Hinge Device Dynamic Free Stop and Anti-Opening Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinge devices face issues with loud noises and potential user injury during closure due to a short free stop section, and they struggle to maintain an open state, often requiring separate locking devices to prevent accidental opening, which complicates operation and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A hinge device featuring a housing with hinge holes, a pivotal lever with a cam surface, a compressive coil spring, and a slider that elastically supports the pivotal lever, allowing for an increased free stop section and preventing accidental opening by changing the direction of the spring's elastic force as the cover is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional hinge device is used with a short free stop section, then the structure is simple, but loud noises and potential user injury occur during closure
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge device employs a dynamic free stop mechanism where the slider moves along the cam surface of the pivotal lever, allowing the free stop section to extend dynamically as the cover approaches closure. This dynamic adjustment increases the free stop section length, reducing closure speed and preventing noise and injury without requiring a completely different structural approach.
2Reliability
If a separate locking device is added to prevent accidental opening, then the cover stability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compressive coil spring serves multiple functions: it provides the elastic force to prevent accidental opening, maintains the cover in a stable closed state, and works in conjunction with the slider-cam mechanism to control closure. By making the spring multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate locking devices while maintaining cover stability and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge device achieves accidental opening prevention through self-service mechanisms where the compressive coil spring automatically maintains contact between the slider and pivotal lever, creating continuous elastic pressure. This self-regulating system prevents accidental opening without requiring external locking devices or additional control mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping function is added to allow slow closure, then noise is reduced, but the ability to maintain an open state is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge device creates a dynamic transition zone where the slider moves along the cam surface, providing progressive damping as the cover approaches closure. This dynamic mechanism allows the cover to be held open at various positions while still providing noise-reducing damping during the final closure phase, thus maintaining both open state capability and noise reduction.
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 hinge device reduces noise and injury during closure, improves perceived quality, and stably prevents accidental opening without additional locking devices, enhancing operational simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a compressive coil spring that is installed in the housing; and a slider that is installed in an upper portion of the housing, is elastically supported by the compressive coil spring
Implementation Method 2
the lower end face of the pivotal lever may include a cam surface toward the front in which a distance from the hinge center is gradually increased and then reduced again, and the upper end face of the slider may include a bearing surface toward the front in which a height is increased and then reduced again, so that, when a nose of the cam surface of the pivotal lever passes through a peak of the bearing surface, a direction in which an elastic force of the compressive coil spring is applied is changed
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge device in which a slider elastically supported by a compressive coil spring is put into contact with a pivotal lever installed on a cover of a product which swings open or closed. The hinge device can increase a free stop section and simultaneously prevent the cover from being incidentally open.