This invention relates to a hinge, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a hinge for furniture such as cupboards and the like.

Hinges are, of course, well known. The most common and basic hinge merely comprises a first leaf and a second leaf which are connected by a pivot pin. The leafs are connected respectively to a fixed article such as a post or wall and an article which is to be swung open such as a cupboard door, gate or the like.

In recent times, more complicated hinging arrangements for cupboard doors have been proposed. These hinges require the cupboard door or the wall from which the door is suspended to be provided with a recess. The hinge has a cup shaped portion which is located in the recess. The hinge has at least two links which are coupled together by a pivot pin. The pivot pin and part of one of the links are accommodated in the cup shaped portion when the door is closed. The recess and cup shaped portion basically provide room to accommodate the hinge when the door is closing and in the closed position. Whilst these hinges operate adequately, they require the cupboard door or wall to be provided with a recess which increases the difficulty of installation because of the need to form the recess in the wall or door. Furthermore, the need to provide a recess makes it difficult if not impossible for a home handyman to properly install this type of hinge in home built furniture.

The object of this invention is to provide a hinge which can be flush mounted and does not require a recess in the door or wall in order to accommodate part of the hinge to enable the door to close.

The invention may be said to reside in a hinge including: an opening lever; first pivotal coupling means for coupling the opening lever to a fixed article; a door attitude member for connection to a door which is to be opened and closed; second pivotal coupling means for coupling the door attitude member to the opening lever; and wherein, in use, the opening lever is pivotally moveable about the first pivotal coupling to open and close the door relative to a door opening and pivotal movement of the door attitude member about the second pivotal coupling means relative to the door enables control and positioning of the door relative to the door opening to properly open and close the door.

The opening lever and the door attitude member enable the hinge to be coupled to a door and fixed article without the need for recesses to be formed in the door or fixed article to enable attachment of the hinge and room for the hinge to operate. Furthermore, the present invention also enables the use of wide levers and pivotal couplings because of the fact it is not necessary to form recesses in the door or walls and this considerably adds to reliability and durability of the hinge and increases the amount of load the hinge is able to carry.

In one embodiment of the invention the pivotal movement about the first pivot means and the pivotal movement about the second pivotal means occurs sequentially and in this embodiment of the invention the second pivotal coupling means which connects the door attitude member to the opening lever comprises a single pivot pin so that during opening of the door, the opening lever and door attitude member pivot about the first pivotal coupling means and the door then pivots about the pivot pin to fully open the door and to close the door, the door and opening lever pivot

about the first pivotal coupling means and the door and door attitude member then pivot about the pivot pin to properly position and close the door.

In another embodiment of the invention the two movements occur simultaneously and in this embodiment of the invention at least one intermediate control lever is pivotally coupled between the door attitude member and the opening lever to enable the pivotal movement about the first and second pivot means to occur simultaneously.

The invention may be said to reside in a hinge including: a first connection portion for connection to a fixed article; a second connection portion for connection to an article to be opened; a link member pivotally coupled to both said first and second portions by respective pivots, the link section defining a cavity region for providing space to accommodate the fixed object or the article during opening and/or closing of the article.

Since the hinge includes the curved link portion which defines the cavity for accommodating the fixed object or the article, the first and second portions can be flush mounted to the object or article without the need to provide a recess and the article will still open and close to its full extent by virtue of the fixed object or article being accommodated in the cavity region during opening or closing of the article.

In one embodimen of the invention, the link member comprises: an integral link having a first section extending transverse to the first portion; a second section extending transverse to the first section; and

a third section extending transverse to the second section and being generally opposed to the first section.

Preferably the first and third sections are connected to the first and second portions by the pivots.

Preferably the pivots comprise sleeve sections on the first and second portions and intermeshing sleeve sections on the first and second sections which mesh with the sleeve sections on the first and second portions respectively to provide aligned openings, and pivot pins located in the aligned openings.

In another embodiment of the invention, the link member comprises: a first link section arranged transverse to the first portion; a second link section pivotally coupled to the first link section by a first pivot and being arranged transverse to the first link section, the second link section being connected to the second portion by a second pivot; a third link section connected to the second portion and extending transverse to the second portion in a direction generally opposite to the second link section; and a fourth link section pivotally coupled to the third link section by a third pivot and to the first link section, intermediate the first link portion, by a fourth pivot.

