A hinge having a first hinge part and a second hinge part. The second hinge part has a hinge pin to which the first hinge part is connected for movement relative to the second hinge part about a hinge axis between a closed position. An over-close mechanism is provided comprising a catch member on the second hinge part arranged to co-operate with the first hinge part to urge the first hinge part towards the closed position during closing movement of the first hinge part and to retain the first hinge part arrange to co-operate with the hinge pin to urge the first hinge part towards the closed position during closing movement. A soft-close mechanism is provided comprising a damper member on the first hinge part arranged to co-operate with the hinge pin to provide a braking force in the direction of closing.

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing including first and second housings, a display including a first display region connected to the first housing and a second display region connected to the second housing, and a hinge module connected to the first housing and the second housing. The hinge module may include a rotation bracket including a first accommodation space providing a first rotation axis and a second accommodation space providing a second rotation axis, a rotation member including a first rotation member connected to the first display region and a second rotation member connected to the second display region, and a rail member including a first rail member connected to the first rotation member and configured to rotate in the first accommodation space, and a second rail member connected to the second rotation member and configured to rotate in the second accommodation space.

The present invention provides a damping mechanism comprising a first member comprising a base section, a resilient damping section and an enclosed chamber defined by the base section and an inner surface of the resilient damping section. The resilient damping section is centered about a rotation axis and the enclosed chamber is provided radially inward of the resilient damping section and configured to accommodate a deformation of the resilient damping section. A second member is attached pivotably to the base section of the first member to rotate around the rotation axis relative to the base section. A damping protrusion extends from the second member toward the resilient damping section. The resilient damping section comprises an outer surface facing away from the enclosed chamber which is configured to be engaged with the damping protrusion to produce the deformation of the resilient damping section and provide a damping to the rotation of the second member relative to the base section. According to the present invention, the damping mechanism is simple in structure and easy to manufacture and assemble.

A plate folding and unfolding device and a solar panel structure are provided. The plate folding and unfolding device includes a cam fixed with first plate piece, and a rotating shaft is disposed inside the cam in an axial direction of the cam; a connecting rod, where the connecting rod includes a first end and a second end that are opposite to each other, the first end is connected vertically to the rotating shaft, and the second end is fixed to a second plate piece; a positioning shaft, where the positioning shaft is disposed, on the connecting rod; and an elastic piece, where the elastic piece is disposed on the connecting rod, one end of the elastic piece is connected to the positioning shaft, where a groove that accommodates the positioning shaft is disposed at at least one location of the outer peripheral surface of the cam.

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.

There is disclosed in one example, an encasement for a mobile computer, including: an external casing in a clamshell form factor, the external casing including a base, a secondary display chassis hingedly connected to the base at a secondary hinge, and a primary display chassis hingedly connected to the secondary display chassis at a primary hinge disposed at a removed edge of the secondary display chassis from the secondary hinge, the primary display chassis to substantially overlay the secondary display chassis and the base when the primary hinge is in a closed position; and pivot means disposed to substantially bias the secondary hinge against movement from a selected position in at least one direction in the absence of an electrical input.

A locking mechanism for an opening/closing cover supported by an apparatus case in an openable and closable manner includes a rotational gear, a rack gear, a locking member and a spring member. The rotational gear rotates with an opening and closing operation of the opening/closing cover. The rack gear slides with a rotating of the rotational gear. The locking member has a hooking part facing the rack gear. The spring member pushes the hooking part toward the rack gear. The hooking part restricts a sliding of the rack gear in an opened state of the opening/closing cover.

Examples of hinge assemblies are described. In an example implementation, a hinge assembly includes hinge elements which are interconnected to move the hinge assembly between a folded position and an unfolded position. The hinge assembly further includes elastic members disposed between the hinge elements at a first side and a second side thereof. When the hinge assembly is moved from the unfolded position towards the folded position, elastic members at the first side are decompressed and elastic members at the second side are stretched. When the hinge assembly is moved from the folded position towards the unfolded position, elastic members at the first side are compressed and the elastic members at the second side are destretched.

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 pivoting assembly for an electronic device, being a clickable-open and clickable-shut cover or shield with click-step positioning includes a pivoting shaft extending along an imaginary axis, an inner movable member, an intermediate movable member, and an outer stationary member concentrically surrounding the imaginary axis. First positioning structures and first engaging structures are connected to one of the inner movable member and the intermediate movable member and a number of second positioning structures and second engaging structures are also so connected. When the pivoting shaft is rotated in an opening direction, the first positioning structures compress and slide across the first engaging structures. When the pivoting shaft is rotated in a closing direction, the second positioning structures compress and slide across the second engaging structures.