Hinge assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017192467-A1
Application number	US-201614986671-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 2, 2016
Priority date	Jan 2, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus can include a processor; memory accessible by the processor; a first housing that includes a front side and a back side; a second housing that includes a front side and a back side; and a hinge assembly operatively coupled to the second housing where the hinge assembly includes a set of axles, a set of gears and a latch pivotable via meshed rotation of the gears about an axis defined by one of the axles where, in a latched state, the latch operatively couples the first housing to the hinge assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor; memory accessible by the processor; a first housing that comprises a front side and a back side; a second housing that comprises a front side and a back side; and a hinge assembly operatively coupled to the second housing wherein the hinge assembly comprises
a set of axles,
a set of gears and
a latch pivotable via meshed rotation of the gears about an axis defined by one of the axles wherein, in a latched state, the latch operatively couples the first housing to the hinge assembly.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a hinge assembly housing that covers at least a portion of the set of gears.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a battery and wherein the hinge assembly housing covers at least a portion of the battery wherein the battery comprises a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the axis defined by one of the axles.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a battery that comprises a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the axis defined by one of the axles.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the battery comprises a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than a cross-sectional dimension of the battery in a plane wherein the longitudinal axis is substantially normal to the plane.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first housing comprises a display.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the latched state comprises a first latched state and wherein the display comprises a front side display that is pivotable about the axle to face the front side of the second housing.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the latched state comprises a second latched state and wherein the display comprises a front side display that is pivotable about the axle to face the back side of the second housing.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of gears is a first set of gears and comprising a second set of gears

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of axles is a first set of axles and comprising a second set of axles.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of axles is a first set of axles and wherein the set of gears is a first set of gears and comprising a second set of axles and a second set of gears.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the latch comprises a rotating hub operatively coupled to translating prongs.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first housing comprises a socket that receives portions of the translating prongs.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the latch comprises a first latch and comprising a second latch that, in a latched state, operatively couples the second housing to the hinge assembly.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein, the hinge assembly is separable from the first and second housings via the first latch being in an unlatched state and the second latch being in an unlatched state.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first housing comprises a display and the second housing comprises a keyboard.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gears comprise teeth.

18 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gears comprise helical gears.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the helical gears comprise a clockwise helix gear and a counter-clockwise helix gear.

20 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gears comprise lobes.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Holung Joseph Anthony
• Wong Tin-Lup
• Yebka Bouziane
• Jakes Philip John

Classifications

• G06F1/1635

  Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter · 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

• G06F1/1618

  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

• E05D3/122

  Gear hinges · CPC title

• E05D11/0054

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title