EP1866511B1

EP1866511B1 - Hinge

Info

Publication number: EP1866511B1
Application number: EP06728470A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ugo Avvanzini
Original assignee: Erreti SRL
Current assignee: Erreti SRL
Priority date: 2005-03-14
Filing date: 2006-03-07
Publication date: 2009-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2026-03-07
Also published as: EP1866511A1; ES2335918T3; DE602006011134D1; ITRA20050008A1; WO2006097958A1; PT1866511E; ATE452268T1

Abstract

Hinge (1) for doors and windows including a fulcrum pin (30) provided with a transverse housing (34) ; a first member (10) having an axial housing (11) provided with a screw device (40) for adjusting the position of the pin (30) located inside the axial housing (11) ; a guide device (11) being associated with the axial housing (11) for transversely controlling the location of the pin (30) inside the axial housing (11) itself; the adjusting device (40) including a bolt (41) capable of longitudinally engaging the housing (34) .

Description

The present invention relates to a hinge connecting together a leaf and a frame of doors or windows. In particular, the present invention relates to a hinge of adjustable type connecting together a leaf and a frame of doors or windows.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In the field of doors and windows with leaves of rotatable type, the practice is known of using hinges including essentially two elements, identified for convenience in what follows as upper and lower elements, capable of being fixed respectively to the rotatable leaf and the fixed structure of the frame. In their turn, the upper and lower elements are suitable for being connected to each other by means of a fulcrum pin, around which the leaf can be rotated. There exist fixed hinges, in which the upper element can assume only a determinate position, but there also exist adjustable hinges, provided with devices capable of enabling the possibility of adjusting the position of the upper element with respect to the lower element.
Among the various types of adjustable hinges, there are some in which the pin presents a single length of constant diameter, but there are others in which this pin extends longitudinally over two coaxial or mutually eccentric lengths, with diameters different from each other. In some cases, as in patent GB1137878 , with priority dating from 1965, the pin presents a first cylindrical length surmounted by a second eccentric length of smaller diameter and capable of being enveloped by a bush which incorporates an axial bearing and is provided with an external grooved sleeve, capable of engaging a conjugate housing formed in the upper element of the hinge. The relative angular position of the bush and the upper element will determine the contact pressure between the rotatable leaf and the frame, and the centring of the leaf on the opening delimited by the frame. However, this solution allows only a poor regulation of the transverse position of the upper second length of the pin.
A different and more efficient solution is presented in the patent US6276025 which discloses an adjustable hinge comprising an upper and a lower parts connected by a cylindrical pin. In particular, the upper part presents an elongated housing configured to receive the pin and an adjustment opening which is transverse with respect to the pin housing and houses a threaded member in a freely rotatable manner. The pin presents a threaded hole which, in use, houses the threaded member in such a way that it is possible to adjust continuously the transverse position of the pin inside the respective elongated housing by turning the threaded member. A first glance, this solution is quite simple, robust and stable, however the upper and lower parts are not shaped so as to be usable indifferently for supporting right-hand or left-hand leaves and therefore two distinct right- and left-hand versions should be manufactured leading to an increase of the production costs.
Therefore, in the light of above, the problem of have available a hinge of adjustable type which could be used indifferently for supporting right-hand or left-hand leaves is still unaddressed and represents an interesting challenge for the applicant which aims to make an universal adjustable hinge which is simple and easily maintainable and, at the same time, robust and inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hinge connecting together a leaf and a frame of doors or windows. In particular, the present invention relates to a hinge of adjustable type connecting together a leaf and a frame of doors or windows. Advantageously, the hinge is of a type adjustable on three axes substantially at right angles to each other, connecting together a leaf and a frame of doors or windows.
An object of the present invention is to create a hinge for doors and windows which will allow the disadvantages explained above to be resolved, and which will have a device of continuous type for adjusting the position of the pin, in order to satisfy a series of requirements which are still unanswered in the present state of affairs. Therefore, a hinge of this type is such as to represent a new and original source of economic advantage, capable of altering the current market of adjustable hinge for doors and windows.
According to the present invention a hinge is provided having the features of claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the hinge according to the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description, explained by reference to the attached drawings which illustrate at least one nonlimiting example of embodiment, in which identical or corresponding parts of the said device are identified by the same reference number, barring instructions to the contrary. In particular:

