Self-locking safety hinge, particularly for opening and closing a hatch

Abstract

 A self-locking safety hinge, particularly for opening and closing a hatch, comprising a first fixed element (2) and a second movable element (3) which is jointly connected to the hatch and is coupled to the first element (2) so that it can rotate, and comprising members (4) for articulation between the first element (2) and the second element (3), which can be actuated manually and selectively from a free rotation configuration, in which the hatch can be moved from an open position to a closed position and vice versa, to a safety configuration, in which the hatch is locked stably in the open position by way of retention means (5), the retention means (5) comprising at least one profile (6) formed by the second element (3) and at least one contact surface (7) which ends with at least one rear bevel (8) provided on the first element (2), when the articulation members (4) are in the safety configuration the profile (6) abutting substantially against the bevel (8) of the contact surface (7), when the articulation members (4) are in the free rotation configuration the profile (6) being substantially spaced from the contact surface (7), the retention means comprising at least one first wall (9) on the second element (3) which can engage the bevel (8), the bevel (8) having a curvature which is adapted for the automatic lifting of the hatch by sliding the first wall (9) on the bevel (8), as a consequence of manual traction of the hatch in the closure direction from the safety configuration.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-locking safety hinge particularly for opening and closing a hatch.

[0002] Many modem products, such as for example electrical household appliances and particularly cookers, are conveniently provided with a closure hatch or cover which allows to protect the cooking plates when they are not being used and also constitutes a convenient resting surface.

[0003] Such hatch is usually articulated to the footing of the cooker by means of a pair of hinges of a substantially traditional type, made of various materials and in various shapes, in order to meet predominantly aesthetic and dimensional requirements.

[0004] The hinges usually used to manufacture cookers, however, turn out to be rather dangerous, since the hatch, which often is quite massive and heavy, once arranged in the open position, can accidentally and inadvertently fall to the closed position, thus causing domestic accidents or other problems and damaging the cooker itself as well as other objects.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned drawback, by providing a hinge which allows to keep the cover of the cooker safely in the open position, thus eliminating the risk that it might close accidentally, causing damage or accidents to people or things.

[0006] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge which is extremely versatile and can be used in the production of the most disparate types of cooker.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge which is constituted by the smallest number of components and at the same time is tough and reliable.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is provide a hinge which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and of relatively low costs.

[0009] This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present self-locking safety hinge, particularly for opening and closing a hatch, which comprises a first fixed element and a second movable element which is jointly connected to said hatch and is coupled to said first element so that it can rotate and comprises members for articulation between said first element and said second element which can be actuated manually and selectively from a free rotation configuration, in which said hatch can be moved from an open position to a closed position and vice versa, to a safety configuration, in which said hatch is locked stably in the open position by way of retention means, characterized in that said retention means comprise at least one profile formed by said second element and at least one contact surface which ends with at least one rear bevel provided on said first element, when said articulation members are in the safety configuration said profile abutting substantially against said bevel of said contact surface, when said articulation members are in the free rotation configuration said profile being substantially spaced from said contact surface, said retention means comprising at least one first wall on said second element which can engage said bevel, said bevel having a curvature which is adapted for the automatic lifting of said hatch by sliding said first wall on said bevel, as a consequence of manual traction of said hatch in the closure direction from said safety configuration.

[0010] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a self-locking safety hinge, particularly for opening and closing a hatch, according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hinge according to the invention, with the hatch in the open position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the hinge, with the hatch in the open position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the hinge during the closure of the hatch;

Figure 4 is an exploded and partially sectional front view of the hinge, with the hatch in the open position.

[0011] In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.

[0012] Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

[0013] With particular reference to Figure 1, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a self-locking safety hinge, particularly for opening and closing a hatch, according to the invention.

[0014] The hinge 1 described hereinafter is of the type which is fitted in pairs and is adapted to allow the opening and closure of the hatch of the cooker (not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity) so as to protect the cooking plates and further constitute a resting surface for objects. However, it is noted here that it can be used advantageously also in various other applications, outside the field of electrical household appliances, whenever it is necessary to ensure that the movable hatch can be locked in the open position, thus avoiding the risk that it might fall accidentally.

[0015] The hinge 1 comprises a first fixed element, generally designated by the reference numeral 2, which is rigidly coupled to the footing of the cooker, and a second movable element, generally designated by the reference numeral 3, which is jointly connected to the hatch and is coupled so that it can rotate to the first element 2. The hinge 1 conveniently comprises articulation members, generally designated by the reference numeral 4, which are provided between the first element 2 and the second element 3 and can be actuated selectively and manually on the hatch from a free rotation configuration, in which the hatch can be moved from the (horizontal) closed position to the (vertical) open position and vice versa, to a safety configuration, in which the hatch is locked in the open configuration by way of retention means, generally designated by the reference numeral 5, and is prevented from moving except by means of a voluntary manual intervention.

