AU2015100842A4 - Reversible Hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A hinge that incorporates two pivotally interconnected hinge flanges with symmetrically located screw holes that allow for the hinge to be reversible. The opposing hinge flanges are off-set from the central pivoting knuckle such that the closed hinge dimension maintains an accurate door gap and allows for simple surface mounting of the hinge, and eliminates the need to of a skilled person to recess the hinges. The rear face of the hinge flanges contain symmetrically protruding deformation screw holes that provide positive locating, with the protruding deformations distributing the load through the hinge and removing the shear load off the individual screws. In addition, this hinge can be converted into a lift-off hinge simply by using a second door flange for use as a frame flange to secure to the frame. A removable pin within the central pivoting knuckle is used enabling separation of the flanges to easily remove a door without having to remove the hinge. 240 X ' 270 -270 0 Q '260 -- 220 270 0260 26 Fig. 6 230 Fig. 7 +0220 Fig. 5

Description

1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT Applicant: Inter-Join Pty.Ltd Inventor: Tom Bertovic Address: 1 Birmingham Avenue Villawood NSW 2163 Country: Australia Invention Title: REVERSIBLE HINGE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

2 Field of the Invention: [1] This invention relates to metal hinges and more particularly hinges used to hang doors to a door frame. Background of the Invention: [2] The hinge art is well developed and hinges can be found in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and mechanical interactions. Mounting of a door in a door frame generally requires a skilled person to properly align and recess the hinges to the required depth ensuring a properly closing door with accurate door gaps. [3] Metal door hinges for use with timber doors are generally designed with symmetrical appearance, having opposing flanges either side of a central knuckle providing pivoting. This allows the hinge to be installed either as left or right hand opening simply by placing the hinge at either the left side or right side of the door edge. [4] However, the current hinge design used for timber doors does not allow for surface mounting, and as such once the hinge recess is made, the door swing is restricted according to the hinge placement and the door swing cannot be reversed. [5] Whilst the general dimensions and appearance of a standard hinge is similar to a lift-off hinge, the functions vary and the components are not interchangeable. This results in specific components having to be manufactured for a lift-off hinge. The connecting knuckle is of different formation and the removable pin is significantly shorter, only extending partly into the opposing flange. [6] There are variations to the symmetrical flange hinge design that eliminate recessing into the door and door frame respectively. One such hinge design is an easy fit hinge which is surface mounted. These hinges are generally fitted to aluminium doors and frames where recessing of the hinges into aluminium is difficult.

3 [7] By way of design, a smaller opposing flange fits within the opposing larger flange, with the flanges slightly tapering from the central pivoting knuckle, that when closed, the flanges are in line. However once the holes have been located on the door, the hinges cannot be reversed as the mounting holes are not in alignment. [8] To make it easier for the on-site installer, door manufacturers are manufacturing pre-hung door units with factory fitted half-hinges recessed on doors and the opposing half-hinge recessed on the corresponding door frame. The hinge has the door flanges separate from the corresponding frame flanges during manufacture, and a loose hinge pin is provided to be inserted into the central knuckle, locking the opposing flanges together. [9] In general, pre-hung door units are manufactured for specific left-hand or right hand swing, with the deficiency being that once the recessed hinges have been fitted, the door swing cannot be reversed. Objects of the Invention: [10] It is the primary object of this invention is to provide a door hinge that is reversible by having symmetrically positioned screw holes that provide the option to reverse the door swing. The screw holes have been located such that reversing the hinge results in the screw holes being in prefect alignment, even after the hinge has been installed on the door edge. [11] Another object of this invention is to eliminate the need for a skilled person to recess the hinges by providing simple surface mounting installation via flanges are off set so that when closed, provide an accurate closed hinge dimension, ensuring a consistent door gap. [12] Another object of this invention is to provide positive locating by having the protruding deformations at the rear of the hinge flanges corresponding with the hole locations in the door and frame respectively.

