CN110945202A

CN110945202A - Snap hinge device

Info

Publication number: CN110945202A
Application number: CN201880049468.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 艾罗司·葛拉迪
Original assignee: CMI Cerniere Meccaniche Industriali SRL
Current assignee: C.M.I.铰链机械工业有限公司; CMI Cerniere Meccaniche Industriali SRL
Priority date: 2017-07-28
Filing date: 2018-07-23
Publication date: 2020-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-23
Also published as: IT201700087026A1; ES2902699T3; WO2019020579A1; EP3658730B1; PL3658730T3; EP3658730A1; CN110945202B

Abstract

Snap hinge device comprising a first element (3) for fixing to a body of an apparatus and a second element (5) for fixing to a door of the apparatus, wherein in an assembled state of the apparatus the first element (3) and the second element (5) are connected to each other such that the door can be rotated around a rotation axis. -the second element (5) is provided with a recess (7) of elongated shape, the recess (7) having an open end (9) and a closed end (11); the second element (5) is also equipped with a first connection (13) close to the recess (7). The device (1) also comprises hooking means (15), said hooking means (15) being equipped with a first seat (17) having an opening (19), and a second seat (18) almost facing the first seat (17) and delimited by one continuous edge of itself, and said hooking means (15) comprising a second connection (21), said second connection (21) being assigned to engage with the first connection (13) to achieve a fixed condition in which the opening (19) and the first seat (17) are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the groove (7) and are facing the open end (9). The first seat (17) and the groove (7) are designed to receive and accommodate the rod of a hinge pin (23), the hinge pin (23) being fixed in a protruding manner to the first element (3) and defining the axis of rotation. The second seat (18) is designed to receive and accommodate a head (26) of the hinge pin (23). The first element (3) and the second element (5) are separate from each other and are fixed to the frame and to the door, respectively, can be connected to each other in a rotating manner, and engage the hinge pin (23) and its head (26) with the first seat (17) and the second seat (18), respectively, to hinge the door to the frame of the apparatus.

Description

Snap hinge device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hinge for household appliances and to a snap-in hinge device particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for rotatably connecting a door having a lower and horizontal rotation axis with an appliance such as a dishwasher.

Background

The known dishwasher has two modular hinges, each hinge having two members, one fixed to the lower side of the dishwasher body or rack and the other fixed on the corresponding side of the lower base of the door. The members are separated and the members are rotatably engaged with each other after being fixed to the body and the door, respectively. This connection is made by the operator who moves the door manually to couple the parts of the two parts of each hinge that hook and rotate to each other.

A hinge type is known for snap-coupling a revolving door around a horizontal shaft which is lower than the body of a household appliance, such as a dishwasher, which can be loaded on the front side.

The hinge includes a hinge bracket fixed to the door and a fixed support bracket fixed to the main body of the apparatus.

The hinge bracket may be rotatably coupled to the support bracket at a rotation center.

The hinge bracket has an oblong hole which, in the mounted position, is open at the bottom and receives a downwardly opening support bushing.

The support bracket has a support pin that can be inserted into the support bushing to serve as a hinge pin.

The support bushing has two sides, each supporting an expansion arm projecting towards the inside of the bushing.

The stretching arm is manufactured and arranged such that when the supporting pin is mounted in the supporting bushing, this supporting pin will push the stretching arm outwards and, as soon as the supporting pin in the bushing is present, such stretching arm will return to its original position alone.

A drawback of this known hinge is that, during the connection phase of the door of the household appliance to the main body, the downward facing opening facing the oblong hole and the support bush can be hidden in the line of sight of the person destined to make the connection, making such a connection difficult and/or slow to operate, at least for the inexperienced workers.

Another drawback of this known hinge is that, for example, in certain cases, the force is applied to the hinge pin of the door under the action of a force directed in the direction in which the hinge pin enters the respective bushing, for example by bending the stretching arm with force; the extended arms of the bushing run the risk of being damaged or broken.

Another drawback of said known hinge is that it may be affected by rotational irregularities and generate noise.

