Article including an integrally molded ball and socket type hinge
OwnerMichael Lutzinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article having two sections which are articulated to one another by at least one hinge that includes a substantially spherical male hinge member disposed within a recess provided by a surface of a female hinge member. The hinge includes retaining means for confining the male hinge member within the recess while permitting rotational motion of the male hinge member within the recess. The male member is a continuous molded extension of one section of the article and the female hinge member is a continuous molded extension of the other section of the article.
Claims18
An article including two sections articulated to one another by at least one hinge that includes a substantially spherical male hinge member disposed within a recess of a female hinge member and retaining means for confining the male hinge member within the recess of the female hinge member, the improvement wherein said retaining means of said at least one hinge member forms molded junctions with adjacent surfaces of the male hinge member and the recess of the female hinge member, said retaining means being fracturable at or adjacent the molded junction of the male hinge members to confine the male hinge member for rotational motion within said recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.