JP2006083897A - Tilt hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-assemble tilt-hinge in which high torque can be obtained. <P>SOLUTION: By the tilt hinge 50, members attached respectively to a holder 4 and a shaft 1 are connected so as to be pivotable. The tilt hinge 50 comprises a holder 4 having a large-diameter part with a groove 15a and a hinge pin 3 connected to the large-diameter part, a bearing 5 with a groove 15b placed on the hinge pin 3, the shaft 1 which has projections 11a, 11b and pivots between the large-diameter part and the bearing 5 with the hinge pin 3 as the axle, and a spring 9 biassing the bearing 5 in the direction of the large-diameter part. The projection 11a has a plane 14a inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the hinge pin 3, and the plane 14a of the projection 11a comes into contact with the groove 15a. The projection 11b has a plane 14b inclined relative to the plane perpendicular to the hinge pin 3, and the plane 14b of the projection 11b comes into contact with the groove 15b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a tilt hinge, and more particularly to a tilt hinge that can obtain a large torque and is easy to assemble.

  A laptop computer or a notebook computer includes a keyboard main body and a display device attached to the keyboard main body through a tilt hinge so as to be opened and closed. These computers are used in a state where the display device is opened with respect to the keyboard body, and the keyboard body and the display device are folded in two when not in use. Since these computers are required to be as thin and small as possible, the tilt hinge is also required to have a small diameter. In addition, it is required to generate a large torque in the tilt hinge so that the personal computer can be used with the display opened to an arbitrary position with respect to the keyboard body. A conventional tilt hinge that satisfies this requirement is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-346047 (Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a conventional tilt hinge. As shown in FIG. 11, the tilt hinge 130 includes a rotation shaft 101, a rotation friction plate 102, an apparatus main body mounting plate 103, a rotation friction plate 104, a fixed friction plate 105, a rotation friction plate 106, and a holding plate 120. And. The rotating shaft 101 has a bearing portion 101b having a small diameter formed on one side of the large diameter portion 101a and a display body mounting portion 101c formed on the other side of the large diameter portion 101a. The rotation friction plate 102, the apparatus main body mounting plate 103, the rotation friction plate 104, the fixed friction plate 105, the rotation friction plate 106, the spring washer 107, and the spacer 108 are inserted into the bearing portion 101b sequentially from the large diameter portion 101a. . The end portion of the bearing portion 101b is caulked. By urging the rotating shaft 101 in the axial direction by the spring washer 107, the rotating friction plate 102, the apparatus main body mounting plate 103, the rotating friction plate 104, the fixed friction plate 105, and the rotating friction plate 106 are pressed against each other. The display body mounting portion 101 c is fixed to the display body 121 via the holding plate 120, and the apparatus main body mounting plate 103 is fixed to the apparatus main body 122.

  The bearing portion 101b has a nine-sided cross-sectional shape. The rotating friction plates 102, 104, and 106 have the same nine-sided cross-sectional holes as the bearing portion 101b so as to rotate together with the bearing portion 101b. On the other hand, the apparatus main body mounting plate 103 and the fixed friction plate 105 are formed with round holes that rotatably support the bearing portion 101b. Further, an engagement hole 103a is engaged with the apparatus main body mounting plate 103, and an engagement protrusion 105a formed on the fixed friction plate 105 is engaged with the engagement hole 103a.

In the tilt hinge 130, each of the rotational friction plate 102, the apparatus main body mounting plate 103, the rotational friction plate 104, the fixed friction plate 105, and the rotational friction plate 106 is in contact with each other in a plane perpendicular to the rotational shaft. Torque is obtained by the friction force acting between them. That is, when the rotating shaft 101 rotates, each of the rotating friction plates 102, 104, and 106 rotates together with the rotating shaft 101, the contact surface between the rotating friction plate 102 and the apparatus main body mounting plate 103, and the apparatus main body mounting plate 103 and the rotational friction. Torque is obtained by the frictional force generated between the contact surface with the plate 104, the contact surface between the rotating friction plate 104 and the fixed friction plate 105, and the contact surface between the fixed friction plate 105 and the rotating friction plate 106.
JP 2000-346047 A

  In the conventional tilt hinge 130, the biasing force of the spring washer 107 is increased in order to generate a large torque. Thereby, the force which press-contacts each of the rotation friction board 102, the apparatus main body attachment board 103, the rotation friction board 104, the fixed friction board 105, and the rotation friction board 106 becomes large, and a big friction force can be generated. In order to increase the biasing force of the spring washer 107, a method such as using a large number of spring washers 107 is required.

