Door hinge mechanism for telecommunications panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11199036-B2
Application number	US-201916712179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2014
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

A double jointed hinge mechanism for pivotally coupling a door to a telecommunications chassis includes an first hinge arm configured to be non-rotatably attached to the chassis, a second hinge arm non-rotatably attached to the door, and a third hinge arm pivotally attached to the first and second hinge arms. The hinge mechanism is configured such that the door can be placed in a first open position and a second open position through rotation about first and second rotational axes. In the first open position, the door is in a generally horizontal position and below the first rotational axis. In the second open position, the door is in a generally vertical position and forward of a vertical plane defined by the first rotational axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door hinge mechanism for pivotally coupling a door to a telecommunications chassis, the hinge mechanism comprising:
a) a first hinge arm configured to be non-rotatably affixed to the telecommunications chassis;
b) a second hinge arm configured to be non-rotatably affixed to the door; and
c) a third hinge arm having a first extension portion pivotally attached to the first hinge arm and having a second extension portion pivotally attached to the second hinge arm, the first extension portion meeting the second extension portion at an angle to form a dog-leg shaped hinge arm, wherein the third hinge arm is rotatable with respect to the first hinge arm through a rotational angle of at least 90 degrees.

2. The door hinge mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the third hinge arm is rotatable with respect to the first hinge arm about a first rotational axis and is rotatable with respect to the second hinge arm about a second rotational axis.

3. The door hinge mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the door hinge mechanism further includes a detent structure to resist rotation between the third hinge arm and the second hinge arm about the second rotational axis.

4. The door hinge mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the detent structure includes a detent protrusion located on one of the first and second hinge arms and a detent cavity located on the other of the first and second hinge arms.

5. The door hinge mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the door hinge mechanism is positionable into an engaged position in which the detent protrusion engages with the detent cavity, and wherein the door hinge mechanism is positionable into a disengaged position in which the detent protrusion is disengaged from the detent cavity.

6. The door hinge mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the second hinge arm further includes a latch post configured to engage with a latch recess of the telecommunications chassis to releasably retain the door in a closed position.

7. The door hinge mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge arm is pivotally attached to the third hinge arm by a hinge post located on the first hinge arm that is received by an opening extending through the third hinge arm.

8. The door hinge mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the second hinge arm is pivotally attached to the third hinge arm by a second hinge post located on the second hinge arm that is received by a recess defined in the second hinge arm.

9. The door hinge mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the second hinge arm further includes a slot opening into which the third hinge arm is received.

10. A telecommunications system comprising:
a) a telecommunications chassis defining an open front face;
b) a door pivotally attached to the telecommunications chassis via a hinge mechanism, the hinge mechanism comprising:
i) a first hinge arm affixed to the telecommunications chassis;
ii) a second hinge arm affixed to the door; and
iii) a third hinge arm having a first extension portion pivotally attached to the first hinge arm at a first pivot connection such that the third hinge arm is rotatable with respect to the first hinge arm about a first axis coaxially aligned with the first pivot connection, and having a second extension portion pivotally attached to the second hinge arm at a second pivot connection such that the third hinge arm is rotatable with respect to the first hinge arm about a second axis coaxially aligned with the second pivot connection, the first extension portion meeting the second extension portion at an angle to form a dog-leg shaped hinge arm.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 10 , wherein the door hinge mechanism further includes a detent structure to resist rotation between the third hinge arm and the second hinge arm about the second axis.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 11 , wherein the detent structure includes a detent protrusion located on one of the first and second hinge arms and a detent cavity located on the other of the first and second hinge arms.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 12 , wherein the hinge mechanism is positionable into an engaged position in which the detent protrusion engages with the detent cavity, and wherein the hinge mechanism is positionable into a disengaged position in which the detent protrusion is disengaged from the detent cavity.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 10 , wherein the second hinge arm further includes a latch post configured to engage with a latch recess of the telecommunications chassis to releasably retain the door in a closed position.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 10 , wherein the first hinge arm is pivotally attached to the third hinge arm by a hinge post located on the first hinge arm that is received by an opening extending through the third hinge arm.

16. The telecommunications system of claim 15 , wherein the second hinge arm is pivotally attached to the third hinge arm by a second hinge post located on the second hinge arm that is received by a recess defined in the second hinge arm.

17. The telecommunications system of claim 16 , wherein the second hinge arm further includes a slot opening into which the third hinge arm is received.

18. A telecommunications system comprising:
a) a telecommunications chassis having an open front extending along a first plane;
b) a hinge mechanism pivotally attached to the telecommunications chassis, the hinge mechanism being rotatable with respect to the telecommunications chassis about a first rotational axis;
c) a door pivotally attached to the hinge mechanism, the door being rotatable with respect to the hinge mechanism about a second rotational axis, the door being positionable between:
i) a closed position in which the door is disposed in a vertical position to at least partially cover the open front of the chassis, wherein a front face of the door is located behind a vertical plane extending through the first rotational axis; and
ii) a first open position in which the door is disposed in a horizontal position, wherein the front face of the door is at least partially forward of the vertical plane.

19. The telecommunications system of claim 18 , wherein:
The door is further positionable to a second open position in which the door is disposed in a vertical position and rotated from the closed position about the first rotational axis by about 180 degrees, wherein the door is disposed forward of the vertical plane extending through the first rotational axis.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Wells Dennis Ray
• Schoenfelder Rodney C

Classifications

• E05D3/12 Primary

  with two parallel pins and one arm · CPC title

• G02B6/4453

  Cassettes · CPC title

• E05Y2900/208

  for metal cabinets · CPC title

• E05D11/10 Primary

  Devices for preventing movement between relatively-movable hinge parts · CPC title

• E05Y2900/602

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic