A hinge structure for an outdoor inverter

Abstract

The utility model relates to electrical connection and insulation protection technical field, concretely is a hinge structure for outdoor inverter, including upper cover, base, hinge assembly and fastener, hinge assembly contains movable connecting piece, fixed connecting piece and pivot, movable connecting piece's cylindrical shaft sleeve structure and fixed connecting piece boss fit realize axle hole precision coaxial, cooperate countersunk hole and hide fastener, base preset threaded mounting seat, and pivot axis and base mounting surface distance 4~6mm, adaptation 8~12mm's narrow side upper cover, first axle hole and second axle hole are provided with lubricating or wear -resisting coating, and leave 0.1~0.3mm's cooperation clearance, the inboard of shaft sleeve structure is provided with elastic gasket. The installation of this hinge structure does not need to turn over the equipment, and the hinge assembly is compactly embedded in the gap between the upper cover and the base, without the need for additional reserved wide installation folding edge. It perfectly adapts to the design trend of inverter lightness, thinness and narrowness, rotates smoothly, is resistant to vibration and durable, and takes into account the appearance neatness and mass production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of mechanical connection technology of power electronic equipment, and in particular to a hinge structure for outdoor inverters. Background Technology

[0002] Outdoor inverters, as core power conversion devices in photovoltaic grid-connected systems and outdoor emergency power supply scenarios, need to operate in open-air environments for extended periods, placing high demands on their structural reliability, ease of installation, and neat appearance. The hinged structure between the inverter's top cover and base is a key component for enabling the device to open and close.

[0003] Currently, there are three common solutions for fixing the top cover panel in the outdoor inverter field: fixing it directly to the top cover panel with screws from top to bottom, screwing the top cover from the bottom to top, and installing the top cover using concealed or exposed hinges. Among them, fixing it directly to the top cover panel with screws from top to bottom will leave screw marks on the appearance of the top cover, which will affect the aesthetics of the product; screwing the top cover from the bottom to top requires flipping the entire inverter to complete the screw drilling and installation, which presents difficulties in production and installation; installing the top cover using concealed hinges is difficult to install and has low production efficiency, while exposed hinges are easy to install but will be exposed on the appearance, affecting the aesthetics of the product. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the incompatibility between the aesthetics of the top cover of an outdoor inverter and the ease of installation and production efficiency, this utility model provides a hinge structure for an outdoor inverter. The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve the above problems is: a hinge structure for an outdoor inverter, including an inverter top cover, a base, a hinge assembly, and fasteners, wherein the hinge assembly connects the inverter top cover and the base respectively. The hinge assembly includes a movable connector, a fixed connector, and a hinge pivot. The movable connector is provided with a protruding bushing structure. The bushing structure is provided with a first shaft hole. The bushing structure is provided with first mounting holes on both sides. The fastener passes through the first mounting holes and is fastened to the upper cover. The fixed connector is provided with a downward stepped connecting part, and a second shaft hole coaxial with the first shaft hole is opened in the fixed connector. The stepped connecting part is provided with a second mounting hole, and the fastener passes through the second mounting hole and is fastened to the base. The hinge shaft is a cylindrical rod with a limiting structure at one end. The hinge shaft is inserted into the first shaft hole and the second shaft hole to complete the hinge connection between the movable connector and the fixed connector.

[0005] The aforementioned hinge structure for an outdoor inverter allows the top cover to rotate around the hinge axis. The vertical distance between the central axis of the hinge axis and the mating surface of the base and the mounting surface of the fixed connector is 4-6 mm, which is designed to accommodate a narrow edge structure of the top cover with a thickness of 8-12 mm and limits the maximum opening angle of the top cover to 90°-120°. The 4-6 mm vertical distance between the hinge axis and the mounting surface of the base is approximately half the thickness of the narrow edge of the top cover (8-12 mm). This dimensional design allows the hinge structure to be embedded in the mating gap between the top cover and the base, avoiding the structural protrusion and equipment boundary issues caused by excessive distance in traditional hinges. This perfectly matches the design trend of thinner and narrower inverters, while eliminating the need to widen the top cover to accommodate the hinge, thus reducing material waste. The 90°-120° opening angle limit ensures sufficient maintenance space while avoiding the risk of structural damage, improving the long-term reliability of the equipment.

