# US 7,406,747 B2 · Hinge apparatus for cover of image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 7,406,747 B2
- Document ID: US7406747B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/757,999
- Filed: 2004-01-16
- Published: 2004-11-04
- Granted: 2008-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2003-04-30
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Dong-ha Chol
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7406747B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/00554: {Latches or hinges therefor}
- B41J 29/13: Cases or covers
- E05D 3/02: with one pin
- E05D 7/00: Hinges or pivots of special construction (used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02)
- E05D 11/00: Additional features or accessories of hinges {(edge protecting devices E06B3/88)}
- E05D 11/02: Lubricating arrangements
- E05D 11/08: Friction devices between relatively-movable hinge parts (E05D7/086 takes precedence)
- E05F 5/00: Braking devices, e.g. checks; Stops; Buffers (construction of pneumatic or liquid braking devices E05F3/00; braking devices, buffers or end stops on drawers for tables, cabinets or like furniture A47B88/473; combined with devices for holding wings open E05C17/00; devices for limiting opening of wings or for holding wings open by a movable member extending between frame and wing E05C17/04)
- E06B 3/34: with only one kind of movement (E06B3/48 takes precedence)
- G03G 15/605: {Holders for originals or exposure platens (for photographic purposes in general G03B)}
- H04N 1/00519: {Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. housings, covers}
- H04N 1/00557: {Connection or assembly of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence)}
- H04N 1/00559: {Mounting or support of components or elements (H04N1/00538 takes precedence)}
- E05F 1/1261: {for counterbalancing}
- E05Y 2201/638: Cams; Ramps
- E05Y 2999/00: Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00)
- E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF

## Abstract

A hinge apparatus for a cover of an image forming apparatus has a hinge body with supporting brackets, movably inserted into a coupling hole positioned in a main body of the image forming apparatus, a hinge cam connected to the cover and pivotably connected to the supporting brackets, and a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam. Accordingly, the hinge apparatus can be implemented with a simple and easy assembly operation, since it is not a complicated structural connection among the component parts of the hinge apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hinge apparatus to open and close a cover of an image forming apparatus, which pivotably connects the cover to a main body of the image forming apparatus, to expose and cover a document glass, the hinge apparatus comprising:
a hinge body movably inserted in a first direction into a coupling hole positioned in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and having supporting brackets;
a hinge cam, connected to the cover, and pivotably connected to the supporting brackets; and
a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam;
the hinge body is provided with a housing chamber; and
the pressure device comprises
a pusher disposed in the housing chamber, that protrudes from the housing chamber, and
a spring disposed within the housing chamber to press the pusher;
the pusher comprises a locking protrusion;
the hinge body is provided with a guide slot; and
the locking protrusion is inserted into the guide slot, and prevents the release of the pusher from the hinge body;
wherein the pusher moves upward and downward within the guide slot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hinge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge cam comprises:
a body portion connected to the cover; and
a cam part that pivots in close contact with the pressure device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hinge apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the cam part and each of the supporting brackets are provided with a shaft hole, respectively, and
the hinge apparatus further comprises a hinge shaft inserted through the respective shaft holes, to pivotably connect the cam part to the supporting brackets.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The hinge apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
a center of the hinge shaft is located toward the document glass compared to a pressure central line of the pressure device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The hinge apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge body comprises:
a first protrusion positioned at one side of the hinge body, to prevent the supporting brackets from entering the coupling hole.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The hinge apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the main body comprises a hooking portion positioned at one side of the main body of an image forming apparatus; and
the hinge body comprises a second protrusion positioned at a first side of the hinge body, that is caught by the hooking portion, thereby preventing the release of the hinge body from the coupling hole when the hinge body is moved in a direction opposite the first direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The hinge apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the pusher is made of a lubricating resin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The hinge apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the hinge cam is made of a lubricating resin.

### Claim 9

A hinge apparatus rotatably connecting a cover and a main body, the hinge apparatus comprising:
a hinge body, with a void therein and a supporting bracket, movable in an opening in the main body;
a pressure device, movable within the void, and biased toward a first end of the hinge body; and
a hinge cam, connected to the cover, rotatably connected to the supporting bracket, and slidably engaging the pressure device;
wherein the hinge body comprises a first protrusion, to limit an amount the hinge body moves into the opening in the main body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:
the hinge cam and the supporting bracket each have a shaft hole; and
the hinge apparatus further comprises a hinge shaft inserted through the shaft holes of the hinge cam and the supporting bracket, to rotatably connect the hinge cam and the supporting bracket.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:
the hinge shaft is provided with at least one groove portion; and
the hinge apparatus further comprises at least one coupling ring, fixed to the at least one groove portion, to maintain a position of the hinge shaft with respect to the shaft holes of the hinge cam and the supporting bracket.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:
a center of rotation of the hinge shaft is offset by a predetermined distance from a line along which a center of the pressure device moves so that rotation of the hinge cam is inhibited when the pressure device moves.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:
the opening in the main body is provided with a hooking portion; and
the hinge body comprises a second protrusion, to limit an amount the hinge body moves out of the opening in the main body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:
the pressure device comprises a pusher and a biasing element that biases the pusher toward the first end of the hinge body; and
the hinge body comprises a biasing element support,
wherein a first end of the biasing element engages a first end of the pusher, and a second end of the biasing element engages the biasing element support.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 14, wherein
the pusher comprises a locking protrusion; and
the hinge body comprises a wall with a guide slot,
wherein the locking protrusion is inserted into the guide slot, to guide and limit movement of the pusher within the void of the hinge body.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:
a location of the guide slot is defined to prevent the pusher from being released from the hinge body.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:
the biasing element comprises a spring; and
a length of the spring is defined as approximately a distance between the first end of the pusher and the spring support, when the locking protrusion of the pusher contacts a side of the slot nearest the first end of the hinge body.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:
at least one of the pusher and the hinge cam are made of a lubricating resin.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the hinge cam comprises:
a body portion connected to the cover; and
a cam part slidably engaging the pressure device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:
the body portion and the cam part are integrally formed.

### Claim 21 (depends on 9)

An apparatus having a cover and a main body connected by the hinge apparatus of claim 9.

### Claim 22

A hinge apparatus rotatably connecting a cover and a main body, the hinge apparatus comprising:
a hinge body, with a void therein and a supporting bracket, movable in an opening in the main body;
a pressure device, movable within the void, and biased toward a first end of the hinge body, wherein the pressure device comprises a pusher; and
a hinge cam, connected to the cover, rotatably connected to the supporting bracket, and slidably engaging the pressure device, wherein:
a first protrusion and a second protrusion are provided on the hinge cam; and
a first receiving part and a second receiving part, receiving the first and second protrusions respectively, are provided on the supporting bracket to rotatably connect the hinge cam and the supporting bracket.

### Claim 23

A hinge apparatus to open and close a cover of an image forming apparatus, which pivotably connects the cover to a main body of the image forming apparatus, the hinge apparatus comprising:
a hinge body comprising a housing chamber and supporting brackets;
a hinge cam pivotably connected to the supporting brackets; and
a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam, said pressure device comprising:
a pusher comprising a guide member, disposed in the housing chamber; and
a spring disposed in the housing chamber to press the pusher, wherein the hinge body is provided with a receiving member corresponding to the guide member to guide a movement of the pusher.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the guide member is a protrusion formed on the pusher.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the receiving member is a guide slot, and the protrusion is a locking protrusion inserted into the guide slot to limit the movement of the pusher.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 23, wherein one of the hinge body and the hinge cam is movably inserted in a coupling hole positioned in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the other one of the hinge body and the hinge cam is connected to the cover.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam comprises a first protrusion which restricts the inserting range of the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam into the coupling hole.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam comprises a second protrusion which prevents the release of the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam from the coupling hole.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

An image forming apparatus having a cover and a main body connected by the hinge apparatus of claim 23.

### Claim 31

A hinge apparatus rotatably connecting a cover and a main body, the hinge apparatus comprising:
a hinge body, with a void therein and a supporting bracket;
a pressure device, movable in the void, and biased toward a first end of the hinge body; and
a hinge cam rotatably connected to the supporting bracket, and slidably engaging the pressure device;
wherein one of the hinge body and the hinge cam comprises a first protrusion, to limit an amount the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam moves into an opening in the main body.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the other one of the hinge body and the hinge cam is connected to the cover.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam further comprises a second protrusion, to limit an amount the one of the hinge body and the hinge cam moves out of the opening in the main body.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The hinge apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the pressure device comprises:
a pusher comprising a guide member; and
a biasing element which biases the pusher toward the first end of the hinge body, wherein the hinge body is provided with a receiving member corresponding to the guide member to guide a movement of the pusher in the void.

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

An image forming apparatus having a cover and a main body connected by the hinge apparatus of claim 31.