Multi-Stage Hinge with Guide Slides and Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinges lack a multi-stage opening action, limiting their functionality and flexibility in applications such as furniture and doors, where a more nuanced control over pivoting angles is desired.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design featuring two arms with guide and control slides, a cylinder-piston unit, and a torsion element, allowing for a multi-stage opening action by delaying the closing movement and enabling further opening beyond a standard operating end position through a combination of sliding and rotational mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional hinge design is used, then the structure is simple, but the pivoting angle control is limited and cannot achieve multi-stage opening action
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into multiple functional components: guide slides (first and second), control slides (first and second), a cylinder-piston unit, and a torsion element. Each component performs a specific function in controlling the pivoting motion through different stages, enabling the multi-stage opening action while managing complexity through functional segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge employs dynamic coupling mechanisms where the second guide slide can be rotationally fixedly coupled to either the second arm or the first arm depending on the pivoting angle sub-range. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the hinge to transition between different operational modes (normal closing vs. emergency opening) and achieve multi-stage motion control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hinge is designed to allow further opening beyond the operating end position, then the flexibility is improved, but the control mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control slides act as intermediary elements between the guide slides and the arms. When the hinge needs to open beyond the operating end position, the control slides engage with the guide slides to transfer and control the relative movement, enabling the emergency opening function while isolating the complexity of the control mechanism from the main hinge structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cylinder-piston unit and torsion element are pre-configured to provide controlled resistance and damping forces. The torsion element is arranged to delay the pivoting movement in specific angle sub-ranges, and the cylinder-piston unit provides linear damping, allowing the hinge to smoothly transition through different opening stages without requiring complex real-time control mechanisms.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the closing movement is delayed using a linear damper, then the stability is improved, but the closing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping action is applied partially rather than continuously throughout the entire closing motion. The torsion element delays the pivoting movement only in specific angle sub-ranges bordering the initial position, while the cylinder-piston unit provides linear damping in other phases. This partial application of damping achieves closure stability without unnecessarily extending the total closing time.
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
Enables a stable multi-stage opening and closing mechanism, providing enhanced control over pivoting angles and stability, allowing the hinge to be opened further than standard hinges, and ensuring secure closure with delayed damping.
Implementation Method 1
at least one cylinder-piston unit can be loaded by means of the second guide slide
Implementation Method 2
The return movement can, for example, be supported at least in some areas by means of a torsion element arranged between the arms, wherein such torsion element delays the pivoting movement in an additional pivoting sub-range
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge has two arms that can be pivoted relative to one another between a closed initial position and a second position. A first arm has a first guide slide. A second guide slide can be shifted along the pivot axis and can contact the first guide slide. When the two arms are moved towards the initial position, at least one cylinder-piston unit can be loaded by means of the second guide slide. The second guide slide can be rotationally fixedly coupled to the second arm in a first pivoting angle sub-range bordering the initial position and to the first arm in a second pivoting angle sub-range bordering the second position. The hinge has a first control slide rigidly connected to the second arm and a second control slide that makes contact with the first control slide and that is coupled against rotation to the first guide slide.