Patent ID: 7685677

Claim:
A hinge for joining the lid and tray of a plastic container, the hinge comprising: a hinge point located at a point angle formed between a first chamfer and a second chamfer, the angle having a thinned region; the first chamfer connected to a lid well; the lid well having a lid vertical portion, a lid horizontal well portion and a lid vertical well wall, the lid vertical portion being connected to the first chamfer; the lid horizontal well portion being longer than either the lid vertical portion or the lid vertical well wall; the second chamfer connected to a tray well; the tray well having a tray vertical portion, a tray horizontal well portion and a tray vertical well wall, the tray vertical portion being connected to the second chamfer; the tray horizontal well portion being longer than either the tray vertical portion or the tray vertical well wall; a lid flange, the lid flange having a first end and second end; the first end of the lid flange being configured for connection to the lid and the second end of the lid flange being connected to a lid well transition; the lid well transition having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the lid flange and the second end being connected to the lid vertical wall; a tray flange, the tray flange having a first end and a second end; the first end of the tray flange being configured for connection to the tray and the second end of the tray flange being connected to a tray well transition; the tray well transition having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the tray flange and the second end being connected to the tray vertical wall; the lid flange and the tray flange forming a flange angle of between approximately 15 degrees to approximately 25 degrees at their respective points of connection with the lid well transition and the tray well transition; wherein the hinge substantially closes about the hinge point and the hinge point is the only hinging region; and wherein when the hinge is closed the only surfaces of the hinge that are in contact are those of the lid flange and the tray flange.