  By the way, the tilt hinge 130 passes the holes opened in each of the rotation friction plate 102, the apparatus main body mounting plate 103, the rotation friction plate 104, the fixed friction plate 105, the rotation friction plate 106, and the spring washer 107 through the rotation shaft 101. The spring washer 107 is assembled by forming the large-diameter portion 101a or the bearing portion 101b with the biased spring washer 107. However, as described above, since the biasing force of the spring washer 107 is large, a large force is required to keep the spring washer 107 biased during assembly. For this reason, the conventional tilt hinge 130 has a problem that it is difficult to assemble.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tilt hinge that can obtain a large torque and is easy to assemble.

  The tilt hinge according to the present invention is a tilt hinge that rotatably connects members attached to the holder and the shaft, and includes a large-diameter portion having a first groove and a hinge shaft coupled to the large-diameter portion. A holder having a second groove, a holder inserted into the hinge shaft, and rotating between the large-diameter portion and the bearing about the hinge shaft as a first protrusion and a second protrusion. And a biasing member that biases the bearing in the direction of the large diameter portion. The first projection has a plane inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the hinge axis, and the plane of the first projection and the first groove are in contact with each other. The second protrusion has a flat surface inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the hinge axis, and the flat surface of the second protrusion and the second groove are in contact with each other.

  According to the tilt hinge of the present invention, the shaft, the holder, and the bearing abut on a plane inclined with respect to the plane perpendicular to the hinge axis. The friction between the holder and the bearing can be increased. For this reason, a large torque can be obtained without using many urging members. Therefore, a large torque can be obtained, and a tilt hinge that can be easily assembled can be obtained.

  In the tilt hinge of the present invention, preferably, the tip end portion of the first projection portion is not in contact with the first groove, and the tip portion of the second projection portion is not in contact with the second groove.

  As a result, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are not subjected to a force from the biasing member at the front ends of the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are perpendicular to the hinge axis. The force from the urging member can be reliably received on the inclined plane. Therefore, the friction between the shaft, the holder and the bearing can be reliably increased.

  Preferably, in the tilt hinge according to the present invention, the hinge shaft has a first portion having a circular cross-sectional shape and a second portion having a cross-sectional shape in which the distance from the center of the hinge shaft is changed. The shaft has an opening having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the first portion, and the opening of the shaft is inserted into the first portion. The bearing has an opening having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the second portion, and the opening of the bearing is inserted into the second portion.

  Thereby, the shaft rotates around the first portion of the hinge shaft, and the bearing is fixed to the second portion of the hinge shaft. Therefore, it can prevent that a bearing rotates with a shaft.

  In the tilt hinge of the present invention, preferably, either the holder or the shaft is attached to the computer display. As a result, the computer can be used with the display opened to an arbitrary position.

  According to the tilt hinge of the present invention, a large torque can be obtained, and a tilt hinge that can be easily assembled can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a notebook personal computer using a tilt hinge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 1, the notebook computer 53 includes a tilt hinge 50, a display unit 51, and a keyboard unit 52. The shaft 1 of the tilt hinge 50 is attached to the display unit 51, and the holder 4 of the tilt hinge 50 is attached to the keyboard unit 52. Thereby, the tilt hinge 50 has connected the display part 51 and the keyboard part 52 so that rotation is mutually possible. For example, a display and a speaker are mounted on the display unit 51, and a keyboard, a pointing device, and a drive (a floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, etc.) are mounted on the keyboard unit 52, for example.

