The invention relates to a furniture hinge with at least one control cam and at least one spring, wherein the control cam moves along on the spring in order to produce a closing force and/or opening force.
The invention further relates to a piece of furniture with at least one movable furniture part, wherein the furniture part is movably mounted via at least one furniture hinge.
A large number of such furniture hinges are already known from the state of the art. A disadvantage of such furniture hinges is that, because of the high spring load for producing the closing and/or opening force, the spring will break after a certain number of movements of the furniture hinge.
The object of the invention is to avoid the above-described disadvantage and to provide a furniture hinge that improves on the state of the art.
This object is achieved by a furniture hinge with the features described below.
The use of a sliding element increases the life of the spring, which contributes to a furniture hinge that functions for a longer period of time.
It has proved particularly advantageous if the furniture hinge has a fitting for attachment to a first furniture part and a hinge cup for attachment to a second furniture part. The hinge cup is swivellably connected to the fitting via at least one articulated lever, and the control cam is formed on the articulated lever. The control cam can be formed on the articulated lever with little technical outlay, whereby the costs can be kept low.
According to a preferred embodiment, the sliding element can be pushed onto the spring and/or can be attached to the control cam. The pushing of the sliding element onto the spring can be carried out technically very simply, and so can the attachment to the control cam.
Furthermore, the sliding element can be at least partially—preferably substantially completely—formed from plastic, and/or the spring can be formed from metal—preferably from steel. The sliding element can be formed from plastic technically well and the shaping can preferably be carried out for instance using an injection-molding method. The construction of the spring or springs out of metal can guarantee a long-lasting consistent spring property, and it has been shown that especially the formation from steel can be particularly suitable.
It has proved particularly advantageous if the plastic of the sliding element is formed as a thermoplastic—preferably polyoxymethylene (POM). Thermoplastics can have good rigidity values and good coefficients of friction. In particular, the thermoplastic material polyoxymethylene (POM, also called polyacetal or polyformaldehyde)—because of its high rigidity, its low coefficients of friction and its excellent dimensional stability and also thermal stability—can preferably be used particularly for a precision part such as that of the sliding element.
Preferably, the sliding element can be attached to one end of the spring. The attachment of the sliding element to the spring, especially at its end, can take place simply—such as for instance by being pushed on.
It has proved particularly advantageous if the sliding element has at least one reservoir for a lubricant. By forming a reservoir in the sliding element, the control cam and/or the spring can be supplied with a lubricant that can be introduced into the reservoir.
According to a preferred embodiment, the sliding element has an outer contour differing from the cylinder shape. An outer contour of the sliding element differing from the cylinder shape makes it possible to achieve a larger contact surface for the control cam, whereby point abrasion can be minimized.
It has further proved advantageous that the sliding element has a substantially cylindrical cavity. Through the formation of a substantially cylindrical cavity in the sliding element, the latter can be attached to the spring in a simple way—slid on in this preferred case.
It has proved advantageous if the sliding element has at least one control cam or at least one projection. Due to the formation of a control cam or a projection on the sliding element, the sliding element can also influence the control curve.
It has proved particularly advantageous if the sliding element has a curved plane, and the curved plane is formed substantially straight in a transverse extension and is formed curved in a longitudinal extension. It can thus be achieved that the bearing surface of the sliding element against the spring or against the control cam can be enlarged, whereby point loads can be avoided.
According to a preferred embodiment, the sliding element can have a channel-shaped groove. Due to the formation of a channel-shaped groove in the sliding element, a spring having a circular cross-section can slide in the channel-shaped groove, whereby an enlargement of the bearing surface can likewise result.
Furthermore, the sliding element can be formed as a separate assembly.
Preferably, the sliding element can be formed in one piece. Especially, a one-piece formation of the sliding element can contribute to a simple production process for the sliding element.
According to a possible embodiment, the furniture hinge can have at least two sliding elements. Due to the formation of two sliding elements in the furniture hinge, a symmetrical formation on the furniture hinge can take place, which can contribute to a uniform loading of the furniture hinge during the closing and opening movements.
According to a preferred embodiment, the spring can have a substantially cylindrical cross-section at least at one end. This can likewise contribute to the fact that the sliding element can be slid simply onto the end of the spring, whereby a simple assembly can be achieved.
It has proved particularly advantageous if the spring has a circular cross-section at least in some areas.
Advantageously, the spring can be formed as a leg spring, whereby a constant bending moment can be achieved.
Specifically, protection is also sought for a piece of furniture with at least one movable furniture part. The furniture part is movably mounted via at least one furniture hinge according to at least one of the described embodiments.
Further details and advantages of the present invention are explained in more detail below with the help of the description of the figures with reference to the embodiments represented in the drawings, in which:
a and 3b are two perspective representations of a spring and a sliding element arranged thereon,
a and 11b are two perspective views of a spring and a sliding element arranged thereon with a reservoir,
a and 14b is an exploded representation of an articulated lever of a furniture hinge with sliding element and leg spring and of the articulated lever in perspective representation in the assembled state,
In this preferred embodiment, two sliding elements 1 and 11 are arranged above the springs 2 and 12, not visible in this representation. The control cams 3 and 13, not visible here in this figure (see
In this especially preferred embodiment, the furniture hinge 100 has the two control cams 3 and 13 on the articulated lever 103, which can be connected on the one hand to hinge cup 102 via the pin 104 and on the other hand to the fitting 101 via the adjustment device 107. In this embodiment, the sliding element 1, preferably formed in one piece, is put on the spring 2, over the spring end. This sliding element 1 preferably has better sliding properties than metal. The attachment device 4, which is preferably formed in the form of a snap connection, can engage in the coils of the spring 2, which is preferably formed as a leg spring, after being put on (see
In this preferred embodiment, the articulated lever 103 has the further control cam 13, and a sliding element 11 is likewise arranged on the control cam 13. This sliding element 11 is—as just described for the sliding element 1—connected to a further spring 12 via its attachment device 14.
