Snap hinge with damper and fixing plate for snap hinge

Abstract

 A snap-action hinge (1) for opening and closing furniture doors comprises a hinge cup (3) operatively articulated to a hinge arm (4) through an upper connecting rod (11) and a lower connecting rod (12), a base plate (7) designed to be fixed to the shoulder of a piece of furniture as well as a damping device (2) designed to be actuated during a last section of the closing movement of the hinge (1) to slow down the mutual approach movement between the cup (3) and the hinge arm (4). Advantageously, said damping device (2) is fastened to the fixing plate (7) so as to be integral with it.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a fixing plate for snap hinges, in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, particularly but not exclusively a snap-action hinge to be used in furniture to ensure the correct opening and closing movement of the doors.

[0002] Snap hinges are used to allow furniture doors and wings to be opened and closed and comprise a cup part designed to be embedded in the door, a hinge arm fastened to a fixing plate for hinges designed to be secured to the shoulder of a piece of furniture, articulated connection means to operatively connect together the hinge arm and the hinge cup, elastic means to ensure that the hinge snaps shut.

[0003] In the field of furniture there is an increasing demand for hinges with standard shapes and sizes that:

• are able to correctly support the doors both statically and during the opening and closing movements and, at the same time,
• are able to ensure effective snap-action closing of the doors even after a high number of repeated actuations and allow to remove the hinge arm from the furniture shoulder without moving the fixing plate from the piece of furniture.

[0004] This last feature, i.e. the possibility to unhook the hinge arm from the fixing plate is fundamental in order to allow removing the door from the shoulder of the piece of furniture without losing the position adjustments of the door with respect to the shoulder of the piece of furniture.

[0005] In addition to meeting the aforementioned requirements, it is nowadays much demanded to prevent the doors from banging when they are closed due to the return action exerted by the elastic means.

[0006] The solution adopted to satisfy even this last requirement has been to equip the hinges with suitable dampers that are able to dampen and slow down the closing movement of the doors. Basically, it is wished for the furniture door to have a snap-action closing movement through the action exerted upon it by the elastic means during the closing movement of the hinge and, at the same time, it is wished for the closing movement of the door to be restrained, i.e. slowed down, by the action of a damper in order to avoid the door bumping when it closes.

[0007] Generally, the dampers most commonly used have a hydraulic damped piston and can be fixed to the furniture in positions such as to be able to be directly actuated by the doors during the last portion of their closing movement. This solution, although simple and effective, suffers from the negative aesthetic impact due to the presence of dampers that remain in view, even though inside the piece of furniture. Furthermore, fixing these dampers to the piece of furniture engenders more drilling and assembly work with respect to what is generally required.

[0008] In order to avoid the aforementioned problems it has been attempted to integrate the dampers in the hinge, by fixing the hydraulic dampers directly to the hinge arm, for example as described and illustrated in document US 2004/0205935.

[0009] Although useful in terms of the damping that can be obtained, the fixing of the damper onto the hinge arm is not very practical, since it requires the hinge arm to be configured with a view to be suitable for connection with the damper, as well as not very stable since it offers a fixing point that is necessarily distanced from the piece of furniture shoulder to which the hinge arm is fastened through the fixing plate. Furthermore, this solution causes adjusting problems in case of using higher hinges and, last but not least, the damper dimensions have a negative aesthetic impact so that this solution will be scarcely used when creating valuable "design" furniture.

[0010] The problem at the basis of the present invention is to devise a hinge section having structural and functional features such as to allow a damping in the snap closing movement of a hinge, without radically changing the standard shape and penalizing the aesthetic quality of the hinges, overcoming at the same time the aforementioned drawbacks with reference to the prior art.

[0011] Such a problem is solved by a fixing plate for snap hinges in accordance with claim 1.

[0012] The idea for a solution forming the basis of the present invention is to fasten the damper directly onto the hinge fixing plate.

[0013] According to a further aspect the technical problem at the basis of the present invention is solved by a snap hinge in accordance with claim 9.

