HOLDING AND OPENING MECHANISM

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding and opening mechanism for a pivoting element, such as a lid, a cover, a door or the like, which is mounted to be pivotable relative to a supporting element such as a housing, a frame or the like about a first axle via a joint, with a pivoting arm acting between the pivoting element and the supporting element, which arm is pivotally mounted about a second axle that is not the same as the first axle, wherein the free end of the pivoting arm acts, preferably via a roller, on a control surface of a guide element, wherein a torsion spring is provided which acts on the pivoting arm in the direction around the second axle, in order to generate a holding and opening force on the pivoting arm and the control surface, comprising a fixed part and a part pivotable relative thereto, with the one part including the guide element and the other part including the pivoting arm, wherein the pivotable part is adapted to be pivotable relative to the fixed part about the joint and the first axle, the pivotable part is connected to the pivoting arm and the pivoting element and the fixed part is connected to the supporting element, wherein the control surface in cooperation with the torsion spring and the pivoting arm determines the holding and opening force via the pivot angle of the pivoting element. The invention is characterized in that a plurality of pivoting arms, guide elements, joints and fixed and pivotable parts are provided, with the pivoting arms being coupled together by a common torsion spring Spin the second axle.

Claims

1. Holding and opening mechanism for a pivoting element such as a lid, a cover, a door or the like, which is mounted so as to be pivotable relative to a supporting element such as a housing, a frame or the like about a first axle via a joint, comprising: a. a pivoting arm which is effective between the pivoting element and the supporting element and which is mounted so as to be pivotable about a second axle, wherein a free end of the pivoting arm acts on a control surface of a guide element, wherein a torsion spring is provided which acts on the pivoting arm in a direction around the second axle in order to generate a holding and opening force on the pivoting arm and on the control surface; and, b. a fixed part and a part that is pivotable relative thereto, with the fixed part comprising the guide element and the pivotable part comprising the pivoting arm, the pivotable part adapted to be pivotable relative to the fixed part about the joint and the first axle, with the pivotable part being connected to the pivoting arm and the pivoting element and the fixed part being connected to the supporting element, wherein the holding and opening force is established by the control surface in cooperation with the torsion spring and the pivoting arm, via a pivot angle of the pivoting element, characterized in that multiple pivoting arms, guide elements, joints and fixed and pivotable parts are provided, with the pivoting arms being connected to each other by a common torsion spring in the second axle.

2. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the torsion spring extends through the pivoting arm and is located in the fixed part and/or in the pivotable part.

3. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the torsion spring is constituted by fiberglass rods.

4. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the torsion spring extends over 70% of a width of the pivoting element.

5. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a bias of the torsion spring can be adjusted via an angular position of the pivoting arm with respect to the torsion spring with the part in which the latter is mounted.

6. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide element is mounted in the fixed part and the pivoting arm is pivotally mounted in the pivotable part.

7. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that proceeding from the second axle, the free end of the pivoting arm extending substantially in a closing direction of the pivoting element.

8. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the second axle with the torsion spring thereon is integrated into the pivoting element such that only the pivoting arm projects from the pivoting element and a remaining portion of the axle is covered by the torsion spring.

9. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the joint is in the form of a hinge, which hinge comprises a fixed hinge part that is connected to the fixed part and a movable hinge part that is connected to the pivotable part, and wherein the guide element and the fixed hinge part are integrally formed and made of a common material.

10.-11. (canceled)

12. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the first axle and the joint are integrated into the pivoting element such that only a connection piece between the fixed hinge part and the guide element protrudes from the pivoting element.

13. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivotable part mountingly supports the pivoting element.

14. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the free end of the pivoting arm includes a roller, a surface of the roller comprising a metal a coating.

15. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the free end of the pivoting arm includes a roller, the roller supported by a bearing.

16. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the control surface of the guide element is formed of metal.

17. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivoting arm is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

18. Holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a roller is supported on the free end of the pivoting arm laterally with respect to the pivoting arm.

19. Centrifuge having a holding and opening mechanism according to claim 1, in which the pivoting element is formed by a pivotable rotor compartment cover and the supporting element is formed by a housing.

20. Centrifuge according to claim 19, characterized in that the free end of the pivoting arm includes a roller, the roller located on a side of the pivoting arm which faces the housing of the centrifuge.

