Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an article integrally formed with hinge.

Background of the Invention

There are various kinds of articles requiring hinge from small jewel boxes, fountain pen cases to doors of building. Among them, a conventional jewel box illustrated in FIG. 1A comprises a body 3 and a cover 2 which are hingedly connected to each other by a hinge 1 to be pivotably opened and closed. Said hinge 1 consists of parts separately formed from the body 3 and cover 2. Thus, the hinge should be attached to the body and the cover by means of usual fasteners such as nails or screws.

This type of article comprising separable hinge and fastener require a lot of time and labor in manufacturing and assembling to raise the manufacturing cost. Another conventional jewel box illustrated in FIG. 1B comprises a body 3 and a cover 2 each of which is provided with a pair of protruded knuckles 6,6, 5 and 5 integrally formed with the body and the cover wherein the body 3 and the cover 2 are to be hingedly connected to each other by interdigitating the knuckles 6, 6, 5 and 5 of the body 3 and cover 2 with a pair of pins 4,4. In this kind of jewel box, the knuckles protrusively formed in the body and the cover harm external appearance. Further, the knuckless are readily destructive due to the pin holes 7 formed therein.

Summary of the Invention

Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide an article comprising two separate members to be folded and unfolded by means of a hinge which are simple and stable in structure, easy and low cost consuming in manufacturing.

To accomplish the object of the present invention, the article according to the present invention comprises a first member and a second member which are separately formed to be folded and unfolded each other by rotating of one member relative to the other member about an axis of hinge wherein the hinge comprises protrusions and recesses formed alternately and integrally with the first member and recesses and protrusions formed alternately and integrally with the second member such that the respective protrusions and recesses of the first member correspond to and conform with the corresponding recesses and protrusions of the second member. Said respective protrusions and the corresponding recesses have inclined planes adopted to contact each other. Said hinge further comprises a biasing means for resiliently fastening said two members.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon an understanding of the preceding text and the drawings and explanations following including description of preferred embodiments, all being given as only exemplary and not by way of limitation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figs. 1A and 1B are perspective views of conventional jewel boxes.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a jewel box embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an extracted view of the jewel box of Fig. 2 for more clearly illustrating the hinge portion thereof. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the jewel box of Fig. 3 wherein the jewel box is illustrated as being opened in full extent.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of an jewel box according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an extracted view of the jewel box of Fig. 5 for more clearly illustrating the hinge portion thereof.

Fig. 7A is a sectional view of the jewel box of Fig. 6 wherein the jewel box is illustrated as being closed in full extent.

Fig. 7B is a sectional view of the jewel box of Fig. 6 wherein the jewel box is illustrated as being opened in full extent.

The jewel box illustrated in Fig 2 comprises a body 30 and a cover 20 having hinge portion Hb integrally formed therein and a C-shaped plate spring 90. The body 30 has front and back walls 30a and 30b and left and right walls 20c and 20d. The body 30 has a bottom wall 30e and an opening 30f at its top. The cover 20 is formed in a similar manner to the body 30. The body 30 and the cover 20 are respectively covered with linings 30h and 20h over the internal surfaces thereof. A plurality of protrusions 31 and 21 and recesses 35 and 25 are alternately and integrally formed with both the back walls 30b and 20b at the end planes 30b' and 20' thereof such that each protrusion of body 30 is formed to conform with the corresponding recess of the cover 20 and each protrusion of the cover 20 is formed in a similar manner. A C-shaped plate spring is provided at the hinge portion of the box to make the body 30 and cover 20 engaged with each other and to ensure to resilient opening and closing of the box.

More detailed description of the hinge portion Hb of the box is provided below with reference to Fig. 3. On the respective end planes 30b' and 20b' of the back walls 30b and 20b of the body 30 and the cover 20, there are provided a pair of unit hinges Ha and Ha spaced apart from each other for constituting the whole hinge portion Hb by forming a plurality of protrusions and recesses positioned alternately in such a manner as described above. Each protrusion 31 of the body 30 is shaped to have an approximately 45° inclined plane 32 facing exterior of the body and right and left

plane vertically extending from each edge of the inclined plane. The corresponding recess 25 of the cover 20 is shaped to have an inclined plane 25a facing interior of the cover as well as right and left planes at each edge of the inclined plane 25a so as to respectively conform and contact with the counterparts of the protrusion of the body 30. Each protrusion 21 of the cover 20 and the corresponding recess of 35 of the body 20 is shaped in similar manners as described above for the protrusion 31 and the recess 25. Further, a C-shaped plate spring is releasably attached to the body 30 and the cover 20 between the unit hinges such that two ends of the spring 90 is engaged with the holes 39 and 29 provided in the body 30 and the cover 30 respectively. Accordingly, the plate spring 90 fastens the body 30 and the cover 20 to enable the jewel box to be resiliently opened and closed, and limits the opening angle of the cover 30.

