Bistable hinge with determinant motion
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsChristina Ashley YEE, Joseph Benjamin GAULT, Brian David BITZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic device hinge includes a first body, a second body, and a link. The link is rotatable relative to the first body around a first pivot point and rotatable relative to the second body around a second pivot point. The first pivot point has a first rotational resistance and the second pivot point has a second rotational resistance that is different from the first rotational resistance. The hinge further includes a third body that is selectively positionable relative to the first body in a first configuration. The third body limits a first rotational range of motion around the first pivot point when positioned in the first configuration.
Claims20
A hinge system for bistable motion, the hinge system comprising:
- a first body;
- a second body;
- a link, where the link is rotatable relative to the first body around a first pivot point and rotatable relative to the second body around a second pivot point, where the first pivot point has a first rotational resistance and the second pivot point has a second rotational resistance that is different from the first rotational resistance;
- and
- a third body selectively positionable relative to the first body in a first configuration, the third body limiting a first rotational range of motion around the first pivot point when positioned in the first configuration, wherein the first body includes a locking mechanism with a pin that is movable between an inserted position and a retracted position, the inserted position limiting the first rotational range of motion of the link and the first body around the first pivot point.
A method of moving a hinge between an open configuration and a plurality of closed configurations, the method comprising:
- rotating a first body relative to a link around a first pivot point to a first pivot point angle;
- detecting a position of a third body relative to the first body;
- determining whether the third body and first body are in a first configuration;
- and
- based on the third body and first body being in a first configuration, rotating the link relative to a second body around a second pivot point, and
- based on the third body and first body not being in the first configuration, continue rotating the first body relative to the link around the first pivot point beyond the first pivot point angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.