Hinge for display device
The present invention provides a hinge for a display device. A hinge for a display device according to the present invention, which connects and folds/unfolds first and second plates in a display device, includes: a soft plate member that is bendable while connecting first and second plates; a plurality of ribs formed at regular intervals at both sides of the soft plate member; a link means connecting the ribs and composed of first and second link and individually rotating with the bending of the soft plate member; and a fixing mechanism generating a fixing force by spring elasticity to control the rotation angle of the first and second links of the link means.
1. A hinge for a display device which connects and folds/unfolds first and second plates in a display device, the hinge comprising:
a soft plate member that is bendable while connecting first and second plates;
a plurality of ribs formed at regular intervals at both sides of the soft plate member;
a plurality of link mechanisms connecting the plurality of ribs, each link mechanism comprising a first link and a second link which individually rotate with the bending of the soft plate member about a shaft in and a fixing mechanism generating a fixing force by spring elasticity to control the rotation angle of the first and second links of each link mechanism;
wherein a folded or unfolded angle of each link mechanism is maintained by the fixing force generated by the respective fixing mechanism.
2. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the first and second links each comprise a hollow cylindrical body in which an internal channel is formed, with both ends open and a panel extending from the body and connected to the ribs wherein the panels of the first and second links are connected to two adjacent ribs arranged in opposite directions, respectively.
3. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein each fixing mechanism comprises:
an operation member having a protrusion on one side thereof which is locked to one side of the respective second link, fitted on the respective shaft pin, and disposed between the respective first and second links; and
an elastic member combined with the respective first link and generating a force pushing the operation member,
wherein protrusion grooves are formed on one side of the respective second link to correspond to the protrusion of the operation member.
4. The hinge of claim 3 , wherein two protrusions and two protrusion grooves are symmetrically formed in pairs, respectively.
5. The hinge of claim 4 , wherein the protrusions and the protrusion grooves are formed in a semicircular shape.
6. The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the soft plate member has:
first and second plate portions connected with the first and second plates, respectively; and
a curved portion connected with the first and second plate portions and mounted on an outer side of the first and second plates.
7. The hinge of claim 6 , wherein the curved portion is formed by connecting a plurality of mounting surfaces where a plurality of brackets extending from the ribs are mounted and the mounting surfaces each have a folding portion formed in the width direction for easy bending.