Spring hinge structure

• US 6,732,408 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chien-Chen Wu
• Original Assignee: Chien-Chen Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Chien-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/073,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 162/98, 162/73, 162/99, 163/01, 163/08, 16D/IG.33, 16D/IG.39, 163/74
• US Class Current: 16/298
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/00 Additional features or accessories of hinges edge protecting devices E06B3/88
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring

Abstract

A spring hinge structure includes a first hinge plate, a second hinge plate, and a restoring control device. The restoring control device includes an upper spindle mounted in the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, a lower spindle mounted in the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and a spring mounted in the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate. A pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings made of composite plastic material are mounted between the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, and are mounted between the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate respectively.

Claims

1. A spring hinge structure, comprising a first hinge plate, a second hinge plate, and a restoring control device, wherein:

the first hinge plate is provided with an upper shaft tube and a lower shaft tube spaced from each other, the second hinge plate is provided with an elongated shaft tube mounted between the upper shaft tube and the lower shaft tube, the restoring control device includes an upper spindle mounted in the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, a lower spindle mounted in the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and a spring mounted in the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, the upper spindle has a first end provided with a fixing seat secured in a first end of the spring, the lower spindle has a first end provided with a fixing seat secured in a second end of the spring, a first pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings are mounted between the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, and a second pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings are mounted between the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate respectively, each of the T-shaped mounting rings includes an annular contact ring, the contact rings of the T-shaped mounting rings are juxtaposed with each other, the contact rings of the first pair of T-shaped mounting rings are clamped between the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, and the contact rings of the second pair of T-shaped mounting rings are clamped between the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate; and

the upper spindle has an outer wall formed with an annular positioning groove, the lower spindle has an outer wall formed with an annular positioning groove, and each of the T-shaped mounting rings has an inner wall provided with multiple lugs secured in the annular positioning groove of the upper spindle and secured in the annular positioning groove of the lower spindle.

2. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper spindle has a second end provided with a pivot insertion section pivotally mounted in the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and an enlarged cover head rested on an outer end face of the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, the lower spindle has a second end provided with a pivot insertion section pivotally mounted in the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and an enlarged cover head rested on an outer end face of the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate, the upper spindle is formed with multiple adjusting holes located adjacent to the pivot insertion section, the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate is formed with a positioning insertion hole, an insertion pin is extended through the positioning insertion hole of the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and is inserted into one of the adjusting holes of the upper spindle.

3. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein the insertion pin is provided with an annular positioning flange that is passed through the positioning insertion hole of the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and is clamped between an outer wall of the upper spindle and an inner wall of the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, thereby preventing from detachment of the insertion pin.

4. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein the cover head of the upper spindle is formed with a hexagonal insertion recess, so that a tool may be inserted into the insertion recess of the cover head of the upper spindle.

5. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate has a lower portion formed with a positioning hole, the lower spindle is formed with a positioning hole located adjacent to the fixing seat of the lower spindle, and the spring hinge structure further comprising a positioning pin extended through the positioning hole of the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, and is inserted into the positioning hole of the lower spindle, so that the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate may be combined with the lower spindle.

6. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first hinge plate is made of metallic material, and has a first side provided with a blade formed with multiple joint holes, and a second side provided with the upper shaft tube and the lower shaft tube.

7. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second hinge plate is made of metallic material, and has a first side provided with a blade formed with multiple joint holes, and a second side provided with the elongated shaft tube.

8. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fixing seat of the upper spindle is formed with a positioning slit for securing a spring leg formed on the first end of the spring, and the fixing seat of the lower spindle is formed with a positioning slit for securing a spring leg formed on the second end of the spring.

9. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper spindle is made of composite plastic material and is integrally with the fixing seat made of metallic material.

10. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lower spindle is made of composite plastic material and is integrally with the fixing seat made of metallic material.

11. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the T-shaped mounting rings is made of composite plastic material.

12. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the T-shaped mounting rings includes a sleeve.

13. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 12, wherein in the first pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings mounted between the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, the sleeve of one of the first pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings is mounted between the upper spindle and the upper shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and the sleeve of the other of the first pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings is mounted between the upper spindle and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate.

14. The spring hinge structure in accordance with claim 12, wherein in the second pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings mounted between the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate, the sleeve of one of the second pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings is mounted between the lower spindle and the lower shaft tube of the first hinge plate, and the sleeve of the other of the second pair of juxtaposed T-shaped mounting rings is mounted between the lower spindle and the elongated shaft tube of the second hinge plate.