EP1828515B1

EP1828515B1 - Adjustable door hinge

Info

Publication number: EP1828515B1
Application number: EP04812989A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stanley Chung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-02
Filing date: 2004-12-02
Publication date: 2012-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-02
Also published as: WO2006060018A1; ATE546602T1; EP1828515A4; EP1828515A1

Abstract

A door hinge providing lateral and horizontal adjustment of an engaged door with a door frame. The hinge features a base (10) for fixed engagement to a frame and a door leaf (40) for engagement to a door. The hinge pin (30) features a top end rotationally engageable with the door leaf and a bottom end eccentrically mated to a bottom end and rotationally engageable with an eccentric bushing (20) in the base. Rotation of the hinge pin translates the door leaf toward and away from the base a first distance. Rotation of the bushing translates the door leaf toward and away from the base a second distance. An adjustment bolt (50) engaged in the door leaf provides for vertical adjustment of the door leaf toward and away from the base.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein disclosed and described relates to a door hinge. More particularly it relates to a door hinge that provides lateral, longitudinal, and depth adjustment to the mounted door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional hinges have been used on doors, gates and cabinets for many years, basically consisting of jam-mounted hinges that mount between the door jam and the edge of the door. With this style of a hinge there are generally no adjustments and the mounting screws are concealed between the door and the door jam. A second style of hinge is the face-mounted hinge where the hinge is mounted on the side of the door and the side of the door jam thus allowing the mounting screws to be accessible. With the mountings accessible the doors can be readily removed and the door forced open.
Hinges are generally comprised of a first and second hinge member interconnected by the means of a hinge pin for a relative pivotal movement. The first hinge member mounts to the door with hinge mounting hardware, normally wood screws for wood doors and sheet metal screws on metal doors. The second hinge member mounts to the door jam with the same hinge mounting hardware as the first hinge member.
When doors are mounted properly, the door and door jam form a tight seal, but when they are not located properly or there is any shrinkage in the material or settling of the structure, there may be a space between the door and the jam at the top, bottom or the sides. There are other occasions when the doors are not set deep enough and do not form a seal against the jam. These spaces often account for a draft of air entering the room and a great deal of either heat or cooling losses.
Additionally, when mounting a door it is difficult to locate the second hinge exactly in alignment with the first hinge on a two-hinge door and even more difficult to align the two additional hinges exactly on a three-hinge door. It is therefore of the utmost convenience to the user if a face-mounted hinge provides for multiple levels of adjustment and thereby allows doors to be attached and aligned for the optimum seal fit to the door jams. Such means for adjustment should maximize the amount of adjustment, the distance and multiple direction of adjustment, as well as the increments of adjustment available to the user. This is especially helpful in the initial mounting of the door and over a long period to provide a means for readjustment of the door if it moves out of alignment with the jam.
Patent No US 3,596,307 of Samuel Kolmetsky describes a device to be mounted in a metal buck or wooden jamb of a door so that conventional hinges may be used to hang the door while the device permits connecting the position by the hinge so that the door may be adjusted and aligned. The Kolmetsky patent provides a design fora jam-mounted hinge rather than a face-mounted hinge that has adjustment in two planes and stages.
Patent No. US 4,748,717 of David Osborne teaches of a hinge for doors or gates that has two adjustments up or down and in or out. Both of these adjustments are made in the barrel portion of the hinge with relation to the hinge pin. The hinge disclosed in the Osborne patent allows that all the mounting hardware is accessible and lacks a staged adjustment in two planes.
Patent No. US 4,785,498 of Othmar Brotschi discloses an unusual style of door and window hinge that is adjustable in three planes during and after installation, but leaves all the mounting and adjustment hardware exposed, along with the fact that it does not mount in a conventional manner.
Patent No. US 4,815,162 of John E. McAteer describes an independently adjustable top and bottom hinge pin assembly. This style of hinge is not commonly used on structures due to the fact that the lower L-shaped bracket does not mount into a conventional door jam.
Patent No. US 5,339,493 of Robert J. MacIntyre teaches of an adjustable hinge for interposition between a door and frame. This hinge has only horizontal and vertical adjustments and is mounted between the door and the jam, not being a face-mounted hinge.
