Hinge with Integrated Sensor for Easy Door Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door and window hinges with integrated electrical systems for security and monitoring purposes are complicated to assemble and disassemble, as the proximity sensors and alarm systems require dismantling during installation and removal.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design with a measuring unit and sensor integrated into one hinge wing, allowing relative rotation to generate angle-dependent signals, with the sensor and cable remaining installed in the door frame, and a spring-loaded sensor for constant contact with the hinge pin, enabling easy assembly and disassembly without dismantling, and utilizing an inductively operating sensor for comprehensive monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the proximity sensor and alarm system are installed in the door-side hinge leaf, then the door can be monitored for security purposes, but the assembly and disassembly of the door becomes very cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into two separate hinge leaves: a door-side hinge leaf and a frame-side hinge leaf. The sensor system is integrated into the frame-side hinge leaf, which remains fixed during door assembly and disassembly, while the door-side hinge leaf can be freely attached and detached. This segmentation allows the sensor to remain installed without requiring dismantling during door installation or removal.
Solution Approach 2:
A magnetic field is introduced as an intermediary between the sensor and the moving hinge components. The sensor detects the position and movement of the door through magnetic field interactions with a magnet attached to the moving hinge leaf, eliminating the need for direct mechanical contact or complex cable routing that would require dismantling during assembly.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the sensor and cable are permanently installed in the door frame, then the measuring unit functions continuously, but the sensor must be well concealed and protected
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor and its electrical connections are nested within the frame-side hinge leaf structure. The sensor is housed in a recessed cavity that is integrated into the hinge leaf's internal geometry, providing both concealment and mechanical protection while maintaining a compact design that does not add external complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor housing is merged with the frame-side hinge leaf structure itself. The protective enclosure for the sensor is not a separate component but is formed as an integral part of the hinge leaf, combining the functions of structural support, sensor mounting, and protection into a single unified component.
3Measurement precision
If a contact device is provided in the hinge with cables fed through the door frame, then the hinge can detect door position, but the cable routing becomes complex and the structure more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical cable routing system is replaced with a magnetic field-based detection system. Instead of using physical cables that must be routed through the door frame and connected to contact pieces, the invention uses a magnetic sensor that detects door position through magnetic field interactions, eliminating the need for complex cable management and reducing structural complexity.
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
Facilitates easy assembly and disassembly of doors and windows while ensuring long-term functionality of the sensor system, providing precise monitoring of hinge movement and wear, and enabling remote data processing for maintenance and surveillance applications.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor (6) is designed as an inductively operating sensor
Implementation Method 2
the carrier disc of the measuring sensor is preferably loaded with a spring on the front side, which has the task of pressing the measuring sensor against the hinge pin
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A hinge, particularly for doors or windows, is provided with hinge leaves (1, 2) that are rotatable relative to each other about a pivot axis (3) of a hinge pin (4) connecting them. A measuring unit (10) is integrated, comprising a sensor (6) in one hinge leaf (1) and a corresponding transducer (7) in the other hinge leaf (2). When the hinge leaves (1, 2) rotate relative to each other, the measuring unit generates angle-dependent signals. The sensor (6) of the measuring unit (10) and an electrical cable (16) connected to it are preferably arranged in a longitudinal bore (5) of the hinge pin (4). This allows the door or window to be hung on or removed from the frame during installation and removal without additional manipulation. Furthermore, the measuring unit (10) is protected within the frame-side hinge leaf (1), ensuring its proper functioning.