US 12,147,275 B2
Seamless dual screen hinge
Chin-Chung Wu, New Taipei (TW); Chih-Ping Chang, Taipei (TW); An-Chung Hsieh, New Taipei (TW); and Shih-Heng Chen, Taipei (TW)
Assigned to Dell Products L.P., Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed by Dell Products L.P., Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/872,073.
Prior Publication US 2024/0028087 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 1/16 (2006.01); F16C 11/04 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 1/1681 (2013.01) [F16C 11/04 (2013.01); G06F 1/1616 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An information handling system comprising:
a first member;
a second member; and
one or more hinge assemblies for rotatably coupling the first member to the second member, wherein the one or more hinge assemblies comprises:
a central assembly;
a first orbit mechanism configured to mechanically couple to the first member;
a second orbit mechanism configured to mechanically couple to the second member;
a first pair of link bars;
a first primary shaft rotatably coupling the first pair of link bars to the central assembly and mechanically coupling the first pair of link bars to each other;
a first secondary shaft mechanically coupling the first pair of link bars to each other and rotatably coupling the first pair of link bars to the first orbit mechanism via a first track comprising an elongated opening formed through the first orbit mechanism which limits linear motion of the first secondary shaft relative to the first orbit mechanism, wherein an axis of rotation of the first primary shaft is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the first secondary shaft;
a second pair of link bars;
a second primary shaft rotatably coupling the second pair of link bars to the central assembly and mechanically coupling the second pair of link bars to each other; and
a second secondary shaft mechanically coupling the second pair of link bars to each other and rotatably coupling the second pair of link bars to the second orbit mechanism via a second track comprising an elongated opening formed through the second orbit mechanism which limits linear motion of the second secondary shaft relative to the second orbit mechanism, wherein an axis of rotation of the second primary shaft is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the second secondary shaft.
 
7. A hinge assembly for rotatably coupling a first member to a second member, the hinge assembly comprising:
a central assembly;
a first orbit mechanism configured to mechanically couple to the first member;
a second orbit mechanism configured to mechanically couple to the second member;
a first pair of link bars;
a first primary shaft rotatably coupling the first pair of link bars to the central assembly and mechanically coupling the first pair of link bars to each other;
a first secondary shaft mechanically coupling the first pair of link bars to each other and rotatably coupling the first pair of link bars to the first orbit mechanism via a first track comprising an elongated opening formed through the first orbit mechanism which limits linear motion of the first secondary shaft relative to the first orbit mechanism, wherein an axis of rotation of the first primary shaft is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the first secondary shaft;
a second pair of link bars;
a second primary shaft rotatably coupling the second pair of link bars to the central assembly and mechanically coupling the second pair of link bars to each other; and
a second secondary shaft mechanically coupling the second pair of link bars to each other and rotatably coupling the second pair of link bars to the second orbit mechanism via a second track comprising an elongated opening formed through the second orbit mechanism which limits linear motion of the second secondary shaft relative to the second orbit mechanism, wherein an axis of rotation of the second primary shaft is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the second secondary shaft.
 
13. A method for forming a hinge assembly for rotatably coupling a first member to a second member, comprising:
mechanically coupling a first orbit mechanism to the first member;
mechanically coupling a second orbit to the second member;
rotatably coupling the first pair of link bars to a central assembly via a primary shaft;
mechanically coupling the first pair of link bars to each other via the primary shaft;
mechanically coupling the first pair of link bars to each other via a first secondary shaft;
rotatably coupling the first pair of link bars to the first orbit mechanism via the first secondary shaft and a first track comprising an elongated opening formed through the first orbit mechanism which limits linear motion of the first secondary shaft relative to the first orbit mechanism, wherein an axis of rotation of the first primary shaft is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the first secondary shaft;
rotatably coupling the second pair of link bars to the central assembly via a second pair of link bars;
mechanically coupling the second pair of link bars to each other via the second pair of link bars;
mechanically coupling the second pair of link bars to each other via a second secondary shaft; and
rotatably coupling the second pair of link bars to the second orbit mechanism via the second secondary shaft and a second track comprising an elongated opening formed through the second orbit mechanism which limits linear motion of the second secondary shaft relative to the second orbit mechanism, wherein an axis of rotation of the second primary shaft is generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the second secondary shaft.