Foldable Device Hinge Assembly Without Pins or Clips
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hinge structures in foldable electronic devices require interlocking pins and clips, leading to increased costs and reduced productivity due to the need for precise dimensional accuracy, which complicates their manufacturing and operation.
Innovation Solution
A hinge structure is designed with a rotator and a cam that utilize an interlocking protrusion and hole for assembly, allowing the two rotation portions to rotate at the same angle, enhancing productivity and reducing costs by eliminating the need for complex interlocking mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an interlocking pin and clip are used to assemble the rotator and cam, then the hinge structure achieves stable operation, but the manufacturing cost increases and productivity decreases due to the need for precise dimensional accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the interlocking pin and clip from the hinge structure assembly. Instead of using separate fastening components, the rotator and cam are designed to be integrally formed as a single piece, removing the need for additional interlocking parts and their associated precise dimensional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the rotator and cam into a single integrated component. By combining these two previously separate parts into one monolithic structure, the invention eliminates the assembly step requiring interlocking pins and clips, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and improving productivity while maintaining structural stability.
2Reliability
If an interlocking pin and clip are used to assemble the rotator and cam, then the hinge structure achieves stable operation, but the manufacturing cost increases due to complex assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the interlocking pin and clip components from the design, eliminating the complex assembly process and associated cost increases. The integral design allows for simpler manufacturing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the rotator and cam into a single integrated component, the patent simplifies the manufacturing process. This consolidation reduces the number of parts to be manufactured, stored, and assembled, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining the necessary structural stability.
3Reliability
If the dimensional accuracy of the interlocking pin is managed to ensure stable operation, then the hinge structure operates reliably, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the interlocking pin from the assembly, eliminating the need to manage its dimensional accuracy. By removing this component entirely, the invention avoids the manufacturing precision requirements and associated costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The integration of the rotator and cam into a single component eliminates the interlocking pin interface. This merging removes the dimensional accuracy constraints that would otherwise be required for the pin, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring reliable operation through the integral design.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a foldable electronic device may comprise a hinge structure unit including a first hinge structure and a second hinge structure and a bracket to which the hinge structure unit is rotatably coupled. The first hinge structure or the second hinge structure may include a rotator provided with an interlocking hole and a cam having an end provided with an interlocking protrusion to be fitted into the interlocking hole to be assembled to the rotator.