AU2006235816B2

AU2006235816B2 - Improvements in hinge arrangements

Info

Publication number: AU2006235816B2
Application number: AU2006235816A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Kenneth Robert Luke
Original assignee: ARB Corp Ltd
Current assignee: ARB Corp Ltd
Priority date: 2006-11-02
Filing date: 2006-11-02
Publication date: 2013-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-02
Also published as: AU2006235816A1

Abstract

P.\OPERTNB\PEChinge a gmen spi doc-I 1/2/206 -8 A hinge arrangement for a lid suitable for box like containers such as portable refrigerators comprising spring biased pins I and 2 carried by the lid and each having tapered 5 cylindrical pin heads 10 engaging tapered cylindrical recesses 7 and 8 in a hinge support 6, each pin being biased to hold it in engagement with its recess, and a ramped relief path 19, 20 in the support 6 open at one end and communicating sufficiently with the recess at the other end to allow the associated pin to be disengaged from the recess and from the fixed member to disengage the movable member from the fixed member by the application 10 of a first predetermined force to the movable member , the arrangement being such that the pins are disengageable from the recesses by the application of a larger force when the lid is in any other position, such as fully open, to prevent inadvertent damage to the arrangement. 7t7

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: ARB Corporation Limited Actual Inventor(s): James Kenneth Robert Luke Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent & Trademark Attorneys, of 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, 3000, Victoria, Australia Ph: 03 9254 2777 Fax: 03 9254 2770 Attorney Code: DM Invention Title: "Improvements in hinge arrangements" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P\OPER\TNB\SPECMmgc arramni spcc, dc. I I /2/216 IMPROVEMENTS IN HINGE ARRANGEMENTS Field This invention relates to improvements in hinge arrangements, and particularly hinge 5 arrangements for lids or covers for containers which provide access to the contents of the container, for example portable refrigerators for traveling and camping. Background Lids and covers for containers such as those provided in portable refrigerators are usually 10 furnished with fixed hinges which do not allow for detachment of the lid for cleaning or for other reasons. Similarly such fixed hinges have the disadvantage of causing damage in the event that the lid is hinged beyond the intended fully open position. It is an object to provide a hinge arrangement which will allow for the detachment of a lid 15 or other hinged member in at least some circumstances. Summary The invention provides a hinge arrangement operative between a fixed member and a movable member to allow pivotal movement between those members, comprising a pin 20 member carried by the movable member and engaging a recess in the fixed member, said pin member being biased to hold it in engagement with the recess, and a relief path in the fixed member open at one end and communicating sufficiently with the recess at the other end to allow the pin member to be disengaged from the recess and from the fixed member to disengage the movable member from the fixed member by the application of a first 25 predetermined force to the movable member. In one form, the first predetermined force is determined by the shape of the recess and/or the shape of the pin member and/or the biasing force applied to the pin member.

P :OPER\TNB\SPEClhmge an gemeI spct doc- l2/200)6 -2 In another form the shape of the recess and/or the shape of the pin and/or the biasing force determines a second predetermined force greater than the first, which will cause removal of the pin from the groove by means other than the relief path. 5 In most cases the first and second forces are determined by all of the defined factors. The pin may be mounted in a structure attached to or forming part of the movable member The shape of a head portion of the pin may be such as to engage the recess in a tangential 10 contact with a wall of the recess, to provide for a smooth hinging action. The head of the pin may have a tapered cylindrical form having a radius at its end part which engages a tapered wall of the recess in a tangential manner. 15 The recess may be configured so that the pin head engages the wall of the recess so as to leave a clearance between the bottom of the recess and the bottom of the pin head. The recess may have a radius on its outer edge to facilitate entry of the pin head into the recess. The pin may include a hollow cylindrical body and a hemispherical head, the hollow body 20 being received in a cylindrical socket within which the body can slide, said hollow body receiving a spring for providing the biasing force. The movable member may be in the form of a lid or cover for a container such as a portable refrigerator box. 25 In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric rear view of a hinge arrangement according to an embodiment; 30 Figure 2 is a sectional elevation through the hinge of Figure 1; P IOPER\TNB\SPECI\begc w genI spac d.I l/0 -3 Figure 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the hinge pin assembly of the hinge of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an isometric view of the fixed hinge support structure of the arrangement of 5 Figure 1: Figures 5 and 6 are elevations of one hinge recess of the structure of Figure 4; Figure 7 illustrate cross sectional elevations along lines A-A and C-C in Figure 5; 10 Figure 8 illustrate the dimensions and configurations of one hinge pin and recess arrangement, Figure 9 illustrates a portable refrigerator having a lid attached by a hinge arrangement 15 according to Figures 1 to 8, with the lid in various operative positions, and Figure 10 illustrates two hinge detachment paths of the hinge arrangement of Figures 1 and 9. 20 Description of Embodiment Referring to the drawings, the hinge arrangement embodying the invention comprises spring loaded pin assemblies I and 2 carried by a hollow supporting structures 3 and 4 extending rearwardly from a lid or cover 5 for a refrigerator box 6 (Fig 9) or any other structure requiring a lid or other pivoting member. The supporting structures 3 and 4 are 25 spaced to receive a central fixed hinge support structure 7 on the box 6 which in turn include shaped recesses 8 and 9, at either end which are engaged by parts of the pin assemblies I and 2 as described below to hinge the lid 5 to the supporting structure and the box 6 so that the lid 5 can be opened and closed. 30 The pin assemblies I and 2 each include a tapered cylindrical pin head 10 having a hollow cylindrical spring housing 11 which houses a compression spring 12, and which slides PAOPER\TNB\SPEChmge ngemt spc doc-I 1/2/26 -4 freely in a cylindrical pin housing 13 having a closed end 14 with a central spring locating spigot 15, and an open end 16 which allows the pin head 10 to be exposed through a hole 17 in a plate 18 secured to otherwise close the pin housing 13 by screws 19. 5 The hinge support structure 7 recesses 8 and 9 are shaped as tapered cylindrical recesses to receive the pin heads 10 to provide bearing surfaces B for the heads 10 at their radiussed ends to allow for full radial contact and smooth pivoting of the lid 5 with respect to the structure 7 and the box 6. As shown the recesses are tapered at about 20deg so that the ends of the pin heads 10 contact the walls of the recesses 8, 9 tangentially and a clearance 10 exists at the bottom of the pin head 10. The recess structures are formed with additional recesses 20 which are formed as gradual ramps extending from a position closely adjacent the recesses 7 and 8 to provide relief paths for the pin heads 10 to allow the pins to be released from the recesses 7 and 8, in the 15 direction of arrow X in Figure 5, and from the structure 7 to remove the lid 5 from the box 6 by the application of a relatively low force to the lid 5, when the lid id opened a small amount from the closed position as illustrated in Fig 9. The spring loaded pin assemblies also provide a safety feature which ensure that the pin 20 heads 10 will be released from the recesses 7 and 8 when a predetermined force greater that the force required to remove the lid 5 as described above, is applied to the lid when in the fully open position or in any other position, such as one caused by an obstruction between the lid and the box, and the lid is pivoted beyond that position by accident or otherwise forced unsuitably. In these circumstances the force overcomes the spring force 25 and displaces the heads 10 from the recesses 7 and 8 along the path Y, so that the lid is detached before the hinges or the lid are damaged. This is achieved by the shaping of the recesses and the selection of the required spring force. In Figure 8 we have illustrated shapes and dimensions for one type of hinge arrangement 30 by means of which the above effects may be achieved. In this configuration, a linear P :OPER\TNBSPECI\hmgc a g spcri doc-I I fMlf -5 stainless steel spring having a stiffness of about 2.9 N/mm, and a diameter of about 15.8 mm and a free length of about 50mm has been found to be satisfactory. While the pin heads 10 need to be shaped to facilitate removal from the recesses, the shape 5 illustrated may be changed to a hemispherical or some other shape to achieve similar results and the shapes of the pin heads and the recesses are not essential.

Claims

1. A hinge arrangement operative between a fixed member and a movable member to allow pivotal movement between those members, comprising pins carried by the movable member and engaging recesses in the fixed member said pins each being biased to hold it in engagement with the recess, and a relief path in the fixed member open at one end and communicating sufficiently with the recess at the other end to allow the associated pin to be disengaged from the recess and from the fixed member to disengage the movable member from the fixed member by the application of a first predetermined force to the movable member and wherein the shape of the recess and/or the shape of the pin and/or the biasing force determines a second predetermined force greater than the first, which will cause removal of the pin from the recesses other than via the relief paths.

2. The hinge arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined force is determined by the shape of the recess and/or the shape of the pin and/or the biasing force applied to the pin.

3. The hinge arrangement of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second forces are determined by all of the factors defined in claim 1 or 2.

4. The hinge arrangement of any preceding claim, wherein the pins are mounted in a structure attached to or forming part of the movable member.

5. The hinge arrangement of claim 4, wherein the shape of a head portion of the pins is complementary to the shape of at least part of the recess.

6. The hinge arrangement of any preceding claim, wherein the head of each pin has a generally tapered cylindrical shape while the recess has a different tapered cylindrical shape.

7. The hinge arrangement of claim 6, wherein the head of each pin contacts a wall of the respective recess tangentially to provide a clearance between the bottom of the pin and the bottom of the recess.

8. The hinge arrangement of claim 7 wherein the end of each pin head has a radius which provides full radial contact with the recess walls to provide for a smooth hinging action. 7 Clean Copy

9. The hinge arrangement of any preceding claim, wherein each pin includes a hollow cylindrical body which is received in a cylindrical socket within which the body can slide, said hollow body receiving a spring for providing the biasing force.

10. The hinge arrangement of any preceding claim, wherein the relief path comprises a groove formed as a gradual ramp from the recess to the open end thereof.

11. The hinge arrangement of claim 10 wherein the recess and relief path is as described with reference to Figures 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

12. The hinge arrangement of any preceding claim, wherein the movable member in in the form of a lid or cover for a container such as a portable refrigerator box.

13. A hinge arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.