Variable Torque Hinge Cable Pass-Through
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Solution Overview
Problem
The diameter of traditional hinges in portable computers is often a limiting factor in device size due to their size, as they occupy space between the display and base assemblies, making it difficult to create smaller devices.
Innovation Solution
A cable is used to provide electrical connections between the base and display, passing through a separate cable passageway that is distinct from the hinge passageway, allowing the hinge to be positioned away from the edge of the base and reducing its diameter, thus enabling smaller hinge designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cable passes through the hinge assembly, then electrical connections between base and display are provided, but the hinge diameter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the hinge assembly into two separate functional paths: a hinge passageway for mechanical rotation and a cable passageway for electrical connections. This segmentation allows the cable to be routed independently through the hinge body without increasing the hinge diameter, as the cable passageway is integrated into the hinge structure rather than requiring the cable to pass through the hinge's external dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable passageway is nested within the hinge body structure. The cable route is embedded inside the hinge assembly, allowing the cable to pass through the hinge's internal volume without contributing to the hinge's external diameter. This nesting approach enables the cable to be contained within the hinge's mechanical structure.
2Volume of moving object
If the hinge diameter is reduced, then the portable computer size decreases, but the cable routing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the cable routing from a two-dimensional surface path to a three-dimensional internal path. By routing the cable through the hinge body's internal volume rather than along its external surface, the design accommodates the cable within the existing hinge diameter, enabling smaller device sizes without compromising cable routing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge body itself serves as an intermediary structure that provides the cable passageway. Rather than requiring separate cable management components or external routing mechanisms, the hinge assembly's internal structure acts as the mediator that guides the cable from the base to the display connection points.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable computer includes a base, at least one bracket anchored to the base, a display assembly, and a display bracket anchored to the display assembly. The portable computer also includes a hinge including a set of hinge components, a cam, and a shaft, the cam being connected to the at least one bracket, the shaft being connected to the display bracket, and the cam and the hinge components being connected to the shaft. A cable passes around the shaft. The cable is coupled to a point in the display assembly and to an area of the base.