Patent No. US 5,713,105 of Mark H. Toomey tells of a vertically adjustable hinge, which permits easy, small and precise vertical adjustments. This hinge is limited to adjustments in one plane rather than providing staged adjustments in two planes and is a jam-mounted hinge.
None of the foregoing prior art teaches or suggests the particular unique three direction adjustment with the adjustment features incorporated within this invention. Neither do they provide a three directional adjustment that may also be converted to a two-stage adjustable door hinge which can be adjusted in two stages while mounted to a hung door so as to obtain a larger distance of adjustment and maximize the increments of that adjustment between the minimum and maximum adjustment points.
Howerer, a three directional adjustment hinge is disclosed in US-Patent No.6397432 which constitutes the closest prior art of the following specification.
Further objectives of this invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, an adjustable door hinge as claimed in claim 1 is provided. The subclaims show some examples of such a hinge.
The device herein disclosed and described relates to an adjustable door hinge that employs a base component that is fixed to a frame and has a first cylindrical portion with a first passage defined there through. A door leaf component which is rotatably engaged with the base component is fixed to a door and has a second cylindrical portion with a second passage defined there through.
A rotatable member is rotatably engaged within the second passage and includes a top plate and a bushing which extends eccentrically from an underside of the top plate. A through hole is defined through the top plate and the bushing longitudinally. A first operation recess is defined in a distal end of the bushing and the top plate is rested on a top surface of the first cylindrical portion.
The device engages the base component to the door leaf with a shaft which includes a flange extending radially outward from a mediate portion thereof. A first section of the shaft extends from a center of a top of the flange so as to be inserted in the second passage in the door leaf. A second section extends eccentrically from an underside of the flange so as to be inserted in the through hole of the rotatable member engaged in the base component. When the base component and door leaf are rotationally engaged on the shaft, the flange is clamped between the top plate and the second cylindrical portion. The shaft features a second operation recess which is defined in a top of the first section of the shaft which allows for rotational adjustment of the shaft. By providing a means for longitudinal adjustment with both an eccentric shaft and rotatable member, the door leaf can be adjusted in three directions, or if the bushing is turned in line with the eccentric shaft, it can be adjusted at twice the distance and in an infinite number of increments to adjust the position of the door leaf relative to the base. The three directional adjustments are easily accomplished by rotating any one of the rotatable members and the shaft and an adjusting bolt positioned in the top of the door leaf.
An object of this invention is the provision of a hinge that is adjustable to adjust the position of a door relative to a door frame when the hinge is engaged between a door and frame.
A further object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable hinge that is adjustable in three directions to provide door and frame alignment in three planes.
An additional object of this invention is the provision of an adjustable hinge that can also provide two means for adjustment in the horizontal plane to maximize both the total distance of adjustment as well as the increments of adjustment achievable.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 depicts a perspective view, partly removed, of the door hinge of the present invention engaged with a door.
Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the components of the door hinge of the present invention.
Fig. 3 depicts a cross sectional view of the door hinge of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a top end view of the door hinge of the present invention.
Fig. 5A is a cross sectional view showing a tool used to rotate the shaft engaged through a larger aperture along the axis of the adjusting bolt.
Fig. 5B is a top view to show a distance " d " for adjustment of the door leaf for depth relative to the base component for depth and "h" for the distance in the horizontal direction.
Fig. 6A is a cross sectional view to show a tool is used to rotate the rotatable member engaging the adjusting bolt.
Fig. 6B is a top view to show another distance " d' " is adjusted of the door leaf relative to the base component.
Fig. 7 shows a tool engaged to rotate the adjusting bolt to longitudinally adjust the door leaf relative to the base component and the distance of vertical adjustment " v ".
