Patent Publication Number: US-2017362868-A1

Title: Releasable Hinge

Description:
FIELD 
     The embodiments described herein are directed to a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly design enables quick and easy assembly and disassembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In race car driving, there is a need to be able to access, and repair or service a race car quickly. In a car race, when the driver makes a pit stop, the race car must be quickly accessed by the pit crew, quickly serviced and any repairs made, and ready to return to the race track as soon as possible. Thus, there is a need to quickly and effectively access the engine. Hoods today are made with a standard hinge that enables the hood to move upward at an acute angle to the engine during repair. However, hinges on hoods today do not enable the hood to move perpendicular to the engine or beyond, or be easily or quickly removed. 
     The ability to quickly and easily remove a hood is an advantage in auto racing as it enables a crew to quickly and easily access any area of the engine and once repairs or services are completed, to quickly return the hood to its position over the engine and get the car back on the race track. 
     Thus, there exists a need for a releasable hinge that enables the hinge components to quickly separate and reassemble as needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The embodiments described herein are directed to a releasable hinge assembly. The assembly includes a first part having a cylindrical protuberance fixed to a first hinge element and an arcuate guide fixed to the hinge element. The guide is in spaced apart relation to the protuberance and has an arc concentric to the protuberance. The assembly further includes a second part having a second hinge element having a u-shaped member extending outwardly therefrom. The u-shaped member has an inner arcuate surface. The second hinge part further includes an arcuate channel located in spaced apart relation to the inner arcuate surface of the u-shaped member, the inner arcuate surface, channel, and guide being concentric with the protuberance. In use, the first and second parts are easily assembled and disassembled. To assemble, the u-shaped member of the second part receives the protuberance, and the channel receives the guide. 
     There is also a need for a hinge assembly wherein the u-shaped member rotates about the protuberance. 
     There is yet a further need for a hinge assembly wherein the first and second hinge elements are perpendicular to one another. 
     There is still a further need for a hinge assembly wherein the u-shaped member receives the protuberance when the first and second hinge elements are at an angle of 60° relative to each other. 
     There is further yet a need for a releasable hinge having a first component having a circular hinge pin and an arcuate guide fixed thereto and a second component having a u-shaped member having an annular groove concentric with and matingly received by the hinge pin. The second component also has an arcuate channel received by the arcuate guide. 
     There is a need for the aforementioned releasable hinge where the u-shaped member is received by the hinge pin when the first and second components are at a 60° angle relative to each other. There is still a need for a releasable hinge where the arcuate channel and arcuate guide are concentric. 
     There is yet a further need for a method of assembling a hinge having the steps of providing a first component having a hinge pin and an arcuate guide fixed thereto, and providing a second component having a u-shaped member having an annular groove concentric with the hinge pin. The second component has an arcuate channel. The steps also include orienting the first and second components at an angle of 60° relative to each other, causing the u-shaped member to receive the hinge pin, and enabling the second component to rotate within the annular groove about the hinge pin. 
     There is still a further need for the aforementioned method to include the addition step of enabling the arcuate channel to move relative to the guide. 
     There is also a need for the aforementioned method wherein the arcuate channel and guide are concentric. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent upon reading the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings and appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a right perspective view of the first part of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the first part of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the first part of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a left perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a right perspective view of the second part of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a left perspective view of the second part of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the second part of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a right perspective view of the first embodiment prior to assembly; 
         FIG. 9  is a right perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8  being assembled; 
         FIG. 10  is right exploded perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8  during assembly; 
         FIG. 11  is a right perspective assembled view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a left perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a left, rear perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8  in its fully installed position; 
         FIG. 14  is a right, rear perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 13 ;  FIG. 15  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a front exploded view of a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a front assembled view of the embodiment of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the second embodiment in its fully installed position; 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 18 ; and 
         FIG. 20  is a front view of the embodiment of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment  10  having a first part  12  and a second part  14 , shown in  FIG. 5 . Returning to  FIG. 1 , the first part  12  includes a first plate  16  fixed perpendicularly to a second plate  18 . A cylindrical protuberance  20  is fixed to the second plate  18 . An arcuate guide  22  is fixed at the intersection of both the first  12  and second  14  plates. 
     The arcuate guide  22  has an inner arcuate surface  23 . A protuberance circular groove  24  is located along a portion of the axial length of the protuberance  20 . The groove  24  forms a circle. The circle is concentric with the inner arcuate surface  23  of the guide  22 . 
     The second part  14 , shown in  FIG. 5 , includes a base  26  having a u-shaped member  28  extending therefrom. The u-shaped member  28  includes includes a u-shaped piece  30  having a rounded portion  32  and a pair of extended arms  34 . The u-shaped member  28  has an arcuate inner member surface  36  and an outer member surface  38 , shown in more detail in  FIG. 6 . 
     The u-shaped member  28  also includes an arcuate recess  40 . The rounded portion  32  of the u-shaped member and the arcuate recess  40  are concentric with the inner arcuate surface  23  of the guide  22  and the circular groove  24  of the protuberance  20  of the first part  12 . 
     Bolt holes  42  are located on the first plate  16  and second part  14 . The bolt holes  42  receive fastening members (not shown) such as bolts, rivets or the like to fix the first plate  16  and second part  14  to other structures. 
     For purposes of illustration, the second part  14  of the first embodiment  10  may be fixed by fastening member  44  to a structure such as an automobile body. Similarly, the first plate  16  may be fixed to an automobile hood. 
