Glasses device hinge assembly

Abstract

A hinge assembly is mounted on a housing forming part of an electronic device. The hinge assembly includes a metallic hinge member having a hinge post that extends through a mounting hole in the wall of the housing. The hinge post is connected to a metallic anchor plate located on the inner side surface of the housing wall to be fixed in terms of rotation and axially with respect to the anchor plate. The area of the anchor plate can be several times the area of the hinge member. In some embodiments, the hinge post and the anchor plate are fastened by a welding connection.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of invention patent application No. 201980021130.4, filed on March 22, 2019, and entitled “Hinge assembly for eyeglass device”.

[0002] priority

[0003] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 647,057, filed on March 23, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to eyeglass devices, including eyeglass devices supporting electronic functions, and to hinge assemblies for hingedly connecting temples to a frame of the eyeglass device, and to methods for manufacturing the eyeglass devices. Background Art

[0005] Many electronic devices have components that are hingedly connected to the device body. For example, electronics-enabled eyewear devices (also known as smart glasses) typically have a pair of temples that are hingedly connected to a frame that holds a pair of lenses. Mounting a hinge structure on the device body to form part of a hinge mechanism for such a connection can be problematic.

[0006] Such hinge supports are often subject to torsional and tensile loads and should be able to withstand such loads without damaging the housing of the electronic components to which the hinge mechanism is mounted, which housing is in many cases a polymer plastic material. Furthermore, the hinge support is usually preferably waterproof to protect the electronic components located within the housing from the environment or ambient moisture. Existing mechanisms for incorporating hinge mechanisms in a housing forming part of an electronic device do not meet these requirements. Summary of the invention

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a hinge assembly that is mounted on a housing that forms part of an electronic device, the hinge assembly comprising a metal hinge member having a hinge post that extends through a mounting hole in a wall of the housing and is connected to a metal anchor plate on the inner side of the housing wall to be rotationally and axially fixed relative to the anchor plate.

[0008] The area of ​​the anchor plate may be several times the footprint of the hinge member, and the hinge member is prevented from being removed laterally in a direction away from the housing wall by causing the hinge plate to rest (stop) against the inner side of the housing wall. In some embodiments, the hinge member defines a shoulder or flange on the outer side of the housing wall that abuts against the housing wall, so that at least a portion of the housing wall is sandwiched between the anchor plate and the flange or shoulder, and the axial movement of the hinge member into the mounting hole is blocked / retarded by causing the flange or shoulder to rest against the housing wall.

[0009] In some embodiments, the anchor plate can be rotationally fixed relative to the housing wall by a key to prevent the anchor plate from rotating relative to the housing, thereby preventing the hinge member from rotating about a rotation axis extending transversely through the housing wall through the anchor plate via its rotational connection with the hinge member.

[0010] In some embodiments, the anchor plate is welded to the hinge strut. In some such embodiments, the anchor plate can be welded to the hinge strut by laser spot welding. In a particular embodiment, a series of laser spot welds extend circumferentially around the central axis of the hinge strut. Alternatively or additionally, the anchor plate can be clamped to the housing wall by a set screw that is threadably received in the hinge strut and has a screw head located on the inner side of the housing wall.

[0011] In some embodiments, the hinge member is sealingly mounted in the mounting hole. In one such embodiment, an annular sealing member is received on the hinge member, such as in a radial groove of the hinge strut, and is sealingly engaged with both the hinge strut and the mounting wall.

[0012] In some embodiments, the hinge assembly is in thermally conductive communication with one or more heat generating electronic components within the housing such that the anchor plate and hinge member form part of a thermally conductive path that allows for thermal management by conducting heat through the hinge assembly.

[0013] The benefit of the technique outlined above and described in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings is that it provides enhanced structural integrity for the hinge base. Tensile loads (e.g., provided by the force pulling the temple away from the housing) are transferred to the housing over the increased area provided by the anchor plate, while torsional loads (e.g., provided by the torque applied to the temple) are similarly transferred to the housing at the larger lever arm provided by the periphery of the anchor plate. These and other advantages will become apparent from the detailed description below. Another benefit is that, in some embodiments, the larger metal components provided by the anchor plate and the hinge member together form a strong and reliable heat conduction path, in some cases, the reliability of the connection is ensured by welding and the claimed connection method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not to be considered as limiting the scope thereof. To facilitate the collation of numbered elements in the drawings in the specification, the first digit of each numbered element generally corresponds to the drawing in which the element first appears. In the drawings:

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronically enabled device in the form of smart glasses having a pair of temples hingedly mounted to a spectacle frame at opposite side end pieces of the spectacle frame according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 is a combination of the exemplary embodiments Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of a housing assembly in an end piece of an eyewear device, Figure 2 The polymer plastic housing of the end piece is shown in phantom to expose the components of the hinge assembly located within the housing cavity defined by the housing.

[0017] Figure 3 According to an exemplary embodiment Figure 2 A side cross-sectional view of the end member housing and hinge assembly.

[0018] Figure 4 According to an exemplary embodiment Figure 3 A bottom view of the hinge assembly from inside the housing cavity is shown to illustrate the anchor plate that forms part of the hinge assembly.

[0019] Figure 5 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a housing and a hinge assembly constituting a portion of an end piece of an eyeglass apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following description includes devices, systems, methods and techniques that embody illustrative embodiments of the present invention. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth to provide an understanding of the various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. Typically, well-known structures and techniques are not necessarily shown in detail.

[0021] Figure 1An oblique front view of an electronically functional device in the exemplary form of an eyeglass device 100 is shown, which eyeglass device 100 incorporates a pair of hinge mechanisms therein, which are mounted on a body 103 of the eyeglass device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed technology. The body 103 includes a front element or frame 106 and a pair of temples 109 that are hingedly connected to the frame 106 to allow the temples 109 to be moved when the temples 109 are in a position such as Figure 1 The extended or wearable configuration shown supports the frame 106 in position on the user's face. In this exemplary embodiment, the frame 106 is provided at least in part by one or more substantially rigid molded components made of polymer plastic material.

[0022] The eyeglass device 100 has a pair of optical elements in the form of a pair of optical lenses 112 held by corresponding optical element holders in the form of a pair of lens rims 116 that form part of the frame 106. The rims 116 are connected together by a bridge 118. In other embodiments, one or both of the optical elements may be a display device, a display assembly, or a combination of a lens and a display device. In such embodiments, the eyeglass device 100 may provide a virtual reality headset or an augmented reality display.

[0023] The frame 106 includes a pair of end pieces 121 defining lateral end portions of the frame 106. In this example, various electronic components are housed in one or both end pieces 121, as discussed in more detail below. In some embodiments, the frame 106 is made of a single piece of material, thereby having a one-piece or unitary structure. In this exemplary embodiment, each end piece 121 is formed of a separate molded plastic component.

[0024] The temples 109 are hingedly connected to the respective end members 121 by respective hinge mechanisms so that in the wearable mode (eg Figure 1 106 and a folded mode in which the temples 109 are pivoted toward the frame 106 to lie substantially flat thereon. Figure 2-5 The mounting details of the hinge member forming part of the hinge mechanism at each end piece 121 are discussed in more detail.

[0025] In this specification, directional terms such as front, back, front and rear will be understood with reference to the viewing direction of the user when wearing the eyeglass device 100. Therefore, the frame 106 has a front side 134 facing away from the user when worn and an opposite rear side 137 facing the user when wearing the eyeglass device 100. Similarly, in this specification, the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" used with reference to different features of the eyeglass device 100 should be understood to correspond to the orientation of the eyeglass device 100 when it is horizontal on the face of the user looking forward. Therefore, the horizontal plane of the eyeglass device 100 extends generally between the end members 121 (the horizontal direction is located on a horizontal plane including the lateral direction extending between the end members 121 and the front-to-back direction perpendicular to the lateral direction), and the vertical or upright direction of the eyeglass device 100 extends transversely to the horizontal plane, so that the lens 112 has a generally vertical or upright orientation. These terms should be understood without considering the current actual orientation of the eyeglass device 100 relative to the earth's gravity.

[0026] The eyeglass device 100 has an onboard electronic device 124, which includes a computing device, such as a computer, which in different embodiments can be of any suitable type to be carried by the body 103. In some embodiments, various components including the onboard electronic device 124 are at least partially contained in one or both temples 109. In this embodiment, the components of the onboard electronic device 124 are contained in the lateral end parts 121 of the frame 106. The onboard electronic device 124 includes one or more processors, which have a memory, a wireless communication circuit, and a power source (a rechargeable battery, such as a lithium-ion battery in this exemplary embodiment). The onboard electronic device 124 includes low-power high-speed circuits, and in some embodiments, includes a display processor. Various embodiments may include these elements in different configurations or integrated together in different ways.

[0027] As described above, the onboard electronics 124 includes a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the battery is disposed in one of the temples 109. However, in this exemplary embodiment, the battery is housed in one of the end pieces 121 and is electrically coupled to the rest of the onboard electronics 124.

[0028] The eyeglass device 100 has a camera function, and in this example, it includes a camera 130, which is installed in one of the end pieces 121 and faces forward to be generally aligned with the viewing direction of the wearer of the eyeglass device 100. The camera 130 is configured to capture digital photos and digital video content. The operation of the camera 130 is controlled by a camera controller provided by the onboard electronics 124, and image data representing the image or video captured by the camera 130 is temporarily stored in a memory constituting a part of the onboard electronics 124. In some embodiments, the eyeglass device 100 may have a pair of cameras 130, which are housed in each end piece 121, for example.

[0029] The eyeglass device 100 also includes one or more input and output devices that allow communication with and control of the camera 130. In particular, the eyeglass device 100 includes one or more input mechanisms to enable a user to control one or more functions of the eyeglass device 100. In this embodiment, the input mechanism includes a button mechanism 115 mounted on the frame 106 so that it can be accessed on the top of one end piece 121 to be pressed by the user.

[0030] Figure 2 1 shows a housing assembly 200 according to an exemplary embodiment, which is incorporated into the eyewear device 100 to provide an end piece 121. In order to provide a clearer view of the internal components of the housing assembly 200, Figure 2 The housing 204 is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 , and the hinge member 215 is mounted on the housing 204. The housing 204 is a molded component of a polymer plastic material and defines a housing cavity 205 in which a plurality of electronic components of the eyeglass device will be housed (see, for example, FIG. 21 ). Figure 5 The rear side of the housing cavity 205 (i.e., the portion of the housing 204 facing the rear when the housing 204 constitutes a part of the eyeglass device 100) is closed by the housing wall 208. The housing cavity 205 is positioned toward the inner side 210 of the housing wall 208, while the outer side 209 of the housing wall 208 faces the outside of the housing 204.

[0031] The housing wall 208 defines a mounting hole 212 extending transversely therethrough to receive and retain a portion of a hinge member 215. In this specification, directional terms related to an unspecified axis (e.g., the terms axial, circumferential, radial, etc.) should be understood as directions related to an axis extending from the center through the mounting hole 212 and substantially perpendicular to the housing wall 208.

[0032] The hinge member 215 is a metal component of one-piece construction and includes a cylindrical hinge post 227 that coaxially extends through a complementary cylindrical mounting hole 212 in the housing wall 208. The hinge member 215 also includes a hinge structure in the form of a pair of hinge knuckles 219 that project axially away from the housing wall 208 when the hinge posts 227 are located in the mounting holes 212. It will be appreciated that the hinge knuckles 219 are connected in use to a set of complementary hinge knuckles on the associated temple 109, for example by hinge pins that connect the hinge knuckles 219 to the hinge knuckles of the temple to provide a hinge mechanism that connects the temple 109 to the housing 204.

[0033] Between the hinge joint 219 and the hinge post 227, the hinge member 215 defines at its base a flange 223 having a larger diameter than the hinge post 227. The flange 223 rests against the housing wall 208 thereby positioning the hinge member 215 in an axial position and preventing the hinge member 215 from axially passing through the mounting hole 212. Note that in this exemplary embodiment, the mounting hole 212 defines a shallow depression or cavity at its entrance (i.e., on the outer side 209 of the housing wall 208) that is complementary in shape and size to the flange 223 such that the axial outer surface of the flange 223 is flush with the surface of the housing wall 208 on its outer side 209. It should also be noted that the circumferential profile of the flange 223 and the cavity in which it is located is non-circular, thereby keying or indexing the hinge joint 219 in a proper orientation about the longitudinal axis of the hinge member 215.

[0034] The hinge support 227 defines a radial groove 231 on its cylindrical surface to accommodate the O-ring 303 ( Figure 3 ), thereby providing a sealed interface between the hinge support 227 and the housing wall 208 in the mounting hole 212.

[0035] If you will refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 As described in more detail, the hinge strut 227 is connected to the anchor plate 237 at the inner side 210 of the housing wall 208. The anchor plate 237 extends transversely relative to the hinge strut 227 (in this case, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hinge strut 227) and is substantially parallel to the housing wall 208. A portion of the housing wall 208 is sandwiched or clamped between the anchor plate 237 and the flange 223 of the hinge member 215 without clearance.

[0036] The anchor plate 237 is a metal component, in this exemplary embodiment a stamped sheet metal plate, and has an area that is significantly larger than the area of ​​the flange 223 opposite thereto. In this example, the approximate radius of the anchor plate 237 relative to the hinge post 227 is more than twice the approximate radius of the flange 223. It should also be noted that the anchor plate 237 has a non-circular shape and is received in the housing cavity 205 such that the anchor plate is rotationally fixed relative to the housing wall 208 by a key. By this rotational keying, it is meant that relative rotation between the anchor plate 237 and the housing 204 about the hinge post 227 is not possible due to the physical obstruction between the anchor plate 237 and the housing 204.

[0037] The anchor plate 237 is fixed both in rotation and translation relative to the hinge strut 227. Figure 4 As described above, the hinge support 227 is welded to the anchor plate 237. In this embodiment, the anchor plate 237 is also secured to the hinge support 227 by a double-sided adhesive layer 309 ( Figure 3 ) is attached to the housing wall 208, and the double-sided adhesive layer 309 is located in the form of adhesive contact between the anchor plate 237 and the inner side 210 of the housing wall 208. The double-sided adhesive layer 309 provides a redundant water seal (in addition to the water seal provided by the O-ring 303) and provides additional support for mechanically transmitting the load applied to the hinge joint 219 to the housing 204 via the anchor plate 237.

[0038] Now turn to Figure 3 It can be seen that in this exemplary embodiment, the connection of the anchor plate 237 to the hinge post 227 also includes a fixing screw 306 that passes through an opening in the anchor plate 237 and is coaxially threadedly received in the hinge post 227. A portion of the anchor plate 237 is not only held between the head of the fixing screw 306 and the hinge post 227, but is also clamped on the hinge post 227 by the head of the fixing screw 306.

[0039] The screws 306 are thus tensioned during assembly so that they continuously exert a compressive clamping force on the anchor plate 237 under a continuous tensile load. Note that in this exemplary embodiment, the adhesive layer 309 is not only located between the anchor plate 237 and the housing wall 208, but also extends to the interface between the anchor plate 237 and the hinge post 227. Thus, the clamping force exerted by the set screws 306 promotes the adhesive connection between the anchor plate 237 and the hinge post 227 via the adhesive layer 309. Some exemplary embodiments may omit the set screws 306.

[0040] exist Figure 3The sealing interface provided by the O-ring 303 between the hinge support 227 and the housing wall 208 can be clearly seen in the figure. The radial compression of the O-ring 303 ensures the waterproofness between the hinge support 227 and the housing wall 208. It should be understood that in this case, the mounting mechanism provides a double seal to prevent water and other contaminants from entering the housing cavity 205, which is provided by the O-ring 303 and the adhesive layer 309 respectively.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, in this exemplary embodiment, the anchor plate 237 abuts against the housing wall 208 and is separated from the housing wall 208 only by the adhesive layer 309. Figure 5 As described in the embodiments of FIG. 2 , in other embodiments, the anchor plate 237 can be separated from the shell wall 208 by one or more components sandwiched between the anchor plate 237 and the shell wall 208 (e.g., a portion of a plastic insert overmolded on the anchor plate 237).

[0042] exist Figure 4 , the profile of the anchor plate 237 is shown as viewed from the interior of the housing cavity 205. Note that the non-circular profile of the anchor plate 237 is positioned to closely abut the peripheral wall of the housing 204 and is keyed to be rotationally fixed relative to the housing 204 by interengaging with one or more protrusions on the inner side 210 of the housing wall 208.

[0043] Figure 4 Also shown is a welded connection between the anchor plate 237 and the hinge post 227. Specifically, in this exemplary embodiment, the welded connection includes a series of weld spots 404 formed in a laser welding operation. The weld spots 404 include a series of weld spots extending circumferentially around the central axis of the hinge post 227. It should be understood that the weld spots 404 connect the anchor plate 237 and the hinge post 227 together to prevent axial separation and relative rotation.

[0044] In addition to providing a structural connection between the hinge member 215 and the housing 204 , in some embodiments, the anchor plate 237 has the additional function of providing a mounting site for one or more internal components located in the housing cavity 205 . Figure 5 One such exemplary embodiment is shown in which a housing assembly 500 includes an electronic mounting structure in the form of a plastic insert 505 that is overmolded onto an anchor plate 237 prior to assembly. A flexible printed circuit board 510 is at least partially mounted to the composite mounting structure provided by the anchor plate 237 and the plastic insert 505. A number of other internal electronic components are additionally mounted to the composite mounting structure thus provided.

[0045] Additionally, in some embodiments, the anchor plate 237 and hinge member 215 can be used as thermal conductors in a thermal management system to conduct heat away from the housing cavity 205. Figure 5 In an exemplary embodiment, for example, the PCB 510 (and in some embodiments, additional heat-generating components in the housing cavity 205) is connected to the anchor plate 237 in a heat transfer relationship, thereby conducting heat generated by the PCB 510 during operation from the housing cavity 205 to the hinge joint 219 via the anchor plate 237 and the hinge member 215 and out.

[0046] The benefits of the hinge mounting techniques described with reference to the exemplary embodiments are that they provide greater structural integrity and resistance to axial and rotational loads than is the case with prior mounting techniques. In particular, because the hinge member 215 transmits axial tensile loads to the anchor plate 237 through the welded connection and clamping screws 306, such tensile loads are borne by substantially the entire inner surface of the housing wall 208. Likewise, torsional loads are resisted by rotationally fixing the anchor plate 237 relative to the housing 204 using a key. The increased lever arm of torsional resistance acting on the periphery of the anchor plate 237, as compared to a keyed structure on a hinge post, means that less resistance is required to resist a given torsional load. In this way, the reliability and structural integrity of the housing assembly 200 are significantly greater than prior systems.

[0047] Therefore, the mounting mechanism allows the metal hinge to be assembled to the plastic housing 204 without visible external fasteners, thereby being both aesthetically pleasing and tamper-proof. In addition, a reliable water seal is provided for the hinge mounting by the redundant sealing mechanism provided by the O-ring 303 and the double-sided adhesive layer 309.

[0048] Additionally, the location of the metal anchor plate 237 in the housing cavity 205 (which is a significantly stronger and more rigid material than is the case with the polymer plastic housing 204) provides a reliable and convenient fastening point for other assembly components in the housing 204. Another advantage of the disclosed mounting technique is that the entire stack structure provides a heat transfer path for heat dissipation between the internal components and the exterior. The clamping contact between the anchor plate 237 and the hinge member 215 promotes reliable and efficient heat conduction across the interface therebetween.

[0049] It will be seen that the above description discloses a variety of different exemplary embodiments. A non-exhaustive selection of the disclosed embodiments is summarized below in a numbered list. It should be emphasized that the present disclosure is not limited to the numbered exemplary embodiments.

[0050] Example 1: A housing assembly comprising:

[0051] a housing defining a housing cavity for holding an electronic component, the housing including a housing wall defining a mounting hole extending transversely therethrough, the housing wall having an exterior side and having an opposing interior side adjacent the housing cavity;

[0052] a hinge member at least partially mounted in the mounting hole, the hinge member including a hinge structure protruding from an outer side of the housing wall to connect to a complementary hinge structure to form a hinge mechanism, the hinge member being anchored to prevent axial movement of the hinge member through the mounting hole toward the inner side; and

[0053] An anchor plate is located on the inner side of the housing wall, the anchor plate is transverse to the mounting hole, and is connected to the hinge member so that the hinge structure is prevented from axial movement away from the outer side of the housing wall by the anchor plate resting on the housing wall.

[0054] Example 2: A shell assembly according to Example 1, wherein the hinge member is anchored so that the hinge member is prevented from axially moving toward the inner side of the shell wall by a flange that constitutes a part of the hinge member, the flange being located on the outer side of the shell wall and extending transversely relative to the mounting hole so as to clamp at least a portion of the shell wall between the anchor plate and the flange.

[0055] Example 3: The housing assembly of Example 2, wherein an area of ​​the anchor plate is greater than an area of ​​the flange of the hinge member.

[0056] Example 4: The housing assembly of any of Examples 1-3, wherein the hinge member further comprises a hinge post extending axially through at least a portion of the mounting hole, the anchor plate being connected to the hinge post.

[0057] Example 5: The housing assembly of Example 4, further comprising a sealing member positioned radially around the hinge post to provide a sealing interface between the hinge post and the housing wall.

[0058] Example 6: A shell assembly according to Example 4 or Example 5, wherein the connection between the anchor plate and the hinge member makes the anchor plate rotationally fixed relative to the hinge member, the anchor plate is rotationally anchored relative to the longitudinal axis of the hinge support, and the rotation of the hinge member relative to the mounting hole is blocked by rotationally anchoring the anchor plate relative to the shell.

[0059] Example 7: The housing assembly of Example 6, wherein the anchor plate has a non-circular profile and is positioned within a substantially complementary non-circular cavity defined by the housing to resist rotation of the anchor plate relative to the housing.

[0060] Example 8: The housing assembly of any of Examples 4-7, wherein the hinge member and the anchor plate are metal parts.

[0061] Example 9: The housing assembly of Example 8, wherein the housing wall is a polymer plastic material.

[0062] Example 10: The housing assembly of Example 8 or Example 9, wherein the connection of the anchor plate to the hinge strut comprises a welded connection.

[0063] Example 11: The housing assembly of Example 10, wherein the welded connection of the anchor plate to the hinge strut comprises one or more laser spot welds.

[0064] Example 12: A shell assembly according to Example 10 or Example 11, wherein the connection between the anchor plate and the hinge post also includes a fixing screw that is coaxial with the mounting hole and is threadedly received in the hinge post so that a portion of the anchor plate is retained between the head of the fixing screw and the hinge post.

[0065] Example 13: The housing assembly of any of Examples 8-12, further comprising one or more electronic components mounted in the housing cavity via an anchor plate, the anchor plate serving as a mounting base for the one or more electronic components.

[0066] Example 14: The housing assembly of Example 13, further comprising an electronic mounting structure located in the housing cavity and attached to the anchor plate, the electronic mounting structure being a polymer plastic component overmolded onto the anchor plate.

[0067] Example 15: A housing assembly according to any one of Examples 8-14, wherein the anchor plate and the hinge member are thermally connected to conduct heat therebetween, and the anchor plate is connected to one or more heat-generating components in the housing cavity in a heat transfer relationship so that the anchor plate and the hinge member constitute part of a heat transfer path from the housing cavity to an external heat sink.

[0068] Example 16: The housing assembly of any of Examples 1-15, further comprising an adhesive layer between the anchor plate and the housing wall, the adhesive layer adhesively attaching the anchor plate to the inner side of the housing wall.

[0069] Example 17: The housing assembly of Example 16, wherein the shape and position of the adhesive layer are selected to form a seal to prevent moisture from entering the housing cavity through the mounting hole.

[0070] Example 18: A device comprising:

[0071] the device body; and

[0072] According to any one of examples 1-17, the housing assembly is integrated into the device body.

[0073] Example 19: The device according to Example 18, wherein the device is an eyewear device, comprising:

[0074] an eyeglass frame defining one or more optical element holders to hold respective optical elements within a user's field of view when the eyeglass device is worn, the housing assembly being incorporated into the eyeglass frame such that a hinge structure of the hinge member protrudes from a lateral end portion of the eyeglass frame;

[0075] a temple hingedly connected to the eyeglass frame so as to be displaceable relative to the eyeglass frame between a folded position and an extended position in which the eyeglass device is in a wearable configuration; and

[0076] A hinge mechanism by which the temple is hingedly connected to the spectacle frame, the hinge mechanism comprising cooperating hinge structures provided respectively by:

[0077] a hinge structure of a hinge member mounted on the housing assembly; and

[0078] A hinge structure is attached to the proximal end of the temple.

[0079] Example 20: An eyeglass device according to Example 19, wherein the eyeglass device incorporates therein a pair of shell assemblies according to any one of Examples 1-17, each shell assembly being located at a corresponding lateral end portion of the eyeglass frame.

[0080] Example 21: A method of manufacturing an eyewear device, the method comprising:

[0081] Positioning the hinge member on a housing wall of a housing for electronic components such that a hinge structure forming part of the hinge member projects away from an outer side of the housing wall to connect to a complementary hinge structure of a hinge mechanism, thereby hingedly connecting the temple member to the eyeglass frame, the flange forming part of the hinge member being located on the outer side of the housing wall;

[0082] positioning an anchor plate on an inner side of the housing wall and within a housing cavity defined by the housing, the anchor plate being substantially parallel to the housing wall; and

[0083] The anchor plate is attached to the hinge member so that at least a portion of the housing wall is sandwiched between the anchor plate and the flange, and movement of the hinge member away from the outer side of the housing wall is blocked by the anchor plate resting against the housing wall.

[0084] Example 22: The method of Example 21, wherein positioning the hinge member on the housing comprises coaxially inserting a hinge post forming part of the hinge member into a mounting hole extending through a wall of the housing.

[0085] Example 23: The method of Example 22, wherein attaching the anchor plate to the hinge member comprises welding the anchor plate to the hinge post.

[0086] Example 24: The method of Example 23, wherein welding the anchor plate to the hinge post comprises a laser spot welding operation.

[0087] Example 25: A method according to any one of Examples 22-24, wherein attaching the anchor plate to the hinge member includes rotationally fixing the anchor plate relative to the hinge member by a key, and the anchor plate is non-rotatably located in the shell cavity, thereby blocking the rotation of the hinge member relative to the mounting hole by rotationally anchoring the anchor plate relative to the shell.

[0088] Example 26: The method of any of Examples 21-25, wherein the method includes forming a housing assembly of any of Examples 1-17.

[0089] Throughout the specification, multiple instances may implement components, operations or structures described as single instances. Although the various operations of one or more methods are shown and described as separate operations, one or more of the various operations may be performed simultaneously, and the operations do not need to be performed in the order shown. The structures and functions represented as separate components in the exemplary configuration may be implemented as combined structures or components. Similarly, the structures and functions represented as single components may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter of this article.

[0090] Although an overview of the disclosed subject matter has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broad scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein, either individually or collectively, by the terms "invention" or "disclosure," which is merely for convenience and is not intended to actively limit the scope of the present application to any single disclosure or inventive concept (if more than one is actually disclosed).

[0091] The embodiments shown herein are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosed teachings. Other embodiments may be used and derived therefrom, so that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the specific embodiments should not be understood in a limiting sense, and the scope of the various embodiments is limited only by the appended claims and the full scope of equivalents to which the claims are entitled.