4 [13] Another object of this invention is to remove the shear load off the individual screws by spreading the load through hinge via the protruding deformations tightly fitting into the corresponding holes in the door and frame respectively. [14] Another object of this invention is to be able to convert the hinge into a lift-off hinge simply by using a second door flange for use as a frame flange to secure to the frame, with a removable pin located within the central pivoting knuckle allowing easy separation of the hinge flanges. Summary of the Invention: [15] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an improvement on the conventional designed metal hinges by incorporating two pivotally interconnected hinge flanges with symmetrically located screw holes that allow for the hinge to be reversible. [16] In a preferred embodiment, the hinge also eliminates the need to recess the hinge flanges by incorporating off-set flanges that allow for the hinges to be surface mounted, making installation comparatively simple with an accurate and consistent closed hinge dimension. [17] In another preferred embodiment, the hinge flanges contain protruding deformation screw holes at the rear face of the flange provide positive locating by tightly fitting to the corresponding screw holes in the door and frame respectively. [18] In another preferred embodiment, the protruding deformations being tightly fitting within corresponding screw holes in the door and frame respectively spread the load through the hinge, removing the shear load off the individual screws. [19] In another preferred embodiment, this invention uses a second door flange as a frame flange to secure to the frame. A removable pin located within the central pivoting knuckle enables the hinge to be converted into a lift-off hinge resulting in easy separation of the hinge flanges.

5 Brief Description of the drawings: [20] Figure 1 is a top view of the present invention in an open position [21] Figure 2 is a front view of the present invention in an open position [22] Figure 3 is a side view of the present invention showing the door frame flanges. [23] Figure 4 is a side view of the present invention showing the door flange. [24] Figure 5 is a top view of the present invention in a closed position [25] Figure 6 is a front view of the present invention in a closed position [26] Figure 7 is a side view of the present invention in a closed position. [27] Figure 8 is an isometric view of the present invention in an open position. [28] Figure 9 is an isometric view of the present invention in a closed position. [29] Figure 10 is an isometric view of the present invention showing in a closed position with the flange off-set. [30] Figure 11 is a top view of an alternate configuration of present invention in an open position. [31] Figure 12 is a front view of an alternate configuration of the present invention in an open position [32] Figure 13 is a side view of an alternate configuration of present invention showing the door flange [33] Figure 14 is a side view of an alternate configuration of present invention showing the frame flange [34] Figure 15 is an overhead view of an alternate configuration of present invention in a closed position 6 [35] Figure 16 is front view of an alternate configuration of present invention in a closed position. [36] Figure 17 is a side view of an alternate configuration of present invention in a closed position [37] Figure 18 is an isometric view of an alternate configuration of present invention in an open position [38] Figure 19 is an isometric view of an alternate configuration of present invention in a closed position [39] Figure 20 is an isometric view of an alternate configuration of present invention in a closed position showing the flange off-set. Description of the Embodiments: [40] In describing the preferred embodiments reference is made to the accompanying drawing figures wherein like parts have like reference numerals, and wherein: [41] Figure 1, shows a top view of the metal hinge (200), in an open position, with the connecting knuckle (240) centrally located between the opposing door flange (220) and the frame flange (230). The rear face of the flanges contain protruding deformation screw holes (260), to provide positive location of the hinge to the screw holes in the door and door frame. [42] Figure 2, shows a front view of the metal hinge (200) being in an open position, showing the rear faces of both the door flange (220) and the frame flanges (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). The door flange (220) and frame flanges (230) are separated by freely rotating bearings (270) located within the connecting knuckle (240). [43] Figures 3 and 4 show opposite side views of the frame flanges (230) and door flanges (220) with protruding deformation screw holes (260) for positive location.

7 [44] Figure 5, shows a top view of the metal hinge (200), in a closed position, with the connecting knuckle (240) housing both door flange (220) and the frame flanges (230). The closed flanges have an off-set ('X') that allows for surface mounting of the hinges, whilst maintaining an accurate closed hinge dimension (door gap). [45] Figure 6, shows a front view of the metal hinge (200) being in a closed position, showing the rear face of door flange (220) with protruding deformation screw holes (260), together with the front face of the frame flanges (230) with countersunk screw holes (250). The door flange (220) and the frame flanges (230) are separated by freely rotating bearings (270) located within the connecting knuckle (240). [46] Figure 7 shows the side view of the closed hinge with door flange (220) frame flanges (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). The door flange (220) and frame flanges (230) are separated by freely rotating bearings (270) located within the connecting knuckle (240). The closed flanges have an off-set ('X') surface mounting of the hinges whilst maintaining an accurate closed hinge dimension, being the door gap. [47] Figure 8 shows an isometric view of the hinge in an open position with protruding deformation screw holes (260) at the rear face of the flanges. [48] Figure 9 shows an isometric view of the hinge in a closed position with front face of frame flange (230] with countersunk screw holes (250) and the rear face of the door flange [220] with protruding deformation screw holes (260). [49] Figure 10 shows a detail of the off-set dimension ('X') of the closed flanges (220,230) allowing for surface mounting of the hinges with an accurate closed hinge dimension being the door gap. [50] Figure 11, shows a top view of an alternate metal hinge (200), in an open position, with the connecting knuckle (240) having a removable pin (280) centrally located between the opposing door flange (220) and the frame flange (230). The flanges contain protruding deformation screw holes (260), to provide positive location of the hinge to the screw holes in the door and door frame.