[0006] The aforementioned hinge structure for an outdoor inverter features a cylindrical protrusion as the bushing structure. A first shaft hole is provided through the cylindrical protrusion along its axial direction. The stepped connection end of the fixed connector has a boss adapted to the cylindrical bushing structure. The second shaft hole passes through the boss, and the outer wall of the cylindrical bushing structure fits against the side of the boss, ensuring precise coaxial alignment of the first and second shaft holes. The tight fit between the outer wall of the cylindrical bushing structure and the side of the boss forms a rigid constraint, reducing relative displacement under vibration. Combined with the through-fixation of the hinge shaft, this improves the vibration resistance of the entire hinge assembly by more than 40%, preventing loosening, abnormal noise, or rotational failure after long-term use. The outer wall of the cylindrical protrusion bushing structure and the side of the boss can achieve rapid positioning through surface contact, eliminating the need for repeated manual calibration of the shaft hole position. Simply fitting the two together ensures coaxiality of the shaft holes, improving the installation efficiency of the equipment.

[0007] The aforementioned hinge structure for an outdoor inverter has a cylindrical bushing structure whose lateral fit width is 0.5–1 mm greater than the thickness of the stepped connection. The inner wall of the bushing structure is provided with an elastic gasket that fits against the side of the stepped connection. The elastic gasket on the inner wall of the bushing structure can fill a gap of 0.5–1 mm. When the outdoor inverter is subjected to external vibration, it prevents the metal bushing structure from directly colliding and rubbing against the stepped connection, eliminating metallic noise. Simultaneously, the preload of the elastic gasket provides slight constraint on the stepped connection, further reducing lateral sway during rotation and improving the overall structural stability.

[0008] In the aforementioned hinge structure for an outdoor inverter, both the first and second mounting holes are countersunk holes. The head of the fastener is embedded in the countersunk hole and flush with the surfaces of the movable and fixed connectors. If the fastener head protrudes, when the top cover rotates around the hinge axis, the protruding part may scratch or collide with the edge of the base, the inner wall of the top cover, or other components, leading to the risk of rotation jamming or even structural damage. The design of the countersunk hole being flush with the surfaces of the movable and fixed connectors eliminates this risk, ensuring that the top cover can rotate flexibly within the opening and closing range of 90° to 120° without additional interference. For the narrow side structure of the top cover (8-12mm), the space redundancy is minimal. A protruding fastener head would occupy additional space in the width or thickness direction, potentially causing the hinge to extend beyond the narrow side boundary. The countersunk hole, by hiding the head, compresses the space occupied by the structure in the direction perpendicular to the surface, allowing the hinge assembly to more compactly adapt to the narrow side design and avoiding installation difficulties caused by insufficient space.

[0009] The aforementioned hinge structure for outdoor inverters includes multiple threaded mounting seats within the inner cavity of the base. The positions of these threaded mounting seats match the positions of the second mounting holes of the fixing connectors. This precise alignment eliminates the need for repeated adjustments to the fixing connectors during installation, thus resolving the time-consuming issues of flipping the base to locate the holes and manual alignment required in existing solutions. Workers only need to attach the fixing connectors to the base, and the fasteners can be directly threaded through the second mounting holes and connected to the threaded mounting seats, significantly improving assembly efficiency.

[0010] The aforementioned hinge structure for an outdoor inverter has a lubricating layer or wear-resistant coating on the inner walls of the first and second shaft holes. The fit clearance between the hinge shaft and the shaft hole is 0.1–0.3 mm. The lubricating layer on the inner walls of the first and second shaft holes reduces the coefficient of friction between the hinge shaft and the first and second shaft holes, making the opening and closing of the top cover easier and less strenuous. This avoids the problems of rotation jamming and strenuous operation caused by excessive friction in traditional hinges. This design can maintain ease of operation for a long time. The wear-resistant coating can significantly improve the surface hardness of the inner wall of the shaft hole, resisting the wear caused by long-term rotation of the hinge shaft. This prevents the shaft hole from becoming larger due to wear and causing the fit clearance to become uncontrolled. The fit clearance of 0.1–0.3 mm ensures the flexibility of the hinge shaft rotation while controlling the amount of wobble to a minimum, adapting to the space constraints of the narrow-sided structure of the inverter and avoiding structural interference caused by wobble.

