ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 -- United States Patent no. 12,441,521, issued on Oct. 14, was assigned to SNA EUROPE INDUSTRIES IBERIA, S. A. (Araba/Alava, Spain).
"Automatic locking hinge mechanism" was invented by Hodei Landa Fernandez de la Bastida (Alava, Spain) and Thibaut Deluca-Verley (Kenosha, Wis.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A hinge with automatic locking includes at least one rotation attachment, linked to the upper lid, capable of rotating around the stem, linked to the lower lid. Between each rotation attachment, there is, in the upper lid, at least one locking attachment facing the retaining attachment of the lower lid in the closed position of the lids, capable of rotating with the...