hingehend

Hingehend is a term used in mechanical design, furniture hardware, and related fields to denote the end point of a hinge’s rotational travel. It identifies the angular limit at which motion is constrained by a stop, contact with a frame, or other interference in the system.

Origin and usage: The word is a portmanteau of hinge and end. It is not a universally standardized term, but appears in discussions of hinge geometry and stop design. In practice, hingehend is defined relative to a reference position, typically the closed or open state of a hinge.

Characteristics: The hingehend is described by an angular measure and, in some designs, a linear clearance at the contact point. It may be influenced by hinge type (sleeve, butt, or continuous) and mounting geometry. Designers may specify tolerances to ensure reliable stopping without binding.

Applications: In furniture engineering, hingehend helps ensure lids and doors do not contact other components. In robotics and automation, it informs joint limits and control algorithms. In CAD models, hingehend is used to simulate motion envelopes and collision avoidance.

Variants and related concepts: The term distinguishes from the physical hinge stop; some sources refer to internal and external hingehend depending on whether the stop is within the hinge mechanism or in the mating frame. Related concepts include end stop, stop geometry, and travel envelope.

See also: hinge, end stop, travel envelope.