[0014] Further features and the advantages of the fixing plate and the hinge for furniture according to the present invention will enhance from the description provided below of some preferred example embodiments thereof, given for indicating and not limiting purposes, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

• figure 1 represents a perspective view of a hinge according to the invention in open configuration comprising a fixing plate according to the invention;
• figure 2 represents a perspective view of the hinge of figure 1 from a different angle shot;
• figure 3 represents a simplified longitudinal perspective view of the hinge of figure 1;
• figure 4 represents a plane longitudinal view of the hinge of figure 1 in open configuration;
• figure 4a represents a plane longitudinal section view of the hinge of figure 1;
• figures 5 and 6 represent a longitudinal section view of the hinge of figure 1 shown in two respective and different intermediate positions between the open configuration and the closed configuration;
• figure 7 represents a plane longitudinal view of the hinge of figure 1 in closed configuration;
• figure 7a represents a plane longitudinal section view of the hinge of figure 1 in closed configuration;
• figures 8 and 9 represent respective perspective views from different angle shots of the fixing plate according to the invention of the hinge of figure 1;
• figures 10 and 11 represent perspective partial exploded views and, respectively, a total exploded view of the articulated connection means of figure 1;
• figure 12 represents a partial section longitudinal perspective view of a hinge according to the invention comprising a fixing plate according to the invention in accordance with a different embodiment;
• figure 13 represents a simplified longitudinal perspective section view of the hinge of figure 12;
• figure 14 represents a perspective view of the fixing plate according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment secured to the hinge of figure 12;
• figure 15 represents a perspective view of the fixing plate according to the invention in accordance with a third embodiment;
• figure 16 represents a plane top view of the fixing plate of figure 15 without the damping device and
• figure 18 represents an exploded perspective view of the fixing plate of figure 15;

[0015] With reference to the above said figures, reference numeral 1 generically indicates a snap-action hinge for opening and closing a door of a piece of furniture.

[0016] The hinge 1 comprises:

• a hinge cup 3 designed to be embedded in a circular hole provided in the inner part of the door,
• a fixing plate 7 according to the invention to be fastened to a shoulder of the piece of furniture;
• a hinge arm 4 extending along a prevalent longitudinal direction and fastened to the fixing plate 7 so that it can be removed,
• articulated connection means to connect in an articulated way the rear end 8 of the cup 3 to a first end 5 of the hinge arm 4, so that the cup 3 and the hinge arm 4 are articulated to each other to turn from an open hinge configuration (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) to a closed hinge configuration (Figure 7), and vice-versa, in which the door supported by the hinge is respectively open and closed with respect to the remaining part of the piece of furniture, and
• elastic means (not illustrated for the sake of simplicity of representation) suitable to act between said cup 3 and said hinge arm 4 to push the hinge 1 towards the aforementioned hinge closed configuration (Figure 7) during at least the last section of the movement from the hinge open configuration (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) to the hinge closed configuration (Figure 7).

[0017] The hinge is fixedly connected to the shoulder of the piece of furniture through the fixing plate 7, to which the hinge arm 4 is fastened so that it can be removed. To this purpose the fixing plate 7 is equipped with coupling means 32 for the snap-in of the hinge arm 4 which, in this embodiment, comprise conveniently positioned seats suitable to receive and keep hold corresponding engagement means 33 of the hinge arm 4, more specifically of the intermediate block 31 which is integral with the hinge arm 4.

[0018] In accordance with one embodiment, the hinge arm 4 is snap-in to the fixing plate 7 through the interposing of an intermediate block 31. Particularly, the intermediate block 31 is equipped with engagement means able to couple with the fixing plate 7, in a conventional way, and with centring and adjusting elements by acting on which it is possible to:

• assure the fixing and the correct positioning of the hinge arm 4 with respect to the fixing plate 7 below, as well as
• register the position of the hinge arm 4 with respect to the fixing plate 7 in the X-X longitudinal direction along which the hinge arm itself extends. Since the aforementioned engagement means and the centring and adjusting devices are well known to the man skilled in the art they will not be described in detail in the following.

