Hinge, handle and detent

• US 4,200,956 A
• Filed: 03/31/1978
• Issued: 05/06/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MMG, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MMG, Inc.
• Inventors: Ullman, Myron E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Krizmanich, George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/892,332
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 16/129, 16/130, 16/131, 16/132, 16/191, 16/137, 16/151, 16/DIG. 34, 16/DIG. 40, 16/147, 49/388
• US Class Current: 16/235
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0246 for attachment to glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/081 the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/672 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/202 for display cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/02 Wings made completely of glass E06B3/4681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/09 Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot

Abstract

A system is provided for pivotally mounting opposed ends of a door panel between a pair of frame or shelf members. The system utilizes a pair of panel-engaging members which have U-shaped cross sections and which receive the door panel ends. Each of the panel-engaging members has a pair of spaced leg portions interconnected by a base portion. A pair of elongate cylindrical projections extends from the base portions to define a pivot axis of the door panel. A pair of projection-receiving formations is provided on the frame members for journaling the projections. At least one of the projection-receiving formations takes the form of an adjustably positioned bearing structure. The panel-engaging members are preferably formed as elongate extrusions of plastics material. One of the panel-engaging members is provided with a handle formation for facilitating movement of the door panel. A first detent element is provided on one of the panel-engaging members and is cooperable with a second detent element carried by one of the frame members. In preferred practice, the first detent element takes the form of a recess provided in the outer surface of the base portion of the one panel-engaging member, and the second detent element is receivable in the recess to releasably retain the door panel in its closed position. In alternate practice, the first detent element takes the form of a magnetic receptor plate secured to a leg portion of the one panel-engaging member and being cooperable with a magnetic catch carried on the one frame member.

Claims

1. A system for mounting opposed ends of a door panel between a pair of frame members for pivotal movement of the door panel relative to the frame members, comprising:

(a) a pair of panel-engaging members each having a U-shaped cross section defined by a pair of spaced leg portions interconnected by a base portion and each being configured to receive a separate one of the door panel ends between its leg portions, the leg portions having parts which clampingly engage the door panel end received therebetween without the need for fasteners to penetrate or extend through the panel, the leg portions being of elongate configuration and each having first and second end regions with the first end regions of both legs being interconnected by the associated base portion, and the parts which clampingly engage the door panel end being provided near the second end regions of the legs;

(b) each panel-engaging member cooperating with the panel end received therein to define a substantially U-shaped channel extending between such parts of the panel-engaging member as do not clampingly engage its associated panel end and the door panel end;

(c) a resilient liner positioned in the U-shaped channel intermediate the base portion and that portion of the door panel end opposite the base portion;

(d) a pair of elongate projection means each extending from a separate one of the base portions for defining a pivot axis of the door panel; and

,

(e) a pair of projection-receiving means each being provided on a separate one of the frame members for journaling a separate one of the projection means to mount the door panel on the frame members for movement about the pivot axis between open and closed positions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the resilient liner substantially fills the U-shaped channel and engages both the door panel end and interior surfaces of the panel-engaging member.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the resilient liner is bonded to the panel and to the panel-engaging member.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the elongate projection means extend through an opening in the base portion and bear against the resilient liner.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) each of the elongate projection means includes a generally cylindrical stem having an integrally formed mounting portion;

(b) the mounting portion is positioned in the channel defined between its associated panel-receiving member and door panel end; and

,

(c) the stem extends through a hole formed in the base portion of the associated panel-engaging member.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the mounting portion defines a substantially flat surface facing toward the associated door panel end.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein a resilient liner material is interposed between the flat surface and the associated door panel end.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) a selected one of the panel-engaging members is provided with a handle mounted thereon for facilitating movement of the door panel relative to the frame members;

(b) the handle is positioned alongside one of the leg portions of the selected panel-engaging members;

(c) at least one hole is formed through the one leg portion adjacent the handle; and

,

(d) a headed fastener means has its head positioned in the channel and has a shank portion extending through the hole and into connecting engagement with the handle for mounting the handle on the selected panel-engaging member.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein a resilient liner material is interposed between the fastener head and the associated panel end.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) a selected one of the panel-engaging members is provided with a first detent element mounted thereon for cooperating with a second detent element mounted on one of the frame members to releasably retain the door panel in a closed position; and

,

(b) the first detent element being secured to the selected panel-engaging member by means of a retaining formation which extends through a hole formed in the selected panel-engaging member and into the channel.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein a resilient liner material is interposed between the retaining formation and the associated panel end.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the door panel is formed from transparent material.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the door panel is formed of glass.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the projection-receiving means includes a bearing structure movably mounted on its associated frame member for adjustably positioning the pivot axis relative to the associated frame member.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the bearing structure is of elongate configuration and has an elongate portion extending into an elongate slot formed in the associate frame member.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the elongate slot has an undercut cross section along at least a part of its length, and the bearing structure is provided with mounting means extending into the undercut part of the slot for releasably clamping the bearing structure in selected positions on the associated frame member.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the elongate slot has a part which is not undercut and the mounting means is configured to be introduced into the undercut part of the slot by first being inserted into the slot at the location of the non-undercut part and then being moved longitudinally within the slot to the location of the undercut part.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the panel-engaging members are of substantially identical elongate configuration and have substantially constant cross sectional configurations along their lengths.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the leg portions of each of the panel-engaging members is provided with a recess on its outer surface, and a selected one of the panel-engaging members is provided with a handle mounted thereon and extending into the recess.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein each of the base portions of the panel-engaging members is provided with a recess in its outer surface, and a selected one of the frame members carries a detent element configured to engage the recess when the door panel is closed to releasably retain the door panel in a closed position.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the panel-engaging members are formed as extrusions of plastics material.

