Directional Damping Hinge Assemblage for Collision Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinges face issues with severe collisions during high-speed pivotal movement and excessive damping that retards movement away from the initial state, lacking a solution to balance these factors effectively.
Innovation Solution
The hinge assemblage incorporates a leaf mechanism, an actuating unit, and a damping unit with a hydraulic module that generates different damping forces depending on the direction of movement, using an oil tube, acting members, and a follower member to control the damping force, allowing for smooth conversion between initial and open states while preventing collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping device is employed to damp the relative pivotal movement between first and second leaves toward the initial state, then severe collision between the first and second objects is prevented, but the relative pivotal movement of first and second leaves away from the initial state is considerably retarded
Solution Approach 1:
The damping device applies damping force selectively based on the direction of movement. When the hinge moves from the initial state to the open state, minimal damping is applied to maintain fast movement. When the hinge returns toward the initial state, strong damping is applied to prevent collision. This directional differentiation resolves the contradiction by making the damping characteristic location-specific (direction-specific) rather than uniform.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping coefficient is made dynamic rather than static. The damping device automatically adjusts its damping force based on the movement direction and speed. During opening movement, the damping force is reduced to allow rapid movement. During closing movement, the damping force increases to prevent collision. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between needing fast movement and preventing collision.
2Speed
If no damping device is used, then the relative pivotal movement away from the initial state is fast, but severe collision occurs during high-speed pivotal movement toward the initial state
Solution Approach 1:
The damping effect is applied locally to the return movement while leaving the opening movement largely unaffected. The damping device is positioned and configured to engage primarily during the closing phase, allowing the hinge to open quickly without resistance while providing controlled damping during the return phase to prevent collision.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping device acts as an intermediary element that selectively intervenes in the hinge movement. It is engaged during the return phase to mediate and control the closing speed, preventing collision, while remaining disengaged or minimally active during the opening phase to maintain fast movement. This intermediary function resolves the contradiction by providing targeted intervention only when necessary.
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
This design enables controlled pivotal movement between objects, reducing collisions and facilitating smooth transitions by adjusting damping forces based on the direction of movement, thus addressing the limitations of conventional hinges.
Implementation Method 1
The hydraulic module is disposed in the oil tube for generating a damping force upon the movement of the follower member relative to the oil tube
Implementation Method 2
the core axle 121 and the inner tube 122 are driven to deform the torsion spring 123 so as to generate a restoring torque
Implementation Method 3
a torsion spring 123 that has two opposite end portions respectively fixed to the core axle 121 and the inner tube 122 for providing restoring torque
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A hinge assemblage includes a leaf mechanism (3), an actuating unit (4, 6) and a damping unit (5, 8). The leaf mechanism (3) includes pivoted first and second leaves (311, 312) such that the hinge assemblage is convertible between first and second states. The actuating unit (4, 6) is mounted to the leaf mechanism (3), and generates an actuating force during the conversion of the hinge assemblage. The damping unit (5, 8) is mounted to the leaf mechanism (3) for generating a damping force. The damping force generated by the damping unit (5, 8) during the conversion of the hinge assemblage toward the first state is different from the damping force generated by the damping unit during the conversion of the hinge assemblage toward the second state.