The attachment of the two springs 2 and 12 in the furniture hinge 100 takes place in this preferred embodiment on the outside of the hinge cup 102 (see the description of the figures for
a is a detail representation of a spring 12 and a sliding element 11 attached to this spring 12 in perspective view. The sliding element 11 is connected, stationary, to the spring 12 via the attachment device 14. As can be clearly seen from this detail representation, the sliding element 11 has an outer contour 6 differing from the cylinder shape, in this case inter alia a projection 8, on which a control cam 7 is formed. The outer contour 6 preferably has a level surface (not shown) which corresponds (rides on) to the control cam 13 of the articulated lever 103.
In this preferred embodiment, the sliding element 11 is formed from a plastic—a thermoplastic such as polyoxymethylene (POM) is particularly preferred. The spring 12 is formed in this preferred embodiment from a metal—steel is particularly preferred.
b shows, in perspective representation, a spring 2 to which a sliding element 1 is attached. The sliding element 1 has been pushed over the leg spring 2 provided with a circular cross-section and with coils.
The sliding element 1 has a control cam 7. This control cam 7 in turn has a curved plane 70, wherein this curved plane 70 is formed substantially straight in its transverse extension (axis) 72 and is formed curved in its longitudinal extension (axis) 71. It can thereby be achieved that the bearing surface of the sliding element 1 is not only supported at a point against a control cam, not shown here, of an articulated lever (likewise not shown), but a support at least along a line results. Point loads can thus be avoided.
During the swiveling of the fitting 101 relative to the hinge cup 102, in this embodiment, the sliding element 1, together with the spring 2, moves along on the control cam 3.
In a detail view—represented in FIG. 6—it can be clearly seen that this sliding element 1 has an outer contour 6 differing from the cylinder shape, which is revealed by a further control cam 7 and the projection 8. The sliding element 1 is attached to the spring 2, and this sliding element 1 moves along on the control cam 3 in order to produce a closing force and/or opening force. Likewise, it would naturally also be conceivable that the control cam 3 is not formed on the articulated lever 103, as in this preferred embodiment, but that the sliding element 1 has the control cam 7 only in order to produce a closing and/or opening force. This control cam 7 would then naturally have another contour. In this embodiment, the sliding element 1 has a substantially cylindrical cavity, in which the spring 2, which has a substantially cylindrical cross-section at least at one end, is arranged.
As shown in the detail representation of
a shows a detail representation of the leg spring 12 and the sliding element 31 arranged thereon, which has a cover 32 below which there is a reservoir 5 for holding a lubricant.
b shows a detail representation in perspective view of the spring 2 and a sliding element 21, arranged thereon. In this perspective bottom view of the sliding element 21 it can be clearly seen that the sliding element 21 has an opening 50 through which a lubricant can exit and thus likewise can contribute to a positive sliding behavior.
Likewise, this underside of the sliding element 21 is not formed flat, but the sliding element 21 has a curved plane 70, wherein the curved plane 70 is formed substantially straight in its transverse extension (axis) 72 and is formed curved in its longitudinal extension (axis) 71. In this representation, it can again be clearly seen that the spring 2 is formed as a leg spring and has a circular cross-section, whereby it is made easier to arrange the spring 2 on the sliding element 21.
During the swiveling of the fitting 101 relative to the hinge cup 102, in this embodiment, the spring 2 in the sliding element 1 moves along on the control cam 3.
The detail view of
a shows the articulated lever 103 of a furniture hinge in perspective representation. The articulated lever 103 has, inter alia, the control cam 3. The sliding element 1 formed in one piece in this preferred embodiment can be pushed over this control cam 3 and thus be attached to the articulated lever 103.
In this embodiment, the sliding element 1 has a channel-shaped groove 60 which is intended to hold the spring 2 (
In the exploded representation of
The cabinet body 111 is connected to the movable furniture part 112 via two furniture hinges 100.
The furniture hinges 100 are attached to the first furniture part 111 with their fittings 101 and attached to the second, movable furniture part 112 with their hinge cups 102. The furniture part 112 is thereby movably mounted on the cabinet body 111.
Although the invention has been described specifically using the embodiments shown, it goes without saying that the subject-matter of the application is not limited to these embodiments. Rather, it goes without saying that measures and modifications that serve to implement the inventive idea are perfectly conceivable and desired. Thus, as already mentioned in the description of the figures, a sliding element could be used in hinges other than those shown—such as for instance in four-point hinges. It would likewise be conceivable that the control cams are formed, not on the articulated lever, but on the sliding element itself or also on the sliding element and on the articulated lever. Naturally, it would likewise also be conceivable that the control cam is formed on the spring.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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A 1435/2010 | Aug 2010 | AT | national |
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Entry |
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International Search Report (ISR) issued Dec. 2, 2011 in International (PCT) Application No. PCT/AT2011/000354. |
Austrian Patent Office Search Report (ASR) completed May 20, 2011 in Austrian Patent Application No. A 1435/2010. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20130167323 A1 | Jul 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/AT2011/000354 | Aug 2011 | US |
Child | 13777461 | US |