Hinge device

• US 6,886,220 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kem HongKong Limited
• Original Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuramochi, Ryuta
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/654,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 162/86, 162/89, 162/90, 162/92, 163/27, 162/84, 399/379, 399/365
• US Class Current: 16/286
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/14 with four parallel pins and two arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/108 with piston rod protruding from the closer housing; Telescoping closers
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/20 in hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/608 for machines
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/6228 Platen covers

Abstract

A hinge device comprises: an attachment member attached on an apparatus body side; a supporting member pivotally supported by the attachment member through hinge pins; a document press-contacting plate attached to the supporting member; compression springs elastically provided between the supporting member side and the attachment member in such a manner that the supporting member is enforced to pivot in a direction that the document press-contacting plate is opened; a damper set inside the compression springs and provided between the attachment member side and the free end side of the supporting member so that an abrupt pivoting at and from a predetermined angle measured from the supporting member is buffered. This hinge device allows an adjustment of the elastic force of the compression springs without changing the operation angle of the damper, by attaching an adjustment plate on the damper movably in an axial direction, and by elastically providing the compression springs between the adjustment plate and either of the supporting member side or the attachment member side.

Claims

1. A hinge device for connecting a document press-contacting plate to a body side of an apparatus body, comprising:

an attachment member having a pair of attachment member side plates at a distance from each other, the attachment member being adapted to be attached on the apparatus body on the body side;

a supporting member having a pair of supporting member side plates pivotally attached by a first hinge pin to the attachment member side plates, the supporting member side plates each having a free end spaced from the first hinge pin;

a lifting member adapted to be connected to the document press-contacting plate and being pivotally attached by a second hinge pin to the free ends of the supporting member side plates;

a first spring case housed in said supporting member and swingably attached by a third hinge pin to the free ends of the supporting member, the third hinge pin being positioned at the body side of the apparatus body and being spaced from the second hinge pin;

a second spring case compressibly fitted to the first spring case and having a base portion that is swingably attached by a fourth hinge pin to the attachment member, the fourth hinge pin being positioned at the body side of the apparatus body and being spaced from said first hinge pin, the base portion of the second spring case having an attachment hole;

a damper having a fixing side and a cylinder, the cylinder having one end inserted and fixed into the attachment hole of the base portion of the second spring case, the damper having a male screw portion on the fixing side;

an adjustment plate screwed to the male screw portion of the damper; and

at least one compression spring with said damper being housed therein and being elastically provided between the adjustment plate and an inside top portion of said first spring case.

2. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein said damper is a telescoping friction damper in which telescope parts of the damper are compressibly fitted to one another, and one of the telescope parts has telescope legs attached respectively on said attachment member and the free ends of said supporting member side plates.

3. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein said first spring case includes a pair of support pieces formed by being bent inside from side plates of the first spring case to support and confine said second spring case inside the first spring case by the pair of support pieces.

4. A hinge device according to claim 1, wherein said second spring case is made of plastic, the one end of said cylinder of said damper inserted into the attachment hole of the base portion being a small diameter portion, the cylinder having a large diameter portion adjacent the small diameter portion, and a washer in the second spring case, engaged on the small diameter portion and engaged against the large diameter portion.