EP0041800B1

EP0041800B1 - Hinge

Info

Publication number: EP0041800B1
Application number: EP19810302363
Authority: EP
Inventors: James David Rollo Cuthbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-05-29
Filing date: 1981-05-28
Publication date: 1985-03-20
Also published as: DE3169350D1; EP0041800A2; GB2077321A; EP0041800A3

Description

This invention relates to a hinge suitable for hinging together edge to edge, two panels, for example for use as walls or floor or roof or ceiling of a foldable cabin. An example of such a cabin is described in British Patent Specification No. 2031045 and an example of such a hinge is described in British Patent No. 1508122.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a hinge which can be easily joined together and which enables the edges of the panels to be joined to be sealed from the weather and in particular from rain.
According to the present invention, a hinge comprising two extruded section components each of which sections defines a hinge recess including a different one of a pair of co-operating scrolls, and a recess for a panel or the like, and a partition separating the two recesses, and having shelves, stops or flanges defining two limiting positions of the hinge, is characterised in that over the whole range of angular positions between the limiting positions and excluding the limiting positions, there is plenty of play for movement of one section relative to the other transversely of the hinge axis whereby long hinges can have their sections assembled together by longitudinal sliding while the hinge angle is within the said range.
The panel recess can be defined between two opposed parallel side walls, together with the partition joining their interiors, so that the panel can be fitted into that recess, and the edge which would otherwise be exposed is thus protected from the weather. The scroll constituting one component of the hinge is in the hinge recess on the other side of the partition from the panel recess. Thus, even though moisture will be able to enter the hinge recess, that can be completely sealed off from the panel recess by the partition and will not damage either panel.
Conveniently the limiting positions are those in which the panels hinged together are in the same plane, and are at right angles to each other.
Morley's British Patent Specification No. 86 2027 discloses a complete wall structure having co-operating hinge components at opposite edges, but does not deal at all with the problem of privotally connecting together two special light panels.
Cegedur's French Patent Specification No. 2383345 discloses another arrangement for pivotally assembling adjacent panels. Each panel is in the form of an extrusion including a moulded hinge recess at each end, the two recesses being not the same, but complementary to each other so that the recess at one edge of one panel can hinge in relation to the other recess at the edge of an adjacent panel. Both the recesses and the panel itself are part of a single integral extrusion so that there is no arrangement for fitting a hinge recess to the edge of a separate light panel. Also the way the hinge recesses co-operate ensures that there is a stop position where the two panels . are in line with each other, although after hinged movement away from that position, there is no other stop position and the hinges just become disassembled by relative transverse movement.
The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, and one embodiment will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 show hinge components coupled together in three different hinge positions.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3 it can be seen that the two extruded section aluminium hinge components 11 and 12 consist of a pair of opposed spaced parallel side walls, 13 and 14, or 15 and 16, with an intermediate partition 17 or 18, extending between them at an intermediate position, and separating the space between the opposite side walls into a panel recess 21 or 22 and a hinge recess 23 or 24 The two recesses are completely separated from each other by the partition so that moisture in the hinge recess cannot come into contact with a panel in the panel recess.
Each hinge recess includes a scroll 26 or 27. The scroll 26 is positioned between the ends of the two side walls 13 and 14, and curves over and backwards into the space between them, whereas the scroll 27 is an extension of the side wall 16 turning inwards and towards the partition 18; the edge of the wall 15 is spaced from the scroll 27 to allow a space for the insertion of the scroll 26. Panels to be hinged each have one edge fitted with a snug fit in one of the panel recesses 21 and 22.
Either after the panels have been fitted into the two hinge recesses 21 and 22, or preferably before they have been fitted in, the two hinge components 11 and 12 are assembled together by longitudinal sliding.
In the position shown in FIGURE 1, with the two panels parallel and edge to edge, a flange 41 extending inwardly from the end of the side wall 13 fits into a corresponding recess between the partition 18 and the side wall 15, the edge 42 of the side wall 14 fits against an external shoulder 43 formed on the side wall 16, and the scroll 27 fits fairly snugly within the part of the scroll 26 formed by the partition 17. There is thus location against any substantial movement between the two components in the plane of FIGURE 1 except clockwise hinge movement about an axis defined where the two scrolls engage one another. Further clockwise movement of the component 1 is prevented.
In the intermediate position shown in FIGURE 2, movement is guided by sliding of intermediate portions of the scrolls in relation to one another and the edge of the side wall 13 locates against the partition 18.
In the folded position of FIGURE 3, with the two panels at right angles to each other, the edge of the scroll 27 abuts against an inner surface of the scroll 26, the flange 41 abuts against the inside of the side wall 16, and the edge of the.side wall 15 abuts against the outer surface of the side wall 11 to provide a positive stop when the components have been turned through 90°.
It will be observed that in all positions of the hinge, and whether or not the inside or the outside of the right angle shown in FIGURE 3 is exposed to the weather, it is only the hinge recesses that can receive water. Water cannot attack the edges of the panels in the panel recesses, and water can hardly get from the outside to the inside because of the kind of labyrinth seal formed by the co-operating scrolls, while one of the scrolls will always act to hold water. Similarly wind cannot easily penetrate the joint.
The components can be fairly easily extruded in quantity, and are simple to use because they only have to be fitted over the panels and then slid together.
Where it is necessary to join extrusions to the panels, self-tapping screws, or screws and bolts can be used.
The hinge just described enables panel structures to be very easily built up. A typical panel consists of an outer layer of external plywood, a main body of heat insulating urethane foam, and an inner vapour impermeable aluminium lining. That material can be obtained in preformed rectangles, and has good structural and heat insulating properties, while yet it is very light. It can be fitted at its edges into the panel recess in a hinge member 11 or 12, described above, either directly if it is thick enough after it has been fitted in a channel section which fits the panel recesses, if it is not.
Quite a large rectangular panel can be lifted by two people, and joined to a neighbouring panel by relative sliding of the hinge components along the hinge axis, and then pivoted into position by turning of the hinge.
It will be appreciated that panels are easily jointed together by sliding hinge components together while the hinge axes are horizontal with only one panel being carried at any time between two men. Assembly of panels side by slide is easy because the hinge components 11 and 12 allow plenty of play other than in the 90° and 180° positions of FIGURES 3 and 1 respectively. Similarly hinging upwards is easy because the components are light, and they do not have to be lifted bodily but are hinged upwards so that the hinges take much of the load. The hinges, being elongate hinges of continuous cross-section, do not get deformed locally.

