Hinge device

• US 20040045130A1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kem HongKong Limited
• Original Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuramochi, Ryuta
• Granted Patent: US 6,886,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/286
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/14 with four parallel pins and two arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/108 with piston rod protruding from the closer housing; Telescoping closers
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/20 in hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/6228 Platen covers

Abstract

A hinge device comprises: an attachment member attached on an apparatus body side; a supporting member pivotally supported by the attachment member through hinge pins; a document press-contacting plate attached to the supporting member; compression springs elastically provided between the supporting member side and the attachment member in such a manner that the supporting member is enforced to pivot in a direction that the document press-contacting plate is opened; a damper set inside the compression springs and provided between the attachment member side and the free end side of the supporting member so that an abrupt pivoting at and from a predetermined angle measured from the supporting member is buffered. This hinge device allows an adjustment of the elastic force of the compression springs without changing the operation angle of the damper, by attaching an adjustment plate on the damper movably in an axial direction, and by elastically providing the compression springs between the adjustment plate and either of the supporting member side or the attachment member side.

Claims

1. A hinge device, comprising:

an attachment member attached on an apparatus body side;

a supporting member pivotally attached to the attachment member through a hinge pin;

a document press-contacting plate attached on said supporting member;

compression springs elastically provided between the supporting member side and said attachment member in a manner that said supporting member is enforced to pivot in a direction that said document press-contacting plate is opened; and

a damper set inside said compression springs and provided between the attachment member side and the free end side of said supporting member so that abrupt pivoting at and from a predetermined angle measured from said supporting member is buffered,

wherein an adjustment plate is attached moveably in the axial direction on said damper, and said compression springs are elastically provided between the adjustment plate and either of said supporting member side or said attachment member side.

2. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein said damper is a fluid damper with a piston rod, and a base portion of a cylinder side is attached to said attachment member side.

3. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein said damper is a fluid damper with a piston rod, and the base portion of the cylinder side is attached to said supporting member side.

4. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein said damper is a telescope-type friction damper in which telescope parts are compressibly fitted to one another, and the base portion of telescope legs are attached respectively on said attachment member side and the free end side of said supporting member.

5. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein a pair of spring cases which are compressibly structured is swingably attached between said attachment member and said supporting member, with the base portion of said damper being fixed on either of the pair of spring cases.

6. A hinge device according to claim 4, wherein a lifting member to which the document press-contacting plate is attached is rotatably fixed on the free end side of said supporting member, one of said spring cases is pivotally supported in a manner to be swingable on a position different from the position on which the lifting member is fixed, and the other spring case is pivotally supported on a position on the attachment side and different from the position on which said supporting member is pivotally fixed.

7. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein the base portion of said damper is fixed on one spring case side which is pivotally supported on said attachment member side, the adjustment plate attached movably in the axial direction is attached on the base portion of the damper, and the compression springs, with said damper being housed therein, are elastically provided between the adjustment plate and the other spring case.