Flexible hinge assembly
AssigneeAldon Industries, Inc.
InventorRobert R. Shearer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a flexible hinge for mounting a first panel to a second panel with both the first and second panels having a complex contoured surface. In the disclosed embodiment, the panels are a door panel and the windshield of a boat. The hinge includes brackets mounted to the door panel and the windshield. A flexible pin is inserted into adjoining sockets on the brackets to interconnect them and permit them to pivot with respect to one another. The flexible pin bends as the brackets pivot permitting the brackets to deflect with respect to one another along the longitudinal centerline of the sockets. The preferred flexible pin includes a coil spring and a core pin with the core pin being inserted into the coil spring to increase the shear strength of the coil spring.
Claims23
A flexible hinge for mounting a first panel to a second panel, said hinge comprising:
- first and second hinge brackets, said first hinge bracket being mounted to said first panel and said second hinge bracket being mounted to said second panel, said hinge brackets having adjoining openings defined by knuckles with an interior bore;
- a flexible pin received within said interior bores to interconnect said first and second brackets, permitting said brackets to pivot with respect to one another, said flexible pin bending as said brackets pivot permitting said brackets to deflect with respect to one another along the longitudinal centerline of said adjoining openings;
- whereby the first and second panels can freely pivot with respect to each other;
- and
- wherein said first and second panels have a complex contoured surface and said first panel is a windshield and said second panel is a door panel pivotally mounted to an opening in said windshield by said flexible hinge.
A flexible hinge for mounting a first panel to a second panel, said hinge comprising:
- first and second hinge brackets, said first hinge bracket being mounted to said first panel and said second hinge bracket being mounted to said second panel, said hinge brackets having adjoining openings defined by knuckles with an interior bore;
- a flexible pin received within said interior bores to interconnect said first and second brackets permitting said brackets to pivot with respect to one another, said flexible pin bending as said brackets pivot permitting said brackets to deflect with respect to one another along the longitudinal centerline of said adjoining openings;
- whereby the first and second panels can freely pivot with respect to each other;
- and
- said first panel and said second panel having adjoining edges, said adjoining edges being enclosed within first and second channels having the same general contour as said edges, said first and second brackets being mounted to said first and second channels.
A complex contoured marine vehicle windshield having door panel pivotally mounted to an opening in said windshield by a flexible hinge assembly, said flexible hinge assembly comprising:
- first and second hinge brackets, said first hinge bracket being mounted to said door panel and said second hinge bracket being mounted to said windshield, said hinge brackets having adjoining openings;
- a flexible pin received within said adjoining openings to interconnect said first and second brackets permitting said brackets to pivot with respect to one another, said flexible pin bending as said brackets pivot permitting said brackets to deflect with respect to one another along the longitudinal centerline of said adjoining openings;
- whereby said door panel can freely pivot with respect to said windshield.
A flexible hinge for mounting a first panel to a second panel with both said first and second panels having a complex contoured surface, said flexible hinge comprising:
- first and second hinge brackets, said first hinge bracket being mounted to said first panel and said second hinge bracket being mounted to said second panel, said hinge brackets having adjoining openings;
- a flexible pin received within said adjoining openings to interconnect said first and second brackets permitting said brackets to pivot with respect to one another, said flexible pin bending as said brackets pivot permitting said brackets to deflect with respect to one another along the longitudinal centerline of said adjoining openings;
- said flexible pin including a coil spring and a core pin, said core pin being inserted into said coil spring to increase the shear strength of said coil spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.