Modular hinge for a computing device
A modular hinge is described for a computing device where the computing device comprises two leaves detachably connected using the modular hinge. The hinge comprises a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion. Each hinge portion has a hinge portion body having a convex face configured to enable one of the leaves of the computing device to rotate against the convex face. Each hinge portion body has a mating face generally opposite the convex face, the mating face comprising at least one attachment element. Each hinge portion comprises a hinge pin configured to rotatably attach the hinge portion to one of the leaves of the computing device. The at least one attachment element of each hinge portion is configured to removably attach the hinge portions together.
1. A modular hinge for a computing device, the computing device comprising two leaves detachably connected using the modular hinge, the hinge comprising:
a first hinge portion connected to a first leaf;
a second hinge portion connected to a second leaf; each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion comprising a hinge portion body having a convex face configured to enable a corresponding one of the first leaf and the second leaf to rotate against the convex face, and having a mating face generally opposite the convex face, the mating face comprising at least one attachment elements, each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion further comprising a hinge pin configured to rotatably attach each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion to a corresponding one of the first leaf and the second leaf; and
wherein the at least one attachment element on each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion is configured to removably attach the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion together, such that in use the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device are hinged together and act as a single device when the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are attached to one another, and when the first leaf and the second leaf are not hinged together, each of the first leaf comprising the first hinge portion and the second leaf comprising the second hinge portion is configured to operate as independent devices.
2. The hinge of claim 1 wherein at least one of the hinge pins comprises a friction generating surface configured to generate friction between the hinge pin and a leaf of the computing device.
3. The hinge of claim 1 wherein at least one of the hinge portion bodies is generally cuboid with one of the faces of the cuboid being the convex face and another of the faces of the cuboid being the mating face, and where the cuboid comprises two substantially flat faces both of which are generally perpendicular to the mating face and the convex face.
4. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the at least one attachment element of the first or the second hinge portion comprises any one or more of: a magnet, a ferritic metal element, a hook, a clip, a sliding joint element, a hook and loop fastener element, a pin, a spring loaded pin, a receiving element for a pin.
5. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge portion bodies comprise power transfer components, configured to transfer power between the leaves of the computing device.
6. The hinge of claim 5 wherein at least one of the power transfer components is integral with the attachment element.
7. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge portion bodies comprise signal transfer components, configured to transfer data signals between the leaves of the computing device.
8. The hinge of claim 7 wherein at least one of the signal transfer components is integral with the attachment element.
9. The hinge of claim 7 wherein a signal transfer component comprises any one or more of: a magnet, a ferritic metal element, a spring loaded pin, a hook, a clip, a sliding joint element, a receiving element for a pin, an optical signaling mechanism, a lens, an optical fibre, a radio transceiver, an infra-red signaling mechanism.
10. The hinge of claim 7 wherein the body of at least one hinge portion is substantially hollow and holds at least one of the signal transfer components.
11. The hinge of claim 1
further comprising:
a third hinge portion connected to the first leaf; and
a fourth hinge portion connect to the second leaf;
each of the third hinge portion and the fourth hinge portion comprising a body having a second mating face comprising a second attachment element, wherein the second attachment element on each of the third hinge portion and the fourth hinge portion is configured to removably attach the third hinge portion and the fourth hinge portion together, such that in use the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device are hinged together and act as a single device when the first and second hinge portions are attached to one another and when the third and fourth hinge portions are attached to one another, and when first leaf and the second leaf are not hinged together, each of the first leaf comprising the first and third hinge portions and the second leaf comprising the second and fourth hinge portions is configured to operate as independent devices.
12. A computing device comprising: a first leaf comprising a first hinge portion; a second leaf comprising a second hinge portion;
each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion comprising a hinge portion body having a convex face configured to enable a corresponding one of the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device to rotate against the convex face, and having a mating face generally opposite the convex face, the mating face comprising at least one attachment element;
each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion comprising a hinge pin configured to rotatably attach each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion to a corresponding one of the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device; and
wherein the at least one attachment element one each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion is configured to removably attach the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion together, such that the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device act as a single device when the first leaf and the second leaf are hinged together when the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are attached to one another and the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device are configured to operate as independent devices when each of the leaves are separated when the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are disconnected from one another and remain attached to the corresponding first leaf and the second leaf.
13. The computing device of claim 12 wherein each leaf comprises a leaf body having a substantially flat surface abutting the convex face of the hinge portion body when the leaves of the computing device are opened.
14. The computing device of claim 12 wherein each leaf has a joining edge configured to be hinged to the joining edge of the other leaf by the modular hinge, and wherein the joining edge is substantially convex to facilitate rotation of the leaves using the hinge when the hinge portions are connected in use.
15. The computing device of claim 12 wherein each leaf has a hinge pin hole in a body of the leaf, the hinge pin hole being substantially parallel to a joining edge of the leaf the joining edge being configured to be hinged to a joining edge of the other leaf.
16. The computing device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the hinge pin holes comprises a friction element configured to allow frictional rotation of a hinge pin in the hinge pin hole.
17. The computing device of claim 12 wherein a corner of at least one of the leaves is cut away to receive a hinge portion body.
18. The computing device of claim 17 wherein the cut away corner comprises an abutment face which abuts against a stopping face of a hinge portion body, and where the abutment face and the stopping face are configured to prevent rotation of the hinge portion with respect to the leaf by more than substantially 90 degrees.
19. A hinge portion body for a computing device, the computing device comprising two leaves detachably connected using the modular hinge, the hinge portion body comprising:
a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion, each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion having a convex face configured to enable a corresponding one of the first leaf portion and the second leaf of the computing device to rotate against the convex face, and having a mating face generally opposite the convex face, the mating face comprising at least one attachment element, each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion further comprising a hinge pin configured to rotatably attach the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion to a corresponding one of the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device; and
wherein the at least one attachment element on each of the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion is configured to removably attach the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion together, such that in use, the first leaf and the second leaf of the computing device are hinged together and act as a single device when the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are hinged together, and
wherein the first leaf comprising the first hinge portion and the second leaf comprising the second hinge portion are configured to operate as independent devices while detached from one another.
20. A leaf of a computing device, the leaf comprising a hinge portion as claimed in claim 19 .