figure 1 is a schematic frontal view of a pair of hinges according to the present invention in a typical installation;
figure 2 is a view in axial section of a first preferred embodiment of the two hinges in figure 1 on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity;
figure 3 is a view in transverse section on an enlarged scale of figure 2 along line III-III in figure 2;
figure 4 is a view in lateral elevation of a detail taken from figure 1;
figure 5 is a view in axial section of a second preferred embodiment of the two hinges in figure 1 on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity; and
figure 6 is a view in transverse section of a third preferred embodiment of figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In figure 1, no. 1 indicates an adjustable hinge for connecting a leaf 2 of a door or window to a stile 3 of a respective frame 4 rotatably around a fulcrum axis 5 which is substantially vertical in figure 1. With reference to figure 1, hinge 1 includes a first member 10 and a second member 20 respectively connected rigidly to leaf 2 and stile 3 so as to have the former supported by the latter. In addition, these first and second members 10 and 20 are connected to each other in axially fixed manner, by gravity which acts by thrusting the former onto the latter, and freely rotatably by virtue of a fulcrum member 30, usually, and in this case also, realized by a cylindrical pin which, for simplicity, is identified by the same reference number 30. The second member 20 and the fulcrum member 30 are separated axially by an axial plain bearing 50 carried at its lower end in figure 2 by a bush 52, whose function is to reduce the friction between boundary surfaces of the two members 20 and 30 in mutual contact. Still with reference to figure 2, it will be noted that bush 52 houses pin 30 internally to a cylindrical axial hole 54 located eccentrically with respect to a corresponding external cylindrical sleeve 56. The eccentricity of hole 54 has the purpose of allowing the adjustment of the position of pin 30, and therefore of leaf 2, parallel and transversely to stile 3.
With particular reference to figure 4, pin 30 presents a free end 31 which engages bush 52 in figure 2, and an intermediate portion 32 provided with a housing 34 transverse to axis 5 and threaded, for housing a bolt 41 of determinate length L as seen in figure 2, in which it has been represented for convenience by a head 42 with recessed hexagon, without this representing a limitation to the extension of the applicability of the idea of hinge which is being illustrated. With reference to figure 2, pin 30 is supported by member 10 inside an axial housing 11 capable of accommodating portion 32 of pin 30, and having a squared section substantially rectangular as can be seen in figure 3, capable of constituting a transverse guide for pin 30 as will be better seen below. It should be noted that the smaller of the two principal dimensions of housing 11 approximates by excess the diameter of pin 30 by a fitting tolerance. The presence of at least one guide for an end of bolt 41 inside housing 11, and in particular of at least one recess 12 to the right in figure 3, confers on housing 11 a T-shaped conformation, which can become a cross shape if there are two recesses 12 opposite each other, as in figure 3 itself. It should be noted that housing 11 is occupied for its entire respective width by bolt 41, and for this reason it has a width substantially identical to the length L of bolt 41 itself, increased by a tolerance necessary for carrying out the insertion of portion 32 of pin 30 once bolt 41 has been inserted into housing 34 of pin 30 itself, transversely to housing 11 itself. Still with reference to figure 2, member 10 presents, from the direction of a respective flange 70 for attaching it to leaf 2, a pair of threaded holes 14 whose axes 15 are located transversely to axis 5 and lie parallel to each other on a plane which contains axis 5 itself. Holes 14, furthermore, have diameters which are substantially identical to each other and which approximate by defect to a transverse diameter of head 42 of bolt 41 so as to retain it axially inside housing 11. In addition, as may be seen in figure 2, these holes 14 are located symmetrically with respect to an intermediate portion of respective member 10, and therefore are respectively equidistant from upper and lower sides 13 of member 10 itself. It should be noted that, by virtue of what is described above, once pin 30 complete with bolt 41 has been inserted completely into axial housing 11 with the respective portion 32 at the level of a respective threaded hole 14, bolt 41 can be freely