Resilient Securing Means Patents (Class 16/232)
  • Patent number: 6231365
    Abstract: A memory card connector 10, wherein when a holder cover 20, which is in contact with an obstacle or stopper and the like, is opened further, deformation and damage to the holder cover can be avoided, by deliberately allowed elastic separation of the holder cover 20 from housing 11 at hinge to prevent damage; the connector 10, includes a housing 11, which houses a memory card; the holder cover 20, covering the memory card; a plurality of connection terminals 14, are built into the housing so that one end is opposite a contact part of the memory card housed inside the housing and is exposed at the surface of the housing and the other end protrudes from an edge of the housing, the holder cover is supported at one side edge which is sideways with respect to the longitudinal direction of the connector, so that, by pivoting around a rotation shaft 15 provided on one side edge of the housing, the holder cover 20 can be opened and closed with respect to housing 11; a hinge part 21, which latches onto the rotation sha
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Konno, Yoshinori Ota
  • Patent number: 6176746
    Abstract: An electrical connector housing, such as an automotive fuse housing, is closed or opened by a standard cover that can be swung open in two directions, or pulled straight off. Cooperating pairs of hinge pins on the housing and resilient cantilever beams on the cover serve as either a releasable latch, or as a hinge, or as a pair of releasable latches, depending on the opening mode desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Morello, Jon C. Hobbs
  • Patent number: 6025581
    Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a door and a main body in a microwave oven is disclosed, in which a door can easily be mounted in a main body of a microwave oven. The apparatus for assembling a door and a main body in a microwave oven includes a hinge plate mounted in a main body of a microwave oven, a hinge shaft mounted in a cut-open portion of a choke cover fixed to a door, for being rotatably fixed to the hinge plate, and a detachment prevention portion elastically deformed to allow the hinge plate to be fixed to the hinge shaft and restored to the original state if the hinge plate is completed to be fixed to the hinge shaft to prevent the hinge plate from being detached from the hinge shaft. The detachment prevention portion includes a supporting portion for supporting the hinge plate when the hinge plate is fixed to the hinge shaft, and a vertical portion connected to one end of the supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jong Soo Kang, Kwan Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 6000769
    Abstract: A computer front cover mounting arrangement includes two doorposts fixedly fastened to two opposite vertical lateral sides of the face panel of a computer mainframe, each door post having two pivot shafts at top and bottom sides, and a front cover releasably coupled to the doorposts and covered on the face panel and selectively openable from the face panel from the left side or the right side, the front cover having backward coupling flanges in four corners, each coupling flange having a circular recess for coupling with one pivot shaft, and a guide groove for guiding the corresponding pivot shaft into coupling position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Enlight Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Yao Chen
  • Patent number: 5926916
    Abstract: This invention relates to a computer having a door being opened/closed at either side having a case for protecting internal circuits of a computer from an external impact, a face which is attached to the front of the case; and a door, installed in an open area of the face, which can be opened/closed from either side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Woon Lee, Tae-Sang Kim
  • Patent number: 5738390
    Abstract: A hingeable latch for detachably or hingedly connecting a base and a cover, most particularly as part of a box. The cover includes a rod and a latch plate which is mounted on the rod so that the latch plate is rotatable relative to the rod. The base includes a latch catch which is designed to engage a portion of the catch plate so as to connect the base and cover. The base further features a rod seat which is designed to hingedly accommodate at least a portion of the rod so that when the latch plate and the latch catch are engaged, the rod is rotatable in the rod seat to permit the cover to be hinged relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Zag Ltd.
