Abstract:
The present invention is to provide a hinge suitable for a glass door, having a roller actuating by a spring member and cooperating with a cylindrical surface and slots on the cylindrical surface to hold the glass door in the opened and closed positions, and to make the fluent opening and closing movement of the glass door.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hinge, particularly but not exclusively relates to a hinge for a glass door. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A glass door can be mounted in a doorframe universally by using hinges to provide a light-admitting and waterproof circumstance in public or at home. There are a variety of structures of glass door hinges. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a hinge suitable for a glass door, having a roller actuating by a spring member and cooperating with a cylindrical surface and slots on the cylindrical surface to hold the glass door in the opened and closed positions, and to make the fluent opening and closing movement of the glass door. 
     To accomplish this object, the present invention is characterized by a hinge for a glass door comprising: a first clamp member having a first recess, a spring slot in the inside surface of the first clamp member, and a roller receiving hole in the side surface of the spring slot communicating with the first recess; a second clamp member fastened to the first clamp member to provide a glass pane receiving space and having a second recess corresponding to the first recess; a leaf spring received in the spring slot of the first clamp member; a positioning member received in the roller receiving hole and connected to the leaf spring, the end of which pass through the roller receiving hole into the first recess by urging of the leaf spring; a pivot bracket mounted on a doorframe and received in the first recess and the second recess and having a cylindrical out surface corresponding to the positioning member and pressed against the positioning member and having a plurality of positioning slot on the cylindrical out surface corresponding to the positioning member; and a pivot pin by which the first clamp member is hinged to the pivot bracket. 
     It is particularly preferred that a gear is defined on one end of the pivot pin, the first clamp member having a pair of pivot holes in the two side surface of the recess and a gear ring in the pivot hole, the gear going into mesh with the gear ring when the first clamp member is hinged to the pivot bracket by the pivot pin extending therethrough. 
     It is particularly preferred that the first clamp member has a notch and a fastening panel covering the open side of the notch to form the spring slot. 
     It is particularly preferred that a roller-mounting hole is defined in the leaf spring and a spring-mounting hole is defined in the positioning member corresponding to the roller-mounting hole, the leaf spring and the positioning member being interconnected by a bolt screwing respectively into the roller-mounting hole and the spring-mounting hole. 
     It is particularly preferred that a through hole is defined in the side surface of the spring slot corresponding to the roller receiving hole. 
     It is particularly preferred that the positioning member is pressed and urged by the leaf spring. 
     It is particularly preferred that the positioning member comprises: a connecting post; a roller bracket extending from the connecting post; and a roller, hinged to the roller bracket, the end of which passes through the roller receiving hole into the first recess by urging of the leaf spring. 
     It is particularly preferred that the pivot bracket has three the positioning slots at intervals of 90 degrees on the cylindrical out surface. 
     It is particularly preferred that the hinge further comprises a mounting base fastened on the pivot bracket and mounted securely on the doorframe. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a hinge for a glass door of a first example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view, looking from another perspective, of the hinge for the glass door of the first example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1C  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the hinge for the glass door of the first example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1D  is an exploded perspective view of the hinge for the glass door of the first example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a hinge for a glass door of a second example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is an exploded perspective view of the hinge for the glass door of the second example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a hinge for a glass door of a third example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is an exploded perspective view of the hinge for the glass door of the third example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a hinge for a glass door of a fourth example according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4B  is an exploded perspective view of the hinge for the glass door of the fourth example according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this patent specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner. 
     Example 1 
     As shown in the  FIGS. 1A-1D , a first preferred embodiment is described as below. 
     A hinge for a glass door comprises a first clamp member  1 , a second clamp member  2 , two gasket  3 , a leaf spring  4 , a positioning member  5 , a pivot bracket  6 , a pivot pin  7  and a mounting base  8 . 