21. Centrifuge according to claim 19, characterized in that a pivoting arm, a guide element, a joint, a fixed part and a pivotable part are provided on each side of the rotor compartment cover, with the pivoting arms having a common torsion spring in the second axle.

22. Centrifuge according to claim 20 characterized in that a pivoting arm, a guide element, a joint, a fixed part and a pivotable part are provided on each side of the rotor compartment cover, with the pivoting arms having a common torsion spring in the second axle.

Description

[0030] Throughout the description, the claims and the drawings, those terms and associated reference signs are used as are indicated in the list of reference signs below. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a centrifuge having a holding and closing mechanism according to the invention with a closed rotor compartment cover;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a lateral view similar to that of FIG. 1, but with the rotor compartment cover open;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a perspective lateral view of the centrifuge of FIG. 1 as seen at an angle from above, with the rotor compartment cover open and a lateral cut-out revealing the interior of the rotor compartment;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a perspective lateral view of the centrifuge of FIG. 1 as seen at an angle from above with the rotor compartment cover closed and a lateral cut-out revealing the interior of the rotor compartment;

[0035] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the holding and opening mechanism of FIG. 4;

[0036] FIG. 6 is a lateral view of the holding and opening mechanism of FIG. 4; and

[0037] FIG. 7 is a lateral view of the holding and opening mechanism of FIG. 6, but with the rotor compartment cover open.

[0038] FIGS. 1 to 7 illustrate an embodiment of a centrifuge 10 having a holding and opening mechanism 12.

[0039] The centrifuge 10 consists of a housing 14 and a rotor compartment cover 16. The housing 14 stands on feet 18 which are attached to a base 20 of the housing 14. At the front 22 of the centrifuge 10 a control panel 24 extends over the width of the front side 22.

[0040] On the side of the housing 14 remote from the front side 22 is the back side 26 of the housing. The front side 22 and the back side 26 are connected on the left side by a left sidewall 28 and a right sidewall 30. The upper part of the housing 14 has a top wall 32 that is provided with a circular recess 34. Located below the circular recess 34 is a rotor compartment 36.

[0041] The rotor compartment cover 16 is mounted on the housing 14 in such a way that it can be pivoted about a first axle 38 from a closed position, see FIG. 1, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, into an open position and vice versa, see FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 7. In order to pivotally connect the rotor compartment cover 16 to the housing 14, the holding and opening mechanism 12 is arranged in the region of the back side 26 of the housing 14 and the rotor compartment cover 16.

[0042] The holding and opening mechanism 12 consists of a fixed part 40 that is connected to the housing 14 and a pivotable part 42 that is connected to the rotor compartment cover 16. The fixed part 40 connected to the housing 14 and the pivotable part 42 connected to the rotor compartment cover 16 are connected to each other by a hinge 44, with said hinge 44 being adapted to pivot about the first axle 38.

[0043] A first unit comprising the fixed part 40 with the pivotable part 42 connected thereto by the hinge 44 is arranged in the area of the left sidewall 28 of the housing 14 and another, second unit comprising the fixed part 40 with the pivotable part 42 connected thereto by the hinge 44 is arranged in the area of the right sidewall 30. Accordingly, the fixed part 40 of the first unit is connected to the housing 14 in the area of the left sidewall 28 thereof, and the fixed part 40 of the second unit is connected to the housing in the area of the right sidewall 30 thereof. The pivotable part 42 of the first unit is connected to the rotor compartment cover 16 in the area of the left sidewall, and the pivotable part 42 of the second unit is connected to the rotor compartment cover 16 in the area of the right sidewall, see in particular FIG. 3.

[0044] Between the pivotable part 42 of the first unit and the pivotable part 42 of the second unit, a torsion spring 46 extends along a second axle 58 and at a distance from the first axle 38, which is firmly anchored in each of the pivotable parts 42. The second axle 58, and thus the torsion spring 46, is aligned parallel to the first axle 38. The torsion spring 46 extends almost completely over the entire width of the rotor compartment cover 16.

