Controlled rate hinge responsive to weight

• US 6,244,647 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Corporation
• Inventors: Allison, Johnny Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murray, Mickki D.
• Application Number:
  US09/442,611
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.12, 296/37.8, 296/37.1, 220/827, 220/828
• US Class Current: 296/37.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/009 Elongate hinges, e.g. piano-hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/538 Interior lids

Abstract

A combination for a hinge assembly having first and second hinged leafs movable about a common axis. The combination has a first hinge leaf with an integral plastic camming surface positioned eccentrically about the common axis, a second hinged leaf with an integral plastic cam follower surface positioned about the common axis to engage the camming surface with increasing friction as the camming surface is cammed thereagainst, and structures for increasing the frictional engagement between the camming surface and cam follower surface in response to weight added to either of the hinged leafs to control the rate at which the leafs rotate relative to each other.

Claims

1. A combination for a hinge assembly having first and second hinge leafs movable about a common axis, comprising:

(a) a first hinge leaf having a fixed integral plastic camming surface positioned eccentrically about said common axis;

(b) a second hinge leaf having an integral plastic cam follower surface positioned about said common axis to engage said camming surface with increasing friction as said surface is cammed thereagainst; and

(c) means for increasing the adjustable frictional engagement between said camming surface and cam follower surface in response to weight added to a bin floor to control the rate at which said leafs rotate relative to each other.

2. The combination as in claim 1, which further comprises:

a bin attached to the second leaf;

a glove box door attached to said first leaf;

a panel pivotally supported about said common axis and carrying said camming follower surface; and

a cam supported on said bin which is effective in raising said panel in response to weight added to said bin to increase the friction according to step (c).

3. The combination as in claim 1, which further comprises a glove box door secured to said first leaf;

and a finger attached to said first leaf effective to progressively rotate the camming follower surface about the common axis upon movement of the first leaf relative to the second leaf to increase the rubbing friction between the camming surface and the camming follower surface.

4. The combination as in claim 2, which further comprises a cam brace secured to the bin and having a configuration effective to provide a stiffened back-up to the cam follower surface to ensure a threshold mount of frictional engagement between said camming surface and cam follower surface during opening of the door.

5. A compartment having a hinged door regulated as to opening rate comprising:

(a) walls defining a compartment bin open at least at a frontal side with the opening defined by a frontal edge of a bottom wall;

(b) a door hinged along said frontal edge for closing and opening said frontal side;

(c) a cam integrally eccentrically hinged about said hinge axis and secured to said door for movement therewith;

(d) a cam follower tiltably supported on said bottom wall of said bin bottom wall defining a camming follower surface that is at a constant radius from said hinge axis so that said cam may increasingly frictionally engage said follower when said door is open; and

(e) means responsive to increasing weight added to the interior of said compartment to raise the camming follower surface for controllably increasing the friction between the cam and camming follower surface so that the door can be held in any opened position by the friction therebetween.

6. The compartment structure as in claim 5, in which said means responsive to increasing weight within the weight range of 2-5 pounds.

7. The compartment structure as in claim 5 which further comprises a cam brace rigidly connected to the bin walls to assure a stiffened back-up to the cam follower surface ensuring a threshold amount of frictional engagement.

8. The compartment structure as in claim 5, in which said camming surface and camming follower surface are comprised of a material promoting a friction coefficient therebetween in the range of 0.5-0.8 without lubrication.