JP4357764B2 - Rotary actuator for hinge - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rotary actuator for a hinge for automating the opening / closing operation of a hinge that foldably connects two members.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Recent portable telephones are widely used in which a transmitter and a receiver are connected by a hinge device so that they can be folded when carried and opened when used. In order to further improve the convenience of such a two-fold phone, a hinge device that can be stably held in a closed state and can be opened by one-touch operation of one hand is disclosed in a patent. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2677247. In this hinge device, a torsion coil spring is used as a driving means for applying a rotational force in the opening direction.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the torsion coil spring, the maximum rotational energy is accumulated when the space between the transmitter and receiver is closed, and if the energy is released at once as soon as the push button is opened, I was worried about jumping too much.
[0004]
In order to prevent such inconvenience, it is necessary to provide a damper mechanism for applying an appropriate frictional resistance. However, if a damper mechanism is separately provided, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps must be increased. I didn't get it.
[0005]
Moreover, according to the structure disclosed in the above publication, since the detailed parts constituting the hinge device must be directly assembled to the telephone body, the manufacturing process of the telephone becomes complicated, leading to an increase in manufacturing cost, as well as to a specification change, etc. There is a difficulty that it is not possible to respond flexibly.
[0006]
The present invention has been devised to solve such problems of the prior art, and its main purpose is to automate the operation of either opening or closing without complicating the manufacturing process of the telephone body and the like. Is to provide a rotary actuator for hinges configured to be realized with a compact and simple structure.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, in the present invention, a first portion (housing 12) having a substantially cylindrical shape and a first portion that is axially movable and rotatably engaged with the first portion. 2 part (clutch rotor 13), a rotational force applying means (coil spring tightly wound portion 15a) provided between the first part and the second part, clutch means (convex part 19 and concave part) 20) and an axial force applying means (coil spring loosely wound portion 15b and push button 24) for contacting / separating the clutch means, a bottomed cylindrical body (outer tube 25), and a cylindrical hole of the bottomed cylindrical body And a rotational resistance applying means (rotational damper 14) made of viscous fluid filled in a gap (27) between the cylindrical hole and the shaft, and providing the rotational resistance. At least part of the means, Coil spring as rolling force applying means has decided to provide a rotary actuator hinge (11), characterized in that the wound.
[0008]
In this way, as a single rotary actuator incorporating all functions can be assembled in an independent process, the assembly process of the hinge device such as the telephone body does not have to be complicated.
[0009]
In particular, the clutch means is a meshing clutch that engages and disengages by moving the second part in the axial direction with respect to the first part, and the axial force applying means is the first part and the second part. It is preferable to include a loosely wound portion (15b) provided integrally with the coil spring so that a pressure contact force acts between them.
[0010]
According to this, since the urging means for connecting the clutch means and the urging means for applying the driving force in the opening (closing) direction can be constituted by a common coil spring, the structure is simplified and the number of parts is reduced. can do.
[0011]
Further, if the first portion forms the axis of the hinge, the structure can be further simplified.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0013]
FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a portable telephone to which the present invention is applied. The telephone 1 is formed by connecting a transmitter 2 provided with operation keys and a receiver 3 provided with a liquid crystal display with a hinge 4 so as to be folded in two. Since the basic configuration of the telephone itself is the same as that already known, a detailed description is omitted here.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 2, the hinge 4 includes two bearing portions 5a and 5b that are integrally formed with the transmitting portion 2, and three bearing portions 6a, 6b, and 6c that are integrally formed with the receiving portion 3, The rotary actuators 11 extend so as to pass through the bearings coaxially in a state where the bearings are alternately combined.
[0015]
The rotary actuator 11 includes a housing 12 having a substantially cylindrical shape, a clutch rotor 13 mounted on the inner side of the right end portion of the housing 12 so as to be axially movable and rotatable with respect to the housing 12, and a left end portion of the housing 12. The rotary damper 14 is provided so as to extend from the center to the axial direction, the left end thereof is engaged with the clutch rotor 13, the right end thereof is engaged with the housing 12, and the right half of the rotary damper 14 is enclosed. It consists of a coil spring 15 provided so as to. A clutch stator 16 is integrally fixed to the right end portion of the housing 12.
