Multi-link hinge

• US 7,406,749 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mepla-Werke Lautenschlaeger GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Mepla-Werke Lautenshlaeger GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Herper, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle; Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/512,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 163/68, 16/54.X, 16/49, 162/87.X, 162/86.X, 16/50, 312/109, 312/326, 312/329
• US Class Current: 16/368
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/142 with at least one of the hinge parts having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture E05D11/1021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/183 with at least one of the hinge parts having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0276 for attachment to cabinets or furniture, the hinge having two or more pins E05D5/046, E05D5/065, E05D7/125 take precedence
• 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 2201/256 with pistons or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/264 linear
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/626 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/45 in or on the fixed frame
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/456 in or on a suspension member
• 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 furniture, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-link hinge (10) for hinging a door leaf (12) to the body of a piece of furniture with a body fitting which may be fixed to the support wall (14) of the body and a door leaf fitting (20) connected to the above by means of a joint mechanism. The support wall fitting, embodied as an extended support arm is arranged on a fitting plate (18) which may be fixed to the support wall of the body and coupled to the door leaf fitting, embodied as a hinge cup fitted in a recess in the back face of the door leaf (12), by means of the joint mechanism, embodied with two joint arms (22; 24) each connected to one of the fittings such as to pivot. A damping device acts on a support wall side hinge piece, for example the body fitting (16) or the fixing plate (18) and one of the joint arms (24), at least during a locking part of the pivoting motion of said joint arm on a closing or opening motion of the door leaf fitting (20).

Claims

1. An universal joint hinge (10) for the articulation of a door leaf (12) on a carcass of a piece of furniture, the universal joint hinge comprising

a mounting plate (18) designed to be disposed on a supporting wall (14) of the carcass and formed as an elongated support arm

a carcass mounting part (16) mounted on the carcass mounting plate (16);

a universal joint mechanism comprising two joint arms (22;

24),

a door leaf mounting part (20), constructed as a hinge cup, is disposed on a door leaf, wherein the two joint arms (22;

24) are pivotably connected to each other in their centers and each joint arm is pivotable at one of its ends about a fixed axis on one of the mounting parts (16;

20) and the respective other end is attached to the respective other mounting part (20;

16) so as to be variable in position along a predetermined space curve extending in a plane lying at right angles to the pivot axis of the hinge,

wherein the joint arm (24) is pivotably mounted about a fixed axis on or in the door leaf mounting part (20) at its opposite end coupled to the carcass mounting part (16) so as to be pivotable about a fixed axis on or in the end region of the carcass mounting part (16), and wherein a portion of the joint arm (24a) which is positioned between the region which is pivotably mounted on the carcass mounting part (16) and the region which supports the joints arms (22;

24) so that the joints arms (22, 24) pivot approximately centrally comprising two joint arm portions (24a;

24b) which are longitudinally displaceable relative to one another by a predetermined amount,

wherein a damping device, which is effective at least during a part of a displacement movement of the joint arm portions relative to one another is provided between the two joint arm portions (24a;

24b) and wherein the joint arm portions (24a;

24b) which are displaceable relative to one another, are constructed so that they engage telescopically, and

wherein one joint arm portion (24b) is formed by an elongated cylinder which is disposed so as to be longitudinally displaceable on a piston rod which forms the other joint arm portion.

2. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piston rod (24a) is attached integrally on the central region pivotably coupled in scissor fashion to the other joint arm (22), and the cylinder (24b) which is disposed so as to be longitudinally displaceable on the piston rod (24a) is articulated with its end facing away from the inlet side of the piston rod (24a) so that it is pivotable on the carcass mounting part (16).

3. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end of the cylinder (24b) which is articulated on the carcass mounting part (16) is closed.

4. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein a piston of which the diameter is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the cylinder (24b) is mounted on the free end of the piston rod (24b), and that the interior of the cylinder is divided into two working spaces which are separated from one another by the piston and vary in volume in opposite directions in the case of a relative displacement of the piston rod (24a) and the cylinder (24b), and in which a fluid damping medium is provided.

5. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder (24b) is integrally attached on the central region pivotably coupled in scissor fashion to the other joint arm (22), and that the piston rod (24a) which is disposed so as to be longitudinally displaceable in the cylinder (24b) is pivotably articulated on the carcass mounting part (16) at the free end thereof lying opposite the inlet side into the cylinder (24b).

6. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aligned longitudinal central axes of the cylinder (24b) and of the piston rod (24a) lie in the longitudinal central plane of the hinge (10) extending at right angles to the pivot axis of the hinge.

7. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aligned longitudinal central axes of the cylinder (24b) and of the piston (24a) are disposed in a plane offset laterally from and parallel to the longitudinal central plane of the hinge (10).

8. The universal joint hinge as claimed in claim 7, wherein in a second plane offset parallel to the opposing side of the longitudinal central plane of the hinge the aligned longitudinal central axes of a second cylinder (24b) provided there and of a second piston rod (24a) are disposed.