WO2019074483A1

WO2019074483A1 - Thermally conductive hinge assemblies

Info

Publication number: WO2019074483A1
Application number: PCT/US2017/055813
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wei-Chung Chen; Kuan-Ting Wu; Kun-Hung Lin
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2017-10-10
Filing date: 2017-10-10
Publication date: 2019-04-18

Abstract

In one example, a hinge assembly is disclosed, which may include a shaft, a first bracket fixedly engaged with the shaft such that the shaft rotates along with the first bracket, and a second bracket to hold the shaft such that the first bracket is pivotably coupled to the second bracket. The second bracket may include a thermally conductive material embedded therein to provide heat dissipation around the hinge assembly.

Description

THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE HINGE ASSEMBLIES

BACKGROUND

[0001] Electronic devices such as laptop computers, tablet computers, convertible devices, mobile phones, and the like may include a first housing, a second housing, and a hinge assembly mounted between the first housing and the second housing. For example, the first housing may house a keyboard, a motherboard, and/or other components. The second housing may house a display. The hinge assembly may be pivotally connected to the first housing and the second housing along an axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Examples are described in the following detailed description and in reference to the drawings, in which:

[0003] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example hinge assembly for an electronic device;

[0004] FIG. 2A is a front view of the example hinge assembly of FIG. 1 , depicting additional features;

[0005] FIG. 2B is an exploded view of the example hinge assembly of FIG. 2A; and

[0006] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of an example electronic device including the example hinge assembly, as shown in FIGs. 1, 2A, and 2B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] Hinged electronic devices, such as laptop computers, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and flip mobile phones, may include a base housing and a display housing connected by a hinge. The display housing may include a display (e.g., a touchscreen) and the base housing may include input devices, such as a keyboard, a pointing stick, mouse buttons, a touchpad, and/or a trackpad. The display housing may be attached to the base housing such that the display housing can be moved and/or rotated with respect to the base housing along an axis to hold the display at multiple positions. To achieve such rotation, the display housing can be attached to the base housing using at least one hinge that will allow the display housing to be rotated about the base housing.

[0008] During operation of electronic devices, heat may be accumulated on components of the hinge. For example, the frictional heat may be generated at rotating interfaces between rotating and non-rotating components of the hinge, for instance, between a shaft and brackets of the hinge. The heat thus accumulated may lead to failure of the components of the hinge, which in turn may lead to failure of hinge functionality.

[0009] Examples described herein may provide a hinge assembly for an electronic device, which includes a shaft, a first bracket fixedly engaged with the shaft, and a second bracket to pivotally hold the shaft such that the first bracket is pivotably coupled to the second bracket. The second bracket may include a thermally conductive material embedded therein to provide heat dissipation around components of the hinge assembly. In one example, the second bracket may include a mounting portion for connecting to a housing of the electronic device and a flange portion perpendicular to the mounting portion to pivotally hold the shaft along an axis. The thermally conductive material may be disposed in the flange portion. For example, thermal conductivity may refer to the amount/speed of heat transmitted through a material. Heat transfer occurs at a higher rate across materials of high thermal conductivity than those of low thermal conductivity. Examples described herein may use high thermally conductive materials for heat dissipation around components of the hinge assembly.

[0010] Examples described herein may provide homogeneous heat dissipation around the hinge assembly, for instance, by embedding thermally conductive plates within brackets (e.g., SK5, SK7, or SKD11 brackets) of the hinge assembly. Examples described herein may reduce the overheat issue on the components of the hinge assembly. Examples described herein may eliminate the failure of hinge functionality due to heat accumulation, thereby enhancing the life time of the hinge components. Examples described herein may also enhance the durability of the hinge assembly.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example hinge assembly 100 for an electronic device. Example hinge assembly 100 may be a single-axis hinge assembly. Hinge assembly 100 may pivotally connect a display housing to a base housing along an axis. Example hinge assembly 100 may include a shaft 102 and a first bracket 104 fixedly engaged with shaft 102 such that shaft 102 rotates along with first bracket 104. First bracket 104 can be fixed with the display housing of the electronic device.