     The first clamp member  1  has a clamp plate  11  and a connecting block  12  interconnected. The clamp plate  11  has a platelike structure. The connecting block  12  is smaller in diameter than the clamp plate  11  and is extending backwards from the back surface of the clamp plate  11 . A first recess  13  is defined in the bottom end of the clamp plate  11  and the connecting block  12 . The first recess  13  has a pair of pivot hole  123  in the two side surfaces thereof respectively. Two threaded clamp holes  121  are defined in the back surface of the top portion of the connecting block  12 . A “T”-shaped spring slot  124  is defined between the threaded clamp holes  121  in the back surface of the top portion of the connecting block  12 . A mounting hole  127  and a pressing hole  128  are defined in the top surface of the connecting block  12  corresponding to the two ends of the spring slot  124  and communicating with the spring slot  124 . The mounting hole  127  passes through the top and bottom wall of the spring slot  124 . The pressing hole  128  only passes through only the top wall of the spring slot  124 . A roller receiving hole  125  is defined in the middle of the bottom surface of the spring slot  124 , passing through the portion of the connecting block  12  below the spring slot  124 , communicating with the recess  122 . A rectangular hole  122  is defined in the back surface of the connecting block  12 , below the two ends of the spring slot  124  and above the first recess  13 , which is provide the economy of manufacture material. 
     The second clamp member  2  is a clamp plate which has the same size of the first clamp member  1 . A second recess  22  is defined in the bottom of the second clamp member  2  corresponding to and communicating with the first recess  13  of the first clamp member  1 . A through hole  21  is defined in the second clamp member  2  corresponding to the threaded clamp hole  121  of the connecting block  12 . The second clamp member  2  is fattened on the connecting block  12  of the first clamp member  1  by a bolt  91  passing through the through hole  21  and screwing into the threaded clamp hole  121 . The bolt  91  use an allen countersunk head screws. 
     The gaskets  3  are made of nylon. The gasket  3  has the similar shape and size with the clamp plate  11  of the first clamp member  1  and second clamp member  2 . The gasket  3  has a notch  31  corresponding to the connecting block  12  of the first clamp member  1 . The gaskets  3  are mounted around the connecting block  12  respectively adjacent to the clamp plate  11  and the second clamp member  2 . 
     A glass pane (not shown) can be clamped between the clamp plate  11  of the first clamp member  1  and the second clamp member  2  of the hinge after being notched out to receive the connecting block  12  of the first clamp member  1 . Two gaskets  3  are mounted between the glass pane and the clamp plate  11 , the second clamp member  2  respectively. Thus, the hinge is mounted on the glass pane. 
     The leaf spring  4  is received in the spring slot  124  of the connecting block  12  of the first clamp member  1 . A spring-mounting hole  42  is defined in one end of the leaf spring  4  corresponding to the mounting hole  127  of the connecting block  12 . By a bolt  92  screwing into the mounting hole  127  and the spring-mounting hole  42 , one end of the leaf spring  4  is mounted in the spring slot  124  securely. A bolt  93  screws into the pressing hole  128  and presses the other end of the leaf spring  4 . The bolt  92  use an allen sunk screw, and the bolt  93  use a holding screws. 
     The positioning member  5  has a connecting post  51 , a roller bracket  52  and a roller  53 . The connecting post  51  corresponds with the roller receiving hole  125  of the connecting block  12 . The roller bracket  52  extends downwards from the connecting post  51 . The roller  53  is hinged to the roller bracket  52 . The bottom of the roller  53  passes through the roller receiving hole  125  into the first recess  13  by the press of the leaf spring  4 . 
     The pivot bracket  6  has a half-cylindrical top portion and a cuboid bottom portion. The pivot bracket  6  is received in the first recess  13  of the first clamp member  1  and the second recess  22  of the second clamp member  2 . The cylindrical surface of the pivot bracket  6  is pressed against the roller  53 . The pivot bracket  6  has a bore  61 . Two bushings  63  are mounted respectively in the two ends of the bore  61 . The pivot bracket  6  has three positioning slot  62  at intervals of 90 degrees, i.e in the 9, 12, 3 o&#39;clock position, on the cylindrical surface. The pivot bracket  6  has two bracket mounting holes  64  on the bottom thereof. 
