DE8701832U1 - Hinge element - Google Patents

Description

"..". BEDS & TRACKS

''·' .Patent Attorneys

Filemark«

Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Betten Dipl.-Ing. Alf-Olav Gleiss

Reichenbachstraße (Gärtnerplatz) D-8000 Munich Φ 089 - 260 30 Telex5 218 677elpad Fax 089-2607896 Telegram Electropat

Hinge element

The invention relates to a hinge element according to the preamble of claim 1.

When assembling larger picture elements and wall elements for use as display material for temporary exhibitions or as partitions in office landscapes, it is already known to arrange elements in prefabricated frames, with the frames enclosing the edge parts of the elements. The frames are held upright by feet attached to the lower edges of the frame. The frames often form partitions in an exhibition area at exhibitions, and usually the upright frames are arranged one behind the other so as to create a demarcated area for an exhibitor. However, these frames are sensitive to impact and are easily displaced, changing the boundaries of the exhibitor area and creating a messy impression. It is already known to attach the frames to one another using various types of fastening elements, so that a continuous wall element is obtained which contains a number of frames attached to one another.

In order to obtain a permanent connection between the individual frames, it is already known to arrange special joint elements in the edge sections of the frames that are opposite another edge section of the following frame, whereby the contact surface of the joint elements is provided with a number of elongated slots that form teeth. However, such a joint arrangement often becomes loose, so that it is difficult to achieve proper fastening and clamping of the joint elements to one another. For this purpose, special fastening devices, such as screw connections, are required to attach the joint elements to the frames, which increase the cost of the product and make assembly more difficult.

The present invention is based on the object of creating a joint element which eliminates the disadvantage of already known technology and creates a secure connection between two elements containing a hinge element.

This object is achieved by a device according to the characterizing part of the following patent claims.
25

The invention is explained below using an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Show it:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the hinge element;

Figure 2 in perspective of one of the parts of the hinge element; and

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Figure 3 shows the hinge element mounted between two frames.

In the following, the hinge element is described using an OS embodiment for frames for mounting larger picture elements, but other areas of application for the hinge element can also exist. As can be seen from Figure 1, the hinge element comprises two elongated profiles 1, 2, which are identical to one another; therefore, the description will be limited to one profile. The profile 2 has an upper curved wall section 3 with a semicircular cross-sectional area and on its outer surface a number of teeth 4 extending 1n the length of the profile, which form a gear profile extending predominantly along the entire upper surface 3. The semicircular line of the curved wall section 3 is formed at both ends by the

Ends of clamp elements 5, 6 in the form of

\ ² _Or opposite and parallel wall sections, which preferably extend along the entire

&igr;? length of the arched wall section and a

f- Straightening of the circular line of the wall section,

y so that the cross-sectional area of the profile is predominantly

has a U-shape. The wall sections of the clamp elements are designed to be slightly concave, so that the distance between the wall sections is greatest at the free ends of the clamp elements. The clamp elements 5, 6 are each closed by a flange 7, 8, ^O which extends inwards from the respective clamp element

protrudes, predominantly at right angles to the wall portion of the clamp element. The flanges advantageously extend along the entire length of the clamp element.
35

Support walls 9, 10 extend from the inside of the clamp element at a distance from the flanges 7, 8 at an angle exceeding 90° in relation to the inside of the clamp element, the support walls forming a V-shape with the tip directed towards the semicircular wall 3, which lies in the middle between the clamp elements, a cylindrical recess 11 being arranged between the support walls at the tip, which lies at a distance from the inside of the curved wall section that is roughly equal to the distance between the recess and the insides of the corresponding clamp elements 1, the recess in turn having a longitudinal opening directed towards the flanges 7, 8. The recess is also located so that it forms a center point for the circular line of the curved wall section 3. |

Starting predominantly at right angles from the inner sides of the clamp elements at the fastening for the retaining walls 9, 10, two support elements 12, 13 extend, the free ends of which extend beyond the free ends of the flanges.

As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the profile 2 has a recess 15 arranged 1 m from its free end along the entire length of the curved wall section transversely to the longitudinal direction of the profile |, whereby the recess ends a little below the corresponding clamp elements 5, 6. Directly opposite the recess 15 there is a second recess, not shown in the drawing, arranged in the supporting walls 9, 10, where they meet at a point and a little below the cylindrical

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such a recess 11. This creates a recess that extends from one side of one clamp element 5 through the profile transversely to its length to the other side of the clamp element 6.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the hinge element contains two profiles, one profile 1 being attached to the other profile 2 so that the profiles abut one another with the curved wall sections 3, with the tooth profiles of the profiles engaging with one another. It is essential here that the profiles are attached to one another and in good contact with one another so that the first tooth 16 of the first profile 1 comes to rest in the space 17 between the first and second tooth of the second profile 2, so that proper engagement of the teeth between the two tooth profiles of the profiles is achieved.

Between the recesses 11 of the two profiles 1,

2 extends a connecting element 20 which has a bore 21 at both ends, whereby the connecting element is located in the recesses 15 of both profiles. The bores of the connecting elements are, as can be seen from Figure 1, located essentially at the height of the cylindrical recesses 11 of the support wound, whereby, however, the distance between the center of the two bores 1 in the connecting elements is less than the distance between the centers of the recesses 11 of two profiles arranged next to one another, as can be seen from Figure 1. A clamping pin 22 is inserted through both recesses 11 and the bores 21 of the connecting element. The clamping pin preferably consists of a 1Kngs open cylinder whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the recesses 11 and the bores 21, whereby

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the clamping pin is pointed at one end and is preferably made of spring steel.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 3, a frame OS strip 23 is provided at its free ends with a T-like projection 24, which is designed in such a way that it can be fitted with a certain tolerance, preferably rests between the clamp elements 5, 6 on the end parts of the profiles and can be enclosed by the clamp elements together with the flanges 7, 8. From Figure 3 it can be seen that the hinge element together with the frame strip 23 forms an outer boundary line of a frame in which a bird element 25 can be attached, the edge parts of the picture element resting on the clamp elements 5, 6 and being supported by the support elements 12, 13 according to Figure 1.

When joining profiles 1 and 2, the same

placed against each other so that the teeth 4 of the wall sections 3 mesh, whereby it is particularly important that the first tooth 16 of the first profile 1 is positioned just in front of the space between the first and second tooth 17 of the second profile 2, whereby the tooth profiles can come into contact with each other along their entire semicircular arrangement. The first profile 1 is now rolled along the tooth profile of the second profile so that the first profile 1 is arranged at an angle of approximately 180° to the second profile 2, i.e. that they are directly opposite each other. The connecting element 20 is then inserted into the recesses 15 of the profiles so that the corresponding holes 21 are located predominantly in the middle of the recesses 11 of the supporting walls 9, 10 in the corresponding profile. Because the distance between the holes 21 is smaller than the distance between the recesses 11 of two opposite profiles

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1, 2, there is a certain displacement between the recesses 11 and the holes 21, so that the center of the corresponding holes comes to lie somewhat within the center of the recesses 11. 05 To brace the profiles against each other using the connecting element, the clamping pin 22 is now inserted through the two recesses 11 and the holes 21, whereby the tip of the clamping pin ensures that it can be easily inserted a little into the corresponding IO hole without any significant resistance. Because the diameter of the clamping pin slightly exceeds the diameter of the recesses and the holes, a certain force is required to reduce the friction between the clamping pin and the recess when inserting the clamping pin through the recess 11 . This is most easily done by

I that the dowel pins are in a

! piece through the holes 21, whereby

'?'■ the two profiles are clamped against each other,

% 20 in that the distance between the holes 21 ' is the distance between the centers of the recesses

{ 11. The centres of the recesses

[> 11 will thereby strive against each other and

! the distance between the centers of the holes

\ 25 21, whereby the bracket elements 5, 6 are replaced by \ Tensile load of the retaining walls against each other,

I so that the distance between the flanges 7, 8 is smaller

1 becomes.

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Because the recesses 11 are placed at the center of the circular lines of the wall sections and the profiles are movably connected to one another by the connecting element which extends between the recesses 11 of the profiles, one obtains predominantly an equal clamping force between the tooth profiles of the profiles along the entire comb noils.

