(19)
(11)EP 3 088 648 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
09.09.2020 Bulletin 2020/37

(21)Application number: 16159428.8

(22)Date of filing:  09.03.2016
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC): 
E05F 1/12(2006.01)
F24C 15/02(2006.01)

(54)

HINGE FOR A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

SCHARNIER FÜR HAUSHALTSGERÄTE

CHARNIÈRE POUR DES APPAREILS MÉNAGERS


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30)Priority: 30.04.2015 IT BZ20150012

(43)Date of publication of application:
02.11.2016 Bulletin 2016/44

(73)Proprietor: Laag S.r.l.
39040 Montagna (IT)

(72)Inventors:
  • Meurer, Gerold
    39040 Magré (BZ) (IT)
  • Margonari, Massimiliano
    38122 Trento (IT)

(74)Representative: Hofstetter, Schurack & Partner 
Patent- und Rechtsanwaltskanzlei PartG mbB Balanstrasse 57
81541 München
81541 München (DE)


(56)References cited: : 
EP-A2- 1 039 231
DE-A1-102011 008 252
DE-A1- 10 152 907
  
      
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The present invention relates to a hinge for connecting the door of a home appliance to the body of the home appliance, according to the preamble of claim 1.

    [0002] The document DE102011008252 A1 shows a hinge having all the characteristics indicated in the preamble of claim 1.

    [0003] In addition to what is indicated in the preamble of claim 1, the transmission body of said known hinge is also provided with a cavity, in which a damper is housed in a mobile way. Said damper is intended to interact with some abutment surfaces in order to generate damping forces which, upon complete opening of the door, counteract the weight force which acts on the door and, upon complete closing of the door, the force generated by the operating means. In this way one varies the overall force applied to the arm during the closing of the door and the overall force applied to the operating means during the opening of the door.

    [0004] In the case of this known hinge, the reciprocal rotation between the base body and the arm is thus controlled at all moments by the sliding of the transmission pin into the guiding slit.

    [0005] On the other hand, there is nothing for guiding the movement of the transmission body along the direction of longitudinal extension of the base body, therefore it is possible to have, within the play present between the internal surface of the base body and the external surface of the transmission body, small movements perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal extension of the base body of the hinge. These small movements can involve some inaccuracies and cause noise.

    [0006] Moreover, EP 1 039 231 A1 shows a hinge, in particular for oven flaps.

    [0007] The document DE10152907 A1, too, discloses a hinge, which has all the characteristics indicated in the preamble of claim 1. In the case of said known hinge the transmission body is substantially L-shaped and the transmission pin is rigidly connected to the shorter part of said L. The guiding means comprise, in addition to what is indicated in the preamble of claim 1, a second guiding slit and a guiding pin. This guiding pin, too, is rigidly connected, like the transmission pin, to the L-shaped transmission body, but to its long part.

    [0008] On the other hand, the second guiding slit is placed in the base body and the guiding pin is inserted in it in such a way that, upon the reciprocal rotation between the base body and the arm, the guiding pin slides in said second guiding slit.

    [0009] In the case of this known hinge, the reciprocal rotation between the base body and the arm is thus controlled at all moments both by the sliding of the transmission pin in the first guiding slit and by the sliding of the guiding pin in the second guiding slit. The simultaneous action of the two guiding slits allows to determine, thanks to their shape and extension, a precise regime of the reciprocal rotation between the base body and the arm. During this the sliding of the transmission pin in the first guiding slit is particularly useful to carry out the reciprocal rotation and the sliding of the guiding pin in the second guiding slit is particularly useful to guide the movement of the transmission body along a desired and provided direction.

    [0010] To this precise rotation regime corresponds, thanks to the action of the transmission means, a just as precise regime of the forces acting on the arm during the opening or the closing of the door, so that one can obtain both a complete opening, at about 90°, and a complete closing of the door, at about 0°, and the maintenance in perfect balance of intermediate opening positions of the door, between 20° and 70°, in which the force exerted by the operating means and transmitted by the transmission means compensates for the weight force which acts on the door.

    [0011] Said known hinge performs its task very well, but the presence of two different guiding slits with the associated transmission pin and guiding pin involves a complex kinematic system, whereby the production costs of such a hinge are high and greater than other known hinges which are simpler from the construction point of view.

    [0012] Starting from the previously described technical context, the aim of the present invention is to propose a hinge of the type indicated at the beginning which is simpler than the known hinges from a construction point of view and which in any case allows to obtain the same results obtainable by the more complex known hinges.

