Dampening hinges and table assemblies including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466497-B2
Application number	US-202117200413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2021
Priority date	May 7, 2019
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A dampened hinge construction for braking pivoting movement of one structure relative to another. The dampened hinge construction can be utilized in a folding table assembly in an aircraft passenger suite including a base panel and at least one folding panel pivotally attached to the base panel by multiple dampened hinges. Each dampened hinge includes a first assembly attachable to a first structure and a second assembly attachable to a second structure such that the first structure is pivotable relative to the second structure between a first condition and a second condition, such as a folded condition and a planar condition, and at least one damper that brakes pivoting movement of the first structure relative to the second structure as the first condition or second condition is approached.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dampened hinge assembly for controlling motion of coupled parts, comprising:
a first assembly attachable to a first part;
a second assembly attachable to a second part to be pivotable relative to the first part by the dampened hinge assembly, the second part pivotable relative to the first part between a first condition and a second condition;
at least one damper for braking pivoting movement of the second assembly relative to the first assembly as the first condition or second condition is approached;
at least one slider mounted to and movable relative to a housing of the first assembly or the second assembly;
at least one link pivotally attached to the at least one slider and to a housing of the other of the first assembly or the second assembly and causing movement of the at least one slider upon pivoting movement of the first assembly relative to the second assembly;
at least one spring disposed between the at least one slider and a distal end of the housing of the first assembly or the housing of the second assembly, the at least one spring for biasing the dampened hinge assembly from the first condition or the second condition; and
a second spring for biasing the dampened hinge assembly from the other of the first condition or the second condition;
wherein the at least one slider engages the at least one damper as the first condition or second condition is approached.

2. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the dampened hinge assembly provides positive stopping when the first condition or the second condition is fully reached.

3. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one damper brakes pivoting movement of the second assembly relative to the first assembly as the first condition is approached, and wherein the dampened hinge comprises a second damper that brakes pivoting movement of the second assembly relative to the first assembly as the second condition is approached.

4. The dampened hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one damper comprises a fluid cylinder and a piston.

5. The dampened hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first assembly comprises:
a first housing;
a first slider mounted to and movable relative to the first housing; and
a first link pivotally attached to the first housing;
and wherein the second assembly comprises:
a second housing;
a second slider mounted to and movable relative to the second housing, and pivotally attached to the first link; and
a second link pivotally attached to the second housing and pivotally attached to the first slider.

6. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 5 , wherein, the first assembly comprises the at least one damper, and the at least one damper brakes pivoting movement of the second assembly relative to the first assembly as the second condition is approached by braking linear movement of the first slider relative to the first housing as the second condition is approached.

7. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 6 , wherein, the second assembly comprises a second damper that brakes pivoting movement of the second assembly relative to the first assembly as the first condition is approached by braking linear movement of the second slider relative to the second housing as the first condition is approached.

8. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first part is a first table portion;
the second part is a second table portion;
the first condition corresponds to a folded condition of the first and second table portions; and
the second conditions corresponds to an unfolded condition of the first and second table portions.

9. A dampened hinge assembly for controlling motion of coupled parts, comprising:
a first assembly comprising a first housing and a first slider mounted within and linearly movable relative to the first housing, the first assembly attachable to a first part;
a second assembly comprising a second housing and a second slider mounted to and linearly movable relative to the second housing, the second assembly attachable to a second part to be pivotable relative to the first part by the dampened hinge assembly, the second part pivotable relative to the first part between a first condition and a second condition;
a first link and a second link, positioned laterally spaced apart, interconnecting the first housing and the second housing and providing multi-axis folding of the dampened hinge assembly;
a first spring disposed between an annular shoulder of the first slider and an end plate of the first housing, the first spring compressible as the second housing is moved into alignment with the first housing and the second link moves the first slider toward the end plate of the first housing; and
a second spring disposed between an end plate of the second slider and a distal abutment of the second housing, the second spring compressible as the second housing is moved out of alignment with the first housing and the first link moves the second slider toward a proximal end of the second housing.

10. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 9 , wherein:
the first link has a proximal end pivotally attached to a proximal end of the first housing by a first laterally extending axle fixed to and carried by the proximal end of the first housing, and the first link has a distal end extending outward from the proximal end of the first housing to engage and actuate the second slider; and
the second link has a proximal end pivotally attached to a proximal end of the second housing by a second laterally extending axle fixed at and carried by the proximal end of the second housing, and the second link has a distal end extending outward from the proximal end of the second housing to engage and actuate the first slider.

11. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the dampened hinge assembly is biased from the first condition by the first spring carried by the first housing, and wherein the dampened hinge assembly is biased from the second condition by the second spring carried by the second housing.

12. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a first damper carried by the first assembly, the first damper comprising a fluid cylinder within and fixed to the end plate of the first housing and extending outward from the distal end of the first housing, and a piston surrounded by the first spring extending from the fluid cylinder into the first housing toward a head of the first slider; and
a second damper carried by the second assembly, the second damper comprising a fluid cylinder within and fixed to the second housing and a piston surrounded by the second spring and extending outward from the fluid cylinder toward the end plate of the second slider.

13. The dampened hinge assembly according to claim 9 , wherein:
the first part is a first table portion;
the second part is a second table portion;
the first condition corresponds to a folded condition of the first and second table portions; and
the second conditions corresponds to an unfolded condition of the first and second table portions.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Kuyper John
• Kokkalla Deepak Chandra
• Frost Ian L

Classifications

• E05Y2900/502

  for aircraft or spacecraft · CPC title

• E05D3/186 Primary

  Scissors hinges, with two crossing levers and five parallel pins · CPC title

• A47B5/04

  foldable · CPC title

• E05F3/20 Primary

  in hinges · CPC title

• B64D11/0638

  with foldable tables, trays or cup holders · CPC title