Hinge device and electronic device using the same

Abstract

To stabilize opening / closing operation of an electronic device.SOLUTION: A hinge device of an electronic device includes: a center block which reaches both side parts in a width direction of a pair of first housing and second housing; synchronous rotation mechanisms rotatably attached to the center block; a pair of first rotary shaft and second rotary shaft respectively including rotation control mechanisms; a pair of slide members respectively attached to the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft in a rotatable manner; a pair of holding members slidably holding the slide members; a pair of brackets which is attached to the first housing and the second housing in a manner that the brackets may slide in an opening direction of the first housing and the second housing relative to the holding members; biasing members which bias the pair of brackets in the opening direction in a sliding manner; and a pair of guide units which is provided at both ends of the center block and guides opening / closing motion of the holding members.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge device suitable for use in various electronic devices such as electronic devices, electronic notebooks, PDAs, netbooks, and further notebook computers, and an electronic device using this hinge device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, electronic devices such as portable terminals have been developed in which a single organic EL flexible display sheet is attached across a pair of foldable first and second housings and are becoming available in the market. Such electronic devices are divided into a valley fold type in which a pair of first and second housings are folded inward and a mountain fold type in which they are folded outward, and the present invention relates to a hinge device suitable for use when opening and closing a mountain fold type electronic device. As such a hinge device and an electronic device using this hinge device, those described in Patent Document 1 below are known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the electronic device described in Patent Document 1 above, the first and second housings are configured to be opened and closed and supported by an arm provided with an arc-shaped guide. In such a structure, when the hinge device is miniaturized, when the first and second housings are changed from the closed state to the open state, there is a problem that the fitting amount of the guide is insufficient with respect to the required guide amount and the opening and closing operation becomes unstable. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge device having a compact configuration capable of realizing a stable opening and closing operation, and an electronic device using this hinge device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the hinge device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a hinge device for an electronic device that attaches a flexible display sheet across a pair of first and second housings and opens and closes the pair of first and second housings in a mountain-fold manner, and includes a center block reaching both side portions in the width direction of the pair of first and second housings, a synchronous rotation mechanism rotatably attached to the center block, a pair of first and second rotation shafts each provided with a rotation control mechanism, a pair of slide members rotatably attached to the first and second rotation shafts together, a pair of holding members slidably holding each of the slide members, a pair of brackets attached to the first and second housings slidably in the opening direction of the first and second housings with respect to each of the holding members, a biasing member biasing the pair of brackets in the opening direction, and a pair of guide units provided at both ends of the center block for guiding the opening and closing operations of the holding members.

[0006] Next, the invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft are provided in a pair with a common axis, each having a synchronous rotation mechanism and a rotation control mechanism, and both ends of the pair of slide members are connected to the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft, respectively.

[0007] Next, the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1, wherein each of the holding members is composed of a pair of side plates and a back plate that are overlapped with each other, and slidably holds each of the slide members and the brackets.

[0008] Next, the invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the guide unit is attached via a connecting member attached to guide unit attachment portions provided at both ends of the center block, and includes a guide base, a pair of outer guide blocks provided between the guide base and the guide unit attachment portions, a pair of inner guide blocks provided adjacent to the inside of each pair of outer guide blocks, and a link arm provided between the inner guide blocks.

[0009] Next, the invention according to claim 5 of the present application is characterized in that the hinge device has an outer cover and an inner cover that cover the outside and the inside thereof.

[0010] And, the invention according to claim 6 of the present application is characterized in that the electronic device uses the hinge device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to provide a hinge device for an electronic device that attaches a flexible display sheet across a pair of first and second housings and opens and closes the pair of first and second housings in a mountain-fold manner, and that enables the first and second housings to be opened and closed in a compact and stable manner, as well as an electronic device using such a hinge device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Figure 5

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Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

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Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the hinge device according to the present invention and an electronic device using this hinge device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Examples

[0014] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 schematically show an electronic device A using a hinge device B according to the present invention. FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view of a closed state where the angle formed by a pair of first housings 10a and second housings 10b is 0 degrees. The electronic device A has a pair of first housings 10a, second housings 10b, and a flexible display sheet 13, and the pair of first housings 10a and second housings 10b are connected by a hinge device B (not visible in FIG. 1). FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view of an opened state where the angle formed by the pair of first housings 10a and second housings 10b is opened to 180 degrees.

