Concealed Hinge Asymmetrical Guide Grooves Seal Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concealed hinges used for interior doors cannot be effectively applied to exterior doors due to interference with seals during opening and closing, as they require uniform rotary-translational movement, which fails to properly compress and deform seals for thermal and acoustic insulation.
Innovation Solution
A concealed hinge with asymmetrical curvilinear guide grooves that allow non-uniform rotary-translational movement, enabling translational movement during initial and final stages of door opening/closing to accommodate seal compression and avoid interference, allowing 180° rotation without seal interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If symmetrical rectilinear guide grooves are used in concealed hinges, then the hinge structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the door leaf movement is uniform which causes interference with seals during opening and closing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by providing guide grooves with different shapes in the first and second hinge bodies. The guide groove in the first hinge body has a first shape, while the guide groove in the second hinge body has a second shape that is different from the first shape. This asymmetrical configuration enables non-uniform rotary-translational movement of the door leaf, allowing the door to clear seal abutments during opening and properly compress seals during closing, thereby resolving the interference problem while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Ease of operation
If uniform rotary-translational movement is provided by symmetrical guide grooves, then the hinge operation is smooth, but the door leaf cannot be sufficiently spaced apart from the frame during initial opening portion
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetrical guide groove configuration causes the door leaf to follow a non-uniform运动 path. During the initial portion of opening, the specific geometry of the guide grooves enables the door leaf to move in a direction that increases spacing from the frame more effectively, clearing the seal abutments before rotation begins, thus eliminating interference while maintaining smooth operation throughout the full range of motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide grooves are designed with curvilinear shapes rather than straight lines. The curvilinear geometry allows the sliding pin to follow a controlled curved path, enabling the door leaf to achieve the necessary spacing from the frame during initial opening movement, then transition smoothly into rotation, and finally compress seals properly during closing.
3Device complexity
If symmetrical guide grooves are used, then the hinge structure is simple, but the door leaf moves in a direction parallel to the frame surface which prevents adequate seal compression
Solution Approach 1:
The different shapes of guide grooves in the two hinge bodies create an asymmetrical movement pattern that ensures the door leaf approaches the frame at the correct angle during closing. This non-uniform motion path guarantees that the door leaf moves in a direction that properly compresses the seals against the abutments, ensuring reliable sealing performance while maintaining relatively simple hinge construction.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a concealed hinge (1) of the type utilisable for pivotally connecting a movable leaf to a stationary frame. The hinge (1) according to the invention has a structure allowing a non-uniform rotary-translational movement of the leaf relative to the frame. Along the opening/closing path of said leaf it is possible to have some path sections in which the movement is mainly, or even substantially, a translational movement, and other sections in which the movement is mainly, or even substantially, a rotary movement. Thanks to such a measure, the invention is advantageously applicable in all cases in which it is preferable to have a non-uniform rotary-translational movement of the movable leaf relative to the frame, and more particularly in all cases in which one or more seals are provided between the leaf and the corresponding frame. In such cases, use of the hinge according to the invention ensures the proper seal compression during door closure.