Hinge assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354668-B2
Application number	US-201314126285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2013
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment chassis for an electronic device comprises a first section and a second section and an assembly to connect the first section of the chassis to the second section of the chassis for an electronic device, comprising a first hinge assembly to be coupled to the first section of the chassis for the electronic device, a second hinge assembly to be coupled to the second section of the chassis for the electronic device, a first rigid connecting member to be coupled to the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly, a first resistance element to provide a first rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first end of the first rigid connecting member and a first resistance element to provide a second rotational resistance between the second hinge assembly and a second end of the first rigid connecting member. Other embodiments may be described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly to connect a first section of a chassis for an electronic device to a second section of a chassis for the electronic device, comprising:
a first hinge assembly to be coupled to the first section of the chassis for the electronic device;
a second hinge assembly to be coupled to the second section of the chassis for the electronic device;
a first rigid connecting member to be coupled to the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly;
a first resistance element comprising a torsion spring and a friction element to provide a first rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first end of the first rigid connecting member; and
a second resistance element to provide a second rotational resistance between the second hinge assembly and a second end of the first rigid connecting member,
wherein the first rigid connecting member comprises a first plate and a second plate slidably engaged with the first plate between a first position in which the connecting member is fully extended and a second position in which the connecting member is retracted, wherein the first plate is disposed within the second plate, and
wherein a cable is disposed between the first plate and the second plate to provide electrical power to a display module.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first hinge assembly is rotatable between a first position in which the first rigid connecting member is positioned adjacent the first section of the chassis and a second position in which the first rigid connecting member is displaced from the first section of the chassis.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the first resistance element provides a rotational resistance to retain the first hinge assembly in a fixed position between the first position and the second position.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the second hinge assembly is to be coupled to a first end of the second section of the chassis for the electronic device and is rotatable between a first position and a second position.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the second resistance element provides a rotational resistance to retain the second hinge assembly in a fixed position between the first position and the second position.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third resistance element to provide a third rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first end of the first rigid connecting member.

7. A chassis for an electronic device, comprising:
a first section and a second section; and
an assembly to connect the first section of the chassis to the second section of the chassis for an electronic device, comprising:
a first hinge assembly to be coupled to the first section of the chassis for the electronic device;
a second hinge assembly to be coupled to the second section of the chassis for the electronic device;
a first rigid connecting member to be coupled to the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly;
a first resistance element comprising a torsion spring and a friction element to provide a first rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first end of the first rigid connecting member; and
a second resistance element to provide a second rotational resistance between the second hinge assembly and a second end of the first rigid connecting member,

wherein the first rigid connecting member comprises a first plate and a second plate slidably engaged with the first plate between a first position in which the connecting member is fully extended and a second position in which the connecting member is retracted, wherein the first plate is disposed within the second plate, and
wherein a cable is disposed between the first plate and the second plate to provide electrical power to a display module.

8. The chassis of claim 7 , wherein:
the first hinge assembly is rotatable between a first position in which the first rigid connecting member is positioned adjacent the first section of the chassis and a second position in which the first rigid connecting member is displaced from the first section of the chassis.

9. The chassis of claim 8 , wherein:
the first resistance element provides a rotational resistance to retain the first hinge assembly in a fixed position between the first position and the second position.

10. The chassis of claim 7 , wherein:
the second hinge assembly is to be coupled to a first end of the second section of the chassis for the electronic device and is rotatable between a first position and a second position.

11. The chassis of claim 10 , wherein:
the second resistance element provides a rotational resistance to retain the second hinge assembly in a fixed position between the first position and the second position.

12. The chassis of claim 7 , further comprising a third resistance element to provide a third rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first end of the first rigid connecting member.

13. An electronic device, comprising:
at least one electronic component;
a chassis comprising a first section and a second section; and
an assembly to connect the first section of the chassis to the second section of the chassis for an electronic device, comprising:
a first hinge assembly to be coupled to the first section of the chassis for the electronic device;
a second hinge assembly to be coupled to the second section of the chassis for the electronic device;
a first rigid connecting member to be coupled to the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly;
a first resistance element comprising a torsion spring and a friction element to provide a first rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first end of the first rigid connecting member; and
a second resistance element to provide a second rotational resistance between the second hinge assembly and a second end of the first rigid connecting member,

wherein the first rigid connecting member comprises a first plate and a second plate slidably engaged with the first plate between a first position in which the connecting member is fully extended and a second position in which the connecting member is retracted, wherein the first plate is disposed within the second plate, and
wherein a cable is disposed between the first plate and the second plate to provide electrical power to a display module.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:
the first hinge assembly is rotatable between a first position in which the first rigid connecting member is positioned adjacent the first section of the chassis and a second position in which the first rigid connecting member is displaced from the first section of the chassis.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:
the first resistance element provides a rotational resistance to retain the first hinge assembly in a fixed position between the first position and the second position.

16. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:
the second hinge assembly is to be coupled to a first end of the second section of the chassis for the electronic device and is rotatable between a first position and a second position.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein:
the second resistance element provides a rotational resistance to retain the second hinge assembly in a fixed position between the first position and the second position.

18. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising a third resistance element to provide a third rotational resistance between the first hinge assembly and a first en

Assignees

• Byquist Tod A
• Bristol Peter
• Brazel Michael S
• Weihl Kristin L
• Latscha Stella
• Williams Alexander D
• Kurczewski Nicolas
• Dale Barry T
• Atkinson Jr Robert R
• Allen Stephen J
• Johnson Patrick S
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Byquist Tod A
• Bristol Peter
• Brazel Michael S
• Weihl Kristin L
• Latscha Stella
• Williams Alexander D
• Kurczewski Nicolas
• Dale Barry T
• Atkinson Jr Robert R
• Allen Stephen J
• Johnson Patrick S

Classifications

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05D11/08

  Friction devices between relatively-movable hinge parts (E05D7/086 takes precedence) · 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

• 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

• Y10T16/5403

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic