US3638276A

US3638276A - Hinge assembly

Info

Publication number: US3638276A
Application number: US867625A
Authority: US
Inventors: Woodson H Vance
Original assignee: US Industries Inc
Current assignee: US Industries Inc
Priority date: 1969-10-20
Filing date: 1969-10-20
Publication date: 1972-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-01

Abstract

A metal hinge is mounted on a plastic base of a carrying case or the like for supporting an instrument or machine (e.g. a sewing machine) for pivotal movement relative to the base. The hinge comprises a pivot support member carrying a pivot pin on which the instrument or machine is pivotally mounted. The pivot support member is received and secured in place in a suitable channel in the base member and the pivot pin is secured in suitable slots in the base member disposed adjacent to the aforementioned channel.

Description

[45] Feb. l, i972 Unite States aient Vance PAT'ENTEU FEB l i872 INVENTOR. WooosoN H. VANCE ATTORNEY HINGE ASSEMBLY Carrying cases which are economically made from plastic material frequently require hinges to mount a pivotal structure thereon. For example, sewing machines are sometimes required to be pivotally mounted to a rigid plastic base of a portable carrying case in such a manner that in one pivotal position, the machine is accommodated in the closed case and in another pivotal position, the machine is located above the case and exposed for use by an operator. It is of course desirable to make the hinge as strong as possible, particularly because of the concentration of forces at the pivot of the hinge. Accordingly, it is preferable to make the hinge of metal parts which tend to be stronger and longer lasting than plastic hinges. However, since the base of the carrying case is preferably made of plastic, an economical and practical arrangement is required to secure the metal hinge to the plastic base.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a metal hinge for a plastic carrying case or the like which can be manufactured and assembled at low cost.

A further object is to provide a metal hinge which can be easily and permanently secured to a plastic base of a carrying case or the like without requiring any special tools or other complicated assembly procedure, the arrangement being such that once installed, the hinge cannot be inadvertently removed and thus, for practical purposes, may be considered permanently installed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A hinge assembly for pivotally supporting an instrument or machine (e.g., sewing machine) on a base member ofa plastic carrying case or the like, comprises a pivot support member accommodated within a channel within the base member. The pivot support member mounts a pivot pin which in turn supports the instrument or machine for pivotal movement relative to the base member. The base member is provided with means for receiving the pin and locking the latter in position on said base member. A depending flange on the pivot support member extends out of the aforementioned channel in the base member and engages a means on the base to secure the pivot support member and engages a means on the base to secure the pivot support member thereto.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a portable carrying case made in accordance with the invention and having hinges for pivotally supporting an instrument on the base portion of the carrying case, the lower portion of the case being broken away and shown in section to reveal inner constructional detail;

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view on a larger scale, showing the hinge in position above the base of the carrying case before assembly on the latter;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3 3 ofFIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, FIG. l shows a portable carrying case 10 having a cover 12 and a base 14. The base I4 has a circumscribing ridge 16 onto which the bottom edge of the cover 12 is adapted to fit. Suitable means such as latches 18 are pro vided to hold the cover 12 in place on the base 14.

The portable case l is adapted to be used for carrying an instrument or machine, (not shown) for example a sewing machine, in such a manner that the machine may be pivoted on the base 14. Thus, the machine may be pivoted to one position wherein it will be accommodated in the closed carrying case l0 and to another position where, with the cover 12 removed, the machine is raised above the base 14 and is readily usable by an operator. j

Two

hinges

20, 22 are provided to pivotally support the machine on a sidewall 24 of the base 14. Each

hinge

20, 22 is comprised of three parts: namely, a cylindrical stud 26 to which the machine is affixed by means not shown, a pivot pin 28 about which the cylindrical stud 26 is pivoted, and a pivot support member 30 which is affixed to the sidewall 24 of the base 14 and which mounts the pivot pin 28.

The pivot support member 30 is adapted to be received in a channel 32 in the sidewall 24 of the carrying case base I4 and to be locked therein. To this end the sidewall 24 of the base 14 is provided with a transverse slot 34 located below the bottom of the receiving channel 32 and which is adapted to receive a tab 36 (FIG. 3) formed on the endof a forwardly depending flange 38 on the pivot support member 30. Also the sidewall 24 of base 14 is provided with a pair of

slots

40, 42 at opposite sides of the receiving channel 32 and communicating with the latter. The

slots

40, 42 are adapted to receive and mount end portions of the pivot pin 28. The arrangement is such that the pivot pin 28 is engaged by the sidewalls of the

slots

40, 42 whereby such engagement, along with the engagement of the tab 36 within the slot 34, serves to secure and lock the hinge 22 to the base 14 of the carrying case 10.