Preferably the second link section has a cutout section for accommodating the third link section and the third pivot when the article is opened to its full extent.

Preferably the first to third pivots comprise aligned

intermeshing sleeve sections and pivot pins passing through the aligned sleeve sections.

Preferably the hinge includes stop means for limiting pivotal movement of the link member relative to one of the first connection portion or second connection portion.

Preferably the stop means is adjustable to alter the amount of pivotal movement of the link member relative to the first connection portion or second connection portion.

A further aspect of the invention may be said to reside in a hinge including: a first hinge connector for connection to a fixed article; a second hinge connector for connection to a door to be opened and closed relative to the fixed article; a first link coupled to the first hinge connector; a second link pivotally coupled to the first link by a first pivot means and pivotally coupled to the second hinge connector by a second pivot means; a third link pivotally coupled to the first link intermediate the first hinge connector and the first pivot means; and a fourth link pivotally coupled to the third link by a third pivot means and pivotally coupled to the second hinge connector by a fourth pivot means.

Preferably the first and second hinge connectors are plates having holes for receiving screws.

Preferably the second and fourth pivot means comprise a single common pivot means.

The invention may further be said to reside in a hinge including:

a first hinge connector for connection to a fixed article; a second hinge connector for connection to a door to be opened and closed relative to the fixed article; a first link pivotally coupled to the first hinge connector by a first pivot means; a second link pivotally coupled to the second hinge connector by a second pivot means and pivotally coupled to the first link by a third pivot means; and a third link pivotally coupled to the first link by a fourth pivot means intermediate the first pivot means and the third pivot means, and pivotally coupled to the second hinge connector by a fifth pivot means.

Preferably a bracket is fixed to the first hinge connector and the second link is pivotally coupled to the bracket by a sixth pivot means.

Preferably the fifth pivot means is connected to the second hinge connector by a fourth link.

Preferably the first link is L-shaped and has two legs, the fourth pivot means being connected to the first link where the two legs join one another.

Preferably the sixth pivot means comprises a pivot pin mounted to said bracket and at least one connector link connected to the pivot pin and pivotally connected to the second link.

Preferably the second link comprises a pair of opposed link members.

Preferably the second pivot means comprises a pivot pin extending between the opposed link members of the second link.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the hinge of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan cross-sectional view of the hinge of Figure 1 mounting a door to a wall with the door in a closed position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the door in a partially open position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but with the door in the fully opened position; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hinge according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the hinge of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan cross-sectional view of the hinge of Figure 6 mounting a door to a wall;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but with the door in a partially open position;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 with the in the fully opened position; Figure 11 is a view of a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 is a front view of the part of the hinge shown in Figure 11;

Figures 13 and 14 are plan views of the hinge applied to thick and thin fixed wall members;

Figure 15 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 16 is a view along the line XVI-XVI of Figure 15; Figure 17 is a view along the line XVII-XVII of

Figure 15; and

Figure 18 is a view of the hinge of Figure 15 in

the fully opened position;

Figures 1 to 5 show a hinge which is intended to enable a cupboard door which, in a closed position, is flush mounted on the outside of a front wall of a piece of furniture, to open to a position of 90° with respect to the front wall.

With reference to Figure 1, the hinge 10 comprises a first hinge plate 12 and a second hinge plate 14. The hinge plates 12 and 14 are provided with openings 16 for receiving screws to secure the hinge plates 12 and 14 to a door and wall respectively as will be described hereinafter.

As is best shown in Figure 2, the hinge plates 12 and 14 are provided with sleeve sections 18 which are spaced apart from one another.

A link 20 interconnects the hinge plates 12 and 14 and comprises a first section 20 which extends transverse with respect to the plate 12, a second section 24 which extends transverse to the first section 22 and a third section 26 which extends transverse to the second section 24 and is generally opposed to the first section 22. Thus, the link 20 is generally a curved link and it defines a cavity region 30 generally within the confines of the sections 22, 24 and 26.

