TW202126151A - Z-axis hinge device and electronic machine using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a Z-axis hinge device, which simplifies and improves the driving force transmission mechanism of the synchronous rotation mechanism to reduce the cost, and implements the thinning of electronic devices such as notebook computers or mobile phones. The Z-axis hinge device includes: a first hinge rod installed on the first housing side; a second hinge rod installed on the second housing side, and connected to the first hinge rod through a connecting member to make the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod can rotate freely in a parallel state; a synchronous rotation mechanism disposed between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod, and including a belt-shaped member winding on the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod. Wherein, an engaging means capable of being actuated in any direction is provided between the first hinge rod, the second hinge rod and the synchronous rotation mechanism.

Description

Z-axis hinge device and electronic equipment using the Z-axis hinge device

The present invention relates to a Z-axis hinge device, in particular to a Z-axis hinge device suitable for connecting a first housing and a second housing of an electronic device such as a notebook computer, etc., which can be opened and closed.

Generally speaking, in a traditional notebook computer or mobile phone, the first shell and the second shell that constitute the main body can be connected openly and closedly, so that the first shell and the second shell can perform from 0 degrees to 360 degrees. For the conventional two-axis hinge device with a degree of opening and closing operation, for example, the contents described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-172784 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-35474 can be referred to. In these two-axis hinge devices, the first hinge rod installed on the side of the first housing and the second hinge rod installed on the side of the second housing are connected to each other by a connecting member, and can be in a parallel state. They are free to rotate, and these devices have a synchronous rotation mechanism, which can change the rotation direction of one hinge rod and transmit it to the other hinge rod. In addition, most of the synchronous rotation mechanisms on the market now use gear-type driving force transmission mechanisms.

In pursuit of the convenience of operation and carrying, notebook computers have become thinner year by year. If a gear-type driving force transmission mechanism is used as the synchronous rotation mechanism in the dual-axis hinge device in a notebook computer, it is necessary to install gears on the side of the first hinge lever and the side of the second hinge lever respectively, and in these gears It is also necessary to install an intermediate gear for changing the rotation transmission direction, which has a complicated structure and limited cost reduction effect. In addition, in order to install the intermediate gear, it is necessary to reserve the installation space, which limits the thinning of notebook computers or mobile phones.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a Z-axis hinge device, which improves the driving force transmission mechanism of the synchronous rotation mechanism, simplifies the structure to reduce the cost, and realizes thinner notebook computers or mobile phones and other electronics machine.

In order to achieve the objective of the present invention, the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention includes: a first hinge rod installed on the side of the first housing; a second hinge rod installed on the side of the second housing by a connecting member Connect the first hinge rod so that the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod can rotate freely in a parallel state; a synchronous rotation mechanism is arranged between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod, and includes A belt-shaped member wound on the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod; wherein, between the first hinge rod, the second hinge rod and the synchronous rotation mechanism, there is provided that can move in any direction The means of snapping.

Next, according to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, the band-shaped member has a first band-shaped member and a second band-shaped member, the band-shaped member includes a first band-shaped member and a second band-shaped member, the The first belt-shaped member and the second belt-shaped member are respectively formed with engaging holes as engaging means at both ends, wherein the two ends of the first belt-shaped member are respectively along the first hinge rod relative to the first hinge rod. The first rotation direction is overlapped and wound for more than one turn; the two ends of the second band-shaped member are overlapped and wound for more than one turn in the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction with respect to the second hinge rod.

Next, according to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, the engaging means includes an engaging protrusion and the engaging hole, and the engaging protrusion is provided on any one of the first hinge rod, the second hinge rod, and the belt-shaped member Up; the engaging hole is set on any other side.

Next, according to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, a tension adjustment mechanism is provided, which is located between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod, and can adjust the tension of the belt-shaped member.

Next, according to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, the tension adjusting mechanism includes a lever member or a tension adjusting member, the lever member or the tension adjusting member is located between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod and installed in the center The connecting element can be swayed or slid relative to the wide side of the belt-shaped member.

Next, according to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, the lever member or the tension adjusting member is provided on both sides of the belt-shaped member.

Next, the Z-axis hinge device according to the present invention has the connecting member supporting the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod in parallel, and the connecting member includes the central connecting element and the side connecting element, the central connecting element Are arranged at the central part of the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod; the side connecting element is arranged at each side part of the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod; the belt-shaped member includes A pair of members on both sides of the central connection element.

Then, the electronic device of the present invention uses the Z-axis hinge device described in any one of claims 1 to 7 above.

According to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, the wheelbase between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod can be reduced, and a Z-axis hinge device with a simpler structure can be provided. As a result, it is possible to provide an electronic device that is more compact. Thin Z-axis hinge device.

According to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, a biaxial hinge with higher responsiveness and no play can be provided through belt-shaped members with different winding directions.

According to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, even if clockwise and counterclockwise rotation moments are repeatedly applied to the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod, it can effectively prevent the belt-shaped member from interacting with the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod. There is a play between the two hinge rods.