    [0013] In the case of a hinge of the type indicated at the beginning, said aim is achieved according to the invention if the hinge additionally has the characteristics as in the characterizing part of claim 1.

    [0014] In the case of the hinge according to the invention, the reciprocal rotation between the base body and the arm is thus controlled at all moments both by the sliding of the transmission pin in the guiding slit and by the sliding of the contact surface of the base body on the level guiding surface. The simultaneous action of the guiding slit and of the level guiding surface allows to determine, as in the known prior art case, a precise regime of the reciprocal rotation between the base body and the arm. During this the sliding of the transmission pin in the guiding slit is particularly useful to carry out the reciprocal rotation and the sliding of the contact surface of the base body on the level guiding surface is particularly useful to guide the movement of the transmission body along the direction of longitudinal extension of the base body.

    [0015] To this rotation regime corresponds, thanks to the interaction, made possible by the transmission means, between the arm and the operating means, a just as precise regime of the forces acting on the arm during the opening or the closing of the door, so that by the hinge according to the invention it is possible to obtain, although in the presence of fewer components and of a much simpler structure than that of the known hinges from a construction point of view, the same results obtainable by the prior art hinges, that is to say, a complete opening or closing of the door and the maintenance in perfect balance of the intermediate opening positions of the door between 20° and 70°.

    [0016] Moreover, the transmission body comprises two reciprocally parallel parts and with its two reciprocally parallel parts which are provided with reciprocally opposite through-holes, on both sides of the arm to enclose between said two parts at least one section of the guiding slit, wherein the transmission pin is inserted and constrained in the two through-holes, wherein the two reciprocally parallel parts each have a U-shaped cross section, and wherein one of the free legs of each U-shaped part faces the level guiding surface, the U-shaped parts being arranged such that the free legs are directed away from each other.

    [0017] If, as it is claimed in claim 2, the level guiding surface is made up of an internal surface of the base body 1, it is possible to use for this purpose a surface already present in the hinge. If then, as it is claimed in claim 3, the base body has a box-like cross section, the level guiding surface can be made up of the internal surface of one of the walls forming the base body. And if then, as it is claimed in claim 4, the box-like cross section of the base body is open, the wall of the base body having the level guiding surface can be the one opposite to the open side of the base body.

    [0018] With reference to the contact surface, it is advantageous that it is made up, as it is claimed in claim 5, of a portion of the external surface of the transmission body, since it is already present in the hinge. As an alternative, if it is appropriate to change the friction coefficient between the level guiding surface and the contact surface, the latter is made up, as it is claimed in claim 6, of a portion of the external surface of an intermediate body, which is arranged in a fixed way on a portion of the external surface of the transmission body and is made of a material different from that of which the transmission body is made.

    [0019] Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will be more evident from the following description of embodiments of the hinge according to the invention, which are shown as a non-limiting example on the basis of the enclosed drawings, in which:

    figures 1 and 2a schematically show a perspective view and a longitudinal section, along the section line B-B of figure 1, of the hinge according to the invention, the base body and the arm being in a first typical reciprocal position;

    figure 2b schematically shows a representation similar to that of figure 2a, but in the case of a second embodiment of the operating means;

    figures 3 and 4 schematically show a view from the bottom of the hinge of figures 1 and 2a and, in an enlarged scale, a cross section along the section line C-C of figure 3; figures 5 to 7 show the hinge of figure 2a in a sequence of possible positions which may be assumed during the movement of opening of the door;

    figure 8 shows a Cartesian coordinate system (X,Y), in which the midline of the guiding slit and the position of the centre of the transmission pin are represented with reference to some opening angles of the door;

    figures 9 and 10 show a side view similar to figure 2a and a cross section similar to figure 4 in the case of another embodiment of the hinge according to the invention.



    [0020] The figures show a hinge for connecting the door of a home appliance to the body of the home appliance, but the door and the home appliance are not shown. Such a hinge comprises a base body 1 and an arm 2, which are connected to each other by means of a hinging pin 3 in such a way that each of them 1,2 is rotatable with respect to the other 2,1 in the two possible directions of rotation around the rotation axis A of the hinging pin 3. Usually, the base body 1 is fixed to the body of the home appliance and the arm 2 is fixed to the door. However, the contrary is also possible, that is to say, it is also possible to fix the arm 2 to the body of the home appliance and the base body 1 to the door. For the invention it is not important which of the two situations is selected. The figures represent the first situation, in which the base body 1 is fixed, since it is fixed to the body of the home appliance, while the arm 2 rotates with respect to the base body 1, since it 2 is fixed to the door.

    [0021] The hinge also comprises operating means and transmission means.

    [0022] The operating means act to generate a force which is used to rotate the base body 1 and the arm 2 with respect to each other towards a first typical reciprocal position, that is to say, that which corresponds to the situation of completely closed door. In this situation, shown for example in figure 2a, the door and, therefore, the arm 2 fixed to it form with the vertical an angle of about 0°. Figure 7 shows a second typical reciprocal position of the base body 1 and of the arm 2, that is to say, that which corresponds to the situation of completely open door, in which the door and, therefore, the arm 2 fixed to it form with the vertical an angle of about 90°.

    [0023] The transmission means interact with the operating means and with the arm 2 both to transmit and apply to the arm 2 the force generated by the operating means and to transmit and apply to the operating means the external force which is applied on the door of the home appliance to rotate the base body 1 and the arm 2 with respect to each other towards their second typical reciprocal position, that is to say, that which corresponds to the situation of completely open door shown for example in figure 7.

    [0024] The transmission means comprise at least one transmission body 4 and one transmission pin 5. The transmission body 4 is mobile along the direction of longitudinal extension B of the base body 1, which coincides with the section line B-B visible in figure 1, and on it 4 the operating means act to move it along said direction of longitudinal extension B. The transmission pin 5 is rigidly connected to the transmission body 4 and the arm 2 acts on it.

    [0025] The hinge also comprises guiding means for guiding in the two possible directions of rotation the reciprocal rotation between the base body 1 and the arm 2 around the rotation axis A of the hinging pin 3. The guiding means comprise at least one guiding slit 6, which extends in the arm 2. In said guiding slit 6 the transmission pin 5 is inserted in such a way that upon a reciprocal rotation between the base body 1 and the arm 2 it 5 slides in the guiding slit 6 and the transmission body 4, which is rigidly connected to the transmission pin 5, moves along the direction of longitudinal extension B.

    [0026] According to the invention the guiding means also comprise a level guiding surface 1a, which extends parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension B of the base body 1. Always according to the invention, the guiding slit 6 extends in length and has edges that are shaped according to curved lines in such a way that during the sliding of the transmission pin 5 in it 6 the force F that said guiding slit 6 transmits to the transmission pin 5, always comprises also a force component Fy that is directed, perpendicularly to the direction of longitudinal extension B, towards the level guiding surface la. By effect of said force Fy the transmission body 4, which is rigidly connected to the transmission pin 5, is always pushed towards the level guiding surface 1a and a contact surface 4a;4b of it 4 is always pressed against the level guiding surface 1a and therefore slides on it 1a during the movement of the transmission body 4 along the direction of longitudinal extension B.

    [0027] The force F and its component Fy have been represented for example, in a qualitative way, in figure 8 with reference for example to the situation of door open at 50°.

    [0028] This figure shows, with reference to a Cartesian coordinate system X,Y having origin in the rotation axis A of the hinging pin 3 (shown for example in figure 5), the middle axis of the guiding slit 6 and the relative position of the centre of the transmission pin 5 in some positions of the door identified by the indicated opening angle. As one can see in figure 8, although sliding within the respective guiding slit 6, the transmission pin 5 is always on a straight line parallel to the X axis. This is due to presence of the guiding surface 1a, against which the contact surface 4a;4b of the transmission body is pressed. Therefore, when according to the invention it is stated that the force F, which the guiding slit 6 transmits to the transmission pin 5, always comprises also a force component Fy that is directed, perpendicularly to the direction of longitudinal extension B, towards the level guiding surface 1a, it is meant that such a force component Fy is present, although with a different intensity module, for any opening angle of the door.

    [0029] The level guiding surface 1a is suitably formed by an internal surface of the base body 1. If, as it is shown in the figures, the base body 1 has a box-like cross section, then the level guiding surface 1a is formed by the internal surface of one of the walls that make up the base body 1. If the box-like cross section of the base body 1 is open, then the wall of the base body 1 which has the level guiding surface 1a is the one opposite to the open side of the base body 1, it as it is shown in figure 4 or 10.

    [0030] In a first embodiment, shown for example in figure 4, the contact surface is formed by a portion 4a of the external surface of the transmission body 4. As an alternative, in a second embodiment, shown in figure 10, the contact surface is formed by a portion 4b of the external surface of an intermediate body 8, which is arranged in a fixed way on a portion of the external surface of the transmission body 4 and is made of a material different from that of which the transmission body 4 is made.

    [0031] The transmission body 4 suitably extends, with two of its parts 4c which are reciprocally parallel and are provided with reciprocally opposite through-holes 4d, on both sides of the arm 2 to enclose between said two parts 4c at least one section of the guiding slit 6.

    [0032] In that case the transmission pin 5 is inserted and constrained in the two through-holes 4d.

    [0033] As to the operating means, two embodiments are provided.

    [0034] A first embodiment provides that the operating means consist of a traction spring 7, see figures 2a and 5 to 7, which is arranged inside the base body 1 and is hooked with a first end 7a to the base body 1 and with a second end 7b to the transmission body 4.

    [0035] A second embodiment of the operating means provides that the operating means consist of a compression spring 10. In that case the base body 1 has a transverse closing wall with a hole and the transmission body 4 has an elongate part, which extends through said hole and has an abutment-like end. It is also provided, see figure 2b, that the compression spring 10 is wound around the elongate part of the transmission body 4 and rests with a first end 10a on the transverse closing wall and with a second end 10b on the abutment-like end of the elongate part of the transmission body 4.

    [0036] On the transmission pin 5 a roller 9 can also be arranged in a freely rotatable way, said roller 9 being in contact with the edges of the guiding slit 6 and facilitating sliding.

    [0037] The operation of the hinge according to the invention is as follows.

    [0038] In the closed position of the door the base body 1 and the arm 2 are in the situation shown in figures 2a and 9 or in figure 2b. The opening angle of the door is 0°. In this position the return action of the traction spring 7 or of the compression spring 10 is still active, therefore the door is pressed against the body of the home appliance. In order for this to happen, the guiding slit 6 has been designed in such a way that, when the door is in the position at 0°, the transmission pin 5 is not in the end-of-stroke position yet, but in a position close to the end-of-stroke position, therefore it 5 could advance a little more in the guiding slit 6 before having to stop. This situation can be seen in figures 2a, 2b, 9. To this end-of-stroke position of the transmission pin 5 in the guiding slit 6 an opening angle of -3° is associated, see figure 8, that is to say, if the body of the home appliance was not present, the door would invade the space in which the body of the home appliance is, and this guarantees that the closed door is pressed against the body of the home appliance. When one opens the door with one's hand, one must overcome the force of the traction spring 7 or of the compression spring 10. If one leaves the door before reaching the 20° of opening, the return force of the traction spring 7 or of the compression spring 10 closes the door again. As the opening angle of the door increases, the transmission pin 5 slides in the guiding slit 6, see figures 5 to 7, and the transmission body 4 is pulled along the direction of longitudinal extension B and said longitudinal movement causes an increase in the return force of the traction spring 7 or of the compression spring 10, which are progressively more and more respectively stretched or compressed. In the opening range between 20°, figure 5, and 70°, figure 6, it is possible to reach the balance between the weight force acting on the door and the return force exerted by the traction spring 7 or by the compression spring 10 and the door remains in balance in its open position. The force Fy acting on the transmission pin 5 is transmitted to the transmission body 4, therefore during the longitudinal movement of the transmission body 4 the contact surface 4a or the contact surface 4b of it 4 is pressed against the level guiding surface 1a and the transmission body 4 is forced by the level guiding surface 1a to perform a perfectly rectilinear longitudinal movement along the direction of longitudinal extension B.

    [0039] In the open position of the door the base body 1 and the arm 2 are in the situation shown in figure 7. The opening angle of the door is about 90°, more precisely 86°, because in this situation, too, the transmission pin 5 is not in its end-of-stroke position, but in a position close to it. The return action of the traction spring 7 or of the compression spring 10 is maximum, but the weight force, to which the door is subjected, prevails. If one starts closing the door with one's hand, that is to say, if the opening angle of the door decreases, the transmission pin 5 slides in the guiding slit 6 in an opposite direction with respect to what occurs during the opening of the door and the movement of the transmission body 4, which is pulled along the direction of longitudinal extension B in an opposite direction with respect to what occurs during the opening of the door, causes a progressive release of the traction spring 7 or of the compression spring 10, which are progressively less and less respectively stretched or compressed. Thus, one has again the opening range between 20°, figure 5, and 70°, figure 6, in which it is possible to reach the balance between the weight force acting on the door and the return force exerted by the traction spring 7 or by the compression spring 10, therefore the door remains in balance in its the open position. The force Fy is obviously transmitted to the transmission body 4 also during the closing of the door, therefore the contact surface 4a or the contact surface 4b of the transmission body 4 is pressed against the level guiding surface 1a and the transmission body 4, guided by the level guiding surface 1a, performs again a perfectly rectilinear longitudinal movement, without movements perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal extension B.


