Hinge device with translating hinge pin

Abstract

A hinge device with translating hinge pin (3) comprises a first member (5) and a second member (7) mutually connected by such hinge pin (3) and assigned to be fixed, by means of corresponding first and second attachments, respectively to a lid or to a door and to the body of an appliance. Said first (5) and second (7) members are rotatable with respect to each other between a closed condition (C) of the hinge device (1), in which the lid covers a portion of use of the appliance or the door occludes an opening of the body of the appliance, and a maximum opening condition (A) of the hinge device (1), in which the lid or door forms a maximum opening angle. The hinge device (1) comprises an abutment member (21) rigidly or elastically fixed at a predetermined distance from the second member (7) where said second member (7) and abutment member (21) are provided with respective first (9) and second (23) seats to accommodate in a sliding manner and without the possibility of mutual rotation at least respective portions of the hinge pin (3) and are provided with respective actuation portions spaced apart, facing each other and helical or cam shaped to form an interposed housing in the shape of a female principle of thread or desmodromic cam and which is assigned to house the first member (5) having ends shaped in the same way or approximately complementary to said actuation portions of the second (7) and abutment (21) members.

Description

[0001] HINGE DEVICE WITH TRANSLATING HINGE PIN

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to the technical field concerning household appliances, furnishings and equipment in general provided with doors, portholes, closures or lids and refers to a hinge device with a translating pin following the rotation of the door, lid or similar.

[0005] PRIOR ART

[0006] Appliances provided with switch or sensor devices activated by the closing of the respective lid or doors and capable of sending a signal or activating an element of the appliance when the lid or door is closed or, vice versa, is open are known. For example, dishwashers and washing machines have a switch protruding from the edge of the loading opening which prevents operation if the door is open and some gas cookers or electric hobs have a mobile element connected to their structure which, by acting on a valve or on a switch, interrupt the gas or electric supply when the respective lid is closed to prevent overheating and damages.

[0007] Hinge devices whose mutually rotatable members are associated with switches or closing sensors are also known.

[0008] A disadvantage of these known devices consists in the fact that they generally have to be installed in exposed positions and are subject to dirt and impacts which can compromise their functionality.

[0009] Another disadvantage of known devices consists in the fact that they are activated only when their total or almost total closure is achieved.

[0010] Prior art document CN109538043 A discloses a hinge assembly for a door, particularly for a freezer door, and it represents the general prior art.

[0011] An object of the present invention is to propose a compact and robust device capable to operate a device, a valve, a command, or a damper of the hydraulic cylinder and piston type.

[0012] Another object is to propose a device capable of balancing the weight of the lid or door.

[0013] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWNINGS

[0014] The characteristics of the invention are highlighted below with particular reference to the attached drawings in which: figure 1 illustrates an axonometric view of a pair of hinge devices with a translating pin associated, by means of attachments, to the body and to a lid of a household appliance consisting of a gas or electric hob; figures 2 and 3 illustrate respective axonometric views of one of the devices of figure 1 in a closed condition; figures 4 and 5 illustrate respective axonometric views of the device of figure 2 in an open condition; figures 6 and 7 illustrate axial views of respective ends of the device of figure 2; figure 8 illustrates an axonometric and exploded view of the device, part of which has been partially represented; figures 9 and 10 illustrate views sectioned by a longitudinal plane of the device in closed and open conditions respectively; figures 11 - 14 illustrate side views of the device, associated with a body attachment and sectioned, in an opening sequence; figure 15 illustrates an axonometric view of the elements of figure 11; figure 16 illustrates an axonometric view of the elements of figure 14 and in which an attachment is sectioned; figures 17 and 18 illustrate respective partial and sectional views of a preferred alternative embodiment of the hinge of figure 2 in closed and open conditions respectively.

[0015] BEST MODE TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

[0016] With reference to figures 1 to 16, numeral 1 indicates the hinge device 1 with hinge pin 3, object of the present invention, comprising a first member 5 and a second member 7 mutually connected by such hinge pin 3 and assigned to be fixed, by means of corresponding first and second attachments, respectively to a lid or to a door and to the body of a household appliance or vice versa, and rotatable with respect to each other between a closed condition C of the hinge device 1, in which the lid covers a portion of use of the household appliance or the door blocks an opening in the body of the household appliance, and a maximum opening condition A of the hinge device 1, in which the lid or door forms an angle of maximum opening.

[0017] The first and second attachments are visible in figure 1 (the first attachment consists of a profile assigned to connect a cover to the first members of two side hinge devices and each second attachment consists of a means for connecting the respective second member to the body of the household appliance) and only the second attachment is illustrated also in other figures including those from 11 - 14 where it is associated with a switch, or other control, activated by device 1.

