Patent Application
20110265288
The present invention relates to a two-stage dual-pintle hinge and particularly to a dual-pintle hinge equipped with two single-pintle hinges that can be pivoted in a two-stage manner.
The conventional flip-lid electronic device (such as notebook computer, mobile phone and the like) generally has a hinge to bridge a display and a keyboard, and provide a torsional force required for lifting the display against the keyboard. The conventional hinge generally has a single-pintle. While it allows the display to be lifted and pivoted against the keyboard, it has only one axis and the axis cannot be altered during swiveling.
To remedy the aforesaid problem, a “dual-pintle” hinge has been developed as disclosed in PCT patent No. WO 2007/029546. It proposes a dual-pintle hinge to bridge two frames of an electronic device, and mainly includes a rotary cam run through by two switch shafts. The switch shaft has a fixed cam and a spring, and the two single-pintle hinges are juxtaposed in an integrated manner to allow the two frames to be unfolded in various types to increase degrees of freedom of swiveling angle.
However, the successive movements of the two single-pintle hinges of the aforesaid dual-pintle hinge cannot be controlled as desired. In the same flipping movement, sometimes one of the single-pintle hinges pivots, sometimes another single-pintle hinge pivots, or two of them pivot at the same time. As a result, the flipping condition is unpredictable to the user. Moreover, anchoring effect of the frames is merely relied on the rotary cam and fixed cam, the cam surfaces have to support the weight of the frames for a long time and be worn off quickly, thus result in a shorter lifespan.
Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a dual-pintle hinge that can be pivoted at two stages in a sequence and provide a longer lifespan.
To achieve the foregoing object, the present invention provides a two-stage dual-pintle hinge that mainly includes a first axis, a second axis and at least one connecting elements. The first axis has a first torsion unit and a first anchor portion. The second axis has a second torsion unit and a second anchor portion. The connecting element has two apertures run though by the first and second axes in the same direction, such that the first axis and the connecting element form a first pivot displacement between them, and the second axis and the connecting element form a second pivot displacement between them. The connecting element has a third anchor portion corresponding to the first and second anchor portions. The first anchor portion and the third anchor portion form an anchor relationship in the first pivot displacement to drive the second pivot displacement. During the second pivot displacement, the second anchor portion and the third anchor portion form an anchor relationship.
By means of the structure set forth above, only the first stage pivot displacement between the first axis and connecting element has been finished, the second stage pivot displacement between the connecting element and second axis can be driven, so that pivot displacements are performed in a constant sequence. Moreover, both the first and second axes can form anchoring effect with the connecting element to provide auxiliary support and increase the life span.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Refer to the drawings for an embodiment of the invention in which a first connecting element 40 and a second connecting element 50 are provided that have respectively two apertures 41 and 51 run through by the first and second axes 10 and 20 in the same direction. The first axis 10 and the first and second connecting elements 40 and 50 form a first pivot displacement. The second axis 20 and the first and second connecting elements 40 and 50 form a second pivot displacement. Moreover, the first connecting element 40 has a cam surface 42 around the circumferences of the two apertures 41 corresponding to cam surfaces 141 and 241 formed on the cams 14 and 24. The second connecting element 50 has a plane around the two apertures 51. The friction pads 15 and 25 are in contact with the first and second connecting elements 40 and 50 to provide torsional forces for the first and second pivot displacements. The second mounting plate 22 has a support member 221 supporting and butting the first and second connecting elements 40 and 50. One of the connecting elements has a third anchor portion 52 corresponding to the first and second anchor portions 11 and 21. In the drawings of the invention, the third anchor portion 52 is located on the second connecting element 50, but in practice, it also can be located on the first connecting element 40. As shown in the drawings, the first, second and third anchor portions 11, 21 and 52 are lugs to allow the first and second anchor portions 11 and 21 to form latch and anchor relationship with the third anchor portion 52 during the first and second pivot displacements.
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Although the embodiment previously discussed has two connecting elements, a single connecting element may also be used to couple the first and second axes 10 and 20 to simplify the structure regardless of the number of the connecting elements. The invention mainly provides features by having the first and second axes 10 and 20 run through by the connecting element in the same direction to form the first pivot displacement between the first axis 10 and the connecting element and the second pivot displacement between the second axis 20 and the connecting element. The first and second axes 10 and 20 and the connecting element have respectively a first, second and third anchor portions 11, 21 and 52. During the first pivot displacement of the first axis 10 and the connecting element, the first anchor portion 11 and the third anchor portion 52 form an anchor relationship to stop the first pivot displacement and drive the second pivot displacement of the connecting element and second axis 20. During the second pivot displacement, the second anchor portion 21 and the third anchor portion 52 form an anchor relationship to stop the second pivot displacement. Hence the second pivot displacement of the connecting element and the second axis 20 is driven and performed only after the first pivot displacement of the first axis 10 and the connecting element has finished, thus a constant pivot sequence is formed. Moreover, the first and second axes 10 and 20 can be coupled with the connecting element to form the anchor effect to provide auxiliary support, and also increase the lifespan.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