22. The system of claim 1 additionally including a handle formation provided on a selected one of the panel-engaging members for facilitating opening and closing of the door panel, and a detent formation provided on a certain one of the panel-engaging members for cooperation with a detent element carried on one of the frame members to releasably retain the door panel in its closed position.

23. A method of mounting opposed ends of a door panel between a pair of frame members for pivotal movement of the door panel relative to the frame members between open and closed positions, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) disposing the door panel ends between portions of a panel-engaging member, the panel-engaging member having a U-shaped cross section defined by a pair of spaced leg portions interconnected by a base portion, the leg portions clampingly engaging the door panel ends at a location remote from the base portion, the door panel ends otherwise not contacting the panel-engaging member to define a U-shaped channel therebetween;

(b) interposing a resilient liner in the U-shaped channel between the base portion and that portion of the door panel end closest to the base portion;

(c) extending an elongate projection means from each base portion to define a pivotal axis of the door panel; and

,

(d) journaling each projection means in a projection-receiving means secured to the frame members to pivotally mount the door panel on the frame members.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the panel-engaging members are formed as elongate extrusions of a plastics material having a substantially uniform cross sectional configuration along their lengths.

25. The method of claim 23 additionally including the step of mounting a handle on a selected one of the panel-engaging members to facilitate pivoting the door panel between open and closed positions.

26. The method of claim 23 additionally including the steps of providing a first detent element on a selected one of the panel-engaging members and providing a second detent element on one of the frame members, the detent elements being arranged to cooperate with each other to releasably retain the door panel in its closed position.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein:

(a) the step of providing a first detent element includes the step of providing a recess on the base portion of the selected panel-engaging member; and

,

(b) the step of providing a second detent element includes the step of providing a detent member which is extensible into engagement with the recess when the door panel is closed to releasably retain the door panel in its closed position.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of providing a pair of projection means includes the step of providing a selected one of the frame members with a movably mounted bearing structure configured to journal its associated projection means and to adjustably position the pivot axis relative to the selected frame member.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of providing a selected one of the frame members with a movably mounted bearing structure additionally includes the steps of:

(a) forming an elongate slot in the selected frame member; and

,

(b) providing the bearing structure with mounting means which extends into and clampingly engages such parts of the selected frame member as define the slot to releasably retain the bearing structure in position on the selected frame member.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of forming an elongate slot includes the step of forming at least a portion of the slot such that it has an undercut configuration, and the step of providing mounting means includes the step of positioning the mounting means in the undercut slot portion.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of forming an elongate slot additionally includes the step of forming another portion of the slot such that it is not undercut, and the step of positioning the mounting means includes the steps of inserting the mounting means into the slot through the non-undercut portion followed by moving the mounting means longitudinally within the slot to position the mounting means in the undercut slot portion.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of forming the slot is effected using a rotary dovetail cutter which is first brought into engagement with the selected frame member to form the non-undercut slot portion and which is then moved longitudinally with respect to the selected frame member to form the undercut portion of the slot.

33. A system for mounting opposed ends of a door panel between a pair of frame members for pivotal movement of the door panel relative to the frame members, comprising:

(a) a pair of panel-engaging members each having a U-shaped cross section defined by a pair of spaced leg portions interconnected by a base portion and each being configured to receive a separate one of the door panel ends between its leg portions;

(b) a pair of elongate projection means each extending from a separate one of the base portions for defining a pivot axis of the door panel; and

,

(c) a pair of elongate projection-receiving means each being movably mounted to a separate one of the frame members for journaling a separate one of the projection means to mount the door panel on the frame members for movement about the pivot axis between open and closed positions and for adjusting the location of the pivot axis relative to the associated frame member, the projection-receiving means being adjustably mounted to the frame member by means of;

(i) an elongate slot formed in the frame member;

(ii) an undercut portion of the slot along at least a part of the length of the slot;

(iii) a portion of the slot which is not undercut;

(iv) an elongate portion of the projection-receiving means extending into the elongate slot; and

(v) a mounting means extending from the projection-receiving means into the undercut portion of the slot for releasably clamping the projection-receiving means in selected positions on the frame member, the mounting means being introduced into the undercut part of the slot by first being inserted into the slot at the location of the non-undercut part and then being moved longitudinally within the slot to the location of the undercut part.

34. A method of mounting opposed ends of a door panel between a pair of frame members for pivotal movement of the door panel relative to the frame members between open and closed positions, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pair of panel-engaging members each having a U-shaped cross section defined by a pair of spaced leg portions interconnected by a base portion and each being configured to receive a separate one of the door panel ends between its leg portions;

(b) providing a pair of elongate projection means each extending from a separate one of the base portions to define a pivot axis of the door panel;

(c) providing a pair of elongate projection-receiving means each being adjustably mounted to a separate one of the frame members for journaling a separate one of the projection means and for adjusting the location of the pivot axis relative to the associated frame member;

(d) forming an elongate slot in the frame members, the slot including an undercut portion and a portion not having an undercut;

(e) providing the projection-receiving means with mounting means which extend into and clampingly engage the undercut portion of the slot;

(f) positioning the mounting means in the slot by inserting the mounting means into the non-undercut portion of the slot followed by moving the mounting means longitudinally within the slot to position the mounting means in the undercut portion of the slot;

(g) inserting each of the panel ends between the leg portions of a separate one of the panel engagement members to interconnect the panel engaging members and the door panel; and

,

(h) journaling the projection means in the projection-receiving means to pivotally mount the door panel on the frame members.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of forming the slot is effected using a rotary dovetail cutter which is first brought into engagement with the selected frame member to form the non-undercut slot portion and which is then moved longitudinally with respect to the selected frame member to form the undercut portion of the slot.