The first section 22 and the third section 26 are provided with sleeve sections 32 which intermesh with the sleeve sections 18 (as is conventional) on the first and second plates 12 and 14. The aligned sleeve sections 18 and 32 define openings for receiving pins 34 so that respective sleeves 18 and 32 and the pins 34 form pivots 33 and 35 for pivoting the link 20 to the plates 12 and 14.

Figures 3 to 5 show the hinge 20 mounting a door 50 to a

wall 60 of, for example, a cupboard or the like. As previously explained, the hinge is intended to be used with a door which is to opened to 90° with respect to the wall 60.

The plates 12 and 14 are secured to the door 50 and wall 60 respectively by screws 40. As is conventional, a number of hinges 10 would be used to suspend the door 50 from the wall 60. As is apparent from Figure 3, the cavity 30 defined by the sections 22, 24 and 26 accommodates the end 62 of the wall 60.

As is shown in Figure 3, when the door is in the closed position the end 52 overlaps the wall 60 and the door 50 abuts or is very close to the wall 60. To open the door, the door is swung in the direction of arrow A as is shown in Figure 4. Because the end of the door 50 abuts or is very close to the wall 60, initial pivotal movement of the hinge 20 takes place only about the hinge 35 so that the link 20, together with the door 50, pivot about pivot 35 with the pivot 33 remaining substantially fixed. Thus, the section 26 moves relative to the plate 14, as is clearly shown in Figure 4, with the door 50 generally moving away from the wall 60 during the opening of the door 50. The door is swung open until the position in Figure 4 is reached where the end 62 of the wall 60 is fully accommodated within the cavity 30 and the second section 24 generally abuts the end 62 of the wall 60. At this point, pivotal movement of the pivot 35 ceases and the pivot remains generally fixed.

As shown in Figure 5, continued swinging movement of the door 50 causes the pivot 33 to come into play so that the plate 12 moves relative to the section 22 so that the door 50 can be fully opened to a position substantially 90° with respect to the wall 60. Thus, movement of the hinge 20 is firstly a pivotal movement around the pivot 35 until the

wall 60 is fully accommodated in the cavity 30 at which time the pivot 35 ceases to function or becomes fixed and then a pivotal movement around the pivot 33 which enables the door 50 and plate 12 to move relative to the section 22 to enable the door 50 to fully open to the 90° position.

The plates 12 and 14 are flush mounted to the door 50 and wall 60 respectively and the cavity region 30 which is formed by the generally curved shape of the link 20 accommodates the wall 60 during opening movement of the door 50 to enable the door to fully open.

In this embodiment of the invention, the link 20 forms an opening lever which is pivotally coupled to the wall 60 by the pivot pin 35. The plate 12 forms a door attitude member which is pivotally coupled to the opening lever 20 by the pivot pin 33. The opening lever 20 and attitude member 12 enable the sequential operation as described above to occur whereby the door 50 first pivots about the pivot pin 35 due to movement of the opening lever 20 about pivot 35 and then the door 50 and attitude member 12 pivot about pivot pin 33.

Figures 6 to 10 show a second embodiment of the hinge which is intended to suspend a door 50 which is mounted at right angles to a wall 60 and wherein the door 50 is intended to open to an amount of 90° to extend generally parallel with the wall 60.

With reference to Figures 6 and 7, the hinge 70 of this embodiment of the invention comprises a plate 72 which is to be secured to the wall 60 (Figures 8 to 10) and a plate 74 which is to be connected to the door 60 (Figures 8 to 10) . A link 76 is comprised of a first section 82 which is generally integral with the plate 72 and extends transverse with respect to the plate 72, a second section 84 which is pivotally connected to the first section 82 by a pivot 85,

link 86 which is fixed relative to the plate 74 and extends transversely with respect to the plate 74 in a direction generally opposite to the link 84, and a fourth link 88 pivotally connected to the third link 86 by a pivot 87 and which is also pivotally connected to the first link 82 by a pivot 89 intermediate the first link 82 between the plate 72 and the pivot 83. The link 76 therefore also defines a cavity region 90 within the confines of the link sections 82 and 84.

As is clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7, the plates 72 and 74 are provided with holes 71 for receiving screws 44 (see Figures 8 to 10) for securing the hinge to a door 50 and a wall 60.

As is best shown in Figure 7, the pivots 83, 85 and 87 are formed by intermeshing sleeve sections 91 on the respective link sections and pins 93 which pass through the aligned sleeve sections. The pivot 89 is formed from a pivot pin 95 which is fixed to the link section 82 and a sleeve section 97 which is provided at one end of the fourth link section 88. The pin 95 may extend across a cutout opening 101 in the first link section 82 which may be welded in place after the sleeve 97 is located on the pin 95. In other arrangements the pin 95 could merely be mounted adjacent the link 82 and fixed to the link 82 without the need to provide the cutout opening 101.

The second link section 84 is provided with a cutout opening 103 adjacent the pivot 85. The purpose of the cutout opening 103 will be explained hereinafter.

As shown in Figure 8, with the door 50 in the closed position, the end 52 of the door abuts the wall 60 adjacent its end 62. To open the door, the door is swung in the direction of arrow A.

As is best shown in Figure 9, initial swinging movement of the door 50 will cause the pivots 83, 85, 87 and 89 to move the second link section 84, third link section 86 and fourth link section 88 all relative to the first link section 82. The swinging movement will displace the pivot 85 generally in the direction of arrow B from the position shown in Figure 8 thereby enabling the end of the door 52 to move into the cavity region 90 defined by the link sections 82 and 84. The third link section 86 of course remains fixed relative to the plate 74 to which it is securely coupled or made integral with.

As is shown in Figure 10, continued swinging movement of the door 50 in the direction of arrow A will continue to move the pivot 85 in the direction of arrow B and also the pivot 87 in the direction of arrow B with the pivot 87 and third link 86 generally moving into the cutout opening 103 in the second link 84. Thus, the cutout opening 103 generally accommodates the third link 86 and pivot 87 when the door 50 is in its fully opened position. As is shown in Figure 10, the end 52 of the door 50 is clearly accommodated in the cavity region 90 defined by the first link 82 and second link 84.

The third link 86 and second link 88 limit the amount of movement of the pivot 85 in the direction of arrow B and restrain the door to a position close to the wall 60.

As will be clear from Figures 8 to 10, most of the swinging movement of the door 50 is accommodated by the pivot 85 and the pivot 83 merely enables the pivot 85 and therefore the door 50 to move in the direction of arrow B so that the door 50 can be accommodated in the cavity 90 beside the wall 60. As previously mentioned, the links 86 and 88 together with their respective pivots 87 and 89 prevent the link 84, and therefore the door 50, from moving beyond predetermined limits imposed by the length of the third

link section 86 and fourth link section 88 in the direction of arrow B. Thus, the door is restrained to swing about pivot 85 in a position closely adjacent to the wall 60.

Once again, the plates 72 and 74 are flush mounted to the wall 60 and door 50 and a cavity region 90 accommodates the end of the door 50 during opening movement of the door.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 10, a spring or other suitable biasing mechanism could be interposed between the wall 60 and the door 50, for example, between the wall 60 and the end 52 of the door 50 to bias the door 50 away from the wall 60 during opening of the door 50 to prevent the end 52 of the door 50 and back corner 52a of the door 50 from scraping along the wall 60 during an initial opening movement. The spring could be a coil spring, leaf spring or the like.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 10, the second link 84 forms the door opening lever which is pivotally coupled to the wall 60 by pivot 83 and link 76. The lever 84 is pivotally coupled to plate 74 by pivot 85 and plate 74 forms a door attitude member. In this embodiment of the invention, the pivotal movement of the opening lever and attitude member occur simultaneously or an integrated fashion and, in order to achieve this, an intermediate control lever is pivotally coupled between the attitude member 74 and the opening lever 84. The control lever is comprised by the link 88 which is pivotally coupled at 87 and 89 to the plate 74 which forms the attitude member and to the link 76 and therefore the link 84 which forms the opening lever. Thus, the link 88 causes the door attitude member 74 to carry out its motion at the same time as the opening lever 84 instead of in sequence as in the earlier embodiment.

