Hinge support and production method thereof

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns a support accessory for a hinge for mobile elements like doors or windows or wings of furniture, generally called a retainer. In the following description, the term wing should be taken to mean any movable structure intended to close an aperture, whether it be of a casing, as in the case of mobile elements, or of a piece of furniture. To be more exact, the support accessory according to the present invention consists of a single component, advantageously made by means of molding, and able to support and clamp the hinge in its seating with respect to the fixed frame of the piece of furniture or to the casing to which it is applied.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Support accessories for hinges are known, called retainers, which allow to attach a hinge to a fixed frame of a piece of furniture or a casing, in the event that said frame cannot support the weight of the wing because of its consistency or structure, especially in correspondence with the zones where the pegs or threaded elements of the hinge are able to be inserted.

[0003] Support accessories are generally attached to a lateral surface of the fixed frame, so that they can be anchored.

[0004] Known support accessories are also provided with one or more housing seatings, inside which the pegs or threaded stems of the hinge are inserted and clamped, so that the weight of the wing is transferred onto them.

[0005] Although known support accessories are functionally very simple, they do however consist of different components, generally five, which are: a bracket that is attached to the lateral surface of the frame, and which comprises the housing seatings for the pegs, or the threaded pins of the hinge; a clamping platelet and an associated tightening screw to clamp the pegs, or the threaded pins of the hinge inside the housing seatings; an elastic ring located between the bracket and the clamping platelet; and a threaded element which can also be welded or riveted onto the bracket, or main body, and which allows the tightening screw to be tightened.

[0006] The high number of components makes known support accessories rather complex and costly to produce, however.

[0007] Documents EP-A-1.134,342, DE-A-3.630.234, GB-A-2.061.375 and WO-A-99/64749 disclose different hinges or hinge accessories of the above-mentioned type. In particular, the EP-A-1.134.342 discloses a support accessory for a hinge according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0008] One purpose of the present invention is to make a support accessory for a hinge for mobile elements, or wings of furniture, which is sample and consists of the fewest number of components possible, and which at the same time is robust, safe and reliable.

[0009] The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art, and to obtain this and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

[0011] In accordance with the aforesaid purpose, the support accessory according to the present invention, able to support an articulation hinge for a structure movable with respect to a fixed frame, comprises at least a base body, able to be attached to said frame and on which at least two housing seatings parallel therebetween are made for lodging two corresponding attachment components to attach the hinge, and a clamping element able to selectively clamp said attachment components in said housing seatings.

[0012] Moreover, both said base body and said clamping element are made from a single metal plate, said two housing seatings are disposed laterally with respect to a median flat part, and said clamping element is obtained by cutting and bending by 180° a median portion of said base body aligned with said median flat part, so as to form a joining segment which allows said clamping element to elastically move from a rest position substantially parallel to said median flat part to a clamping position wherein said clamping element presses and clamps said attachment components against the relative housing seatings.

[0013] The clamping element comprises a platelet made by punching so as to have a segment that remains permanently connected to the remaining part of the base body. Such segment is then bent by 180° so that the clamping element is normally arranged, in a rest position, substantially parallel to the remaining part of the base body, and allows to insert the attachment component into the relative housing seating.

[0014] The bent segment allows the clamping element to bend elastically towards the base body.

[0015] According to a characteristic feature of the present invention the clamping element comprises two shaped segments parallel therebetween and each provided with a corresponding clamping surface able to contact the attachment components when the same clamping element is in the clamping position.

[0016] The support accessory can comprise tightening means, such as for example a screw that screws onto the base body or the clamping element, so as to take the clamping element to a closed position, wherein it clamps the attachment component into the housing seating.

[0017] In this way, the support accessory according to the present invention consists of a single bent element able to grip and clamp the attachment components of the hinge so as to directly support the weight of the wing.

