Folding cover

• US 7,240,974 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2002
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huwil Butoripari Es Uzletberendezesi Rendszerek Kft
• Original Assignee: Huwil-Werke GmbH
• Inventors: Hirtsiefer, Artur
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkens; Janet M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/489,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20040239213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,823 Days
• Field of Search: 312/109, 312/326, 312/327, 312/328, 312/329, 312/271, 312/275, 312/276, 312/319.2, 312/319.1, 312/319.4, 312/325, 312/322, 163/25, 163/27, 163/31, 162/86, 163/22, 493/86, 493/87
• US Class Current: 312/109
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1064 with a coil spring perpendicular to the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/262 folding vertically
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1058 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/604 Transmission members
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/638 Cams; Ramps
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/688 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/205 forming a unit
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/21 of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/242 arranged in parallel relationship
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

A folding lid for a cabinet. The folding lid or cover (8) can be displaced between an opened position and a closed position. The folding cover includes a first cover element (9) which can be fastened to a cupboard cover (2) in a manner that permits it to pivot around a horizontally arranged first axis (10); a second cover element (11) which is joined to the first cover element (9) in a manner that permits it to pivot around a horizontally arranged second axis (12); and a cover positioner (14) with a positioning arm (13), which can be fastened to a side wall (3) in a manner that permits it to pivot around a horizontally arranged third axis (15) and which is joined to the second cover element (11) in a manner that permits it to pivot around a horizontally arranged fourth axis (16), whereby the distance between the first axis (10) and the second axis (12) is greater than the distance between the second axis (12) and the fourth axis (16) and is greater than the distance between the second axis (12) and a lower edge (52) of the second cover element (11).

Claims

1. A combination of a folding lid and a cabinet to which the folding lid is attached so as to open upwardly and be set between an open position and a closed position, comprising:

a first lid element (9) which can be fixed at an upper cabinet shelf (2) of the cabinet so as to be pivotable around a horizontally arranged first axis (10);

a second lid element (11) which is connected to the first lid element (9) so as to be pivotable around a second axis (12) extending parallel to the first axis (10); and

a lid stay (14) with a setting arm (13) which is fixed to a side wall (3) of the cabinet so as to be pivotable around a third axis (15) extending parallel to the first axis (10) and which is connected to the second lid element (11) so as to be pivotable around a fourth axis (16) extending parallel to the first axis (10),

wherein the setting arm (13) comprises a spring-loaded setting contour (32) which is formed as a curve around the third axis (15),

wherein the radial distance between the setting contour (32) and the third axis (15) decreases at least partially, starting from a first pivot position of the setting arm (13), which corresponds to the closed position of the folding lid (8), via an angular path of the setting arm (13) to a second pivot position which corresponds to the open position of the folding lid (8),

wherein the torque generated by the setting contour for every pivot position over said angular path corresponds to the counter torque generated by the force of the weight of the folding lid (8) as a whole, so that the setting arm (13) is torque-loaded towards the open position along at least a part of the pivot range from the closed position to the open position of the folding lid (8), and

wherein the magnitude of the torque in each pivot position of the folding lid (8), between and including the first and second pivot positions, is such that the folding lid (8) is held in place.

2. A folding lid according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the first axis (10) and the second axis (12) is greater than the distance between the second axis (12) and the fourth axis (16) and

wherein in the closed position of the folding lid (8), the third axis (15) is arranged above an imaginary horizontal central axis (23) of the folding lid (8).

3. A folding lid according to claim 2, wherein the distance between the first axis (10) and the second axis (12) is greater than the distance between the second axis (12) and a lower edge (52) of the second lid element (11) which is displaced from the first lid element (9).

4. A folding lid according to claim 1, wherein, in the open position of the folding lid (8′

), the fourth axis (16′

) is arranged in the direction towards the first lid element (9′

) so as to be offset relative to a plane which contains the second axis (12′

) and the third axis (15).

5. A folding lid according to claim 1, wherein the first lid element (9) comprises a first panel (24) and that the second lid element (11) comprises a second panel (25), wherein the first panel (24) and the second panel (25) comprise identical heights if viewed in the closed position of the folding lid (8);

wherein there is provided at least one hinge arm (27) which is secured to an inner face (26) of the first lid element (9), which inner face (26) is directed towards the body (1), which hinge arm (27) projects downwardly beyond a lower edge (28) of the first lid element (9) and which is fixed with a lower end (29) at an inner face (46) of the second lid element (11) so as to be pivotable around the second axis (12), which inner face (46) is directed towards the body (1), and

wherein the distance between the lower edge (28) of the first lid element (9) and the second axis (12) approximately corresponds to the distance between an upper edge (30) of the second lid element (11) and the second axis (12).

6. A folding lid according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a length adjusting element (43) which comprises a base element (44) firmly connected to the second lid element (11) and which, furthermore, comprises a sliding element (45) which, if viewed in the closed position of the folding lid (8), is guided in the base element (44) so as to be slidable relative thereto in the vertical direction between a first position arranged near the second axis (12) and a second position arranged remote from the second axis (12) and is loaded by spring means (49) against to the first position.

7. A folding lid according to claim 1, wherein the lid stay (14) comprises a housing (31) which can be connected to the side wall (3) of the body (1) and the setting arm (13) is supported so as to be pivotable around the third axis (15);

and

wherein there is provided a setting slide (33) which is guided linearly slidable in the housing (31) and which is radially loaded by spring means in contact with the setting contour (32) of the setting arm (13).

8. A folding lid according to claim 7, wherein the radial distance of the setting contour from the third axis (15) in the region of contact between the setting slide (33) and the setting contour (32), starting from a first pivot position of the setting arm (13), which corresponds to the closed position of the folding lid (8), via an angular path of the setting arm (13), to the intermediate position between the first pivot position and the second pivot position, is constant or increases.

9. A folding lid according to claim 7, wherein the setting slide (33) is supported against the setting contour (32) by means of a roller (34) which is rotatably supported at the setting slide (33).

10. A folding lid according to claim 7, wherein there is provided a supporting bearing (36) which is held at a variable distance relative to the third axis (15) in the housing (31), and

wherein the spring means are supported against the setting slide (33) on the one hand and against the supporting bearing (36) on the other hand.

11. A folding lid according to claim 10, wherein the supporting bearing (36) is supported against a bearing face (37) of an abutment (38) which is rotatably supported around an axis of rotation (39) in the housing (31), wherein, in the circumferential direction, the bearing face (37) comprises a variable distance from the axis of rotation (39).

12. A folding lid according to claim 11, wherein the bearing face (37) has a spiral shape.