[0019] In the example, the hinge arm 4 is in the form of a C-shaped profile, of predetermined longitudinal axis X-X, formed by a flat upper wall from which two respective flanks extend. When the hinge arm 4 is engaged with the block plate 7 below by means of the intermediate block 31, the open side of the "C" faces towards the fixing plate 7 itself. This configuration of the hinge arm 4 is totally conventional for a man skilled in the art.

[0020] The intermediate block 31 is configured so as to insert into the "C" defined by the hinge arm 4, forming a shape coupling with it suitable to allow the hinge arm 4 to carry out a limited relative displacement in the longitudinal direction X-X with respect to the intermediate block 31. In accordance with what has been described earlier, the correct positioning of the hinge arm 4 with respect to the fixing plate 7 below is obtained by acting suitably on the aforementioned centring and adjustment elements of the intermediate block 31.

[0021] Associated with the intermediate block 31 there is a release button 22, by acting upon which it is possible to unhook the intermediate block 31 and the hinge arm 4 from the fixing plate 7.

[0022] The cup part 3 extends as a prolongation of the hinge arm 4 in the aforementioned axial direction X-X starting from the rear end 8 and it is defined by a bottom 9 from which the side walls extend vertically. According to a manufacturing standard, the cup 3 overall dimensions allow it to be housed in a hole having a diameter of 35 mm or, alternatively, the cup may have dimensions such as to be able to be housed in a hole having a diameter of 26 mm, the values of the diameters of the holes equal to 26 mm or 35 mm being currently universally used values. More specifically, the cup 3 along the axis X-X has a length equal to the size indicated above whereas in the transverse direction Y-Y it has an internal width defined between two opposite side walls 17 substantially positioned parallel to the axis X-X.

[0023] The hinge cup 3, at its front end (in other words the opposite end to the rear end at which the hinge arm 4 is hinged to) has a front wall 21 extending between the aforementioned two opposite side walls 17.

[0024] In the examples illustrated, the cup 3 is equipped with an upper fixing flange 6 that passes in front the actual cup shaped part and is equipped with holes, two holes in the example, each designed to receive a respective coupling means, for example a screw or an expansion dowel, to ensure that the cup 3 is fixed to the inner part of the door. It should be specified that, in some embodiments the cup of the hinge may not have the fixing flange 6. Furthermore, the shape of the cup 3 may differ from that of the above described example.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiments, the aforementioned first articulated connection means comprise an upper connecting rod 11 and a lower connecting rod 12 respectively pivoted at 13 and 14 to the hinge arm 4 and respectively pivoted at 15 and 16 to the cup 3. As shown in the figures, the pins 13 and 14 extend in the transverse direction Y-Y between the opposite flanks of the hinge arm 4, whereas the pins 15 and 16 extend in the transverse direction Y-Y between the opposite side walls 17 of the cup 3.

[0026] According to the present invention the fixing plate 7 is equipped with a damping device 2 which is directly fastened to the fixing plate 7 in order to be integral with and directly supported by it.

[0027] The damping device 2, preferably of grease or hydraulic type, comprises a body 18 and a piston rod 19 which are operatively associated so as to be mutually movable with respect to one another in contrast to a damping action of the relative movement.

[0028] Particularly, the piston rod 19 is movable with respect to the body 18 so that it may go from a position of advanced end stroke, in which the piston rod projects from the body 18 (figures 4, 8, 12, 13 and 14), to a position of back end stroke (figures 7, 7a), in which the piston rod is almost totally housed inside the body 18.

[0029] With reference to the damping device 2, it should be noted that it comprises elastic means (not depicted) which operate on the piston rod 19 to push it, with a prearranged elastic load, towards the aforementioned position of advanced end stroke in which the piston rod 19 projects further from the body 18.

