Hinge Cover Units Concealing Gaps in Foldable Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic apparatuses with a main body and display portion, such as laptops, the hinge assemblies create visible gaps that detract from aesthetic design, especially when the display is pivoted, as existing solutions fail to seamlessly hide these gaps across various angles.
Innovation Solution
The electronic apparatus incorporates a hinge assembly with multiple shaft members and cover units, where each cover unit has a main and auxiliary cover surface that adjusts its visibility based on the pivot angle, ensuring the gaps between cover units are hidden regardless of the display's position, using a gear unit and coupler members to maintain consistent gaps and facilitate hidden or exposed arrangements of the auxiliary cover surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a plurality of cover units are provided to hide the hinge assembly, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the complexity of the structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover unit is divided into multiple cover members (first cover member, second cover member, third cover member) that can independently move and adjust their positions. Each cover member is segmented to cover different portions of the hinge assembly, allowing them to work together to hide gaps while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover members are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their positions based on the pivot angle of the display portion. The second cover member can rotate relative to the first cover member, and the third cover member can move to cover gaps, enabling the cover unit to adapt to different operational states while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
2Shape
If the cover units are arranged to hide gaps at all pivot angles, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover unit is designed as a multi-functional mechanism where the same set of cover members serves multiple purposes: the first cover member covers the upper portion of the hinge, the second cover member covers the lower portion and can rotate to track the hinge angle, and the third cover member covers gaps between adjacent cover units. This universal design allows a single cover unit mechanism to handle various pivot angles without requiring separate mechanisms for different angle ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover members are passively driven by the hinge assembly's own movement. As the display portion pivots, the hinge assembly automatically drives the cover members to adjust their positions through the gear unit and linkages, without requiring external actuators or complex control systems. The mechanism uses the hinge's rotational motion itself to drive the cover adjustment, making the system self-servicing.
3Shape
If the second cover member is partially overlapped to hide gaps, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cover unit employs parameter changes through the rotation angle of the second cover member, which varies according to the hinge assembly's pivot angle. By dynamically changing the rotational parameter of the second cover member, the system compensates for variations in gap sizes and positions that occur at different pivot angles, reducing the need for extremely tight manufacturing tolerances while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic apparatus includes first and second device units, at least one hinge assembly configured to pivotally connect the second device unit to the first device unit and including a plurality of shaft members, and a plurality of cover units mounted on the at least one hinge assembly to hide the at least one hinge assembly. Each of the cover units includes a first cover member to hide a first side of the at least one hinge assembly and a second cover member to hide a second side of the at least one hinge assembly. a second cover member of each of the cover units is partially overlapped with an adjacent second cover member while the first and second device unit are folded, and a relative position of second cover members is changed according to an angle at which the first and second device units are unfolded.