Turning to a more detailed description, the pivot support member 30 comprises a generally U-shaped upper portion having

upright legs

44, 46 joined to a base portion 48, the previously mentioned downwardly depending flange 38 being joined to the base portion 48 at substantially right angles to the latter. The pivot support member 30 may be readily formed an an integral unit from a sheet metal stamping. Each of the

upright legs

44, 46 is provided with an opening just slightly larger than the diameter ofthe pivot pin 28 thereby to rotatably support the latter in the manner shown in FIG. 2. The U-shaped portion of the pivot support member 30 is accommodated in the receiving channel 32 and to this end, the distance between the two

upright legs

44, 46 and the width of each

upright leg

44, 46 are substantially equal to the width and depth respectively of the receiving channel 32.

The cylindrical stud 26 is pivotally supported between the two

legs

44, 46 of the pivot support member 30 by the pivot pin 28. Thus the end portion of the stud 26 has a transverse opening with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the pivot pin 28 to slidably and rotatably receive the latter. The stud 26 may be provided with a reduced diameter portion 50 (FIG. 3) to facilitate securing the stud 26 in a bore in the side of a frame of a device such as a sewing machine (not shown) and thereby pivotally support one side of the sewing machine on the base 14 or the carrying case 10. A setscrew (not shown) or the like may be utilized on the machine frame to bear against the reduced diameter portion 50 of the cylindrical stud 50 and thereby secure the machine to the stud 50.

The sidewall 24 of the base 14 in which the

hinges

26, 22 are mounted may be made up of two spaced panels 52, S4 integrally joined by a top panel 55 as best shown in FIG. 2. In the area where the

hinges

20, 22 are mounted, the two

panels

52, 54 are joined by an enlarged, integral buttress or block 56 (FIG. 3) in which the receiving channel 32 is formed. The channel 32 is defined by general flat walls joined at right angles to one another.

The previously mentioned,

slots

40, 42 open up into the channel 32 as can readily be seen in FIG. 2, and it will be apparent that the end portions of the support pin 28 will be accommodated in the

slots

40, 42 when the pivot support member 30 is received and accommodated in the receiving channel 32. The distance between the end walls 58, 60 of the

slots

40, 42 respectively and the transverse width of the

slots

40, 42 are slightly larger than the respective length and diameter of the pivot pin 28, whereby the latter may be received in

said slots

40, 42. However, in order to lock the pivot pin 28 in position in the bottom of the

slots

40, 42, the sidewalls of the latter are molded with inclined detent portions 57 (FIG. 4) which define a restricted throat 62 therebetween. The smallest distance between the two opposing detent portions 57 is less than the diameter of the pivot pin 28. The detent portions 57 need not run the full length of the

slots

40, 42 but may extend from the slot end walls 58, 60 a short distance into the

respective slot

40, 42. The bottom ofthe

slots

40, 42 are circular thereby to form a socket or seat 59 for the pivot pin 28. As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the upper portions of the detents 57 gradually converge to define the previously mentioned narrow throat 62 disposed just above the circular seat 59 for the pivot pin 28. In this regard it will be noted that the base 14 is made form a suitable plastic material such as high-impact polystyrene. Thus, the properties of the plastic material and the structural arrangement in the area of the detents 57 is such that the pivot pin S8 may be manually forced or snapped past the throat 62 into the bottom of the grooves 40. 42 as will be further explained.

As can best be seen in FIG. 4, an integral buttress 64 is provided in the corner formed by the side panel 52 and top panel 55 on either side of the previously mentioned buttress 56. The butresses 64 are provided to accommodate the longitudinal end portions of the

slots

40, 42. A suitable opening 66 may be provided in the bottom of the slot 40 opening into the space between the two

panels

52 and 54. As may be desired, the panel 52, facing inwardly of the case 10, may have an indentation 68 about the channel 32 and slot 34 whereby when the hinge is installed, the flange 38 of the pivot support member 30 will be flush with the surface of panel 52, as can best be seen in FIG. 3.

