Rotating Hinge with Detent-Based Locking for Adjustable Sneeze Guards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sneeze guards are not adjustable, limiting their versatility across different food service applications, as they must be specifically designed for each configuration to ensure adequate protection against droplet contamination, and lack a simple, flexible hinged mechanism for easy installation and adjustment without the need for screws or nuts.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable hinge assembly with a rotatable arm and detent holes, allowing for angular and rotational adjustment of sneeze guard panes without the need for locking screws or nuts, using ball pins and compressible springs to provide secure 'locked' positions that can be easily rotated between.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid support frame with stationary support posts is used, then the sneeze guard provides stable protection against droplet contamination, but it cannot be adjusted to accommodate different food service configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the stationary support posts into rotatable arms that can rotate between multiple locked positions. The rotatable arms allow the sneeze guard panes to be adjusted to different angles and orientations, enabling the same structure to adapt to various food service configurations while maintaining stability through detent holes and ball pins that lock the arms in desired positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the rigid support frame into modular components: stationary support posts, rotatable arms, and adjustable panes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together as a unified system, providing both adjustability and structural integrity without requiring a completely complex redesign of the entire frame.
2Ease of operation
If locking screws or nuts are used to secure the hinge positions, then the sneeze guard panes are firmly held in place, but the installation and adjustment process becomes more time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through the detent hole and ball pin mechanism, which automatically locks the rotatable arm in place when it reaches a desired position. The ball pin engages with the detent holes without requiring manual intervention from screws or nuts, allowing users to simply rotate the arm to the desired angle and have it self-lock, thereby simplifying operation while maintaining firm positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical fastening system (screws and nuts) with a detent-based locking mechanism. The detent holes and ball pins create a positive locking system that holds the rotatable arm firmly in place through geometric interlocking rather than threaded fasteners, reducing the complexity of installation and adjustment while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the sneeze guard is designed for a specific configuration, then it provides optimal protection for that application, but it cannot be used in other food service scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing a single sneeze guard structure with rotatable arms that can be positioned in multiple locked configurations. This multi-functional design allows the same unit to serve different food service applications (buffet lines, salad bars, attended stations, self-service areas) without requiring separate custom-designed units for each application, thereby improving versatility while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
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 flexible and easy adjustment of sneeze guard panes to accommodate various food service scenarios, providing effective protection against contamination while simplifying installation and maintenance, and can be used in multiple applications beyond sneeze guards, such as doors and windows.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible spring within the ball pin housing to render each ball pin compressible at the end of the housing comprising the ball member
Data Source
AI summary
Adjustable hinge assemblies for partially or completely rotating an object joined thereto about an axis in specific, pre-determined increments defined by the interaction of ball pins and detents permit the adjustable hinge to retain an attached object in specific rotational positions until sufficient force is applied in the plane of rotation to overcome this interaction. In certain cases the object may be a door, window, baffle, or airfoil. Preferably, the adjustable hinges may be used as part of a sneeze guard assembly to hold a main sneeze guard pane whose angle can be adjusted to protect food from airborne contamination, such as in airborne saliva or mucus droplets. An optional tuck-away hinge pane prevents contamination of food from the ends of the sneeze guard assembly.