Tubular spring hinge assembly

• US 20030051313A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JYI Hsing Enterprise Company Limited
• Original Assignee: JYI Hsing Enterprise Company Limited
• Inventors: Wu, Chien-Chen
• Granted Patent: US 6,618,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/298
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/14 Construction of sockets or sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

A tubular spring hinge assembly includes a connecting tube for connecting two tubes, and two separation tubes mounted between the connecting tube and each of the two tubes. Each of the two separation tubes is made of a wear-resistant plastic, thereby eliminating noise due to friction when the two tubes are rotated relatively by the door plate.

Claims

1. A tubular spring hinge assembly, comprising a first outer tube, a second outer tube, a central shaft, a torsion spring, and two regulators, wherein:

the first outer tube has a side provided with a leaf, the second outer tube has a side provided with a leaf, the first outer tube is pivotally mounted on the second outer tube, the torsion spring is mounted in the first outer tube and the second outer tube, each of the two regulators is mounted on an outer end of the first outer tube and the second outer tube respectively, the central shaft is mounted in the torsion spring, and has two ends each extended through each of the two regulators, the torsion spring has two ends each inserted into each of the two regulators, each of the two regulators has a periphery provided with a pin member which is rested on the leaf of each of the first outer tube and the second outer tube; and

wherein;

a first separation tube is mounted in a first end of the first outer tube, a second separation tube is mounted in a first end of the second outer tube, the first separation tube has a first end having an outer wall formed with an annular separation flange rested on an end face of the first end of the first outer tube, the second separation tube has a first end having an outer wall formed with an annular separation flange rested on an end face of the first end of the second outer tube, so as to separate the first outer tube from the second outer tube, thereby preventing the first outer tube and the second outer tube from rubbing and producing noise, the first separation tube has a second end having an inner wall formed with an annular retaining portion, the second separation tube has a second end having an inner wall formed with an annular retaining portion, a connecting tube is mounted between the first outer tube and the second outer tube, and is mounted in the first separation tube and the second separation tube, the connecting tube has two ends each retained by the annular retaining portion of the first separation tube and the annular retaining portion of the second separation tube.

2. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a first separation ring made of a wear-resistant plastic mounted in a second end of the first outer tube, and a second separation ring made of a wear-resistant plastic mounted in a second end of the second outer tube, wherein the first separation ring is formed with an annular separation flange mounted between one of the two regulators and the first outer tube, and the second separation ring is formed with an annular separation flange mounted between the other of the two regulators and the second outer tube, thereby preventing each of the two regulators from contacting and rubbing the first outer tube and the second outer tube, so as to eliminate noise and to increase the lifetime of each of the two regulators.

3. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the torsion spring has a horn shape and has an outer diameter gradually reduced from two ends toward a mediate portion thereof, the connecting tube is mounted on the mediate portion of the torsion spring, an inner diameter of the connecting tube is smaller than a maximum outer diameter of the torsion spring, a wall of the connecting tube is axially formed with a slit, so that the connecting tube may be mounted on the mediate portion of the torsion spring by the slit, and the annular separation flange of each of the first separation tube and the second separation tube has a first end formed with a cavity, and a second end provided with a snap portion that may be snapped and inserted into the cavity, thereby snapping each of the first separation tube and the second separation tube.

4. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the central shaft has two ends each formed with an enlarged head for positioning each of the two regulators.

5. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein the enlarged head of each of the two ends of the central shaft is provided with a first washer and a second washer, the second washer is located between the first washer and the enlarged head, and a base portion of each of the two regulators is formed with a recess for receiving the first washer and the second washer.

6. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein the first washer has a periphery formed with multiple insertion openings, and the recess is provided with multiple protruding insertion teeth inserted into the multiple insertion openings.

7. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a cover mounted on each of the two regulators, wherein a base portion of each of the two regulators is formed with multiple insertion recesses, and the cover is provided with multiple snapping bosses each inserted and snapped into one of the multiple insertion recesses of the base portion of each of the two regulators, so that the cover may be secured on each of the two regulators.

8. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the leaf of each of the first outer tube and the second outer tube is provided with a shoulder which is formed with an abutting edge.

9. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 8, wherein the shoulder of the leaf of each of the first outer tube and the second outer tube is formed with a recessed resting portion for positioning the pin member.

10. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein an inner wall of the first outer tube is formed with a mounting section for mounting the first separation tube, and an inner wall of the second outer tube is formed with a mounting section for mounting the second separation tube.

11. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two regulators is an axial integrally formed stepped body including a base portion, a positioning portion, and a separation portion, the base portion has an outer diameter greater than that of the positioning portion, the positioning portion has an outer diameter greater than that of the separation portion, the positioning portion is located between the base portion and the separation portion, the separation portion is extended into each of two ends of the torsion spring, for separating the torsion spring from the central shaft, thereby preventing the torsion spring from rubbing the central shaft, and the positioning portion is formed with a positioning hole for mounting a metallic protection tube for insertion of each of the two ends of the torsion spring.

12. A tubular spring hinge assembly, comprising a base, and a pair of pivot structures, wherein, the base includes two main tubes, and a connecting plate mounted between the two main tubes, each of the pivot structures is mounted on one of the two main tubes;

each of the pivot structures includes an outer tube, a central shaft, a torsion spring, a regulator, and a positioner, wherein;

the outer tube has a side provided with a leaf, the outer tube is pivotally mounted on one end of the main tube, the positioner is mounted on the other end of the main tube, the torsion spring is mounted in the outer tube and the main tube, the regulator is mounted on an outer end of the outer tube, the central shaft is mounted in the torsion spring and has two ends each extended through the regulator and the positioner;

the torsion spring has two ends each inserted into the regulator and the positioner respectively, the regulator has a base portion having a periphery provided with a pin member that is rested on the leaf;

a first separation tube is mounted in a first end of the outer tube, and a second separation tube is mounted in a first end of the main tube, the first separation tube has a first end having an outer wall formed with an annular separation flange rested on an end face of the first end of the outer tube, the second separation tube has a first end having an outer wall formed with an annular separation flange rested on an end face of the first end of the main tube, so as to separate the outer tube from the main tube, thereby preventing the outer tube and the main tube from rubbing and producing noise, the first separation tube has a second end having an inner wall formed with an annular retaining portion, the second separation tube has a second end having an inner wall formed with an annular retaining portion, and a connecting tube is mounted in the first separation tube and the second separation tube, and has two ends each retained by the annular retaining portion of the first separation tube and the annular retaining portion of the second separation tube.

13. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a separation ring mounted in a second end of the outer tube, wherein the regulator is mounted in the separation ring, the separation ring has one end having an outer wall formed with an annular separation flange mounted between the base portion of the regulator and the outer tube, thereby preventing the regulator from contacting and rubbing the outer tube, so as to eliminate noise and to increase the lifetime of the regulator.

14. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein the central shaft has two ends each formed with an enlarged head for positioning the regulator and the positioner.

15. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 14, wherein the enlarged head of each of the two ends of the central shaft is provided with a first washer and a second washer, the second washer is located between the first washer and the enlarged head, the base portion of the regulator is formed with a recess for receiving the first washer and the second washer, and a base portion of the positioner is formed with a recess for receiving the first washer and the second washer.

16. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 15, wherein the first washer has a periphery formed with multiple insertion openings, and the recess is provided with multiple protruding insertion teeth inserted into the multiple insertion openings.

17. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a cover mounted on the regulator and the positioner, wherein each of the regulator and the positioner is formed with multiple insertion recesses, and the cover is provided with multiple snapping bosses each inserted and snapped into one of the multiple insertion recesses, so that the cover may be secured the regulator and the positioner.

18. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein the leaf is provided with a shoulder which is formed with an abutting edge.

19. The tubular spring hinge assembly in accordance with claim 18, wherein the shoulder of the leaf is formed with a recessed resting portion for positioning the pin member.