According to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, through the tension adjustment mechanism, stable tension can be continuously given to the belt-shaped member.

According to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, a large tension can be imparted to the belt-shaped member by the tension adjustment mechanism.

According to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, when the first housing and the second housing are opened and closed, a more stable rotation without twisting can be realized.

According to the electronic device of the present invention, by providing a Z-axis hinge device with a shorter wheelbase, the thinning and miniaturization of the electronic device can be realized.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention is applied to a notebook computer will be described. However, the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention is not limited to be used in notebook computers, and is also applicable to mobile phones and other laptops with a first housing and a second housing that can be opened and closed through the Z-axis hinge device. Type electronic equipment, communication equipment, game machines and other electronic equipment.

(Embodiment 1) As shown in Figure 1(b), the electronic device 1 is a notebook computer, and the first housing 2 and the second housing 3 are connected to each other through the two Z-axis hinge devices 4, 4 of the present invention , And can open and close each other. By manually operating the electronic device 1, it can be viewed from the first housing 2 equipped with operating parts such as a keyboard and touch panel, as shown in Figure 1(a), and facing the second housing 3 equipped with a display part 3a. In a closed state of 0 degrees, as shown in Figure 1(b), the first housing 2 and the second housing 3 are horizontally spread out to an open state of 180 degrees, to as shown in Figure 1(c), The first housing 2 and the second housing 3 are in a 360-degree open state back to back. In addition, since the illustrated Z-axis hinge devices 4 and 4 have the same structure, only one of them will be described in detail below.

As shown in Figure 2(b), the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention, which is commonly known as a two-axis hinge, includes: a first hinge mounted to the side of the first housing 2 by a first mounting member 17 The lever 11 is mounted to the second hinge lever 12 on the side of the second housing 3 by the second mounting member 18, and the synchronous rotation mechanism 5 that makes the first hinge lever 11 and the second hinge lever 12 rotate synchronously. The synchronous rotation mechanism 5 can change the rotation direction of any one of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 and transmit To the other side, the first mounting member 17 and the second mounting member 18 are rotated synchronously in opposite directions, respectively.

By operating the Z-axis hinge device 4, the first mounting member 17 and the second mounting member 18 can be closed as shown in Figure 2(a), facing each other at 0 degrees, as shown in Figure 2(b), The first mounting member 17 and the second mounting member 18 are horizontally spread out to an open state of 180 degrees. As shown in Figure 2(c), the first mounting member 17 and the second mounting member 18 are open to 360 degrees back to back. . The first mounting member 17 has a mounting element 17A for fixing one end of the first hinge rod 11 and a mounting element 17B for fixing the other end of the first hinge rod 11; the second mounting member 18 has a mounting element 18A for fixing one end of the second hinge rod 12 and fixing The mounting element 18B at the other end of the second hinge rod 12. As shown in Figure 3, the connecting member 20 is composed of a pair of central connecting elements 21, 22 and side connecting elements 23, 24. The first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are connected through the connecting member 20, so that the A hinge rod and the second hinge rod can rotate freely in a parallel state. In addition, the mounting elements 17A, 17B and the mounting elements 18A, 18B are provided with mounting holes 17a, 17b and mounting holes 18a, 18b, respectively. In addition, in FIG. 3, reference numerals 11m, 11n and 12m, 12n are mounting holes. As shown in FIG. 5, the end portions 11d, 11e, 12d, 12e of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are inserted and Snap.

As shown in Figure 3, insert the mounting screw 23a into the hole 23b and lock it with the internal thread 23c of the side connecting element 23, so that the housing 27 can be fixed to the side connecting element 23, so that the housing 27 can position the side connecting element 23. The central connecting element 21 is assembled as a whole; insert the mounting screw 24a into the hole 24b and lock it to the internal thread 24c of the side connecting element 24, so that the housing 28 can be fixed to the side connecting element 24, thus, The housing 28 can position the side connecting element 24 and the central connecting element 22 and assemble them as a whole. In addition, in FIG. 3, the reference numerals 23d, 23e, 24d, and 24n are bearing holes, and the bearings are at the respective end portions 11d, 11e, 12d, 12e of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12.

In order to explain the internal structure of the Z-axis hinge device 4, FIG. 4 is drawn as a state in which the upper housings 27 and 28 of the Z-axis hinge device 4 are removed. Please refer to the dashed line in FIG. 4, through the central connecting elements 21, 22, connect the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 so that they can rotate freely in a state of being parallel to each other at predetermined intervals; through the side connecting elements 23 , 24, connect the two ends of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 so that they can rotate freely when they are parallel to each other.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are independent elements formed in the same manner. A cylindrical rotating shaft portion 11a, 12a is formed in the center of the first hinge lever 11 and the second hinge lever 12, and flat shaft portions 11b, 11c with smaller diameters are formed on both sides of the rotating shaft portions 11a, 12a , 12b, 12c. The flat shaft portions 11b, 11c, 12b, 12c can be embedded in the rotating body and restrict its rotation, which is commonly known as double D-cutting.

