Hinge arrangement
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsWee Min Slow, Ting Yeow Hoong, Beng Hong Kang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hinge arrangement having first and second hinges is provided, each hinge being operable upon application of a different torque. The first hinge operates upon application of a first torque to pivot a structure through a first range of motion, beyond which the first hinge is opposed by a relatively high restrictive force. The second hinge operates upon application of a second torque which is greater than the first torque, but insufficient to overcome the restrictive force. Upon applying the second torque, the structure is pivotable through a second range of motion. The hinges thus work cooperatively to pivotally couple first and second panels (or structures) of a clamshell-like device.
Claims16
A hinge arrangement for use in pivoting a first structure relative to a second structure, said hinge arrangement comprising:
- a first hinge which operatively couples the first structure with the second structure, said first hinge being operable under a first torque to pivot the first structure relative to the second structure through a first range of motion, beyond which operation of said first hinge is opposed by a restrictive force;
- and
- a second hinge which operatively couples the first structure with the second structure, said second hinge including a pintle and a socket, said pintle having a cammed locking tab configured to frictionally engage a corresponding notch of said socket so as to releasably lock said pintle relative to said socket, said second hinge being operable upon application of a second torque which is greater than said first torque, but insufficient to overcome said restrictive force, so as to pivot said pintle to disengage said cammed locking tab from said notch and thereby to provide for pivot of the first structure relative to the second structure through a second range of motion via said second hinge.
A hinge arrangement for use in pivoting a cover panel relative to a base panel, said hinge arrangement comprising:
- a linkage element intermediate the cover panel and the base panel;
- a first hinge which pivotally couples the cover panel with said linkage element, said first hinge including a shaft, a shaft housing and an intermediate frictional bushing which provides substantially continuous frictional opposition to pivot of said shaft relative to said shaft housing, said first hinge being operable under a first torque to pivot the cover panel relative to said linkage element through a first range of motion, said linkage element being substantially fixed relative to said base panel during operation of said first hinge;
- and
- a second hinge which pivotally couples said linkage element with the base panel, said second hinge including a pintle which is fixed relative to said base panel and a socket which is fixed relative to said linkage element, said pintle having a cammed locking tab configured to frictionally engage a corresponding socket so as to releasably lock said pintle relative to said socket, and thereby to releasably lock said linkage element relative to said base panel, said linkage element being released upon application of a second torque to said linkage element whereby said cammed locking tab is cammingly disengaged from said socket, said second hinge being operable upon applying a second torque which is greater than said first torque to pivot said linkage element relative to the base panel through a second range of motion, said linkage element being fixed relative to said cover panel during operation of said second hinge.
A clamshell-like device including a cover panel, a base panel, and a hinge arrangement for use in cooperatively pivoting the cover panel relative to the base panel, said hinge arrangement comprising:
- a linkage element intermediate the cover panel and the base panel;
- a first hinge pivotally coupling the cover panel with said linkage element, said first hinge being operable under a first torque to pivot the cover panel relative to said linkage element through a first range of motion extending between a fully closed orientation of the cover panel relative to the base panel and an intermediate open orientation of the cover panel relative to the base panel where said cover panel engages a stop, said linkage element being fixed relative to said base panel during operation of said first hinge;
- and
- a second hinge pivotally coupling said linkage element with the base panel, said second hinge including a pintle and a socket, said pintle having a cammed locking tab configured to frictionally engage a corresponding notch of said socket so as to releasably lock said pintle relative to said socket, said second hinge being operable upon applying a second torque which is greater than said first torque to pivot said pintle to disengage said cammed locking tab from said notch, and thereby to permit pivot of said linkage element relative to the base panel through a second range of motion extending between said intermediate open orientation of the cover panel relative to the base panel and a fully open orientation of the cover panel relative to the base panel, said linkage element being fixed relative to said cover panel during operation of said second hinge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.