US 6,101,676 A · Adjustable clutch hinge assembly for portable computer

Abstract

The adjustable clutch hinge assembly includes a shaft, an adjustment member connected to one end of the shaft, a metal inner cone member, and a metal outer cone member. The end of the shaft to which the adjustment member is connected is inserted into an aperture in the inner cone member, which is split, to allow a decrease of the internal diameter thereof, and has protruding key features, such that a threaded portion of the adjustment member protrudes out the opposite end of the inner cone member. The inner cone member resides within the outer cone member, which has receptive features for the inner cone member and its protruding key features to prevent rotation of the inner cone member within the outer cone member. When the threaded portion of the adjustment member protruding out the end of the inner cone member is drawn through the outer cone member, an outer surface of the inner cone member is forced against an inner surface of the outer cone. This forces the inner diameter of the inner cone member to decrease, increasing the force on the shaft. The shallow pitch of the inner cone member allows relatively large displacements to produce small increases in force, making the torque applied to the shaft controllable.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An apparatus for mounting two components for relative rotational movement, the apparatus comprising:

a housing connected to one of the components,
a shaft connected to the other component and disposed in the housing,
a sleeve disposed between the shaft and the housing in frictional engagement therewith, thus preventing rotation between the housing and the shaft, and therefore between the components in the absence of a predetermined torque applied to one of the components, and
means for varying the frictional engagement and the amount of the predetermined torque,
wherein the housing has a conical inner surface, and the sleeve has a conical outer surface and an axial slot;
and wherein the varying means comprises means for moving the sleeve axially relative to the housing, wherein the sleeve is compressed between the housing and the shaft, and wherein the axial movement of the sleeve varies the compression and therefore the frictional engagement with the shaft.

3 more elements

A hinge assembly comprising:

a shaft having first and second ends;
an adjustment member connected at a first end thereof to said first end of said shaft and a second end comprising a threaded portion;
an inner cylinder having an outer conical shape and a circular aperture extending lengthwise therethrough and having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner cylinder further comprising:
a lengthwise slot extending through said inner cylinder from said outer surface to said inner surface;
and
two protruding key features disposed on said outer surface of said inner cylinder opposite one another and extending the length of the inner cylinder;
and
an outer cylinder having an inner conical shape and a circular aperture extending lengthwise therethrough and having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer cylinder further comprising key feature receptacles disposed on said inner surface of said outer cylinder and extending substantially the length of the outer cylinder, said key feature receptacles positioned to retain said key features therein when said inner cone is inserted into said outer cone;
and
an end cap;
wherein said shaft is retained within said inner cylinder and said inner cylinder is retained within said outer cylinder such that said threaded portion of said adjustment member protrudes from a first end of said outer cylinder and said end cap is connected to a second end of said outer cylinder.

8 more elements

A portable computer comprising:

a base;
a display housing;
and
a hinge assembly for rotatably connecting said display housing to said base, the hinge assembly comprising:
a shaft having first and second ends;
an adjustment member connected at a first end thereof to said first end of said shaft and a second end comprising a threaded portion;
an inner cylinder having an outer conical shape and a circular aperture extending lengthwise therethrough and having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner cylinder further comprising:
a lengthwise slot extending through said inner cylinder from said outer surface to said inner surface;
and
two protruding key features extending lengthwise on said outer surface of said inner cylinder opposite one another;
and
an outer cylinder having an inner conical shape and a circular aperture extending lengthwise therethrough and having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer cylinder further comprising key feature receptacles extending lengthwise on said inner surface of said outer cylinder, said key feature receptacles positioned to retain said key features therein when said inner cone is inserted into said outer cone, said outer cylinder further comprising a flange having threaded apertures therethrough;
wherein said shaft is retained within said inner cylinder and said inner cylinder is retained within said outer cylinder such that said threaded portion of said adjustment member protrudes from a first end of said outer cylinder;
and
wherein said hinge assembly is connected to said base using screws through said threaded apertures in said flange and said hinge assembly is connected to said display housing by connecting said shaft to a display frame of said display housing.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Adjustable clutch hinge assembly for portable computer

Life of this patent

Adjustable clutch hinge assembly for portable computer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25