Gear hinge

Abstract

A gear hinge having a trust bearing which is less likely to wear. The hinge may include, in various combinations, gears having relatively small, rounded teeth, hinge members having anodized surfaces, bearings which may be produced by a gas assisted injection molding process and bearings which are relatively hard.

Claims

1. A hinge, comprising:

first and second hinge members, each hinge member including a gear portion, the gear portion defining a base, a plurality of teeth extending from the base, a root diameter and an outsider diameter

a thrust bearing for supporting the first and second hinge members; and

a clamp for operably connecting the first and second hinge members and the thrust bearing;

wherein the outside diameter of the gear portion and the root diameter of the gear portion define a ratio less than 1.7..!.

3. A hinge according to claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the gear portion and the root diameter of the gear portion define a ratio of between approximately 1.2 and 1.7..!.

6. A hinge according to claim 5, wherein both of the hinge members define an angled portion, each angled portion located substantially adjacent to the rear portion, each angled portion having an angled of approximately 90 degrees.