Title of Invention | "HINGE ASSEMBLY FOR PROVIDING INTERMEDIATE STOP POSITIONS" |
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Abstract | The invention relates to a hinge assembly for providing an intermediate stop position of a hinge lid, the assembly comprising a follower member having at least two peaks at angular distance between each other, a cylindrical cam member having at least three valleys for each follower peak adapted to match the follower, a pin connecting the cam member and follower member through a boring in the center of said members, said pin being inserted through a spring and locked by means of a circlip, wherein the valley on the cam members are at an angular distance to provide intermediate stop positions of the hinge lid stop. Fig 2 |
Full Text | Field of the Invention The invention relates to an electrical fixtures or products and more specifically to a hinge lid mechanism for an electrical fixtures or products. Background of the Invention Electrical fixtures are being developed for safety while using electricity and the aesthetics of the fixtures should be pleasing to the user. For this reason, the fixtures such as electrical socket are provided with a lid to close the open socket. This lid acts as a safety feature and also adds to the aesthetic value of the product. Also these products are tested for IP (Ingress Protection) Certification for dust and water entry inside the product. To accomplish the above a Lid is included in the product with the help of a mechanism. GB 1497254 by AMBERHOLT LTD titled 'surface box' describes a surface box which has a hinge lid. The hinge lid is fitted to the surface box by means of axial pins. These pin provide for a tight closing, however since the pins are wound and acts as a spring which provides high force and thus snaps close. An alternate method is utilization of cam -follower mechanism and is used in electronic devices and especially in mobile telephone devices. A flip mobile device requires a one state open where the flip stops at a particular position to enable user to talk. However for electrical products, the need is to have multistage stops of the hinge lid to facilitate easy installation and protection for the socket. Therefore there is a need to provide a hinge lid for an electrical fixture which can be mounted on side walls or on ceiling to provide ensures perfect self closing of the hinge lid and also provide two stop positions. Summary of the invention The present disclosure describes a hinge assembly for providing an intermediate stop position of a hinge lid, the assembly comprising a follower member having at least two peaks at angular distance between each other, a cylindrical cam member having at least three valleys for each follower peak adapted to match the follower, a pin coimecting the cam and follower member through a boring in the center of the said members, the said pin being inserted through a spring and locked by means of a circlip, wherein the valley on the cam members are at an angular distance to provide intermediate stop positions of the hinge lid stop. Brief Description of Drawings Fig 1 - A view of the electrical fixture with the hinge lid Fig 2 - An exploded view of the hinge assembly. Fig 3 - A cross section of the hinge assembly to fitted on the Electrical Fixture. Fig 4 - An exploded view of the Follower-cam mechanism of the hinge assembly. Fig 5 (a) - A views of the hinge assembly at hinge lid close position. Fig 5 (b) - A view of the hinge assembly before the hinge lid intermediate stop position Fig 5 (c) - A view of the hinge assembly at hinge lid intermediate stop position Fig 5 (d) - A view of the hinge assembly at hinge lid open position Detailed Description Figure 1 describes the electrical fixture with a cover frame (1), Central Plate (2) and hinge lid (3) fixed by a hinge assemble (4). These components are fixed to form an electrical fixture as described in figure 1(a). Figure 2 describes an exploded view of the hinge assembly. The hinge assembly contains a bored cam member (30) and a bored follower (40) with peaks and valley adapted to match with each other. A pin (50) is axially guided through the bore opening in the middle of the car" «"H follower anH is such that thev are rotatable nlaced on to each other. A spring (20) is sleeved on the pin after assembly and the sub-assembly is locked with the help of a circlip (10). The spring is locked between the circlip and the sleeve of the cam. The spring provides the required force and pushes the cam against the follower causing friction while movement. The pin (50) is a cylindrical unit having two sections with variable diameters and two studs at each end of the pins. Pin section (51) acts as a sleeve to accommodate the cam-follower unit. A pin section (52) with smaller diameter provides for a locking of the spring with the circlip. The circlip is a circular metal plate having a bored centre to accommodate the pin at the pin section (52), thus forming a donut shape. One angular section is cut out forming a V shaped entry for the