Patent Application
20070199176
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a living hinge. Such hinges are also known as live or flexible hinges in the art.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common articulating hinges are relatively complex, expensive, multipart devices with separate parts for rotating attachment edges about a pivot or axis. Living or live hinges are relatively simpler, lower-cost, one-piece flexing devices or functional hinges having of a flexing zone between attachment edges.
A living hinge of high strength requires the desirable qualities of toughness and stability found in metal or other high strength materials. However, those same properties of strength and rigidity limit their flexibility to be used as living hinges.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,335 to Kulkaski discloses a flexible hinge having a thin flexible web between two inflexible members. U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,304 to Smith teaches a hinged structure having S-shaped hinge members of resiliently flexible material passing partially around each other and tensioned around supports. Both the Kulkaski and Smith devices have extremely complicated, multipart configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,273 to McCaffrey relates to a spring-like hinge in which a spring-like compressive force is applied to arcuate arms. The McCaffrey device relies upon the inherent flexibility of the material of the arms. However, that flexibility reduces and limits hinge strength and flexing cycle life.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,418 to Greenwood et al. discloses a flexible hinge in which a groove portion is etched away in a silicon body. The opposing surfaces of the hinge are placed alternately in destructive tension and compression, leading to low cycle life durability and high failure rates due to molecular disruption and fracture in the area of tension.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a living hinge, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which is simple, flexible and low-cost, yet has increased reliability, stability, strength and high cycle-life durability of metal or other suitable material.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a living hinge. The living hinge comprises a hinge body formed of a material. The hinge body has attachment edges and a flexing zone between the attachment edges defining a flexing axis. The material of the hinge body has at least one separation formed therein in the flexing zone. The at least one separation describes an angle with the flexing axis which is other than 90°. The hinge according to the invention converts the focused, destructive tension and compression of linear flexing, with its destructive molecular movements or forces at the surfaces, into non-destructive torsion or twisting movements that develop much smaller molecule to molecule movements.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the at least one separation is a plurality of separations each describing the angle with the flexing axis. The plurality of separations are disposed in at least one row, preferably a plurality of rows, describing the angle with the flexing axis. The at least one row may be parallel or oblique to the flexing axis. The number and placement of separations and rows depends on the material and the application of the hinge.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the angle is at least substantially 30° and at most less than 90°. The angle may also be approximately 30° or approximately 45°.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the at least one separation is a plurality of through cutouts, scorings, recesses, channels or laser cuts, which may be disposed in rows.
The angle and shape of the separations are also selected based on the intended use and material planned for the living hinge.
The living hinge according to the invention retains the simplicity, flexibility and low cost, of the prior art living hinge but, with the increased reliability, stability, strength and high cycle-life durability of metal or other suitable material. The living hinge of the invention overcomes the inherent problem of material rigidity by changing the manner in which flexing forces are absorbed. The new living hinge converts the focused, destructive tension and compression of linear flexing, which concentrates the destructive molecular movements or forces at the surfaces, into non-destructive torsion or twisting movements that develop much smaller molecule to molecule movements. It is equally important that these movements are evenly spread throughout the flexing element both vertically and longitudinally. In the prior art pliant material hinge a small area moves a lot, whereas in the semi-pliant material torsion hinge according to the invention, a large area moves a little.
This unique configuration of the machined or formed pliant material is constructed for the specific use of higher strength semi-pliant materials, such as metals or other suitable materials, in the manufacture of living hinges. Configuring the flexing or hinging zones into relatively long, narrow torsion elements allows this much stronger material to form an improved living hinge. The flexing area is separated into separate, active torsion hinging elements to improve flexibility, lengthen the flexing zone, reduce molecular strain and improve flexibility while improving the strength of living hinges.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a living hinge, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to
In another prior art living hinge 20 shown in
In all of the prior art living hinges, strength is sacrificed for flexibility.
In the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in
A living hinge 50, according to a second embodiment of the invention shown in
It is noted that the desired effect may be accomplished with only one scoring or cutout or only one row of scorings or cutouts and that the scorings or cutouts are interchangeable in each of the embodiments of the inventions.
The angle (relative to the flexing axis), length, width, overlap and pattern of the separations, recesses or scores which are formed or cut within the material of the living hinge itself converts prior art tension and compression elements into improved function, torsion elements. These recesses, scores or separations are formed or cut parallel to or at small angles (0 to 45 degrees) relative to the hinging axis in
