EP2609271B1 - Damping device for furniture parts - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a furniture hinge with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

From the WO 2009/140706 A1 the Applicant has become known a damping device, wherein the damping function of the damping device can be deactivated when not in use via a manually to be adjusted switching element. In this prior art document, the cylinder of the linear damper is locked via the switching member according to an embodiment, so that the piston during the damping stroke can perform a relative movement to the fixed cylinder, whereby a damping effect is generated. To deactivate the damping function, however, the switching element is adjusted, whereby the cylinder is unlocked. If now the damper is acted upon with force, then the cylinder is moved within a damper housing, but due to the lack of relative movement between the cylinder and the piston no damping effect is generated. The disadvantage here is that the space of the damper is relatively large due to the movable cylinder to size.

In the AT 506 643 A1 In FIGS. 9a-9d, 10a-10d and 11 a linear damper with a cylinder, a piston and a piston rod is shown. About a rotatable locking element, this can be hung on a plurality of predetermined latching steps on the cylinder, so that thus so that the return travel of the piston rod 14 is adjustable limited. The linear damper is placed on the hinge arm of the furniture hinge.

In the WO 2010/075595 A2 a furniture hinge is shown with a hinge arm and a hinge cup, wherein a relative movement of the furniture hinge is damped by a rotary damper. By a switching member in the form of a switch which is mounted adjustable transversely to a longitudinal axis of the hinge arm, the damping function of the rotary damper can be deactivated.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a furniture hinge of the type mentioned above with a more compact design.

This is achieved by the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent subclaims.

By means of the invention, it is therefore possible to releasably lock the damping device in the fully retracted state (i.e., when the piston is in or near the bottom portion of the fluid chamber), the deactivated or compressed damping device being able to assume a very compact and space-saving position. An advantage here is that the deactivated damping device can remain in its mounting position, wherein a movable furniture part or movably mounted component of the furniture hinge can not act on the retracted damper.

The damping device can be arranged in an inner cavity of the furniture hinge, wherein the hinge cup in a known manner in a - preferably circular - furniture standard bore is retractable. The damping device is arranged in the mounting position within the cavity of the hinge cup, wherein the damping device from a predetermined relative position of the furniture hinge is acted upon by a plunging into the hinge cup hinge lever of the furniture hinge. The damping device can remain in the hinge cup due to their compact deactivation position and can not be acted upon by the toggle lever in this deactivated operating position. The closing movement and / or the opening movement of the furniture hinge is therefore undamped. By an adjustment of the locking element, the damping function is activated again by the locking of the fully retracted into the fluid chamber piston is released again. The damping device can then - for example, by means of a return spring - are reset again in a planned for the next damping stroke ready position.

According to one embodiment of the invention can be provided that the piston is fixedly arranged in the mounting position and that the fluid chamber during Dämpfungshub is slidably mounted relative to the fixed piston. This construction has the advantage that a housing receiving the fluid chamber can also be used as a slide for introducing force. Of course, it is also possible in mechanical reversal that the fluid chamber is arranged fixed in the mounting position and that the piston is slidably mounted during the damping stroke relative to the fixed fluid chamber.

According to the invention it is provided that the locking element is designed as a linearly displaceable switch with at least two switching positions, wherein in a first switching position, the damping effect of the damping device is activated and in a second switching position, the damping effect of the damping device is deactivated. The direction of the adjusting movement between the first switching position and the second switching position of the switch extends transversely relative to the direction of the damping stroke, preferably substantially at right angles. In this way, the switch can be adjusted transversely to the longitudinal direction of the piston rod, without that the adjusting movement of the switch leads to a relative movement between the cylinder and piston. If the damping device is inserted in the hinge cup of a furniture hinge, then the switch can be adjusted without the damping device being able to fall out of the mounting position as a result of the adjustment of the switch. Another advantage is the low switching path of the switch, which is required to activate and deactivate the damping function.

The fluid chamber may be formed by an internal cavity of a damper housing or by the internal cavity of a cylinder. As a damping fluid, air, gas or a liquid can be used. It is also possible to generate a damping effect by solid friction.

To return the damping device in a prepared for the next Dämpfungshub ready position, it may be advantageous that a return mechanism - is provided with a return spring - by which the piston - even after loosening lock - again in an extended end position relative to the fluid chamber is movable.

