JPH11101050A - Hinge for electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve heat radiating efficiency of electronic equipment by respectively arranging heat conductive parts in a hinge part to connect a main body and a cover, pressing its joining part by a spring, and easily and reliably transferring heat between the main body and the cover. SOLUTION: Plate-like heat conductive parts 12 and 13 are juxtaposed in a joining part 30 of a hinge to install a main body 2 having a keyboard of a notebook type personal computer and a display part (a cover) 3 so as to be openable/closable (collapsible), and heat is easily conducted between the main body 2 and the display part 3. A material having large mechanical strength such as stailess steel is used as strength holding parts 11a and 17a of the joining part 30, and a highly heat conductive material such as copper and aluminium is used as the heat conductive parts 12 and 13. These heat conductive parts 12 and 13 are sandwiched by the strength holding parts 11a and 17a, and are pressed by a wave washer (a spring washer) 14, and heat conductive efficiency in the joining part 30 is enhanced. External facing is formed of magnesium, and a heat radiating effect is enhanced. Therefore, heat of electronic equipment can be efficiently radiated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device such as a portable computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many portable electronic devices have been released, and advanced electronic devices equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) have appeared. In order to drive such electronic devices, a large amount of power is consumed, and it is necessary to dissipate heat due to the power consumption to the outside by various methods. Among portable electronic devices, for example, a portable computer includes a main body and a display unit thereof, and the display unit can be opened and closed with respect to the main body via a hinge. Representative examples of such portable computers include A4 size notebook personal computers and semi-notebook computers (B5 size).

In this type of conventional mechanical hinge, the fixed piece and the movable piece of the hinge are mechanically connected, and the fixed piece and the movable piece can be rotationally connected with a certain torque. Such a fixed piece, a movable piece, and the like are made of a material that satisfies mechanical strength, but do not consider heat conduction for heat dissipation.

[0004]

As a countermeasure against heat radiation in a conventional portable electronic device, a large heat sink is separately provided to radiate heat naturally or forcedly air-cooled by using a fan or the like. ing. However, in the case of the natural heat radiation, there is a limit in a place where the heat sink is set, so that there is a limit in radiating a large amount of heat. In the case of forced air cooling using a fan or the like, electric power for generating a fan sound or operating the fan is required. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a hinge for an electronic device that can perform heat radiation without increasing the size of the electronic device.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a hinge for an electronic device provided to enable the first and second portions of the electronic device to be foldable.
A fixing piece having a strength holding portion for maintaining mechanical strength and a heat conducting portion for conducting heat conduction, and a fixing piece set in the first portion, and a strength holding portion for retaining mechanical strength and a heat conducting portion for conducting heat conduction. Have
The movable piece set in the second portion, a coupling part that couples the fixed piece and the movable piece while performing heat conduction between the heat conduction part of the fixed piece and the heat conduction part of the movable piece, This is achieved by a hinge for an electronic device, comprising a reinforcing member that reinforces the bonding strength between the heat conducting portion of the fixed piece and the heat conducting portion of the movable piece.

A hinge for an electronic device according to the present invention is set as a first portion having a strength retaining portion in which a fixing piece retains mechanical strength and a heat conducting portion conducting heat conduction. The movable piece has a strength holding portion for holding mechanical strength and a heat conducting portion for conducting heat, and is set as the second portion. The connecting portion connects the fixed piece and the movable piece while conducting heat conduction between the heat conductive portion of the fixed piece and the heat conductive portion of the movable piece. The joint has a reinforcing member that reinforces the bonding strength between the heat conducting portion of the fixed piece and the heat conducting portion of the movable piece. Thereby, since the reinforcing member of the connecting portion firmly joins the heat conducting portion of the fixed piece and the heat conducting portion of the movable piece, heat conduction between the first portion and the second portion can be reliably performed. Therefore, a cooling fan, a heat sink, and the like, which are conventionally required, are not required.

