United States Patent Lin (51) HINGE ASSEMBLY FOR NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS (3) Inventor: SI ran Lin, Taipei (TW) (73) Assignee: First International Computer Inc, Taipei (TW) (2). Notice: Subject to any dislaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 USC. 154(b) by 0 days, C21) Appl. Now 10/414,030 Filed: Apr 16, 2003 (3) Prior Publication Data (30) Foreign Application Priority Data May 15,2002 (1W) i022 on Bosp 15°00 (2) 16/368; 361/680, 361/683; 16379 (58) Field of Search 16/368, 37, 343, 16/342, 356, 311, 387, 242, 277; 361/680-683, S01, 804; 403183, 84, 118-120, 379/428, 423, 4 (6) References Cited US. PATENT DOCUMENTS. 4986763. A * 1/1991 Boyle s30)165 1563802 US 6,895,638 B2 May 24, 2005 Us0068! (10) Patent No. 5) Date of Patent S)41446 A + 811992 Orout eta ins S36K089 A + 11/1904 Goldeaberg ar763 S300475 A * 21905 Engle eta 614683 S7aS1430 A + 1/1996 Miyagawa ot 361,61 Si0.036 A + 21996 Line ah 301680 S020882 A * 51997 Sellers 380 S005373 A 111990 Naga 3617955 5,091,501 A * 210 Sehlesener eta 361681 6.223393 BL * 52001 Kaopl 16365 300,612 BL * 102001 Fowler 40376, GSIOS88 BZ * 12018 From 168 an2iNsH24S AL + 42002 Hong eth 4501SS Dainoso42 AL + 13008 Seu etal st * cited by examiner Primary Examiner—Robert J. Sandy “Assistant Examiner—Andre’L. Jackson (78) Attorney, Agent, or Firm —Teoxell Law Office, PLLC on ABSTRACT The present invention discloses « hinge assembly for note- book computers capable of keeping a ser ‘connected Face-to-Face with & main system of the notebook, And such hinge assembly also can keep a includes angle between the monitor and the main system from zero degree (Ge. closed status for stacking the monitor and the main system fo IND degres (i.e. horizataly aligned satus of the monitor and the main system). Furthermore the monitor can ‘ontiaue to be turned over val the sereen of the monitor faces the buck of the main system, and then futher till the ‘monitor and the main system ae ia the back-(o-back contact ‘with each other. 8 Claims, 5 Drawing SheetsU.S. Patent May 24, 2005 Sheet 1 of 5 US 6,895,638 B2 FIG. 1U.S. Patent May 24, 2005 Sheet 2 of 5 US 6,895,638 B2U.S. Patent May 24, 2005 Sheet 3 of 5 US 6,895,638 B2 FIG. 3U.S. Patent May 24, 2005 Sheet 4 of 5 US 6,895,638 B2 FIG. 4BU.S. Patent May 24, 2005 Sheet 5 of 5 US 6,895,638 B2US 6,895,638 B2 1 HINGE ASSEMBLY FOR NOTEBOOK, ‘COMPUTERS| BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1, Field of the Invention ‘The present invention relates to a hinge assembly, more particularly toa hinge assembly for notebook compuiers that Allows a face-to-face or a back-to-back orientation between the monitor and the main system of a notebook computer. 2, Deseription of the Related Art In this moder world blooming with information technology, vatious high-tech produets.and_ peripherals related to computers are derived and developed rapily, aot ‘only shortening the distance and time between people, but also making themselves indispensable to our daily life. As ‘various information produets are introduced constantly, par ticularly the poplar use of notebook computers, the demand ‘of using notebook computers is getting higher and higher. Whether o¢ not a notebook computer in the future cat provide a more convenient and ellective service becomes ‘important index of evaluating if the technology of the information product manufacturers in different countries leads the world The portable computer in early stage has a heavy weight ‘of about 7=14 kg and the laptop computer weighs about 4-7 ke. However the notebook computer in the present market ‘only weighs about 1~4 kg, and the esearch and develop- ment ofthe housing, regardless the weight or volume, tends to have @ compact and allein-one design, Therefore, the alkin-one mexlel becomes another popular name for the present portable computer, In view of the present informa- tion marke, its severe competition is indescribable; numer- ‘ous brands of notebook computers existing in de informa tion market bring @ huge pressure to the sales of each ‘computer company, As to consumers, it will give more ‘choices for sclecting a humanistic, melifunctional, all-in ‘one notebook computer with a reasonable price, which is also an important factor to determine whether or ot major ‘computer manufacturer can win in such a severe compel In general, a notebook computer as implied in the name is similar to 3 notebook, which can be closed or turned over to facilitate its carying and operation. A notebook computer has a monitor and a main system, and at least a communi- cation cable between the monitor and the main system, Further, at least one pivot is disposed between the monitor and te main system, so that the moniter ean cover onto the tain system at regular time, and the sereen of the monitor ‘ean be rotated by means of such pivots when users want 10 tse the notebook computer. After the sercen is turned! over {0 an appropriate positon and angle, users ean input infor ‘mation into the main system by 2 keyboard on the mai ‘system, so thatthe main system can use the communication ‘able to transmit such information to the monitor, and ‘display the coatent of such information on the sereen a the As mentioned previously, the present notebook computer tends o be developed into & mulifunctional, all-in-one, and humanistic design, therefore the present notebook computer not only has the general fnetions (inputting, outputting, and Storing information), but also adds many adkltional fune~ tions such asthe design of a touch-screen panel for users to input data by using fingers or a handwriting pen