Hinge mechanism and portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9471111-B2
Application number	US-201514659592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A hinge mechanism includes first torsion shafts, a first torsion sleeve, second torsion shafts, a second torsion sleeve, a first fixing assembly, a second fixing assembly and a third fixing assembly. The first torsion sleeve is sleeved on the first torsion shafts to link the first torsion shafts. The second torsion sleeve is sleeved on the second torsion shafts to link the second torsion shafts. The first and the second torsion sleeves interfere with each other, so the adjacent first and second torsion shafts drive each other to move. The first fixing assembly is engaged with the adjacent first and second torsion shafts respectively. The second fixing assembly is engaged with the first torsion shaft away from the second torsion shafts. The third fixing assembly is engaged with the second torsion shaft away from the first torsion shafts. The first, second and third torsion shafts interfere with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge mechanism, adapted to be pivotally connected between a first body and a second body, comprising:
a plurality of first torsion shafts, wherein each of the first torsion shafts comprises a first locking end;
a first torsion sleeve rotatably sleeved on the first torsion shafts, so as to link the first torsion shafts;
a plurality of second torsion shafts, wherein each of the second torsion shafts comprises a second locking end;
a second torsion sleeve rotatably sleeved on the second torsion shafts, so as to link the second torsion shafts, the first torsion sleeve and the second torsion sleeve engagebly interfering with each other, such that one of the first torsion shafts and one of the second torsion shafts, which are adjacent to each other, drive each other to move;
a first fixing assembly engaged with one of the first locking ends of the first torsion shaft and one of the second locking ends of the second torsion shaft, which are adjacent to each other;
a second fixing assembly, adapted to be connected to the first body, engaged with the other first locking end of the first torsion shaft, which is away from the second torsion shafts; and
a third fixing assembly engaged with the second torsion shaft away from the first torsion shafts, the first fixing assembly disposed between the second fixing assembly and the third fixing assembly and engagebly interfering therewith, so as to drive one another to move upon rotation of one of the second fixing assembly and the third fixing assembly.

2. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second fixing assembly comprises a second fixing element and a second cover element, the second fixing element comprises at least one second locking hole engaged with the first locking end of the first torsion shaft furthest from the second torsion shafts, the second cover element covers the second fixing element, the third fixing assembly comprises a third fixing element and a third cover element, the third fixing element comprises at least one third locking hole engaged with the second locking end of the second torsion shaft furthest from the first torsion shafts, the third cover element covers the third fixing element.

3. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first fixing assembly comprises:
a first fixing element comprising a plurality of first locking holes respectively engaged with the first locking end and the second locking end of the first torsion shaft and the second torsion shaft adjacent to each other; and
a first cover element covering the first fixing element and the first locking holes, wherein the first cover element engagebly interferes with the second cover element and the third cover element, such that the first fixing assembly, the second fixing assembly and the third fixing assembly drive one another to move.

4. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first cover element comprises a plurality of driving inclined surfaces contacting the second cover element and the third cover element, the driving inclined surfaces are parallel to each other, when the second fixing assembly rotates relative to the first fixing assembly, the second cover element engagebly interferes with the corresponding driving inclined surface to drive the first cover element to rotate, the third cover element engagebly interferes with the corresponding driving inclined surface to drive the third cover element to rotate.

5. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality decorative elements connecting to the first fixing assembly, the second fixing assembly and the third fixing assembly respectively to cover the first torsion shafts, the second torsion shafts, the first torsion sleeve and the second torsion sleeve.

6. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:
a first connecting element connecting the first body and having a first linking end, wherein the decorative element, which connects to the second fixing assembly covers and connected to the first linking end; and
a second connecting element connecting the second body and having a second linking end, wherein the decorative element, which connects to the third fixing assembly covers and connected to the second linking end, such that the first body drives the first linking end so as to rotate relative to the second body through the hinge mechanism.

7. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first torsion sleeve comprises a first protrusion, the second torsion sleeve comprises a second protrusion, when the first torsion sleeve rotates relatively to the second torsion sleeve, the first protrusion engagebly interferes with the second protrusion to drive the second torsion sleeve to rotate.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a first body;
a second body;
the hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 pivotally connected between the first body and the second body, such that the first body is capable of rotating relatively to the second body through the hinge mechanism.

9. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first body comprises a display, and the second body comprises a keyboard module.

Assignees

• Acer Inc

Inventors

• Huang Yi-Ta
• Tai Wen-Chieh
• Ling Cheng-Nan
• Chen Hsien-Wei
• Chen Chun-I

Classifications

• 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

• E05D7/06

  to allow tilting of the members · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  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