Patent Application
20110085297
The present invention generally relates to a device with a rotatable display and, more particularly, to a laptop with a self-releasing and self-engaging mechanism for a rotatable display.
Portable laptop computers are used widely. They come in a variety of configurations, including notebook or tablet style. A convertible tablet laptop is an alternative to conventional laptops, desktops, or PDAs, as it offers enhanced portability and multiple working positions—a display mode and a regular laptop mode. Convertible laptops combine many advantages of both notebook style computers and tablet style computers. Some of those advantages are accomplished by using a hinge mechanism to connect the laptop's base to its display. Those mechanism allow the display to rotate 180°, or even a full 360°. Most hinge mechanisms are single-hinge designs centered behind the laptop's keyboard. These single-hinge designs suffer from many deficiencies because of their frailty, which is particularly evident on larger computers, or those used outdoors or mounted in vehicles.
Until now, efforts to design robust hinge mechanisms for devices with a rotatable display have had limited success. Some attempts have included a hinge mechanism that uses one or more side hinges for robustness. But such hinge mechanisms typically require an additional component, namely a manual locking device for the side hinges. Manual locking devices make tablet laptops cumbersome. They prevent users from quickly and easily swiveling the laptop display to a tablet position. There remains a need for a laptop having a robust, self-engaging and self-releasing hinge mechanism.
The exemplary embodiments of the disclosed hinge mechanism are not limited to laptops and can be used in other devices, such as DVD players, GPS systems, storage systems, or cell phones.
In a first exemplary embodiment, a hinge assembly is provided. The hinge assembly may be used in a laptop computer. The hinge assembly may include a swivel hinge attached to a base assembly and to a display panel, the swivel hinge adapted to allow the display panel to pivotally and rotationally move with respect to the base assembly. The hinge assembly may further include one or more side hinges attached to the base assembly, the one or more side hinges being generally collinear with the swivel hinge and having a slot formed therethrough, wherein the one or more tabs are adapted to engage and release the display panel when the display panel is in a hinge free angle.
In a second exemplary embodiment, a device is provided. The device may include a base assembly, a panel pivotally attached to the base assembly and having one or more tabs extending away from a surface of the panel, and a hinge assembly for mounting the panel to the base assembly. The hinge assembly may create an attachment between the display panel and the base assembly such that the display assembly can be rotated about a vertical axis with respect to the base assembly. The hinge assembly may further include one or more side hinges that are adapted to receive the one or more tabs.
In a third exemplary embodiment, a device is provided. The device may include a center hinge removably anchored to a base assembly, a panel connected to the center hinge. The panel may be adapted to rotate and pivot about the center hinge and have a tab protruding from the panel in a lateral direction. The device may further include a side hinge attached to the base assembly adapted to accept the tab as the panel is rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction with respect to the base assembly.
Advantages of the exemplary embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements.
The following description conveys an understanding of embodiments that relate to devices and, more particularly, to a laptop having features that allow its display to rotate 180° or more. Many exemplary embodiments of devices having features that allow the display to rotate 180° or more are described below. Although the exemplary embodiments generally depict a laptop, the features that allow the display to rotate may be used in devices, structures, machines, or apparatuses other than laptops, such as DVD players, GPS systems, and cell phones. The exemplary embodiments may even be used in non-electronic devices, structures, machines, or apparatuses that may utilize a hinge mechanism for rotating a display, cover, storage compartment, antenna(s) . . . . The exemplary embodiments described below may be dimensioned differently and may have additional components not described, or components removed. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate alternative purposes, uses, and benefits for the exemplary embodiments depending on specific design needs and other considerations.
The terms used in describing exemplary embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of any particular exemplary embodiment. As used throughout this disclosure, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, and vice versa.
The accompanying figures and following description depict and describe exemplary embodiments of a laptop with a self-engaging hinge mechanism. As used throughout this description, the term “laptop” or other like terms is meant to encompass any laptop—mini, lightweight, widescreen, and so on. The term “laptop” is also meant to encompass any type of laptop regardless of performance capabilities. But, the exemplary embodiments may also be used in any devices, machines, or apparatuses with a rotatable component.
With regard to the exemplary embodiments described below, any part that fastens, mounts, attaches, or connects any component to or from the laptop or hinge is not limited to any particular type and is instead intended to encompass all known and conventional fasteners, like screws, nut and bolt connectors, threaded connectors, snap rings, detent arrangements, claims, rivets, toggles, and so on. Any combination of these fitments can be used.
