1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge, and more particularly to a sliding hinge mainly applied in a sliding type electronic device.
2. The Related Art
An electronic device, such as a cellular phone, an electronic dictionary, and the like, is designed to have two parts slidable relatively via a sliding hinge for reducing the volume and enlarging the image display area thereof. Generally, a sliding hinge 200 in prior art, shown in
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sliding hinge having a thin construction. The sliding hinge includes a flat base body having an opening at a middle thereof, a sliding body slidably coupled with the base body, and at least one torsion spring placed in the opening of the base body. The at least one torsion spring has a first elastic arm and a second elastic arm. A free end of the first elastic arm is pivotably connected to a middle portion of a side of the opening parallel to a sliding direction of the sliding body. A free end of the second elastic arm is pivotably connected with a middle portion of the sliding body. The torsion spring will move in the opening to store an elastic force when the sliding body is pushed to bring the second elastic arm to approach the first elastic arm gradually, and subsequently release the stored elastic force to make the sliding body slide automatically.
As described above, either an sliding type electronic device with the sliding hinge mounted thereon is opened or closed, the torsion spring is moved in the opening to drive the sliding body to slide with respect to the base body automatically. The sliding hinge does not need to leave a relatively large space between the base body and the sliding body at a direction perpendicular to the base body, for receiving the torsion spring, which reduces the height of the sliding hinge and, consequently, reduces the thickness of the electronic device.
The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
With reference to
The base body 10 has a base plate 11 of rectangular shape. The base plate 11 has a substantial rectangular opening 12 at a middle portion thereof. The opening 12 is enlarged and extended to be apart from the edges of the base plate 11 with a short distance. Two opposite long sides of the opening 12 are protruded inwards to form mounting slices 14. Each of the mounting slices 14 has a mounting hole 15. The mounting holes 15 are biased from each other. Two opposite long sides of the base plate 11 extend upwards and bend outwards to form two lateral portions 13.
The sliding body 20 has a sliding plate 21 of rectangular shape. The sliding plate 21 has two pivot holes 22 arranged at a middle portion thereof and aligned with each other along a sliding direction thereof. Two opposite short sides of the sliding plate 21, parallel to the sliding direction of the sliding body 20, respectively have two fixing holes 23 spaced away from each other.
The sliding hinge 100 further has two sliding elements 50 for slidably fixing the base body 10 and the sliding body 20 together. Each of the sliding elements 50 has a sliding rail 51 and a connecting bar 52 coupled with the sliding rail 51. The sliding rail 51 is a bar shape and has a receiving groove 511 at an inner side thereof for receiving the lateral portion 13 of the base body 10. An outer side of the sliding rail 51 is protruded outwards to form two protrusions 512 of substantially T shape, engaged with substantial T-shaped grooves 521 formed on a top of the connecting bar 52 using a press fit, for fixing the sliding rail 51 and the connecting bar 52 together. The connecting bar 52 further has two fixing lumps 522, located between the grooves 521 and adjacent to the respective grooves 521, corresponding to the fixing holes 23.
Please refer to
Referring to
As described above, either the sliding type electronic device is opened or closed, the torsion springs 31, 32 are moved in the opening 12 to drive the sliding body 20 to slide with respect to the base body 10 automatically. The sliding hinge 100 does not need to leave a relatively large space between the base body 10 and the sliding body 20 along a direction perpendicular to the base body 10, for receiving the torsion springs 31 and 32, which reduces the height of the sliding hinge 100 and, consequently, reduces the thickness of the electronic device. In addition, the sliding hinge 100 are provided with the torsion springs 31 and 32 to achieve the semi-automatic open or close function, which will keep better pushing force and prolong the using time.
The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.