Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Having means to facilitate assembly and disassembly of hinge...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-11-27
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Having means to facilitate assembly and disassembly of hinge...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321414
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical enclosures, such as service entrance panels, and particularly to cover hinges.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is common to employ hinged covers on electrical enclosures. Many types of hinges have been employed. Some are welded on, some are screwed on, some require bending of tabs after installation and some simply snap into place. Obviously, snap-in hinges require much less time to install than the other choices and therefore add less cost to the electrical enclosure. Snap-in hinges, however, require some features not required by the other hinge types. Snap-in hinges are generally U-shaped, having a curved portion and two extending spaced-apart legs. The legs are pushed into a hinge slot located in the electrical enclosure or a deadfront attached to the enclosure. The hinge slot is dimensioned to snugly receive the two extending legs of the hinge. The cover being attached to the enclosure also has a slot for each hinge. The cover slots are located along an edge of the cover such that a narrow web (generally equivalent to a hinge pin) is formed between the edge of the cover and the slot. When the hinge is installed, this web is captured between the curved portion of the hinge and the enclosure. Snap-in or push-in hinges require some type of captivating means to prevent the hinge from being unintentionally removed after it is installed. It has been common practice to provide an outwardly extending projection in each leg to captivate the hinge in the hinge slot. Snap-in hinges also require some type of over insertion stop to prevent over insertion during assembly or resulting from rough handling during shipping. Over insertion of the hinge can bind the cover web between the hinge and the enclosure, causing it to be difficult to open. One commonly used over insertion stop is accomplished by extending of the curved portion of the hinge slightly past the extending legs such that the curved portion cannot pass through the hinge slot in the enclosure. Snap-in or push-in hinges are generally made from brass or thin spring steel (0.020 in. thick). During an impact event, such as being dropped, the cover can abruptly slide with respect to the enclosure, thus cutting into a brass hinge or causing the thin, hardened edge of a spring steel hinge to cut into the cover. It is also possible for a portion of the cover adjacent the cover slot to slide under the extended curved portion of the hinge (over insertion stop). This entrapment of a portion of the cover will prevent the cover from rotating freely on the hinge. Examples of snap-in and bent tab hinges as described above can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,828.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The snap-in hinge of the present invention incorporates a spring captivating means that has an increasing resistance to the forces that cause unintentional removal. Further, the hinge of the present invention, in combination with the hinge slot configuration, provides a positive stop for preventing over insertion of the hinge without requiring features that can entrap a portion of the cover. The design of the captivating means is such that the hinge can be made from spring steel of sufficient thickness to significantly limit cutting of the cover during an impact event due to the increase in contact surface area.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2898991 (1959-08-01), Kelly et al.
patent: 3641623 (1972-02-01), Weiss
patent: 3689115 (1972-09-01), Andreini et al.
patent: 3728758 (1973-04-01), Johansen
patent: 4863062 (1989-09-01), Holliday
patent: 5381920 (1995-01-01), Lin
patent: 5557828 (1996-09-01), Reiner et al.
Buchanan Jeffery J.
Hyatt Edward A.
Golden Larry I.
Mah Chuck Y.
Shrout Larry T.
Square D Company
Stacey David R.
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