    Inventor: Evi Yemini
  • Patent number: 5689824
    Abstract: A folding portable wireless apparatus of the invention is provided with locking mechanisms provided on the both side faces of an upper and a lower case which are so configured as to be capable of opening and closing. The locking mechanisms have open levers which are provided on the both side faces of either the upper or the lower case and can be manually operated. To the both side faces of the other case are provided engaging portions which interlock with the open levers to lock the both cases, and locking impetus giving members for giving an impetus to the open levers are also provided in such a direction that the locked state established between the open levers and the engaging portions is maintained. In this structure, since the opening operation is carried out by both a thumb and an index fingers of a hand holding the portable wireless apparatus, the easy and rapid opening operation is possible no matter which hand may being holding the wireless apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Michio Nagai
  • Patent number: 5675934
    Abstract: A device capable of opening/closing a door selectively closing an access opening of a main body at either side thereof comprises: at least a pair of hinge pins installed at the main body; a fixing member fixed on the door having pin guide grooves for the hinge pins; a pair of pin holders having a pin holding recess for accommodating radially said hinge pin and a pinion-toothed portion; a pair of rack-toothed portions provided on said fixing member to engage with said pinion-toothed portions of said pin holders, so that said pin holders rotate on their own axis when they are moving along said pin guide grooves; a pair of transverse sliders moving together with said pin holders; and a pair of latch members. The side surface of said transverse slider and corresponding outer end of said latch member has a contour relation that the transverse movement of said transverse slider causes the longitudinal movement of said latch member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Hong Il Lee
    Inventor: Byung Ki Park
  • Patent number: 5651164
    Abstract: A kit is provided for mounting the opposite sides of a vehicle hood about a releasable hinge pin assembly. This effectively forms a hinge joint along opposites sides of the hood. Each hinge pin assembly includes a retractable hinge pin or pins. This permits one side of the hood to be raised and lowed while the other side is hinged, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Inventor: Stephen R. DeMarco
  • Patent number: 5647652
    Abstract: A dual-hinged center console that has a longitudinally extending cam rod retention cavity is disposed within each side wall of the center console adjacent to a lid, the cam rod retention cavity is also in axial alignment with the retention member in each side wall. Further, a cam rod is rotatably mounted in each side of the lid. Each cam rod is disposed in a corresponding cam rod retention cavity at the corresponding side wall when the lid is in a closed position. When the lid is in a open position, only one cam rod is disposed in one cam rod retention cavity of the corresponding side wall. Each cam rod has a latch handle that is attached at one end of the cam rod. Upwardly rotating the attached latch handle of one of the cam rods retracts that cam rod from the retention member of the corresponding side wall. This allows the lid to be rotated about the other cam rod to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Zalewski, Gary D. Guichard
  • Patent number: 5641086
    Abstract: An enclosure for electric, electronic and pneumatic instruments and devices, the enclosure comprising a box, a cover and hinge means (20) for mounting the cover to the fasteners (3) of the box, which fasteners comprise a support (5) parallel with the wall. The hinge means (20) comprise bearing apertures (11) for hinge pins of the cover and turnable handles (10) for opening and closing the bearing apertures. For the purpose that it would not be possible to open the enclosure without permission from the hinge side without opening the cover at first, the hinge means (20) comprise a body (12), which covers substantially the fastener (3), and an elastic locking tongue (14), which is situated below the fastener support (5) parallel with the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Fibox Oy Ab
    Inventors: John-Erik Sonntag, Jukka Lehtio
  • Patent number: 5405672
    Abstract: This invention is intended to ensure complete water-proof sealing between a fixture of a wire harness and a door frame and between a weather strip and the fixture and/or a door frame at a draw-out part of a door wire harness for an automobile door and prevent ingress of water from outside into the automobile cabin. An L-shaped recess (B) is formed across a side plate part (A1) to an inner plate part (A2) at a hinge fitting side of a door frame (A) of an automobile, a connector through hole (2) is formed in a main plate part (1) of an L-shaped fixture (D) which covers the L-shaped recess (B) and a weather strip guideway (3) is formed on the surface of the main plate part (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Takiguchi, Yasuyoshi Serizawa, Yoshihito Aoki, Satoru Unno
  • Patent number: 5357652
