HINGE DEVICE WITH BIDIRECTIONAL DAMPER

Description

HINGE DEVICE WITH BIDIRECTIONAL DAMPER On behalf of: CMI Cerniere Meccaniche Industriali Srl with headquarters in: Loc. Crespellano - 40053 Valsamoggia (BO) - Via 2 Agosto 1980, 1 / D DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention falls within the sector concerning hinges for appliances, furniture, devices and appliances and refers to a hinged device with bidirectional damper particularly suitable for appliances with swing door of horizontal rotation in which the final opening and closing strokes must be slow down. 10 There are known hinged devices equipped with dampers, also called dampers, to slow down one or more rotation sections of the device itself. One disadvantage of such known devices is that they are usually difficult to adapt or modify to meet different needs. Other disadvantages include their high complexity and cost and they are often 15 subject to wear and / or failure. An object of the present invention is to propose a hinge device with relatively simple and inexpensive bidirectional damper. Another aim is to offer a reliable and long-lasting device. A further aim is to propose a device whose general architecture facilitates the 20 possibilities to make it with different operating parameters and / or different components. Another aim is to propose a configurable device for damping the strokes opening and closing terminals or just the opening terminal stroke. A further purpose is to allow easy adjustment of the opening angles in at which points the damping of the hinge's rotation motion is activated. 25 The features of the invention are highlighted below with particular Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others) reference to the attached drawings in which: - Figures 1 to 4 illustrate median longitudinal sectional views of the device hinge with bidirectional damper, object of the present invention, in a opening sequence; 5 - Figures 5 and 6 illustrate partially and partially axonometric views respectively totally exploded device of figure 1; - Figures 7 to 10 illustrate median longitudinal sectional views of a variant of the hinge device with bidirectional damper, the subject of this invention, in an opening sequence; 10 - Figures 11 and 12 illustrate partially and partially axonometric views respectively totally exploded device of figure 7. With reference to figures 1 to 6, 1 indicates the hinge device with bidirectional damper object of the present invention comprising a first member 3 of a hollow type, for example intended to be fixed to a body or frame of a 15 household appliance, and a second member 5, intended to be fixed to a door or door of such an appliance. Such first members 3 and second 5 are mutually connected in a rotatably manner by means of a hinge pin 7 and are intended, when the door or door rotates between the closed and compressed conditions appliance gaskets, figure 1, and the fully open condition 20 of the apparatus illustrated in figure 4. Said device 1 also comprises an elastic member 9 interacting between the members first 3 and second 5 to impress on the device 1, via transmission means 11, an elastic closing force. The device 1 also comprises a linear damper element 13 equipped with two 25 opposite ends, for example of the elongated shape type whose opposite ends are Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others) elastically pushed towards their maximum distance corresponding to the maximum length of the damper element. The damper element 13 can be of the type friction or syringe type containing a viscous fluid that slows the stroke of the piston whose stem carries a helical spring for the extroflexion of the stem itself. 5 ends of the damping element 13 are interposed between a first element of compression 15 and at least one second compression element 17, 19, 21. The first compression element 15, for example of an “L” shape, is constrained to move smoothly towards and away from hinge pin 7 that is, in the direction from and to the at least one second compression element 17, 19, 10 21. The first compression element 15 is driven in translation by the means of transmission 11 approaching the at least one second compression element 17, 19, 21 during a predetermined final opening stroke of the device 1. The at least one second compression member comprises an element 17 fixed to the first member 15 3 and / or it comprises at least one element 19, 21 constrained to slide in approaching and moving away from the hinge pin 7 or in the direction from and to the first compression element 15 and such at least one translating element 19, 21 and is driven by the transmission means 11 in approach to the first element of compression 15 during a predetermined final closing stroke of device 1. 20 In the said predetermined final opening and closing strokes, the distance between the first element of compression 15 and the at least one second compression element 17, 19, 21 i.e. the its fixed and / or translating elements is less than the maximum distance between the ends of the damper element 13 or at the maximum length of the latter. The transmission means 11 can act on the first compression element 15 and 25 on at least one second compression element 19, 21 translating by pushing them or Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others) dragging them in their motion of transmission of the elastic force between the first members 3 and second 5. In particular, and as illustrated in figures 1 to 6, means of transmission 11 comprise a spring guide element 25 and a traction element 27 connected through pins and / or connections between them and, respectively, to the elastic member 9 and to the second 5 member 5 transmitting and applying said elastic force between the first members 3 and second 5. The first compression element 15 is provided with a sliding element 29 of protruding