Hinge Device Shaft Configuration for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable information devices, such as foldable tablet PCs, face issues with rattling and noise generation due to the hinge device's rotational speed differences and deformation during operation, which affect the device's stability and user experience.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hinge device with a specific shaft configuration, including a first shaft, a second shaft, and an intermediate shaft, along with strategically placed brackets and end shafts, which are fixed or rotatable to manage rotational torque and reduce noise through adhesive and lubricant usage, and the use of a trapezoidal stand cover section with chamfered recesses for improved alignment and noise suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the hinge device is miniaturized to fit within the thin plate-shaped cover device, then the device thickness is reduced, but the hinge shaft requires high straightness despite small diameter which increases manufacturing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge shaft is divided into multiple segments (first shaft, second shaft, intermediate shaft) that can be manufactured separately with relaxed precision requirements, then assembled together to achieve the overall straightness needed for the miniaturized hinge device
2Ease of operation
If the stand cover section is rotated by user's fingertips, then the stand functionality is achieved, but the stand cover section may be deformed causing rotational speed difference and noise generation
Solution Approach 1:
Lubricant is applied in advance to the hinge shaft and surrounding areas to cushion against friction and noise that would occur during rotation, preventing the harmful effect before it manifests
Solution Approach 2:
Lubricant acts as an intermediary substance between the rotating stand cover section and the hinge mechanism, reducing direct friction and preventing noise generation while allowing smooth rotation
3Stability of the object's composition
If adhesive is applied to fix the intermediate shaft to the first shaft, then the structural stability is improved, but the alignment precision between the shafts becomes critical
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features such as protrusions and recesses are prepared in advance on the shaft components, ensuring proper alignment is established before adhesive application, thereby reducing the criticality of alignment precision during the bonding process
Data Source
AI summary
A portable information device includes a chassis and a cover device to cover the back surface of the chassis. The cover device includes a hinge device that rotatably supports a stand cover section between a stored position and a standing position. The hinge device includes: a first shaft; a second shaft; an intermediate shaft having a first end coupled to one end of the first shaft and a second end coupled to one end of the second shaft; and a first base bracket, a first stand bracket, a second base bracket, and a second stand bracket.