Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a multi-joint hinge comprising a base part, on which a door bearing is held pivotably via a lever mechanism with a plurality of levers mounted in the manner of a parallelogram, and comprising within the multi-joint hinge a damping element for braking a closing movement and a spring element for pulling the door bearing in a closing area in the closing direction.
DE 20 2007 004 621 U1 discloses a multi-joint hinge comprising a stationary fastening element and a pivotable door bearing, which are connected to one another via a lever mechanism. To brake a closing movement shortly before the closed position, a damping element having a linear damper is provided. Furthermore, a spring element is arranged inside the lever mechanism, which ensures a retraction movement in a closing area. Such a multi-joint hinge has proven itself in practice, however, the installation space for the function of the damping and the pre-tensioning by the spring element is not optimally utilized.
Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a multi-joint hinge having a compact structure and an improved damping and closing function.
According to an aspect of the invention, in the multi-joint hinge, a damping element for braking a closing movement and a spring element for pulling the door bearing are connected in parallel. The damping element and the spring element can thus be connected between the same levers of a lever mechanism or in parallel between the base part and a lever or the door bearing and a lever, so that the damping and pre-tensioning function can be constructed compactly. Due to the parallel connection of damping element and spring element, the relative movement between the damping element and the spring element is reduced, so that the required installation space is decreased.
The damping element and the spring element are preferably connected in parallel between the door bearing and a deflection lever of the lever mechanism. The damping element and the spring element are then moved together with the door bearing and the deflection lever, so that an installation space adjacent to a pivot axis on the base part is used for the lever mechanism, which enables improved force dissipation and good lever ratios.
The damping element can comprise at least one linear damper, preferably two linear dampers, having a damping axis, and the spring element can have at least one linearly acting spring with a spring axis, wherein the damping axis and the spring axis are aligned essentially parallel to one another over the entire pivot area of the door bearing. The damping axis and the spring axis do not have to be aligned exactly in parallel in this case, but rather at an angle range of less than 20°, in particular less than 10°, for example, so that the damping element and the spring element can be arranged closely adjacent to one another.
The multi-joint hinge is preferably designed as a seven-joint hinge, wherein the lever mechanism comprises four levers between the door bearing and the base part. In a closed position, the multi-joint hinge can be essentially box-shaped. The lever mechanism can be arranged located concealed by two essentially plate-shaped covers in this case, wherein the covers are arranged on opposing sides of the multi-joint hinge, and preferably have a curve guide, to be able to conceal the lever mechanism even in various open positions.
In one design, the lever mechanism has a deflection lever comprising a receptacle, formed in particular by at least one axis, between two plates, wherein the plates are connected to one another via at least one connecting web. In this case, the damping element and the spring element can be inserted on the receptacle of the deflection lever, so that they are arranged protected, preferably by the interior formed between the at least two plates and the connecting web. In the closed position, the damping element is located with its damping axes nearly completely inside the interior formed of the deflection lever, wherein it is located with at least one damping axis outside the interior formed of the deflection lever in the open position. A cap can be provided on the door bearing or the deflection lever in this case, to cover the interior toward the multi-joint hinge or the deflection lever, wherein the cap is displaceably mounted in relation to the door bearing or the deflection lever. The cap can be displaceably mounted via catch elements on at least one linear damper in the direction of the damping axis in this case and/or can be rotatably mounted on an axis of the deflection lever.
The invention will be explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the appended drawings. In the figures:
A multi-joint hinge 1 comprises a base part 2, which is securable on a body of a piece of furniture or household appliance, and a door bearing 3, on which a door is fixable. Two protruding tabs 10 are provided on the door bearing 3, on which a door is fixable via screw connections or other fastening means. The door bearing 3 is pivotably mounted via a lever mechanism on the base part 2. In the closed position shown in
In
An axis 12, on which a lever 4 is rotatably mounted, is formed on the base part 2. The deflection lever 20, which is articulated with the door bearing 3 via an axis 38, is rotatably mounted via an axis 22 on the lever 4. A cap 11, which covers an opening on the deflection lever 20, is provided between the deflection lever 20 and the door bearing 3.
