Patent ID: 7182042

Claim:
A hinge device, comprising: first and second elongate hinge members; said first hinge member having a stem portion and a tail portion; said second hinge member having a first end pivotally attached to the first hinge member at a pivot point located between the stem portion and tail portion of the first hinge member to enable pivoting movement of the hinge device between an extended position and an articulated position; said first and second hinge members being in aligned coaxial relation and said tail portion engaging said second hinge member portion when the first and second hinge members are in said extended position; and an annular sleeve circumscribing said stem portion of said first hinge member when said first and second members are in the articulated position, the annular sleeve being freely slidably movable from said stem portion past said pivot point to said tail portion to secure said tail portion to said second hinge member when the first and second hinge members are in said extended position.