EP0395804A1

EP0395804A1 - Hinge

Info

Publication number: EP0395804A1
Application number: EP19890304393
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hiroaki Toyama
Original assignee: Murakoshi Seiko KK
Current assignee: Murakoshi Seiko KK
Priority date: 1989-05-02
Filing date: 1989-05-02
Publication date: 1990-11-07

Abstract

A hinge wherein a box-like base (1) is rotatably mounted on a rotating member (11) through a pair of link arms (16, 21) so that the rotating member (11) can be opened or closed, a mounting fitting (31) is secured to a structural body (51) and connected to the base (1) by a screw (41) that passes through the base (1) behind the pivotal support portion of the pair of the link arms (16, 21), and a spring (26) for urging one (21) of the link arms (16, 21) to keep the rotating member (11) closed. One (21) of the link arms (16, 21) is formed with a cam portion (25) at one end on the side of the base (1), and the spring (26) is installed in the base (1) behind the screw (41) and has a pressing portion (28). The cam portion (25) of the link arm (21) and the pressing portion (28) of the spring (26) being positioned to directly engage the pressing portion (28) against the cam portion (25).

Description

This invention relates to a hinge to rotatably mount a door on a structural body such as furniture.
In conventional hinges in which a rotating member is rotatably connected to the front part of the hinge base through a pair of link arms and in which the base is connected, by a screw, to a mounting fitting secured to the structural body such as furniture, a cam portion is formed at the end of one of the link arms on the side of the base and a spring to press against the cam portion is installed in front of the screw in the base to keep the rotating member secured to the door of the furniture closed, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 28877/1986.
In such conventional hinges, however, since the spring is installed in front of the screw, there is an idle space in the base behind the screw, making the base large.
There is another disadvantage of the conventional hinges. The base on which the rotating member is rotatably mounted is connected, by the screw, to the mounting fitting secured to the structural body such as furniture in such a way that the angle between the base and the mounting fitting can be adjusted. The adjust screw, which is retractably screwed into the base, has its front end portion passed rotatably through the mounting fitting and caulked. This construction allows rotation of the adjust screw with respect to the mounting fitting, while preventing the axial movement of the screw.
In the above construction, however, since the front end portion of the adjust screw must be caulked, the efficiency of the work for connecting the base and the mounting fitting is low.
This invention has been accomplished to overcome these drawbacks and its object is to provide a hinge which makes effective use of the space inside the base to reduce the size of the base and simplify the structure, thus reducing the cost of manufacture.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge which allows the angle adjustment of the base with respect to the mounting fitting, as with the conventional ones, and which permits easy connection between the mounting fitting and the base.
The hinge of this invention comprises: a box-like base; a rotating member; a pair of link arms whose ends are rotatably mounted on the front portion of the base and on the rotating member to rotatably connect the rotating member to the base so that the rotating member can be opened or closed; a mounting fitting secured to a structural body, the mounting fitting being connected to the base by a screw that passes through the base behind the pivotal support portion of the pair of the link arms; and a spring for urging one of the link arms to keep the rotating member closed; wherein said one of the link arms is formed with a cam portion at one end on the side of the base, the spring is installed in the base behind the screw and has a pressing portion, and the cam portion of the link arm and the pressing portion of the spring are positioned in the base between the inner surface of the base and the screw to directly engage the pressing portion against the cam portion.
In the hinge of this invention, as the rotating member is closed onto the base while turning the pair of the link arms, the spring--whose pressing portion is directly engaged with the cam portion on one end of one of the link arms on the side of the base--urges the link arm to turn in the closing direction, keeping the rotating member closed. In the base, the spring is installed behind the screw--which connects the base to the mounting fitting secured to the structural body--and the pressing portion of the spring and the cam portion of the link arm are positioned between the inner surface of the base and the screw so as to engage the pressing portion directly against the cam portion. This effectively utilizes the space within the base and permits a reduction in the size of the base without complicating the structure.
The hinge of this invention also comprises: a base; a rotating member connected to the front portion of the base so that the rotating member is rotatable for closing and opening; a mounting fitting secured to the structural body, the mounting fitting being rotatably connected to the rear portion of the base; and an adjust screw connected to the mounting fitting and the base so that the angle between the mounting fitting and the base can be adjusted; wherein the base is formed with a screw hole therethrough into which the screw is retractably screwed, the mounting fitting is formed with a through hole which faces the screw hole and through which the adjust screw is loosely inserted, and the adjust screw is formed at one end with a first tool engagement portion and at the other end with a large-diameter portion and a second tool engagement portion, the large-diameter portion being clamped between the mounting fitting and the structural body.
In the hinge according to this invention, when the base and the mounting fitting to which the base is rotatably connected are connected together by the adjust screw, the following procedure is taken. The adjust screw is loosely inserted, from the side of the mounting fitting, into the through hole of the mounting fitting and a tool such as screwdriver is engaged with the second tool engagement portion of the adjust screw to turn the adjust screw into the screw hole of the base. Then, the rotating member which is rotatably mounted to the base is secured to the door of a furniture and the mounting fitting is secured to the body of the furniture. In this condition, the large-diameter portion of the adjust screw on the side of the second tool engagement portion is clamped between the mounting fitting and the structural body, so that the adjust screw can only be turned with respect to the mounting fitting but cannot be moved axially relative to it. When the angle of the base with respect to the mounting fitting is to be adjusted, a tool such as screwdriver is engaged with the first tool engagement portion of the adjust screw on the side of the base to advance or retract the adjust screw relative to the base, thus changing the angle between the base and the mounting fitting.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a hinge as one embodiment of this invention in a closed state, taken along a plane parallel to a side plate of a base;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge of the invention in an open state, taken along the same plane as in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge of the invention in a closed state, taken along a plane passing through an adjust screw;
Figure 4 is a back view of the hinge of the invention in an open state; and
Figure 5 is a plan view of the adjust screw.

