We posted a report back in December 2012 titled "Top Industry Players are mapping out the Future of Dual Display Devices. The race to deliver smartphones with dual displays appears to be a narrow race between Samsung, LG and Microsoft who each have patent pending inventions on record supporting such a future device. The devices will provide greater viewing space for general computing while supporting mobile TV and ebook applications. Last week a new Microsoft invention was published by the US Patent Office showing that they're still working on the crucial hinge that will allow the dual displays to open and close just right.
Microsoft Invents Next-Gen Smartphone with Double Hinge Torsion Bar
Microsoft's invention introduces simplified concepts of a double hinge torsion bar. Microsoft envisions a portable device such as a smartphone to include a first housing integrated with a display device, and a second housing movably coupled to the first housing. Double hinges attach to the first and second housings of the smartphone (or portable device), and the double hinges are operable to open and close the first and second housings relative to each other.
A torsion bar movably couples the double hinges to open and close at approximately a same timing rate, which can prevent the double hinges from binding when the first and second housings are opened and closed relative to each other.
In other embodiments, the double hinges each include a set of double hinge cams, and the double hinge cams can be implemented as axial cams or radial cams. The double hinges are operable with a first actuation and a second actuation to sequence opening the first and second housings of the portable device, and are further operable to reverse-sequence closing the first and second housings.
The double hinges also each include a hinge link that couples a set of double hinge cams, and the torsion bar movably couples the hinge links of the double hinges. In an implementation, the torsion bar connects the hinge links of the double hinges as a pivot point through the hinge links for one of the double hinge cams in a double hinge. The torsion bar can be implemented to couple the double hinges external relative to the first and second housings of the portable device, or internal relative to the first and second housings of the portable device.
Microsoft's patent FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate examples of a double hinge assembly that includes a torsion bar coupled to double hinges with radial cams.
Microsoft's patent FIG. 5 illustrates examples of a portable device #500 that can be implemented to include double hinges and a torsion bar. In embodiments, the portable device may be any form of consumer device, computer, phone, mobile television, appliance, gaming device, and/or other electronic device.
Microsoft originally filed their patent application back in Q1 2011. It was published last week by USPTO. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
A Note for Tech Sites covering our Report: We ask tech sites covering our report to kindly limit the use of our graphics to one image. Thanking you in advance for your cooperation.
Patently Mobile presents a detailed summary of patent applications with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent application should be read in its entirety for full and accurate details. About Posting Comments: Patently Mobile reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments.
Comments