Hinge

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a hinge, and more particularly to a hinge which can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise, and positioned at some specific angles.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Some mobile phones have a monitor mounted on a body by a hinge between the body and the monitor. The conventional hinge installed in the mobile phones has a rotary axis perpendicular to the monitor and the body. When the body is overlapped with the monitor, the mobile phone is in a status of being switched-off or hung-up; when the monitor is rotated transversally to reveal the body, a user can operate the keys on the body to receive or dial up a call.

[0005] However, by using the conventional hinge, the monitor only can be positioned at an overlapped position (an included angle of 0 degrees) and an opposed position (an included angle of 180 degrees) about the body. Thus, the monitor rotates too freely about the body in use, and the user cannot use the mobile phone in positions of the monitor about the body other than the two limits.

[0006] Therefore, the invention provides a hinge to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

[0007] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a hinge which can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise and positioned at some specific angles.

[0008] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0014] With reference to FIGS. 1–3, a hinge in accordance with the present invention is composed of a first sheet (10), a rotating ring (20), a second sheet (30), a positioning ring (40), an elastic ring (50), a washer (60), a pintle (70) and a collar (80).

[0015] The first sheet (10) has a first opening (13) defined at a center thereof. The first opening (13) has a cross section with two parallel linear sides (not numbered) and two arcuate sides (not numbered) respectively between the parallel linear sides. Two first wings (11) are formed at two diametrically opposite sides of the first opening (13), and each have at least one (two in this embodiment) first hole (110) defined therethrough. Two first lugs (12) are formed on an upper surface of the first sheet (10) and respectively adjacent to the first wings (11).

[0016] The rotating ring (20) is mounted on the first sheet (10) and has a second opening (21) aligned with the first opening (13). An ear (22) is formed at an outer circumference of the rotating ring (20).

[0017] The second sheet (30) is mounted on the rotating ring (20) and has a third opening (33) defined therethrough and aligned with the first and second openings (13, 21). Four slots (34) are radially and evenly defined around an outer circumference of the third opening (33) and in communication with the third opening (33), e.g. each two adjacent slots (34) with an included angle of 90 degrees, and each two opposed slots (34) with an included angle of 180 degrees. In this embodiment, the four slots (34) are respectively located at upper-left, lower-left, upper-right and lower-left positions of the second sheet (30). Two second wings (31) are formed at two diametrically opposite sides of the third opening (33), and each has at least one (two in this embodiment) second hole (310) defined therethrough. Two second lugs (32) are formed at a lower surface of the second sheet (30).

[0018] The positioning ring (40) is mounted on the second sheet (31) and has a fourth opening (42) defined therethrough and aligned with the third opening (33). The fourth opening (42) has a cross section with two parallel linear sides and two arcuate sides between the linear sides and corresponding to the first opening (13). At least one protrusion (41) is formed at a lower surface of the positioning ring (40) and selectively positioned in one of the slots (34). In this embodiment, two protrusions (41) are provided at two diametrically opposite sides of the fourth opening (42).

[0019] The elastic ring (50) is provided on the positioning ring (40), and the washer (60) is mounted on the elastic ring (50).

[0020] The pintle (70) has a cross section corresponding to the first opening (13) and the fourth opening (42), and in turn extends through the first opening (13) of the first sheet (10), the second opening (21) of the rotating ring (20), the third opening (33) of the second sheet (30), the fourth opening (42) of the positioning ring (40), the elastic ring (50) and the washer (60). The pintle (70) further has an annular recess (71) defined at a distal end thereof.

[0021] The C-shaped collar (80) is attached in the annular recess (71) to fasten the pintle (70) in the elements described above.

[0022] With reference to FIG. 4A, the ear (22) of the rotating ring (20) is at the right side in the figure, the right second lug (32) is beneath the ear (22), and the protrusions (41) are located respectively in two corresponding slots (34) (the upper-left and lower-right). In this situation, when the second sheet (30) is turned counterclockwise, the rotating ring (20) is pushed by the right second lug (32) to turn counterclockwise along with the second sheet (30). (When the second sheet (30) is turned clockwise, the rotating ring (20) will not be pushed by the second lug (32) and will not be rotated, so this status will not be shown or described in detail).

[0023] With reference to FIG. 4B, when the second sheet (30) is rotated 90 degrees from an original position, the protrusions (41) are respectively located in the other slots (34) (the lower-left and the upper-right) to position the second sheet(30).

[0024] With reference to FIG. 4C, when the second sheet (30) is rotated 180 degrees from an original position, the ear (22) of the rotating ring (20) is at the left side in the figure, and is blocked by the left first lug (12), so the second sheet (30) cannot be rotated further counterclockwise. At the same time, the protrusions (41) are located in the corresponding slots (34) (the upper-right and lower-left) to position the second sheet (30).

[0025] With reference to FIG. 5A, the ear (22) of the rotating ring (20) is at the left side in the figure, the left second lug (32) is beneath the ear (22), and the protrusions (41) are located respectively in two corresponding slots (34) (the upper-left and lower-right). In this situation, when the second sheet (30) is turned clockwise, the rotating ring (20) is pushed by the left second lug (32) to turn clockwise along with the second sheet (30). (When the second sheet (30) is turned counterclockwise, the rotating ring (20) will not be pushed by the second lug (32) and will not be rotated, so this status will not be shown or described in detail).

[0026] With reference to FIG. 5B, when the second sheet (30) is rotated 90 degrees, the protrusions (41) are located respectively in the other slots (34) (the lower-left and the upper-right) to position the second sheet (30).

[0027] With reference to FIG. 5C, when the second sheet (30) is rotated 180 degrees, the ear (22) of the rotating ring (20) is at the right side in the figure, and is blocked by the right first lug (12), so the second sheet (30) cannot be rotated further clockwise. At the same time, the protrusions (41) are located in the corresponding slots (34) (the upper-right and lower-left) to position the second sheet (30).

[0028] Therefore, according to the invention, the hinge can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise and positioned at angles of 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, −90 degrees, and −180 degrees.

[0029] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.