Patent ID: 8876062

Claim:
A latching hinge comprising: a first member; a second member rotatably coupled to the first member about a hinge such that: in a hinge-closed condition, a first interface surface of the first member is restrained substantially parallel and proximate to a second interface surface of the second member by a latch mechanism, and in a hinge-open condition, the first interface surface is at a substantial angle to the second interface surface; and a shape memory alloy (SMA) pre-load device, the SMA pre-load device configured to transition from a first phase to a second phase when heated to a transformation temperature, wherein, when the SMA pre-load device is transitioned from the first phase to the second phase while the latching hinge is in the hinge-closed condition, expansion of the SMA pre-load device loads the latch mechanism so as to press one or more first contact areas on the first interface surface into substantially gapless contact with one or more corresponding second contact areas on the second interface surface.