A hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges

Abstract

The application discloses a hinge cup assembly for hardware hinge, and relates to the technical field of hardware hinge.The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinge comprises a hinge cup body, a cup cover, a flexible connecting piece, a preassembled screw assembly and a connecting screw, the hinge cup body is provided with a mounting hole, the cup cover is connected to one side of the hinge cup body through the flexible connecting piece, the preassembled screw assembly is installed at the mounting hole, and the connecting screw is arranged on the preassembled screw assembly in a matched mode; the lower part of the preassembled screw assembly is fixed with the hinge cup body, the upper part is connected with the lower part through an elastic connecting structure, so that the upper part of the preassembled screw assembly and the connecting screw can be elastically deflected relative to the hinge cup body; the preassembled connecting screw can be protected, the preassembled connecting screw can be prevented from falling off in the transportation process, the preassembled connecting screw is convenient to install, the assembly efficiency is improved; meanwhile, the cup cover is connected with the hinge cup body through the flexible connecting piece, the cup cover can be directly installed in place after screwing, and the installation action is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hardware hinge technology, and more particularly to a hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges. Background Technology

[0002] Hinge cups are an important component of hardware hinges, typically installed on cabinet doors, furniture door panels, or similar components, and fixedly connected to the corresponding parts by connecting screws. In the prior art, to facilitate installation, some hinge cup products are pre-installed with connecting screws or have a bracket structure to support the connecting screws.

[0003] However, most existing bracket structures used to support connecting screws are rigid structures, lacking elastic cushioning and return to their original position. During transportation, handling, or assembly, pre-installed connecting screws are prone to loosening, falling off, or shifting in position, which affects the ease of use of the product and may even require installers to re-replace the screws, reducing assembly efficiency.

[0004] In addition, in some existing hinged cup products, the cup lid and the hinged cup body are usually set separately. During the installation process, the operator often needs to complete the screwing operation first, and then take the cup lid out separately and install it in place. This not only increases the picking and installation actions and affects the assembly efficiency, but also puts forward higher requirements on the corresponding stamping mold and structural design.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges to solve the problems of the existing technology, such as the screw bracket structure being too rigid, the screws being easy to fall off during transportation, the installation operation being inconvenient, and the cup lid connection structure being not optimized. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges, so as to solve the problems in the prior art where the pre-installed screw brackets are mostly rigid structures, the screws are easy to fall off during transportation, the installation is inconvenient, and the cup lid installation process is cumbersome.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a hinge cup assembly for a hardware hinge, wherein the hinge cup body is provided with a mounting hole, and the cup lid is connected to one side of the hinge cup body through a flexible connector, so that the cup lid can flip relative to the hinge cup body between a closed position and an open position; a pre-installed screw assembly is installed at the mounting hole, and a connecting screw is fitted onto the pre-installed screw assembly; the lower part of the pre-installed screw assembly is fixed to the hinge cup body, and the upper part of the pre-installed screw assembly is connected to its lower part through an elastic connection structure, so that the upper part of the pre-installed screw assembly and the connecting screw can elastically deflect relative to the hinge cup body; when the cup lid is in the closed position, the cup lid covers the connecting screw and presses it, causing the connecting screw and the upper part of the pre-installed screw assembly to deflect laterally to below the cup lid; when the cup lid flips to the open position, the upper part of the pre-installed screw assembly resets under the restoring action of the elastic connection structure, and drives the connecting screw to lift.

[0008] Furthermore, the pre-installed screw assembly passes through the mounting hole, and the outer periphery of the pre-installed screw assembly is provided with a buckle portion. The buckle portion and the lower part of the pre-installed screw assembly are provided on opposite sides of the hinge cup body to fix the pre-installed screw assembly to the hinge cup body.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower part, upper part, and elastic connection structure of the pre-installed screw assembly are integrally formed elastic components.

[0010] Furthermore, the elastic element is made of an elastic material.

[0011] Furthermore, the elastic material is a rubber material.

[0012] Furthermore, the lower part of the pre-installed screw assembly is provided with a guide hole that mates with the connecting screw.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexible connector is a flexible connector buckle, and the two ends of the flexible connector buckle are respectively connected to the fixing part provided on the hinge cup body and the connecting part provided on the cup lid.

