Hinge for a computing device with two display devices
View Patent ↗A computing device may include a first housing and a second housing attached by one or more hinges. The first housing may house a first set of components, including a first display device. The second housing may house a second set of components, including a second display device. The one or more hinges may enable the first housing and the second housing to be placed at an angle of between about 0 degrees to about 360 degrees relative to each other. When the first housing is placed at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to the second housing, the one or more hinges may pull the first housing and the second housing towards each other, resulting in a gap between a first edge of the first housing and a second edge of the second housing of 2 millimeters or less.
1. A computing device comprising:
a first housing comprising:
a first display device;
a second housing comprising:
a second display device; and
one or more hinges coupling the first housing to the second housing to enable the first housing to be placed at an angle of between about 0 degrees to about 360 degrees relative to the second housing, wherein an individual hinge of the one or more hinges comprises:
a first bracket attached to the first housing;
a second bracket attached to the second housing;
a first spring attached to the first bracket and to a first bracket holder;
a second spring attached to the second bracket and to a second bracket holder;
a first position pin attached to the first bracket holder, wherein the first position pin moves within a first slot in the first bracket based on the angle between the first housing and the second housing; and
a second position pin attached to the second bracket holder, wherein the second position pin moves within a second slot in the second bracket based on the angle between the first housing and the second housing;
wherein placing the first housing at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to the second housing causes:
the first spring to pull a first edge of the first housing a predetermined distance towards the second housing; and
the second spring to pull a second edge of the second housing the predetermined distance towards the first housing.
2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein placing the first housing at the angle of about 180 degrees relative to the second housing causes a gap between the first edge of the first housing and a second edge of the second housing to be no more than 2 millimeters.
3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein a gap between a first particular edge of the first display device and a second particular edge of the second display device is 4 millimeters or less.
4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein an individual hinge of the one or more hinges comprises:
one or more conduits; and
at least one cable routed through the one or more conduits.
5. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein:
the at least one cable carries power from a power source in the second housing to a first set of components in the first housing.
6. The computing device of claim 4 wherein:
the at least one cable carries one or more data signals between a first set of components in the first housing and a second set of components in the second housing.
7. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the individual hinge further comprises:
a plurality of detents to enable the first housing to be placed at an angle relative to the second housing, wherein the angle includes at least one of about 0 degrees, about 90 degrees, about 180 degrees, or about 360 degrees.
8. A computing device comprising:
a first housing comprising:
a first display device;
a second housing comprising:
a second display device; and
at least one hinge coupling the first housing to the second housing, wherein the at least one hinge enables the first housing to be placed at an angle of between about 0 degrees to about 360 degrees relative to the second housing, wherein the at least one hinge comprises:
a first bracket attached to the first housing;
a second bracket attached to the second housing;
a first spring attached to the first bracket and to a first bracket holder;
a second spring attached to the second bracket and to a second bracket holder;
a first position pin attached to the first bracket holder, wherein the first position pin moves within a first slot in the first bracket based on the angle between the first housing and the second housing; and
a second position pin attached to the second bracket holder, wherein the second position pin moves within a second slot in the second bracket based on the angle between the first housing and the second housing; and
wherein placing the first housing at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to the second housing causes:
the first spring to exert a predetermined amount of force on the first bracket holder to pull a first edge of the first housing a predetermined distance towards the second housing; and
the second spring to exert the predetermined amount of force on the second bracket holder to pull a second edge of the second housing the predetermined distance towards the first housing.
9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises:
one or more conduits; and
at least one cable routed through the one or more conduits.
10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one cable carries power from a power source in the second housing to a first set of components in the first housing.
11. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one cable carries one or more data signals between a first set of components in the first housing and a second set of components in the second housing.
12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises:
a plurality of detents associated with when the angle between the first housing and the second housing is one of about 0 degrees, about 90 degrees, about 180 degrees, and about 360 degrees.
13. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises:
a locking mechanism to enable the at least one hinge to temporarily lock a first particular angle between the first housing and the second housing; and
a button used to unlock the locking mechanism when changing the angle between the first housing and the second housing from the first particular angle to a second particular angle.
14. A computing device comprising:
a first housing comprising:
a first set of components;
a second housing comprising:
a second set of components; and
one or more hinges to couple the first housing to the second housing, wherein the one or more hinges enable the first housing and the second housing to be placed at an angle of between about 0 degrees to about 360 degrees relative to each other,
wherein an individual hinge of the one or more hinges comprises:
a first bracket attached to the first housing;
a second bracket attached to the second housing;
a first spring attached to the first bracket and to a first bracket holder;
a second spring attached to the second bracket and to a second bracket holder;
a first position pin attached to the first bracket holder, wherein the first position pin moves within a first slot in the first bracket based on the angle between the first housing and the second housing; and
a second position pin attached to the second bracket holder, wherein the second position pin moves within a second slot in the second bracket based on the angle between the first housing and the second housing
wherein placing the first housing at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to the second housing causes:
the first spring to pull a first edge of the first housing a predetermined distance towards the second housing; and
the second spring to pull a second edge of the second housing the predetermined distance towards the first housing.
15. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein placing the first housing and the second housing at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to each other causes:
the first spring to exert a predetermined amount of force on the first bracket holder; and
the second spring to exert the predetermined amount of force on the second bracket holder.
16. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein:
the first set of components comprises:
a graphics processing unit (GPU); and
a first display device connected to an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) output of the GPU; and
the second set of components comprises:
a second display device connected to a DisplayPort (DP) output of the GPU.
17. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein an individual hinge of the one or more hinges comprises:
one or more conduits; and
at least one cable routed through the one or more conduits.
18. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the at least one cable carries power from a power source in the second housing to a first set of components in the first housing.
19. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the at least one cable carries one or more data signals between a first set of components in the first housing and a second set of components in the second housing.
20. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the individual hinge further comprises:
a locking mechanism to enable the one or more hinges to be temporarily locked at a first particular angle between the first housing and the second housing; and
a button to unlock the locking mechanism when changing the angle between the first housing and the second housing from the first particular angle to a second particular angle.