Self-Returning Floor Hinge With Polymeric Guide Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior self-returning floor hinges experience wear in guide slots and alignment issues with metal guide plates, leading to noise and increased wear over time, especially with heavy use.
Innovation Solution
A self-returning hinge assembly using a polymeric guide plate and bushings to support a linearly displaceable guide shaft, with a coil spring and cam follower system, providing a durable and quiet operation by reducing friction and wear through polymeric materials and two-point engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal guide plates and alignment pins with guide slots are used to maintain linear travel, then the hinge provides stable guidance, but the guide slots experience variable wear over time leading to noise and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional metal guide plates and pins with a composite system consisting of a polymeric guide plate and a metal guide shaft. This composite material approach allows the polymeric guide plate to provide guidance while the metal guide shaft maintains structural integrity, reducing wear and extending service life beyond 2 million cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces bushings as intermediary elements between the guide shaft and the guide plate or frame structure. These bushings act as mediators that reduce direct metal-to-metal or metal-to-polymer contact, minimizing wear on the guide slots and extending the duration of action of the stationary guide plate.
2Strength
If an H-shaped guide plate of hardened steel is used to support the guide shaft, then the guide plate provides structural strength, but it is difficult to maintain proper alignment and imparts enhanced wear to the guide shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hardened steel H-shaped guide plate with a polymeric guide plate that has adequate structural strength for the application. The polymeric material provides sufficient support while being easier to align and install, and significantly reduces wear on the guide shaft during prolonged use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter of the guide plate from hardened steel to polymer, which alters the friction characteristics and wear properties. This parameter change makes the guide plate easier to align during installation and reduces the wear imparted to the guide shaft during operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If alignment pins and guide slots are used to constrain the guide shaft, then linear travel is maintained, but variable wear in the guide slots creates noticeable clicking sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a polymeric guide plate instead of metal guide slots to constrain the guide shaft. The polymeric material provides consistent linear travel guidance while generating significantly less wear and noise compared to metal-on-metal or metal-on-polymer contact in traditional guide slots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces bushings as intermediary elements between the guide shaft and the frame structure or guide plate. These bushings reduce direct contact and friction, eliminating the variable wear that causes clicking sounds while maintaining stable linear travel of the guide shaft.
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 solution achieves over 2 million cycles without failure, offering improved durability and reduced noise compared to prior designs, with enhanced support and wear resistance.
Implementation Method 1
the spring is compressed thereby generating a biasing force along the guide shaft to bring the door back to the pre-established set point
Implementation Method 2
providing a durable and quiet operation by reducing friction and wear through polymeric materials
Data Source
AI summary
A self-returning hinge assembly utilizing a spring disposed along a linearly displaceable guide shaft element mounted through a polymeric guide plate disposed in substantial alignment with an aperture supporting an elongated proximal portion of the guide shaft. Upon displacement of the door from a pre-established set point, the spring is compressed thereby generating a biasing force along the guide shaft to bring the door back to the pre-established set point. The linear travel path of the guide shaft element is maintained by the guide plate.