Door Hinge With Fairing To Shield Sliding Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door hinges allow wide opening but result in dirt and debris accumulation due to exposed sliding surfaces, posing risks of user contamination and interference from external materials during door operation.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design with a shifted and misaligned hinge axis, covered by a fairing, which includes soft material bushes for secure attachment to fragile panels, ensuring a continuous and uninterrupted surface for user safety and preventing external interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the hinge axis is placed in a forward position and the two elements are shaped to occupy different planes to enable wide door opening, then the door opening angle is improved, but the sliding surfaces become exposed and accessible from the exterior, causing dirt accumulation and user safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a fairing (a shell-like covering) that encloses the sliding surfaces of the hinge. This fairing acts as a protective barrier that prevents direct access to the sliding surfaces, thereby eliminating dirt accumulation and user exposure risks while allowing the hinge to maintain its wide opening capability through the shifted axis design
2Ease of operation
If the sliding surfaces are made freely accessible to allow wide door opening, then the door operation is simplified, but textile fibres or user's hair can accidentally interpose between the two surfaces, causing operational failures
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing encloses the sliding surfaces, creating a protected environment that prevents external materials such as textile fibres and hair from entering the hinge mechanism. This maintains reliable operation by eliminating the risk of interference while still allowing smooth door movement through the protected sliding interface
3Duration of action of stationary object
If lubricants and anti-friction washers are used to reduce wear from sliding, then the wear of contact surfaces is reduced, but excess lubricant and worn material create deposits of dirt around the sliding surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing encloses the sliding surfaces where lubrication occurs, containing the lubricant and preventing it from leaking outward and mixing with dirt. This maintains the protective lubrication layer that reduces wear and extends hinge service life while preventing the formation of dirty deposits around the hinge mechanism
4Length of moving object
If the hinge axis is shifted in position to enable wide opening, then the door can open close to 180°, but the sliding surfaces become jutting and freely accessible, creating maintenance and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing provides a streamlined external covering that encapsulates the complex shifted-axis hinge mechanism. This maintains the wide opening capability enabled by the shifted axis while presenting a simple, smooth exterior surface that is easy to clean and maintain, effectively hiding the structural complexity from view
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 design allows for wide door opening while minimizing dirt accumulation and user exposure to debris, ensuring safe operation and reducing wear on contact surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The sliding added to the load due to the door weight unavoidably cause the wear of contact surfaces. Such wear may be partly reduced by the interposition of lubricants and/or special anti-friction washers.
Implementation Method 2
The first and the second element are pivoted to one another along an axis called 'hinge'.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a hinge (10) comprising a first element (20) and a second element (30). The first element, to be fixed to a jamb (2), comprises a first appendix (22) coupled to a pin (40) that defines a hinge axis (X). The second element, to be fixed to a door (3), comprises at least a second appendix (32) coupled to the same pin. The two elements are mutually pivoted about the hinge axis. The two appendices define sliding surfaces (47) suitable for transmitting forces along the hinge axis. The second element further comprises a fairing (34) suitable for covering, in a front view of the closed hinge, the first appendix and the sliding surfaces. The invention also relates to a furnishing item comprising at least one hinge described above.