Fig. 8 is a depiction of prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A conventional door hinge is disclosed in Fig. 8 and generally includes a base 70 fixed to a frame (not shown) and a door leaf 80 fixed to a door (not shown). The door leaf 80 includes a passage 811 defined in an end 81 thereof and a sleeve 82 is received in the passage 811. The sleeve 82 includes an operation recess 822 defined in a top thereof and an eccentric hole 821 is defined in an underside of the sleeve 82. A shaft 74 has an end 742 inserted in the eccentric hole 821 from the underside of the sleeve 82 and the other end 741 1 of the shaft 74 is inserted in a receiving bush 73 which is inserted in a hole 72 in a body 71 of the base 70. When adjusting the door relative to the frame, a tool is engaged with the operation recess 822 of the sleeve 82 and rotates the sleeve 82. Because the shaft 74 is engaged with the eccentric hole 821 of the sleeve 82 , the change of the position of the eccentric hole 821 shifts the door leaf 80. Nevertheless, the distance that the door can be adjusted is very limited because the sleeve 82 can only be rotated in the passage 811 in the door leaf 80.
Referring to Figs. 1 through 7, the door hinge disclosed in the present invention features a base 10 which in use is fixed in position with a door frame. The base 10 has a first cylindrical portion 11 through which a first passage 12 is axially defined. A security cover plate is affixed using a plate screw that may only be removed when the door is open. A plurality of ridges and grooves 111 are formed in parallel defined in the surface of the inner periphery for the passage 12.
A rotatable member 20 is adapted for engagement in the first passage 12 and includes a top plate 200 and a bushing 21. The top plate 200 is connected to a first end of the bushing 21 which extends eccentrically from an underside of the top plate 200. The bushing 21 has a disk 24 affixed on the second end thereof and a positioning protrusion 25 which extends radially outward from the disk 24. A through hole 22 communicates through the top plate 200 and the bushing 21 longitudinally. Two ribs 23 extend radially outward from the bushing 21 and the bushing 21 eccentrically intersects ribs 23. The disk 24 is eccentrically connected to the bushing 21 as the ribs 23.
In a current favored mode of the device, a connection ridge 231 is connected between the two ribs 23 and two flexible spikes 232 respectively extend from an underside of the top plate 200 and a top of the disk 24. Each flexible spike 232 extends outward a sufficient amount and is flexible, such that when the rotatable member 20 is rotatably inserted in the first passage 12, the flexible spikes 232 are engaged with the grooves 111 in the passage 12 and a periphery of each rib 23 contacts an inner periphery of the first passage 12 thereby providing a means to inhibit rotation of the rotatable member unless rotated by a tool 60 as herein described. The positioning protrusion 25 is engaged with an underside of the first cylindrical portion 11 of the base 10 as a means to maintain the rotatable member in the passage 12 when disassembled.
At a second end of the bushing 21 a first operation recess 26 is defined and the top plate 200 of the rotatable member 20 is adapted for resting on a top surface of the first cylindrical portion 11. A cap 45 has a boss on a top surface thereof and is connected to the rotatable member 20 with the boss providing a means of removable attachment of the cap 45 to the rotatable member 20 when the boss engaged with the first operation recess 26 in the end of the rotatable member 20.
The device features a door leaf 40 which in use is fixed to a door and has a second cylindrical portion 41 and a second passage 42 axially defined through the second cylindrical portion 41. Four notches 43 are defined in the inner periphery of the second passage 42. The door leaf 40 also has a cover plate secured by a plate screw that will only allow the cover plate be removed when the attached door is in an open position.
A pin 30 is employed to rotationally engage the door leaf 40 with the base 10. The pin 30 has a flange 31 extending radially outward from a middle portion thereof, a first section 32 extends from a center of a top of the flange 31 and a second section 34 extends eccentrically from an underside of the flange 31.
The first section 32 of the pin 30 is adapted for cooperative rotational engagement in the second passage 42 and the second section 34 is adapted for rotational engagement in the hole 22 axially formed off center from the center axis in the rotatable member 20. A washer 35 having a central hole 351 is engaged around the first section 32 of the shaft 30 and has a skirt portion 352 which extends from a periphery thereof and provides a bearing for the engaged door leaf 40 on the base 10. The flange 31 of the pin 30 is enclosed by the skirt portion 352 provided by a recess in the bottom of the door leaf 40. Both the washer 35 and the flange 31 are clamped between the top plate 200 of the rotatable member 20 and the second cylindrical portion 41 of the door leaf 40 when the door leaf 40 is engaged with the base 10 in operation. A tool engageable second operation recess 33 is defined in a top of the first section 32 to allow for rotational adjustments of the eccentric positioning of the pin 30.
