Patent Application
20080301909
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide hinge, and more particularly to a rotatable slide hinge that allows a moving leaf to slide and turn relative to a stationary leaf.
2. Description of Related Art
The advancement of science and technology has resulted in electronic devices such as cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistant and the like. Electronic devices comprise a base, a cover and a conventional hinge or slide hinge. The cover is mounted above the base to make the electronic device smaller. The conventional hinge connects the cover to the base along an axis and allows the cover to pivot relative to the base. The conventional slide hinge connects the cover to the base to allow the cover to slide relative to the base. However, some designs require the cover to turn and slide relative to the base, and neither the conventional hinge nor the conventional slide hinge can perform both of these actions.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a rotatable slide hinge to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the invention is to provide a rotatable slide hinge that allows a moving leaf to slide and turn relative to a stationary leaf.
A rotatable slide hinge in accordance with the present invention comprises a stationary leaf, a moving leaf, a spring, a pivot pin assembly and a guide pin assembly. The stationary leaf has a top and a bottom. The moving leaf is mounted on the bottom of the stationary leaf, sliding and turning relative to the stationary leaf and has a top surface. The spring is attached to the top of the stationary leaf and has a stationary end and a moving end. The pivot pin assembly connects the stationary leaf and the moving leaf and allows the moving leaf to slide relative to the stationary leaf. The guide pin assembly extends through the moving end of the spring, the stationary leaf and the moving leaf to connect the stationary leaf, the spring and the moving leaf and allows the moving leaf to slide and turn relative to the stationary leaf.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
With further reference to
The guide channel (12) is formed through the stationary leaf (10), has an arced end (121), a default limit and a pivotal limit and may comprise a lip (122). The arced end (121) corresponds to the arced edge (101). The pivotal limit is formed at the arced end (121) of the guide channel (12). The lip (122) is formed around and protrudes into the guide channel (12).
The stationary spring hole (13) is formed in the stationary leaf (10).
The moving leaf (20) has a top surface and may comprise an optional guide edge, a pivot pin hole (21), a guide pin hole (22) and a directing pin hole (23) and is mounted on the bottom of the stationary leaf (10), slides and turns relative to the stationary leaf (10).
The guide edge corresponds to the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10).
The pivot pin hole (21) is formed in the top surface of the moving leaf (20) and corresponds to the slot (11) of the stationary leaf (10).
The guide pin hole (22) is formed in the top surface of the moving leaf (20) and corresponds to the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10).
With further reference to
The spring (30, 30′) may be attached to the stationary leaf (10) using rivets, welds, a fastener (33) or other conventional fastening methods.
The fastener (33) extends through the stationary end (31) of the spring (30, 30′) and is mounted securely in the stationary spring hole (13).
The pivot pin assembly (40) connects the stationary leaf (10) and the moving leaf (20) through the slot (11) of the stationary leaf (10) to the moving leaf (20) to allow the moving leaf (20) to slide relative to the stationary leaf (10). The pivot pin assembly (40) may further comprise a pivot pin (41) and a pivot pin washer (42).
The pivot pin (41) extends through the slot (11) of the stationary leaf (10) and is mounted securely in the pivot pin hole (21) of the moving leaf (20).
The pivot pin washer (42) is mounted around the pivot pin (41) between the lip (111) of the slot (11) of the stationary leaf (10) and the moving leaf (20).
Accordingly, the pivot pin (41) and the pivot pin washer (42) clamp the lip (111) of the slot (11) of the stationary leaf (10) to allow the pivot pin assembly (40) to move stably in the slot (11) of the stationary leaf (10).
The guide pin assembly (50) extends through the moving end (32) of the spring (30, 30′) and the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10) and is mounted on the moving leaf (20) to connect the stationary leaf (10), the spring (30, 30′) and the moving leaf (20) and allows the moving leaf (20) to slide and turn relative to the stationary leaf (10). The guide pin assembly (50) may further comprise a guide pin (51), a guide pin washer (53) and a guide pin disc (52).
The guide pin (51) extends through the moving end (32) of the spring (30, 30′) and the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10) and is mounted securely in the guide pin hole (22) of the moving leaf (20).
The guide pin washer (53) is mounted around the guide pin (51), is between the stationary and moving leaves (10, 20) and corresponds to the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10).
The guide pin disc (52) is mounted between the moving end (32) of the spring (30, 30′) and the lip (122) of the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10) and corresponds to the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10).
Accordingly, the guide pin disc (52) and the guide pin washer (53) clamp the lip (122) of the guide channel (12) of the stationary leaf (10) to allow the guide pin assembly (50) to move stably in the guide channel (12).
The directing assembly (60, 60′) corresponds to the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10) and is mounted on the moving leaf (20) to guide the moving leaf (20) slidably along the arced edge (101).
A first embodiment of the directing assembly (60) comprises a directing washer (62) and a directing pin (61).
The directing washer (62) is mounted between the arced edge (101) and the moving leaf (20). The directing pin (61) abuts the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10), extends through the directing washer (62) and is mounted securely in the directing pin hole (23) of the moving leaf (20).
Accordingly, the directing washer (62) and the directing pin (61) clamp the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10) to allow the moving leaf (20) to move stably along the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10).
A second embodiment of the directing assembly (60′) is L shaped in cross section, is formed on and protrudes from the guide edge of the moving leaf (20) corresponding to the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10) and comprises an elongated notch (61′).
The elongated notch (61′) abuts the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10) to allow the moving leaf (20) to move stably along the arced edge (101) of the stationary leaf (10).
With further reference to
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Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
