GB2216180A - Hinge assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A hinge assembly e.g. for a cabinet comprises a first part (11) incorporating spindle means (15), a second part (12), incorporating a resilient stirrup (23) having therein a re-entrant recesses (25) which can be snapped around said spindle means (15) by movement in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle means (15), to pivotally interconnect the first and second parts (11, 12). The first and second parts (11, 12) incorporate abutment means (16, 26) so arranged that at a predetermined angular position of said second part (12) relative to said first part (11) e.g. a closed position of a cabinet door as shown, said abutment means (16, 26) interact to prevent relative movement of the first and second parts (11, 12) in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle means (15) to withdraw said spindle means (15) from said recess (25) <IMAGE>

Description

HINGE ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a hinge assembly for pivotally connecting a pair of components, for example, the casing and a door of a cabinet.

It is known to provide a hinge assembly wherein the two relatively movable parts of the assembly are interengaged as a snap-fit. In some snap-fit hinge assemblies it is intended that after engagement the two parts shall not be capable of disengagement from one another. Other forms of snap-fit hinge assembly can, if desired, be disengaged without damaging the parts so that subsequently they can be re-engaged. The latter form of known hinge assembly is convenient in that should one or other of the parts become damaged then it can be replaced very readily. However, such a hinge assembly is not suitable for use where the components interconnected by the hinge assembly are intended to be locked in, for example, a closed position as might be the case with a cabinet the door of which is lockable, since the door could still be opened by disengaging the parts of the hinge.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge assembly the movable parts of which are interengaged as a snap-fit and are disengagable from one another except when the parts occupy a predetermined angular relationship.

A hinge assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a first part incorporating spindle means, a second part incorporating a resilient stirrup having therein a re-entrant recesses which can be snapped around said spindle means by movement in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle means1 to pivotally interconnect the first and second parts, and, the first and second parts incorporating abutment means so arranged that at a predetermined angular position of said second part relative to said first part said abutment means interact to prevent relative movement of the first and second parts in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle means to withdraw said spindle means from said recess.

The invention further resides in a cabinet wherein the cabinet door is received in a recess in the cabinet casing and is coupled to the casing at one end by a hinge assembly as specified in a preceding paragraph, there being latch means at the opposite end of the door.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the casing of a cabinet of an electrical supply system consumer unit, Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an enlargement of the encircled portion indicated by the letter A in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of a door for use in association with the casing of the cabinet illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 5 is a view in the direction of arrow B in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a view in the direction of arrow C in Figure 4, and Figure 7 is a composite view, partly in section, illustrating the coaction of the hinge regions of the door and casing of the cabinet.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a cabinet for a domestic wiring system consumer unit.

In use the cabinet will house electrical supply control devices such as one or more isolators, miniature circuit breakers, fuse carrying devices, and residual current devices. The internal structure of the cabinet and the components housed therein to constitute a consumer unit form no part of the present invention.

The outer casing 11, and the door 12, of the cabinet are both mouldings formed from a convenient synthetic resin material for example a grade of polystyrene having high impact resistance. For styling reasons it is intended that the door 12 shall be housed within a recess 13 in the front face of the casing 11 so as to be substantially flush with the remainder of the front face of the casing. Adjacent one end of the recess 13 the casing includes a pair of integral lugs 14 which are spaced apart transversly of the recess 13, each lug 14 having an integral cylindrical spigot 15 protruding therefrom. The spigots 15 protrude from mutually presented side faces of the lugs 14 and in addition to extending towards one another, the spigots 15 are axially aligned.

Each lug 14 also includes an integral abutment 16 the abutments 16 protruding from front faces of the lugs 14, in the direction of the length of the recess 13 and thus at right angles to the axis of the spigots 15. Each abutment 16 extends from a point adjacent the free end of its respective lug 14, downwardly towards the base of the recess, but terminates above the base of the recess 13 in a sloping surface 17 inclined at 450 to the plane of the front face of the casing 11.

In effect therefore the surfaces 17 are undercut surfaces spaced from the axis of the spigots 15 both longitudinally and vertically. Furthermore, as is apparent from Figure 1 the abutments 16 are disposed outwardly from the spigots 15 in relation to the longitudinal centre line of the recess 13.

At its end remote from the lugs 14 the base of the recess 14 is formed with an upwardly extending, integral, latch post 18. The latch post 18 has an integral, resilient finger 19 in its face remote from the lugs 14, and adjacent its free end the latch post 18 is formed with a through bore 21 the axis of which is parallel to the length of the recess 13. The base of the recess 13 has an elongate rectangular aperture 22 through which access is gained to control mechanisms of devices housed within the cabinet.

The moulding which consitutes the door 12 is in the form of an elongate rectangle dimensioned so as to be received within the recess 13 of the casing 11.

Protruding from one end of the door 12 is an integral resilient stirrup formation 23. The stirrup 23 is of smaller width than the door 12, and is centrally disposed at the end of the door so that in effect at the stirrup end the door has square cut-out corners regions 24. The width of the stirrup 23 is equal to the spacing between the mutually presented faces of the lugs 14 of the casing 11 and extending into the stirrup 23 from the lower, or innermost, face thereof is a re-entrant recess 25. The recess 25 extends along the full width of the stirrup 23 and as is apparent from Figures 5 and 7, the recess 25 includes a part cylindrical root portion the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the spigots 15, and between the cylindrical root portion and flared opening of the recess there is a region where the width of the recess narrows.

