What is a motion control hinge?

A hinge offers a simple form of motion control, allowing one part to rotate around another and very often that’s entirely satisfactory. There are situations where the modification of that simple motion can be a boon.

Take for example the design of a top box for a motorcycle courier or a pizza delivery guy. The box will need to be repeatedly opened, maybe with gloves on, possibly in gusting wind and the contents may be fragile or awkward to handle. A locking stay is a possible solution but it will always obstruct access to the interior of the box. If holding the lid open is the chief consideration then a detent hinge may suit.

A click-stop hinge like the CSH-63 uses two detents, one to keep the lid open and one to keep it closed. With the optional added refinement of a damper this solution can cover most bases.

If the lid is heavy then some element of lift assist might enter the equation. The S-AT is a stay with a powerful spring cleverly engineered to give constant force that makes the lid feel weightless in use. This is very helpful for one handed operation. A spring hinge may also achieve a similar effect although it is unlikely to be as controllable.

To protect digits from unexpected closure, damped or soft closing hinges are a good solution. The damping stops the lid from slamming with the added advantage of a refined and silent motion. The HG-JH14-50 is a beautiful stainless steel hinge with a tough orifice damper that quietly returns the lid to closed position. Perhaps not the first choice for a couriers box as the damper needs to be primed by at least partial opening to be effective. It serves well in a more ordered environment - a lid to an instrument cabinet or lifting lid to a chart table on a yacht for example.

The ultimate in safety would be a full torque hinge like the HG-TS where torque is applied over the full range of the hinges orbit. No surprises with this one - the lid stays where you put it. The only consideration would be that with a heavy lid the extra effort required to lift it may be important.

There's always more than one way to find engineering solutions - Sugatsune's products give you the range and variation for the perfect answer.

 

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