A hinge device particularly for associating sheet-like elements with pieces of furniture

Abstract

 @ The hinge device comprises two elements (2, 25) journalled together at one end; the former element (2) has an inner cavity (4) defining a seat for a block (14) in which there is formed a seat for a rod (21) extending through the cavity (4) itself. That rod has an enlarged portion at one end (22) and is journalled at its other end (23) to the second element (25) by a pin (24). The second element (25) is journalled to the first element by a pivot pin (35) and has a seat for accommodating a flat sheet-like element (28), and a guiding element (31, 33) associable therewith.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a hinge device particularly for associating flat sheet-like elements with pieces of furniture, such as for example, cabinets of the type intended to contain electronic apparatus, such as record players.

[0002] Such pieces of furniture usually have a flat sheet-like lid, made of crystal glass, plain glass, coloured or transparent plastic material, which is hinged to the piece of furniture as to form a closure for the compartment accommodating the record player, while leaving it in view and when raised, allowing access to the electronic apparatus.

[0003] Some prior hinge devices used for associating such sheets with the piece of furniture include an elastically deformable element which consists of a spring, adapted to be loaded in the closed condition of the hinge.

[0004] However, such prior types have a drawback: first, in the closed condition thereof, that is with the sheet or sheet-like element resting on the piece of furniture, the sheet is placed under stress because it is required to compress the spring by its own weight at one end.

[0005] This local load, applied over an intrinsically small surface area, often results in the sheet breaking in that area, thereby the hinge is allowed to swing open because the load that held the spring compressed is removed.

[0006] Another drawback of prior hinges is that they do not usually permit gradual opening and closure, and that the sheet edge is associated with them by means of a clamp provided with a clamping screw which, additionally to indenting the sheet, allows the user to slightly dislodge it by repeated handling.

[0007] It is the primary object of this invention to obviate such prior disadvantages by providing a hinge device which, in the closed condition thereof, applies no stresses to the sheet associated with it.

[0008] A further important object is to provide a hinge device which enables a sheet-like element to be associated therewith to be securely held against longitudinal and transverse movements.

[0009] Another object is to provide a hinge device affording the ability to close and open a lid or sheet-like element, having a neutral balance position in the open condition thereof.

[0010] Another important object is to provide a hinge device which can be easily installed, functions properly, and has a valuable aesthetic appearance.

[0011] A not least object is to provide a hinge device which is of low cost and which can be manufactured on ordinary equipment.

[0012] These and other objects are achieved by a hinge device which is characterized in that it comprises a first element having an internal cavity, defining a seat for a block including means for guiding a rod extending from said cavity, means for securing said first element to a piece of furniture, and shoulders, said hinge device further comprising a second element, journalled to said shoulders and having a first seat adapted for association with a flat sheet-like element and locking and guiding means, and a second seat whereto the end of said rod is journalled.

[0013] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hinge device according to the invention as installed to connect a sheet-like element to a piece of furniture;

Figure 2 is a perspective cut-away view of the second element, and the locking and guide means associated with the sheet-like element;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the locking and guide means associated with the sheet-like element;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the hinge device as taken on a transverse sectional mid-plane; and

Figure 5 shows to a larger scale, a perspective view of the wedge used inside the first element of the hinge device according to the invention.

[0014] With reference to the previously cited figures, the hinge 1 comprises a first element 2 consisting of a box-shaped structure 3 having an internal cavity 4 in the upper 5 and lower 6 walls of which there are formed axially aligned two holes 7 and 8, the lower hole ₈ having a slightly larger diameter than the upper hole 7.

[0015] The box-shaped structure 3 has a pair of lateral wings or protuberances 9 expediently having formed therein through holes 10 adapted for accommodating fixing means such as screws 12, for attaching the hinge device to the wall 11 of a piece of furniture, the structure 3 also having, at the upper surface 5, at least one pair of identical shoulders 13 projecting upwards.

[0016] Inside the cavity 4 there is accommodated an adjustment member or block 14 composed of a wedge, advantageously formed from a plastic material and having.two sloping side surfaces 15 and 16 and a seat 17 of cylindrical shape, extending substantially along the longitudinal mid-axis of the adjustment member 14 itself.

[0017] The adjustment member 14 also has, at the flat side surfaces 18, a through milling 19 extending through the longitudinal mid-axis of the same, and spanning a portion of the full length of the member 14 from its bottom end 20.

[0018] The seat 17 is located, with the element 14 inserted into the cavity 4, in alignment with the holes 7 and 8, that seat being adapted for guiding the sliding movement of a cylindrical rod 21 having a longer length than the box-shaped structure 3, that rod having ends 22 and 23 projecting respectively downwardly and upwardly of the structure 3, the former end 22 having an enlarged portion defining a slightly larger diameter than the latter.

[0019] Between the shoulders 13 of the element 2, there is journal led, through a pin 24, the end of a second element 25, having at its opposite end 26 a first seat 27, adapted for accommodating a portion of a flat sheet-like element'28 therein, which may be a lid or a door of an item of furniture.

[0020] That seat 27 has formed internally thereon, a rest shelf, for supporting the sheet-like element and expediently having a plurality of knurled formations 29 formed along parallel axes to the longitudinal axis of the element 25 itself, in said shelf there being also formed close to the end 26 thereof, a through-going seat 30.

[0021] Downwardly of the sheet 28, there is associated a locking and guide means comprising an element 31 adapted for association therewith and having a substantially L-like shape with a first leg adapted to be positioned adjacent the face of the sheet-like element 28, and a second shorter leg positioned at the back edge thereof.

