EP4227480A1

EP4227480A1 - Cabinet, door system and hinge therefor

Info

Publication number: EP4227480A1
Application number: EP23153599.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Longhetto; Edoardo BOATO
Original assignee: Keter Italia SpA
Current assignee: Keter Italia SpA
Priority date: 2022-02-09
Filing date: 2023-01-27
Publication date: 2023-08-16
Also published as: IL290491A

Abstract

The disclosure concerns a frameless cabinet comprising at least one side wall, a top base and a bottom base, and at least one door hingedly articulated to the side wall by at least one hinge; said hinge comprises a cabinet wall articulation member configured with a furniture wall mounting surface articulated at a front portion of the side wall; and a door articulation member comprising a hinge cup articulated at a hinge stile portion of the door and; a first arc-shaped link having a first end pivotally articulated at the hinge cup, and a second end pivotally articulated at a front end portion of the cabinet wall articulation member; a second arc-shaped link disposed external to said first link and having a first end pivotally articulated adjacent said first end of said first link, and a second end pivotally articulated to the cabinet wall articulation member at a fore end of said front end portion; and wherein door the is swingable with respect to said side wall between an open position and a closed position, wherein at the closed position the first link and the second link define a receiving space within the hinge cup, wherein a front edge portion of the side wall and at least the fore end of said front portion projects into the receiving space.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is generally in the field of furniture. More particularly the disclosure concerns cabinets, and in particular with a cabinet fitted with a hinged door, a hinged door system for a cabinet, and a hinge therefor.
The term 'cabinet' is used herein in its broad sense, and denotes any storage/display furniture article configured with one or more hingedly articulated doors.

BACKGROUND ART

References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:

US6,401,298
US 10,060,169

Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

BACKGROUND

A myriad of door hinges are known in the field of carpentry and furniture building. Those fall under different categories, one of which is directed to hinges configured for use with so-called 'full overlay cabinets', also known as 'Euro-style cabinets' and as 'frameless cabinets'. Frameless cabinets refer to cabinets without a face frame, wherein only the 'box' exists, namely side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, and wherein the doors are attached directly to the side walls.
US6,401,298 discloses a furniture hinge that comprises a hinge casing and a hinge arm, each adapted to be mounted on different furniture parts and connected by means of hinge links, and a pressure spring acting on one hinge link. The pressure spring is a leg spring which is mounted on a hinge axle connecting a hinge link to the hinge arm.
US 10,060,169 discloses a furniture hinge that includes an arm member, a casing, an inner link, an outer link, and a resilient device. The arm member includes at least one wall. The wall includes a first mounting structure. The casing can be opened and closed with respect to the arm member. Each of the inner link and the outer link has two end portions respectively and pivotally connected to the arm member and the casing via shafts. The resilient device provides a resilient force acting between the casing and the arm member and includes a second mounting structure to be mounted to the first mounting structure.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

