EP3075930A1

EP3075930A1 - Concealed hinge with an adjustment device

Info

Publication number: EP3075930A1
Application number: EP16162514.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luigi Ferraro
Original assignee: Nova-Ferr Srl
Current assignee: Nova-Ferr Srl
Priority date: 2015-04-01
Filing date: 2016-03-29
Publication date: 2016-10-05

Abstract

The hinge (10) comprises two opposed wings (41a; 41b), each comprising a terminal wall (46a; 46b) parallel to the axis of rotation of the hinge, and a longitudinal wall substantially orthogonal to this axis and having a slot (43a; 43b) and a hole (44a; 44b); and at least a first (421) and a second (422) lever which are hinged on one another in a parallel manner to said axis in their intermediate parts, each lever having one end pivoted in a translatable manner in the slot (43a; 43b) of one wing (41a; 41b), and the other end pivoted in the hole (44b; 44a) of the other wing (41b). The hinge wings (41a; 41b) are fastened removably in respective attachment elements (12a; 12b). An adjustment device (15, 16; 35a, 35b) is provided between each attachment element (12a; 12b) and the corresponding hinge wing (41a; 41b), this device being manually operable when the hinge is fitted, to modify the relative angular position of the fastening of the hinge wing (41a; 41b) to the attachment element (12a; 12b), about an axis of adjustment orthogonal to the axis of rotation and parallel to the terminal wall (46a; 46b) of the hinge wing (4 1 a; 41 b).

Description

The present invention relates to a concealed hinge, capable of allowing the oscillation of a part of a structure relative to another about a movable axis of rotation.
A concealed hinge is a hinge which is completely inserted into two parts of a structure, for example the frame and a leaf of an opening element, and which must allow the relative rotation of these parts, in such a way as to be invisible outside the structure.
More specifically, the present invention proposes a concealed hinge of the type comprising:

two opposed hinge wings which can be connected, respectively, to one and the other part of the aforesaid structure, each wing comprising a terminal wall essentially parallel to said axis, and at least one longitudinal wall substantially orthogonal to this axis and having a slot and a hole, and
a set of levers, comprising at least a first and a second lever which are hinged on one another in a parallel manner to said axis in their intermediate parts, each lever having one end pivoted in a translatable manner in the slot of one wing, and the other end pivoted in the hole of the other wing;
said wings being fastened removably in respective attachment elements.

A concealed hinge of this type is known from Italian patent 1 386 352 in the name of the present applicant.
One object of the present invention is to provide a concealed hinge of an improved type.
This and other objects are achieved according to the invention with a concealed hinge of the type defined above, characterized in that an adjustment device is provided between each attachment element and the corresponding hinge wing, this device being manually operable when the hinge is fitted, to modify the relative angular position of the fastening of the hinge wing to the attachment element, about an axis of adjustment parallel to the terminal wall of the hinge wing and orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the hinge.
Conveniently, in currently preferred embodiments, a transverse wall is provided in each attachment element, facing the terminal wall of the corresponding hinge wing, and the associated adjustment device comprises a projecting formation, created in one of said facing walls and facing towards the other of these walls, and screw adjustment means are provided between these facing walls and can be operated to determine their arrangement in a desired angular position relative to the aforesaid axis of adjustment.
Further characteristics and advantages of the concealed hinge according to the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a concealed hinge according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge according to Figure 1, in which the set of levers is shown in the condition in which its component levers are assembled and hinged to one another in their intermediate parts;
Figures 3 and 4 are partial side views of the concealed hinge according to the preceding figures, shown in the closed configuration and in the fully open configuration, respectively;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a concealed hinge according to the invention, shown in the fully open condition;
Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 5, and shows a variant embodiment; and
Figure 7 is similar to Figure 5 and 6, and shows another variant embodiment.

