Claims:We Claim:
1. A fixture (100) for manufacturing a hinge (80), said fixture (100) comprising:
a base frame (110);
a holder (120) arranged on said base frame (110), and configured to hold a hinge plate (50, 60); and
a rod (170) mounted on said frame (110), and arranged spaced apart from said holder (120), said rod (170) configured to facilitate bending of a portion of said hinge plate (50, 60) around said rod (170).
2. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rod (170) has a radius complementary to a radius of a shaft hole of the hinge (80) to be manufactured.
3. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixture (100) includes a support plate (160) received in said holder (120), and configured to support said hinge plate (50, 60) in said holder (120).
4. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base frame (110) has an internally threaded hole to receive said rod (170) having external threads complementary to said internal threads.
5. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixture (100) includes a pillar (180) mounted on said base frame (110), and a support member (190) detachably connected to said pillar (180), said support member (190) having a slot configured thereon to receive an upper portion of said rod (170).
6. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder (120) includes a pair of parallel plates (130, 140) arranged in a spaced apart configuration, and said hinge plate (50, 60) is received in the gap between said pair of plates (130, 140).
7. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of said rod (170) is offset from a line passing through the middle portion of said holder (120).

Dated this 14th day of May, 2020
For MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LIMITED
By their Agent

GIRISH VIJAYANAND SHETH IN/PA- 1022
KRISHNA & SAURASTRI ASSOCIATES LLP , Description:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See Section 10, Rule 13]

A FIXTURE FOR MANUFACTURING A HINGE;

MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LIMITED, A COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE INDIAN COMPANIES ACT, 1913, HAVING ADDRESS AT MAHINDRA RESEARCH VALLEY, MAHINDRA WORLD CITY, PLOT NO: 41/1, P.O. – ANJUR, CHENGALPATTU – 603004, DIST. – KANCHEEPURAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of fixtures. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of fixtures for manufacturing hinges.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A hinge is a mechanical joint which facilitates angular movement between two objects. For example, a door hinge used in a vehicle facilitates angular movement of a door of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body. Conventionally, hinges are manufactured using a punch and die assembly. Multiple trials and design changes occur before finalizing the design of the hinge. For each variation in the hinge design, a separate punch and die assembly is required. However, manufacturing of separate punch and die assemblies is time consuming and costly process. This also delays the development of the hinge. There is huge requirement of the inventory for manufacturing separate punch and die assemblies. Further, such assemblies are not useful in case a hinge design corresponding to that assembly is rejected.
Therefore, there is felt a need of a fixture for manufacturing a hinge which alleviates the aforementioned drawbacks of conventional hinge manufacturing processes and equipment.
SUMMARY
The present invention envisages a fixture for manufacturing a hinge. The fixture comprises a base frame, a holder, and a rod. The holder is arranged on the base frame. The holder is configured to hold a hinge plate. The rod is mounted on the frame in a spaced apart configuration with respect to the holder. The rod is configured to facilitate bending of a portion of the hinge plate around the rod.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A fixture for manufacturing a hinge, of the present invention, will now be described with reference to accompanying figures, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of the fixture depicting manufacturing of a first plate of the hinge, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates another isometric view of the fixture of figure 1;
Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of the fixture depicting manufacturing of a second plate of the hinge; and
Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of the hinge manufactured using the fixture of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Although specific terms are used in the following description for sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to particular structure of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.
References in the specification to “an embodiment” mean that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or function described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
The present invention envisages a fixture for manufacturing a hinge. The fixture is now described with reference to Figure 1 to Figure 4.
Referring to Figure 1 to Figure 4, a fixture 100 is shown. The fixture 100 comprises a base frame 110. The base frame 110 can have any shape. Preferably, the base frame 110 has a rectangular shape.
The fixture 100 comprises a holder 120 arranged on the base frame 110. The holder 120 is configured to hold a hinge plate 50, 60. The hinge plates 50, 60 are plates which are bent in order to form a hinge joint. In an embodiment, the holder 120 comprises a pair of parallel plates 130, 140 arranged in a spaced apart configuration to define a gap therebetween. The hinge plate 50, 60 is received in the gap. In an embodiment, the hinge plate 50 is fastened to the holder 120 using a fastener 150.
The holder 120 is secured to a top surface of the base frame 110. In an embodiment, the holder 120 is welded onto the base frame 110. In another embodiment, the holder 120 is secured to the base frame 110 using fasteners.
The fixture 100 comprises a support plate 160 configured to be received in the holder 120. The support plate 160 is configured to support the hinge plate 50, 60 in the holder 120. More specifically, the support plate 160 prevents displacement of the hinge plate 50, 60 in case the length of the hinge plate 50, 60 is lesser than the length of the holder 120. The holder 120 is configured to receive hinge plates of various sizes. Thus, when the length of the hinge plate is lesser, the support plate 160 is inserted in the holder 120 to prevent displacement of the hinge plate within the holder 120.
The fixture 100 comprises a rod 170 mounted on the base frame 110. The rod 170 is arranged spaced apart from the holder 120. The rod 170 is arranged such that the longitudinal axis of the rod 170 is at an offset from the line passing through the middle portion of the holder 120. The rod 170 is configured to facilitate bending of a portion of the hinge plate 50, 60 around the rod 170.
The rod 170 has a radius complementary to the radius of a shaft hole of the hinge to be manufactured. In an embodiment, the radius of the rod 170 is equal to the radius of the shaft hole of the hinge plates 50, 60. Selection of the rod 170 is based on the radius of the shaft hole of the hinge. For manufacturing the hinge having varying radius of shaft hole, different rods 170 are mounted on the base frame 110. For example, for manufacturing a hinge having a shaft hole radius of 1 cm, a rod 170 having a radius equal to or slightly more than 1 cm is mounted on the base frame 110 such that when a portion of hinge is bent around the rod 170, a shaft hole having radius of 1 cm is formed. Similarly, for having a shaft hole of 2 cm on the hinge, a rod having a radius equal to or slightly more than 2 cm is mounted on the base frame 110.
The rod 170 can be mounted on the top surface of the base frame 110 using any suitable means. In an embodiment, the base frame 110 has an internally threaded hole configured thereon to receive the rod 170. The rod 170 has external threads configured on a lower portion of the rod 170. The external threads are complementary to the internal threads on the hole. When the rods are changed as per the requirement of the shaft hole of the hinge, the lower portion of the rod is configured compatible with the internal threads of the hole.
The fixture 100 comprises a pillar 180 mounted on the base frame 110. The fixture 100 further comprises a support member 190 detachably connected to the pillar 180. In an embodiment, one end of the support member 190 is connected to the pillar 180 using a fastener 200. Other end of the support member 190 has a slot configured thereon to receive an upper portion of the rod 170. Such arrangement prevents displacement of the rod 170 during hinge manufacturing operation.
The hinge manufacturing process using the fixture 100 is now elaborated. Initially, two blank sheets are cut in necessary shapes to form hinge plates 50, 60. An inverted U-shaped extension portion is formed on a first hinge plate 50, whereas a U-shaped slot is formed on a second hinge plate 60 which receives the extension on the first hinge plate 50. Further, the first hinge plate 50 is held in the holder 120, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 such that the extension portion can be bent about the rod 170. The rod 170 is selected as per the required radius of the shaft hole on the hinge 80. The first hinge plate 50 is then hammered until the extension portion is bent around the rod 170 to form a shaft hole thereon. Further, the second hinge plate 60 is held in the holder 120 as shown in Figure 3. The edges of the U-shaped slot are bent about the rod 170 using a hammer to form a shaft hole. Before bending the hinge plates 50, 60, they are slightly heated. The hinge plates 50, 60 so formed are then assembled such that shaft holes on both the plates 50, 60 become coaxial. A shaft 70 is then inserted in the shaft holes to form the hinge 80 as shown in Figure 4.
The fixture 100 is portable in nature, and is easy to manufacture. The fixture 100 facilitates manufacturing of hinges having different shaft hole radius by only replacing the rod 170. The fixture 100 accelerates the manufacturing process of the hinges, and does not involve huge cost.
The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others, skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

List of reference numerals
50 – First hinge plate
60 – Second hinge plate
70 – Shaft
80 – Hinge
100 – Fixture 110 – Base frame
120 – Holder
130, 140 – Plates of the holder
150 – Fastener 160 – Support plate
170 – Rod
180 – Pillar
190 – Support member
200 – Fastener