Click hinge

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a click hinge which suppresses as much as possible the occurrence of rattling between a shaft and a member through which the shaft is inserted, and which has an excellent feeling of use. As a solution, a click hinge (100) is provided with: a shaft (10); a grooved plate (20) having a groove (24); a cam plate (30) having a second insertion hole (32); a stopper (40) having a third insertion hole (42); a belleville spring (50); and a fixing plate (60) that urges the stopper (40) and the cam plate (30) toward the grooved plate (20) via the belleville spring (50), the fixing plate (60) being fixed to the insertion tip of the shaft (10), and sandwiching the belleville spring (50), the stopper (40), and the cam plate (30) together with the grooved plate (20). The cam plate (30) and the stopper (40) are engaged with each other such that a predetermined angle is formed between the direction of the cam plate (30) and the direction of the stopper (40) with respect to the second insertion hole (32) and the direction of the cam plate (30) with respect to the third insertion hole (42).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a click hinge. Background Art

[0002] There are click hinges that can rotatably connect two objects, maintain a state where the two objects are positioned at a specified position, and can generate a click feeling to let the user know that the rotating object has been rotated to a specified position. As an example of such a click hinge, a structure as disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 5415913) is known.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 5415913 (Claim 1, Paragraphs 0018 - 0019 of the specification, Figure 1 etc.) Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] As Figure 6 、 Figure 7A and Figure 7B shown, the click hinge 200 disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a shaft 210 as a hinge axis, a grooved plate 220, a cam plate 230, a biasing member 250, and a fixing plate 260. The shaft 210 is inserted through the grooved plate 220, the cam plate 230, the biasing member 250, and the fixing plate 260, and the insertion front end portion 212 is fixed to the front surface penetrating the fixing plate 260, and is configured such that the grooved plate 220 can rotate about the central axis of the shaft 210 in a state where the cam plate 230 and the biasing member 250 are sandwiched between the grooved plate 220 and the fixing plate 260. A V-groove 224 extending radially along the outer periphery of the through-hole 222 facing the shaft 210 is formed in the grooved plate 220, and a click feeling is generated by the convex portion 232 formed on the cam plate 230 biased by the acting force of the biasing member 250 entering the V-groove 224, and the grooved plate 220 is positioned and fixed (rotation is restricted).

[0008] In order to facilitate the insertion (assembly) of the shaft 210 into the through-holes 222 of the grooved plate 220, the through-holes 234 of the cam plate 230, the through-holes 254 of the biasing member 250, and the through-holes 264 of the fixing plate 260, the respective through-holes 222, 234, 254, 264 are formed slightly larger than the planar shape (cross-sectional shape) of the shaft 210. Therefore, as Figure 7A and Figure 7BAs shown, a certain degree of clearance S0 is provided between each of the through insertion holes 222, 234, 254, 264 and the shaft 210. Due to this clearance S0, there is the following problem: Even when the convex portion 232 of the cam plate 230 is engaged with the V-groove 224 of the grooved plate 220 in a concave-convex manner, the grooved plate 220 will shake due to the clearance S0 formed between the shaft 210 and the through insertion holes 222, 234.

[0009] Means for Solving the Problem

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a click hinge having the same ease of assembling a shaft as a hinge shaft and a member formed with a through insertion hole for the shaft to pass through as in the prior art, and suppressing as much as possible the shaking generated between the shaft and the member into which the shaft is inserted, and having excellent usability.