With reference to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, a concealed hinge 10 according to the present invention comprises a first and a second external attachment element 12a and 12b.
These attachment elements are designed to be fastened in a known way to the two parts of a structure between which relative rotation is to be permitted.
The attachment elements 12a, 12b are preferably identical to one another. However, they may conveniently be made different from one another, if required by the conditions of fastening to the two parts of the structure.
The attachment elements 12a, 12b are designed to be fastened, for example, by welding, screwing, riveting or other methods.
In the currently preferred embodiment, these attachment elements 12a, 12b each have a pair of rectangular longitudinal walls parallel to one another, indicated by 13, these walls being interconnected on their homologous sides by an essentially C-shaped wall 14.
As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a plate 15 is fastened, by welding for example, between the walls 13 of each attachment element 12a and 12b. This plate extends essentially in a plane at least approximately orthogonal to the walls 13 and to the wall 14 of the corresponding attachment element 12a, 12b, and has a projecting linear ridge-like formation 16 on one side. This projection 16 extends in a direction parallel to the walls 13 and substantially orthogonal to the wall 14.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, threaded holes indicated by 17, whose functions are explained below, are formed in the plate 15 of each attachment element 12a, 12b, at the sides of the projecting formation 16.
The hinge 10 further comprises two hinge wings, indicated by 41a and 41b respectively. These hinge wings, preferably identical to one another, are shaped as required so that each can be inserted into a corresponding attachment element 12a, 12b.
In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge wings or flaps 41 a, 41b are substantially U-shaped, and are inserted into the attachment elements 12a and 12b in a mirror symmetrical way.
The hinge wings 41a and 41 b are also interconnected by a set of levers, indicated as a whole by 42.
In the currently preferred embodiment, each wing 41 a, 41b of the hinge has:

two slots 43a and 43b respectively, placed opposite one another on opposite faces of the parallel branches of the respective wing, and capable of housing in a rotatable and translatable manner a first rotation pin 53a and 53b; these slots are preferably straight;
two holes 44a and 44b respectively, formed in opposed positions on the two facing branches of each hinge wing 41a, 41b, and capable of housing in a rotatable manner a respective second rotation pin 54a and 54b;
two through holes 45a and 45b respectively, formed in a terminal wall, 46a and 46b respectively, of each wing 41a, 41b; the holes 45a and 45b are in relative positions corresponding to those of the holes 17 in the plates 15, and enable the two hinge wings 41a and 41b to be fastened to these plates 15, and therefore to the corresponding attachment elements 12a and 12b, by means of screws 35a and 35b.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the group of levers 42 comprises two pairs of levers 421 and 422, alternating with one another, each having in its central part a hole 45 in which a central common hinge pin 55 is inserted to act as a central joint for the whole of the concealed hinge 10.
The levers 421 and 422 are identical to one another, but are positioned alternately, in an interleaved and symmetrical arrangement. These levers have respective end through holes 43 and 44 for the insertion of the pins 53a, 53b and 54a, 54b respectively.
In particular, as can be seen by comparing Figures 1 and 2, the pin 53a is engaged in the holes 43 of the levers 421, while the pin 54a is engaged in the holes 44 of the same levers. Similarly, the pin 54b is engaged in the holes 44 of the levers 422, while the pin 53b is engaged in the holes 43 of the same levers.
The two sets of levers 421 and 422 are hinged to one another by means of the central pin 55, as stated above.
The shape of the levers determines the size of the maximum angle of rotation of the wings 41 a, 41b of the hinge. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the angle of rotation of the hinge wings is between 0° (Figure 3) and 180° (Figure 4).
In particular, the levers 421, 422 are substantially C-shaped, with an inner profile configured so as not to interfere with the wings 41 a and 41b in the specified range of rotation/oscillation.
The elements of the concealed hinge 10 described above can be conveniently made of a metallic material, for example iron, steel, or stainless steel. However, these elements may also be made from other materials having suitable rigidity.
In Figure 5, the hinge 10 is shown in the fully open condition, that is to say in the condition in which its wings 41a, 41b, and the associated attachment elements 12a and 12b, are arranged at 180° to one another.
As can be seen in Figure 5, in the assembled condition the terminal wall (46a) 46b of each wing (41a) 41b of the hinge bears on the projecting formation 16 of the plate 15 fastened to the corresponding attachment element (12a) 12b, and the screws (35a) 35b extend through said terminal wall (46a) 46b and into the threaded holes 17 in the plate 15.
The arrangement is such that, even when the hinge 10 is fitted in the structure in which it is used, it is possible, with the hinge at least partially open, to use a screwdriver or the like to access the adjustment screws (35a) 35b, and to turn these screws to modify the relative angular position of the fastening of the hinge wing (41a), 41 b to the associated attachment element (12a) 12b, about an axis of adjustment defined by the area of contact between the terminal wall (46a) 46b and the projecting formation 16 of the associated plate 15. This axis of adjustment is therefore usually parallel to the terminal wall 46a, 46b of the hinge wing 41a, 41b, and is essentially orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the hinge 10 as a whole.
The possibility of modifying the angular position of the fastening of each hinge wing to the associated attachment element, albeit over a limited range, is ensured, on the one hand, by the play that is inevitably present between the parts, and, on the other hand, by the admittedly small degree of deformability of the hinge elements.
Figure 6 shows a variant embodiment. In this figure, parts and elements identical or corresponding to parts and elements described previously have been given the same reference numerals as those used previously.
In the variant according to Figure 6, the adjustment screws 35a, 35b engage in corresponding threaded holes (45a, 45b) in the terminal wall 46a, 46b of the respective hinge wing, but bear against the two opposite ends of the plate 15 without passing through them. In this embodiment, the adjustment of the relative angular position between the hinge wings and the associated attachment elements is therefore carried out by bearing and reaction against the ends of the plate 15, without the aforesaid screws passing through these ends.
Figure 7 shows another variant embodiment. In this figure also, parts and elements described previously have again been given the same reference numerals as those used previously.
In the variant according to Figure 7, the facing surfaces of the walls 13 of each attachment element 12a, 12b are provided with respective bosses 60, which, at a certain distance from the corresponding plate 15, provide a degree of spacing between said walls 13 and the adjacent walls of the hinge wing (41a) 41b located between them. The bosses 60 provide a degree of "play" which facilitates the adjustment described above, in particular when the parts involved are highly rigid.
Alternatively, the aforesaid bosses may be formed on the outer surfaces of the longitudinal walls of each hinge wing.
In a further variant, not shown in the drawings, the facing walls 13 of each attachment element 12a, 12b and/or the adjacent walls of the hinge wing located between them are slightly converging instead of being parallel to one another, so as to create the aforesaid play in a similar manner.
The possibility of adjustment described above is extremely useful in the fitting of the hinge, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate.
Clearly, provided that the principle of the invention is retained, the forms of embodiment and the details of construction can be varied widely from what has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

