An appliance includes a cabinet defining at least one chamber accessible via an opening. The appliance also includes a cover member movable between an open position and a closed position for providing selective access to the opening. The appliance includes a hinge assembly constructed of a polymer material and operably coupled to the cover member. The hinge assembly includes first and second hinge members. The first hinge member is fixedly secured to the cabinet. The second hinge member includes a base portion fixedly secured to cover member and a pin portion. The pin portion is rotatably secured to the first hinge member to move the cover member between the open and closed positions. In the open position, the first and second hinge members cooperatively engage together to restrict movement of the cover member in the open position. In the closed position, the cabinet restricts movement of the cover member.

The present invention provides an encapsulated flexible hinge that is particularly suited for use as an original part or as a replacement hinge on a cooler. The encapsulated flexible hinge is comprised of a flexible woven central reinforcement member having a rubber or polymer coating that has been forced through the reinforcement member to create an outer and an inner rubber coating that encapsulates the reinforcement member. In another embodiment, the inner and outer coating is comprised of the same or two different materials that are vulcanized together after being extruded on either side of the reinforcement member. The encapsulated flexible hinge may take on various shapes, and can be cut into a specific shape if need be.

A hinge to pivotably connect a motor vehicle door to a body of the motor vehicle. The hinge includes a bolt, a first hinge half rotationally connected to a bolt, a second hinge half, a bushing, composed of an electrically insulating material, arranged on the second hinge half to rotationally connect the second hinge half to the bolt, and an electrically conductive component arranged between the bolt and the second hinge half to bridge the bushing and facilitate electrical contact between the bolt and the second hinge half.

Systems and methods of co-printing a unitary hinge are provided. The unitary hinge may be co-printed using an additive manufacturing process. The unitary hinge includes a hinge pin that is substantially cylindrical in shape. The unitary hinge also includes a knuckle which surrounds a portion of the hinge pin and is configured to be manipulated about the hinge pin. The hinge pin is fabricated in situ with the knuckle such that further assembly is unnecessary. The unitary hinge may also include retention mechanism to retain the hinge within the knuckle without substantially restricting the knuckle from being rotated about the hinge pin. The unitary hinge may further be configured with a fluid port which may, for example, be used to provide a lubricant to an area between the hinge pin and the knuckle or to vacuum powder material or debris from the area.

A multi-piece hydroponic tower is provided which utilizes separate tower body and face plate components that are hingeably coupled together, thereby simplifying tower construction as well as tower maintenance. In addition to the hinge, the tower face plate(s) is held in place with a latch, e.g., a snap-fit fastener. A V-shaped groove may be included on either side of the tower, the grooves increasing the efficiency of delivering water and nutrients to the plants via the narrowed rear cavity wall(s). The V-shaped grooves may also be used as an alignment aid when coupling planters, harvesters, or other equipment to the tower.

A compliant hinge for deployable membrane-like structures and other applications is provided. The compliant hinge generally includes a flexible intermediate portion having one or more enclosed contours connected by inner longitudinal segments along a longitudinal axis of symmetry. The enclosed contours are resiliently deformable in response to an in-plane load, including tension and shear forces. The compliant hinge allows for rotation, bending, and extension, and can interconnect rigid panels in tensioned precision structures and other applications.

A hinge for the rotatable movement of a closing element, such as a door, a window, a shutter or the like, between a closing position and an opening position, the closing element being anchorable to a stationary support structure, such as a wall, a floor, a frame or similar, includes a hinge body anchorable to the stationary support structure or the closing element, and a pivot defining an axis and anchorable to the closing element or the stationary support structure. The pivot and the hinge body are coupled so as to cause the closing element to rotate between the opening and the closing position. The hinge body includes a working chamber defined along the axis to house the pivot.

Examples disclosed herein relate to a flexible living hinge for an identification pull tab. The flexible living hinge has a first shot area with a first portion of a first material and a second portion of a second material. The first portion has a first spring tail and a second sprint tail for attachment to a surface of a product and the second portion has a flat surface. A second shot area of a third flexible material is connected to the first portion and the second portion of the first shot area.

A refrigerator includes a casing including storage compartments, doors attached to the casing to expose or cover the storage compartments, hinges connecting the doors to the casing and supporting the doors so that the doors are openable and closable, electrically non-conductive hinge covers detachably attached to the casing and covering the hinges, and a wireless adapter disposed on the hinge cover and including an antenna unit configured to transmit and receive radio waves.

One aspect is an insert molded friction torque device with a rotatable shaft, a friction element mounted over the rotatable shaft in an interference fit, a rigid enclosure structure at least partially enclosing the friction elements, and a single-piece molded housing enclosing the friction element and at least partially enclosing the rigid enclosure structure such that a first portion of the housing is between the friction elements and the rigid enclosure structure within the rigid enclosure structure and a second portion of the housing is outside the rigid enclosure structure.