Electronic device including hinge structure
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJi-Sang Park, Ki-Sung Kim, Du-Yeong Choi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic device is provided which includes a first housing including a first surface and a second surface that faces in a direction opposite or perpendicular to the first surface, a second housing including a third surface that is capable of facing the first surface and a fourth surface that faces in a direction opposite or perpendicular to the third surface, and a hinge structure at least partially inserted into a first recess open on the first surface and a second recess open on the third surface, and couples the first housing and the second housing to be rotatable in relation to each other.
Claims19
An electronic device comprising:
- a first housing including a first surface and a second surface that facing in a direction opposite and perpendicular to the first surface;
- a second housing including a third surface that is capable of facing the first surface and a fourth surface that faces in a direction opposite and perpendicular to the third surface;
- and
- a hinge structure at least partially inserted into a first recess open on the first surface and a second recess open on the third surface, and couples the first housing and the second housing to be rotatable in relation to each other,
- wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are disposed to face each other, the hinge structure is covered by the second surface and the fourth surface and is prevented from being exposed to the outside, and
- wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are arranged in parallel with each other, the first surface and the third surface are configured to be arranged to be coplanar, and at least a portion of the hinge structure is configured to protrude from the first recess and the second recess.
A hinge structure comprising:
- a first gear that rotates in a first recess disposed on one surface of a first housing;
- a second gear that rotates in a direction different from a rotating direction of the first gear, in a second recess disposed on one surface of a second housing;
- and
- a plurality of link gears that are rotatable when engaged with the first gear or the second gear, and are accommodated in or away from the first recess or the second recess according to the rotation direction,
- wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are disposed to face each other, the first gear, the second gear and the plurality of link gears of the hinge structure are disposed in the first recess and the second recess to be invisible from the outside of the first housing and the second housing, and
- wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are arranged in parallel with each other, the first surface and the third surface are configured to be arranged to be coplanar, and the plurality of link gears of the hinge structure are configured to protrude from the first recess and the second recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.