Hinge Mechanisms and Foldable Furniture

摘要

Embodiments generally relate to hinge mechanisms. Many of the hinge mechanism embodiments may be used in foldable furniture. The foldable furniture may be a foldable seat or table. The hinge mechanism may include a central cylinder with a body defining a hinge axis. The central cylinder may have rotate channel(s) transverse to the hinge axis and locking channels extending axially from the rotate channel(s). Collar(s) may couple with the central cylinder and may include pin(s) that protrude inwardly into the rotate channel(s) and locking channel(s) of the central cylinder. In some embodiments, an intermediate cylinder may be disposed between the central cylinder and the collar(s). The intermediate cylinder may have slots corresponding to the rotate channel(s) of the central cylinder. When pin(s) and locking channel(s) are aligned, the central lock cylinder may move axially to lock the collars in a desired angular position (e.g., a deployed or folded configuration).

主权项

1. A hinge mechanism comprising:
a central cylinder having an elongate length defining a hinge axis, the central cylinder comprising: a first rotate channel transverse to the hinge axis, the first rotate channel including a first end and a second end and an angular length therebetween; a second rotate channel transverse to the hinge axis, the second rotate channel including a first end and a second end and an angular length therebetween, wherein the second rotate channel is spaced an axial distance from the first rotate channel and separate from the first rotate channel; a first collar disposed about the central cylinder, the first collar comprising a first collar pin protruding inwardly from the first collar into the first rotate channel of the central cylinder; a second collar disposed about the central cylinder and spaced an axial distance from the first collar, the second collar comprising a second collar pin protruding inwardly from the second collar into the second rotate channel of the central cylinder; wherein the first collar pin of the first collar cooperates with the first rotate channel to limit an axial range of movement between the first collar and the central cylinder in an axial direction; wherein the first collar has a rotational range of motion about the hinge axis relative to the central cylinder when the first collar pin is positioned within the first rotate channel; wherein the second collar pin of the second collar cooperates with the second rotate channel to limit an axial range of movement between the second collar and the central cylinder in the axial direction; wherein the second collar has a rotational range of motion about the hinge axis relative to the central cylinder and independent of the rotation of the first collar about the central cylinder when the second collar pin is positioned within the second rotate channel; wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a first configuration and a second configuration; the first configuration defined by: the first collar rotated to a position where the first collar pin is at the second end of the first rotate channel of the central cylinder, and the second collar rotated to a position where the second collar pin is at the first end of the second rotate channel of the central cylinder; the second configuration defined by: the first collar rotated to a position where the first collar pin is at the first end of the first rotate channel of the central cylinder, and the second collar rotated to a position where the second collar pin is at the second end of the second rotate channel of the central cylinder.