Motor driven hinge assembly

Claim 1

A motor driven hinge assembly for effecting pivotal motion of a second hollow tubular member relative to a first hollow tubular member comprising: (a) said first member having an interior and said second member having an interior, said first and second members having first and second brackets, respectively, connected thereto near the top ends of said first and second members and said first and second members being hingedly connected with a hinge pin extending through said first and said second brackets, said hinge pin being positioned whereby when said first and said second members are in a folded position, sides of said first and second members being disposed closely adjacent each other with said first and second members being disposed in parallel relationship, and when in an unfolded position said ends thereof abut end-to-end, said first and said second members including recesses near said ends thereof below the hinge pin to accommodate portions of the first and second brackets; (b) linking means always extending above the hinge pin and having a first end slidingly connected with said first bracket and a second end pivotally connected with said second bracket; (c) a motor disposed within said interior of said first member; and (d) coupling means between said motor and said first end of said linking means for effecting motion of said linking means into or out of said interior of said first member through the top end of the first member through the top end of the first member thereby effecting pivotal motion of said second member relative to said first member between said folded and said unfolded positions, said linking means, said coupling means and said first and said second brackets except for the portions thereof adjacent said hinge pin being configured and positioned for being contained entirely within said interior of said first and of said second members when in an unfolded position.