Motion Control Engineering & Manufacturing Resources

When most people think of workplace ergonomics, they think of the office worker who sits 8 hours a day in front of a computer. And as studies show, ergonomics is very important in this type of office setting, both for reducing strain and improving productivity. While the 9-5 office worker is the poster child for the importance of ergonomics, what about those on their feet most of the day? And what about their customers?

The way health care is delivered in hospitals is changing. Yet every medical center must still meet the same standards of exceptional care.

The benefits of better ergonomics are well documented and include wide-ranging health, safety, and comfort benefits. In medical environments, ergonomic furniture and devices are especially important because of the multitude of people they can impact -- and we’re not just talking about patients.

Maximizing comfort and value in an interior space is both fun and challenging for home and hospitality designers. It’s the #1 priority for tiny homes and studio apartments, but also a worthwhile endeavor for those designing in larger spaces.

Owners hate going to the vet almost as much as the pet itself. And while veterinarians love what they do for a living, their “office” setup usually doesn’t set them up for success.

So, you’ve decided that a springloaded counterbalance hinge is the ideal way to take your project to the next level. And, you already know that a Vectis™ Counterbalance Hinge can address your specific design challenges and that a Vectis™ counterbalance hinge will outperform and out last a gas spring. But, what technical considerations do you need to make before you click the DYO tab?


To help prepare you for your visit to the DYO app, over the next several months we’ll be discussing some of the technical decisions you’ll need to make in order to design the perfect counterbalance for your project. This month we’re going to discuss the effects of vertical distance to the center of gravity and what that could mean in regard to the ultimate function of your project.


The vertical distance to the center of gravity can have a big impact on how your lid acts near the open position. The greater the positive vertical distance the greater the tendency for the lid to self-open at larger open angles. Conversely, a negative vertical distance allows the lid to be potentially counterbalanced up to the maximum 90° opening angle. If you do not want the lid to coast open at larger angles, consider reducing the maximum opening angle to something close to the balance angle of the lid. The balance angle is the angle of the lid at which the center of gravity is directly above the pivot. If you are looking at the torque chart on the Vectis® DYO app, the balance angle is the point where the lid torque drops to zero.


For applications where the vertical distance to the center of gravity is sizeable, a large opening angle is required, and minimal coast towards the full open position is desired, rest assured that we can meet your needs with a Vectis® Counterbalance Hinge or a Vectis™ Custom Counterbalance.




If you’re having trouble specifying a Vectis™ Counterbalance Hinge for your project, give us a call, our engineers are ready to assist you!


Jeremy Redlecki

Product Design Manager

and

Leila Bell

Business Develop Manager

Weber Knapp Company