WO2009123619A1

WO2009123619A1 - Tablet computers having controlled hinges

Info

Publication number: WO2009123619A1
Application number: PCT/US2008/058987
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffrey A. Lev; Mark S. Tracy; Paul J. Doczy
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2008-04-01
Filing date: 2008-04-01
Publication date: 2009-10-08

Abstract

In one embodiment, a computer includes a base portion including a keyboard, a display portion including a display, and a hinge that pivotally connects the base portion to the display portion, the hinge including a dampener that limits the speed that the display portion can be moved relative to the base portion.

Description

TABLET COMPUTERS HAVING CONTROLLED HINGES

BACKGROUND Notebook computers have been in use for decades. More recently, tablet computers, also known as "tablet PCs," have gained in popularity. Tablet PCs are often similar in form and function to notebook computers. Therefore, many tablet PCs comprise a base portion and a display portion that is pivotally attached to the base portion along a horizontal axis. Unlike conventional notebook computers, however, the display portions of tablet PCs can also be pivot about a further (e.g., vertical) axis, thereby enabling the display portion to be rotated through 180 degrees and folded down on top of the base portion, such that the tablet PC can be used in similar matter to a paper notepad.

Such manipulation of the display portion of tablet PCs is made possible with a hinge. Unfortunately, existing hinges used in tablet PCs have inherent drawbacks. For example, existing hinges typically permit the display portion to wobble when it is rotated, thereby creating the perception of poor quality. In addition to adversely affecting a customer's impression of the table PC, such wobble can cause excessive wear to the hinge, thereby limiting the useful life of the hinge and the tablet PC. Furthermore, existing hinges enable relatively free rotation of the display portion. As a consequence, the tablet PC user may rotate the display too quickly in which case the hinge may slam into a stop element intended to limit rotation of the display portion, thereby damaging the hinge. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed tablet computers can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of tablet computer that includes a controlled hinge.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the tablet computer of FIG. 1 , illustrating the location of internal components of the controlled hinge.

FIG. 3 is exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a controlled hinge that can be integrated into the tablet computer of FIGs. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described above, the hinges of existing tablet computers are susceptible to wobble that both creates a perception of poor quality and causes undue wear to the hinge. In addition, existing hinges permit substantially free rotation of the display portions of those computers, which can lead to over rotation and hinge damage. As described in the following, however, such disadvantages can be reduced or avoided by providing a tablet computer with a controlled hinge. In some embodiments, the controlled hinge comprises a dampener that limits how quickly the display portion can be rotated. By way of example, the dampener can comprise a dampened gear that meshes with a main gear provided on a vertical shaft of the hinge. In other embodiments, the controlled hinge further comprises a spring that applies a force to the main gear to maintain engagement between that gear and the dampened gear to reduce display portion wobble. Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the views, FIGs. 1 and 2 illustrate a tablet computer 100, which may also be referred to as a "tablet PC." The latter term is used throughout the remainder of this disclosure for convenience. It is noted, however, that use of the term "PC" is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure to a personal computer.

As indicated in FIG. 1 , the tablet PC 100 includes a base portion 102 and a display portion 104, which may also be referred to as a display panel. The display portion 104 is pivotally connected to the base portion 102 with a multi-axis hinge 106 that is described in greater detail below. The base portion 102 includes an outer housing 108 that surrounds various internal components of the tablet PC 100, such as a processor, memory, hard drive, and the like. Also included in the base portion 102 are user input devices, including a keyboard 110, a mouse pad 112, and selection buttons 114. The display portion 102 includes its own outer housing 116. Formed within that housing 116 is an opening 118 through which a display 120 may be viewed. In some embodiments, the display 120 comprises a touch-sensitive liquid crystal display (LCD).

As mentioned above, the tablet PC 100 includes a multi-axis hinge 106. That hinge 106 enables the display portion 104 to pivot relative to the base portion 102 about a first axis in a clamshell fashion common to most notebook computers. Therefore, the display portion 104 can be transitioned from a closed position in which the display 120 is positioned directly adjacent the top surface 122 of the base portion 102, to a position in which the display forms a 90 degree or greater angle with that top surface. Such an orientation is illustrated in FIG. 2. In addition, the multi-axis hinge 106 enables the display portion to be rotated about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis when the display portion 104 is positioned at or near a 90 angle relative to the base portion 102. An example of such rotation is illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment 300 for a multi-axis hinge that can be used with a tablet PC, such as table PC 100 in FIGs. 1 and 2. As indicated in FIG. 3, the hinge 300 comprises a bifurcated first or horizontal shaft 302 that is coupled to a second or vertical shaft 304. As suggested by its name, the horizontal shaft 302 is horizontally oriented when the tablet PC 100 in which the hinge is provided is supported by a horizontal support surface such, as a table or desk top. Regardless, the horizontal shaft 302 is generally parallel to the base portion 102. With reference back to FIG. 2, the horizontal shaft 302 can be provided within the housing 116 of the display portion 104 of the tablet PC 100.