[0018] The presence of a single component, apart from the tightening screw, leads to a reduction in costs and both production and installation steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] These and other characteristics of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

• fig. 1 is a side view of a support accessory according to the present invention mounted on the frame of a wing;
• fig. 2 is a three-dimensional view from a first angle of the support accessory in fig. 1;
• fig. 3 is a three-dimensional view from a second angle of the support accessory in fig. 1;
• fig. 4 is a plane view of the support accessory in fig. 1 during an assembly step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

[0020] With reference to fig. 1, a support accessory 10 according to the present invention is attached to a lateral surface of a fixed frame 11 to support a hinge 12, of the type able to articulate a mobile wing 13 with respect to the fixed frame 11.

[0021] To be more exact, the support accessory 10 according to the present invention comprises, made in a single piece and starting advantageously from a single metal plate, a base bracket 15, shaped by bending, as better described herein after, and a clamping platelet 16 (figs. 2, 3 and 4). The clamping platelet 16 is maintained elastically fixed to the base bracket 15 by a joining segment 17, bent by 180°, so as the same clamping platelet 16 is, at rest, substantially parallel to the base bracket 15.

[0022] The base bracket 15 comprises two supporting fins 19 and 20 able during use to contact the lateral surface of the frame 11 (fig. 1) to which the accessory 10 is attached. Each of these fins 19, 20 is provided with one or more through holes 21, in this case two, able to allow respective attachment screws 22 to be housed inside them, which determine the attachment of the accessory 10 to the frame 11.

[0023] The base bracket 15 also comprises in its median zone, between the two fins 19, 20, an aperture 18 having a substantially rectangular shape and which surface is substantially equal to those of said clamping platelet 16 and of said joining segment 17. The base bracket 15 also comprises a median flat part 14 and two lateral semi-circular seatings 23 and 25 (figs. 2, 3 and 4), obtained by bending ad able to accommodate mating attachment pegs, or threaded pins, 27 and 29 to attach the hinge 12. In the median flat part 14 of the base bracket 15 there is a threaded hole 26, the function of which will be described hereafter.

[0024] The clamping platelet 16 is shaped so as to have two lateral edges 30 and 31, arranged substantially in axis with the respective seatings 23 and 25, opposite thereto, and bent to define two clamping surfaces 32 and 33 able during use to contact the attachment pegs 27 and 29 in order to clamp the latter in the seatings 23 and 25.

[0025] On each of the clamping surfaces 32 and 33 an anti-slip toothing is advantageously provided (fig. 3).

[0026] The clamping platelet 16 also has a central zone 35, substantially plane and parallel to the median flat part 14 of the base bracket 15. On the central zone 35 a through hole 36 (fig. 4) is made, arranged substantially in axis with the threaded hole 26 made on the median flat part 14.

[0027] In this way, a tightening screw 37 (figs. 2 and 3) can be inserted through the through hole 36 and screwed into the threaded hole 26, so as to define a closed position of the clamping platelet 16, wherein the latter presses with a determinate pressure on the attachment pegs or pins 27 and 29, holding them inside the respective seatings 23 and 25.

[0028] When the clamping platelet 16 is in its closed position due to the effect of the tightening screw 37, the joining segment 17 is slightly deformed elastically. In the event that the pegs 27 and 29 have to be removed from the relative seatings 23 and 25, it is enough to loosen the tightening screw 37, and allow the clamping platelet 16 to return automatically to its initial position substantially parallel to the median flat part 14, due to the effect of the elasticity of the material in the joining segment 17. The distance "d" (fig. 4) between the joining segment 17 and the center of the through hole 36, on which the tightening screw 37 is inserted, is sufficient to grant a high elasticity to the clamping platelet 16 with respect to the base bracket 15, without mechanically stressing the joining segment 17.

[0029] Therefore, the support accessory 10 essentially comprises a single component, obtained by a single plate, and a tightening screw 37.

[0030] Advantageously, both the base bracket 15 and the clamping platelet 16 are made by means of a molding process starting from a single sheet or plate of metal material, advantageously a sheet of zinc-plated steel, or stainless steel or other metal.

[0031] In fact, a fist construction technique provides to make a step-wise molding of the starting plate.

