Hinge and foldable electronic apparatus therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8943649-B2
Application number	US-201313949253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2013
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

A hinge includes a pivot, two connection members pivotally connected by the pivot, a first magnetic part connected to one of the connection members, a second magnetic part moveably disposed relative to the first magnetic part and kinetically connected to the other one of the connection members, and an adjustment part kinetically connected to the other connection member and urging against the adjustment part. The magnetic moment of the second magnetic part is opposite to that of the first magnetic part. When the two connection members rotate relatively, the other connection member drives the adjustment part and the second magnetic part to rotate relative to the first magnetic part, so as to produce a repulsive moment resisting the rotation and varies with the rotation. A foldable electronic apparatus has the hinge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge, comprising:
a first connection member;
a second connection member;
a pivot, the first connection member and the second connection member being pivotally connected by the pivot;
a first magnetic part connected onto the first connection member, the first magnetic part producing a radial magnetic field relative to the pivot;
a second magnetic part moveably disposed relative to the first magnetic part and kinetically connected to the second connection member, a magnetic moment of the second magnetic part being opposite to a magnetic moment of the first magnetic part;
an adjustment part kinetically connected to the second connection member and capable of driving the second magnetic part; and
a guiding mechanism, kinetically connected to the first connection member and the adjustment part, for guiding the adjustment part to move in an axial direction of the pivot relative to the first magnetic part when the second connection member rotates relative to the first connection member;
wherein when the second connection member rotates relative to the first connection member, the second connection member drives the second magnetic part by the adjustment part to rotate relative to the first magnetic part, so that a repulsive moment is induced between the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part for resisting the rotating of the second connection member relative to the first connection member, and the second connection member also drives the adjustment part to adjust a distance between the second magnetic part and the first magnetic part so as to vary the repulsive moment.

2. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the second connection member is engaged with the pivot, the adjustment part is sleeved on the pivot so as to be capable of rotating together with the pivot and the second connection member relative to the first connection member.

3. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment part has an oblique surface substantially extending in an axial direction of the pivot, the second magnetic part urges against the oblique surface, and when the second connection member drives the adjustment part to move in the axial direction relative to the first magnetic part, the second magnetic part slides on the oblique surface relative to the adjustment part.

4. The hinge of claim 3 , further comprising a guiding part kinetically connected to the second connection member, the guiding part having a sliding slot, the sliding slot extending perpendicular to the axial direction, the second magnetic part being moveably disposed in the sliding slot, wherein when the second connection member rotates relative the first connection member, the second connection member drives the guiding part and the second magnetic part to rotate together relative to the first magnetic part.

5. The hinge of claim 4 , wherein the second connection member is engaged with the pivot, and the guiding part and the adjustment part are sleeved on the pivot so as to be capable of rotating together with the pivot and the second connection member relative to the first connection member.

6. The hinge of claim 1 , further comprising a socket disposed on the first connection member, the socket having a recess, the first magnetic part being disposed on an inner sidewall of the recess.

7. The hinge of claim 6 , wherein the socket has an outer circumferential surface and a guiding slot formed on the outer circumferential surface, the guiding slot extends surrounding an axial direction of the pivot, the hinge further comprises a guided rod, a first end of the guided rod is connected to the adjustment part, a second end of the guided rod is slidably disposed in the guiding slot, the guiding mechanism comprises the guiding slot and the guided rod, and when the second connection member rotates relative to the first connection member, the second connection member drives the adjustment part to rotate relative to the socket, and the second end slides in the guiding slot to guide the adjustment part move in the axial direction relative to the first magnetic part.

8. The hinge of claim 7 , wherein the guiding slot has a first segment and a second segment, and an included angle between an extension direction of the first segment and the axial direction is different to an included angle between an extension direction of the second segment and the axial direction.

9. The hinge of claim 6 , wherein one of the socket and the adjustment part has a cam surface, the other of the socket and the adjustment part has a follower slidably contact the cam surface, the cam surface extends surrounding an axial direction of the pivot and varies in the axial direction, the guiding mechanism comprises the cam surface and the follower, and when the second connection member rotates relative to the first connection member, the second connection member drives the adjustment part to rotate relative to the socket, and the follower slides on the cam surface in the axial direction to guide the adjustment part to move in the axial direction relative to the first magnetic part.

10. A foldable electronic apparatus, comprising:
a first casing;
a second casing; and
a hinge, the first casing and the second casing being pivotally connected by the hinge, the hinge comprising:
a first connection member connected to the first casing;
a second connection member connected to the second casing;
a pivot, the first connection member and the second connection member being pivotally connected by the pivot so that the first casing and the second casing is capable of rotating relatively to be folded or unfolded;
a first magnetic part connected onto the first connection member, the first magnetic part producing a radial magnetic field relative to the pivot;
a second magnetic part moveably disposed relative to the first magnetic part and kinetically connected to the second connection member, a magnetic moment of the second magnetic part being opposite to a magnetic moment of the first magnetic part;
an adjustment part kinetically connected to the second connection member and capable of driving the second magnetic part; and
a guiding mechanism, kinetically connected to the first connection member and the adjustment part, for guiding the adjustment part to move in an axial direction of the pivot relative to the first magnetic part when the second connection member rotates relative to the first connection member;

wherein when the second connection member rotates relative to the first connection member, the second connection member drives the second magnetic part by the adjustment part to rotate relative to the first magnetic part, so that a repulsive moment is induced between the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part for resisting the rotating of the second connection member relative to the first connection member, and the second connection member also drives the adjustment part to adjust a distance between the second magnetic part and the first magnetic part so as to vary the repulsive moment;
wherein when the first casing and the second casing rotate relatively from a folded state to unfold to an unfolded, the repulsive moment increases overall.

11. The foldable electronic apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment part has an oblique surface substantially extending in an axial direction of the pivot, the second magnetic part urges against the oblique surface, and when the second connection member drives the adjustment part to move in the axial direction relative to the first magnetic part, the second magnetic part slides on the oblique surface relative to the adjustment part.

12. The foldable electronic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the hinge

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Chen yuan-tai
• Tsai Shao-Huai
• Chu Kai-Yu
• Tsai Yu-Han

Classifications

• E05D7/00 Primary

  Hinges or pivots of special construction (used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02) · 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