[0014] Furthermore, the fixing part is a fixing groove, the connecting part is a connecting groove, and the flexible connecting buckle is respectively snapped into the fixing groove and the connecting groove.

[0015] Furthermore, the upper part of the pre-installed screw assembly is a sleeve structure, and the connecting screw is fitted inside the sleeve structure.

[0016] Furthermore, the elastic connection structure is an elastic connecting rib connecting the sleeve structure and the lower part of the pre-installed screw assembly.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention develops a flexible connection bracket structure by incorporating a pre-installed screw assembly with elastic recovery capability. During shipment, the pre-installed cup lid covers the connecting screws, protecting them and reducing the likelihood of screws falling off, loosening, or shifting during transportation and handling. In use, opening the cup lid causes the pre-installed screw assembly to spring back and lift the connecting screws under the elastic recovery action of the connection structure, facilitating screw driving by installers and improving installation convenience and assembly efficiency.

[0018] 2. This invention also includes a flexible connecting buckle structure, providing a connection solution for the cup lid and the hinged cup body. During installation, after screwing in the screws, the cup lid can be directly flipped over and installed, reducing the time and effort required to remove the cup lid separately, making installation more convenient and faster. Simultaneously, this connection solution also helps reduce the difficulty of designing and forming the corresponding stamping mold, facilitating production and manufacturing. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 , 2 Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in its factory condition.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cup lid in the open state in this invention.

[0022] Figure 5 , 6 This is an exploded view of the structure of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-installed screw assembly in this invention.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cup lid after it is snapped shut in this invention.

[0025] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the flexible connecting buckle, the hinged cup main unit, and the cup lid in this invention.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible connecting buckle in this invention.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1. Hinge cup body; 11. Mounting hole; 12. Fixing part; 13. Fixing groove; 2. Cup lid; 21. Connecting part; 22. Connecting groove; 3. Flexible connectors; 31. Flexible connector buckles; 4. Pre-installed screw assembly; 41. Lower part; 42. Upper part; 43. Flexible connection structure; 44. Undercut part; 45. Guide hole; 46. Sleeve structure; 47. Flexible connection rib; 5. Connecting screws. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, terms such as "upper part," "lower part," "one side," and "above" are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0030] In this embodiment, the part of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 that is used to cooperate with the connecting screw 5 and can undergo elastic deflection is defined as the upper part 42, and the part located at the mounting hole 11 and fixedly cooperated with the hinge cup body 1 is defined as the lower part 41.

[0031] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this embodiment provides a hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges, including a hinge cup body 1, a cup cover 2, a flexible connector 3, a pre-installed screw assembly 4, and a connecting screw 5.

[0032] The hinge cup body 1 has a mounting hole 11, a pre-installed screw assembly 4 is installed in the mounting hole 11, and a connecting screw 5 is fitted onto the pre-installed screw assembly 4. The cup lid 2 is connected to one side of the hinge cup body 1 via a flexible connector 3, thereby allowing the cup lid 2 to flip relative to the hinge cup body 1 between a closed position and an open position.

[0033] In this embodiment, the lower part 41 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is fixed to the hinge cup body 1, and the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is connected to the lower part 41 through an elastic connection structure 43. With the help of this elastic connection, the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 and the connecting screw 5 disposed thereon can be elastically deflected relative to the hinge cup body 1, and automatically return to their original position after the external force is released.

[0034] In this embodiment, the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is preferably inserted through the mounting hole 11. To achieve stable installation, the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is provided with a buckle 44 on its outer periphery. The buckle 44 and the lower part 41 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 are respectively located on opposite sides of the hinge cup body 1, thereby forming a clamping fit to reliably fix the pre-installed screw assembly 4 to the hinge cup body 1.

[0035] Furthermore, the lower part 41, the upper part 42, and the elastic connection structure 43 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 can be integrally molded as an elastic element. As a preferred embodiment, this elastic element can be made of an elastic material, more preferably rubber. This structural form simplifies the structure and assembly steps, and also improves the elastic recovery effect and operational stability.

[0036] In this embodiment, the lower part 41 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is also provided with a guide hole 45, which is guided and engaged with the connecting screw 5 to limit and guide the assembly position of the connecting screw 5, so as to improve the stability and installation accuracy of the connecting screw 5.

