JP3440051B2 - Hinge device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hinge device suitable for use in a door or the like that can be rotated in either forward or reverse directions from a neutral position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a hinge device of this type is provided with a pair of hinge members fixed to a frame and a door, and a coil spring provided between the pair of hinge members. The coil spring is in a natural state in which no biasing force is generated when the door is located at the predetermined neutral position, but is twisted by the pair of hinge members when the door rotates in the forward and reverse directions from the neutral position. As a result, the door is urged to return to the neutral position.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional hinge device, since both ends of the coil spring are fixed to the pair of hinge members, respectively, the door is rotated in one direction and in the other direction. The twisting direction of the coil spring is different from that in the case. For example, if the coil spring is twisted in the winding direction when the door rotates in one direction, it is twisted in the rewinding direction when the door rotates in the other direction. When the twisting direction is different, the amount of deformation of the coil spring is doubled as compared with the case where the coil spring is twisted in the same direction. For this reason, there has been a problem that the coil spring is easily broken by fatigue.

[0004]

The present invention has the above-mentioned problems.
In order to solve the above, a pair of hinge members that are rotatably connected to each other in the forward and reverse directions from the neutral position , and a pair of hinge members that are provided between the pair of hinge members and that rotate in the forward and reverse directions from the neutral position And a coil spring for urging the hinge member toward the neutral position side, and one of the pair of hinge members has a support hole extending on its rotation axis.
The other hinge member can be pivoted to the support hole.
A shaft part to be inserted into the
A housing hole extending inward from the housing is formed.
The coil spring is housed in the
It is formed as a through hole, and the shaft portion is
Both ends of the coil spring are
The shaft part is projected from both ends of the support hole to the outside.
Protruding outward from the outer peripheral surface of the
The first and second engaging portions are provided on both end surfaces of the one hinge member.
Are formed respectively and project from the supporting hole of the shaft portion.
Third and fourth engaging portions are formed at both ends, respectively, and when the pair of hinge members rotate in one direction from the neutral position, the first and fourth engaging portions cause the coil spring to move. Of the coil spring is engaged with one end and the other end of the coil spring, and the coil spring is twisted with the rotation of the pair of hinge members. When the pair of hinge members rotate in the other direction from the neutral position, the first and fourth engaging portions separate from the one end and the other end of the coil spring, respectively. The second and third engaging portions engage with the other end and one end of the coil spring, respectively, and the coil spring is twisted as the pair of hinge members rotate. .

In this case, it is desirable that the coil spring be twisted in the winding direction.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a hinge device used in a notebook computer will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. As shown in FIGS. It has a keyboard B and a display C,
To the left and right ends on the front end side of the keyboard B, the left and right ends at the bottom of the display C are rotatably connected by a hinge device 1, 1 about a horizontal rotation axis L. The display C is approximately 90 degrees in the forward and reverse directions from the upright position (neutral position) shown in FIG.
It is possible to rotate in increments of °, and one direction from the upright position (hereinafter,
It is called the opening direction. ) About 90 ° to reach the fully open position shown in FIG. 5 and about 90 ° from the upright position to another direction (hereinafter referred to as the closing direction), it hits the keyboard B as shown in FIG. Reach the folded position.

The hinge device 1 is, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 7 and 8, a first hinge member (one hinge member) 2 fixed to a display C and a first hinge member fixed to a keyboard B. Two hinge members (the other hinge member) 3 and a coil spring (biasing means) 4 provided between the first and second hinge members 2 and 3 are provided. The first and second hinge members 2 and 3 relatively rotate with the rotation of the display C, but in this embodiment, the keyboard B is maintained in a substantially horizontal state, and the display C rotates with the keyboard B as a reference. Since the first hinge member 2 moves, the first hinge member 2 rotates with respect to the second hinge member 3 in the description.

The first hinge member 2 has a mounting portion 21 and a connecting portion 22, and the connecting portion 22 has a support hole 23 formed therethrough. Then, the first hinge member 2
In the state where the axis of the support hole 23 is aligned with the axis of rotation L, the mounting portion 21 is fixed to the display C by screws T.