[0015] Here, in the closed state of FIG. 1(a), since the flexible display sheet 13 is of a mountain-fold type, it is exposed to the outside, and an image can be viewed compactly using half of the screen of the flexible display sheet 13.

[0016] Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) are perspective views of the electronic device A in Figs. 1(a) and 1(b) with the flexible display sheet 13 removed, and an outer cover 8 for smoothing the convex and concave portions on the outer side of the hinge device B that is to be located in the width direction of the lower surface of the central portion of the flexible display sheet 13 is visible.

[0017] Fig. 3(a) is a perspective view of the hinge device B in the closed state, and Fig. 3(b) is a perspective view of the state where the outer cover 8 and the inner cover 11 are removed from Fig. 3(a). In Fig. 3(a), by combining each mounting screw hole 60a, 60a, 60a ··· provided in the brackets 60, 60 (only one is shown) with each mounting hole (not shown) provided in the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are attached to the brackets 60, 60 as shown in Fig. 2 by mounting screws (not shown). Further, between the guide unit mounting portions 20c, 20c provided at both ends of the center block 20 reaching both side portions in the width direction of each of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b of the hinge device B and the guide bases 25, 25 provided opposite to each of these guide unit mounting portions 20c, 20c, guide units 5, 5 for guiding the opening and closing of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are provided.

[0018] [Configuration of the hinge device B] Hereinafter, the configuration of the hinge device B according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. According to the drawings, the hinge device B includes a center block 20 reaching both side portions in the width direction of a pair of first housings 10a and second housings 10b, a synchronous rotation mechanism 31 rotatably attached to the center block 20, a pair of first rotation shafts 21 and second rotation shafts 22 each provided with rotation control mechanisms 32, 32, and a pair of slide members 51, 51 rotatably attached to both end portions of the first rotation shaft 21 and the second rotation shaft 22 via link arms 50, 50, 50, 50. A pair of holding members 40, 40 formed by overlapping side plates 38, 38 and back plates 39, 39 that slidably hold the slide members 51, 51, a pair of brackets 60, 60 slidably attached to the holding members 40, 40 in the opening direction of the first housings 10a and the second housings 10b, eight biasing members 61, 61,... that bias the pair of brackets 60, 60 in the opening direction, and a pair of guide units 5, 5 that guide the opening and closing operations of the holding members 40, 40 provided at both end portions of the center block 20. In FIG. 7, what is indicated by reference signs 39a, 39a,... on the back plates 39, 39 are protrusions inserted into the square holes 60b, 60b,... provided in the brackets 60.

[0019] As shown particularly in Fig. 11, the center block 20 is in the form of an elongated plate, and has a wiring insertion portion 20b provided with a wiring insertion hole 20a through which wiring passes in its central portion, and a pair of guide unit attachment portions 20c, 20c each having a side surface semi-shape provided at both ends thereof. In the guide unit attachment portions 20c, 20c, shallow first guide grooves 20f, 20f·20f, 20f curved in the upper and lower portions sandwiching the attachment grooves 20h, 20h provided in the central portions thereof, and deep second guide grooves 20g, 20g·20g, 20g provided in the first guide grooves 20f, 20f·20f, 20f are provided. Further, as shown in Fig. 11, those indicated by reference signs 20d, 20d, 20d, 20d are attachment holes for attaching a first connecting portion 26 and a second connecting portion 27 described later, and those indicated by reference signs 20e, 20e are attachment holes for attaching a connecting member 36 described later.

[0020] As shown particularly in Figs. 7 and 8, the center block 20 has a first connecting portion 26 having a first rotating shaft 21 and a second rotating shaft 22 with their axis cores common to each other in the left-right axial direction sandwiching the wiring insertion portion 20b, and a second connecting portion 27 having a third rotating shaft 23 and a fourth rotating shaft 24, which are attached via bearing portions 49, 49, 49, 49 each composed of upper bearing members 47, 47·47, 47 and lower bearing members 48, 48·48, 48. The reference signs 47a and 48a shown in Fig. 10 are attachment holes.