     To assemble the first embodiment  10 , the second part  14  is oriented relative to the first part  12  so that the cylindrical protuberance  20  receives the extended arms  34  of the u-shaped member  28 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . In that alignment, the arcuate inner member surface  36  of the u-shaped member  28  of the second part  14  is received into the groove  24  of the protuberance. Retaining screw  46  is inserted into tapped hole  44 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , to prevent axial movement of the second part  14  relative to the first part  12 . The screw  46  threads into the hole and is tightened. As it rotates within the hole  44 , the length of the screw  46  travels across a portion of the groove  24  on the protuberance  20 . This locks the embodiment  10  in and prevents any axial travel of the second part  14  relative to the first part  12 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     Once the screw  46  secures the second part  14  to the first part  12 , the second part  14  may rotate relative to the first part  12 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . As the parts  12 ,  14  rotate, the arcuate recess  40  is received by the arcuate guide  22 . The arcuate recess  40  slides along the arcuate guide  22  as the arcuate member surface  36  slides within the groove  24  of the protuberance  20 . Rotational travel of the second part  14  relative to the first part  12  stops when one of the extended arms  34  of the second part  14  abuts the surface of the first plate  16 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     To disassemble, the process is the same as describe above with regard to assembly but in the reverse order. The first  12  and second parts  14  are rotated away from one another so that they are at an angle θ of 60°, as shown in  FIG. 11 . The screw  46  is unthreaded and removed from the recess  44 . Now the arcuate guide  22  is no longer in contact with the arcuate recess  40 , and the extended arms  34  of the u-shaped member are held in position by the protuberance  20  alone. At this time, the second part  14  may be lifted away from the first part as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The advantage of the releasable hinge assembly is that assembly and disassembly is relatively quick and easy. Once the first part  12  properly engages with the second part  14  as described above, the parts rotate relative to each other about the protuberance  20  as needed. It should be noted that the arcuate guide  22  is shaped to receive the the u-shaped member  28  and arcuate recess  40  when the first  12  and second  14  parts are at a 60° angle relative to one another. This angle θ is referred to herein as the insertion angle. It is anticipated that the insertion angle may be altered to accommodate different applications. In addition, the screw  46  is applied to prevent axial movement of the second part  12 . However, it is anticipated that in some applications it may not be needed. 
     A second embodiment  50  is shown in  FIGS. 16 through 20 . The second embodiment  50  includes a hinge pin assembly  52  and a u-shaped assembly  54 . The hinge pin assembly  52  includes a hinge pin base  56  and a hinge pin member  58  fixed and substantially perpendicular to the base. A cylindrical hinge pin  60 , shown in  FIG. 18 , is fixed and substantially perpendicular to the member  58 . The hinge pin  60  has a circular cap  62  located at the opposed end of the hinge pin from the member/hinge pin interface as shown in  FIG. 18 . The hinge pin base  56  has one or more bolt holes  64  to receive a fastening member (not shown) to secure the hinge pin assembly  52  to a structure. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 16 , the u-shaped member  54  includes a slot  64  located at one end of the u-shaped member. The slot  64  has a circular bore portion  66  and a pair of diverging surfaces  68 . The slot  64  forms a pair of fingers  70  extending outwardly away from the bore portion  66  of the u-shaped member  54 . The intersection of the bore portion  66  and the diverging surface  68  forms a step  72  the function of which will be described in detail below. 
     The remaining end of the u-shaped assembly  54  includes an arm  55 . The arm  55  may include one or more bolt holes  64  for securing the u-shaped assembly to another structure. To assemble the second embodiment  50 , the u-shaped assembly  54  is positioned at an angle above the hinge pin assembly  52 . Preferably, this angle θ is about 60° between the axial center of the u-shaped assembly  54  and the hinge pin base  56 . The u-shaped assembly  54  is then lowered down toward the hinge pin assembly  52  so that the hinge pin  60  slides between the fingers  70 . The second embodiment  50  is completely connected relative to parts  52 ,  54  when the hinge pin  60  overcomes the step  72  and snaps into the bore portion  66 , as shown in  FIG. 17 . It should be noted that the bore portion  66  and the circumference of the hinge pin  60  are concentric. 
     Once the u-shaped assembly  54  is assembled relative to the hinge pin assembly  52 , the fingers  70  are free to rotate relative to the hinge pin  60 . The circular cap  62  prevents the fingers  70  from sliding axially off of the hinge pin  60 . The step  72 , shown in  FIG. 16 , prevents the fingers  70  from pulling radially away from engagement with the hinge pin  60 . 
     In use, the u-shaped assembly  54  rotates relative to the hinge pin assembly  52  in a direction towards the hinge pin assembly until the hinge pin base  56  rests against the surface of the arm  55  of the u-shaped assembly  54 . It is preferred that the at rest position places the hinge pin base  56  relatively parallel with the arm  55  as shown in  FIG. 18 . It should be noted that travel of the u-shaped assembly  54  may be stopped by projecting abutments fixed to one or both of the arm  55  and/or the hinge pin base  56 . 
     The embodiments described herein are directed to a releasable hinge assembly. One advantage of the embodiments is the ability to quickly and easily assemble and disassemble the hinge assembly. While applicants have focused above on this advantage as it pertains to auto racing, applicants submit that the same advantages may be realized in home appliances where releasable hinge assemblies may cause fewer hinge failures and thus provide greater consumer satisfaction. Moreover easily removeable hinge assemblies may make it easier for consumers to clean a product, such as an oven or microwave. Other applications of the releasable hinge assembly described in the embodiments herein are too numerous to mention but would include without limitation jewelry, appliances, furniture and the like. 
     It should be further noted that any abutments or contacting surfaces may have a cushioning material such as a foam to avoid surface to surface contact and to minimize any noise that may occur during vibration of the two adjacent surfaces, especially where the embodiments may apply to machinery or automobiles. 
     While the embodiments herein have been described in detail above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.