The furniture hinge has a body-side stop member and a hinged hinge cup for attachment to furniture parts, wherein the damping device is disposed substantially completely in the mounting position within the hinge cup or wherein the damping device - already hinged together with each other stop part and hinge cup - from above into the Can be used hinge cup and can be arranged within the hinge cup, wherein the damping device is connected to the hinge cup via cooperating fastening means in this mounting position with each other.

Fig.1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Möbels mit einer Türe, welche über Möbelscharniere relativ zu einem Möbelkorpus verschwenkbar gelagert ist,

Fig. 2a, 2b

perspektivische Darstellungen eines Möbelscharniers mit einer im Scharniertopf anzuordnenden Dämpfvorrichtung sowie mit einer im Scharniertopf angeordneten Dämpfvorrichtung,

Fig. 3a-3c

die Dämpfvorrichtung in einer perspektivischen Darstellung sowie vergrößerte Darstellungen des Arretierelementes in zwei verschiedenen Schaltstellungen,

Fig. 4a-4c

die Dämpfvorrichtung in einer Explosionsdarstellung, eine vergrößerte Detaildarstellung des Schiebers sowie das Arretierelement in einer perspektivischen Ansicht von unten,

Fig. 5a-5c

Die Dämpfvorrichtung in verschiedenen Längsschnitten, wobei zeitliche Abfolgen des Arretiervorganges zur Deaktivierung der Dämpfungsfunktion dargestellt sind,

Fig. 6a, 6b

ein Möbelscharnier mit einer im Scharniertopf integrierten Dämpfvorrichtung sowie eine vergrößerte Detaildarstellung hierzu,

Fig. 7

die Dämpfvorrichtung mit einem Rückstellmechanismus in einer perspektivischen Schnittdarstellung.

Further details and advantages of the present invention will be explained with reference to the following description of the figures. It shows or show:

Fig.1

a perspective view of a piece of furniture with a door which is pivotally mounted on furniture hinges relative to a furniture body,

Fig. 2a, 2b

perspective views of a furniture hinge with a damping device to be arranged in the hinge cup and with a arranged in the hinge cup damping device,

Fig. 3a-3c

the damping device in a perspective view and enlarged views of the locking element in two different switching positions,

Fig. 4a-4c

the damping device in an exploded view, an enlarged detail of the slider and the locking element in a perspective view from below,

Fig. 5a-5c

The damping device in various longitudinal sections, wherein temporal sequences of the locking operation for deactivating the damping function are shown,

Fig. 6a, 6b

a furniture hinge with a built-in hinge cup damping device and an enlarged detail illustration this,

Fig. 7

the damping device with a return mechanism in a perspective sectional view.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a piece of furniture 1, wherein a movable furniture part 3 in the form of a door 3a is pivotally mounted relative to a furniture body 2 via two or more furniture hinges 4. The furniture hinges 4 have in a known manner a to be fastened to a frame 2a stop member 5 and a pivotally connected to the stop member 5 hinge cup 6. In the inner cavity 10 of the hinge cup 6 each one (not apparent here) damping device 9 is mounted, by which a closing movement of the furniture hinge 4 is attenuated up to completely closed end position. Depending on the size and weight of the movable furniture part 3, the damping performance of the damping devices 9 may not be adjusted accordingly, ie that too strong existing damping power, the movable furniture part 3 either too slow or can not reach the full closed position. For this reason, the damping effect of the damping devices 9 can be completely deactivated via a locking device 15. In this case, it may be expedient for example to completely deactivate the damping effect of a first furniture hinge 4, while a second furniture hinge 4 provides an active damping effect which allows a desired damped closing movement of the movable furniture part 3 up to the complete closed position.

Fig. 2a shows a perspective view of a furniture hinge 4, wherein the hinge cup 6 is connected via at least one hinge lever 7 pivotally connected to the stop member 5 in the form of a hinge arm 5a. Via a spring device 8, the furniture hinge 4 can be moved to the full closed position and / or in the full open position. For damping this spring-assisted movement in the end position (s) a damping device 9 is provided, which has a housing 12 and a slider 13 which is movable relative thereto. The damping device 9 is either already inserted from the factory into the inner cavity 10 of the hinge cup 6 or can be used in an alternative manner - with mounted stop member 5 and hinge cup 6 - in a retrofittable manner from above into the hinge cup 6 and disposed within the hinge cup 6, the damping device 9 and the hinge cup 6 are detachably connectable to each other via cooperating fastening means 11a, 11b in this mounting position. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the damping device 9 has first fastening means 11a in the form of a guide groove, which in the form of a fastening means 11b arranged on the hinge cup 6 a fastening pin are releasably connectable. The damping device 9 has an insertion opening 14, through which the fastening pin 11 b in the guide groove 11 a can be arranged. The damping device 9 has to deactivate the damping function, a locking device 15 with an adjustable locking element 15a in the form of a switch, through which the slider 13 is releasably locked in the fully depressed position.