A hinge as one embodiment of this invention will be described by referring to the attached drawings.
Reference numeral 1 is a base formed of such material as plastic and is shaped like a box made up of an upper plate 1a and side plates 1b, 1c with the underside and front side opened. Integrally formed with and inside the base 1 is a vertically extending cylindrical member 3 which has a screw hole 2 therethrough with the upper and lower ends opened. The cylindrical member 3 is located to one lateral side in the front part of the base. Ribs 4, 5, 6, 7 extending from the cylindrical member 3 rearwardly, forwardly and toward the side plate 1b are formed integral with the cylindrical member 3. A gap 8 is formed between the interior surface of the side plate 1b and the rib 6, the rib being one of the two ribs extending toward the side plate 1b which is equal in height to the cylindrical member 3.
Denoted 11 is a rotating member formed of such material as plastic. The rotating member 11 has a cap portion 12 with one end open. The cap portion 12 has a pair of mounting portions 13 projecting from each side of the cap portion 12 with an insertion hole 14 formed in each of the mounting portions 13.
Designated 16 is a first link arm which is wide and formed by bending a metal plate. The first link arm 16 is rotatably supported at its base portion on a shaft 17 that extends laterally at the front upper part of the base 1. The front end portion of the first link arm 16 is rotatably supported on a shaft 18 that extends laterally in the rear portion of the cap 12 of the rotating member 11 (at the lower part in Figure 1). Denoted 21 is a second link arm which is narrow and formed by bending a metal plate. The second link arm 21 is rotatably supported at the base portion on a shaft 22 that extends laterally beneath the front end portion of the base 1. The front end portion of the second link arm 21 is rotatably supported on a shaft 23 that extends laterally at the open side in the rear portion of the cap 12 of the rotating member 11. In this way, the rotating member 11 is rotatably supported on the base 1 so that it is opened and closed.
The second link arm 21 is rotatably mounted at the laterally central position in the rotating member 11. The second link arm 21 has a bent portion 24 at an intermediate portion and is arranged in the base along the inner surface of the side plate 1b. On the side of the base 1 the second link arm 21 has a cam portion 25 projecting rearwardly, which is slidably inserted in the gap 8 in the base 1 and positioned between the side plate 1b and the cylindrical member 3.
Designated 26 is a coiled torsion spring which has pressing portions 27, 28 at each end projecting in opposite directions. The torsion spring 26 is installed in the base 1 and supported on a pin 29 that is located behind the cylindrical member 3 and which passes through the spring 26 and through the side plates 1b, 1c of the base 1. The rearwardly projecting pressing portion 27 is pressed at all times against the inner surface of the upper plate 1a of the base 1. The pressing portion 28 projecting forwardly is pressed at all times against the cam portion 25 of the second link arm 21 between the side plate 1b of the base 1 and the cylindrical member 3.
Denoted 31 is a mounting fitting formed of plastic which is rotatably connected at the rear end to the rear end portion of the base 1 by a shaft 32 that extends in a lateral direction. The mounting fitting 31 has mounting pieces 33 on each side that are each formed with an insertion hole (not shown). On its upper surface the mounting fitting 31 has a pair of restriction walls 35 on each side, between which the lower portion of the base 1 is inserted. Between the restriction walls 35 the mounting fitting 31 has a through hole 36 at the front part that faces, from under, the screw hole 2 in the base 1. The through hole 36 has an increased-diameter recess 37 formed in the underside of the mounting fitting 31. By the side of the through hole 36 is formed a slit 38, into which the cam portion 25 of the second link arm 21 and the lower end of the pressing portion 28 of the spring 26 are inserted.
An adjust screw 41 is loosely inserted into the through hole 36 of the mounting fitting 31 and screwed into the screw hole 2 of the base 1. The adjust screw 41 has a first tool engagement portion 42 at one end in the form of a cross groove. The adjust screw 41 also has at the other end a large-diameter portion 43, shaped like a flange, which is seated in the recess 37 of the mounting fitting 31. The large-diameter portion 43 is formed with a second tool engagement portion 44, a groove shaped like a minus sign.
To connect the base 1 to the mounting fitting 31, the adjust screw 41 is loosely inserted into the through hole 36 of the mounting fitting 31 from the side of the recess 37, as shown in Figure 3. Then, a tool such as a straight-edged screwdriver is engaged with the second tool engagement portion 44 of the adjust screw 41 to turn the adjust screw 41 into the screw hole 2 in the base 1.
When a door 52 is to be rotatably mounted on a structural body 51 such as furniture, the rotating member 11 is fixed to the door 52 and the mounting fitting 31 is secured to the base 1. At this time, the cap portion 12 of the rotating member 11 is embedded in the door 52 and screws are inserted into the insertion holes 14 of the mounting portions 13 and screwed into the door 52 to securely fix the mounting portions 13 to the door. The mounting fitting 31 is secured to the structural body 51 by inserting screws into the through holes of the mounting pieces 33 and screwing them into the body 51. In this state, the large diameter portion 43 of the adjust screw 41 is clamped in the axial direction between the contact surface of the structural body 51 and the top surface of the recess 37 of the mounting fitting 31, so that the adjust screw 41 is only allowed to be turned with respect to the mounting fitting 31 but not move in the axial direction.
To adjust the angle of the base 1 with respect to the mounting fitting 31 so that the door 52 can be opened from the structural body 51 such as furniture, the adjust screw 41 is turned by engaging a tool such as Phillips screwdriver with the first tool engagement portion 42 of the adjust screw 41 in the upper part of the screw hole 2 of the base 1 and by turning the adjust screw 41. The adjust screw 41 is advanced or retracted relative to the base 1 but not with respect to the mounting fitting 31. As a result, the base 1 rotates about the shaft 32 changing the angle that the base makes with the mounting fitting 31.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, as the door 52 of the furniture is opened and closed, the link arms 16, 21 are rotated with respect to the base 1 and the rotating member 11, causing the rotating member 11 to rotate for opening or closing and the pressing portion 28 of the spring 26 to slide on the periphery of the cam portion 25 of the second link arm 21.
In a state where the rotating member 11 is closed as shown in Figure 1, the pressing portion 28 of the spring 26 is engaged, from under, with the lower corner portion 25a of the cam portion 25 of the second link arm 21. At this time, the cam portion 25 receives a force that acts, through the contact between the cam portion 25 and the pressing portion 28, in the upward direction urging the second link arm 21 to rotate about the shaft 22--which supports the second link arm 21 on the base--in the closing direction, keeping the rotating member 11 closed.
In the above construction, since the spring 26 that presses against the second link arm 21 is located within the base 1 behind the adjust screw 41 that couples the base 1 to the mounting fitting 31, the space within the base 1 can be used effectively, making it possible to reduce the size of the base 1 and therefore the size of the hinge. Furthermore, the screw hole 2 of the base 1 for the adjust screw 41 is located to one side of the base and the pressing portion 28 of the spring 26 is directly engaged with the cam portion 25 of the second link arm 21 between the screw 41 and the inner surface of the side plate 1b of the base 1, making it unnecessary to interpose a separate component between the cam portion 25 and the pressing portion 28. This simplifies the construction and reduces manufacture cost.
In connecting the base 1 and the mounting fitting 31, the adjust screw 41 is simply to be loosely inserted and then screwed and requires no caulking. This also simplifies the connecting work.
Although the base 1 and the mounting fitting 31 are formed as separate members in the above embodiment, they may be formed as one piece in such a way that they are relatively rotatable through a thin hinge.
According to this invention, in the base--to the front portion of which the rotating member is connected through a pair of link arms--a spring is installed behind the screw that connects the base to the mounting fitting, to urge one of the link arms to keep the rotating member in the closed state. This construction allows effective use of the space inside the base, reducing the size of the base and therefore the hinge as a whole. Since in the base the cam portion of one of the link arms and the pressing portion of the spring are positioned between the inner surface of the base and the adjust screw and the pressing portion is directly engaged against the cam portion, there is no need to interpose a separate component between the cam portion and the pressing portion, making the construction simple and inexpensive.
Another feature of this invention is that the adjust screw is loosely inserted into the through hole in the mounting fitting--which is rotatably connected to the base--and retractably screwed into the screw hole in the base to connect the base and the mounting fitting; and that the large-diameter portion of the adjust screw is clamped between the mounting fitting and the structural body to which the mounting fitting is secured. This construction prevents the adjust screw from moving axially with respect to the mounting fitting, so that by advancing or retracting the adjust screw with respect to the base, the angle that the base makes with the mounting fitting can be adjusted. In addition, connecting the base and the mounting fitting does not require caulking the adjust screw, rendering the connecting work easy.