[0011] As described above, the beneficial effects of the hinge structure for outdoor inverters provided by this utility model are as follows: The cylindrical bushing structure of the movable connector and the stepped connection portion of the fixed connector are fitted and aligned, combined with the optimized distance control between the hinge shaft axis and the base mounting surface. This allows the hinge assembly to be compactly embedded in the gap between the top cover and the base, eliminating the need for additional wide mounting flanges and perfectly adapting to the trend of thinner and narrower inverter designs. The countersunk hole structure conceals the fasteners, avoiding the cluttered appearance caused by exposed screws or hinges, maintaining a clean and uniform appearance. The pre-set threaded mounting base inside the base precisely matches the mounting holes of the fixed connector, allowing for quick alignment and screwing without flipping the device during installation. This solves the core pain points of poor adaptability, appearance defects, and inefficient installation in existing narrow-bezel inverter top cover fixing schemes, improving both the structural compatibility and visual appeal of the product, reducing production and assembly costs, and meeting the reliability requirements for long-term use of outdoor inverters. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the present invention; Figure 4 An exploded view of the hinge assembly; Figure 5 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part I; Figure 6 for Figure 3 A magnified view of part II.

[0014] Summary of figure labels and their descriptions: 1. Top cover, 2. Base, 21. Threaded mounting base, 3. Hinge assembly, 31. Movable connector, 311. Bushing structure, 312. First shaft hole, 313. First mounting hole, 32. Fixed connector, 321. Stepped connection, 322. Second shaft hole, 323. Second mounting hole, 33. Hinge pivot, 331. Limiting structure, 4. Fastener. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this utility model are shown in the drawings. However, this utility model can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this utility model.

[0016] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or there may be an intervening component.

[0017] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0018] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 A hinge structure for an outdoor inverter includes an inverter top cover 1, a base 2, a hinge assembly 3, and fasteners 4, wherein the hinge assembly 3 connects the inverter top cover 1 and the base 2 respectively. The hinge assembly 3 includes a movable connector 31, a fixed connector 32, and a hinge pivot 33. The movable connector 31 is provided with a protruding bushing structure 311. The bushing structure 311 is provided with a first shaft hole 312. The bushing structure 311 is provided with first mounting holes 313 on both sides. The fastener 4 passes through the first mounting holes 313 and is fastened to the upper cover 1. The fixed connector 32 is provided with a downward stepped connecting part 321. A second shaft hole 322 coaxial with the first shaft hole 312 is opened in the fixed connector 32, and the stepped connecting part 321 is provided with a second mounting hole 323. The fastener 4 passes through the second mounting hole 323 and is fastened to the base 2. The hinge shaft 33 is a cylindrical rod with a limit structure 331 at one end. The hinge shaft 33 is inserted into the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322 to complete the hinge connection between the movable connector 31 and the fixed connector 32.

[0019] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4The top cover 1 can rotate around the hinge shaft 33. The vertical distance between the central axis of the hinge shaft 33 and the mating surface of the base 2 and the mounting surface of the fixed connector 32 is 4-6mm. This is to accommodate the narrow side structure of the top cover 1 with a thickness of 8-12mm and to limit the maximum opening angle of the top cover 1 to 90°-120°. The vertical distance of 4-6mm between the axis of the hinge shaft 33 and the mounting surface of the base 2 is about half of the thickness of the narrow side of the top cover 1 (8-12mm). This size design allows the hinge structure to be embedded in the mating gap between the top cover 1 and the base 2, avoiding the structural protrusion and equipment boundary problems caused by excessive distance in traditional hinges. This perfectly adapts to the design trend of thinner and narrower inverters. At the same time, it eliminates the need to widen the top cover 1 to accommodate the hinge, reducing material waste. The 90°-120° opening angle limit ensures sufficient maintenance space and avoids the risk of structural damage, improving the long-term reliability of the equipment.

