GB2136493A - Hinge - Google Patents

Abstract

A hinge comprises a male member (32) and a female member (12) both members being elongate extrudates, the male member having an elongate tubular rod (33) and a coextensive lateral support (34) and the female member having an elongate groove (21) in which the rod is slidably received and laterally retained. The hinge is especially suited for doors such as for shower cubicles, in which case the hinge preferably extends over the full length of the door. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hinge This invention relates generally to bathroom fittings and, more particularly, to showers and shower cubicles, it being understood that certain of the devices and materials to be described have other uses.

It is known to construct shower cubicles with a door thereto, the inward facing surface of the door preferably being of water-proof material. The accurate hanging of such doors presents certain problems in practice, particularly since a close fit of the door within its frame is highly desirable. Often, there is very little room for the workman to operate in, and the materials of the edge of the door and of the frame are often metal which itself can make hanging of the door an exacting task.

Glass panel doors are sometimes used, and these are relatively heavy which adds to the difficulties.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, we have devised a hinge which is particularly (but not exclusively) useful for hanging shower doors. Further, the hinge of the invention is of simple manufacture and assembly and is aesthetically pleasing in appearance. A hinge of the invention comprises a male member and a female member, both of which are elongate extrudates formed, for example, of metal such as aluminium or aluminium alloy, or of plastics material. The male member comprises an elongate tubular rod or rod-like member and a lateral support therefor coextensive with the rod and integral therewith.The female member comprises an elongate body formed with a longitudinal groove in which the rod of the male member is slidably receivable and retained therein, the rod being rotatable (about its longitudinal axis) in the groove relative to the female member body to form therewith a hinge.

The male and female members are both extrudates and thus each have a uniform cross-sectional shape throughout their length.

To make a hinge of the invention, the two extrudates are cut to the same length and then the elongate rod of the male member is introduced into one end of the groove of the female member and slid home. Thus, assembly of the hinge is a very simple operation.

In use, one member of the hinge will be attached to the door and the other to the door frame. It does not matter which member is attached to the door but for the purposes of the following description, the female member is attached to the door and the male member is attached to the door frame.

The female member body is preferably so shaped as to facilitate its attachment to the door. It will be understood that, in a preferred arrangement, the hinge extends over substantially the whole length (height) of the door, so that the door is hung by a single full length hinge. In the case of glass or plastics panel doors, it is usual to provide metal rails around the panel, the rails constituting the side edge portions of the door. The rails normally have an inwardly facing channel to receive the edges of the panel. A side rail itself can constitute the female (or male) member of the hinge, so that on the side of the door which is to be hinged, the rail member is an extrudate with a panel-receiving recess at one side and the hinge groove at the other.In one preferred aspect of the invention, therefore, there is provided a door for a shower cubicle, wherein the side rail member of the door itself constitutes one member of a hinge of the invention, the hinge extending over substantially the full length of the side of the door.

Whilst it is highly preferred, for economic and other reasons, to form one side of the door as a hinge member of the invention, this is not essential. In alternative arrangements, the hinge member can be attached to the door by any suitable means, e.g. screws, bolts or the like.

The door is mounted in, i.e. hinged to, a door frame and the respective member of the hinge (e.g. the male member) is suitably shaped for this purpose. Thus, in the case of wooden door frames, for example, the hinge member may be screwed, or otherwise fixed, to the wood. Advantageously, however, particularly when the frame is made of metal, it may itself (on the side where hinging is to occur) be one hinge member. Thus, the male hinge member for example may include as a part of its support, a frame-like portion with the rod member extending internally of the door frame for engagement with the groove of the female member on the door itself.

As stated previously, in hanging shower cubicle doors, a close fit is very desirable.

This normally requires fine adjustments to be made when hanging the door. To allow for this, we prefer to provide for at least one of the hinge members to be adjustable laterally of the respective door or frame. In the case of the door frame, this may be achieved, for example, by providing in the door frame a channel for receiving the hinge member, the hinge member being movable laterally in the channel before final fixing therein.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic front elevation of a door hinged to a door frame, including a central sectional view and a section of the bottom rail of the door; Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a female hinge member extrudate; Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a male hinge member extrudate; and Figure 4 shows the members of Figs. 2 and 3 assembled as a hinge.

