Two-Axis Hinge Rotation Regulating Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional two-axis hinge devices with rotation regulating mechanisms face challenges in reducing size due to the integration of the rotation regulating mechanism with a hollow rotational axis, which can lead to harness breakage when sandwiched between constituent members, and struggle to maintain a simple structure and low cost while allowing for appropriate wiring and operation restriction.

Innovation Solution

The two-axis hinge device incorporates a rotation allowing portion at the folding axis that restricts rotational operations by abutting with a deformed head portion at the rotational axis, allowing for controlled rotation around intersecting axes while preventing collisions and harness disconnection by routing the harness through a through hole, and utilizing an auxiliary folding axis member to separate the harness from the contact points of the deformed head portions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the rotational axis is formed into a hollow pipe shape to facilitate wiring, then wiring is improved, but the device size increases making it difficult to reduce the size of the rotation regulating mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewiringVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The rotational axis is divided into two separate components: a hollow pipe-shaped rotational axis for wiring and a separate rotation regulating mechanism. This segmentation allows the rotational axis to maintain its wiring function while the rotation regulating mechanism can be independently sized and positioned to control rotation without increasing the overall device volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an intermediary rotation regulating mechanism that acts between the hollow rotational axis and the folding axis. This intermediary component provides the rotation regulation function without requiring the rotational axis itself to be enlarged, thus maintaining compact device size while enabling proper wiring through the hollow axis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the rotation regulating mechanism is integrated with the hollow rotational axis, then structure is simplified, but the harness is sandwiched between constituent members and broken

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestructureVSAvoidharness integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotation regulating mechanism is extracted from the hollow rotational axis and positioned separately. This extraction eliminates the problem of the harness being sandwiched between constituent members of an integrated structure, as the regulation mechanism now operates independently without compressing the harness that passes through the rotational axis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The separate rotation regulating mechanism serves as an intermediary component that regulates rotation without interfering with the harness path. By positioning this mechanism adjacent to but separate from the hollow rotational axis, the harness can pass through the axis freely without being compressed or damaged by the regulation mechanism's constituent members.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the rotation regulating mechanism is made separate from the rotational axis, then harness integrity is maintained, but device complexity increases and cost rises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharness integrityVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

While the rotation regulating mechanism is separate from the rotational axis, the invention merges their functions by having the mechanism regulate the rotation of the axis without physical integration. The mechanism and axis work together as a coordinated system, maintaining reliability through separation while avoiding excessive complexity through functional merging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The separate rotation regulating mechanism is designed to be a universal component that can regulate rotation for the hollow rotational axis without requiring complex custom integration. This multi-functional approach allows the same mechanism design to be applied across different device configurations, reducing overall complexity and cost despite the separate construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP1967748B1Two-axis hinge device with rotation regulating function
Publication Date: 2015.07.29 MITSUBISHI STEEL MFG CO LTD
  • EP1967748B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1967748B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1967748B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A two-axis hinge device with rotation regulating function including the rotation regulating function capable of wiring by passing a harness through a through hole of an axis member, simple in structure, and low in cost is provided. A folding axis 5 rotatably supporting one case and a rotational axis 20 rotatably supporting the other case are set to intersect each other, a rotation allowing portion 33A is formed by recessing an outer circumferential side surface of a rotational operation range restricting head portion 33 rotatably supported by a base frame 1 and arranged on an end of the folding axis 5, a rotational operation range restricting deformed head portion 34 arranged on an end of the rotational axis 20 so as to face the rotational operation range restricting head portion 33, a restricting structure portion 34A is formed at the deformed head portion 34 so as to restrain rotation of the folding axis 5 by abutting the outer circumferential side surface of the rotation allowing portion 33A on an end surface and so as to restrain rotation of the rotational axis 20 when the outer circumferential side surface abuts on the end surface of the restricting head portion, and the rotation of the rotational axis 20 is restricted to correspond to an opening or closing angle of the folding axis 5.