Another drawback of said known hinge is that it allows its bracket to have an axial clearance, which may be counterproductive in some cases if not prevented by other elements.

Document DE 10259065 a1 discloses a hinge comprising the features of the preamble of claim 1 of this document.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a snap hinge device with little risk of breakage of the coupling between the hinge pin and its seat, with stresses directed in each direction.

Another object is to provide a snap hinge device which can ensure a smooth and silent rotational movement.

Another object is to propose a hinge device which allows the locking and hinging of the door, allowing a comfortable movement of the door from the bottom upwards.

Another object is to provide a snap hinge device which is capable of providing a precise mutual axial positioning of the hinge members.

The snap hinge device of this document is intended for use, for example, in dishwashers, ovens or other household or industrial appliances or furniture (hereinafter "appliance"), whose door, plate or door (hereinafter "door" in general) can rotate about a horizontal and lower axis of rotation.

The door is hinged to the body or frame by a pair of side hinge means.

Each hinge means comprises a first and a second element which can be rotatably connected to each other about a rotation axis and which are intended to be fixed respectively to the body or frame of the apparatus, in particular to the lower part of the frame on one side of the corresponding die member, and to a lower side of the door.

The first and second elements are separate except in an assembled state of the apparatus in which they are connected to hinge the door to the body. In other words, the first and second elements are first fixed to the body and door of the device, respectively, and then connected to each other to hinge the door to the body.

Drawings

Reference is made in particular to the accompanying drawings for illustrating the features of the invention, wherein:

figures 1 and 2 show partially and partially assembled and opened isometric views, respectively, of the snap hinge device of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an isometric and enlarged view of a portion of the device of FIG. 2 from the side opposite that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of an orthogonal projection of the portion shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a close-up view of a detail of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of an orthogonal projection of the device of FIG. 6 in a closed state;

figure 7 shows a partial enlargement of the device, sectioned according to the plane VII-VII of figure 6;

figures 8 to 12 show axonometric views from one side, the opposite side, the front side, the side and the rear side of a hinge pin engaged in the coupling device of figure 1 or 2; and

fig. 13-17 show a front view, a side view and a rear view, respectively, an axonometric view on one side and an axonometric view on the other side, of the hooking device of fig. 8.

Detailed Description

With reference to fig. 1 to 17, the reference numeral 1 designates a snap hinge device comprising a first element 3 intended to be fixed to the body of an apparatus and a second element 5 intended to be fixed to the door of said apparatus, wherein said first element 3 and said second element 5 are mutually connected in the assembled condition of said apparatus so as to allow said door to rotate about an axis of rotation.

The second element 5 is provided with an elongated recess 7 having an open end 9 and a closed end 11.

The longitudinal axis of the elongated groove 7 may have almost any inclination with respect to said second element 5 and in the open state of said hinge means the open end 9 may be as shown in fig. 2 and preferably open upwards, or any other direction.

The second element 5 is also provided with a first connection 13, the first connection 13 being made in the vicinity of the recess 7 and containing, for example, a plurality of rectangular through holes.

The device 1 further comprises a hooking means 15, the hooking means 15 having a first seat 17, the first seat 17 containing a slit-shaped through-hole slot of elongated linear shape having a closed end and an opposite end having an opening 19; said hooking means 15 are also provided with a second seat 18, said second seat 18 almost facing said first seat 17 and being delimited by a continuous and closed edge of itself, preferably a rounded edge.

Said hooking means 15 comprise a second connection member 21, said second connection member 21 being for example a fin (made in one piece with said plate, tab or plate) comprising a plurality of projections, legs, tabs or protrusions, each designed to engage in a corresponding through hole of the first connection member 13; at least one of said plurality of projections, legs, tabs or fins protrudes from the corresponding through hole and is bent to lock said hooking means 15 in said first connector means 13, so as to create a fixed condition in which said opening 19 and said first seat 17 are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the recess 7 and face said open end 9. In this fixed state, the second seat 18 also faces the opening 19. As an alternative to at least one of the aforementioned projections being engaged and folded into said through hole, the invention provides that at least one of the projections is of the interlocking type, for example with an arrow or with a barbed prong, to fit into the corresponding said through hole.