As shown in Figure 3, the winding members 13, 14, 15, and 16 are constructed in the same shape, and are symmetrical with respect to the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 positioned in parallel by the central connecting element 21, 22 Ground is assembled on both sides of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 in the axial direction. Therefore, the relationship between the winding member 13 and the first hinge rod 11 will be described in detail below, and the repeated description of the winding members 14, 15, 16 and the second hinge rod 12 will not be repeated.

As shown in FIG. 6, the winding member 13 is composed of a pair of annular spacers 13b, 13b having a winding surface 13f of the first band-shaped member 25, and four engagement protrusions 13t, 13t, 13t and 13t are formed by engaging rotating bodies 13a. The centers of the engaging rotating body 13a and the spacers 13b, 13b are respectively formed with flat holes 13c, 13e that fit the flat shaft portion 11b of the first hinge rod 11, whereby the flat shaft portion 11b of the first hinge rod 11 can be inserted The winding member 13 rotates integrally therewith.

In Embodiment 1, the outer diameter in the longitudinal direction of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 is 1.4 mm, and the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are, for example, stainless steel sheets with a thickness of 0.04 mm. One of them (the side of the first hinge rod 11) is approximately in an S shape, and the other (the second hinge rod 12) is wound on the winding members 13 and 14 in a shape similar to an inverted S shape. In the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, the outer diameter of the rotating shaft portions 11a, 12a with a circular cross-section is 1.8mm, and the long diameter of the flat shaft portions 11b, 11c, 12b, 12c is 1.4mm, and the shorter The diameter is 1mm. The outer diameter of the winding members 13, 14, 15, 16 minus the protrusions is 2.7 mm. The dimensions of these elements are not limited to the above values. However, as described above, the diameters of the first hinge rod 11, the second hinge rod 12, and the winding members 13, 14, 15, and 16 of the present invention are small and The shape member is made of extremely thin materials, which contributes to the miniaturization of the Z-axis hinge device and the thinning of the electronic equipment equipped with the Z-axis hinge device. As shown in FIG. 8, both ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 have engaging holes 25a, 25b, and there is a gap 25c between the engaging holes 25a, 25b that is continuous in the rotation direction; the second belt-shaped member 26 There are engaging holes 26a, 26b at both ends of the, and there is a slit 26c continuous along the rotation direction between the engaging holes 26a, 26b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are wound around the winding members mounted on the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 in different winding directions at both ends thereof. 13, 14, 15, 16. One end of the first belt-shaped member 25, the engaging hole 25a is engaged with the engaging protrusion 13t of the winding member 13, and it is stacked 2.5 times in the counterclockwise direction from the center to the outside, and is wound on the winding member 13; At the other end of the shaped member 25, the engaging hole 25b is engaged with the engaging protrusion 14t of the winding member 14, and the winding member 14 is wound on the winding member 14 by winding it 2.5 times in the counterclockwise direction from the center outward. Thus, as the Z-axis hinge device 4 is opened to 360 degrees, even if the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are rotated by ±90 degrees from the position of FIG. 4, both ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 are compressed. At the overlapping portion of the first belt-shaped member 25, it will not fall off from the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t.

At one end of the second belt-shaped member 26, the engaging hole 26a is engaged with the engaging protrusion 16t of the winding member 16, and it is stacked 2.5 times in a clockwise direction from the center to the outside, and is wound on the winding member 16; the second belt At the other end of the shaped member 26, the engaging hole 26b is engaged with the engaging protrusion 15t of the winding member 15, and the winding member 15 is wound around the winding member 15 by winding it 2.5 times in the clockwise direction from the center outward. Thus, as the Z-axis hinge device 4 is opened to 360 degrees, even if the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are respectively rotated by ±90 degrees from the position of FIG. 4, both ends of the second belt-shaped member 26 are compressed. At the overlapping portion of the second belt-shaped member 26, it will not fall off from the engaging protrusions 15t, 16t. Conversely, the number of turns of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 on the winding members 13, 14, 15, 16 is preferably 1.5 turns or more.

In the present invention, regarding the assembling method of assembling each of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 to the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, it is possible to adopt the method of assembling each of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second After the two belt-shaped members 26 are wound to one of the hinge rods (for example, the first hinge rod 11), they are then wound to the other hinge rod (for example, the second hinge rod 12); it is also possible to wind each belt in advance. The two ends of the shaped member, and then the winding parts are assembled along the axis direction and wound tightly around the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12; or a combination of the above methods.

In addition, in the first embodiment, two belt-shaped members designated 25 and 26 are used. However, if the material of the belt-shaped member is thick and rigid, as shown in the fourth embodiment of FIG. 11, the belt-shaped member 42 is provided between the central connecting elements 40 and 41, and the outer diameter of the winding member Only one belt-shaped member can be used. Of course, in the first embodiment, three or four belt-shaped members can also be used. In addition, although in the first embodiment, a slit is formed in the center of the belt-shaped member, in the second embodiment of FIG. The locking hole of the engaging protrusion. In addition, in FIG. 11, the reference number 45 is the first hinge rod; the reference number 46 is the second hinge rod; the reference number 47 is the first mounting member; the reference number 48 is the second mounting member; the reference numbers 47A and 47B are the mounting elements; the reference numbers 48A and 48B Same as installation components.