[0011] That is, the present invention is a click hinge in which a grooved plate is connected to a fixed plate so as to be rotatable about the axis of a shaft constituting a hinge shaft, characterized in that the shaft is formed with: two first flat portions formed at positions on the outer peripheral surface facing each other; and two first arc-shaped portions formed between the first flat portions, the grooved plate is formed with: a first through insertion hole through which the shaft is inserted in a clearance fit state; and a groove extending in the radial direction of the first through insertion hole at the outer peripheral edge position of the first through insertion hole, a cam plate is disposed in a state of overlapping the grooved plate in the plate thickness direction of the grooved plate, the cam plate is formed with: a second through insertion hole having two second flat portions imitating the cross-sectional shape of the shaft and two second arc-shaped portions formed between the second flat portions, and capable of allowing the shaft to pass through; and a first convex portion capable of entering the groove, a stopper is disposed in a state of overlapping the cam plate in the plate thickness direction of the cam plate, the stopper is formed with a third through insertion hole having two third flat portions imitating the cross-sectional shape of the shaft and two third arc-shaped portions formed between the third flat portions, and capable of allowing the shaft to pass through, a biasing member is disposed in a state of overlapping the stopper in the plate thickness direction of the stopper, the biasing member biases the stopper toward the cam plate and the grooved plate, the fixed plate is disposed in a state of overlapping the biasing member in the biasing direction of the biasing member and fixes the through insertion front end portion of the shaft, the fixed plate and the grooved plate sandwich the biasing member, the stopper, and the cam plate together, and the cam plate and the stopper are set such that the orientations of the second flat portions of the second through insertion hole and the orientations of the third flat portions of the third through insertion hole form a predetermined angle.

[0012] Thus, it is possible to obtain a click hinge as follows: the ease of assembling the shaft serving as the hinge axis and the member formed with the through insertion holes for the shaft to penetrate and insert is the same as that of the prior art, and it is possible to suppress as much as possible the wobbling generated between the shaft and the member through which the shaft is inserted, and the usability is excellent.

[0013] Moreover, preferably, a first concave portion is formed on a surface of the cam plate opposite to the formation surface of the first convex portion, the stopper is formed with a second convex portion capable of entering the first concave portion of the cam plate, and when looking down at the second through insertion hole, the first concave portion is formed to extend in a direction obtained by rotating a preset first angle with respect to either the first axis or the second axis in a first orthogonal coordinate system where the first axis connecting the centers of the two second arc surface portions of the second through insertion hole intersects the second axis connecting the centers of the two second plane portions of the second through insertion hole. When looking down at the third through insertion hole, the second convex portion is formed to extend in a direction obtained by rotating a preset second angle in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first concave portion with respect to either the third axis or the fourth axis in a second orthogonal coordinate system where the third axis connecting the centers of the two third arc surface portions of the third through insertion hole intersects the fourth axis connecting the centers of the two third plane portions of the third through insertion hole, and the third axis or the fourth axis extends in the same direction as either the first axis or the second axis selected for the first concave portion. More preferably, the absolute values of the first angle and the second angle are equal.

[0014] Thus, even if the gap between the shaft and the member for the shaft to penetrate and insert is increased, it is possible to suppress the amount of wobbling between the shaft and the member for the shaft to penetrate and insert.

[0015] Moreover, preferably, a first tangent angle formed by the first tangent of the contact portion between the groove and the first convex portion and the horizontal plane is different from a second tangent angle formed by the second tangent of the contact portion between the first concave portion and the second convex portion and the horizontal plane, and more preferably, the second tangent angle is greater than the first tangent angle.

[0016] Thus, the force for releasing the engagement state between the grooved plate and the cam plate can be made lower than the force for releasing the engagement between the cam plate and the stopper, and it is possible to release the engagement state between the grooved plate and the cam plate (rotate as a hinge) without releasing the engagement state between the cam plate and the stopper.

[0017] Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the structure of the click hinge of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a click hinge with the following characteristics: the ease of assembling the shaft serving as the hinge axis and the member formed with the through insertion hole for the shaft to pass through and insert is the same as that of the prior art, and it is possible to suppress as much as possible the play generated between the shaft and the member through which the shaft is inserted and passed through, and the usability is excellent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 FIG. is an exploded perspective view of the click hinge of the present embodiment.

[0020] Figure 2 FIG. is in the state of observing from Figure 1 FIG. is a perspective view of the main part with the main part of the grooved plate omitted in the state of observing from the arrow II in FIG.

[0021] Figure 3A FIG. is a plan view showing the state when the cam plate is mounted on the shaft of the click hinge of the present embodiment, Figure 3B FIG. is showing from Figure 3A FIG. is a plan view showing the state after the cam plate is rotated in the direction of arrow A from the state shown in FIG.

[0022] Figure 4A FIG. is a plan view showing the state when the stopper is mounted on the shaft of the click hinge of the present embodiment, Figure 4B FIG. is showing from Figure 4A FIG. is a plan view showing the state after the stopper is rotated in the direction of arrow B from the state shown in FIG.

