Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Having clamp for attaching hinge to hinged member
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-10
2002-11-19
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Having clamp for attaching hinge to hinged member
C016S286000, C016S250000, C016S334000, C016S382000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06481055
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pivotal device for a frameless glass door, and more particularly to a pivotal device assures stable, smooth pivotal movements for a frameless glass door.
2. Description of the Related Art
Decoration and arrangement of furniture means the taste of living, and the trend is to provide a nature feeling. To meet this end, glass doors are designed to be frameless and are widely used in corridors, halls, and even bathrooms to represent a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing appearance by the material of the glass doors and/or paintings thereon. Nevertheless, the doors, regardless of their material, must be openable.
FIG. 1
of the drawings illustrates a conventional pivotal device for a frameless glass door. The pivotal device
1
comprises a fixing plate
11
that includes holes
111
so as to be screwed to a wall. A box
12
is securely mounted to the fixing plate
11
by means of extending screws
125
through holes
112
in the fixing plate
11
into an interior of the box
12
. The box
12
includes a horizontal space
121
and a vertical space
122
communicated with the horizontal space
121
. Two horizontal pegs
120
are mounted in the horizontal space
121
and each includes a stem
126
and an enlarged head
123
. A spring
124
is mounted around the stem
126
of each peg
120
. A vertical pivot pin
13
is mounted in the vertical space
122
of the box
12
and in contact with the enlarged heads
123
of the pegs
120
.
Two U-shape outer plates
14
and
15
are provided outside the box
12
and thus sandwich the box
12
. Screws
144
are extended through holes
151
in plate
15
and into screw holes
145
in a U-shape rib
142
on a side of plate
14
. Two limbs
141
of the U-shape rib
142
include aligned grooves
143
for receiving two ends
133
of the pivot pin
13
, respectively. Each end
133
of the pivot pin
13
includes two opposite flat surfaces
134
and two opposite arcuate surfaces
135
. The mediate portion of the pivot pin
13
also includes two opposite flat surfaces
131
and two opposite arcuate surfaces
132
. The box
12
is received in the central cutouts (not labeled) of the U-shape outer plates
14
and
15
to allow relative pivotal movements therebetween. A U-shape two-layer gasket made from elastomeric material is securely sandwiched between the outer plates
14
and
15
. As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, an edge of a glass door
3
is held between two layers
147
and
148
of elastomeric material. A screw
145
is extended through a screw hole
146
in each limb
141
of the U-shape rib
142
to bear against an associated flat surface
134
of the pivot pin
13
. Thus, the glass door
3
and the outer plates
14
and
15
can be pivoted relative to the box
12
about a pivotal axis of the pivot pin
13
. As illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the enlarged head
123
of each peg
120
is pressed against by either the flat surface
131
or the arcuate surface
132
of the pivot pin
13
. However, the enlarged heads
123
of the pegs
120
are twisted during a transition movement between the arcuate surface
132
and the flat surface
131
. It was found that movements of the pegs
120
are unstable under the twisting effect and the pivotal movements are not smooth, since the pegs
120
are separate from each other and the contact surface area between the enlarged heads
123
of the pegs
120
and the flat surface
131
(or the arcuate surface
132
) is small.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a pivotal device that assures stable, smooth pivotal movements for a frameless glass door.
A pivotal device for a frameless glass door in accordance with the present invention comprises:
a fixing plate adapted to be fixed to a wall;
a box securely attached to the fixing plate and including a horizontal space and a vertical space communicated with the horizontal space;
a follower slidably mounted in the horizontal space of the box and including a first side facing the vertical space and a second side facing away from the vertical space, two stubs projecting from the second side of the follower, a spring being mounted around each said stub and having an end attached to the fixing plate;
a first outer plate and a second outer plate mounted to two sides of the box, the first outer plate and the second outer plate being secured together and sandwiching the box and being pivotable relative to the box, the first outer plate including a U-shape rib having two limbs, each said limb including a groove;
a pivot pin pivotally mounted in the vertical space of the box, the pivot pin including two ends and a mediate portion, the mediate portion including two opposite flat surfaces and two opposite arcuate surfaces, each said end of the pivot pin being received in the groove of an associated said limb of the U-shape rib and including two opposite flat surfaces and two opposite arcuate surfaces;
a gasket securely sandwiched between the first outer plate and the second outer plate to move therewith, the gasket including a portion adapted to securely engage with an edge of a frameless glass door;
wherein the first side of the follower is pressed against by one of the flat surfaces and the arcuate surfaces of the mediate portion of the pivot pin during pivotal movement of the first outer plate, the second outer plate, and the gasket relative to the box.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5297313 (1994-03-01), Brin
patent: 5867869 (1999-02-01), Garrett et al.
patent: 5867871 (1999-02-01), Tasman
patent: 6070294 (2000-06-01), Perkins et al.
patent: 6092263 (2000-07-01), Boue et al.
patent: 6161255 (2000-12-01), Garrett
Knight Anthony
Patel Vishal
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