Linkage Assembly for Portable Electronic Device Thickness Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable electronic devices face challenges in maintaining portability due to increased thickness and weight from operational components, and hinge assemblies require significant thickness and sweep clearance, compromising ergonomic design and cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A linkage assembly that replaces traditional hinge assemblies, allowing for a single seam design, improved ergonomics by raising the display lid, exposing cooling vents and I/O ports in the open configuration, and collapsing to conceal them in the closed configuration, thereby reducing thickness and enhancing user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional hinge assemblies are used to pivot the display lid, then the device can transition between open and closed configurations, but the device thickness increases and portability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into multiple segments: a first hinge portion attached to the base, a second hinge portion attached to the display lid, and a connecting portion with a cam mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while reducing the overall thickness required for the pivoting mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly utilizes a cam mechanism that operates in a different dimensional space, allowing the display lid to pivot without requiring significant thickness in the traditional hinge direction. The cam groove and cam surface interaction enables pivoting motion while maintaining a thin profile.
2Ease of operation
If traditional hinge assemblies with large cutouts are used, then the display lid can pivot freely, but cooling efficiency is reduced and contaminants can ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism is nested within the hinge assembly structure, with the cam groove formed in the connecting portion and the cam surface integrated into the second hinge portion. This nesting eliminates the need for large external cutouts while maintaining full pivoting range, thereby preventing contaminant ingress and preserving cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting function is extracted from the traditional hinge structure and implemented through the cam mechanism in the connecting portion. This extraction allows the hinge to function without large cutouts in the display lid, maintaining structural integrity and preventing contaminant entry paths.
3Adaptability or versatility
If operational components are included in the portable electronic device, then device functionality is improved, but device thickness and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly serves multiple functions: it enables display lid pivoting, provides structural support, integrates the cam mechanism for motion control, and maintains a thin profile. This multi-functionality allows operational components to be included without proportionally increasing thickness, as the hinge itself contributes to multiple device requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
This application relates to a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device includes a housing including (i) a first case, and (ii) a second case that is capable of pivoting relative to the first case. The portable electronic device further includes a linkage assembly that includes a first joint that is joined to the first case, a second joint that is joined to the first case, a third joint that is joined to the second case, where the second and third joints define a first link, and a fourth joint that is joined to the second case, the first and fourth joints defining a second link, where when an input motion is applied at the second link, the second link oscillates to cause the first link to move such that the first and second cases pivot between a closed configuration and an open configuration.