"A HINGE WITH UP TO 180° OPENING, WITH NO PROJECTING PARTS IN THE CLOSED POSITION BETWEEN FIXED PART AND MOVING PART"

DESCRIPTION

Many applications are provided with a hinge for opening up to 180°, which in the closed position projects between the parts articulated by the pins, which represents a danger - for example in hinges for articulation of a door to the outer wall of a camping van, and also in other cases - when a 180° movement is required, moreover, without the moving part (door or the like) being brought completely against the contiguous fixed part to which it is articulated.

The invention relates to a hinge that allows opening even up to 180°, but without bringing the hinged parts against each other when they are opened, and moreover without projections in closed positions when the parts substantially coplanar.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the text hereunder.

The hinge in question, fitted between a fixed part (such as a wall) and a moving part (such as the door or panel of a camping van or the like) substantially comprises at least one element interposed between the two parts, said element extending in the shape of a U with two articulations at the two ends of the arms of said U-shaped element; the component fitted to the corresponding part is articulated to each of said two articulations. Advantageously, each of the two articulations can be shielded by a surface extension of the respective articulated part; in this way apparent continuity is obtained between the two parts in the closed position.

In a possible embodiment, each of the two parts comprises a covering appendix; these covering appendices are side by side in the closed position, and in this position a seal cooperates between said two appendices.

A covering section bar cart also be provided - along the edge of each of the two parts hinged to each other - which forms the respective surface extension and the respective covering appendix. In this way the

two edges are finished and formation of the appendices and of the extensions is facilitated.

The cross member of the intermediate U-shaped element can be dimensioned to keep the moving door part at the required distance with respect to the fixed wall part in the 180° open position, in relation to the space available between the two parts in this position.

The hinge can be composed of a plurality of axially aligned components, arranged at a greater or lesser distance from one another.

A simplified embodiment with respect to the one described above is relatively less expensive, but allows movement of the moving part for angles of less than 180°, and in particular in the order of a maximum of 130° or less.

The hinge according to; this simplified embodiment has no projecting parts in the closed position between a fixed part (such as a wall) and a moving part (such as the door or panel of a camping van or the like). The hinge comprises at least one intermediate element between the two parts and extending in the shape of a U with cross member and arms and with a single seat for an articulation pin at the end of one of the arms; the component fitted to the fixed part is articulated to said articulation pin while the other arm moves with the moving part to which it is connected.

The arrangement can also be reversed.

The articulation pin can be shielded by a surface extension; a further surface extension can be provided on the moving part, thereby ensuring apparent continuity between the two parts in the closed position. The moving part is capable of rotating by an angle in the order of

125°. ;

The hinge can be equipped with a seal, which extends for the entire perimeter of the door; in the area of the hinges this seal co-acts with two appendices which extend from the section bars surrounding the opening ^' and the door (or other equivalent components) and which face one another when closed; a seal is fitted to one of the appendices and presses against the other appendix, in the closed position.

The invention will be better understood by following the description and accompanying drawing, which shows a non-limiting practical ■

embodiment. In the drawing:

Figures 1A, 1 B and 1C show a local section of a conventional hinge in the three different positions - closed, partially opened and fully opened to 180°; Figures 2A ₁ 2B and 2C show, similarly to Figures 1A, 1 B and 1C, a simple solution according to the invention;

Figures 3A, 3B and 3C show, similarly to Figures 2A, 2B, 2C, a more elaborate embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the components in Figures 2A, 2B, 2C;

Figures 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of hinge in a section according to two planes orthogonal to the axis of the articulation and in the closed and fully open position; and

Figures 7 and 8 show in the same way a still further embodiment, which allows reductions in dimension and lower costs.

Figures 1A, 1B and 1C illustrate a hinge of the type used to date with two components 1 and 3 articulated in 5 and fitted one, labeled 1 , to the fixed wall P and the other, labeled 3, to the panel A (such as a door or the like). To be able to keep - with the panel A rotated to 180° (Figure 1 C) - a space S between the door A and the wall P, the articulation 5 must project as can be clearly seen in Figure 1A, with various drawbacks and with criticizable appearance.

To avoid these and other evident drawbacks, according to the . invention and according to Figures 2A to 2C there is provided the use of intermediate U-shaped elements 7 with cross member 7A and two arms 7B, 7C and with articulation seats 7D, 7E (Figure 2A) for pins 9 and 11 at the end of each of the arms 7B, 7C.

The pins 9 and 11 are received in the seats 7D, 7E and in the seats of the components 1 and 3 of the same type as those of the conventional hinges of the Figures 1A, 1 B and 1C. The components 1 and 3 are fitted . to the wall P1 and to the panel A1 in the same way as the conventional embodiment. Said components 1 , 3 and the elements 7 are stacked as shown in Figure 4 and the pins 9 and 11 pass therethrough parallel to and distanced from each other. The components 1 are fitted to the wall P1 and

the components 3 are fitted to the panel A1 in Figures 2A to 2C; the wall P1 and the panel A1 are distanced from each other by a degree dependent on the dimension of the cross member 7A of the elements 7.

According to Figures 2A to 2C the outer surfaces of the wall P1 and of the panel A1 are covered with a plate LP and LA; these two plates LP and LA are coplanar in Figure 2A and project limitedly so that the abutting edges thereof almost entirely cover the space between P1 and A1 , occupied by the element 7, in the closed position in Figure 2A.

With this arrangement, from the position in Figure 2A the panel A1 can be rotated - with respect to the wall P1 - around the pin 11 to the position in Figure 2B and beyond, around the pin 9, to 180° to reach the position in Figure 2C, with the door A1 approximately parallel to the wall P1 and limitedly distanced therefrom by a distance S; the U-shaped element 7 moves to 90°. The plates LP and LA with the extended ends thereof form appendices LP1 and* LA1 at the side of the pins 9 and 11 and cover these in the position in Figure 2A, ensuring aesthetically pleasing apparent continuity of outer surfaces; said appendices LP1 and LA1 return inside the recesses of the U-shaped elements 7 upon reaching the position in Figure 2C. To close the panel the positions from the one in Figure 2C to the one in Figure 2A are progressively reached through the one in Figure 2B.

Figures 3A to 3C show an embodiment which is improved with respect to the one in Figures 2A to 2C, due to the presence of covering section bars 15 and 17 which finish off the edge of the wall P and the edge of the panel A; these section bars 15 and 17 form appendices 15X and 17X, similar to the appendices LP1 and LA1 of the plates LP and LA of the embodiment in Figures 2A to 2C. Moreover, the section bar 15 forms an appendix 15Y and the ⁴ section bar 17 forms an appendix 17Y. These two appendices are side by side in the closed position in Figure 3A, and a seal 19 operates therebetween in the closed position of the panel A. From the position in Figure 3A to reach the position in Figure 3C, the seal 19 slides losing contact with the appendix 15Y, and regains contact when it returns to the closed position in Figure 3A.

In all the embodiments the objects and advantages mentioned

hereinbefore are obtained.

According to Figures 5 and 6, P1 and A1 indicate the fixed part (such as a wall with an opening) and the moving part (such as a panel or the like). The numeral 51 indicates a component intended to be fitted to the part P1 with interposing of a covering section bar 65, a similar covering section bar 67 being fitted to the part A1 aloηg the opening obtained therein. The component 51 forms a seat for an articulation pin 59. Articulated to the articulation pin 59 with a seat 57D is a U-shaped element 57 composed of a base.57A ₁ an arm 57B forming the seat 57D and an arm 57C which is fitted to the moving part (or panel) A1 with interposing of the covering section bar 67, which extends around the moving part A1. It can be fitted by welding the arm 57C to the section bar 67 or by screws 68 which can be operated due to the presence of a hole 57F in the arm 57B. The two parts P1 and A1 can be reversed (the part A1 fixed and the part P1 moving).

Advantageously, the two coverings 65 and 67 have extensions 65X and 67X coplanar and facing each other to almost totally cover, with respect to the outside, the opening of the U-shaped element 57, in the closed position in Figure 5. With this arrangement rotation and consequently opening of the moving part A1 with respect to the fixed part P1 about the pin 59 is possible, up to an angle of between 90° and approximately 130°, as can be seen by comparing Figures 5 and 6.

The covering section bar 65 can have an inner appendix 65Y and the covering section bar 67 then has an appendix 67Y limitedly distanced from the appendix 65Y. Interposed between the two appendices 65Y and 67Y is a seal 69 fitted to the appendix 67Y and capable of pressing on the appendix 65Y in the closed position in Figure 5. With opening to the position in Figure 6, the seal 69 slides on the appendix 65Y, and vice versa during closing the seal 69 moves towards and slides to reach sufficient contact with the appendix 65Y to ensure seal.

Figures 7 and 8 show a modified embodiment with respect to the one in Figures 5 and 6, modified to reduce the space between the two parts P1 and A1. This is obtained by decreasing the width of the base

157A of the U-shaped section bar 157 with respect to the base 57A of the U-shaped section bar 57 in Figures 5 and 6, and by reducing or even eliminating the extension corresponding to the extension 67X in Figures 5 and 6, and similarly reducing the width of the appendices 165Y and 167Y. It is understood that the drawing only shows an example provided by way of a practical embodiment of the invention, as said invention can vary in forms and arrangements without however departing from the scope of the concept underlying said invention. Any reference numerals in the appended claims are provided to facilitate reading of the claims with reference to the description and to the drawing, and do not limit the scope of protection represented by the claims.