Patent ID: 7073213

Claim:
A hinge assembly for coupling a foldable spa cover to a spa, said spa cover having an upper section and a lower section that are coupled to each other at a hinge joint and being movable between a fully closed position and a fully open position, said hinge assembly comprising: a mounting bracket adapted to be installed near a top of the spa; a support arm which is pivotably coupled to the mounting bracket about an axis of rotation, and adapted to be attached on an outside surface of the lower section of the spa cover; and a gas spring disposed between the mounting bracket and the support arm, wherein the gas spring is adapted to be extended and inclined upward in a direction toward a rear end of the spa from an end coupled to the mounting bracket to another end coupled to the support arm as the spa cover is moved toward the fully open position and to form an angle of less than approximately 45 degrees with respect to the top of the spa when the spa cover is in the fully open position in which the spa cover forms an approximately 90 degree angle with respect to the top of the spa and a rear end of the spa cover is at or near the top of the spa, and be compressed as the spa cover is moved toward the fully closed position such that the gas spring is adapted to resist movement of the spa cover from the fully open position toward the fully closed position.