[0023] Figure 5 FIG. is Figure 1 FIG. is a side view of the main part after the click hinge shown in FIG. is assembled.

[0024] Figure 6 FIG. is an exploded perspective view showing the hinge structure of the prior art.

[0025] Figure 7A FIG. is Figure 6 FIG. is a side view of the assembled click hinge in the state of observing from the arrow VII side in FIG. Figure 7B FIG. is a plan view of the cam plate and the grooved plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, the click hinge 100 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1It is an exploded perspective view of the click hinge 100 of the present embodiment. The click hinge 100 of the present embodiment includes a shaft 10 as a hinge axis, a grooved plate 20, a cam plate 30, a stopper 40, a plurality of disc springs 50 as biasing members, and a fixing plate 60. In the click hinge 100 of the present embodiment, a second hinge mechanism 70 having the same structure as the click hinge 100 of the present invention is mounted on the grooved plate 20. A hinge structure in a so-called biaxial rotation type is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The structure of disposing the second hinge mechanism 70 may also be omitted.

[0027] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the shaft 10 has a basic form of a concentric stepped cylinder having a large-diameter portion 12 and a small-diameter portion 14. On the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 14, two first flat portions 16 formed at opposed positions and a first arc-shaped surface portion 18 formed between the two first flat portions 16 are alternately formed. And, front-side flat portions 19 are formed within a required length range in the circumferential middle portions of the respective first arc-shaped surface portions 18 at the front end portion in the height direction of the small-diameter portion 14. By forming such front-side flat portions 19, positioning in the height direction of the fixing plate can be performed, which is preferable in this regard. In addition, the small-diameter portion 14 of the present embodiment is formed as a cylinder with a hollowed-out central portion 14A, but the small-diameter portion 14 may also be a column. The shaft 10 is respectively inserted through a first insertion hole 22 of the grooved plate 20, a second insertion hole 32 of the cam plate 30, a third insertion hole of the stopper 40, a fourth insertion hole 52 of the plurality of disc springs 50, and a fifth insertion hole 62 of the fixing plate 60. The insertion front end portion of the shaft 10 is fixed to the front surface (the surface opposite to the surface facing the disc springs 50) that penetrates and inserts into the fixing plate 60.

[0028] That is, the grooved plate 20, the cam plate 30, the stopper 40, and the plurality of disc springs 50 are disposed in a state of overlapping in their respective plate thickness directions in the described order, and the fixing plate 60 is disposed on the upper side of the disc springs 50 in a state of overlapping in the biasing direction of the disc springs 50. And, the cam plate 30, the stopper 40, and the plurality of disc springs 50 are clamped between the grooved plate 20 and the fixing plate 60, and the stopper 40 and the cam plate 30 are in a state of being pressed (biased) toward the grooved plate 20 by the acting force of the plurality of disc springs 50 at this time.

[0029] On the grooved plate 20, a first through insertion hole 22 is formed through which the small diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 is inserted in a clearance fit state. The planar shape of the first through insertion hole 22 is formed as a circle capable of allowing the small diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 to pass through. In this way, the first through insertion hole 22 of the grooved plate 20 is slightly larger than the planar shape of the small diameter portion 14 inserted through the first through insertion hole 22, and thus a gap (not shown) is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 14 and the first through insertion hole 22. By means of this gap, the workability when inserting the shaft 10 (small diameter portion 14) through the first through insertion hole 22 can be made the same as that of the prior art.

[0030] Moreover, on the upper surface of the grooved plate 20, a groove 24 is formed from the outer peripheral edge of the first through insertion hole 22 in a radially outward direction of the first through insertion hole 22. The groove 24 in the present embodiment is formed as a so-called V-groove having a V-shaped cross-sectional shape. The planar position of the outer end of the groove 24 is the same planar position as the outer peripheral edge position of the cam plate 30. At both end edges of the grooved plate 20 in the present embodiment, a second hinge mechanism 70 is installed. By means of this second hinge mechanism 70, the grooved plate 20 can rotate about the direction of the central axis L1 of the shaft 10 and a rotation axis (rotation axis of the second hinge mechanism 70) L2 orthogonal to the central axis L1 of the shaft 10 as the rotation center.