Concealed hinge (10), capable of allowing the oscillation of a part of a structure relative to another, about a translatable axis of rotation,
comprising
two opposed hinge wings (41a; 41b) which can be connected, respectively, to one and the other part of the aforesaid structure, each wing comprising a terminal wall (46a; 46b) essentially parallel to said axis, and at least one longitudinal wall substantially orthogonal to said axis and having a slot (43a; 43b) and a hole (44a; 44b); and
a set (42) of levers (421; 422), comprising at least a first (421) and a second (422) lever which are hinged on one another about a direction parallel to said axis in their intermediate parts, each lever having one end pivoted in a translatable manner in the slot (43a; 43b) of one wing (41a; 41b), and the other end pivoted in the hole (44b; 44a) of the other wing (41 b);
said wings (41a; 41b) being fastened removably in respective attachment elements (12a; 12b);
the hinge (10) being characterized in that an adjustment device (15, 16; 35a, 35b) is provided between each attachment element (12a; 12b) and the corresponding hinge wing (41a; 41b), said device being manually operable when the hinge is installed, to modify the relative angular position of fastening of the hinge wing (41a; 41b) to the attachment element (12a; 12b), about an axis of adjustment orthogonal to said axis of rotation and parallel to the terminal wall (46a; 46b) of the hinge wing (41a; 41b).
Concealed hinge according to Claim 1, wherein a transverse wall (15) is provided in each attachment element (12a; 12b), facing the terminal wall (46a; 46b) of the corresponding hinge wing (41a; 41b), and wherein the associated adjustment device comprises a projecting formation (16), created in one of said transverse (15) and terminal (46a, 46b; 15) walls and facing towards the other of said walls (46a; 46b), and screw adjustment means (35a; 35b) between said walls (15; 46a, 46b), which can be operated to determine their arrangement in a desired relative angular position about said axis of adjustment.
Concealed hinge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each attachment element (12a; 12b) comprises a pair of facing longitudinal walls (13), connected to a wall (14) orthogonal to them.
Concealed hinge according to Claims 2 and 3, wherein projecting bosses (60), spaced apart longitudinally from said projecting formation (16), are formed between facing surfaces of said longitudinal walls (13) of the attachment elements (12a, 12b) and corresponding surfaces of the hinge wings (41 a, 41 b) located between them.
Concealed hinge according to Claims 2 and 3, wherein the facing walls (13) of each attachment element (12a, 12b) and/or adjacent walls of the hinge wing (41a, 41b) located between them are converging.