in addition to the traditional keyboard. However, the traditional note- book computer can only allow the’ closing-and-opening % o 2 status between the monitor and the main system of the fotchook computer. In other word, the included angle between the monitor ad the main sysiem is zero degree ‘when the computer is clased, and generally not exceeding 180° when the computer is turned! over fo an appropriate position away from the main system. Therefore, the applic tation is limited, which does not meet the tequtements for the present development for the allin-one multifunctional ‘models. Ifthe relative position of the monitor and the main system can be improved (for exumple, the face-to-face losing status is converted into a back-to-back turned over satus) and can be tured over to different positions, then it ill enhance the practicability ofthe notebook computer and ‘meet the requirements of the present information market for the severe competitions. Such design is definitely big leap ‘of improvement and breakthrough, snd also a big benefit to four society. In view of the foregoing present development tend of ulifunctiona, all-in-one, humanistic notebook computers, the monitor and main system of conventional notebook ‘computers cun only be in face-to-face closing slatus (ie the included angle between the monitor and the main system js zero) or rotted 10 an appropriate position by an axis (i. the included angle between the monitor and the main system oes not exceeds 180°), and thus its application is limited which is also agtint the present all-in-one design af prove such shortcomings of the prior at, the present inveator studied and performed extensive experiments and fnally invented a hinge assembly or notebook computers in accordance with the present invention, SUMMARY OP THE INVENTION ‘The primary objective ofthe present invention isto Jet the monitor and main system of «notebook computer be able to have a face-ovfuce closing status and also a back-to-back ‘orientation when the sereen of the monitor is turned over, and a communication eable between the monitor and the ‘main system will not have obstacles or limitation during the turnover process, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. Lis perspective diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2s a perspective diagram illustrating the movement according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is another perspective diagram illustrating the movement according to the present invention, FIG. 4A is an illustrative planar diagram il novemient of the present invention. FIG. 4B is another illustrative planar diagram illutating the movement of the present invention. FIG. 8 is perspective diagram of present invention when ins in use ing the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to a hinge assembly of 3 potebook computer. Please refer to FIG. I for such hinge assembly, comprising a main system 11 and a monitor 10, land a connecting body 12 disposed between the main system 1 anal the monitor 10, andthe connecting method is 10 Use ‘so independent upper pivots respectively disposed on both ends of one side of the connecting body 12 t0 connect the ‘monitor 10, and both ends af another side of the connecting body 12 respectively sing two independent lower pivots 14US 6,895,638 B2 7 o connect with the mia system I, wherein each upper pivot 13 and each lower pivot 14 respectively are tangled spirally by a least one communication cable and one end of, ‘each signal line 16 is coupled to the monitor 10, and the ‘other end coupled tothe main system I, such that messages, Please refer to FIGS. Land 2 for the present invention; in audition to keeping the screen 17 of the monitor 10 con- nected face-to-face with the main system Il, the hinge assembly also can keep an included angle between the ‘monitor 10 and the msin system IL from zero degree (ie. ‘closed status for stacking the monitor 10 and the main ‘system L1) to 180 degrees (Le, borizontally aligned status of the monitor 10 and the main system 11). Furthermore, the ‘monitor 10 can continue tobe turned aver (see FIG. 3) until the sereen 17 of the monitor 10 faces the hack of the main ‘system IL, and then futher til the monitor 10 and the main ‘stem AL are in the stacked status with back-to-back contact with each other, Therelore the largest feature of the present invention adopis the design concept of different axis; that is to adopt independent upper pivot 13 and lower pivot 14 to allow a lumover with an included angle of 360 degrees between the ‘monitor 10 and the main system 11, so that any notebook ‘computer installing the present invention can have larger breakthrough on its application. In the present invention, when the sereen 17 of the monitor 10 is turned over gradually from an original status ‘of being closed onto the main system IL (as shown in FIG, 2) away from the main system 11 until the monitor 10 isin 4 status back-to-back stacked on the main system I (as ‘own in FIG. 3), Tn this turnover prooedure, each commie nication cable 16 i coiled onto each wpper and lower pivots 13, 14 (00 FIG, 1) and the status of ein from the loosest status (pleas refer to FIG. 4 for the illustrative diagram of | the loosest status of coiling the communication cable 16 ‘onto the lower pivot 14 while the monitor 10 is closed onto the main system 11) toa tightly coiled status (please refer © FIG. 4B for the illustrative disgram ofthe tighter satus of| ‘coiling the communication eable 16 cate the lower pivot 1d While the monitor 10 is opened away from the main system 11) as the angle of turnover