Hinge device and electronic device

A hinge device being provided between a first housing and a second housing and coupling the first housing to the second housing in an openable and closable manner, the hinge device comprising:

• a U-shaped portion having a U-shaped cross section, the U-shaped portion having one end portion integrally formed with the second housing on a rear side of the second housing, wherein
• a hinge portion is provided in another end portion of the U-shaped portion, the hinge portion supporting a back surface of the first housing in a rotatable manner to open and close the first housing with respect to the second housing,
• a recessed portion is located in the one end portion of the U-shaped portion, the recessed portion preventing a lower end of the first housing and one end portion of the U-shaped portion from being brought into contact with each other when the first housing is rotated,
• the first housing includes a display panel,
• the second housing includes a circuit substrate,
• the hinge portion includes a rotary shaft,
• the display panel and the circuit substrate are electrically connected through a flexible circuit,
• the flexible circuit has a width length equal to or smaller than at least half of a width of the display panel, and is wound about the rotary shaft without being fixed to the rotary shaft,
• a flexible circuit toward the display panel and a flexible circuit toward the circuit substrate are wound alternately,
• the display panel is formed of a flexible substrate,
• a TFT layer is provided on the flexible substrate,
• a plurality of optical elements are provided on the TFT layer,
• the display panel includes a display region, and a frame region surrounding an outer periphery of the display region,
• a terminal portion is provided to one end of the frame region,
• the terminal portion is configured to input a signal from the flexible circuit to the display region,
• a bending portion is provided between the terminal portion and the display region,
• a slit is provided in at least one inorganic insulating film of the TFT layer in the bending portion,
• by bending the frame region at the bending portion, the terminal portion is oriented to face a back surface side of the display panel, and
• the flexible circuit and the terminal portion are connected on the back surface of the display panel.