Patent ID: 7788770

Claim:
A hinge for use in conjunction with an overhead mobile video system, comprising: a pivot rod fixedly coupled to a mounting bracket; a housing pivotally mounted upon the pivot rod; a friction spring interposed between the pivot rod and the housing controlling rotation of the mounting bracket relative to the housing; a biased cam interposed between the pivot rod and the housing controlling rotation thereof relative to the housing; and a safety mechanism interposed between the pivot rod and the mounting bracket, the safety mechanism includes a coil spring interposed between a supporting bracket of the housing, the pivot rod and the mounting bracket, wherein a first end of the coil spring is fixedly coupled to the supporting bracket while a second end of the coil spring is coupled to the mounting bracket such that under normal operating conditions the pivot rod will not pivot relative to the mounting bracket, but when a predetermined force is applied to the supporting bracket, the force is transmitted from the supporting bracket to the first end of the coil spring, and to the second end of the coil spring to temporarily disengage the second end of the coil spring from the mounting bracket.