Invisible Furniture Hinge With Internal Deceleration for Quiet Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing invisible hinges for furniture doors suffer from noise due to elastic means causing door impact and require external deceleration devices that protrude, limiting design and functionality, especially when lacking rockers or using single articulation axes.
Innovation Solution
An invisible hinge with a deceleration device or elastic means internally integrated within the fixed and movable parts, operated independently of the articulation mechanism, allowing for flexible rocker configurations and operation without protrusions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastic means are used to keep the door in the closed position, then the door can be kept closed, but the door hits the furniture body causing unwanted noise
Solution Approach 1:
The deceleration device is activated before the door completes its closing movement, reducing the door's closing speed in advance. This preliminary deceleration prevents the door from hitting the furniture body with excessive force, thereby eliminating noise while maintaining the door's closed position function
Solution Approach 2:
The deceleration device acts as an intermediary between the door and the furniture body during the closing process. It provides controlled resistance to the door's movement, smoothly decelerating it before contact with the furniture body, thus preventing direct impact and noise generation
2Object-generated harmful factors
If an external shock absorber is mounted on the fixed part of the hinge, then deceleration can be provided, but the overall dimensions of the fixed part increase
Solution Approach 1:
The deceleration device is nested within the internal cavity of the fixed part of the hinge. This internal integration allows the deceleration mechanism to be housed without increasing the external dimensions of the fixed part, maintaining a compact and invisible hinge design while providing effective noise reduction
3Volume of moving object
If the deceleration device is housed inside the fixed part and operated by rockers, then internal integration is achieved, but constraints in the shape of the rockers limit the opening movement of the hinge
Solution Approach 1:
The operation of the deceleration device is extracted from the rocker mechanism. Instead of being operated by the rockers, the deceleration device is directly actuated by the movable part of the hinge during its closing movement. This extraction eliminates the shape constraints on the rockers that would otherwise limit the hinge's opening movement, while maintaining internal integration of the deceleration device
4Ease of operation
If the deceleration device is operated by the movable part contacting the actuation portion, then direct operation is achieved, but the movable part contacts the actuation portion only in the last degrees of closing movement
Solution Approach 1:
The deceleration device is designed to be activated in advance during the closing movement, not just in the final degrees. The actuation mechanism engages the deceleration device early in the closing process, allowing sufficient time for speed reduction before the door approaches the closed position, thereby improving deceleration effectiveness while maintaining simple direct operation
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
The solution provides effective deceleration and noise reduction without shape constraints, applicable to various hinge designs, including those without rockers or single articulation axes, ensuring smooth and quiet door closure.
Implementation Method 1
a deceleration device mounted externally on an extension of the fixed part of the hinge
Implementation Method 2
the hinges also include suitable elastic means designed to urge the hinge itself in the closing direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The hinge (1) for furniture comprises a substantially flat-shaped fixed part (2) conformed to be inserted in a seat (3) provided within the thickness of a horizontal wall (4) of the piece of furniture and a movable part (5) connectable to a door (7); the hinge (1) comprises a movement control device (39) for controlling the closing/opening movement of the hinge (1) completely arranged within said fixed part (2) or movable part (5) of the hinge, and a drive member (40) for driving the movement control device (39), movably supported by the other of said fixed part (2) and movable part (5) of the hinge and operatively connected or actuated by the hinge part (2, 5) in which the movement control device (39) is arranged, said drive member (40) cooperating with the movement control device (39) independently from the articulation device (11-14, 54) of the hinge.