[0037] Furthermore, the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 can be a sleeve structure 46, and the connecting screw 5 is fitted inside the sleeve structure 46. The elastic connecting structure 43 can be specifically configured as an elastic connecting rib 47 connecting the sleeve structure 46 and the lower part 41 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4. With the above structural configuration, the sleeve structure 46 can deflect and reset under the elastic action of the elastic connecting rib 47, thereby better realizing the pressure-concealed and flip-top spring-back function of the connecting screw 5.

[0038] In this embodiment, the flexible connector 3 is preferably a flexible connecting buckle 31. The two ends of the flexible connecting buckle 31 are respectively connected to the fixing part 12 disposed on the hinge cup body 1 and the connecting part 21 disposed on the cup lid 2. Further, the fixing part 12 can specifically be a fixing groove 13, and the connecting part 21 can specifically be a connecting groove 22, with the flexible connecting buckle 31 respectively snapped into the fixing groove 13 and the connecting groove 22.

[0039] By using the flexible connecting buckle 31, the cup lid 2 can be stably connected to the hinged cup body 1 and can be flipped relative to the hinged cup body 1. During installation, after the connecting screws 5 are tightened, the operator does not need to remove the cup lid 2 separately; they only need to flip the cup lid 2 to the target position and install it in place, thereby reducing installation actions, saving installation time, and improving assembly efficiency. At the same time, the connection scheme using this flexible connecting buckle 31 also helps to reduce the difficulty of designing and manufacturing related stamping dies.

[0040] Working principle: The core working principle of this invention is as follows: by pre-installing the connecting screw 5 on the pre-installed screw assembly 4 which has elastic recovery capability, and by connecting the cup lid 2 to the hinge cup body 1 through the flexible connector 3, the connecting screw 5 can be protected by the cup lid 2 in the transportation state, and can be automatically lifted under the recovery action of the elastic connection structure 43 in the installation state, so as to facilitate the installation operation.

[0041] Specifically, the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is installed in the mounting hole 11 of the hinge cup body 1. Its lower part 41 is fixed to the hinge cup body 1, and its upper part 42 is connected to the lower part 41 through the elastic connection structure 43. Therefore, the upper part 42 is not rigidly fixed relative to the lower part 41, but has a certain elastic deflection capability. The connecting screw 5 is fitted at the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4. When an external force is applied to the connecting screw 5 or the upper part 42, the upper part 42 can deflect relative to the lower part 41 under the action of the elastic connection structure 43. When the external force is released, the upper part 42 can return to its original position or close to its original position under the elastic recovery action of the elastic connection structure 43, and drive the connecting screw 5 to reset synchronously.

[0042] The cup lid 2 is connected to the hinged cup body 1 via a flexible connector 3, ensuring that the cup lid 2 will not separate from or be lost from the hinged cup body 1, and can switch between closed and open states around the connection position. When the cup lid 2 is in the closed state, its body is located above the connecting screw 5 and covers the area where the connecting screw 5 is located. Due to the elastic deflection characteristics of the connecting screw 5 and the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4, the cup lid 2 can apply pressure to the connecting screw 5 during the closing process, causing the connecting screw 5, together with the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4, to deflect laterally and enter the clearance space below the cup lid 2. At this time, the cup lid 2 forms a shield and limit for the connecting screw 5, making it less likely for the connecting screw 5 to fall off, scatter, or be exposed and damaged during transportation and handling.

[0043] When installation is required, the operator simply flips the cup lid 2 from the closed state to the open state. As the pressure of the cup lid 2 on the connecting screw 5 disappears, the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is no longer continuously compressed by external force. Under the restoring action of the elastic connection structure 43, it automatically lifts and resets, causing the connecting screw 5 to lift upwards. At this point, the connecting screw 5 can be aligned with the guide hole 45. The guide hole 45 limits and guides the assembly position of the connecting screw 5, thereby improving the stability and installation accuracy of the connecting screw 5. Afterwards, the user can use an electric screwdriver to drive the connecting screw 5 to rotate, allowing it to pass through the guide hole 45 and enter the mounting hole 11, further connecting and fixing it to the board or cabinet to be fixed. Throughout the process, the installer does not need to separately remove the connecting screw 5, thus improving assembly efficiency.

