Hinge device

Details Hinge device Hinge device

1999-12-01

2001-11-20

Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,

Hinge

Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...

C016S338000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06317927

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hinge device which can be reliably positioned at any of a variety of angles, more particularly, to a durable hinge device which is manually rotated.
The rapid development of portable computers has resulted in requirements for various hinge devices. A hinge device is desired for use in joining a display unit to a mainframe unit of a portable computer while reliably maintaining the two units in a fixed rotational position. Such a hinge device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,066 and is illustrated in FIG.
5
. The hinge device comprises a female connecting member
1
, a male connecting member
2
and a plurality of fastening elements (not shown). The female connecting member
1
is fastened to a mainframe unit (not shown) of a portable computer (not shown) and includes a pair of parallel flat walls
12
and
14
and a pair of axle housings
16
connected between the two parallel flat walls
12
and
14
. The male connecting member
2
is fastened to a display unit (not shown) of the portable computer and includes a pivot rod
23
, a mounting plate
21
extending from an end of the pivot rod
23
, and a neck
25
at an opposite end of the pivot rod
23
. The neck
25
and the pivot rod
23
extend through the axle housings
16
of the female connecting member
1
, the fastening elements being fastened to the neck
25
for holding the female connecting member
1
and the male connecting member
2
together. The pivot rod
23
of the male connecting member
2
fully contacts the inner face of the axle housings
16
of the female connecting member
1
without any intermediate, whereby the hinge device is held in position by a constant frictional force in all rotational positions. However, the frictional force lessens with use and after a time can not support positioning of the display unit relative to the mainframe unit.
The design of the hinge device results in a shortened lifespan for the hinge device, whereby the positioning of the mainframe unit relative to the display unit can not be ensured.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a durable hinge device manually rotated and reliably positioned at any desired angle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge device for use in a portable computer, which has a resilient tube with a long-lasting resiliency which provides a long useful life for the hinge device.
A hinge device of the present invention comprises a female hinge member, a male hinge member and a resilient tube. The male hinge member includes a hollow connecting shaft at one end, a mounting plate at an opposite end and a shoulder between the connecting shaft and the mounting plate. A plurality of grooves is formed on an outer periphery of the connecting shaft. Four channels are longitudinally defined in the connecting shaft at equiangular positions, the channels as viewed from an end of the connecting shaft being distributed in the shape of a cross, to prevent loss of friction in the hinge device. An arcuate surface is formed at each edge of the channels. A pair of axle holes is defined in the mounting plate for engaging the male hinge member to a mainframe board of a mainframe unit of a portable computer. The female hinge member includes a sleeve and a mounting plate extending from one end of the sleeve. An end of the sleeve adjacent to the mounting plate is closed, and the sleeve has a receiving opening for telescopically receiving the connecting shaft of the male hinge member. A pair of axle holes is defined in the mounting plate for attaching the female hinge member to a display board of a display unit of a portable computer. The resilient tube defines a longitudinal slot for maintaining resiliency and allowing outward expansion of the resilient tube for maintaining tight contact between the connecting shaft of the male hinge member and the sleeve of the female hinge member.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5765263 (1998-06-01), Bolinas et al.
patent: 5832566 (1998-11-01), Quek et al.
patent: 5894635 (1999-04-01), Lu
patent: 6085388 (2000-07-01), Kaneko
patent: 6119310 (2000-09-01), Ohshima et al.

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