Fig. 2b shows a perspective view of the furniture hinge 4 with the damping device 9 in the assembled position. The damping device 9 is arranged completely in the inner cavity 10 of the hinge cup 6. During the closing movement of the furniture hinge 4, the articulated lever 7 strikes the slide 13, whereby the damping process is initiated. In the course of the further closing movement of the slider 13 can be pressed relative to the housing 12 in a complete end position, said end position is releasably locked by the locking device 15. The slider 13 is no longer recoverable in the locked position, that is, the damping effect is deactivated.

Fig. 3a shows a perspective view of the damping device 9. This has a housing 12 and a slide 13 relative thereto slidable. The damping device 9 is designed as a linear damper and comprises a piston rod 17 which is connected to the housing 12. In this embodiment, it is thus provided that the piston rod 17 (and thus a piston connected to the piston rod 17) is arranged fixed in the mounting position, while a trained in the slide 13 fluid chamber moves relative to this fixed piston rod 17. The slider 13 is designed as a sliding wedge and has an oblique stop surface 16, which from a predetermined relative position of the furniture hinge 4 from the articulated lever 7 (FIG. Fig. 2b ) can be acted upon. Fig. 3b shows an enlarged detail of the locking element 15a, which is designed as a switch with at least two switching positions. In a first switching position ( Fig. 3b ), the damping effect of the damping device 9 is activated, while in a second switching position ( Fig. 3c ) the damping effect of the damping device 9 is deactivated.

Fig. 4a shows the damping device 9 in an exploded view. In the interior of the slide 13, at least one fluid chamber is formed in which at least one piston (not shown here) is displaceably mounted with a piston rod 17. Well visible, the fastening means 11 a in the form of two-sided guide grooves through which the slider 13 during the damping stroke relative to the mounting pin 11 b of the hinge cup 6 is displaceable. Through the insertion opening 14 of the fastening pin 11 b in the guide groove 11 a can be arranged. The housing 12 has a bearing 18 to which the piston rod 17 is to be fastened. On the slider 13, a first locking member 19 is arranged, which is detectable in the depressed end position of the slider 13 relative to a switch 15a arranged on the second locking element 20.

Fig. 4b shows an enlarged detail of the slider 13, on which a first locking member 19 is formed in the form of a resilient tab. Fig. 4c shows the trained as a switch locking element 15a in a perspective view from below. On the underside of the locking element 15a, a second, substantially rigid locking element 20 is arranged, through which the first locking element 19 of the slider 13 in the fully depressed end position of the slider 13 can be detected.

Fig. 5a-5c show time sequences of the lock for deactivating the damping effect in different cross sections. In Fig. 5a the slider 13 can be seen, in which a fluid chamber 21 is formed and in which a piston 22 is mounted with the piston rod 17, which are arranged fixed in the embodiment shown. During the closing movement of the furniture hinge 4, the articulated lever 7 ( Fig. 2b ) on the inclined stop surface 16 of the slider 13, whereupon the slider 13 is displaceable relative to the fixed piston 22. The damping device 9 can also be deactivated when the slide 13 is extended, by firstly adjusting the locking element 15a designed as a switch into the corresponding deactivation position ( Fig. 5a ). Visible is the locking element 19 arranged on the slide 13 and the locking element 20 arranged on the switch 15a. During the damping stroke, first the locking element 19 arranged on the slide 13 strikes the rigid locking element 20 of the switch 15a (FIG. Fig. 5a ), wherein in the deactivation position of the switch 15 a, the resilient Locking element 19 can be moved across the rigid locking element 20, wherein the resilient locking element 19 is bendable against the force of its resilient action and the resilient locking element 19 is detectable by its subsequent Aufschnschnappen relative to the rigid locking element 20 ( Fig. 5c ). In Fig. 5c Thus, the locking element 19 arranged on the slide 13 is locked, so that the slider 13 - for example, by a return mechanism - is not retractable. The damping effect of the damping device 9 is thus deactivated. By transferring the switch 15a in an activation position, the locking element 19 is released again, so that the slider 13 is reset again.

