Freaking out a Hinge

 Investigating industrial design objects.

 

photograph erkansahin22@gmail.com

How "simple" can a hinge be? 

Or "compact"?

 

Scenario: 

In Covid 19 times, you need to go out shopping and use the shopping center's public toilet. But you hesitate to touch the toilet cabinet's handle.

Problem: 

You don't want to touch or hold the handle of the toilet cabinet handle.

Expected solution: 

You want to push and close the door easily without touching it most economically.

How does the hinge solution work? 

When the door is pushed, the movable part of the hinge climbs on the fixed part of it. This is the physical work that is done against the gravitation. During the pushing time, the movable part of the hinge gains potential energy from your kinetic energy. In other words, you charge the hinge. As soon as the door is released, gravity closes the door behind you by sliding the movable part of the hinge along with the fixed part of the hinge throughout the inclined ramp consist of between movable and fixed parts of it.

 

 What is the "big" in Innovation?

The angle between the parts of this hinge has been increased from zero degrees up to about thirty degrees. So the angle of the climbing inclined plane is about 30 degrees. This is the innovation it brings for an ordinary hinge. But it's a difference that can have hugely impactful consequences. Isn't it?