Preassembled Friction Hinge Module for Lightweight Constant Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional friction hinges used in center consoles are large and heavy, requiring significant material and manufacturing resources, and often include unnecessary components, which can increase weight and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A preassembled friction hinge module that uses lighter materials such as molded plastic or castings, reduces components by eliminating elements like staking rivets, and incorporates a shaft, torque element, and housing design with a detent mechanism for secure torque element placement, allowing for efficient assembly and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional friction hinges are manufactured as large assemblies with stamped parts, then the hinge provides sufficient structural strength and stability, but the weight and manufacturing complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into separate functional components: a housing, a shaft, and a torque element. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently, using lighter materials and reducing overall weight while maintaining structural integrity through precise design of the friction interface between components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite construction by combining different materials for the housing, shaft, and torque element. This allows selection of materials that provide sufficient strength with reduced weight, replacing traditional heavy stamped metal parts with lighter materials that maintain required mechanical properties.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional friction hinges include multiple components such as brackets and stamped parts, then the hinge achieves necessary mechanical interference and stability, but the number of components and manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple traditional hinge components are merged into an integrated housing structure that contains the shaft and torque element. This consolidation reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps while maintaining the mechanical interference and stability functions through the designed interaction between the integrated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, contains the friction interface, and eliminates the need for separate mounting brackets. This multi-functionality reduces component count while maintaining hinge stability and structural integrity.
3Reliability
If conventional friction hinges use large stamped parts, then the hinge provides adequate mechanical interference for stable positioning, but the material usage and manufacturing resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using large stamped parts throughout, the invention concentrates material only where needed for mechanical interference at the friction interface between the shaft and torque element. This localized material placement maintains position holding capability while significantly reducing overall material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the friction interface by precisely controlling the contact surface area, pressure, and material properties at the interface between shaft and torque element. This allows adequate mechanical interference and position stability with much less total material than traditional large stamped parts.
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 new design results in a lighter, more efficient hinge module that reduces manufacturing complexity and weight, while maintaining consistent frictional resistance for improved user experience and reduced material usage.
Implementation Method 1
a torque element frictionally engaging the shaft
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A hinged system includes a preassembled hinge module for pivotally coupling a first component to a second component. The preassembled hinge module includes a shaft, a torque element frictionally engaging the shaft, and a housing. The housing includes a cover, a side wall, and a rear wall that define an interior space enclosed within the housing. The interior space receives the torque element inside the housing. The cover defines a first aperture, and the rear wall defines a second aperture, the first aperture and the second aperture aligned with a pivot axis of the shaft. The shaft extends through at least the first aperture, the interior space, and the second aperture. The shaft is separate from, and configured to be mounted to, the first component. The housing is separate from, and configured to be mounted to, the second component.