Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Including adjustment for changing relative orientation of...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-07-31
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Including adjustment for changing relative orientation of...
C016S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266848
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a hinge with adjusting devices in which a hinge arm with a profile can be secured to a base plate by means of an intermediate piece and is connected to a second hinge fastening part, for example a hinge cup, by means of articulated hinge links or the like. The base plate has a mounting plane for abutting a furniture side wall in the mounted position, and the position of the hinge arm is adjustable with respect to the base plate in a plane perpendicular to the mounting plane by means of an adjustment screw. Guide means are provided for guiding the hinge arm in a direction of the depth of a piece of furniture when the position of the hinge arm is adjusted by means of said adjustment screw.
With most hinges according to the state of the art the hinge arm is fastened to the base plate by means of a clamping screw or an intermediate piece. To make adjustment of the position of the hinge arm in a direction of the depth of the piece of furniture possible, the clamping screw protrudes through an elongated hole in the hinge arm. The range of adjustment of the hinge arm, in the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture, is defined by the length of this elongated hole.
A further possibility is lateral adjustment of the hinge arm with respect to the base plate, that is, adjustment of the hinge arm in a plane which is perpendicular to the furniture side wall. This lateral adjustment is achieved by an adjustment screw which is screwed into a female thread in the hinge arm and has a head which is anchored in the base plate or an intermediate piece.
Further hinges are known which comprise the hinge arm mounted on an intermediate piece, with the intermediate piece being mounted on the base plate.
An example of such a hinge is shown in the WO 86/02402. When mounting such a hinge it is sufficient to hang the intermediate piece, which is screwed to the hinge arm, onto the base plate and to tilt the hinge arm with the intermediate piece towards the side wall of the piece of furniture, whereby the intermediate piece is automatically stopped on the base plate. The intermediate piece or the base plate are provided with a spring locking mechanism so that mounting and demounting of the hinge arm on the base plate can be done manually without the use of a tool. However, for adjusting the position of the hinge arm with respect to the base plate, a screw driver is needed.
A disadvantage with conventional hinges is that, when the side adjustment screw is turned, the position of the hinges axels on the hinge arm is not only altered laterally with respect to the side wall of the piece of furniture. Because the hinge arm is tilted around its rear end, the hinge axels are also displaced in the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture. Even if this displacement may only be in the range of the millimeter, it can result in non-correct opening and closing of the door.
European patent EP 0 168 731 discloses a hinge whereby guides are provided for the hinge arm so that, during lateral adjustment of the hinge arm relative to the position of the hinge axels on the hinge arm, the position is automatically corrected with respect to the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture so that in the end these hinge axels remain in the same position with respect to the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture. The base plate is made of two pieces. The hinge arm of this hinge can only be mounted on the two part base plate specially provided for this hinge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to improve a hinge of the afore-mentioned kind in such a way that the hinge arm does not have to be mounted on a base plate specially provided for the hinge arm. For example, it should be possible to mount the hinge arm manually without the use of a tool on a base plate as used with a hinge according to the WO 86/02402.
According to the invention, this is achieved in that two intermediate pieces are connected to the hinge arm before the hinge arm is mounted on the base plate together with the two intermediate pieces. One of the intermediate pieces is fixable to the base plate by means of a spring locking mechanism, and the other intermediate piece is slidably mounted on the first intermediate piece for slidable displacement in the direction of the depth of a piece of furniture.
A further embodiment of the invention provides that both intermediate pieces have a U-profile in cross section and one intermediate piece is inserted into the other.
A further embodiment of the invention provides that the intermediate piece which is fixed to the base plate carries a pin which is parallel to the axis of the hinge. The pin protrudes through slots in the side web of the second intermediate piece and through slots in the side webs of the hinge arm.
A further embodiment of the invention provides that a tongue projects from the middle web of the hinge arm, the tongue being guided in a slot of one of the intermediate pieces.
A further embodiment of the invention provides that at least one pivot lever is provided which is pivoted on one end to one of the intermediate pieces and on the other end to the hinge arm. The pivot lever is pivoted when the adjustment screw for lateral adjustment of the hinge arm is turned.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4800621 (1989-01-01), Röck et al.
patent: 5056189 (1991-10-01), Brüstle et al.
patent: 5245727 (1993-09-01), Sasaki
patent: 5611113 (1997-03-01), Röck et al.
patent: 5937479 (1999-08-01), Ohshima et al.
patent: 6032333 (2000-03-01), Brüstle
patent: 6088879 (2000-07-01), Gasser
patent: 393 405 (1991-10-01), None
patent: 38 41 405 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 39 43 330 (1991-07-01), None
patent: 40 16 664 (1991-11-01), None
Fraccaro Georg
Rücker Marco
Julius Blum Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Sandy Robert J.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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