PT1183988E - Counterbalanced hinge device with vertical and frontal movement of a door particularly for dishwashing machine - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

HINGED HINGE DEVICE WITH VERTICAL AND FRONT MOVEMENT OF A DOOR IN PARTICULAR FOR MACHINE

The present invention relates to elements for household electric appliances and the like.

In particular the present invention relates to a counterbalanced hinge device with vertical and front movement of a door in particular for dishwashers or household electric appliances and the like in order to oppose the weight of the door and to lock it in any position allowing its open and closed without interfering with elements such as bases or the like.

Known household electric appliance doors such as dishwashers, ovens and the like are secured to the apparatus structures by means of hinges so as to allow rotation of said doors between a closed position and an open position, rotating on a horizontal axis positioned at the bottom of the door.

Below said doors, there is often a base covering the unsightly void between the bottom of the apparatus and the floor. Suitable hinges are known for transposing their axes of rotation in order to avoid interference between the door and bases or the like. These known hinges include very complex hinged joints and thus being quite expensive.

Further such joints have the disadvantage of being bulky which reduces the useful areas of the apparatus to which the hinges are mounted. There are also known hinges which may include means such as dampers or resilient means for counterbalancing or curbing the door, possibly loaded by the unknown weight of a panel assembled during installation of the apparatus, in any intermediate position between the open and closed positions, see, for example, US-A-3,704,550. The main disadvantage of known hinges is the need to adjust complicated, difficult and expensive counterbalancing means or when the deficiency of said counterbalancing means makes movements very difficult or very easy.

Another disadvantage is that the counterbalance regulation of known hinges has to be carried out during the final installation phase of the apparatus referenced by non-technical workers who may malfunction or fail to comply with the rules with risks of physical damage to the user and the apparatus.

Another disadvantage is the inadequate stability operation of the known hinges because of the use and variations of ambient conditions. wherein the main object of the present invention is to propose a counterbalanced hinge device with vertical and front movement of a door in particular for electric household appliances and the like,

Claims (15)

