Clip friction hinge with housing
AssigneeReell Precision Manufacturing Corporation
InventorDavid Wahlstedt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a friction torque hinge and method for making the same. The friction torque hinge comprises a rotatable shaft, at least one frictional element and an element housing. The frictional elements are mounted on and frictionally engage the shaft. The frictional elements have an outer element shape. The element housing has an inner cavity with a shape that matches the outer element shape of the frictional elements. The element housing contacts substantially the entire outer element shape of the plurality of frictional elements. This prevents relative rotation of the element housing and the frictional elements.
Claims13
A friction torque hinge comprising:
- a rotatable shaft;
- one or more frictional elements each having an outer edge, an outer edge feature and a surface to engage the shaft, wherein each of the frictional elements are mounted on the shaft such that their outer edges and outer edge features collectively form an outer element perimeter;
- a molded element housing formed over each of the frictional elements using a flowable material that hardens around the outer element perimeter such that the element housing has an inner cavity having a shape that intimately matches the outer element perimeter of the frictional elements and such that element housing is prevented from rotating relative to the frictional elements;
- and
- a lubricating substance trapped between the frictional elements and the shaft.
A friction torque hinge comprising:
- a rotatable shaft;
- a plurality of frictional elements each having a width, a thickness, an outer edge, an outer edge feature and an axial aperture to receive the shaft, wherein the width is greater than the thickness and wherein the frictional elements are mounted on the shaft such that their outer edges and outer edge features collectively form an outer element perimeter;
- and
- a molded element housing formed over each of the frictional elements using a flowable material that flows completely around the outer element perimeter and then hardens around the outer element perimeter such that the element housing has an inner cavity having a shape that intimately matches the outer element perimeter of the frictional elements and such that the element housing is prevented from rotating relative to the frictional elements.
A friction torque hinge comprising:
- a rotatable shaft;
- one or more shaft elements each having an outer edge and each connected to the shaft to prevent relative rotation with the shaft;
- one or more frictional elements each having an outer edge, an outer edge feature, and a surface to frictionally engage the shaft elements wherein the frictional elements are mounted on the shaft such that their outer edges and outer edge features, and the outer edges of the shaft elements, collectively form an outer element perimeter and wherein the frictional elements slip relative to the shaft;
- an element housing with an inner cavity having a shape that matches the outer element perimeter of the frictional and shaft elements such that the element housing engages the entire perimeter of the frictional and shaft elements and preventing relative rotation of the element housing and the frictional elements;
- and
- a lubricating substance trapped between the frictional elements and the shaft elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.