A living hinge or integral hinge is a thin flexiblehinge (flexure bearing). It is made from the same material as the two rigid pieces it connects. It is typically thinned or cut to allow the rigid pieces to bend along the line of the hinge. The minimalfriction and very littlewear in such a hinge makes it useful in the design ofmicroelectromechanical systems, and the low cost and ease of manufacturing makes them common inclamshell containers anddisposable,recyclablepackaging.[1]
A variant on thekerf bend can be used to create living hinges in laser cut wood. The technique is popular for making light-duty hinges with large radii.[7] It is also possible to create a living wood joint by hand, but the result is less accurate.[8]