Hinge for furniture or household appliances

Abstract

Hinge (4) for furniture or household appliances, with a side part (5) on which a hinge part (7) is pivotably mounted via at least one guide lever (8) and a damping device is provided which has a rotatable actuating element (11) which is biased into a starting position by a spring, wherein when the hinge (4) is closed a first activation area (18) of the actuating element (11) is activated for closing damping, wherein the actuating element (11) has a second activation area (20) for opening damping, characterized in that the actuating element (11) is moved in the same direction during closing damping and opening damping.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge for furniture or household appliances, having a side part on which a hinge part is pivotably mounted via at least one guide lever, wherein a damping device is provided which has a rotatable actuating element which is pretensioned into an initial position by a spring, wherein when the hinge is closed a first activation region of the actuating element is activated for closing damping, wherein the actuating element has a second activation region for opening damping.

[0002] WO 2009 / 124332 A1 discloses a damping device for a hinge, in which a rotatable actuating element is provided on a hinge cup, which acts on a rotary damper. After damping has been completed, the actuating element is moved to a starting position for the next damping stroke, with a return stroke of the actuating element being adjustable to vary the damping forces. This allows the damping forces for closing damping to be adjusted. However, the problem is that during a rapid opening movement of a door, the hinges are subjected to high loads, which can lead to damage.

[0003] EP 2 093 361 A2 discloses a fastening device for connecting a pivotable furniture part to a four-bar linkage, which has a first fastening piece for fastening to the pivotable furniture part and a second fastening piece for securing to a furniture body. Between the two fastening pieces, several pivot levers are provided, each of which is associated with a damping device. The damping device is effective in both the opening and closing directions of the pivotable furniture part.

[0004] EP 2 589 736 A1 discloses a damping device for a furniture hinge, wherein when a hinge part is pivoted, a rotatable rotary damper of the damping device can be driven in order to brake the movement of the hinge part.

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hinge for furniture or household appliances in which a door is braked during both a closing and an opening movement.

[0006] This problem is solved with a hinge having the features of claim 1.

[0007] The hinge according to the invention comprises a damping device having a rotatable actuating element. When the hinge is closed, a first activation area of ​​the actuating element is activated for closing damping, and the actuating element has a second activation area for opening damping. This allows the damping device to be used for both opening and closing damping. Especially during rapid door movement, deceleration in both the closing and opening directions can thus occur, preventing loud impact noises and also reducing the risk of damage caused by rapid door movements.

[0008] According to the invention, the actuating element is moved in the same direction for both the closing and opening damping functions. This allows the same damping mechanism to be used for both the opening and closing damping functions, with the actuating element being preloaded into an initial position by a spring between the two movements. This avoids the need for two separate damping devices, which would significantly increase manufacturing costs.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the actuating element is rotatably mounted on the hinge part about an axis and has a first arm with the first activation region and a second arm with the second activation region. The first arm and the second arm can be offset from one another by at least 30°, preferably by at least 90°, relative to the rotational axis of the actuating element. The actuating element is thus designed as a two-armed lever, each of which has the activation regions on different arms. However, the actuating element can also be designed as a molded part on which the activation regions are provided.

[0010] Preferably, a guide lever has a first contact area that engages with the first activation area of ​​the actuating element during closing damping, wherein the guide lever also has a second contact area that engages with the second activation area of ​​the actuating element during opening damping. The contact areas on the guide lever can be spaced apart from one another; in particular, the second contact area can be arranged on an extension of the guide lever adjacent to an axis of the guide lever in the hinge part.

[0011] For effective damping, it is effective over an angular range of at least 10°, in particular at least 20°, before the maximum opening position. The maximum opening position can, for example, be in a range between 80° and 120°, so that the hinge's damping can be activated depending on the position of the maximum opening position. Damping over at least a range of 20° ensures sufficient deceleration before the maximum opening position.

[0012] For a compact design, the damping device can comprise a rotary damper. It is also possible, of course, for the actuating element to be coupled to another type of damper, such as a linear damper or a friction damper.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment, a cup-shaped receptacle is formed in the hinge part, in which the rotatable actuating element is arranged. This results in a particularly compact design for the opening and closing damping function.

[0014] The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a piece of furniture with two hinges according to the invention; Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B two views of a hinge of the Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a detailed view of the hinge of the Fig. 2.

[0015] A piece of furniture 1 comprises a cabinet-shaped furniture body 2, on which a door 3 is pivotably mounted. For this purpose, two hinges 4 are provided on one side wall of the furniture body 2.

[0016] Each hinge 4 comprises a side part 5, which is secured to the furniture body 2 via a mounting plate 6. A hinge part 7 is pivotably mounted on the side part 5 via two spaced guide levers 8. The pivotable door 3 is held on the hinge part 7.

