Lift-up hinge device of multifunction peripheral

• US 6,928,698 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transpacific Plasma, LLC
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Peng-Yu, Kuo, Ping-Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US10/617,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 162/77, 163/35, 162/84, 162/85, 163/22, 163/25, 163/52, 162/55, 163/08, 16D/IG.34, 16280-282, 163/59, 163/61, 163/66, 163/71
• US Class Current: 16/277
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/18 with sliding pins or guides
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1261 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furniture, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

A lift-up hinge for pivotally connecting a first portion and a second portion of an appliance includes a fixture member, a first movable member and a second movable member. The fixture member is secured on the first portion of the appliance. The first movable member is pivotally coupled to a first pivot point of the fixture member and having thereon a resilient element. The second movable member has a first end lying on the resilient element, a second end secured on the second portion of the appliance, and a third end pivotally coupled to a second pivot point of the fixture member. The second movable member transmits the first movable member to pivot about the first pivot point of the fixture member when the second portion of the appliance is pivoted about the second pivot point of the fixture member.

Claims

1. A lift-up hinge for pivotally connecting a first portion and a second portion of an appliance, comprising:

a fixture member secured on said first portion of said appliance;

a first movable member pivotally coupled to a first pivot point of said fixture member and having thereon a resilient element; and

a second movable member having a first end lying on said resilient element, a second end secured on said second portion of said appliance, and a third end pivotally coupled to a second pivot point of said fixture member,

wherein said second movable member transmits said first movable member to pivot about said first pivot point of said fixture member when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted about said second pivot point of said fixture member, and said resilient element is urged between said first and second pivot points when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted to cover said first portion of said appliance.

2. The lift-up hinge according to claim 1 wherein said first movable portion pivots about said first pivot point of said fixture member to result in a first angle between said first and said second movable members being 180 degrees when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted about said second pivot point of said fixture member to cover said first portion of said appliance.

3. The lift-up hinge according to claim 2 wherein said first angle between said first and said second movable portions is decreasing during the operation that said second portion of said appliance is pivoted about said second pivot point of said fixture member to expose said first portion of said appliance.

4. The lift-up hinge according to claim 1 wherein a second angle between said first movable member and a surface of said first portion is no greater than 90 degrees.

5. The lift-up hinge according to claim 4 wherein said first movable member further has thereon a slot track and said first end of said second movable member is movably engaged with said track.

6. The lift-up hinge according to claim 5 wherein said first end of said second movable member moves along said slot track of said first movable member toward said first portion of said appliance to urge said resilient element against said first portion of said appliance when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted to cover said first portion of said appliance, and said first end of said second movable member moves along said slot track of said first movable member toward said second portion of said appliance to release said resilient element when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted to expose said first portion of said appliance.

7. The lift-up hinge according to claim 1 wherein said resilient element is a spring.

8. The lift-up hinge according to claim 1 wherein said appliance is a multifunction peripheral.

9. The lift-up hinge according to claim 8 wherein said first and said second portions are a printer and a scanner portions of said multifunction peripheral.

10. A lift-up hinge for pivotally connecting a first portion and a second portion of an appliance, comprising:

a fixture member secured on said first portion of said appliance;

a first movable member pivotally coupled to a first pivot point of said fixture member and having thereon a slot track and a resilient element; and

a second movable member having a first end lying on said resilient element and movable inside said slot track, a second end secured on said second portion of said appliance, and a third end pivotally coupled to a second pivot point of said fixture member,

wherein said first end of said second movable member moves along said slot track of said first movable member toward said first portion of said appliance to urge said resilient element against said first portion of said appliance when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted to cover said first portion of said appliance, and said first end of said second movable member moves along said slot track of said first movable member toward said second portion of said appliance to release said resilient element when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted to expose said first portion of said appliance.

11. The lift-up hinge according to claim 10 wherein said appliance is a multifunction peripheral.

12. The lift-up hinge according to claim 11 wherein said first and said second portions are a printer and a scanner portions of said multifunction peripheral.

13. The lift-up hinge according to claim 10 wherein said resilient element is a spring.

14. The lift-up hinge according to claim 10 wherein said second movable member transmits said first movable member to pivot about said first pivot point of said fixture member when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted about said second pivot point of said fixture member.

15. The lift-up hinge according to claim 14 wherein said first movable portion pivots about said first pivot point of said fixture member to result in a first angle between said first and said second movable members being 180 degrees when said second portion of said appliance is pivoted about said second pivot point of said fixture member to cover said first portion of said appliance.

16. The lift-up hinge according to claim 15 wherein said first angle between said first and said second movable portions is decreasing during the operation that said second portion of said appliance is pivoted about said second pivot point of said fixture member to expose said first portion of said appliance.

17. The lift-up hinge according to claim 14 wherein a second angle between said first movable member and a surface of said first portion is no greater than 90 degrees.