The second hinge member 3 has an axial shape with a circular cross section, but in this embodiment, the second hinge member 3 is used.
A housing hole 31 extending from one end surface to the other end surface on the axis of the
By being formed, it has a substantially cylindrical shape. The peripheral wall portion of the second hinge member 3 is formed with a split groove 32 extending from one end surface thereof toward the other end side. The length of the split groove 32 is longer than that of the support hole 23, and one end portion where the split groove 32 is formed serves as the shaft portion 3A. Second
The other end of the hinge member 3 is a fixed portion 3B.

The shaft portion 3A can be elastically expanded / contracted by forming the split groove 32, and is rotatably inserted into the support hole 23 in an elastically contracted state. That is,
The shaft portion 3A is rotatably press-fitted into the support hole 23.
Therefore, although the second hinge member 3 is rotatable with respect to the first hinge member 2, the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 3A and the support hole 2 are not supported.
A frictional resistance is generated between the inner peripheral surface of the first and second hinge members 2 and 3 to prevent relative rotation between the first and second hinge members 2 and 3.

Further, the shaft portion 3A penetrates the support hole 23, and notches 33 and 34 are formed at both ends of the shaft portion 3A protruding from the support hole 23 to the outside.
Both notch portions 33 and 34 extend in the same circumferential direction from the split groove 32, and the circumferential lengths of both notch portions 33 and 34 are set to the same length which is slightly longer than 90 °. Has been done.

The fixing portion 3B is press fitted into the fixing hole Ba of the keyboard B. This prevents rattling between the keyboard B and the display C. In the peripheral wall portion of the fixing portion 3B, fixing grooves 35, 35 extending from the other end surface of the second hinge member 3 toward the one end side are arranged and formed at 180 ° apart in the circumferential direction. Each fixing groove 35,
Spring pins P, both ends of which are inserted into the keyboard B, are inserted into the reference numeral 35. As a result, the second hinge member 3 is fixed to the keyboard B so that it cannot rotate. Then, as described above, the shaft portion 3A of the hinge member 3 is rotatably inserted into the support hole 23 of the first hinge member 2, so that the first and second hinge members 2 and 3 are rotatable. The keyboard B and the display C are rotatably connected. Here, the outer diameter of the spring pin P is slightly larger than the width of the fixed groove 35, and the spring pin P is inserted into the fixed groove 35 in a reduced diameter state. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface of the spring pin P is constantly in pressure contact with both side surfaces of the fixed groove 35. As a result, it is possible to prevent backlash between the keyboard B and the second hinge member 3 in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis L, and thus the rotation axis L between the keyboard B and the display C.
It is possible to prevent backlash in the circumferential direction around the center.

The coil spring 4 is housed in a housing hole 31. As a result, the size of the hinge device 1 as a whole is reduced as compared with a case where the coil spring 4 is arranged in line with the second hinge member 3, for example. The outer diameter of the coil spring 4 is slightly smaller than that of the accommodation hole 31 and is rotatably accommodated in the accommodation hole 31. Further, the total length of the coil spring 4 is substantially the same as the total length of the shaft portion 3A, and both ends thereof are projected to the outside from the support hole 23.

Both ends of the wire material forming the coil spring 4 are
The coil spring 4 is bent from the outer periphery toward the outside, and the contact portions 41 and 42 are formed there. The contact portions 41 and 42 pass through the cutout portions 33 and 34, respectively, and project outward from the outer periphery of the shaft portion 3A. Therefore, when the coil spring 4 is housed in the housing hole 31, the contact portions 42 and 43 are inserted into the split groove 32 so that the coil spring 4 is held at one end of the housing hole 31 (the left end in FIG. 1).
Can be inserted from. The second hinge member 3 accommodating the coil spring 4 is in contact with the through groove 24 formed in the inner peripheral surface of the support hole 23 so as to be longitudinally cut.
The support hole 23 together with the coil spring 4 by inserting
Can be inserted into.

