Integrated locking hinge

A method for operating a locking hinge that comprises a first hinge element including a body defining a first hole, a second hinge element including a body defining a second hole, wherein the second hole of the second hinge element is a slot having a first channel that intersects a second channel, wherein the first channel is aligned with a first axis and the second channel is aligned with a second axis, and a dowel assembled through the first hole in the first hinge element and the second hole in the second hinge element defining a hinge joint axis permitting translation of the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along the first channel along the first axis and along the second channel along the second axis, and rotation of the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element about the hinge joint axis, the method comprising:

• displacing the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along a first direction of the first axis;
• rotating the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element in a first direction about the hinge joint axis;
• displacing the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along a first direction of the second axis until a slot key associated with the body of the second hinge element engages a slot associated with the body of the first hinge element;
• and
• adjusting an adjustment mechanism associated with the slot key to alter an angle between the first hinge element and the second hinge element about the hinge joint axis.

A method for operating a locking hinge of a structure that includes a base and a lid, wherein a first hinge element of the locking hinge is coupled to the base and a second hinge element of the locking hinge is coupled to the lid, and the first hinge element includes a body defining a first hole, the second hinge element includes a body defining a second hole, wherein the second hole of the second hinge element is a slot having a first channel that intersects a second channel, wherein the first channel is aligned with a first axis and the second channel is aligned with a second axis, and the locking hinge includes a dowel assembled through the first hole in the first hinge element and the second hole in the second hinge element defining a hinge joint axis permitting translation of the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along the first channel along the first axis and along the second channel along the second axis, and rotation of the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element about the hinge joint axis, the method comprising:

• displacing the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along a first direction of the first axis to open the structure by displacing the lid from a surface of the base;
• rotating the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element in a first direction about the hinge joint axis;
• displacing the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along a first direction of the second axis until a slot key associated with the body of the second hinge element engages a slot associated with the body of the first hinge element;
• and
• adjusting an adjustment mechanism associated with the slot key to alter angular position between the first hinge element and the second hinge element to a desired open position.

A method for operating a locking hinge of an electronics box structure that includes a module mounting frame and a backplane, wherein a first hinge element of the locking hinge is coupled to the module mounting frame structure and a second hinge element of the locking hinge is coupled to a backplane, and the first hinge element includes a body defining a first hole, the second hinge element includes a body defining a second hole, and the locking hinge includes a dowel assembled through the first hole in the first hinge element and the second hole in the second hinge element defining a hinge joint axis permitting translation of the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along a first axis and a second axis, and rotation of the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element, the method comprising:

• displacing the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element along a first direction of the first axis to disengage the backplane by displacing the backplane from a surface of the module mounting frame;
• rotating the second hinge element relative to the first hinge element in a first direction about the hinge joint axis;
• adjusting an adjustment mechanism associated with a slot key associated with the body of the second hinge element to alter angular position between the first hinge element and the second hinge element to a desired open position when the slot key associated with the body of the second hinge element engages a slot associated with the body of the first hinge element.