REFRIGERATION CONTROL UNIT WITH THREE-AXIS HINGE ASSEMBLY

• US 20180216380A1
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Published: 08/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Butler, Tim, Dodge, Victor E., Jerabek, Aaron, Henderson, Kirk, Luc, Tai P., DeBoer, Dave P., Bushong, Philip L., Wert, Troy, Weich, Debra L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,760,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 1/06 consisting of two easily-separable parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2005/145 with elastically deformable parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2007/128 in a radial direction
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/14 Construction of sockets or sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/085 with two or more pivot axes, e.g. used at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/1077 with snap-fitted pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/12 to allow easy detachment of the hinge from the wing or the frame E05D15/507 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

A hinge assembly is provided. The hinge assembly includes a first hinge component and a second hinge component. The first hinge component includes a leaf portion terminating in a first knuckle and a second knuckle. The first knuckle includes a protrusion and the second knuckle includes a recess. The second hinge component is rotatably coupled to the first hinge component and is structurally identical to the first hinge component. The protrusion of the first hinge component is configured to fit within the recess of the second hinge component, and the protrusion of the second hinge component is configured to fit within the recess of the first hinge component.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly, comprising:

a first hinge component comprising a leaf portion terminating in a first knuckle and a second knuckle, the first knuckle comprising a first protrusion and the second knuckle comprising a first recess; and

a second hinge component, the second hinge component rotatably coupled to the first hinge component and structurally identical to the first hinge component;

wherein the first protrusion of the first hinge component is configured to fit within the first recess of the second hinge component, and the first protrusion of the second hinge component is configured to fit within the first recess of the first hinge component.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first hinge component and the second hinge component is fabricated from acetal resin.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first protrusion and the first recess has a substantially semi-spherical shape.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly is configured to couple to an electronic device, the first hinge component rotatably coupled to a first device enclosure component and the second hinge component rotatably coupled to a second device enclosure component.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 4, wherein the electronic device is a refrigeration control unit.

6. The hinge assembly of claim 4, wherein the first hinge component and the second hinge component each further comprise a pin member portion.

7. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the pin member portion is configured to permit the first hinge component and the second hinge component to pivotally couple to the first device enclosure component and the second device enclosure component via a snap fit assembly process.

8. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the first hinge component and the second hinge component each further comprise a third knuckle and a fourth knuckle, the third knuckle comprising a second protrusion and the fourth knuckle comprising a second recess.

9. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the second protrusion of the first hinge component is configured to fit within the second recess of the second hinge component, and the second protrusion of the second hinge component is configured to fit within the second recess of the first hinge component.

10. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

a first enclosure component;

a second enclosure component configured to couple to the first enclosure component to encapsulate electronic device components; and

a hinge assembly configured to rotatably couple the first enclosure component to the second enclosure component, the hinge assembly comprising;

first and second identical hinge components, each of the first and second hinge components comprising a leaf portion terminating in a first knuckle and a second knuckle, the first knuckle comprising a first protrusion and the second knuckle comprising a first recess; and

wherein the first protrusion of the first hinge component is configured to fit within the first recess of the second hinge component, and the first protrusion of the second hinge component is configured to fit within the first recess of the first hinge component.

11. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first hinge component and the second hinge component is fabricated from acetal resin.

12. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first protrusion and the first recess has a substantially semi-spherical shape.

13. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein the electronic device components comprise a refrigeration control unit.

14. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein the first hinge component and the second hinge component each further comprise a third knuckle and a fourth knuckle, the third knuckle comprising a second protrusion and the fourth knuckle comprising a second recess.

15. The electronic device enclosure of claim 14, wherein the second protrusion of the first hinge component is configured to fit within the second recess of the second hinge component, and the second protrusion of the second hinge component is configured to fit within the second recess of the first hinge component.

16. The electronic device enclosure of claim 10, wherein the first hinge component and the second hinge component each further comprise a pin member portion, the pin member portion configured to pivotally couple to a plurality of hinge receiving features located on the first enclosure component and the second enclosure component.

17. A refrigeration control unit configured to modify an operating condition of a refrigeration unit, comprising:

a first device housing component;

a second device housing component;

a hinge assembly configured to rotatably couple the first device housing component to the second device housing component;

a plurality of touch screen controls configured to permit selection of refrigeration unit operating parameters;

a liquid crystal display; and

a processing circuit communicably coupled to the plurality of touch screen controls and the liquid crystal display, the processing circuit configured to;

receive a selected refrigeration unit operating parameter via the plurality of touch screen controls; and

transmit a signal to display a plurality of selected refrigeration unit operating parameters in a scrolling display format on the liquid crystal display.

18. The refrigeration control unit of claim 17, wherein the hinge assembly comprises:

a first hinge component comprising a leaf portion terminating in a first knuckle and a second knuckle, the first knuckle comprising a first protrusion and the second knuckle comprising a first recess; and

a second hinge component that is structurally identical to the first hinge component;

wherein the first protrusion of the first hinge component is configured to fit within the first recess of the second hinge component, and the first protrusion of the second hinge component is configured to fit within the first recess of the first hinge component.

19. The refrigeration control unit of claim 18, wherein the first hinge component and the second hinge component each further comprise a third knuckle and a fourth knuckle, the third knuckle comprising a second protrusion and the fourth knuckle comprising a second recess.

20. The refrigeration control unit of claim 17, wherein the refrigeration unit is at least one of a walk-in refrigerator, a cooler, or a freezer.