[0020] Please refer to Figure 4 The bushing structure 311 is a cylindrical protrusion. The first shaft hole 312 is provided through the cylindrical protrusion along its axial direction. The stepped connecting part 321 of the fixed connector 32 has a boss that matches the cylindrical bushing structure 311. The second shaft hole 322 passes through the boss, and the outer wall of the cylindrical bushing structure 311 fits against the side of the boss, so that the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322 are precisely coaxially aligned. The tight fit between the outer wall of the cylindrical bushing structure 311 and the side of the boss can form a rigid constraint, reducing the relative displacement under vibration. Combined with the through fixation of the hinge shaft 33, the vibration resistance of the entire hinge assembly 3 is improved by more than 40%, avoiding the problems of loosening, abnormal noise or rotation failure after long-term use. The outer wall of the cylindrical protrusion bushing structure 311 and the side of the boss can be quickly positioned by surface fitting. There is no need for repeated manual calibration of the shaft hole position. Simply fitting the two together can ensure that the shaft hole is coaxial, which improves the installation efficiency of the equipment.

[0021] Please refer to Figure 6 The lateral fit width of the cylindrical bushing structure 311 is 0.5-1mm larger than the thickness of the stepped connection part 321, and the inner wall of the bushing structure 311 is provided with an elastic gasket. The elastic gasket fits against the side of the stepped connection part 321. The elastic gasket on the inner wall of the bushing structure 311 can fill the gap of 0.5-1mm. When the outdoor inverter is subjected to external vibration, it avoids direct collision and friction between the metal bushing structure 311 and the stepped connection part 321, eliminating metal noise. At the same time, the preload of the elastic gasket can form a slight constraint on the stepped connection part 321, further reducing lateral sway during rotation and improving the stability of the overall structure.

[0022] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6Both the first mounting hole 313 and the second mounting hole 323 are countersunk holes. The head of the fastener 4 is embedded in the countersunk hole and is flush with the surfaces of the movable connector 31 and the fixed connector 32. If the head of the fastener 4 protrudes, when the upper cover 1 rotates around the hinge axis 33, the protruding part may scratch or collide with the edge of the base 2, the inner wall of the upper cover 1, or other parts, leading to the risk of rotation jamming or even structural damage. The design of the countersunk hole being flush with the surfaces of the movable connector 31 and the fixed connector 32 eliminates this risk, ensuring that the upper cover 1 can rotate flexibly within the opening and closing range of 90° to 120° without additional interference. For the narrow edge structure of the upper cover of 8 to 12 mm, the space redundancy is minimal. The protruding head of the fastener 4 will occupy additional space in the width or thickness direction, which may cause the entire hinge to exceed the narrow edge boundary. The countersunk hole compresses the space occupied by the structure in the direction perpendicular to the surface by hiding the head, so that the hinge assembly 3 can be more compactly adapted to the narrow edge design and avoid installation difficulties caused by insufficient space.

[0023] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 The inner cavity of the base 2 is provided with multiple threaded mounting seats 21. The position of the threaded mounting seats 21 matches the position of the second mounting hole 323 of the fixed connector 32. The position of the threaded mounting seats 21 matches the position of the second mounting hole 323 of the fixed connector 32 precisely. During installation, the second mounting hole 323 and the mounting seat can be aligned without repeatedly adjusting the position of the fixed connector 32. This solves the pain point of flipping the base 2 to find the hole position and the time-consuming manual alignment in the existing solution. The worker only needs to attach the fixed connector 32 to the base 2, and the fastener 4 can be directly screwed through the second mounting hole 323 and screwed into the threaded mounting seat 21, which greatly improves the assembly efficiency.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 4 The inner walls of the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322 are provided with a lubricating layer or a wear-resistant coating. The fit clearance between the hinge shaft 33 and the shaft hole is 0.1 to 0.3 mm. The lubricating layer on the inner wall of the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322 can reduce the coefficient of friction between the hinge shaft 33 and the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322, making the opening and closing of the top cover 1 easier and less strenuous. This avoids the problems of rotation jamming and strenuous operation caused by excessive friction in traditional hinges. This design can maintain the ease of operation for a long time. The wear-resistant coating can significantly improve the surface hardness of the inner wall of the shaft hole, resist the wear caused by the long-term rotation of the hinge shaft 33, and prevent the shaft hole from becoming larger and the fit clearance from becoming uncontrolled due to wear. The fit clearance of 0.1 to 0.3 mm not only ensures the flexibility of the hinge shaft 33 rotation, but also controls the amount of wobble to a minimum, adapting to the space constraints of the narrow side structure of the inverter and avoiding structural interference caused by wobble.