[0032] In this case, this technique provides a first cutting step wherein a shape is cut on the plate, to define the aperture 18 by cutting three of its four sides and leaving uncut a segment of its fourth side; a second bending step wherein such shape is bent by 180° along the uncut segment, which define the joining segment 17, until it becomes the clamping platelet 16, substantially parallel to the median flat part 14 of the starting plate, or base bracket 15; and a shaping and finishing step wherein the semi-circular seatings 23 and 25, the supporting fins 19 and 20, the clamping surfaces 32, 33 and the holes 26 and 36 are made.

[0033] It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts can be made to the support accessory 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

[0034] According to a variant, the support accessory 10 can be molded by means of the pressure die-casting technique.

Claims

1. Support accessory for a hinge (12) to articulate a movable structure (13) with respect to a fixed frame (11), wherein said support accessory comprises at least a base body (15), able to be attached to said frame (11) and on which at least two housing seatings (23, 25) parallel therebetween are made for lodging two corresponding attachment components (27, 29) in the form of pegs or threaded pins, to attach said hinge (12), and a clamping element (16) able to selectively clamp said attachment components (27, 29) in said housing seatings (23, 25), wherein said two housing seatings (23, 25) are disposed laterally with respect to a median flat part (14), characterized in that said base body (15) and said clamping element (16) are made from a single metal plate, wherein said clamping element (16) is obtained by cutting and bending by 180° a median portion of said base body (15) aligned with said median flat part (14), so as to form a joining segment (17) which allows said clamping element (16) to elastically move from a rest position substantially parallel to said median flat part (14) to a clamping position wherein said clamping element (16) presses and clamps said attachment components (27, 29) against the relative housing seatings (23, 25), whereby said clamping element (16) comprises two shaped segments (30, 31) parallel therebetween and each provided with a corresponding clamping surface (32, 33) able to contact said attachment components (27, 29) when said clamping element (16) is in said clamping position, and in that said housing seatings (23, 25) are semi-circular, and are obtained by bending and in that said clamping element is a clamping platelet (16), and the two shaped segments are lateral edges (30, 31) of said clamping platelet (16), arranged substantially in axis with the respective housing seatings (23, 25), opposite thereto, and bent to define said clamping surfaces (32, 33), able during use to contact the attachment pegs (27, 29) in order to clamp the latter in said seatings (23, 25).

2. Support accessory as in claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises tightening means (37) connecting a central zone (35) of said clamping element (16) to said median flat part (14) of said base body (15).

3. Support accessory as in claim 2, characterized in that said tightening means comprise at least a screw (37) able to be screwed into a corresponding threaded hole (26) made on said median flat part (14).

4. Support accessory as in claim 3, characterized in that the distance (d) between said joining segment (17) and said screw (37) is sufficient to grant a high elasticity to said clamping element (16) with respect to said base body (15), without mechanically stressing said joining segment (17).

5. Support accessory as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, at least on one side, each of said clamping surface (32, 33) includes an anti-slip toothing able to improve the clamping conditions of said attachment components (27, 29).

6. Method to make a support accessory as in claim 1, wherein said base body (15) and said clamping element (16) are made by means of a molding process starting from said single metal plate, wherein said clamping element (16) is obtained by means of a cutting step during which said single metal plate is cut in a median zone on three of four sides of a substantially rectangular aperture (18) while leaving uncut a segment of the fourth side thereof to realize a joining segment (17), and of a bending step wherein said joining segment (17) is bent by 180° along the uncut segment of said aperture (18), so that said clamping element (16) is substantially parallel to said median flat part (14) of said base body (15), characterized in that during said bending step said clamping element (16) is also bent to define said two shaped segments (30, 31) parallel therebetween and each provided with one of said corresponding clamping surfaces (32, 33) able to contact said attachment components (27, 29) when said clamping element (16) is in a clamping position, wherein said housing seatings (23, 25) are semi-circular, are obtained by bending and configured to accommodate said attachment components (27, 29), wherein said attachment components (27, 29) are in the form of pegs or threaded pins, and in that said clamping element is said clamping platelet (16), and the two shaped segments are lateral edges (30, 31) of said clamping platelet (16), arranged substantially in axis with the respective housing seatings (23, 25), opposite thereto, and bent to define said clamping surfaces (32, 33), able during use to contact the attachment pegs (27, 29) in order to clamp the latter in said seatings (23, 25).

7. Method as in claim 6, characterized in that said molding process comprises a pressure die-casting step.

8. Method as in claim 6, characterized in that in a shaping and finishing step at least said housing seatings (23, 25) are made.

Ansprüche

1. Halteteil für ein Gelenk (12) zur gelenkigen Lagerung einer beweglichen Struktur (13) relativ zu einem festen Rahmen (11), wobei das Halteteil wenigstens einen Grundkörper (15) aufweist, der am Rahmen (11) befestigbar ist und auf dem wenigstens zwei parallele Gehäusesitze (23, 25) zur Aufnahme von zwei korrespondierenden Befestigungselementen (27, 29) in Form von Zapfen oder Gewindestiften gebildet sind, um das Gelenk (12) zu befestigen, und wobei ein Klemmelement (16) zum wahlweisen Klemmen der Befestigungselemente (27, 29) in den Gehäusesitzen (23, 25) vorgesehen ist, wobei die besagten beiden Gehäusesitze (23, 25) seitlich in Bezug auf einen mittleren flachen Teil (14) angeordnet sind, der Grundkörper (15) und das Klemmelement (16) aus einer einzelnen Metallplatte gefertigt sind, das Klemmelement (16) durch Schneiden und Biegen um 180° eines Mittelabschnitts des Grundkörpers (14) erhalten wird, der mit dem mittleren flachen Teil (14) fluchtet, derart, dass ein Verbindungssegment (17) gebildet wird, welches es dem Klemmelement (16) ermöglicht, sich elastisch aus einer Ruheposition im Wesentlichen parallel zum besagten mittleren flachen Teil (14) in eine Klemmposition zu bewegen, in der das Klemmelement (16) die besagten Befestigungselemente (27, 29) gegen die Gehäusesitze (23, 25) presst und klemmt; wobei das besagte Klemmelement (16) zwei profilierte Segmente (30, 31) aufweist, von denen jedes mit einer zugeordneten Klemmfläche (32, 33) versehen ist, welche in der Lage sind, die Befestigungselemente (27, 29) zu kontaktieren wenn das Klemmelement (16) sich in der besagten Klemmposition befindet, und wobei die Gehäusesitze (23, 25) halbkreisförmig sind und durch Biegen erhalten werden, und wobei das besagte Klemmelement ein Klemmplättchen (16) ist, und die zwei profilierten Segmente seitliche Kanten (30, 31) des Klemmplättchens 16 sind, die im Wesentlichen in der Achse der zugeordneten Gehäusesitze (23, 25) diesen gegenüberliegend angeordnet und so gebogen sind, dass sie die Klemmflächen (32, 33) definieren, wobei die Klemmflächen während der Benutzung in der Lage sind, die Befestigungszapfen (27, 29) zum Klemmen der letzteren in den besagten Gehäusesitzen (23, 25) zu kontaktieren.

2. Halteteil nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass dieses weiterhin Spannmittel (37) zur Verbindung einer zentralen Zone (35) des Klemmelements (16) mit dem besagten mittleren flachen Teil (14) des besagten Grundkörpers (15) aufweist.

3. Halteteil nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die besagten Spannmittel wenigstens eine Schraube (37) umfassen, die in eine zugeordnete Gewindebohrung (26) des mittleren flachen Teils 14 einschraubbar ist.

4. Halteteil nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Abstand (d) zwischen dem Verbindungssegment (17) und der Schraube (37) eine solche Größe besitzt, dass das besagte Klemmelement (16) gegenüber dem Grundkörper (15) eine hohe Elastizität aufweist, ohne das Verbindungssegment (17) mechanisch zu belasten.