[0016]
The housing 12 is formed in half along the axis, and is integrated by incorporating the above-mentioned components inside one half and then joining the other half. The projecting portions 17a and 17b formed in the portions corresponding to the two bearing portions 5a and 5b engage with the axial grooves 18a and 18b formed in the inner periphery of the bearing portions 5a and 5b, so On the other hand, it is connected non-rotatably.
[0017]
On the surface of the clutch rotor 13 facing the clutch stator 16, a pair of convex portions 19 having a trapezoidal shape as viewed from the radial direction are formed on the diameter line. A cam that connects the concave portion 20 corresponding to the convex portion 19 and the deepest portion of the concave portion 20 and the opposing surface of the clutch stator 16 to the clutch rotor 13 is provided on the opposite surface of the clutch stator 16 to the clutch rotor 13. A pair of slopes 21a and 21b is formed. This cam slope is composed of a steep first step portion 21a directly connected to the deepest portion of the recess 20 and a subsequent second step portion 21b having a gentle angle.
[0018]
A push rod 23 penetrating the central portion of the clutch stator 16 and the right end wall 22 of the housing 12 is integrally formed at the central portion of the surface of the clutch rotor 13 facing the clutch stator 16. The push rod 23 has, for example, a D-shaped cross section perpendicular to the axis thereof, and is coupled to the bearing 6c on the right end side of the receiver 3 so as not to rotate and to be axially displaceable. A push button 24 is attached to the bearing 6c on the right end side.
[0019]
The rotary damper 14 includes a bottomed cylindrical outer tube 25, an inner rod 26 inserted into the outer tube 25, and silicon grease filled in a gap 27 between the outer tube 25 and the inner rod 26. The left half of the outer tube 25 is fixed to the housing 12.
[0020]
A stopper 28 is integrally coupled to the left bearing 6 a of the receiver 3. The right end of the stopper 28 protrudes into the right bearing portion 5a of the transmission section 2, and the outer end of the inner rod 26 of the rotary damper 14 is fixed to the protrusion 29.
[0021]
The coil spring 15 includes a densely wound portion 15a at both ends and a loosely wound portion 15b at the center. The densely wound portion 15a plays a role of storing rotational force, and the loosely wound portion 15b plays a role of storing axial force. Has been.
[0022]
Next, an operation procedure of the hinge rotary actuator 11 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0023]
In the closed state in which the transmitter 2 and the receiver 3 are overlapped, a rightward axial force is applied to the clutch rotor 13 by the axial force generated by the loosely wound portion 15 b of the coil spring 15. In this state, the convex portion 19 of the clutch rotor 13 has entered the deepest portion of the concave portion 20 of the clutch stator 16 (clutch connection state), and therefore the rotational force of the closely wound portion 15a of the coil spring 15 is acting. Nevertheless, the clutch rotor 13 cannot rotate with respect to the housing 12, and the receiver 3 that is integral with the bearing 6c into which the push rod 23 of the clutch rotor 13 is inserted so as not to rotate is also stationary. Thereby, the folding state of the transmitter 2 and the receiver 3 is maintained.
[0024]
From this state, when the push button 24 is slightly pushed against the axial force of the sparsely wound portion 15b of the coil spring 15 (to the left in the figure), the push rod 23 in contact with the inner end of the push button 24 moves to the left. The clutch rotor 13 integrated with the push rod 23 moves to the left. Here, since the push rod 23 is engaged with the bearing portion 6 c on the right side of the receiver 3 so as not to be relatively rotatable, the convex portion 19 of the clutch rotor 13 integrated with the push rod 23 protrudes from the concave portion 20 of the clutch stator 16. As it goes on, the convex portion 19 of the clutch rotor 13 comes into contact with the first step portion 21a of the cam slope, and the clutch rotor 13 starts to rotate slowly by the action of the rotational force generated by the closely wound portion 15a of the coil spring 15. Due to the rotation of the clutch rotor 13, the earpiece 3 that is coupled to the push rod 23 through the bearing 6 c so as not to be relatively rotatable begins to open.
[0025]
When the push button 24 is further pushed, the convex portion 19 of the clutch rotor 13 comes into contact with the second step portion 21 b of the cam slope of the clutch stator 16. Then, because the rotational force of the closely wound portion 15a of the coil spring 15 exceeds the frictional force due to the axial force of the loosely wound portion 15b due to the friction angle relationship between the convex portion 19 and the second step portion 21b of the cam slope, By this rotational force, the space between the transmitter 2 and the receiver 3 is automatically opened to the full. At this time, the opening speed is moderately suppressed by the shearing resistance acting on the silicon grease enclosed between the outer tube 25 and the inner rod 26 of the rotary damper 14.