[0021] Since the configurations of each pair of the first rotating shafts 21 and the second rotating shafts 22 that constitute the first connecting portion 26 and the third rotating shaft 23 and the fourth rotating shaft 24 that constitute the second connecting portion 27 are the same, as shown in FIG. 14, the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 will be described. The first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 are provided with flange portions 21a and 22a at their central portions. On both sides of the flange portions 21a and 22a, large-diameter deformed shaft portions 21b, 21b, 22b, and 22b are provided. At each end of each of the large-diameter deformed shaft portions 21b, 21b, 22b, and 22b, small-diameter deformed shaft portions 21c, 21c, 22c, and 22c are provided. On one side of each of the small-diameter deformed shaft portions 21c, 21c, 22c, and 22c, engaging portions 21d and 22d are provided, and on the other end, deformed mounting shaft portions 21e and 22e are provided. A plurality of synchronous rotation mechanisms 31, 31 and a plurality of rotation control mechanisms 32, 32 are installed on each of the first rotating shafts 21 and the second rotating shafts 22, and the configurations of the third rotating shaft 23 and the fourth rotating shaft 24 of the second connecting portion 27 are the same.

[0022] The synchronous rotation mechanism 31 is composed of first gears 28, 28 and second gears 29, 29 that are attached to the small-diameter deformed shaft portions 21c, 22c of the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 and mesh with each other. By meshing the gears with each other, the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 can be configured to rotate synchronously. Without detailed description, the third rotating shaft 23 and the fourth rotating shaft 24 have the same configuration.

[0023] As shown particularly in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rotation control mechanism 32 is composed of a friction torque generating portion F33 and a click stop portion K34. The friction torque generating portion F33 includes a friction plate 33a through which the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 are rotatably inserted, a pair of friction washers 33b, 33b which are in contact with the friction plate 33a and are attached to the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 with rotation restricted, and elastic members 35, 35, such as compression coil springs, which are provided by inserting the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 to press the friction plate 33a and the friction washers 33b, 33b together.

[0024] The click stop portion K34 includes a cam plate 34a through which the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 are rotatably inserted, a pair of cam washers 34b, 34b which are in contact with the cam plate 34a and are attached to the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 with rotation restricted, and elastic members 35, 35 which are provided by inserting the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 to press the cam plate 34a and the cam washers 34b, 34b together. Here, the elastic members 35, 35 are common members for the friction torque generating portion F33 and the click stop portion K34.

[0025] Next, four link arms 50, 50, 50, 50 are attached to the outer ends of the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22 which constitute the first connecting portion 26, and the third rotating shaft 23 and the fourth rotating shaft 24 which constitute the second connecting portion 27, respectively. One slide member 51 is attached to the link arms 50 and 50 on one side, and the other slide member 51 is attached to the link arms 50, 50 on the other side.

[0026] The configuration for attaching the slide members 51, 51 to the link arms 50, 50, 50, 50 is achieved by passing the connecting pins 55, 55, 55, 55 through the connecting holes 50a, 50a, 50a, 50a provided at the tips of the respective link arms 50, 50, 50, 50 and the connecting holes 51a, 51a,... provided on both side portions of the slide members 51, 51, and attachment portions 55a, 55a, 55a, 55a in the shape of a legislative body are attached to their respective tips.

[0027] The guide units 5, 5 are attached with the guide bases 25, 25 via the connecting members 36, 36 attached to the guide unit attachment portions 20c, 20c provided at both ends of the center block 20. A pair of outer guide blocks 56, 56 provided between the guide bases 25, 25 and the guide unit attachment portions 20c, 20c, a pair of inner guide blocks 57, 57 provided adjacent to each pair of the outer guide blocks 56, 56, and link arms 37, 37 provided between the respective inner guide blocks 57, 57 constitute the guide units. In particular, in FIGS. 13, 14, and 18, the reference symbols 37a, 37a indicate curved convex portions, 37b indicates small protrusions, 37c indicates attachment holes, and further, the reference symbol 37d indicates a protruding portion.

