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US 9,625,954 B2Granted
Multi-pivot hinge
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsJohn Campbell, Brian Bitz, Errol Mark Tazbaz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that have hinged portions. One example can include a first portion and a second portion. This example can also include a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion. The sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly can include rotation control elements configured to control a relative order of rotation around axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly.
Claims19
A computing device, comprising:
- a first portion that includes a display screen and a second portion that includes an input device;
- and,
- a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion from a storage position where the first portion is juxtaposed over the second portion to a deployed position where the first portion is oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the second portion, the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising multiple hinge stacks, individual hinge stacks coupled to the first and second portions and comprising multiple sequencing pins and multiple radially arranged links that rotate around individual hinge axes, individual sequencing pins interposed between individual adjacent links to control a relative order of rotation of the individual adjacent links depending upon whether the first portion and second portion are being rotated from the storage position to the deployed position or from the deployed position to the storage position.
A computing device, comprising:
- a first portion that includes a display screen and a second portion that includes an input device;
- and,
- a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion from a storage position where the first portion is juxtaposed over the second portion to a deployed position where the first portion is oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the second portion, the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising multiple hinge stacks, rotation control elements, and a rotation limiter to limit rotation around each axis of rotation to a defined number of degrees,
- individual hinge stacks coupled to the first and second portions and comprising multiple radially arranged links that rotate around individual hinge axes, individual rotation control elements interposed between individual adjacent links to control a relative order of rotation of the individual adjacent links depending upon whether the first portion and the second portion are being rotated from the storage position to the deployed position or from the deployed position to the storage position.
1 more element
A computing device, comprising:
- a first portion that includes a display screen and a second portion that includes an input device;
- a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion from a storage position where the first portion is juxtaposed over the second portion to a deployed position where the first portion is oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the second portion, the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising multiple hinge stacks and rotation control elements;
- and,
- a hinge cover positioned relative to the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly,
- individual hinge stacks coupled to the first and second portions and comprising multiple radially arranged links that rotate around individual hinge axes, individual rotation control elements interposed between individual adjacent links to control a relative order of rotation of the individual adjacent links depending upon whether the first portion and second portion are being rotated from the storage position to the deployed position or from the deployed position to the storage position.
2 more elements
A computing device, comprising:
- a first portion and a second portion;
- and,
- a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion and comprising rotation control elements that comprise locking cam members that engage cam surfaces defined on links that rotate around individual axes of rotation, the rotation control elements configured to control a relative order of rotation around axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.