[0031] As Figures 1 to 3A and Figure 3B shown, the cam plate 30 is formed in an annular plate shape having a second through insertion hole 32 through which the small diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 can be inserted. As Figure 3A shown, the second through insertion hole 32 is formed by two second planar portions 32A imitating the cross-sectional shape of the portion where the small diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 is inserted into the second through insertion hole 32 and a second arc-shaped portion 32B formed between the second planar portions 32A and connecting the ends of one side of the second planar portions 32A to each other. It can be understood from Figure 3A that the second through insertion hole 32 is formed to be slightly larger than the small diameter portion 14 of the shaft in the width direction in Figure 3A . Therefore, when inserting the small diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 through the second through insertion hole 32, there is a first gap S1 in the width direction, and thus the workability when inserting the small diameter portion 14 through the second through insertion hole 32 can be maintained at the same level as that of the prior art click hinge 200. And in the state after inserting the small diameter portion 14 through the second through insertion hole 32, the small diameter portion 14 can be slightly rotated in the circumferential direction of the second through insertion hole 32.

[0032] Moreover, as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, on the lower surface of the cam plate 30 (the surface facing the grooved plate 20), along the diameter direction of the cam plate 30, a first convex portion 34 that can be engaged with the groove 24 is formed between the second through insertion hole 32 and the outer peripheral edge of the cam plate 30. The cross-sectional shape of the first convex portion 34 in this embodiment is formed into a semi-cylindrical shape. As Figure 3A shown, a first orthogonal coordinate system is constituted by a first axis A1 ( Figure 3A the longitudinal single dotted line in Figure 3A ) and a second axis A2 ( Figure 3A the transverse single dotted line in Figure 1 ). The first axis A1 connects the circumferential centers of the second arc surface portions 32B of the second through insertion hole 32 to each other and passes through the center point O1. The second axis A2 connects the longitudinal centers of the second plane portions 32A to each other and passes through the center point O1. In this first orthogonal coordinate system, the first convex portion 34 is formed in the range of the first width dimension W1 in parallel with a first central axis A3 ( Figure 3A the inclined dotted line in Figure 1 ). The first central axis A3 extends in a direction obtained by rotating the outer peripheral edge of the second through insertion hole 32 (relative to the first axis A1) by a preset first angle, i.e., α degrees, around the center point O1 as the rotation center, and passes through the center point O1. The first width dimension W1 is formed wider than the width dimension W0 of the groove 24 formed in the grooved plate 20 (refer to Figure 1 ) (refer to Figure 5 ).

[0033] When the cam plate 30 is rotated in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 3A so that the first central axis A3 of the first convex portion 34 coincides with the first axis A1, as Figure 3B shown, a state is achieved in which the first corner DK1 of the small diameter portion 14 abuts against the intersection position K1 of the second plane portion 32A and the second arc surface portion 32B at the upper left part of the second through insertion hole 32. Thereby, the rotation of the cam plate 30 in the direction of the arrow A (clockwise direction) with respect to the small diameter portion 14 is restricted.

[0034] Moreover, a first concave portion 36 is formed on the upper surface of the cam plate 30 (the surface opposite to the formation surface of the first convex portion 34). The planar position of the first concave portion 36 in this embodiment is formed at the same planar position as the planar position of the first convex portion 34. The cross-sectional shape of the first concave portion 36 is formed into an isosceles trapezoid shape. As Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 5 shown, the first concave portion 36 in this embodiment is formed such that the width dimension W2 on the opening side is wider than the width dimension W3 on the bottom surface side, presenting an inverted trapezoid shape.

[0035] As Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4A and Figure 4BAs shown, the stopper 40 is formed in an annular plate shape having a third through insertion hole 42 through which the small-diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 can be inserted. As Figure 4A shown, the third through insertion hole 42 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer peripheral surface shape of the small-diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 in the width direction. The planar shape of the third through insertion hole 42 in the present embodiment is formed in the same shape as the second through insertion hole 32. Specifically, the third through insertion hole 42 is formed by two third planar portions 42A that imitate the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the small-diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 inserted into the third through insertion hole 42, and a third arc surface portion 42B that is formed between the third planar portions 42A and connects the ends of one side of the third planar portions 42A to each other.

