Patent · US Expired

Adjustable clutch hinge assembly for portable computer

US6101676A · kind A · utility

36Cited by
21References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 27, 1998
Grant dateAug 15, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 27, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T403/32614
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The adjustable clutch hinge assembly includes a shaft, an adjustment member connected to one end of the shaft, a metal inner cone member, and a metal outer cone member. The end of the shaft to which the adjustment member is connected is inserted into an aperture in the inner cone member, which is split, to allow a decrease of the internal diameter thereof, and has protruding key features, such that a threaded portion of the adjustment member protrudes out the opposite end of the inner cone member. The inner cone member resides within the outer cone member, which has receptive features for the inner cone member and its protruding key features to prevent rotation of the inner cone member within the outer cone member. When the threaded portion of the adjustment member protruding out the end of the inner cone member is drawn through the outer cone member, an outer surface of the inner cone member is forced against an inner surface of the outer cone. This forces the inner diameter of the inner cone member to decrease, increasing the force on the shaft. The shallow pitch of the inner cone member allows relatively large displacements to produce small increases in force, making the torque …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.