[NTLK] eMate Hinge problem (no, not that one)

[Mark Crutch]

> I'm in the UK and I have a new one you can use with a washer to go with it, if necessary.
>
> Email me off-list and we'll make arrangements.
>
> Joel.

Thanks Joel, email heading your way.


> Wow, I hope that it broke because of an accident and not just normal wear
> and tear!

I'm not sure how much wear and tear it got before it reached me, but
the break occurred after I bought it secondhand. No accident I'm
afraid, just opening the lid one day and it didn't feel right. After
taking apart, this is what I found (excuse the dust, it's been lying
around awaiting some sort of a repair for far too long):

http://peppertop.com/emate_hinge.jpg

I can only assume that there was a manufacturing defect in this
particular one which introduced a weakness into the (sintered?) metal.
The photo is after I'd removed the screw holding the broken end in
place, so the problem wasn't due to a missing screw or anything
obvious like that.


> The springs aren't springs in any springy sort of way.  They are the
> spring looking wires attached to the rod of the hinge assembly but
> they actually function more like brakes.

Yeah, I know about the spring clutch problem - but that's at the other
end of the hinge, and I haven't got it apart far enough to see what's
happening there. That will get addressed at the same time as sorting
out the obvious damage. The screen still works fine, so there
certainly hasn't been a catastrophic puncturing of the ribbon cable
yet.

Mark

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