Hinge

• US 9,121,207 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polaris IP Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Michael Christopher Stuart
• Inventors: Stuart, Michael Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US13/057,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,582 Days
• Field of Search: 16/58, 163/07, 16D/IG.14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1014 for maintaining the hinge in only one position, e.g. closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2003/027 the end knuckles being mutually connected
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/02 with one pin
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0246 for attachment to glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/20 in hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/218 Holders
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/256 with pistons or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/46 Magnets

Abstract

A hinge including a first hinge member including a first magnetic element; and a second hinge member including a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly mounted to each other. The first and second hinge members are substantially maintained in a retained position via magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements.

Claims

1. A hinge including:

a first hinge member including a first magnetic element and an overlapping portion;

a second hinge member including a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly mounted to each other;

a biasing mechanism, separate from the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, configured to bias the first hinge member and the second hinge member toward a retained position, wherein the biasing mechanism is a spring; and

a dampening mechanism configured to slow the movement of the first hinge member relative to the second hinge member, wherein a portion of the dampening mechanism protrudes from a face of the second hinge member when the hinge is moved away from the retained position, and wherein when the first and second hinge members pivot relative to each other toward the retained position the overlapping portion overlaps the face of the second hinge member and urges against the dampening mechanism, thereby slowing the movement of the first hinge member and the second member to the retained position, wherein the overlapping portion abuts the face of the second hinge member when in the retained position;

wherein magnetic attractive force between the first and second magnetic elements contribute toward maintaining the first and second hinge members in the retained position.

2. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second magnetic elements bias, via said magnetic attractive force between said first and second magnetic elements, the first and second hinge members to the retained position.

3. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the dampening mechanism is a hydraulic mechanism.

4. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein the hydraulic mechanism includes a hydraulic piston which substantially protrudes from the second hinge member, and wherein when the first and second hinge elements move toward the retained position, the overlapping portion urges against the hydraulic piston which gradually retracts into a hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic mechanism.

5. The hinge according to claim 4, wherein the hydraulic mechanism is spring loaded to eject a portion of the piston from the cylinder once the first and second hinge members move from the retained position to an unretained position.

6. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the hinge includes a joining member which pivotally joins the first hinge member to the second hinge member.

7. The hinge according to claim 6, wherein a first retaining pin extends through and is releasably retained within a first hollow of the joining member to thereby releasably secure the joining member in pivotal connection, about the first retaining pin, with the first hinge member.

8. The hinge according to claim 7, wherein the first retaining pin supports the spring, wherein a first end of the spring is attached to the retaining pin and a second end of the spring butts against a stop surface of the joining member, wherein pivotal movement of the first and second members away from the retained position causes potential energy to build in the spring, thereby biasing the first and second hinge members toward the retained position.

9. The hinge according to claim 8, wherein a second retaining pin extends through and is releasably retained within a second hollow of the joining member to thereby releasably fix the joining member to the second hinge member.

10. The hinge according to claim 6, wherein the joining member includes a third magnetic element, and wherein an attractive magnetic force between the first magnetic element and the third magnetic element contributes toward maintaining the first hinge member and second hinge member in the retained position.

11. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge member includes a first hinge front plate and a first hinge rear plate which are releasably secured together, and the second hinge member includes a second hinge front plate and a second hinge rear plate which are releasably secured together.

12. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge member includes at least one aperture to receive and retain the first magnetic element.

13. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the second hinge member includes at least one aperture to receive and retain the second magnetic element.

14. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge member includes an aim which extends from a first hinge body of the first hinge member, and the second hinge member includes a pair of arms which extend from a second hinge body, wherein the pair of arms define a recess which corresponds to the arm of the first hinge member, wherein the arms of the first and second hinge members include the first and second magnetic elements respectively.

15. The hinge according to claim 14, wherein the first and second magnetic elements retained by the arms of the first and second hinge members are superposed when the first and second hinge members are maintained in the retained position.

16. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge member includes a first series of first magnetic elements of varying magnetic strength, wherein the first series of first magnetic elements include the first magnetic element, and the second hinge member includes a second series of second magnetic elements of varying magnetic strength, wherein the second series of second magnetic elements include the second magnetic element, wherein the first and second series of magnetic elements contribute to control the speed which the first and second hinge members pivotally move toward the retained position.

17. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the dampening mechanism protrudes from the face of the second hinge member in a direction substantially normal to the face of the second hinge member.

18. A hinge including:

a first hinge member including a first magnetic element;

a second hinge member including a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly mounted to each other; and

a biasing mechanism, separate from the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, configured to bias the first hinge member and the second hinge member toward a retained position;

wherein magnetic attractive force between the first and second magnetic elements contribute toward maintaining the first and second hinge members in the retained position;

wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly connected via a hinge pin, wherein the biasing mechanism is supported upon the hinge pin, wherein a first end of the biasing mechanism is attached to the hinge pin and a second end of the biasing mechanism butts against a stop surface of the hinge, wherein movement of the first and second hinge members away from the retained position causes potential energy to build in the biasing mechanism, thereby biasing the first and second hinge members toward the retained position.

19. The hinge according to claim 18, wherein the biasing mechanism is a spring.

20. A hinge including:

a first hinge member including a first magnetic element and an overlapping portion;

a second hinge member including a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second hinge members are hingedly mounted to each other;

a biasing mechanism, separate to the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, configured to bias the first hinge member and the second hinge member toward a retained position, wherein the biasing mechanism is a spring; and

a dampening mechanism configured to slow the movement of the first hinge member relative to the second hinge member, wherein a portion of the dampening mechanism protrudes from the second hinge member when the hinge is moved away from the retained position, and when the first and second hinge members pivot relative to each other toward the retained position, the overlapping portion urges against the dampening mechanism, thereby slowing the movement of the first hinge member and the second member to the retained position;

wherein magnetic attractive force between the first and second magnetic elements contribute toward maintaining the first and second hinge members in the retained position, and wherein the first hinge member and the second hinge member are parallel in the retained position.