Hinge for luggage compartment

Abstract

A hinge for luggage compartments comprises two hinge leaves, the first of which has one bearing bushing and the second of which has two. The bearing bushing of the first hinge leaf is rotatably mounted between the bearing bushings of the second hinge leaf about a common hinge axis. A torsion spring is located in an axle tube, which is rotationally fixed to the bearing bushing of the first hinge leaf and rotatably mounted in the bearing bushings of the second hinge leaf. The torsion spring is attached at its first end to the axle tube and connected at its second end to an adjustment element for the spring's preload. A damping element for the hinge's pivoting movement is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in the first bearing bushing of the second hinge leaf and is also connected to the axle tube.The adjusting element is used for preloading the torsion spring and essentially comprises three elements: A) a detent element with a ratchet wheel featuring an outer gear ring, arranged in the second bearing bushing of the second hinge leaf; B) a pawl mounted on the second bearing bushing for engaging the outer gear ring of the ratchet wheel; and C) a stop element that limits the rotation angle α of the adjusting element. The arrangement of the torsion spring, pawl, and ratchet wheel ensures the locking action of the pawl even without axial preload on the torsion spring. In particular, with this hinge, it is not necessary to anchor the torsion spring in the axle tube or on the adjusting element with axial tensile strength. Two hinges per luggage compartment door are typically used in luggage compartments for cars and aircraft.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a damped, force-assisted hinge, particularly for use in vehicles and aircraft. BACKGROUND

[0002] Overhead bins, especially in aircraft, are highly stressed components and present a technical challenge for aircraft cabin outfitters. The available cabin space must be used optimally, handling must be simple, and the opening and closing mechanism must meet the demands of passenger exchange. The following discussion focuses on overhead bins, which are typically designed as fixed containers mounted to the cabin ceiling with a flap for opening and closing. The flap is attached to the bin by two hinges. A separate locking mechanism secures the flap, preventing luggage from falling out. Both the hinges and the locking mechanism must meet stringent safety requirements to ensure safety even in cases of overloading, improper operation, and challenging flight attitudes.It is known to mechanically assist the opening movement of the flap after it has been unlocked. It is also known to dampen this opening movement so that the flap does not spring open uncontrollably. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] A large number of documents relating to luggage compartments with flaps, especially for aircraft, are available in the state of the art.

[0004] EP 0 894 933 A2 describes a hinge with a device for assisting the opening movement and a device for simultaneously damping this opening movement. The components for this are compactly integrated into the hinge. The damping is designed so that the opening speed of the flap decreases as the opening angle increases. The opening movement is assisted by one or two pre-tensioned torsion springs.

[0005] EP 1 217 158 A2 describes a hinge with a fixed and a movable hinge leaf, which have a hinge axis designed as a hollow axle. A torsion spring is arranged in the hollow axle to assist the opening movement.

[0006] German patent application DE 20 2007 014 471 U1 describes a hinge for a luggage compartment with a torsion spring as the drive mechanism for the opening movement. The preload for the torsion spring is adjusted by rotating a component that is inserted into one end of the hollow axle. This component receives one end of the spring on one side and has external teeth on a pin on the other. Once the desired preload is reached, a retaining ring is inserted into the hollow axle. The retaining ring engages the external teeth of the pin on the inside and locks into a corresponding internal tooth on the hollow axle. This defines the position of the component relative to the hollow axle.

[0007] US 2013 / 081228 A1 describes a swiveling hinge with fluid damping for luggage compartments.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to further develop the state of the art, in particular to improve the handling and safety of luggage compartments in cars and airplanes. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] This problem is solved by a hinge having the features of independent claim 1. The dependent claims describe further variants and embodiments.

[0010] Unless otherwise noted, the following disclosure describes a hinge in a functional assembly. On the luggage compartment lid, the hinge(s) is attached at the top, so the lid basically opens upwards against gravity.

[0011] A hinge for the aforementioned applications as a luggage compartment generally comprises two hinge leaves, with the first hinge leaf having a bearing bushing. The second hinge leaf has a first and a spaced-apart second bearing bushing, which are arranged coaxially (aligned). The bearing bushing of the first hinge leaf is rotatably mounted between the bearing bushings of the second hinge leaf about a common hinge axis.

[0012] Furthermore, the hinge comprises an axle tube that is non-rotatably connected to the bearing bushing of the first hinge leaf and rotatably mounted in the bearing bushings of the second hinge leaf. A torsion spring is located inside the axle tube, attached to the axle tube at its first end and connected at its second end to an adjusting element for the spring's preload.