[0030] On this matter it should be noted that the aforementioned elastic load is capable of winning the damping action that develops inside the damping device 2 between the piston rod 19 and the body 18 and determines the rearming towards the advanced end stroke position of the piston rod 19 when no element of the hinge is operating on it, for example when the hinge is in the open configuration.

[0031] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the fixing plate 7 locates a housing where the damping device 2 is hosted.

[0032] With reference to the fixing plate 7, it is possible to detect an upper side facing the hinge harm 4 and a lower side designed to be faced toward the piece of furniture shoulder to which the fixing plate is going to be fastened.

[0033] In accordance with the embodiment of figures 1 to 9, said housing of the fixing plate 7 is provided inside the lower side of said fixing plate 7 as illustrated in the figures 8 and 9. As a consequence, once the fixing plate 7 fastened to the piece of furniture shoulder, the damping device 2 is restrained between the wall of the piece of furniture shoulder and the lower wall of the fixing plate itself. This embodiment is advantageous since it minimizes the distance between the damping device 2 and the shoulder of the piece of furniture. Furthermore, thanks to this embodiment, the damping device is substantially not visible from outside and avoids possible interference problems with the hinge harm 4 or the intermediate block 31.

[0034] Differently, with reference to the embodiment of figures from 12 to 14, the aforementioned housing of the fixing plate 7 is provided inside the top side of the fixing plate 7 as depicted in the figure 14, so that the damping device 2 is restrained between the top wall of the fixing plate 7, which it is in contact with, and the hinge harm 4 which is positioned above.

[0035] Preferably, the fixing plate 7 is equipped with the engagement means 10 capable of holding in a removable way the damping device 2 in the aforementioned housing.

[0036] In accordance with the first embodiment depicted in the figures 8 and 9, these engagement means 10 consist of several windows, obtained in the wall of the base plate 7, inside which corresponding engagement teeth projecting from the body 18 of the damping device 2 are snap-in.

[0037] According to the second embodiment depicted in figure 14, these engagement means 10 consist of two opposed crimping wings between which the body 18 of the damping device 2 is inserted in engagement.

[0038] In view of the aforementioned features, the hinge 1 according to the present invention is therefore a damped hinge, in which, during the last part of the closing movement of the hinge 1 from the open hinge configuration (figures 1, 2, 3 and 4; 12 and 13) to the closed hinge configuration (figure 7), the piston rod 19 of the damping device 2 is actuated to move towards said position of rear end stroke and brake the reciprocate approach movement between the hinge cup 3 and the hinge harm 4.

[0039] In one of the embodiments, the damping device 2 is operatively associated with the hinge cup 3 through articulated connection means 23 so that during the last section of the closing movement of the hinge from the hinge open hinge configuration to the hinge closed configuration the piston rod 19 is pushed towards the aforementioned rear position, as above indicated.

[0040] In one of the embodiments, the second articulated connection means 23 comprise a rocking lever 24 supported during its rotation by the hinge harm 4 round a rocking lever pivot 25.

[0041] The rocking lever 24 comprises a first arm 24a, suitable to operate on the piston rod 19 of the damping device 2 so as to generate the displacement toward the rear position of the piston rod 19 (figure 7), and a second arm 24b connected in rotation through transmission rods to said first articulated connection means, so that, at least during the last part of the hinge closing movement, from the hinge open configuration to the hinge closed configuration, said rocking lever 24 turns round the rocking lever pivot 25 to operate with its arm 24 on the piston rod 19 as already detailed.

[0042] In one of the embodiments, said transmission rods comprise a shaft 26 having a first end pivoting in 28 on the free end of the second arm 24b of the rocking lever 24 and a second end pivoting on the fifth pivot 27 which is supported by the lower connecting rod 12 close to said third pivot 14 but in a spaced position from the third pivot.

[0043] It is useful to highlight that the first pivot 13, the pivot 14, the pivot 15, the pivot 16, the pivot 27 and the rocking lever pivot 25 extend parallel to one another according to a direction Y-Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X-X in which the hinge harm 4 extends.