In addition, although the first embodiment is described by using a two-axis hinge as an example, a three-axis, four-axis, etc., multi-axis hinge having two or more hinge rods may be used to realize the first embodiment.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are crossed and wound around the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12. However, they may be wound around the hinge rod without crossing. Above, at this time, the rotation driving force in the same rotation direction can be transmitted from the first hinge lever 11 to the second hinge lever 12.

Next, regarding the means for engaging the belt-shaped member and the hinge rod, in the first embodiment, a protrusion is provided on the outer periphery of the winding member engaged with the hinge rod, and an engaging hole is provided on the side of the belt-shaped member. In Fig. 7(b), the strip-shaped member 25B that omits the slits can also be used; and when the strip-shaped member has a certain thickness, as shown in Fig. 7(c), the both ends of the strip-shaped member 25C can be bent It serves as the locking portions 25d and 25e. In addition, although not shown, it may be an engagement groove or a cutout into which the engagement portion provided on the winding member side can be inserted and engaged. In addition, in Embodiment 1, four locking protrusions are provided on the outer circumference of the winding member, and the number of the locking protrusions may be 1 to 3, or plural such as 5 or more may be provided radially.

In addition, the belt-shaped member and the winding member are provided with the above-mentioned engagement means, so that even if the rotation driving force in the forward and reverse directions is repeatedly applied to the winding member that rotates with the hinge lever, it can pass through the aforementioned The engagement means can prevent the belt-shaped member from slack and deteriorate over time, and greatly contribute to the stability of the action.

As described above, the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment is composed of the first hinge rod 11, the second hinge rod 12, the first band-shaped member 25, and the second band-shaped member 26. The first hinge rod 11 is mounted on the side of the first housing 2 and the second hinge rod 12 is mounted on the side of the first housing 3, both through the central connecting elements 21, 22 and the side connecting elements 23, 24, Connected to each other and freely rotatable in a parallel state, the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 can link the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, and have rigidity in the stretching direction during linkage , The first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 can be rotated in opposite directions respectively, wherein the rotation of either one of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 will be transmitted to the other. Next, the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are provided with engagement protrusions 13t, 14t, 15t, 16t through the winding members 13, 14, 15, and 16, and then, on the first belt-shaped member 25, the In the winding direction of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, there are provided engaging holes 25a, 25b for engaging with the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t to position the first belt-shaped member 25; The member 26 is provided with engaging holes 26a, 26b for engaging with the engaging protrusions 15t, 16t to position the second belt-shaped member 26 along the winding direction relative to the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 . Thus, a Z-axis hinge device 4 can be provided, which can be used to transmit the rotation of either one of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 to the structure or mechanism of the other with high response without affecting the overall structure. Thinning and miniaturization.

In addition, in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment, the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are respectively formed with engagement holes 25a, 25b, 26a, and 26b as engagement means at both ends, wherein , The two ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 are wound on the winding members 13, 14 respectively, and are overlapped and wound one turn in the first rotation direction; the two ends of the second belt-shaped member 26 are wound on the winding members 15, 16 The upper part is overlapped and wound by more than one turn in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. Thereby, the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t, 15t, 16t are inserted into the engaging holes 25a, 25b, 26a, 26b located at the ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26, the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 25 The ends of the two belt-shaped members 26 are wound and pressed from the outside by the overlapped portion thereof, thereby fixing the ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26. Therefore, there is no need to provide additional screws, pins, etc. , Or grooves, etc., used to compress the ends of the first band-shaped member 25 and the second band-shaped member 26 to increase the radius of gyration. Moreover, in the state where the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are wound around the winding members 13, 14, 15, and 16, they can still be easily relative to the first hinge lever 11 and the second hinge. The rod 12 is assembled.

In addition, in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of Embodiment 1, between the engagement holes 25a, 25b, 26a, and 26b at both ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26, a slit is provided along the winding direction. 25c, 26c, when the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 pass through the winding members 13, 14, 15, 16 and are wound on the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, the narrow and long The notch is penetrated by the engagement protrusions 13t, 14t, 15t, and 16t through which the engagement holes 25a, 25b, 26a, and 26b have penetrated. Therefore, the belt-shaped member is not affected by the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t, 15t, 16t, and the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t, 15t, 16t penetrate through the slits 25c of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 , 26c, the edges of the engaging holes 25a, 25b, 26a, 26b are pressed by the overlapped portion of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26, thereby not only allowing the first belt-shaped member 25 and The rotation of the second belt-shaped member 26 becomes smoother, and the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 can be closely attached to the winding surfaces of the winding members 13, 14, 15, 16 (as shown in Figure 6). As shown, 13f, 14f), thereby suppressing the expansion of the radius of gyration. In addition, by providing engaging holes 25a, 25b at both ends of the first belt-shaped member 25, and engaging the engaging holes 25a, 25b with the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t, the first belt is wound in multiple turns The first belt-shaped member 25, once the installation of the first belt-shaped member 25 is completed, is always applied with belt tension, so the first belt-shaped member 25 will not fall off.