Adapted for engagement on the top of the door leave 40 there is a plate 44 which has four protrusions 441 extending from the underside thereof. These protrusions 441 are engageable with the four notches 43 formed in the top surface of the second cylindrical portion 41 and provide a means to hold the plate 44 in a mounted position engaged on top of the door leave 40. The plate 44 has an insertion 442 extending from an underside thereof and the threaded insertion 442 is engaged with an inner periphery of the second passage 42 and includes threads defined in an inner periphery thereof. The threads of the threaded insertion 42 provide a means to engage the exterior of an adjusting bolt 50 which is threadedly engaged with the threads of the threaded insertion 442 and contacts the top of the first section 32 of the shaft 30. of course those skilled in the art will realize that other means to threadably engage the adjusting bolt 50 in the second passage 42 might be employed such as threading the second passage 42 itself. This alternative embodiment is also within the scope on thus application.
In a current preferred mode of the disclosed device herein, a positioning bolt 46 extends through the second cylindrical portion 41 and may be employed to compressibly contact and frictionally engage upon the first section 32 as a means to fix the position the first section 32 once adjustments have been made using the various means of adjustment if the eccentric positioning of the pin 30 as herein provided.
To provide for easy access to the user for rotation of the pin 30 the adjusting bolt 50 has an access hole 51 defined there through. This access hole 51 provides direct communication with the second operation recess 33 formed in the top of the first section 32 of the shaft 30 directly through the adjusting bolt 50. The provision of this access hole 51 providing tool communication to the second operation recess 33 allows for rotation of the pin 30 when the device is assembled and mounted to a door to adjust positioning of the door leaf 40 and base 10 relative to each other to thereby adjust the door position.
As shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, when adjusting the door leaf 40 relative to the base 10, a tool 60 such as a conventional allen wrench may be employed by simply inserting it through the larger diameter access hole 51 of the engaged adjusting bolt 50 to thereby engage with the second operation recess 33 formed in the top end of the pin 30. When the pin 30 is rotated using the tool 60, the second section 34 rotates within the hole 22 formed axially in the rotatable member 20, and allows for a first means for horizontal adjustment of the door leaf 40 a maximum determined distance " d " relative to the base 10 which remains stationary. This adjustment allows for a depth adjustment of the attached door in the jam. This distance is determined by the offset of the center axis of the first section 32 from the center axis of the offset section 34 in the eccentric engagement of between the two at the flange 31.
As best depicted in Figs. 6A and 6B, a tool 60 can also be used to engage with the first operation recess 26 formed in the bottom end of the rotatable member 20 thereby providing a second means for horizontal adjustment of the door leaf 40 relative to the base 10 which remains stationary. This allows for a horizontal adjustment of the door in the frame in a direction substantially normal to the depth adjustment. Rotation of the rotatable member 20 by an engaged tool 60 causes the flexible spikes 232 to move over the ridges between the grooves 111 where they will settle once rotation ceases. This rotation causes the eccentric bushing 21 to eccentrically rotate engaged with the second section 34 of the pin 30 to drive the door leaf 40 to further move a maximum distance " h " horizontally to provide the horizontal adjustment of the attached door. If desired, this rotation causes the eccentric bushing 21 to be used to eccentrically rotate engaged with the second section 34 of the pin 30 to drive the door leaf 40 to further adjust the depth of the door a distance " d' ". Therefore, employing both means for horizontal adjustment, the door leaf 40 can be adjusted in both depth and horizontal position by respectively adjusting either or both of the pin 30 and the rotatable member 20 using the tool 60, thereby providing both horizontal and depth adjustment in determined increments of adjustment by the user.
A means for longitudinal adjustment of the door leaf 40 relative to the stationary base 10 is also provided and is best depicted in Fig.7. This provides a maximum vertical adjustment of the attached door a distance of "v" shown on figure 7. This adjustment is accomplished by simply rotating the adjusting bolt 50 with a tool 60 such as an allen wrench or some other tool dimensioned about its circumference to engage the dimensions of inner wall of the access hole 51. By rotating the adjustment bolt 50 in its threaded engagement in the second passage 42 adjacent to the top of the door leave 40, the door leaf 40 may be adjusted in a longitudinal direction distance " v " relative to the base 10 thereby allowing adjustment of an attached door, up or down in the frame. In the favored embodiment of the device, the adjusting bolt 50 would be rotated to a position closest to the base 10 during the assembly such that the user may thereafter use the weight of the door itself to aid in the vertical or longitudinal adjustment by moving the adjusting bolt away from the base 10.

