Hinge Assembly Flat Fold Retention Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinges limit the rotation angle of LCD panels and bases, resulting in an inevitable included angle that increases the volume of the LCD, making encasing and transporting cumbersome and prone to damage, as they cannot retain the folded position.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly comprising a body, mounting leaves, and an active leaf with slide slots and latching ends, allowing the panel and base to fold completely flat, with the active leaf retaining the protrusions in the folding ends of the slide slots to maintain a stable fold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional hinge is used to mount the panel and base, then the panel can rotate relative to the base for viewing convenience, but the rotation angle is limited and an inevitable included angle remains, which enlarges the volume of the LCD and makes encasing and transporting troublesome
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly transitions from a static limited-angle structure to a dynamic multi-position structure. The active leaf with retainers can dynamically adjust to lock the panel at different rotation angles including a completely flat 180-degree position, allowing the LCD to adapt between viewing convenience and compact storage needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly changes the rotation angle parameter from a limited range to include a complete 180-degree flat position. By modifying the structural parameters of the hinge body, mounting leaves, and active leaf, the system enables the panel to achieve a completely flat folded state, reducing the LCD volume for encasing and transporting.
2Ease of operation
If a conventional hinge is used to mount the panel and base, then the panel can rotate relative to the base, but the hinge cannot retain the folded position, causing the LCD to shake during encasing or transporting and be easily damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The active leaf with retainers provides self-retaining functionality at the folded position. When the panel is folded to a flat status, the retainers automatically engage with the hinge body to lock the position, eliminating the need for external support structures and preventing shaking during encasing or transporting.
Solution Approach 2:
The active leaf acts as an intermediary component between the mounting leaves and the hinge body. It mediates the retention function by using retainers that engage with the hinge body to secure the folded position, thereby stabilizing the LCD during transport without interfering with the rotation function.
3Device complexity
If the panel and base are folded with an inevitable included angle, then the hinge structure is simple, but the volume of the LCD is enlarged and encasing and transporting becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a hinge body with protrusions, mounting leaves with slide slots and active slots, and an active leaf with retainers. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while working together to achieve complete folding capability without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge assembly could be installed between a panel and a base of an LCD and has a body, an active leaf and two mounting leaves. The body has two sides and two protrusions formed on the two sides respectively. The active leaf has two mounting portions mounted pivotally with the mounting leaves respectively and each mounting portion has a retainer. The mounting leaves are mounted pivotally on the two sides of the body and each mounting leaf has a slide slot with a folding end and an active slot with a latching end. The slide slots hold the protrusions respectively and the active slots hold the retainers. When the protrusions reach the folding ends, the panel and the base is folded into a flat status and encasing or transporting of the LCD is convenient.