1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge mechanism and a clamshell device using the same, and more particularly, to a hinge mechanism having a three-point support structure and a clamshell device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Of all the mechanical devices, clamshell devices are now frequently used in daily lives. In a clamshell device, the first cover body and the second cover body are mutually connected with each other through a hinge mechanism to let the first cover body and the second cover body rotate with respect to each other. While the clamshell device comprises a bearing to sustain torsion force, it often uses a gasket structure or a double coated structure to achieve the purpose. However, both the gasket structure and the double coated structure comprise only one single support at the bearing, which is the shaft. As there's only one single support, the first cover body and the second cover body tend to be shaky when they move with respect to each other. If one of the cover bodies is a touch panel, operations on the touch panel could be affected by the shaky moves of the cover bodies. In a prior art technique, the shaft would have its size increased when it needs to support the cover bodies to withstand increasing torsion force. However, since a larger shaft takes up more space in the clamshell device; it is not suitable for designing the clamshell device having a thinner and lighter form factor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge mechanism having a three-point support structure.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a clamshell device using the hinge mechanism having a three-point support structure.
In order to achieve the above object, a hinge mechanism of the present invention comprising a bearing, a first rotating element, a second rotating element, and a base. The first rotating element comprises a first jointed structure pivotally connected to the bearing. The second rotating element is pivotally connected to the first rotating element via a second jointed structure, and the second rotating element comprises a protruding element. The base comprises a groove having a size corresponded with a size of the protruding element for the protruding element to slide in the groove. The groove comprises a first end and a second end; when the first rotating element and the second rotating element rotate via the first jointed structure and the second jointed structure respectively, the protruding element moves from the first end to the second end to let the first jointed structure, second jointed structure and the protruding element form a three-point support structure.
The present invention also discloses a clamshell device operable in an open state and a closed state, the clamshell device comprising a first cover body; a second cover body; and a hinge mechanism connected with the first cover body and the second cover body respectively to let the first cover body and the second cover body rotate with respect to each other. The hinge mechanism comprises a bearing, a first rotating element, a second rotating element, and a base. The bearing is disposed on the second cover body. The first rotating element comprises a first jointed structure pivotally connected to the bearing for the first rotating element to rotate with respect to the bearing. The second rotating element is pivotally connected to the first rotating element via a second jointed structure for the second rotating element to rotate with respect to the first rotating element, wherein the second rotating element comprises a protruding element. The base is disposed on the second cover body, the base comprising a groove, wherein the groove has a size corresponded with a size of the protruding element for the protruding element to move in the groove, the groove comprises a first end and a second end; when the first cover body and the second cover body rotate with respect to each other, the first rotating element and the second rotating element rotate via the first jointed structure and the second jointed structure respectively, and the protruding element moves from the first end to the second end to let the first jointed structure, second jointed structure and the protruding element form a three-point support structure.
The advantages and innovative features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Please refer to
A hinge mechanism 10a can be used in a clamshell device 1 (as shown in
Each one of the first jointed structure 21 and the second jointed structure 31 can be a combination of a convex portion and a hole. As shown by the second jointed structure 31 of
The second rotating element 30a further comprises a protruding element 32 to cooperate with a groove 41 of the base 40a. The groove 41 comprises a first end 411 and a second end 412 for the protruding element 32 to slide between the first end 411 and the second end 412 of the groove 41. Besides, the protruding element 32 can further comprise a nut to push against each side of the groove 41 to increase friction between the protruding element 32 and the groove 41, making the hinge mechanism 10a more endurable to the increasing torsion force.
Please refer to
As shown in
When the first rotating element 20a and the second rotating element 30a rotate with respect to each other, the protruding element 32 of the second rotating element 30a moves along the groove 41, sliding from a position near the first end 411 of the groove 41 to the second end 412. The second end 412 leans against the protruding element 32 for the hinge mechanism 10a to withstand torsion force. Finally, when the hinge mechanism 10a rotates to a designated position, the operation is shown in
Please refer to
The clamshell device 1 comprises the first cover body 2, the second cover body 3 and the bearing 10a; the bearing 10a is connected with the first cover body 2 and second cover body 3 to enable the clamshell device 1 to operate in a closed state and an open state. For example, the clamshell device 1 can be a notebook PC, a mobile phone, or other devices, while the clamshell device 1 is illustrated by a notebook PC in
In the first embodiment of the present invention, the second rotating element 30a of the hinge mechanism 10a is disposed inside the first cover body 2; the bearing 11 and the base 40a are disposed on the second cover body 3. In
Please refer to
In the second embodiment of the present invention, the first rotating element 20b of the hinge mechanism 10b is disposed inside the first cover body 2, the groove 41 of the base 40b is tilted with a specific angle, so when the first cover body 2 is to rotate to an open state, the first rotating element 20b drives the second rotating element 30b to rotate therewith, the protruding element 32 of the second rotating element 30b pushes against the second end 412 of the groove 41 to be supported by the groove 41. In the meantime, since the groove 41 is tilted by the specific angle, when the first cover body 2 rotates, the second rotating element 30b rotates along with the first cover body 2. As shown in
Please refer both
In the third embodiment of the present invention, the first rotating element 20c of the hinge mechanism 10c is formed in an h-like shape and disposed inside the first cover body 2, but the first rotating element 20c can have other kind of shapes. The bearing 11 is disposed on the base 40c and is pivotally connected to the inner side of the first rotating element 20c via the first jointed structure 21. The second rotating element 30c is also pivotally connected to the inner side of the first rotating element 20c via the second jointed structure 31. When the first cover body 2 rotates to an open state, the second rotating element 30c is driven by the rotation of the first rotating element 20c to let the protruding element 32 of the second rotating element 30c move to the second end 412 of the groove 41. Hence, the first jointed structure 21, the second jointed structure 31, and the protruding element 32 can also form a three-point support structure to hold the first cover body 2.
From the descriptions above, the hinge mechanism 10a, 10b, and 10c can sustain larger torsion force through the three-point support structure without the need of using larger hinge, thereby reducing the size of the hinge mechanism and making it suitable for the clamshell device 1 having little containing space.
It is noted that the above-mentioned embodiments are only for illustration. It is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.