Assembly having liftable lid and movable hinge module thereof

• US 9,752,374 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lite-On Electronics Company Limited (Lite-On Technology Corporation), Lite-On Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lite-On Electronics Company Limited (Lite-On Technology Corporation), Lite-On Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Fu, Ping-Kun
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US14/564,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20150159423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 292 1, 292332, 296 2434, 296 378, 296 3714
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 61/00 Other locks with provision for latching
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/22 operated by a pulling or pushing action perpendicular to the front plate, i.e. by pulling or pushing the wing itself without deadlocking E05C19/02
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/085 automatic release by further opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/022 allowing an additional lateral movement, e.g. for sealing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/105 with a compression spring
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/38 with a horizontal axis of rotation at the top or bottom of the opening E06B3/5036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/385 specially adapted for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/509 where one of the sliding and rotating movements necessarily precedes the other
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/32 Serving doors; Passing-through doors ; Pet-doors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/04 Automatic release latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/11 Cover fasteners

Abstract

An assembly has a liftable lid and a movable hinge module. The assembly includes an object having an opening, a lid rotatably arranged upon the opening, and a hinge module. The hinge module includes at least a shaft connected to the lid, a base, and at least a latch. The shaft is connected to the base and along with the base defines a rotating axis. The rotating axis is movably arranged between a close position and an open position. The latch fastens the lid over the opening. When the rotating axis is at close position, the lid closes upon the opening as a close state. When the rotating axis moves away from close position, the lid rotates and moves away from the opening to an open state. The rotating axis moves to open position.

Claims

1. A movable hinge module for pivotally connecting a lid over an opening of a surface of an object, the lid being rotatable when opening or closing with respect to the opening, the hinge module comprising:

at least one shaft connected to the lid;

a base,

wherein the at least one shaft is rotatably connected to the base, and the at least one shaft and the base collectively define a rotating axis; and

a kinetic component connected to the base;

wherein the kinetic component moves the shaft from an inner side of the opening on the object toward an outer side of the opening on the object when the kinetic component is activated;

at least one latch fastening the lid at the opening;

wherein when the shaft is at the inner side of the opening on the object that is a close position, the lid closes upon the opening of the object as a close state; and

wherein when the shaft moves away from the close position to be at the outer side of the opening on the object that is an open position, the lid rotates along the rotating axis and moves away from the opening to an open state.

2. The movable hinge module according to claim 1, wherein the kinetic element is at least one elastic element.

3. The movable hinge module according to claim 2, wherein the base comprises a main body, the main body having at least one shaft depression, the at least one shaft is rotatably disposed in the shaft depression, each of two sides of the base has an abutting portion, and each of the abutting portions has the elastic element.

4. The movable hinge module according to claim 1, wherein the number of the at least one latch is a pair, one to latch the base against the object, and an opposed one to latch a free end of the lid.

5. The movable hinge module according to claim 4, wherein the main body further comprising:

a pair of limiting portions downwardly extending from the main body, each limiting portion having a limiting slot thereon, and wherein the limiting slot has a first end and a second end; and

wherein the object further comprising a pair of limiting blocks below the bottom face of the object;

wherein each limiting block has a limiting post movably disposed in the limiting slot; and

wherein when the limiting post moves to the first end of the limiting slot, the rotating axis is at the open position, and when the limiting post moves to the second end of the limiting slot, the rotating axis is at the close position.

6. The movable hinge module according to claim 1, wherein when the lid is arranged at the close state, a circumferential region of a surface of the lid is flushed with the surface of the object.

17. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein when the lid is at the open state, a portion of the lid is on top of the surface of the object.

7. An assembly having a liftable lid comprising:

an object having a surface with an opening;

a lid rotatably arranged upon the opening;

a movable hinge module including;

at least one shaft connected to the lid;

a base,

wherein the at least one shaft is rotatably connected to the base, and the at least one shaft and the base collectively define a rotating axis; and

a kinetic component connected to the base;

wherein the kinetic component moves the shaft from an inner side of the opening on the object toward an outer side on the object when the kinetic component is activated; and

at least one latch fastening the lid at the opening;

wherein when the shaft is at the inner side of the opening on the object that is a close position, the lid closes upon the opening of the object as a close state; and

wherein when the shaft moves away from the close position to be at the outer side of the opening on the object that is an open position, the lid rotates along the rotating axis and moves away from the opening to an open state.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the kinetic element is at least an elastic element.

9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the base comprises a main body, the main body having at least one shaft depression, the shaft is rotatably disposed in the shaft depression, each of the two sides of the base has an abutting portion, and each of the abutting portion has the elastic element.

10. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein when the lid is at the close state, a circumferential region of a surface of the lid is flushed with the surface of the object.

11. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the number of the at least one latch is a pair, one to latch the base against the object, and an opposed one to latch a free end of the lid.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the main body further comprising:

a pair of limiting portions downwardly extending from the main body, each limiting portion having a limiting slot thereon, and wherein the limiting slot has a first end and a second end; and

wherein the object further comprising a pair of limiting blocks below the bottom face of the object;

wherein each limiting block has a limiting post movably disposed in the limiting slot; and

wherein when the limiting post moves to the first end of the limiting slot, the rotating axis is at the open position, and when the limiting post moves to the second end of the limiting slot, the rotating axis is at the close position.

13. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one shaft is connected to a bottom face of the lid, and the at least one elastic element positioned between the base and the object.

14. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein when the lid is at the open state, a portion of the lid is on top of the surface of the object.

15. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein one of the latches is a push-push latch and includes a hook connected to the base and a latch box, the hook engages to or disengages from the latch box, the other latch is a push-push latch and includes another hook connected to the bottom face of the lid, and the other hook engages to or disengages from the latch box.

16. An assembly having a liftable lid comprising:

an object having a surface with an opening;

a lid rotatably arranged upon the opening;

a movable hinge module including;

at least one shaft connected to the lid;

a base,

wherein the at least one shaft is rotatably connected to the base, and the shaft and the base collectively define a rotating axis; and

a kinetic component connected to the base; and

at least one latch fastening the lid at the opening;

wherein the rotating axis moves by the kinetic component between an inner side of the opening on the object and an outer side of the opening on the object, when the kinetic component is activated;

wherein when the rotating axis is at the inner side of the opening on the object that is a close position, the lid closes upon the opening of the object as a close state; and

wherein when the rotating axis moves away from the close position to be at the outer side of the opening on the object that is an open position, the lid rotates along the rotating axis and moves away from the opening to an open state.