The coil spring 4 is in a natural state when the display C is rotated to the upright position, and does not urge the display C to rotate. However, when the display C rotates from the upright position to either the open or close direction, the coil spring 4 is twisted by the first and second hinge members 2 and 3, and biases the display C toward the upright position. Moreover, the coil spring 4 is twisted in the winding direction regardless of whether the display C rotates from the upright position to the opening or closing direction.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first
The first engaging portion 25 is formed on one end surface (the end surface away from the fixing portion 3B) of the connecting portion 22 of the hinge member 2.
A second engaging portion 26 is formed on the other end surface of the. First,
The second engagement portions 25 and 26 are substantially in contact with the contact portions 41 and 42, respectively, when the display C is rotated to the upright position. However, when the display C rotates from the upright position in the opening direction (the direction of arrow X in FIGS. 1 (B), (C) and FIG. 3) from the upright position, the first engagement portion 25 hits the contact portion 41 and locks it. Press and move in the direction of arrow X. Conversely, when the display C rotates from the neutral position in the closing direction (arrow Y direction), it separates from the contact portion 41 in the arrow Y direction. on the other hand,
The second engaging portion 26 is separated from the contact portion 42 in the arrow X direction when the display C is rotated from the upright position in the arrow X direction, and is abutting portion when the display C is rotated in the arrow Y direction from the upright position. It abuts 42 and pushes it in the direction of arrow Y. The circumferential lengths of the cutout portions 33 and 34 allow the movement of the contact portions 41 and 42 when the contact portions 41 and 42 are moved in the circumferential direction as the display C is rotated in the opening / closing direction. The length is set so that

The shaft portion 3A of the second hinge member 3 has
Third and fourth engaging portions 36 and 37 are formed, respectively. The third engagement portion 36 is formed on a side portion of the peripheral wall portion of the shaft portion 3 </ b> A facing the cutout portion 33, the side portion facing the split groove 32, that is, the side portion facing the arrow X direction. The fourth engagement portion 37 is formed on a side portion of the peripheral wall portion of the shaft portion 3A facing the cutout portion 34 on the split groove 32 side, that is, a side portion facing the arrow Y direction.
The third and fourth engaging portions 36, 37 are provided with the first and second engaging portions 25, 25 when the display C is rotated to the upright position.
Similar to 26, the contact portions 41 and 42 are substantially in contact with each other. Therefore, when the display C is in the upright position, as shown in FIG.
Only 5, 26, 36 and 37 are almost in contact with the contact portions 41 and 42, and the coil spring 4 is in a natural state without being twisted. Therefore, the coil spring 4 does not bias the display C.

However, when the display C is rotated in the arrow X direction from the upright position, as shown in FIG.
1 is pushed and moved in the arrow X direction by the first engaging portion 25, and the contact portion 42 tries to move in the arrow X direction following the movement. As a result, the third engaging portion 36 moves away from the contact portion 41 in the arrow Y direction, but the fourth engaging portion 37.
Abuts on the abutting portion 42 and blocks movement in the arrow X direction. Therefore, when the display C rotates in the arrow X direction from the upright position, the coil spring 4 is twisted by the first and fourth engaging portions 25 and 37. In the case of this embodiment,
The twisting direction of the coil spring 4 is the same as the winding direction of the coil spring 4.

On the contrary, when the display C is rotated from the upright position in the arrow Y direction, the contact portion 42 is pressed and moved in the arrow Y direction by the second engaging portion 26, and the contact portion 41 is moved accordingly. Attempt to move in the Y direction. as a result,
Although the fourth engaging portion 37 is separated from the contact portion 42 in the arrow X direction, the third engaging portion 36 abuts on the contact portion 41 and blocks the movement in the arrow Y direction. Therefore, when the display C rotates in the arrow Y direction from the upright position, the coil spring 4 is twisted by the second and third engaging portions 26 and 36. The twisting direction of the coil spring 4 in this case is also the winding direction of the coil spring 4.

