Separable Torque Hinge With Sealed Cable Guide Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing torque hinges are difficult to maintain and lack adequate dust and water resistance, making them unsuitable for environments requiring cleanliness and easy disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A torque hinge design with an inner cable guide that allows easy disconnection and connection of objects, featuring reversible connector elements with magnetic and non-rotationally symmetrical cross-sections, and optional seals for IP65 and higher protection, ensuring dust and water tightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If torque hinges are designed with fixed connections for mechanical stability, then reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The torque hinge is divided into separable component groups (first component group with first bush element, second component group with second bush element) that can be reversibly connected and disconnected. This segmentation allows the hinge to maintain mechanical stability when connected while enabling easy disassembly for maintenance, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of repair.
2Reliability
If torque hinges are designed as integrated units, then reliability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The torque hinge is divided into separable component groups (first component group with first bush element, second component group with second bush element) that can be reversibly connected and disconnected. This segmentation allows the hinge to maintain mechanical stability when connected while enabling easy disassembly for maintenance, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of repair.
3Ease of manufacture
If torque hinges use simple connector elements, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector elements are designed with non-rotationally symmetrical cross-sections that provide form-fit connections, preventing rotational misalignment and ensuring reliable electrical contacts. This asymmetric design maintains manufacturing simplicity while significantly improving connection reliability through geometric constraint and magnetic alignment.
4Ease of manufacture
If torque hinges are designed without seals, then ease of manufacture is improved, but object-affected harmful factors worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Seals are integrated into the torque hinge structure at the interface between component groups to create dust and water tight connections. These flexible sealing elements prevent harmful environmental factors from penetrating the hinge, achieving IP65 or higher protection while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard sealing techniques.
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 design facilitates easy maintenance, provides reliable electrical connections, and enhances dust and water resistance, allowing use in clean environments.
Implementation Method 1
At least one of the first and second connector elements has magnetic elements on a surface turned towards the other connector element, such that, when the first and second connector elements are connected, a magnetic attraction force arises between the magnetic elements, which automatically aligns the connector elements with one another
Implementation Method 2
The first and second connector elements have non-rotationally symmetrical cross-sections, such that, when the first and second connector elements are connected, a form-fit connection is provided
Data Source
AI summary
A torque hinge for pivotally connecting two objects has an inner cable guide that provides electrical connection of the objects. The inner cable guide has at the interface a reversibly connectable electrical connector element pair. The torque hinge has a hollow-pin element, a friction element and a first and second bush element. The hollow-pin element is arranged in the first bush element at one end and extends into the second bush element at the other end. The friction element is arranged between the first and second bush elements. The hollow-pin element is connected at one end to the first bush element for conjoint rotation and is pivotably received in the second bush element at the other end, or the hollow-pin element is formed as a free-running pin that is pivotably received in the first bush element at one end and in the second bush element at the other end.