    Abstract: A lid operating mechanism for opening and closing a lid body from left and right sides of a box body includes left and right side hinge pins provided along left and right side edges of the lid body for movement between a projecting position and a retract position; left and right side operation buttons provided within the lid body for sliding; and left and right side cable means for directly connecting the left and right side hinge pins and the left and right side operating buttons, respectively, and having a first section extending in the widthwise direction and a second section extending in a lengthwise direction of the lid body so that when the left or right side operating button is depressed into the opening position, the left or right side cable means pulls the left or right side hinge pins into the retracted position to thereby allow opening of the lid body about the right or left side hinge pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Kato Hatsujo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 5212849
    Abstract: A device for opening and shutting in two directions a lid disposed rotatably on an opening of a box body includes a pair of rotary shafts and a pair of lock shafts severally disposed in opposite lateral parts of the opening of the box body, coil springs for interconnecting the rotary and lock shafts on the respective sides thereof and urging the lock shafts toward the corresponding rotary shafts, and an operating member for causing the lock shafts to be moved away from the corresponding rotary shafts against the resilient force of the springs. The opposite lateral parts of the lid have first engaging holes for engagement with the rotary shafts and second engaging holes for engagement with the lock shafts severally formed therein. The springs produce a pressing action to enable the lock shafts to be independently released from the corresponding second engaging holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Kato Hatsujo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Aihara
  • Patent number: 5210906
    Abstract: A double-hinged device for a console box of an automobile whose lid can be opened or closed from either lateral side without using a lever or a similar tool. Since the device has a simple construction, it can be assembled easily and manufactured at a reduced cost. Two sets of a number of pivotal members 3 are removably arranged along the lateral edges of a console box main body 1 and two sets of the same number of connectors 4 are arranged at respective corresponding positions of a box lid 2 so that the pairs of pivotal members 3 and the connectors 4 can be releasably and mutually engaged to close the box lid by means of magnetic force or ball stoppers as they are placed in contact with each other. The box lid 2 can be opened simply by pulling upward either lateral edge of the box lid 2 as the pivotal members 3 and the connectors 4 arranged along that edge are mutually separated and the box lid 2 can be swung open around the other lateral edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Kato Hatsujo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Aihara, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5173992
    Abstract: A double-hinge device according to the invention enables the lid of a console box to be smoothly opened from either of a pair of opposite edges from a closed position or conversely closed and locked form an open position by a simple operation. A shaft 3 is arranged along each of the opposite edges of the main body 1 of the console box and an engagement/release mechanism 4 is arranged to the corresponding edge of the lid 2. The shaft 3 is securely embraced by pivotally arranged primary arm 4a and secondary arm 4b under the effect of the resilient force of a return spring 5 fitted between the primary arm 4a and the lid 2. The movement of the secondary arm 4b is dependent on that of the primary arm 4a when the latter is operated to release the shaft from the primary and secondary arms 4a and 4b and open the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Kato Hatsujo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Aihara, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5148629
    Abstract: A door structure openable from the right side or the left side has hinges at upper and lower positions on both sides of the door main body and door frame for permitting the door to be opened from either the right or the left sides. The hinges each have a shaft carrying member on the door main frame and an L-shaped hinge member having one leg pivotally mounted on the shaft carrying member for pivoting movement about an axis of opening movement of the door, and the other leg having a locking bolt projecting in a direction in which the door main body moves away from the door frame during opening of the door. The locking bolt has a lateral recess. The hinge further has a locking body on the door with a locking bolt receiving recess therein in which the locking bolt is received when the door main body is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Osaka Kanagu Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kangi Minami
  • Patent number: 5144720
