Friction hinge for tablet computers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9549479-B2
Application number	US-201414281905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2014
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for a kickstand or similar support device connection mechanism in conjunction with computing devices. A substantially constant gap may be maintained between the kickstand and the device enclosure across the hinge rotation spectrum allowing the hinge and/or the kickstand to be level with the device enclosure. The connection mechanism may support various usage loads and rotation angles up to about 180 degrees, as well as allow for low force opening to a first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiction hinge comprising:
a friction shaft;
a friction core that is configured to substantially surround the friction shaft,
wherein the friction core includes one of a friction band, a friction clip, and a friction disk,
wherein the friction band and the friction clip apply pressure circumferentially around the friction shaft,
wherein the friction disk applies friction axially around the friction shaft, and
wherein the one of the friction band, the friction clip, and the friction disk is configured to be attached to a first component;

a telescoping link attached to one of the friction core and the friction shaft; and
an anchor link configured to at least partially surround the telescoping link,
wherein the anchor link is configured to be attached to as second component and the friction hinge is configured to enable rotational coupling between the first and the second components while maintaining a substantially constant gap between the first and the second components during rotation.

2. The friction hinge of claim 1 , further comprising one or more notches formed near an end of the telescoping link such that a substantially zero torque is provided during an initial portion of the rotation of the first and the second components.

3. The fiction hinge of claim 1 , wherein the telescoping link and the anchor link are selected to provide additional friction for the friction hinge.

4. The friction hinge of claim 3 , wherein the additional friction is provided through one or more of a selection of dimensions of the telescoping link and the anchor link, a selection of materials for the telescoping link and the anchor link, and an application of friction controllable material to a surface of at least one of the telescoping link and the anchor link.

5. The friction hinge of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the friction core is selected such that one of a tuned torque profile and a programmed torque profile is created.

6. The friction hinge of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the friction core is selected such that an asymmetric torque profile is provided, with less torque being presented as the first and the second component are rotated toward each other compared to a torque being presented as the first and the second component are rotated away from each other.

7. The friction hinge of claim 1 , wherein the friction core is formed using metal injection molding (MIM).

8. A friction hinge for coupling a kickstand and a computing device, the friction hinge comprising:
a friction shaft;
a friction band that is configured to substantially surround the friction shaft,
wherein the friction band is configured to be attached to the kickstand;

a telescoping link attached to one of the friction shaft and the friction band; and
an anchor link configured to at least partially surround the telescoping link,
wherein the anchor link is configured to be attached to a body of the computing device, the friction hinge enabling rotational coupling between the kickstand and the body while maintaining a substantially constant gap between the kickstand and the body during rotation of the kickstand.

9. The friction hinge of claim 8 , wherein the friction shaft has a substantially elliptical profile and the friction band is a continuous circular band such that compliance is created by spaces between a substantially elliptical friction shaft and the continuous circular band.

10. The friction hinge of claim 8 , wherein a location of a gap in the friction band is selected based on a desired dip in a rotation angle—torque curve of the friction hinge.

11. The friction hinge of claim 8 , further comprising a brake lever configured to provide increased friction and an asymmetric torque as the kickstand opens and closes.

12. The friction hinge of claim 8 , further comprising a brake pad configured to compress one or more components of the friction hinge through an adjustable pressure mechanism to provide increased torque as a kick stand is rotated.

13. The friction hinge of claim 8 , wherein a shape of the friction shaft and the friction band are selected to provide a multi-step torque profile across a rotation spectrum of the kickstand.

14. A rotatable support structure comprising:
a kickstand;
a friction shaft;
a friction band configured to substantially surround the friction shaft, wherein the friction band is configured to be attached to the kickstand;
a telescoping link attached to one of the friction shaft and the friction band; and
an anchor link and configured to at least partially surround the telescoping link, wherein the anchor link is configured to he attached to an enclosure, the rotatable support structure enabling rotational coupling between the kickstand and the enclosure while maintaining a substantially constant gap between the kickstand and the enclosure during rotation of the kickstand.

15. The rotatable support structure of claim 14 , wherein the friction shaft has a profile comprising of two substantially concentric circles with distinct diameters, at least one of the diameters being selected based on a desired torque to be presented as the kickstand is rotated.

16. The rotatable support structure of claim 14 , wherein the friction shaft and the friction band have a profile with a number of local minima, the number of local minima selected based on a number of detent positions for the kickstand.

17. The rotatable support structure of claim 14 , wherein the friction shaft and the friction band have a profile comprising a combination of a substantially constant diameter first circle and an increasing diameter second circle to provide a torque profile that includes a constant torque portion and an increasing torque portion across a rotation spectrum of the kickstand.

18. The rotatable support structure of claim 14 , wherein the friction shaft and the friction band have a profile comprising a combination of a substantially constant diameter first polygon and an increasing diameter second polygon to provide a torque profile that includes a constant torque portion and an increasing torque portion across a rotation spectrum of the kickstand with detent positions.

Assignees

• Microsoft Corp
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Gault Joe
• Bowers Scott
• Bitz Brian
• Singla Aseem

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

• H05K5/0086

  portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02) · CPC title

• H05K5/0234

  Feet; Stands; Pedestals, e.g. wheels for moving casing on floor · CPC title

• H05K5/0226 Primary

  Hinges · CPC title

• Y10T16/54038

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic