DESCRIPTION The object of the present invention is an improved hinge for flirniture door.

More particularly the present invention relates to an improved hinge, especially suitable for being used to allow the opening/closure of fall-front doors of kitchen cupboards, bathroom cabinets, wardrobes and similar items of furniture provided with openable doors.

As is known, in furniture such as cupboards, shoe racks, bathroom or kitchen cabinets and similar items of furniture provided with openable doors of the fall-front type, the movement of opening and closure of said doors is typically permitted by a hinge mechanism placed in connection between the frame or shoulder of the item of furniture and the door itself.

Traditionally hinges for doors of furniture comprise two bodies one of which attached to a shoulder or frame of the furniture and the other to the openable door, with said two bodies connected one to the other by means of levers or arms hinged to the same

The hinge, once attached with respect to the shoulder of the frame of the item of furniture and to the openable door, has to be regulated or adjusted in order to ensure a correct alignment of said door with respect to the structure of the item of furniture and, consequently, a correct movement of opening and closure of the same without possible interferences with other doors or portions of adjacent furniture.

Moreover hinges, in addition to the functional aspects, also have to ensure a high aesthetic value and, to this end, one or both the bodies of the hinge are built into the structure of the door and/or of the frame of the furniture, leaving exposed (when the door is open) the levers or arms of connection between said two bodies

Typically the hinges suitable for being recessed with respect to the structure of the furniture or of the door are different with respect to those simply attached externally to the thickness of the shoulder of the frame of the item of furniture and, consequently, it is necessary to have in stock hinges suitable for use for the different modes of assembly with con-elated high costs of stock management.

The hinges, moreover, can have different features as a function of the thickness of the openable door whereto they are attached and, therefore, also in this case a disadvantage arises linked to the need to have different hinges for different thicknesses of doors.

A further disadvantage is linked to the fact that during the phase of assembly of the hinge it is often necessary to perform operations of lightening of the openable door on the front edge in order to be able to perform correct assembly of the hinge. This may lead to undesired unsightly defects given that part of the hinge remains exposed when the door is closed.

GB 1447293 discloses a hinge for furniture having with flaps that are coplanar with a furniture component in the open position, wherein the hinge comprises a part adapted to be secured to a mounting part by means of pivoted links, the mounting part having an abutment which engages behind a locking part when the mounting part is inserted in a member which is adapted to be secured to an article of furniture. DE2839576 discloses a hinge in which the hinge pieces on the frame and the wings are connected by guide-rods with two axes, wherein the piece on the frame has a hinge- bearing plate which is movable relative to the base, while the two pieces are held under spring action. The object of the present invention is that of obviating the disadvantages stated above.

More particularly the object of the present invention is that of providing an improved hinge for furniture door suitable for assembly both internal and built into the thickness of the shoulder of the frame of the item of furniture and external with respect to said shoulder.

A further object of the present invention is that of providing a hinge for furniture door which can be used for doors of different thicknesses (for example 20 mm doors and 30 mm doors). A further object of the present invention is that of providing a hinge for furniture door which does not require machining operations of lightening on the front edge of the door in order to be able to fit the aforesaid door. A further object of the present invention is that of providing a hinge for openable furniture door which allows a containing of the overall dimensions without a reduction in the internal volume of the item of furniture.

A further object of the present invention is to make available to users an improved hinge for furniture doors suitable for ensuring a high level of resistance and reliability in time and such, moreover, as to be easily and economically produced.

These and other objects are achieved by the invention which has the features as claimed in claim 1.

According to the invention an improved hinge is provided for furniture door, especially suitable for being used for the opening/closure of a fall-front door of kitchen cupboards, bathroom cabinets, wardrobes and similar items of furniture provided with openable doors, comprising a first body attachable with respect to a shoulder of a frame of an item of furniture and a second body attachable with respect to a door, with said first body and second body connected one to the other by means of intermediate elements suitable for defining hinged restraints suitable for allowing a relative movement between said first and second body and with the first body arranged along a plane substantially perpendicular to that of the second body both in the open and in the close positions thereof, said intermediate elements which comprise a first lever or connecting rod and a second lever or connecting rod arranged parallel one to the other and hinged with one end with respect to the first body and with an opposite end with respect to a levers support provided with adjusting means with respect to said second body, wherein the first body comprises a pair of transverse holes for a rigid fixing of said first body to an internal front of the shoulder of the fi-ame of the item of furniture, and comprises also a longitudinal seat for the insertion of a screw for a fastening of said first body in a pocket formed in the thickness of the shoulder of the frame of the furniture.

Said adjusting means are apt for a vertical and lateral adjustment of the levers support and for an adjustment of the tilting of the lever support with respect to the second body. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed by the dependent claims.

According to the invention, an improved hinge as above defined is provided, wherein said levers support further comprises hooking fall-protection means with respect to said second body to prevent falling during adjustment of the hinge.

The constructional and functional features of the improved hinge for furniture door of the present invention will be made clearer by the following detailed description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings which represent a preferred and non- limiting embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1 shows schematically a blown-up axonometric view of the improved hinge of the invention suitable for an application to an openable door of small or standard thickness;

Figure 2 shows schematically a blown-up axonometric view of the hinge of the invention in a configuration of application to a door of greater thickness;

Figure 3 shows a schematic axonometric view of the hinge of the invention in a first configuration of assembly with respect to an openable door and to a frame of an item of furniture;

Figure 4 shows a schematic axonometric view of the hinge of the invention in a second configuration of assembly;

Figure 5 shows schematically the hinge according to the configuration shown in Figure 4 including a covering element or casing, as described here below;

Figure 6 shows in a schematic and axonometric view an openable door provided with machining or seat for the housing of a portion or body of the hinge;

Figure 7 shows schematically an axonometric view of an openable door provided with a portion or body of the hinge of the invention housed in the seat as shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 shows an axonometric view of an enlarged detail of Figure 7;

Figures 9 and 10 show an example of assembly of the hinge of the invention in the case of furniture with openable door of standard thickness and of increased thickness.

Referring to the aforementioned drawings, the improved hinge for furniture doors of the present invention denoted overall by 10 in Figure 1 , wherein reference is made to an application thereof to an openable door 12 having a standard thickness (typically comprised between 18 and 20 mm) and used for closure of an item of furniture 14, comprises a first body 16 apt to be attached with respect to a shoulder 14' of the frame of the item of furniture 14 and a second body 15 apt to be attached with respect to the door 12, with said two bodies connected one to the other by means of intermediate elements apt to define hinged restraints suitable for allowing a relative movement of said first and second body of the hinge, in order to be able to obtain the opening/closure of the door 12.

The first body 16 of the hinge 10 is defined by a base formed by a first semi-element 16' or external semi-base and by a second semi-element 16" or internal semi-base substantially plate-like, coupled one to the other by means of dowels 18 or equivalent and known means of restraint and each one (referring to the preferred embodiment as shown in the drawings) provided with a projecting appendage 17, with said projecting appendages which, when the two semi-elements 16' and 16" are coupled, define a fork 19 with respect whereto one end of a first lever or connecting rod 20 is hinged, while a second lever or connecting rod 22 has one end hinged internally to said two semi- elements of the first body when coupled one to the other, with said levers or connecting rods parallel one to the other.

The two semi-elements 16' and 16" of the first body 16 comprise a pair of transverse holes 13 coaxial one to the other and apt to allow, when the two semi-elements are coupled one to the other, the insertion of screws 21 for realising a mode of attachment of the first body 16 as described here below.

Moreover the two semi-elements 16' and 16" each comprise a semi-cylindrical portion 11 with axis arranged perpendicular to that of the transverse holes 13 and apt to define, when the two semi-elements are coupled one to the other, a seat 23 for the insertion of a screw 24 whose function will be made clearer herein below in the description.

The second body 15 of the hinge 10 comprises a box-like body 25 closed on a bottom 25' and open on the opposite side with respect to said bottom to define a pocket for housing a levers support 28 inserted in the box-like body 25 and defining a hinged restraint for the ends of the first lever or connecting rod 20 and of the second lever or connecting rod 22 opposite those hinged with respect to the fork 19 of the first body 16. Said box-like body 25 apt to be inserted in a dedicated seat 26 formed in the thickness of the door 12.

The box-like body 25 of the second body 15 of the hinge 10, at opposite vertices of one of the long sides, has two opposite plate-like appendages 30 and 30' which develop partially starting from the open upper front of the box-like body 25 in the direction of the bottom 25'. These plate-like appendages 30 and 30' each have a through hole 31 developed perpendicularly to the plane of said appendages and suitable for the insertion of a screw 33 or of an equivalently known retaining means suitable for realising a rigid attachment of the box-like body 25 with respect to the door 12 as described here below.

The box-like body 25, externally and below the appendages 30 and 30', defines two opposite notches 32 whose function will be made clearer here below.

The levers support 28, as schematised for example in Figure 8, comprises a portion 29 provided with a hooked appendage 35 developed away from a lateral edge of said portion

29 and apt to engage with a suitable seat 37 of the appendage 30 of the box-like body 25. This hooked appendage 35 defines a fall-protection hook in accordance with what is described here below. The portion 29 of the levers support 28 comprises, moreover, a pair of parallel wings 36 suitable for defining a fork with respect whereto are attached the ends of the levers 20 and 22 opposed to those of connection to the first body 16 and a through opening 38 and a through hole 40 apt to house, respectively, a screw 41 apt to allow a vertical and lateral adjustment of the levers support 28 when housed in the box-like body 25 and a screw 42 having the function of allowing an adjustment of the tilting of the same levers support. Figure 2 illustrates a blown-up axonometric view of the improved hinge suitable for being used for the opening/closure of a door of high thickness (indicatively comprised between 30 and 40 mm). The hinge used for this second type of door and denoted overall by 10' in Figure 2 comprises the same component elements described previously with reference to the hinge suitable for an application for doors of standard thickness (these components are not, therefore, the object of further description) with the exception of a first lever or connecting rod 50 and of a second lever or connecting rod 52 having different dimensions and shapes with respect to the corresponding first and second lever of the hinge for standard door in order to be able to allow the opening/closure of the door 12' of high thickness (greater than the standard thickness and tendentially comprised between

30 and 40 mm). The hinge of the invention comprises, moreover, an optional covering element or casing 54 having the function of going to cover the first body 16 of the hinge in the case of a type of assembly as detailed here below. The methods of assembly of the improved hinge of the invention described above with reference to the component elements with respect to an item of furniture provided with openable door, is described here below.

As schematised in the accompanying drawings and as described previously, the first body 16 is positioned and rigidly restrained with respect to the item of furniture 14 and, more particularly, with respect to a shoulder 14' of the frame of said item of furniture, while the second body 15 is placed and restrained with respect to the door 12 of standard thickness or to the door 12' of high thickness. The first body 16, according to a first method of assembly, is inserted in the thiclcness of the shoulder 14' of the frame of the item of furniture 14 (Figure 3) which, for the purpose, is provided with a dedicated pocket formed typically through milling. The first body 16, once inserted in the aforementioned pocket of the shoulder 14', is rigidly secured in position by means of the screw 24 described previously.

In accordance with a second method of assembly, the first body 16 is attached to the shoulder 14' of the frame of the item of furniture at an internal front 14" of said shoulder 14' and secured thereto by means of screws 61 or equivalent retaining means, as schematised in Figures 4 and 5.

Moreover, in accordance with this configuration of assembly, the optional covering element or casing 54 is fitted on the first body 16, as schematised in Figure 5, so as not to leave exposed said first body 16 and with said casing which is attached to the first body by means of the screw 24.

The second body 15 is instead secured in the pocket 26 formed (by milling or with another known machining operation) in the thickness of the door 12 or 12' starting from an internal front 51 opposite an exposed external front of the door 12. As schematised in Figure 6, the pocket 26 has a shaping corresponding to that of the boxlike body 25 of the second body 15 of the hinge 10 or 10' and, more particularly, it comprises two opposed extensions 60 and 60' formed starting from a bottom 26' of the pocket 26 in the direction of the internal front 51, in a position con-esponding to that of the notches 32 of the box-like body 25 and with a shape corresponding in reverse to said notches so as to be able to engage with respect to the same. Said extensions 60 and 60' are moreover each provided with a central hole 62 coaxial to the hole 31 of the box-like body 25 in order to allow the engagement with the screws 33 or the equivalent restraining elements suitable for realising the constraint of said box-like body 25 with respect to the pocket 12 of the door 12 or 12'. The pocket 26 shaped in this way substantially has two different machining depths such as to allow the housing of the box-like body 25 of the second body 15 without the need to perform a lightening, i.e. an opening of the door at the front edge of the same and avoiding, at the same time, the provision of a perimeter flange on the box-like body 25 for its attachment.

The box-like body 25 is inserted in the pocket 26 of the door 12 or 12' with the notches 32 which couple with the extensions 60 of said pocket and, subsequently, rigidly restrained by means of the screws 33 which engage with the holes 31 of the box-like body 25 and with the holes 62 of the extensions 60 of the pocket 26.

The support for levers 28, during assembly, is connected to the first body 16 by means of the levers or connecting rods, with the first body 16 which is attached with respect to the frame of the item of furniture. The door 12 or 12' provided with the box-like body 25 is, subsequently, coupled to the frame of the item of furniture with the support for levers 28 which is inserted in said boxlike body and, more particularly, with the hooked appendage 35 of said support for levers which engages with the plate-like appendage 30 of the box-like body. In this way the hooking defined by this hooked appendage allows the door to be maintained in position of coupling, preventing the falling thereof during the phase of adjustment.

Once the first body 16 and the second body 15 are attached as described above, with the first body 16 joined to the support for levers 28 by means of levers or connecting rods, the support for levers 28 is inserted in said second body 15 and, subsequently, is adjusted in position with respect to the box-like body 25 by means of the screws 41 and 42, so as to realise a correct regulation and adjustment of the door 12 or 12' for correct opening and closure thereof. More particularly, by means of the screw 41, a lateral and vertical regulation of the door is performed, while with the screw 42 the regulation of tilting is performed. In the case wherein a door with thickness greater than the standard thickness is to be fitted, replacement of the hinge as a whole would not be necessary, but instead only the first lever or connecting rod 20 and the second lever or connecting rod 22 would be replaced, respectively, with the first lever or connecting rod 50 and with the second lever or connecting rod 52 suitable for the door 12' with thickness increased with respect to the standard.

More particularly, in the hinge of the invention the first body 16 is placed along a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane with respect whereto the second body 15 and the support for levers 28 are placed.

As can be seen from the above the advantages that the hinge of the invention achieves are clear.

The improved hinge for furniture doors of the present invention allows an advantageous application both to doors of standard thickness and to doors of high thickness, without the need to change the type of hinge. In fact, in the case of an assembly on a door of high thickness it is sufficient to change only the levers or connecting rods hinged with respect to the first body 16 and to the second body 15 of the hinge. A further advantage of the hinge of the invention is represented by the fact that it can be mounted with the first body inserted and attached in the lateral thickness of the shoulder of the frame of the item of furniture or with the same first body attached on the internal front of said shoulder, without the need for changes to said first body. Further advantageous is the fact that the mode of attachment of the first body with respect to the shoulder of the frame of the item of furniture is performed with said first body which works perpendicularly with respect to the second body attached to the openable door for an optimised and increased distribution of the loads and of the stresses and, likewise, allows performing of the regulation/adjustment of the hinge only as regards the second body attached to the door. A further advantage is represented by the fact that for the attachment of the second body with respect to the openable door it is not necessary to lighten said door on the front edge and, consequently, undesired unsightly defects are not created, linked to the fact that portions of said second body can remain exposed.

Further advantageous is the fact that the improved hinge of the invention is easy and convenient and quick to assemble.

Although the invention has been described above with particular reference to one of its embodiments given solely by way of a non-limiting example, numerous changes and variations will appear clear to a person skilled in the art in light of the description given above. The present invention intends, therefore, to embrace all the modifications and the variations that fall within the scope of the following claims.