Patent ID: 7832055

Claim:
A hinge for use in a mobile terminal including at least two body portions each having an inner major surface and an opposed outer major surface, the hinge pivotally connecting the two body portions for movement between an open position of the mobile terminal where the inner major surfaces of the body portions are spaced from one another and a closed position of the mobile terminal where the inner major surfaces of the body portions are proximate one another, the hinge comprising: a first hinge portion defining an opening and comprising a hollow hub which at least partially defines the opening in the first hinge portion, the first hinge portion having a periphery and a slot extending from the periphery of the first hinge portion to the opening, the first hinge portion is adapted to be secured to one of the at least two body portions, wherein the hub has a length and a longitudinal slot extending the length of the hub and substantially aligned with the slot extending from the periphery of the first hinge portion for allowing access to the opening in the first hinge portion; a second hinge portion defining an opening and having a periphery and a slot extending from the periphery of the second hinge portion to the opening, the second hinge portion adapted to be secured to the other of the at least two body portions; a retainer non-rotatably mounted to the hub and defining a slot aligned with the hub, the second hinge portion being disposed between the retainer and the first hinge portion; and a wave spring disposed between the retainer and the second hinge portion for biasing the second hinge portion along the hub toward the first hinge portion, the wave spring defining a gap aligned with the slot of the hub; and wherein the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are rotatably connected such that the openings of the first and second hinge portions are aligned, the first and second hinge portions relatively rotatable between a first position where the slot in the first hinge portion and the slot in the second hinge portion are aligned for allowing access to the openings of the first and second hinge portions from an exterior of the hinge, a second position where the slot in the first hinge portion and the slot in the second hinge portion are not aligned and the openings of the first and second hinge portions cannot be accessed from the exterior of the hinge, and a third position where the slot in the first hinge portion and the slot in the second hinge portion are not aligned and the openings of the first and second hinge portions cannot be accessed from the exterior of the hinge, wherein the second position and the third position correspond to an open position and a closed position, respectively, of the mobile terminal.