[0022] The element 31 advantageously has its bottom surface conformed to correspond with the knurled formations 29 formed on the second element 25, the width of element 31 being slightly smaller than the width of the seat 27.

[0023] Also at the surface 32 of the locking and guide means 31, there is formed an elastically deformable nib 33, adapted for locking engagement with a through-going seat 30 formed in the rest shelf of the seat 27.

[0024] The second element 25 also has, in the proximity of the pin 24, a second seat 34 with which there is associated, through a pin 35 parallel to the pin 24, the end 23 of the cylindrical rod 21.

[0025] The hinge is utilized as follows: since the rod 21 has a larger diameter at its end 22, on raising the plate 28 and, hence, the element 25 associated therewith, a balanced position will be gradually reached due to the compression of the end 22 onto the inner walls of the seat 17 formed in the device 14.

[0026] A small force applied to close the lid or sheet-like element will result, once the initial resistance is overcome, in the plate moving gradually down by virtue of frictional contact engagement between the side surfaces of the rod 21 and the inner surfaces of the seat 17.

[0027] The element or locking and guide means 31 is expediently rigidly associated with the sheet-like element 28 by means of an appropriate adhesive, which obviously, must be selected according to the material of which the elements 28, 31 are made.

[0028] Application of the locking and guide means or element 31 to the plate 28 enables first of all association of the same with the device 2 without subsequent plate displacements occurring either in a transverse or longitudinal direction, transverse displacement being prevented by the provision of the knurled formation internally of the seat 27 and on the bottom surface 32 of the element 31, and longitudinal displacement being prevented by the provision of the nib 33 which, being elastically deformable, after enabling insertion of the plate, engages in a seat 30 formed on the inside of the seat 27.

[0029] Any replacement of the plate 28 is anyhow made easy, since the same can be drawn out of the first seat 27 by applying a slight pressure to the nib 33 through the open end of the through-going seat 30 to disengage the nib 33 therefrom.

[0030] Thus, it has been shown that the invention achieves all the objects set forth, the same further allowing the sheet to be subjected to no stress once placed to close the surface of the piece of furniture containing the electronic apparatus.

[0031] Obviously, the element 31 may be alternatively associated with the sheet-like element or plate 28 by selectively removable fixing means such as screws or bolts, or even by means of rivets.

[0032] Of course, any dimensions and materials may be employed according to contingent requirements.

Claims

1. A hinge device characterised in that it comprises a first eiement (2) having an internal cavity (4), defining a seat (17) for a block (14) including means (17) for guiding a rod (21) extending from said cavity (4), means for securing said first element (2) to a piece of furniture, and shoulders (13), said hinge device (1) further comprising a second element (25) journalled to said shoulders (13) and having a first seat (27) adapted'for association with a flat sheet-like element (28), and locking and guiding means (31), and a second seat (34) whereto the end of said rod (21) is journalled.

2. A hinge device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said first element (2) comprises a box-shaped structure (3) having an inner cavity (4) the seat (17) for an adjustement device comprising a wedge, said structure having laterally on the same plane two wings (9) provided with several seats (10) for conforming means of securement to the wall (11) of a piece of furniture comprising screws (12), said structure (3) also having at the longitudinal mid-axis two holes (7, 8) in the cavity walls (5, 6), the lower one of said holes (8) having a larger diameter.

3. A hinge device according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that said block (14) comprises a wedge which has two opposed sloping surfaces (15, 16), and at the holes (7, 8) formed in the cavity walls (5, 6), a cylindrical through-going longitudinal seat (17), on said wedge there being also formed a longitudinal through-going milling (19) partly spanning its extension from the end (20) located at the cavity wall (6) having the larger diameter hole (8).

4. A hinge device according to Claims 1, 2 and 3, characterised in that said block (14) comprises a wedge having longitudinal seat (17) which accommodates and serves as a guide for a rod (21) of longer length than the seat (17) itself, said rod (21) ends protuding through holes (7, 8) in said first element (2) and having a portion of greater diameter in the proximity of the end (20) located at the cavity wall (6) having the larger diameter hole (8).

5. A hinge device according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that said first element (2) has a pair of identical projecting shoulders (13) having a seat for a pin (24) to which the end of a second element (25) is journalled, on the latter there being formed, at the opposite end (26) of essentially parallelepipedic shape, a first seat (27) for a logking and guiding means (31) associated in a stable way close to the peripheral edge of a flat sheet (28).

6. A hinge device according to Claims 1 and 5, characterised in that said second element (25) has a first seat (27) which spans the full width and in part the length of the end (26) on which it is formed, said first seat (27) having, at the rest shelf for the locking and guiding means (31), a plurality of elevations or longitudinal knurled formations (29) and a through-going seat (30).

7. A hinge device according to the preceding Claims, characterised in that said locking and guiding means (31) comprises an element of essentially L-like . shape the shorter'leg if which is placed on the sheet (28) back, the longer leg having at the bottom a conforming zone of smaller width than the rest shelf of the first seat (27) of the second element (25), on said zone there being also formed a seat (30) for accommodating a nib (33) projecting from it, that nib (33) affecting, with the sheet (28) associated with said second element (25), the through-going seat (30) formed on the latter.

8. A hinge device according to the preceding Claims, characterised in that said rod (21) has its smaller diameter end journalled to a second seat (34) formed downwardly of said second element (25) close to the hinge point of the latter to the first element (2).

Drawing