US 6,474,493 B1 · Assembly articulated by a hinge with assisted opening/closing

Abstract

An assembly includes a first part and a second part articulated to the first part. A label is bonded onto at least a portion of the surface of each of the first and second parts. The label has at least one connecting strip capable, when the assembly is being opened and being closed, of occupying an intermediate position in which it intersects a geometric axis about which the assembly is hinged. The label experiences maximum tension and, after passing through the intermediate position by a relative movement of the first and second parts in a first direction, elastically returns the second part to a closed or almost closed position. After passing through the intermediate position in a direction which is the opposite of the first direction, the label elastically returns the second part to an opened position.

Claims42

Dependent claims

An assembly comprising:

a first part;
a second part hinged to the first part about a geometric axis lying in a closure plane;
and
a sheet adhesively bonded onto at least a portion of a surface of each of the first and second parts,
wherein said sheet comprises at least one connecting strip which, when the assembly is in a closed position, intersects the closure plane without passing through the geometric axis, said connecting strip being configured to pass through an intermediate position at which the strip intersects the geometric axis and experiences maximum tension, and also being configured to elastically bring said first and second parts to an open position when said strip is on one side of said intermediate point and to elastically bring said first and second parts to an at least partially closed position when said strip is on another side of said intermediate point;
wherein said sheet is a film adhesively bonded to an outer surface of one of said first and second parts.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Assembly articulated by a hinge with assisted opening/closing

Life of this patent

Assembly articulated by a hinge with assisted opening/closing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42