(Tension adjustment mechanism) However, in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment, if the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are slack, either the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 cannot be The rotation of one side is transmitted to the other side with high response, and the opening and closing action of the Z-axis hinge device is loosened. Therefore, in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the present invention, a tension adjustment mechanism 30 is provided. The second tension adjustment mechanism 35 is constituted.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the first tension adjustment mechanism 31, a pair of lever members 32 and 33 are arranged above and below the first belt-shaped member 25. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting screws 32a, 33a are inserted into the holes 32b, 33b of the pair of lever members 32, 33, and are locked with the internal threads 32c, 33c of the central connecting element 21, so that the pair of lever members 32, 33 It is fixed to the central connecting element 21. At this time, with the mounting screws 32a, 33a as fulcrums, the pair of lever members 32, 33 are rotated to press the mounting positions P32, P33, tension is applied to the first belt-shaped member 25, and the pair of lever members 32, 33 are fixed于中link element 21.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the second tension adjustment mechanism 35, a pair of lever members 36 and 37 are arranged above and below the second belt-shaped member 26. As shown in Figure 3, the mounting screws 36a, 37a are inserted into the holes 36b, 37b of the pair of lever members 36, 37, and are locked to the internal threads 36c, 37c of the central connecting element 22, so that the pair of lever members 36, 37 Respectively move back counterclockwise from the position of the one-point lock line, press the pressing positions P36, P37, apply tension to the second belt-shaped member 26, and fix the pair of lever members 36, 37 to the central connecting element 22.

However, as shown in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of FIG. 4, in the state where the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are installed with the side connecting element 23, the side connecting element 23 interferes with the mounting screws 32a, 33a, In addition, when the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 are installed with the side connecting element 24, the side connecting element 24 will obstruct the mounting screws 35a, 36a, making it impossible to lock. Therefore, regarding the installation method of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 of the Z-axis hinge device 4 and the method of applying tension thereto, please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 at the same time and the description of the following steps.

First, install the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 to the central connecting elements 21 and 22 fixed on the assembly mold (not shown) so as to keep them parallel. As a result, the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 11 The hinge rod 12 may be parallel to a predetermined phase position and be positioned at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction. In this state, insert the winding members 13 and 14 with the first ribbon-shaped member 25 into the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 to install; then, the winding member with the second ribbon-shaped member 26 The components 15 and 16 are inserted into the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 for installation.

Next, align the lever members 32, 33 with the internal threads 32c, 33c of the central connecting element 21, and lock them with the mounting screws 32a, 33a, so that the lever members 32, 33 are mounted on the central connecting element 21 to absorb the first The slack of the belt-shaped member 25; align the lever members 36, 37 with the internal threads 36c, 37c of the central connecting element 22, and lock them with the mounting screws 36a, 37a, so that the lever members 36, 37 are installed on the central connecting element 22 Above, tension is applied to the second belt-shaped member 26.

Then, after inserting the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 into the side connecting element 23, the housing 27 is stacked on the side connecting element 23 from above, the mounting screw 23a passes through the hole 23b, and is locked to the internal thread 23c. Therefore, the housing 27 can wrap the winding members 13, 14 and the lever members 32, 33 of the first belt-shaped member 25; after inserting the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 into the side connecting element 24, The housing 28 is stacked on the side connecting element 24 from above, and the mounting screw 24a passes through the hole 24b and is locked to the internal thread 24c. Thereby, the housing 28 can cover the winding member 15 on which the second belt-shaped member 26 is wound. 16 and lever members 36, 37.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the mounting elements 17A, 17B, 18A, and 18B are pressed into the two end portions 11d, 11e, 12d, and 12e of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 for installation.

The Z-axis hinge device 4 of Embodiment 1, as shown in FIG. 9, in the first tension adjustment mechanism 31, between the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, the first belt-shaped member 25 is stretched Pressing with shifted positions in the direction of rotation of both sides of the device, applies tension to the first belt-shaped member 25. In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, in the second tension adjustment mechanism 35, between the first hinge lever 11 and the second hinge lever 12, the position is shifted in the direction of rotation of both sides of the second belt-shaped member 26 being stretched. Ground pressing applies tension to the second belt-shaped member 26. Therefore, since the first tension adjusting mechanism 31 pressing the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second tension adjusting mechanism 35 pressing the second belt-shaped member 26 are separately provided, even if their respective pressing forces are small, they can still A band-shaped member 25 and a second band-shaped member 26 apply a large tension; and, because the first band-shaped member 25 and the second band-shaped member 26 are pressed at positions shifted in the direction of rotation of the two stretched surfaces, they are given to them The tension can apply a large tension to the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 even if the pressing force on both surfaces is small.