[0018] The hinge device 1 comprises an abutment member 21 rigidly fixed or elastically positioned at a predetermined distance from the second member 7 where these second 7 and abutment 21 members are provided with respective first 9 and second 23 seats to house, in a sliding manner and without possibility of mutual rotation, at least respective portions of the hinge pin 3; furthermore, the second 7 and abutment 21 members are provided with respective mutually spaced actuation portions, facing each other and shaped like a helical or cam (single or multiple) surface to form an interposed groove or grooves housing in the shape of female thread or desmodromic cam and which is assigned to house the first member 5 having ends shaped in the same way or approximately complementary to said actuation portions of the second 7 and abutment 21 members which meet in sliding contact. The first member 5 has a respective third seat 11 assigned to house a portion of the hinge pin 3 in a freely rotatable manner where such third seat 11 and hinge pin 3 are provided with respective first 13 and second 15 shoulders.

[0019] The first shoulder of the third seat 11 can consist of a flat surface with a circular crown in correspondence with which the diameter of the third seat itself changes while the second shoulder of the hinge pin 3 can consist of a split ring or Seeger engaged in an annular groove of the hinge pin itself; rings can be placed between the Seeger ring and the shoulder of the third seat to reduce friction and / or to increase the contact surface and / or clearances.

[0020] The end of the hinge pin 3 opposite the second member 7 carries an abutment 17 (for example a washer locked to such pin) for a first elastic means 19 acting against the abutment member 21 and, by means of the hinge pin and said shoulders 13, 15, against the first member 5 by applying to these members 21, 5 an elastic force of mutual approach. The sliding abutment of the actuation portions of the second 7 and abutment 21 members with the ends of the first member 5 during the rotation of the latter causes the translation of the first member 5 itself which, by means of the first 13 and second 15 shoulders, drives the hinge pin 3 by making it translate so that one of its ends slides protruding from the second member 7 or from the device 1.

[0021] The cross section of the hinge pin 3 and of the first 9 and second 23 seat cavities of the second 7 and abutment 21 members is in the shape of a polygon, such as the regular hexagon as in the figures or similar, or has at least one flat surface forming a antirotation plane.

[0022] The third seat 11 of the first member 5 has two cylindrical sections with corresponding different diameters and separated by the respective shoulder. The bottom diameter is equal to or slightly larger than the maximum transverse dimension of the hinge pin 3.

[0023] The first elastic means 19 consists of a helical spring compressed between the abutment 17, consisting of the washer locked to the hinge pin 3, and a flat end of the abutment member 21 opposite the respective actuation portion.

[0024] The predetermined distance between the second 7 and abutment 21 members is rigidly fixed by a connecting member (of the device) connected to these members 7, 21 (the connecting member is not illustrated for simplicity of representation and for the fact that its understanding does not require illustration). Alternatively, the connecting member can be fixed to the second attachment of the second member and to the abutment member 21 or it can be fixed to the first attachment of the first member 5 and connected in a freely rotatable manner to the abutment member 21; in the latter case, such connection member can consist, for example, of a screw, grub screw or pin fixed to the second attachment and constrained to slide inside an annular groove of the abutment member 21 during the opening and closing phases.

[0025] The first member 5 is provided with a first connection 6 for the first attachment to the lid or door and the second member 7 is provided with a second connection 8 for (removable) coupling to the second attachment fixed to the body of the hob or another household appliance.

[0026] One end of the hinge pin 3 carries a thrust element 25 assigned to detect and operate at least one of the switch, damper, valve, or other means, of the second attachment or of the device 1 or of the body. Such thrust element can consist, for example, of a screw with an Allen head in the cavity of which a plastic element is fixed, assigned to match with said switches, valves and other things, without damaging them and reducing noise.

[0027] The thrust element 25 is fixed to the end portion of the hinge pin 3 housed into the second member 7 and slides between a condition inside or almost inside in the first seat 9 and a condition in which it protrudes from such seat and from the second member 7.

[0028] The actuation portions of the second 7 and abutment 21 members and the shaped ends of the first member 5 are shaped and oriented so that in the closed condition C of the device the thrust element 25 protrudes as much as possible from the second member 7 and that the elastic compression force of the first elastic means 19 at least partially balances the weight of the lid or door as it gradually moves away from the open condition.

[0029] The advantageous and preferred variant of figures 17 and 18 differs from the embodiment of the previous figures by the absence of the connecting member and by the adoption of a second elastic means 27 assigned to elastically determine the predetermined distance between the second 7 and abutment 21 members. The second elastic means 27 is housed in a special recess in the shape of a cylindrical wall obtained in the first seat 9 (which essentially consists of an extension towards the elastic element of the part of the first seat assigned for the sliding of the thrust element 25). This second elastic means 27 is compressed between a shoulder, with which the cylindrical wall recess ends and in which the prismatic portion of the first seat assigned for the sliding of the hinge pin begins, and an abutment fixed to the end of the hinge pin 3 next to the second member. Such abutment consists of the head of the thrust element 25.