[0026]
Even if the pushing force to the push button 24 is released at a position where the space between the transmitting portion 2 and the receiving portion 3 is fully opened, the convex portion 19 of the clutch rotor 13 is the top surface of the cam slope of the clutch stator 16, that is, The clutch stator 16 is in contact with the axially inner end face 30 and the clutch disengaged state is maintained. In this state, the clutch rotor 13 cannot move right in spite of the axial force of the sparsely wound portion 15b of the coil spring 15, and an external force in the closing direction is applied between the transmitting portion 2 and the receiving portion 3. Unless otherwise, the open state is maintained. The maximum opening angle between the transmitter 2 and the receiver 3 is determined by the mechanical rotation range of the hinge 4.
[0027]
When the space between the transmitting portion 2 and the receiving portion 3 is manually closed against the rotational force of the closely wound portion 15a of the coil spring 15, the clutch rotor 13 rotates together with the receiving portion 3, and the clutch stator 16 is coiled. It rotates until the convex part 19 of the clutch rotor 13 pressed by the axial force of the sparsely wound part 15b of the spring 15 enters the deepest part of the concave part 20 of the clutch stator 16, that is, until the clutch is again connected.
[0028]
When the convex portion 19 of the clutch rotor 13 enters the concave portion 20 of the clutch stator 16, the frictional force due to the axial force of the closely wound portion 15 a of the coil spring 15 acting between the first step portion 21 a of the cam slope and the convex portion 19. Exceeds the rotational force, and the clutch rotor 13 cannot be rotated only by the rotational force generated by the tightly wound portion 15a of the coil spring 15. Therefore, the closed state in which the transmitting portion 2 and the receiving portion 3 are completely overlapped is obtained. Retained.
[0029]
Although the above has described only an application example to a mobile phone, the present invention is, for example, a hinge device that connects a keyboard portion and a display portion of a laptop computer, a hinge device that connects a lid of a storage device or the like to the main body, etc. It is also applicable to. In the above description, the closed state is set to the normal state. However, the open state may be set to the normal state and automatically closed depending on the setting of the position where the clutch is connected and the direction of the torsional force.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
Thus, according to the present invention, the two members overlapped in half are gradually opened by the action of the cam surface inclination when the push button is slightly pushed, and when the push button is pushed further, the fully open position is obtained by the elastic force of the torsion spring. When it is automatically opened and closed, it can be closed in the same manner as the conventional one, so that the convenience of this type of two-fold device can be remarkably enhanced. In particular, since the damper that acts on the rotational resistance is elongated in the axial direction and provided inside the coil spring, the rotary actuator unitized as a single unit can be made compact. Moreover, since the rotary actuator itself forms the axis of the hinge, the actuator itself can be diverted even if the specifications of the main body change, and this has a great effect on simplifying the manufacturing process and parts management. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a portable telephone to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. Sectional view of the main part of the actuator with the clutch disengaged [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Rotary actuator 12 Housing 13 Clutch rotor 14 Rotation damper 15 Coil spring 15a Closely wound part 15b Sparsely wound part 19 Convex part 20 Concave part 24 Push button 25 Outer tube 26 Inner rod 27 Gap

Claims (3)

A first portion having a generally cylindrical shape;
A second portion that is axially movable and rotatably engaged with the first portion;
A rotational force applying means provided between the first part and the second part, a clutch means, and an axial force applying means for contacting and separating the clutch means;
A bottomed cylindrical body, a shaft inserted into the cylindrical hole of the bottomed cylindrical body, and a rotational resistance applying means consisting of a viscous fluid filled in a gap between the cylindrical hole and the shaft;
A rotary actuator for hinges, wherein a coil spring as the rotational force applying means is wound around at least a part of the rotational resistance applying means. The clutch means is a meshing clutch that engages and disengages by moving the second part in the axial direction with respect to the first part, and the axial force applying means includes the first part and the first part. 2. The rotary actuator for a hinge according to claim 1, further comprising a loosely wound portion provided integrally with the coil spring so as to apply a pressure contact force between the two portions. The rotary actuator for hinges according to claim 1, wherein the first portion forms an axis of a hinge.

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