1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to interference assemblies and, particularly, to an interference assembly for a hinge and a collapsible device utilizing the hinge.
2. Description of Related Art
A collapsible device, such as a notebook computer, or a clamshell mobile phone, generally including a main body and a display often uses a hinge to interconnect the main body and the display. The hinge allows the display to be rotational with respect to the main body, and to be folded with the main body for saving space.
A hinge normally includes a first element and a second element fixed to the main body and the display of the collapsible device, respectively. The first and second elements are rotational relative to and in friction engagement with each other. The first element includes two raised portions, and the second element includes two depressed portions for receiving the raised portions. During rotation, the raised portions are moved out from the corresponding depressed portions, resulting in friction between the first and second elements for maintaining the display at any angle with respect to the main body. However, the first and second elements are not durable. After frequent usage and due to wear and tear, the first and second elements could no longer fit together tightly, thereby preventing the display from being able to stay at certain desirable positions. Even worse, when one of the first and second elements is worn out, the display cannot maintain stability at almost any angle with respect to the main body, which is quite inconvenient for users.
Referring to
The first connecting member 12 defines a plurality of fixing holes 122. Similarly, the second connecting member 14 defines a plurality of fixing holes 142. The first and second connecting members 12, 14 can be rotated relative to each other.
The second connecting member 14 includes a connecting portion 140, and a fixing portion 143 perpendicularly extending from the connecting portion 140. The fixing holes 142 are defined in the connecting portion 140. The fixing portion 143 defines a round through hole 144, and a fixing hole 146 adjacent to the through hole 144.
The shaft 16 is fixed to the first connecting member 12. A distal end of the shaft 16 is non-circular in shape, such as double-D shaped in the illustrated embodiment, and defines a threaded portion 162 thereon. The shaft 16 rotatably extends through the through hole 144 of the second connecting member 14, thereby allowing the second connecting member 14 to rotate freely relative to the shaft 16 and the first connecting member 12.
Referring to
Referring also to
Two arc-shaped second raised portions 198 arranged around the through hole 192 protrude out from the first side 180, too. The second raised portions 198 are staggered protrusions on the first side 180, and are opposite to each other across the through hole 192. Heights of the second raised portions 198 are substantially equal to heights of the first raised portions 200. One end of each second raised portion 198 communicates with one end of a corresponding first raised portion 200. The first side 180, in between the raised portions 200, 198 defines a plurality of recessed portions 186, capable of retaining lubricant. Each end of the first and second raised portions 200, 198 are slantingly connected to the first side 180. A protrusion (not labeled) extends from the circumference of the first element 182. A fixing post 196 extends away from the first side 180 from the protrusion along an axial direction of the first element 182. The fixing post 196 is fixed in the fixing hole 146, thereby fixing the first element 182 to and moving together with the second connecting member 14.
Referring to
Each friction member 20 defines a double-D shaped through hole 202 for engaging the shaft 16. The shape of the through hole 202 corresponds to the cross-section of the shaft 16, and thus, the friction members 20 and the shaft 16 are immovable with one another.
Each biasing member 22 is configured to provide elastic forces along an axial direction of the shaft 16 to tighten the friction members 20, the interference assembly 18, and the second connecting member 14. The biasing member 22 defines a round through hole 222 for the shaft 16 passing through, thereby, allowing the shaft 16 to rotate freely relative to the biasing member 22.
Referring to
In the aforementioned assembly, the fixing post 196 of the first element 182 is inserted into the fixing hole 146 of the second connecting member 14, thereby allowing the second connecting member 14 non-rotationally fitting about the first element 182. One of the friction members 20 is mounted between the second connecting member 14 and the first element 182, with immovably fitted about and rotated with the shaft 16. The second element 184 is immovably mounted to and rotated with the shaft 16, with the matching surface 210 engagable with the first side 180 of the first element 182.
Referring to
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
200820302005.X | Sep 2008 | CN | national |
This application is related to a co-pending U.S. patent application, application Ser. No. 12/250487, filed concurrently with the present application, entitled “HINGE AND COLLAPSIBLE DEVICE UTILIZING THE SAME”, which is assigned to the same assignee as that of the present application. The inventor of the co-pending application is Shin-Yuan Wang. The Specification and Drawings of the co-pending application are incorporated herein by reference.