5. Halteteil nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass jede der besagten Klemmflächen (32, 33) wenigstens auf einer Seite eine Anti-Reibverzahnung enthält, die die Klemmeigenschaften der besagten Befestigungselemente (27, 29) verbessert.

6. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Halteteils gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei der Grundkörper (15) und das besagte Klemmelement (16) durch einen Formgebungsprozess hergestellt werden, der mit der besagten einzelnen Metallplatte beginnt, worin das Klemmelement (16) durch einen Schneid-Prozessschritt erhalten wird, während welchem die besagte einzelne Metallplatte in einer mittleren Zone an drei von vier Seiten einer im Wesentlichen rechteckigen Öffnung (18) geschnitten wird, während ein Segment der vierten Seite derselben ungeschnitten belassen wird, um ein Verbindungssegment (17) bereit zu stellen, sowie umfassend einen Biege-Prozessschritt, in welchem das besagte Verbindungselement (17) entlang des ungeschnittenen Segments der besagten Öffnung (18) um 180° gebogen wird, derart, dass das Klemmelement (16) im Wesentlichen parallel zum mittleren flachen Teil (14) des besagten Grundkörpers (15) verläuft, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass während des besagten Biege-Prozessschritts das besagte Klemmelement (16) ebenfalls gebogen wird, um die besagten beiden profilierten Segmente (30, 31) zu definieren, von denen ein jedes eine der korrespondierenden Klemmflächen (32, 33) aufweist, die dazu ausgestaltet sind, die besagten Befestigungselemente (27, 29) zu kontaktieren, wenn das besagte Klemmelement (16) sich in einer Klemmposition befindet, wobei die besagten Gehäusesitze (23, 25) halbkreisförmig ausgebildet sind, durch Biegen erhalten werden und dazu ausgestaltet sind, die besagten Befestigungselemente (27, 29) aufzunehmen, wobei die besagten Befestigungselemente (27, 29) die Form von Zapfen oder Gewindestiften besitzen, und dass das besagte Klemmelement das besagte Klemmplättchen (16) ist und die beiden profilierten Segmente seitliche Kanten (30, 31) des Klemmplättchens (16) sind, die im Wesentlichen zu den zugehörigen Gehäusesitzen (23, 25) ausgerichtet und diesen gegenüberliegend angeordnet und in der Weise gebogen sind, dass sie die besagten Klemmflächen (32, 33) definieren, die in der Lage sind, während der Benutzung die Verbindungszapfen (27, 29) zu kontaktieren, um letztere in den besagten Sitzen (23, 25) zu klemmen.

7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der besagte Formgebungsprozess einen Druckgieß-Verfahrensschritt aufweist.

8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass in einem Formgebungs- und Endbearbeitungsschritt wenigstens die besagten Gehäusesitze (23, 25) gefertigt werden.

Revendications

1. Accessoire de support pour une charnière (12) pour articuler une structure mobile (13) par rapport à un cadre fixe (11), dans lequel ledit accessoire de support comprend au moins un corps de base (15), pouvant être attaché audit cadre (11), et sur lequel au moins deux logements (23, 25) sont aménagés parallèlement pour loger deux éléments de fixation correspondants (27, 29) sous forme de chevilles ou de tiges filetées pour fixer ladite charnière (12), et un élément de pinçage (16) capable de pincer sélectivement lesdits éléments de fixation (27, 29) dans lesdits logements (23, 25), dans lequel les deux logements (23, 25) sont disposés latéralement par rapport à une partie plate médiane (14), caractérisé en ce que ledit corps de base (15) et ledit élément de pinçage (16) sont constitués d'une plaque de métal, dans lequel ledit élément de pinçage (16) est obtenu en coupant et en recourbant à 180° une portion médiane du corps de base (15) alignée avec ladite partie plate médiane (14), de manière à former un segment de jonction (17) qui permet audit élément de pinçage (16) de se déplacer de manière élastique depuis une position de repos substantiellement parallèle à ladite partie plane médiane (14) vers une position de pinçage dans laquelle ledit élément de pinçage (16) presse et pince lesdits éléments de fixation (27, 29) contre les logements correspondants (23, 25), dans lequel ledit élément de pinçage (16) comprenant deux segments conformés (30, 31) parallèles entre eux et pourvus chacun d'une surface de pinçage correspondante (32, 33) pouvant entrer en contact avec lesdits éléments de fixation (27, 29) quand ledit élément de pinçage (16) est dans ladite position de pinçage, et en ce que lesdits logements (23, 25) sont semi-circulaires et sont obtenus par recourbement, et en ce que ledit élément de pinçage est une plaquette de pinçage (16), et les deux segments conformés sont des bords latéraux (30, 31) de ladite plaquette de pinçage (16), disposés substantiellement dans l'axe des logements respectifs (23, 25), de manière opposée, et courbés pour former lesdites surfaces de pinçage (32, 33), capables durant l'utilisation d'entrer en contact avec les chevilles de fixation (27, 29) de manière à pincer ces dernières dans lesdits logements (23, 25).

2. Accessoire de support selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en plus un moyen de serrage (37) reliant une zone centrale (35) dudit élément de pinçage (16) à ladite partie médiane plate (14) dudit corps de base (15).

3. Accessoire de support selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que ledit moyen de pinçage comprend au moins une vis (37) pouvant être vissée dans un trou taraudé correspondant (26) aménagé dans ladite partie médiane plate (14).

4. Accessoire de support selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que la distance (d) entre ledit segment de jonction (17) et ladite vis (37) est suffisante pour délivrer une grande élasticité audit élément de pinçage (16) par rapport au corps de base (15), sans contraindre mécaniquement ledit segment de jonction (17).

5. Accessoire de support selon l'une ou l'autre des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que, sur au moins une face, chacune desdites surfaces de pinçage (32, 33) contient une dentelure anti-dérapante capable d'améliorer les conditions de pinçage desdits éléments de fixation (27, 29).

6. Procédé de fabrication d'un accessoire de support tel que décrit dans la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit corps de base (15) et ledit élément de pinçage (16) sont faits au moyen d'un processus de moulage à partir de ladite plaque de métal unique, dans lequel ledit élément de pinçage (16) est obtenu par une étape de coupage pendant laquelle ladite plaque de métal unique est coupée dans une zone médiane sur trois ou quatre côtés d'une ouverture substantiellement rectangulaire (18) en laissant un segment du quatrième côté non coupé pour réaliser un segment de jonction (17), et une étape de pliage dans laquelle ledit segment de jonction (17) est recourbé à 180° le long du segment non coupé de ladite ouverture (18), de telle manière que ledit élément de pinçage (16) soit substantiellement parallèle à ladite partie médiane plate (14) dudit corps de base (15), caractérisé en ce que durant ladite étape de pliage ledit élément de pinçage (16) est également plié pour former les deux segments conformés (30, 31) parallèles entre eux, chacun étant pourvu de l'une desdites surfaces de pinçage (32, 33) correspondantes capables d'entrer en contact avec lesdits éléments de fixation (27, 29) quand ledit élément de pinçage (16) est dans une position de pinçage, dans lequel lesdits logements (23, 25) sont semi-circulaires, sont obtenus par pliage et configurés pour recevoir lesdits éléments de fixation (27, 29), dans lequel lesdits éléments de fixation (27, 29) sont sous forme de chevilles ou de tige filetées, et en ce que ledit élément de pinçage est ladite plaquette de pinçage (16), et les deux segments conformés sont des côtés latéraux (30, 31) de ladite plaquette de pinçage (16), disposés substantiellement dans l'axe avec les logements respectifs (23, 25), de manière opposée, et recourbés pour former lesdites surfaces de pinçage (32,33), pouvant durant l'utilisation, entrer en contact avec les chevilles de fixation (27, 29) de manière à pincer ces dernières dans lesdits logements (23, 25).

7. Procédé selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que ledit processus de moulage comprend une étape de moulage sous pression.

8. Procédé selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que dans une étape de formage et de finition, au moins lesdits logements (23, 25) sont réalisés.

Drawing