[0013] Furthermore, the hinge has a damping element for its pivoting movement, which is arranged in a rotationally secure manner in the first bearing bushing of the second hinge leaf and is connected to the axle tube on the other hand.

[0014] The aforementioned adjustment element is used for the preload of the torsion spring and essentially comprises three elements: A) A detent element arranged in the second bearing bushing of the second hinge leaf, comprising a ratchet wheel with an outer gear ring; B) A pawl mounted on the second bearing bushing for engaging the outer gear ring of the ratchet wheel; and C) A stop element that limits the rotation angle range α of the adjusting element.

[0015] The arrangement of the torsion spring, pawl, and ratchet wheel allows the locking action of the pawl to be ensured even without axial preload on the torsion spring. In particular, with this hinge, it is not necessary to anchor the torsion spring in the axle tube or on the adjusting element with axial tensile strength.

[0016] Torsion springs made of spring steel are frequently pre-tensioned in the closing direction, meaning they are twisted in the direction of the coils, to achieve a desired restoring torque. This inevitably increases the number of coils in the torsion spring, which in turn leads to a decrease in the spring's diameter due to the constant wire length, while simultaneously increasing its length. This pre-tensioned spring could deflect laterally within the axle tube due to its reduced outer diameter. However, if the torsion spring is pre-tensioned axially, the axial tension decreases with increasing torsion.

[0017] Therefore, in the present arrangement, the spring is twisted in the opening direction against the winding direction to ensure the torque required during operation. When the spring is tensioned by torsion against the winding direction, the spring becomes shorter and increases in diameter. This can be compensated for by appropriately dimensioning the axle tube. The advantage is that the spring ends can be arranged in corresponding receiving pockets or openings in the adjusting element or in the axle tube with axial longitudinal play, and no pressure is exerted in the axial direction.

[0018] Furthermore, the locking action of the pawl can be supported by a spring arranged between the second bearing bushing and the pawl in such a way that it counteracts a pivoting movement of the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. In the present arrangement, a compression spring is preferred.

[0019] The aforementioned detent element for adjusting the torque of the torsion spring essentially comprises a ratchet wheel and a pawl. Such detent elements are known in many designs in the prior art. The ratchet wheel has external teeth on its outer contour, typically with one steep and one flat tooth flank, similar to a sawtooth. The tip of the pawl can slide over the flat flank when rotating forward, while when attempting to rotate backward, it engages the steep flank, forming a positive connection and preventing rotation.

[0020] The pawl tip is held against the locking piece perpendicular to its direction of movement by a force-fit connection (spring force). Depending on the geometric design of the tooth flanks, it is possible to disengage the pawl from the ratchet wheel by applying a force against the retaining spring. If—in an idealized scenario—the locking tooth flank has a perfectly radial orientation, then, in addition to the force of the retaining spring, the friction of the contact surfaces between the pawl and the tooth flank must also be overcome. This makes it clear that—in the present arrangement—the surface pressure between the ratchet wheel and the pawl caused by spring torsion plays a role when the pawl is to be disengaged. Therefore, it is advantageous to reduce this surface pressure by rotating the ratchet wheel slightly against the locking direction, thus relieving the pressure on the pawl.

[0021] This relief step is particularly necessary when the inhibiting tooth flank is inclined in the locking direction and the pawl thus rests in a kind of pocket of the gear rim.

[0022] As the described operating principle makes clear, the locking action of the pawl is ensured without axial preload of the torsion spring. This advantage is particularly significant compared to end-toothed detent elements, which rely on a minimum axial tensile stress to ensure their locking effect.

[0023] A further feature of the invention is that the stop element has a stop disc that rotates with the adjusting element and has a limiter in the form of a radially outwardly projecting circular sector, and uses a stop pin that is fixedly mounted in the second bearing bushing. The limiter, in conjunction with the stop pin, thus prevents the torsion spring from being pre-tensioned beyond the range defined by the two stops. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, with reference to the accompanying figure, that the characteristics of the torsion spring can be adapted by simply adjusting the area of ​​the circular sector or the angular range. In this way, this operating principle can be varied by using a stiffer or softer torsion spring and an adjusting element with a modified stop element.

[0024] Advantageously, the angular range α of the limiter is chosen such that the first end of the circular sector forms the stop for the target torque in the "open" state of the hinge. The second end of the circular sector forms the stop for over-rotation protection of the torsion spring. The purpose of this design will become clear below: The adjustment of the adjusting element can be carried out according to the following pattern: The individual components, such as in Figure 1The components shown are assembled into a hinge in the "open" position. The basic spring tension is set so that the resulting torque of the torsion spring corresponds to the specified torque in the "open" or "held open" position. The detent element is then connected to the bearing bushing with a torque-locking connection, and the pawl is engaged. The orientation of the stop disc is selected so that a locking pin, extending through the bearing bushing into the limiter's operating range, is positioned near or at the first stop of the circular ring sector. This setup is also referred to as the factory setting.

[0025] When the locking pawl is released, the torsion spring can rotate back to its factory setting at the first stop. The second stop is reached after a defined number of clicks when the locking element is rotated forward. This prevents the user from overtightening the torsion spring and thus damaging or destroying it. With each click, the torsion spring is pre-tensioned more, increasing the return torque that helps open the luggage compartment door. This allows a single hinge – within the limits defined by the spring's torsion – to be used for luggage compartment doors of varying weights. The countable clicks serve as a guide for the adjuster, indicating how far the hinge has already been pre-tensioned. Alternatively, a torque wrench can be used, which is inserted into the internal tool holder on the locking element.

[0026] If he miscounts the clicks or selects the wrong torque, he can unlock the pawl by inserting a release pin through the release opening in the second bearing bushing. The hinge can then be reset to its factory setting.

[0027] This adjustment guide is an example, but not the only possible one. However, a professional can extract from it the objectives and a procedural logic that allows them to achieve the same result through an alternative sequence.

[0028] Advantageously, the stop disc can be manufactured as an integral part of the adjusting element. The adjusting element can preferably be produced as an injection-molded plastic part. Additives such as fibers can be added to increase strength. The ratchet wheel can also be manufactured as an integral part of the adjusting element.

[0029] Furthermore, the damping element can be designed so that the damping decreases as the hinge opens. As can be seen from the adjustment instructions above, the hinge is pre-tensioned in the "open" position. Therefore, when the luggage compartment lid is closed, the torsion spring is tensioned even further. This design is chosen to prevent partially open or partially open lids in everyday use. Conversely, this also means that a (just barely closed) luggage compartment lid experiences the greatest torque immediately after unlocking; it could therefore spring open unexpectedly. For this reason, the damping element compensates for the torque most effectively immediately after the lid is unlocked. The decreasing damping ensures that the lid is damped less as the opening angle increases.Ideally, the characteristic curve is adjusted so that the speed of the opening movement is essentially uniform.

[0030] The housing of the second bearing bushing can be provided with a release opening through which the pawl can be unlocked using an inserted tool. This design is inconspicuous yet easily accessible. As described above, this usually requires a relief mechanism for the pawl.

[0031] A luggage compartment for an aircraft or vehicle according to this disclosure therefore comprises a container for holding items with an opening that can be closed by a flap. The connection between the container and the flap is realized by at least two hinges as described above. The adjustment mechanism with audible clicks then allows for easy adjustment of both hinges to the same opening and closing characteristics. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0032] The invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings and particularly preferred embodiments. Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 shows a fully assembled version of the same hinge. Figure 3 shows a detail of the stop plate.

[0033] Figure 1Figure 1 shows the exploded view of the components of a hinge according to this description. Reference numbers 100 and 200 denote the first and second hinge leaf, respectively. The first hinge leaf 100 has a bearing bushing 110, which is to be arranged between the two bearing bushings 210 and 220 of the second hinge leaf 200. 310 and 320 denote bearing shells that can be inserted into the bearing bushings 210 and 220 and may have friction-reducing properties. The axle tube 300 is a central connecting element with an outer contour 330, which can be inserted into the bearing bushing 110 with a corresponding inner contour 120 in a rotationally secure manner. A torsion spring 400 is inserted into the axle tube 300; the first end 410 can be a loop or a pin-shaped end, depending on the design of the wire end.The anchoring in the axle tube 300 can then be achieved, for example, in a slot or by inserting the wire end into a corresponding, simple opening (not shown in the figure). Eliminating the need for axial tension clamping significantly simplifies the assembly of the hinge.

[0034] The axle tube is connected to a damping element 500 in a torque-locking manner, e.g., by interlocking corresponding surface structures. The damping element 500, in turn, has an outer contour that allows it to be inserted into the first bearing bushing and anchored there in a multitude of angular positions. The second end 420 of the torsion spring 400 can be inserted into an adjusting element 600, similar to the anchoring in the axle tube 300. The adjusting element 600 comprises, here integrally realized in one body, a detent element 610 and a ratchet wheel 615 with a gear-like outer contour.

[0035] The pawl 620 engages the ratchet wheel 615 and is pivotally mounted about an axis realized by an axle pin 640. A spring, in this case a compression spring 630, secures the position of the pawl 620 when engaging the ratchet wheel 615.