Claims

In a hinge comprising a box-like base (1); a rotating member (11); a pair of link arms (16, 21) whose ends are rotatably mounted on the front portion of the base (1) and on the rotating member (11) to rotatably connect the rotating member (11) to the base (1) so that the rotating member (11) can be opened or closed; a mounting fitting (31) secured to a structural body (51), the mounting fitting (31) being connected to the base (1) by a screw (41) that passes through the base (1) behind the pivotal support portion of the pair of the link arms (16, 21); and a spring (26) for urging one (21) of the link arms (16, 21) to keep the rotating member (11) closed; the improvement chracterized in that said one (21) of the link arms (16, 21) is formed with a cam portion (25) at one end on the side of the base (1), said spring (26) is installed in the base (1) behind the screw (41) and has a pressing portion (28), and said cam portion (25) of the link arm (21) and the pressing portion (28) of the spring (26) are positioned in the base (1) between the inner surface of the base (1) and the screw (41) to directly engage the pressing portion (28) against the cam portion (25).
2. In a hinge comprising a base (1); a rotating member (11) connected to the front portion of the base (1) so that the rotating member (11) is rotatable for closing and opening; a mounting fitting (31) secured to the structural body (51), the mounting fitting (31) being rotatably connected to the rear portion of the base (1); and an adjust screw (41) connected to the mounting fitting (31) and the base (1) so that the angle between the mounting fitting (31) and the base (1) can be adjusted; the improvement characterized in that said base (1) is formed with a screw hole (2) therethrough into which the screw (41) is retractably screwed, said mounting fitting (31) is formed with a through hole (36) which faces the screw hole (2) and through which the adjust screw (41) is loosely inserted, and said adjust screw (41) is formed at one end with a first tool engagement portion (42) and at the other end with a large-diameter portion (43) and a second tool engagement portion (44), the large-diameter portion (43) being clamped between the mounting fitting (31) and the structural body (51).