Importance

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Abstract

A pocket-type computer encompassed by a two-part hinged casing has a hinge structure in which a lower housing containing a computer keyboard has a pair of spaced hinge elements pin-connected to an elongated hinge element of an upper housing containing a computer display panel. An elongated small leaf spring is captured within a slot on an exterior surface of a rear wall of the lower housing so that the bowed medial portion of the spring rides on a curved cam surface at the rear bottom edge of the upper housing during opening and closing of the respective housings forming the casing. Sufficient spring force is provided by the leaf spring so that the upper housing can be rotated with respect to the lower housing to an infinite number of angular positions and when the rotation is stopped allows the housings to stay in the then fixed angular position with the compressive force and friction of the leaf spring being sufficient to overcome the force of gravity tending to close the upper housing onto the lower housing. In a preferred embodiment the frictional force is constant since the cam surface is of a constant radius of curvature.

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First Claim