[0045] On the torsion spring 46, in the area of the first unit and in the area of the second unit, a pivoting arm 48 each is arranged for co-rotation with the biased torsion spring 46. The torsion spring 46 extends through the upper area of the pivoting arm 48. Proceeding from the torsion spring 46, the pivoting arm 48 extends downwards in the closing direction of the rotor compartment cover 16. In the area of the free end of the pivoting arm 48 remote from the torsion spring 46, one roller 50 each is rotatably mounted by way of a ball bearing on the side of the pivoting arm 48 that faces the sidewall 28, 30. The roller 50 rests against a control surface 40a of the fixed part 40 and is adapted to roll over the control surface 40a during the opening and closing movements of the rotor compartment cover 16. The lower portion of the fixed part 40 thus forms a guide element 40b with the control surface 40a for the pivoting arm 48. The control surface 40a and the guide element 40b extend from the top wall 32 downwards into the housing 14, but outside the rotor compartment 36.

[0046] Proceeding from this guide element 40b with control surface 40a, the fixed part 40 is provided with an upwardly extending bearing portion 40c that comprises the fixed part of the hinge 44, namely an axis of rotation which is identical to the first axle 38.

[0047] The pivotable part 42 comprises the pivotable part of the hinge 44 in the form of a sleeve which partially engages around the first axle 38. This sleeve is firmly connected to the pivotable part 42.

[0048] The control surface 40a has an end stop 40d at its upper end, which defines the maximum opening angle of the rotor compartment cover 16. However, the rotor compartment cover 16 is controlled by the spring force of the torsion spring 46, which is generated when the torsion spring 46 is biased, or by the decrease of this spring force of the torsion spring 46 at a defined point over the opening angle of the rotor compartment cover 16. This stops the rotor compartment cover 16 before the end stop 40d without rattling a sample in a sample container of the centrifuge 10, see above. The point designated as the end stop 40d is a second end stop which is reached by manually moving the rotor compartment cover 16 further down.

[0049] The holding and opening mechanism is designed symmetrically with respect to its central plane, perpendicular to the first axle 38 and second axle 58. Accordingly, the pivoting arms 48, the fixed parts 40, the pivotable parts 42 and the hinges 44 are of identical design.

[0050] The torsion spring 46 consists of several packages of fiberglass rods. The angular position of the pivoting arm 48 with respect to the torsion spring 46 in the pivotable part 42 can be adjusted. This angular position is used to set the bias of the torsion spring 46.

[0051] As a function of the characteristic curve of the torsion spring 46, the weight of the rotor compartment cover 16, the weight of the pivoting arm 48 and the geometry, in particular the arrangement of the center of gravity of the rotor compartment cover 16, the control surface 40a of the guide element 40b of the fixed part 40 is designed with a view to obtaining the desired pivoting behavior of the rotor compartment cover 16 during its opening and closing movements.

[0052] The pivoting arms 48 are made of an aluminum alloy. The surface of the roller 50 is made of metal and the control surface 40a is coated to ensure good rolling behavior.

[0053] The pivotable part 42 is designed as a mounting support to which the rotor compartment cover 16 can be simply screwed.

[0054] The invention is characterized by the simple design which allows the holding and opening force to be applied to the rotor compartment cover 16 in a uniformly distributed manner. In a simple way, the parts of the holding and opening mechanism 12 are largely covered, only the pivoting arm 48 for example protrudes from the rotor compartment cover 16 and the guide element 40b with the adjacent roller 50 is located outside the rotor compartment 36. This prevents contamination of the samples at the rotor compartment 36 of centrifuge 10.

[0055] What has been described and depicted herein are preferred, non-limiting embodiments of Applicant's subject matter, along with one or more application contexts. Since the structures of the assemblies, subassemblies, and/or mechanisms disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described and depicted herein/with are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the scope of the subject invention is as defined in the language of the appended claims, and includes not insubstantial equivalents thereto.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0056] 10 centrifuge [0057] 12 holding and opening mechanism [0058] 14 housing [0059] 16 rotor compartment cover [0060] 18 feet of the centrifuge 10 [0061] 20 base [0062] 22 front side [0063] 24 control panel [0064] 26 back side [0065] 28 left sidewall [0066] 30 right sidewall [0067] 32 top wall [0068] 34 circular recess [0069] 36 rotor compartment [0070] 38 first axle [0071] 40 fixed part of the holding and opening mechanism, connected to housing 14 [0072] 40a control surface [0073] 40b guide element [0074] 40c bearing portion [0075] 40d end stop [0076] 42 pivotable part of the holding and opening mechanism, connected to rotor compartment cover 16 [0077] 44 hinge [0078] 46 torsion spring [0079] 48 pivoting arm [0080] 50 roller [0081] 58 second axle