Patent attributes
A self-contained hinge mechanism is provided including a hinge movement control assembly. The hinge movement control assembly includes a number of stacked alternating friction rings and pressure disks providing a tunable pivoting resistance. As the hinge mechanism is actuated, an internal shaft and a set of friction rings rotationally-locked to the internal shaft and door moves relative to a set of pressure disks rotationally-locked to a fixed hinge mechanism housing and mount frame. A resistance to the pivoting of the hinge mechanism elements is provided by the clamping force of multiple force members moving the pressure disks along axial translation guides of the housing closer to one another and sandwiching the friction rings closer together.