Claims

1. A hinge comprising two extruded section components each of which sections defines a hinge recess (23, 24) including a different one of a pair of co-operating scrolls (26, 27), each section also defining a recess (21, 22) for a panel or the like and a partition (17, 18) separating the two recesses, and having shelves, stops or flanges defining two limiting positions of the hinge; characterised in that over the whole range of angular positions between the limiting positions and excluding the limiting positions there is plenty of play for movement of one section relative to the other transversely of the hinge axis, whereby long hinges can have their sections assembled together by longitudinal sliding while the hinge angle is within the said range.

2. A hinge as claimed in Claim 1 in which in the limiting positions, panels in the respective recesses are at 90° and in the same plane with each other.

3. A hinge as claimed in either preceding claim in which the scrolls co-operate one inside the other to define a hinge axis and to act as a kind of labyrinth seal against the penetration of moisture from one side of the hinge to the other.

4. A hinge as claimed in any preceding claim in which each section has two spaced flat, parallel walls (13, 14, 15, 16) defining the panel recess between them with no part substantially outside the parallel walls.

5. A hinge as claimed in Claim 4 in which, in the limiting positions, the flat walls of the components are in contact with each other.

6. A hinge as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which each panel recess (21, 22) is defined between two parallel walls whereby a panel can be assembled in a panel recess merely by being inserted by movement transverse to and towards the hinge axis.