EP0220579A2

EP0220579A2 - Hinge device

Info

Publication number: EP0220579A2
Application number: EP86114103A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Norberto Manzalini
Original assignee: Otlav SpA
Current assignee: Otlav SpA
Priority date: 1985-10-22
Filing date: 1986-10-11
Publication date: 1987-05-06
Also published as: IT8541611A0; EP0220579A3; DK503986A; IT1192109B; DK503986D0

Abstract

The hinge device with preset stable positions, particularly employable for furniture doors, room doors and shutters in general. The hinge device, comprises a male element and of a female element (6). The male element has a pivot (9) and on its lateral surface are provided one or more recesses (10, 11, 12) interacting with a sliding element (18) which is adapted for cooperation with the recesses (10, 11, 12). The sliding element (18) cooperates with an elastically deformable element (17) accommodated within a suitable seat (15) provided in a pin (7) adapted for associating the female element with a door. The sliding element (18) cooperates with the recesses (10, 11, 12) for defining one or more positions of elastic stability for the door.

Description

The present invention relates to a hinge device with preset stable positions.
Hinge types are currently known, termed "hidden" hinges, which are employed for obtaining a stable opening position, e.g. of a shutter, of a piece of furniture, or of a door.
These known types, which are usually provided with a single stable position arranged approximately at 90' to the closed position, are structurally very complicated and bulky.
Known types of hinges employed for example for hanging furniture or wall unit doors, are frequently placed internally and, due to their bulk, do not allow the storage of books or other items proximate to the wall or side panel of the furniture.
Hinges employed for doors, instead, are placed internally to the paving due to their bulk, and therefore entail an additional installation cost.
As a partial solution of these problems, the use is known, though only for hanging furniture doors, of a hinge comprising a first element which is, associable with the door, provided with a nib protruding perpendicularly to the central body, and freely pivoting on a second element which can be associated with the wall or side panel of a piece of furniture.
This nib, in the opening phase, abuts a pin which is associated with said second element and is endowed with an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the pin itself.
Also in this case, however, the hinge is bulky and unsightly, and is not employable for hanging doors.
The main aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the above described disadvantages found in the prior art by devising a hinge device, which is versatile in that it can be employed for hanging both for furniture doors and for doors or other shutters, which has one or more stable equilibrium positions, and which is structurally simple.
Within the scope of the above described aim, another important object is to provide a hinge device that associates with the preceding characteristic that of having unchanged dimensions with respect to hinges of known kinds which do not define preset stable positions.
Another important object is to obtain a hinge which furthermore has a limited cost and can be produced with conventional manufacturing plant.
The aim and the objects described are achieved by a hinge device with preset stable positions, comprising a male element and a female element associable with an element to be hinged and a vertical supporting element, characterized in that it comprises a pivot, having at least one recess interacting with a sliding element adapted for insertion within said recesses to define one or more positions of elastic stability for the door, said element being adapted for cooperating with an elastically deformable means accommodated within a preset seat provided in a pin.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the hinge device associated with a door;
Fig. 2 is a partly sectional lateral detail view of the hinge device of figure 1, showing the female element sectioned along a longitudinal plane;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the cross section plane III-III of Fig. 2, showing the position assumed by the hinge in the condition of Fig. 1, i.e. with the door closed;
Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig.3, showing the hinge device in a partial open condition in a position of instability and in an open condition in a position of stability, respectively.
Fig. 6 is a view, similar to that of Fig. 3, which illustrates the arrangement of the male and female elements when the hinge is not associated with any fixture;
Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the hinge device showing the slide element according to another aspect of the invention;
Figs. 8 and 9 are partly sectional views illustrating two further aspects of the hinge device according to the invention; and,
Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further aspect of the inventive hinge device suitable for obtaining the automatic closing of the door for a given angular position assumed by the same.

