Transformer hinge design
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsMorten Pontoppidan, Giovanni Ferranti, Ricky Barnett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile terminal having three parts rotatably interconnected by hinges. The terminal can be a mobile telephone having an operative position where a microphone and a loudspeaker are positioned for conversation. When not in operation, the terminal may be positioned around a user's wrist in a safe manner. Removing the terminal from the wrist requires operation of a release means or the overcoming of a predetermined force, which is a safety measure of the hinges and the terminal. The hinges provide a combination of snap or automatic rotation and freely selective rotational positions of the parts of the terminal.
Claims15
A mobile terminal comprising a first, a second, and a third part, a first hinge pivotally interconnecting the first and second parts, and a second hinge pivotally interconnecting the second and third parts, each of the first and second hinges comprising:
- a helical spring having a longitudinal axis, the spring comprising one or more wound strands of material, each strand having two ends,
- a first hinge part extending into the helical spring, contacting an inner part of the helical spring at a first position or area along the longitudinal axis, and
- a second hinge part contacting the one or more strands of the helical spring at a position or area different from the first position or area, in each hinge, the spring facilitating, that:
- rotation of the first hinge part in a first direction around the longitudinal axis and in relation to the second hinge part will provide a first, lower friction between the first hinge part and the helical spring, and
- rotation of the first hinge part in a second direction, being opposite to the first direction, around the longitudinal axis and in relation to the second hinge part, will provide a second, higher friction between the first hinge part and the helical spring, wherein:
- in the first hinge, the first hinge part is connected to or attached to one of the first or the second part of the terminal and the second hinge part is connected to or attached to the other of the first and the second part of the terminal,
- in the second hinge, the first hinge part is connected to or attached to one of the second or the third part of the terminal and the second hinge part is connected to or attached to the other of the second and the third part of the terminal, and
- the terminal further comprises, for each hinge, release means for increasing a diameter of the helical spring at the first position or area in order to reduce the second, higher friction between the first hinge part and the helical spring to a third friction during rotation of the first hinge part in the second direction.
A mobile terminal comprising:
- a first, a second, and a third part,
- a first hinge pivotally interconnecting the first and second parts so that the first and second parts are adapted to be rotated between a first, lower angle between the first and second part and a second, higher angle, and
- a second hinge pivotally interconnecting the second and third parts so that the second and third parts are adapted to be rotated between a third, lower angle between the second and third part and a fourth, higher angle, wherein:
- one of the first, second, or third parts of the terminal has a microphone,
- one of the first, second, or third parts of the terminal has a sound emitter, and
- the terminal has an operative position wherein:
- the first part is rotated to the first, lower angle,
- the third part is rotated to the fourth, higher angle, and
- the microphone and sound emitter are accessible from a predetermined side of the terminal;
- and
- wherein:
- the first hinge has a biasing means adapted to bias the first part, relative to the second part, in a direction from the second higher angle toward the first, lower angle, and
- the second hinge has a biasing means adapted to bias the third part, relative to the second part, in a direction from the third lower angle toward the fourth, higher angle,
- the terminal further comprising releasable means for maintaining the first and third parts, relative to the second part, in at least one position rotated at an angle to the first and fourth angles, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.