Low-pressure friction hinge
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsKarsten Aagaard, Eric Paul Witt, Brian David Bitz, Joseph Benjamin Gault, John Stephen Campbell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low-pressure hinge includes a plurality of segments with at least one upper frictional element and at least one lower frictional element where the at least one upper frictional element and the at least one lower frictional element are positioned on opposing sides of a segment of the plurality of segments. The hinge further includes a compression element that compresses the at least one upper frictional element and at least one lower frictional element against the segment with a compression force having a pressure less than 5,000 pounds per square inch.
Claims20
A hinge, the hinge comprising:
- a plurality of segments,
- at least one upper frictional element;
- at least one lower frictional element, where the at least one upper frictional element and the at least one lower frictional element are positioned on opposing sides of a segment of the plurality of segments;
- and
- a compression element that compresses the at least one upper frictional element and at least one lower frictional element against the segment with a compression force having a pressure less than 5,000 pounds per square inch (PSI).
An electronic device comprising:
- a first portion of the electronic device;
- a second portion of the electronic device;
- and
- a hinge connecting the first portion to the second portion, the hinge including:
- at least one segment positioned between the first portion and the second portion and configured to rotate about a rotational axis, the hinge having a width at least 50% of a width of the first portion or the second portion,
- at least one upper frictional element contacting the at least one segment, and
- at least one lower frictional element contacting the at least one segment opposite the at least one upper frictional element such that the upper frictional element and the lower frictional element apply a compression force to the at least one segment.
An electronic device comprising:
- a first portion of the electronic device;
- a second portion of the electronic device;
- and
- a hinge connecting the first portion to the second portion, the hinge including:
- a first segment positioned between the first portion and the second portion, the first segment configured to rotate about a first rotational axis to move relative to the second portion,
- at least one first upper frictional element contacting the first segment,
- at least one first lower frictional element contacting the first segment opposite the at least one first upper frictional element such that the first upper frictional element and the first lower frictional element apply a first compression force to the first segment,
- a second segment positioned between the first portion and the second portion, the second segment being positioned adjacent the first segment and configured to rotate about a second rotational axis to move relative to the first segment,
- at least one second upper frictional element contacting the second segment,
- at least one second lower frictional element contacting the second segment opposite the at least one second upper frictional element such that the second upper frictional element and the second lower frictional element apply a second compression force to the second segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.