[0016] According to the invention, the retention means 5 comprise a profile 6, which is shaped by the second element, and a contact surface 7, which ends with a rear bevel 8, both provided in the first element 2: when the articulation members 4 are in the safety configuration, the profile 6 substantially abuts against the end bevel 8 of the contact surface 7, while when the articulation members 4 are in free rotation configuration, the profile 6 is substantially spaced from the contact surface 7; advantageously, the retention means 5 further comprise a first wall 9 of the second element 3, which can engage the bevel 8 and has a suitable curvature for the automatic lifting of the hatch by sliding of the first wall 9 on the bevel 8 as a consequence of manual traction of such hatch in the closure direction from the safety configuration.

[0017] Positively, the retention means 5 further comprise a second rough wall 10 on the first element 2, and also the first wall 9 on the second element 3 is rough: when the articulation members 4 are in the safety configuration, the walls 9, 10 face each other and are adapted to abut with friction, so as to avoid the accidental closure of the hatch as a consequence of a slight traction of such hatch in the closing direction, said traction causing their forced coupling. When the articulation members are in the free rotation configuration, the first wall 9 and the second wall 10 are substantially mutually spaced.

[0018] In greater detail, the first fixed element 2 comprises a base 11, which forms in a lower region a sort of recess 12 for reference on the footing of the cooker, from which a substantially parallelepipedal tab 13 protrudes upward. The base 11 of the first element 2 is affected by at least one through hole 14 for fixing to the footing of the cooker by way of screw means.

[0019] The second element 3 of the hinge 1 is preferably flat and elongated, and is affected laterally by holes 15 for fixing to the hatch, for example by means of screws or other equivalent connecting members.

[0020] The second element 3 forms at the front, at the lower portion, a substantially semicylindrical protrusion 16 which has a horizontal axis.

[0021] The members 4 for articulation between the first element 2 and the second element 3 comprise a cylindrical pivot 17 which has a horizontal axis and is jointly connected to the protrusion 16, from which it protrudes laterally, and is accommodated so that it can slide with a slight play in an elongated seat 18, which is preferably shaped like a vertical slot and is provided laterally with respect to the tab 13 of the first element 2.

[0022] When the articulation members 4 are in the configuration for free rotation of the hatch, the pivot 17 is arranged substantially at the lower end of the seat 18, a position in which it is possible, as mentioned, to open and close the hatch without any difficulty; when the articulation members 4 are in the safety locking configuration, the pivot 17 is arranged at the upper end of the seat 18, a position in which the retention means 5 allow to keep the second element 3, and therefore the hatch, stably open without it being able to close inadvertently.

[0023] The means 5 for retaining the hatch in the open position are constituted, as mentioned, by the profile 6, which is formed advantageously by the edge of a recess 19 which is provided laterally in the second element 3 at the protrusion 16 and cooperates with the contact surface 7 and the rear bevel 8 provided on the tab 13 of the first element 2.

[0024] The tab 13 forms in an upper region the contact surface 7 and in a rear region, below the bevel 8, the second rough wall 10 of the retention means 5; the recess 19 instead forms, below the profile 6, the first rough wall 9 of the retention means 5.

[0025] When the pivot 17 is located at the lower end of the seat 18, a portion of the profile 6 abuts substantially against the contact surface 7 of the protrusion 16 and in particular against the bevel 8, and the first rough wall 9 of the recess 19 faces the second rough wall 10 of the tab 13: in this way, the rotation of the second element 3 about the axis of the pivot 17 is advantageously prevented and therefore the hatch cannot move from the open position and cannot close accidentally, particularly by way of the forced coupling friction of the rough walls 9, 10, which abut with friction as a consequence of a slight traction of the hatch in the closing direction.

[0026] Positively, the bevel 8, as described, has a respective curvature, such that by simply pulling by hand the open hatch in the direction for closing enough to overcome the friction generated between the two rough walls 9, 10 forced into coupling, so as to move them mutually apart, the profile 6 moves away from the contact surface 7, the first wall 9 sliding on the bevel 8, and the pivot 17 rises automatically along the seat 18 up to its other end, in the configuration for free rotation of the articulation members 4. This determines the simultaneous automatic lifting of the hatch and therefore allows its manual rotation about the axis of the pivot 17, so as to be able to close it with a simple initial traction in the closure direction, without having to first lift it on purpose with one's hands.

[0027] According to the invention, the hinge 1 is made of thermoplastic material reinforced with glass fibers, and in particular it is made of a material such as polyaryl amide (semicrystalline aromatic polyamide) reinforced with glass fibers, a material also known by the trade name IXEF, which is a registered trademark: said material is lightweight, cheap and easily workable by molding and has excellent characteristics of resistance to high temperatures and mechanical strength which can be compared substantially to those of a metal. Such material further has characteristics of extremely high rigidity and surface hardness, high resistance to deformation, and excellent surface finishing.

