The present invention relates to a hinge kit for swing-doors, particularly for the fire-type doors. The invention also relates to a swing- door comprising said hinge kit.

One drawback of known structures for hinging a heavy leaf to the corresponding door frame, for example in the case of a swing-type fire (or armored) door, is related to the large dimensions of the hinges, which are due to the fact that they have to bear a very large weight in a cantilever manner.

The greater amount of metal required, usually concentrated in the pivot structure but also affecting the thickness of the hinge leaves, is the cause of greater heat transmission in case of fire and is therefore disadvantageous.

Furthermore, during installation considerable precision is required in setting the mutual distance between the wall hinge portions, which must coincide with the mutual distance between the hinge portions fixed on the swing leaf.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a hinge structure for leaves, particularly for fire doors, that is capable of improving the background art in one or more of the aspects indicated above.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure that is adapted to bear in a cantilever manner heavy leaf weights, for example on the order of 100 kg, without misalignments with respect to the wall frame.

Another object of the invention is to reduce, with respect to the background art, the quantity of metal required to provide the hinge structure for an equal leaf weight, thus reducing heat transmission in case of fire without affecting the capacity to bear heavy weights.

Another object is to allow an adjustment of the level of the leaf with respect to the wall frame during the installation of the door. Afurther object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the background art in a manner that is alternative to any existing solutions.

Not least object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure that is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide and at competitive costs.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a hinge kit according to claim 1, optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims. The above aim and objects of the invention are also achieved by a door according to claim 11.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the hinge kit for swing-doors according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a hinge kit according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the assembly of the rotation-preventing complementary plate on the leaf;

Figure 3 is a view of the assembly of the leaf on the second hinge arm which is hinged on the first fixed hinge arm;

Figure 4 is a view of the leaf fixed on the hinge structure;

Figure 5 is a view of an upward adjustment movement of the leaf before fastening the second hinge arm to the leaf;

Figure 6 is a view of a downward adjustment movement of the leaf before fastening the second hinge arm to the leaf;

Figures 7a-7b-7c are, respectively, views of an intermediate position and of the two end positions that can be reached in order to adjust the level of the leaf with respect to the movable hinge arm; Figure 8 is a view of a hinge structure according to a second embodiment of the invention.

With reference to the figures, the hinge kit according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a hinge structure 2 to be fixed on a side wall of a door opening, for example on the post 93 of a frame or of an in-wall frame fixed to a masonry wall or directly on the doorpost of the door opening.

The materials used for the components of the kit 1 are all made of metal, for example steel (optionally galvanized) and preferably of the type used in hinges for fire doors.

The hinge structure 2 of a first embodiment comprises a first hinge arm 21 which is adapted to be rendered integral with said side wall 93 and therefore will become a fixed arm of the hinge structure 2.

The first arm 21 is adapted to protrude from an opening of the door frame. For example, it can be fixed in a cantilever manner on a cut portion of a metal sheet 20 which is then fixed internally to the post 93 of the frame along the doorpost of the door opening.

In the case of the figures, said cut portion of metal sheet is a bent tab 20b, on which the first arm 21 is welded and thus protrudes in a cantilever manner from the opening 20a left by the tab 20b on the metal sheet 20.

As an alternative, the first hinge arm can comprise two wings 6 la-6 lb of the metal sheet 20' bent at 90° outward on opposite edges with respect to the opening of the metal sheet 20', so as to face each other.

The first hinge arm 21 is rotatably mated with a second hinge arm 22, preferably by means of rolling bodies such as for example balls 21c, accommodated preferably in corresponding annular guides 21a and 22a formed on each one of the two arms 21 and 22 so as to face each other.

In the hinge structure 2 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the first arm 21 is the male element of the hinge structure 2, while the second arm 22 is the female element, with three balls 21c preferably arranged between each pair of mutually facing annular guides 21a and 22a.

In an alternative embodiment of the hinge structure that can be used in the invention and is shown in Figure 8, the first hinge arm 2G is the female element of the hinge structure and the second arm 22' is the male element.

The second hinge arm 22 or 22' is the arm of the pair of arms 21/2G and 22/22' that can move during use and is rotatable with respect to the first arm 21/2G about a hinge axis R which will coincide with the rotation axis of the swing leaf 9 of the door.

The second hinge arm 22 or 22' comprises a substantially planar end plate 24 which is adapted to be fixed to a leaf 9 of the door in order to allow the rotation thereof about said hinge axis R and is provided with at least one peripheral portion which is contoured, for example so as to have a polygonal shape and, more preferably, with adjacent edges directed perpendicular to each other. The face 90 of the leaf on which the end plate 24 is fixed is the one directed toward said hinge axis R, which coincides with the rotation axis of the leaf 9.

