Hinge mechanism and panel apparatus
AssigneeMitsubishi Electric Corporation
InventorTetsuro Nagami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a state where a panel unit 53 is held at a storing angle with a projecting portion 15 of a click plate 13 fitted in a recessed portion 10 of a bracket 7, the back side of the projecting portion 15 and a pressing piece 20 of a friction plate 18 do not abut on each other, so that only a reaction force of the click plate 13 serves as a resistance. When the panel unit 53 starts turning, the projecting portion 15 abuts on the pressing piece 20 through the elastic deformation at the time when the projecting portion 15 moves out of the recessed portion 10 to get onto a sliding surface 9, so that a sliding resistance is obtained from the reaction forces of the click plate 13 and the friction plate 18 after abutment.
Claims10
A hinge mechanism that turnably couples a fixed member and a turning member to each other, and that holds the turning member at a predetermined first angle with respect to the fixed member, and that turns the turning member from the first angle to hold the turning member at an arbitrary second angle,
- the hinge mechanism comprising:
- a support shaft fixed to the turning member;
- a fixed portion fixed to the fixed member to rotatably support the support shaft, the fixed portion including a recessed portion provided in one side surface at a position corresponding to the first angle;
- an elastically deformable click plate that turns integrally with the support shaft, and that includes a projecting portion to be brought into press contact with the one side surface of the fixed portion to generate a sliding resistance, and fitted in and detached from the recessed portion;
- and
- an elastically deformable friction plate that turns integrally with the support shaft and the click plate, and that is provided with a pressing portion that applies a pressing force to a back side of the projecting portion of the click plate, wherein
- the pressing portion of the friction plate does not abut on the back side of the projecting portion at the first angle at which the projecting portion of the click plate is fitted into the recessed portion of the fixed portion, and abuts on the back side of the projecting portion which has been elastically deformed to generate the pressing force at an angle other than the first angle.
A panel apparatus that uses a hinge mechanism to turnably couple a main body unit and a panel unit having a monitor screen to each other, the monitor screen being held at a first angle at which the monitor screen is closed to the main body unit side when not in use, and held at an arbitrary second angle at which the panel unit is turned from the first angle to open the monitor screen when in use, wherein
- the hinge mechanism includes:
- a support shaft fixed to the panel unit;
- a fixed portion fixed to the main body unit to rotatably support the support shaft, the fixed portion including a recessed portion provided in one side surface at a position corresponding to the first angle;
- an elastically deformable click plate that turns integrally with the support shaft, and that includes a projecting portion to be brought into press contact with the one side surface of the fixed portion to generate a sliding resistance, and fitted in and detached from the recessed portion;
- and
- an elastically deformable friction plate that turns integrally with the support shaft and the click plate, and that is provided with a pressing portion that applies a pressing force to a back side of the projecting portion of the click plate, and
- wherein the pressing portion of the friction plate does not abut on the back side of the projecting portion at the first angle at which the projecting portion of the click plate is fitted into the recessed portion of the fixed portion, and abuts on the back side of the projecting portion which has been elastically deformed to generate the pressing force at an angle other than the first angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.