[0028] Since the guide bases 25, 25 have the same configuration, one of them will be described. The guide base 25 has a semi-circular shape on its side surface, has an attachment groove 25a for the connecting member 36 at the center of its lower surface, and a pair of shallow arc-shaped guide grooves 25b, 25b and deep guide grooves 25c, 25c provided in the guide grooves 25b, 25b on one side surface. The one indicated by the reference symbol 25d is an attachment hole when attaching the connecting member 36.

[0029] Since the configurations of all the outer guide blocks 56 are the same, one of them will be described. As shown particularly in Fig. 16, this outer guide block 56 has a side surface curved shape, with a curved convex portion 56a provided on one side of its side surface, and small protrusions 56b provided on this curved convex portion 56a. Further, on the other side of the side surface, a shallow curved groove 56c and a deep and short small curved groove 56d are provided in this curved groove 56c.

[0030] Next, since the configurations of all the inner guide blocks 57 are the same, one of them will be described. As shown particularly in Fig. 17, this inner guide block 57 has a side surface curved shape, with a curved convex portion 57a provided on one side of its side surface, and small protrusions 57b provided on this curved convex portion 57a. Further, on the other side of the side surface, a shallow curved groove 57c and a deep and short small curved groove 57d are provided in this curved groove 57c.

[0031] The outer cover 8, although not shown in detail, covers the upper surface side of the hinge device B by attaching its front and rear parts to the side plates 38, 38 of the holding members 40, 40. The inner cover 11 is attached by attaching the attachment parts 11a, 11a,... provided at both ends thereof to the attachment pieces 38a, 38a,... provided on the side plates 38, 38 of the holding members 40, 40 with attachment screws 11b, 11b,... that actuate coil springs 11c, 11c,... and thus covers the lower side of the hinge device B. The outer cover 8 repeats a curved state and a flat plate state during the opening and closing operations of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b. The inner cover 11, when in the state at the time of folding (0 degrees) of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, is configured to be folded in three folds as shown in Fig. 3(a). Incidentally, in Fig. 6, the indication symbols 8a, 8b, 8c are mounting holes, and the indication symbol 11d is a mounting hole.

[0032] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the synchronous rotation mechanism 31, the friction torque generation unit F33 and the click stop unit K34 that constitute the rotation control mechanism 32 are commonly provided for the first rotating shaft 21 and the second rotating shaft 22, and the third rotating shaft 23 and the fourth rotating shaft 24, respectively. To avoid complexity, the first connecting portion 26 will be described in detail, and the detailed description of the second connecting portion 27 will be omitted.

[0033] Therefore, when the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are opened from the state of 0 degrees shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 2(a) which are the closed states of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, the operating force is transmitted from the holding members 40, 40 to the slide members 51, 51 via the brackets 60, 60, and further, the operating force is transmitted to the first rotating shaft 21, the second rotating shaft 22, the third rotating shaft 23, and the fourth rotating shaft 24. The first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are opened up to 180 degrees as shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 2(b). When opened up to 180 degrees, since the link arms 37, 37, 37, 37 of the guide units 5, 5 stop, the holding members 40, 40 to which they are attached stop and cannot be opened further. Therefore, the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b stop when they are opened 180 degrees.

[0034] When the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are being opened, each synchronous rotation mechanism 31, 31,... operates to make the opening and closing angles of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b the same. In addition, each friction torque generation unit F33, F33,... can keep the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b in a self-supporting state without being automatically opened or closed by their own weights even when the hands are released from the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, and can give the operator a comfortable operating feeling. Further, by the click stop units K34, K34,..., the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are automatically opened so as to be sucked in immediately before the fully opened state and are stably stopped in the fully opened state. Furthermore, immediately before the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are closed to 0 degrees, they are closed so as to be sucked in, are stable in the closed state, and do not open by themselves.

[0035] That is, when the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are closed, as shown in FIG. 10, the convex portions 34c, 34c of the cam washers 34b, 34b fall into the concave portions 34d, 34d of the cam plate 34a, so that the closed state is stable and it will not open accidentally. Further, even in the 180-degree open state of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, the convex portions 34c, 34c of the cam washers 34b, 34b fall into the concave portions 34d, 34d of the cam plate 34a, and the open state can be stably maintained.

