INFINITE POSITION HOLD OPEN HINGE

• US 3,643,289 A
• Filed: 06/02/1969
• Issued: 02/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas E. Lohr
• Original Assignee: Thomas E. Lohr
• Inventors: Lohr, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Bobby R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Troutman, Doris L.
• Application Number:
  US04/829,255
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 16/142,145,180,146,140,141 126/191,192,194 16/85
• US Class Current: 16/327
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1071 specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A door is pivotally mounted to a vehicle by an infinite position hold open hinge including conventional male and female hinge members pivotally interconnected. The female hinge member pivotally mounts one end of a lever about an axis inboard from the hinge axis with the other end of the lever having a depending flange with a center arcuate surface generated about and facing away from the hinge axis. The male hinge member mounts a plastic brake having an arcuate surface generated about and facing the hinge axis for engagement with the arcuate surface of the lever. A spring extending between the female hinge member and the other end of the lever biases the arcuate surface of the lever into frictional engagement with the arcuate surface of the brake. The depending flange also has lead in surfaces providing a smooth transition to the center arcuate surface the female hinge member includes and a stop preventing engagement of the lever the and brake when the door is in closed position to prevent the brake from taking a permanent set. Moving the door from closed position to open position moves the arcuate surface of the lever along the arcuate surface of the brake to produce a frictional drag which wedges the surfaces apart against the action of the spring to decrease the effort of opening the door. Moving the door from open position to closed position moves the arcuate surface of the lever oppositely along the arcuate surface of the brake to produce a frictional drag which wedges the surfaces together aiding the action of the spring to increase the effort of closing the door. When the door is in an intermediate position between the open and closed positions, the engagement between the arcuate surfaces of the lever and brake prevents movement of the door toward either the open or closed positions until a predetermined force is applied to the door.

Claims

1. An infinite position hold open hinge comprising, a pair of pivotally interconnected hinge members movable between first and second positions, a first element mounted on one member and having an arcuate surface generated about the hinge axis, a second element pivotally mounted to the other member for movement therewith and movement relative thereto about an element axis independent of the hinge axis, the second element having an arcuate surface generated about the hinge axis and frictionally engageable with the arcuate surface of the first element during swinging movement of the members, means resiliently maintaining the second element in the path of the first element, the element axis being located circumferentially behind the arcuate surface of the second element and the frictional drag generated between the arcuate surfaces pivoting the second element into the first element to increase the friction and the force required to move the members relative to each other from the first position to the second position, the element axis being located circumferentially ahead of the arcuate surface of the second element and the frictional drag generated between the arcuate surfaces pivoting the second element away from the first element to decrease the friction and the force required to move the members relative to each other from the second position to the first position, the frictional engagement between the arcuate sUrfaces maintaining the hinge members in any stationary position between first and second positions.

2. An infinite position hold open hinge comprising, a pair of pivotally interconnected hinge members movable between first and second positions, a brake mounted on one member and having an arcuate surface generated about the hinge axis, a lever pivotally mounted at one end to the other member for movement about a lever axis independent of the hinge axis, the lever having an arcuate surface adjacent the other end generated about the hinge axis and frictionally engageable with the arcuate surface of the brake during swinging movement of the members, means resiliently maintaining the other end of the lever in the path of the brake, the lever axis being located circumferentially behind the arcuate surface of the lever and the frictional drag generated between the arcuate surfaces pivoting the lever about the lever axis into the brake to increase the friction and the force required to move the members relative to each other from the first position to the second position, the lever axis being located circumferentially ahead of the arcuate surface of the lever and the frictional drag generated between the arcuate surfaces pivoting the lever about the lever axis away from the brake to decrease the friction and the force required to move the members relative to each other from the second position to the first position, the frictional engagement between the arcuate surfaces maintaining the hinge members in any stationary position between first and second positions.

3. An infinite position hold open hinge as recited in claim 2 including means maintaining the arcuate surfaces out of frictional engagement when the members are in one of the positions thereof.

4. An infinite position hold open hinge comprising, a pair of pivotally interconnected hinge members movable between first and second positions, a brake mounted on one member and having an arcuate surface generated about the hinge axis, a lever pivotally mounted at one end to the other member for movement about a lever axis independent of the hinge axis, the lever having an arcuate surface adjacent the other end generated about the hinge axis and frictionally engageable with the arcuate surface of the brake, one arcuate surface having a lead in surface generated about an axis other than the hinge axis and tangentially merging with the one arcuate surface, a spring mounted between the lever and the other member for resiliently maintaining the other end of the lever in the path of the brake, the lever axis being located circumferentially behind the arcuate surface of the lever and the lead-in surface initially moving into engagement with the other arcuate surface and then moving the one arcuate surface into engagement with the other arcuate surface to generate a frictional drag between the arcuate surfaces which swings the lever about the lever axis into the brake to increase the friction and the force required to move the members relative to each other from the first position to the second position, the lever axis being located circumferentially ahead of the arcuate surface of the lever and the frictional drag generated between the arcuate surfaces pivoting the lever about the lever axis away from the brake to decrease the friction and the force required to move the members relative to each other from the second position to the first position, the frictional engagement between the arcuate surfaces maintaining the hinge members in any relative stationary position, and stop means mounted on one member and engaging the lever when the members are in one of the positions thereof to locate the lead in surface out of engagement with the brake.