A hinge device is adapted to be installed between two machine bodies that are mounted with a flexible display. The hinge device includes a base member, two rotating modules mounted respectively to opposite sides of the base member and adapted for the machine bodies to be mounted respectively thereto, and a central support plate disposed above the base member and connected between the rotating modules. The central support plate is drivable by the rotating modules to move relative to the base member from a supporting position, where the flexible display is flat and is supported thereby from below, to a receding position, where a display receiving space is provided for receiving a bent portion of the flexible display.

A hinge module capable of fixing a first housing and a second at various opening angles and a foldable electronic device including the same are provided. The foldable electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing provided in a shape corresponding to a shape of the first housing, and a hinge module rotatably connecting the first housing to the second housing, the hinge module configured to fix the first housing and the second housing at a certain opening angle, wherein the hinge module includes a fixed gear fixed without rotation and configured to allow a rotation of a counterpart gear in a first direction, and limit a rotation of the counterpart gear in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a guiding gear configured to allow a rotation of a counterpart gear in the second direction and limit a rotation of the counterpart gear in the first direction, a first rotary gear configured to be engaged with the fixed gear, a second rotary gear configured to be engaged with the guiding gear, and an elastic member arranged between the first rotary gear and the second rotary gear, and providing an elastic force for the first rotary gear and the second rotary gear to move toward the fixed gear and the guiding gear, respectively.

A pivot hinge includes a spring housing with a central tube, a spring assembly, an upper mounting plate, and a lower mounting plate. The bottom end includes a knurled outer surface. A stop cam is positioned about the knurled outer surface and has an inner surface that conform to the knurled outer surface so that it may be positioned in a plurality of rotatable positions relative to the central tube. The stop cam also has an exterior surface which includes a detent. The different rotational positions of the stop cam upon the knurled outer surface changes the relative position of the detent in relationship to the central tube. A cam follower assembly is coupled to the lower mounting plate and has a cam follower plate with a cam follower that rides upon the stop cam and engages the detent recess to hold the door in an open position.

According to one aspect, a releasable roller clutch includes a shaft and a clutch housing positioned around the shaft. The shaft and clutch housing together defining a space there between with rollers positioned in said space. The rollers permit rotation of the shaft relative to the clutch housing when in an unlocked position in which the rollers are not wedged and prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the clutch housing when in a locked position in which the rollers are wedged. A cage extends into the space defined between the shaft and clutch housing. The cage is moveable relative to the clutch housing between an unlocking position and a locking position. The cage has a contact edge positionable to prevent the rollers from moving from the unlocked position to the locked position when the cage is in an unlocking position. The releasable roller clutch permits rotation of the shaft relative to the clutch housing in both directions when the cage is in the unlocking position.

A hinge structure is provided. The hinge structure includes a fixed structure including a first guide rail and a second guide rail, a center of an arc of the first guide rail is a first axis of rotation parallel to an axial direction and a center of an arc of the second guide rail is a second axis of rotation parallel to the axial direction, a first rotary structure including a first guide portion accommodated in the first guide rail and a first helical groove extending around and along the first axis of rotation, a second rotary structure including a second guide portion accommodated in the second guide rail and a second helical groove extending around and along the second axis of rotation, and a sliding structure including a first guide protrusion accommodated in the first helical groove and a second guide protrusion accommodated in the second helical groove.

A hinge comprises a first body and a second body irremovably rotatably coupled along a rotational axis of the hinge. The first body and the second body comprise opposing radial bearing surfaces engaged only within a working rotational range of the hinge for fixing the relative position of the first body and the second body in a radial direction with respect to the rotational axis of the hinge. The first body and the second body further define opposing axial bearing surfaces engaged only within the working rotational range of the hinge for fixing the relative position of the first body and the second body in an axial direction with respect to the rotational axis of the hinge. The opposing radial bearing surfaces and the opposing axial bearing surfaces are not engaged outside of the working rotational range.

A hinge device for supporting an electronic device includes a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion with a biasing element supported by one or the first portion or the second portion. The first portion has an arcuate groove, and the second portion has an arcuate rail configured to complementarily mate with the arcuate groove and slide therein. The biasing element contacts a leading edge of the other of the first portion or second portion, and the first portion and second portion are bistable in a closed state relative to one another and an open state relative to one another based at least partially on a surface profile of the biasing element applying a radial force to the leading edge.

A hinge device is adapted to be installed between two machine bodies that are mounted with a flexible display. The hinge device includes a base member, two rotating modules mounted respectively to opposite sides of the base member and adapted for the machine bodies to be mounted respectively thereto, and a central support plate disposed above the base member and connected between the rotating modules. The central support plate is drivable by the rotating modules to move relative to the base member from a supporting position, where the flexible display is flat and is supported thereby from below, to a receding position, where a display receiving space is provided for receiving a bent portion of the flexible display.

A hinge assembly to couple a door with a cabinet, for movement between open and closed positions about a vertical axis, includes a first hinge plate coupled with the cabinet and a second hinge plate coupled with the door. The second hinge plate is moveable relative to the first hinge plate about a pivot pin that extends between the first and second hinge plates. One of the first and second hinge plates includes a step with a first surface vertically offset from a body of one of the first and second hinge plates and the other of the first and second hinge plates includes a second surface that engages the first surface when the door is in the closed position. When the door is moved into the open position, the second hinge plate travels downward relative to the first hinge plate such that the first surface becomes disengaged from the second surface.

A hinge assembly to couple a door with a cabinet, for movement between open and closed positions about a vertical axis, includes a first hinge plate coupled with the cabinet and a second hinge plate coupled with the door. The second hinge plate is moveable relative to the first hinge plate about a pivot pin that extends between the first and second hinge plates. One of the first and second hinge plates includes a step with a first surface vertically offset from a body of one of the first and second hinge plates and the other of the first and second hinge plates includes a second surface that engages the first surface when the door is in the closed position. When the door is moved into the open position, the second hinge plate travels downward relative to the first hinge plate such that the first surface becomes disengaged from the second surface.