Electronic device with hinge unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023147784-A1
Application number	US-202218078395-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2022
Priority date	Nov 5, 2021
Publication date	May 11, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first housing including a display module including a display screen, a second housing rotatable with respect to the first housing to define a rotation angle therebetween, the second housing including a first door provided at one surface and a second door provided at a surface which is opposite to the one surface, a hinge unit configured to rotatably connect the first housing to the second housing, and a driving module connecting the hinge unit to each of the first door and second door, the driving module moveable together with rotation of the second housing with respect to the first housing, to open and close the first door and the second door. the driving module is configured to open the first door when the rotation angle is less than a first angle and open the second door when the rotation angle is greater than a second angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a first housing comprising a display module including a display screen; a second housing rotatable with respect to the first housing to define a rotation angle therebetween, the second housing comprising a first door provided at one surface and a second door provided at a surface which is opposite to the one surface; a hinge unit configured to rotatably connect the first housing to the second housing; and a driving module connecting the hinge unit to each of the first door and second door, the driving module moveable together with rotation of the second housing with respect to the first housing, to open and close the first door and the second door, wherein the driving module is configured to
open the first door when the rotation angle is less than a first angle and
open the second door when the rotation angle is greater than a second angle.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the first angle is substantially the same as the second angle, and the driving module is configured to close the first door and the second door when the rotation angle is the first angle.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the first angle is less than the second angle; the driving module is configured to close the second door when the rotation angle is less than the first angle; and the driving module is configured to close the first door when the rotation angle is greater than the second angle.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the driving module is configured to open the first door and the second when the rotation angle is between the first angle and the second angle.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the driving module is configured to open one door among the first and second doors, together with closing the other door among the first and second doors, while the rotation angle increasing .

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the first housing and the first door facing each other defines the rotation angle as a start angle, and the first housing and the second door facing each other defines the rotation angle as an end angle.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the driving module is configured to
close the first door and the second door when the rotation angle is the start angle; and close the first door and open the second door when the rotation angle is the end angle.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the second housing comprises an input device connected to and moveable together with the second door, and the driving module is configured to open the second door pushes both the second door and the input device out of the second housing.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device which is supported by an external support, disposes in a direction in which the first door and the external support face each other the surface which is opposite to the one surface facing the external support, and the driving module is configured to push and open the first door protruded out of the second housing and contacting the external support.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the driving module comprises:
a gear rotatable by interoperating with the hinge unit; a shaft offset from a rotation axis of the gear, and comprising a shaft arm; and a support member comprising a slot along which the shaft arm moves together with rotation of the gear, the support member being connected to the first door and the second door.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the shaft arm is configured to compress the slot and push the support member, together with the rotation of the gear.

12 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the driving module comprises:
a first gear rotating in one direction by interoperating with the hinge unit; and a second gear rotating in a direction opposite to the first gear by engaging with the first gear.

13 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the driving module comprises:
a first shaft arm and a second shaft arm moving by interoperating with the hinge unit; a first support member comprising a first slot along which the first shaft arm moves, the first support member being pressed by the first shaft arm to push the first door from the second housing; and a second support member comprising a second slot along which the second shaft arm moves, the second support member being pressed by the second shaft arm to push the second door from the second housing.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein
the first slot comprises a first inflection region in which a movement direction of the first shaft arm changes, and the first inflection region corresponds to the rotation angle substantially equal to the first angle.

15 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein
the second slot comprises a second inflection region in which a movement displacement of the second shaft arm changes, and the second inflection region corresponds to the rotation angle substantially equal to the second angle.

16 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first housing comprising a first surface and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface,
a second housing comprising a third surface and a fourth surface which is opposite to the third surface and respectively corresponding to the first surface and the second surface of the first housing,
a first door openable and closeable at the third surface of the second housing, and
a second door openable and closeable at the fourth surface of the second housing;
a hinge unit configured to rotatably connect the first housing to the second housing, and adjust a rotation angle between the first housing and the second housing; and a driving module configured to open the first door when the rotation angle is less than a first angle, and open the second door when the rotation angle is greater than a second angle, the second angle being equal to or greater than the first angle.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein
the first housing and the second housing rotated to dispose the first surface and the fourth surface facing each other defines the rotation angle as a start angle, the first housing and the second housing rotated to dispose the second surface and the third surface facing each other defines the rotation angle as an end angle, and the driving module is configured to:
close the first door and the second door at the start angle; and
close the first door and open the second door at the end angle.

18 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the driving module is configured to:
open the first door and close the second door when the rotation angle is between the start angle and the first angle; and close the first door and open the second door when the rotation angle is between the second angle and the end angle.

19 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein
the first angle is substantially the same as the second angle, and the driving module is configured to close the first door and the second door when the rotation angle is the first angle.

20 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the driving module is configured to alternately open the first door and the second door as the rotation angle increases.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koo Younggwon
• Song Mijeong
• Lim Gun
• Cho Hyunje
• Hong Yongtaek

Classifications

• E05D3/122

  Gear hinges · 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

• E05Y2900/606

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• E05Y2999/00

  Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass · CPC title