[0017] In the Fig. 2A and Fig. Figure 2B shows one of the hinges 4 in detail. One of the guide levers 8 is mounted on the side part 5 for rotation about an axis 9. On the opposite side, the guide lever 8 is arranged for rotation on the hinge part 7, wherein a cup-shaped receptacle 10 is formed in the hinge part 7, in which a rotatable actuating element 11 is arranged. The actuating element 11 is arranged on a holder 12 which has a rotation damper. The actuating element 11 is rotatably mounted and preloaded in an initial position. If the hinge 4 is moved into a closed position, a first activation area 18 on the actuating element 11 engages with a contact area 22 on the guide lever 8 and can slide along this contact area 22, so that the actuating element 11 is rotated and thus the closing movement is dampened or braked.After the door 3 has been damped and opened, the actuating element 11 is preloaded back into its initial position by a spring in order to be movable for the next damping stroke.

[0018] Furthermore, a switch 13 is provided on the holder 12, by means of which the return stroke of the actuating element 11 can be adjusted in a known manner.

[0019] In addition to the closing damping, the hinge 4 can also be provided with an opening damping, for which purpose a second activation area 20 is provided on the actuating element 11, as shown in Fig. 3. The actuating element 11 is essentially designed as a two-armed lever and has a first arm 19, on which the first activation region 18 is provided. Furthermore, a second arm 14 is provided, which is offset by more than 90° from the first arm 19 with respect to a rotational axis 17 of the actuating element 11 and on which the second activation region 20 is provided.

[0020] The guide lever 8 is rotatably mounted about an axis 16 on the hinge part 7 and has the first contact area 22 in the area between the axis 16 and the axis 9 in order to move the actuating element 11 during a closing movement. Furthermore, an extension arm 15 is formed on the guide lever 8 adjacent to the axis 16 on the hinge part 7, which extension arm protrudes at an angle from the guide lever 8 and on which a second contact area 21 is provided, which engages with the second activation area 20 on the actuating element 11 during an opening movement. If the hinge is now moved further in the opening direction, the guide lever 8 is pivoted into the dashed position 8', wherein the actuating element 11 is in Fig.3 is pivoted counterclockwise, as shown by the dashed lines. The first arm 19' and the second arm 14' are thus also pivoted about the axis 17 when the hinge 4 is arranged in a predetermined opening position. This allows both closing and opening damping to be achieved with one and the same damping device.

[0021] The opening damping preferably takes place at least in an angular range of at least 10° before the maximum open position; in particular, the opening damping can begin in a range between 20° and 30° before the maximum open position. If the door 3 is moved back in the closing direction after opening damping, the arm 15 initially disengages from the second arm 14 of the actuating element 11, so that the actuating element 11 is moved back to its starting position by the force of a spring. Only then does the first contact area 22 of the guide lever 8 engage with the first activation area 18 on the first arm 19.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, a rotary damper is used to dampen the movement of the actuating element 11. It is, of course, also possible to use a friction damper or a linear damper instead of a rotary damper.

[0023] In addition, the damping device can have an adjustment mechanism in order to be able to adjust the damping stroke of the actuating element 11. List of reference symbols 1 furniture 2 furniture body 3 Door 4 hinge 5 side panel 6 Mounting plate 7 Hinge part 8, 8' guide lever 9 Axis 10 Mount 11 Actuating element 12 holders 13 switches 14, 14' Arm 15 booms 16 Axis 17 Axis 18 Activation area 19, 19' Arm 20 Activation area 21 Contact area 22 Contact area

Claims

[1] Hinge (4) for furniture or household appliances, with a side part (5) on which a hinge part (7) is pivotably mounted via at least one guide lever (8) and a damping device is provided which has a rotatable actuating element (11) which is pretensioned into an initial position by a spring, wherein when the hinge (4) is closed, a first activation area (18) of the actuating element (11) is activated for closing damping, wherein the actuating element (11) has a second activation area (20) for opening damping, characterized by that the actuating element (11) is moved in the same direction during closing damping and opening damping. [2] Hinge according to claim 1, characterized bythat the actuating element (21) is rotatably mounted about an axis (17) on the hinge part (7) and has a first arm (19) with the first activation region (18) and a second arm (14) with the second activation region (20). [3] Hinge according to claim 2, characterized by that the first arm (19) and the second arm (14) are offset from one another by at least 30° relative to the axis of rotation (17). [4] Hinge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the guide lever (8) has a first contact region (22) which, during closing damping, is in engagement with the first activation region (18) of the actuating element (11), and the guide lever (8) has a second contact region (21) which, during opening damping, is in engagement with the second activation region (20) of the actuating element (11). [5] Hinge according to claim 4, characterized bythat the second contact area (21) is arranged on an arm (15) of the guide lever (8) adjacent to an axis (16) of the guide lever (8) in the hinge part (7). [6] Hinge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the opening damping extends at least over an angular range of 10°, in particular at least 20°, before the maximum open position. [7] Hinge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the damping device comprises a rotary damper. [8] Hinge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a cup-shaped receptacle (10) is formed in the hinge part (7), in which the rotatable actuating element (11) is arranged.

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