HINGE DEVICE WITH ANGLE-KEEPING FUNCTION AND FOLDABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING THE SAME

摘要

A compact hinge device, and particularly a hinge device where a sufficient space for FPC etc. is secured for production of cellular phones provided with the hinge device. The hinge device comprises a relatively long shaft, a fixed cam provided so as to allow the rotation of the shaft and having an angle-keeping portion, a movable cam having an angle-keeping portion provided so as to be roratable around the shaft as the shaft rotates and to be slidable along the shaft, and capable of keeping its rotation angle at a predetermined angle relative to the fixed cam in cooperation with the angle-keeping portion of the fixed cam, elastic means constantly biasing the movable cam toward the fixed cam, a first arm portion fixed to the fixed cam, and a second arm portion fixed to the shaft. The diameter of the elastic means can be relatively small in correspondence with the length of the relatively long shaft.