When installing a work of art, a picture element 25

between the flanges 7, 8 to rest on the support elements 12, 13, after which the T-shaped projection 24 of the frame strip 23 is inserted between the flanges 7, 8 of the clamp elements 5, 6. Because the clamp elements push against each other when the dowel pins 22 are driven in, the clamp elements with their corresponding flanges 7, 8 carefully enclose the T-shaped projection 24 of the frame strip and clamp it in a certain position. The concave sides of the clamp elements cause a certain spring effect to arise, whereby the clamp elements are always in constant engagement with the projection within a certain tolerance of the projection 24. This clamping is also made easier by the fact that the sides of the clamp elements are concave and, even in an unloaded state, have a certain indentation in the cross-section. In this way, a certain pre-tension of the clamp elements is obtained due to the pulling force of the supporting walls, whereby the sides of the clamp elements tend to increase the concavity. No special fastening means are required to attach the T-shaped projection 24 of the frame strip 23 to the profile.

The invention is not limited to the description above and to the embodiment shown in the drawings, but can be modified as desired within the following patent claims. For example, the connecting element for joining two profiles can be attached to the free ends of the profiles and thus not in a recess in the profiles. It is also conceivable to produce the frame strip and the T-shaped projection in two parts, whereby the T-shaped projection, as described above, is clamped between the inner sides of the clamp elements and the frame strip is attached to the T-shaped projection using any fastening means. Such a fastening means can consist of a conical recess in a part protruding from the T-shaped projection, which in turn can be inserted into the frame strip in such a way that the center of the recess is slightly offset from a hole arranged in the frame strip. A screw is inserted through the holes and, when turned, comes to rest against the side of the recess, with the center of the recess tending to align with the center of the holes so that the recess moves toward the frame strip.

Claims (3)

*protection claims Hinge element with two elongated, opposite elements (1, 2) which have a predominantly semicircular wall (3) in cross-section, the outer surface of which has a number of longitudinal slots (17) which together form a wave pattern in cross-section, each element resting on the semicircular surface (3) of the other and engaging with its slots (17), and which are connected to one another by a connecting element (20), and with two clamp elements (5, 6) extending outwards from the ends of the wall (3) and predominantly parallel to one another, which form an elongated extension of the semicircular wall (3), so that the elements each have a predominantly U-shape in cross-section, characterized, that both elements (1, 2) have at least one V-shaped, 1m angled support wall (9, 10) between the clamp elements (5, 6), which is directed with its tip against the semicircular wall (3) and creates a connection between the clamp elements, that in both elements there is a pivoting center (11) &igr;&igr;* ti M*· ·· at the tip of the V-shaped angled wall at a certain distance from the semicircular wall (3) and forms a hinge axis on which the connecting element (20) is mounted and creates a connection between the opposing elements (1, Z) , and that the pivot center (11) forms the center of curvature for the semicircular wall (3). 2. Hinge element according to claim 1, characterized, that the connecting element (20) at its end parts Bores (21) that said pivoting means point (11) is formed by a second bore (11) and that the distance between the centers of both bores (21) of the connecting element is less than the distance between the centers of two opposite bores (11) in the elongated elements (1, 2) which lie against one another with their semicircular walls (3). 3. Hinge element according to claim 1 and 2, characterized, that the sides of the clamp elements (5, 6) have a concave cross-sectional area, that the distance between the recesses (11) of two elongated profiles (1, 2) is such that it can be adapted to the distance between the two bores (21) of the connecting element (20) by means of clamping devices (22), and that the distance between the clamp elements (5, 6) of the elongated profiles (1, 2) can be changed by changing the distance between the recesses (11) the profiles can be changed. &bull; I « · I· «III ir ' Hinge element according to claim 1, characterized in that the two elongate elements (1, 2) each have at least one recess (15) in the semicircular wall (3) which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the profiles, the connecting element (20) resting in said recesses ^and the centres of the bores in the connecting element coinciding ^with the pivot centres (11) of the respective elongate elements (1, 2). &bull; ill