[0012] Example hinge assembly 100 may further include a second bracket 106 to hold shaft 102 such that first bracket 104 is pivotably coupled to second bracket 106 along the axis. In one example, second bracket 106 may include a thermally conductive material 108 embedded therein to provide heat dissipation around hinge assembly 100. Example thermally conductive material 108 may be selected from a group consisting of a silicon carbide, copper, aluminum, graphene coated copper plate, graphene coated aluminum plate, and graphene coated SK5, SK7, or SKD11 plate.

[0013] In one example, second bracket 106 may include a mounting portion for connecting to the base housing of the electronic device and a flange portion perpendicular to the mounting portion to rotatably hold shaft 102 along the axis. In one example, thermally conductive material 108 may be insert-molded into the flange portion. This is explained in FIGs. 2A and 2B.

[0014] FIG. 2A is a front view of example hinge assembly 100 of FIG. 1 , depicting additional features. As shown in FIG. 2A, hinge assembly 100 may include shaft 102 and display bracket 104 fixedly mounted on shaft 102 at a first end (e.g., 206). Hinge assembly 100 may further include base bracket 106 including a flange portion 202 to rotatably hold shaft 102 such that display bracket 104 is rotatably coupled to base bracket 106. Example base bracket 106 including flange portion 202 may be made up of steel. Flange portion 202 may be embedded with thermally conductive material 108 to reduce heat accumulated on surface of hinge assembly 100. For example, thermally conductive material 108 may be disposed in a longitudinal direction of the flange portion. In another example, flange portion 202 may be formed of a thermally conductive material.

[0015] Further, hinge assembly 100 may include a friction mechanism 204 mounted on shaft 102 at a second end (e.g., 208) and compressively engaged with flange portion 202 of base bracket 106 to provide frictional force to display bracket 104. An example friction mechanism 204 is explained in FIG. 2B.

[0016] FIG. 2B is an exploded view of example hinge assembly 100. Display bracket 104 may include a mounting portion 230 that can be fixedly engaged with the display housing of an electronic device. Further, display bracket 104 may include an adaptor portion 228 to hold first end 206 of shaft 102 such that shaft 102 may rotate along with display bracket 104. For example, first end 206 of first shaft 102 may include at least one flat surface and is inserted into a similarly shaped bore within adaptor portion 228.

[0017] Further, base bracket 106 may include a mounting portion 220 for connecting to the base housing of the electronic device. As shown in FIG. 2B, flange portion 202 may be perpendicular to mounting portion 220 to rotatably hold shaft 102 along the axis. In one example, flange portion 202 may include an opening along a longitudinal direction, and thermally conductive material 108 is integrally formed within the opening of flange portion 202 using an insert-molding process. For example, the thickness of thermally conductive material 108 is less than the thickness of flange portion 202.

[0018] Also, friction mechanism 204 may include a cam mechanism portion for holding the display housing at multiple positions. Friction mechanism 204 may be composed of a first cam member 210 having a first cam face at one side. Another side of first cam member 210 may be fixedly engaged with flange portion 202 via a coupling feature/protruding feature 212. Further, friction mechanism 204 may include a second cam member 214 having a second cam face at one side, the second cam face provided corresponding to the first cam face.

[0019] Furthermore, friction mechanism 204 may include a fastener 218 secured to shaft 102 at second end 208. Also, friction mechanism 204 may include at least one disc-spring 216 disposed between second cam member 214 and fastener 218. At least one disc-spring 216 may be disposed on other side of second cam member 214, which is opposite to the second cam face. Further, fastener 218 may be secured to second end 208 of shaft 102 such that discsprings 216 may be compressively disposed between fastener 218 and second cam member 214. For example, disc-springs 216 may apply an elastic force to the second cam member 214. Disc-springs 216 may be formed of high tensile steel to have the cross section like a gentle curve, and attached to shaft 102 such that the concave faces of two disc-springs may be confronted and combined to form a pair. For example, one pair of disc-springs 216 may be deformed according to an external force to cause a resiliency, when an external force is applied in a direction compressing the convex faces.

[0020] In one example, shaft 102 may rotatably support base bracket 106 and first cam member 210, and unrotatably supports display bracket 104, second cam member 214, disc-springs 216, and fastener 218. For example, first cam member 210 and flange portion 202 may include an opening/bore through which shaft 102 may be rotatably received. For example, flange portion 202 and first cam member 210 may have a circular opening having a larger area than the cross section of shaft 102 and attached to shaft 102 such that shaft 102 is rotatable within the circular opening. In another example, shaft 102 may include at least one flat surface and is inserted into a similarly shaped bore/opening within display bracket 104, second cam member 214, disc-springs 216, and fastener 218 such that display bracket 104, second cam member 214, discsprings 216, and fastener 218 rotates along with shaft 102.