Returning to FIG. 3, provided at each end of the horizontal shaft 302 is a mounting tab 306 that is adapted to be fixedly secured to the display portion 102 such that the horizontal shaft and display portion can pivot in unison. As indicated by arrow 308, the horizontal shaft 302 is adapted to pivot relative to vertical shaft 304 about a longitudinal axis of the horizontal shaft. In some embodiments, the horizontal shaft 302 pivots within an outer concentric hollow shaft (not shown) that is fixedly secured to the vertical shaft 304 and that surrounds the horizontal shaft. In such a case, friction that opposes free pivoting of the horizontal shaft 302 within the hollow shaft may be generated using spring clips, grease, or oil. Regardless, given that the horizontal shaft 302 is fixedly secured at its ends to the display portion 104 and vice versa, pivoting of the horizontal shaft is associated with like pivoting of the entire display portion such that the display portion may be said to pivot about a first or horizontal axis. Notably, the display portion 104 can also pivot or rotate about a second axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. The second axis may be referred to as a "vertical" axis, at least when the base portion 102 is supported on a horizontal support surface. Regardless, the vertical shaft is generally perpendicular to the base portion 102. The display portion 104 can therefore be rotated about a vertical axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the vertical shaft 304, as indicated by arrow 310. Therefore, the display portion 104 can be both pivoted about a first, horizontal axis (arrow 308) and rotated about a second, vertical axis (arrow 310). Such pivoting and rotation enables conversion of the tablet PC 100 from a notebook computer mode of use to a tablet mode of use.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the vertical shaft 304 is rotatably supported by a mounting bracket 312 that is adapted to be fixedly secured within the housing 108 of the tablet PC 100 (see FIG. 1). In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the mounting bracket 312 comprises an opening 314 through which the vertical shaft 304 passes. As is further shown in FIG. 3, the hinge 300 also includes a dampened gear system 315 that can also disposed within the housing 108 of the base portion. The gear system 315 includes a first or main gear 316 that comprises a plurality of teeth 318 that are adapted to engage and mesh with teeth 320 of a second or dampened gear 322. The main gear 316 comprises a central opening 324 that is adapted to receive a wound spring 326 similar in nature to a clock mainspring. The central opening 324 has a an attachment feature 328 in the form of a slot that is adapted to receive a mounting tang 330 of the spring 326. Once the spring 326 has been inserted into the central opening 324 of the main gear 316 and the tang 330 has been secured to the attachment feature 328, the main gear and the spring can be mounted onto the vertical shaft 304. More particularly, an inner end 332 of the spring 326 can be secured to the vertical shaft 304 and the spring and the main gear 316 can be disposed about the vertical shaft. In other embodiments, the spring 326 can first be secured to the vertical shaft 304 and then secured to the main gear 316. Assuming the spring 316 is adequately wound, such a mounting scheme will impose a rotational force on the main gear 316 that urges the teeth 318 of the main gear into contact with the teeth 320 of the dampened gear 322. The direction of the rotational force may either be associated the direction of the display portion 104 is rotated when converting the tablet PC 100 from the notebook computer mode to the tablet mode, or the direction of the display portion is rotated when converting the table PC from the tablet mode back to the notebook computer mode.

The dampened gear 322 also comprises a central opening 334. That opening 334 is adapted to receive a dampener 336. In some embodiments, the dampener 336 comprises a sealed bearing comprising concentric hollow shafts between or rings which is provided a layer of grease or oil that limits or dampens the relative rotation of the two shafts or rings. Regardless of the particulars of the dampener 336, the dampener comprises its own central opening 338 that is adapted to receive a mounting post 340 that extends from the mounting bracket 312. The post 340 is positioned on the mounting bracket 312 such that when the main gear 316 is mounted on the vertical shaft 304 using the spring 316 and when the dampened gear 322 on mounted to the post using the dampener 336, both gears can rotate with the teeth 318, 320 of the gears engaged.

