Back to results
US 2026/0294067 A1Published application
Multiple seam hinge
OwnerAbigail L. Dubois, Lawrence H. Duboisinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiple seam hinge has two or more hinge members and a connector, pivot pins received in apertures in top and bottom hinge plates of each hinge member and in pivot pin receiving pin holes in top and bottom connector plates of the connector to define pivot axes about which the hinge members rotate, a hinge leaf extending between the top and bottom hinge plates of each hinge member, and a center support attached to at least one of the top and bottom connector plates disposed between the arcuate inner edges of the hinge leaves of the hinge members to form a hinge having multiple seams.
Claims26
A multiple seam hinge comprising:
- a plurality of hinge members including first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members having one or more retaining structures and a hinge leaf including a substantially arcuate inner edge, each of said retaining structures having an aperture,
- a plurality of pivot pins,
- one or more connectors, each of said one or more connectors having two or more pin-receiving components, at least two of said two or more pin-receiving components connected by a bridging member, each of said two or more pin-receiving components having one or more pin holes, at least one of the plurality of pivot pins received (a) in the aperture of one of the one or more retaining structures of each of said first and second hinge members and (b) received in one of said one or more pin holes of each one of the two or more pin-receiving components of one of said one or more connectors thereby interconnecting said first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members independently rotatable about a pivot axis formed by one of said plurality of pivot pins thereby enabling each of said first and second hinge members to pivot independently of the other between open and closed configurations, and
- the arcuate inner edges of the hinge leaves of said first and second hinge members spaced apart a substantially uniform distance at all degrees of rotation of each of said first and second hinge members between said open and closed configurations,
- said arcuate inner edges forming one or more seams.
2 more elements
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- said one or more retaining structures comprising two or more retaining structures including a top retaining structure and a bottom retaining structure.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 2 further comprising:
- said top retaining structure comprising a top plate, and
- said bottom retaining structure comprising a bottom plate.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- said one or more connectors comprising two or more connectors.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- at least one of said two or more pin-receiving components comprising a top connector plate and a bottom connector plate spaced from said top connector plate.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- said one or more seams comprises a plurality of seams, and
- a center support attached to said one of said one or more connectors, said center support disposed between and adjacent to the arcuate inner edges of each of the hinge leaves of said first and second hinge members so that said center support and the arcuate inner edge of each of said hinge leaves forms a seam, such that said center support and said first and second hinge members collectively form said plurality of seams.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- each hinge member having a hinge plane, the pivot axis of each hinge member disposed in said hinge plane, the pivot axes of said two hinge members spaced apart,
- in said closed configuration the hinge planes of said two hinge members in coplanar disposition, and
- in said open configuration the hinge plane of at least one of said hinge members disposed at more than 90° of rotation relative to its disposition in said open configuration.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 7 further comprising:
- each hinge leaf having a free end opposite said arcuate inner edge,
- in the open configuration, the free ends of the hinge leaves of said two hinge members in abutting engagement.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 5 further comprising:
- one of said one or more connector plates having opposite side walls extending between said top and bottom connector plates, said side walls each having a front edge,
- in said closed configuration the front edges of said side walls in abutting engagement with the hinge leaves of said hinge members thereby limiting rotation of said hinge members.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 6 further comprising:
- the bridging member of said connector having a back wall extending between said top and bottom connector plates, and
- said center support extending forwardly from said back wall.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 6 further comprising:
- said one or more retaining structures comprising two or more retaining structures including a top plate having a top face, and a bottom plate having a bottom face, and
- said center support having a top edge and a bottom edge, said top edge flush with said top face, and said bottom edge flush with said bottom face.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 6 further comprising:
- at least one of said two or more pin-receiving components comprising a top connector plate and a bottom connector plate spaced from said top connector plate, each of said top and bottom connector plates having substantially arcuate recesses disposed adjacent said center support, said substantially arcuate inner edges sliding in said arcuate recesses as the hinge members rotate between open and closed configurations.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 6 further comprising:
- said center support having top and bottom support portions and an opening therebetween.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 6 further comprising:
- said center support having an axially extending pin-receiving aperture, a spring, a recess for receiving said spring, and a pin received in the aperture, said pin also received in a center bore of said spring, said spring retained by said pin in said aperture,
- said spring biasing said hinge members toward said closed configuration.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 wherein each of said hinge leaves is capable of rotating more than 90° between open and closed positions.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- one or more springs, each spring axially retained by one of said pivot pins and disposed between said top and bottom connector plates, each of said one or more springs biasing said hinge members toward said closed configuration.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- a flexible material attached to said hinge members.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- a resilient material attached to said hinge members, said resilient material biasing said hinge members toward said closed configuration.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
- a flexible material attached to said hinge members.
A multiple seam hinge comprising:
- a plurality of hinge members including first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a hinge leaf extending between said top and bottom plates, each of said top and bottom plates having an aperture, said hinge leaf including a substantially arcuate inner edge,
- a plurality of pivot pins,
- one or more connectors, each of said one or more connectors having top and bottom connector plates, one or both of said top and bottom connector plates having two spaced apart pin holes, each one of the plurality of pivot pins received in the aperture of one or both of the top and bottom plates of one of said first and second hinge members and received in one of the pin holes of each of said top and bottom connector plates, said one of the plurality of pivot pins defining a pivot axis about which one of said first and second hinge members pivots, each of said first and second hinge members independently rotatable about the pivot axis of one of the plurality of pivot pins thereby enabling each of the first and second hinge members to pivot independently relative to one another between open and closed configurations,
- one of said one or more connectors connecting said first and second hinge members, the arcuate inner edges of the hinge leaves of said first and second hinge members spaced apart a substantially uniform distance at all degrees of rotation of each of said first and second hinge members between said open and closed configurations, and
- a center support attached to said one of said one or more connectors, said center support disposed between and adjacent to the arcuate inner edges of each of the hinge leaves of said first and second hinge members so that said center support and the arcuate inner edge of each of said hinge leaves forms a seam, such that said center support and said first and second hinge members collectively form a plurality of seams.
2 more elements
A multiple seam hinge comprising:
- a plurality of hinge members including first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a hinge leaf extending between said top and bottom plates, said first and second hinge members spaced apart forming a gap therebetween,
- one or more flexible connectors extending between and connecting said first and second hinge members, one of said one or more flexible connectors covering said gap, said connector and the inner edges of each of said first and second hinge members forming one or more seams, and
- said first and second hinge members each rotatable about one of said one or more seams thereby enabling each of the hinge leaves to pivot independently relative to one another between open and closed configurations.
The multiple seam hinge of claim 21 further comprising:
- each of said first and second hinge members having a front face,
- one of said one or more connectors attached to at least a portion of the front face of one of said first and second hinge members.
A multiple seam hinge comprising:
- a plurality of hinge members including first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a hinge leaf extending between said top and bottom plates, each of said top and bottom plates having an aperture, the hinge leaf including a substantially arcuate inner edge,
- a plurality of pivot pins,
- one or more connectors, each of said one or more connectors having top and bottom connector plates, each of said top and bottom connector plates having a plurality of spaced apart pin holes, one of the plurality of pivot pins received in the apertures of each of the top and bottom plates of one of the first and second hinge members and received in one of the plurality of pin holes of each of the top and bottom connector plates of one of said one or more connectors, each pivot pin defining a pivot axis about which one of said first and second hinge members pivots, each of said first and second hinge members independently rotatable about the pivot axis of one of the plurality of pivot pins thereby enabling each of the first and second hinge members to pivot independently relative to one another between open and closed configurations,
- the arcuate inner edges of each of the hinge leaves of said first and second hinge members in immediately adjacent disposition at all degrees of rotation of each of said first and second hinge members between said open and closed configurations thereby forming a seam,
- the arcuate inner edges of the hinge leaves of each hinge member having a recess, said recesses of each hinge member cooperating to form an opening in said seam,
- a protrusion connected to at least one of said one or more connector plates, said protrusion received in said opening.
3 more elements
The multiple seam hinge of claim 23 further comprising:
- the hinge leaf of each of said first and second hinge members having a forward face including an indent, said indent sized to accommodate said protrusion when the hinge members are in an open configuration.
A multiple seam hinge comprising:
- a plurality of hinge members including first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members having a top hinge plate, a bottom hinge plate, and a hinge leaf extending between said top and bottom hinge plates, each of said top and bottom hinge plates having an aperture, said hinge leaf including a substantially arcuate inner edge,
- a plurality of pivot pins, and
- one or more connectors, one of said one or more connectors having top and bottom connector plates, a back plate extending between said top and bottom connector plates, and a center support extending between said top and bottom connector plates and said top and bottom hinge plates of one of said first and second hinge members disposed between said top and bottom connector plates,
- each of said top and bottom connector plates having a plurality of spaced apart pin holes, each one of said plurality of pivot pins received in the apertures of said both of said top and bottom hinge plates of one of said first and second hinge members and received in one of the plurality of pin holes of each of the top and bottom connector plates of one of said one or more connectors, each pivot pin defining a pivot axis about which one of the hinge members pivots, each of said hinge members independently rotatable about the pivot axis of one of the plurality of pivot pins thereby enabling each of the hinge members to pivot independently relative to one another between open and closed configurations,
- the substantially arcuate inner edges of the hinge leaves of each of said first and second hinge members in immediately adjacent disposition to said center support at all degrees of rotation of each of said first and second hinge members between said open and closed configurations thereby forming one or more seams,
- in said closed configuration said top and bottom hinge plates in abutting engagement with said back plate thereby limiting rotation of said hinge members.
3 more elements
A multiple seam hinge comprising:
- a plurality of hinge members each having one or more retaining structures and a hinge leaf including a substantially arcuate inner edge, each of said retaining structures having an aperture,
- a plurality of pivot pins,
- one or more connectors, each of said one or more connectors having two or more pin-receiving components, at least two of said two or more pin-receiving components connected by a bridging member, each of said two or more pin-receiving components having one or more pin holes, at least one of the plurality of pivot pins received (a) in the aperture of one of the one or more retaining structures of each of said first and second hinge members and (b) received in one of said one or more pin holes of each one of the two or more pin-receiving components of one of said one or more connectors thereby interconnecting said first and second hinge members, each of said first and second hinge members independently rotatable about a pivot axis formed by one of said plurality of pivot pins thereby enabling each of said first and second hinge members to pivot independently of the other between open and closed configurations, and
- the arcuate inner edges of the hinge leaves of said first and second hinge members spaced apart a substantially uniform distance at all degrees of rotation of each of said first and second hinge members between said open and closed configurations.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.