operated in rotation inside respective housing 11 with an operating key C, or with a screwdriver, through this hole 14. In this way it is possible to continuously adjust the transverse position of a longitudinal axis 35 of pin 30 inside housing 11. Naturally this axis 35 coincides geometrically with fulcrum axis 5 of hinge 1. To make it possible to adjust the position of pin 30 along the entire length L of axial housing 11, housing 34 presents an entry portion 38 of enlarged section for a head 42 of bolt 41. Once, during use, the stage of adjustment of bolt 41 has been completed, the corresponding hole 14 may be occupied by a grub screw 16 capable of locking bolt 41 in rotation, and therefore of preventing accidental alteration of the position of pin 30 inside axial housing 11. Accordingly, the assembly of bolt 41, housing 34 which it occupies and the respective hole 14 constitutes an adjustment device 40 for the transverse position of axis 35 within axial housing 11.
Naturally, if hinge 1 has to be used to support a leaf 2 in such a way that the latter is openable in a clockwise direction, then pin 30 must be mounted inside member 10 as in figure 2, with end 31 facing downwards, so as to occupy hole 54 in bush 52. Consequently, the hole 14 to be used for adjusting the position of axis 35, and therefore the eccentricity of the position of pin 30 inside housing 11, will have to be the hole 14 located nearest to member 20, and therefore the lower one in figure 2. If hinge 1 must be used to connect a leaf 2 which is openable in an anticlockwise direction, to the respective stile 3, the only precaution necessary will be to set up hinge 1 with member 20, and thus also member 10, rotated through 180° with respect to the position taken in figure 2, leaving pin 30 oriented as in figure 2, but using the other hole 14, which will always be the hole 14 which ends up located lowest.
According to figure 4, pin 30 presents, furthermore, at least one flat 36, parallel both to axis 35 and to housing 34. This flat 36, which forms a locating surface for pin 30, accessible transversely to axis 5, is located at a determinate distance from housing 34, defined in such a way as to be substantially intermediate between holes 14 of member 10 when pin 30 occupies axial housing 11, as is seen in figure 2. Member 10 therefore presents, in a position substantially intermediate between axes 15 of the two holes 14, but also between the upper and lower surfaces 13 of member 10 itself in figure 2, a hole 18 which has been illustrated with a dotted line in figure 3, and it has an axis 19 transverse to axis 15 of holes 14 and to axis 35 of pin 30, and is substantially equidistant from sides 13 of member 10. An indication of axis 19 is also given in figure 2, to allow better identification of hole 18 on the basis of the description given above. In addition, it must be noted that hole 18 can be occupied by a threaded grub screw 60, which is usable for rigidly connecting together pin 30 and member 10, once the stage of adjusting the transverse position of axis 35 in housing 11 is completed, as will be better explained further on.
In virtue of what is described above, holes 14 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of hole 18, in such a way that first member 10 is usable for supporting right-hand and/or left-hand leaves 2. Furthermore, the assembly including hole 18, grub screw 60 itself and flat 36 constitutes an anchoring device 61 for pin 30, which allows pin 30 to be rigidly connected longitudinally with axis 35 in a determinate transverse position, and allows a rigid connection to be guaranteed between member 10 and pin 30, independently of the preselected position of axis 35 itself.
From the explanation given above, and with particular reference to figures 2 and 4, it may be inferred that the important and/or essential characteristics of hinge 1 can be summarized as follows:
pin 30 presents a constant diameter substantially identical to a principal dimension of the squared housing which accommodates it in the respective member 10; pin 30 includes a through housing 34 threaded to accommodate screw 41; pin 30 including a striking element/flat 36 parallel both to axis 35 of pin 30 and to housing 34 in order to be engaged by a grub screw 60; member 10 has two transverse holes 14 in a respective wall which is lateral for the respective housing 11 for accommodating pin 30; through holes 14 are threaded to accommodate stably and selectively a grub screw 16 for locking the rotation of bolt 41; grub screw 60 engages the respective hole 18 to rigidly connect member 10 and pin 30; the distance between housing 34 and flat 36 approximates to half the spacing between holes 14, and the extension of flat 36 transversely to axis 35 allows pin 30 to be locked axially within housing 11 itself by means of grub screw 60 in any position transversely to axis 35.