    Claims

    1. Hinge for connecting the door of an electric household major appliance to the body of the electric household major appliance, comprising:

    . a base body (1) and an arm (2), which are connected to each other by means of a hinging pin (3) in such a way that each of them (1, 2) is rotatable with respect to the other (2, 1) in the two possible directions of rotation around the rotation axis (A) of the hinging pin (3);

    . operating means, for generating a force that is used to rotate the base body (1) and the arm (2) with respect to each other towards a first typical reciprocal position;

    . transmission means, which interact with the operating means and with the arm(2) both to transmit and apply to the arm (2) said force generated by the operating means and to transmit and apply to the operating means the external force that is applied onto the door of the electric household major appliance to rotate the base body (1) and the arm (2) with respect to each other towards a second typical reciprocal position,
    said transmission means comprising at least one transmission body (4), which is mobile along the direction of longitudinal extension (B) of the base body (1) and on which the operating means act to move it along said direction of longitudinal extension (B), and a transmission pin (5), which is rigidly connected to the transmission body (4) and on which the arm (2) acts;

    . guiding means, for guiding in the two possible directions of rotation the reciprocal rotation of the base body (1) and of the arm (2) around the rotation axis (A) of the hinging pin (3), said guiding means comprising at least one guiding slit (6), which extends in the arm (2) and in which the transmission pin (5) is inserted in such a way that upon a reciprocal rotation between the base body (1) and the arm(2) it (5) slides in the guiding slit (6) and the transmission body (4) - which is rigidly connected to the transmission pin (5) - moves along said direction of longitudinal extension (B),
    characterised in that said guiding means also comprise a level guiding surface (1a), which extends parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension (B) of the base body (1), and in that said guiding slit (6) extends in such a way in length and has edges that are shaped in such a way according to curved lines that during the sliding of the transmission pin (5) in the guiding slit (6) the force (F) that said guiding slit (6) transmits to the transmission pin (5) always comprises also a force component (Fy) that is directed, perpendicularly to the direction of longitudinal extension (B), towards the level guiding surface (1a), therefore the transmission body (4), which is rigidly connected to the transmission pin (5), is always pushed towards the level guiding surface (1a) and a contact surface (4a;4b) of it (4) is always pressed against said level guiding surface (1a) and therefore slides on it (1a) during the movement of the transmission body (4) along the direction of longitudinal extension (B) of the base body (1), and characterised in that the transmission body (4) comprises two reciprocally parallel parts (4c), wherein the transmission body (4) extends, with its two reciprocally parallel parts (4c) which are provided with reciprocally opposite through-holes (4d), on both sides of the arm (2) to enclose between said two parts (4c) at least one section of the guiding slit (6), wherein the transmission pin (5) is inserted and constrained in the two through-holes (4d), wherein the two reciprocally parallel parts (4c) each have a U-shaped cross section, and wherein one of the free legs of each U-shaped part (4c) faces the level guiding surface (la), the U-shaped parts being arranged such that the free legs are directed away from each other.


     
    2. Hinge according to claim 1, characterised in that said level guiding surface (1a) is formed by an inner surface of the base body (1).
     
    3. Hinge according to claim 2, characterised in that the base body (1) has a box transverse section and in that said level guiding surface (1a) is formed by the inner surface of one of the walls that make up the base body (1).
     
    4. Hinge according to claim 3, characterised in that the box transverse section of the base body (1) is open and in that the wall of the base body (1) that has the level guiding surface (1a) is the one opposite to the open side of the base body (1).
     
    5. Hinge according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the contact surface (4a) is formed by a portion of the outer surface of the transmission body (4).
     
    6. Hinge according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the contact surface (4b) is formed by a portion of the outer surface of an intermediate body (8), which is arranged in a fixed way on a portion of the outer surface of the transmission body (4) and is made of a material different from that of which the transmission body (4) is made.
     
    7. Hinge according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the operating means consist of a traction spring (7), which is arranged inside the base body (1) and is hooked with a first end (7a) to the base body (1) and with a second end (7b) to the transmission body (4).
     
    8. Hinge according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the base body (1) has a transverse closing wall with a hole, in that the transmission body (4) has an elongate part that extends through said hole and has an abutment-like end and in that the operating means consist of a compression spring (10), which is wound around the elongate part and rests with a first end (10a) on the transverse closing wall and with a second end (10b) on the abutment-like end.
     
