Patent ID: 6269521
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: E05D,E05F,E05Y,Y10T

Abstract:
A hinge for interconnecting a closure panel and a base, so that the closure panel may move rotationally and translatably between an open configuration and a closed configuration in relation to the base, the hinge comprising:a closure panel bracket associated with the closure panel, the closure panel bracket having a closure panel bracket major axis of rotation and a closure panel bracket minor axis of rotation;a base member bracket associated with the base, the base member bracket having a base member major axis of rotation about which an anchoring link may rotate and a base member minor axis of rotation about which an intermediate link may rotate; anda link set having:a biasing link having a biasing driving end and a biasing driven end;the intermediate link having an intermediate fixed end and an intermediate driving end; andthe anchoring link having an anchoring driving end and an anchoring fixed end; and a biasing member fixedly mounted upon the base member bracket;the biasing driving end of the biasing link being pivotally connected to the biasing member, the biasing driving end being constrained to move reciprocatively and axially; the biasing driven end of the biasing link being pivotally connected to the intermediate driving end of the intermediate link and to the closure panel bracket proximate the closure panel bracket major axis of rotation;the intermediate fixed end of the intermediate link being rotatably mounted upon the base member bracket at the base member minor axis of rotation;the anchoring driving end of the anchoring link being connected to the closure panel bracket at the closure panel bracket minor axis of rotation; and the anchoring fixed end of the anchoring link being rotatably mounted upon the base member bracket proximate the base member major axis of rotation,the link set being adapted for cooperative movement among the biasing, intermediate, and anchoring links and the biasing member so as to facilitate the rotational and translational movement of the closure panel in relation to the base, such that the link set does not extend below the base member bracket when the closure panel is in the closed configuration.