초록 ▼

A locking hinge design relies on a mechanically-actuated magnetic clutch to selectively disengage first and second gears respectively coupled to first and second members and thereby selectively enable relative rotation between the first and second members about an axis of rotation. The mechanically-

A locking hinge design relies on a mechanically-actuated magnetic clutch to selectively disengage first and second gears respectively coupled to first and second members and thereby selectively enable relative rotation between the first and second members about an axis of rotation. The mechanically-actuated magnetic clutch includes first and second magnetic members disposed in an opposing relationship, such that permanent magnets respectively disposed in each magnetic member may be placed into either a mutually attractive or mutually repellant relationship in response to relative movement therebetween. One of the magnetic members is coupled to one of the gears to move the gear along the axis of rotation and thereby selectively disengage or engage the gear from or with the other gear such that the gears are selectively engaged in response to mechanical movement of the magnetic members.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A locking hinge, comprising: first and second members coupled to one another for relative rotation about an axis of rotation;a first gear coupled to the first member for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation;a second gear coupled to the second member for rotation therewith about the axis

1. A locking hinge, comprising: first and second members coupled to one another for relative rotation about an axis of rotation;a first gear coupled to the first member for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation;a second gear coupled to the second member for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation and disposed in an opposing relationship with the first gear, wherein the second gear is further movable along the axis of rotation between first and second gear positions, wherein in the first gear position the first and second gears are intermeshed with one another to restrict relative rotation between the first and second members, and in the second gear position the first and second gears are separated from one another to allow for relative rotation between the first and second members;a restricting mechanism coupled to the second member and to the second gear to restrict relative rotation between the second gear and the second member; anda magnetic clutch including first and second magnetic members disposed in an opposing relationship, each magnetic member including at least one permanent magnet, the first magnetic member being moveable relative to the second magnetic member between first and second clutch positions, the magnetic clutch further including a control arrangement coupled to the first magnetic member and configured to move the first magnetic member between the first and second clutch positions, the second magnetic member coupled to the second gear to move the second gear between the first and second gear positions, wherein in the first clutch position of the first magnetic member, the first and second magnetic members are mutually repellant such that the second magnetic member moves the second gear into the first gear position to restrict relative rotation between the first and second members, and in the second clutch position of the first magnetic member, the first and second magnetic members are mutually attractive such that the second magnetic member moves the second gear into the second gear position to allow for relative rotation between the first and second members. 2. The locking hinge of claim 1, wherein the first and second members respectively comprise first and second housings, the housings including respective offset cylindrical portions configured to mate with one another along respective annular surfaces thereof with the axis of rotation projecting therethrough. 3. The locking hinge of claim 2, wherein the first housing includes an annular surface disposed in the offset cylindrical portion thereof in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of rotation, and wherein the first gear comprises an annual ring of teeth disposed on the annular surface substantially facing the offset cylindrical portion of the second housing. 4. The locking hinge of claim 1, wherein the restricting mechanism includes an axle extending along the axis of rotation and coupled to the second member for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation. 5. The locking hinge of claim 4, wherein the axle includes at least first and second axially-separated portions, the first portion keyed to receive the second gear and the second portion keyed to receive the second member to restrict relative rotation between the axle, the second gear and the second member about the axis of rotation. 6. The locking hinge of claim 5, wherein the axle further includes a head, the head having a tab configured to rotate along an annular track defined on the first member to restrict a range of movement between the first and second members about the axis of rotation. 7. The locking hinge of claim 6, wherein the axle further includes a threaded, third axially-separated portion, the threaded, third axially-separated portion disposed at an opposite end of the axle from the head, and wherein the restricting mechanism further comprises a threaded locking ring configured to threadably engage the axle with the axle projecting along the axis of rotation and through the first and second members and the first and second gears. 8. The locking hinge of claim 1, wherein the first and second magnetic members respectively comprise first and second magnetic wheels configured for rotation about the axis of rotation, wherein the first and second clutch positions of the first magnetic member respectively comprise first and second angular positions about the axis of rotation. 