Appliance Design - February 2009 - (Page 24)

JoINING A TYPICAL WEBER KNAPP COUNTERBALANCE Most Weber Knapp counterbalances have the following features: PIVOT NOSE, CRS, PLATED SHOWN IN OPEN POSITION • Mounts to pivoting section of application • Holes or slot provided (self-clinching nuts to studs optional) BUILT-IN STOPS MAIN PIVOT SHOWN IN CLOSED POSITION • Acts as hinge point connection member between lid to frame PIVOT BUSHINGS • For long cycle life • Compression spring designed to match lid torque FRICTION DEVICE • Patented HOUSING, CRS, PLATED SPRING • Mounts to fix section of application • Holes or slots provided (self-clinching nuts or studs optional) • Contains spring package ADJUSTMENT SCREW An illustration of a Weber Knapp counterbalance hinge. the left side and very light on the other side, says Pangborn. This is because paper is fed on the right and the drive mechanism and rollers would likely be toward the left side. Depending on the rigidity of the unit, undesirable deflection may result. In this case, the designer may need to compensate for the differences in weight on the two sides. Latches, too, can be a product differentiator, says Joe Miller, sales/market development leader, for Nielsen Hardware, Berlin, Conn., a manufacturer of latches, and other hardware. In one case, the company needed to develop a latch for a sterilization cassette. A sterilization cassette is an autoclavable case for medical devices. The latch combined the latch and a handle into one component and reduced the number of components and the cost of the latch. From a perception standpoint, however, there was more to the story. Nielsen’s electropolishing capabilities kept the case gleaming after many autoclave cycles. The case was sterile from the operation, but the electropolishing gave it the perception of being sterile, which can be equally as important, Miller says Another custom job by Nielsen was the latch for a filter door on an air scrubber developed by Dri-Eaz, Burlington, Wash. The filter door needed enough force to secure the door, but not so much that it made accessibility difficult in the field. Some latches provided enough force, but were too hard on the fingers when trying to open it. Other options were easy to open, but did not provide enough clamping. There were also concerns about whether two rivets were enough to secure the latch to the plastic housing. Adding to the difficulty was a rubber gasket that was situated between the door and the shroud. They were able to come up with an injectionmolded design that worked with the current design and fit the exact configuration of the unit. In-molded designs are one of the new capabilities that 24 applianceDESIGN February 2009 Nielsen offers, say Roy Bjorlin, sales and engineering leader. This is being used extensively in the telecom industry as the company has developed latches for use on plastic boxes at the tops of phone booths. The ability to injection mold allows one to design in dimensional features such as the ability to recess a latch, he says. Another new capability for the company is an Weber Knapp's counter-weight mechanical hinges provide easy-lift operation. This hinge allows a heavy glass refrigerator window to be opened with ease by counterbalancing a majority of its weight. www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - February 2009 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Force-Sensing Technology Offers Designers an Alternative Approach to Creating Touch-Control Interfaces A Flammable Vapor Sensing Technology that was Originally Developed for use in Water Heaters has Evolved for use in a Broader Array of Applications Latches, Hinges, and Slides Must Reliably Secure Parts Together, Sometimes for Hundreds of Thousands of Cycles. Beyond their Utilitarian Functions, They Can Also Change Consumer Perceptions Elastomeric Electrical Connectors Can Solve Space Constraint Problems in Electronic Products and Provide Some Cost Advantages as Well A Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor with a Novel Electrode Design Can Suppress Electromagnetic Interference, Improve Circuit Performance, and Reduce the Number of Needed Components Design Marts Association Report: AHRI Advertisers’ Index

Appliance Design - February 2009

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