The first seats 17 and the grooves 7 are designed to receive and house the rods of the hinge pins 23, the rods of the hinge pins 23 being fixed to the first element 3 and projecting from the first element 3 and defining the rotation axis.

The second seat 18 is designed to receive and house the head 26 of the hinge pin 23, the head 26 of the hinge pin 23 locking its rod in the first seat 17 and in the groove 7, so as to obtain the assembled condition.

Starting from a state in which the first element 3 is fixed to the body of the apparatus and the second element 5 is fixed to the door of the apparatus and the first element 3 and the second element 5 are uncoupled from each other, the first element 3 and the second element 5 can be mutually connected in a rotating manner to each other by engaging the hinge pin 23 and its head 26 in the first seat 17 and the second seat 18, respectively, to hinge the door to the frame of the apparatus and to reach the assembled state.

Preferably, said hooking means 15 are formed by forming or folding and punching a tempered steel plate, sheet or plate, with two substantially flat pages or plates, hereinafter respectively referred to as flat, parallel and facing each other portions, which respectively carry said first seat 17 and said second seat 18 facing each other. The projecting wings of said second connector 21 are obtained at the edge of the flat portion with the first seats 17.

The flat portions of the hooking means 15 are connected by elastic means 29, the elastic means 29 being able to promote a mutual formation of angles and/or spacings that are not easily variable. Said elastic means 29 for example comprise an intermediate portion between said two flat portions, bent by about 180 degrees and having a suitable radius of curvature.

This configuration allows the flat portion with the second seat 18 to be easily inclined or bent to allow the head 26 of the hinge pin 23 to slide upwards to the entrance of the head 26 in the second seat 18, locking the position of the hinge pin 23 with respect to the hooking means 15. It is clear that when the rod of the hinge pin 23 approaches and enters the first seat 17 of the hooking means 15 and enters the groove 7 of the second member, the head 26 slides along the surface of the portion having the second seat 18.

In the absence of stresses, the two flat portions of the hooking means 15 are arranged with a mutual distance between them, which corresponds approximately to the distance between the median geometrical plane of the head 26 of the hinge pin 23 and the annular groove 25, so that when the annular groove 25, the first seat 17 and the groove 7 are mutually engaged, the head 26 of the hinge pin 23 is located in the second seat 18.

In order to promote the sliding abutment between the flat portion with the second seat 18 and the head 26, the edge adjacent to the opening 19 of the first seat 17 of the flat portion of the hooking device 15 with the second seat 18 is provided with a flat, inclined, curved or blunted element 20, which element 20 is folded in the opposite direction to the flat portion with the first seat 17 and is designed to facilitate the entry of the head 26 into the second seat 18.

The rod of the hinge pin 23 has an annular groove 25, said annular groove 25 being designed to receive at least one edge of the hooking means 15, said edge defining the first seat 17 thereof.

The diameter of the head 26 of the hinge pin 23 is greater than the diameter of the stem of the hinge pin 23, which is greater than the diameter of the annular groove 25 of the hinge pin 23. The bottom of the rod and of the annular groove have a larger diameter and are equal to or slightly smaller than the width of the first seat 17 and the width of the groove 7, respectively.

Preferably, the head 26 and the second seat of the hinge pin 23 have a circular shape, and the diameter of the head 26 is greater than the maximum diameter of the hinge pin 23 and equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the second seat 18.

Preferably, the first seat 17 of the hooking means 15 and the groove 7 have almost the same width. The width (or longitudinal extension or in the axial direction) of the groove 25 is almost equal to or slightly greater than the sum of the thickness of the flat portion of the hooking means 15 with the first seat 17 and of the thickness of the wall of the second member with the groove 7. This dimensioning of the annular groove 25 allows to accommodate the edges of the first seat 17 and of the groove 7, thus creating a constraint between the first seat and the groove from one side and the hinge pin from the other. Between the head of the hinge pin and the second seat, a rotation limit begins to appear, which is obviously compatible with the limit between the annular groove 25 and the edges of the first seat 17 and the groove 7.

