Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a hinge structure of a cover for protecting a manipulation part of a controller such as a room-controller and the like, which includes deviation elements for making the cover deviated from the controller when the cover is opened beyond a set opening angle thereof or a shock is applied to the cover when a user drops the cover unexpectedly, so as to prevent deformation or damage of the cover. Background Art

[2] In general, remote controllers are provided for various home appliances to control operations thereof at remote places for the convenience of users.

[3] Further, in the case of a commercial boiler, a room-controller is provided in each room for controlling the boiler for the each room. A remote controller such as the room-controller and the like is usually provided with a cover for protecting a manipulation part of the remote controller.

[4] The cover for protecting the manipulation part of the controller is constructed with a hinge to be opened to-and-fro or right-and-left, so that the cover is opened as desired by the user and prevented from being exposed to the outside when not using the controller.

[5] That is, in a general hinge structure, installation grooves are formed outside a main body of the controller to receive hinge protrusions of the cover, and the hinge protrusions are simply fitted into the installation grooves. Additionally, stoppers may be alternatively provided in the hinge structure for controlling hinge operation of the cover in the range of a predetermined set angle.

[6] Therefore, the user opens the cover mounted outside the manipulation part of the controller via the hinge structure when using the controller, and closes the cover to protect the manipulation part in the other case.

[7] The above hinge structure of a cover for a controllers including the prior art room- controller is to open or close the cover via simple assembling between the hinge protrusions and the installation grooves as above.

[8] Therefore, the prior art hinge structure of the cover has a disadvantage that the cover may be deformed or damaged if an excessive force is applied to the cover when using the controller or the cover is opened beyond its set opening angle.

[9] Further, when the controller is dropped down in use unexpectedly, the cover in the above simple assembling hinge structure becomes deteriorated in its durability, since

the hinge structure has no deviation elements between the main body part and the cover against such a shock. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[10] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge structure of a cover for protecting a manipulation part of a controller such as a room-controller, which has deviation elements making the cover deviated from the controller when the cover is opened beyond a predetermined opening angle thereof or an excessive force or shock is applied to the cover by dropping the controller, thereby preventing deformation or damage of the cover.

[11] Another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge structure of a cover for protecting a manipulation part of a controller such as a room-controller, which may improve the durability and reliability of the cover. Technical Solution

[12] Therefore, the hinge structure of a cover for a controller helps the cover from being automatically separated from the controller via the deviation elements formed in association with the receiving parts of the controller and the installation parts of the cover in response to the excessive force applied to the cover or excessive opening of the cover beyond its opening angle range. Conclusionally, the hinge structure prevents the deformation or damage of the cover and installation grooves of the controller, thereby improving durability of the controller as well as reliability and convenience of use of the controller.

Advantageous Effects

[13] A hinge structure of a cover for protecting a manipulation part of a controller according to the present invention is provided with deviation elements differently from the prior arts, so that the cover may be deviated from the controller when the cover is opened beyond its opening angle or any excessive force is applied to the cover or the controller provided with the cover is dropped unexpectedly. Therefore, the hinge structure of a cover may prevent the deformation or damage of the cover and improve the durability thereof.

[14] Further, the hinge structure of the present invention may be employed in the structure of all rotational covers for home appliances, thereby improving the utility of the products.

[15] Therefore, the hinge structure of the cover according to the present invention may improve the reliability and the convenience of use in home appliances employing controllers.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a hinge structure of a cover for a room- controller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover is disassembled from the controller;

[17] Fig. 2 is a side elevational view for showing an opening state of the cover employing the hinge structure of the present invention;

[18] Fig. 3 shows schematic views of principal parts of the hinge structure of a cover for explaining operation states thereof according to the present invention, wherein the principal parts are expanded;

[19] Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing deviation elements of the hinge structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the deviation elements are expanded; and

[20] Fig. 5 is an expanded view showing a hinge structure of a cover according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[21] Hereafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[22] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a hinge structure of a cover for a room- controller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover is disassembled from the controller;

[23] Fig. 2 is a side elevational view for showing an opening state of the cover employing the hinge structure of the present invention;

[24] Fig. 3a to Fig. 3d are schematic views of principal parts of the hinge structure of a cover for explaining operation states thereof according to the present invention, wherein the principal parts are expanded;

[25] Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing deviation elements of the hinge structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the deviation elements are expanded; and

[26] Fig. 5 is an expanded view showing a hinge structure of a cover according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[27] As shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, a hinge structure of a cover for a controller includes deviation elements 30 formed in association with receiving parts formed outside a manipulation part 11 of a controller 10 and installation parts formed at both sides of a main body of a cover 20, wherein the hinge structure may be prevented from deformation or damage via the deviation elements 30 in the operation of the cover 20.

[28] In order to alternatively open or close the cover 20, the controller 10 is formed with the receiving parts at both sides of the manipulation part 11 in a main body thereof,

wherein the receiving parts of the controller 10 are to be installation grooves 12 as shown in the accompanying drawings.

[29] The cover 20 is formed with hinge protrusions 21 serving as the installation parts at both sides of a main body thereof. As the hinge protrusions 21 serving as the installation parts are received in the installation grooves 12 serving as the receiving parts of the controller 10, the cover 20 is mounted to the cover 10 outside the manipulation part 11 so as to protect the manipulation part 11 of the controller 10 from the outside.

