Hinge assembly

Abstract

A hinge assembly for a container, for example, for an outdoor storage container, is disclosed. The hinge assembly may mount a lid to an end panel of the container and include at least one hinge block having a first section mountable to the end panel and a second section having a through hole, and a circular rod adapted to engage the through hole and engage a through hole in the lid. The hinge assembly is adapted to allow rotation of the lid about the axis of the circular rod. The hinge assembly may be adapted to allow at least 180 degrees of rotation of the lid without obstruction. The hinge assembly may include means for supporting the lid in an open position, for example, a rod or chain. The hinge blocks may be made from wood, for example, laminated teak or cedar having varying grain directions.

1 . A hinge assembly for use with a container having a lid and an end panel, the lid having a through hole, the hinge assembly comprising: 
 at least one hinge block having a first section mountable to the end panel and a second section having a through hole; and    a circular rod adapted to engage the through hole in the at least one hinge block and engage the through hole in the lid, the circular rod having an axis;    wherein the hinge assembly is adapted to allow rotation of the lid about the axis of the circular rod.    
     
     
         2 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly is adapted to allow at least about 180 degrees of rotation of the lid about the circular rod.  
     
     
         3 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the hinge assembly is adapted to allow at least about 270 degrees of rotation of the lid about the circular rod.  
     
     
         4 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly further comprises means for supporting the lid in an open position.  
     
     
         5 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the means for supporting the lid comprises means for supporting the lid in a substantially horizontal open position.  
     
     
         6 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the means for supporting the lid in a substantially horizontal open position comprises at least one compression member.  
     
     
         7 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one compression member comprises at least one of a rod, a stick, and a pole.  
     
     
         8 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge block comprises at least two hinge blocks.  
     
     
         9 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the storage container lid comprises at least one notch, and wherein the at least one hinge block is adapted to engage the at least one notch.  
     
     
         10 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first section of the hinge block is mountable to an outside surface of the end panel.  
     
     
         11 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first section of the hinge block is mountable to an outside surface of the end panel by means of mechanical fasteners.  
     
     
         12 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first section of the hinge block comprises a parallelepiped.  
     
     
         13 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the parallelepiped includes at least one radiused corner.  
     
     
         14 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second section of the at least one hinge block comprises a semicircular projection on the first section of the at least one hinge block.  
     
     
         15 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a radiused transition between the first section and the second section of the at least one hinge block.  
     
     
         16 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge block comprises a wooden hinge block.  
     
     
         17 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one wooden hinge block comprises a laminated wooden hinge block.  
     
     
         18 . The hinge assembly as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the at least one laminated wooden hinge block comprises laminations having varying grain directions.  
     
     
         19 . A hinge block comprising: 
 a first parallelepiped section mountable to an end panel of a container; and    a second semicircular section projecting from the first section and having a through hole adapted to receive a circular rod;    wherein the geometric transition from the first section to the second section are smoothly radiused.    
     
     
         20 . The hinge block as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the hinge block comprises a laminated wooden hinge block comprising a plurality of laminations having varying grain directions.