IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,794,660
Granted Patent B2
US 9,794,660 · App. 14/866,468 · Granted Oct 17, 2017

Integrated sound bar hinge assembly for mobile electronic device

Inventor: David A. Rittenhouse (Fair Oaks, CA)
Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
H04R1/02H04R2499/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,794,660
App. No.
14/866,468
Granted
Oct 17, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments are generally directed to an integrated sound bar hinge assembly for a mobile electronic device. A wearable electronic device may include a hinge assembly body; at least one hinge set coupled with hinge assembly body to hingeably couple a first portion of a mobile device to a second portion of the mobile device; and at least one speaker bracket contained in the hinge assembly body to install a first speaker.

Claims (46)

1. An integrated sound bar hinge assembly for a mobile device comprising:

a hinge assembly body having a first end and a second end;

a first hinge set coupled with the first end of the hinge assembly body and a second hinge set coupled with the second end of the hinge assembly body, the first hinge set and the second hinge set to hingeably couple a first portion of a mobile device to a second portion of the mobile device, each of the first hinge set and second hinge set including a first hinge having a first axle and a second hinge having a second axle, the first axle and second axle of the first hinge set and the second hinge set being installed in and enclosed at least in part by the first end of the hinge assembly body and the second end of the hinge assembly body, respectively; and

at least one speaker bracket contained in the hinge assembly body to install a first speaker;

wherein the hinge assembly body includes a forward side, the at least one speaker bracket being located such that an installed speaker is oriented in a direction of the front side of the hinge assembly; and

wherein the integrated sound bar hinge assembly comprises a hinge synchronization bar for the mobile device, the hinge synchronization bar allowing for 360 degrees of rotation, wherein:

the first hinge of each of the first hinge set and the second hinge set is operable to rotate 180 degrees from a first closed position to a second fully open position while the second hinge of each hinge set is stationary to maintain an orientation of the integrated sound bar hinge assembly, and

the second hinge of each hinge set is operable to rotate an additional 180 degrees to a third position.

2. The integrated sound bar hinge assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cable electrically connected to the at least one speaker bracket to provide an audio signal to an installed speaker.

3. The integrated sound bar hinge assembly of claim 2 , wherein the axle of at least one hinge of at least one hinge set is hollow, and wherein the cable is to run through the hollow axle.

4. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion; and

an integrated sound bar hinge assembly to hingeably couple the first portion and the second portion;

wherein the integrated sound bar hinge assembly includes:

a hinge assembly body including a first side, a first end, and a second end,

a first hinge set coupled with the first end of the hinge assembly body and a second hinge set coupled with the second end of the hinge assembly body, the first hinge set and the second hinge set to hingeably couple a first portion of a mobile device to a second portion of the mobile device, each of the first hinge set and second hinge set including a first hinge having a first axle and a second hinge having a second axle, the first axle and second axle of the first hinge set and the second hinge set being installed in and enclosed at least in part by the first end of the hinge assembly body and the second end of the hinge assembly body, respectively, and

at least one speaker bracket in the hinge assembly body to connect a first speaker;

wherein the first portion and second portion have a front side and a back side, the front side of the hinge assembly body is in a same direction as the front sides of the first portion and the second portion, and the at least one speaker bracket being located such that an installed speaker faces the first side of the integrated sound bar hinge assembly; and

wherein the integrated sound bar hinge assembly comprises a hinge synchronization bar for the mobile electronic device, the hinge synchronization bar allowing for 360 degrees of rotation, wherein:

the first hinge of each of the first hinge set and the second hinge set is operable to rotate 180 degrees from a first closed position to a second fully open position while the second hinge of each hinge set is stationary to maintain an orientation of the integrated sound bar hinge assembly, and

the second hinge of each hinge set is operable to rotate an additional 180 degrees to a third position.

5. The device of claim 4 , further comprising:

a cable electrically connected to the at least one speaker bracket to provide an audio signal to an installed speaker.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the axle of at least one hinge of at least one hinge set is hollow, and wherein the cable is to run through the hollow axle.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein at least one speaker bracket in the hinge assembly body is to face a user of the system when the device is in operation in a laptop computer position.

8. A computing system comprising:

a display assembly including a display screen;

a base assembly including a processor; and

an integrated sound bar hinge assembly to hingeably couple the display assembly and the base assembly;

wherein the integrated sound bar hinge assembly includes:

a hinge assembly body including a first side, a first end, and a second end,

a first hinge set coupled with the first end of the hinge assembly body and a second hinge set coupled with the second end of the hinge assembly body, the first hinge set and the second hinge set to hingeably couple the display assembly and the base assembly, each of the first hinge set and second hinge set including a first hinge having a first axle and a second hinge having a second axle, the first axle and second axle of the first hinge set and the second hinge set being installed in and enclosed at least in part by the first end of the hinge assembly body and the second end of the hinge assembly body, respectively, and

one or more speakers installed in the hinge assembly body;

wherein the display assembly and base assembly each have a front side and a back side, the hinge assembly body includes a front side, and the one or more speakers are located in the front side of the integrated sound bar hinge assembly; and

wherein the integrated sound bar hinge assembly comprises a hinge synchronization bar for the computer system, the hinge synchronization bar allowing for 360 degrees of rotation, wherein:

the first hinge of each of the first hinge set and the second hinge set is operable to rotate 180 degrees from a first closed position to a second fully open position while the second hinge of each hinge set is stationary to maintain an orientation of the integrated sound bar hinge assembly, and

the second hinge of each hinge set is operable to rotate an additional 180 degrees to a third position.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

one or more cables electrically connected to the one or more speakers and the base assembly, the base assembly to provide audio signals to the one or more speakers via the one or more cables.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein an axle of at least one hinge of at least one hinge set is hollow, and wherein at least one cable is to run through the hollow axle.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more speakers face a user of the system when the system is in operation in a laptop computer position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system is a convertible system, and wherein the one or more speakers are oriented in a side direction when the system is in a tablet computer position.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein, in the tablet computer position, audio is to be produced in a direction that is parallel to the front side of the display assembly.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the display assembly and base assembly do not include a speaker or speaker bracket.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2015
From: RITTENHOUSE, DAVID A.
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036837/0963 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170094380A1 · Mar 30, 2017