Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-21
2002-06-25
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
C016S337000, C016S340000, C248S923000, C361S689000, C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06408485
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hinge for use in a notebook computer and, more particularly, to such a hinge that can easily be turned to the desired angle and then positively positioned in the adjusted angle.
In a mobile computer, for example, a notebook computer, hinge means is used to couple two movable parts (the mainframe and the LCD module) of the notebook computer, for enabling the movable parts to be turned relative to each other between the close position and the open position. FIGS
1
A and
1
B show a hinge for this purpose. This structure of hinge comprises a mounting frame
10
, a pivot shaft
12
, a positioning unit W, and two washers
14
. The mounting frame
10
is fixedly fastened to, for example, the mainframe of the notebook computer, comprising a coupling plate
11
and a pivot hole
110
at one end of the coupling plate
11
. The pivot shaft
12
comprises a flat rear mounting tail
121
fixedly fastened to, for example, the LCD module of the notebook computer, a threaded shaft body
120
inserted through the pivot hole
110
, and a collar
122
disposed between the flat rear mounting tail
121
and the threaded shaft body
120
and stopped at one end of the pivot hole
110
. The positioning unit W is fastened to the threaded shaft body
120
of the pivot shaft
12
to secure the pivot shaft
12
to the mounting frame
10
, enabling the pivot shaft
12
to be turned relative to the mounting frame
10
and positioned in the desired angle. The positioning unit W comprises two leftwards protruded convex spring plates
16
and
17
mounted on the threaded shaft body
120
of the pivot shaft
12
and attached together, two rightwards protruded convex spring plates
18
and
19
mounted on the threaded shaft body
120
of the pivot shaft
12
and attached together and stopped against the leftwards protruded convex spring plates
16
and
17
, a nut
13
threaded onto the threaded shaft body
120
to secure the leftwards protruded convex spring plates
16
and
17
and the rightwards protruded convex spring plates
18
and
19
to the pivot shaft
12
, and a flat friction plate
15
mounted on the threaded shaft body
120
of the pivot shaft
12
and stopped between the nut
13
and the rightwards protruded convex spring plate
18
. This structure of hinge is still not satisfactory in function. The drawbacks of this structure of hinge are numerous and outlined hereinafter.
1. The positioning force is obtained from the contact areas L around the inner diameter and outer diameter of the convex spring plates
16
,
17
,
18
and
19
. Because the contact areas L are of line contact, the convex spring plates
16
,
17
,
18
and
19
must have high spring power so as to support the pivot shaft
12
in position when squeezed to deform.
2. Because all the component parts of the hinge are made of metal, less positioning force is produced between each two metal component parts. According to test, the coefficient of friction between each two metal members is less than the coefficient of friction between one metal member and one plastic member.
3. Because the spring power of the convex spring plates
16
,
17
,
18
and
19
deteriorates with use, the nut
13
must be fastened tight regularly.
4. Frequently opening/closing the two movable parts (the mainframe and the LCD module) of the device (the notebook computer) in which the hinge is installed may cause the nut to loosen, resulting in a positioning failure.
5. The threads of the threaded shaft body
120
of the pivot shaft
12
wear quickly with use because thee convex spring plates
16
,
17
,
18
and
19
are forced to rub against the threads of the threaded shaft body
120
of the pivot shaft
12
when opening/closing the two movable parts (the mainframe and the LCD module) of the device (the notebook computer) in which the hinge is installed.
6. Because the positioning unit W requires much installation space, the dimension of the hinge cannot be minimized as desired.
7. Because the hinge is comprised of a big number of parts, the structure of the hinge and its maintenance work are complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a hinge, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a hinge, which has a simple structure. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hinge, which is durable in use. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hinge, which requires less installation space. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hinge, which can be conveniently rotated to the desired angle and then positively positioned in the adjusted angle without causing deadlocking. According to one aspect of the present invention, the hinge comprises a mounting frame and a pivot shaft coupled together and respectively fastened to two movable parts of a computer apparatus for enabling the movable parts to be turned relative to each other, the mounting frame having a barrel, the barrel having a tapered orifice at one end, the pivot shaft having a collar stopped at one end of the barrel and a head stopped at the other end. of the barrel, a copper ring mounted on the shaft and fitted into the tapered orifice, and a springy rubber ring mounted on the pivot shaft and fitted into the tapered orifice and supported between the collar of the pivot shaft and the copper ring and adapted to support the pivot shaft in the barrel of the mounting frame in position. According to another aspect of the present invention, the springy rubber ring has raised portions over the surface thereof, which, when the hinge is installed, are deformed and pressed against the inside wall of the barrel and the outside wall of the pivot shaft to positively support the pivot shaft in the barrel in position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 299005 (1884-05-01), Peck et al.
patent: 1956040 (1934-04-01), Meyer
patent: 5333356 (1994-08-01), Katagiri
patent: 5715576 (1998-02-01), Liu
patent: 5832566 (1998-11-01), Quek et al.
patent: 5937482 (1999-08-01), Horng
patent: 6101676 (2000-08-01), Wahl et al.
patent: 6171011 (2001-01-01), Wu
patent: 6301748 (2001-10-01), Su-Man
patent: 0296962 (1954-05-01), None
patent: 0107143 (1967-08-01), None
patent: 2315914 (1974-10-01), None
Mah Chuck Y.
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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