Protruding into the cut-out regions 24 from the corresponding end face regions of the door 12 are respective integral abutments 26 having sloping top surfaces 27 inclined at 45e to the length of the door.

The door 12 has a rectangular aperture 28 through which part of the aperture 22 of the casing is visible. Thus by way of the aperture 28 access may be gained for example to the manual control member of an isolator forming part of the consumer unit. Adjacent its end opposite the stirrup 23, the door 12 has a small rectangular aperture 29 for receiving the latch post 18 in use.

The positioning of the abutments 26 of the door and the abutments 16 of the casing is such that if the door 12 is introduced into the recess 13 parallel with the base of the recess 13 and with the open edge of the re-entrant recess 25 of the stirrup 23 presented to the spigots 15, then it will not be possible to engage the spigots 15 in the recess 25 because the lower faces of the abutments 26 will engage the upper faces of the abutments 16. However, if the door is held in an open orientation relative to the casing 11 the open face of the recess 25 in the stirrup 23 can receive the spigots 15 without hindrance from the abutments 16, 26. Thus with the door in an open orientation in relation to the casing the stirrup 23 of the door can be snapped around the spigots 15 of the casing, the stirrup flexing as necessary to permit the spigots 15 to pass the narrowed region of the recess 25 and to seat in the cylindrical root portion of the recess 25. It will be understood that with the spigots 15 seated in opposite end regions of the root portion of the recess 25, the door 12 and the casing 11 are interconnected and the door can pivot relative to the casing about the axis of the spigots 15. Moreover with the door in an open position the stirrup 23 can be snapped out of engagement with the spigots 15 without damage to either the door or the casing.Thus during use should the door or the casing become damaged then the two can be separated by moving the door to its open position and snapping the stirrup out of engagement with the spigots 15 and the damaged component can be replaced.

When the door 12 is hinged to the casing 11 by means of the stirrup 23 and the spindle defined by the spigots 15, the door can be hinged to a closed position wherein it lies within the recess 13 of the casing 11.

In this position the latch post 18 protrudes upwardly through the aperture 29 in the door and the door is retained in its closed position by a protrusion on the outer face of the resilient finger 19 of the post. In effect the finger 19 constitutes a spring latch. With the door in the closed position the bore 21 through the post 18 is exposed at the exterior of the door, and can thus receive a locking element, for example a padlock, whereby the door can be held in the closed position until released by means of an appropriate key. The positioning of the abutments 16 of the casing and the abutments 26 of the door is such that as the door swings to its closed position the inclined surfaces 27 of the abutments 26 enter beneath the inclined surfaces 17 of the abutments 16.When the door 12 is fully closed in relation to the casing 11 the abutments 26 are fully seated beneath the abutments 16 and interengagement of the surfaces 17 and 27 prevents movement of the stirrup end of the door 12 in a direction to disengage the stirrup 23 from the spigots 15. Thus in the closed position of the door relative to the casing 11 the hinge parts cannot be disengaged and so security is maintained. Clearly it would be pointless applying a padlock to the latch post 18 in the closed position of the door if the door could be opened by disengagement of the hinge.

In the construction described above the hinge parts are integral with the door 12 and casing 11 respectively. It is to be understood however that if desired it would be possible to form a hinge part comprising the lugs 14 together with their spigots 15 and abutments 16 as a single component, or even as a pair of components, for attachment to a separately formed casing. Moreover, it would be possible to form a hinge part consisting of the stirrup 23 and the associated abutments 26 for attachment to a separately formed door.

As described above the door is received in a recess in the casing but it will be understood that a surface mounting door could be provided. In all of the embodiments disclosed above the hinge axis is intended to be vertical in use. It will be recognised however that bottom and top hinged door versions (horizontal hinge axis) could be provided if desired.

Furthermore, it will be recognised that a hinge arrangement as described above, where the two parts can be engaged and disengaged by virtue of a snap fit and having means to prevent disengagement in a predetermined relative position of the parts could be used in applications other than the securing of a door to a casing in a cabinet.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS.

1. A hinge assembly comprising a first part incorporating spindle means, a second part incorporating a resilient stirrup having therein a re-entrant recesses which can be snapped around said spindle means by movement in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle means, to pivotally interconnect the first and second parts, and, the first and second parts incorporating abutment means so arranged that at a predetermined angular position of said second part relative to said first part said abutment means interact to prevent relative movement of the first and second parts in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle means to withdraw said spindle means from said recess.

2. A hinge assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second parts are integral portions respectively of first and second components to be hingedly connected.

3. A hinge assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A cabinet having a door hinged to a casing by a hinge assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A cabinet wherein the cabinet door is received in a recess in the cabinet casing and is coupled to the casing at one end by a hinge assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, there being latch means at the opposite end of the door.

6. A cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.