Adapter for attaching utilitarian articles to a door hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Closets are often too small to accommodate chairs or stools, requiring users to repeatedly travel between rooms when dressing, which is time-consuming and inconvenient, especially for the elderly or infirm.
Innovation Solution
An adapter that secures a utilitarian article, such as a seat, tie rack, or mirror, to a door hinge by using a housing with a central plate and flared flange that aligns with existing door hinges, allowing easy attachment and folding to prevent interference with door operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a chair or stool is placed in a closet, then users can dress comfortably without leaving the closet, but the closet space becomes insufficient to accommodate the additional furniture
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter utilizes the door hinge's natural movement and space. The utilitarian article is mounted on the hinge, allowing it to be positioned out of the way when not in use and deployed when needed, dynamically utilizing the door's movement rather than occupying static closet space
Solution Approach 2:
The invention moves the utilitarian article from the horizontal plane (floor space inside the closet) to the vertical plane (door hinge). By attaching to the hinge, the article utilizes the door's thickness and movement dimension, effectively adding space without increasing the closet's footprint
2Ease of operation
If a utilitarian article is attached to a door hinge, then the article is easily accessible within the closet, but the attachment mechanism must be simple enough for quick installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into separate components: a mounting plate that attaches to the hinge, and a separate utilitarian article. This segmentation allows the mounting mechanism to be simple and reusable, while the article itself can be easily attached and detached without complex integration
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter mounting plate is designed to work with standard door hinges and can support various types of utilitarian articles (seats, racks, mirrors). This universal design simplifies the attachment mechanism by using a standardized interface rather than custom-built solutions for each article type
Data Source
AI summary
An adapter for securing a utilitarian article to a door hinge includes a housing formed of a front panel removably fastened to a rear panel. Positioned between the front and rear panels is a central plate having a distal end and a proximal end. At the distal end of the plate is a flared flange having two or more hinge knuckles thereon that mesh and align with hinge barrels on an existing door and associated frame when the hinge pin is removed. Any one of multiple utilitarian articles, such as a seat, a tie rack or a mirror can be secured to the opposing end of the central plate.