Field of the invention

The present invention finds application in the field of door and window frames and particularly relates to a hinge for doors, windows and the like. The invention further relates to a braking element for use with a hinge of the invention.

Background art

It is known to use concealed hinges, which are hidden to the view when the door is closed, and are visible when it is open or half-closed.

This type of hinge is usually composed of a first hinge portion connected to a frame, and a bracket designed to be connected to the door and to be rotated relative to the first hinge portion between a closed limit state and an open limit state.

Thus, the hinge allows rotation of the door relative to the frame, and hence opening and closing thereof.

Nevertheless, prior art hinges still suffer from a plurality of drawbacks.

Particularly, when the bracket reaches the open limit state, corresponding to the maximum door opening position, it abuts against a portion of the frame, by inappropriately deforming it, impact after impact.

In other words, in prior art hinges, the frame acts as a limit stop element for the bracket and this involves a considerably shorter useful life thereof. Furthermore, currently available hinges cannot adequately damp impacts between the bracket and the frame, therefore any careless use of the door, i.e. frequent slams, contributes to accelerated damaging of the frame.

Disclosure of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, by providing a hinge for doors, windows or the like that is particularly efficient and relatively cost-effective.

A particular object is to provide a hinge for doors, windows or the like that ensures high impact strength.

Another particular object is to provide a hinge for doors, windows or the like that affords larger opening angles for the door or window leaf with which it is associated, as compared with the prior art.

Yet another object is to provide a brake element for door or window hinges which ensures safe and gradual slowing down of the leaf and consistent operation even after many opening/closing cycles.

These objects are fulfilled by a hinge as defined in claim 1.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a brake element as defined in claim 17.

The dependent claims define preferred variant embodiments.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent upon reading of the detailed description of preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of a hinge and a brake element according to the present invention, which are described as a non-limiting example with the help of the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a frame-door assembly comprising a hinge according to a first embodiment of the present invention of the invention, in which the portions defined by full lines show the bracket in a closed limit state, whereas those defined by broken lines show it in an open limit state;

FIGS. 2 to 4 are perspective views of a hinge of Fig. 1, taken at different angles, in which the bracket is in the closed limit state;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the hinge of Figure 1, in which the bracket is in the open limit state;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the slowing-down means, according to a first variant, as taken along a plane Vl - Vl of Figure 4; FIG. 7 is a view of a detail of a bracket that is part of a hinge of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a brake element;

Fig. 9 is a front view of the brake element of Figure 8.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

Referring to the above drawings, numeral 1 generally designates a hinge for doors, windows or the like, adapted to be associated with a frame F and a door or window leaf L, which is rotatable relative to the frame F about an axis of rotation R.

According to the embodiment of Figure 1 , the frame F has a compartment V defined therein in which the hinge 1 is at least partially contained.

According to a further variant, the frame F has an opening A, at least partially facing towards a door threshold, through which the frame compartment V will communicate with the threshold.

The hinge 1 comprises a support element 2 for connection to the frame F and a bracket 3 for connection to the leaf L and designed to rotate relative to the support element 2 about an axis of rotation.

The axis of rotation of the bracket 3 will substantially define the axis of rotation R of the leaf L relative to the frame F.

Thus, the bracket 3 may rotate between a first limit position, corresponding to the closed position of the leaf L, in which the bracket 3 will be preferably hidden to the view, and a second limit position, corresponding to the open position of the leaf L.

In other words, during assembly, the support element 2 will be connected to the frame F to be solidal therewith, whereas the bracket 3 will be connected to the leaf L to allow the latter to rotate relative to the frame F about the axis of rotation R.

Thus, the bracket 3 will be of the concealed type, which means that it will be hidden to the view when it is in the first closed limit position, whereas it will be visible and accessible, e.g. for maintenance, when it is in the open limit position.

This will advantageously allow the hinge 1 of the invention to have a considerably reduced aesthetic impact.

In one embodiment, when the bracket 3 is in the closed limit position, it will be at least partially contained in the frame compartment V.

In a further embodiment, when the bracket 3 is in the closed limit position, it is at least partially contained in a doorway not shown, which is defined in the thickness of the leaf L.

In other words, in the closed limit position, the bracket 3 may be contained in the frame compartment V, in the doorway, or it may be partially contained in each of these two compartments.

Preferably, the support element 2 is substantially elongate and extends along a longitudinal axis X which, in the illustrated configuration, is without limitation substantially parallel to the axis of rotation R.