[0036] From Figure 4A it can be clarified that the third through insertion hole 42 is formed to be slightly larger than the small-diameter portion 14 of the shaft in the Figure 4A width direction. Therefore, when the small-diameter portion 14 of the shaft 10 is inserted through the third through insertion hole 42, there is a second gap S2 in the width direction, whereby the workability when inserting the small-diameter portion 14 through the third through insertion hole 42 can be maintained at the same level as that of the prior art click hinge 200. And in the state where the small-diameter portion 14 is inserted through the third through insertion hole 42, the small-diameter portion 14 can be slightly rotated in the circumferential direction of the third through insertion hole 42.

[0037] And, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, on the lower surface of the stopper 40 (the surface facing the cam plate 30), a second convex portion 44 that can be engaged with the first concave portion 36 is formed along the diameter direction of the stopper 40 over the area between the third through insertion hole 42 and the outer peripheral edge of the stopper 40. As Figure 4A shown, a second orthogonal coordinate system is constituted by a third axis A4 ( Figure 4A the longitudinal single-dot chain line in Figure 4A ) and a fourth axis A5 ( Figure 4A the transverse single-dot chain line in

[0038] In addition, the third axis A4 extends in the same direction as the first axis A1 selected when defining the first central axis A3, which is the central axis of the first convex portion 34 located at the same planar position as the first concave portion 36. That is, the second convex portion 44 extends in a direction obtained by rotating the third axis A4, which extends in the same direction as the first axis A1 selected for the first concave portion 36, in the second orthogonal coordinate system by a preset second angle β in a direction opposite to the rotation direction when forming the first concave portion 36.

[0039] In the present embodiment, the second through insertion hole 32 and the third through insertion hole 42 are formed in the same shape. Therefore, the second orthogonal coordinate system (the third axis A4 and the fourth axis A5) is the same as the first orthogonal coordinate system (the first axis A1 and the second axis A2). Regarding the α degree and the β degree in the present embodiment, their rotation directions are opposite to each other, and the absolute values of the rotation angles are equal.

[0040] The cross-sectional shape of the second convex portion 44 in the present embodiment is formed in an isosceles trapezoid shape, and the second width dimension W4 is the width dimension of the base side of the isosceles trapezoid shape. Therefore, the front side width dimension W5 of the protruding front end side of the second convex portion 44 is formed to be narrower than the second width dimension W4. Also, the front side width dimension W5 of the second convex portion 44 is formed to be narrower than the opening side width dimension W2 of the first concave portion 36 and wider than the bottom side width dimension W3 of the first concave portion 36. When the stopper 40 is rotated in the Figure 4A direction of the arrow B in the figure so that the second central axis A6 of the second convex portion 44 formed in this way coincides with the third axis A4, it becomes a state where the second corner DK2 of the small diameter portion 14 abuts against the intersection position K2 of the third planar portion 42A and the third arc surface portion 42B of the upper right portion of the third through insertion hole 42 as Figure 4B shown. Thereby, the rotation of the stopper 40 in the direction of the arrow B (counterclockwise direction) with respect to the small diameter portion 14 is restricted.

[0041] The click hinge 100 in the present embodiment includes a grooved plate 20, Figure 3B the cam plate 30 in the state shown, Figure 4BThe click hinge 100 is assembled from a stopper 40 in the state shown, a plurality of disc springs 50 overlapping on the upper surface of the stopper 40, and a fixing plate 60. The cam plate 30, the stopper 40, the disc springs 50, and the fixing plate 60 of the assembled click hinge 100 can rotate relative to the grooved plate 20 about the central axis L1 of the shaft 10. When the first convex portion 34 of the cam plate 30 enters the groove 24 of the grooved plate 20, or when the second convex portion 44 of the stopper 40 enters the first concave portion 36 of the cam plate 30, the click hinge 100 can obtain a click feeling. Moreover, when the first convex portion 34 enters the groove 24 and the second convex portion 44 enters the first concave portion 36, the rotation of the cam plate 30, the stopper 40, the disc springs 50, and the fixing plate 60 is restricted by a specified force.