[0030] The second elastic means 27 consists of a helical spring within which the hinge pin 3 slides and having the outermost end abutting with the thrust element 25 and the innermost end of the device abutting with the shoulder of the first site.

Claims

CLAIMS ) Hinge device with translating hinge pin (3) and comprising a first member (5) and a second member (7) mutually connected by such hinge pin (3) and assigned to be fixed, by means of corresponding first and second attachments, respectively to a lid or to a door and to the body of an appliance, and rotatable with respect to each other between a closed condition (C) of the hinge device (1), in which the lid covers a portion of use of the appliance or the door occludes an opening of the body of the appliance, and a maximum opening condition (A) of the hinge device (1), in which the lid or door forms a maximum opening angle; the hinge device (1) being characterized in that it comprises an abutment member (21) rigidly or elastically fixed at a predetermined distance from the second member (7) where said second member (7) and abutment member (21) are provided with respective first (9) and second (23) seats to accommodate in a sliding manner and without the possibility of mutual rotation at least respective portions of the hinge pin (3) and are provided with respective actuation portions spaced apart, facing each other and helical or cam shaped to form an interposed housing in the shape of a female principle of thread or desmodromic cam and which is assigned to house the first member (5) having ends shaped in the same way or approximately complementary to said actuation portions of the second (7) and abutment (21) members, were said shaped ends rotatably abut said actuation portions, and first member (5) has a respective third seat (11) assigned to accommodate in a freely rotatable manner a portion of the hinge pin (3) where said third seat (11) and hinge pin (3) are provided with respective first (13) and second (15) shoulders, the end of the hinge pin (3) opposite to the second member (7) carries an abutment (17) for a first elastic means (19) acting against the abutment member (21) and, by means of said mutually matching shoulders (13, 15) against the first member (5) applying to these members (21, 5) an elastic approaching force; where the sliding abutment of the actuation portions of the second (7) and abutment (21) members with the ends of the first member (5) during rotation of the latter causes translation of the hinge pin (3) one end of which translates protruding from the second member (7) or from the device (1).2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the cross sections of the hinge pin (3) and of the cavities of the first (9) and second (23) seats of the second (7) and abutment (21) members are shaped like a polygon, such as a regular hexagon or similar, or has at least one straight side.3) Device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the third seat (11) of the first member (5) has a cylindrical shape with a minimum diameter equal to or slightly greater than the maximum transversal dimension of the hinge pin (3).4) Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the first elastic means (19) consists of a helical spring compressed between the abutment (17), consisting of a washer locked to the hinge pin (3), and a flat end of the abutment member (21) opposite the respective actuation portion.5) Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the predetermined distance between the second (7) and abutment (21) members is rigidly fixed by a connection member of the device connected to said members (7, 21) or connected to the second attachment of the second member and fixed to the abutment member (21) or fixed to the first attachment of the first member (5) and connected in a freely rotatable manner to the abutment member (21).6) Device according to any one of claims 1-4 characterized in that the predetermined distance between the second (7) and abutment member (21) is elastically fixed by a second elastic means (27) housed in a respective recess in the shape of a cylindrical wall formed in the first seat (9) where such second elastic means (27) is compressed between a shoulder of the first seat (9) of the second member (7) and an abutment fixed to the end of the hinge pin (3) next to the second member.7) Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the first member (5) is provided with a first connection (6) for the first attachment to the lid or door.8) Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that thesecond member (7) is provided with a second connection (8) for the first attachment to the lid or door.9) Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that one end of the hinge pin (3) has a thrust element (25) assigned to abut and actuate at least one between switch, damper, valves, or other means, of the second attachment or of the device (1) or of the body.10) Device according to claim 9 characterized in that the thrust element (25) is fixed to the end portion of the hinge pin (3) housed in the second member (7) and slides between an internal or almost internal condition into the first seat (9) and a condition in which it protrudes from such seat (9) and from the second member (7).11) Device according to claim 10 characterized in that the actuation portions of the second (7) and abutment (21) members and the shaped ends of the first member (5) are oriented so that in the closed condition (C) of the device the thrust element (25) protrudes as far as possible from the second member (7) and that the elastic compression force of the first elastic means (19) balances at least partially the weight of the lid or door.12) Device according to claims 6 and 10 characterized in that the second elastic means (27) consists of a helical spring within which the hinge pin (3) slides and having the most external end in contact with the thrust element (25) fixed to the end of the hinge pin (3).

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