AU2007101194B4 - An improved lift of hinge for glass - Google Patents

Description

13 Dec 2007 17:39 Estelle Ptyj Ltd 61 2 9834 6353 p.4 Australia Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification Innovation Patent Adjustable self closing lift off hinge with stop for glass doors or the like.

The Following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

COMS ID No: ARCS-172299 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:33 Date 2007-12-13 13 uec 2uu07 it:39 Estelle PtL-1 Ltd 61 2 9834 6353 oAn adjustable self closing, lift off hinge, with, stop, for glass doors or the 0 like.

Currently there are many hinges with ninny types of operating features. This invention has been specially devised to improve on these typical hinges.

s This invention is made up of two separate sides; a fixed side and a swing side. Each side has a hollow sleeve in which a removable operational insert can be fitted. The two hinge sides are joined together to make one hinge by lifting the swing side onto the fixed side. The two sides are then held together and secured by the operational inserts and one o common pivot pin. This invention is also left hand swing and right hand swing specific. The left hand swing and the right hand swing are different but are the reverse image of each other, both swings are comprised of one upper and one lower removable operational insert Each removable operational insert has a horizontal face, vertical face, helicoid, o coupling and spline which allow the hinge to lift apart, rotate, stay open, self close, adjust to different angles and stop 0at the required set angle. When used on glass doors or panels, the stop prevents the possibility of the fixed side glass and the swing side glass hitting against each other and breaking.

The removable Upper Lower operational inserts in this invention have five special operational features.

1. The first operational insert feature allows the two sides to be separated by lifting the swing side of the hinge off the upper operational insert that remains attached to the common pin that is secured into the fixed side. This is known as the lift off feature.

2. The second operational insert feature in this invention is the hinge self closing when it is 45 degrees away from its closed position. When the binge is rotated in the open direction the helicoid in the lower operational insert and the helicoid in the upper operational insert engage, forcing the swing side to lift up by sliding up the common pivot pin as it rotates. However, when closing, the above mentioned operation is reversed. That meaning; when assisted by the weight of any item fitted tothe swing side of the hinge, the helicoid in the upper operational insert and the helicoid in the lower operational insert engage causing the hinge to drop down by sliding-down the common pivot pin as it rotates, therefore closing the hinge without assistance. The helicoid is 12.5% of the operational insert circumference or degrees of the 360 degree operational insert circumference. This is known as the self closing feature.

3. The third operational insert feature in this invention is the two fiat horizontal surfaces; one located at the top of the helicoid on the lower operational insert and one located at the bottom of the helicoid on the upper operational insert.

When the hinge is opened past the helicoids it will then ride on these two flat horizontal faces. Once the hinge is operating on the fiat horizontal surfaces, the hinge will not self close and will in fact remain open at any point it is positioned at. This is known as the stay open feature.

4. The fourth operational ins ert feature in this invention is the stop. Both the upper and lower operational inserts have a stop. The stop on both the upper and lower operational inserts is the flat vertical surface that runs between the top of the helicoid and the bottom of the helicoid. Both stops will not engage until after the hinge has travelled across or over the helicoids, immediately after which, the stop on the upper operational insert will contact the stop on the lower operational insert, causing the swing action to cease. TIhe hinge will not and can not rotate or swing past the stop point.

Therefore, when used on glass doors or panels, this invention prevents the possibility of the glass doors or panels hitting against each other. This is known as the stop feature.

COMSIJONo: ARCS-i 72299 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:33 Date 2007-12-13 13 Dec 2007 17:40 Estelle Pt~j Ltd G1 2 9834 6353 P- 6 5. The fifth operational insert feature in this invention is adjustable angle settings. When the swing side of the hinge is 0 lifted off as mentioned in the tipper operational insert will remain sitting on top of the fixed side of the hinge, held on by the common pivot pin. At the top of the upper operational insert there is a coupling with a male spline. This fits into the coupling with a female spline, which is moulded into the hollow sleeve of the swing side of the hinge. The swing side of the binge that has the coupling with a female spline can be lifted onto the upper operational insert (that is being held onto the fixed side of the hinge bythe common pivot pin) at various different angles by first rotating the swing side to the desired angle, then lifting it onto the fixed side where the male spline and the female spline will engage, thus setting the angle. This process can be repeated in a clockwise or antieloetwise, direction until the required __angle is achieved, after which the hinge will operate at the adjusted angle exactly as mentioned in This is __knownm as the adjustable angle feature.

