CA2559313C - Hinge assembly with self lubricated pin - Google Patents

Abstract

A hinge assembly for garage doors (10) with a relatively loose tolerance for the leaf assemblies (40) and the central supporting member (20). A sleeve (30) is rotably mounted over the supporting member (20) and a folded portion (44) of the leaf assembly (40) journals the sleeve (30) for a substantially frictionless linkage. The sleeve (30) is made of a self-lubricating plastic material to reduce noise.

Description

WO 201TS10)8182 1'CTIUS2110dI0()C871 I. TITLE: HT1VGE ASSEMBL1' WITH'SELF Lr.IrBRICATED P.IN
II. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to ' a hinge assembly, and more particularly, to a hinge with self-lubricated notably mouzlted sleeve.
III. $ACI~GROUND ART
Many designs for hinge assembly have been designed in the past.
None of them, however, include a self-lubricated sleeve that facilitates the movement of the hinge leaves with reduced levels of noise.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S.
patent No. 4,9&4,~ 93 issued to Rommelfaenger et a1. on October 23,1990 for a hinge including two leaves with interengaging knuckles. The Rommelfaenger's patented hinge has a plastic coated metal hinge pin that extends through the knuckles and the la-zuckles are crimped onto the plastic coated hinge pin. In the Rommelfaenger's patent, the tighter the Ia~.uckles grip the piz~, the greater will be the torque required to operate tl-ze hinge. However,, it differs from the present invention because the Rommelfaenger's patented inventiozz includes a plastic coatizlg intended to provide a more friction while the present invention includes a plastic self- lubricated notably mounted sleeve intended to provide practically no friction and substantially noiseless. The more lax specifications of some hinges (garage door hinges) do not require a tight engagement of the central pin and the laluckles.
Applicant believes that_another related reference corresponds to French patent No. 2,623,53 issued to Boismain on May 26, 1989 for a V~~O 20(I5/098182 PCTIUS20111100G$71 hinge with lateral engagemel2t for a leaf and the like. Boismain's atel~ted lunge inchldes a strip (33) made of self-lubricating material intended for easily engaging aLld removing the leaves by a horizontal movement. 1-~owever, the disposition of the loop (21) against shoulder (7) causes metal friction and therefore noisy movement of the hinge.
for garage door applications there is no need for tight tolerances for the knuckles, which makes them more expensive. It is nevertheless desirable to have a noiseless hinge, even for garage doors.
ether patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a Number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest th.e novel features of the present invention.
IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a hinge assembly with plastic self-lubricated sleeve intended to reduce hinge friction of the leaves with the central pin.
It is another object of this invention to pr ovide a hinge assembly with plastic self-lubricated sleeves rotably mounted over a central supporting member to facilitate a noiseless movement.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive i:o manufacture and maintain while retaining its effecfiveness.

WO 2t)t15109Y182 PCT/US2(?Ua1006871 Further objects of the invention will be brought out izz the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.
V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
ZNith the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will Lie more fully understood from the follov,~ing description, when read in conjunctiozl with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 7. xepresents an isometric view of the hinge assembly object of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the supporting member and one of the leaf assemblies, showing the ends of the former rigidly mounted to the angular walls of the Ieaf assembly.
Figure ,3 shows a front elevational view of the invention partially cross-sectioned to show the central tubular member.
Figuxe 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line 4-4 in figure 3..

WO 2i)4s/~1~)St82 PCTIlIS2l1(1:4/Of1G871 VI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to tl~e drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to ~Tith numeral 10, it can be observed that it basically includes supportixzg member 20, sleeve member 30 and leaf assemblies 40 and 60.
Central supporting men~tber 20 is made out of a rigid material, and in one of the preferred embodiments if is a tubular wifh upper and lowex ends Z4 and 24', respectively. Ends 24 and 24' include outwardly extending flanges 25 and 25', in tl2e preferred embodiment, and they are rigidly mounfed to angular walls 64 and 64' by welded joints 21 in fhe preferred embodiment. Walls 64 and 64' are rigidly and perpendicularly mounted to leaf member G2 of leaf assembly GO at ends 63 and 63' respectively, as best seen i11 figure.2. Sleeve member 30 journals central portion 22 of supporting member 20 between angular walls 64 and G4'.
Sleeve member 30 is notably mounted over central portion 22. Sleeve member 30 is made out of a plastic self-lubricating polymer maferial, such as Delriz~. or equivalent. Delrin is a trademark of E.I. Dupont Nemozns & Co., 7.007 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.
Leaf assembly 40 includes lea~ member 42 and folded portion 44.
Folded portion 44 is rotatably mounted over sleeve member 30. Folded portion 44 covers member 30 eu+~rely. The clearances between folded poxfion 44, member 30 and cenfr,. abular znernber 22 are not tight, but rather slightly loose to avoid factional forces as much as possible.
Leaf assembly 60 includes leaf znemben 62, ends G3 and 63', angular walls G4 and__64' and elongafed,edge 66...Edge 66_limits the movement of leaf assembly 60 so that in the open exfrezne position, leaf wo zomnuaisz rc'rmrsz~>o:~nm~sr~
assemblies ~0 and 60 are disposed at 180-degree angle. Additionally, the disposition of edge 66 is to avoid pinclung a user by the hinge.
Tile foregoing descxzptzon conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.
VII. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
Zt is appar ent from tile previous paragraphs that an improvement of the type for such a hinge assembly with self-lubricated sleeve is quite desirable to reduce hinge friction of the moving elements facilitating a zioiseless movement. Such hizlge assembly is also quite desirable because it is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness.

Claims (3)

VIII. CLAIMS
What is claimed is:

1. A hinge assembly comprising:
A) a first leaf assembly having a first flat portion With first and second ends, and including first and second angular walls perpendicularly mounted to said first and second ends, respectively;
B) a supporting member rigidly mounted between said first and second angular walls to prevent any rotational or translational movement of said supporting member relative to said angular walls;
C) a sleeve member notably mounted over said supporting member; and D) a second leaf assembly having a second flat portion and a folded portion journaling said sleeve so that said second leaf assembly rotates about said sleeve and supporting member.

2. The hinge assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting member is a tubular member.

3. The hinge assembly set forth in claim 2 wherein said sleeve is made out of a plastic self-lubricating material.