Glass door hinge

• US 20020116787A1
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Group Legacy, LC
• Original Assignee: The Group Legacy, LC
• Inventors: Miller, Craig, Liao, William
• Granted Patent: US 6,560,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/252
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1064 with a coil spring perpendicular to the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0246 for attachment to glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

A glass door hinge is provided which is self-centering and clamps a glass door between two opposed clamps. The hinge includes a mount, a pair of clamps, a hinge block, a spindle, and a biasing member for engaging the spindle to return the clamps and the door to a centered position. Each of the clamps is preferably provided with a lipped gasket which isolates the door from the metal hinge components. One of the clamps has a pair of set screws for holding the spindle in position relative to the clamps, and a pair of locking screws for inhibiting movement of the set screws. The set screws and locking screws are concealed from view by being received entirely within the clamp.

Claims

1. A glass door hinge for pivotally mounting a glass door to an adjacent supporting member comprising:

first and second opposed clamps adapted for receiving therebetween a glass door, at least one of said clamps including a plate and also including a boss extending toward the other of said clamps;

a spindle received between said clamps against movement relative thereto and defining a pivot axis of the hinge, said spindle having at least one centering surface;

a mount for coupling to a supporting member;

a hinge block fixedly coupled to the mount and pivotally receiving said spindle therein;

a centering member biased against the centering surface of the spindle when the clamps are in a centered position;

a pair of set fasteners received by one of said clamps and engaging said spindle to inhibit relative movement between said spindle and said one clamp; and

a pair of locking fasteners received by said one of said clamps and engaging said set fasteners for inhibiting movement of said set fastener.

2. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said set fasteners have a pointed tip.

3. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 2, wherein said set fasteners include ears having indentations therein complementally configured for receipt of said tips of said set screws.

4. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 3, wherein said set screws include back ends having recesses therein.

5. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 4, wherein said locking screws include points for receipt in said recesses of said set screws.

6. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said boss is substantially U-shaped.

7. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 6, wherein said boss includes a pair of lobes each including an internally threaded receiver for threadably receiving a threaded fastener therein.

8. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount includes a plate and including at least one mount screw coupling said plate to said hinge block.

9. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount includes a pair of opposed panel clamps for mounting to a panel clamped therebetween, and including at least one mount screw coupling one of said opposed panel clamps to said hinge block.

10. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spindle has a pair of circumferentially spaced centering surfaces separated by arcuate bearing surfaces, and including a groove in at least one of said arcuate bearing surfaces adapted for receiving lubricant therein.

11. A glass door hinge for pivotally mounting a glass door to an adjacent supporting member comprising:

first and second opposed clamps adapted for receiving therebetween a glass door, each of said clamps including a plate having an inwardly facing surface and at least one of said clamps having a raised boss extending toward the other of said clamps to present a remotely facing edge;

a spindle received between said clamps against movement relative thereto and defining a pivot axis of the hinge, said spindle having at least one centering surface;

a mount for coupling to a supporting member;

a hinge block fixedly coupled to the mount and pivotally receiving said spindle therein;

a centering member biased against the centering surface of the spindle when the clamps are in a centered position; and

at least one gasket received on the inwardly facing surface of at least one of said plates, said gasket including a substantially flat section and a raised lip angularly oriented relative to said flat section and extending toward the opposite clamp in substantially overlying relationship to said remotely facing edge.

12. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 11, including a second gasket on the other of said plates, said second gasket including a substantially flat section and a raised lip angularly oriented relative to said flat section and extending toward the lip of said one gasket, the lips of said one and said second gasket cooperatively substantially covering said remotely facing edge.

13. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 12, wherein the boss has an upper edge and a lower edge, the lips of said one gasket and said second gasket cooperatively substantially covering said upper edge and said lower edge.

14. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 13, wherein said boss is substantially U-shaped and includes a pair of lobes adjacent the remotely facing edge.

15. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 14, wherein said lips of said one and said second gaskets substantially cover said lobes.

16. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 15, wherein said one gasket and said second gasket are polyurethane.

17. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 15, including pair of set fasteners received by one of said clamps and engaging said spindle to inhibit relative movement between said spindle and said one clamp and a pair of locking fasteners received by said one of said clamps and engaging said set fasteners for inhibiting movement of said set fastener.

19. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 18, wherein said spindle includes first and second circumferentially spaced centering surfaces and first and second arcuate bearing surfaces located circumferentially intermediate said first and second centering surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces including a respective groove therein communicating with each of said centering surfaces.

20. A glass door hinge as set forth in claim 19, wherein said spindle is elongated and includes a first and second longitudinally spaced circular shoulders and third and fourth grooves, said grooves being arcuate, said first and second grooves being positioned longitudinally intermediate said first circular shoulder and respectively said first and second bearing surfaces and said third and fourth grooves being positioned longitudinally intermediate said second shoulder and respectively said first and second bearing surfaces.

18. A glass door hinge for pivotally mounting a glass door to an adjacent supporting member comprising:

first and second opposed clamps adapted for receiving therebetween a glass door, at least one of said clamps including a plate and also including a boss extending toward the other of said clamps;

a spindle received between said clamps against movement relative thereto and defining a pivot axis of the hinge, said spindle having at least one centering surface and an arcuate bearing surface circumferentially adjacent said centering surface, said arcuate bearing surface including a groove therein adapted for receiving lubricant;

a mount for coupling to a supporting member;

a hinge block fixedly coupled to the mount and pivotally receiving said spindle therein; and

a centering member biased against the centering surface of the spindle when the clamps are in a centered position.