[0036] The indicated planes P and P' coincide after the hinge components are assembled. This also explains why the pivot pin 640 fits into the side wall of the second bearing bushing 220 in the bearing opening 225. The compression spring 630 is positioned between the outer lever arm of the pawl 620 and the housing of the bearing bushing 220. Reference mark 660 indicates the internal access point (here: hexagonal recess) for a turning tool, which can be used to rotate the detent element 610. Access to the internal access point 660 is maintained through an opening in the cover (lid 650) even after the hinge is assembled.

[0037] The arrow below the locking blade indicates the direction in which a tool should be applied to unlock the pawl. The insertion opening in the housing of the bearing bushing 220 is located in Figure 1 not discernible.

[0038] Figure 2 Figure 900 shows a hinge as described above in the mounted state in the "open" position. The reference symbols describe the same components as in Figure 1 The hinge axis is specified as 910.

[0039] Figure 3 Figure 1 is a functional diagram of a stop disc 700 with the circular sector-shaped limiter 710. Its stop surfaces 711 and 712 are shown as examples and represent only one of several possible configurations. The stop pin 720 is shown in the stop position with surface 712. For orientation, the outline of the cover 650 is indicated with a dashed line.

Claims

1. Hinge (900) for a luggage compartment, comprising a first and second hinge leaf (100, 200), wherein - the first hinge leaf (100) has a bearing bushing (110) and - the second hinge leaf (200) has a first (210) and a spaced-apart second (220) coaxially arranged bearing bushing, between which the bearing bushing (110) of the first hinge leaf (100) is rotatable about a common hinge axis (910), and with an axle tube (300), - which is non-rotatably connected to the bearing bushing (110) of the first hinge leaf (100) and - is rotatably mounted in the bearing bushings (210, 220) of the second hinge leaf (200); and with a torsion spring (400) which is arranged in the axle tube and is attached to the axle tube at its first end (410) and is connected at its second end (420) to an adjusting element (600) for the preload of the torsion spring (400);and with a damping element (500) for the pivoting movement of the hinge, which is arranged in a rotationally secure manner in the first bearing bushing (210) of the second hinge leaf (200) and is connected to the axle tube (300) on the other hand; characterized by the fact that The adjusting element (600) for the preload of the torsion spring (400) comprises: - a detent element (610) arranged in the second bearing bushing of the second hinge leaf (200) with a ratchet wheel (615) with an outer gear ring, - a pawl (620) mounted on the second bearing bushing for engaging the outer gear ring of the ratchet wheel (615) and - a stop element that limits the rotation angle range α of the adjusting element (600); wherein the locking action of the pawl (620) is ensured without axial preload of the torsion spring (400).

2. Hinge according to claim 1, characterized by the fact thatThe locking action of the pawl (620) is supported by a spring (630) which is arranged between the second bearing bushing (220) and the pawl (620) in such a way that it counteracts a pivoting movement of the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel (615).

3. Hinge according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the spring (630) is designed as a compression spring.

4. Hinge according to claims 1-3, characterized by the fact that the stop element comprises a stop disc (700) rotating with the adjusting element (600) with a limiter (710) in the form of a radially outwardly pointing circular ring sector and a stop pin (720) fixed in the second bearing bushing (220) to prevent rotation.

5. Hinge according to claims 1-4, characterized by the fact thatthe angular range α of the limiter (710) is selected such that the first end of the circular ring sector (710) forms the stop for the target torque in the "open" state of the hinge and the second end of the circular ring sector (720) forms the stop for over-rotation protection of the torsion spring.

6. Hinge according to claims 4-5, characterized by the fact that the stop disc (700) is designed as an integral part of the adjusting element (600).

7. Hinge according to claims 1-6, characterized by the fact that the ratchet wheel (615) is an integral part of the adjusting element (600).

8. Hinge according to claims 1-7, characterized by the fact that the damping element (500) is designed such that the damping decreases as the hinge is opened more or less.

9. Hinge according to claims 1-8, characterized by the fact that the characteristic curve of the damping element (500) is designed such that the speed of the opening movement is essentially uniform.

10. Hinge according to claims 1-9, characterized by the fact thatThe housing of the second bearing bushing (220) has a release opening through which the locking pawl (620) can be released by means of an inserted tool.

11. Luggage compartment for an aircraft or vehicle, comprising a container for holding items, with an opening that can be closed by a flap, characterized by the fact that the connection between container and flap is made by at least two hinges according to claims 1-10.

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