[0044] When using the hinge 1, it has been ascertained that, during the last part of the hinge closing movement, the damping device 2 is able to assure an efficient damping action in order to slow down the closing movement both of the hinge and the supported door, thus avoiding the door to slam.

[0045] With reference to the damping device 2, it is useful to note that the body 18 of the damping device 2 may be replaced with a guide functionally equivalent, i.e. an element able to support and guide the sliding of the piston rod 19 from the onward end stroke position to the rear position, and vice-versa.

[0046] According to the invention, the damping device 2 is supported only by the fixing plate 7.

[0047] Therefore, in accordance with the invention, the damping device 2 is supported neither by the hinge harm 4 nor by the intermediate block 31 fastened to the fixing plate 7, but is fastened directly to the fixing plate 7.

[0048] Figures from 15 to 18 show a different embodiment of the fixing plate 7 according to the invention. In this version also, the damping device 2 is directly supported and fastened to the fixing plate 7.

[0049] With reference to the fixing plate 7 in accordance with the embodiment depicted in figures from 15 to 18, it must be underlined that the components of this plate structurally and/or functionally corresponding to the components of the fixing plate 7 as depicted in the figures 8 and 9, are marked with the same reference numbers. Particularly, this fixing plate also has an upper side designed to face the hinge harm 4 and a lower side designed to face the piece of furniture shoulder to which the fixing plate 7 is going to be fastened.

[0050] Particularly, in the fixing plate 7 of the figures from 15 to 18 it is provided a housing 30 inside which the damping device 2 is conveniently housed to be hold inside and supported in a stable way. This housing is shaped in such a manner to be complementary to the shape of the portion of the damping device 2 designed to be housed. In the example of figures from 15 to 18, the body 18 of the damping device is a cylinder having a circular transversal section and, as a consequence, the aforementioned housing 30 is a cylindrical housing with a circular transversal section.

[0051] It must be underlined that in order to guarantee the best possible support to the damping device 2, the aforementioned housing 30 comprises at least a first portion 30a and a second portion 30b which are capable of enclosing the body 18 of the damping device 2 at least in correspondence with the two opposite portions of the side wall of said body 18.

[0052] In the example (see figure 18), since the body 18 of the damping device is circular, a first semicircular concave portion 30a and a second semicircular concave portion 30b are provided, where the cavities face the upper side and the lower side of the fixing plate 7.

[0053] In accordance with a preferred and advantageous embodiment, the two portions 30a and 30b are staggered between them in the X-X longitudinal direction, so that they extend as a reciprocate prolongation and do not overlap. In the example, the first concave semicircular portion 30a extends longitudinally along the centre line of the fixing plate 7 starting from the front end of the fixing plate, while the second concave semicircular portion 30b extends longitudinally in the X-X longitudinal direction as a prolongation of the first portion 30a even though in a position vertically opposed. This allows the fixing plate 7 to be produced by blanking, pressing and folding operations, as well as by die-casting, without much difficulties, since there are no overlapping parts to be obtained.

[0054] It is useful to underline that in the embodiment of the figures from 15 to 18 the cylindrical body 18 of the damping device 2 is housed inside the housing 30a so that it may slide axially while the piston rod 19 is rigidly fastened to the fixing plate 7.

[0055] Preferably, the fixing plate 7 comprises adjusting means able to allow the adjusting of the axial position of the part 18 of the damping device 2, which is directly fastened to the fixing plate 7.

[0056] In accordance with the embodiment of the figures from 15 to 18 these adjusting means are represented by a connection square 29 with:

• a first side 29a which is extended transversally to the above said longitudinal direction along which said cylindrical body 18 of the damping device 2 moves in said housing 30, said first side 29a identifying a stop element for the piston rod 19 of the damping device 2 and
• a second side 29b which is extended in said longitudinal direction and is connected to said fixing plate 7 through an engagement with an eccentric pivot 35 extended in a direction Z-Z perpendicular to the X-X longitudinal direction. Particularly, the eccentric pivot 35 is associated to the fixing plate 7 in such a manner to pivot eccentrically on a rotation axis extended in the aforementioned direction Z-Z, so that to an eccentric rotation of the aforementioned eccentric pivot 35 corresponds a movement in the X-X longitudinal direction of the connection square 29 and, as a consequence, of the position of the striker 29a of the piston rod 19 of the damping device 2.

