Gapless Hinge Mechanism With Wedge Spring Backlash Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hinges in the automotive and home furnishing industries suffer from manufacturing precision issues leading to gaps and looseness, causing abnormal noise and a strong sense of rubbing during rotation, which affect comfort.
Innovation Solution
A gapless hinge mechanism comprising an external gear plate, internal gear assembly, gap elimination unit, cover plate, driving wheel, and axial limiting member, utilizing a cylindrical spring and wedge blocks to eliminate gaps and ensure stable engagement between gear plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a planetary gear transmission reduction mechanism with small tooth error is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases and eccentricity becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex planetary gear transmission reduction mechanism from the hinge structure, retaining only the essential gear engagement between internal and external gear plates. This simplification removes unnecessary components while maintaining the core rotational function, thereby reducing device complexity and eccentricity without compromising manufacturing precision of the gear interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex planetary gear system to achieve precise motion control, the patent inverts the approach by using a simple direct gear engagement between internal and external gear plates with precisely controlled interfaces. The precision is achieved through the gear plate interface design rather than through complex transmission mechanisms, thereby simplifying the overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If conventional hinge mechanisms are used, then rotation function is provided, but gaps and looseness cause abnormal noise and strong sense of rubbing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-compressing the elastic component between the internal and external gear plates during assembly. This pre-compression creates initial contact pressure that eliminates gaps and prevents looseness before the hinge is put into operation, thereby preventing abnormal noise and rubbing sensations during rotation without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the connection between gear plates by introducing elastic deformation through the elastic component. This parameter change transforms the rigid connection with gaps into a flexible connection that maintains continuous contact, eliminating play and noise while preserving rotation smoothness throughout the operating range.
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 mechanism provides a compact, stable, and quiet operation by eliminating gaps and reducing eccentricity, enhancing user comfort and reducing noise and vibration.
Implementation Method 1
Both ends of the spring may act on the first wedge block and the second wedge block
Implementation Method 2
The first wedge block and the second wedge block may be both disposed at an outer side of the driving ring
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a gapless hinge mechanism including an external gear plate, an internal gear assembly, a gap elimination unit, a cover plate, a driving wheel, and an axial limiting member. The external gear plate may be crimpedly connected to the internal gear assembly. A first internal hole may be disposed at a center of the external gear plate, and a central boss may be disposed at an opening of the first internal hole. A space A may be defined by the center boss and a central internal hole of the internal gear assembly. A gap elimination unit may be disposed in the space A. The present disclosure provides a miniaturized gapless hinge mechanism which not only provides a rotation function, but also eliminates loose gap in the rotation direction, solves the problem of loose feeling of the mechanism, and avoids problems such as noise due to vibration. Compared with a planetary gear transmission reduction mechanism with a small tooth error commonly used in real life, the device of the present disclosure has the characteristics such as more ingenious structure, small overall volume, and small eccentricity, etc.