According to a first aspect of the disclosure there is a frameless cabinet comprising at least one side wall, a top base and a bottom base, and at least one door hingedly articulated to the side wall by at least one hinge; said hinge comprises a cabinet wall articulation member configured with a furniture wall mounting surface articulated at a front portion of the side wall; and a door articulation member comprising a hinge cup articulated at a hinge stile of the door and; a first arc-shaped link having a first end pivotally articulated at the hinge cup, and a second end pivotally articulated at a front end portion of the cabinet wall articulation member; a second arc-shaped link disposed external to said first link and having a first end pivotally articulated adjacent said first end of said first link, and a second end pivotally articulated to the cabinet wall articulation member at a said front end portion; and wherein the door is swingable with respect to said side wall between an open position and a closed position, wherein at the closed position the first link and the second link define a cup space within the hinge cup, wherein a front edge portion of the side wall and at least a fore end of said front end portion projects into the cup space.
According to a second aspect of the disclosure there is a hinge for a cabinet door, the hinge comprising a cabinet wall articulation member configured with a furniture wall mounting surface; and a door articulation member pivotally articulated to the cabinet wall articulation member by a first link and a second link, the hinge having an open position and a closed position; said door articulation member comprising a hinge cup, with first ends of the first link and the second link being pivotally articulated at the hinge cup; and second ends of the first link and the second link being pivotally articulated at a front end portion of the cabinet wall articulation member; the first link and the second link are arc-shaped, and, when at the closed position, define a cabinet side-wall edge receiving cup space within the hinge cup.
The arrangement is such that at the closed position a portion of a hinge stile of the door can overlap an edge portion of the side wall of the cabinet.
The term 'overlap' as used herein the specification and claims suggests that at a closed position of the door, a wall edge portion of the cabinet projects within a longitudinal groove configured at an inside surface of the door, along a respective edge portion thereof, whereby said wall edge portion is embraced by the door portion, though not being in surface contact. Hereinafter the terms overlap and embrace may be used interchangeably, within the context.
The cabinet according to the present disclosure is a frameless-type cabinet, i.e. a cabinet devoid of a face frame, and respectively, the hinge according to the disclosure is configured for use with a frameless cabinet.
Herein the specification and claims the terms 'open position' and 'closed position' are interchangeable with the respective terms 'fully open position' and 'fully closed position', of the hinge and a door articulable thereto, respectively.
Any one or more of the following features, designs and configuration can be applied to any one or more of the aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure, separately or in various combinations thereof:

The hinge can be biased into respective end positions, between a fully closed position and a fully open position, by a biasing member bearing at one end against a wall portion of the cabinet wall articulation member and at an opposite end against an extension lever portion adjacent the second end of the second arc-shaped link;
At the fully closed position the front edge of the side wall of the cabinet can project into an inside surface of the door;
At the closed position the frontend portion of the cabinet wall articulation member can project into an inside surface of the door;
At the closed position an inside surface of the door can extend inside of a front edge of the side wall of the cabinet;
At the closed position an inside side edge of the door of the cabinet can extend inside of a front edge of the side wall, at an external surface of said side wall;
At the closed position the front edge of the side wall is embraced by the first link within the receiving space of the hinge cup;
At the closed position the first end of the first link can be disposed adjacent an external surface of the side wall of the cabinet;
At the closed position the first link can be disposed in close proximity with a front edge of the side wall of the cabinet, wherein the first end of the first link disposed adjacent an external surface of the side wall, and the second end of the first link disposed adjacent an inside surface of the side wall;
At a fully open position a side edge of the door of the cabinet displaces away from a front edge of the side wall of the cabinet;
At a fully open position the first end of the first link extends at a plane parallel between the furniture wall mounting surface and an outside surface of the side wall;
At a fully open position the first end of the second link extends at a plane parallel between the furniture wall mounting surface and an outside surface of the side wall;
At a fully open position the first end of the second link extends spaced from the front edge of the side wall;
At a fully open position the first link and the second link bear against one another, thereby preventing further opening of the door;
At the closed position the front edge portion of the cabinet side wall projects into a concavity of the first link, between the first end and the second end of said first link;
At the closed position the front end portion of the cabinet wall articulation member projects into the cup space;
At the closed position at least the first ling embraces at least a front edge portion of the side wall of the cabinet;
The cup space has a concave cross-section with a longitudinal axis extending parallel with pivot axis of the first link and the second link, said cup space extending from an inside door surface and configured for accommodating, at the closed position, the two links and a front edge portion of the side wall of the cabinet;
The door can be configured with one or both of a top recessed edge and a bottom recessed edge, wherein at a closed position of the door said top recessed edge and bottom recessed edge embrace a respective front edge of a top base and a bottom base of the cabinet;
The cabinet wall articulation member and the door articulation member can be made of molded plastic material;
The first link and the second link can be made of metal. According to am example, said links are made of an alloy such as Zamak;
The cabinet side wall, top base, bottom base and the door can be made of molded plastic material;
At a closed position at least one or more of hinge stile, a top rail, a bottom rail and a lock stile of the door overlaps a respective edge portion of the cabinet;
The cabinet can be configured with one or more doors;
Where the cabinet comprises a single door than the four edges of the door can overlap a respective wall portion, and where the cabinet comprises butt doors, then a hinge stile and top edge and bottom edge of each door overlaps a respective wall edge portion of the cabinet. The term 'butt doors' refers to a cabinet wherein two doors open towards each other;
At the closed position an edge of the door at the hinge stile is disposed inwards of the front edge portion of the side wall;
One or both of the cabinet wall articulation member and the door articulation member are configured for snap articulation with a side wall and door portion, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1A is a top perspective view of a butt-door cabinet, according to an example of the disclosure, the doors at a closed position;
Fig. 1B illustrates the cabinet of Fig. 1A with the doors open;
Fig. 2A is a horizontal section along line 2A - 2A in Fig 1A;
Fig. 2B is an enlargement of the portion marked 2B in Fig. 2A;
Fig. 3A is a vertical section along line 3A - 3A in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 3B is an enlargement of the portion marked 3B in Fig. 3A;
Fig. 3C is a planar side view of Fig. 3B;
Fig. 3D is an enlargement of the portion marked 3D in Fig. 3A;
Fig. 3E is a planar side view of Fig. 3D;
Fig. 4A is a top planar section view along line IV - IV in Fig. 1A, above the hinge; at the fully closed position;
Fig. 4B is the same as Fig. 4A, however sectioned through the hinge cup and above the cabinet wall articulation member;
Fig. 4C is the same as Fig. 4A, however sectioned through the cabinet wall articulation member;
Fig. 4D is a perspective view of Fig. 4C;
Fig. 5A is a top planar section view along line V - V in Fig. 1B, above the hinge; at the fully open position;
Fig. 5B is the same as Fig. 5A, however sectioned through the hinge cup and above the cabinet wall articulation member;
Fig. 5C is the same as Fig. 5A, however sectioned through the cabinet wall articulation member;
Fig. 6A is a section through the assembled hinge at a partially open position;
Fig. 6B is a perspective view in direction of arrow 6B in Fig. 6A;
Fig. 7A is a perspective view of the hinge according to an example of the disclosure, at a fully closed position;
Fig. 7B is a perspective view of the hinge of Fig. 7A, from another side;
Fig. 7C is a section along line 7C - 7C in Fig. 7B;
Fig. 8A is a perspective view of the hinge according to an example of the disclosure, at a fully open position;
Fig. 8B is a perspective view of the hinge of Fig. 8A, from another side;
Fig. 8C is a section along line 8C - 8C in Fig. 8B;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the hinge according to an example of the disclosure, at a partially open position;
Fig. 10A is an enlargement of the portion marked 10A in Fig. 1B;