Claims

An adjustable door hinge comprising:
a base (10) adapted for fixed engagement to a frame, said base (10) having a nest passage (12) communicating between a top side and a bottom side;

a door leaf (40) adapted for fixed engagement to a door, said door leaf (40) having a second passage (42) communicating between an upper side and lower side of said door leaf (40);

a hinge pin (30), said hinge pin (30) having a first section (32) defined by an area between a first end and a mid point, said first section (32) having a first center axis therethrough;

said hinge pin (30) having a second section (34), said second section (34) defined by an area between a second end and said mid point;

said second section (34) having a second center axis therethrough, said second center axis being parallel to and offset from said first center axis;

said second passage (42) dimensioned for rotational engagement of said first suction (32) therein;

a bushing (20) inserted from said top side, said bushing (20) having an exterior surface with a circumference dimensioned for rotational engagement in said first passage (12);

said bushing (20) having art interior passageway (22) dimensioned for rotational engagement with said second section (34);

said interior passageway of said busying (20) having a center axis parallel to and off center from a center axis of said bushing (20);

said bushing rotatable in its engagement with said first passage (12);

wherein

an adjustment passage communicating with said first end of said hinge pin (30) through said second passage (42);

rotation of said hinge pin (30) engageable by tools means (60) through said adjustment passage whereby said hinge pin (30) may be rotated laterally translate said door leaf (40) a first horizontal adjustment distance in a first direction; and characterized in that

rotation of said bushing (20) engageable by said tools means (60) through said first passage (12) from said bottom side of said base (10) whereby said bushing (20) may be rotated to laterally translate said door leaf (40) a second horizontal adjustment distance in a second direction substantially normal to said first direction
The door hinge of claim 1 additionally comprising
an adjustment bolt (50) threadably engaged in said second passage (42) of said door leaf (40), said adjustment bolt (50) having a first end and an engagement end;

said adjustment passage communicating through an engagement aperture (51) communicating through said adjustment bolt (50);

said engagement aperture adapted for cooperative engagement with another tool (60) at said first end of said adjustment bolt (50); and

rotation of said adjustment bolt (50) providing a means for vertical translation of said door leaf (40) toward and away from said base (10) when said engagement end of said adjustment bolt (50) is in contact with said top end of said hinge pin (30).
The door hinge of claim 2 additionally comprising:
a plate (44), said plate (44) engageable with said upper side of said door leaf (40);

said plate (44) having a threaded central aperture (442) positioned within said second passage (42) when said plate (44) is engaged with said upper-side; and

said adjustment bolt (50) being threadably engaged with said central aperture (442).
The door hinge of claim 1, 2, or 3 additionally comprising:
a locking bolt (46) communicating through a side wall of said door leaf (40) with said second passage (42); and

said locking bolt engageable with said first section (32) of said hinge pin (30) to lock said hinge pin (30) in a fixed position in said second passage (42).
The door hinge of claim 1 additionally comprising:
means to restrain said bushing (20) from rotation in its engagement in said firth passage (12).
The door hinge of claim 5 wherein said means to restrain said bushing (20) from rotation in its engagement in said first passage (12) comprises:
at least one flexible fin (232) extending from said exterior surface of said busing (20); and

said fin engageable with recesses (111) formed in said first passage (12).
The door hinge of claim 1 additionally comprising:
said bushing (20) additionally being rotatable to a second position with said one or more tools (60) to thereby laterally translate said door leaf (40) said second horizontal adjustment distance in said second direction substantially the same as said first direction, thereby providing a means for increasing or decreasing the total amount of said first horizontal adjustment distance.
The door hinge of claim 1 additionally comprising
said door hinge engaged upon a door and frame with attaching screws communicating through said door leaf (40) and said base (10) respectively, and said door leaf (40) having an open position and a closed position secured inside said frame;

a first hinge cover preventing access to said attaching screws when engaged with said base (10), said first hinge cover securable to said base (10) by a first cover screw;

a second hinge cover preventing access to said attaching screws when engaged upon said door leaf (40), said second hinge cover securable to said door leaf (40) by a second cover screw; and

said first cover screw and said second cover screw removable only when said door is in said open position.