Patent ID: 7328484

Claim:
A hinge ( 1 ), comprising a first movable hinge section ( 3 ), a second hinge section ( 2 ) including a fixed stop section, at least one joint axis interconnecting said first and second hinge sections ( 3 , 2 ), a damping device mounted upon one of said first and second hinge sections ( 3 , 2 ) and comprising at least one damping member ( 16 ) mounted for rotational movement, gear means mounted for acting upon said at least one damping member ( 16 ) at least in a region of a closed position of said hinge ( 1 ), said gear means comprising at least three movable gear members ( 20 , 22 , 45 ), an axis ( 61 ) positioned upon one of said hinge sections ( 2 , 3 ) for supporting one of said gear members ( 22 ) intermediately-mounted between said two other gear members ( 20 , 45 ) of said at least three gear members ( 20 , 22 , 45 ), said intermediately-mounted gear member ( 22 ) comprising two separate engaging members ( 21 , 23 ) arranged (i) concentrically about said axis ( 61 ) supporting said intermediately-mounted gear member ( 22 ), (ii) at a periphery of said intermediately-mounted gear member ( 22 ), and (iii) at unequal distance from said axis ( 61 ) supporting said intermediately-mounted gear ( 22 ), with one of said engaging members ( 23 ) mounted further from said axis ( 61 ) arranged to engage one ( 20 ) of said gears ( 20 , 22 , 45 ) contacting said damping member ( 16 ), said other engaging member ( 21 ) mounted closer to said axis ( 61 ) arranged to engage the other ( 45 ) of said gears ( 20 , 22 , 45 ), and said other ( 45 ) of said gear members ( 20 , 22 , 45 ) being rotatably mounted upon an axis ( 60 ) situated upon said hinge section ( 2 ) on which said damping device ( 16 ) is mounted and arranged to engage both said intermediately-positioned gear ( 22 ) and other hinge section ( 3 ).