A counterbalanced hinge device allowing the vertical and frontal movement of a particular door for a dishwasher, including connecting means (1) connected to dishwasher attachment means (10) and support means (2) to which the door is connected, said hinge device including a crank (4) hinged to the connecting means (1) and rotatably connected to the support means (2) and a first arm (6) (1) and rotatably connected to the support means (2) and swinging means (11) connected to the fastening means (10) and the support means (2), said hinge means characterized in that it comprises eccentric means (15) rotatably connected to the rocking means (11) and to articulated members (8), the latter being connected to the support means (2); friction means (14) connected to the cam means (15) and suitable for frictionally engaging the connecting means (1) thereby allowing counterbalance of the door according to its change from a closed condition © to an open condition A) and vice versa; said cam means (15) are subject to at least one rotation torque of opposing and misaligned forces respectively of the rocking means (11) and the hinged members (8), so as to produce friction forces of the engagement means (14) in said connecting means (2) to contribute to counterbalance the door. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulated members (8) comprise: - a connecting rod (20) the end of which is rotatably connected to the support means (2) and the remaining end of the first end of a tilting lever (21) hinged to the connection means (1); a second arm (22) the ends of which are rotatably connected respectively to the second end of the rocker arm (21) and the cam means (15). Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the cam means (15) includes a quasi-quadrilateral shaped plate whose opposing vertices are connected to the rocking means (11) and the second arm (22) and whose two remaining vertices are rotatably connected to the friction means (14). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the friction means (14) consists of a pair of sliding block (16). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the friction means (14) consists of a pair of free rollers (16). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means (1) comprises at least one wall (12) in which the friction means operates (14). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that at least the wall (12) has a free longitudinal end folded upwards towards the inside of the support means (1). A device according to the invention characterized in that the parallel wall means (12), A device according to the invention characterized in that the converging walls means (12) and A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support wall (2) is inclined (5) and the closer wall (12) almost parallel to the latter is closed (C). with claim 1 connection (1) include two contacts in front of it. with claim 1 connection (1) including two are opposite each other. with the claim 8 furthest from the means of in the gear direction of the support means (2) is correspondence of the condition A device according to claim 1 or claim 9 characterized in that eccentric means (15) are subjected to the rotation torque of oppositely misaligned forces between 1 and 5 millimeters, in correspondence of the closed condition C. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that friction means (14) is made of material having a predetermined coefficient of friction so as to allow a continuous balance of the door having a weight ranging from 6 to 14 kilograms. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rocking means (11) are constituted by a spring (13) acting in compression or extension. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further includes sliding means (24) interposed between the connecting means (1) and the support means (2). A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support means (2) provides a stopping means (26) arranged to interact with block means (25) of the connecting means (1) in correspondence with the condition of open (A). door also has a panel that does not interfere with bases or other adjacent elements under the door. Another objective is to propose a hinged indifferent to variations in operating conditions, suitable to counterbalance the door as opposed to its weight and allowing it to stop in any position. Another object is to propose a hinge for counterbalancing doors of varying weight over a range of several kilograms without the need for adjustments or definitions. A further object of the invention is to propose a hinge of a great simplicity of construction and small volume as well as economically convenient. The above-mentioned objects are achieved in accordance with the contents of the claims. The features of the invention are pointed out as follows, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of the hinge of the present invention mounted to an apparatus in a closed condition in which some elements have been removed for the better highlight others; figure 2 shows a view of figure 1 hinge in an open condition; figure 3 shows a view of a variant of figure 1 hinge; figure 4 shows a view of figure 3 hinged in the open condition. For mounting the door on the corresponding apparatus there are generally two hinges of the type described here, which are mounted, for example, in correspondence in the two lower corners of the open where the door must be closed so that it is turned in axes parallel to the line joining the two hinges. For the sake of simplicity in the following description reference will be made to only one hinge with the same mounting orientation and bearing in mind that the same constructive and functional considerations are equally applicable to another possible hinge. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 1 indicates a substantially smooth and locked connection means to a fastening element 10 of the dishwasher, and numeral 2 indicates a support means fixed to the door having the option panel. The support means 2 has a substantially elongated shape and extends along a vertical plane almost parallel to the connecting means 1. The support means 2 is connected to the connection means by means of a crank 4 and a first arm 6 One end of the crank 4 is hinged through a second gear 9 to a connecting means 1 and the other end is rotatably connected to the support means 2 by means of a second pin 7. The gears, the first 5 and and the pins, first 3 and second 7, have fulcrums and axes respectively orthogonal to the plane of the connecting means 1. The first gear is fixed to the door closer than the second gear 9 and is fixed below it. The first pin 3 is positioned adjacent a lower peripheral portion of the support means 2 and the second pin 7 has a more central position than the longitudinal development of the support means 2. The distance between the first