[0044] Furthermore, the flexible connector 3 in this invention is preferably a flexible connecting buckle 31. One end of the flexible connecting buckle 31 is connected to the fixing part 12 on the hinge cup body 1, and the other end is connected to the connecting part 21 on the cup lid 2, so that the cup lid 2 remains connected to the hinge cup body 1 throughout the entire transportation and installation process. In this way, after the connecting screw 5 is installed, the operator does not need to find, pick up and install an independent cup lid separately. He only needs to flip the connected cup lid 2 directly into place to complete the cup lid installation, thereby reducing operation steps and improving assembly convenience.

[0045] Installation steps and component status at each stage.

[0046] To facilitate understanding of the working process of this invention, the installation steps and the changes in the state of each component at different stages are described in detail below.

[0047] (a) Pre-installation completed status Before the product leaves the factory, the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is pre-installed in the mounting hole 11 of the hinge cup body 1, and the connecting screw 5 is pre-installed on the pre-installed screw assembly 4; at the same time, the cup cover 2 is connected to one side of the hinge cup body 1 through the flexible connector 3.

[0048] During this stage: The lower part 41 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is fixed to the hinge cup body 1; The upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is connected to the lower part 41 via an elastic connection structure 43; The connecting screw 5 is engaged with the upper part 42; The cup lid 2 and the hinged cup body 1 are in a flip-connected state.

[0049] At this point, all components have been pre-assembled, providing the basic conditions for transportation and subsequent installation.

[0050] (ii) Cup lid in semi-closed protective state During shipment, packaging, transportation, or storage, the cup lid 2 is in a closed state. After the cup lid 2 is flipped over and placed above the connecting screw 5, it applies downward and lateral pressure to the connecting screw 5, causing the connecting screw 5 to push the upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 to elastically deflect.

[0051] During this stage, the status of each component is as follows: The lid 2 is in a semi-closed position; The flexible connector 3 is in a connected and limited state, so that the cup lid 2 will not detach from the hinged cup body 1; Connecting screw 5 is located below cup lid 2; The upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 is deflected relative to the lower part 41; The elastic connection structure 43 is in a state of deformation under stress and stores elastic restoring force; The connecting screw 5 is protected by the cup lid 2, making it less likely to loosen, fall off, or be damaged by impact.

[0052] In other words, in this state, the cup lid serves as a protective measure during transportation; the pre-installed screw assembly 4, through its own elastic deformation, prepares for automatic springback during subsequent installation.

[0053] (III) Flip-cover release and automatic alignment status When the installer is ready to install, first flip the cup lid 2 from the semi-closed position. As the cup lid 2 flips outward around the connection position of the flexible connector 3, the pressing effect of the cup lid 2 on the connecting screw 5 gradually decreases until it disappears completely.

[0054] During this stage, the states of each component change as follows: The lid 2 rotates from the half-closed position to the open position; The flexible connector 3 deforms or rotates accordingly as the cup lid 2 flips; The connecting screw 5 gradually loses its holding force from the cup lid 2; The elastic connection structure 43 begins to release the previously stored elastic restoring force; The upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 springs back from the deflected state to the reset state; The connecting screw 5 automatically lifts upward and is exposed under the action of the upper part 42; After the connecting screw 5 is lifted, it aligns with the guide hole 45, which limits and guides the assembly position of the connecting screw 5.

[0055] During this process, the connecting screw 5 can automatically return to a position that is easy to operate without manual adjustment, straightening or lifting, and achieve more accurate assembly alignment with the help of the guide hole 45, thereby reducing the installation preparation work.

[0056] (iv) Screw installation status After the cup lid 2 is flipped to the open position, the connecting screw 5 is already in a raised state and aligned with the guide hole 45 due to the elastic recovery action. The installer can directly align the hinged cup body 1 with the part to be installed and use an electric screwdriver to drive the connecting screw 5.

[0057] During this stage, the status of each component is as follows: Keep cup lid 2 open; Connecting screw 5 is exposed, raised, and ready to be tightened; The upper part 42 of the pre-installed screw assembly 4 has basically returned to its natural state; The elastic connection structure 43 recovers from the compressed deformation state to its normal or near-normal state; The guide hole 45 serves to guide and position the connecting screw 5; The sleeve structure 46 provides support for the connecting screws 5 to improve installation stability.