With reference to the previously described drawings, a particular embodiment of a hinge device 1 has been considered, comprising a male element 2 expediently provided with a pair of pins, indicated by the numerals 3 and 4, adapted for being rigidly associated with a frame or support member 5 and a female element 6 in turn adapted for being rigidly associated, by means of at least one pin 7, with the side of a door, furniture door, shutter, or similar element to be hinged, generally indicated by the reference numeral 8.
From the male element 2, protrudes a pivot 9, which is advantageously provided, in the particular embodiment, with three recesses, designated respectively with the numerals 10, 11 and 12, and termed hereinafter, the first recess 10, the second recess 11 and the third recess 12.
These recesses 10, 11, 12, are expediently provided on the lateral surface 13 of the pivot 9 and extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the male element 2.
The second recess 11 is advantageously provided substantially opposite to the pins 3 and 4, whilst the first and third recesses 10 and 12 respectively, are angularly displaced by an angle o( with respect to the axis 14, (fig. 3), arranged substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 100 passing through the pair of pins 3 and 4.
Starting from this longitudinal axis 100, of the pair- of pins 3 and 4, and considering the relatively angularly spaced relationship of the seats in a clockwise sense, the third recess 12 is advantageously angularly displaced with respect to the second recess 11 by an angle of 90' degrees plus the angle α, the first recess 10 in turn, expediently being angularly displaced with respect to the second recess 11 by an angle of 270' degrees minus the angle α , as illustrated in Fig. 3.
On the lateral surface of the female element 6, on the longitudinal axis passing through the pin 7, a bore 15 is provided, having a diameter which is essentially smaller than that of the pin itself and a depth which is expediently slightly greater than that of the diameter of the cylindrical body of the female element itself.
Thus the bore 15 transversely crosses the seat 90 of the pivot 9.
At the blind end 16 of the bore 15 a seat is thus defined for an elastically deformable element 17, expediently composed of an helical spring or a cylindrical element, provided in an elastically deformable material, such as, for example, a plastic material.
With the end 170 of said elastically deformable element 17 facing the pivot 9 a movable or sliding element 18 is associable, composed e.g. of a small spherical element or ball 18 having a diameter slightly smaller than that of the bore 12.
The longitudinal extension of the element 17 is advantageously selected so that the elastically deformable element 17 acts against the blind end 16 of the bore 15 to exert a biasing force effective to push the spherical element 18 towards the pivot 9, the first, second and third recesses 10, 11 and 12 provided thereon having preferably a curvature radius substantially equal to that of the spherical element.
In order to close said bore 15, on the lateral surface of the female element 6 a longitudinal milling is provided, which acts as a seat for a matchingly shaped closure element 19.
Figs. 3 to 5 illustrate the operation of the hinge device 1: figure 3 illustrates the condition in which the door 8 is closed, in this case the angle between the axes of the pair of pins 3 and 4 and the axis of the pin 7 being of 90'.
In this position, however, the spherical element 18 is not completely inserted within the third recess 12, since the latter is angularly displaced by an angle ₀( with respect to the axis 14.
The elastically deformable element 17 will therefore be slightly compressed, and since this is a position of instability, the hinge will biased towards a stable equilibrium position, i.e. it will bias the door 8 into its closed position.
Fig. 6 shows the position that the hinge 1 would assume if it were not associated with the frame 5 and the door 8: i.e. when rotation of the female element 6 on the male element 2 is not delimited by a door 8 or the like, abutting a frame or support member 5, in particular, figure 6 illustrates the respective positions assumed by the pair of pins 3, 4 and the pin 7, as the spherical element 18 is pushed into the third recess 12, thereby biasing the portion of the convex surface of the spherical element 18 facing the concave surface of the third recess 12, into abutment engagement relationship therewith, by virtue of the elastic biasing action of the elastically deformable element 17 acting between the blind end 16 of the bore 15 and the spherical element 18. In this condition, the respective axes of the pair of pins 3, 4 and the pin 7, lie on planes which are displaced from each other by an angle equal to 90 degrees minus the angle α
The aperture of the angle α is of a few degrees, preferably five degrees, though obviously, greater or smaller angles may be adopted according to requirements.
Fig. 4 shows an intermediate position which schematically illustrates the door 8 opening phase.
In this phase, the lateral circumferential surface of the pivot 9 interposed between the second recess 11 and the third recess 12 forces the spherical element 18 into the bore 15 and therefore compresses the elastically deformable element 17 against the blind end 16.
In this intermediate phase, the lateral, circumferential surface of the pivot 9 slides on the convex surface of the spherical element 18 until another stable equilibrium condition is achieved, illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the spherical element 18 engages with the second recess 11, in abutment engagement relationship therewith, and the axes of the pair of pins 3, 4 and the pin 7 are arranged on the same longitudinal plane.
This is the open-door condition, which can be changed only by exerting a force effective to cause the spherical element 18 to disengage from the second seat 11, by compressing the elastically deformable element 17 and sliding on the lateral circumferential surface of the pivot 9.
The first recess 10 has been provided, in the illustrated example, with the same characteristics as the recess 12, so as to allow the use of the hinge 1 both for left-side doors and for right-side doors.
It has thus been observed that the invention achieves the proposed aim and objects: indeed, though it may be employed indifferently for doors or shutters, has unchanged dimensions with respect to hinges hitherto employed, allowing the achievement of a desired number of stable equilibrium positions.
Furthermore, the hinge is structurally simple and allows the achievement of an optimum abutment closing of the door.
Naturally, the invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.
Thus, as an example, the number of recesses, their angular position and their shape may be any, according to requirements.
In Fig. 7 a variation of a hinge device 101 is illustrated, wherein the sliding element 118 is composed of a pivot provided with a rounded head and an annular base 120 interacting with the elastically deformable element 117, the end of the bore which communicates with the seat of the pivot 109 being slightly upturned to prevent accidental escape of the element 118 when the male and female elements are uncoupled.
In Fig. 8 a variation of a hinge device 201 is illustrated, comprising a male element 202 having a pivot 209 shaped as in the example illustrated in figures 1 to 6.
In this variation however, the female element 206 has two pins 207a and 207b, which are each bored along the longitudinal axis, this bore extending through the cylindrical body of the female element up to its internal seat for the pin 209.
Within each bore formed in the pins 207a and 207b, a sliding element 218 is inserted, followed by an elastically deformable element 217, the bores themselves being advantageously closed by a small cylinder 221 upturned at the end of the pin, though obviously, any suitable closure means may be alternatively employed according to requirements.
In this case a further advantage derives from the use of a pair of elements 217 and 218 which increase the stability condition, by requiring the exertion of a greater force to overcome the biasing action of both elastically deformable elements 217 in order to disengage both sliding elements 218 from the recesses provided on the pivot 209.
Fig. 9 shows a variation wherein each of the recesses, though shaped matchingly with the end of the sliding element interacting therewith, is not provided in a longitudinal direction but only locally on the lateral surface of the pivot.
In Fig. 10 a further variation of a hinge device 301 is illustrated, wherein the pivot 309 has a plane surface 322, adapted for cooperation with the spherical element for automatically closing or biasing a door towards a closed position.
This configuration will allow, once a certain door angle has been exceeded, the interaction between the sliding element 318 and the surface 322 itself, the element 317 imparting the force necessary to allow a desired angular motion of the door; this motion biasing the door automatically towards a closed position.
Obviously, all of the elements of the above- described hinge device may be substituted by any technically equivalent elements.
Furthermore, any materials, dimensions and contingent shapes may be used acoording to requirements.

