Museum showcase with quadrilateral hinge having a hook for holding the door in a closed position
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Articulated quadrilateral hinges used in museum showcases struggle to maintain large and heavy doors in a closed position, leading to potential contamination and security risks due to the door moving away from the container body under its own weight or external forces, which can also cause stress on the hinge components.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a hook mechanism associated with the mobile and fixed elements of the hinge, which cooperates with a roller to securely engage and prevent the door from moving away from the container body, ensuring a stable and sealed closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large and heavy door is used to close the container body, then the door can effectively seal and protect the showcase, but the door tends to move away from the container body under its own weight or external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hook mechanism that engages with the container body to counteract the gravitational force acting on the heavy door. The hook, when engaged, provides an upward force that balances the door's weight, preventing it from moving away from the container body despite its significant mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook acts as an intermediary element between the door and the container body. It transfers and distributes the load, allowing the heavy door to remain stable without directly stressing the hinge components. The engagement means on the container body serve as the intermediary connection point.
2Strength
If the door is allowed to move away from the container body, then the hinge components experience reduced stress, but the showcase loses its sealed environment and security
Solution Approach 1:
The hook mechanism is designed to engage preliminarily with the container body before any significant movement of the door can occur. This preliminary engagement prevents the door from moving away in the first place, thereby maintaining the sealed environment and preventing contamination or security breaches before they can happen.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement means on the container body serve as an intermediary that maintains the sealed environment. By providing a connection point for the hook, they ensure the door remains properly positioned against the container body, preventing harmful factors from entering while distributing stress away from the hinge components.
3Device complexity
If a simple hinge mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but it cannot prevent the door from moving away in closed position
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system is segmented into distinct functional components: the basic quadrilateral hinge mechanism for movement and the separate hook mechanism with engagement means for stabilization. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall structure relatively simple and modular.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook and engagement means are introduced as minimal intermediary elements that add only the necessary functionality to prevent door movement. These simple additioned components do not complicate the existing hinge mechanism but rather complement it by providing the stabilization function that was missing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The showcase (1) has a hinge (10) comprising a fixed element (20), associated with the container body (2), a mobile element (30), intended to be associated with the door (3), and a first connecting rod (40) and a second connecting rod (50) hinged between the fixed element (20) and the mobile element (30), so as to obtain an articulated quadrilateral adapted for causing a roto-translation of the fixed element (20) with respect to the mobile element (30) between an open position and a closed position of the hinge (10). The hinge (10) also comprises a hook (36), associated with one from the fixed element (20) and the mobile element (30) and adapted for cooperating in a releasable manner with engagement means (26) associated with the other from the fixed element (20) and the mobile element (30), so as to counteract the movement of the mobile element (30) away from the fixed element (20) when the hinge (10) is in closed position.