Patent ID: 7926146

Claim:
A hinge assembly, comprising: a sleeve including an open end and a partially closed end, an engaging portion integrally formed on a portion of the partially closed end inside the sleeve and facing toward the open end; a main shaft passing through the at least partially closed end of the sleeve; a follower having a cam surface, the follower being slidably placed around the main shaft and being received in the sleeve, the cam surface engaging with the engaging portion so that as the sleeve rotates about its longitudinal axis, the follower moves linearly along its longitudinal axis as the cam surface follows the engaging portion; a locking member defining a through hole, the locking member positioned outside of the sleeve and at least partially in contact with a surface of the partially closed end of the sleeve outside the sleeve, an end of the main shaft passing through the through hole in the locking member and extending towards the open end of the sleeve; and an elastic member contained within the sleeve and providing an elastic force to bias the cam surface against the engaging portion.