Hinge structure, support structure and electric apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9729766-B2
Application number	US-201514706281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A hinge structure, comprising a plurality of bearings each of which has a cylindrical body formed by using a molding die, and a shaft member rotatably supported by the plurality of bearings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric apparatus, comprising:
a main body;
a display connected to the main body; and
a support structure comprising:
a base;
a first movable unit rotatably connected to the base;
a first hinge configured to rotatably connect the base and the first movable unit;
a second movable unit rotatably connected to the first movable unit, the body to be supported being attached to the second movable unit;
a second hinge rotatably connecting the first movable unit and the second movable unit, a rotation axis of the second hinge being in parallel with a rotation axis of the first hinge; and
a fixing unit configured to integrally fix the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit when the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit are folded and stacked on top of one another, and to release a fixed state of the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit when a force having a predetermined strength or more is applied to the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit in a direction to pull the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit apart,
the support structure movably supporting the display with respect to the main body,
wherein:
the base of the support structure is attached to the main body;
the display is attached to the second movable unit of the support structure; and
the second movable unit of the support structure comprises an indicator disposed in a peripheral portion of a screen of the display.

2. The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit integrally fixes the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit at a central position between the rotation axis of the first hinge and the rotation axis of the second hinge.

3. The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit comprises a magnet attached to at least one of the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit.

4. The support structure according to claim 3 ,
wherein:
the magnet is attached to one of the base and the second movable unit to protrude toward an other of the base and the second movable unit; and
the first movable unit has one of a hole and a recess in which a protruded part of the magnet is stored.

5. The support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein:
the second movable unit comprises a first operator operable to open the second hinge unit; and
the first operator is disposed on a first hinge side with respect to a fixed position by the fixing unit.

6. The support structure according to claim 5 ,
further comprising a second operator operable to open the first hinge unit,
wherein the second operator is provided on one of the first movable unit and the second movable unit and is disposed on a second hinge side with respect to the fixed position by the fixing unit.

7. The support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the base comprises a guard configured to cover both end portions of each of the first movable unit and the second movable unit in a rotation axis direction, at a central position between the rotation axis of the first movable unit and the rotation axis of the second movable unit, so as to prevent a user's finger from touching both end portions of each of the first movable unit and the second movable unit when the base, the first movable unit and the second movable unit are folded and stacked on top of one another.

8. The support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first hinge comprises:
a first shaft fixed to the first movable unit;
a bearing fixed to the base, the bearing rotatably supporting the first shaft; and
a friction member fixed to the base, the friction member applying frictional resistance to rotations of the first shaft,
wherein the friction member is a leaf spring comprising:
first and second fixing parts fixed to the base; and
a friction part having a V-shape to connect the first and second fixing parts and to sandwich the first shaft between the friction part and the base,
wherein the first shaft contacts with and is pressed by the base and two surfaces forming the V-shape of the friction part, and the frictional resistance is applied to the rotations of the first shaft.

9. The electric apparatus according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a driver configured to drive a removable storage medium,
wherein:
the indicator is an access lamp displaying a status of accessing the removable storage medium by the driving device and is disposed on the second movable unit at a position near the driver integrally.

Assignees

• Ricoh Imaging Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yanagisawa Kimiharu

Classifications

• E05D11/08

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

• E05D7/10

  to allow easy separation {or connection} of the parts at the hinge axis ({E05D5/12 and E05D15/50 take precedence } ; substitutes for hinges E05D1/06) · CPC title

• E05D11/082

  with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces · CPC title

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G03B17/04 Primary

  collapsible, foldable or extensible, e.g. book type · CPC title