and second gears 9 is greater than the distance between the pins, first 3 and second 7, so that this can change from a closed condition C of the door to an open condition A of the same door, the latter door is lifted and moves from the dishwasher or utensil. The hinge includes balance means 11, for example consisting of a tensioned spring 13 that reacts in extension or compression, and cam means 15 constituted by a plate shaped in an approximate quadrilateral shape. One end of the rocking means 11 is attached to the securing means 10 and the remaining end is rotatably attached to a vertex of the plate 15, while the opposing apex is cascadedly connected to hinged members 8 and means Accordingly, a related movement of the eccentric means 15 in opposition by means of the rocking means 11 corresponds to each movement of the door from the closed condition C to the open condition A and vice versa. The swinging means 11, by means of the hinged members 8 and the supporting means 2, exerts a force of elastic closure to the pair of open forces generated by the weight of the door and transmitted by the latter to the support means 2. friction elements 14 are rotatably connected to the two remaining vertices of the plate 15 by means of bolts 17. The friction means 14 slide with the cam means 15 between two walls 12 of the connecting means 1. The walls 12 are almost parallel and perpendicular to the plane defined by the connecting means 1. The balance means 11 and the hinged members 8 transmit to the cam means 15 respectively an elastic closure force and a reaction force. These opposing forces are misaligned and thus are exerted on the cam means 15 by a torque which rotates the latter. The torque of rotation is transmitted by the cam means 15 to the friction means 14, which consequently transmits a torque reaction to the walls 12. Then each friction means 14 presses against the respective wall 12 so as to produce mutual frictions, in particular producing static friction and a door counterbalance. The free longitudinal edges of the walls 12 are folded upwardly towards the interior of the connecting means 1, one towards the other, so as to avoid disengagement of the friction means 14 from said connecting means. For example the friction means 14 consists of sliding blocks or free rollers 16 suitable for frictional sliding on the walls 12. The sliding block or free rollers 16 are made of plastic material characterized by a predetermined coefficient of friction to create such forces friction to counterbalance a total weight of the door and / or panel, comprised between 6 and 14 kilograms. The hinged members 8 include a connecting rod 20 the end of which is rotatably connected respectively to the first pin 3 and to a first end of a tilting lever 21 which is centrally hinged on the connecting means 1 by means of a third gear member 23. The hinged members 8 further include a second arm 22 the ends of which are rotatably connected respectively to the second end of the rocker arm 21 and to the rocking means 11 to convert the movement of the support means in a linear motion of the rocking means The hinge device further includes sliding means 24 secured to the connecting means 1 and interposed between the latter and the support means 2 so as to prevent transverse opening of the door, by mating sliding the support means 2. A also includes block means 25 and stop means 26 respectively carried out in the connection means 1 and in the support means 2. The stopping means 26 mates with the block means 25 in correspondence with the open condition A. During the hinge operation, in the change from closed condition C to the open condition A, the door presses the hinge with a progressive increase open torque, since the weight of the door operates with a progressive raising arm. At the same time there is the extension of the balance means 11 with the increase of elastic force transmitted to the cam means 15 and the support means 2. There is consequently an increase in the pressure exerted by the friction means 14 against the respective walls 12 and an increase in the closing force exerted by the swinging means 11. The progressive pressure increases the static friction in order to counterbalance the progressive increase of the open torque allowing the door to also stop at conditions close to those of the open condition A. The increase of the closed force contributes to the open torque swing. A hinge variant causes the walls instead of parallel to each other to be convergent. The convergence approximately in the direction of the first gear 5 progressively increases the pressure exerted by the friction means 14 against the walls 12 and thus the frictions change from the closed condition C to the open condition A. It is also useful to point out that the convergence in the direction opposing effects. In particular the variant shown in figures 3 and 4 emphasize that the distal wall 12 of the support means 2 is inclined towards the gear 5 while the nearer wall 12 of the support 2 is almost parallel to the latter in correspondence of the closed condition C. This variant further provides that the elastic closure force of the balancing means 11 and the reaction force of the hinged members 8 are slightly misaligned, for example between 1 to 5 millimeters and preferably 2.5 millimeters in correspondence of the closed condition C in order to change from this condition to the open condition A, the sliding block 16, or the free roller, sliding on the inclined wall 12, causes the rotation of the plate 15 and the progressive misalignment of the force-closing force of the force and the progressive increase of the arm of said pair and the intensity of said pair in order to transmit a pair of forces of progressive rotation forces which is transmitted by the cam means 15 to the friction means 14. These friction means 14 consequently impart to the walls 12 a progressively higher and continuously increasing torque counterbalance the increased weight of the door and the optional panel during to open it. Conversely, by moving the door between the open condition A and the closed condition C, the force play is opposite and thus the continuous counterbalance of the door remaining in balance in any position between the two conditions is guaranteed, open A and closure C. The main advantage of the present invention is to provide an open and closed hinge device of a door, also with a panel, without interference with the bases or other elements near or below the door and suitable to counterbalance the opposing door the weight thereof and allowing it to stop at any final or intermediate position. Another advantage is to provide a hinge for counterbalancing doors of varying weight to a large extent, without the need for adjustments or settings. A further advantage of the invention is to provide a hinge device which is very easy to make and handle and very cheap.