Hinge assembly

A hinge assembly comprising a hinge shaft for turnably connecting two articles about a rotation axis between a closed position and an open position, a first hinge member disposed at one of said two articles such that said first hinge member is non-turnable and non-movable in the direction of said rotation axis with respect to said one article and is turnable but non-movable in the direction of said rotation axis with respect to said hinge shaft, a second hinge member placed opposite said first hinge member in the direction of said rotation axis and disposed at the other article such that said second hinge member is non-turnable but movable in the direction of said rotation axis with respect to said the other article and is non-turnable but movable in the direction of said rotation axis with respect to said hinge shaft, turn biasing means disposed between said two articles and for turn biasing said two articles from the closed position side towards the open position side, a locking mechanism for non-turnably locking said first and second hinge members so that said two articles are located in the closed position, and a lock releasing mechanism for releasing the locked states of said first and second hinge members caused by said locking mechanism and allowing turning of said first and second hinge members,

• wherein said locking mechanism includes a plurality of engagement members disposed between said first hinge member and said second hinge member in such a manner as to be away from each other in the circumferential direction about said rotation axis, and direct acting biasing means for biasing said second hinge member towards said first hinge member side along said rotation axis and pressing said second hinge member against said first hinge member through said engagement members, said first hinge member is provided with guide portions for connecting said engagement members to said first hinge member such that said engagement members are non-turnable but movable in the radial direction, and said second hinge member is provided with locking portions having high parts towards said first hinge member side and low parts away from said first hinge member side, said engagement members being locked by high parts of said locking portions, thereby preventing said first and second binge members from turning from said closed position towards said open position side, and
• wherein said lock releasing mechanism includes a control member which is externally controllable between a first position and a second position, and movement means for moving said engagement members from a high part side towards a low part side of said locking portions in accordance with movement of said control member from said first position towards said second position side, said engagement members being able to override said locking portions on the low side of said locking portions by biasing force of said turn biasing means.