HINGE

• US 20080034545A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Inventors: SHIEH, Ching-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/367
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

A hinge has a mounting bracket, a hinge assembly, a limit and positioning element, a bushing assembly, a supplementary positioning element and an end cap. The mounting bracket has two limits and a mounting hole. The hinge assembly is mounted rotatably through the mounting hole of the mounting bracket and has at least one pintle and at least on leaf mounted pivotally on the pintle. The limit and positioning element is mounted securely around the mounting cylinder and slidably against the mounting bracket and keeps the hinge assembly from over-rotating. The bushing assembly comprises at least one plastic washer, is mounted securely around the mounting cylinder and slidably abuts the mounting hole in the mounting bracket. The supplementary positioning element is mounted around the mounting cylinder and slidably against the mounting bracket. The end cap attaches to the mounting cylinder to hold the hinge assembly on the mounting bracket.

Claims

1. A hinge comprising

a mounting bracket having

a top;

a bottom;

a mounting hole being defined through the mounting bracket and having a rim and a diameter; and

two limits being formed on and protruding from the top of the mounting bracket outside the mounting hole at an determined angular separation;

a hinge assembly being made of malleable metal, being mounted rotatably through the mounting bracket and having

a top;

a bottom;

at least one pintle being formed transversely at the top of the hinge assembly;

at least one leaf being rotatably mounted on the at least one pintle; and

a rotatable base being formed on the bottom of the hinge assembly, being mounted rotatably in the mounting bracket and having

a diameter being larger than the diameter of the mounting hole;

a bottom; and

a mounting cylinder being formed coaxially on and protruding down from the bottom of the rotatable base, being mounted rotatably in the mounting hole in the mounting bracket and having

an outer diameter being smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole in the mounting bracket;

a top end;

a bottom end;

an outer surface;

multiple slots being defined radially at intervals in the outer surface of the mounting cylinder, and each slot having  

a bottom end communicating with the bottom end of the mounting cylinder; and

 

a top end; and

an annular recess being defined around the outer surface of the mounting cylinder between the top ends of the slots and the bottom of the rotatable base;

a limit and positioning element being resilient and being mounted securely around the mounting cylinder and slidably against the top of the mounting bracket in the annular recess and having

an outer edge;

a central hole being mounted around the mounting cylinder;

an inner edge;

multiple tabs being formed on and protruding in from the inner edge of the limit and positioning element and corresponding respectively to and being mounted respectively in the slots in the mounting cylinder; and

a stop being formed on and protruding radially out from the outer edge of the limit and positioning element and rotating between and abutting the two limits;

a bushing assembly being mounted securely around the mounting cylinder, against the limit and positioning element and slidably against the rim of the mounting hole in the mounting bracket to keep the mounting cylinder from rubbing against the mounting bracket and comprising at least one plastic washer, each having

a smooth outer edge slidably abutting the rim of the mounting hole through the mounting bracket;

an inner edge; and

multiple tabs being formed on and protruding in from the inner edge and corresponding respectively to and being mounted respectively in the slots in the mounting cylinder;

a supplementary positioning element being resilient and being mounted securely around the mounting cylinder and slidably against the bottom of the mounting bracket and having

a central hole being mounted around the mounting cylinder;

an inner edge; and

multiple tabs being formed on and protruding in from the inner edge and corresponding respectively to and being mounted respectively in the slots of the mounting cylinder; and

an end cap being connected securely to the bottom of the mounting cylinder of the rotatable base, holding the hinge assembly rotatably in the mounting hole in the mounting bracket and having

a diameter larger than the diameter of the mounting hole.

2. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the mounting bracket further has two notches formed in the rim of the mounting hole diametrically opposite to each other, and each notch has a top and a bottom;

the limit and positioning element further has two biasing elements formed on and protruding down from the limit and positioning element, corresponding respectively to and selectively held respectively in the notches in the mounting bracket and sliding on the top of the mounting bracket when the hinge assembly rotates relative to the mounting bracket;

the supplementary positioning element further has two biasing elements formed on and protruding up from the supplementary positioning element, corresponding respectively to the notches in the mounting bracket and sliding on the bottom of the mounting bracket when the hinge assembly rotates relative to the mounting bracket; and

the end cap further has

an inner surface; and

an outer edge; and

two curved recesses defined in the inner surface adjacent to the outer edge of the end cap opposite to each other, corresponding to the biasing elements of the supplementary positioning element.

3. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly has two ends;

two pintles being formed respectively on the two ends of the hinge assembly; and

two mounting leaves being rotatably mounted respectively on the pintles.

4. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the mounting cylinder further has at least one threaded hole defined in the bottom end of the mounting cylinder;

and

the end cap further has

at least one through hole defined through the end cap and corresponding respectively to and aligning with the at least one threaded hole in the mounting cylinder; and

at least one fastener extending respectively through the at least one through hole and screwing respectively into the at least one threaded holes in the mounting cylinder.

5. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly is made of zinc alloy.