In the jewel box as constructed above, when the cover 30 is closed upon the body due to the biasing force of the spring 90, the respective end planes of the walls of the body 30 is to contact with the corresponding end planes of the walls of the cover 20 so that the inclined planes 32 and 22 of the protrusions 31 and 21 respectively contact with the corresponding inclined planes 25a and 35a of the recesses 25 and 35. Thus, the right and left planes of the protrusions do not extrude from the external surface of the box.

On the other hand, to open the cover 30 as illustrated in Fig. 4, the cover is rotated about an revolving axis RA made by the contacting line of the top edges 36 of the recesses 35 of the body 30 and the bottom edges of the protrusions 21 of the cover 20. However, the rotating angle of the cover should be limited within approximately 90°. If the rotating angle of the cover is beyond 90°, the engagements between the side planes of the protrusions 31 and 21 and the side planes of the corresponding 25 and 35 are broken because the relative angle between the inclined planes

of the protrusion and recess having 45° inclinations become over 90°. Thus minute relative movement along the revolving axis RA between the body 30 and the cover 20 could occur in case where an excessive external force overwhelming the engaging force of the spring is applied along the revolving axis RA. Accordingly, the possible misalignment of the body 30 and the cover 20 due to the relative movement between them prevent closing of the cover.

However, articles constructed in such a manner as described above can be practically used without any problem for small jewel boxes which do not need to be opened beyond 90° or do not receive any excessive external force normally.

Meanwhile, depending on the usage of the article, there are required articles wherein one member such as the cover in a jewel box can be opened over 90° bringing no problems at all.

The second embodiment described below will meet the requirements.

Fig. 5 to 7B illustrate another jewel box which is a little modified from and common in basic construction with one shown in Figs. 2 to 4.

As shown in the Figures, the hinge portion Hb' of the jewel box consists of a pair of unit hinges Ha' and Ha' which comprise protrusions and recesses integrally formed with the body 30 and the cover 20 as in the first embodiment. Extended jaws 33 and 23 are respectively extended from near the end portions of the protrusions 31 and 21 of the body 30 and the cover 20. Similarly, deeper recesses 27 and 37 are formed at near the bottom end portions of the recesses 25 and 35 of the cover 20 and the body 30 which are adapted to mating!y receive the corresponding jaws 33 and 23 of the protrusions 31 and 21. The top edges 36 and 26 of the recesses 35 and 25 are formed to be substantially in the end planes 30b' and 20b' of the back walls 30b and 20b. The protrusions thus do not reveal to exterior of the box when

the cover is fully closed. Further, the line formed by the intercontacting of the top edges 36 and 26 of the recesses and the bottom edges 22 and 32 of the protrusions 21 and 31 can serve as revolving axis of the cover. While, a C-shaped plate spring 90 is releasably attached to the body 30 and the cover 20 to resiliently fasten the body and the cover.

The second embodiment of the jewel box as constructed above provides wider opening angle of the cover 20 thereof than that in the first embodiment, i.e., more than 90°. As illustrated in Fig. 7A, when the cover 30 is closed, the protrusion 21 of the body having the extended jaw 23 extended therefrom is to contact throughout the inner surface thereof with the corresponding recess 35 having deeper recess 37. While, in case where the cover is rotated about the revolving axis RA to be fully opened as illustrated in Fig. 7B, the opening angle of the cover 20 can be over 90°. When the cover is fully opened, the extended jaw 23 of the cover 30 overlaps the adjacent extended jaw 33 of the body 20 so that the jaws 23 and 33 engage each other against an external force possiblly applied along the revolving axis RA. Accordingly, the misalignment of the cover and body is effectively prevented.

The maximum opening angle of the cover varies depending upon the respective heights of the extended jaws 23 and 33 from the inclined planes 22 and 32 of the protrusions 21 and 31. The extended jaws 23 and 33 of the protrusions 21 and 31 may be formed .at both unit hinges Ha' and Ha' or one of unit hinges.

If at least a pair of extended jaws 23 and 33 are formed in the body and in the cover, the mutual engagement of the body and the cover along the revolving axis is ensured.

The articles embodying the present invention is quite different from the conventional ones in the respects that the hinge portion thereof is very simply formed, provides good external appearance of the article and lowers the

manufacturing cost of the article thanks to the simple construction and fewer number of components thereof.

It is repeated that the present inven.tion is not limited to the description and drawings. But, various modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Further, the present invention may be applied to various articles. For instance, the hinge portion, which is the characteristic portion of the present invention, may be formed in the circumference frame of the door.