Two part snap hinge
OwnerMichael Joyceinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved two part snap hinge is disclosed, including a swinging hinge portion, a reference hinge portion, and a reduced connecting hinge portion, and in which the reduced connecting portion is integral with both the swinging and reference hinge portions and extends continuously between two points in a path which is displaced from the straight line therebetween, and which lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the reference hinge portion. In this manner, upon swinging the swinging portion about the reduced connecting portion, it swings through an intermediate position, on either side of which forces are created which tend to urge the swingable portion in a predetermined direction.
Claims22
A container comprising a container body and a lid therefor, said container body including depending wall means extending from said lid and defining an inner container space including an access opening into said inner container space, whereby said lid provides closure means for said access opening into said container space, said lid including a unitary hinge including a substantially planar swingable portion having a first thickness, a substantially planar reference portion having a second thickness, and a substantially linear connecting portion having a reduced thickness substantially less than said first and second thicknesses, said substantially planar swingable portion and said substantially planar reference portion merging continuously into said substantially linear connecting portion whereby when said substantially planar swingable portion and said substantially planar reference portion are aligned in a substantially common plane, said hinge comprises a substantially smooth and uninterrupted surface, said substantially linear connecting portion being integral with said substantially planar swingable portion and said substantially planar reference portion and extending continuously between a first point and a second point in a manner such that said substantially linear connection portion follows a path which is displaced from a straight line connecting said first and second points and which lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said substantially planar reference portion of said hinge, whereby upon swinging said substantially planar swingable portion about said connecting portion said substantially planar swingable portion swings through an intermediate position such that on one side of said intermediate position said substantially planar swingable portion is urged into a first bowed configuration and on the other side of said intermediate position said substantially planar swingable portion is urged into a second bowed configuration, said first and second bowed configurations comprising configurations bowed on opposite sides of the plane of said substantially planar swingable portion into open and closed positions corresponding to said first and second bowed configurations are derived from oppositely directed stresses created within said substantially planar swingable portion on opposite sides of said intermediate position.
A container comprising a container body and a lid therefor, said lid including a substantially planar lid portion having a first thickness, said container body including a base portion and side wall means extending from said base portion, a predetermined portion of said side wall means comprising a substantially planar reference portion for said substantially planar lid portion, said substantially planar reference portion having a second thickness and being connected to said substantially planar lid portion by a substantially linear connecting portion having a reduced thickness substantially less than said first and second thicknesses and providing a hinge therefor, said substantially planar reference portion and said substantially planar lid portion merging continuously into said connecting portion whereby when said substantially planar reference portion and said substantially planar lid portion are aligned in a substantially common plane, said hinge comprises a substantially smooth and uninterrupted surface, said substantially planar reference portion including a first end connected to said base portion and a second end corresponding to said connecting portion, said substantially planar lid portion being swingable about said connecting portion between a closed position in which said lid is in contact with said side wall and an open position, and said connecting portion being molded into a configuration such that it follows a path which is displaced from a straight line connecting the ends of said connecting portion, whereby said substantially planar lid portion is swingable from said closed position to said open position through an intermediate position such that on either side of said intermediate position said substantially planar lid portion is urged away from said intermediate position towards said open and closed positions, respectively, whereby the forces urging said substantially planar lid portion into said open and closed positions are derived from oppositely directed stresses created within said substantially planar lid portion.
A container comprising a container body and a lid therefor, said lid including a substantially planar reference portion having a first thickness, a substantially planar swingable portion having a second thickness and a substantially linear connecting portion having a reduced thickness less than said first and second thicknesses, said substantially planar reference portion and said substantially planar swingable portion merging continuously into said connecting portion whereby when said substantially planar swingable portion and said substantially planar reference portion are lying in a substantially common plane, said substantially planar reference portion including a first end and a second end, said first end of said substantially planar reference portion being connected to said said container body and said second end of said substantially planar reference portion corresponding to said connecting portion, said substantially planar swingable portion including a first end and a second end, said first end of said substantially planar swingable portion corresponding to said connecting portion and said second end of said substantially planar swingable portion being adapted to swing between a closed position in contact with said container body and an open position, said connecting portion being integral with both said substantially planar reference portion and said substantially planar swingable portion and extending continuously between a first point and a second point on opposite sides of said lid in a manner such that said connecting portion follows a path which is displaced from a straight line connecting said first and second points so that the portion of said connecting portion intermediate of said first and second points is displaced from said second end of said substantially planar swingable portion as compared to said first and second ends of said connecting portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.