Leaf spring biased position retentive hinge assembly

• US 4,845,809 A
• Filed: 03/21/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert Jr. Pillifant
• Original Assignee: Albert Jr. Pillifant
• Inventors: Pillifant, Albert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverberg, Fred A.
• Application Number:
  US07/170,760
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 16/252, 16/257, 16/259, 16/267, 16/331, 16/332, 16/334, 16/341, 16/342, 16/344, 16/352, 16/382, 16/385, 16/DIG. 13, 296/97 C, 296/97 F, 296/97 H, 296/97 K
• US Class Current: 16/259
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/06 Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/13 Plastic hinge

Abstract

A position retentive hinge assembly is provided in which two bodies are swing about one or more axially aligned hinge pins. The first body has at least two paired supports holding the one or more hinge pins. The second body has a receiving and retaining portion for each hinge pin. The inner end face of at least one support is non-planar and cooperates with a non-planar opposed adjacent end face of a receiving and retaining portion of the second body. A spring confined between a support and an end face urges the non-planar opposed faces together and position retentive cam and cam follower action is had as the bodies are swung pivotally.

Claims

1. In a position retentive hinge assembly comprising a first body, a second body and at least one elongated hinge pin, provided wherein there is more than one elongated hinge pin the said pins are axially aligned, each hinge pin being supported near its end by at least two support portions forming a part of the first body, the second body having at least one receiving and retaining portion for receiving and retaining a linear portion of each hinge pin, the support portions holding the at least one elongated hinge pin being sufficiently far from the remainder of the first body to provide clearance for the at least one receiving and retaining portion to receive and substantially surround a linear portion of the elongated hinge pin associated therewith and to allow for pivotal movement thereabout said hinge pin, wherein the improvement comprises:

a first sliding surface formed on at least one of the support portions of the first body, the first sliding surface being disposed radially about and substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the at least one elongated hinge pin and facing towards a second paired support portion, a second sliding surface formed on an end of the receiving and retaining portion of the second body adjacent and opposed to the first sliding surface and a spring positioned to urge the sliding surfaces together in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the at least one elongated hinge pin, the sliding surfaces being non-planar, having a cam and cam follower relationship and the relative length of the receiving and retaining portion and the spacing between the support portions for the associated elongated hinge pin being such that the spring is confined and compressed between an end of the receiving and retaining portion and the adjacent support portion so that the spring compresses or releases when the first body is swung relative to the second body from a first pivotal position to at least a second pivotal position within a substantial pivotal movement, and the first body substantially not being axially displaced relative to the second body along the longitudinal axis of the at least one hinge pin when the first body is swung relative to the second body from a first pivotal position to any other pivotal position during axial cam and cam follower action between opposing sliding surfaces.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring is a leaf spring integrally formed with one of the support portions of the first body, the leaf spring being an end face of said one of the support portions bearing against an adjacent end face of a receiving and retaining portion of the second body.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one spring is a leaf spring integrally formed with the at least one receiving and retaining portion of the second body, each said leaf spring being an end face of said at least one receiving and retaining portion bearing against an end face of an adjacent support portion of the first body.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 3 wherein the first body comprises a see-through light filtering panel and has three hinge pin support portions for supporting two hinge pins, the second body comprises a bracket for clamping the second body to an automotive sun-visor and has two slotted clip portions each adapted to laterally receive and retain a linear portion of each said hinge pin.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 4 wherein the first body is molded of a thermoplastic molding polymer.

6. The hinge assembly of claim 4 wherein the second body is molded of a thermoplastic molding polymer.

7. The hinge assembly of claim 6 wherein each at least one hinge pin is integrally molded with the respective support portions of the first body and the first body and the at least one hinge pin are formed of a polycarbonate type thermoplastic molding polymer.

8. The hinge assembly of claim 7 wherein the second body is molded of an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene type thermoplastic molding polymer.