    Abstract: A releasable double-hinge device for an automobile console box that makes the box lid capable of being opened from either lateral side by simply sliding it sideways. The opened lid can be closed by a simple action of pushing it down. A number of pivotal pillars 3, each provided with a lock shaft 3b, are pivotally arranged on respective anchor pins 3d and kept upright along each of the lateral edges of the box main body 1 by means of respective recoil springs 4. A same number of lock sections 2a are arranged along and under each of the lateral edges of the box lid 2 in such a manner that the lock shafts of the pivotal pillars are received in respective slots 2b of the lock sections 2a to form a hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Kato Hatsujo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Aihara, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5027257
    Abstract: The present invention is a deckside computer workstation housing which includes a frame assembly having at least one vertically oriented slot formed therein for insertion of a plug-in circuit board in a vertically oriented manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred Lockwood, Philip G. Yurkonis, James G. Ammon
  • Patent number: 4985962
    Abstract: A device (36) capable of functioning both as a latch and a hinge is disclosed. The device (36) includes a latch section (16) mounted on the housing (12) of an enclosure (10) and includes a groove (88) and a movable latch member (40) extending over the groove (88). The device (36) further includes a hinge section (30) mounted on the cover (14) and includes a rod (32) which is received in the groove (88) and rotatably retained therein by the latch member (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventor: Ronald M. Weber
  • Patent number: 4947583
    Abstract: An opening/closing device of a door for a refrigerator or the like will open/close the door member at a desired side, namely, at the right side or at the left side, without requiring a movable operating handle. The device is simple in construction, has a high adiabtic efficiency, and can be easily incorporated in the door member. Therefore, no special mechanism is necessary in the door member and no structural change is required inside the door member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Inui, Masayoshi Osaka, Mitsuo Tanaka, Masao Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 4744127
    Abstract: A door hinge is disclosed including a door mounting bracket and a body mounting bracket interconnected by an intermediate member pivotably attached to each bracket. A locking arrangement including a pivotable locking arm on the intermediate member simultaneously locks and unlocks the intermediate member with the respective mounting bracket at the closed and an intermediate open position of the door providing for sequential, reversible pivotable movement of the intermediate member and door bracket as a unit about the pivot point on the body bracket between the closed and intermediate open position and independent reversible pivotable movement of the door mounting bracket between the intermediate open position and fully open position of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: ITT Corporation
    Inventor: Cami L. Shadley
  • Patent number: 4719665
    Abstract: A double pivot hinge for vehicle doors includes a hinge arm pivotally interconnecting door and vehicle mounted hinge butts. A first and second latch means are alternately movable between latched and unlatched positions to either latch the hinge arm to the door mounted hinge butt for movement of the door and hinge arm as a unit to the 90.degree. open position or to latch the hinge arm to the vehicle mounted hinge butt for movement of the door relative to the hinge arm between 90.degree. and 180.degree. open positions. A detent means detents the first latch means in unlatched position during movement of the door between 90.degree. and 180.degree. open positions. The detent means is automatically released as the door moves from the 180.degree. position to a position immediately adjacent the 90.degree. open position to permit uninterrupted closing movement of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory E. Bell
  • Patent number: 4655499
    Abstract: A vehicle including a door (16) and door frame (14). A hinge mechanism connects the door (16) to the door frame (14), the hinge mechanism including a bracket member (22) having first and second ends (24, 26) and a first support bracket (28) for supporting the first end (24) from a door frame (14) by a pin member (30) and a second support bracket (32) for supporting the second end (26) from a door (16) by a second pin member (34). The invention is characterized by including a hinge latching mechanism (48) for releasably latching one of the first and second ends (24, 26) of the bracket member (22) from pivoting movement relative to the respective one of the first and second support brackets (28, 32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Inventor: Robert J. Piper
  • Patent number: 4610289
    Abstract: The shutter is composed of a number of slats kept in parallel each other, and the slats are connected to each other with hinges so as to be folded in both forward and backward directions.The hinges comprise the pins provided at the inside and outside corners of the butt end of one of the adjacent slats and extending in longitudinal direction of the slats, and the stoppers provided at the inside and outside corners of the butt end of the other slat and having the hinge holes which hold the said pins respectively so as to turn to the folded direction. Gaps are hardly made between adjacent slats because the turning axis of each hinge is at the inside and outside corners of each slat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Assignee: Kyoritsu Kikai Company
