JPH0941780A - Hinge device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize resistance torque for a prolonged term by manufacturing a resistance-torque giving member of an oleo-sintered metal, arranging a slot along the rectilinear diameter of a shaft member to the torque giving member and shrinking the opening-side end section of the slot. SOLUTION: A shaft member is fixed onto a first member, a casing 2 is fastened onto a second member and the shaft member is held rotatably, and a resistance-torque giving member 3 is manufactured of an oleo-sintered metal. A slot 9 is disposed to the resistance-torque giving member 3 along the rectilinear diameter of the shaft member at that time, and the opening-side end section of the slot 9 is shrunk. The casing 2 is fixed on the keyboard body side of a word processor at that time, and a second section 4a as a projecting section from the casing 2 of a shaft 4 is brought to the state of detent and combined. Rotary resistance proper to a display is given by frictional resistance between the resistance-torque giving member 3 and the shaft 4, and the display can be stopped at an arbitrary angle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hinge device capable of connecting two members so as to be rotatable relative to each other and imparting an appropriate resistance torque to a connecting portion so that the member can be stopped at an arbitrary angle. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a laptop computer or word processor, a display is generally foldably connected to a main body provided with a keyboard. In this case, the hinge connecting the main body and the display is configured to apply an appropriate resistance torque to stop the display at an arbitrary tilt angle.

[0003] Such two connected so as to be rotatable relative to each other.
As a so-called free stop hinge for allowing the tilting angle between two members to be stopped at an arbitrary position, the present applicant has already proposed a two-color molding using a synthetic resin material (actually developed flat 5- 89762).

[0004]

However, the synthetic resin free stop hinge as described above has excellent manufacturability and low manufacturing cost, but on the other hand, resistance torque stability against temperature change is low, and repeated stress is low. It also has the drawback of low fatigue strength.

[0005]

In order to solve such a problem and to realize a free stop hinge capable of obtaining a stable resistance torque for a long period of time, a first aspect of the present invention is provided.
A free stop hinge is constituted by a shaft member fixed to the member, a casing fixed to the second member, and a resistance torque applying member received in the casing in a state in which the shaft member is rotatably held. . The resistance torque applying member is formed of an oil-impregnated sintered metal, and the resistance torque applying member is provided with a slit along the diameter line of the shaft member, and a casing is provided with means for tightening the open end of the slit. I decided.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail based on specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 show a free stop hinge 1 as an example of a hinge device constructed according to the present invention. The free stop hinge 1 includes a casing 2, a resistance torque generator 3, and a rotating shaft 4.

The casing 2 is made of, for example, glass fiber reinforced nylon resin or the like, and comprises a main portion 2a having a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and a cap 2b for closing the opening of the main portion 2a. The main portion 2a and the cap 2b are
Protrusion 5 provided on the outer peripheral edge of the diameter line of the cap 2b
Is engaged with a rectangular hole 6 provided on the open end side of the main portion 2a to be integrally connected. A clevis portion 7 for connecting to a mating member is provided on one side of the outer peripheral surface of the casing 2.

The resistance torque generator 3 is made of an oil-impregnated sintered metal material and is formed in a U-shape with a substantially middle portion bulging. The rotating shaft 4 is tightly inserted into the middle bulging portion. A through hole 8 for forming is formed. The resistance torque generator 3 is provided with a slit 9 along the diameter line of the through hole 8 and along the axial direction of the through hole.

The rotating shaft 4 is made of, for example, a stainless material, and has a first portion 4a having a perfect circular contour and a second portion 4b having a flat surface formed by cutting a part of the outer peripheral surface from both sides along the diameter line. It has and. And the first portion 4 forming a perfect circle contour
a tightly fits into the through hole 8 of the resistance torque generator 3, and the second portion 4b having flat surfaces on both sides projects from the bottom surface of the casing 2.

The inner peripheral contour of the casing 2 and the outer peripheral contour of the resistance torque generator 3 are shaped so as to be almost complementary to each other, and in particular, a portion where the open end side of the slot 9 of the resistance torque generator 3 is fitted. 10 has a tolerance that tends to be an interference fit so that the slit 9 is appropriately tightened in a state where the rotary shaft 4 is inserted into the through hole 8.

In the free stop hinge 1 thus constructed, for example, the casing 2 is fixed to the keyboard main body side of the word processor, and the protruding portion of the rotary shaft 4 from the casing 2, that is, the second portion 4a is rotated to the display side. By stopping and coupling, the frictional resistance between the resistance torque generator 3 and the rotary shaft 4 gives a proper rotary resistance to the display. This rotation resistance allows the display to be stopped at any angle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the clevis portions 7 of the two main devices 1 are connected to each other by the spring pins 11 or the like, so that the rotation resistance can be imparted to the two axes orthogonal to each other.

[0014]

In the case of the conventional type in which the resistance torque generator is made of a synthetic resin material, the resistance force almost disappears at about 80 degrees Celsius, and there is a concern that stable resistance torque may be lost due to aging. However, the oil-impregnated sintered metal has remarkably high stability of resistance torque against changes in temperature and changes with time. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a free stop hinge that can obtain a stable resistance torque over a long period of time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of the present invention with the lid removed.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing another modified application example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Free Stop Hinge 2 Casing (2a: Main Part, 2b: Cap) 3 Resistance Torque Generator 4 Rotating Shaft (4a: First Part of True Circular Contour, 4b: Second Part of Plane) 5 Protrusion 6 Rectangular Hole 7 Clevis part 8 Through hole 9 Slot 10 Part 11 Spring pin

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shaft member fixed to the first member, and a second member.
Is a hinge device for connecting the first member and the second member to each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other, and is made of oil-impregnated sintered metal. A slit along a diameter line is provided, and a resistance torque imparting member that is received by the casing in a state of rotatably embracing the shaft member is provided, and an open side end of the slit is provided in the casing. A hinge device characterized in that means for tightening is provided.