Hinge

• US 7,127,778 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arturo Salice SPA
• Original Assignee: Arturo Salice SPA
• Inventors: Salice, Luciano
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/712,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 163/54, 16286-288, 162/94, 16/82, 16/54, 16/56, 16/50, 16D/IG.21, 292/336.3, 49339-341, 493/48, 493/49, 188/80, 188/25, 188/290, 188/322.5
• US Class Current: 16/354
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1021 the hinge having two or more pins and being specially adapted for cabinets or furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/006 for hinges having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/254 Fluid or viscous friction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/266 rotary
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/626 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/712 with incomplete toothing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/716 Pinions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/45 in or on the fixed frame
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/21 of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

The invention relates to a hinge comprising a moveable hinge section and a hinge section consisting of a fixed stop section, which are interconnected by at least one joint axis, and comprising a damping device mounted on one of the hinge sections whose translationally or rotatably moveable damping member is acted upon at least in the closure region of the hinge via gear means from the other hinge section. According to the invention for adjustment of the moveable damping member depending on the tilt of the moveable hinge section relative to the at least one joint axis, there is provided at least three moveable gear members are provided, of which one is the damping member itself.

Claims

1. A hinge (1) comprising

a first movable hinge section (3),

a second hinge section (2) including a fixed stop section,

at least one joint axis (7) interconnecting said first and second hinge sections. (3,2),

a damping device (16) mounted upon one of said first and section hinge sections (3,2) and comprising a movably-mounted damping member (19),

gear means mounted upon said first and second hinge sections (3,2) for acting upon said damping member (19) at least in a region of a closed position of said hinge (1),

said gear means comprising at least three movable gear members (20, 22, 27),

an axis (6) positioned upon one (2) of said hinge sections (2, 3) for supporting one of the gear members (22) intermediately-mounted between said two other gear members (20, 27) of said at least three gear members (20, 22, 27), and

said intermediately-mounted gear member (22) comprising two separate engaging members (21, 23;

33, 23) arranged

(i) concentrically about said axis (6) supporting said intermediately-mounted gear member (22),

(ii) at a periphery of said Intermediately-mounted gear member (22), and (iii) at unequal distance from said axis (6) supporting said intermediately-mounted gear (22),

with said engaging member (23) mounted further from said axis (6) arranged to engage one (20) of said gears (20, 22, 27) contacting said damping member (19), and

said engaging member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6) arranged to engage the other (27) of said gears (20, 22, 27) mounted upon the other (3) of said hinge sections (3, 2).

2. The hinge of claim 1, wherein said engaging members (21, 23) are constituted by toothed segments (21, 23) concentrically-curved with respect to said axis (6) and having different radii of curvature,

with said engaging member (23) mounted further from said axis (6) having the larger radius of curvature and said engaging member (21) mounted closer to said axis (6) having the smaller radius of curvature, and

said gear (27) engaging said engaging member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6) being rotatably mounted and comprising a toothed segment (27) arranged to engage said toothed segment (21) of said intermediately-mounted gear (22) having the smaller radius of curvature.

3. The hinge of claim 2 wherein ratio of said smaller:

larger radii is from 1;

1.5 to 1;

3.

4. The hinge of claim 2 wherein the radius of said engaging member (23) mounted further from said axis (6) is larger than radius of said gear (20) contacting said damping member (19).

5. The hinge of claim 1, wherein

said engaging member (23) mounted further from said axis (6) being constituted by a toothed segment (23) concentrically-curved with respect to said axis (6),

said engaging member (33) mounted closer to said axis (6) being constituted by either a projection or fork-shaped recess (33), and

said gear (27) engaging said member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6) comprising a recess or projection (37) arranged to engage said projection or fork-shaped recess (33) of said engaging member (33) mounted closer to said axis (6).

6. The hinge of claim 1, wherein

said hinge (1) is a double-joint hinge,

said axis (6) is mounted upon said second hinge section (2) which is fixed, and

said gear (27) engaging said engaging member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6) comprises an engaging member (27) arranged to engage said engaging member (21) mounted closer to said axis (6) and a connecting rod (5) mounted upon said movable hinge section (3).

7. The hinge of claim 6, additionally comprising

a second connecting rod (4) mounted upon said movable hinge section (3) and axis (6) supporting said intermediately-positioned gear member (22).

8. The hinge of claim 7, additionally comprising

means for overcoming damping force and comprising

said first connecting rod (5) comprising legs (13),

one (2) of said hinge sections (2, 3) comprising a cross-piece (14),

a hairpin-shaped spring (12) being retained between said legs (13) and supported on said joint axis (1) and cross-piece (14), and

said second connecting rod (4) comprising a rolled-up bearing eye (10) mounted about said axis (6) supporting said intermediately-positioned gear (22) and a tongue (11) extending from said bearing eye (10) and arranged to act as a cam sliding along a leg of said spring (12).

9. The hinge of claim 6, wherein said connecting rod (5) is arranged to be supported by or interconnect said two hinge sections (2,3) and rigidly connected to said gear (27) engagning said engaging member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6).

10. The hinge of claim 1, wherein

said intermediately-positioned gear member (22) is symmetrically-positioned with respect to a diameter plane (24) extending through centers of both said engaging members (21, 23).

11. The hinge of claim 1, wherein

said damping member (19) is mounted upon said hinge section (2) which is fixed, and

said gear (27) engaging said engaging member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6) is rotatably mounted upon said joint axis (7;

60) in turn mounted upon said fixed hinge section (2).

12. The hinge of claim 1, wherein said engaging member (23) engaging said gear (20) in turn contacting said damping member (19), is arranged to impart rotary movement over a range of 60°

to 70°

.

13. The hinge of claim 1, wherein said Intermediately-mounted gear (22) and gear (27) engaging said engaging member (33;

21) mounted closer to said axis (6) are arranged to engage at an angular position 20°

–

30°

before reaching a completely-closed position of said hinge (1) to provide damping action.