Multistage Friction Hinge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018129253-A1
Application number	US-201815863570-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	May 10, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multistage friction hinge is described. In at least some embodiments, the described hinge enables a support component to be adjustably attached to an apparatus. According to various embodiments, a hinge includes different activity stages where movement of the hinge is based on different activity mechanisms. For instance, the hinge includes different sets of components that form different friction engines that provide resistance to rotational and/or pivoting movement of the hinge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hinge comprising:
a first friction assembly configured to provide resistance to movement of the hinge across a first angle range; and a second friction assembly configured to provide resistance to movement of the hinge across a second angle range.

2 . A hinge as described in claim 1 , wherein the second friction assembly provides greater resistance to movement of the hinge than does the first friction assembly.

3 . A hinge as described in claim 1 , wherein the first friction assembly is based on frictional interaction between a first set of components of the hinge, and wherein the second friction assembly is based on frictional interaction between a second set of components of the hinge, the second set of components being different than the first set of components.

4 . A hinge as described in claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises:
a hinge frame including at least one ring guide; an upper hinge ring slidably engaged with the at least one ring guide; a lower hinge ring interlocked with the upper hinge ring and including a lower ring spring disposed on an inner surface of the lower hinge ring; and a cam positioned at least in part between the upper hinge ring and the lower hinge ring such that when the hinge is positioned within the first angle range, the cam engages with the lower ring spring to form at least a part of the first friction assembly.

5 . A hinge as described in claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises:
a hinge frame including at least one ring guide; an upper hinge ring slidably engaged with the at least one ring guide; a lower hinge ring interlocked with the upper hinge ring; a friction bar pivotably attached to the hinge frame and positioned such that a first portion of the friction bar is in contact with the lower hinge ring; a bar spring disposed within the hinge frame to apply biasing force to a second portion of the friction bar to cause the first portion of the friction bar to bear against the lower hinge ring; and a cam positioned at least in part between the upper hinge ring and the lower hinge ring such that when the cam is positioned within the second angle range, frictional force applied by the first portion of the friction bar against the lower hinge ring resists movement of the cam relative to the hinge frame and forms at least a part of the second friction assembly.

6 . A hinge as described in claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises:
a hinge frame including at least one ring guide; an upper hinge ring slidably engaged with the at least one ring guide; a lower hinge ring interlocked with the upper hinge ring; a friction bar pivotably attached to the hinge frame and positioned such that a first portion of the friction bar is in contact with the lower hinge ring; a bar spring disposed within the hinge frame to apply biasing force to a second portion of the friction bar to cause the first portion of the friction bar to bear against the lower hinge ring; and a cam positioned at least in part between the upper hinge ring and the lower hinge ring and including a spring biased locking tab such that when the cam transitions from the first angle range to the second angle range, the locking tab engages with the upper hinge ring and movement of the cam within the second angle range causes corresponding movement of the upper hinge ring and the lower hinge ring, and frictional force applied by the first portion of the friction bar against the lower hinge ring resists movement of the cam relative to the hinge frame and forms at least a part of the second friction assembly.

7 . A hinge comprising:
a hinge frame; an upper hinge ring slidably engaged with the hinge frame; a lower hinge ring interlocked with the upper hinge ring; and a cam positioned at least in part between the upper hinge ring and the lower hinge ring, the cam including a spring biased locking tab such that when the cam transitions from a first angle range of the hinge to a second angle range of the hinge, the locking tab engages with the upper hinge ring and movement of the cam within the second angle range causes corresponding movement of the upper hinge ring and the lower hinge ring from the first angle range to the second angle range.

8 . A hinge as recited in claim 7 , wherein resistance to movement of the hinge is greater in the second angle range than in the first angle range.

9 . A hinge as recited in claim 7 , wherein resistance to movement of the hinge increases as the hinge moves from the first angle range to the second angle range.

10 . A hinge as recited in claim 7 , wherein resistance to movement of the hinge in the first angle range is based on spring force from a first spring of the hinge, and wherein resistance to movement of the hinge in the second angle range is based on spring force from a second spring of the hinge.

11 . A hinge as recited in claim 7 , wherein the hinge frame includes a ring guide, and wherein the upper hinge ring is slidably engaged with the ring guide.

12 . A hinge as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:
a friction bar pivotably attached to the hinge frame and positioned such that a first portion of the friction bar is in contact with the lower hinge ring; and a bar spring disposed within the hinge frame to apply biasing force to a second portion of the friction bar to cause the first portion of the friction bar to bear against the lower hinge ring.

13 . A hinge as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:
a friction bar pivotably attached to the hinge frame and positioned such that a first portion of the friction bar is in contact with the lower hinge ring; and a bar spring disposed within the hinge frame to apply biasing force to a second portion of the friction bar to cause the first portion of the friction bar to bear against the lower hinge ring, wherein when the cam is positioned within the second angle range, frictional force applied by the first portion of the friction bar against the lower hinge ring resists movement of the cam relative to the hinge frame.

14 . An apparatus comprising:
a chassis; a moveable component moveably attached to the chassis; and a multistage friction hinge that moveably attaches the moveable component to the chassis, the multistage friction hinge including:
a first friction engine that provides resistance to movement of the moveable component across a first angle range; and
a second friction engine that provides resistance to movement of the moveable component across a second angle range.

15 . An apparatus as described in claim 14 , wherein the moveable component comprises a support component that is moveable via the multistage friction hinge to different angles relative to the chassis to support different orientations of the chassis relative to an adjacent surface.

16 . An apparatus as described in claim 14 , wherein the apparatus comprises a computing device, the chassis includes a display device, and wherein the moveable component comprises a support component that is moveable via the multistage friction hinge to support different viewing angles for the display device.

17 . An apparatus as described in claim 14 , wherein the second friction engine provides greater resistance to movement of the moveable component in the second angle range than the first friction engine in the first angle range.

18 . An apparatus as described in claim 14 , wherein movement of the moveable component from the first angle range to the second angle range causes the multistage friction hinge to transition from the first fricti

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Siddiqui Kabir

Classifications

• G06F1/16

  Constructional details or arrangements · CPC title

• F16M13/005

  integral with the apparatus or articles to be supported · CPC title

• F16M2200/024

  by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections · CPC title

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E05D2011/085

  the friction depending on the opening angle · CPC title