8 [51] Figure 12, shows a front view of the alternate metal hinge (200) being in an open position, showing the rear faces of door flange (220) and frame flanges (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). The door flange (220) and frame flange (230) are separated by a freely rotating bearing (270) located within the connecting knuckle (240), which contains a removable pin (280). The removable pin (280) allows the hinge to be separated and the door to be removed without having to remove the hinge. [52] Figures 13 and 14 show the side view of an alternate metal hinge (200) with the door flange (220) and frame flange (230) having protruding deformation screw holes (260), with connecting pivoting knuckle (240) and removable pin (280) shown dashed. [53] Figure 15, shows a top view of the alternate metal hinge (200), in a closed position, with the connecting knuckle (240) housing a removable pin (280) being connected to both door flange (220) and the frame flanges (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). The closed flanges have been designed with an off-set ('X') that allows for surface mounting of the hinges whilst maintaining an accurate closed hinge dimension (door gap). [54] Figure 16, shows a front view of the alternate metal hinge (200) being in an open position, showing the front face of door flange (220) with countersunk screw holes (250) and rear face of the frame flanges (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). A freely rotating bearing (270) is located between the door flange (220) and frame flange (230). A connecting knuckle (240) houses a removable pin (280) which allows for the simple separation of the two flanges. [55] Figure 17 shows the side view of the alternate closed hinge with door flange (220) frame flange (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). The door flange (220) and frame flanges (230) are separated by a freely rotating bearing (270) located within the connecting knuckle (240), which also houses a removable pin (280). The closed flanges are off-set ('X') to allow for surface mounting of the hinges whilst maintaining an accurate closed hinge dimension (door gap). [56] Figure 18 shows an isometric view of the alternate hinge in an open position with the rear faces of the door flange (220) and frame flange (230) containing protruding deformation screw holes (260).

9 [57] Figure 19 shows an isometric view of the alternate hinge in a closed position with front face of door flange (220) with countersunk screw holes (250) and rear face of frame flange (230) with protruding deformation screw holes (260). [58] Figure 20 showing a detail of the off-set dimension ('X') of the closed flanges (220,230) allowing for surface mounting of the hinges with an accurate closed hinge dimension being the door gap.

Claims (5)

1. A hinge comprising of a central pivoting hinge knuckle with opposing hinge flanges having a plurality of symmetrically located screw holes, such that when reversed, the screw holes are in perfect alignment, resulting in a reversible hinge enabling the door swing to be changed from a left-hand to a right-hand door swing, or vice versa.

2. A hinge as claim 1 that has the opposing hinge flanges, that when closed, are off-set from the central pivoting knuckle, such that the closed hinge dimension allows for simple surface mounting of the hinge, thus eliminating the need to of a skilled person to recess the hinges for fitment.

3. A hinge as claim 1 where the symmetrically located screw holes have protruding deformations from the rear face of the hinge flanges to provide positive locating by fitting tightly within corresponding screw holes in the door.

4. A hinge as claim 3 where the protruding deformations being tightly fitting within corresponding screw holes in the door, spread the load through the hinge, removing the shear load off the individual screws.

5. A hinge as claim 1 where an alternate embodiment of this invention uses two door flanges at either side of the central pivoting knuckle housing a removable pin enables the hinge to be converted into a lift-off hinge resulting in easy separation of the hinge flanges. Dated this 23rd day of June 2015 Tom Bertovic Inventor