With regard to electronic parts of the exemplary embodiments, any known or conventional, or commercially available electronic components, connectors, or devices may be used. This includes wiring, connectors, printed circuit boards, microchips, lights, LEDs, and so on. Unless otherwise specifically disclosed, materials for making components of the exemplary embodiments may be selected from appropriate materials, such as metal, metal alloys, natural or manmade fibers, plastics, silicone, rubber, and so on. Any and all appropriate manufacturing or production methods, such as casting, pressing, extruding, molding, machining, may be used to construct the exemplary embodiments or their components.
When describing exemplary embodiments, any reference to front and back or rear, top and bottom, right and left, upper and lower, and so on, is intended to conveniently described those embodiments only. Spatial and positional references do not limit the exemplary embodiments or its components to any specific position or orientation.
Exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to
The display panel 112 may be connected to the base assembly 102 via one or more hinges. In an exemplary embodiment, the laptop 100 may comprise three hinges, a base hinge 122, and two side hinges 124. Each hinge 122, 124 may be anchored to the base assembly 102 and extend upwardly for attachment to the display panel 112. Of course, each hinge 122, 124 may be anchored to the display panel 122 and extend downwardly for attachment to the base assembly 102. The one or more hinges 122, 124 may be designed and located such that they cooperatively work together to pivotally open and rotate the display panel 112 with respect to the base assembly 102, as will be further explained below.
In an exemplary embodiment, the hinge 122 may be a display hinge, centered in the back region of the base assembly 102 behind the keyboard 106. The two side hinges 124 may be located on opposite sides in the back region of the base assembly 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the two side hinges 124 may be collinear with the center hinge 122 and may be near the side of the base assembly 102. The side hinges 124 may be positioned at a predetermined distance from the center hinge 122 to improve the stability and robustness. The one or more hinges may be made of any suitable material, including but not limited to metal, metal alloys, natural or manmade fibers, plastics, or any combination thereof.
The hinge 122 may designed and configured to allow the display panel 112 to pivot from a closed position to an open one, and vice versa, as depicted in
The hinge 122 may comprise any number of components, including one or more shanks, spools, shafts, swivel shafts, washers, pins, brackets, plates, resilient or securing members, bosses, and so on. Any on of these hinges may be used with the exemplary embodiments described.
Referring now to
When the display panel 112 is in a hinge free angle α, it may be rotated with respect to the base assembly 102 such that the tab 610 on the left side of the display panel engages the slot 620. The slot 620 is sized and shaped to receive the tab 610. The slot 620 extends through the side hinge 124 to allow the tab 610 on the right side of display panel 112 to engaged in the left side hinge once the display has been rotated 180° (tablet configuration) In an exemplary embodiment, the tab 610 does not snap into the side hinge 620 but is rather only received therein. The one or more side hinges 124 and tab 610 allow for the display panel 112 to be rotated secured in different positions without the need for a locking mechanism. As stated above, the one or more side hinges 124 will have a slot on the back of the hinge 124 to allow the display panel 112 to be rotated 180° with respect to the base assembly 102 so that the display panels right tab (610) is now engaged in the left hinge and vice-versa. Moreover, the one or more hinges 124 may have a top face 624 to prevent the tab 610 from being dislodged in the vertical direction. In an exemplary embodiment, the laptop 100 may provide a detent on the one or more tabs 610 to correspond with a hinge free angle α, thus creating a mechanism to allow a user to identify when the display panel 112 has been pivoted into a hinge free angle α and ready for rotation.
Referring now to
Referring to
In another embodiment, the display panel 112 may have a slotted receiver formed therein that corresponds to one or more tabs 610 form integrally with the one or more side hinges 124. In this embodiment, the one or more tabs 610 would be attached to the base assembly 102 as opposed to the display panel 112.
This disclosure describes exemplary embodiments of laptops, including convertible laptops, that have features to allow a laptop to operate in a notebook and/or tablet style. Those embodiments may be used in any type of laptop. However, it will be understood that the foregoing embodiments may be used in any type device, structure, machine, or apparatus such as DVD players, GPS systems, and cell phones, or even non-electronic devices, structures, storage systems, machines, or apparatuses. Additionally, it will be understood that these and other embodiments are capable of use in various other combinations and environments and can be changed or modified without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