In order to assemble the hinge, the cylindrical stud 26 is placed between the

upright legs

44, 46 of the pivot support member 30 and the pivot pin 28 is slid longitudinally into the aligned openings in the

upright legs

44, 46 and through the opening in the cylindrical stud 26. After this is completed, the subassembly will appear as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the pivot support member 30 with its

legs

44, 46 upright is placed in the upper part of the receiving channel 32 and simultaneously, the end portions of the pivot pin 28 are placed in the

adjacent slots

40, 42. The flange 38 is inclined outwardly of the plane of the indentation 68 so that the tab 36 is clear of the latter. With the pivot support member 30 and pivot pin 28 so disposed, the tab 36 on the flange 38 will project below the bottom of the channel 32 and be disposed against the surface of the indentation 68 between the bottom of the channel 32 and the slot 34.

Thereafter, the pivot pin 28 is manually depressed so that its ends are forced past the throats 62 formed by the detents 57 to seat in the circular bottom ends 59 of the

slots

40, 42. As the pivot pin 28 is forced into position, the plastic material of the detents 57 and surrounding structure will momentarily flex to permit the pivot pin 28 to pass through the throat 62, whereupon the pivot pin 28 will be locked in a seated position in the bottom of the

slots

40, 42, The pivot pin 28 may be forced past the throat 62 by grasping the cylindrical stud 26 after the latter has been placed in an upright position and pushing the stud 26 downwardly until the entire subassembly including the stud 26, pivot support member 30, and pivot pin 28 are forced into their lower position in the channel 32 and

slots

40, 42. When in the latter position, the tab 36 on flange 38 will be aligned with the slot 34 in the panel 52. The flange 38 is now manually pushed inwardly towards the panel 52 to force the tab 36 into the slot 34. The tab 36 may be upwardly inclined, as shown in FIG. 3, to provide an upper terminal edge 70 which when inserted, is located in a position to abut the upper wall of the slot 34.

It will be observed from the above description that it is necessary to rotate the pivot support member 30 slightly about the axis of the pivot pin 28 in order to introduce the tab 36 into the slot 34 to the locking position shown in FIG, 3. It will be apparent that the circular path transcribed by the upper terminal edge 70 of the tab 36 on flange 38 during each pivotal movement will tend to interfere with the upper outside corner 72 (FIG. 3) of the slot 34. Accordingly, during assembly it will be necessary to force the tab 36 into the slot 34 in order to get the terminal edge 70 of the tab 36 past the corner 72 of the slot 34. As the tab 36 is forced past the comer 72 into the slot 34, the flange 38 and other parts of the pivot support member 30 will momentarily flex slightly to permit the assembly. In this regard it will be seen in FIG. 3 that the base portion 48 of the U of the pivot support member 30 does not rest on the bottom of the channel 32, thereby enhancing the flexibility of the structure during assembly. Once assembled, the tab 36 will be locked in the slot 34 because the circular path about the pivot pin 28 of the terminating end 70 of the tab 36 will interfere with the corner 72 of the slot 34, said terminating end 70 naturally tending to transcribe said circular path upon any removal attempt.

In the mounted position of the hinge 22, the pivot support member 30 is restrained from vertical upward movement by the location of the pivot pin 28 beneath the restricted throat 62, and also by the engagement of the tab 36 with the upper surface of slot 34. The pivot support member 30 is also restrained against turning movement outwardly of channel 32 by interference ofthe tab terminal edge 70 with the upper surface of slot 34 adjacent the corner 72, and also by the flush engagement of the inner edges of

legs

44 and 46 against the wall of channel 32. It will thus be appreciated that once the hinge 22 is snapped into mounted position, it is impossible to remove except by the use of a screwdriver or similar tool in serted between the flange 38 and the underlying surface of block 56, and employed to forcibly pivot the tab 36 out of slot 34.

Although only the hinge 22 has been described in detail, it will be understood that the hinge 20 is of the same construction.

From the above description, it will be seen that there has been described a hinge which may be inexpensively manufactured and which is adapted to be secured easily and permanently to a plastic base of a carrying case without requiring any special tools or other complicated assembly procedure. The arrangement is such that the hinge, once assembled, cannot be inadvertently removed and thus, for practical purposes, may be considered to be permanently installed. The hinge may be made of metal (e.g., steel) to provide the necessary strength while incorporating a design which enables it to be readily and securely installed on a plastic base member.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such ernbodiment without department from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge assembly comprising a base member having a channel therein, a pivot support member accommodated in said channel, said pivot support member mounting a pivot pin thereon, said pin pivotally supporting an element adapted to be pivoted relative to said base member and having end portions projecting laterally outward of said pivot support member, said base member having means receiving said pin and locking the latter in position on said base, said receiving means comprising a pair of opposed and aligned slots in said base member disposed on opposite sides of said channel, said slots being open on the top in order to receive said projecting end portions of' said pin, and opposed detent portions in the sidewalls of each of said slots spaced from one another a distance less than the diameter of said pin but sufficient to permit the pin to be manually forced transversely past said detent portions a depending flange on said pivot support member located exteriorly of said channel, and a tab on said flange er1 gaged within a slot opening in said base member, said tab and slot cooperating to secure said pivot support member to said base member.

2. A hinge assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pin is initially assembled in said slots before said tab is inserted in said slot opening so that said tab transcribes a circular path about the centerline of said pin as the tab is inserted in said slot opening, said slot opening being located so that a wall of the latter normally interferes with the aforementioned circular path, said pivot support member having sufficient flexibility to *momentarily flex to permit said tab to be forcibly inserted in said slot opening past said normally interferring slot-opening wall, whereby once inserted the tab is locked in said slot openmg.

3. A hinge assembly according to claim 2 wherein said tab is defined by an end portion of said Gange which has been best back on itself over an angle greater than 90.

4. A hinge assembly according to claim l wherein said pivot support member comprises a U-shaped portion having a base and a pair of spaced legs upstanding from opposite ends of said base, said flange depending substantially perpendicularly from one side of said base remote from the base ends from which said legs are upstanding.

5. A hinge assembly according to claim 4 wherein each of said legs are provided with an opening to slidably receive and support said pivot pin.

6. A hinge assembly according to claim 4 wherein said tab is integral with the bottom end of said depending flange and underlies the base of the U-shaped portion of said pivot support member.

7. A hinge assembly according to claim l wherein said channel is formed in a side wall of said base member, said sidewall being comprised of a pair of spaced plastic panels integrally joined to a top panel, and a buttress integrally joined to said spaced panels and top panel in which said channel is formed.

8. A hinge assembly according to claim l wherein said pivoted element comprises a cylindrical stud pivotally supported by said pin between spaced legs of said pivot support member.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly comprising a base member having a channel therein, a pivot support member accommodated in said channel, said pivot support member mounting a pivot pin thereon, said pin pivotally supporting an element adapted to be pivoted relative to said base member and having end portions projecting laterally outward of said pivot support member, said base member having means receiving said pin and locking the latter in position on said base, said receiving means comprising a pair of opposed and aligned slots in said base member disposed on opposite sides of said channel, said slots being open on the top in order to receive said projecting end portions of said pin, and opposed detent portions in the sidewalls of each of said slots spaced from one another a distance less than the diameter of said pin but sufficient to permit the pin to be manually forced transversely past said detent portions a depending flange on said pivot support member located exteriorly of said channel, and a tab on said flange engaged within a slot opening in said base member, said tab and slot cooperating to secure said pivot support member to said base member.

2. A hinge assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pin is initially assembled in said slots before said tab is inserted in said slot opening so that said tab transcribes a circular path about the centerline of said pin as the tab is inserted in said slot opening, said slot opening being located so that a wall of the latter normally interferes with the aforementioned circular path, said pivot support member having sufficient flexibility to momentarily flex to permit said tab to be forcibly inserted in said slot opening past said normally interferring slot-opening wall, whereby once inserted the tab is locked in said slot opening.

3. A hinge assembly according to claim 2 wherein said tab is defined by an end portion of said flange which has been best back on itself over an angle greater than 90*.

4. A hinge assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pivot support member comprises a U-shaped portion having a base and a pair of spaced legs upstanding from opposite ends of said base, said flange depending substantially perpendicularly from one side of said base remote from the base ends from which said legs are upstanding.

7. A hinge assembly according to claim 1 wherein said channel is formed in a side wall of said base member, said sidewall being comprised of a pair of spaced plastic panels integrally joined to a top panel, and a buttress integrally joined to said spaced panels and top panel in which said channel is formed.

8. A hinge assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pivoted element comprises a cylindrical stud pivotally supported by said pin between spaced legs of said pivot support member.