[0036] When the click stop portion K34 is opened from the 0-degree closed state of the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, and when it is closed from the 180-degree open state, the convex portions 34c, 34c of the cam washer 34b encounter resistance when passing over the concave portions 34d, 34d of the cam plate 34a. However, immediately before the opened first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are opened to 180 degrees and immediately before they are closed to 0 degrees, when the convex portions 34c, 34c of the cam washer 34b fall into the concave portions 34d, 34d of the cam plate 34a, a rotational torque that rotates the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b in the opening direction and the closing direction is generated, so that the opening and closing operations can be automatically performed.

[0037] In the present invention, since the flexible display sheet 13 is always pulled in its longitudinal direction through the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b to which it is attached, when the closed first housing 10a and the second housing 10b are opened, or when they are in the fully open state, the flexible display sheet 13 will not slacken or ripple. Further, the hinge device B according to the present invention has the first connecting portion 26 and the second connecting portion 27, but when the housing of the electronic device is small like a mobile phone, only one of the connecting portions can be used.

Industrial Applicability

[0038] Since the hinge device according to the present invention is configured as described above, it is suitably used as a hinge device for an electronic device using a flexible display sheet in a mountain-folded manner, and as an electronic device using this hinge device.

Explanation of Signs

[0039] A Electronic device B Hinge device 5 Guide unit 8 Outer cover 10a First housing 10b Second housing 11 Inner cover 13 Flexible display sheet 20 Center block 20a Wiring insertion hole 20b Wiring insertion part 20c, 20c Guide unit attachment part 20d Attachment hole 20e Attachment hole 20f First guide groove (shallow) 20g Second guide groove (deep) 21 First rotating shaft 21a Flange part 21b Large-diameter deformed shaft part 21c Small-diameter deformed shaft part 21d Engagement part 21e Deformed attachment shaft part 22 Second rotating shaft 22a Flange part 22b Large-diameter deformed shaft part 22c Small-diameter deformed shaft part 22d Engagement part 22e Deformed attachment shaft part 23 Third rotating shaft 24 Fourth rotating shaft 25 Guide base 28 First gear 29 Second gear 31 Synchronous rotation mechanism 32 Rotation control mechanism F33 Friction torque generation part K34 Click stop part 35 Elastic member 40 Holding member 51 Slide member 60 Bracket 60a Mounting screw hole 61 Biasing member

Claims

1. A hinge device for an electronic device that attaches a flexible display sheet across a pair of first and second housings and opens and closes the pair of first and second housings in a mountain-fold manner, the hinge device comprising: a center block reaching both side portions in the width direction of the pair of first and second housings; a synchronous rotation mechanism rotatably attached to the center block; a pair of first and second rotating shafts each provided with a rotation control mechanism; a pair of slide members rotatably attached to the first and second rotating shafts together; a pair of holding members slidably holding the slide members; a pair of brackets attached to the first and second housings slidably in the opening direction of the first and second housings with respect to the holding members; a biasing member biasing the pair of brackets in the opening direction; and a pair of guide units provided at both ends of the center block for guiding the opening and closing operations of the holding members.

2. The first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are provided in a pair with a common axis, each having a synchronous rotation mechanism and a rotation control mechanism, and both ends of the pair of slide members are connected to the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft respectively. The hinge device according to claim 1.

3. Each of the holding members is composed of a pair of side plates and a back plate overlapped with each other, and slidably holds the slide members and the brackets. The hinge device according to claim 1.

4. The guide unit is composed of a guide base attached via a connecting member attached to a guide unit attachment portion provided at both ends of the center block, a pair of outer guide blocks provided between the guide base and the guide unit attachment portion, a pair of inner guide blocks provided adjacent to the inside of the pair of outer guide blocks, and a link arm provided between the inner guide blocks. The hinge device according to claim 1.

5. The hinge device has an outer cover and an inner cover covering the outside and the inside thereof. The hinge device according to claim 1.

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

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