  2-5 is a figure which shows the structure of the tilt hinge in Embodiment 1 of this invention. 2 is a front view, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are side views. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the configuration of the shaft in the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a side view showing the configuration of the bearing in the first embodiment of the present invention. Next, the structure of the tilt hinge 50 of this Embodiment is demonstrated using FIGS.

  The tilt hinge 50 of the present embodiment includes a holder 4, a shaft 1, a bearing 5, a spring 9 as an urging member, and a disc 7. A shaft 1, a bearing 5, a spring 9, and a disc 7 are inserted into the hinge shaft 3 of the holder 4 in order from the left side in FIG.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, in the tilt hinge 50 of the present embodiment, the holder 4 has a groove 15 a as a first groove, and the bearing 5 has a groove 15 b as a second groove. Has been. Further, the shaft 1 is formed with a protrusion 11a as a first protrusion and a protrusion 11b as a second protrusion. The protrusion 11a has a flat surface 14a inclined with respect to a surface perpendicular to the hinge shaft 3, and the flat surface 14a and the groove 15a are in contact with each other. Further, the protrusion 11b has a flat surface 14b inclined with respect to a surface perpendicular to the hinge shaft 3, and the flat surface 14b and the groove 15b are in contact with each other. That is, the protrusion 11a and the protrusion 11b are wedge-shaped.

  Further, the tip of the protrusion 11a is not in contact with the groove 15a, and the tip of the protrusion 11b is not in contact with the groove 15b. In other words, a space 16a is formed between the tip of the protrusion 11a and the groove 15a, and a space 16b is formed between the tip of the protrusion 11b and the groove 15b. In addition, each front-end | tip part of the projection part 11a and the projection part 11b may contact | abut to each of the groove | channel 15a and the groove | channel 15b.

  The holder 4 has a large diameter portion 4a, a hinge shaft 3, and a keyboard portion mounting plate 4b. The large diameter portion 4a has a circular planar shape and has a groove 15a on the side where the shaft 1 is disposed. The hinge shaft 3 is coupled to the central portion of the large diameter portion 4a at one end thereof. The keyboard mounting plate 4b extends from the large diameter portion 4a and has an L-shape. A keyboard mounting hole (not shown) is opened at the L-shaped tip of the keyboard mounting plate 4b. The keyboard portion 52 is attached to the holder 4 by inserting a screw into the screw hole of the keyboard portion 52 through the keyboard portion attachment hole.

  The hinge shaft 3 includes a first portion 3a having a circular cross-sectional shape and a second portion 3b having a cross-sectional shape in which the distance from the center of the hinge shaft 3 is changed. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the second portion 3b has a cross-sectional shape with a part of a circle missing as shown in FIG. 3, and the distance r1 and the distance r2 that are distances from the center of the hinge shaft 3 Are different from each other. The cross-sectional shape of the second portion 3b is not limited to this shape.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, the shaft 1 rotates between the large-diameter portion 4a and the bearing 5 around the hinge shaft 3, and has a protruding portion 11a and a protruding portion 11b. Specifically, the shaft 1 has an opening 13a having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the first portion 3a of the hinge shaft 3, and the opening 13a is inserted into the first portion 3a. As a result, the shaft 1 is rotatable about the hinge shaft 3.

  The shaft 1 has a display unit mounting plate 6. The display unit mounting plate 6 extends from the cylindrical portion of the shaft 1, and three display unit mounting holes 6 a are opened at the tip of the display unit mounting plate 6. The display unit 51 is attached to the shaft 1 by inserting a screw into the screw hole of the display unit 51 through the display unit mounting hole 6a. The number of the display unit mounting holes 6a is arbitrary.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 7, the bearing 5 has a circumferential planar shape. The bearing 5 has an opening 13b having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the second portion 3b of the hinge shaft 3, and the opening 13b is inserted into the second portion 3b. As a result, the bearing 5 is fixed to the hinge shaft 3 without rotating together with the shaft 1. The bearing 5 has a groove 15b on the side where the shaft 1 is disposed.

  A disc 7 is fixed to the other end of the hinge shaft 3, and a spring 9 is disposed between the bearing 5 and the disc 7. As a result, the bearing 5 is biased in the direction of the large diameter portion 4a.

