Free-wheeling hinge assembly

摘要

A free-wheeling hinge assembly includes a base element, a cap element, and an internal pivot assembly allowing the cap element to pivot 360 degrees transversely to a hinge assembly central axis and in relation to the base element. Geometric ends of the hinge assembly allow insertion into any two component corresponding geometric recesses to be so pivoted and repositioned.

主权项

1. A free-wheeling hinge assembly comprising, in combination:
a) a base element comprising: a solid cast geometric end comprising geometric shapes selected from the group consisting of ovals, oblongs, triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, and other multi-sided polygons capable of securely holding the free-wheeling hinge assembly between corresponding external member component geometric recesses and transferring directional forces applied to the external member components to the free-wheeling hinge assembly; a cylindrical length comprising an external side and an internal side; a central longitudinal axis; an open end; and an annular groove around the cylindrical length internal side, the groove defining a plane transverse to the central longitudinal axis; b) a cap element comprising: a solid cast geometric end comprising geometric shapes selected from the group consisting of ovals, oblongs, triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, and other multi-sided polygons capable of securely holding the free-wheeling hinge assembly between corresponding external member component geometric recesses and transferring directional forces applied to the external member components to the free-wheeling hinge assembly; a cylindrical length comprising an external side and an internal side; a central longitudinal axis; a cylindrical recess defined by the cylindrical length internal side; an open end sized to be received by and interference fitted into base open end; and an annular groove around the cap cylindrical length external side, the annular groove defining a plane transverse to the base central longitudinal axis; and c) an O-ring sized to be received within (i) the annular groove around the base cylindrical length internal side, and (ii) the annular groove around the cap cylindrical length external side, the O-ring serving to provide a pivot surface between the base element and the cap element;  wherein the free-wheeling hinge assembly provides a 360 degree pivot feature around the O-ring between the cap element and the base element, the pivot action being along a plane transverse to the central longitudinal axis and about the central longitudinal axis.