[0007]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention,
Although various technically preferable limits are given, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these modes unless otherwise specified in the following description. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an electronic device including a hinge for an electronic device according to the present invention. The electronic device in FIG. 1 is a portable computer 100. Portable computer 10
Numeral 0 includes a main body 2, a display unit 3, a keyboard 4, hinges 1A and 1B surrounded by an A region and a B region.

The main body 2 has the above-described keyboard 4 and other pointing devices 5 and the like, and the display section 3 can employ, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD). The display unit 3 includes hinges 1A and 1B with respect to the main body 2.
Is mounted so that it can be opened and closed (folded) in the direction of arrow R. Although not shown in FIG. 1,
For the main body 2, a device or the like to which a mouse or the like as an external pointing means is externally attached can be set.

The hinges 1A and 1B of FIG. 1 have a function of mechanically connecting the display unit 3 to the rear end 6 of the main body 2 and of conducting thermal conduction and heat radiation. . Hinge 1
A and 1B are symmetrical, but have substantially the same structure. Therefore, the structure and features of the hinge 1B will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The hinge 1B has a fixed piece 11, a movable piece 17, and a connecting portion 30, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a portion that connects the fixed piece 11 and the movable piece 17 mechanically and so as to conduct heat.

The fixing piece 11 comprises a strength holding portion 11a for holding mechanical strength and a heat conducting portion 12 for conducting heat. When the display unit 3 of FIG. 1 is opened and closed, the strength holding unit 11a is a material having a high mechanical strength, for example, a stainless steel (SUS ) And the like are preferably employed. The strength holding portion 11a is made of a plate-shaped material having high mechanical strength, and is formed in a substantially L-shape when viewed in cross section, as shown in FIGS. It is desirable that the heat conducting part 12 be made of a material that is preferable for conducting heat, for example, a copper-based or aluminum-based material. The heat conducting part 12 is a plate-shaped member and is in close contact with the strength holding part 11a. It is formed in a substantially L shape for bonding, fixing, or setting. FIG.
, Is formed in an L-shaped cross section.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the strength holding portion 11a and the heat conducting portion 12 of the fixing piece 11 are used in close contact with each other. , For example, with a screw 31. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the strength holding portion 11a and the heat conducting portion 12 of the fixing piece 11. Rectangular holes 11c, 12c are formed in the rising portion 11b of the strength holding portion 11a and the rising portion 12b of the heat conduction portion 12, respectively.

Next, the movable piece 17 will be described. The movable piece 17 is, as shown in FIGS.
7a and a heat conducting portion 13. Strength holder 17a
Is a part for maintaining mechanical strength, and
Is a portion that conducts heat. It is preferable that the strength holding portion 17a be made of a mechanically strong material, for example, stainless steel (SUS), which is an iron-based material, in order to hold the strength when the display portion is opened and closed and the strength. The heat conducting portion 13 can be made of a material having good heat conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. The strength holding portion 17a is formed in a substantially L shape, and the heat conducting portion 13 is also formed in a substantially L shape. However, the portion 13a of the heat conducting portion 13
However, the rising portion 13b of the heat conducting portion 13 is used so as to be separated from the rising portion 17b of the strength holding portion 17a.

In FIG. 3, the strength holding portion 17a of the movable piece 17 is shown.
And the heat conducting part 13 are shown three-dimensionally. Strength holder 17
a riser 17b and heat generator 13 riser 13
In b, circular holes 17c and 13c are respectively formed. However, the diameter of the hole 17c is set smaller than the diameter of the hole 13c.

Next, the connecting portion 30 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described. The connecting portion 30 is connected to the heat conducting portion 12 of the fixing piece 11.
And a function of mechanically coupling the fixed piece 11 and the movable piece 17 while conducting heat conduction between the movable piece 17 and the heat conducting portion 13 of the movable piece 17.

