Granted Patent B2

US 12,578,766 · App. 17/790,926 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Anthony E. Hillyerd (Sammamish, WA); Christina Ashley Yee (Redmond, WA); Aseem Singla (Redmond, WA); Robyn Rebecca Reed McLaughlin (Seattle, WA); Kaitlyn Marley Schoeck (Seattle, WA); Hua Wang (Redmond, WA); Daniel Dhondt (Redmond, WA); Brian David Bitz (Woodinville, WA); Joseph Benjamin Gault (Seattle, WA)

Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

G06F1/1681G06F1/1618G06F1/162H04M1/022E05D3/122E05D3/18E05Y2999/00G06F1/1616H04M1/0216

Abstract

Claims (14)

1 . A hinge system for electronic devices, the hinge system comprising: a first body; a second body rotatably connected to the first body around a first pivot point, the second body having a top surface and bottom surface positioned opposite one another in a vertical direction of the second body; a third body supported by the first body; and a translation mechanism including a link, the link connected to the first body and the second body and configured to be horizontally in-line with the second body when the first body and the third body are perpendicular to the second body, and wherein the link is configured to be perpendicular to the second body when the first body and the third body are parallel with the second body in a clamshell position and the link is configured to be parallel to the second body when the first body and the third body are parallel with the second body in a nested position, and wherein the translation mechanism positions the first pivot point at a first position in the vertical direction when the first body is in the nested position and at a second position in the vertical direction when the first body is in the clamshell position, wherein, and the first position and second position are different.

2 . The hinge system of claim 1 , the translation mechanism including the link connected to a second pivot point and the first pivot point, the link rotatable about the second pivot point to displace the first pivot point in the vertical direction relative to the second body.

3 . The hinge system of claim 2 , wherein a contact between the third body and the link provides a physical hardstop on a rotational range of motion of the first pivot point.

4 . The hinge system of claim 3 , wherein the physical hardstop on the rotational range of motion of the first pivot point forces any further rotation to be around the second pivot point.

5 . The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism positions the first pivot point at a lowest position in the vertical direction when the first body is in the nested position and at a highest position in the vertical direction when the first body in the clamshell position.

6 . An electronic device comprising:

the hinge system of claim 1 ;

the third body rotatably connected to the first body; and

wherein the translation mechanism displaces the first pivot point in the vertical direction between an upper position and a lower position relative to the second body,

wherein the upper position allows the third body and second body to attain the clamshell position and the lower position allows the third body and second body to attain the nested position.

7 . The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein the first body functions as a stand for the third body.

8 . The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein the first body provides electrical communication between the second body and the third body.

9 . A method of moving a hinge in an electronic device, the method comprising: rotating a first body of the electronic device around a first pivot point connected to a second body of the electronic device via a link from a closed position to an open position and wherein the link translates from a vertical position to a horizontal position, the second body having a top surface and bottom surface positioned opposite one another in the vertical direction, a third body supported by the first body, wherein the link is configured to be horizontally in-line with the second body when the first body and the third body are perpendicular to the second body, and wherein the link is configured to be perpendicular to the second body when the first body and the third body are parallel with the second body in a clamshell position and the link is configured to be parallel to the second body when the first body and the third body are parallel with the second body in a nested position, and wherein the translation mechanism positions the first pivot point at a first position in the vertical direction when the first body is in the nested position and at a second position in the vertical direction when the first body is in the clamshell position, wherein, and the first position and second position are different; and rotating the first body of the electronic device from the open position to the closed position wherein the link translates from the horizontal position to the vertical position.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the link includes a first pivot point and a second pivot point and rotating the first body of the electronic device relative to the second body of the electronic device includes translating the first pivot point in an arcuate path around the second pivot point.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (152)