The support element 2 has a pair of projections 4', 4" at its end portions, which extend in a direction Y transverse, preferably orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X, at which projections the support element 2 will be attached to the frame F.

In this embodiment, the axis of rotation X and namely the pivot 5 about which the bracket 3 is rotated is retained by the end portions 2, 2" of the support element 2, at two axial end portions of the pivot 5, as shown, for instance, in Figure 2.

The transverse projections 4', 4" are longitudinally offset relative to each other at a sufficient distance as to allow the positioning of the bracket 3 therebetween.

Thus, the hinge 1 of the invention may be advantageously used for moving doors of any weight and material, such as armored or safety doors, without any risk that their excessive weight might affect its function.

The hinge 2 will be also equipped with end stroke means 6 acting as abutments for the bracket 3 when the latter is in its second open limit position. According to the invention, the end stroke means 6 include a substantially longitudinal bead 7 connecting the transverse projections 4', 4".

The connection bead 7 also has an abutment surface 8 for the bracket 3, which faces towards the latter and has a profile that radially decreases in the transverse direction.

The particular configuration of the bead 7 will afford a large angle of rotation of the bracket 3, and further increase the portion of the abutment surface 8 adapted to interact with the bracket 3 to absorb the energy that is used to open the leaf L, thereby preserving the state of the frame F.

Preferably, the support element 2 has an axial section 2'" interposed between its end portions 2', 2", which extends therefrom along the axis of rotation R.

The bead 7 will be preferably at least partially contained in the axial section 2'", thereby acting as an abutment for the bracket 3 when the latter is in its open limit state.

Furthermore, the bead 7 will be preferably parallel to the axis of rotation R.

In other words, according to this variant embodiment, as the bracket 3 is moved towards the open limit state, it abuts against the axial section 2'" of the support element 2 whereupon it stops its motion.

With this particular arrangement, as the bracket 3 moves from the closed limit position to the open limit position, its motion will not be stopped against the frame F, like in prior art hinges, but on a portion of the hinge 1 itself, particularly the bead 7, so that the frame F will not be subjected to deformation due to repeated impacts. Preferably, the end portions 2', 2" of the support element 2 and the connection bead 7 will be formed of one piece.

In a preferred variant, the connection bead 7 has a radially decreasing profile, e.g. a wedge shape, transverse to the axis of rotation R.

In a preferred configuration, the bracket 3 will be composed of a first connection element 9, rotatably mounted to the support element 2, and a second connection element 10, attached to the first element 9 and adapted to fix the bracket 3 to the leaf L.

Particularly, the first connection element will have first 9' and second 9" sections, extending on distinct incident surfaces, and forming a predetermined angle α, to define a longitudinal discontinuity line 11.

In an advantageous embodiment, the angle α between the first 9' and second 9" sections, measured as shown in Figure 7, is from 0.1° to 20°, preferably from 1° to 10°.

The opening angle of the bracket 3 between the closed limit state and the open limit state will be thus further enlarged, to reach values above 120°.

Preferably, the end stroke means 6 will include the longitudinal discontinuity line 11.

As shown in Figure 5, when the bracket 3 reaches the open limit position, the longitudinal discontinuity line 11 is adapted to abut against the connection bead 7.

Particularly, as mentioned above, the surface 8 of the bead 7 that faces towards the bracket 3 has such a shape as to form an abutment surface for the bracket 3. Preferably, the abutment surface 9 of the bead 7 will be complementary to the shape of the longitudinal discontinuity line 11 , thereby affording a large bearing surface between the two components, and allowing the impact energy to be distributed over a larger surface.

Furthermore, the hinge 1 will include means 12 for slowing-down the bracket 3, which are adapted to reduce its speed as it comes close to its open limit position.

In other words, the slowing-down means 12 will act as a brake for the bracket 3 as it moves towards the open limit position.

Therefore, even when the leaf L is inadvertently slammed, the impact force of the bracket 3 is reduced due to the presence of the slowing-down means 12, for the frame F to be unaffected thereby.

Preferably, the slowing-down means 12 will be separate from the end stroke means 6.

In other words, the present invention has end stroke means 6 whose components are different from those that act as slowing-down means 12, as described below.

More preferably, the slowing-down means 12 will act upon the bracket 3 in the direction of the axis of rotation R, e.g. as shown in Figure 2.