From the description given above it may be inferred that hinge 1 is usable selectively for the installation of right-hand or left-hand leaves 2, keeping pin 30 oriented as in figure 2 and simply rotating members 10 and 20 through 180°.
In virtue of what is described above, given that hinge 1 is can be freely prepared before installation on the basis of the location of the fulcrum axis of the leaf which is to be connected to the stile, the procedure for assembling a hinge 1, and in particular that shown in figure 2, is as follows: first, choose the orientation of flange 70 on the basis of the need to use hinge 1 for the installation of a right-hand or left-hand leaf 2; next, couple together pin 30 and bolt 41, which is introduced into its respective housing 34 by screwing it in; subsequently, insert pin 30 complete with bolt 41 from the bottom, with head 42 of bolt 41 located on the same side as holes 14; once head 42 is lined up with the hole 14 which is located towards the bottom, proceed with the adjustment of the transverse position of axis 35, and insert grub screw 16 into the same hole 14 in order to lock bolt 41 axially, and also grub screw 60 into hole 18 to bring about axial locking of pin 30. At this point, proceed with orienting member 20 appropriately, and in particular with the respective flange 71 on the opposite side to flange 70; insert bush 52 into the respective housing 21 in member 20; insert end 31 of pin 30 into housing 54 in bush 52; adjust the angular position of bush 52 with respect to member 20; lock member 20 and bush 52 itself into position by means of a grub screw known and not illustrated located transversely to bush 52, similarly to what was done with grub screw 60 and pin 30, for the purpose of adjusting the position of axis 5 of hinge 1 transversely and parallel to stile 3, exploiting the eccentricity of hole 54 in bush 52, and thus positively determine the position of pin 30 with respect to the second member 20. At this point hinge 1 is ready to be coupled to leaf 2 and to the respective stile 3 for installation.
Any residual transverse play between pin 30 and housing 11, which will be minimal by virtue of what has been explained above, will be effectively taken up when hinge 1 is put into operation. In fact the direction of action of the force of gravity which leaf 2 transfers onto stile 3 is typically vertical, and fitting in combination with at least one other hinge 1 introduces a constraint to the position of fulcrum axis 5 of the two hinges which becomes substantially common.
Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the hinge here described and illustrated without for this reason departing from the protective compass of the present invention.
By virtue of what has been described above, hinge 1 set forth above presents the possibility of adjusting the position of pin 30 on two horizontal axes. In the event that it is desired to have also the possibility of longitudinally adjusting the axial position of pin 30, it will be possible to modify member 20, configuring the respective end portions of the axial housing 21 with threads 23 for supports 25 consisting of externally threaded cylindrical bodies, having internally a recess for an operating key or a screwdriver. Forming a thread 23 for both end portions of housing 21 will allow member 20 to be configured selectively for left-hand or right-hand leaves, as required.
It will be noted that, with reference to figure 6, it is possible very simply to make hinge 1 more secure, and therefore particularly indicated for installation in areas at high risk of break-ins. In fact, simply forming hole 18 for grub screw 60 as in figure 6, and therefore on the opposite side to what is depicted in figure 3, without thereby varying the procedure for installing hinge 1, gives anchoring device 61 the additional function of an anti-forcing device, and allows this device 61 to be interpreted as such. Indeed, forming hole 18 on the side of the base of flange 70 itself, and therefore on the side on which contact is produced between flange 70 and leaf 2, makes grub screw 60 accessible only on condition that leaf 2 is open. Consequently, it will be possible to gain access to the head of grub screw 60 solely and exclusively with leaf 2 open, and therefore with the leaf closed it will be possible to prevent axial removal of pin 30 from housing 11 being caused, for example by the application of a longitudinal force by means of a pin-punch driven by a hammer.

