Encapsulated Flexible Hinge for Cooler Lids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic hinges in coolers are prone to breaking under shear stress and degradation from sunlight, leading to reliability issues and the need for frequent replacements, with existing solutions being inferior and requiring exact axial alignment for proper function.
Innovation Solution
An encapsulated flexible hinge with a woven central reinforcement member coated with rubber or polymer, providing flexibility, resistance to heat, abrasion, and chemicals, and protection from liquids, which can be used as an original or replacement part and adapted to various cooler designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional plastic hinges are used in coolers, then the hinge can be manufactured simply and at low cost, but the hinge breaks under shear stress and degrades from sunlight exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge combines a flexible woven reinforcement member (providing tensile strength and flexibility) with an encapsulating material (providing protection from environmental factors). This composite structure resolves the contradiction by achieving high strength and durability while maintaining ease of manufacture through the use of readily available materials and simple encapsulation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge uses a flexible woven reinforcement member that can bend and flex repeatedly without breaking. This flexible core structure, when encapsulated, provides both the necessary mechanical strength to withstand shear stress and the flexibility to accommodate repeated opening and closing operations, while the encapsulation protects from UV degradation.
2Reliability
If plastic hinges are used, then manufacturing is simple, but the hinges become brittle and break from sunlight exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulating material forms a protective shell around the flexible reinforcement member, shielding it from sunlight and other environmental factors that cause degradation. This encapsulation layer prevents UV exposure to the core materials, thereby eliminating the brittleness and breaking issues associated with conventional plastic hinges exposed to sunlight.
3Ease of operation
If conventional hinges require exact axial alignment, then the hinge structure can be simpler, but the installation precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge design incorporates flexibility in its operational parameters, allowing it to accommodate variations in alignment through elastic deformation. The flexible woven reinforcement member can bend and adjust to slight misalignments, eliminating the need for exact axial alignment during installation while maintaining proper hinge function.
4Duration of action of moving object
If the hinge needs to provide repeated flexibility, then the hinge can accommodate repeated use, but the hinge material degrades and breaks
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of flexible woven reinforcement member and encapsulating material creates a composite structure where the reinforcement member provides repeated flexing capability while the encapsulation protects from environmental degradation. This composite design allows the hinge to maintain its strength over thousands of opening and closing cycles without the material degradation that plagues conventional plastic hinges.
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 encapsulated flexible hinge offers improved durability, flexibility, and resistance to environmental factors, eliminating the need for precise alignment and reducing manufacturing costs, while providing a long-lasting and versatile solution for cooler lids.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible woven central reinforcement member having a rubber or polymer coating that has been forced through the reinforcement member to create an outer and an inner rubber coating that encapsulates the reinforcement member
Implementation Method 2
the inner and outer coating is comprised of the same or two different materials that are vulcanized together after being extruded on either side of the reinforcement member
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an encapsulated flexible hinge that is particularly suited for use as an original part or as a replacement hinge on a cooler. The encapsulated flexible hinge is comprised of a flexible woven central reinforcement member having a rubber or polymer coating that has been forced through the reinforcement member to create an outer and an inner rubber coating that encapsulates the reinforcement member. In another embodiment, the inner and outer coating is comprised of the same or two different materials that are vulcanized together after being extruded on either side of the reinforcement member. The encapsulated flexible hinge may take on various shapes, and can be cut into a specific shape if need be.