Hinge assembly

• US 5,274,936 A
• Filed: 12/13/1991
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emile Fournier
• Original Assignee: Emile Fournier
• Inventors: Fournier, Emile
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US07/807,092
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 40/533, 40/530, 40/497, 40/492, 40/493, 40/534, 40/535-537, 16/338, 16/342, 16/253
• US Class Current: 40/533
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2007/1847 Brackets to grip the sign board
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2007/1891 modular
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/18 Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure

Abstract

A hinge member comprising a plurality of hinge units, each unit having a body portion, with a slotted region and an annular region. The annular region is formed by an elongated circular channel in a cylindrical portion of the hinge. An elongated groove in the slotted region of the body has a region of reduced thickness relative to the slotted region. The elongated groove intersecting with the elongated channel, with a first passage in the slotted region and a second passage in the region of reduced thickness. A ridge is thereby provided between the slotted region and the region of reduced thickness. The axis of the first passage means is parallel to the axis of the second passage and parallel to the axis of the elongated channel. The first passage has its axis perpendicular to the first surface of the slotted region.

Claims

1. A hinge device, said hinge device comprising a plurality of hinge units, each of said hinge units having:

a body portion, said body portion having a first end, a cylindrical region, a mid region, a reduced region, and a second end, said first end being opposite said second end,

said cylindrical region being at said first end of said body portion and having an elongated interior circular channel, an elongated groove within said mid region, said elongated groove extending radially from said elongated circular channel through at least a major portion of said mid region of said body portion toward said second end,

said reduced region having a recessed region extending from said mid region to said second end of said body portion, said reduced region having a thickness less than the thickness of said mid region of said body portion, thereby providing a shoulder at the juncture of said mid region and said reduced region,

a first bolt passage means, said first passage extending through said mid region and having its axis perpendicular to the plane of said elongated groove, thereby intersecting said elongated groove;

a second bolt passage mans, said second passage extending through said reduced region and having its axis parallel to the axis of said first passage means;

said hinge device also comprising;

a plurality of first bolt means, each of said first bolt means being positioned in one of said first bolt passage means, whereby tightening a first bolt means compresses a mid region and a corresponding cylindrical region.

2. The hinge device of claim 1, wherein said hinge device comprises a first pair of hinge units and a second pair of hinge units, and further comprising a rod member, said rod member passing through said elongated circular channels in said cylindrical region of each hinge unit member.

3. The hinge device of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of second bolt means, a first board member and a second board member,

each of said first board member and said second board member having a bolt receiving passage,

said first pair of hinge units being positioned on said rod member such that the respective reduced regions face each other, and

said second pair of hinge units being positioned on said rod member such that the respective reduced regions face each other,

each of said second bolt means being positioned in one of said hinge unit second bolt passage means and a corresponding board bolt receiving passage,

such that each board is connected to one hinge unit of each pair of hinge units, said first board member is secured to said reduced region of one hinge unit of each of said two pairs of hinge units and said second board member is secured to said reduced region of the other hinge unit of each of said two pairs of hinge units, said first board being rotatable about said rod member relative to said second board;

whereby in a first rotated position a first side of each board faces each other and in the opposite rotated position the obverse of each board faces each other.

4. A display sign, said display sign comprising:

a first display board,

a second display board,

a plurality of hinge assemblies, and

a rod member,

each of said hinge assemblies comprising;

a first pair of hinge members and a second pair of hinge members, each of said first pair of hinge members and said second pair of hinge members having;

a body portion, said body portion having a first end, a cylindrical region, a mid region, a reduced region, and a second end, said first end being opposite said second end,

said cylindrical region being at said first end of said body portion and having an elongated interior circular channel,

an elongated groove within said mid region, said elongated groove extending radially from said elongated circular channel through at least a major portion of said mid region of said body portion toward said second end, said reduced region having a recessed region extending from said mid region to said second end of said body portion, said reduced region having a thickness less than the thickness of said mid region of said body portion, thereby providing a shoulder at the juncture of said mid region and said said reduced region,

a first bolt passage means, said first passage extending through said mid region and having its axis perpendicular to the plane of said elongated groove, thereby intersecting said elongated groove;

a second bolt passage means, said second passage extending through said reduced region and having it axis parallel to the axis of said first passage means;

said display sign further comprising;

a plurality of first bolt means, each of said first bolt means being positioned in one of said first bolt passage mans, whereby tightening a first bolt means compresses a mid region and a corresponding cylindrical region,

said rod member passing through each said cylindrical channel and being dimensioned relative to each said cylindrical channel such that tightening of a first bolt means to compress a corresponding mid region, compresses a corresponding elongated groove and circular channel, preventing movement of said corresponding rod relative to said hinge member, and each of said board members being secured to said reduced thickness region of at least one hinge member of each pair of hinge members.

5. The display sign of claim 4, wherein said boards are rotatable about said rod member, through an arc of about 330 degrees from a first position in which a first surface of said first board faces a first surface of said second board to a second position in which a second surface of said first board faces a second surface of said second board.

6. The display sign of claim 4, wherein one of said first bolt means is tightened to compress said rod and prevent movement of one of said hinge members relative to said rod member.

7. The display sign of claim 4, wherein each of said first display and said second display board has an upper edge, and wherein each said upper edge is in contact with a respective shoulder of each corresponding juncture region, thereby restricting movement of each said board relative to said hinge members and relative to each other.

8. The display signal of claim 7, said rod member being spaced from each said board upper edge by a distance sufficient to permit a user'"'"'s fingers to be placed between said rod and each said board upper edge, whereby said rod can function as a handle member.

9. The display sign of claim 8, said pairs of hinge members being spaced from each other by a distance at least sufficient to permit a user'"'"'s fingers to be placed between said rod, said upper edges of each of said boards, and said pairs of hinge members thus facilitating said rod'"'"'s functioning as a handle member.