Fig. 6a shows a cross section of a furniture hinge 4 with the damping device 9 in the mounted position. The furniture hinge 4 has a designed as a hinge arm 5a - preferably L-shaped - stop member 5, which is pivotally connected via a hinge lever 7 with a hinge cup 6. The articulated lever 7 is mounted pivotably about a hinge pin-side rotation axis 23. Fig. 6b shows an enlarged detail view of the in Fig. 6a circled area. Towards the end of the closing movement, the articulated lever 7 impinges on the inclined stop surface 16 of the slide 13 and displaces it relative to the fixed piston 22. The damping stroke of the damping device 9 is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 23. By the switch 15a, the slider 13 in the depressed End position relative to the housing 12 of the damping device 9 locked, whereby the damping effect can be deactivated.

Fig. 7 shows the damping device 9 in a longitudinal section. Within the fluid chamber 21, the piston 22 is mounted with the piston rod 17. Recognizable is a located outside the fluid chamber 21 return mechanism 26 in the form of two return springs, which are supported on the one hand to stops 24 of the housing 12, on the other hand on counter-stops 25 of the slider 13. By the return mechanism 26, the slider 13 can be reset after completion of the damping stroke again in a planned for the next damping stroke ready position. Of course, it is also possible to arrange a return spring in the interior of the fluid chamber 21, which on the one hand at the bottom 30 of the fluid chamber 21 and on the other hand can be supported on the piston 22 and so pushes the piston 22 back into the ready position.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown, but extends to all variants and technical equivalents which fall within the scope of the following claims. Also, the location information chosen in the description, such as top, side, etc. related to the figure directly shown and are mutatis mutandis transferred to the new location in a change in position.

Claims (6)

1. A furniture hinge (4), including:

   - a fitting member (5) to be fixed to a furniture carcass (2),

   - a hinge cup (6) which is pivotally connected to the fitting member (5),

   - a damping device (9) for damping a movement of a movably mounted furniture part (3) or of a movably mounted component of the furniture hinge (4), the damping device (9) can be arranged within an internal cavity (10) of the hinge cup (6), the damping device (9) has a housing (12) and slider (13) which is displaceable thereto, wherein accommodated within the housing (12) or within the slider (13) is fluid chamber (21) with a piston (22) disposed therein, wherein a damping action is produced by a relative movement between the fluid chamber (21) and the piston (22) and wherein the piston (22) assumes a pressed-in end position relative to the fluid chamber (21) at the end of the damping stroke,

   characterized in that the damping device (9), for deactivation of the damping action, has a locking device (15) with an arresting element (15a) to be operated manually or with the aid of a tool, wherein by way of the arresting element (15a), the relative position between the fluid chamber (21) and the piston (22) can be releasably locked in the pressed-in end position, wherein the arresting element (15a) is in the form of a linearly displaceable switch having two switching positions, wherein in a first switching position, the damping action of the damping device (9) is activated and, in the second switching position, the damping action of the damping device (9) is deactivated, and wherein the direction of the displacement movement between the first switching position and the second switching position is transverse, preferably substantially parallel, to the direction of the damping stroke, wherein arranged on the slider (13) is a first fixing element (19) which, in the pressed-in end position, can be fixed with a second fixing element (20) arranged on the switch.
2. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston (22) is stationary in the mounting position and the fluid chamber (21) is displaceable relative to the piston (22) in the damping stroke.
3. The furniture hinge according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first fixing element (19) is of a resilient configuration and that the second fixing element (20) is of a substantially rigid configuration.
4. The furniture hinge according to claim 3, characterized in that the switch has a deactivation position in which the damping action of the damping device (9) is deactivated, wherein in the deactivation position of the switch, the resilient fixing element (19) can pass over the rigid fixing element (20), wherein the resilient fixing element (19) is bendable against the force of its own resiliency until the resilient fixing element (19), by way of its subsequent snapping back action, can be fixed to the rigid fixing element (20).
5. The furniture hinge according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a return mechanism (26), preferably with at least one return spring, is provided by which the piston (22) is movable into an extended end position relative to the fluid chamber (21).
6. The furniture hinge according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that

   - the damping device (9) is disposed completely within the hinge cup (9) in the mounting position,

   or that

   - the damping device (9) - when the fitting member (5) and the hinge cup (6) are already pivotally connected to each other - can be inserted from above into the hinge cup (6) and can be arranged within the hinge cup (6), wherein the damping device (9), in this mounting position, can be fixed to the hinge cup (6) by cooperating fastening means (11 a, 11 b).

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