[0057] It should be stressed how, in all the above detailed embodiments of the fixing plate 7, the housing where in which the damping device is housed extends longitudinally in the X-X longitudinal direction along the centre line of the fixing plate 7.

[0058] Advantageously, this allows having the damping device 2 positioned in a way as to be aligned under the hinge harm 4 which is fastened to the fixing plate 7.

[0059] In other words, the damping device 2 is directly fastened to and supported by the fixing plate 7 even without the hinge harm 4 or the intermediate block 31 which is strictly connected to the hinge harm 4 and, at the same time, operates under and perfectly in line with the hinge harm 4. This allows the damping device 2 working perfectly balanced along the middle line of the hinge 1.

[0060] It is also useful to underline that the direct support of the damping device 2 by the fixing plate 7 provides a solid fastening of the same on account of the fact that:

• the fixing plate is designed to be fastened directly to the shoulder of the piece of furniture and
• the distance between the damping device 2 and the shoulder of the piece of furniture is minimal.

[0061] As can be appreciated from what has been described, the snap-action hinge for furniture equipped with a damping device as per the present invention allows the technical problem forming the basis of the present invention to be avoided, at the same time overcoming the drawbacks referred to in the introductory part of the present description with reference to the prior art. Indeed, according to the invention, the damping device 2 is directly supported by the fixing plate of the hinge, in a stable manner thus avoiding disadvantageous lever arms.

[0062] As a matter of fact, according to the invention, the damping device 2 is directly and firmly supported by the fixing plate of the hinge, i.e. is substantially close to the shoulder of the piece of furniture, in such a manner as to avoid the presence of prejudicial lever arms.

[0063] A further advantage of the hinge for furniture according to the present invention is the possibility to remove the hinge harm 4 and the intermediate block 31 from the fixing plate 7, without needing to remove the damping device from the fixing plate. Moreover, thanks to the positioning of the damping device the aforementioned engagement means, centring and adjusting elements of the hinge have the maximum liberty of operation.

[0064] An even further advantage of the hinge for furniture according to the present invention is its structural simplicity and ease of manufacture, as well as the possibility of using such a hinge as a spare part for furniture using standard type hinges

Claims

1. A fixing plate (7) of a hinge, for securing the removable fixing of a hinge harm (4) to a furniture shoulder, comprising a body extended in a prevalent longitudinal direction (X-X) equipped with means for securing it to a furniture shoulder, and coupling means (32) for fixing a hinge harm in a snap-fit fashion, characterized in that it comprises a damper device (2) having a body (18) and a piston rod (19) operatively associated with each other to be mutually movable along said longitudinal direction (X-X) against a braking action for damping movement, said damping device (2) being directly secured to and supported by the body of said fixing plate (7) to be integral therewith.

2. A fixing plate (7) according to claim 1, wherein said fixing plate (7) defines a housing and said damping device (2) is housed within said housing.

3. A fixing plate (7) according to in claim 2, wherein said fixing plate (7) has a top side designed to be faced towards the hinge harm (4) and a bottom side designed to be faced towards the furniture shoulder whereto the fixing plate (7) is designed to be fastened, wherein said housing (30) is obtained for a first part under a portion (30b) of said fixing plate (7) and for a second part above a portion (30a) of said fixing plate (7).

4. A fixing plate (7) according to in claim 3, wherein said first part and said second part of said housing (30) are staggered between them in said longitudinal direction (X-X).

5. A fixing plate (7) according to claim 2, wherein said fixing plate (7) has a top side designed to be faced towards the hinge harm (4) and a bottom side designed to be faced towards the furniture shoulder whereto the fixing plate (7) is designed to be fastened, wherein said housing is entirely obtained under the bottom side of said fixing plate (7).

