Telephonic communications – Terminal – Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-20
2001-09-25
Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Terminal
Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295358
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hinge device, and in particular, to a hinge device for a portable electronic device.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei 10-344694 and Hei 11-132005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Background Art
Various types of compact electronic devices such as cellular telephones, portable computers (with or without a communication function), electronic note-books, and game computers have come into general use with advances in electronics technology in recent years. These compact devices have flip members (hereinafter referred to as flip-type electronic device), which can be closed when the device is carried, and can be open to a specific size to make the device easy to operate when the device is in use.
For example, a cellular telephone has a flip member which can be opened and closed. Recently, a detachable flip member has become in wide demand.
To make the flip member detachable from the device main body, the lip member is attached to the device main body by means of a hinge device. The conventional hinge device becomes complicated and large because it must includes a mechanism to maintain the flip member at a predetermined angle when the flip member is opened and closed. To reduce the size of the hinge device, the hinge device must be simplified, and as the result, the flip member cannot be securely held at the predetermined angle. In addition, electrical connections between the device main body and the flip member cannot be established in a small limited space. When the detachable mechanism for the flip member is equipped with the conventional hinge device, these problems become more serious. Therefore, an improved hinge device, which reduces its size while maintaining the mechanisms for securely holding the flip member, for making the flip member detachable, and for establishing the electrical connections, become in demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hinge device which has a simplified structure, securely holds a flip member, and reduces the size of the hinge device.
In one aspect of the present invention, the hinge device comprises: a casing having a projection hole; a cam provided in the casing, the cam being rotatable with respect to a rotational axis, movable in the direction of the rotational axis, and undetachable from the casing, the cam having a projection projecting through the projection hole and a cam face surrounding the rotational axis; a flat spring for holding the cam face; a base movable in the direction of the rotational axis, the cam being rotatably attached to the base; and a pressing spring for urging the cam and the base toward the direction of the projection. One of the cam and the base has a rotation stopper, and the other has a concavity for receiving the rotation stopper.
According to the present invention, when the rotation stopper is engaged with the concavity, the rotation is inhibited, preventing slippage of the shaft from a predetermined angle due to a shock. This is advantageous when the hinge device is applied to a flip-type portable phone with a flip member, because the present invention increases the holding force for maintaining the flip member opened at a predetermined angle. The rotation stopper engaged with the concavity can be released by rotating the cam relative to the base so that the base is pushed against the biasing force by the pressing spring toward the rear.
The hinge device of the present invention further comprises a engaging mechanism for engaging the base with the casing to prevent rotation of the base relative to the casing.
The engaging mechanism prevents the base from being rotated relative to the casing and limits the movement of the base so that the base cannot further move to the front. Although the pressing spring urges the base toward the front, the base cannot further move to the front. Therefore, the biasing force toward the front does not act on the cam which is positioned in front of the base. That is, the cam is not pressed onto the casing, thereby preventing occurrence of friction between the cam and the casing.
The engaging mechanism comprises a slit made in the casing, and a projection formed on the base, and the projection is inserted through the slit.
The engaging mechanism of the slit in the casing and the projection of said base simplifies the structure of the hinge device, can be easily manufactured, and can be easily positioned when assembled.
A pair of the flat springs having L-shapes are provided. The ends of the flat springs are fixed to the base, while the other ends of the flat springs are in contact with the cam face, and the two flat springs are positioned opposite to each other on both sides of the cam. The pressing spring is in contact with the flat springs so that the pressing force is converted by way of the flat spring into a force to close the flat springs.
Alternatively, the flat spring may have a U-shape, a middle portion of the flat spring is fixed to the base, and both ends of the flat spring are in contact with the cam face. The pressing spring is in contact with the flat springs so that the pressing force is converted by way of said flat spring into a force to close said flat springs.
By increasing the pressing force by the pressing spring, the closing force of the flat spring is increased. The increased closing force produces a large torque on the cam faces. Although the hinge device of the present invention is small, it can produce a torque on the cam faces to make the operation of the flip member stable.
The cam has a shaft hole extending on the rotational axis, and the base has a shaft inserted in the shaft hole so that the cam is rotatable relative to the base. Thus, the base supports the rotatable cam, and makes the rotation of the cam stable, preventing misalignment of the cam.
The casing has a slit and a stopper face at one end of the slit, and the base has a main base which is inserted through the slit and which is movable in the slit. The slit is engaged with the base, preventing the rotation of the base relative to the casing. Therefore, the cam can be rotated relative to the casing, and the rotation of the cam becomes more stable. Further, this engaging mechanism is quite simple, thereby simplifying the manufacturing and assembly process of the hinge device.
The flat spring has a claw inserted in the slit. The flat spring is engaged with the slit so that the rotation of the flat spring relative to the casing is inhibited. Therefore, the flat spring can hold the cam securely at a predetermined position.
The flat spring has a claw, and the base may have a concavity for engaging with the claw. Only the base is in contact with the slit while the flat spring is not in contact with the slit. The rotation of the flat spring relative to the casing is still inhibited. When the base is made of a material (for example, plastic) easy to slip along the casing, the cam can be smoothly moved forward and backward (in the direction of the rotational axis).
A through-hole may be made through the base and the cam. Through this through-hole, electrical connections between the flip member and the device main body can be established.
According to the present invention, the hinge device is simplified, can hold the flip member securely, and can reduce the size. Further, this invention makes the manufacturing and assembling process easy, and enhances the durability and reliability of the hinge device. In addition, this invention maintains the detachable mechanism and the mechanism for establishing electrical connections.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5636275 (1997-06-01), Takagi et al.
patent: 07133686 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 08121462 (1996-05-01), None
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patent: 08247134 (1996-09-01), None
patent: 09170372 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 09243970 (1997-09-01), None
patent: 09280248 (1997-10-01), None
patent: 10153214 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 11030226 (1999-02-01), None
Chiang Jack
Hoffman & Baron LLP
Straberry Corporation
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