pin. Figure 3 describes the assembly of the hinge assembly with the Central Plate (2). The various units of the hinge assembly are fitted to form the single assembly. The Central Plate has a hinge end (5) which contains a square groove to accommodate the follower. The hinge lid (3) provides a hole (31) where the pin is placed to provide a pivot point and avoiding the hinge assembly from moving and touching the edges of the socket. The assembly is placed in the socket on either sides and pushed in. The spring provides elasticity and thus allows the fixation of the hinge lid onto the Central Plate. The square portion of the follower fits into the groove (7) and thus locks the movement of the follower. Similarly the hinge is also assembled on the other side and fixed with the Central Plate. Figure 4 describes a cam-follower arrangement which is adapted to match each other. The cam member (30) contains at least two valleys 301 and 302 to provide two stop position where the corresponding peak on the follower is placed. The follower (31) in the present embodiment has two peaks 330 & 333 placed opposite to each other. The cam 30 of the present embodiment has three valleys 301, 302, 303 each valley followed by a peak 304, 305, 306. The cylindrical portion of the cam member at one side has half square profile forming a hold (325). The hold (325) is in contact with the hinge lid and provides a hold on the cam causing rotation of the cam member along with the movement of the hinge lid. The follower (31) of the present embodiment has two peaks 330 and 333 formed 180° away from each other, opposite to each other. This provides for a greater hold on the cam member. These peaks are formed on a cylindrical body at two positions 180° away from each other. The peak (330) as shown in the figure is formed by a V shaped protrusion from the cylindrical portion (334). One side of the peak is at a sharp angle and the other side of the peak is formed by an inclined angle. The follower has a rectangular portion (335) which is fitted onto the grove formed on the Central plate. The rectangular profile (335) makes the follower stationary with the hinge end and avoids rotation. Since the present embodiment of follower 31 has two peak positions, the cam member is adapted to accommodate the two peak positions. For this reason each valley of the cam member is provided with an opposite valley, this is to provide a placement for the opposite follower peak (333). The cam unit as per the present embodiment contains valley 301 and at 180° opposite position another valley (311). The cam members are made on a cylindrical portion with a boring at the middle and the valley and peaks are formed by carvings on the portion form valleys. The valley (301) is formed by a sharp angular face (317) at one side and the other side having an angularly inclined face (318). The second valley (302) is also provided with an opposite second valley (312). The second valley (302) is at a defined angular distance away from the first valley (301). Similarly the second opposite valley (312) is at defined angular distance away. In the present embodiment the angular distance is 1 lOThe cam contains a third valley (303) and this valley formed is not deep as the other valleys. The depth of the valley and the inclination of the faces dependent on the requisite amount effort of force toward each end. The third valley (303) is provided at a predetermined angle from the first valley. The present embodiment contains the valley at 150°. Similarly a third opposite valley (313) is provided to accommodate the second follower peak. At the closed hinge lid position, the cam of the hinge assembly is locked with the follower by means of a valley and peak arrangement. The figure 5(a) illustrates the locked position of the cam and follower at the hinge lock poshion. The first cam valley (301) is adapted to meet the follower peak 330. The second follower peak (333) being at 180° opposite to the first follower peak (330), is positioned on the opposite first cam valley 311. When the hinge lid is being opened, the hold (325) rotates the cam. The follower being fixed to the hinge end by means of the square portion, only the cam rotates following the rotational axis. The first follower peak which rested on the first valley (301) during locked position, due to the rotation of the cam and the inclined cam face (318). Till a particular position when the follower peak 330 crosses the first cam peak (304) force is applied to slide the cam in axial direction against the spring force, as the follower peak moves through an inclined face leading towards the first cam peak (304). The figure 5(b) shows the position as described in the above. When the hinge is further lifted, the cam is fiirther rotated above the first peak (304). Once the follower peak 330 goes across the peak 304, the dovraward inclined face (319) provides no resistance on the rotation of cam in the same direction. Therefore the cam is rotated further till the follower peak 330 rests on the second cam valley. This rotation then stops at this point as cam now has an upward inclined face halting rotation. Figure 5(c) describes the intermediate hah position at the second valley. This valley being at a specific angular distance away from the first halt position, the hinge lid stops at the specific angular distance in the open state. The cam provides a V shaped groove with a valley and this inclined grooves provide for a bilateral (bidirectional) movement to a stable intermediate position. For example when the hinge lid is stopped at 100° angle on the inclined surface (319), the peak would fall back to the valley (302) due to the inclination of the surface (319). Similarly if the peak (330) is at an angle 120° on the inclined angle (320) it will fall back to the valley (302) come back to 110° because of inclination 320 therefore providing bidirectional movement. On applying further force on opening the hinge lid, the cam is further rotated. The cam is again rotationally moved causing the follower peak (330) to move across the upward inclined face (321). The cam once rotated to the extend of passing through the second cam peak (305), the follower peak then rests on the third cam valley (303) at the final stage. This fully open position is shown in the figure 5(d). The lid cannot be further opened as the Central Plate is provided with a stop (22) which provides a positive stop and avoids the rotation of the hinge lid further. This is shown in figl. The present embodiment thus provides a unidirectional stable close position and ensures perfect self closing of the hinge lid in the socket outlet product due to the spring force provided to the closing of the assembly. The self closing provides protection against entry of Dust and Water and thus Ingress Protection of the electrical socket. One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. The embodiments are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Moreover, no element and component in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims. WE CLAIM; 1. A hinge assembly for providing an intermediate stop position of a hinge lid, the assembly comprising: a follower member having at least two peaks at an angular distance between each other, a cylindrical cam member having at least three valleys for each follower peak adapted to match the follower, a pin connecting the cam member and follower member through a boring in the center of said members, said pin being inserted through a spring and locked by means of a circlip, wherein the valley on the cam members are at an angular distance to provide intermediate stop positions of the hinge lid stop. 2. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein follower peak is positioned at the first cam valley at the hinge lid close position. 3. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein follower peak is at the second cam valley at the hinge lid intermediate stop position, the second valley being angularly displaced at a distance of 110° from the first peak. 4. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein follower peak is positioned at the third cam valley at the hinge lid full open position, the third valley being angularly displaced at a distance of 150° from the first peak.. 5. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two peaks of the follower member are angularly displaced at a distance of 180° from each other and provides a balanced movement of Cam on the Pin. 6. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring provides force which pushes the cam member towards the follower providing frictional force between the two members to stop the rotation of the hinge over a cam peak unless external force is appHed to the hinge lid. 7. The hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valley on the cam member are formed by inclined faces such that when follower peak is on one of the inclined faces with no external force is applied to it, the follower peak moves back and rests on the nearest valley. 8. An electrical fixture comprising: a Central Plate having a socket input fitted by means of a covering frame, said Central Plate having a hinge end to accommodate a hinge assembly, a hinge lid to connect the hinge ends of the Central Plate by means of hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1-7. |
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Patent Number | 279214 | |||||||||
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Indian Patent Application Number | 1866/CHE/2009 | |||||||||
PG Journal Number | 03/2017 | |||||||||
Publication Date | 20-Jan-2017 | |||||||||
Grant Date | 16-Jan-2017 | |||||||||
Date of Filing | 05-Aug-2009 | |||||||||
Name of Patentee | SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS | |||||||||
Applicant Address | 35, RUE JOSEPH MONIER, F-92500 RUEIL MALMAISON | |||||||||
Inventors:
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PCT International Classification Number | H01l 23/00 | |||||||||
PCT International Application Number | N/A | |||||||||
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