The second arm 22 or 22' can comprise at least two metallic profiles 23a-23b or 23a'-23b' in order to support in a cantilever manner the end plate 24 so that the plate 24 is spaced from the hinge axis R and substantially parallel to such axis. The two metallic profiles 23a-23b or 23a'-23b' converge toward each other at the hinge axis R.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, each one of the metallic profiles 23a- 23b comprises one of said annular seats 22a for the balls 21c, which are directed toward the similar annular seats 21a present on the first hinge arm 21, with which are rotatably coupled with the interposition of the balls 21c. The two metallic profiles 23a-23b can be provided and bent toward each other from the same metal sheet as the end plate 24 and kept mutually integral by a tension member.

In the alternative embodiment of Figure 8, the first hinge arm 2G is provided as a female element of the hinge, for example by bending two flaps 6 la-6 lb from a cut metal sheet 20', which can be fixed or integrated to the post 93 of the frame of the door opening. The two flaps 6 la-6 lb face each other along the hinge axis R. The two metallic profiles 23a'-23b’ of the second hinge arm 22' converge from the end plate 24 until they substantially abut against each other and engage rotatably their external end faces with the internal end faces of the female type 6 la-6 lb of the first hinge arm 2G, with similar interposition of balls which roll within, for example, cylindrical sleeves 62a-62b which are coaxial to the hinge axis R.

The kit 1 further comprises a separate complementary plate 4, which is substantially planar and internally open, can be fixed on the leaf 9 separately from the end plate 24 of the second arm 22 or 22', and has an internal edge 40 which is complementarily shaped (i.e., shaped in a substantially complementary manner) with respect to the peripheral portion of the end plate 24, so as to engage with said peripheral portion (in particular by means of a shape mating or positive mating) to prevent a mutual rotation between the end plate 24 and said complementary plate 4 when the plate 24 and the complementary plate 4 lie on a same plane of the leaf 9 and in particular are fixed on the leaf 9.

The complementarily shaped edge 40 of the complementary plate 4 and the peripheral portion of the end plate 24 of the second hinge arm 22 or 22' preferably have a substantially polygonal and complementary shape. Moreover, the complementarily shaped edge 40 of the complementary plate is adapted to surround at least partially the peripheral portion of the end plate 24 when the plate 24 and the complementary plate 4 lie on a same plane. In the preferred embodiments, such as the one shown, the complementarily shaped edge 40 is substantially U-shaped and the peripheral portion of the end plate is substantially rectangular.

The peripheral portion of the end plate 24 is preferably provided with at least one tooth 25a and/or with a recess 26a which can be engaged respectively with a corresponding recess 46a and/or tooth 45a of the contoured edge 40 of the complementary plate 4, so as to provide said shape mating adapted to prevent the mutual rotation of the end plate 24 with respect to the complementary plate 4.

The tooth 25a or 45a, as well as the recess 26a or 46a, extend substantially parallel to the hinge axis R. In this case, the shape mating is advantageously obtained by means of two edges of the tooth 25a and/or 45a which are parallel to each other and to the hinge axis R and are adapted to be contained laterally and preferably guided parallel to said axis by two corresponding mutually opposite sides of the corresponding recess 46a and/or 26a.

In this manner, besides preventing a rotation of the plate 24 with respect to the complementary plate 4, it is possible to use the teeth and the recesses to allow an optional guided linear translation (of a few millimeters) of the complementary plate 4 with respect to the end plate 24 in a direction that is substantially parallel to the hinge axis R, during the fixing of the leaf 9 (with the complementary plates 4 already fixed along the face 90) to the hinge structures 2 mounted on the side wall of the door opening.

In particular, it is possible, during the assembly of the leaf, to adjust in a guided manner the fastening position of the leaf 9 to the end plated 24 in a direction that is parallel to the rotation axis of the leaf 9.

To this end, the extent of the protrusion of the longer teeth (25a and/or 45a) in a direction that is parallel to the hinge axis R is preferably smaller (by a few millimeters, for example 1-2 mm) than the depth of the corresponding recess 46a and/or 26a, respectively, so that between the plate 24 and the complementary plate 4 there is essentially a clearance (of a few millimeters, for example 2-4 mm) only in a direction that is substantially parallel to the hinge axis R when they lie on a same plane.

Moreover, the end plate 24 can advantageously comprise a slot 28 which is elongated in a direction that is substantially parallel to the hinge axis R and that can be crossed by a screw 51 or a rivet adapted to fasten the end plate 24 on the face 90 of the leaf 9. The longitudinal extension of the slot 28 can be substantially equal to the overall guided stroke of the complementary plate 4 with respect to the end plate 24 in a direction that is parallel to the hinge axis R and on the common plane on which the plate 24 and the complementary plate 4 lie (for example the face 90 of the leaf 9).

Preferably, a plurality of such teeth and/or recesses is provided both on the peripheral portion of the end plate 24 and on the complementarily shaped edge 40 of the complementary plate 4, so that the teeth of one engage in the substantially complementary recesses of the other and vice versa. In this case also, each one of said teeth and recesses extends preferably in a direction that is substantially parallel to the hinge axis R.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the end plate 24 has two teeth 25a and 25b that protrude from opposite sides of the peripheral portion of the plate 24 and parallel to the hinge axis R. The teeth 25a-25b of the end plate 24 advantageously incorporate a respective vertex of the substantially rectangular profile of the end plate 24 so as to have a substantially rectilinear common edge, which coincides with an edge 27 of the end plate 24 and is parallel to the hinge axis R. The teeth 25a-25b (and more generally the rotation-preventing teeth of the plate 24 and/or of the complementary plate 4 of the preferred embodiments of the invention) can have a shape that is substantially rectangular or in any case with two edges which are parallel to each other and parallel to the hinge axis R, for guiding purposes as explained previously. These mutually opposite teeth 25a-25b engage inside the corresponding recesses 46a and 46b, and, by virtue of the parallel edges of the teeth and the parallel sides of the recesses, the teeth can slide within the recesses in order to adjust the mutual position of plate 24 and complementary plate 4 during the fastening step. The maximum distance between the mutually opposite teeth 25a-25b (measured in a direction that is parallel to the hinge axis R) is advantageously shorter than the maximum distance between the mutually facing bottoms of the corresponding recesses 46a-46b. Moreover, the maximum distance between the mutually opposite teeth 25a-25b is such that, in the two possible stroke limiting positions shown in Figures 5-6 or 7b-7c, the teeth cannot disengage from the respective recesses, i.e., the parallel edges of the teeth remain always laterally contained by the sides of the corresponding recesses in which they engage.

The mutually opposite teeth 25a-25b of the end plate 24 are advantageously flanked by a respective recess 26a-26b of the end plate 24 and can be formed indeed by cutting those two portions of the end plate 24 which, after their removal, leave on the plate 24 the recesses 26a and 26b. The recesses 26a-26b also have two inner sides which are mutually opposite and parallel to the hinge axis R.

Likewise, the mutually opposite recesses 46a-46b are flanked by mutually facing teeth 45a-45b, which have a shape that is substantially complementary to the corresponding recesses 26a-26b of the end plate 24.

The method for assembling a swing-leaf along a side wall of a door opening by using the hinge kits according to the invention is evident from what has been described above.

In particular, one proceeds with the fixing of the first hinge arm 21 or 2G on the side wall of the door opening, for example by fixing the metal sheet 20 or 20' (which supports the arm 21 or 2G, respectively) inside the post 93 of the frame of the door. The first arm 21 or 2G comprises, in an already pre-assembled condition, the respective second hinge arm 22 or 22' associated rotatably therewith and, after fixing to the frame, the hinge axis R coincides with the desired rotation axis of the leaf 9.

The method provides, furthermore, the fixing of one or more complementary plates 4 along the face 90 of the leaf 9. This fixing of the complementary plates 4 can occur by fastening with ordinary screws or rivets, such as the three identical rivets shown on the right in Figure 1, and an optional weld.

A hole is also provided in the face 90 of the leaf 9 in order to obtain one or more holes 91 for a screw 51 with which each end plate 24 must be fastened to the face 90 of the leaf 9. The mutual spacing of said holes 91 along the face 90 corresponds substantially to the mutual spacing of the hinge structures on the vertical wall of the door opening.

Subsequently, the leaf 9 is moved closer to the end plates 24 of the second hinge arms 22 or 22' mounted along the vertical wall 93 of the door opening so as to engage the peripheral portion of the end plate 24 with the complementarily shaped edge 40 of the complementary plate 4.

In particular, each tooth 25a, 25b, 45a and/or 46b engages within the corresponding recess 46a, 46b, 26a and/or 26b, respectively.

If the leaf 9 is not at a correct height with respect to the floor or if the holes 91 do not completely overlap the elongated slots 28, by moving the leaf 9 vertically as exemplified in the figures it is possible to set the correct height of the leaf or obtain the necessary alignment of all the holes 91 with the respective slots 28, in a manner which is guided by the sliding engagement of the teeth 25a-25b and 45a-45b in the corresponding recesses 46a-46b and 26a-26b, respectively. Once said height or said alignment has been reached, it is possible to complete the fastening of all the screws 51.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, since the shape mating between a polygonal plate which is integral with the movable arm of the hinge and a corresponding complementary plate which is shaped in a complementary manner prevents relative rotations between the hinge arm and the leaf and allows to bear high loads, torques and moments, even with thin metal sheets such as those used for the plate 24 and the complementary plate 4.

Furthermore, by virtue of the at least partially toothed profiles of the edges of the complementary plate and of the end plate of the movable hinge arm, which mutually engage leaving a clearance in a direction that is parallel to the hinge axis, it is possible to provide a guiding function in that direction, allowing an adjustment of the height or of the alignment of the leaf with respect to the hinge structures already mounted on the wall. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102021000019106 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. 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.