[0042] To explain this in more detail, in a state where the second convex portion 44 of the stopper 40 is in concave-convex engagement with the first concave portion 36 of the cam plate 30 and the first convex portion 34 of the cam plate 30 is in concave-convex engagement with the groove 24 of the grooved plate 20, the following state is formed: When looking down at the cam plate 30 and the stopper 40, the orientation of the second flat portion 32A of the second through insertion hole 32 forms a specified angle with the orientation of the third flat portion 42A of the third through insertion hole 42. In this state, the following state is formed: As Figure 3B shown, the clockwise rotation relative to the shaft 10 is restricted by the cam plate 30, and as Figure 4B shown, the counterclockwise rotation relative to the shaft 10 is restricted by the stopper 40. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the click hinge 100 from wobbling about the central axis of the shaft 10.

[0043] And, as Figure 5 shown, the engagement between the groove 24 of the grooved plate 20 and the first convex portion 34 of the cam plate 30 is in a state where the first convex portion 34 having a semi-cylindrical cross-section enters the groove 24 having a V-shaped cross-section. In contrast, in the engagement between the first concave portion 36 of the cam plate 30 and the second convex portion 44 of the stopper 40, the second convex portion 44 having an isosceles trapezoidal shape smaller than the isosceles trapezoidal shape of the first concave portion 36 enters the first concave portion 36 having an isosceles trapezoidal cross-section. Therefore, the engagement strength of the stopper 40 with respect to the cam plate 30 is higher than the engagement strength of the cam plate 30 with respect to the grooved plate 20, and the engagement state between the grooved plate 20 and the cam plate 30 can be released while always maintaining the engagement state between the cam plate 30 and the stopper 40.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 24 of the grooved plate 20 is V-shaped, and the cross-sectional shape of the first convex portion 34 of the cam plate 30 is semi-cylindrical. However, the cross-sectional shapes of the groove 24 and the first convex portion 34 may both be isosceles trapezoidal. In this case, preferably, the second tangent angle θ2 is greater than the first tangent angle θ1. The first tangent angle θ1 is formed by the first tangent T1 of the contact portion between the generatrix of the groove 24 and the generatrix of the first convex portion 34 and the horizontal plane (the plane in the direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the respective structures of the click hinge 100) H, and the second tangent angle θ2 is formed by the second tangent T2 of the contact portion between the generatrix of the first concave portion 36 and the generatrix of the second convex portion 44 and the horizontal plane H. Thus, similarly to the above-described grooved plate 20, cam plate 30, and stopper 40, it is possible to release the engagement state between the grooved plate 20 and the cam plate 30 while always maintaining the engagement state between the cam plate 30 and the stopper 40.

[0045] As described above, the click hinge 100 of the present invention has been described in detail based on the embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, regarding the shaft 10 of the present embodiment, a mode in which the first flat portion 16, the first arc-shaped surface portion 18, and the front-end side flat portion 19 are formed in the small-diameter portion 14 has been illustrated. However, the mode of the shaft 10 is not limited to this mode. The click hinge 100 of the present invention only needs to be able to rotate at least the cam plate 30 and the stopper 40 around the central axis L1 of the shaft 10 after the shaft 10 is inserted therethrough. Specifically, the small-diameter portion 14 may be formed in a shape of an athletics track, which is composed of two first flat portions 16 with the front-end side flat portion 19 omitted and a first arc-shaped surface portion 18 that connects the first ends of the first flat portions 16 to each other and the second ends of the first flat portions 16 to each other (formed between the first flat portions 16).

[0046] Moreover, in the cam plate 30 of the present embodiment, the first convex portion 34 and the first concave portion 36 are disposed at the same planar position to improve the moldability during resin molding or stamping molding. However, it is not limited to this mode. The planar positions of the first convex portion 34 and the first concave portion 36 may not be the same planar position. Also, although the planar shapes of the second through-hole 32 of the cam plate 30 and the third through-hole 42 of the stopper 40 are made the same, the planar shapes of the second through-hole 32 and the third through-hole 42 may also be different.

[0047] Moreover, the following manner is exemplified: the first concave portion 36 (the first convex portion 34) is formed along a first central axis A3 which extends in a direction obtained by rotating a first axis A1 of a first orthogonal coordinate system by a preset first angle α, the second convex portion 44 is formed along a second central axis A6 which extends in a direction obtained by rotating a third axis A4 by a preset second angle β, the third axis A4 extends in the same direction as the first axis A1 selected when forming the first concave portion 36 (the first convex portion 34), but the present invention is not limited to this manner. The present invention may also adopt the following manner: the first concave portion 36 (the first convex portion 34) is formed along a central axis (not shown) which extends in a direction obtained by rotating a second axis A2 of the first orthogonal coordinate system by a preset first angle α, and the second convex portion 44 is formed along a central axis (not shown) which extends in a direction obtained by rotating a fourth axis A5 by a preset second angle β, the fourth axis A5 extends in the same direction as the second axis A2 selected when forming the first concave portion 36 (the first convex portion 34).

