Patent ID: 6320961
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: E05D,E05Y,H04M

Abstract:
A hinge mechanism for a foldable portable telephone composed of a main housing and a foldable housing which is rotatably supported to the main housing by the hinge mechanism to rotate the foldable housing between an opened position and a closed position, comprising:a first cylindrical member coupled to the main housing, the first cylindrical member having a first cylindrical hollow formed therein, and an inner side wall of the first cylindrical hollow having a plurality of positioning recesses formed in a predetermined pattern corresponding to at least the opened position;a second cylindrical member coupled to the foldable housing, the second cylindrical member having a second cylindrical hollow formed therein and a plurality of holes formed in a side wall thereof, wherein the second cylindrical member is rotatably fit in the first cylindrical hollow of the first cylindrical member;an elastic cylinder fit in the second cylindrical hollow of the second cylindrical member; anda sphere freely fit in each of the holes of the second cylindrical member, wherein spheres fit in the holes are pinched between the elastic cylinder and the inner side wall of the first cylindrical hollow of the first cylindrical member to allow each sphere to be fit into a corresponding one of the positioning recesses.