    9. Hinge according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that on the transmission pin (5) a roller (9) is arranged in a freely rotatable way and is in contact with the edges of the guiding slit (6).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Gelenk zum Verbinden der Tür eines elektrischen Haushaltsgroßgeräts mit dem Körper des elektrischen Haushaltsgroßgeräts, das umfasst:

    - einen Basiskörper (1) und einen Arm (2), die mittels eines Gelenkstifts (3) in einer solchen Weise miteinander verbunden sind, dass jeder von ihnen (1, 2) in Bezug auf den anderen (2, 1) in den zwei möglichen Drehrichtungen um die Drehachse (A) des Gelenkstifts (3) drehbar ist;

    - eine Betätigungseinrichtung zum Erzeugen einer Kraft, die verwendet wird, um den Basiskörper (1) und den Arm (2) in Bezug aufeinander in Richtung einer ersten typischen wechselseitigen Position zu drehen;

    - eine Übertragungseinrichtung, die mit der Betätigungseinrichtung und mit dem Arm (2) zusammenwirkt, um sowohl die durch die Betätigungseinrichtung erzeugte Kraft auf den Arm (2) zu übertragen und aufzubringen als auch die externe Kraft, die auf die Tür des elektrischen Haushaltsgroßgeräts aufgebracht wird, auf die Betätigungseinrichtung zu übertragen und aufzubringen, um den Basiskörper (1) und den Arm (2) in Bezug aufeinander in Richtung einer zweiten typischen wechselseitigen Position zu drehen,
    wobei die Übertragungseinrichtung mindestens einen Übertragungskörper (4), der entlang der Richtung der Längsausdehnung (B) des Basiskörpers (1) beweglich ist und auf den die Betätigungseinrichtung wirkt, um ihn entlang der Richtung der Längsausdehnung (B) zu bewegen, und einen Übertragungsstift (5), der mit dem Übertragungskörper (4) starr verbunden ist und auf den der Arm (2) wirkt, umfasst;

    - eine Führungseinrichtung zum Führen der wechselseitigen Drehung des Basiskörpers (1) und des Arms (2) um die Drehachse (A) des Gelenkstifts (3) in den zwei möglichen Drehrichtungen, wobei die Führungseinrichtung mindestens einen Führungsschlitz (6) umfasst, der sich im Arm (2) erstreckt und in den der Übertragungsstift (5) in einer solchen Weise eingesetzt ist, dass bei einer wechselseitigen Drehung zwischen dem Basiskörper (1) und dem Arm (2) er (5) im Führungsschlitz (6) gleitet und der Übertragungskörper (4) - der mit dem Übertragungsstift (5) starr verbunden ist - sich entlang der Richtung der Längsausdehnung (B) bewegt,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führungseinrichtung auch eine Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) umfasst, die sich parallel zur Richtung der Längsausdehnung (B) des Basiskörpers (1) erstreckt, und dass der Führungsschlitz (6) sich in einer solchen Weise in der Länge erstreckt und Kanten aufweist, die in einer solchen Weise gemäß gekrümmten Linien geformt sind, dass während des Gleitens des Übertragungsstifts (5) im Führungsschlitz (6) die Kraft (F), die der Führungsschlitz (6) auf den Übertragungsstift (5) überträgt, immer auch eine Kraftkomponente (Fy) umfasst, die senkrecht zur Richtung der Längsausdehnung (B) in Richtung der Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) gerichtet ist, daher der Übertragungskörper (4), der mit dem Übertragungsstift (5) starr verbunden ist, immer in Richtung der Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) geschoben wird und eine Kontaktoberfläche (4a; 4b) von ihm (4) immer gegen die Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) gedrückt wird und daher an ihr (1a) während der Bewegung des Übertragungskörpers (4) entlang der Richtung der Längsausdehnung (B) des Basiskörpers (1) gleitet, und dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Übertragungskörper (4) zwei wechselseitig parallele Teile (4c) umfasst,
    wobei sich der Übertragungskörper (4) mit seinen zwei wechselseitig parallelen Teilen (4c), die mit wechselseitig entgegengesetzten Durchgangslöchern (4d) versehen sind, auf beiden Seiten des Arms (2) erstreckt, um zwischen den zwei Teilen (4c) mindestens einen Abschnitt des Führungsschlitzes (6) einzuschließen, wobei der Übertragungsstift (5) in die zwei Durchgangslöcher (4d) eingesetzt und darin eingeschränkt ist, wobei die zwei wechselseitig parallelen Teile (4c) jeweils einen U-förmigen Querschnitt aufweisen und wobei einer der freien Schenkel jedes U-förmigen Teils (4c) der Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) zugewandt ist, wobei die U-förmigen Teile derart angeordnet sind, dass die freien Schenkel voneinander weg gerichtet sind.