6. A fixing plate (7) according to claim 2, wherein said fixing plate (7) has a top side designed to be faced towards the hinge harm (4) and a bottom side is designed to be faced towards the piece of furniture shoulder whereto the fixing plate (7) is designed to be fastened, wherein said housing is entirely obtained above the upper side of said fixing plate (7), said damping device (2) being designed to face towards the intermediate block (31) of the hinge harm (4).

7. A fixing plate (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said fixing plate (7) comprises engagement means (10) to hold in a removable way said damping device (2) in said housing.

8. A fixing plate (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said fixing plate (7) comprises adjusting means (29, 29a, 29b) to register the axial position in said longitudinal direction (X-X) of the part of said damping device (2) fastened to said fixing plate (7).

9. A snap hinge with a damper for opening and closing furniture doors, said hinge comprising:

- a hinge cup (3) designed to be fastened to a furniture door,

- a fixing plate (7);

- a hinge harm (4) extending in a prevailing longitudinal direction (X-X), connected to the fixing plate (7)in a removable way,

- first articulated connection means (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) for connecting in an articulated fashion a rear end (8) of the hinge cup (3) to a first end (5) of said hinge harm (4), said hinge cup (3) and said hinge harm (4) being mutually articulated to move between a closed hinge configuration and an open hinge configuration, in which the furniture door is closed and, respectively, open with respect to the rest of the piece of furniture and

- elastic means designed to operate between said hinge cup (3) and said hinge harm (4) to push said hinge with a preset elastic load towards said closed hinge configuration during a final section of the closing movement of the hinge from the open hinge configuration to the closed hinge configuration,

characterized in that said fixing plate is a fixing plate (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said damping device (2) being fastened to the fixing plate (7) so that, during said final section of the closing movement of the hinge from the open hinge configuration to the closed hinge configuration, said piston rod (19) is operated to move in relation to the body (18) and brake the mutual approaching movement between the hinge cup (3) and the hinge harm (4).

10. A hinge according to claim 9, wherein said damping device (2) is operatively associated with said hinge cup (3) via second articulated connection means (23) to be actuated during said final section of the closing movement of the hinge from the open hinge configuration to the closed hinge configuration and brake the mutual approaching movement between the hinge cup (3) and the hinge harm (4), said damping device (2) being positioned so that it is aligned under said hinge harm (4) along said prevalent longitudinal direction (X-X).

11. A hinge according to claim 10, wherein said second articulated connection means (23) include a rocking lever (24) supported when pivoting on a rocking lever pin (25) by said hinge harm (4).

12. A hinge according to claim 11, wherein said rocking lever (24) comprises a first arm (24a) for operating on said piston rod (19) of the damping device (2) and a second arm (24b) connected while rotating to said first articulated connection means by means of transmission rods so that, at least during said final section of the closing movement of the hinge from the open hinge configuration to the closed hinge configuration, said rocking lever (24) pivots on said rocking lever pin (25) to operate on said piston rod (19) and cause it to move backwards into the body (18) of the damping device (2).

13. A hinge according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein said first articulated connection means comprise:

- an upper connecting rod (11) pivoted to the hinge harm (4) and to the cup (3) at a first pin (13) and a second pin (15) respectively,

- a lower connecting rod (12) pivoted to the hinge harm (4) and to the cup (3) at a third pin (14) and a fourth pin (16) respectively,

wherein said damping device (2) is operatively associated with said upper connecting rod (11) to be supported by said upper connecting rod (11).

14. A hinge according to claims 12 and 13, wherein said rods include a rod (26) having a first end pivoted about a pin (28) to the free end of said second arm (24b) of the rocking lever (24) and a second end pivoted about a fifth pin (27) supported by said lower connecting rod (12) near said third pin (14).

15. A hinge according to claim 14, wherein said first pin (13), second pin (15), third pin (14), fourth pin (16), fifth pin (27) and rocking lever pin (25) extend parallel to one another in a direction (Y-Y) perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (X-X).

Drawing