FIG. 3 shows constituent members of the connecting portion 30, and includes a wave washer (spring washer) 14,
It has a shaft 15, washers 16 and 18, a wave washer (spring washer) 19, and a stopper 20.
The shaft 15 is made of, for example, iron or the like in order to maintain mechanical strength, and has a protrusion 15b on the opposite side to the protrusion 15a with respect to the main body 15c of the shaft 15. The protrusion 15 a passes through the hole 14 a of the spring washer 14 and passes through the hole 13 c of the heat conductive portion 13 and the hole 12 c of the heat conductive portion 12.
c, passing through the hole 11c of the strength holding portion 11a. This protrusion 1
The shape of the hole 5c of the heat conducting portion 12 and the strength holding portion 1
It has end faces 15e, 15e which are firmly fitted into the hole 11c of 1a so as not to move. Therefore, the projection 15a of the shaft 15 can be firmly fixed to the hole 12c of the heat conduction part 12a and the hole 11c of the strength holding part 11a by caulking or the like so as not to come off.

The wave washer 14 is a spring member that uniformly presses the heat conductive portion 12 of the fixed piece 11 and the heat conductive portion 13 of the movable piece 17 with a predetermined bonding strength at a low pressure and is made of a metal such as iron, for example. Have been. Thereby, the heat conduction efficiency between both heat conduction parts 12 and 13 is improved. If the two heat conducting portions 12 and 13 are brought into contact with each other at a high pressure, copper surface wear, hinge torque fluctuation, initial torque variation, and the like will occur.

For example, the maximum thickness when the wave washer 14 shown in FIG.
Assuming that the thickness of the rising portion 13a is t2, the thickness L when assembled is in the following dimensional relationship. t1 + t2> L Each of the elements shown in FIGS. 3 and 2 is structured to be fixed by caulking.

The washer 16 functions as a friction plate and is disposed between the shaft 15 and the strength holding portion 17a of the movable piece 17. The hole 16c of the washer 16 is a substantially rectangular hole into which the protrusion 15b of the shaft 15 fits. The protruding portion 15b of the shaft 15 also has the flat end surface 1
5f and 15f. Hole 17 in strength holding portion 17a
c, a protrusion 15b passes through the hole 15c of the washer 18 and the hole 19c of the wave washer 19.
c, and fits firmly into the hole 20c of the stopper 20. That is, in the hole 20c of the stopper 20, the protrusion 15b of the shaft 15 can be firmly fixed by, for example, caulking so as not to come off.

Thus, the fixed piece 11 and the movable piece 17
Are engaged with each other by caulking the projecting portion 15a of the shaft 15 and the hole 11c of the strength holding portion 11a;
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, using the engagement connection by caulking between the projection 15 b of the stopper 20 and the hole 20 c of the stopper 20,
By using the shaft 15, the movable piece 17 can rotate in the direction R of FIG. 2 with respect to the fixed piece 11 about the central axis CL.

For the shaft 15, the washers 16, 18, the wave washers 14, 19, the stopper 20, and the like, a material having high mechanical strength, for example, an iron-based material can be used. Among them, the wave washer 14 plays a role of keeping the joining strength of the two heat conducting portions 12 and 13 uniform as described above, and the other wave washer 19 serves as a torque generating portion in the hinge 1B. Plays. That is, these wave washers 14, 1
9 play different roles. The heat conducting part 12 of the fixing piece 11 is located on the mounting surface side (side in contact with the main body) of the main body 2 of the computer 100 in FIG.
As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the heat conducting portion 13a of the movable piece 17 is located on the mounting surface side (the mounting surface on the display unit) of the display unit 3 of the computer 100 in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hinge 1A or 1A
B in the assembled state, the heat conducting portion 1 of the fixing piece 11
2 and the rising portion 13a of the heat conducting portion 13 of the movable piece 17 are in close contact with each other, and the spring washer 14 is bringing the rising portions 12b and 13a into uniform contact with the spring holding force. Therefore, these heat conducting parts 1
The thermal resistance of the contact portions in the rising portions 12b and 13a of the second and the 13th can be made as small as possible.

Since the hinge 1A or 1B has a function of heat conduction and heat radiation while maintaining mechanical strength, for example, the heat conduction between the main body 2 and the display unit 3 of the computer 100 is improved. Thus, heat can be easily transferred from the side having a large amount of heat, for example, the main body 2 to the side having a small amount of heat, for example, the display section 3. By improving such thermal conductivity, conduction of heat from the heat-generating main body portion 2 to the heat-generating display portion 3 is improved, and a space for heat dissipation can be secured. It is also possible to newly provide the heat dissipating means for the heat conducting part 12 and the heat conducting part 13, and the heat dissipating efficiency can be improved.

