Hinged Chassis Link Mechanism for Minimizing Display Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable information devices with hinged chassis designs suffer from a significant gap between displays when used as a single large screen, due to the arc-shaped end faces of the chassis, which interferes with rotational operations and reduces usability.
Innovation Solution
A portable information device with a hinge device and link mechanism that allows the chassis to be relatively slidable along the hinge direction, enabling smooth rotation and minimizing gaps between displays by using a combination of sliders, shaft output portions, and driving parts to manage the rotation of the chassis, ensuring continuous display integration without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the hinge shaft is disposed in the center of the chassis thickness and the chassis are rotated 360 degrees, then the device can change between multiple use modes (plate form, stacked forms), but the adjacent end faces must be formed in an arc shape to avoid interference, which causes a larger gap between displays when in plate form
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the chassis shape changeable through a link mechanism. The chassis includes a movable part that can change the end face shape from arc-shaped (during rotation) to substantially flat (in plate form), allowing the device to adapt between different use modes while minimizing display gaps when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the end face shape dynamically. The end face transitions from an arc shape (with radius R1) during rotational operations to a substantially flat shape (with radius R2 where R2 < R1) in plate form, directly controlling the display gap size based on the device's operational state.
2Ease of operation
If the adjacent end face of each chassis is formed in an arc shape to avoid interference during rotation, then rotational operations are smooth, but a wide dividing region is formed in the center of the display screen when used as one large screen
Solution Approach 1:
The link mechanism dynamically adjusts the end face shape based on the rotational angle. During rotation operations, the end face maintains an arc shape to ensure smooth operation, but when in plate form, it transitions to a substantially flat shape to maximize the display screen area and minimize the dividing region.
Solution Approach 2:
The curvature radius of the end face is changed as a variable parameter. The radius transitions from a larger value (R1) during rotation to a smaller value (R2) in plate form, allowing the system to optimize both operational smoothness and display area depending on the operational state.
3Volume of moving object
If the chassis are made thinner by positioning the hinge shaft in the center, then portability is improved, but the arc-shaped end faces required for rotation create larger gaps between displays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains thin chassis design while dynamically changing the end face shape. The movable part of the chassis allows the end face to transition between arc-shaped and substantially flat configurations, enabling the thin design to work with both rotational operations and minimal display gaps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the end face curvature parameter dynamically to resolve the conflict between thin chassis design and display gap reduction. By adjusting the radius from R1 to R2, the system maintains the benefits of a thin portable design while minimizing the display gap when in plate form.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable information device capable of reducing a gap between two displays is described. The portable information device includes a first chassis, a second chassis adjacent to the first chassis, a first display provided on a top surface of the first chassis, a second display provided on a top surface of the second chassis, a hinge device, and at least one link mechanism operating in conjunction with the rotational operation between the first chassis and the second chassis by the hinge device. At least one of the first chassis and the second chassis is provided to be relatively slidable with respect to the hinge device along an arranging direction of the first chassis and the second chassis. The link mechanism includes a first slider, a first shaft output portion, a second slider, a second shaft output portion, and a driving part.