Claims

1. A hinge device with preset stable positions, comprising pins, a male element, and a female element, said pins being adapted for associating said male element and said female element with an element to be hinged and a supporting element, characterized in that it comprises a pivot, a sliding element, a seat, elastic-biasing means, and at least one recess, said recess being adapted for cooperation with said sliding element, said sliding element being adapted for insertion in said recesses to define one or more elastic stability positions, said sliding element cooperating with said elastic biasing means, said seat being provided in said pin and adapted for accommodating said elastic biasing means.

2. A hinge device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the lateral surface of said pivot are provided three longitudinal recesses, identical to each other and having a curved shape with the concave part directed towards the longitudinal mid-axis of the pivot, a first recess being arranged on the longitudinal mid-axis of the pin of the male element provided on the opposite side, the second and the third being endowed, with respect to the first, respectively with an axis rotated by an angle slightly larger than 90' and slightly smaller than 270'.

3. A hinge device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said female element is provided with an essentially cylindrically shaped body on the lateral surface of which is provided, on the longitudinal mid-axis of a pin, a bore extending to the full diameter thereof and partially to the core of the pin itself, said bore thus defining, between its blind end and the seat for the pivot, a seat for an elastically deformable means.

4. A hinge device according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that said sliding element is composed of a ball interposed between an end of the elastically deformable means and the lateral surface of the pivot, said ball having a diameter which is slightly smaller than that of the bore in which it is inserted and a curvature radius not greater than that of the recesses.

5. A hinge device according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that said sliding element comprises a small pin with a rounded head, cooperating with the pivot and with an annular base with a greater diameter, cooperating with an end of the elastically deformable means, the end of the seat for said element and means being upturned to prevent the escape of the small pin.

6. A hinge device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said female element is provided on its lateral surface and proximate to the bore with a longitudinal seat for a closing dowel.

7. A hinge device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said female element comprises a pair of pins, bored along the middle longitudinal axis therof up to the seat of the pivot, within said pins there being insertable said sliding element and said elastically deformable means, the latter being in abutment with the end of a small cylinder which can be inserted within the bore provided in the pins.

8. A hinge device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said pivot comprises at least one recess provided on the surface of the pivot at the level of the longitudinal mid-axis of the elastically deformable means, only at the preset positions of elastic stability.

9. A hinge device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said pivot is provided with at least one recess composed of a plane surface interacting with the sliding element and suitable for automatically closing of the door.