[0028] It should be noted that the hinge 1 according to the invention can also be made of composite materials based on polyamide (optionally also constituted by polyamide alone) with the addition of reinforcement fibers of various kinds (for example glass fibers, carbon fibers and/or any type of natural and/or mineral filler).

[0029] In any case, the cited constructive solutions allow to provide hinges 1 of any color simply by adding appropriate pigments to the materials.

[0030] The operation of the hinge 1 according to the invention is as follows. When the hatch 1 is in the closed position, the first rough wall 9 of the recess 19 of the second element 3 lies on the contact surface 7 of the first element 2, while the pivot 17 is located at the lower end of the seat 18. By turning the hatch manually, the pivot 17 rises progressively along the seat 18 by contact between the first rough wall 9 of the recess 19 and the contact surface 7, until it reaches its upper end: once the rotation of the hatch is complete, the pivot 17 descends again due to the weight of the hatch to the lower end of the seat 18, while the profile 6 moves into contact with the contact surface 7 and in particular abuts against the bevel 8, and the first rough wall 9 of the recess 16 abuts against the second rough wall 10 of the tab 13, thus locking the hatch into the open position without it being then able to close by itself.

[0031] To close the hatch it is sufficient for the user to pull it toward him/her manually and, as already described, it rises automatically in a vertical direction (by way of the bevel 8 and the profile 6, which have suitable complementarily shaped curvatures) so as to bring the pivot 17 at the upper end of the seat 18, i.e., in the configuration for the free rotation of the articulation members 4.

[0032] It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the proposed aim and objects. The self-locking hinge 1, which is simple and cheap to manufacture, allows to keep the hatch effectively in the open position, thus eliminating the accidents and problems that arise from its accidental sudden closure.

[0033] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0034] All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.

[0035] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.

[0036] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. BO2007A000313 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A self-locking safety hinge, particularly for opening and closing a hatch, comprising a first fixed element (2) and a second movable element (3) which is jointly connected to said hatch and is coupled to said first element (2) so that it can rotate, and comprising members (4) for articulation between said first element (2) and said second element (3), which can be actuated manually and selectively from a free rotation configuration, in which said hatch can be moved from an open position to a closed position and vice versa, to a safety configuration, in which said hatch is locked stably in the open position by way of retention means (5), characterized in that said retention means (5) comprise at least one profile (6) formed by said second element (3) and at least one contact surface (7) which ends with at least one rear bevel (8) provided on said first element (2), when said articulation members (4) are in the safety configuration said profile (6) abutting substantially against said bevel (8) of said contact surface (7), when said articulation members (4) are in the free rotation configuration said profile (6) being substantially spaced from said contact surface (7), said retention means comprising at least one first wall (9) on said second element (3) which can engage said bevel (8), said bevel (8) having a curvature which is suitable for the automatic lifting of said hatch by sliding said first wall (9) on said bevel (8), as a consequence of manual traction of said hatch in the closure direction from said safety configuration.

2. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said retention means (5) comprise at least one second rough wall (10) on said first element (2) and at least one first rough wall (9) on said second element (3), when said articulation members (4) are in the safety configurations said walls (9, 10) facing each other, said walls (9, 10) being adapted to abut with friction so as to avoid accidental closure of said hatch as a consequence of a slight forcing thereof to close it, when said articulation members (4) are in the free rotation configuration said first wall (9) being substantially spaced from said second wall (10).

3. The hinge according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said articulation members (4) can be actuated by traction of said hatch and comprise at least one pivot (17) which has a horizontal axis and is rigidly coupled to said second element (3) and accommodated so that it can slide within at least one respective seat (18) provided in said first element (2), when said articulation members (4) are in the free rotation configuration said pivot (17) being arranged substantially at a lower end of said seat (18), when said articulation members (4) are in the safety configuration said pivot (17) being arranged substantially at an upper end of said seat (18), said retention means (5) comprising said contact surface (7), said rear bevel (8) and said second rough wall (10) of said first element (2) and said profile (6) and said first rough wall (9) of said second element (3).

4. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said articulation members (4) are controlled by a motor assigned to mutual movement.

5. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said articulation members (4) can be actuated by manual traction.

6. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first element is constituted by a base (11), which is affected by at least one through hole (14) for assembly by way of screw means, from which a tab (13) protrudes which forms said seat (18) and forms in an upper region said contact surface (7) with said rear bevel (8) and, at the rear, said second rough wall (10).

7. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seat (18) is substantially shaped like a slot with a vertical axis.

8. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second element (3) forms at the front a protrusion (16) from which said pivot (17) protrudes laterally, and in that said profile (6) is formed by the edge of a recess (19) which is provided in said second element (3) at said protrusion (16) from the side in which said pivot (17) is extended, said recess (19) forming said first rough wall (9).

9. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of thermoplastic material reinforced with glass fibers.

10. The hinge according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of a material such as polyaryl amide reinforced with glass fibers.

Drawing