Electromagnetic fixing mechanism for preventing touch display module from pivoting relative to host module and electronic device therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9395752-B2
Application number	US-201313923361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2013
Priority date	Nov 23, 2012
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

An electromagnetic fixing mechanism includes a mounted component, a rotating component, a locating module, a fixing module, an electromagnetic component and a control unit. The locating module is for locating the rotating component on at least one fixing position while the rotating component pivots relative to the mounted component. The fixing module is installed on an end of the mounted component and used for fixing the rotating component while the rotating component is located on the at least one fixing position. The electromagnetic component is installed on the mounted component. The control unit is electrically connected to a touch display module and the electromagnetic component. The control unit is used for controlling the electromagnetic component to provide a magnetic attraction force to attract the fixing module for fixing the rotating component while the touch display module is activated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic fixing mechanism for preventing a touch display module of an electronic device from pivoting relative to a host module of the electronic device, comprising:
a mounted component connected to the host module;
a rotating component pivotally connected to the mounted component and connected to the touch display module such that the touch display module is capable of pivoting relative to the host module;
a locating module for locating the rotating component on one of a plurality of fixing positions while the rotating component pivots relative to the mounted component, such that an angle included between the touch display module and the host module is capable of being adjusted by the locating module, wherein the locating module comprises:
a plurality of recesses formed on a side of the locating module;
a plurality of locating grooves formed on the rotating component and corresponding to the recesses;
a plurality of sleeves installed in the locating grooves, respectively;
a plurality of balls, each of the balls being disposed at an end of one of the sleeves; and
a plurality of resilient components installed in the sleeves and used for pushing the balls such that the balls are engaged with the recesses and the rotating component is located on the at least one fixing position;

a fixing module installed on an end of the mounted component and used for fixing the rotating component while the rotating component is located on the at least one fixing position;
an electromagnetic component installed on the mounted component and used for providing a magnetic attraction force to attract the fixing module such that the fixing module fixes the rotating component; and
a control unit electrically connected to the touch display module and the electromagnetic component, the control unit being used for controlling the electromagnetic component to provide the magnetic attraction force to attract the fixing module while a touch operation is performed on the touch display module.

2. The electromagnetic fixing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the fixing module comprises:
a plurality of fixing holes formed on the rotating component and corresponding to the locating grooves;
a fixing portion fixed on an axle portion of the mounted component, the recesses being formed on a side of the fixing portion and facing the balls, an insertion hole being formed on the fixing portion;
a fixing cover sleeved and fixed on the axle portion of the mounted component, a pillar-shaped recess being formed on the fixing cover and corresponding to the insertion hole;
a fixing pillar movably installed in the pillar-shaped recess of the fixing cover, the fixing pillar being driven by the magnetic attraction force provided by the electromagnetic component to pass through the insertion hole and be inserted into one of the fixing holes, so as to prevent the rotating component from pivoting relative to the mounted component; and
a recovery component installed in the pillar-shaped recess of the fixing cover and sleeved on the fixing pillar, the recovery component being used for driving the fixing pillar to move into the pillar-shaped recess while the fixing pillar has not been driven by the magnetic attraction force provided by the electromagnetic component yet.

3. The electromagnetic fixing mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the numbers of the fixing holes, locating grooves, recesses, sleeves, balls and resilient components are identical.

4. An electronic device comprising:
a host module;
a touch display module pivotally connected to the host module; and
an electromagnetic fixing mechanism for preventing the touch display module from pivoting relative to the host module, comprising:
a mounted component connected to the host module;
a rotating component pivotally connected to the mounted component and connected to the touch display module such that the touch display module is capable of pivoting relative to the host module;
a locating module for locating the rotating component on one of a plurality of fixing positions while the rotating component pivots relative to the mounted component, such that an angle included between the touch display module and the host module is capable of being adjusted by the locating module, wherein the locating module comprises:
a plurality of recesses formed on a side of the locating module;
a plurality of locating grooves formed on the rotating component and corresponding to the recesses;
a plurality of sleeves installed in the locating grooves, respectively;
a plurality of balls, each of the balls being disposed at an end of one of the sleeves; and
a plurality of resilient components installed in the sleeves and used for pushing the balls such that the balls are engaged with the recesses and the rotating component is located on the at least one fixing position;

a fixing module installed on an end of the mounted component and used for fixing the rotating component while the rotating component is located on the at least one fixing position;
an electromagnetic component installed on the mounted component and used for providing a magnetic attraction force to attract the fixing module such that the fixing module fixes the rotating component; and
a control unit electrically connected to the touch display module and the electromagnetic component, the control unit being used for controlling the electromagnetic component to provide the magnetic attraction force to attract the fixing module while a touch operation is performed on the touch display module.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the fixing module comprises:
a plurality of fixing holes formed on the rotating component and corresponding to the locating grooves;
a fixing portion fixed on an axle portion of the mounted component, the recesses being formed on a side of the fixing portion and facing the balls, an insertion hole being formed on the fixing portion;
a fixing cover sleeved and fixed on the axle portion of the mounted component, a pillar-shaped recess being formed on the fixing cover and corresponding to the insertion hole;
a fixing pillar movably installed in the pillar-shaped recess of the fixing cover, the fixing pillar being driven by the magnetic attraction force provided by the electromagnetic component to pass through the insertion hole and be inserted into one of the fixing holes, so as to prevent the rotating component from pivoting relative to the mounted component; and
a recovery component installed in the pillar-shaped recess of the fixing cover and sleeved on the fixing pillar, the recovery component being used for driving the fixing pillar to move into the pillar-shaped recess while the fixing pillar has not been driven by the magnetic attraction force provided by the electromagnetic component yet.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the numbers of the fixing holes, locating grooves, recesses, sleeves, balls and resilient components are identical.

7. An electromagnetic fixing mechanism for preventing a touch display module of an electronic device from pivoting relative to a host module of the electronic device, comprising:
a mounted component connected to the host module;
a rotating component pivotally connected to the mounted component and connected to the touch display module such that the touch display module is capable of pivoting relative to the host module;
a locating module for locating the rotating component on one of a plurality of fixing positions while the rotating component pivots relative to the mounted component, such that an angle included between the touch display module and the host module is capable of being adjusted by the locating module;
a fixing module installed on an end of the mounted component and used for f

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Chen Xiaoqing

Classifications

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• 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

• 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

• Y10T16/5401

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic