Abstract: A door closer comprising a housing, a member for driving engagement with a door, the member being rotatable relative to the housing in a door opening direction and in a door closing direction, a spring apparatus within the housing providing a resilient bias, the resilient bias being increased by rotation of the member in the door opening direction and a check device for controlling rotation of the member in the door closing direction and hence closure of the door under the action of the spring apparatus, the door closer having a back check comprising a piston member movable in a cylinder from an initial position against resistance of a fluid medium by rotation of the rotatable member in the opening direction.

Abstract: In a hinge structure suitable for use in a foldable mobile phone, the initial unfolding action is effected by converting a pushing stroke of an operating member into a rotational movement of the hinge by using a cam/cam follower mechanism. Thereby, an unexpected reaction force resulting from the inertia force acting between the two parts that are to be unfolded relative to each other can be avoided, and a favorable unfolding action without a shock can be achieved. In particular, it may be arranged such that the hinge is normally urged in the unfolding direction while a clutch is kept engaged to retain the hinge in the fully folded state, and that the hinge is resiliently driven in the unfolding direction by pushing the operating member and thereby disengaging the clutch.

Abstract: An integrated door closing and leveling assembly for a refrigerator includes a spring biased door closure and an adjustable support integrated into a housing. The door closure includes an arm attached to the housing for relative sliding and pivoting movement, while being biased to a retracted position by a spring having an associated noise dampening element. The interaction between the spring and the arm is such that the spring provides a small degree of resistance to any opening force and also serves to maintain the door fully open once the door is opened beyond a critical point. The support structure houses both front and rear wheels for maneuvering the refrigerator, and feet for leveling and supporting purposes.

Abstract: A hinge assembly (1) includes a housing (10) encasing a rotating mechanism (30) and an elastic plate (40) therein, and an opened end (12) of the housing is covered by an end cover (50). The rotating mechanism has a cam portion (32), and a connector (31) and a shaft (33) located at opposite ends of the cam portion. The connector rotatably extends through a hole (51) of the end cover. The rotating mechanism is rotatably engaged in the housing with the shaft being rotatably received in a bushing (13) inside the housing. The cam portion has an arcuate cam surface (322) defining at least one flat surface (324) thereon. The elastic plate abuts against between an inside wall of the housing and the arcuate surface. During cover rotation of a folding phone, the arcuate surface is rotatably engaged with the elastic plate until the elastic plate is positioned on the flat surface of the cam portion.

Abstract: A hinged housing portion (110) coupled to a second housing portion (120), for example in a wireless communications device, including a compression spring (134) coupled to one of the housing portions, a cam (142) coupled to the body member, and a follower (336) coupled between the cam and the compression spring. The compression spring compresses along a compression axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The contoured surface or cam surface urges the follower against a first side of the second housing portion with the follower force 724. The follower force is parallel to the slope of the contoured surface slope at the point of contact between the follower and the contoured surface. The follower force results in rotation of the second housing portion in a first direction or second direction of rotation about the first axis depending on the angle of the contoured surface relative to the compression spring axis.

Abstract: A kimchi refrigerator includes a cabinet to define an external appearance of the kimchi refrigerator. The cabinet includes a storage compartment to store food. The storage compartment is opened at a top thereof to form an opening. A lid is hinged to a predetermined portion of the cabinet to close the opening of the cabinet. A hinge unit hinges the lid to the predetermined portion of the cabinet. In this case, first and second cam units are included at both ends of the hinge unit to be mounted to both sides, or corners, of the lid to open or close the lid.

Abstract: A self-locking hinge apparatus with a single stable state includes a pivotal shaft, a retaining ring, a stator, a compression spring, and a rotor. The retaining ring, the compression spring, the stator and the rotor are arranged in series along the pivotal shaft. The stator is slide-able but not rotatable on the pivotal shaft. The rotor is both slide-able and rotatable on the pivotal shaft. By providing the compression spring to enforce a cam-contact between the stator and the rotor, an auto cam sliding pair is then formed to make the hinge apparatus stabilized automatically at the predetermined stable state.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism for pivotally connecting a flip onto a housing includes a bush, a compression spring, and a release button. The bush has a sidewall, a receiving space defined by the sidewall, and a protrusion. The protrusion is protruded from the sidewall. The release button has a shaped notch, which includes a concave portion, a stop portion, and a convex portion formed between the concave portion and the stop portion. The stop portion extends substantially parallel to the pivoting axis. The protrusion is slidably received within the shaped notch. The compression spring is disposed within the receiving space and pressed by the release button and the bush. When closing the flip, the bush rotates synchronously with the flip and the protrusion moves in the shaped notch. When pushing the release button, the flip opens automatically.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a hinge for the hinging of spectacle temples, which allows the automatic closing of the temples on the same front of spectacle which has been removed from the head or which features one or both temples in open or wide-open position. A hinging element is provided attached to the endpiece of the front, which is cam-shaped with an eccentric profile progressively increasing from its internal position to its external position and on which a follower runs. The follower is guided in an axial hole 23 in the temple 20 to be hinged and together with an elastic medium which acts axially with the hinge pin while the follower works on an inclined plane produced by the shape of the cam to help the automatic return of the temple 20 in the closing phase.

Abstract: A hinge member includes a rotatable cam element with a first cam face and a slidable cam element with a second cam face associated with the first cam face in such a manner that the second cam face moves away from the first cam face when the slidable cam element is cammed by the rotatable cam element due to an applied external force. A biasing member is connected to the slidable cam element so as to accumulate a returning force when the second cam face moves away from the first cam face and so as to urge the second cam face to move toward the first cam face when the external force ceases to be applied on the rotatable cam element.

Abstract: In an original pressing plate hinge including a fixing member, an original pressing plate supporting member pivotably installed via a hinge pin to the fixing member, a slider slidably housed in the supporting member, a cam member fixed between the slider and the free end of the supporting member in contact with the slider, and a coil spring provided resiliently between the slider and the free end of the supporting member, the cam member is omitted to prevent an original or document set on the platen glass for copying or printing from being stained with or spoiled by a lubricant when the original touches the cam member to which the lubricant sticks, and instead a pressure receiving pin is used and a cam slider is used in place of the slider. To prevent a heavy original pressing plate from abruptly falling, a fluid damping member is housed in the coil spring and disposed between the cam slider and the top plate or free end of the supporting member.

Abstract: An hinge auto-return device for a glass door includes a body containing a longitudinal pivot hole to rotatably receive a pivot pin in the body and a lateral guide hole to movably receive a positioning block in the body. The lateral guide hole extends perpendicular to communicate with the pivot hole. At lest one blind hole is longitudinally defined in the positioning block to mount at least one resilient member in the positioning block. The positioning block has a contact face forced by the resilience of the resilient member to press against a flat segment of the pivot pin when a hinge assembled with the auto-return device is attached to a glass door and hinges the glass door on a doorframe. The positioning block is able to slide smoothly in the guide hole in the body of the auto-return device so that the auto-return device performs reliably and durably.

Abstract: A foldable portable telephone of the invention comprises a main body case 1, and a closure case 2 connected to the case 1 by a pair of hinge mechanisms 10, 10′. On the hinge mechanisms, 10, comprises cylindrical barrel portions 13, 22 provided respectively on the main body case 1 and the closure case 2, and a hinge assembly 4 inserted through the barrel portions. The hinge assembly 4 comprises a main body drive member in engagement with the barrel portion 13 on the main body case 1 nonrotatably relative thereto, a closure drive member in engagement with the barrel portion 22 on the closure case 2 nonrotatably relative thereto, a prime mover spring for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case 2, a holding mechanism for holding the closure case 2 in a closed position, a manual button 41 to be manipulated to open the closure case 2, and a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button.

Abstract: A hinge includes a first rigid element enclosing elastic elements that have at least one elastic end oriented so that the elastic elements extend into a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the hinge. One end of the first rigid element is formed by a knuckle-piece, which is inserted between a pair of knuckles that together constitute the rigid second element. A pin passes through all the knuckles. A bush, disposed between a female hinge of the second rigid element and the pin, defines a peripheral surface which serves as a cam surface, against which at least one portion of the elastic elements is adjusted.

Abstract: In an original pressing plate hinge including a fixing member, an original pressing plate supporting member pivotably installed via a hinge pin to the fixing member, a slider slidably housed in the supporting member, a cam member fixed between the slider and the free end of the supporting member in contact with the slider, and a coil spring provided resiliently between the slider and the free end of the supporting member, the cam member is omitted to prevent an original or document set on the platen glass for copying or printing from being stained with or spoiled by a lubricant when the original touches the cam member to which the lubricant sticks, and instead a pressure receiving pin or roller is used and a cam slider is used in place of the slider. To prevent a heavy original pressing plate from abruptly falling, a damping member is housed in the coil spring and disposed between the cam slider and the top plate or free end of the supporting member.

Abstract: An hinge auto-return device for a glass door includes a body containing a longitudinal pivot hole to rotatably receive a pivot pin in the body and a lateral guide hole to movably receive a positioning block in the body. The lateral guide hole extends perpendicular to communicate with the pivot hole. At least one blind hole is longitudinally defined in the positioning block to mount at least one resilient member in the positioning block. The positioning block has a contact face forced by the resilience of the resilient member to press against a flat segment of the pivot pin when a hinge assembled with the auto-return device is attached to a glass door and hinges the glass door on a doorframe. The positioning block is able to slide smoothly in the guide hole in the body of the auto-return device so that the auto-return device performs reliably and durably.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hinge in which a fixed end of a leaf spring is inserted into a slot of a side wall of a cup-shaped hinge part near the bottom, the leaf spring encompassing with an opening, a cam or a protruding of the bottom of the cup-shaped hinge part. The hinge arm is slidably supported on a elastic end of the leaf spring by a tongue or cam bent out of its rolled end and encompassing the hinge axle, the elastic end located in a section of the bottom of the cup-shaped hinge part.

Abstract: An indexing hinge particularly useful for glass shower doors. A mounting member is mountable to the supporting structure around the opening to the shower. For example, this could be at the top and bottom of the opening to the shower. Another mounting member could clamp along the edge of the door. A pivot pin extends between the two mounting members and has one end rotatably journaled in one of the mounting members. A fixing mechanism in the other of the mounting members fixes the pivot pin relative to its respective member. An indexing member includes a detent along the pivot pin and a biased member that is urged against the pivot pin so that when the detent aligns with the biased member, in indexing position and indexing of the door is achieved.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism in provided with a first hinge portion, a second hinge portion, and a third hinge portion coupled to said first hinge portion. The third hinge portion includes a first end and a second end. A first axle is coupled to the first end of the third hinge portion. A second axle is coupled and locked to the second end of the third hinge portion. A compressible resilient device is abutted to the second axle. The second hinge portion is coupled to the third hinge portion via the first axle and the second axle. The second axle comprises an engaging member and the third hinge portion comprises a groove, wherein the engaging member mates with the groove.

Abstract: A hinge apparatus for portable electronic devices such as portable telephones and handheld personal computers can be manufactured with a small and simple structure at a low cost. The hinge apparatus has a shaft with a flange, a cam engaged with an end of the shaft and; a slide cam engaged with the shaft between the cam and the flange. The slide cam is rotatably with the shaft and slidably in an axial direction. A compression spring is rolled around the shaft, and elastically provided between the slide cam and the flange. The cam has a pair of projections on one side surface at opposite positions, and the slide cam has cam members press-contacted with the projections. Otherwise, provided is a hinge apparatus which connects a microphone and a earphone of a portable telephone.

Abstract: A foldable device (100) includes two housings (102, 108) rotatably coupled by a hinge (3800) about an axis of rotation (211). The hinge (3800) has a stationary element (3802) and a movable element (3804) positioned in a pocket (3858) of one of the housings (102, 108). The movable element (3802) is restricted to movement along the axis of rotation (211). This prevents the generation of audible clicking noises that are characteristic of existing hinge arrangements.

Abstract: A device for preventing inadvertent pressing of push button keys of an article, including an upper cover means, a turning axle means, and a pivot joint means. When an upper cover plate of the upper cover means is lifted, pointed portions of two curved projections of a relay axle of the turning axle means will displace along end recesses to pointed portions of two curved ends, so that the relay axle presses a retractable spring and displace radially in a transverse direction, so that its end wings extend into a wing chamber while two side wings extend into an end chamber. When the pointed portions of the two curved projections pass over the pointed portions of the two curved ends, since the pointed portions of the curved projections lose support thereof, they turn axially along the end recesses by means of the resilience of the spring until being positioned. Hence, the upper cover plate can automatically be uplifted about a certain angle to facilitate pressing of the push button keys.

Abstract: A joint for deploying and locking a solar panel or a reflector has a fork which is pivotable through 180.degree. about a common pivot axis with a fixed bearing support. A disk mounted on the fixed bearing support has a sliding curve that terminates in a groove. A latching fork mounted rotatably on pivotable fork has a latching bolt and sliding roller which runs on the sliding curve when the pivotable fork deploys, and together with a latching bolt, engages the groove. A leg spring engages the latching bolt. The sliding curve has a shape such that during the first half of a deployment angle of the fork that is pivoted by the force of a coil spring, a decreasing portion of the coil spring moment is stored in leg spring. In the second half of the deployment angle, a moment 16 stored in leg spring 9 is again added increasingly to the movement, so that during deployment, an approximately constant corrected deployment moment is provided.

Abstract: A support assembly for supporting a retractable device includes a frame, at least one arm movably mounted on the frame for carrying the device between a retracted position for stowing the device, and an extended position for presenting the device, and a reactionator couple operatively connected to the arm for resisting, in part, against the arm when it is moved from the extended position to the retracted position, thereby slowing the rate at which the device is retracted.

Abstract: The self-closing hinge assembly has a pair of cam members which are biased against each other by a pair of coil springs. The outer coil spring serves to bias the cam members together under a first restoring force and is effective during an initial opening of a door, for example to a 90.degree. position. The second inner spring becomes compressed only after the outer coil spring has been compressed. Compression of the second coil spring occurs as a door is opened beyond the 90.degree. position. The door may be held in one of two dwell positions corresponding to the cam surfaces on the movable cam member.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a door hinged to a housing, and a door opening/closing assist device which aids in opening and closing the door. The device includes a spring-biased roller carried by the door and a guide plate carried by the housing. The guide plate forms a guide curvature against which the roller is elastically biased. The guide curvature is shaped so that during an initial stage of a door opening (or closing) movement the roller is displaced by the guide curvature to cause the spring to store energy, and so that during a final stage of the door opening (or closing) movement, the spring releases energy and forces the door to assist the performance of the final stage.

Abstract: The present invention device for supporting garment hangers within an automotive vehicle comprises an enclosed loop having a peripheral surface, an inside surface and a pair of substantially vertical faces with a horizontally accessible aperture extending therethrough. A hook portion of each garment hanger is retained and supported by the inside surface of the loop. Furthermore, an upper portion of the loop has a hook member formed within the peripheral surface thereof. The loop is pivotably attached to an aesthetically pleasing bezel such that the loop can be pivoted from a stowed position parallel with the bezel to a functional vertically planar position projecting inward from the bezel. Moreover, a lamp may be incorporated within the bezel behind the stowed loop such that a lens, mounted to the bezel, has a shape congruent with the inside surface of the loop and fits centrally therein.

Abstract: A garment bag has a front wall that is longitudinally divided to provide a pair of flaps that are turnable away from each other to provide access to the interior of the bag. Each flap has a hinge with a series of detents to permit the flap to be held releasably in any one of a plurality of differently angulated positions. By virtue of this arrangement, access to the interior of the bag is provided, and the flaps may be set in different positions to accommodate available space in a closet.

Abstract: Deployment apparatus for use in deploying an articulating structure. The deployment apparatus includes two pivotally connected hinge members and a spring that biases the hinge members in their open or deployed positions. An attenuator is also connected to one of the hinge members that prevents oscillatory movement between the hinge members as they are assuming their deployed positions and a cam member and a lobe on one of the hinge members lock the hinge members in position together as the hinge members are being extended to their deployed positions. The attenuator is adjustable and can be used to precisely fix the position of the deployed hinge members. The deployment apparatus is particularly suited for a wide variety of spacecraft applications where it can be used to extend spacecraft structures such as solar panels.

Abstract: A door closer has a cam and follower mechanism for transmitting movement between a spring and an operating member which is connected with a door. Guide elements for the cam follower can be adjusted relative to a housing to adjust the orientation relative to the housing to which the operating member is urged by the spring.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided a door hinge comprising a spring that plays the role of both a torsion spring and a compression spring, wherein its resilient force is used for axially pressing a movable cam against a matching fixed cam it comprises and thereby facilitating the opening and closing motion of the door with which it is used by giving said cams such specific configurations that the spring accelerates the opening motion of the door from a given angular position of the door and locks the door at a particular open position and at a closed position.

Abstract: A swing door hinge is provided comprising a first hinge member having a projection of approximately rectangular block shape and provided with at least two engaging recesses, the first hinge member being intended to be mounted to either a wall frame or a swing door, and a second hinge member having at least two engaging arms inserted into respective engaging of the first hinge member for pivotal movement and guide openings provided in the engaging arms. The second hinge member, which is also intended to be mounted to the wall frame or the swing door whichever does not carry the first hinge member, has pivot pins mounted in the guide openings and yieldingly urged by respective springs in the inward direction.

Abstract: A shipping rack which is convertible to a first rack length for snug lengthwise loading across the interior width of a semi-trailer and convertible to a second rack length for snug loading lengthwise across the interior width of a railroad boxcar. Pivotal rack extensions are provided on one end wall which will yield to potentially damaging forces and then self center. The rack extensions are held in a first position folded into the end wall to form the first rack length and are pivotal out of the end wall and are self positioning in a second position to form a second rack length.

Abstract: A sign holder includes a frame secured to a clevis journaled on a bracket for attachment to a price channel at the edge of a display shelf for projecting the frame, and a sign carried in the frame, laterally from the shelf edge into a display position of the sign, the clevis including an integral camming surface and a resiliently flexible arm for allowing swinging of the frame relative to the bracket out of the display position of the sign in response to collisions with the sign when the frame is in the display position of the sign, the establishing a biasing force tending to return the frame to and maintain the frame in the display position of the sign.

Abstract: A self closing hinge having a single unitary spring element which functions to maintain the hinge in the open position and to move the hinge to the fully closed position after the hinge is partially closed. A unitary hinge spring having a base section and a ramp section joined by a resilient section which is typically a C shape in cross section.

Abstract: A self-closing isolation door installation adapted to swing between a closed and an open position. A resilient gasket is connected about the periphery of the door to insure a tight seal. The door has a rotatable first hinge vertically mounted and adapted for mounting to the side of a door frame. A second self-closing hinge is provided including an elongated C-shaped bracket mounted into the edge of the door. The C-shaped bracket includes a vertical support strut, upper arm and lower arm. A support shaft is vertically fixed between the upper arm and the lower arm. A housing bracket is mounted to the shaft and is adapted for mounting to the side of the door frame. The housing bracket defines an inverted V-shaped cam surface. A cam follower including a radially spaced apart inner follower roller and an outer follower roller is mounted around the shaft with the outer roller adapted for vertical movement within a slot in the strut and the inner roller is engageable to follow the cam surface.

Abstract: A fully assembled hinge mechanism for a door of a major appliance which comprises an elongated guide member arranged to be attached to the appliance at spaced apart front edges thereof having a pivotal door hanger lever extending therefrom, and a hinge arm pivotally connected to the door hanger lever and movable on the guide member to permit opening of a door on the hanger lever where the hinge arm is spring biased into contact with the guide member and the spring counterbalances the weight of the door.

Abstract: A self-closing door hinge for a curtain door mounted within a frame consisting of a channel having a double helical track and a roller on said helical track which is returned to a pre-selected position after movement in either direction by compression of a spring thereby moving an arm carrying a curtain door connected to said channel to a preselected position.