Patent ID: 7555816

Claim:
A tool box hinge for a tool box mountable on a pickup truck, said tool box hinge comprising: a tube, said tube having: a longitudinal rain channel running axially within said tube; a longitudinal slot sufficient to establish fluid communication between said rain channel and outside of said tube; a mount for one of a tool box or a lid; a weep hole in a side wall of said tube; a semicircular element extending substantially the length of the tube, said semicircular element being dimensioned to closely cooperate with said tube and said semicircular element being assembled with said tube such that said tube may rotate around its axis within said semicircular element; said semicircular element being disposed to cover said slot throughout said rotation; said semicircular element having a longitudinal opening between substantially about 90 degrees and substantially about 115 degrees; said tube and said semicircular element being constructed and arranged such that said mount for a lid of said tube extends through said longitudinal opening in said semicircular element; said semicircular element having a mount for the other of a tool box or a lid; said slot in said tube being sufficient to divert any capillary action of fluid between an inner surface of said semicircular portion and said outer surface of said tube; said tube, semicircular element, slot and weep hole being disposed such that fluid contacting said hinge and entering said assembly of said tube in said semicircular element proceeds no farther between said tube and said semicircular element than said slot, the fluid further entering said rain channel through said slot and exiting said rain channel through said weep hole; said tube and said semicircular element being constructed and arranged such that fluid enters said rain channel through said slot and between said inner surface of said semicircular portion and said outer surface of said tube.