Patent attributes
A hinge assembly includes a pivoting body attached to a base with a front surface. The pivoting body has a front end and rear end and at least one friction reducing member biased rearwardly against the front surface of the body. The friction reducing member is retractable relative to the pivoting body substantially parallel to the direction of the bias. The front surface has an inclined portion and an apex. When the pivoting body is in a rest position the at least one friction reducing member is maintained at the apex. The pivoting body is pivotable in a first direction to an activation that causes the friction reducing member to roll along the inclined portion with the friction reducing member retracting in the forward direction against the bias. When force is removed from the pivoting body in the activation position, the bias against the contoured front surface returns the pivoting body to the rest position via indirect forces.
