Adjustable Hinge With Lift Elements For Door Frame Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of passage doors often requires adjustments due to slight distortions in the door frame, which can affect the latch and sealing functions, and existing methods like using shims are cumbersome and not always precise.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly with lift elements, such as jack screws, that allow for adjustable positioning of the hinge knuckles relative to the door frame, enabling precise alignment and adjustment of the door without the need for shims.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If shims are used to adjust door position, then door alignment can be corrected, but the adjustment process becomes cumbersome and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system of inserting and adjusting shims with a threaded lift element mechanism. The lift element, when rotated, directly lifts the hinge plate to precise positions, eliminating the need for trial-and-error shim insertion while providing both ease of operation and high precision through the fine-threaded screw mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The lift element acts as an intermediary between the hinge plate and the mounting surface. Instead of directly positioning the hinge plate through cumbersome shim insertion, the lift element mediates the adjustment process by providing controlled, incremental vertical displacement through its threaded structure, enabling precise positioning without manual shim manipulation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the door frame is installed and then adjustments are needed, then the door can be repositioned, but the process requires disassembling and reassembling components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static hinge plate into a dynamically adjustable component. The lift element enables the hinge plate to be easily repositioned vertically by simple rotation, allowing the door to adapt to frame distortions or settling without complex disassembly. This dynamic adjustment capability maintains adaptability while minimizing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lift element is pre-installed on the hinge plate during manufacturing, so that when field adjustments are needed, the installer only needs to rotate the existing lift element rather than assembling new components. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex disassembly and reassembly operations during field adjustments.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple shim cards are inserted to move the hinge, then the hinge position can be changed, but the process is time-consuming and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the time-consuming manual process of counting and inserting multiple shim cards with a single rotational action of the lift element. The threaded mechanism provides precise, controlled displacement with each rotation, achieving the same positional adjustment in seconds rather than minutes, while delivering superior precision through the fine-thread geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the adjustment parameter from discrete shim thickness increments to continuous rotational displacement. By converting the adjustment mechanism from inserting fixed-thickness shims to rotating a threaded lift element, the system achieves finer resolution and more precise control over hinge position, reducing both adjustment time and improving precision simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hinge assembly allows for easy and precise adjustment of the door's gap with the door frame, ensuring smooth operation of the latch and sealing functions, and can accommodate changes in the door frame or door over time due to settling or warping.
Implementation Method 1
There is at least one lift element (e.g., jack screw) threaded through this hinge plate at a position close to the edge with the hinge knuckles
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge for pivotally attaching a door to a door frame is disclosed. The hinge has a first hinge plate, a first lifting element and a second lifting element. The first lifting element extends through the first hinge plate at a location proximate to a free edge, and is adapted for selective movement from a retracted position to an extended position extending above a mounting face of the first hinge plate. The second lifting element extends through the first hinge plate at a location proximate to a pivot edge of the first hinge plate, and is adapted for selective movement from a retracted position to an extended position extending above the mounting face. The first lifting element and second lifting element are disposed on opposing sides of a vertical reference axis disposed between the free edge and the pivot edge of the first hinge plate. A method is also disclosed.