     A gear  71  is defined on one end of the pivot pin  7 . The connecting block  12  has a pair of pivot holes  123  on two side surface of the recess  13  and a gear ring (not shown) on the side surface of each of the pivot holes  123  respectively. When the first clamp member  1  is hinged to the pivot bracket  6  by the pivot pin  7  extending through the pivot holes  123  and the bore  61 , the gear  71  goes into mesh with the gear ring to prevent the rotation of the pivot pin  7  relative to the first clamp member  1  and the glass door, i.e. the second clamp member  2 , the first clamp member  1  and the glass door pane move at the same time. When the first clamp member  1  and the glass door pane turned relative to the pivot bracket  6 , the cylindrical out surface of the pivot bracket  6  is urged by the roller  53 . During the turning of the glass door, the roller  53  will inserted into the three positioning slots  62  in the proper order, i.e locate at the inwards opened position, the closed position and the outwards opened position. 
     Two through holes  81  are defined in the mounting base  8  corresponding to the bracket mounting holes  64  in the pivot bracket  6 . The pivot bracket  6  is fastened to the mounting base  8  by a plurality of bolts screwing into the through holes  81  and the bracket mounting holes  64 . The mounting base  8  is also fastened to the doorframe by four bolts screwing into four through holes  82  in the corners of the base  8  and the holes in the doorframe. 
     Example 2 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B , a second preferred embodiment of the hinge for the glass door of the present invention is schematically depicted. The components thereof same as or similar to those of the first preferred embodiment in  FIGS. 1A-1D  use the same numerals. 
     The second preferred embodiment differs from the first preferred embodiment only as follows: 
     The leaf spring  4  has a through roller-mounting hole  41  in the middle thereof corresponding to the roller receiving hole  125  of the connecting block  12 . A spring-mounting hole  54  is defined in the top surface of the connecting post  51  of the positioning member  5  corresponding to the roller-mounting hole  41 . The leaf spring  4  is connected to the positioning member  5  by a bolt  94  screwing into the roller-mounting hole  41  and the spring-mounting hole  54  respectively. The bolt  94  uses a cross recessed countersunk head screw. For the convenience of the installation of the leaf spring  4  and the positioning member  5 , a through hole  126  is defined in the top surface of the connecting block  12  corresponding to the roller receiving hole  125  and communicating with the spring slot  124  to provide a passage for the bolt  94 . 
     Two pressing holes  128  are defined in the top surface of the connecting block  12  communicating with the spring slot  124 . Two ends of leaf spring  4  do not have the spring-mounting hole  42 . The leaf spring  4  is mounted in the spring slot  124  by the bolts  93  screwing into the pressing holes  128  and pressing the two ends of the leaf spring  4  securely. The bolts  93  use holding screws. 
     Example 3 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3A-3B , a third preferred embodiment of the hinge for the glass door of the present invention is schematically depicted. The components thereof same as or similar to those of the first preferred embodiment use the same numerals. 
     The third preferred embodiment differs from the first preferred embodiment only as follows: 
     The connecting block  12  has a notch in the top thereof and a fastening panel  14  covering the open side of the notch to form the spring slot  124 . Two threaded holes  127  are defined in the bottom surface of the spring slot  124  of the connecting block  12 . The fastening panel  14  has two through holes  141  corresponding to the holes  127  respectively. Each end of the leaf spring  4  has a spring-mounting hole  42  respectively corresponding to the holes  127 . By bolts  92  screwing into the holes  141 , the spring-mounting holes  42  and the holes  127 , the fastening panel  14  is fastened on the connecting block  12 , and the leaf spring  4  is mounted in the spring slot  124  at the same time. The bolt  92  uses a cross recessed countersunk head screw. 
     Example 4 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B , a fourth preferred embodiment of the hinge for the glass door of the present invention is schematically depicted. The components thereof same as or similar to those of the first preferred embodiment use the same numerals. 
     The fourth preferred embodiment differs from the third preferred embodiment only as follows: 
     A roller-mounting hole  41  is defined in the middle portion of the leaf spring  4  corresponding to the roller receiving hole  125  of the connecting block  12 . A spring-mounting hole  54  is defined in the top surface of the connecting post  51  of the positioning member  5  corresponding to the roller-mounting hole  41 . The leaf spring  4  is connected to the positioning member  5  by a bolt  94  screwing into the roller-mounting hole  41  and the spring-mounting hole  54 . The bolt  94  use a cross recessed countersunk head screw. 
     Example embodiments being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.