Springless Slide Plate Hinge for Thin Portable Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slide plate hinges for portable electronic devices require a driving spring that occupies significant space, limiting thickness reduction and preventing the slide plate from being stopped during operation.
Innovation Solution
A slide plate hinge with a spring strip formed by incising and bending on the fixed plate, integrated with a sliding guide groove and friction block, allowing for sliding guide and friction clamping without driving springs, enabling the slide plate to be stopped at any time and reducing thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a driving spring is used in the slide plate hinge, then the slide plate can be automatically driven to slide, but the spring occupies considerable space and restricts thickness-reduction design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the driving spring from the hinge mechanism, extracting the component that causes space occupation. Instead of using a spring to provide driving force, the design relies on friction between the slide plate and guide groove to enable automatic sliding while stopping at any position, thereby eliminating the thickness constraint imposed by spring-based mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical spring-driven system with a friction-based system. The elastic deformation of the guide groove and frictional interaction between the slide plate and groove wall substitute for the spring's elastic energy storage and release mechanism, achieving automatic sliding without the space-consuming spring component.
2Power
If a driving spring is used in the slide plate hinge, then the slide mechanism can provide driving force, but the portable electronic device terminal is unable to be stopped at will during sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the spring-driven power system with a friction-based interaction system. The elastic deformation of the guide groove provides the necessary driving force through frictional engagement with the slide plate, while naturally allowing the slide plate to stop at any position along the groove, thereby achieving both driving capability and arbitrary stopping capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide groove structure itself provides both the driving force and the stopping capability through its elastic deformation and frictional interaction with the slide plate. The system serves itself by using the frictional engagement to both propel the slide plate forward and allow it to stop at any desired position without requiring additional control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If a conventional slide plate hinge with driving spring is used, then the sliding function is achieved, but the structural integration and concealability are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the guide groove structure with the housing of the portable electronic device terminal, integrating the sliding guidance function into the existing structural components. This consolidation eliminates separate hinge components and reduces overall structural complexity while maintaining the sliding function.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide groove structure serves multiple functions: it provides sliding guidance, generates driving force through elastic deformation, enables arbitrary stopping through friction, and integrates into the housing structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and improves structural integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact and integrated design with good hand feeling, allowing the slide plate to be stopped at will, while eliminating the need for driving springs, thus enhancing the thickness-reduction design of portable electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
The central section of the groove wall on one side of the sliding guide groove is an elastic structure, and the elastic structure and the groove wall on the other side of the sliding guide groove clamp the slide plate
Implementation Method 2
The slide plate hinge can implement the sliding guide and friction clamping on the slide plate by use of the sliding guide groove of an elastic structure
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a slide plate hinge for portable electronic device terminal. The slide plate hinge comprises a fixed plate, and a slide plate. A slide plate sliding guide groove is respectively arranged on each of both sides of the fixed plate. The central section of the groove wall at one side of the sliding guide groove is of an elastic structure, and the elastic structure and the groove wall at the other side of the sliding guide groove clamps the slide plate. The slide plate hinge can implement the sliding guide and friction clamping on the slide plate by use of the sliding guide groove of an elastic structure, with high structural integration and concealability, thereby enabling the slide plate hinge to still have good hand feeling even without driving springs and enabling the slide plate to be stopped at any time amid the sliding process. Moreover, the driving springs are not indispensable, so the thickness of the hinge can be reduced.