  In the tilt hinge 50 of the present embodiment, the shaft 1 rotates with respect to the hinge shaft 3 when the display unit 51 is opened and closed. When the shaft 1 rotates, the tilt hinge 50 is caused by the frictional force generated between the flat surface 14a of the protrusion 11a and the groove 15a and the frictional force generated between the flat surface 14b of the protrusion 11b and the groove 15b. A large torque is generated. This will be described below.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the frictional force generated between the protrusion of the shaft and the groove of the holder. With reference to FIG. 8, the flat surface 14 a of the protrusion 11 a of the shaft 1 is in contact with the groove 16 a of the holder 4. One flat surface 14a of the protrusion 11a (the left side in FIG. 8) is inclined by an angle alpha ₁ relative to the hinge axis 3. Also, the other plane 14a of the protrusion 11a (in Fig. 8 right) is inclined by an angle alpha ₂ relative to the hinge axis 3. Further, a biasing force F by the spring 9 is applied between the flat surface 14a of the protrusion 11a and the groove 16a in a direction parallel to the hinge shaft 3 (vertical direction in FIG. 8). When the shaft 1 rotates, the protrusion 11a moves toward this side perpendicular to the paper surface. At this time, a frictional force f ₁ is generated between the protruding portion 11a and the groove 16a in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. When the angle α ₁ is equal to the angle α ₂ (α ₁ = α ₂ = α), the frictional force f ₁ is expressed by the following equation (1).

f ₁ = F · μ / sin α (1)
Here, μ is a coefficient of friction between the shaft and the holder. Since the plane 14a is inclined with respect to the hinge axis 3 as described above, α is smaller than 90 °, and the value of (1 / sin α) is always larger than 1. When the angle α ₁ and the angle α ₂ are not equal (α ₁ ≠ α ₂ ), the frictional force f ₁ is expressed by the following equation (2).

f ₁ = (cos α ₁ + cos α ₂ ) F · μ / sin (α ₁ + α ₁ ) (2)
In the formula (2), when α ₁ <90 ° and α ₂ <90 °, the value of (cos α ₁ + cos α ₂ ) / sin (α ₁ + α ₁ ) is always larger than 1.

On the other hand, FIG. 9 is a figure for demonstrating the frictional force which arises between a shaft and a holder when there is no projection part. Referring to FIG. 9, when there is no protrusion, shaft 81 and holder 84 are in contact with each other on a plane perpendicular to the hinge axis. Further, an urging force F by a spring is applied between the shaft 81 and the holder 84 in a direction parallel to the hinge axis (vertical direction in FIG. 9). When the shaft 81 rotates toward this side perpendicular to the paper surface, a frictional force f ₂ is generated between the shaft 81 and the holder 84 in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface and toward the other side. This frictional force f ₂ is expressed by the following equation (3).

f ₂ = μF (3)
Comparing Expression (1) and Expression (2) with Expression (3), it can be seen that the values of Expression (1) and Expression (2) are always larger than the value of Expression (3). Therefore, by forming the protrusions 11a and 11b having planes inclined with respect to the plane perpendicular to the hinge shaft 3, the frictional force can be increased and a large torque can be generated.

  As described above, according to the tilt hinge 50 of the present embodiment, a large torque can be generated. Therefore, the notebook personal computer 53 is used with the display unit 51 opened to an arbitrary position with respect to the keyboard unit 52. be able to. Further, since a large torque can be obtained without using a large number of urging members, it becomes easy to assemble.

  In the tilt hinge 50 of the present embodiment, the tip of the protrusion 11a does not contact the groove 16a, and the tip of the protrusion 11b does not contact the groove 16b.

  Thus, the force from the spring 9 is applied to each of the flat surface 14a and the flat surface 14b in each of the protrusion 11a and the protrusion 11b without receiving the force from the spring 9 at the tip of the protrusion 11a and the protrusion 11b. I can receive it reliably. Therefore, the friction between the shaft 1 and the holder 4 and the bearing 5 can be reliably increased.