Figures 11 to 14 show a further embodiment of the invention

which is similar to the embodiment described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Like reference numerals indicate like parts of those described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

In the embodiment of Figures 11 to 14, a stop plate 19 is secured to the link 20 to limit the amount of movement of the plate 14 relative to the link 20. The plate 19 has an elongate slot 15 and is secured in place by a screw 17 which passes through the slot 15 and is screw threaded into a hole 11 in link 20. Thus, by screwing the screw 7 tight, the plate 19 can be clamped between the head of the screw 17 and the link 20 and positioned in a desired place by moving the slot 15 relative to the screw 17. Thus, the plate 19 forms an abutment to limit the amount of pivotal movement of the plate 14 relative to the link 20 to, for example, the position shown in Figure 11 by reference to the numeral 14' . If further pivotal movement is required, the screw 17 can be undone and the plate 19 moved upwardly and if less pivotal movement is required, the plate 19 can be moved downwardly in Figure 11.

With reference to Figures 13 and 14 and as previously described, when it is desired to close the door 50, the plate 14 will first pivot about pivot pin 35 during initial closing movement of the door 50 and during continued movement, the plate 14 and the link 20 will pivot about pivot 32, the abutment plate 19 merely limits the amount of pivotal movement of the door 50 about pivot 35 until pivotal movement commences about pivot 32. This will ensure that the door 50 first pivots about the pivot 35 only to a certain degree and will not rub or contact against fixed wall 60.

The use of the abutment 19 has particular application in enabling the hinge to be used with fixed wall 60 of different thickness. One particular environment in which the hinge would be useful is a hinge for hatches on yachts.

If the hatch surround indicated by reference numeral 60 in Figure 13 is relatively thick, the abutment 19 can be set so that the angular movement of the door 50 relative to the link 20 can move through a greater angle relative to link 20 than if the fixed wall 60 is thin as shown in Figure 14. Thus, the angle θl shown in Figure 13 is less than the angle Θ2 shown in Figure 14 so that the door 50 moves through a greater angle before contacting the abutment in the case of Figure 13 than in Figure 14.

As mentioned above, the abutment plate 19 will limit the amount of pivotal movement of the door 50 relative to the link 20 before pivotal movement commences about the other hinge 32 to ensure that the door 50 clears the fixed wall 60 and also to ensure that the door 50 closes flush with the fixed wall 60.

Figures 15 to 16 show a further embodiment of the invention which is similar to the embodiment described with reference to Figures 6 to 10. With reference to Figures 15 to 17, the hinge has a plate 100 fixed to wall 60. The plate 100 has a generally ϋ-shaped bracket 102 which has upper wall 103, lower wall 104 and end wall 105. A pivot pin 106 is mounted in the bracket adjacent end wall 105.

Mounted between the walls 103 and 104 is a link 110 which is pivotally coupled to the plate 100 by a pivot pin 111. The link 110 is L-shaped having two leg portions 111 and

112. The portion 112 is connected to a pivot pin 113 which is received between upper and lower links 115. Pivot links 115 also have connecting rods 117 which are fixedly secured to pivot pin 106 and which have ends 118 which locate in holes in the links 115 so that the links 115 are pivotally coupled to the rods 117 and to the pin 106. The other end of the links 115 are pivotally coupled at a pivot pin 119 to plate 120 which is secured to door 50. The plate 120 has a right angled projecting portion 121 which carries a

pivot pin 123. A link 125 is pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 123 and is also pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 126 to the link 110.

The hinge shown in Figures 15 to 17 operates in generally the same manner as that described with reference to Figures 6 to 10 except that the portion 112 of the link 110 and the rods 117 have displaced the links 113 and during opening and closing movement enable the links 113 to flip back adjacent the door 50 to provide smoother operation.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18, the hinge of Figures 15 to 17 enables the door 50 to open so it is completely flush with the fixed wall 60.

In this embodiment of the invention, the links 115 form the opening lever and plate 120 and link 121 form the door attitude member. The link 125, which is pivotally coupled between the door attitude member 120, 121 and the link 115, forms the control lever for causing simultaneous movement of the door attitude member and the opening lever.

Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.