relative to the first housing and a hinge module rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing and received in the housing. The hinge module includes a hinge housing including a receiving space, a spring positioned in the receiving space of the hinge housing, a supporting member including an inclined portion coupled to one end of the spring, and a cam coupled to another end of the spring and configured to transfer force to the spring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a first housing and a second housing configured to rotate relative to the first housing; and
a hinge module rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing and received in the housing,
wherein the hinge module includes:
a hinge housing including a receiving space,
a spring positioned in the receiving space of the hinge housing,
a supporting member including an inclined portion coupled to one end of the spring, and
a cam coupled to another end of the spring and configured to transfer force to the spring, and
wherein the supporting member is coupled to the one end of the spring such that a position where the one end of the spring is seated on the inclined portion of the supporting member is varied depending on a degree of rotation of the supporting member.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the inclined portion of the supporting member is disposed to correspond to the one end of the spring, and
wherein the one end of the spring has an inclined shape corresponding to a shape of the inclined portion.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one end of the spring is seated on at least a portion of the inclined portion of the supporting member.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the supporting member includes:
a first portion having an inclination and recessed by a first length;
a second portion having an inclination at a position different from the first portion and recessed by a second length; and
a third portion being a portion between the first portion and the second portion and recessed by a third length longer than the first length and shorter than the second length.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein a recessed length of the supporting member is equal to or greater than the first length, and equal to or less than the second length.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the spring is disposed to be compressed more when the one end of the spring is seated on the first portion of the supporting member than when the one end of the spring is seated on the second portion of the supporting member.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein an elastic energy applied to the spring is larger when the one end of the spring is seated on the first portion of the supporting member than when the one end of the spring is seated on the second portion of the supporting member.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion includes an inner protrusion protruding inward of the supporting member.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion includes an inner recess recessed outward of the supporting member.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the supporting member includes:
a flat first portion recessed by a first length;
a flat second portion extending from the first portion and recessed by a second length longer than the first length; and
a flat third portion extending from the second portion and recessed by a third length longer than the second length.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion includes an inner protrusion protruding inward of the supporting member.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion includes an inner recess recessed outward of the supporting member.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a guide extending in a thickness direction from the supporting member.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the supporting member further includes a plurality of outer protrusions protruding outward and spaced apart from each other at regular intervals.

15. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a first housing and a second housing configured to rotate relative to the first housing; and
a hinge module rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing and received in the housing,
wherein the hinge module includes:
a hinge housing including a receiving space,
a spring positioned in the receiving space of the hinge housing,
a supporting member including an inclined portion coupled to one end of the spring, and
a cam coupled to another end of the spring and transferring force to the spring,

wherein the supporting member includes:
a flat first portion recessed by a first length,
a flat second portion extending from a first portion and recessed by a second length longer than the first length, and
a flat third portion extending from a second portion and recessed by a third length longer than the second length, and

wherein the supporting member is coupled to one end of the spring such that a position where the one end of the spring is seated on the inclined portion of the supporting member is varied depending on a degree of rotation of the supporting member.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 ,
wherein the inclined portion of the supporting member is disposed to correspond to the one end of the spring, and
wherein the one end of the spring has an inclined shape corresponding to a shape of the inclined portion.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the one end of the spring is seated on at least a portion of the inclined portion of the supporting member.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein a recessed length of the supporting member is equal to or greater than the first length, and equal to or less than the second length.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the spring is disposed to be compressed more when the one end of the spring is seated on the first portion of the supporting member than when the one end of the spring is seated on the second portion of the supporting member.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Do Minhong
• Kim Yongwoon
• Park Eunsoo
• Bae Jaebum
• Cho Yonglak

Classifications

• G06F1/1652

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