In one advantageous embodiment, the slowing-down means 12 will include a pair of brake elements 13, each having a main body 14 that can be adjustably and possibly removably anchored to a corresponding transverse projection 4', 4", and a slowing-down unit 15 associated with the corresponding anchor body 14 for slowing-down interference with the bracket

3. The slowing-down units 15 will be designed to elastically interact with the bracket 3 in at least one substantially axial direction, thereby progressively slowing it down as it moves from the first limit position to the second.

In a first configuration, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6, each of the slowing-down means 15 will include an elastic element 16, such as a spring, and a braking body 17, such as a ball, operably connected to the elastic element 16 for mechanical interference with the bracket 3.

The anchor bodies 14 will in turn include a substantially axial seat 18 for slideably accommodating a corresponding slowing-down unit 15.

In one variant embodiment, not shown, the sliding seat 18 extends along an axis whose projection is incident with the axis of rotation R.

In the embodiment as shown in Figure 6, the sliding seat 7 is a cavity that extends parallel to the axis of rotation R, one opening 19 thereof facing towards the bracket 3.

In other words, the braking body 17 is pushed by the elastic element 16 towards the opening 19 of the sliding seat 18, into a position in which it can exert its braking action.

Therefore, the slowing-down unit 15 can be translated in the sliding seat 18 between a slowing-down state, in which the braking body 17 is located in the path covered by the bracket 3, and a passage state, in which it is located away from such path.

In one embodiment, in order to prevent the braking body 17 from being pushed by the elastic element 16 off the sliding seat 18, the hinge 1 may also include means for holding the braking means, not shown. For example, the holding means will include a plate which is designed to be associated with the sliding seat 18 and to define a hole for engagement of the braking body 17 for the latter to exert its braking action, while being held in the seat 18.

Preferably, the holding means will include a deformation of the entrance opening 19 of the sliding seat 18, e.g. formed by punching.

In other words, in this embodiment, the cavity of the sliding seat 18 is first engaged by the elastic element 16 and the braking body 17, whereupon the entrance of the seat 18 will be punched for the entrance section to be reduced, and hence hold the slowing-down unit 15 in the sliding seat 17.

According to a further configuration, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, each of the slowing-down units 15 will include a first elastic element 20 that is secured in a cantilever fashion to the corresponding main body 14 at a first end 20' thereof.

The first elastic element 20 will also have a second free end 20" at a predetermined distance from the main body 14 in an axial direction.

The first elastic element 20 will act as a braking body and will be adapted to interact with the bracket 3 at the second end 20" so that the distance in the axial direction of the latter relative to the anchor body 14 changes in response to the rotation of the bracket 3.

The bracket 3 will basically press upon each of the brake elements 13 at the second ends 20" of the first elastic elements 20, thereby causing their axial translation, ad being slowed down thereby.

Advantageously, the slowing-down units 15 will also include a second elastic element 21 interposed between the first elastic element 20 and the main body 14.

The second elastic element 21 will also be secured in a cantilever fashion to the main body 12 at a first end 21' thereof integral with the first elastic element 20, and particularly at the first axial end 20' of the latter.

The second elastic element 21 will also have a second free end 21" adapted to interact with the second end 20" of the first elastic element 20 to support the latter during interaction with the bracket 3.

Advantageously, the second end 20" of the first elastic element 20 will have a concave surface 22 facing towards the second elastic element 21 and defining a sliding track for the second end 21" of the latter.

Thus, upon passage of the bracket 2, over a first angle of rotation the brake element 13 will oppose the elastic resistance opposed by the first elastic element 21 only.

As this limit angle of rotation is exceeded, the first elastic element 20 will be pushed against the second element 21 , whereby their respective second ends 20" and 21" will come in contact.

Thus, the second elastic element 21 will ensure sufficient support to the first elastic element 20 as well as the required elastic behavior of the brake element 13.

Preferably, the brake element 13 will be formed of one piece from a metal material, or another material of adequate resistance.

It will be also appreciated that a brake element as described above may be used in association with any type of hinge, not necessarily as defined in the present invention, and more than two of them may be also provided. The above disclosure clearly shows that the invention fulfils the intended objects, and particularly of providing a hinge for doors, windows and the like, that ensures high reliability and resistance, even in case of heavy doors or windows, such as armored doors.

The hinge and brake element of the invention are susceptible to a number of changes or variants, within the inventive concept disclosed in the appended claims. All the details thereof may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts, and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departure from the scope of the invention.

While the hinge and brake element have been described with particular reference to the accompanying figures, the numerals are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner.