Hinge device and electronic equipment using same

Abstract

Provided are a hinge device and an electronic apparatus using the same, the hinge device being configured such that a bent portion of an OLED sheet does not come into contact with a center frame, which is a constituent member of the hinge device, when a pair of housings of the electronic apparatus is opened and closed, thereby being capable of preventing malfunction of the OLED sheet. The hinge device is connected with a pair of shells of the electronic equipment in an openable and closable manner, wherein the electronic equipment is formed by mounting an OLED sheet across the pair of shells, and an accommodating part capable of accommodating a bent part of the OLED sheet can be formed; a center frame extending to both ends of the pair of housings is provided on each connection part side of the pair of housings, and a pair of side frames attached to each of the pair of housings is provided on the center frame so as to be slidable and openable by means of a sliding arm. A pair of support frames is mounted on each of the side frames through a sub-hinge, and the pair of side frames is further mounted to the center frame through a sliding operation arm provided with a guide mechanism, so that the pair of shells slide in a direction away from the center frame along with the closing operation of the pair of shells, and the pair of side frames slide in a direction away from the center frame. And a gap is formed between the bent part of the OLED sheet and the central frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge device suitable for an electronic device and an electronic device using the hinge device. The electronic device is provided with a pair of housings that can be opened and closed to form various electronic devices such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and a mobile device. A flexible display sheet (hereinafter also referred to as an OLED sheet) made of, for example, organic EL is bent across the pair of housings and can be opened. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a device has been developed in which an OLED sheet is mounted across a pair of housings constituting the above-mentioned electronic device so that the OLED sheet can be bent and opened, and it has gradually come onto the market. As a hinge device for realizing the opening and closing operation of such an electronic device, a hinge device using a plurality of arms is known, as described in Patent Document 1 below. The known hinge device is provided with a housing portion that can house the bent portion of the OLED sheet that becomes in a bent state when the pair of housings are bent.

[0003] (Patent Document 1) International Publication No. 2022-538038. Summary of the Invention

[0004] However, a problem with the known prior art is that the bent portion of the OLED sheet in the housing portion contacts the components of the hinge device, particularly the center frame, every time the pair of housings of the electronic device are opened and closed, resulting in malfunctions.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge device and an electronic device using the hinge device, which are configured such that the bent portion of the OLED sheet does not contact the center frame, which is a component of the hinge device, during the opening and closing operation of the pair of housings of the electronic device, thereby preventing malfunctions of the OLED sheet.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is a hinge device that can be opened and closed to connect the pair of housings of an electronic device in which an OLED sheet is mounted across the pair of housings, and can form a housing portion that can house the bent portion of the OLED sheet. The hinge device is characterized in that center frames reaching both ends are provided on each connection portion side of the pair of housings, and a pair of side frames respectively mounted on the pair of housings are slidably and openably provided on the center frames through sliding arms. A pair of support frames are mounted on these respective side frames through sub-hinges, and the pair of side frames are further mounted on the center frames through sliding operation arms provided with a guiding mechanism. Thus, with the closing operation of the pair of housings, the pair of housings slide in a direction away from the center frame, creating a gap between the bent portion of the OLED sheet and the center frame.

[0007] Secondly, the invention according to claim 2 of the present application is characterized in that the sliding operation arm is composed of an arm configured with a rotation control unit and an arm not configured with the rotation control unit.

[0008] Secondly, the invention according to claim 3 of the present application is characterized in that the guiding mechanism includes a pair of sub-guiding members and a pair of main arc shafts. The pair of sub-guiding members are oppositely provided with curved guiding grooves at various parts mounted on the central frame. The pair of main arc shafts are provided on the sliding operation arm that can be slidably inserted into the pair of curved guiding grooves of the sub-guiding members. The rotation center of the curved guiding groove is arranged on the viewing surface of the OLED sheet.

[0009] Furthermore, the invention according to claim 4 of the present application is characterized in that the support frame swingably mounts a frame guide member mounted on its lower surface side on the sliding operation arm.

[0010] Furthermore, the invention according to claim 5 of the present application is characterized in that when the pair of housings are opened, the support frame prevents shaking by engaging an arm hook provided on its lower surface side with a hook pin provided on the sliding arm.

[0011] Secondly, the invention according to claim 6 of the present application is characterized in that an electronic device using the hinge device described in the above aspects.

[0012] The invention of the present application is configured as described above. Therefore, when the pair of housings are closed, the housings slide from the central frame in the separating direction through the side arms. Thus, when the pair of housings are closed, a certain gap is generated between the bent portion of the OLED sheet spanning each housing and the central frame of the hinge device, preventing mutual crimping, and thereby being able to prevent the OLED sheet from malfunctioning in advance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 An electronic device using the hinge device of the present invention is shown. (a) is a perspective view thereof, and (b) is a side view thereof.

[0014] Figure 2 Shows an electronic device using Figure 1 the hinge device shown. (a) is a perspective view of its open state, and (b) is a perspective view of the state observed after removing the OLED sheet.

[0015] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hinge device of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows Figure 3 a perspective view of the hinge device shown after being disassembled. (a) is a partial exploded perspective view thereof, and (b) is an enlarged perspective view of the rotation support base and the rotation restriction base therein.

[0017] Figure 5 It is a partial perspective view of a sliding arm portion and a sliding operation arm without a rotation control unit.

[0018] Figure 6 It is a partial perspective view of a sliding operation arm and a sliding arm portion with a rotation control unit.

[0019] Figure 7 It is a partial exploded perspective view of a central frame.

[0020] Figure 8 It is an exploded perspective view of a side frame portion.

[0021] Figure 9 It represents a support frame. (a) is a partial exploded perspective view, (b) is a partial exploded perspective view of the back side, and (c) is a partial enlarged perspective view.

[0022] Figure 10 It is a drawing for explaining the operation of the side frame. (a) is a perspective view in the open state, (b) is a perspective view in the closed state, and (c) is an explanatory drawing of the operation of the side frame.

[0023] Figure 11 It is a drawing for explaining the operation of the support frame. (a) is a cross-sectional view in the open state, (b) is a cross-sectional view in the intermediate state, and (c) is a cross-sectional view in the closed state.

[0024] Figure 12 It is a drawing for explaining the operation of the sliding operation arm. (a) is a cross-sectional view in the open state, (b) is a cross-sectional view in the intermediate state, and (c) is a cross-sectional view in the closed state.

[0025] Figure 13 It is an exploded perspective view for explaining the relationship between the side frame and the support frame.

[0026] Figure 14 It is a drawing for explaining the operation of the support frame. (a) is a perspective view showing a part of the frame guide and the sliding operation arm, (b) is a partial perspective view showing the frame guide and the sliding pin mounted on the side frame and the support frame, (c) is a partial perspective view in the open state, (d) is a partial perspective view in the intermediate state, and (e) is a partial perspective view in the closed state. (f) is a side cross-sectional view in the open state, (g) is a side cross-sectional view in the intermediate state, (h) is a side cross-sectional view in the closed state, and (I) is a side cross-sectional view for explaining the operation angle of the support frame.

[0027] Figure 15 It is a drawing for explaining the operation of the same support frame. (a) is a perspective view in the open state, (b) is a cross-sectional view of a part of it, and (c) is a cross-sectional view of another part.

[0028] Figure 16 It is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the respective rotation axes of the hinge device.

[0029] Figure 17 It is a view showing the structure and operation of the sliding arm. (a) is an exploded perspective view showing its structure, (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the OLED sheet and the first rotation center, and (c) is another cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the OLED sheet and the first rotation center.

[0030] Figure 18 It is a drawing showing the details of the sliding arm portion. (a)① to (a)⑤ are side views of the respective components of the sliding arm, (b) is a side view showing the sliding stroke of the arc guide, and (c) is a side view showing the sliding stroke of the existing arc guide.

[0031] Figure 19 It is a view showing the support of the OLED sheet of the sliding arm. (a) is a perspective view of the sliding arm portion, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the sliding arm in the closed state observed with a partial cut of the sub-guide, (c) is a partial cross-sectional view of the sliding arm in the open state, and (d) is a side view of another shape of the sliding arm.

[0032] Figure 20 It is a view showing the sliding operation arm and the rotation control unit. (a) is its assembled perspective view.

[0033] (b) is its exploded perspective view.

[0034] Figure 21 It is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the synchronization portion.

[0035] A Notebook computer

[0036] B Hinge device

[0037] G Guide mechanism

[0038] K Clearance

[0039] S Receiving portion

[0040] 10 Housing

[0041] 10a First rotation center

[0042] 11 Base cover

[0043] 12 OLED sheet

[0044] 20 Center frame

[0045] 20f Center arc shaft (sub-arc guide)

[0046] 21 Side frame

[0047] 21c sliding groove

[0048] 22 support frame

[0049] 23 secondary hinge

[0050] 24 support pin

[0051] 24a fourth rotation center

[0052] 25 frame guide

[0053] 25a sliding groove

[0054] 30 sliding arm

[0055] 30a main plane

[0056] 30b main arc shaft (main arc guide)

[0057] 31 secondary guide

[0058] 31a secondary plane

[0059] 31b first secondary arc groove (main arc guide)

[0060] 31d second secondary arc groove (secondary arc guide)

[0061] 32 rotation limit base

[0062] 33 arm pin

[0063] 33a third rotation center

[0064] 34 sliding operation arm

[0065] 34a second rotation center

[0066] 34d sliding piece

[0067] 34f second plane

[0068] 35 torque adjustment base

[0069] 36 rotation synchronization base

[0070] 37 rotation support base

[0071] 40 shaft

[0072] 41 fastening bolt

[0073] 42 first friction plate

[0074] 43 second friction plate

[0075] 44 first cam

[0076] 45 Second cam

[0077] 46 Locking spring (disc spring)

[0078] 47 Spring seat

[0079] 48 Main gear

[0080] 49 Sub-gear

[0081] U20 Frame unit

[0082] U30 Arm unit

[0083] U30a Sliding arm part

[0084] U30b Sliding operation arm

[0085] U40 Rotation control unit

[0086] U40a Control shaft part

[0087] U40b Friction generating part

[0088] U40c Locking part

[0089] U40d Biasing part

[0090] U40e Synchronization part Detailed implementation manners

[0091] Embodiments of the hinge device according to the present invention and an electronic device using the hinge device will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 、 Figure 2 A notebook computer A is schematically shown as an example of an electronic device using the hinge device according to the present invention.

[0092] Figure 1 (a) is a perspective view of the notebook computer A when the OLED sheet is in the closed state. The appearance of the notebook computer A is composed of a pair of housings 10 on which an OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 1 not shown in the figure) is mounted and a base cover 11, and the pair of housings 10 are pivotally connected together by a hinge device B ( Figure 1 not shown in the figure) provided on the base cover 11. And, as shown in the side view of Figure 1 (b), it rotates in the direction of arrow 10b about a first rotation center 10a provided near the connecting portion of the pair of housings 10.

[0093] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the open state of the notebook computer A, Figure 2 (a) shows the state in which the OLED sheet 12 is mounted on the pair of housings 10, Figure 2(b) shows the state where the OLED sheet 12 is removed. In Figure 2 (b), the center frame 20, the support frame 22, which are components of the hinge device B, and the main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a of the sliding arm portions U30a, U30a', which are features of the present invention, are shown. Among them, the center frame 20 is provided on the side adjacent to the connection portion of the pair of housings 10.

[0094] Through the above rotation operation, the OLED sheet 12 changes from Figure 2 (a)'s open state to Figure 1 (a)'s closed state. Then, in the closed state, the bent portion 12b of the OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 11 (c)) is housed in the housing portion S formed by the hinge device B.

[0095] Most of the components constituting the hinge device B of the present invention are axially symmetric shapes with the longitudinal direction of the base cover 11 as the axis. Therefore, the following will use one component of the axially symmetric shape for explanation.

[0096] The hinge device B is composed of a frame unit U20, an arm unit U30, and a rotation control unit U40. First, the layout of each unit will be described.

[0097] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hinge device B. The arm units U30 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides. Moreover, the rotation control units U40 are adjacently provided on the two arm units U30 at both ends, and the rotation control units U40 are not provided on the two arm units U30' in the middle.

[0098]

Configuration of the Frame Unit U20

[0099] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge device B in the open state. The sliding operation arm U30b and the rotation control unit U40 are not disassembled.

[0100] As Figure 7 shown in detail, in Figure 4, the center frame 20 is threadedly fixed to the base cover 11 (not shown) by screws S4 using the mounting holes 20b. The sliding operation arm U30b, the rotation control unit U40, and the center frame 20 are combined with the mounting threaded holes 20d provided on the back of the center frame 20 through the Figure 20 shown mounting holes 35c, 36c and are threadedly fixed using screws S1. The sliding arm portion U30a is inserted into the center frame 20 and is clamped by the rotation limiting base 32 to limit rotation. The rotation limiting base 32 and the center frame 20 are positioned through the positioning holes 32c, and the mounting hole 32b and Figure 7The combination of the mounting screw holes 20c provided on the back surface of the shown central frame 20 is fixed by screwing with the screw S2. The sliding arm portion U30a' has the same structure and its rotation is restricted by the rotation restricting base 32'. The sliding operation arm U30b' is rotatably supported by the shaft 40' with respect to the shaft hole 37a of the rotary support base 37. The rotary support base 37 and the central frame 20 are combined through the mounting hole 37b and Figure 7 the shown mounting screw hole 20e and fixed by screwing with the screw S3. In addition, Figure 5 The state where the rotary support base 37 is mounted on the central frame 20 is shown, Figure 7 while the disassembled state is shown.

[0101] The frame unit U20 is composed of a central frame 20, side frames 21, support frames 22, sub-hinges 23, support pins 24, and frame guides 25. Figure 5 、 Figure 7 、 Figure 8 、 Figure 9 The frame unit U20 is shown in detail in

[0102] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the arm unit U30', Figure 6 is a perspective view of the arm unit U30 and the rotation control unit U40. In addition, for ease of understanding the drawings, the central frame 20 and the side frames 21 are not shown. Figure 5 The shown arm unit U30' is composed of a sliding arm portion U30a' having a sliding arm 30' and a sub-guide 31' and a sliding operation arm U30b' having a sliding operation arm 34', but the rotation control unit U40 is not provided. As described above, Figure 6 The shown arm unit U30 is composed of a sliding arm portion U30a having a sliding arm 30 and a sub-guide 31 and a sliding operation arm U30b having a sliding operation arm 34, and a rotation control unit U40 is provided coaxially with the second rotation center 34a of the sliding operation arm U30b. The rotation control unit U40 is composed of a mechanism for synchronizing the opening and closing of the pair of housings 10 when opening and closing the housings 10, a mechanism for holding the housings 10 at a desired opening and closing angle, and a mechanism for applying an appropriate load to the opening and closing of the housings 10.

[0103] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the central frame 20, showing the mounting states of the aforementioned rotation restricting base 32 and rotary support base 37 on the central frame 20.

[0104] Figure 8is a perspective view of the arm units U30, U30' and the side frames 21, 21' and the sub-hinge 23. The arm pin 33 is rotatably inserted into a circular shaft hole 30g provided at the front end portion 30c of the slide arm 30 of the slide arm portion U30a. The arm pin 33 is inserted into a circular shaft hole 21a of the side frame 21. Accordingly, the side frame 21 can rotate relative to the slide arm 30. Further, a slide piece 34d on the slide operation arm 34 of the slide operation arm U30b is inserted into a slide groove 21c of the side frame 21. Accordingly, the side frame 21 can slide parallel to the slide operation arm 34. Here, the parallel sliding means a state in which the slide groove 21c extending in one direction and the slide piece 34d extending in the same direction are slidably combined only in the extending direction. The slide arm portion U30a' and the slide operation arm U30b' also have the same structure. A support pin 24 as the fourth rotation center 24a is rotatably inserted into a circular shaft hole 23a of the sub-hinge 23. The support pin 24 is inserted into circular shaft holes 21b of the side frames 21, 21'. Accordingly, the sub-hinge 23 can rotate relative to the side frames 21, 21'. In Figure 8 the side frame 21 is coupled to a housing 10 (not shown) through a mounting hole 21d and a positioning hole 21h.

[0105] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the support frame 22, Figure 9 (a) is a front surface perspective view, Figure 9 (b) is a partial perspective view of the back surface, Figure 9 (c) is a partial enlarged perspective view of the front surface. In Figure 9 (a), the mounting layout of the sub-hinge 23 and the frame guide 25 on the support frame 22 is shown, and the details are illustrated in Figure 9 (c). The sub-hinge 23 is positioned on a positioning shaft 22g ( Figure 9 (b)) on the back surface of the support frame 22 through a positioning hole 23c, and is combined with a mounting hole 22a through a mounting hole 23b, and is riveted and fixed using a rivet R1. Thus, the support frame 22 is rotatably supported relative to the side frames 21, 21' about the fourth rotation center 24a. The frame guide 25 is positioned on a positioning shaft 22h ( Figure 9 (b)) on the back surface of the support frame 22 through a positioning hole 25c, and is combined with a mounting hole 22f through a mounting hole 25b, and is riveted and fixed using a rivet R2. Figure 9 (b) shows the position of an arm hook 22c (to be described later) in the support frame 22.

[0106] Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining the opening / closing control of the side frame 21, Figure 10 (a) is a perspective view of the open state. Figure 10 (b) is a perspective view of the closed state. Figure 10(c) is a schematic diagram showing the opening and closing operation of the side frame 21. The opening and closing control of the sliding arm portion U30a and the sliding operation arm U30b is described here. The sliding arm portion U30a' and the sliding operation arm U30b' are also not described because of the same structure.

[0107] As Figure 10 As shown in the schematic diagram of (c), the side frame 21 is supported so as to be openable and closable with a specified rotation radius L1 by the sliding arm 30 (represented by the line segment connecting the first rotation center 10a and the third rotation center 33a), and rotates by an opening amount θ1 from the open state to the closed state. Further, as described above, the side frame 21 is rotatably supported relative to the sliding arm 30 around the arrow 33b of the third rotation center 33a. The side frame 21 is further guided by the sliding piece 34d of the sliding operation arm 34, and slides in the direction of the arrow 21e ( Figure 10 (a)) as the sliding operation arm 34 rotates by θ2 from the open state to the closed state. In order for the side frame 21 to slide parallel to the sliding operation arm 34, the side frame 21 rotates around the second rotation center 34a while maintaining the same direction as the sliding operation arm 34. In this way, the sliding operation arm 34 functions to control the angle of the side frame 21 during opening and closing. In the layout of the first rotation center 10a and the second rotation center 34a of the present invention, if the rotation angle θ2 of the sliding operation arm 34 is set to 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical, the rotation angle θ1 of the sliding arm 30 is greater than θ2, for example, 102 degrees.

[0108] Here, the reason for opening and closing the side frame 21 using the two, the sliding arm 30 and the sliding operation arm 34, is described. As Figure 10 (c) shows, as the transition to the closed state occurs, the side frame 21 relatively moves in the radial direction of the arrow 21f relative to the sliding operation arm 34. This is because the first rotation center 10a of the sliding arm 30 is configured to have a larger axial distance above the paper surface (in the direction of the arrow 21g) than the second rotation center 34a of the sliding operation arm 34. More specifically, it is because the first rotation center 10a that sets the rotation radius of the side frame 21 is arranged on the viewing surface 12c ( Figure 17 (b)) side of the OLED sheet 12, and the second rotation center 34a that sets the angle of the side frame 21 is arranged on the support surface 12a opposite to the viewing surface 12c of the OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 17(b)). Moreover, the greater the axial distance between the first rotation center 10a and the second rotation center 34a, the greater the relative movement amount of the side frame 21 with respect to the sliding actuator arm 34. The OLED sheet 12 always maintains a constant surface length (the length in the opening and closing direction of the OLED sheet 12) through the sliding actuator arm 34, and is converted to the closed state in an appropriate posture through the sliding actuator arm 34. Then, the pair of housings 10 slide away from the center frame 20 through the side frame 21. Therefore, in the closed state, the OLED sheet 12 is supported by the pair of housings 10 and pulled upward (in the direction of arrow 21g) with respect to the paper surface, so that the bent portion 12b can be stored in an appropriate position ( Figure 11 (c)).

[0109] Figure 11 is an action cross-sectional view of the sliding arm portions U30a, U30a', Figure 11 (a) is the open state, Figure 11 (b) is the intermediate state, Figure 11 (c) is the closed state. The OLED sheet 12 is mounted on the housing 10 connected to the side frame 21. In the open state, the first rotation center 10a is located near the viewing surface 12c in the thickness direction of the OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 17 (b)). As described above, the side frame 21 moves in the direction of the arrow as it is converted to the closed state. Therefore, in Figure 11 (b) shown in the intermediate state, the OLED sheet 12 rises to a position overlapping the first rotation center 10a. (The first rotation center 10a is in the thickness of the OLED sheet 12.) And, in Figure 11 (c) shown in the closed state, the OLED sheet 12 exceeds the first rotation center 10a. (The first rotation center 10a is located on the support surface 12a of the OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 17 (b)).)

[0110] Figure 12 is an action cross-sectional view of the sliding operation arms U30b, U30b', Figure 12 (a) is the open state, Figure 12 (b) is the intermediate state, Figure 12 (c) is the closed state. The sliding piece 34d of the sliding operation arm 34 is parallel to the side frame 21. Therefore, the housing 10 connected to the side frame 21 is perpendicular to the base cover 11 in the closed state shown in Figure 12 (c), and is horizontal in the open state shown in Figure 12 (a). Thus, the OLED sheet 12 is well supported flat in the open state.

[0111] Here, the sliding piece 34d of the sliding actuator arm 34 has an angle of φ1 with respect to the horizontal plane of the housing 10. Therefore, as the state changes from the open state to the closed state, the side frame 21 moves in the direction of the arrow and also moves along the arrow 21i. As a result, the interval L2 between the pair of side frames 21 in the closed state shown in Figure 12 (c) can be reduced, and while compactifying, the gap L3 between the housing 10 and the base cover 11 is also reduced, thereby achieving high-quality appearance.

[0112] In addition, the sliding actuator arm 34, in conjunction with the rotation control unit U40 described in detail later, functions to synchronize the opening and closing of the pair of side frames 21, maintain the open state and the closed state, and stabilize the opening and closing loads.

[0113] Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the arm unit U30, the side frame 21, and the support frame 22. As Figure 9 described, the support frame 22 is rotatably supported relative to the side frame 21 about the fourth rotation center 24a. And, the sliding pin 34e of the sliding actuator arm 34 is inserted into the sliding groove 25a of the frame guide 25 provided on the support frame 22, and the frame guide 25 slides along the sliding pin 34e of the sliding actuator arm 34. Therefore, as Figure 10 (b) shows, as the closed state is approached, the support frame 22 retracts in a V-shape in the direction of the arrow 24b, thereby expanding the storage space for the bent portion 12b in the OLED sheet 12.

[0114] Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the support frame, Figure 14 (a) is a perspective view showing a part of the frame guide member and the sliding operation arm member, Figure 14 (b) is a partial perspective view showing the frame guide and the sliding pin mounted on the side frame 21 and the support frame 22, Figure 14 (c) is a partial perspective view in the open state, Figure 14 (d) is a partial perspective view in the intermediate state, Figure 14 (e) is a perspective view in the closed state, Figure 14 (f) is a side view in the open state, Figure 14 (g) is a side view in the intermediate state, Figure 14 (h) is a side view in the closed state, Figure 14 (i) is a side view for explaining the operation angle of the support frame. As Figure 14 (b) shows, in Figure 14 (a), a pair of sliding pins 34e of the sliding operation arm 34 are inserted into the left and right sliding grooves 25a of the frame guide 25. And, as Figure 14 (c) to Figure 14(d) As shown, the support frame 22 changes its angle relative to the side frame 21 as it moves from the open state to the closed state. This is because the support frame 22 rotates around the fourth rotation center 24a due to the association between the sliding groove 25a of the frame guide 25 and the sliding pin 34e of the sliding operation arm 34.

[0115] Specifically, the coordinates of the fourth rotation center 24a are set according to the rotation angle of the sliding arm 30 around the first rotation center 10a, and the coordinates of the sliding pin 34e are set according to the rotation angle of the sliding operation arm 34 around the second rotation center 34a. Therefore, the support frame 22 controls the amount of rotation according to the relative angle between the sliding arm 30 and the sliding operation arm 34. More specifically, it is as follows: In Figure 14 (f), Figure 14 (g), Figure 14 (h), as the sliding operation arm 34 changes from the open state to the closed state, as shown in Figure 10 (c), the side frame 21 slides in the arrow direction. Consequently, the relative position between the sliding groove 25a of the frame guide 25 and the sliding pin 34e of the sliding operation arm 34 changes, and the support frame 22 rotates relative to the side frame 21 through the cam shape of the sliding groove 25a. Thus, the support frame 22 supports the back surface of the OLED sheet 12 in the open state, and in the closed state, it rotates through the sub-hinge 23 and withdraws from the side frame 21 to form a receiving portion S for the bent portion 12b in the OLED sheet 12.

[0116] Refer to Figure 14 (i) to explain the setting of the retraction angle of the support frame 22.

[0117] · With the fourth rotation center 24a as the center, draw a circle with a specified radius R.

[0118] · Draw a line segment 25f connecting the intersection point 34h of the line segment 25e that is parallel to the support frame 22 and passes through the sliding start point 25d and the circle with radius R.

[0119] · Draw a line segment 25g that tilts the line segment 25f around the fourth rotation center 24a by an angle (10 degrees) obtained by subtracting the angle (e.g., 5°) formed by the perpendicular line segment 10c of the side frame 21 from the target retraction angle (e.g., 15 degrees) of the support frame 22.

[0120] · Use the circle (circle with radius R) that passes through the end point (i.e., the sliding pin 34e) and the start point (i.e., the positioning hole 25c) of the line segment 25g and is tangent to the line segment 25e, for example, as the trajectory of the sliding groove 25a in the frame guide 25.

[0121] In this way, by appropriately setting the target retraction angle of the support frame 22 to accommodate the OLED sheet 12, the reliability of the OLED sheet 12 can be ensured.

[0122] Figure 15 It is a view showing the support of the support frame 22. Figure 15 (a) is a perspective view in the open state. Figure 15 (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the support frame 22 and the arm unit U30. Figure 15 (c) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the support frame 22 and the center frame 20. In Figure 15 (b), the arm hook 22c provided on the arm hook area 22b of the support frame 22 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 9 ) clamps the hook pin 30h provided on the sliding arm 30. In addition, in Figure 15 (c), the door stop surface 22e of the support frame 22 provided on the door stop surface area 22d of the support frame 22 abuts against the door stop 20a of the center frame 20 in the open state. Here, as Figure 14 (f) shows, in the open state, since the fourth rotation center 24a is close to the sliding pin 34e and the baseline is short, the rotation control accuracy of the sliding pin 34e and the sliding groove 25a for the support frame 22 becomes low. At this time, by providing the door stop surface 22e and the arm hook 22c, the shaking of the support frame 22 can be prevented, and the step difference with the center frame 20 can be eliminated more reliably.

[0123] As Figures 5 to 15 shown, in the frame unit U20 of the present invention, the posture of the side frame 21 is controlled by "rotation" (the first rotation center 10a) and "parallel sliding" (the sliding piece 34d) respectively assigned to the sliding arm 30 and the sliding operation arm 34. Specifically, the sliding arm 30 rotatably supports the side frame 21 with a predetermined rotation radius L1. The side frame 21 rotates around the second rotation center 34a while maintaining the same direction as the sliding operation arm 34 by sliding in parallel in the direction in which the sliding piece 34d of the sliding operation arm 34 extends. As described above, the first rotation center 10a is arranged on the viewing surface 12c side of the OLED sheet 12, while the second rotation center 34a is arranged on the support surface 12a side opposite to the viewing surface of the OLED sheet 12. That is, the first rotation center 10a is arranged above the second rotation center 34a ( Figure 10 (c) 21g). Thus, in order to make a pair of cases 10 connected to the side frame 21 move in the direction of the arrow 21f as they approach the closed state, the OLED sheet 12 moves away from the structural part of the hinge device B. (Lifted upward 21g.)

[0124] Due to such a structure, in the closed state, the OLED sheet 12 can be separated from the hinge mechanism, and the reliability of the OLED sheet 12 can be improved.

[0125] In addition, the support frame 22 is rotatably supported around the fourth rotation center 24a of the side frame 21, and rotation control is performed in association with the sliding actions of the sliding operation arm 34 and the side frame 21. This controls the rotation of the support frame 22 by utilizing the relative angular change between the sliding arm 30 and the sliding operation arm 34. Thereby, the accommodation space for the OLED sheet 12 can be enlarged.

[0126] Figure 16 FIG. is a perspective view showing an intermediate state of the arrangement of the respective rotation axes of the hinge device. An arm unit U30 and a rotation control unit U40 are provided on the frame unit U20. In the arm unit U30, the sliding arm portion U30a rotates (revolves) the side frame 21 around the first rotation center 10a and rotates (rotates itself) the side frame 21 around the third rotation center 33a. The sliding operation arm U30b rotates around the second rotation center 34a and slidably supports the side frame 21 in parallel. Further, the support frame 22 is rotatably supported relative to the side frame 21 around the fourth rotation center 24a.

[0127] Figure 17 FIG. is a view showing the relationship between the sliding arm portion U30a and the first rotation center 10a. Figure 17 (a) is an exploded perspective view. Figure 17 (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the OLED sheet 12 and the first rotation center 10a. Figure 17 (c) is a cross-sectional view showing another relationship between the OLED sheet 12 and the first rotation center 10a. In Figure 17 (a), the sliding arm portion U30a is composed of a sub-guide member 31 rotationally restricted by a rotation restricting base 32 and a sliding arm 30 clamped and guided by a pair of sub-guide members 31. Further, each adjacent surface has an arc guide member composed of an arc groove and an arc shaft, and can be guided to perform an arc-shaped slide. The connecting pin 31h of the sub-guide member 31 is provided to prevent the pair of sub-guide members 31 from coming off in a state of clamping the sliding arm 30. The arc guide member is characterized in that the rotation center is a virtual axis that does not require a physical rotation axis (shaft). Thus, in the present invention, the OLED sheet 12 can be arranged near the first rotation center 10a. As will be described in detail later, by providing the first rotation center 10a on the viewing surface 12c side in the thickness direction of the OLED sheet 12, the OLED sheet 12 can be greatly lifted upward 21g in the closed state. The arrangement of the first rotation center 10a is as shown in Figure 17 (b), above the viewing surface 12c of the OLED sheet 12 (in the direction of arrow 21g), or as shown in Figure 17 (c), closer to the viewing surface 12c than the thickness center 12d of the OLED sheet 12.

[0128] The following is an explanation of the combination of the sliding arm 30, the sub-guide member 31, and the rotation restricting base 32.

[0129] 1. The main arc shafts 30b are provided on both sides of the sliding arm 30, and are slidably combined with the first sub-arc grooves 31b respectively provided on a pair of sub-guides 31. The main arc shaft 30b and the first sub-arc groove 31b constitute the main arc guide.

[0130] 2. The second sub-arc groove 31d provided on the sub-guide 31 is slidably combined with the central arc shaft 20f provided on the central frame 20. The second sub-arc groove 31d and the central arc shaft 20f constitute the sub-arc guide.

[0131] The sliding arm 30 is clamped by the sub-guides 31 from the left and right, and the opening and closing amounts are shared by the main arc guide and the sub-arc guide to perform a small but large-stroke arc movement.

[0132] 1. By combining the main limiting shaft 30d provided on the main arc shaft 30b with the sub-limiting hole 31c ( Figure 18 ) on the first sub-arc groove 31b, the relative sliding amount between the sliding arm 30 and the sub-guide 31 is set.

[0133] 2. By combining the sub-limiting surface 31e ( Figure 18 ) provided on the sub-guide 31 with the sub-limiting part of the base limiting surface 32a provided on the rotation limiting base 32, the relative sliding amount of the sub-guide 31 relative to the rotation limiting base 32 is set.

[0134] 3. A pair of sub-guides 31 are assembled on the central arc shaft 20f of the central frame 20 in a state of clamping the sliding arm 30. As described above, by screwing the rotation limiting base 32 to the central frame 20, the sliding arm part U30a is assembled. The sliding arm part U30a' also has the same structure.

[0135] Figure 18 It is a diagram for detailing the sliding arm part U30a, Figure 18 (a)① to (a)⑤ are side views of the respective components of the sliding arm part U30a, Figure 18 (b) is a side view for explaining the sliding stroke of the arc guide in the present invention, Figure 18 (c) is a side view for explaining the sliding stroke of the conventional arc guide. According to Figure 18 (a)① to (a)⑤, starting from the central frame 20, the structure of the sliding arm part U30a will be described in order from top to bottom.

[0136] 1. The central frame 20 is provided with a central arc shaft 20f, and the central arc shaft 20f has a locus along an arc centered on the first rotation center 10a.

[0137] 2. The sub-guide member 31 is provided with a first sub-arc groove 31b having a locus along an arc centered on the first rotation center 10a and a sub-restriction hole 31c within the first sub-arc groove 31b. In addition, a second sub-arc groove 31d (not shown) is provided on the back surface of the sub-guide member 31, which is combined with the above-mentioned central arc shaft 20f and slides relative to each other.

[0138] 3. The sliding arm 30 is provided with a main arc shaft 30b having a locus along an arc centered on the first rotation center 10a and a main restriction shaft 30d on the main arc shaft 30b. In addition, a main arc shaft 30b (not shown) and a main restriction shaft 30d (not shown) on the main arc shaft 30b are also provided on the back surface of the sliding arm 30. The above first sub-arc groove 31b and sub-restriction hole 31c are combined and slide relative to each other.

[0139] 4. The sub-guide member 31 is provided with a second sub-arc groove 31d having a locus along an arc centered on the first rotation center 10a. In addition, a first sub-arc groove 31b (not shown) and a sub-restriction hole 31c (indicated by hidden lines) within the first sub-arc groove 31b are provided on the back surface of the sub-guide member 31. The above main arc shaft 30b and main restriction shaft 30d (indicated by dotted lines) are combined and slide relative to each other.

[0140] 5. The center frame 20 is provided with a central arc shaft 20f (indicated by hidden lines) having a locus along an arc centered on the first rotation center 10a, which is combined with the above-mentioned second sub-arc groove 31d and slides relative to each other.

[0141] 6. The rotation of the sub-guide member 31 is restricted by the base restriction surface 32a of the rotation restriction base 32 and the sub-restriction surface 31e of the sub-guide member 31.

[0142] As described above, the main arc shaft 30b and the first sub-arc groove 31b are combined to form a main arc guide member, and the second sub-arc groove 31d and the central arc shaft 20f are combined to form a sub-arc guide member. Similarly, the main restriction shaft 30d and the sub-restriction hole 31c are combined to form a main restriction portion, and the sub-restriction surface 31e and the base restriction surface 32a are combined to form a sub-restriction portion.

[0143] As Figure 18 (a)① to (a)⑤ shown, the main joint portion 30e as the joint portion of the sliding arm 30 and the sub-joint portion 31f as the joint portion of the sub-guide member 31 become the support surface 12a for receiving the OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 17(b), the projected images of the main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a are chords, and the projected images of the semi-circular shapes 30f and 31g, where the projected images of the circles containing the main arc guide and the sub-arc guide are arcs, can be formed into a compact shape that serves both as the opening and closing (arc guide) of the side frame 21 and the support of the OLED sheet 12 (main plane 30a, sub-plane 31a). Here, the main joint portion 30e and the sub-joint portion 31f constitute the guide mechanism G. More specifically, the guide mechanism G is composed of a pair of sub-guide members that are respectively oppositely provided with bent guide shafts (central arc shafts 20f) at the place where they are installed on the central frame 20, a bent guide groove (first sub-arc groove 31b) that is slidably inserted into the sub-joint portion 31f of the bent guide shaft (central arc shaft 20f) of the sub-guide member, and a bent guide shaft (main arc shaft 30b) that is slidably inserted into the main joint portion 30e of the bent guide groove.

[0144] Figure 18 (b) is a diagram for explaining the fitting amount, taking the fitting amount between the sliding arm 30 and the sub-guide member 31 as an example. Here, since the trajectory of the arc guide is circular, the sliding stroke and the fitting amount are expressed in terms of angles in the following description. In Figure 18 (b), the shaft angle θ3 of the main limiting shaft 30d (shown by a dotted line) that is the width of the sliding arm 30 inserted into the sub-limiting hole 31c of the sub-guide member 31 is 10 degrees. In contrast, the limiting hole angle θ4 of the sub-limiting hole 31c is 61 degrees. The sliding angle θ6, which is the difference between them, is 51 degrees, and θ6 is set to Figure 10 half of the opening and closing amount 102 degrees of the sliding arm 30 as described in (c). In contrast, the guiding angle θ5 of the main arc shaft 30b is set to 100 degrees. Therefore, the fitting angle of 49 degrees can be obtained from the difference between the guiding angle θ5 and the sliding angle θ6 in the closed state. In this way, in the closed state, a fitting angle of 49 degrees that is approximately equal to the sliding angle of 51 degrees between the sliding arm 30 and the sub-guide member 31 can be set. As a result, the housing 10 can maintain a stable posture not only in the open state where all the arc guides are engaged, but also in the closed state. The sliding angle between the sub-guide member 31 and the central frame 20 also obtains 51 degrees in the same way as θ6, so the sliding arm 30 has a total opening and closing amount of 102 degrees with respect to the central frame 20.

[0145]

Comparison of the first rotation center 10a of multiple arc guides and a single arc guide

[0146] Figure 18 (c) is a diagram for explaining the arc guide in an existing example using a single arc guide. In Figure 18 (c), in the single arc guide, it is necessary to ensure the opening and closing amount of the OLED sheet 12 only through the sliding arm 30, so that Figure 18(b), the sliding angle θ6 is twice as large. As a result, the curvature of the arc guide member having the shape of a semi-circular 31g of the same size as that of the present invention increases, and the rotation radius decreases. In contrast, in the present invention, by sharing the opening and closing amount of the OLED sheet 12 by the sliding arm 30 and the sub-guide member 31 which are a plurality of arc guide members, the curvature of the arc guide member can be reduced. (The rotation radius can be increased). Therefore, compared with the position of the first rotation center 10a in Figure 18 (c), Figure 18 (b), the position of the first rotation center 10a can be separated by a distance D1 in the direction of arrow 21g ( Figure 17 ). With this structure, the first rotation center 10a can be arranged on the viewing surface 12c side of the OLED sheet 12, and the axial distance from the second rotation center 34a can be increased.

[0147] In addition, even in a single arc guide member, by increasing the main joint portion 30e of the sliding arm 30, the first rotation center 10a can be arranged on the viewing surface 12c side of the OLED sheet 12, but the hinge device B becomes large-sized.

[0148] In the present invention, by using the sub-guide member 31, although it is a compact hinge device B, the first rotation center 10a is arranged on the viewing surface 12c side of the OLED sheet 12, and the reliability of the OLED sheet 12 can be ensured.

[0149]

Support of the OLED sheet 12 by the sliding arm portion U30a

[0150] Figure 19 It is a view for explaining the support of the OLED sheet 12 by the sliding arm portion U30a. Figure 19 (a) is a perspective view of the sliding arm portion U30a. Figure 19 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the sliding arm portion U30a cut by the sub-guide member 31 in the closed state. Figure 19 (c) is a cross-sectional view of the sliding arm portion U30a cut by the sliding arm 30 in the open state. Figure 19 (d) is a side view of another shape of the sliding arm 30. As Figure 19 (c) shows, the sliding arm 30 is provided with a support surface 12a of the OLED sheet 12 ( Figure 17(b)) The main plane 30a in contact. Similarly, the sub-plane 31a provided on the sub-guide member 31 also contacts the support surface 12a of the OLED sheet 12. In this way, by using the sliding arm 30 and the sub-guide member 31 to support the OLED sheet 12, the reliability of the OLED sheet 12 is improved. In addition, the "support" of the OLED sheet 12 does not necessarily require the main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a to contact the OLED sheet 12. For example, it also refers to a structure that is usually separated, and when an external force is applied to the OLED sheet 12, the main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a bear the support surface 12a of the OLED sheet 12 to prevent indentation.

[0151] Since the sliding arm 30 and the sub-guide member 31 are respectively provided with a main limiting portion and a sub-limiting portion, when switching from the closed state to the open state, rotational movements are respectively performed. And, the main plane 30a on the sliding arm 30 and the sub-plane 31a on the sub-guide member 31 are planes in different directions (different phases) in the closed state, but in the open state, they are structured to support the OLED sheet 12 in the same plane (same phase). And, in the closed state, by making the phases different, as Figure 19 (b) shows, the OLED sheet 12 is surrounded from the surroundings to control the shaking of the OLED sheet 12.

[0152] As Figure 19 (b) The approaching area 30j surrounded by a circle shows that the main plane 30a becomes the wall surface portion 30k approaching the OLED sheet 12 in the closed state. Thus, the shaking of the OLED sheet 12 can be restricted, and the reliability of the OLED sheet 12 during folding and carrying can be improved.

[0153] In order to improve the reliability of the OLED sheet 12, it is preferable to arrange the main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a between the first rotation center 10a and the arc guide portion (main arc guide member, sub-arc guide member). In addition, it is preferable to arrange the first rotation center 10a near the OLED sheet 12. Specifically, as Figure 19 (c) The cross-sectional view shows that the first rotation center 10a is arranged on the viewing surface 12c side of the OLED sheet 12, and the main plane 30a is arranged near the support surface 12a on the side opposite to the viewing surface 12c of the OLED sheet 12. This means that the main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a that support the OLED sheet 12 are arranged between the arc guide portion and the first rotation center 10a.

[0154] The main plane 30a and the sub-plane 31a are not limited to the planar shape, and as Figure 19 (d) shows, it can be a convex portion 30i arranged in a semi-circular shape 30f including the arc guide member on the inner side. In the present invention, the plane (main plane 30a, sub-plane 31a) and the convex portion 30i are collectively referred to as the bearing portion.

[0155] As described above, the sliding arm U30a does not require a physical rotation axis through the arc guide. In addition, by sharing the opening and closing amount of the hinge device B by a plurality of arc guides (main arc guide, sub-arc guide), the first rotation center 10a can be arranged on the viewing surface 12c side of the OLED sheet 12. Thereby, the axial distance between the first rotation center 10a and the second rotation center 34a can be extended, and in the closed state, the OLED sheet 12 is lifted upward as shown by the arrow 21g. In addition, in the open state, the sliding arm U30a also serves as a support for the OLED sheet 12, thereby improving the reliability of the OLED sheet 12. Moreover, even when in the closed state, the swaying of the OLED sheet 12 is restricted by the main plane 30a to improve the reliability.

[0156] In addition, in the closed state, the housing 10 is lifted along Figure 10 (c) in the direction of the arrow 21g, and when approaching the open state, the housing 10 descends to the side opposite to the arrow 21g. Therefore, as Figure 19 (c) shows, the housing 10 can cover the base cover 11 while ensuring the gap L4. And as Figure 19 (b) shows, in the closed state, a gap L3 can be provided between the housing 10 and the base cover 11. Thereby, the notebook computer A with high reliability and high-quality appearance is realized.

[0157] Figure 20 It is a diagram for explaining the sliding operation arm U30b and the rotation control unit U40. Figure 20 (a) is an assembled perspective view. Figure 20 (b) is an exploded perspective view. As Figure 20 (b) shows, the sliding operation arm 34 has a special-shaped shaft hole 34c provided at the joint portion 34b, and rotates together with the shaft 40 passing through the special-shaped shaft hole 34c by the special-shaped shaft portion 40b around the circular shaft hole 35a of the torque adjustment base 35 and the circular shaft hole 36a of the rotation synchronization base 36. Here, the rotation of the sliding operation arm 34 is restricted relative to the shaft 40, and the rotation load of the rotation control unit U40 described later is transmitted to the sliding operation arm 34 via the shaft 40. The shaft 40 rotates around a second rotation center 34a different from the first rotation center 10a, and the sliding operation arm 34 also rotates coaxially.

[0158] A second plane 34f for supporting the OLED sheet 12 in the open state is provided at the joint portion 34b of the sliding operation arm 34. In addition, in the closed state, the swaying of the OLED sheet 12 is restricted by the restricting portion 34g adjacent to the second plane 34f. ( Figure 12 (c))

[0159] As described above, the side frame 21 and the slider 34d of the sliding operation arm 34 maintain a stable angle with each other for sliding with a long fitting length. In addition, the sliding operation arm 34 has a second plane 34f and a restricting portion 34g, which reliably support the OLED sheet 12 in the open state and restrict the swinging of the OLED sheet 12 in the closed state.

[0160] In Figure 20 it, the rotation control unit U40 is composed of a control shaft portion U40a, a friction generating portion U40b that applies an appropriate load to the opening and closing operation of a pair of housings 10, a locking portion U40c that holds the pair of housings 10 in an open state and a closed state, a biasing portion U40d that biases the friction generating portion U40b and the locking portion U40c, and a synchronization portion U40e that synchronizes the opening and closing of the pair of housings 10. Moreover, as the control shaft portion U40a, it has a shaft 40 and a fastening bolt 41, as the friction generating portion U40b, it has first and second friction plates 42 and 43, as the locking portion U40c, it has first and second cams 44 and 45, as the biasing portion U40d, it has a locking spring 46, a spring seat 47, and as the synchronization portion U40e, it has a main gear 48 and a sub-gear 49.

[0161] In Figure 20 it, in the part where a plurality of components having the same shape are used, the component numbers of the repeated elements are omitted in the illustration. The synchronization portion U40e, the locking portion U40c, the friction generating portion U40b, and the biasing portion U40d are coaxially provided on the shaft 40 serving as the control shaft portion U40a. In addition, a fastening bolt 41 is screwed into the threaded portion 40c at the front end of the shaft 40. Based on this fastening bolt 41, the biasing portion U40d, the locking portion U40c, the friction generating portion U40b, the sliding operation arm 34, and the synchronization portion U40e are arranged. Here, the mechanism will be described in order from the side of the fastening bolt 41.

[0162] The locking spring 46 serving as the biasing portion U40d is composed of a plurality of disc springs, and the shaft 40 passes through the circular shaft hole 46b of the locking spring 46. Moreover, the deformed shaft portion 40b of the shaft 40 also passes through the deformed shaft hole 47a of the spring seat 47. The plurality of disc springs change directions to form two sets that overlap with each other, and the spring receiving surface 47b of the spring seat 47 faces the adjacent sides of each set.

[0163] The special-shaped shaft portion 40b of the shaft 40 penetrates through the special-shaped shaft hole 45a of the second cam 45, and the second cam 45 is restricted from rotating by the shaft 40. The special-shaped shaft portion 40b of the shaft 40 penetrates through the circular shaft hole 44a of the first cam 44, and the shaft 40 can rotate relative to the first cam 44. Here, since the two shafts 40 respectively penetrate through a pair of circular shaft holes 44a of the first cam 44, the first cam 44 cannot rotate around each shaft 40. In this way, the two shafts 40 can rotate independently relative to the first cam 44, but the first cam 44 cannot rotate relative to the shaft 40. The cam surface 44b of the first cam 44 opposite to the second cam 45 and the cam surface 45b of the second cam 45 opposite to the cam surface 44b are formed in a phase where the crests and troughs engage in the closed state and the open state and do not engage in other states. Therefore, by the action of the cam surface, the pair of housings 10 are sucked into this state and locked when approaching the closed state or the open state.

[0164] The special-shaped shaft portion 40b of the shaft 40 penetrates through the circular shaft hole 42a of the first friction plate 42 which is a friction generation portion U40b, and the first friction plate 42 can rotate relative to the shaft 40. Here, the two shafts 40 respectively penetrate through a pair of circular shaft holes 42a of the first friction plate 42, and the first friction plate 42 cannot rotate around each shaft 40. In this way, the two shafts 40 can rotate independently relative to the first friction plate 42, but the first friction plate 42 cannot rotate relative to the shaft 40. The special-shaped shaft portion 40b of the shaft 40 penetrates through the special-shaped shaft hole (not shown) of the second friction plate 43 opposite to the first friction plate 42, and the second friction plate 43 is restricted from rotating by the shaft 40. And the next first friction plate 42 is arranged in a manner that sandwiches the second friction plate 43. The surfaces of the first friction plate 42 and the second friction plate 43 opposite to each other are satin-finished. When the second friction plate 43 rotates together with the shaft 40 relative to the first friction plate 42, a frictional torque is generated, and a rotational load is applied to the shaft 40. The positioning hole 42b provided on the first friction plate 42 is combined with the positioning shaft provided on the torque adjustment base to position the torque adjustment base 35 and the first friction plate 42.

[0165] The hinge device B of the present invention is designed to be compact, and correspondingly, the rotation control unit U40 is also made compact. However, if the first and second friction plates 42 and 43 and the first and second cams 44 and 45 are made smaller in diameter, the torque generated by each of them becomes smaller. Therefore, in the present invention, locking portions U40c and friction generation portions U40b are provided on both sides of the two shafts 40, and moreover, Figure 3 Rotation control units U40 are respectively provided on the arm units U30 at both ends of the hinge device B shown. Through these configurations, a rotation control unit U40 that is compact and can perform large and reliable operations of frictional torque and locking torque is achieved.

[0166] The shaped shaft portion 40b of the shaft 40 penetrates through the shaped shaft hole 48a of the main gear 48, and the rotation of the main gear 48 is restricted by the shaft 40. The sub-gear 49 is rotatably supported by a circular shaft hole 49a with respect to a pair of sub-transmission shafts 35b, 36b serving as the fifth rotation center 49c. The teeth 48b of a pair of main gears 48 respectively provided on the two shafts 40 mesh with the teeth 49b of a pair of sub-gears 49. Moreover, as Figure 21 shown, a pair of sub-gears 49 mesh with each other. Therefore, when one of a pair of sliding operation arms 34 is rotated, the other also rotates synchronously. Since the sliding operation arm 34 controls the opening and closing of the hinge device B, high-quality opening and closing operations are performed through synchronous rotation.

[0167] The shaft 40 penetrates through the rotation shaft hole 35a of the torque adjustment base 35 and the rotation shaft hole 36a of the rotation synchronization base 36. As described above, the threaded hole 41a of the fastening bolt 41 is screwed into the threaded portion 40c at the front end of the shaft 40. The synchronization portion U40e, the friction generating portion U40b, the locking portion U40c, and the biasing portion U40d on the shaft 40 are clamped by the bolt head 40a and the fastening bolt 41, and the thrust force in the direction of the arrow 46a of the biasing portion U40d is controlled by the screwing amount of the fastening bolt 41. Thus, the locking force and the friction generating force can be adjusted, and good opening and closing operations can be performed.

[0168] Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0169] First, each support plate 22, 22 swingably mounted on each side plate 21, 21... by the sub-hinges 23, 23..., as Figure 11 (a) and Figure 12 (a) show, in the state where each housing 10, 10 is opened at 180°, it is flush with the holding surface of the OLED sheet 12 of the center frame 20 and each housing 10, 10, and is supported in such a way that no concave or convex portions are formed on the surface of the OLED sheet 12. When closing the housings 10, 10 from this state, it is guided to swing with each sub-hinge 23, 23... as a fulcrum, and from Figure 11 (b) and Figure 12 (b) show the state, as Figure 11 (c) and Figure 12 (c) show, when the housings 10, 10 are closed, a housing portion S for housing the bent portion 12b of the OLED sheet 12 is formed.

[0170] In addition, as Figure 11 (c) and Figure 12 (c) show, in the 0° closed state where the housings 10, 10 of the notebook computer A are closed, a gap K is provided between the lower end surface of the bent portion 12b of the OLED sheet 12 and the upper surface of the center frame 20 of the hinge device B, and they do not contact each other. Then, as Figure 11(b) and Figure 12 As shown in (b), even at its intermediate opening angle, the cases 10, 10 are guided by the sub-guides 31 and approach the center frame 20 side, but the gap K between the lower surface side of the OLED sheet 12 and the upper surface side of the center frame 20 of the hinge device B is maintained and they do not contact each other.

[0171] In addition, as Figure 11 (a) and Figure 12 As shown in (a), in the fully opened state where the cases 10, 10 are opened to 180°, the upper surface of the center frame 20 including the hinge device B is flush with the surface where the cases 10, 10 contact the OLED sheet 12, and no recesses or protrusions are formed on the OLED sheet 12, and it can maintain the same flush state as other surfaces.

[0172] And when the cases 10, 10 are gradually closed from Figure 11 the (a) and Figure 12 the fully opened state shown in (a), the cases 10, 10 are guided by the sub-guides 31, 31... and gradually move away from the center frame 20. Therefore, as Figure 11 shown in (b) of Figure 12 and (b) of Figure 11 the cases 10, 10 close in a state where a gap K is generated between the lower surface side of the OLED sheet 12 and especially the center frame 20 side of the hinge device B. As Figure 12 shown in (c) of

[0173] and (c) of

[0174] even in the state where the cases 10, 10 are closed, a gap K is generated between the bent portion 12b of the OLED sheet 12 and especially the center frame 20 of the hinge device B, and they do not press against each other.

[0173] In this way, the hinge device B of the present invention can prevent the bent portion 12b of the OLED sheet 12 from pressing against the hinge device B when the cases 10, 10 are opened and closed, even if the OLED sheet is mounted across both of a pair of cases that are pivotally connected to each other. Therefore, it can prevent deterioration and failure of the OLED sheet 12 caused thereby, and thus can achieve the durability of the electronic device.

[0174]

Industrial Applicability

[0175] Since the hinge device B of the present invention is configured as described above, especially in the folded state of a pair of cases of various electronic devices, it can prevent the bent portion 12b of the OLED sheet 12 from contacting the hinge device B, especially the center frame 20, prevent failure of the OLED sheet 12, and improve reliability.

[0176] The present invention relates to a folding electronic device suitable for a structure in which an OLED sheet is installed across a pair of housings, such as a hinge device for a notebook computer, an electronic notebook, a PDA, a netbook, an image display device, a portable game machine, etc., and a folding electronic device using the hinge device. However, the hinge device according to the present invention is not limited to being used for a notebook computer. As described above, it can be widely applied to a folding electronic device having a structure in which a pair of housings on which an OLED sheet is surface-mounted are connected to be openable and closable with each other. In addition, the present invention is not limited to an OLED sheet (organic EL) system, and any bendable viewing device can be applied thereto.

Claims

1. A hinge device, characterized in that, The hinge device is openably and closably connected to a pair of housings of an electronic device formed by mounting an OLED sheet across the pair of housings, and is capable of forming a receiving portion that can receive a bent portion of the OLED sheet; a center frame reaching both ends thereof is provided on each connection portion side of the pair of housings, and a pair of side frames respectively mounted on the pair of housings are slidably and openably provided on the center frame via sliding arms. A pair of support frames are mounted on these respective side frames via sub-hinges, and the pair of side frames are further mounted on the center frame via a sliding operation arm configured with a guiding mechanism. Thus, with the closing operation of the pair of housings, the pair of housings slide in a direction away from the center frame, creating a gap between the bent portion of the OLED sheet and the center frame.

2. The hinge device according to claim 1, wherein The sliding operation arm is composed of an arm configured with a rotation control unit and an arm not configured with the rotation control unit.

3. The hinge device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guiding mechanism includes a pair of sub-guiding members and a pair of main arc shafts. The pair of sub-guiding members are oppositely provided with curved guiding grooves at respective portions mounted on the center frame, and the pair of main arc shafts are provided on the sliding operation arm slidably inserted into the pair of curved guiding grooves of the sub-guiding members. The rotation center of the curved guiding groove is disposed on the viewing surface of the OLED sheet.

4. The hinge device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame swingably mounts a frame guide member provided on its lower surface side on the sliding operation arm.

5. The hinge device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the pair of housings are opened, the support frame prevents shaking by engaging an arm hook provided on its lower surface side with a hook pin provided on the sliding arm.

6. An electronic device, characterized in that, Use the hinge device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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