    Inventor: Toshihiko Sugihara
  • Patent number: 4599763
    Abstract: A ceiling track having a hinged terminal section incorporating a latch at the free end of the hinged section to secure the track end to the ceiling, the latch being releasable from floor level by an actuating wand to allow the hinged section to pivot downward to allow a curtain or other track carried equipment to be installed into or pulled down out of the track for easy removal, and being restorable to operation by pivoting the hinged track section upward into latching engagement in its operative ceiling affixed position. The latching structure is in two sections, one of which is fixedly secured to the end of the track and the other of which is fixedly secured to the above lying support surface, and incorporates a double latch for safety purposes, each latch being independent of the other, but both latches being simultaneously actuatable to latch and unlatch the latching mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Inventor: Ellis I. Toder
  • Patent number: 4571774
    Abstract: A case assembly is provided including a pair of closely juxtaposed open-sided case halves opening toward each other and defining remote pairs of opposing marginal edge portions. Hinge structure pivotally interconnects one pair of the edge portions for relative angular displacement of the case halves about an axis extending along the one pair of edge portions and swinging of the other pair of marginal edge portions away and toward each other. The hinge structure includes adjustment structure operative to adjustably laterally displace the axis of relative angular displacement of the case halves outwardly from and back toward the open side of one of the case halves while maintaining the axis stationary relative to the other case half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Inventor: Eulit M. Hinson
  • Patent number: 4503583
    Abstract: Door mounting structure for pivotally mounting a door to a cabinet for selectively closing an access opening of the cabinet and permitting the door to be opened from either side, as desired. The door mounting structure includes locking structure for effectively positively retaining the opposite side of the door in latched association with the hinge structure of the cabinet when the door is opened from either side. Operating structure is provided for closing a latch member from an open position as an incident of closing movement of the door portion carrying the latch. The door mounting structure is mounted within the upper and lower portions of the door for selective latched association with hinge pins mounted to the top and bottom of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin H. Frohbieter
  • Patent number: 4503584
    Abstract: Mounting structure for mounting a door to a cabinet for selectively closing an access opening. The mounting structure permits the door to be swung open outwardly from either of the sides of the opening. The mounting structure includes latch members which are retained in the opened disposition by a spring-biased interlock and which are urged toward a hinge-engaging disposition by a biasing spring and connecting rod upon disengagement of the interlock. In the illustrated embodiment, the interlock is mounted to the latch structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory L. Malchow
  • Patent number: 4503582
    Abstract: Hinge structure for mounting a door to a cabinet for selective opening of the door from either side of the cabinet. The hinge structure includes a slide bar which is selectively positionable as a result of the opening of the door from either side of the cabinet to a thrown position. The structure includes locking elements for retaining the slide bar in the thrown position as long as the door remains pivoted open, thereby preventing the pivoting hinge structure from being removed from the cabinet. A second safety lock is provided for effectively positively preventing withdrawal of the pivoting hinge pin from the pivot slot while the door remains open from the opposite side of the cabinet. In one form, the structure for retaining the slide bar in the thrown position includes a pivotal member, and in another embodiment, the retaining structure is defined by a closely coiled spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Vincent P. Gurubatham
  • Patent number: 4495673
    Abstract: Structure for mounting a door to a cabinet for selective opening of the door from either side of an access opening provided in the cabinet. The door mounting structure includes hub portions which are removably associated with the hinge pins mounted on the cabinet. Positive locking structure is provided for positively maintaining the hub structures associated with the hinge pins about which the door is swung to prevent complete separation of the door from the cabinet. The positive locking structure includes a rigid element which is urged into interfering relationship with the hub structure associated with the cabinet hinge pin about which the door is being swung to prevent repositioning of that hub structure from a closed pin-engaging disposition to an open disposition wherein the pin is released. Overcenter detent structure is provided for maintaining the separable portions of the hub structure selectively in the opened and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Aman U. Khan