[0048] Moreover, as the biasing member of the present embodiment, a disc spring 50 is used, but the biasing member is not limited to the disc spring 50. The biasing member only needs to be able to be penetrated and inserted by the shaft 10 and clamped between the stopper 40 and the fixing plate 60, and a known biasing member represented by a coil spring or the like can be appropriately adopted.

[0049] Moreover, in the present embodiment, a manner in which the absolute values of the first angle α and the second angle β are equal is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this manner. The present invention only needs the second angle β to rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the first angle α, and a manner in which the absolute values of the first angle α and the second angle β are different may also be adopted.

[0050] Moreover, for the structure of the present embodiment described above, a manner of appropriately combining the modification examples described in the specification and other known structures can also be adopted.

Claims

1. A click hinge, wherein a grooved plate is connected to a fixed plate in a manner capable of rotating about an axis forming a hinge axis, characterized in that the axis is formed with: two first flat portions formed at opposite positions on the outer peripheral surface; and two first arcuate surface portions formed between the respective first flat portions, the grooved plate is formed with: a first through insertion hole through which the axis is inserted in a clearance fit state; and a groove extending in the radial direction of the first through insertion hole at the outer peripheral edge position of the first through insertion hole, a cam plate is arranged in a state overlapping the grooved plate in the plate thickness direction of the grooved plate, and the cam plate is formed with: a second through insertion hole having two second flat portions imitating the cross-sectional shape of the axis and two second arcuate surface portions formed between the respective second flat portions and capable of allowing the axis to pass through; and a first convex portion capable of entering the groove, a stopper is arranged in a state overlapping the cam plate in the plate thickness direction of the cam plate, and the stopper is formed with a third through insertion hole having two third flat portions imitating the cross-sectional shape of the axis and two third arcuate surface portions formed between the respective third flat portions and capable of allowing the axis to pass through, a biasing member is provided in a state overlapping the stopper in the plate thickness direction of the stopper, and the biasing member biases the stopper toward the cam plate and the grooved plate, the fixed plate is arranged in a state overlapping the biasing member in the biasing direction of the biasing member, and the through insertion front end portion of the axis is fixed, and the fixed plate and the grooved plate clamp the biasing member, the stopper, and the cam plate together, the cam plate and the stopper are arranged such that the orientations of the respective second flat portions of the second through insertion hole and the orientations of the respective third flat portions of the third through insertion hole form a predetermined angle.

2. The click hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that a first concave portion is formed on a surface of the cam plate opposite to the surface on which the first convex portion is formed, the stopper is formed with a second convex portion capable of entering the first concave portion of the cam plate, the first concave portion is formed by extending in a direction obtained by rotating by a preset first angle with respect to either the first axis or the second axis in a first orthogonal coordinate system in which a first axis connecting the centers of the two second arcuate surface portions of the second through insertion hole and a second axis connecting the centers of the two second flat portions of the second through insertion hole intersect when looking down on the second through insertion hole. When looking down at the third through insertion hole, the second convex portion is formed by extending in a direction obtained by rotating, in a second orthogonal coordinate system where a third axis connecting the centers of the two respective third arc surface portions of the third through insertion hole and a fourth axis connecting the centers of the two respective third plane portions of the third through insertion hole intersect, by a preset second angle in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first concave portion. The third axis or the fourth axis extends in the same direction as any one of the first axis or the second axis selected for the first concave portion.

3. The click hinge according to claim 2, wherein the absolute values of the first angle and the second angle are equal.

4. The click hinge according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a first tangent angle formed by a first tangent of the contact portion between the groove and the first convex portion and a horizontal plane is different from a second tangent angle formed by a second tangent of the contact portion between the first concave portion and the second convex portion and the horizontal plane.

5. The click hinge according to claim 4, wherein the second tangent angle is greater than the first tangent angle.

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