IP Library Granted Patent US 10,496,129
Granted Patent B2
US 10,496,129 · App. 16/037,568 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Hinge device and electronic apparatus

Inventors: Tabito Miyamoto (Yokohama, JP); Yu Takahashi (Yokohama, JP); Masato Ito (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
G06F1/1618G06F1/1681G06F1/1666H01H13/705
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,496,129
App. No.
16/037,568
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hinge device can detect an open angle and an opening/closing angular velocity with high responsiveness and simple configuration. The hinge device enables rotary motion of a main-body chassis and a display chassis, and includes a first chassis shaft non-rotatably provided with respect to the main-body chassis, a second chassis shaft non-rotatably provided with respect to the display chassis, a cylindrical body into which the first chassis shaft is inserted to rotate with rotary motion thereof, a ring-type magnet non-rotatably fixed to the cylindrical body, a sensor that detects a movement of the magnet associated with the rotary motion from the change of magnetism, and a controller that reads a signal from the sensor to calculate an open angle and an opening/closing angular velocity.

Claims (48)

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a hinge device that enables rotary motion of first and second chassis, the hinge device having:

a rotating shaft that rotates with the rotary motion;

a magnet that is non-rotatably fixed to the rotating shaft;

a sensor that detects a movement of the magnet associated with the rotary motion from a change of magnetism; and

a controller that reads a signal from the sensor to calculate at least one of an open angle and an opening/closing angular velocity of the first and second chassis;

a first chassis shaft that is non-rotatable with respect to the first chassis,

wherein the rotating shaft includes a cylindrical body into which the first chassis shaft is rotatably inserted and rotates relative to the first chassis shaft with the rotary motion,

wherein the cylindrical body includes a step for rotation stop that supports the magnet from an axial-direction lateral side.

2. The hinge device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is fixed inside the first chassis.

3. The hinge device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnet is inside the first chassis.

4. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a hinge device that enables rotary motion of first and second chassis, the hinge device having:

a rotating shaft that rotates with the rotary motion;

a magnet that is non-rotatably fixed to the rotating shaft;

a sensor that detects a movement of the magnet associated with the rotary motion from a change of magnetism; and

a controller that reads a signal from the sensor to calculate at least one of an open angle and an opening/closing angular velocity of the first and second chassis;

a first chassis shaft that is non-rotatable with respect to the first chassis,

wherein the rotating shaft includes a cylindrical body into which the first chassis shaft is rotatably inserted and rotates relative to the first chassis shaft with the rotary motion,

a second chassis shaft that is non-rotatable with respect to the second chassis;

a link that holds the first and second chassis shafts in parallel; and

a synchronization part that synchronously rotates the first and second chassis shafts in directions opposite to each other.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:

the first chassis or the second chassis comprises:

a keyboard that includes a plurality of keys;

a key depressing mechanism that depresses the keys; and

a motor that drives the key depressing mechanism, and the controller further:

drive the motor based on at least one of the open angle and the opening/closing angular velocity;

compares the opening/closing angular velocity with a threshold;

when the opening/closing angular velocity is not more than the threshold, the controller raises the key depressing mechanism to low speed;

when the opening/closing angular velocity is larger than the threshold, the controller raises the key depressing mechanism to high speed.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller further:

change a state of at least one of an input device and an output device based on the opening/closing angular velocity;

compares the open angle with a threshold;

compares the opening/closing angular velocity with another threshold;

when the opening/closing angular velocity is not more than the another threshold, the controller raises the key depressing mechanism to low speed;

when the opening/closing angular velocity is larger than the another threshold, the controller raises the key depressing mechanism to high speed.

7. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a hinge device that enables rotary motion of first and second chassis, the hinge device having:

a rotating shaft that rotates with the rotary motion;

a magnet that is non-rotatably fixed to the rotating shaft;

a sensor that detects a movement of the magnet associated with the rotary motion from a change of magnetism; and

a controller that:

reads a signal from the sensor to calculate at least one of an open angle and an opening/closing angular velocity of the first and second chassis;

changes a state of at least one of an input device and an output device based on the opening/closing angular velocity;

divides the opening/closing angular velocity into at least a first case and a second case based on a threshold;

in the first case, when the opening/closing angular velocity is greater than the threshold, starts the operation of the key depressing mechanism after the open angle is less than a second threshold;

in the second case, when the opening/closing angular velocity is less than the threshold, starts the operation of the key depressing mechanism after the open angle is less than a first threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2018
From: MIYAMOTO, TABITO; TAKAHASHI, YU; ITO, MASATO
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 046372/0755 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-081712 · Apr 20, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190324499A1 · Oct 24, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,461,556