Pop-Up Hinge Assembly With Protected Conductor Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable devices with hinge assemblies lack a convenient and automatic mechanism for opening and closing, and often expose electrical conductors to unnecessary stress and damage during rotation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hinge assembly with a user-controllable lock and a pop-up feature that automatically opens the device from a closed position, along with a conductor path that maintains a minimum bend radius and is only exposed to a single axis of rotation, reducing stress on the conductor and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional hinge assembly is used, then the device can be opened and closed, but the electrical conductor is exposed to multi-axis rotation and stress causing pinching and crimping
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into separate functional components: a stationary hinge member, a movable hinge member, and a dedicated conductor guide structure. This segmentation allows the conductor path to be independently optimized to maintain a minimum bend radius and avoid pinching, while the hinge members handle the rotational movement. The conductor guide acts as an intermediary that decouples the conductor from the multi-axis rotation stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
A conductor guide structure serves as an intermediary between the hinge mechanism and the electrical conductor. This guide maintains a controlled path with a minimum bend radius, preventing the conductor from being pinched or crimped during hinge rotation. The guide translates the complex multi-axis motion into a controlled single-axis rotation for the conductor, protecting it from damage.
2Ease of operation
If manual opening operation is used, then the device can be opened, but it requires two hands and is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
A spring mechanism is pre-loaded in the hinge assembly to store potential energy. When the user releases the latch, this pre-stored energy automatically propels the hinge from the closed position to an open position, enabling one-handed operation. The preliminary action of pre-loading the spring eliminates the need for continuous user effort during the opening motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly incorporates a self-opening mechanism where the spring automatically opens the device without requiring continuous user intervention. The user only needs to release the latch, and the hinge assembly serves itself by using the stored spring energy to complete the opening action, significantly improving ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the conductor path allows free rotation, then the hinge can move freely, but the conductor is exposed to damage from unrestricted motion
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor guide structure implements local quality by providing a controlled bend radius specifically at the conductor path, while allowing the rest of the hinge assembly to maintain full rotational freedom. The guide creates a localized constraint that protects the conductor without restricting the overall hinge motion, enabling the hinge to adapt to different positions while protecting the conductor from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductor guide is designed to dynamically adapt to the hinge rotation, maintaining a consistent minimum bend radius throughout the range of motion. The guide structure moves with the hinge, ensuring that the conductor always follows a safe path with adequate bend radius, regardless of the hinge's position or speed of rotation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
The description relates to hinged devices, such as hinged computing devices. One example can include a hinge assembly that rotatably secures a first portion and a second portion relative to a hinge axis and defines a planar conductor path between the first and second portions through the hinge assembly. The example can also include a pop-up arm that compresses a spring when the first portion and the second portion are rotated to a closed orientation, and wherein the compressed spring creates a bias to rotate the first and second portions from the closed orientation to an open orientation.