[0092] As used herein, the term "or" may be interpreted in an inclusive or exclusive sense. In addition, multiple instances may be provided for resources, operations, or structures described herein as single instances. Other allocations of functions that may fall within the scope of various embodiments of the present disclosure are conceivable. Typically, structures and functions represented as separate resources in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as combined structures or resources. Similarly, structures and functions represented as single resources may be implemented as separate resources. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as represented by the appended claims. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A housing assembly, include: a housing defining a housing cavity for holding an electronic component, the housing including a housing wall constructed of a polymeric plastic material and defining a mounting hole extending transversely therethrough, the housing wall having an exterior side and having an opposing interior side adjacent the housing cavity; a hinge member at least partially mounted in the mounting hole, the hinge member comprising a hinge structure, the hinge structure protruding from the outer side of the housing wall to be connected to a complementary hinge structure to form a hinge mechanism, the hinge member being anchored to prevent axial movement of the hinge member through the mounting hole toward the inner side, wherein the hinge member comprises: a hinge post extending axially through at least a portion of the mounting aperture; and a flange located on an outer side of the housing wall and extending transversely relative to the mounting hole; an anchor plate located on the inner side of the housing wall, the anchor plate being transverse to the mounting hole and connected to the hinge member so that the hinge structure is prevented from axial movement away from the outer side of the housing wall by blocking the anchor plate by the housing wall, at least a portion of the housing wall being sandwiched between the anchor plate and the flange, the area of ​​the anchor plate being larger than the area of ​​the flange of the hinge member; a plastic insert overmolded onto the anchor plate such that the anchor plate and the plastic insert together form a composite mounting structure for the internal electronic components; an electronic component located in the housing cavity, the electronic component being mounted on the composite mounting structure such that the anchor plate is in a heat transfer relationship with one or more heat generating components of the electronic component; wherein the anchor plate and the hinge member are thermally connected to conduct heat between the anchor plate and the hinge member such that the anchor plate and the hinge member form a portion of a heat transfer path from the housing cavity to an external heat sink; a sealing member positioned radially about the hinge post to provide a sealing interface between the hinge post and the housing wall; and An adhesive layer between the anchor plate and the housing wall is used to adhesively attach the anchor plate to the inside of the housing wall, wherein the shape and position of the adhesive layer are selected to form a seal to prevent moisture from entering the housing cavity through the mounting hole.

2. The housing assembly according to claim 1, in, The one or more heat generating components of the electronic component include a printed circuit board connected in heat transfer relationship to the anchor plate.

3. The housing assembly according to claim 1, in, The connection of the anchor plate to the hinge member places the anchor plate in clamping contact with the hinge member, thereby promoting efficient heat conduction from the anchor plate to the hinge member.

4. The housing assembly according to claim 1, in, The anchor plate is connected to the hinge member so that the anchor plate is rotationally fixed relative to the hinge member, the anchor plate is rotationally anchored relative to the longitudinal axis of the hinge support, and the rotation of the hinge member relative to the mounting hole is blocked by the anchor plate being rotationally anchored relative to the housing.

5. The housing assembly according to claim 4, in, The anchor plate has a non-circular profile and is positioned within a substantially complementary non-circular cavity defined by the housing, thereby resisting rotation of the anchor plate relative to the housing.

6. The housing assembly according to claim 1, in, The connection between the anchor plate and the hinge strut comprises a welded connection.

7. The housing assembly according to claim 6, in, The connection of the anchor plate to the hinge post also includes a set screw that is coaxial with the mounting hole and threadedly received in the hinge post so that a portion of the anchor plate is retained between a head of the set screw and the hinge post.

8. The housing assembly according to claim 7, in, The set screw clamps the anchor plate relative to the hinge member, thereby promoting efficient heat transfer from the anchor plate to the hinge member.

9. A device, include: Equipment body; and The housing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the housing assembly is incorporated into the device body.

10. The device according to claim 9, in, The device is a glasses device, and the glasses device comprises: an eyeglass frame defining one or more optical element holders to hold corresponding optical elements within a user's field of view when the eyeglass device is worn, the housing assembly being incorporated into the eyeglass frame such that the hinge structure of the hinge member protrudes from a lateral end portion of the eyeglass frame; a temple hingedly connected to the spectacle frame so as to be displaceable relative to the spectacle frame between a folded position and an extended position in which the spectacle device is in a wearable configuration; and A hinge mechanism by which the temple is hingedly connected to the spectacle frame, the hinge mechanism comprising cooperating hinge structures provided respectively by: the hinge structure of the hinge member mounted on the housing assembly; and A hinge structure is attached to the proximal end of the temple.

Images