[0021] FIGs. 2A and 2B illustrate an example friction mechanism, however, examples described herein can also be used in other hinge structures having different friction mechanisms that provide frictional resistance between the display housing and the base housing.

[0022] Further as shown in FIG. 2B, hinge assembly 100 may include a washer member 222 mounted on shaft 102 and disposed between first cam member 210 and flange portion 202 at one side of flange portion 202. Hinge assembly 100 may include a stopper member 226 mounted on shaft 102 and engaged with flange portion 202 at another side of flange portion 202. In one example, stopper member 226 may define an angle range (i.e., minimum and maximum angles) for shaft 102 to rotate. For example, stopper member 226 may regulate the rotation of shaft 102 at a certain angle in the open position. Hinge assembly 100 may further include a neck portion 224 of shaft disposed between, and physically engaged with, stopper member 226 and display bracket 104. Hinge assembly 100 may provide stability for the display housing at selected positions while reducing the overheat issue on a surface of the hinge assembly.

[0023] Even though FIGs. 1 , 2A and 2B illustrate an example hinge assembly 100, examples described herein can also be used in other hinge structures, provided that display bracket 104 rotates in directions about the pivot axis relative to base bracket 106 along a single-axis or a double-axis. In double- axis construction, two shafts may be separately attached to the device parts and a coupling is engaged with the two shafts to allow the shafts to be used as two pivot axes.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of an example electronic device 300 including example hinge assembly 100. Electronic device 300 may include a second housing 302 (e.g., base housing) and a first housing 304 (e.g., display housing) pivotally connected to second housing 302 via hinge assembly 100. Example electronic device 300 may be a computing system, for example, a laptop, a convertible device, a PDA, a notebook, a sub-notebook, a personal gaming device, or other computing device with first housing 304 closeable onto second housing 302. Example convertible device may refer to a device that can be "converted" from a laptop mode to a tablet mode. In the tablet mode, first housing 304 may be closed with a display facing up and viewable, i.e., first housing 304 may be substantially parallel to and adjacent to second housing 302. Electronic device 300 may include a pair of hinge assemblies to pivotally connect first housing 304 and second housing 302, each of the pair of hinge assemblies is substantially similar to hinge assembly 100. First housing 304 can be rotated between a closed position and an open position.

[0025] For example, second housing 302 may house a keyboard, a battery, a touchpad, and so on. First housing 304 may house a display (e.g., a touchscreen display). Example display may include liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode (LED), electro-luminescent (EL) display, or the like. Electronic device 300 may be equipped with other components such as a camera, audio/ video devices, and the like, depending on the functions of electronic device 300. Hinge assembly 100 may be pivotally connected to second housing 302 and first housing 304 along a pivot axis. Hinge assembly 100 may allow first housing 304 to rotate in directions about the pivot axis relative to second housing 302. [0026] Example hinge assembly 100 may include shaft 102, first bracket 104 (e.g., display bracket), and second bracket 106 (e.g., base bracket). First bracket 104 may include a first portion 228 (e.g., adaptor portion) fixedly connected to shaft 102. Further, first bracket 104 may include a second portion 230 (e.g., mounting portion) fixedly engaged with first housing 304, for instance, using fasteners.

[0027] Second bracket 106 may include a flange portion 202 rotatably holding shaft 102. Further, second bracket 106 may include a mounting portion 220 fixedly engaged with second housing 302, for instance, using fasteners. Flange portion 202 may include a thermally conductive material 108 embedded therein to provide heat dissipation around components (e.g., mounting portion 220, flange portion 202, first cam member 210, and the like) of hinge assembly 100. Example thermally conductive material may be a thermally conductive plate.

[0028] In one example, the heat accumulated on the components of hinge assembly 100 can be substantially uniformly conducted over the thermally conducting plate, thereby increasing the amount of heat transferred from the components of hinge assembly 100. Examples described herein can be used in electronic devices having first housing 304 rotatably, detachably or twistably connected to second housing 302.

