Foldable Hinge Structure With Elastic Angle Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable electronic devices face challenges in achieving a small width, high durability, and supporting various angles while maintaining space for other components, often resulting in increased weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A hinge structure with a cover member, bracket member, and hinge members that allow for flexible rotation and angle maintenance, utilizing an elastic pressing portion and position maintaining grooves to support the housing at various angles, ensuring a thin and durable design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a traditional hinge structure is used to support the housing at various angles, then the structural stability is improved, but the width and weight of the device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure is divided into multiple functional components: a rotation support portion providing rotational freedom, an elastic pressing portion providing angular positioning force, and position maintaining grooves providing discrete angle checkpoints. This segmentation allows each component to contribute to stability while keeping the overall structure compact.
Solution Approach 2:
The position maintaining grooves are formed within the rotation support portion, and the elastic pressing portion is received within a corresponding recess. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional elements to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall width of the hinge structure while maintaining all necessary functions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a traditional hinge structure is used to support the housing at various angles, then the structural stability is improved, but the weight of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure is divided into multiple functional components: a rotation support portion providing rotational freedom, an elastic pressing portion providing angular positioning force, and position maintaining grooves providing discrete angle checkpoints. This segmentation allows each component to contribute to stability while keeping the overall structure compact.
Solution Approach 2:
The position maintaining grooves are formed within the rotation support portion, and the elastic pressing portion is received within a corresponding recess. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional elements to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall width of the hinge structure while maintaining all necessary functions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a hinge structure with various angle support is implemented, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a single integrated hinge structure: the rotation support portion provides rotational movement, the elastic pressing portion provides continuous angular positioning force, and the position maintaining grooves provide discrete stable angle checkpoints. This combination achieves versatile angle support without requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge structure serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it enables rotation, provides continuous elastic positioning force, offers discrete stable angle positions through grooves, and maintains structural compactness. This multi-functionality achieves high adaptability while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If space is allocated for other components in the device, then the functionality is improved, but the hinge structure width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The position maintaining grooves are formed within the rotation support portion, and the elastic pressing portion is received within a corresponding recess. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional elements to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall width of the hinge structure while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge structure utilizes the depth dimension (z-direction) rather than only the width dimension (x-direction) to accommodate functional elements. The elastic pressing portion extends in the depth direction within its recess, and the grooves are formed in the depth direction, allowing functionality to be achieved without increasing the lateral width that would encroach on space for other components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hinge structure enables the foldable electronic apparatus to be supported at various angles with reduced weight and space for other components, providing a thin and durable structure.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic pressing portion and position maintaining grooves to support the housing at various angles
Data Source
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AI summary
A hinge structure of a foldable electronic apparatus includes a hinge member fixed to each of a first housing member and a second housing member, a rotation support portion rotatably supporting the hinge member and including a rotation guide that guides a rotation of the hinge member, and an angle maintaining structure configured to maintain a position of the hinge member. The first housing member and the second housing members are maintained at a predetermined angle with respect to each other. The angle maintaining structure includes an elastic pressing portion arranged between the rotation guide and the hinge member, the angle maintaining structure extending along a rotation direction of the hinge member, and being elastically deformable, and at least one position maintaining groove into which a portion of the elastic pressing portion is insertable and which is formed in a surface of the hinge member opposite to the rotation guide.