For example, if the exterior of the main body 2 and the display unit 3 is made of a light metal such as magnesium, the exterior can be used as it is as a heat sink. By thermally connecting to the portion 13, the heat radiation effect can be further improved.
In general, a material having good thermal conductivity has a law that electric resistance is low. Therefore, the fixed piece 11 and the movable piece 17 of the hinges 1A and 1B are connected to the fixed piece 11 and the movable piece 17 with lower electric resistance via the hinges 1A and 1B. Can be combined.

By the way, in the embodiment of the hinge shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wave washer (waving washer) 14 is omitted, and the bracket-shaped heat conducting portion 13 is provided with a spring property. Conduction parts 12, 13
Can be pressed uniformly. For example, the heat conducting part 13 is made to wave in the direction of the axis CL, so that the heat conducting part 13 itself has a wave washer effect. Or the heat conduction part 13
By bending a part of this, adhesiveness with the heat conducting part 12 can be obtained.

Next, another embodiment of the hinge of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the hinge 1B of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 has the heat conduction part 12 and the strength holding part 11a united to form one strength holding part and heat conduction part 111 as compared with the hinge 1B of FIG. 2 and FIG. However, the other elements are the same as the corresponding elements in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the strength holding part / heat conducting part 111 is the same as the heat conducting part 12 and the strength holding part 11a of FIG.
Is made of, for example, copper or aluminum having excellent heat conductivity, but the thickness thereof is considerably larger than the heat conducting portion 12 or the strength holding portion 11a of FIG. The fixing piece 111 plays a role. By doing so, the number of components can be reduced by one, and the thickness of the fixing piece 11 such as copper or aluminum can be increased, so that the thermal conductivity can be further improved.

Incidentally, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, a so-called portable computer is used as an example of the electronic device to which the hinge of the present invention is applied. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of electronic device may be used. The electronic device of the present invention can be applied to electronic devices that generate various heat, such as portable information terminals, mobile phones, and wireless devices. The heat conducting part of the fixed piece and the heat conducting part of the movable piece may be located on the surface of the main body 2 or the display unit 3 that contributes to heat radiation or on the side or both sides that contact the heat radiation surface. Further, not only the strength holding portion of the movable piece also serves as a reinforcing member of the connecting portion, but also the strength holding portion of the fixed piece may also serve as a reinforcing member of the connecting portion.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The heat can be dissipated without increasing the size of the electronic device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an electronic device to which a hinge for an electronic device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary plan view showing a preferred embodiment of a hinge applied to the electronic apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a hinge.

FIG. 4 is a view showing still another embodiment of the hinge of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

1A, 1B ... hinge, 2 ... body (first part),
3 ... display part (second part), 11 ... fixed piece, 11
a: strength holding portion of fixed piece, 12: heat conductive portion of fixed piece, 13: heat conductive portion of movable piece, 14: wave washer (reinforcing member), 17: movable piece , 17a
..Strength holding portion of movable piece, 30 ... joining portion, 100
..Computers (electronic devices)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A hinge for an electronic device provided to make a first portion and a second portion of the electronic device foldable, the hinge having a strength holding portion for maintaining mechanical strength and a heat conducting portion for conducting heat. A movable piece set in the second portion, the fixed piece set in the first portion, a strength holding portion for maintaining mechanical strength, and a heat conducting portion for conducting heat conduction; The joint that joins the fixed piece and the movable piece while conducting heat conduction between the part and the heat conducting part of the movable piece, and the joining part is the joint strength between the heat conducting part of the fixed piece and the heat conducting part of the movable piece. A hinge for an electronic device, comprising a reinforcing member for reinforcing the hinge. 2. The hinge for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member of the connecting portion is a washer. 3. The hinge for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the strength holding portion of the movable piece or the fixed piece also serves as a reinforcing member of the connecting portion.