As described above, when the display C is rotated from the upright position, the coil spring 4 is twisted, and as a result, the coil spring 4 urges the display C to return to the upright position. Here, the rotational force received by the display C by the urging force of the coil spring 4 is Fs, and the rotational force received by the display C by its own weight is Fg. It is set such that | Fs−Fg | <Ff holds regardless of the rotational position of the display C, where Ff is the rotational force corresponding to the static frictional resistance acting on. Therefore, the display C can be stopped at any position between the folded position and the open position.

In the hinge device 1 having the above structure, when the display C is rotated from the upright position to the folding position side or the open position side, the coil spring 4 urges the display C to the upright position side. The turning force due to the biasing force of 4 and the turning force due to the weight of the display C act so as to cancel each other out. Therefore, the support hole 2
The frictional resistance between the inner peripheral surface of the shaft 3 and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 3A can be reduced. In particular, in this embodiment, as the display C approaches the folded position or the open position, the turning force due to its own weight increases, but the biasing force of the coil spring 4 also increases. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the fluctuations of the turning force due to its own weight and the turning force due to the urging force that accompany the rotation of the display C. Thereby,
The frictional resistance between the inner peripheral surface of the support hole 23 and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 3A can be further reduced. Therefore, the display C can be lightly opened and closed with a small force.

Further, since the coil springs 4 are twisted in the same direction (in this embodiment, the winding direction) regardless of the direction of rotation of the display C, compared to the case where the coil springs 4 are twisted in different directions. The amount of deformation of the coil spring 4 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fatigue breakage of the coil spring 4 at an early stage, thereby extending the life of the hinge device 1.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following embodiments, only the configuration different from that of the first embodiment will be described, and the same parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and a hinge device 1A of this embodiment.
In, the winding direction of the coil spring 4 is opposite to the winding direction of the coil spring 4 of the above-described embodiment. Therefore, in the hinge device 1A, when the display C rotates from the upright position in the opening / closing direction, the coil spring 4 is twisted in the rewinding direction.

10 and 11 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In the hinge device 1B of this embodiment, two first hinge members 2 and two coil springs 4 are provided. It is used. The two first hinge members 2 and 2 are fixed to the display C such that the axes of the respective support holes 23 and 23 coincide with the rotation axis L and are substantially in contact with each other in the rotation axis L direction. Further, the two coil springs 4 and 4 are inserted side by side in a line in the accommodation holes 31 of the second hinge member 3, and the second hinge member 3 includes the engaging portions of the two coil springs 4 and 4. Four
The two cutouts 33 and 34 are formed so as to be spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. Of course, each notch 33,
Third and fourth engagement portions 36 and 37 are formed on the reference numeral 34, respectively. In this embodiment, since the two coil springs 4 and 4 are used, the biasing force on the display C can be increased. Therefore, it is suitable for use when the display C is large.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified as appropriate. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the entire second hinge member 3 is formed in an axial shape, but the first hinge member 3 is formed in a part of the second hinge member 3.
A mounting portion similar to the mounting portion 21 of the hinge member 2 is formed, and a shaft portion is formed on the other portion of the second hinge member 3 to fix the mounting portion to the keyboard B and insert the shaft portion into the support hole 23. You may. In that case, a housing groove that extends inward from the tip surface on the axis of the shaft portion may be formed, and a split groove may be formed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, almost at the same time when the display C starts to rotate from the upright position in the opening direction, the first and fourth engaging portions 25 and 37 are brought into contact with the contact portions 41 and 4.
The second and third engaging portions abut on the abutting portions 42 and 41, respectively, almost at the same time when the display C starts to rotate in the closing direction from the upright position. After rotating from the upright position by a predetermined angle in the opening / closing direction, the first and fourth engaging portions 25 and 37 hit the abutting portions 41 and 42, respectively,
The second and third engaging portions 26 and 36 may abut the contact portions 42 and 41, respectively. This way,
Since the coil spring 4 is twisted after the display C has rotated in the opening / closing direction by a predetermined angle, the coil spring 4 urges the display C to rotate to the upright position side only after rotating by a predetermined angle.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the coil spring is twisted in the same direction when the pair of hinge members are rotated in one direction and the other direction. can do. As a result, even if the door or the like is rotated in either forward or reverse directions, the same biasing force of the coil spring can be obtained if the amount of rotation is the same.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1 (A) is a front sectional view in a section including an axis of a support hole of a first hinge member, FIG. 1 (B), 1C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB and the line CC of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention.
2A is a front view thereof, FIG. 2B is a plan view thereof, and FIG.
(C) and (E) are views of arrows C and E in FIG. 2 (A),
FIG. 2D is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a laptop computer using the hinge device of the present invention in a state in which the display is rotated to an upright position, and FIG. 4 (A) is a side view thereof;
2B and 2C are views similar to FIGS. 2C and 2E, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the display of the personal computer rotated to an open position, FIG. 5 (A) is a side view thereof, and FIGS. 5 (B) and 5 (C) are respectively FIG. 2 (C). , (E) is a diagram similar to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the display of the personal computer is rotated to a folding position, FIG. 6 (A) is a side view thereof, and FIGS. 6 (B) and 6 (C) are respectively FIG. 2 (C). ,
It is a figure similar to (E).

