Patent ID: 7100244

Claim:
A hinge assembly comprising: a tubular hinge housing forming a hollow channel therein, a step being formed on an interior wall of the tubular hinge housing; a follower member having a connector, a shaft, and a cylindrical portion connecting the connector and the shaft, the cylindrical portion having a flat surface and at least one tab formed on the flat surface; a insert member having two claws and being inserted into the hollow channel of the tubular hinge housing for retaining the follower member therein; a cam having a flat ring surface, a cam surface, and a curved surface between the flat ring surface and the cam surface, at least one peak and one valley formed on the cam surface; and a spring; wherein the spring, the cam, and the follower member are received in the tubular hinge housing with the connector exposed outside, the cam is slidably engaged with the tubular hinge housing, and is rotatably and longitudinally slidably coupled to the shaft of the follower member with the cam surface being coupled to the flat surface of the cylindrical portion of the follower member so that the at least one tab of the follower member is received in the at least one valley of the cam, the spring is coiled around the shaft and compressively engaged against both the flat ring surface of the cam and a surface of the step of the tubular hinge housing.