Patent ID: 8395893

Claim:
An electronic device comprising: a first housing element having an inward surface and an outward surface and a side end; a second housing element having an inward surface and an outward surface and a side end; and a hinge assembly coupling the first housing element and the second housing element about the respective side ends of the first and second housing elements and facilitating rotation between a collapsed orientation wherein the inward surfaces of the first and second housings are in an overlying orientation to a deployed orientation wherein the first and second inward surfaces are angularly disposed relative to each other, wherein the hinge assembly further includes: a first hinge member fixed to the first housing element; and a second hinge member slidably coupled to the second housing element, the first and second hinge members being rotatably coupled to each other about an axis of rotation such that the second housing element rotates relative to the first housing element and also translates relative to the first housing element and the second hinge member between a compressed position and a fully extended position; wherein the hinge assembly further includes a biasing member having a first end fixed to the second housing element and a second end fixed to the second hinge element, wherein the biasing member biases the second hinge element relative to the second housing toward the compressed position; and wherein the hinge assembly further includes a cam surface fixed to the first housing element and a follower coupled to the second housing element, whereupon relative movement of the first and second housing members about the axis of rotation directs the follower along the cam surface, and wherein the biasing member further biases the follower against the cam surface.