Hinge to improve panel stability

• US 7,614,119 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Inventors: Hsu, Jia-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah; Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/476,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 16337-339, 163/42, 163/30, 163/03, 163/74, 163/76, 163/77, 163/40, 163/86, 361680-683, 361/814, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.8, 379/433.12, 379/433.13, 348/373, 348/333.01, 348/333.06, 348/794
• US Class Current: 16/367
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass

Abstract

A hinge mounted in an electrical appliance having a panel and a base has a rotating bracket, two shaft assemblies, a stationary bracket, a spacer assembly and a flat contact surface. The shaft assemblies are mounted rotatably in the rotating bracket and are attached to the panel. The stationary bracket is mounted rotatably around the rotating bracket and is attached to the base. The spacer assembly is mounted around the rotating bracket and securely on the stationary bracket. The flat contact surface is formed between the rotating bracket and the spacer assembly to provide a flat contact when the rotating bracket rotates relative to the spacer assembly. Therefore, the panel will not shake when the panel is rotated right or left relative to the base.

Claims

1. A hinge comprising:

a rotating bracket having

two sides;

a top;

a bottom;

two transverse arms being formed respectively on and protruding radially out from the sides of the rotating bracket at the top, and each transverse arm having

a distal end; and

a connecting sleeve formed on and protruding longitudinally from the distal end of the transverse arm;

a longitudinal shaft formed coaxially on and protruding longitudinally from the bottom of the rotating bracket and having

a top; and

a bottom;

a flange being formed coaxially on and protruding radially out from the bottom of the rotating bracket and the top of the longitudinal shaft and having a bottom surface; and

a rotation limit mounted around the longitudinal shaft and attached to the flange;

two shaft assemblies connecting respectively to the connecting sleeves of the rotating bracket, and each shaft assembly comprising

a shaft being mounted securely in a corresponding connecting sleeve; and

a barrel being mounted rotatably on the shaft;

a stationary bracket being mounted around the longitudinal shaft of the rotating bracket and having

a top surface;

a bottom surface; and

a central hole being mounted rotatably around the longitudinal shaft of the rotating bracket;

a spacer assembly being mounted rotatably around the longitudinal shaft of the rotating bracket and securely on the stationary bracket and having

a retaining cap attached to the longitudinal shaft, mounted rotatably against the bottom surface of the stationary bracket and having a top surface rotatably abutting the bottom surface of the stationary bracket; and

a limiting spacer mounted rotatably around the longitudinal shaft and securely on the stationary bracket and having

a top surface; and

two stops formed on and protruding up from the top surface; and

a flat contact surface being formed between the rotation limit of the rotating bracket and the limiting spacer of the spacer assembly to provide a flat contact when the rotating bracket rotates relative to the spacer assembly.

2. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer assembly further has two connecting pins connecting the retaining cap to the bottom of the longitudinal shaft of the rotating bracket and each having

a shaft extending through and held in the retaining cap and having

a proximal end;

and

a distal end connected to the bottom of the longitudinal shaft; and

a head being formed on the proximal end and abutting the bottom surface of the retaining cap.

3. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the rotation limit has

an outer edge;

and

a limit formed on and extending radially out from the edge of the rotation limit; and

the stops on the limiting spacer selectively abut the limit of the rotation limit.

5. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the stationary bracket further has

an annular sidewall being formed on and protruding perpendicularly up from the top surface of the stationary bracket and having multiple gaps formed through the annular sidewall and communicating with the top surface of the stationary bracket;

and

two through holes formed through the stationary bracket diametrically opposite to each other outside the central hole in two of the gaps;

the retaining cap of the spacer assembly further has

an annular channel formed in the top surface of the retaining cap and corresponding to the through holes in the stationary bracket; and

two detents formed diametrically opposite to each other in the annular channel and corresponding respectively to and aligning with the through holes in the stationary bracket; and

the spacer assembly further has

a resilient spacer mounted around the longitudinal shaft and having multiple curved protrusions abutting the limiting spacer;

an alignment spacer mounted around the longitudinal shaft inside the annular sidewall on the stationary bracket and having

an edge;

two keys formed on and extending out from the edge of the alignment spacer and engaging two of the gaps in the annular sidewall of the stationary bracket; and

two through holes formed through the alignment spacer diametrically opposite to each other and corresponding respectively to and aligning with the through holes in the stationary bracket;

a mounting spacer mounted around the longitudinal shaft between the resilient spacer and the alignment spacer and having

an edge;

a bottom surface;

two keys formed on and extending out from the edge of the mounting spacer and engaging two of the gaps in the annular sidewall of the stationary bracket; and

two mounting recesses formed in the bottom surface of the alignment spacer and corresponding respectively to and aligning with the through holes in the alignment spacer; and

two balls mounted respectively in the through holes in the alignment spacer and respectively in the through holes in the stationary bracket, engaging the corresponding mounting recesses in the mounting spacer, sliding in the annular channel in the retaining cap and selectively engaging the detents in the retaining cap.

6. The hinge as claimed in claim 5, wherein each detent in the retaining cap has two inclined ends corresponding to the annular channel.

7. The hinge as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spacer assembly further has two connecting pins connecting the retaining cap to the bottom of the longitudinal shaft of the rotating bracket and each having

a shaft extending through and held in the retaining cap and having

a proximal end;

and

a distal end connected to the bottom of the longitudinal shaft; and

a head being formed on the proximal end and abutting the bottom surface of the retaining cap.

8. The hinge as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spacer assembly further has two connecting pins connecting the retaining cap to the bottom of the longitudinal shaft of the rotating bracket and each having

a shaft extending through and held in the retaining cap and having

a proximal end;

and

a distal end connected to the bottom of the longitudinal shaft; and

a head being formed on the proximal end and abutting the bottom surface of the retaining cap.

9. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each shaft assembly has a leaf support being attached to the barrel.

4. The hinge as claimed 3, wherein

the flange further has at least one fastening protrusion extending down from the bottom surface of the flange;

and

the rotation limit further has at least one hole formed through the rotation limit and corresponding respectively to and engaging the at least one fastening protrusion on the flange.