Patent Publication Number: US-6038737-A

Title: Spring hinged actuator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to spring-hinged actuators for actuating items such as doors, signals, explosive devices, initiators of motion, initiators of resistance to motion, alarms, traps and other items requiring spring-hinged actuation. 
     2. Relation to Prior Art 
     Known spring actuators do not have the versatility for use on a wide variety of items requiring spring actuation in a manner taught by this invention. An example of a different but related device illustrated in U.S. Design Pat. No. 375,960, issued to Boright, depicts a link for a rotary motion device without a cocking or triggering means for making it operative. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Objects of this invention are to provide a spring-hinged actuator which: 
     Can be positioned on a wide selection of objects; 
     Is adaptable to a wide selection of release conditions; 
     Is highly reliable; and 
     Is inexpensive to produce. 
     This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with a spring-hinged actuator having a first attachment member joined pivotally to a second attachment member with a hinge. The first attachment member and the second attachment member are spring-tensioned pivotally on the hinge with at least one torsional spring fastened pivotally to the first attachment member. At least one base torsional extension of the torsional spring is positioned to direct base torsional-spring pressure against the first attachment member in a first rotational direction and to direct torsionally rotative spring pressure in an oppositely second rotational direction against the second attachment member. The first attachment member and the second attachment member have sides at a dihedral angle proximate an axis of the hinge. The dihedral angle is maintained in opposition to opposite-directionally rotative pressure from the torsional spring by a releasable tensioner that is extended intermediate the first attachment member and the second attachment member. The first attachment member and the second attachment member are structured for attachment to particular classes of targeted actuation items. The releasable tensioner is structured for release of the first attachment member and the second attachment member to actuate the targeted actuation items in reaction to predetermined conditions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are referred to as FIGS. in this document and described briefly as follows: 
     FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of the spring-hinged actuator in a cocked mode; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the FIG. 1 illustration; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a releasable tensioner having a central yield section and cap bolts; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a releasable tensioner having end yield sections; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a releasable tensioner having a central yield section representing electrical, radio wave, chemical, sound, vibration, positional change, heat, chemical, ambient pressure, time, rotative pressure, bending moment and other select factors for release of the releasable tensioner; and 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the spring-hinged actuator in a released mode. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Terms used to describe features of this invention are listed below with numbering in the order of their initial use with reference to the drawings. These terms and numbers assigned to them designate the same features wherever used throughout this description. 
     
         ______________________________________                                    
1.    First attachment member                                             
                       10. Spring axle                                    
2.    Second attachment member                                            
                       11. First U-bolt                                   
3.    Hinge            12. Second U-bolt                                  
4.    First torsional spring                                              
                       13. Spring bracket                                 
5.    Second torsional spring                                             
                       14. Releasable tensioner                           
6.    Base torsional extension                                            
                       15. First tensioner orifice                        
      of first torsional spring                                           
                       16. Second tensioner orifice                       
7.    Rotational extension of                                             
                       17. Thin central section                           
      first torsional spring                                              
                       18. Thin end sections                              
8.    Base torsional extension                                            
                       19. Positioning shoulders                          
      of second torsional spring                                          
                       20. Central detector                               
9.    Rotational extension of                                             
                       21. End detectors                                  
      second torsional spring                                             
                       22. Fastener orifices                              
______________________________________                                    
 
    
     Reference is made first to FIGS. 1-2. A first attachment member 1 is joined pivotally to a second attachment member 2 with a hinge 3. The first attachment member 1 and the second attachment member 2 are preferably plates that are tensioned pivotally in opposite-directional rotation on the hinge 3 with at least one torsional spring which is preferably a first torsional spring 4 and a second torsional spring 5. 
     A base torsional extension 6 of the first torsional spring 4 is positioned to direct base torsional-spring pressure against the first attachment member 1 in a first rotational direction and to direct torsionally rotative spring pressure of a rotational extension 7 of the first torsional spring 4 in an oppositely second rotational direction against the second attachment member 2. In tandem relationship, a base torsional extension 8 of the second torsional spring 5 is positioned to direct base torsional-spring pressure against the first attachment member 1 in the first rotational direction and to direct torsionally rotative spring pressure of a rotational extension 9 of the second torsional spring 5 in the oppositely second rotational direction against the second attachment member 2. 
     Coils of the first torsional spring 4 and the second torsional spring 5 are juxtaposed on an outside periphery of a spring axle 10. The spring axle 10 is contained in an axle housing that can be a pair of U-bolts, a first U-bolt 11 being extended upwardly from a first side of the first attachment member 1 and a second U-bolt 12 being extended upwardly from a second side of the first attachment member 1. 
     The rotational extensions 7 and 9 can be positioned directly against the second attachment member 2 for imparting opposite directional rotation of the second attachment member 2 from the first attachment member 1. Preferably, however, the rotational extensions 7 and 9 are connected to a spring bracket 13 having bracket legs attached pivotally to opposite ends of the spring axle 10. 
     The first attachment member 1 and the second attachment member 2 are maintained in a cocked mode at a dihedral angle by insertion of a releasable tensioner 14 in a first tensioner orifice 15 and in a second tensioner orifice 16 as depicted in FIGS. 1-2. A contrasting released mode is depicted in FIG. 6 with the first attachment member 1 and the second attachment member 2 not being maintained in dihedral relationship by the releasable tensioner 14. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the releasable tensioner 14 can be structured selectively for select applications of this spring-hinged actuator. A thin central yield section 17 can be structured to yield to heat or pressure for releasing the first attachment member 1 and the second attachment member 2 to rotate in opposite directions under pressure of the torsional springs 4 and 5 for actuating targeted items. Thin end sections 18 can provide positioning shoulders 19 in addition to predetermined yield of the thin end sections 18 for release of the releasable tensioner 14. 
     The releasable tensioner 14 illustrated in FIG. 5 is representative of a selection of release criteria related to factors such as electrical current, radio-wave signals, ambient chemical conditions, ambient pressure, altitude, vibration, acceleration, positional change, attitudinal change, sound, smoke and time. A central detector 20 and/or end detectors 21 can be structured for separate or for coactive operation. 
     Referring further to FIG. 2, attachment member 1 and attachment member 2 can be structured for attachment to a wide selection of targeted items for actuation. Included can be various rotational devices, alarms and signals. Applications can be not only to detect conditions but also to actuate mechanisms in response to detected conditions. 
     In combination with structure for attachment, fastener means are important. Representative of convenient structure are plate forms that are depicted with fastener orifices 22. Other forms of attachment members 1 and 2, other forms of fastening provision than the fastener orifices 22 and other types of springs are anticipated within this invention. 
     A new and useful spring-hinged actuator having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.