A maximally open position of the multi-joint hinge 1 is shown in
The multi-joint hinge 1 illustrated in
The multi-joint hinge 1 furthermore comprises a damping element 30 for braking a closing movement. The damping element 30 has one or more linear dampers, which are articulated with the deflection lever 20 and the door bearing 3. A spring element 40, which is also connected between the door bearing 3 and the deflection lever 20, is connected in parallel to the damping element 30. The spring element 40 comprises a spring 41 formed as a coiled spring, which is guided via a telescoping spring holder.
The spring holder comprises an inner part 42, which is articulated via an axis 46 with the deflection lever 20, and an outer part 44, which encloses a spring axis 43 of the inner part 42 in the manner of a sleeve. The outer part 44 is articulated at the end via a bearing section 45 on an axis 56 with a spring lever 50. The spring lever 50 is rotatably mounted on the deflection lever 20 via an axis 59. The spring lever 50 furthermore forms a bearing for a roller 51, which rolls on a cam element 54. The cam element 54 is connected via two axes 22 and 55 to the lever 4, and it is determined via the cam element 54 in which area the spring 41 tensions and relaxes.
The multi-joint hinge 1 is shown in a sectional view in the open position in
In
In
The deflection lever 20 is fixed on the axis 38 on the door bearing 3. The axis 33 extends through two eyes 31 of the linear damper in this case, wherein the linear dampers of the damping element 30 also have eyes 32 or catch elements on the opposing side, which are fixed on an axis 34 inside a holder 21. The holder 21 holds the eyes 32 of the dampers on the axis 34 at a defined distance in relation to one another. The axis 34 extends through two openings 27 on the deflection lever 20, which are provided adjacent to openings 28 for guiding through the axis 22.
When the multi-joint hinge 1 is moved from a closed position (
The spring element 40 comprising the spring 41 between the inner part 42 and the outer part 44 is supported via the spring lever 50 and the roller 51, wherein the roller 51 rolls on the cam element 54 along a running surface 58. If the multi-joint hinge 1 is closed, the roller 51 moves over a projection on the cam element 54 and can ensure a relaxation of the spring 41 from a predetermined opening angle, for example, at approximately 30°, so that in the closing area between the closed position and the opening angle of approximately 30°, the spring element 40 is active and tensions the door bearing 3 in the closing direction.
The use of two parallel linear dampers enables the application of higher damping forces and the braking of even heavy door weights. The linear dampers are preferably filled with oil, such as silicone oil, for example, as fluid dampers. Other linear dampers comprising a cylinder and a piston movably mounted therein and a piston rod can also be used.
In the spring element 40, each spring 41 is designed as a compression spring. Of course, it is also possible to design the springs 41 as traction springs or to use more than only one spring 41 for the spring element 40.
Optionally, opening damping and/or closing damping can also be achieved via the linear dampers to brake the multi-joint hinge 1 via the damping element 30 upon reaching the maximally open position and/or closed position.
It is also possible to generate a stepped damping force behavior during a closing or opening procedure of the hinge, by the dampers providing a differing damping action at different opening or closing angles.
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.
1 multi-joint hinge
2 base part
3 door bearing
4 lever
6 cover
7 axis
8 curve guide
9 guide pin
91 opening
10 tab
11 cap
12 axis
13 axis
131 opening
132 opening
14 lever
15 axis
151 opening
152 opening
16 lever
17 axis
171 opening
18 axis
181 opening
182 opening
20 deflection lever
21 holder
22 axis
23 side part
24 connecting web
25 connecting web
27 opening
28 opening
30 damping element
31 eye
32 eye
33 axis
34 axis
35 guide channel
36 catch element
38 axis
40 spring element
41 spring
42 inner part
43 spring axis
44 outer part
45 bearing section
46 axis
50 spring lever
51 roller
52 blocking means
54 cam element
55 axis
56 axis
58 running surface
59 axis
60 opening
61 opening
62 opening
63 opening
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2016 123 498.2 | Dec 2016 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2017/081296 | 12/4/2017 | WO | 00 |