In addition, in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment, the first tension adjustment mechanism 31 and the second tension adjustment mechanism 35 have a pair of lever members 32, 33, 36, 37, respectively, and these lever members can be adjusted and fixed by angle adjustment. On the central connecting elements 21, 22, the pressing force can be adjusted. Therefore, in a simple mechanism using a pair of lever members 32, 33, 36, 37, even in the space inside the housings 27, 28 with relatively thin thicknesses, it is possible to ensure that the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 25 and the second The belt-shaped member 26 applies a large pressing stroke, giving it a large tension.

In addition, in the Z-axis hinge device 4 of Embodiment 1, the side connecting element 23 is supported by one end of the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12; the side connecting element 24 is supported by the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod. The other end of the hinge rod 12. Then, between the side connecting element 23 and the side connecting element 24, the central connecting elements 21, 22 are provided through the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26; a pair of lever members 32, 33, 36, 37 is supported by the central connecting elements 21,22. Thus, through the central connecting elements 21, 22, the first tension adjusting mechanism 31 and the second tension adjusting mechanism 35 are arranged back to back, so that the pair of lever members 32, 33, 36 can be operated from both outsides of the Z-axis hinge device 4. , 37.

In addition, since the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment has the first tension adjustment mechanism 31 and the second tension adjustment mechanism 35, the first tension adjustment mechanism 31 can adjust the first belt after the installation of the first belt-shaped member 25 is completed. The second tension adjustment mechanism 35 can adjust the tension of the second belt-shaped member 26 after the installation of the second belt-shaped member 26 is completed. Therefore, the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 There is no problem of slack or play, so the Z-axis hinge device 4 has good opening and closing operability.

In the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment, between the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, the belt-shaped members 25, 26 (the former is in a substantially S-shape and the latter is in the reverse S-shape) are respectively wound around the first hinge. A hinge rod 11 and a second hinge rod 12, when one of the hinge rods rotates, it will change its direction of rotation and transmit it to the other hinge rod, synchronously transmitting the rotational driving force, so that a small number of parts can be used to make the first hinge rod 11 It is connected with the rotation angle of the second hinge rod 12 to realize a symmetrical opening and closing action. Moreover, if the band-shaped member that should be wound in an S-shape is divided into the first band-shaped member 25 and the second band-shaped member 26 that are parallel to each other but wound in opposite directions, it is eliminated when the band-shaped member is wound in opposite directions. The twisted part in the middle of the winding is roughly S-shaped, so that the Z-axis hinge device 4 can be made thinner.

Compared with the prior art, by combining the winding structure of the engaging protrusions 13t, 14t, 15t, 16t and the metal foil, the ends of the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26 are opposed to the winding member 13 , 14, 15 and 16 fixed structure, can reduce the wheelbase between the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12; by using a pair of lever members 32, 33, 36, 37 the first tension adjustment mechanism 31 and the second tension adjusting mechanism 35, even in a small space, can still apply sufficient tension to the first belt-shaped member 25 and the second belt-shaped member 26. In addition, although the actual size is not described in the present invention, with the above-mentioned characteristic structure, by using hinge rods 11, 12 with a diameter of 1 mm, and reducing the outer diameter of the winding members 13, 14, 15, 16 can be achieved. The outer diameters of the first band-shaped member 25 and the second band-shaped member 26 at the time of winding are retracted to a level of about 3 mm in diameter. Thus, by reducing the respective outer diameters of the winding members 13, 14, 15, 16 mounted on the first hinge rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12, the intermediate gear in the gear-type driving mechanism is omitted, and the first hinge is reduced. The axis distance between the rod 11 and the second hinge rod 12 realizes the simplification, miniaturization, and thinning of the structure of the Z-axis hinge device 4. Then, through the miniaturization and thickness reduction of the Z-axis hinge device 4, the thickness reduction of the first housing 2 and the second housing 3 is achieved, and the overall thickness reduction of the electronic device 1 is achieved.

Figures 12 and 13 show other embodiments of the tension adjustment mechanism with respect to the belt-shaped member. Please refer to the drawings. FIG. 12 is a perspective exploded view of important parts; FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view in an assembled state, showing the first tension adjustment mechanism 44, and the illustration of the second tension adjustment mechanism 49 is omitted. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the Z-axis hinge device 4 of the first embodiment is rotated by the lever members 32, 33, 36, 37 with the mounting screws 32a, 33a, 36a, 37a as fulcrums, thereby adjusting the first A belt-shaped member 25 and a second belt-shaped member 26 are formed by the respective tensions; and in the tension adjustment mechanism 60 of this embodiment, the mounting screws 55a, 56a and 57a, 58a are inserted along the tension adjustment members 55 The elongated holes 55b, 56b and 57b, 58b provided in the axial direction of, 56 and 57, 58 allow the tension adjusting members 55, 56 to slide in the vertical direction relative to the mounting screws 55a, 56a and 57a, 58a, thereby adjusting the belt-shaped member 53 Tension. Moreover, in this embodiment, the central connecting element 54 is provided with guide pieces 54a, 54a, 54b, 54b, and these guide pieces abut on both sides of the tension adjusting members 55, 56 to prevent the tension adjusting members 55, 56 shake. Through the above structure, the tension adjusting members 55, 56 located between the mounting screws 55a, 56a and the guide pieces 54a, 54a, 54b, 54b can be stabilized, and even after years of use, the belt-shaped member 53 can still be effectively prevented from slack . However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be omitted.