FIG. 7 is a partially omitted and partially cutaway front view showing a state in which the display of the personal computer is rotated to an upright position.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 (A) is its front view, FIG. 10 (B) is its plan view, and FIG. 10 (C) and (D) are It is a C arrow line view and D arrow line view of FIG. 10 (A), respectively.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

B keyboard (one item) C display (other item) 1 Hinge device 1A hinge device 1B hinge device 2 First hinge member (one hinge member) 3 Second hinge member (other hinge member) 3A shaft 4 Coil spring (biasing means) 23 Support holes 25 1st engaging part 26 Second Engagement Part 36 Third Engagement Part 37 Fourth Engagement Part 31 accommodation hole 41 Contact part 42 Contact part

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-101274 (JP, A) JP-A-2000-45614 (JP, A) JP-B 4-38059 (JP, Y2) JP2558498 (JP, B2) JP2909664 (JP, B2) Patent 2873606 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) E05F 1/00-3/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of hinge members rotatably connected to each other in the forward and reverse directions from a neutral position, and a pair of hinges provided between the pair of hinge members and rotated in the forward and reverse directions from the neutral position. And a coil spring for urging the member toward the neutral position, and one of the pair of hinge members has a support hole extending on its rotation axis.
The other hinge member is rotatably inserted into the support hole.
A shaft part to be inserted is formed, and this shaft part is
An accommodation hole extending toward the inside is formed, and the accommodation hole is
The coil spring is housed in the support hole, and both ends are open.
Formed as a through hole, and the shaft portion penetrates the support hole.
Inserted in the state, both ends of the coil spring are
Project outside from both ends of the hole and
It projects from the peripheral surface to the outside and both ends of the support hole are opened.
The first and second engaging portions are provided on both end faces of the one hinge member.
Both of them are formed respectively and protrude from the support hole of the shaft.
Third and fourth engaging portions are respectively formed at the end portions, and when the pair of hinge members rotate in the one direction from the neutral position, the first and fourth engaging portions cause the coil spring to move. The one end and the other end are engaged with each other, and the coil spring is twisted with the rotation of the pair of hinge members, and the second and third engaging portions are the other end and the one end of the coil spring. When the pair of hinge members rotate in the other direction from the neutral position, the first and fourth engaging portions separate from one end and the other end of the coil spring, respectively. A hinge characterized in that the second and third engaging portions engage with the other end and one end of the coil spring, respectively, and twist the coil spring as the pair of hinge members rotate. apparatus. 2. The hinge device according to claim 1, wherein the coil spring is twisted in a winding direction.