Hinge mechanism for foldable electronic device

Abstract

A hinge mechanism ( 500 ) includes a shaft ( 1 ), a cam ( 2 ), a housing ( 3 ), a cam follower ( 4 ), and an elastic member ( 5 ). The shaft has a pair of shaft ends. The cam has a cam tip. The housing has an open end and a hole defined at an opposite end. The cam follower has a cam surface configured to engage with the cam tip. The cam, the cam follower and the elastic member surround the shaft in turn. The cam follower and the elastic member are received in the housing, while the cam is partly received in the housing. The cam is rotatable relative to the shaft and non-rotatable relative to the housing, and the cam follower is slidable and non-rotatable relative to the shaft. The hinge mechanism is easily assembled, and modularized for convenient installation into a main housing and a cover of a foldable electronic device.

1 . A hinge mechanism for a foldable electronic device, comprising: 
 a shaft having a pair of shaft ends;    a cam having a cam tip;    a housing having opposite housing ends, one housing end being an open housing end, the housing further having a housing hole defined at the opposite housing end;    a cam follower having a cam surface arranged to contact the cam tip; and    an elastic member;    wherein the cam, the cam follower, and the elastic member surround the shaft in turn, the cam follower and the elastic member being received in the housing, the cam being partly received in the housing, the cam being rotatable relative to the shaft and non-rotatable relative to the housing, and the cam follower being slidable and non-rotatable relative to the shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a flange is formed at one shaft end of the shaft to stop the cam from falling off, and an arresting member is formed at another shaft end of the shaft to stop the elastic member falling off.  
     
     
         3 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a flattened shaft portion.  
     
     
         4 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cam tip of the cam is received in the housing hole of the housing.  
     
     
         5 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housing is substantially a flattened cylinder, and the housing hole of the housing is polygonal.  
     
     
         6 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the cam and the cam follower are substantially cylindrical, and the flattened shaft portion runs through the cam and the cam follower.  
     
     
         7 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the cam defines a through hole along an axis thereof, and the shape of the through hole is same as a cross-section of the flattened shaft portion of the shaft.  
     
     
         8 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is a spring, which is column-shaped.  
     
     
         9 . A foldable electronic device, comprising: 
 a main housing;    a cover; and    a hinge mechanism comprising a shaft having a pair of shaft ends, a cam having a cam tip, a housing having opposite housing ends, one housing end being an open housing end, the housing further having a housing hole defined at the opposite housing end, a cam follower having a cam surface arranged to contact the cam tip, and an elastic member;    wherein the hinge mechanism hinges the main housing and the cover, the cam, the cam follower, and the elastic member surround the shaft in turn, the cam follower and the elastic member being received in the housing, the cam being partly received in the housing, the cam being rotatable relative to the shaft and is non-rotatable relative to the housing, and the cam follower being slidable and non-rotatable relative to the shaft.    
     
     
         10 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein a flange is formed at one shaft end of the shaft, to stop the cam from falling off.  
     
     
         11 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein an arresting member, which is formed at another shaft end of the shaft, to stop the elastic member falling off, is engaged with one of the main housing and the cover.  
     
     
         12 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the shaft comprises a flattened shaft portion.  
     
     
         13 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the cam tip of the cam is received in the housing hole of the housing.  
     
     
         14 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the housing, which is substantially a flattened cylinder, is engaged with another of the main housing and the cover.  
     
     
         15 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the housing hole of the housing is polygonal.  
     
     
         16 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the cam and the cam follower are substantially cylindrical, and the flattened shaft portion runs through the cam, the cam follower.  
     
     
         17 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the cam defines a through hole along an axis thereof, and the shape of the through hole is same as a cross-section of the flattened shaft portion of the shaft.  
     
     
         18 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the cam surface comprises a peak and a valley.  
     
     
         19 . The hinge mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the elastic member is a spring, which is column-shaped.  
     
     
         20 . An electronic device comprising: 
 a first part of said electronic device defining a side to be exposable;    a second part of said electronic device separably attachable to said first part and movable relative to said first part between a first position thereof where said second part abuts against and covers said side of said first part, and a second position thereof where said second part moves away from said side to expose said side; and    a hinge mechanism disposed between said first and second parts and used to contribute to movement of said second part relative to said first part between said first and second positions of said second part, said hinge mechanism comprising a housing attachably movable along with one of said first and second parts and a shaft attachably movable along with another of said first and second parts, a cam of said hinge mechanism separably and partially extendable into said housing so as to form a cam surface in said housing in cooperation with an inner face of said housing, and said cam surface engagable with a cam follower from said shaft so as to controllably guide said movement of said second part between said first and second positions of said second part.