increases. Therefore, the turn= ‘over between the monitor LO and the main sysem LL only lt the communication cable 16 be coiled onto the upper and lower pivots 12, 14 to different extents, but twill not alfect ‘or obstruct the position and angle of the turnover Furthermore, it also will ot cause communication cable 16 to have fast kot, be pulled apant, or broken by clipping during the turnover process Since the connecting body 12 is used asthe main tumover mechanism of the 34-degree tumover between the main ‘system IL and the monitor 10, Therefore, the postion of pivotally connecting the connecting body 12, the main system IL, and the monitor 10 is kept ia an appropriate tightness 1 avoid the monitor 10 from being turned auto- matically to close onto the main system 11 due tothe weight ‘of the monitor 19 after the monitor 10 has been turned over to an appropiate postion away from the main system I ‘The way of contolling the tightness ofthe pivotal connec tion between the connecting body 12, the main system 11, tnd the monitor 10 is a prior-art technology that has bec used for longtime, and isnot the Key point of the present invention, and thus will not be described here Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 for the input device disposed ‘on the main system I of the present invention. According % o 4 tothe rational design concept, keyboard is embeded on tne side of the sree 17 facing the main sync IL, Since the present invention emphasizes on the fee turoover beeen the main sytem I andthe monitor 1, therefore it will produce diferent relative positions ad using angles For certain stats of application of the present invention (for example the seen I? faces the back af the mai stem 11) ‘may cathe the Keyboard io bepress ont the desktop, n0t nly making the setup ofthe main system on the desktop ‘testable and shaking, but also making the press keys onthe esioard to press the desktop for along tink and causing the clastic member of the press keys inelastic due (othe long: texm pressing, In view ofthese shortcomings, the present fnveotion adopis an excellent design concept to scl aa accommealatinggyo0ve T8 on the main system II (cefer to HIG. §). The accommodating groove 18 can be installed exactly into hidden Keyboard 18, and the hidden Keyboard 19s coupled to the main system IL by means of a pivot ‘member 18 each on both ends of one sie ofthe keyboard 19, so thats press ey surface of the biden keyboard 19 faces the botlom of the accommodating groove 18a cexslar time. When users want to operate the hilden Keyboard 19, the hidden keyboard cane rotted 80 degrees to ten over outward from the accommodating groove IB 10 expose the ess key srlace Please refer to FIGS. 1 and § for the present invention Esch comminication cable 16 sof pall cable, nd its salt and bendable Testure facilitates ts cong onto each ‘pper and lower pvol 13,14. Inadion, «film of mylar ean beraddedoato the sures of the communication cable 16 to strengen the tenacity ofthe communication cable, where in at least another one communication cable & disposed between the hidden keyboard 19 and the mai stem 1 ‘What is claimed is 1LAhinge assembly fora notebook computer comprising 2) monitor having a sreens b) 4 main systems 6) s connecting body located between the monitor andthe main sysiem; 4) at east one upper pivot pivotally comecting two ends ‘ofa fst side of the connecting body to to ends oF he «) at leat one lower pivot pivotilly connecting two ends ‘of second side ofthe canting hady to two ends of the fist end of the main system, The monitor being movable between open and elosed monitor positions; 1) hidden keyboard pivotally connected to a second end fof the main system and mevable between open ad lose keyboard positions, the hidden keyboard having a pres Key surface; and 4) al least one communication eable including a frst ‘communication cable spirally coiled around each of he feast one upper pivot andthe a Teast one lower piv, and connected a fist eale end to the mono and a {second cable end tothe main system, 2. The hinge assembly secording to claim 1, wherein the ‘main system bas an accommodating. aroove, when the biddes Keyboard isin the clsed Keyhoard position, the hidden Keyboard is located inthe accommodating groove with the pres key surface loated adjacent to the main sytem. 3. The hinge assembly scordingto claim 1, wherein the keyboard pivots more thn I80 degrees betwen the closed ann the open positions “4 The binge amembly according to claim 1, further comprising 160 pivot members, tbe hidden keyboard isUS 6,895,638 B2 5 pivotally connected fo the second end of the main system at ‘each of lwo ends by one of the two pivot members, wen the hidden Keyboard is in the closed Keyboard position, the hidden Keyboard is located in the accommodating groove ‘with the press key surface located adjacent to the main system. ‘5. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein a leas! one communication cable includes @ seednd commi- nication cable connecting the hidden Keyboard and the main system. 6. The hinge assembly aocording to claim 1, wherein each ‘of the at lest one communication cable is & soft parallel ‘ale that i soft and bendable, 6 7. The binge assembly according to claim 1, wherein each ‘of the at lest one communication cable has 8 thin film of Myla. 8. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein, in the closed monitor position, the sereen of the monitor is located adjacent toa top ofthe main system, and, in the open monitor positon, « surface of the monitor opposite the screen i locaed adjacent 10 bottom of the main system,