Claims

Hinge (1) for doors and windows having leaves (2) of rotatable type; said hinge (1) including a fulcrum pin (30) having a threaded transverse housing (34) in which there is received a bolt (41) of determinate length (L); a first member (10) having an axial housing (11) capable of accommodating said pin (30) with said bolt (41) received in said transverse housing (34); guiding means (11) connected to said axial housing (11) for transversely controlling the location of said pin (30) inside said axial housing (11); characterized in that said first member (10) comprises a pair of first holes (14) enabling access to a head (42) of said bolt (41) from the outside in order, during use, to carry out continuous adjustments of the transverse position of the axis (35) of said pin (30) with said bolt (41) in engagement in said axial housing (11) and in that said first holes (14) are located symmetrically with respect to an intermediate portion of said first member (10) and substantially along a direction parallel to the axial direction of said pin (30), in such a way that said first member (10) is usable for supporting right-hand and/or left-hand leaves (2).
Hinge according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said axial housing (11) has a section substantially rectangular form, with a width approximating to said determinate length (L) of said bolt (41), in such a way as to permit continuous transverse adjustment of the position of the axis (35) of said pin (30) with respect to said first member (10).
Hinge according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact of including anchoring means (61) connected to said first member (10) to determine a rigid axial connection of said pin (30) inside said axial housing (11).
Hinge according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said anchoring means (61) include an anti-forcing device (61) capable of preventing the axial removal of said pin (30) from the respective said axial housing (11) by the application of a longitudinal effort.
Hinge according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that said anti-forcing device (61) includes a second threaded hole (18) oriented transversely to said axial housing (11) and to both said first holes (14); at least one striking element (36) carried by said pin (30) in such a position as to be transversely accessible adjacent to the respective said second hole (18); and a first grub screw (60) housed by screwing into said second hole (18) to engage said striking element (36).
Hinge according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that said first member (10) has a coupling flange (70) configured for the fitting of right-hand or left-hand leaves (2); said second hole (18) being formed in such a position as to make the said first grub screw (60) accessible exclusively from the side of said coupling flange (70), to avoid attempts at break-in with said leaf (2) in the closed position.
Hinge according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said anchoring means (61) include a second threaded hole (18) oriented transversely to said axial housing (11) and to both said first holes (14); at least one striking element (36) carried by said pin (30) in such a position as to be transversely accessible adjacent to the respective said second hole (18); and a first grub screw (60) housed by screwing into said second hole (18) to engage said striking element (36).
Hinge according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that said first member (10) has a coupling flange (70) configured for the fitting of right-hand or left-hand leaves (2); said second hole (18) being formed in such a way as to be accessible from the side opposite to said coupling flange (70).
Hinge according to any of claims 5-8, characterized by the fact that said second hole (18) is formed in intermediate position between upper and lower sides (13) of said first member (10).
Hinge according to any of claims 1-9, characterized by the fact that each said first hole (14) has a diameter which approximates by defect to that of said head (42) of said bolt (41).
Hinge according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said guiding means (11) include at least one recess (12) capable of housing an end portion of said bolt (41).
Hinge according to claim 11, characterized by the fact that said axial housing (11) has a constant axial section conformed transversely in a T shape or substantially in a cross shape; a portion of said axial section including a said recess (12) and having a width substantially identical to the length of said bolt (41) to lock it axially, and a length which substantially approximates to a transverse dimension of a section of said pin (30).
Hinge according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact of including a second member (20) couplable to said pin (30) axially by the interposition of a cylindrical bush (52) having an axial plain bearing (50).
Hinge according to claim 13, characterized by the fact that said bush (52) has an axial cylindrical hole housing said pin (30) located eccentrically with respect to a respective external cylindrical sleeve (56).
Hinge according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said transverse housing (34) of said pin (30) has a cavity (38) for said head (42) of said bolt (41).
Hinge according to any of claims 10-15, characterized by the fact that each of said first holes (14) is threaded to accommodate screwed into it a second grub screw (16) capable of locking said bolt (41) in rotation.
Hinge according to any of claims 13-16, characterized by the fact that said second member (20) houses said bush (52) inside a further housing (21) in freely rotatable manner to allow adjustment of the position of said pin (30) with respect to a stile (3) of a respective frame (4) of said door or window.
Hinge according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that said further housing (21) is configured for accommodating supports (25) for said pin (30) in axially adjustable manner to alter longitudinally at will the axial position of said pin (30).
Hinge according to claim 18, characterized by the fact that said further housing (21) is configured for accommodating supports (25) adjacent to respective end portions, in such a way that said second member (20) is usable for supporting right-hand and/or left-hand leaves (2).