Breakaway hinge receptacle
First Claim
1. A breakaway hinge receptacle comprising:
- a base including first and second hinge arm mounting structures, said second hinge arm mounting structure movable between an operative position and a breakaway position;
a breakaway lever including inner and outer ends, said breakaway lever pivotally connected to said base between said inner and outer ends of said breakaway lever, said inner end of said breakaway lever operatively engaged with said second hinge arm mounting structure;
a spring operatively engaged with said outer end of said breakaway lever and biasing said breakaway lever to a first position in which said inner end of said breakaway lever biases said second mounting structure to its operative position;
wherein said second hinge arm mounting structure is selectively movable from its operative position to its breakaway position against said biasing force exerted by said inner end of said breakaway lever and said spring.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A breakaway hinge receptacle includes a base including first and second hinge arm mounting structures. The second hinge arm mounting structure is movable between an operative position and a breakaway position. A breakaway lever is connected to the base and includes inner and outer ends, wherein the inner end is operatively engaged with the second hinge arm mounting structure. A spring is operatively engaged between the breakaway lever and the base. The spring biases the breakaway lever to a first position in which the inner end of the breakaway lever biases the second mounting structure to its operative position. The second hinge arm mounting structure is selectively movable from its operative position to its breakaway position against the biasing force exerted by the inner end of said breakaway lever and the spring. Alternatively, the second hinge arm mounting structure is defined by or is connected to or is otherwise included on the inner end of the breakaway lever.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A breakaway hinge receptacle comprising:
-
a base including first and second hinge arm mounting structures, said second hinge arm mounting structure movable between an operative position and a breakaway position; a breakaway lever including inner and outer ends, said breakaway lever pivotally connected to said base between said inner and outer ends of said breakaway lever, said inner end of said breakaway lever operatively engaged with said second hinge arm mounting structure; a spring operatively engaged with said outer end of said breakaway lever and biasing said breakaway lever to a first position in which said inner end of said breakaway lever biases said second mounting structure to its operative position; wherein said second hinge arm mounting structure is selectively movable from its operative position to its breakaway position against said biasing force exerted by said inner end of said breakaway lever and said spring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A breakaway hinge receptacle compromising:
-
a base comprising first and second side walls and a front wall that extends between said first and second side walls, said first and second side walls comprising respective first and second elongated slots each comprising a lower end located farther from said front wall and vertically below an upper end; first and second hinge arm mounting structures connected to said base, said second hinge arm mounting structure movable between an operative position and a breakaway position., wherein said second mounting structure extends between and is connected to said first and second side walls, with opposite first and second ends of the second mounting structure engaged respectively with the first and second elongated slots; a breakaway lever connected to the base and including inner and outer ends, wherein said inner end is operatively engaged with said second hinge arm mounting structure; a spring operatively engaged between said breakaway lever and said base, said spring biasing said breakaway lever to a first position in which said inner end of said breakaway lever biases said second mounting structure to its operative position; wherein said second hinge arm mounting structure is selectively movable from its operative position to its breakaway position against said biasing force exerted by said inner end of said breakaway lever and said spring. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A breakaway hinge receptacle comprising:
-
a base including a first hinge arm mounting structure; a breakaway lever including inner and outer ends and pivotally connected to the base between its inner and outer ends, wherein said inner end includes a second hinge arm mounting structure that moves relative to said base between an operative position and a breakaway position when said breakaway lever moves relative to said base between first and second positions, said first position of said breakaway lever corresponding to said operative position of said second hinge arm mounting structure and said second position of said breakaway lever corresponding to said breakaway position of said second hinge arm mounting structure; a spring operatively engaged with said outer end of said breakaway lever and biasing said breakaway lever to its first position in which said second hinge arm mounting structure is located in its operative position; said second hinge arm mounting structure selectively movable against said biasing force of said spring from its operative position to its breakaway position by movement of said breakaway lever relative to said base from its first position to its second position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20)
-
-
16. A breakaway hinge receptacle comprising:
-
a base including a first hinge arm mounting structure; a breakaway lever movably connected to the base and including inner and outer ends, wherein said inner end includes a second hinge arm mounting structure that moves relative to said base between an operative position and a breakaway position when said breakaway lever moves relative to said base between first and second positions, said first position of said breakaway lever corresponding to said operative position of said second hinge arm mounting structure and said second position of said breakaway lever corresponding to said breakaway position of said second hinge arm mounting structure; a spring operatively engaged between said breakaway lever and said base, said spring biasing said breakaway lever to its first position in which said second hinge arm mounting structure is located in its operative position; said second hinge arm mounting structure selectively movable against said biasing force of said spring from its operative position to its breakaway position by movement of said breakaway lever relative to said base from its first position to its second position; wherein said base comprises a projecting tail, and wherein said spring comprises a compression spring coaxially located about a spring rod, said spring rod including;
(i) a first end slidably engaged with said projecting tail; and
, (ii) a second end pivotally connected to said outer end of said breakaway lever.
-
-
17. A breakaway hinge receptacle comprising:
-
a base including a first hinge arm mounting structure; a breakaway lever movably connected to the base and including inner and outer ends, wherein said inner end includes a second hinge arm mounting structure that moves relative to said base between an operative position and a breakaway position when said breakaway lever moves relative to said base between first and second positions, said first position of said breakaway lever corresponding to said operative position of said second hinge arm mounting structure and said second position of said breakaway lever corresponding to said breakaway position of said second hinge arm mounting structure; a spring operatively engaged between said breakaway lever and said base, said spring biasing said breakaway lever to its first position in which said second hinge arm mounting structure is located in its operative position; said second hinge arm mounting structure selectively movable against said biasing force of said spring from its operative position to its breakaway position by movement of said breakaway lever relative to said base from its first position to its second position; said breakaway hinge receptacle further comprising a lock for holding said breakaway lever in its second position against said biasing force of said spring. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
Specification