This improved hinge is preferably made from forged brass and plated with a protective finish; however it can be made from other materials. For example steel, stainless steel, zinc, copper, aluminium or plastics are all found to be suitable.

o ITe operational insert is preferably made from nylon; however it can be forged into the hinge or made from other omaterials. For example steel, stainless steel, zinc, copper and aluminium are all found to be suitable.

The invention may be better understood with reference to the illstrations of embodiments of the invention which;- Figure 1 is an illustration of an improved hinge with ports separated showing how the swing side of the hinge I will lift offeand onto the fixed side of the hinge 2. It also illustrates the coupling 3 and male spline 4 on the upper operational insert and the coupling 5 and male spline 6 on the lower operational insert, where the mnale coupling and spline 5 is fitted securely into the female coupling and spline 10- 11 of the fixed side of the hinge.

Figure 2 illustrates how the awing side of the hinge 1 can be rotated before being lifted onto the fixed side of the binge 2 at different angles or degrees. When the female spline and coupling 23 is lifted onto the male spline and coupling 22 at a required angle, for example 180 degrees, theni AA is fitted into BB, then the hinge will open and close at 180 degrees. Alternatively, when AAk is fitted into CC, the hinge will open and close at 135 degrees, and when AA is fitted into DD, the hinge wilopen and close at 90 degrees. In fact the hinge can be adjusted to many angles by rotating the swing side 1 in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction before lifting the swing side 1 onto the fixed side 2 at the desired angle effectively allowing for adjustable swing settings for the operation of the hinge.

Figure 3 is an illustration of the upper 14 lower 13 operational inserts with common pivoting pin 12 as they appear when the hinge is fully open. Figure 3 also illustrates the upper 14 lower 13 operational inserts engaged together by the flat horizontal surface 15 of the upper and the flat horizontal surface 16 of the lower operational insert. Once the hinge is operating on the flat horizontal surfaces, the binge will not self close and will in fact remain open at any point it is positioned at Figure 4 is an illustration of the upper 14 lower 13 operational inserts with common pivoting pin 12 as they appear when the hinge has travelled 50% through the upper 18 and lower 19 helicoids. Figure 4 also illustrates the slope of the upper lower helicoids 18-19 which effectively cause the swing side of the hinge to automnatically close by dropping the hinge gradually as it rotates until it hits the upper 20 and lower 21 stops.

Figure 5 is an illustration of the upper 14 lower 13 operational inserts with common pivoting pin 12 as they appear when the hinge is completely closed. Figure 5 also illustrates theupper 14 lower 13 operational inserts with the helkcoids 18-19 fully engaged. Figure 5 also illustrates the upper 14 lower 13 operational inserts with the stop on the upper operational insert 20 and the stop on the lower operational insert 21 fuly engaged preventing the hinge from travelling past the stop position- Figures 3, 4, 5 illustrate the upper operational insert 14 slidiug up and down the common pivot pin 12 as the upper operational insert 14 is rotated clockwise or anticlockwise.

3 COMS ID No: ARCS-172299 Received by IP Australia: lime 17:33 Date 2007-12-13

Claims (2)

1. 2. A left and right hand hinge as claimed in 1, where the hinge has, either forged into it, or fitted with inserts, a helicoid to lift and separate the two sides of the hinge causing the hinge to self close as it rotates. S3. A left and right hand hinge as claimed in 1 2, where the hinge has, either forged into it, or fitted with inserts, vertical faces that engage to meet together and cause the hinge to stop.
2. 4. A left and right hand hinge according to any of the claims 1 where the hinge has, either forged into it, or fitted with inserts, couplings and splines and where the female coupling can be put onto the male spline at different points by first rotating the swing side to the desired angle, then lifting it onto the fixed side where the male spline of the coupling engages with the female spline in the hollow sleeve, thus setting the angle at which the hinge will stop at. A hinge for glass doors or the like substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1- of the accompanying drawings. Mr John Mannex O'Brien 28 t h April 2008