Movements in a nutshell
Hand on heart: the first movement you associate with a hinge is opening and closing an object. And it’s no wonder, because this action takes up a lot of space in everyday life. But if you take a closer look, you will notice that this is just the tip of the iceberg. And beneath the surface, there is a whole world of (movement) possibilities.
Kinematics – the science behind complex motion sequences
Sliding, swiveling, swinging, turning, tilting, tilting, but also rotating, oscillating, bending, stretching and much more are among the infinite facets of motion sequences. Because only with them – and with their combination – are we able to create more complex motion sequences.
But how can we systematically understand and describe this variety of movements? This is where kinematics comes into play, the science that deals with the definition of movements. Kinematics deals exclusively with the motion sequences without going into the underlying causes. With its help, we are able to analyze and mathematically model complex movements, which is of great importance in a wide range of fields from engineering and robotics to aerospace.
The variety of movement forms of hinges and kinematics
These different movements are made possible by our invisible heroes: Hinges. When they are in the right place, they make it possible for a wide variety of actions to be performed constantly. And we would like to take a brief look at these different forms of movement:
Rotational movement: Hinges primarily enable rotational movements. This means that an object is rotated around a fixed axis without moving in translation (movement in a specific direction).
Example: A door is a common example of a hinge. When a door is opened or closed, it rotates around the hinge axis without moving sideways.
Simple rotary movement: With a simple hinge, the rotational movement can only take place in one direction. This means that the object can be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise, but not in both directions.
Example: A classic hinge on a door usually only allows the door to be opened and closed in one direction.
Swivel movement: Some hinges allow a swivel movement in which the object not only rotates around an axis, but can also be moved sideways.
Example: With a hinged lid on a chest, the hinge can allow a swivel movement so that the lid can be opened and swiveled to the side.
Multi-axis movement: More advanced hinges, such as ball joints, allow movement in several axes simultaneously. This means that the connected object can be rotated or swiveled in different directions.
Example: A ball joint in a robot arm allows the arm to move and swivel in different directions.
Spring-loaded movement: Some hinges may be fitted with springs to enable automatic return to the starting position.
Example: A self-closing hinge on a cupboard door ensures that the door is automatically closed again after opening.
Limited movement: Hinges can also be designed to limit movement to a certain angle to prevent excessive rotation or pivoting.
Example: A hinge on a car door can be designed to limit the door to a certain opening angle in order to prevent damage or uncontrolled movement.
Kabkin brings more movement to the hinge
Looking at the diversity of these movements, it becomes clear that many of them cannot be performed by simple hinges. And this is where we at Kabkin put our minds to work to ensure that the application you need performs optimally. With our experience in the field of kinematics, we offer our customers innovative hinge solutions that not only enable a wide range of movements, but also guarantee flexibility, precision and reliability.