[0058] At this point, the user uses an electric screwdriver to drive the connecting screw 5 to rotate, allowing the connecting screw 5 to pass through the guide hole 45 and enter the mounting hole 11, where it is further connected and fixed to the board or cabinet to be fixed. Since the connecting screw 5 is pre-assembled on the pre-installed screw assembly 4, the installer does not need to pick up the connecting screw 5 separately, reducing the need for picking up parts, aligning, and straightening, thereby improving the overall assembly efficiency.

[0059] (v) Cup lid reset state after installation After the connecting screws 5 are installed, the installer can directly flip the cup lid 2 back to the target position to install the cup lid 2 in place. Since the cup lid 2 is always connected to the hinged cup body 1 through the flexible connector 3, there is no need for additional parts removal, alignment, or secondary assembly.

[0060] During this stage, the status of each component is as follows: Connecting screw 5 has been tightened and secured. The cup lid 2 flips back from the open position to the installed position; Flexible connector 3 continues to maintain the connection function; If the flexible connector 3 adopts the flexible connector buckle 31 structure, the flexible connector buckle 31 is always connected between the hinge cup body 1 and the cup lid 2; The cup lid 2 is finally placed over the designated area, completing the overall assembly.

[0061] Through this process, the cup lid 2 can be directly flipped into place after the screws are driven in, without the need to remove the separate lid, thereby reducing installation time and movements and improving ease of operation.

[0062] It should be noted that the above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent substitutions, improvements, or changes made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hinge cup assembly for a hardware hinge, characterized in that: It includes a hinged cup body (1), which has a mounting hole (11). The cup lid (2) is connected to one side of the hinged cup body (1) through a flexible connector (3) so that the cup lid (2) can flip relative to the hinged cup body (1) between the closed position and the open position. The pre-installed screw assembly (4) is installed at the mounting hole (11), and the connecting screw (5) is fitted onto the pre-installed screw assembly (4); The lower part (41) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) is fixed to the hinge cup body (1), and the upper part (42) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) is connected to the lower part (41) through an elastic connection structure (43) so that the upper part (42) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) and the connecting screw (5) can be elastically deflected relative to the hinge cup body (1). When the cup lid (2) is in the closed position, the cup lid (2) covers the connecting screw (5) and presses the upper part (42) of the connecting screw (5) and the pre-installed screw assembly (4) to the side and below the cup lid (2); When the cup lid (2) is flipped to the open position, the upper part (42) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) is reset under the restoring action of the elastic connection structure (43), and drives the connecting screw (5) to lift up and align with the mounting hole (11).

2. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pre-installed screw assembly (4) passes through the mounting hole (11). The pre-installed screw assembly (4) has a buckle (44) on its outer periphery. The buckle (44) and the lower part (41) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) are respectively located on opposite sides of the hinge cup body (1) to fix the pre-installed screw assembly (4) to the hinge cup body (1).

3. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The lower part (41), upper part (42) and elastic connection structure (43) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) are integrally formed elastic components.

4. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic element is made of an elastic material.

5. The hinge cup assembly for a hardware hinge according to claim 4, characterized in that: The elastic material is rubber.

6. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower part (41) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) is provided with a guide hole (45) that engages with the connecting screw (5).

7. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible connector (3) is a flexible connector buckle (31), and the two ends of the flexible connector buckle (31) are respectively connected to the fixing part (12) provided on the hinge cup body (1) and the connecting part (21) provided on the cup lid (2).

8. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fixing part (12) is a fixing groove (13), the connecting part (21) is a connecting groove (22), and the flexible connecting buckle (31) is respectively snapped into the fixing groove (13) and the connecting groove (22).

9. The hinge cup assembly for hardware hinges according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper part (42) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4) is a sleeve structure (46), and the connecting screw (5) is fitted inside the sleeve structure (46).

10. The hinge cup assembly for a hardware hinge according to claim 9, characterized in that: The elastic connection structure (43) is an elastic connecting rib (47) connecting the sleeve structure (46) and the lower part (41) of the pre-installed screw assembly (4).

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