Hinge with tandem pivot structure motion lock and override

• US 7,418,766 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Aaron T., Jones, Brent R., Ng, Sheau Ming, Ng, Keng Leong, Sia, Yin Mei (Regina)
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah; Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/018,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 162/39, 162/37, 162/36, 162/87, 162/86, 162/89, 162/90, 162/92, 163/02, 163/03, 163/66, 163/68, 163/69, 361680-683, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.8, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 355/75, 358/497, 358/498, 399/377, 399/379, 399/380
• US Class Current: 16/239
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1007 with positive locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1064 with a coil spring perpendicular to the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1261 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/638 Cams; Ramps
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/424 against unintended use, e.g. protection against vandalism or sabotage
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/605 Holders for originals or exposure platens for photographic purposes in general G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1636 for the exposure unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1687 using opening shell type machines, e.g. pivoting assemblies

Abstract

An upper piggybacked unit of a tandem unit is provided with a hinge unit and at least one motion lock to prevent the upper unit from falling away from the lower unit when it is tandemly coupled to the lower unit and the lower unit is pivoted to a non-horizontal position. The motion lock may inhibit rotation and/or translation of the upper unit. The motion lock may also be self-actuating, such as a gravity dependent lock mechanism. A lock override mechanism may be provided to allow the lock to yield to excessive force without causing damage. The lock enable condition may be automatically reset after the override condition so that no special knowledge or action on the part of the user is required to return the hinge to normal operation. The motion locks are particularly useful when provided on a reprographic device, such as a copier, facsimile, printer or malfunction device having an upper unit that forms a sheet feeder unit, a lower unit that forms a scan housing, and a fixed base below the lower unit that may contain a marking engine.

Claims

1. A hinge pivot and motion lock for tandemly coupled upper and lower pivoting functional units, comprising:

a lower pivoting functional unit positionable between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position;

an upper pivoting functional unit positionable between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position;

a hinge assembly coupling the upper pivoting functional unit to the lower pivoting functional unit and including a gear member allowing at least pivotal movement of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit; and

at least one gravity-actuated motion lock that engages the gear member to inhibit movement of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit when the lower pivoting functional unit is in the second non-horizontal position and disengages from the gear member when the lower pivoting functional unit is positioned at the first substantially horizontal position.

2. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, wherein the motion lock when gravity-actuated inhibits rotation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit by locking the gear member of the hinge assembly.

3. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly includes an elevator slide mechanism that allows translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit and the motion lock when gravity-actuated inhibits translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit by locking the elevator slide mechanism.

4. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motion lock includes a first motion lock that, when gravity-actuated, inhibits rotation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit and a second motion lock that, when gravity-actuated, inhibits translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower Pivoting functional unit, further wherein the upper pivoting functional unit is coupled to the lower pivoting functional unit through an elevator slide mechanism having a first wall with at least one latch element and the second motion lock includes a body portion pivotally mounted for rotation about a pivot shaft and having an engagement portion, wherein when the lower pivoting functional unit is in the first horizontal position, the engagement portion is displaced from the latch of the elevator slide mechanism, allowing free translational movement of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit, and when the lower pivoting functional unit is moved to the second non-horizontal position, the engagement portion moves into contact with the at least one latch of the elevator slide mechanism to inhibit translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit.

5. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motion lock is self-actuating and self-releasing by movement of the lower pivoting functional unit at a point prior to the second position.

6. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly includes an upper pivoting housing and a lower pivoting housing and the at least one motion lock is confined within at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing so that the at least one motion lock condition is established internal to the hinge assembly.

7. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, wherein the upper pivoting functional unit is positionable to multiple non-horizontal positions by rotation of the gear member, the gear member including a gear rotatable about a first axis and having a series of teeth around at least an arc of the circumference, the at least one motion lock including a pivot housing pivotal about a second axis different from the first axis and a pivot arm having a pivot lock matable with at least one gear tooth of the gear, further wherein movement of the lower pivoting functional unit self-actuates the pivot lock of the at least one motion lock into or out of engagement with at least one gear tooth of the gear to inhibit motion of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit and lock the upper pivoting functional unit at one or more different positions depending on the position of the lower Pivoting functional unit.

8. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 7, further comprising a lock override mechanisms operatively coupled to the motion lock, wherein when an excessive external rotational force is exerted on the upper pivoting functional unit, the lock override mechanism yields to the excessive external force to override the at least one gravity-actuated motion lock and disengage the motion lock from the gear member to reduce damage to the hinge pivot or upper pivoting functional unit.

9. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 8, wherein the lock override mechanism includes a spring-biased pivot arm that yields to the excessive external force to at least momentarily release contact between the pivot lock and the gear of the gear member.

10. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 9, wherein upon a reduction in the excessive external force to below a predetermined force the spring-biased pivot arm provides an urging force that reengages the pivot lock to the gear to reestablish an engaged motion lock.

11. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 1, further comprising a lock override mechanism, operatively coupled to the motion lock, wherein when an excessive external rotational force is exerted on the upper pivoting functional unit, the lock override mechanism that-yields to the excessive external force to override and disengage the at least one motion lock from the gear member to allow movement to reduce damage to the hinge pivot or upper pivoting functional unit from the excessive external force.

12. The hinge pivot and motion lock according to claim 11, wherein the lock override mechanism automatically resets to reengage the at least one motion lock when the excessive external force is reduced to below a predetermined force.

13. A reprographic device comprising:

a base functional unit on which is operably mounted an upper pivoting functional unit;

a lower pivoting functional unit; and

the hinge pivot and motion lock of claim 1.

14. The reprographic device according to claim 13, wherein the lower pivoting functional unit includes a scanning unit for scanning an image.

15. The reprographic device according to claim 14, wherein the upper pivoting functional unit includes a marking media feeding unit.

16. The reprographic device according to claim 14, wherein the upper pivoting functional unit includes a scanning unit document cover.

17. The reprographic device according to claim 13, wherein the upper pivoting functional unit is rotatable and translatable relative to the lower pivoting functional unit and the at least one motion lock inhibits rotation and translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit when the lower pivoting functional unit is positioned in the second non-horizontal position.

18. A hinge pivot and motion lock for tandemly coupled upper and lower pivoting functional units, comprising:

a lower pivoting functional unit positionable between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position;

an upper pivoting functional unit positionable between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position;

a hinge assembly coupling the upper pivoting functional unit to the lower pivoting functional unit and including a gear member allowing at least pivotal movement of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit; and

at least one gravity-actuated motion lock that engages the gear member to inhibit rotation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit when the lower pivoting functional unit is in the second non-horizontal position and disengages from the gear member when the lower pivoting functional unit is positioned at the first substantially horizontal position, wherein the at least one gravity-actuated motion lock is self-actuating and self-releasing by movement of the lower pivoting functional unit between the first and second positions.

19. A hinge pivot and motion lock for tandemly coupled upper and lower pivoting functional units, comprising:

a lower pivoting functional unit positionable between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position;

an upper pivoting functional unit positionable between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position;

a hinge assembly coupling the upper pivoting functional unit to the lower pivoting functional unit and including a gear member allowing at least pivotal movement of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit;

at least one gravity-actuated motion lock that engages the lower pivoting functional unit to inhibit translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit when the lower pivoting functional unit is in the second non-horizontal position and disengages from the lower pivoting functional unit when the lower pivoting functional unit is positioned at the first substantially horizontal position; and

the at least one gravity-actuated motion lock is self-actuating and self-releasing by movement of the lower pivoting functional unit between the first and second positions,

wherein the lower pivoting functional unit includes an elevator slide mechanism having a first wall with at least one latch element and a body portion pivotally mounted for rotation about a pivot shaft and having an engagement portion, and when the lower pivoting functional unit is in the first horizontal position, the engagement portion is displaced from the latch element of the elevator slide mechanism, allowing free translational movement of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit, and when the lower pivoting functional unit is moved to the second non-horizontal position, the engagement portion moves into contact with the at least one latch element of the elevator slide mechanism to inhibit translation of the upper pivoting functional unit relative to the lower pivoting functional unit.