HINGE

• US 20110138572A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris IP Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Michael Christopher Stuart
• Inventors: Stuart, Michael Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,121,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/54
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1014 for maintaining the hinge in only one position, e.g. closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2003/027 the end knuckles being mutually connected
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/02 with one pin
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0246 for attachment to glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/20 in hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/218 Holders
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/256 with pistons or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/46 Magnets

Abstract

A hinge including a first hinge member including a first magnetic element; and a second hinge member including a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly mounted to each other. The first and second hinge members are substantially maintained in a retained position via magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements.

Claims

1. A hinge including:

a first hinge member including a first magnetic element;

a second hinge member including a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly mounted to each other; and

a biasing mechanism configured to bias the first hinge member and the second hinge member toward the retained position;

wherein the first and second hinge members are substantially maintained in a retained position via magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements.

2. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second magnetic elements bias the first and second hinge members to the retained position.

3. The hinge of claim 1, wherein the hinge includes a dampening mechanism configured to slow the movement of the first hinge member relative to the second hinge member.

4. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein the dampening mechanism protrudes from the second hinge member, and wherein the hinge includes an overlapping portion extending from the first hinge member, wherein when the first and second hinge members pivot relative to each other toward the retained position, the overlapping portion urges against the dampening mechanism, thereby slowing the movement of the first hinge member and the second member to the retained position.

5. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein the dampening mechanism is a hydraulic mechanism.

6. The hinge according to claim 5, wherein the hydraulic mechanism includes a hydraulic piston which substantially protrudes from the second hinge member, and wherein when the first and second hinge elements move toward the retained position, the overlapping portion urges against the hydraulic piston which gradually retracts into a hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic mechanism.

7. The hinge according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic mechanism is spring loaded to eject a portion of the piston from the cylinder once the first and second hinge members move from the retained position to an unretained position.

8. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the hinge includes a joining member which pivotally joins the first hinge member to the second hinge member.

9. The hinge according to claim 8, wherein a first retaining pin extends through and is releasably retained within a first hollow of the joining member to thereby releasably secure the joining member in pivotal connection, about the first retaining pin, with the first hinge member.

10. The hinge according to claim 9, wherein the first retaining pin supports the biasing mechanism, wherein a first end of the biasing mechanism is attached to the retaining pin and a second end of the biasing mechanism butts against a stop surface of the joining member, wherein pivotal movement of the first and second members away from the retained state causes potential energy to build in the biasing mechanism, thereby biasing the first and second hinge members toward the retained position.

11. The hinge according to claim 10, wherein the biasing mechanism is a spring.

12. The hinge according to claim 11, wherein a second retaining pin extends through and is releasably retained within a second hollow of the joining member to thereby releasably fix the joining member to the second hinge member.

13. The hinge according to claim 8, wherein the joining member includes a third magnetic element, and wherein the first magnetic force between the first magnetic element and the third magnetic element biases the first hinge member and second hinge member toward the retained position.

14. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge member includes a first hinge front plate and a first hinge rear plate which are releasably secured together, and the second hinge member includes a second hinge front plate and a second hinge rear plate which are releasably secured together.

15. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hinge members are moveable to an unstable position wherein magnetic force between the first and second elements bias the first and second hinge members to move from the unstable position to the retained position.

16. The hinge according to claim 15, wherein the first and second hinge members are moveable to a range of freely moveable positions wherein the magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements fail to retain and/or bias the first and second hinge elements.

17. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second magnetic elements are of opposite polarity such that the first and second magnetic elements are attracted to each other.

18. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge member includes at least one aperture to receive and retain the first magnetic element.

19. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the second hinge member includes at least one aperture to receive and retain the second magnetic element.

20. The hinge according to claim 15, wherein the first hinge member includes an arm which extends from a first hinge body of the first hinge member, and the second hinge member includes a pair of arms which extend from a second hinge body, wherein the pair of arms define a recess which corresponds to the arm of the first hinge member, wherein the arms of the first and second hinge members include the first and second magnetic elements respectively.

21. The hinge according to claim 20, wherein the first and second magnetic elements retained by the arms of the first and second hinge members are superposed when the first and second hinge members are maintained in the retained position.

22. The hinge according to claim 15, wherein the first hinge member includes a first series of first magnetic elements of varying magnetic strength, and the second hinge member includes a second series of second magnetic element of varying magnetic strength, wherein the first and second series control the speed which the first and second hinge members pivotally move from the unstable position to the stable position.