Adjustable Shower Door Hinge Assembly for Frameless Glass Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Glass shower doors require secure, durable, and adjustable hinges that can withstand frequent use and body weight, while allowing for on-site adjustments due to potential measurement inaccuracies and varying bathroom conditions.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly with a first hinged body featuring a channel and a pivot pin assembly, allowing for adjustable tilt and translation along the channel, combined with a restriction nut and threaded fasteners for secure attachment to a neighboring glass wall, and gasket plates for water resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If glass shower doors are secured to a neighboring glass wall, then the door can be installed in a frameless design, but the glass wall is susceptible to cracking or breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hinge assembly with a reinforced mounting plate and structural support elements as an intermediary between the glass door and the glass wall. This mediator distributes the mechanical loads and stresses away from the vulnerable glass wall, allowing frameless design while protecting against cracking or breaking through the protective function of the hinge assembly structure
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly is divided into multiple functional components including a mounting plate, hinge mechanism, and reinforcement elements. This segmentation allows the structural support functions to be separated from the glass wall itself, concentrating the reinforcement at the hinge location where it is most needed, thus protecting the glass wall while enabling frameless installation
2Manufacturing precision
If preinstallation measurements are done on-site and glass pieces are cut off-site, then custom fit is achieved, but adjustments are needed due to inaccurate measurements or imperfect bathroom conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly incorporates adjustable positioning features that allow the door to be dynamically repositioned during installation. The mechanism enables movement and adjustment in multiple directions, facilitating easy corrections for measurement inaccuracies or imperfect bathroom conditions while maintaining a secure final installation
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly includes adjustable parameters such as positioning holes, elongated mounting slots, or movable components that allow installation personnel to change the position and orientation of the door during installation. This enables adaptation to real-world conditions without requiring precise pre-measurements, as adjustments can be made on-site
3Ease of operation
If glass shower doors bear body weight during use, then the door provides functional support, but the hinge must be highly secured and durable
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly utilizes composite construction combining multiple materials with complementary properties - such as metal components for strength and load-bearing, rubber or polymer elements for cushioning and grip, and possibly reinforced plastics. This composite approach allows the hinge to simultaneously support body weight during operation while maintaining high durability and resistance to loosening over time
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge assembly includes a first hinged body, a pivot pin assembly, and a second hinged body. The first hinged body includes a channel. The pivot pin assembly includes a pin body configured to slideably engage the channel. The pivot pin assembly may be translated within the channel and adjustably secured along the channel. The pin body includes a downwardly extending pin. The second hinged body comprises a pin aperture configured to cooperatively receive the pin. The first hinged body and the second hinged body are configured to hingedly pivot along a hinge axis defined by the pin when the pin is received in the pin aperture. The pin body may include a pin body aperture configured to receive an alignment fastener such that the pin body may be tilt adjusted relative to the first hinged body.