     
    2. Gelenk nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) durch eine innere Oberfläche des Basiskörpers (1) gebildet ist.
     
    3. Gelenk nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Basiskörper (1) einen Kastenquerschnitt aufweist und dass die Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) durch die innere Oberfläche von einer der Wände gebildet ist, die den Basiskörper (1) bilden.
     
    4. Gelenk nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kastenquerschnitt des Basiskörpers (1) offen ist und dass die Wand des Basiskörpers (1), die die Niveauführungsoberfläche (1a) aufweist, diejenige ist, die zur offenen Seite des Basiskörpers (1) entgegengesetzt ist.
     
    5. Gelenk nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Kontaktoberfläche (4a) durch einen Anteil der äußeren Oberfläche des Übertragungskörpers (4) gebildet ist.
     
    6. Gelenk nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Kontaktoberfläche (4b) durch einen Anteil der äußeren Oberfläche eines Zwischenkörpers (8) gebildet ist, der in einer festen Weise an einem Anteil der äußeren Oberfläche des Übertragungskörpers (4) angeordnet ist und aus einem Material besteht, das von jenem verschieden ist, aus dem der Übertragungskörper (4) besteht.
     
    7. Gelenk nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Betätigungseinrichtung aus einer Zugfeder (7) besteht, die innerhalb des Basiskörpers (1) angeordnet ist und mit einem ersten Ende (7a) am Basiskörper (1) und mit einem zweiten Ende (7b) am Übertragungskörper (4) eingehakt ist.
     
    8. Gelenk nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Basiskörper (1) eine Querschließwand mit einem Loch aufweist, dass der Übertragungskörper (4) einen länglichen Teil aufweist, der sich durch das Loch erstreckt und ein widerlagerartiges Ende aufweist, und dass die Betätigungseinrichtung aus einer Druckfeder (10) besteht, die um den länglichen Teil gewickelt ist und mit einem ersten Ende (10a) an der Querschließwand und mit einem zweiten Ende (10b) an dem widerlagerartigen Ende anliegt.
     
    9. Gelenk nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass am Übertragungsstift (5) eine Rolle (9) in einer frei drehbaren Weise angeordnet ist und mit den Kanten des Führungsschlitzes (6) in Kontakt steht.
     


    Revendications

    1. Charnière pour connecter la porte d'un gros appareil ménager électrique au corps du gros appareil ménager électrique, comprenant :

    - un corps de base (1) et un bras (2) qui sont connectés l'un à l'autre au moyen d'une goupille d'articulation (3) de telle sorte que chacun d'entre eux (1, 2) puisse tourner par rapport à l'autre (2, 1) dans les deux sens de rotation possibles autour de l'axe de rotation (A) de la goupille d'articulation (3) ;

    - des moyens d'actionnement pour générer une force utilisée pour faire tourner le corps de base (1) et le bras (2) l'un par rapport à l'autre vers une première position réciproque typique ;

    - des moyens de transmission qui interagissent à la fois avec les moyens d'actionnement et avec le bras (2) pour transmettre et appliquer au bras (2) ladite force générée par les moyens d'actionnement et pour transmettre et appliquer aux moyens d'actionnement la force extérieure qui est appliquée sur la porte du gros appareil ménager électrique de manière à faire tourner le corps de base (1) et le bras (2) l'un par rapport à l'autre vers une deuxième position réciproque typique,
    lesdits moyens de transmission comprenant au moins un corps de transmission (4) qui est déplaçable le long de la direction d'étendue longitudinale (B) du corps de base (1) et sur lequel agissent les moyens d'actionnement de manière à le déplacer le long de ladite direction d'étendue longitudinale (B), et une goupille de transmission (5) qui est connectée rigidement au corps de transmission (4) et sur laquelle agit le bras (2) ;

