Hinge with electrical wiring

• US 20090313790A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Select Products Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Select Products Ltd.
• Inventors: Schau, Timothy Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,307,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/354
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/122 Gear hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/009 Elongate hinges, e.g. piano-hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

A geared full surface mounted continuous hinge with a hole in a thrust bearing supporting the hinge, said hole adapted to accommodate a flexible tube containing electrical wiring and thereby facilitate the passage of electric current from a frame to appliances in a door connected to the frame using the hinge.

Claims

1. The improvement in a geared full surface continuous hinge having a door leaf and a frame leaf suitable for use on a door installed in a frame and equipped with at least one electrical appliance, said hinge adapted to allow electrical wiring to pass from the frame through a hole in a thrust bearing for the hinge to any appliance in the door.

2. The improvement in claim 1 wherein the hinge further comprises

a) a frame leaf and a door leaf with each leaf having a plate segment and gear segment, said gear segments arranged to mesh with each other and said plate segments having a channel under the plate segments between an outer hole and an inner hole,

b) a plurality of thrust bearing segments interspersed between the meshing gear segments with at least one thrust bearing having a hole adapted for passage of electrical wiring,

c) electrical wiring long enough to extend

i. up through the outer hole of the plate segment of the frame leaf,

ii. through the channel under the plate segment of the frame leaf,

iii. out through the inner hole of the plate segment of the frame leaf,

iv. through the hole in the thrust bearing,

v. down through the inner hole of the plate segment of the door leaf,

vi. through the channel under the plate segment of the door leaf, and

vii. up out of the outer hole in the plate segment of the door leaf,

d) a flexible tube enclosing said electrical wiring long enough to extend from a position in the channel under the plate segment of the frame leaf to a position in the channel under the plate segment of the door leaf.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein the hinge further comprises a cap over the gears and bearings, a first cover over the outer hole in the frame leaf out of which hole the electrical wiring extends ready for connecting to wires from a source of electrical power and a second cover over the outer hole in the frame leaf out of which hole the electrical wiring extends ready for connecting to electrical appliances in a door, said cap having cutouts aligned with the hole in the thrust bearing to relieve the wiring as the wiring passes from the frame leaf through the hole in the bearing to the door leaf.

4. A geared full surface continuous hinge for a door comprising two leaves, each leaf having geared segments and a plate segment extending substantially for the full length of the door, a plurality of thrust bearings interspersed between and interrupting meshing geared segments of the hinge, a hole drilled through at least one thrust bearing aligned with channels under the leaves and two holes in each of the plates at each end of said channels, said holes and channels aligned to permit electric wires enclosed in a flexible tube to pass through and under the hinge in and out of the holes in the plates and the hole in the bearing and thereby provide a conduit through the hinge for an electric current to pass from connecting electrical wiring in the frame in which the door is mounted to connecting electrical wiring from any electric appliances in the door while remaining substantially concealed to a person outside the door.

5. A combination for providing a conduit for electrical wiring through a full surface continuous gear hinge adapted for attachment to a door having an outside surface and a door frame having an outside surface, said hinge having a door leaf and a frame leaf, each leaf having a plate segment and a plurality of geared segments interrupted with thrust bearing segments, said leaves adapted to attach to said outside surfaces and pivot around said thrust bearings and meshing geared segments, said combination comprising

a) at least one thrust bearing having a hole aligned with inner and outer holes at each end of channels under the plate portion of the frame and door leaves, said holes and channels adapted to allow electrical wires to pass into the outer hole, through the channel and out of the inner hole of the frame leaf, through the hole in the thrust bearing and into the inner hole, through the channel and out the outer hole of the door leaf,

b) a cap extending substantially the full length of the hinge and covering and holding the geared and bearing portions of the hinge together while permitting the door to pivot a full 180 degrees with the assistance of cutouts in the cap aligned with the holes and

c) covers extending substantially the full length of the hinge and adapted to substantially conceal and protect the wiring passing into and out of the outer holes in the leaves.

6. The combination of claim 5 further comprising

a) electrical wiring partially enclosed in a flexible tube, said wiring extending through the hole in the thrust bearing and the channels under the leaf plates and out of the outer holes in the leaf plates, said flexible tube extending from the channel under the frame leaf plate out through the hole in the thrust bearing down to the channel under the door leaf,

b) a cap secured by a set screw, a non-removable cover over the wires and the outer hole in the frame leaf plate secured by opposing barbs on rails affixed to the frame leaf plate and a removable cover over the wires and the outer hole in the door leaf fitted over rails affixed to the door leaf plate and secured by a set screw.