Friction resistance hinge with auto-lock

摘要

A hinge resistively holds an orientation between first and second members. The hinge has an elongated shaft with a head mating with a bore in the first member. A key is rotatably disposed on an axel portion of the shaft and has a tab mating with a slot in the second member. A friction ring is disposed on the shaft adjacent the key, and keyed to rotated with the shaft. The friction ring and the key have opposing bearing surfaces to hold their relative position by friction. One of the friction ring and the key can have a dimple while the other has a detent. A spring is carried by the shaft and biases the key and the friction ring together.

主权项

1. A hinge coupled between first and second members to resistively hold an orientation between the first and second members at a plurality of orientations, and to bias the first and second members in a predetermined set orientation, the first member having a lobe extending into a notch in the second member, the lobe having a bore therein with a cross-sectional shape, and the second member having a slot with a cross-sectional shape different than the cross-sectional shape of the bore of the lobe, the slot extending from a perimeter side of the second member to the notch, and the slot of the second member being aligned with the bore of the lobe of the first member, the hinge comprising:
a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; b) a head on the distal end of the shaft and having a cross-sectional shape mating with the cross-sectional shape of the bore in the first member so that the head is fixedly retained within the bore such that the shaft rotates with the first member with respect to the second member; c) an axel portion on the shaft and having a cross-sectional shape that is non-circular; d) a key rotatably disposed on the axel portion of the shaft; e) the key having a key ring rotatably disposed on the axel portion of the shaft; f) a tab extending from the key ring and having a cross-sectional shape mating with the cross-sectional shape of the slot in the second member so that the key is fixedly retained within the slot such that the key rotates with the second member with respect to the first member; g) a friction ring disposed on the axel portion of the shaft proximal the key and rotatable with the shaft and with respect to the key; h) the friction ring having a bore with a shape that mates with the cross-sectional shape of the axel portion of the shaft; i) a dimple formed in the key ring of the key or the friction ring; j) a detent extending axially from the other of the key ring or the friction ring and removably received within the dimple; k) a spring carried by the shaft and biasing the key and the friction ring together, and biasing the detent into engagement with the dimple; l) a fastener disposed on the shaft with the spring between the fastener and the key and the friction ring; m) the key being held in position with respect to the axel portion, and thus the second member configured to be held in position with respect to the first member, by friction between the key and the friction ring; n) the key rotating on the shaft between a plurality of different orientations, including at least:
i) a predetermined set orientation in which the detent is disposed in the dimple, defining an autolock orientation, and in which a greater amount of force is required to rotated the key out of the predetermined set orientation; andii) a friction hold orientation, different than the predetermined set orientation, in which the detent is disposed out of the dimple, and in which the key is held with respect to the shaft by friction between the key and the friction ring, and in which a lesser amount of force is required to rotate the key with respect to the shaft.