    - des moyens de guidage pour guider dans les deux sens de rotation possibles la rotation réciproque du corps de base (1) et du bras (2) autour de l'axe de rotation (A) de la goupille d'articulation (3), lesdits moyens de guidage comprenant au moins une fente de guidage (6) qui s'étend dans le bras (2) et dans laquelle est insérée la goupille de transmission (5) de telle sorte que lors d'une rotation réciproque entre le corps de base (1) et le bras (2), ladite goupille de transmission (5) glisse dans la fente de guidage (6) et que le corps de transmission (4), qui est connecté rigidement à la goupille de transmission (5), se déplace le long de ladite direction d'étendue longitudinale (B),
    caractérisée en ce que lesdits moyens de guidage comprennent également une surface de guidage à niveau (1a) qui s'étend parallèlement à la direction d'étendue longitudinale (B) du corps de base (1), et en ce que ladite fente de guidage (6) s'étend en longueur, et présente des bords formés suivant des lignes courbes, de telle sorte qu'au cours du glissement de la goupille de transmission (5) dans la fente de guidage (6), la force (F) que ladite fente de guidage (6) transmet à la goupille de transmission (5) comprenne toujours également une composante de force (Fy) qui est dirigée perpendiculairement à la direction d'étendue longitudinale (B) vers la surface de guidage à niveau (la), et que par conséquent le corps de transmission (4) qui est connecté rigidement à la goupille de transmission (5) soit toujours poussé vers la surface de guidage à niveau (1a) et qu'une surface de contact (4a ; 4b) dudit corps de transmission (4) soit toujours pressée contre ladite surface de guidage à niveau (1a) et glisse par conséquent sur cette dernière (1a) au cours du mouvement du corps de transmission (4) le long de la direction d'étendue longitudinale (B) du corps de base (1), et caractérisée en ce que le corps de transmission (4) comprend deux parties mutuellement parallèles (4c), le corps de transmission (4) s'étendant avec ses deux parties mutuellement parallèles (4c), qui sont pourvues de trous traversants mutuellement opposés (4d), des deux côtés du bras (2) de manière à renfermer entre lesdites deux parties (4c) au moins une section de la fente de guidage (6), la goupille de transmission (5) étant insérée et retenue dans les deux trous traversants (4d), les deux parties mutuellement parallèles (4c) ayant chacune une section transversale en forme de U, et l'une des branches libres de chaque partie en forme de U (4c) faisant face à la surface de guidage à niveau (la), les parties en forme de U étant disposées de telle sorte que les branches libres soient orientées à l'écart l'une de l'autre.


     
    2. Charnière selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que ladite surface de guidage à niveau (1a) est formée par une surface intérieure du corps de base (1) .
     
    3. Charnière selon la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que le corps de base (1) présente une section transversale en forme de boîte et en ce que ladite surface de guidage à niveau (1a) est formée par la surface intérieure de l'une des parois qui constituent le corps de base (1).
     
    4. Charnière selon la revendication 3, caractérisée en ce que la section transversale en forme de boîte du corps de base (1) est ouverte et en ce que la paroi du corps de base (1) qui présente la surface de guidage à niveau (1a) est celle qui est opposée au côté ouvert du corps de base (1).
     
    5. Charnière selon l'une des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que la surface de contact (4a) est formée par une portion de la surface extérieure du corps de transmission (4).
     
    6. Charnière selon l'une des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que la surface de contact (4b) est formée par une portion de la surface extérieure d'un corps intermédiaire (8) qui est disposée de manière fixe sur une portion de la surface extérieure du corps de transmission (4) et qui est fabriquée en un matériau différent de celui constituant le corps de transmission (4).
     
    7. Charnière selon l'une des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisée en ce que les moyens d'actionnement sont constitués d'un ressort de traction (7) qui est disposé à l'intérieur du corps de base (1) et qui est accroché par une première extrémité (7a) au corps de base (1) et par une deuxième extrémité (7b) au corps de transmission (4).
     
    8. Charnière selon l'une des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisée en ce que le corps de base (1) présente une paroi de fermeture transversale avec un trou, en ce que le corps de transmission (4) présente une partie allongée qui s'étend à travers ledit trou et qui présente une extrémité de type butée et en ce que les moyens d'actionnement sont constitués d'un ressort de compression (10) qui est enroulé autour de la partie allongée et qui repose par une première extrémité (10a) sur la paroi de fermeture transversale et par une deuxième extrémité (10b) sur l'extrémité de type butée.
     
    9. Charnière selon l'une des revendications 1 à 8, caractérisée en ce que sur la goupille de transmission (5) est disposé un rouleau (9) pouvant tourner librement et qui est en contact avec les bords de la fente de guidage (6).
     




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    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



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    Patent documents cited in the description