In addition, in FIG. 13, reference numerals 61 and 50 are the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod; reference numerals 51 and 52 are winding members; reference numeral 53 is a belt-shaped member. Its action function is the same as that of the first embodiment, so it will not be repeated here. To adjust the tension of the belt-shaped member 53, loosen the mounting screws 55a, 56a, slide the tension-adjusting members 55, 56 in the vertical direction, and press the belt-shaped member 53 at the pressing positions P55, P56 to perform a slight adjustment on the belt-shaped member 53. The tension adjustment. At this time, although not shown in the figure, the adjusting screw can also be installed on the housing 59, as shown in Figure 13, the tension adjusting members 55, 56 are slid up and down, and the belt-shaped member 53 is pressed at the pressing positions P55, P56 , The belt-shaped member 53 is slightly adjusted in tension.

As described in detail above, the Z-axis hinge device according to the present invention can be implemented in a design that uses this Z-axis hinge device to freely connect the first housing and the second housing, and make the first housing and the second housing The opening and closing operations of either side of the housing are transmitted to the laptop or mobile phone of the other side, various other electronic machines, mechanical devices, appliances, and daily necessities such as screens and three-sided mirrors. The Z-axis hinge device according to the present invention can be implemented in applications where the first housing and the second housing are rotated 180 degrees to 360 degrees synchronously, and can also be implemented in the synchronous reversal of the first housing and the second housing by 90 degrees. Degree to 180 degrees, in applications with a smaller angle range. The Z-axis hinge device according to the present invention can be used not only in notebook computers, but also in electronic devices such as large-screen displays, communication equipment, game machines, folding operation panels, and electronic menu books.

1: Electronic equipment (notebook computer) 2: The first shell 3: The second shell 4: Z-axis hinge device (double-axis hinge) 5: Synchronous rotation mechanism (belt-shaped member) 11: The first hinge rod 11a: Rotating shaft 11b, 11c: Flat shaft 11d, 11e: both ends 11m, 11n: mounting hole 12: The second hinge lever 12a: Rotating shaft 12b, 12c: Flat shaft 12d, 12e: both ends 12m, 12n: mounting hole 13,14,15,16: winding member 13a, 14a: engaging rotating body 13b, 14b: spacer 13c, 13e, 14c, 14e: flat holes 13f, 14f: winding surface 13t, 14t, 15t, 16t: locking protrusion 17: The first installation member 17A, 17B: Install components 17a, 17b: mounting holes 18: The second installation member 18A, 18B: Install components 18a, 18b: mounting holes 20: Connecting components 21, 22: Central connection element 23: Side connection element 23a: Mounting screws 23b: hole 23c: internal thread 23d, 23e: bearing hole 24: Side connection element 24a: Mounting screws 24b: hole 24c: internal thread 24d, 24e: bearing hole 25: The first ribbon member 25B, 25C: Ribbon member 25a, 25b: snap hole 25c: Long slit 25d, 25e: locking part 26: second ribbon member 26a, 26b: snap hole 26c: Long slit 27, 28: shell 30: Tension adjustment mechanism 31: The first tension adjustment mechanism 32, 33: lever member 32a, 33a: mounting screws 32b, 33b: hole 32c, 33c: internal thread 35: The second tension adjustment mechanism 36, 37: lever member 36a, 37a: mounting screws 36b, 37b: hole 36c, 37c: internal thread 40, 41: Central connection element 42: Ribbon member 44: The first tension adjustment mechanism 45: The first hinge rod 46: second hinge lever 47: The first installation member 47A, 47B: Install components 48: The second installation member 48A, 48B: Install components 49: The second tension adjustment mechanism 50: second hinge lever 51, 52: winding member 53: Ribbon member 54: Central link element 54a, 54b: guide piece 55,56,57,58: elastic adjustment member 55a, 56a, 57a, 58a: mounting screws 55b, 56b, 57b, 58b: long hole 59: Shell 60: Tension adjustment mechanism 61: The first hinge lever P32, P33: Press position P36, P37: Press position P55, P56: Press position

[Figure 1] is an example of a notebook computer according to the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention, as seen from an obliquely upward perspective; (a) shows the first housing and the second housing are closed at 0 degrees; (b) represents the open state of 180 degrees; (c) represents the open state of 360 degrees. [Figure 2] is a three-dimensional view of the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention seen from an oblique upper perspective; (a) represents a closed state of 0 degrees; (b) represents an open state of 180 degrees; (c) represents an open state of 360 degrees. [Figure 3] is a perspective exploded view of the Z-axis hinge device shown in Figure 2; (a) is a perspective exploded view of the entire Z-axis hinge device; (b) is a partial perspective exploded view seen from the opposite direction. [Figure 4] is a partial cross-sectional plan view illustrating the internal structure of the Z-axis hinge device shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] is a perspective view of the left and right first hinge shaft and the second hinge shaft structure shown in Figure 3. [Fig. 6] is a perspective view of the structure of the two left and right winding members shown in Fig. 3. [Figure 7] shows the unfolded state of the first belt-shaped member and the second belt-shaped member of the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention; (a) shows Embodiment 1; (b) shows another Embodiment 2; (c) shows Another embodiment 3. [Figure 8] is a perspective view showing the winding state of the first ribbon-shaped member and the second ribbon-shaped member shown in Figure 3 around the first hinge shaft and the second hinge shaft; (a) represents the first ribbon-shaped member; (b) represents The second band member. [Fig. 9] is an explanatory diagram of the structure of the tension adjustment mechanism of the first belt-shaped member shown in Fig. 3. [Fig. [Fig. 10] is an explanatory diagram of the structure of the tension adjustment mechanism of the second belt-shaped member shown in Fig. 3. [Fig. [Figure 11] is a schematic diagram of another embodiment 4 of the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention. [Figure 12] is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the tension adjustment mechanism of the Z-axis hinge device of the present invention. [Fig. 13] is a partial cross-sectional plan view illustrating the internal structure of the tension adjustment mechanism of the Z-axis hinge device shown in Fig. 12.

4: Z-axis hinge device (double-axis hinge)

5: Synchronous rotation mechanism (belt member)

11: The first hinge rod

11m, 11n: mounting hole

12: The second hinge lever

12m, 12n: mounting hole

13,14,15,16: winding member

13t, 14t, 15t, 16t: engagement protrusion

17: The first installation member

17A, 17B: Install components

17a, 17b: mounting holes

18: The second installation member

18A, 18B: Install components

18a, 18b: mounting holes

20: Connecting components

21, 22: Central connection element

23: Side connection element

23a: Mounting screws

23b: hole

23c: internal thread

23d, 23e: bearing hole

24: Side connection element

24a: Mounting screws

24b: hole

24c: internal thread

24d, 24e: bearing hole

25: The first ribbon member

25a, 25b: snap hole

25c: gap

26: second ribbon member

26a, 26b: snap hole

26c: gap

27, 28: shell

30: Tension adjustment mechanism

31: The first tension adjustment mechanism

32, 33: lever member

32a, 33a: mounting screws

32b, 33b: hole

32c, 33c: internal thread

35: The second tension adjustment mechanism

36, 37: lever member

36a, 37a: mounting screws

36b, 37b: hole

36c, 37c: internal thread

Claims (8)

A Z-axis hinge device connects a first housing and a second housing of an electronic machine that can be opened and closed. The Z-axis hinge device includes: A first hinge rod installed on the side of the first housing; A second hinge rod installed on the side of the second housing, the first hinge rod is connected by a connecting member, so that the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod can rotate freely in a parallel state; A synchronous rotation mechanism, which is arranged between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod, and includes a belt-shaped member wound on the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod; Wherein, between the first hinge rod, the second hinge rod and the synchronous rotation mechanism, there is provided an engaging means that can be operated in any direction. According to the Z-axis hinge device described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, the belt-shaped member includes a first belt-shaped member and a second belt-shaped member, and the first belt-shaped member and the second belt-shaped member are tied to the two The ends are respectively formed with engaging holes as engaging means, wherein the two ends of the first belt-shaped member are respectively overlapped and wound in the first rotation direction for more than one turn with respect to the first hinge rod; the second belt Both ends of the shaped member are overlapped and wound by more than one turn in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction with respect to the second hinge rod. For the Z-axis hinge device described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, the engaging means includes an engaging protrusion and the engaging hole, and the engaging protrusion is provided on the first hinge rod, the second hinge rod, and the belt-shaped On any side of the component; the engaging hole is provided on any other side. For example, the Z-axis hinge device described in item 1 of the scope of patent application is provided with a tension adjustment mechanism, which is located between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod, and can adjust the tension of the belt-shaped member. For the Z-axis hinge device described in item 4 of the scope of patent application, the tension adjustment mechanism includes a lever member or a tension adjustment member, and the lever member or the tension adjustment member is located between the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod And it is installed on the central connecting element, and can be shaken or slid relative to the wide side of the belt-shaped member. According to the Z-axis hinge device described in item 5 of the scope of patent application, the lever member or the tension adjusting member is arranged on both sides of the belt-shaped member. For the Z-axis hinge device described in the first item of the scope of patent application, the connecting member includes the central connecting element and the side connecting element, and the central connecting element is arranged at the center of each of the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod The side connecting element is provided on each side portion of the first hinge rod and the second hinge rod; the belt-shaped member includes a pair of members provided on both sides of the central connecting element. An electronic machine using the Z-axis hinge device as described in any one of the first to seventh patent applications.

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