The hinge 300 provides improved results, particularly when the display portion 104 of the tablet PC 100 is rotated relative to the vertical axis 304. Specifically, because the main gear 316 is coupled to a dampened gear 322, the vertical shaft 304, and therefore the display portion 104, cannot be twisted as quickly by the user, thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to the hinge 300 caused by over-rotation. Furthermore, because a spring 326 is used to maintain engagement between the teeth 318, 320 of the gears 316, 322, wobble is reduced, which improves the perceived quality of the tablet PC 100 and the wear characteristics of the hinge 300. In the foregoing disclosure, absolute terms, such as "horizontal" and "vertical" have been used to describe the components of an embodiment of a multi-axis hinge. It is noted that such terms are used in an effort to clearly explain the components and their relative orientations. Therefore, the absolute terminology is not intended to limit the instant disclosure. Indeed, it is noted that such absolute terms may incorrect in certain use scenarios. Specifically, depending upon the orientation of the tablet PC at issue, the above-described "horizontal" shaft may not in fact be horizontally oriented and the "vertical" shaft may not in fact be vertically oriented.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A computer comprising: a base portion including a keyboard; a display portion including a display; and a hinge that pivotally connects the base portion to the display portion, the hinge including a dampener that limits the speed that the display portion can be moved relative to the base portion.

2. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display.

3. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises a dampened gear system.

4. The computer of claim 3, wherein the gear system includes a main gear and a dampened gear that are meshed with each other.

5. The computer of claim 4, wherein the hinge further includes a shaft about which the display portion can pivot relative to the base portion and wherein the main gear is mounted to the shaft.

6. The computer of claim 4, wherein the hinge further comprises a spring that urges teeth of the main gear into contact with teeth of the dampened gear.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein the spring comprises a wound spring.

8. The computer of claim 4, wherein the dampener comprises a sealed bearing associated with the dampened gear.

9. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the computer is a tablet computer and wherein the hinge is a multi-axis hinge that enables the display portion to be pivoted relative to the base portion about two separate, perpendicular axes.

10. A tablet computer comprising: a base portion including a keyboard; a display portion including a display; and a hinge that pivotally connects the base portion to the display portion, the hinge including a horizontal shaft parallel to the base portion about which the display portion can pivot and a vertical shaft that is perpendicular to the base portion about which the display portion can pivot, the hinge further including a dampened gear system, the dampened gear system including a main gear that is mounted to the vertical shaft and meshed with a dampened gear that is mounted to a post with a sealed bearing that limits the speed with which the dampened gear can be rotated.

11. The computer of claim 10, wherein the hinge further comprises a spring that urges teeth of the main gear into contact with teeth of the dampened gear.

12. The computer of claim 10, wherein the spring comprises a wound spring with which the main gear mounts to the vertical shaft.

13. A hinge for a computer having a base portion and a display portion, the hinge comprising: a shaft adapted to support the display portion relative to the base portion; a first gear mounted to the shaft; a second gear meshed with the first gear; and a dampener associated with the second gear that limits the speed at which the second gear can be rotated so that the speed at which the first gear and shaft can be rotated is likewise limited.

14. The hinge of claim 13, further comprising a spring that urges teeth of the main gear into contact with teeth of the dampened gear.

15. The hinge of claim 14, wherein the spring is a wound spring that lies between the first gear and the shaft.

16. The hinge of claim 13, wherein the dampener comprises a sealed bearing on which the second gear is mounted.

17. The hinge of claim 13, further comprising a mounting bracket that supports the shaft, the mounting bracket comprising a post on which the sealed bearing is mounted.

18. The hinge of claim 13, wherein the shaft comprises a vertical shaft that is adapted to be generally perpendicular to the base portion.

19. The hinge of claim 13, further comprising a horizontal shaft that is adapted to be generally parallel to the base portion.

20. A hinge for a tablet computer having a base portion and a display portion, the hinge comprising: a horizontal shaft adapted to be enable the display portion to pivot about a first axis; a vertical shaft that is adapted to enable the display portion to pivot about a second axis; and a dampened gear system including a main gear that is mounted to the vertical shaft and a dampened gear that is meshed with the main gear, the dampened gear being mounted to a post with a sealed bearing that limits the speed with which the dampened gear can be rotated.

21. The hinge of claim 20, further comprising a spring that urges teeth of the main gear into contact with teeth of the dampened gear.

22. The hinge of claim 20, wherein the spring comprises a wound spring with which the main gear mounts to the vertical shaft.