9. The locking hinge of claim 8, wherein the first and second magnetic wheels each include at least one region of a first magnetic polarity and at least one region of a second magnetic polarity, wherein in the first clutch position at least one region of the first magnetic polarity on the first magnetic wheel substantially opposes at least one region of the first magnetic polarity on the second magnetic wheel, and wherein in the second clutch position at least one region of the first magnetic polarity on the first magnetic wheel substantially opposes at least one region of the second magnetic polarity on the second magnetic wheel. 10. The locking hinge of claim 9, wherein the first and second magnetic wheels each include an annular array of permanent magnets, each annular array including a plurality of permanent magnets arranged to present alternating polarities about the axis of rotation. 11. The locking hinge of claim 10, wherein each annular array includes twelve permanent magnets alternately presenting north and south polarities and substantially equally spaced around the respective annular array, and wherein the first and second angular positions are separated by about 30 degrees. 12. The locking hinge of claim 8, wherein the second gear is disposed on a face of the second magnetic wheel and projects in an opposite direction along the axis of rotation from the first magnetic wheel. 13. The locking hinge of claim 8, wherein the control arrangement includes a control member movable linearly between first and second positions and coupled to the first magnetic wheel to rotate the first magnetic wheel between the first and second angular positions, wherein the control member is biased to the first position to bias the first magnetic wheel to the first angular position. 14. The locking hinge of claim 13, wherein the control arrangement further includes a recess in the first magnetic wheel, wherein the control member is configured to couple with an inner wire of a Bowden cable, and wherein the control member includes a control pin proximate a distal end thereof and configured to engage the recess in the first magnetic wheel. 15. The locking hinge of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second gears comprises an annular ring of teeth. 16. The locking hinge of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second gears includes 30 teeth. 17. An apparatus, comprising: a base;an arm supported by the base and comprising a plurality of arm segments;a head including a top surface, the head pivotably mounted to the arm at an opposite end from the base, the head being pivotable to a position inclined relative to horizontal and configured to support a portable electronic device in an ergonomically-suitable viewing position; anda remotely-actuatable locking hinge coupling first and second arm segments among the plurality of arm segments to one another in response to actuation of a handle coupled to the head, the locking hinge comprising: first and second members respectively coupled to the first and second arm segments and coupled to one another for relative rotation about an axis of rotation;a first gear coupled to the first member for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation;a second gear coupled to the second member for rotation therewith about the axis of rotation and disposed in an opposing relationship with the first gear, wherein the second gear is further movable along the axis of rotation between first and second gear positions, wherein in the first gear position the first and second gears are intermeshed with one another to restrict relative rotation between the first and second members, and in the second gear position the first and second gears are separated from one another to allow for relative rotation between the first and second members;a restricting mechanism coupled to the second member and to the second gear to restrict relative rotation between the second gear and the second member; anda mechanically-actuated magnetic clutch mechanically coupled to the handle and including first and second magnetic members disposed in an opposing relationship, each magnetic member including at least one permanent magnet, the first magnetic member being moveable relative to the second magnetic member between first and second clutch positions in response to actuation by the handle, the mechanically-actuated magnetic clutch further including a control arrangement coupled to the first magnetic member and configured to move the first magnetic member between the first and second clutch positions, the second magnetic member coupled to the second gear to move the second gear between the first and second gear positions, wherein in the first clutch position of the first magnetic member, the first and second magnetic members are mutually repellant such that the second magnetic member moves the second gear into the first gear position to restrict relative rotation between the first and second members, and in the second clutch position of the first magnetic member, the first and second magnetic members are mutually attractive such that the second magnetic member moves the second gear into the second gear position to allow for relative rotation between the first and second members. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second magnetic members respectively comprise first and second magnetic wheels configured for rotation about the axis of rotation, wherein the first and second clutch positions of the first magnetic member respectively comprise first and second angular positions about the axis of rotation. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second gear is disposed on a face of the second magnetic wheel and projects in an opposite direction along the axis of rotation from the first magnetic wheel. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control arrangement comprises a control member movable linearly between first and second positions and coupled to the first magnetic wheel to rotate the first magnetic wheel between the first and second angular positions, wherein the control member is biased to the first position to bias the first magnetic wheel to the first angular position, the apparatus further comprising a Bowden cable coupled between the handle and the control member.