[30] The installation grooves 12 serving as the receiving parts formed outside the manipulation part 11 of the controller 10 and the hinge protrusions 21 serving as the installation parts 26 of the cover 20 are preferably formed in the hemispherical shape for smooth opening or closing performance of the cover carried out by rotation of the cover 20.

[31] In the meantime, the installation grooves 12 serving as the receiving parts of the controller 10 are formed with the deviation elements 30, wherein the deviation elements 30 are provided inside the installation grooves and extended downwardly in a direction.

[32] The deviation elements 30 are to be guide grooves 13 formed in the installation grooves 12 and extended downwardly in a direction, as shown in Fig. 3a to Fig. 3d and Fig. 4.

[33] That is, the guide grooves 13 serving as the deviation elements 30 are extended downwardly in a direction as shown in Fig. 4 and have sections in the shape of semicircle for guiding the hemispherical hinge protrusions 21 easily, wherein the guide grooves 13 have a width becoming narrower toward ends thereof.

[34] Since the guide grooves 13 serving as the deviation elements 30 are extended downwardly in a direction and the width thereof becomes narrower toward the ends thereof, the hinge protrusions 21 serving as the installation parts of the cover 20 become deviated from the installation grooves 12 in a short time along the guide grooves 13 in the hemispherical installation grooves 12 of the controller 10 without any deformation and damage of the cover 20, when a user opens the cover 20 beyond a set opening angle of the cover 20.

[35] Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3a to Fig. 3d, the opening angle of the cover

20 is set differently according to characteristics and usages of a controller. Therefore, the setting angle of the guide grooves 13 serving as the deviation elements 30 formed in the installation grooves 12 is not limited in any particular angles either.

[36] That is, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3a to Fig. 3d, holding parts 14 are formed with a stepped difference at upper parts of the installation grooves 12 serving as the receiving parts of the controller 10 perpendicularly to the installation grooves 12 in order to prevent the cover 20 from being opened more than the set opening angle thereof. In

this case, the guide grooves 13 serving as the deviation elements 30 are formed in the installation grooves 12 at a position where an opening angle of the cover 20 starts to exceed a perpendicular angle with respect to the main body of the controller 10.

[37] Therefore, the hinge protrusions 21 serving as the installation parts of the cover 20 as shown in Fig. 3 rotate in the installation grooves 12 serving as the receiving parts of the controller 10 according to the opening angle of the cover 20. As the cover 20 rotates beyond its opening limit angle and a top surface 23 of the cover 20 becomes contacting the holding parts 14 of the controller 10, the hinge protrusions 21 become deviated outward along inner inclined surfaces 15 of the guide grooves 13 serving as the deviation elements 30, so that the deformation and damage of the cover 20 may be prevented in advance behind the position where the top surface 23 of the cover 20 contacts the holding parts 14 perpendicular to stepped portions 16 of the controller 10.

[38] Holding protrusions 25 and controlling grooves 17 may be respectively formed at upper parts of outer guide surfaces 24 of the hinge protrusions 21 of the cover 20 and at corners of the stepped portions 16 of the controller 10 in the above hinge structure having the deviation elements 30, so as to keep a predetermined opened angle of the cover 20.

[39] When the cover 20 is opened beyond its set opening angle, the hinge protrusions 21 of the cover 20 are guided to move along the guide grooves 13 in the installation grooves 12 via contact caused by interference between the holding protrusions 25 at the upper parts of the guide surfaces 24 and the stepped portions 16 of the controller 10, so that the cover 20 may be guided to be separated from the controller 10.

[40] Conclusionally, the hinge protrusions 21 of the cover 20 are guided in the direction of the guide grooves 13 in the installation grooves 12 by the contact between the holding protrusions 25 and the stepped portions 16 of the controller 10. Therefore, the hinge protrusions 21 become deviated outward from the ends of the guide grooves 13 if the opening of the cover 20 is advanced any further, and the cover 20 becomes separated from the controller 10.

[41] The deviation elements 30 may be formed symmetrically in the main body of the cover 20 instead of in the installation grooves 12 of the controller 10, which are serving as the receiving parts.

[42] That is, hinge protrusions 21a are formed in the main body of the controller 10, and installation holes 22 and guide grooves 13a are formed in the main body of the cover 20, which contact the hinge protrusions 21, so as to make the cover 20 deviated from the controller 10 as the cover 20 is opened beyond its opening angle in the same manner as above.

[43] In the meantime, the hinge structure such as the deviation elements 30 is not limited to the upper parts of the controller 10 and the cover 20 but may be realized inde-

pendently or employed at each of the upper and lower parts thereof in diverse direction. Such a hinge structure may be also included in the scope of the present invention.

[44] Therefore, the most important characteristics of the present invention is laid on that the hinge protrusions 21 become contacting the guide grooves 13 serving as the deviation elements 30 and deviated outward, thereby preventing deformation and damage of the cover in advance, when the cover 20 is opened beyond its opening angle while the hinge protrusions 21 serving as the installation parts of the cover 20 are axially mounted in the installation grooves 12 serving as the receiving parts of the controller 10 or an excessive force is applied to the cover 20 unexpectedly.