Fitting for pivotable bearing of a pivot element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional furniture hinges with torsion springs experience increased frictional resistance and wear due to line contact between the spring and hinge components, leading to higher forces required for movement and reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
The hinge design incorporates a rotatably mounted support element for the spring device, introducing rolling friction instead of sliding friction, which reduces wear and the forces needed to move the hinge, and includes a spring device with a rectangular cross-section spring wire for enhanced spring force storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a torsion spring with rectangular cross-section is used to increase spring force storage, then the spring force is improved, but the frictional resistance and wear increase due to line contact
Solution Approach 1:
The support element is designed with a curved surface (cylindrical or spherical shape) that contacts the torsion spring. This curvature transforms the line contact into a point contact or small area contact, enabling rolling motion instead of sliding motion. The curved surface allows the spring to roll along the support element during hinge operation, significantly reducing frictional resistance and wear while maintaining the rectangular cross-section spring for optimal spring force storage.
2Force
If a torsion spring with rectangular cross-section is used to increase spring force storage, then the spring force is improved, but the forces required to move the hinge increase due to sliding friction
Solution Approach 1:
The curved support element enables rolling contact between the torsion spring and the support structure. This rolling contact replaces sliding friction with rolling friction, which is significantly lower. As a result, the force required to move the hinge is reduced, improving ease of operation while the rectangular cross-section spring maintains its high spring force storage capability.
3Device complexity
If the spring device is directly supported on articulated levers, then the structure is simple, but the wear on the fitting increases and service life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support element acts as an intermediary component between the torsion spring and the articulated levers. It provides a dedicated rolling contact surface that protects the articulated levers from direct contact and wear. This intermediary element is specifically designed to handle the spring contact, allowing the main hinge components to last longer while adding minimal structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces frictional resistance and wear, lowering the forces required to open and close the hinge, thereby increasing its service life and improving the overall operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
at least one support element (17) on which a section (16a) of the spring device (16) is supported, wherein the support element (17) is mounted such that it can rotate, so that there is rolling friction between the surfaces of the spring device and the support element that abut one another
Implementation Method 2
The torsion spring is formed from a spring wire with a rectangular cross section. In this way, a greater spring force can be stored in the torsion spring—in direct comparison with a spring wire with a round cross section and the same spring length.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
Fitting (4), in particular hinge (4a), for the movable mounting of a pivoting element (3), in particular for the movable mounting of a furniture part (3a), a window or a door, relative to a stationary support (2), comprising: - a first fitting part (5) for attachment to the stationary support (2), - a second fitting part (6) for attachment to the pivoting element (3), - at least one pivot lever (7a) mounted about at least one pivot axis (A), which articulately connects the first fitting part (5) and the second fitting part (6), - at least one spring device (16) by which the two fitting parts (5, 6) can be moved relative to each other into a, preferably fully, closed position and/or into a, preferably fully, open position, - at least one support element (17) on which a section (16a), preferably an end section, of the spring device (16) is supported.wherein the at least one support element (17) for supporting the spring device (16) is rotatably mounted on the at least one articulated lever (7a).