The device operates by moving the door until the hinge pin 23 contacts the open end 9 of the groove 7 and then applying an upward force to the door to effect connection of the door to the body of the appliance. The door does not have to be perfectly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the groove before the pin is inserted in the elastic seat. Any disassembly requires that the flat element with the second seat 18 be bent.

Claims

1. Snap hinge device comprising a first element (3) destined to be fixed to a main body of an apparatus, and a second element (5) destined to be fixed to a door of said apparatus, wherein in an assembled state of the apparatus said first element (3) and said second element (5) are mutually connected so as to allow said door to rotate about a rotation axis; -the second element (5) is provided with a recess (7) of elongated shape, the recess (7) having an open end (9) and a closed end (11); the second element (5) is also equipped with a first connection (13) close to the groove (7); the snap hinge device (1) further comprising a hooking means (15), the hooking means (15) being equipped with a first seat (17) having an opening (19), and the hooking means (15) comprising a second connection (21), the second connection (21) being assigned to engage with the first connection (13) to achieve a fixed condition in which the opening (19) and the first seat (17) are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the groove (7) and turned towards the open end (9), wherein the first seat (17) and the groove (7) are designated as rods receiving and housing a hinge pin (23), the hinge pin (23) being fixed in a protruding manner to the first element (3) and defining the rotation axis; the device (1) being characterized in that said hooking means (15) are also equipped with a second seat (18) almost facing said first seat (17), and in that said second seat (18) is connected to said first seat (17) by elastic means (29); said second seat (18) being delimited by a continuous edge of its own and being destined to receive and house a head (26) of said hinge pin (23); wherein the first element (3) and the second element (5) are separate from each other and are fixed to the frame and to the door, respectively, can be connected to each other in a rotating manner, and the hinge pin (23) and its head (26) engage the first seat (17) and the second seat (18), respectively, to hinge the door to the frame of the apparatus.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the rod of the hinge pin (23) has an annular groove (25), said annular groove (25) being destined to house at least one edge of the hooking means (15), said at least one edge delimiting the first seat (17).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first seat (17) of the hooking means (15) and the groove (7) have the same width; the annular groove (25) of the rod of the hinge pin (23) has a diameter equal to or slightly wider than said width and houses the first seat (17) and the edge of the groove (7).

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diameter of the head (26) of the hinge pin (23) is greater than the diameter of the annular groove of the hinge pin (23) itself, that is to say wider than the width of the first seat (17) and the width of the groove; preferably, the diameter of the head (26) is greater than the maximum diameter of the stem of the hinge pin (23).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hooking means (15) have two almost flat and parallel portions, one with said first seat (17) and the other with said second seat (18), these flat portions being connected by said elastic means (29) which enable mutual angular variations and/or spacing to be made less susceptible to variations.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that, in the absence of any stress, the two flat portions of the hooking means (15) are placed approximately corresponding to the reciprocal distance between the median geometric plane of the head (26) and the annular groove (25) of the hinge pin (23), so that the head (26) of the hinge pin (23) is in the second seat (18) when the annular groove (25), the first seat (17) and the groove (7) are mutually engaged.

7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the edge of the flat portion of the hooking means (15) having the second seat (18) adjacent to the opening (19) of the first seat (17) is an element (20) provided with a bevel, a curved face or an inclined face, said element (20) being curved in the opposite direction to the flat portion having the first seat (17) and being destined to promote the entry of the head (26) into the second seat (18).

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first connection means (13) comprise a set of through holes formed in said second element (5) in the vicinity of said recess (7); and said second connector (21) comprises a set of protrusions, each of said protrusions being destined to engage with a corresponding through hole.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one of said protrusions is of the snap-in type to cooperate with said corresponding opening, or in that a portion of at least one of said protrusions protrudes from said corresponding opening and is bent.

10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hooking means (15) are made of a plate, a leaf or a spring sheet and two flat and parallel portions having said first seat (17) and said second seat (18), respectively; the elastic means (29) and the second connecting member (21) are made of the plate, sheet or an integral part of the plate.