  In the tilt hinge 50 of the present embodiment, the hinge shaft 3 includes a first portion 3a having a circular cross-sectional shape and a second portion 3b having a cross-sectional shape in which the distance from the center of the hinge shaft 3 is changed. Have. The shaft 1 has an opening 13a having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the first portion 3a, and the opening 13a of the shaft 1 is inserted into the first portion 3a. The bearing 5 has an opening 13b having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the second portion 3b, and the opening 13b of the bearing 5 is inserted into the second portion 3b.

  As a result, the shaft 1 rotates around the first portion 3 a of the hinge shaft 3, and the bearing 5 is fixed to the second portion 3 b of the hinge shaft 3. Therefore, the bearing 5 can be prevented from rotating together with the shaft 1.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 10 is a side view showing the configuration of the bearing in the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10, the bearing 5 has a rectangular opening 13c. Although not shown, the second portion 3b of the hinge shaft 3 has the same square cross-sectional shape as the opening 13c of the bearing 5, and the opening 13c is inserted into the second portion 3b. Since the configuration other than this is substantially the same as the configuration of the tilt hinge 50 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the description thereof is omitted. Even in the case of the bearing 5 and the shaft 1 of the present embodiment, the bearing 5 can be fixed to the hinge shaft 3, and substantially the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  The tilt hinge of the present invention is suitable for use in a device such as a notebook computer as shown in Embodiment 1, but is not limited to such an application, and is attached to another member. Also good.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

It is a side view which shows the structure of the notebook personal computer using the tilt hinge in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of the tilt hinge in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the tilt hinge in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the tilt hinge in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing along the VV line of FIG. It is a side view which shows the structure of the shaft in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the bearing in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the frictional force which arises between the protrusion part of a shaft, and the groove | channel of a holder. It is a figure for demonstrating the frictional force which arises between a shaft and a holder when there is no projection part. It is a side view which shows the structure of the bearing in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the conventional tilt hinge.

Explanation of symbols

  1,81 shaft, 3,3a, 3b hinge shaft, 4,84 holder, 4a, 101a large diameter part, 4b keyboard mounting plate, 5 bearing, 6 display unit mounting plate, 6a display unit mounting hole, 7 disc, 9 Spring, 11a, 11b Protrusion, 13a-13c Opening, 14a, 14b Plane, 15a, 15b Groove, 16a, 16b Space, 50, 130 Tilt hinge, 51 Display, 52 Keyboard, 53 Notebook PC, 101 Rotating shaft , 101b Bearing section, 101c Display mounting section, 102, 104, 106 Rotating friction plate, 103 Device main body mounting plate, 103a Engaging hole, 105 Fixed friction plate, 105a Engaging projection, 107 Spring washer, 108 Spacer, 120 Holding plate 121 Display body, 22 apparatus main body.

Claims (4)

A tilt hinge that rotatably couples members attached to each of the holder and the shaft;
The holder having a large-diameter portion having a first groove, and a hinge shaft coupled to the large-diameter portion;
A bearing inserted into the hinge shaft and having a second groove;
The shaft having a first protrusion and a second protrusion, pivoted about the hinge shaft between the large diameter portion and the bearing;
An urging member for urging the bearing in the direction of the large diameter portion,
The first projection has a plane inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the hinge axis, the plane of the first projection and the first groove are in contact with each other, and The two protrusions have a flat surface inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the hinge axis, and the flat surface of the second protrusion is in contact with the second groove.   2. The tilt hinge according to claim 1, wherein a tip end portion of the first projection portion is not in contact with the first groove, and a tip end portion of the second projection portion is not in contact with the second groove. . The hinge shaft has a first portion having a circular cross-sectional shape, and a second portion having a cross-sectional shape in which the distance from the center of the hinge shaft is changed,
The shaft has an opening having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the first portion, and the opening of the shaft is inserted into the first portion;
The tilt hinge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bearing has an opening having the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the second portion, and the opening of the bearing is inserted into the second portion.   The tilt hinge according to claim 1, wherein one of the holder and the shaft is attached to a display of a computer.

Images