LEECO

Danny Ju

Danny Ju – Global Business Development Manager and patent inventor at LEECO
Inventor · 3 US Patents

Global Business Development Manager

Danny Ju leads global business development at LEECO, bringing nearly three decades of friction hinge industry experience to OEM and Tier 1 partnerships across automotive, medical device, marine, lighting, point-of-sale, kiosk, office furniture, and industrial machinery markets. Since joining LEECO in December 2007, he has been responsible for the company's international market expansion and key account management — and is the named inventor on three issued United States patents covering core friction hinge and torque hinge mechanisms in LEECO's product portfolio.

Prior to LEECO, Danny spent over eleven years at Southco, Inc., a globally recognized engineered access solutions company, where he served as Global Business Development Manager from 1996 to 2007. During that period, he led the establishment of a greenfield manufacturing facility — building the operation from initial site setup through to a sustained annual revenue of approximately USD 14 million.

A mechanical engineer by training, Danny holds a Master of Science from the University of Bridgeport. This technical foundation is reflected directly in his patent portfolio and allows him to engage substantively with customer engineering teams during design discussions — a rare combination of inventor-level technical depth and senior commercial leadership.

Professional Background

Danny's career has been dedicated entirely to the global friction hinge and position control industry. At Southco, Inc., he managed international business development across the company's hinge product lines, working with OEM customers in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. He led the establishment of a greenfield manufacturing facility from initial site setup, scaling the operation to a sustained annual revenue of approximately USD 14 million.

At LEECO, Danny applies this combined commercial, operational, and inventive experience to support customers facing the complex requirements of long-cycle B2B procurement: design-for-manufacturing collaboration, IATF 16949 supplier qualification, and multi-region supply chain coordination. He acts as the primary commercial point of contact for LEECO's international accounts and has been instrumental in establishing LEECO's position within the North American automotive supply chain.

Key Achievements at LEECO

  • Patent Portfolio: Sole inventor on three issued United States patents covering friction hinge and torque hinge mechanisms — see detailed list below.
  • North American Automotive Supply Chain: Successfully completed IATF 16949 supplier qualification and established LEECO as an approved component supplier within the North American automotive industry — a multi-year process requiring rigorous quality system validation, sample qualification runs, and full traceability documentation.
  • Greenfield Manufacturing Setup (Prior Role): Led the establishment of a complete manufacturing facility at Southco, scaling operations to USD 14 million in annual revenue.

United States Patents

Danny is the sole inventor on the following issued US patents, all assigned to LEECO Technologies Corporation. Each patent is currently active and protects a distinct hinge mechanism design within LEECO's product portfolio.

US Patent No. 9,206,633 — "Hinge Structure"

Granted December 8, 2015 · Active

An improved hinge mechanism that uses a positioning torque shrapnel within an axle hole. The interaction between the shrapnel's passive protruding portion and the hinge's protruding sector portion enables both controlled torque generation during rotation and precise positioning at fixed angles.

View on Google Patents

US Patent No. 9,609,770 — "Hinge Torque Fixing Structure"

Granted March 28, 2017 · Active

A ring-shaped polygonal torque shrapnel disposed between the hinge shaft and hinge hole, sized slightly thicker than the gap between them. Through controlled elastic deformation of outwardly-protruding flanges, the structure produces consistent friction torque and accurate angular positioning at any rotation point.

View on Google Patents

US Patent No. 10,550,617 — "Self-Closing Hinge"

Granted February 4, 2020 · Active

A spring-less self-closing hinge mechanism. A roll pin with matched non-arcuate cross-sectional profile rotates within a housing bore, with shaft members inserted in interference fit at each end. The geometry produces an automatic snap-closing function within approximately the first 15 degrees of rotation.

View on Google Patents

Industries Served

Danny works with OEM and Tier 1 customers across the following industries, with friction hinge and torque hinge requirements ranging from sub-3mm portable medical applications to heavy-duty industrial enclosures:

AutomotiveInterior components, in-cabin storage, electronic compartments
Industrial MachineryEquipment access panels, control enclosures, operator interfaces
Medical DevicesPortable diagnostic equipment, hospital fixtures, patient-side instruments
MarineCorrosion-resistant hinges for vessel and coastal equipment
LightingAdjustable luminaires and architectural lighting systems
POS & KiosksDisplay arms, payment terminals, self-service equipment
Office FurnitureAdjustable monitor arms, ergonomic workstations, storage enclosures
General IndustrialApplications requiring engineered position control

Areas of Expertise

  • Friction hinge and torque hinge mechanism design (named inventor on three US patents)
  • OEM and Tier 1 supplier qualification within IATF 16949 environments
  • North American automotive supply chain integration
  • International business development across Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific
  • Long-cycle B2B account management and program coordination
  • Cross-functional collaboration between customer engineering and procurement teams
  • Manufacturing operations setup and commercial scale-up

Education

  • Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering — University of Bridgeport (1995)

Languages

  • English — Fluent
  • Mandarin Chinese — Native

Connect with Danny

For partnership inquiries, custom hinge consultations, automotive supply chain discussions, or international distribution opportunities:

Looking to discuss a friction hinge application or evaluate LEECO as a long-term supplier?

Contact Danny Explore Custom Hinges