[0029] It may be noted that the above-described examples of the present solution are for the purpose of illustration only. Although the solution has been described in conjunction with a specific example thereof, numerous modifications may be possible without materially departing from the teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Other substitutions, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present solution. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. [0030] The terms "include," "have," and variations thereof, as used herein, have the same meaning as the term "comprise" or appropriate variation thereof. Furthermore, the term "based on," as used herein, means "based at least in part on." Thus, a feature that is described as based on some stimulus can be based on the stimulus or a combination of stimuli including the stimulus.

[0031] The present description has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing examples. It is understood, however, that other forms, details, and examples can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter that is defined in the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A hinge assembly, comprising:

a shaft;

a first bracket fixedly engaged with the shaft such that the shaft rotates along with the first bracket; and

a second bracket to hold the shaft such that the first bracket is pivotably coupled to the second bracket, wherein the second bracket comprises a thermally conductive material embedded therein to provide heat dissipation around the hinge assembly.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first bracket is to be fixed with a first housing of an electronic device, and wherein the second bracket comprises:

a mounting portion for connecting to a second housing of the electronic device; and

a flange portion perpendicular to the mounting portion to rotatably hold the shaft along an axis.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 2, wherein the thermally conductive material is insert-molded into the flange portion.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 2, wherein the thermally conductive material is disposed in a longitudinal direction of the flange portion.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive material is selected from a group consisting of a silicon carbide, copper, aluminum, graphene coated copper plate, graphene coated aluminum plate, and graphene coated SK5, SK7, or SKD11 plate.

6. A hinge assembly comprising:

a shaft; a display bracket fixedly mounted on the shaft at a first end; a base bracket including a flange portion to rotatably hold the shaft such that the display bracket is rotatably coupled to the base bracket, wherein the flange portion comprises a thermally conductive material to reduce heat accumulated on the hinge assembly; and

a friction mechanism mounted on the shaft at a second end and

compressively engaged with the base bracket to provide frictional force to the display bracket.

7. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the friction mechanism comprises: a first cam member having a first cam face at one side, wherein another side fixedly engages with the flange portion via a coupling feature;

a second cam member having a second cam face at one side, the second cam face provided corresponding to the first cam face;

a fastener secured to the shaft at the second end; and

at least one disc-spring disposed between the second cam member and the fastener, wherein the at least one disc-spring disposed on other side of the second cam member, which is opposite to the second cam face.

8. The hinge assembly of claim 7, wherein the shaft rotatably supports the base bracket and the first cam member, and unrotatably supports the display bracket, the second cam member, the at least one disc-spring, and the fastener.

9. The hinge assembly of claim 7, comprising:

a washer member mounted on the shaft and disposed between the first cam member and the flange portion at one side of the flange portion;

a stopper member mounted on the shaft and engaged with the flange portion at another side of the flange portion; and

a neck portion of the shaft between the stopper member and the display bracket.

10. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the display bracket is to be fixed with a display housing of an electronic device, wherein the base bracket comprises a mounting portion for connecting to a base housing of the electronic device, and wherein the flange portion is perpendicular to the mounting portion to rotatably hold the shaft along an axis.

11. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the flange portion comprises an opening along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the thermally conductive material is integrally formed within the opening of the flange portion using an insert-molding process.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing; and

a hinge assembly pivotally coupled to the first housing and the second housing along an axis, wherein the hinge assembly comprises:

a shaft;

a first bracket having a first portion fixedly connected to the shaft and a second portion fixedly engaged with the first housing; and

a second bracket having a flange portion rotatably holding the shaft and a mounting portion fixedly engaged with the second housing, wherein the flange portion comprises a thermally conductive material embedded therein to provide heat dissipation around components of the hinge assembly.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the flange portion comprises an opening along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the thermally conductive material is integrally formed within the opening of the flange portion using an insert-molding process.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermally conductive plate, and wherein the thermally conductive plate is selected from a group consisting of a silicon carbide, copper, aluminum, graphene coated copper plate, graphene coated aluminum plate, and graphene coated SK5, SK7, or SKD11 plate.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the hinge assembly comprises: a friction mechanism mounted on the shaft to provide frictional force between the first housing and the second housing.