Folding Flap Hinge Guide Direction for Anti-Trap Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinges for folding flaps often require high forces to trigger anti-trap mechanisms, leading to potential injury risks due to misalignment and inefficient force direction, and can get caught during closure, causing movement blockages.
Innovation Solution
The hinge design features a guide that changes direction during closure to align with the force of a trapped object, ensuring a defined force triggers the snap-in connection and prevents the joint axis from getting caught, with a resilient articulated arm and tapered guide sections for smooth operation and adjustable alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the hinge uses a rigid mounting plate directly connected to the flap section, then the connection is stable and strong, but the force required to overcome the holding force becomes significantly higher due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid mounting plate with a resilient mounting plate that can flex and adapt to misalignments. This resilient plate maintains the strong connection while allowing the mounting surface to deform elastically, thereby reducing the peak forces needed to trigger the anti-trap mechanism when misalignment occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical properties of the mounting plate from rigid to resilient, altering its stiffness parameter. This allows the mounting plate to absorb misalignment through elastic deformation, reducing the force required to overcome the holding force of the snap-fit connection during anti-trap operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the guide is fixed in a single orientation, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the hinge can jam during closing movement when the force direction does not align with the guide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static, fixed-oriented guide into a dynamic guide that rotates together with the second joint part during closing movement. This dynamic adaptation ensures the guide orientation continuously aligns with the force direction exerted by a trapped object, preventing jamming while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of a single-piece resilient mounting plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the guide function with the resilient mounting plate, combining two previously separate functions into a single integrated component. This integration allows the mounting plate to simultaneously provide resilient mounting and dynamic guide orientation, simplifying the overall structure while ensuring reliable operation throughout the closing movement.
3Device complexity
If the guide direction does not align with the force direction during closing, then the structure can be simpler, but the hinge jams and blocks movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic guide structure where the guide direction automatically adjusts during closing movement by rotating with the second joint part. This dynamic alignment ensures the guide continuously points in the direction of the applied force, enabling smooth operation without increasing structural complexity, as the adjustment is achieved through the natural rotation of existing components.
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 reliably prevents finger pinching by ensuring the guide direction aligns with the force, allowing smooth gap enlargement and reducing the risk of injury, while maintaining a resilient and adjustable connection for optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
the second joint part (40) is resilient
Implementation Method 2
a first joint part (30) and a second joint part (40) which are articulated to each other
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a hinge (20) for connecting two sub-flaps (11, 12) of a folding flap (10), comprising a first and a second joint part (30, 40) which are connected together in an articulated manner. A joint axis (22) connected to the first joint part (30) is mounted in a guide (42) arranged on the second joint part (40) in a rotatable manner in a latched position (42.1) and is guided in a movable manner along a guide region (42.2) of the guide (42) in a non-latched position. The first joint part (30) and the second joint part (40) can be connected to a respective sub-flap (11, 12) via a first mounting element (50) and a second mounting element (60), respectively. Starting from the latched position (42.1), the guide direction of the guide (42) changes continuously or discontinuously opposite the rotational direction of the second joint part (40) during a closing movement of the hinge (20). The hinge (20) substantially reduces the risk of injury due to clamping a finger between the two sub-flaps (11, 12).