Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-16
2001-01-30
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
C016S342000, C016S303000, C016S054000, C004S236000, C188S268000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operative hinge, and more particularly to an operative hinge suitable for use with an opening/closing body such as a seat and seat lid of a toilet bowl.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of operative hinges for use with a seat and seat lid of a toilet bowl have been proposed so fax. Typical ones of such hinges include a combination of a shaft to support thereon the toilet seat and lid to be pivotable for opening or closing, with a cam mechanism incorporating a compression spring to act on the shaft, a combination of a rotating shaft and a torsion spring which acts to cancel a torque of the shaft being rotated in a predetermined direction, a combination of a rotating shaft and a rotating hydraulic damper, or a similar combination
The combination of a rotating shaft with a cam mechanism incorporating a compression spring to act on the shaft is advantageous in that a matching can be easily be attained between a torque generated when the seat and lid are operated and an angular moment of the seat and lid. For a large rotating torque, however, the entire structure of the operative hinge should be designed larger.
The combination of a rotating with only a torsion spring acting on the shaft has an advantageous in that a small structure can create a large rotating torque. Since it creates a rotating torque which will increase and decrease linearly, however, no easy matching is possible between the rotating torque and an angular moment of the seat and lid which will depict a sine curve, and it is difficult to elaborately fit the movement of the seat and lid as necessary to the rotating torque and also to appropriately control the movement of the seat and lid in each of the operating steps.
Further, the combination of a rotating shaft with only a rotating hydraulic damper is advantageous in that it is difficult to elaborately fit the moment of the seat and lid as necessary to the rotating torque and appropriately control the movement of the seat and lid in each of the operating steps, and that the seat and lid being opened or closed cannot easily be stopped and halted in au intermediate angular position and braked at a predetermined angular position the seat and lid have reached during each of the operating strokes, for example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing an operative hinge of a simple structure destined for use with an opening/closing body such as a seat and seat lid of a toilet bowl and adapted to control the rotating moment of the opening/closing body to softly close the latter.
The above object can be achieved by providing an opeative hinge for use with an opening/closing body, including:
a hinge case;
a shaft provided rotatably within the hinge case to support the opening/closing body;
a stationary cam fixed within the hinge case and having formed therein a central through-hole through which the rotating shaft is axially penetrated;
a cam provided within the hinge case and having formed therein a central through-hole through which the rotating shaft is axially penetrated to be slidable on, and rotatable with, the rotating shaft; and
a resilient means for urging the rotatable sliding cam toward the stationary cam, the hinge comprising, according to the present invention, to control the rotation or the rotating shaft:
a damping means consisting of:
a rubber ring fitted on the rotating shaft and interposed between the outer surface of the rotating shaft and the inner wall of the hinge case; and
a viscous oil applied between the outer surface of the rubber rig and inner wall of the hinge case;
the rubber ring having spiral recesses formed on the outer surface thereof.
The rubber ring included in the present invention may have formed thereon recesses or projections which may have various forms to provide various effects as will further be described layer.
These objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4574423 (1986-03-01), Ito et al.
patent: 4909361 (1990-03-01), Stark et al.
patent: 5109571 (1992-05-01), Ohshima et al.
patent: 5193228 (1993-03-01), Murasawa et al.
patent: 5542508 (1996-08-01), Van Erden et al.
patent: 5768718 (1998-06-01), Sorimachi
patent: 5906010 (1999-05-01), Suzuki
patent: 5996132 (1999-12-01), Sorimachi
Fujita Oriya
Nagashima Isao
Sorimachi Akira
Suzuki Naokazu
Katoh Electrical Machinery Co. Ltd.
Mah Chuck Y.
Notaro & Michalos P.C.
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