Fig. 10B is the same as Fig. 10A, with a door joint member removed for exposing the door articulation member: and
Fig. 10C is a section along line 10C - 10C in Fig. 10B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Attention is first directed to Figs. 1A, 1B and 3A, illustrating a cabinet according to an example of the disclosure, generally designated 10. In the illustrated example, cabinet 10 is a butt-door cabinet, comprising a pair of doors 12 and 14, closable towards one another, and with several shelves 16. Noticeably, cabinet 10 is a frameless cabinet, i.e. a cabinet without a face frame.
Cabinet 10 is configured with a pair of side walls 20 and 22, a bottom base 24, a top base 26, a back wall 30, and support legs 32 for raising the bottom base 24 from the ground. Cabinet 10 is a knock-down type cabinet, made of molded plastic material, wherein at least some of the panels of the walls are thin layers of material reinforced by edge and intermediate reinforcing/coupling profiles. As will be discussed herein, doors 12 and 14 are each hinged to a respective side wall 20 and 22 by three hinges, generally designated 40.
Each of the doors 12 and 14 is configured along a hinge stile 42, at an inside face 44 thereof, with a longitudinal groove 46. Groove 46 is sized to accommodate and partially overlap/embrace a front edge portion 48 of the respective side wall 20. Whilst side wall 20 is a sheet of material, the front edge portion 48 is an edge profile facilitating for reinforcing the side wall.
Likewise, each of the doors 12 and 14 is configured along a top rail thereof 50, at an inside face thereof 52, with a longitudinal groove 54, wherein said groove 54 is sized to accommodate and partially overlap/embrace a front top edge portion 58 of the top base 26 (Figs. 3B and 3C). Each of the doors 12 and 14 is further configured along a bottom rail thereof 60, at an inside face thereof 62, with a longitudinal groove 64, wherein said groove 64 is sized to accommodate and partially overlap/embrace a front bottom edge portion 68 of the bottom base 24 (Figs. 3D and 3E).
Turning now to Figs. 4A-10C, attention is directed to the hinge 40 and its articulation to the cabinet 10 and doors 12 and 14, and operation.
Hinge 40 comprises a cabinet wall articulation member 80 configured with a flat furniture wall mounting surface 82 and a wall coupling snap 84 projecting from said surface 82. A fastener bore 86 extends through a rear portion of the cabinet wall articulation member 80. As will be explained, the cabinet wall articulation member 80 is configured for attaching to a surface (typically and inside surface) of a cabinet wall, with the surface 82 bearing flush against a wall surface.
A door articulation member 90 comprises a hinge cup 92, said hinge cup configured with a cup space 94, having a concave cross-section, and wherein the door articulation member 90 is configured for fixedly attaching within an inside face of the door 12, sunk within such that the hinge cup 92 substantially does not project from the inside face of the door.
A pair of links swingable articulate the door articulation member 90 with the cabinet wall articulation member 80, wherein a first link 100 has a curved shape (arc shaped) and is configured with a first end 102 pivotally articulated at axis 104 within the hinge cup 92, and a second end 106 pivotally articulated at axis 108 at a front end portion 110 of the cabinet wall articulation member 80. A second link 120, also having a slightly curved shape, has a first end 122 pivotally articulated at axis 124 within the hinge cup 92, and a second end 126 pivotally articulated at axis 128 at the front end portion 110 of the cabinet wall articulation member 80, with an extension lever portion 129 projecting behind said second end 126. The two links 100; 120 impart swing motion of the door articulation member 90 with respect the cabinet wall articulation member 80, between a fully closed position, and a fully open position (of approximately 100°).
The cabinet wall articulation member 80 and the door articulation member 90 are made of molded plastic material, and the first link 100 and the second link 120 are made of metal, such as an alloy (e.g. Zamak).
As can be seen in the sectioned drawings (e.g. Figs. 4C, 4D, 7C, 8C), a spring member 130 is mounted on a boss 132 within the front end portion 110 of the cabinet wall articulation member 80, said spring having one arm 136 thereof bearing against a wall portion 138 of the cabinet wall articulation member 80, and a second arm 140 bearing against the extension lever portion 129 of the second link 120, thus imparting it with biasing force, and respectively biasing the hinge 40 into its fully open and fully closed positions.
The arrangement is such that both links 100, 120 are pivotally articulated at their respective first ends 102, 122 within the hinge cup 92 of the door articulation member 90, and at their second ends 106, 126 within the front end portion 110 of the cabinet wall articulation member 80, whereby the door articulation member 90 is swingable between its open position and closed position. However, it is noticeable that at the closed position both links 100, 120 are received within the cup space 94 of hinge cup 92, and the front end portion 110 of the cabinet wall articulation member 80 projects into said cup space 94. This arrangement facilitates that at the closed position the front edge portion 48 of the respective side wall 20 is received within said cup space 94, such that side edge 35 of the door at the hinge stile 42 is disposed inwards of said front edge portion 48 at an overlapping fashion. However, as the door displaces into the open position, said side edge 35 is spaced apart from the front edge portion 50 of the respective side wall 20.
As noted, the first link 100 has a curved shape and the second link 120 have slightly curved shapes, thereby enabling the front edge portion 48 of the respective side wall 20 to be received within the cup space 94 .
As mentioned hereinbefore, the panels of the walls are thin layers of material reinforced by edge profiles, and wherein the hinge articulation members, namely cabinet wall articulation member 80 and door articulation member 90 are secured to the respective cabinet wall/ door at reinforcing profiled members, which on the one hand strengthen the cabinet structure, and facilitate for interconnecting thin panels, and on the other hand serves for articulating thereto of said wall articulation member 80 and door articulation member 90.

Claims

A frameless cabinet (10) comprising at least one side wall (20,22), a top base (26) and a bottom base (24), and at least one door (12,14) hingedly articulated to the side wall by at least one hinge (40); said hinge (40) comprises a cabinet wall articulation member (80) configured with a furniture wall mounting surface (82) articulated at a front portion of the side wall; and a door articulation member (90) comprising a hinge cup (92) articulated at a hinge stile (42) of the door and; a first arc-shaped link (100) having a first end (102) pivotally articulated at the hinge cup (92), and a second end (106) pivotally articulated at a front end portion (110) of the cabinet wall articulation member (80); a second arc-shaped link (120) disposed external to said first link (100) and having a first end (122) pivotally articulated adjacent said first end (102) of said first link (100), and a second end (126) pivotally articulated to the cabinet wall articulation member (80) at a said front end portion (110); and wherein the door (12,14) is swingable with respect to said side wall (20,22) between an open position and a closed position, wherein at the closed position the first link (100) and the second link (120) define a cup space (94) within the hinge cup (92), wherein a front edge portion (48) of the side wall and at least a fore end of said front end portion (110) projects into the cup space (94).
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein at the closed position a portion of the hinge stile (42) overlaps the front edge portion (48) of the side wall of the cabinet.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein at a closed position of the door, the front edge portion (48) of the cabinet projects within a longitudinal groove (46) configured at an inside surface (44) of the door, along a respective edge portion thereof, whereby said front edge portion (48) is embraced though not being in surface contact by the door portion.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the hinge (40) is biased into respective open position and closed position by a biasing member (130) bearing at one end against a wall portion (138) of the cabinet wall articulation member (80), and at an opposite end against an extension lever portion (129) adjacent the second end of the second link (120).
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at the closed position the front edge portion (48) of the side wall is embraced by the first link (100) within the cup space (94) of the hinge cup (92).
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at the closed position, the first link (100) is disposed in close proximity with to front edge portion (48) of the side wall of the cabinet, wherein the first end (102) of the first link (100) disposed adjacent an external surface of the side wall, and the second end (106) of the first link (100) disposed adjacent an inside surface of the side wall.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at a fully open position, a side edge (35) of the door of the cabinet displaces away from the front edge (48) of the side wall (20,22) of the cabinet.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein at a fully open position the first end of the first link extends at a plane parallel between the furniture wall mounting surface and an outside surface of the side wall.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at a fully open position, the first end (122) of the second link (120) extends at a plane parallel to and between the furniture wall mounting surface (82) and an outside surface of the side wall.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at a fully open position, the first end (122) of the second link (120) extends spaced from the front edge portion (48) of the side wall.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at a fully open position, the first link (100) and the second link (120) bear against one another, thereby preventing further opening of the door.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein, at the closed position, the front edge portion (48) of the side wall projects into a concavity of the first link (100), the concavity defined between the first end (102) and the second end (106) of said first link.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the cup space (94) has a concave cross-section with a longitudinal axis extending parallel with pivot axes (104,108,124,128) of the first link (100) and the second link (120), said cup space (94) extending from an inside door surface and configured for accommodating, at the closed position, the first and second links and a front edge portion of the side wall of the cabinet.
The frameless cabinet according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the cabinet wall articulation member (80) and the door articulation member (90) are snap articulated with a side wall and a door portion, respectively.
A hinge (40) for a cabinet door according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the hinge comprising a cabinet wall articulation member (80) configured with a furniture wall mounting surface (82); and a door articulation member (90) pivotally articulated to the cabinet wall articulation member (80) by a first link (100) and a second link (120), the hinge having an open position and a closed position; said door articulation member (90) comprising a hinge cup (92), with first ends (102, 122) of the first link and the second link being pivotally articulated at the hinge cup; and second ends (106, 126) of the first link and the second link being pivotally articulated at a front end portion (110) of the cabinet wall articulation member (80);
the first link and the second link are arc-shaped, and, when at the closed position, define a cabinet side-wall edge receiving cup space (94) within the hinge cup (92).