Computer device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9213374-B2
Application number	US-201414226850-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2013
Publication date	Dec 15, 2015
Grant date	Dec 15, 2015

Abstract

A computer device includes a main casing, a computer body disposed in the main casing, a linkage mechanism including first and second sheets and a first shape-memory alloy, and a movable casing pivoted to the main casing. The main casing is for engaging with the movable casing to position the movable casing at an open position exposed from the main casing. A driving end of the first sheet is movably inserted into a slot of the movable casing. The second sheet is disposed on a recess structure of the main casing and pivoted to the first sheet. The first shape-memory alloy is pivoted to one of the second sheet and the recess structure and the driving end for moving the driving end along the slot when being heated to shorten or elongate to push the movable casing from a closed position contained in the recess structure to the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer device comprising:
a main casing having a recess structure, a first positioning structure being formed on a side wall of the recess structure;
a computer body disposed in the main casing;
a movable casing having a first slot, the movable casing being pivoted to the main casing for rotating to a closed position where the movable casing is contained in the recess structure or an open position where the movable casing is exposed from the main casing relative to the main casing, a second positioning structure being formed on the movable casing corresponding to the first positioning structure, the first positioning structure being for engaging with the second positioning structure to position the movable casing at the open position; and
a linkage mechanism disposed in the recess structure, the linkage mechanism comprising:
a first sheet having a first driving end and a first connecting end, the first driving end being movably inserted into the first slot;
a second sheet disposed on the recess structure and pivoted to the first connecting end; and
a first shape-memory alloy pivoted to one of the second sheet and the recess structure and the driving end of the first sheet, for driving the first driving end to move along the first slot when being heated to shorten or elongate to make the first sheet rotate relative to the second sheet, so as to push the movable casing to rotate from the closed position to the open position relative to the main casing.

2. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is pivoted to the second sheet and the first driving end for pulling the first driving end to move along the first slot when being heated to shorten, so as to push the movable casing to rotate from the closed position to the open position.

3. The computer device of claim 2 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is a one-way shape-memory alloy.

4. The computer device of claim 2 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is a two-way shape-memory alloy, and the first shape-memory alloy is further for pushing the first driving end to move along the first slot when being heated to elongate, so as to pull the movable casing to rotate from the open position to the closed position.

5. The computer device of claim 2 , wherein a second slot is further formed on the side wall of the recess structure, and the linkage mechanism further comprises:
a third sheet disposed on the recess structure;
a fourth sheet having a second connecting end and a second driving end, the second connecting end being pivoted to the first driving end, the second driving end being movably inserted into the second slot; and
a second shape-memory alloy pivoted to the third sheet and the second driving end of the fourth sheet, for driving the second driving end of the fourth sheet to move along the second slot when being heated to shorten to make the first driving end of the first sheet move along the first slot, so as to pull the movable casing to rotate from the open position to the closed position.

6. The computer device of claim 5 , wherein the second shape-memory alloy is a one-way shape-memory alloy.

7. The computer device of claim 5 , wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises:
a third shape-memory alloy pivoted to the second sheet and the first driving end of the first sheet, for driving the first driving end to move along the first slot when being heated to shorten, so as to push the movable casing from the closed position to a half open position where the movable casing is partially exposed from the recess structure relative to the main casing, a shortening deformation length of the third shape-memory alloy being less than a shortening deformation length of the first shape-memory alloy.

8. The computer device of claim 7 , wherein the third shape-memory alloy is a one-way shape-memory alloy.

9. The computer device of claim 7 , wherein a heat dissipating hole is formed on a side of the movable casing exposed from the main casing, and the main casing partially covers the heat dissipating hole when the movable casing rotates from the closed position to the half open position.

10. The computer device of claim 7 , wherein a concave portion is formed in the first slot, and the concave portion is engaged with the first driving end when the movable casing rotates to the half open position.

11. The computer device of claim 2 , wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises:
a second shape-memory alloy pivoted to the first driving end of the first sheet and the recess structure, for driving the first driving end of the first sheet to move along the first slot when being heated to shorten, so as to pull the movable casing to rotate from the open position to the closed position.

12. The computer device of claim 11 , wherein the second shape-memory alloy is one-way shape-memory alloy.

13. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is pivoted to the first driving end of the first sheet and the recess structure, and the first shape-memory alloy is for pushing the first driving end to move along the first slot when being heated to elongate, so as to push the movable casing to rotate from closed position to the open position.

14. The computer device of claim 13 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is a one-way shape-memory alloy.

15. The computer device of claim 13 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is a two-way shape-memory alloy, and the first shape-memory alloy is further for pulling the first driving end to move along the first slot when being heated to shorten, so as to pull the movable casing to rotate from the open position to the closed position.

16. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is electrically connected to the computer body, and the computer body is for heating the first shape-memory alloy in an electric heating manner.

17. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the first shape-memory alloy is a spiral-spring shape.

18. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein a heat dissipating hole is formed on a side of the movable casing exposed from the main casing.

19. The computer device of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one connecting port disposed on a side of the movable casing exposed from the main casing.

20. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein a third positioning structure is formed on the movable casing corresponding to the first positioning structure, and the first positioning structure is further for engaging with the third positioning structure to position the movable casing at the closed position.

21. The computer device of claim 20 , wherein the first positioning structure is an elastic arm located on the recess structure, and the second positioning structure and the third positioning structure are respectively a positioning hole located on the movable casing.

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Hung Ming-Hua
• Tsai Tsung-Hsien
• Chen Hung-Li

Classifications

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · 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

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title