Hinge unit and hinge structure

Details Hinge unit and hinge structure Hinge unit and hinge structure

2001-07-31

2003-03-11

Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3676)

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

Hinge

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

C016S303000, C016S341000, C379S433130

Reexamination Certificate

active

06530121

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to a hinge unit which regulates the angle of rotation, and a hinge structure which uses this hinge unit to support a first box-form body and a second box-form body so that these box-form bodies can rotate relative to each other.
FIGS. 11 and 12
show a hinge unit
100
which is used in a foldable portable telephone. Here, a cylindrical first cam body
104
and second cam body
106
are fit over a shaft
102
, so that these cam bodies can rotate relative to the shaft
102
.
The first cam body
104
and second cam body
106
have the same shape, and the cam surface
104
A of the first cam body
104
and a cam surface
106
A of the second cam body
106
contact each other over their entire surfaces in a state that the cam bodies are rotated 90° about the shaft
102
.
Meanwhile, a flange part
102
A is formed on one end of the shaft
102
, so that the first cam body
104
is prevented from slipping off. Furthermore, an E-ring
108
is fit over the other end of the shaft
102
.
A compression coil spring
110
is mounted between the E-ring
108
and the second cam body
106
, so that the second cam body
106
is urged toward the first cam body
104
. Accordingly, the second cam body
106
contacts the first cam body
104
or moves away from the first cam body
104
while sliding over the shaft
102
in accordance with the opening angle of the second box-form body
112
, thus applying an opening force to the second box-form body
112
.
Thus, a tentatively assembled hinge unit
100
is constructed by the shaft
102
, first cam body
104
, second cam body
106
and compression coil spring
110
. However, since various parts of this hinge unit
100
are exposed, the hinge units
100
may become entangled with each other when a plurality of hinge units
100
is packaged and shipped, so that handling is difficult.
In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge unit in which there is no entanglement of a plurality of packaged hinge units with each other even if the first box-form body and second box-form body are not attached, so that handling is easy.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge unit as stated above, wherein the attachment of the above mentioned hinge unit to the first box-form body and second box-form body is easy.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect of the invention, a rotating cam and a slide cam are accommodated in a case, and the rotating cam can rotate relative to the case. Meanwhile, the slide cam is prevented from rotating relative to the case, but can move in the axial direction along the inside wall of the case. Furthermore, the slide cam is urged toward the rotating cam by driving means accommodated in the case.
Here, cam surfaces are formed on the abutting surfaces of the slide cam and rotating cam, and these cam surfaces make contact with each other or move away from each other according to the relative rotational angle of the slide cam and rotating cam, so that the cam surfaces has a contact configuration ranging from a full-surface contact to a partial contact.
Thus, by the movement of the slide cam along the inside wall of the case, even if no shaft is used, the axis does not shift when the slide cam moves. Specifically, since the case is provided with the function of a shaft, an increase in the number of parts of the hinge unit can be prevented.
Furthermore, since the slide cam, rotating cam and driving means are accommodated inside the case, there is no exposure of these various parts. As a result, there is no entanglement of a plurality of packaged hinge units with each other, so that handling is easy.
Furthermore, in this hinge unit, if the case is held and a torque is applied to the rotating cam, the slide cam and rotating cam can be rotated relative to each other. Accordingly, mechanical numerical values, such as the required torque, etc., can be determined. Consequently, torque can be controlled for the hinge unit, so that there is little variation in the product.
Considering a case in which this hinge unit is used, for example, with the case attached to a shaft part on the main body side and the rotating cam connected to a shaft part on the cover side, the rotating cam rotates relative to the case when the cover is opened in the opening direction from a closed state, so that the slide cam moves along the axis of the case in the direction in which the slide cam is separated from the rotating cam by the action of the cam surfaces, thus causing the contact configuration of the cam surfaces to reach a partial contact.
When the cover is further opened from this stage, the cam surface of the rotating cam rides over the peak parts of the cam surface of the slide cam, so that the slide cam is caused to move toward the rotating cam by the driving force of the driving means. This moving force is converted by the cam surfaces into a force that rotates the cover via the rotating cam.
In a second aspect of the invention, the slide cam contacts inside the case. As a result, shifting of the axis of the slide cam is prevented even more securely.
In a third aspect of the invention, a connecting part is formed on the rotating cam, and this connecting part protrudes to the outside from the box-form case. By thus causing a connecting part to protrude from the case, it is possible to apply torque to the rotating cam without any particular need to screw a connecting tool, etc., into the rotating cam.
Meanwhile, a square guide plate is molded as an integral part of the slide cam, and this guide plate can slide along the inside wall of the case. By thus forming the case in a box shape and forming the square guide plate on the slide cam, it is possible to prevent rotation of the slide cam by means of a simple structure.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, the connecting part is formed in the shape of a square column. Accordingly, since the connecting part is prevented from rotating with respect to the accommodating part merely by forming the accommodating part with an angular shape, there is no need to use a complex shape as in conventional device, so that working costs can be reduced.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, the diameter of the circumferential wall of the aforementioned slide cam is the same as the width of the aforementioned guide plate. Accordingly, not only the side surfaces of the guide plate, but also the circumferential wall surfaces of the slide cam, slide along the inside wall of the case, so that the sliding contact area with the inside wall of the case is increased. Consequently, the slide cam can move without any shift in the axis of the slide cam.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, the aforementioned cam surface of the slide cam includes peak parts and valley parts, and the peak parts and valley parts are disposed at 90-degree intervals. Furthermore, the corner parts of the aforementioned guide plate are positioned in the vicinity of straight lines that connect the axial center of the slide cam with the valley parts as seen in a plan view.
Since the parts that slide along the inside wall of the case are the circumferential wall of the slide cam and the side surfaces of the guide plate, the contact area of the inside wall of the case relative to the circumferential wall of the slide cam and side surfaces of the guide plate can be large in order to prevent any shift in the axis of the slide cam.
Accordingly, in case where the side surfaces of the guide plate are positioned in the vicinity of the straight line that connects the axis of the slide cam and the valley parts of the cam surface, the valley parts and peak parts of the cam surface are positioned substantially at the centers of the side surfaces of the guide plate.
In this case, the length that slides along the inside wall of the case at the approximate centers of the side surfaces of the guide plate becomes equal to the thickness of the guide

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