Door hinge having an infinite position hold open detent

Abstract

Abstract A HINGE BOX INCLUDES SPACED WALLS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING A HINGE ARM OF U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION. A CANTILEVERED PORTION OF THE LOWER HINGE BOX WALL INCLUDES AN ARCUATE CHANNEL PORTION ON WHICH IS MOUNTED A FRICTION MEMBER HAVING AN ARCUATE SURFACE GENERATED ABOUT THE HINGE AXIS. A DETENT MEMBER HAS A MAIN PORTION LOCATED BETWEEN THE WALLS OF THE HINGE ARM AND AN ELONGATED END PORTION LOCATED BELOW THE LOWER WALL OF THE HINGE ARM AND CONNECTED TO THE MAIN PORTION BY AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION THE DETENT MEMBER IS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON THE HINGE ARM BY A PIN EXTENDING BETWEEN THE MAIN AND END PORTIONS OF THE DETENT MEMBER AND THROUGH THE WALLS OF THE HINGE ARM. A SPRING EXTENDS BETWEEN THE MAIN PORTION OF THE DETENT MEMBER AND THE HINGE ARM TO POSITION A LINEAR CONTACT EDGE OF THE ELONGATED END PORTION FOR TRANSVERSE LINEAR CONTACT WITH THE ARCUATE SURFACE OF THE FRICTION MEMBER TO PROVIDE A FRICTIONAL RESTRAINT IN THE DIRECTION OF SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE HINGE ARM. UPON REVERSAL OF THE DIRECTION OF SWINGING MOVEMENT, THE LINEAR CONTACT EDGE OF THE DETENT MEMBER DIGS INTO THE FRICTION MEMBER TO PROVIDE A WEDGING RESTRAINT TO HOLD THE DOOR AGAINST SUCH REVERSE SWINGING MOVEMENT. THIS WEDGING RESTRAINT CAN BE OVERCOME BY THE APPLICATION OF A PREDETERMINED FORCE TO THE HINGE ARM TO DIG THE LINEAR CONTACT EDGE FURTHER INTO THE FRICTION MEMBER AND ULTIMATELY TO SWING THE DETENT MEMBER ON THE HINGE ARM SO AS TO PROVIDE A FRICTIONAL RESTRAINT IN THE REVERSED DIRECTION OF SWINGING MOVEMENT AND A WEDGING RESTRAINT IN THE INITIAL DIRECTION OF SWINGING MOVEMENT.

Inventors

• 👤 John M Hakala

Bibliographic Details