[0025] A specific application of this embodiment is as follows: During installation, first align the stepped connecting part 321 of the fixed connector 32 with the threaded mounting seat 21 preset in the inner cavity of the base 2. Without flipping the inverter, directly pass the fastener 4 through the countersunk second mounting hole 323 of the fixed connector 32 and screw it into the threaded mounting seat 21. The head of the fastener 4 is completely embedded in the countersunk hole and is flush with the surface of the fixed connector 32 without any protruding structure. Then, screw the movable connector 31 into the narrow side area of ​​the top cover 1 through the countersunk first mounting hole 313 to hide the fastener 4. Subsequently, align the bushing structure 311 of the movable connector 31 with the boss of the stepped connecting part 321 of the fixed connector 32. Pass the hinge shaft 33 with the limiting structure 331 through the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322. The inner walls of the first shaft hole 312 and the second shaft hole 322 are provided with a ceramic wear-resistant coating. The clearance between the shaft 33 and the shaft hole is 0.2mm, completing the hinge assembly.

[0026] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.

Claims

1. A hinge structure for an outdoor inverter, characterized in that: It includes an inverter top cover (1), a base (2), a hinge assembly (3) and a fastener (4), wherein the hinge assembly (3) connects the inverter top cover (1) and the base (2) respectively; The hinge assembly (3) includes a movable connector (31), a fixed connector (32), and a hinge pivot (33). The movable connector (31) is provided with a protruding bushing structure (311). The bushing structure (311) is provided with a first shaft hole (312). The bushing structure (311) is provided with first mounting holes (313) on both sides. The fastener (4) passes through the first mounting hole (313) and is fastened to the upper cover (1). The fixed connector (32) is provided with a downward stepped connecting part (321), and a second shaft hole (322) coaxial with the first shaft hole (312) is opened in the fixed connector (32), and the stepped connecting part (321) is provided with a second mounting hole (323). The fastener (4) passes through the second mounting hole (323) and is fastened to the base (2). The hinge shaft (33) is a cylindrical rod with a limit structure (331) at one end. The hinge shaft (33) is inserted into the first shaft hole (312) and the second shaft hole (322) to complete the hinge connection of the movable connector (31) and the fixed connector (32).

2. The hinge structure for an outdoor inverter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper cover (1) can rotate around the hinge axis (33). The vertical distance between the central axis of the hinge axis (33) and the mounting surface of the base (2) and the fixed connector (32) is 4 to 6 mm, so as to adapt to the narrow side structure of the upper cover (1) with a thickness of 8 to 12 mm and limit the maximum opening angle of the upper cover (1) to 90° to 120°.

3. The hinge structure for an outdoor inverter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bushing structure (311) is a cylindrical protrusion. The first shaft hole (312) is provided through the cylindrical protrusion along its axial direction. The stepped connecting part (321) of the fixed connector (32) is provided with a boss that is adapted to the bushing structure (311). The second shaft hole (322) passes through the boss, and the outer wall of the bushing structure (311) fits against the side of the boss, so that the first shaft hole (312) and the second shaft hole (322) are precisely coaxially aligned.

4. The hinge structure for an outdoor inverter according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lateral fit width of the bushing structure (311) is 0.5 to 1 mm larger than the thickness of the stepped connection part (321), and the inner sidewall of the bushing structure (311) is provided with an elastic gasket, which fits against the side of the stepped connection part (321).

5. A hinge structure for an outdoor inverter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first mounting hole (313) and the second mounting hole (323) are both countersunk holes. The head of the fastener (4) is embedded in the countersunk hole and is flush with the surface of the movable connector (31) and the fixed connector (32).

6. A hinge structure for an outdoor inverter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inner cavity of the base (2) is provided with a plurality of threaded mounting seats (21), the position of the threaded mounting seats (21) matching the position of the second mounting hole (323) of the fixed connector (32).

7. The hinge structure for an outdoor inverter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner walls of the first shaft hole (312) and the second shaft hole (322) are provided with a lubricating layer or a wear-resistant coating, and the fit clearance between the hinge shaft (33) and the shaft hole is 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

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