Referring to Fig. 1, the door 10 comprises two side rails 11, 12, a top rail 1 3 and a bottom rail 1 4. The rails are metal extrudates joined at corners in a conventional fashion (e.g. using cleats 15). The rails form a framework with an internal channel 1 6 in which is received a panel 1 7 which may, for example, be of glass or plastics material.

The left hand side (Fig. 1) side rail 1 2 constitutes the female member of a hinge of the invention. As can be seen from the sectional view, it comprises a body 20 formed at one side with an arcuate section slot or groove 21, the arc extending through about 270 leaving an opening 22. The body 20 has a box-like section 23 for rigidity and strength and, at the opposite side from the groove 21, it has the aforementioned channel 1 6. The outer main surfaces 24 are the visible surfaces of the side rail 1 2.

The left hand door frame comprises a metal channel upright 30 in which is received a channel section 31 of the male hinge member 32. Both upright 30 and hinge member 32 are metal extrudates. Hinge member 32 comprises elongate rod member 33 and lateral support 34 therefor. The rod 33, support 34 and channel section 31 are all integral and longitudinally co-extensive.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, rod 33 is a close fit in groove 21, lateral support 34 extending through opening 22. Thus, female hinge member 20 (and with it door 10) is rotatable in hinge fashion about rod 33, through an angle of about 90 (as support 34 moves in opening 22). The angle through which the door may swing depends on the size of opening 22. Opening 22 will be less than 180 of arc in order that groove 21 should retain rod 33 therein.

Channel section 31 of male member 32 is laterally movable (left or right as viewed in Fig. 1) in channel member 30 to allow for fine adjustment of the door position in the door frame (only the left hand side of the door frame is shown).

In order to assemble the hinged door as shown, the door is first assembled and male hinge member 32 is slotted into female member 20. Then, the door is offered up to the frame and channel section 31 of male hinge member 32 is engaged in upright 30 and adjusted to position. Finally, channel section 31 is fixed in upright 30 by suitable means (not shown) such as screws or bolts for example. At the top of side rail 12, a plate (not shown) is provided across the end of groove 21 to prevent rod 33 extending out of the groove 21, i.e. to hold the door clear of the floor and to allow it to hinge. A similar plate may also be provided at the bottom of rail 1 2 to prevent ingress of dirt etc.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the female and male members of a second embodiment of hinge in accordance with the invention, Fig. 4 showing the assembled hinge. This second embodiment is similar to the hinge of Fig. 1, the main differences being the use of a more open groove 50 on the female member, i.e.

the opening 51 is of more than 90 arcuate, and the use of a slotted tubular rod 60 on the male member. The slotted rod, being of generally horseshoe cross-section, has some resilience in its arms 61, 62 which gives some advantage in the overall construction.

Also, the male member body has a further slot 63 to receive a fixing screw or the like for the attachment of end plates.

It is to be understood that whilst the hinge of the invention has been described with reference to its use on shower cubicle doors, it can be used for a large number of other purposes as desired.

Claims (11)

1. A hinge which comprises a male member and a female member, both said members being elongate extrudates, the male member comprising an elongate tubular rod or rod-like member and a lateral support therefor coextensive with the rod and integral therewith, and the female member comprising an elongate body formed with a longitudinal groove in which the rod of the male member is slidably received and laterally retained, the rod of the male member being rotatable about its longitudinal axis in the groove relative to the female member body.

2. A hinge according to claim 1, wherein the male and female members are of substantially the same length.

3. A hinge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the male and female members are both aluminium or aluminium alloy extrudates.

4. A hinge according to claim 1,2, or 3, wherein the rod of the male member includes a longitudinal slot therein.

5. A hinge substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 1 or Figs. 2,3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A construction comprising a door mounted in a frame, wherein the door is hinged to the frame by a hinge as claimed in any preceding claim.

7. A construction according to claim 6, wherein the hinge extends over substantially the full height of the door.

8. A construction according to claim 7, wherein the frame includes a channel section to receive and locate therein one of said hinge members.

9. A construction according to claim 7 or 8, wherein one hinge member constitutes the side frame member of the door.

10. A construction according to claim 6, substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing.

11. A shower cubicle inciuding a construction as claimed in claim 6,7,8,9 or 10.