type, preferably comprising a pair of protruding pins each slidably engaged in a respective first actuating element 31 of type 10 concave, preferably consisting of a pair of sliding slots for such pins of the sliding element 29. The slots of the first actuating element 31 are obtained in the proximal portion, that is, facing the hinge pin 7, of the spring guide element 25. Preferably, but not necessarily, the protruding pins of the element 15 sliding 29 can also slide in a respective guide element 33 preferably consisting of at least one pair of sliding slots for such pins of the sliding element 29. The guide element 33 is formed in, or fixed to, first member 3. The position, size and general geometric characteristics of the first element 20 of drive 31 cause the terminal feedback, i.e. the mutual feedback, with the respective sliding element 29 or, in other words, the contact at the stop of each protruding pin of the sliding element 29 of the first element of compression 15 with one end of the corresponding slot of the first element of actuation 31 of the spring guide element 25 so as to achieve the actuation, 25 or the translation of the first compression element 15 in approach Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others) to at least one second compression element 17, 19, 21 during said predetermined final closing stroke of device 1. Alternatively, it is envisaged that the sliding element 29 is of the concave type and the the first actuating element 31 is of the protruding type. 5 The slots of the first actuating element 31 of the spring guide element 25 can be replaced by shoulders or brackets to support the pins placed in place of the ends of the buttonholes. The buttonholes can be equipped with terminal elements, for example consisting of in plastic brackets, or the shoulders or shelves can be equipped with shims or position regulators, e.g. screw type, to adjust the opening angle of the start of the 10 predetermined final opening section, adjusting its angular width and therefore the intervention range of the damper element 13. The second compression element 17, 19, 21 comprises at least one shoulder 17, preferably two lateral and mutually facing shoulders, obtained in or fixed to the internal face of the first member 3 and intended to meet the respective end 15 of the damper element 13 at least in the predetermined final opening stroke of the device 1. Preferably, but not necessarily, the second compression member 17, 19, 21 may comprise a shelf element 19 fixed to or formed into the element of traction 27 and intended to match the respective end of the damper element 20 13 in the preset final closing stroke of device 1. Referring now to figures 7 to 12, the embodiment variant of the device provides that the first compression elements 15 and second 17, 19, 21 consist of, each, in a feedback element 15, 21 provided with a respective feedback element sliding 29 consisting of a protruding and slidingly engaged pin or arm 25 in a respective first actuating element 31 consisting of a slot for the Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others) corresponding pin or arm obtained in the spring guide element 25 and possibly also smoothly engaged in a respective optional guide element 33 consisting of a slot or rail made in or fixed to the first member 3. The slots or concave rails of the guide element 33 allow free translation of the respective 5 check elements 15, 21 and the position and size of the slots of the first actuating element 31 causes the terminal contact with the corresponding sliding element 29 of the respective abutment element 15, 21 and the drive of the latter approaching the other reference element 21, 15 during said pre-set final closing and opening strokes of the device 1. In particular, each 10 the counter element 15, 21 is provided with a single protruding pin or arm and the The respective edge is equipped with a straight section, with anti-rotation function, parallel to the direction of translation of the abutment element 15, 21 itself and sliding along a sliding shoe 37. Such sliding shoes 37, one for each of the 15, 21 or single body counter elements are made of material 15 anti-friction, to facilitate sliding, or alternatively, in friction material to slow down the sliding of the first 15 and second 21 compression elements and for provide additional braking action during the terminal portions of the rotation of the hinge. A further alternative is that one of the sliding shoes 37 is in anti-friction material and that the other of them 37 is made of friction material to provide a 20 additional braking action during a terminal portion, opening or closing, of the rotation of the hinge. Both embodiments, the main one and the variant one, provide that the member spring 9 consists of a helical spring wrapped around the spring guide element 25 and compressed between an end stop of the spring guide element 25 and a portion of 25 surface of the first member 3 extending around a hole passing through the element Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others) spring guide 25 itself where the end of the latter opposite the terminal stop is pivoted to a distal end of the traction element 27. The first member 3 is shaped like a hollow parallelepiped and is made of sheet metal. shaped and folded and is open and its longitudinal development is parallel to the 5 spring guides 25, to each first actuating element 31 and to each actuating element guide 33. Both forms of the device 1 may optionally comprise a member of optional housing 39, rigidly fixed to the first member 3 and containing the damper element 13 and a proximal portion of the spring guide 25 slide in 10 it. The optional housing member 39 carries at least each second element of compression 17 and the slots and / or rails of each guide element 33. This optional housing member 39 has a cross-section in the shape of a “U” elongated and two side walls in each of which a second 15 compression element 17 and two slots and / or rails of a guide element 33. Agazzani & Associates Srl Engineer Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration no. 604BM) (for oneself and for others)

