Hinge Mechanism Pin Rail Locking for Display Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinge mechanisms in portable electronic devices, such as notebooks, fail to maintain the display monitor at a desired angle during touch operations due to excessive user force, leading to inconvenience and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A hinge mechanism incorporating a shaft, connecting members, a limiting frame, a rail base with arc-shaped rails, and an elastic member, which provides a pin that moves through slots and abuts against stopping surfaces to prevent unwanted rotation, ensuring the display monitor remains stable at various angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinge mechanism uses friction force from rotation of a connecting member on a shaft to provide torque, then the display monitor can be positioned at any desired angle, but the display monitor may flip when excessive pressing force is applied during touch operations
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous friction-based torque provision is segmented into discrete locking positions using multiple arc-shaped rails (first, second, third arc-shaped rails) with stopping step structures. The pin can engage with these discrete positions to provide stable locking, while still allowing smooth rotation between positions through the elastic member's guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism transitions from a static friction-based torque system to a dynamic system where the pin moves along arc-shaped rails guided by an elastic member. This allows the mechanism to adapt between providing continuous rotation guidance and engaging discrete locking positions based on the operational state.
2Reliability
If the hinge mechanism provides torque to maintain display monitor angle, then the monitor can stay at desired position, but the mechanism structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pin serves multiple functions: it guides the limiting frame's rotation along the arc-shaped rails, engages with stopping step structures to provide discrete locking positions, and works with the elastic member to provide both guidance and resetting forces. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The limiting frame rotatably sleeves the shaft, and the pin moves through slots in the limiting frame while engaging with rails on the rail base. The elastic member is connected to the pin and provides internal guidance. These nested structures allow multiple functional elements to be compactly integrated around the central shaft.
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 mechanism effectively prevents the display monitor from flipping during touch operations and allows smooth adjustment to larger angles, enhancing user experience by maintaining stability and preventing damage.
Implementation Method 1
The elastic member is connected to the pin. The elastic member abuts against the first connecting member for providing an elastic force to keep the end of the pin abutting against the first arc-shaped rail, the transition rail, the second arc-shaped rail, or the third arc-shaped rail when the end of the pin moves.
Implementation Method 2
the aforesaid hinge mechanism could provide a sufficient torque by a friction force generated from rotation of a connecting member on a shaft of the hinge mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge mechanism includes a shaft, a first connecting member pivoted to the shaft and connected to a first body, a second connecting member fixed to the shaft and connected to a second body, a limiting frame, a rail base, a pin movably disposed through a slot of the limiting frame, and an elastic member connected to the pin and abutting against the first connecting member for driving the pin against the rail base. The limiting frame is fixed to the first connecting body and pivoted to the shaft. The rail base is fixed to the shaft and has first, second, third arc-shaped rails and a transition rail. When the first body rotates an expanding angle relative to the second body in a first rotating direction, the pin moves along the first arc-shaped rail to the transition rail and abuts against a first stopping end surface of the transition rail.