Opening/closing mechanism

• US 5,109,570 A
• Filed: 03/06/1991
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Tofuji E.M.I. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Tofuji E.M.I. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Okada, Shigeru, Fujita, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Lowell A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKEON, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/665,420
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 16/289, 16/278, 16/375, 16/376, 16/337, 16/342, 16/257, 16/260, 16/265, 16/286, 16/297
• US Class Current: 16/289
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/087 with substantially axial friction, e.g. friction disks
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furniture, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass

Abstract

An opening/closing mechanism is used in apparatus such as personal computers, word processors and liquid-crystal televisions, some of these apparatus. The opening/closing mechanism comprises: a base (10) attached to a main body (20) of an apparatus; an arm (18) attached to an opening/closing portion (21) of the apparatus and axially supported on the base (10) so as to turn freely; a rotary plate (12, 13) which turns together with the arm (18) and which has a projection (13d); a pop-up plate (14) having an engaging portion (14b, 14c), wherein when the opening/closing portion (21) is closed up to a prescribed position, the engaging portion, (14c) engages with the projection (13d) of the rotary plate so that the pop-up plate turns together with the rotary plate (13); and a resilient member (19) provided between the pop-up plate (14) and the base (10) and compressed by turning of the pop-up plate (14), wherein when the opening/closing portion (21 ) is released, the rotary plate (13) is turned together with the pop-up plate (14) by a compressive reaction force, thereby opening/closing portion (21) up to a prescribed position.

Claims

1. An opening/closing mechanism comprising:

a base attached to a main body of an apparatus;

an arm attached to an opening/closing portion of said apparatus and axially supported on said base so as to turn freely;

a rotary plate which turnes together with said arm and which has a projection;

a pop-up plate having an engaging portion, wherein when said opening/closing portion is closed up to a prescribed position, the engaging portion engages with the projection of said rotary plate so that said pop-up plate turns together with the rotary plate; and

a resilient member provided between said pop-up plate and said base and compressed by turning of said pop-up plate, wherein when said opening/closing portion is released, said rotary plate is turned together with said pop-up plate by a compressive reaction force, thereby turning said opening/closing portion up to a prescribed position.

2. An opening/closing mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a shaft rotatably supported by said base, wherein said arm is attached to said shaft, and wherein said rotary plate and pop-up plate are rotatably supported by said shaft.

3. An opening/closing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said shaft has a linear groove which is formed at an outer periphery thereof, and wherein said rotary plate has an inwardly directed projection engaged with said groove of said shaft.

4. An opening/closing mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising cup springs supported by said shaft and a push nut attached to the tip of said shaft to fix said rotary plate, pop-up plate and base by the pressure of said cup spring.

5. An opening/closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said resilient member comprises a leaf spring.

6. An opening/closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said base has a stopper which contacts said pop-up plate.