Claims

1) Hinge device with bidirectional damper comprising a first member (3) and a second member (5) mutually connected in a rotatable manner by means of a hinge pin (7), said first (3) and second (5) members being intended, one to be fixed to a door or door for the rotation of the latter between the closed and fully open conditions of the appliance and the other to be fixed to a structure or frame of the appliance; said device (1) further comprises an elastic member (9) interacting between the first (3) and second (5) members to impart by means of transmission (11) an elastic closing force to the device (1);said device (1) is characterised by the fact that it comprises a damping element (13) equipped with two opposite ends interposed between a first compression element (15) and at least one second compression element (17, 19, 21), where the first compression element (15) is constrained to slide towards and away from the hinge pin (7) and is actuated by the transmission means (11) towards the at least one second compression element (17,19, 21) during a predetermined final opening stroke of the device (1); the at least one second compression element (17) is fixed to the first member (3) and / or it (19, 21) is constrained to slide towards and away from the hinge pin (7) and is actuated by the transmission means (11) towards the first compression element (15) during a predetermined final closing stroke of the device (1).; 2) Device according to claim 1 characterised in that the transmission means (11) comprise a spring guide element (25) and a traction element (27) connected by pins and / or connections between them and, respectively, to the elastic member (9) and to the second member (5) to apply said elastic force between the first (3) and second (5) members. 3) Device according to claim 2 characterised in that the first compression element (15) is provided with at least one sliding element (29) each slidably engaged in a respective first actuation element (31) obtained in the spring guide element (25) and in a respective guide element (33) obtained in or fixed to the first member (3) where the position, dimensions (and geometric characteristics in general) of the first actuation element (31) cause the terminal contact with the respective sliding element (29) and the actuation of the latter in approaching the at least one second compression element (17, 19, 21) during said pre-set final closing stroke of the device (1). 4) Device according to claim 3 characterised in that the second compression element (17, 19, 21) comprises at least one shoulder (17) obtained in or fixed to the first member (3) and intended to meet the respective end of the damping element (13) in the predetermined final opening stroke of the device (1) and / or comprises a bracket element (19) fixed to or obtained in the traction element (27) and intended to meet the respective end of the damping element (13) in the predetermined final closing stroke of the device (1). 5) Device according to claim 3 characterised in that the first (15) and second (17, 19, 21) compression elements each consist of a contact element (15, 21) provided with a respective sliding element (29) protruding and slidingly engaged in a respective first concave actuation element (31) obtained in the spring guide element (25) and slidingly Agazzani & Associati Srl Ing. Giampaolo Agazzani (Registration in the Register η.604BM) (in itself and for others) also engaged in a respective guide element (33) consisting of a slot or rail obtained in or fixed to the first member (3) where the position and dimensions of the slots of the first actuating element (31) cause the terminal contact with the corresponding sliding element (29) of the respective actuating element (15, 21) and the actuation of the latter in approaching the other actuating element (21, 15) during said pre-set final closing and opening strokes of the device (1). 6) Device according to claim 5 characterised in that each contact element (15, 21) is provided with a single pin or protruding arm and that the respective edge is provided with a straight section parallel to the direction of translation of the contact element (15, 21) itself and sliding along a sliding shoe (37) made of anti-friction material fixed directly or indirectly to the first member (3). 7) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the elastic member (9) consists of a helical spring wrapped around the spring guide element (25) and compressed between an end stop of the spring guide element (25) and a surface of the first member (3) around a hole passing through the spring guide element (25) itself where the end of the latter opposite the end stop is hinged to a distal end of the traction element (27). 8) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the first member (3) is in the shape of an open parallelepiped, having a longitudinal development parallel to the spring guide (25), to each first actuation element (31) and to each guide element (33). 9) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that it comprises a housing member (39) rigidly fixed to the first member (3) and containing the damping element (13) and a proximal portion of the spring guide (25) sliding therein, and bearing at least each second compression element (17) and the slots and / or rails of each guide element (33). 5 10) Device according to claim 9 characterised in that the housing member (39) has an elongated “U” shaped cross-section and two side walls in each of which a second compression element (17) and two slots and / or rails of a guide element (33) are formed.