Technical field

The present invention generally relates to the technical field of hinges, and it particularly relates to a hinge for the controlled rotary movement of a door or door leaf, by way of non-exclusive example a security door or door leaf.

State of the Art

Hinges for the rotary movement of a door or door leaf which generally comprise a hinge body and a pivot rotatably connected to each other to mutually rotate between a door open position and a door closed position, are known.

In particular, the European patent application EP3306022A1 and the international patent application WO2014167546A2 on behalf of the Applicant in question disclose concealable hinges whose hinge body consists of two half-bodies, for example a fixed halfbody which can be anchored to a stationary support structure, for example a door frame of subframe, and a movable half-body which can be anchored to a security door or door leaf. The movable and fixed bodies are rotatably coupled to each other using a pivot inserted into a seat of the fixed body and integrally joined with the movable body so that the latter rotates rotatably supported by the former.

Despite performing the pre-established tasks excellently, such hinges can be improved, in particular as regards the control during opening and closing of the door or door leaf.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to at least partly overcome the drawbacks illustrated above by providing a hydraulic hinge that is highly functional and cost-effective.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that ensures the full control of a door or door leaf both when opening and closing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that is highly durable over time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that is simple to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that is small in size.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that has a minimum number of components.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that is safe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic hinge that is easy to install.

These and other objects which will be more apparent hereinafter, are attained by a hydraulic hinge as described, illustrated and/or claimed herein.

The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in light of the detailed description of some preferred but non-exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated byway of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are axonometric schematic views - respectively assembled and exploded - of an embodiment of a hydraulic control hinge 1;

FIG. 3 is an axonometric schematic view which illustrates the assembly of the embodiment of the hydraulic control hinge 1 of FIG. 1 on a door D;

FIG. 4 is an axonometric schematic view which shows the pivot 120;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are axonometric schematic figures respectively of a first, a second and a third embodiment of one of the stems 20';

FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E show figures respectively from the top in axial cross- sectional view taken along a plane of line VIB - VIB and radial cross-sectional respectively taken along planes of line VIC- VIC, VID - VID and VIE- VIE of the embodiment of the hydraulic control hinge 1 of FIG. 1 in door closed position, with FIG. 6F showing some enlarged details;

FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and 7E show figures respectively from the top in axial cross- sectional view taken along a plane of line VIIB - VIIB and radial cross-sectional respectively taken along planes of line VIIC - VIIC, VIID - VIID and VIIE - VUE of the embodiment of the hydraulic control hinge 1 of FIG. 1 in the door open position at 45°;

FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D and 8E show figures respectively from the top in axial cross- sectional view taken along a plane of line VIIIB - VIIIB and radial cross-sectional respectively taken along planes of line VIIIC- VIIIC, VIIID - VIIID and VIIIE- VIIIE of the embodiment of the hydraulic control hinge 1 of FIG. 1 in the door open position at 90°;

FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D and 9E show figures respectively from the top in axial cross- sectional view taken along a plane of line IXB-IXB and radial cross-sectional respectively taken along planes of line IXC - IXC, IXD - IXD and IXE - IXE of the embodiment of the hydraulic control hinge 1 of FIG. 1 in the door open position at 110°;

FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and 10E show figures respectively in plan view in axial cross- sectional view taken along a plane of line XB - XB and in radial cross-sectional respectively taken along planes of line XC-XC, XD -XD and XE -XE of a further embodiment of the pivot 120.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments

With reference to the mentioned figures, the hinge according to the invention, indicated generally with 1, will be particularly useful for the hydraulic control when opening and closing any closing element D, such as for example a door or door leaf, which may be anchored to a stationary support structure W, such as for example a wall, a floor or a ceiling.

Particularly but not exclusively, the hinge 1 may be a concealable hinge for heavy doors or door leaves, for example a security door or the door leaf of a safe.

Although hereinafter reference will be made to a door D, it is clear that the hinge 1 may be used for any purpose and used with any closing element without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Advantageously, the hydraulic control hinge 1 may be without means for closing the door D, such as for example thrust springs. Therefore, the door D may be closed or open manually, and such movement may be hydraulically controlled by the hinge 1.

The present invention may include various parts and/or similar or identical elements. Unless otherwise specified, similar or identical parts and/or elements will be indicated using a single reference number, it being clear that the described technical characteristics are common to all similar or identical parts and/or elements.

Suitably, the hydraulic control hinge 1 may be configured externally according to the disclosure of the above-mentioned European patent application EP3306022A1 and international patent application WO2014167546A2, on behalf of the Applicant in question.

Therefore, in a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment, the hydraulic control hinge 1 may be concealably inserted into a tubular stationary support structure W, which may be formed in a per se known manner a rear subframe CF, which may be anchored to a wall or similar support, and by a front frame F anchored to the subframe CF. In particular, in such preferred but not exclusive embodiment, the hydraulic control hinge 1 may be configured like a concealable "Anuba" hinge, that is made with two superimposed pieces, and it may be anchored to the closing element D through a fixing plate P designed to be concealably recessed into the tubular support structure W when the door D is in closed position.

It is clear that although hereinafter reference will be made to such embodiment, the hinge 1 may be variously configured and intended for any use without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Suitably, the hydraulic control hinge 1 may comprise a fixed lower half-body 100, which can be fixed to the stationary support W, for example using the frame F or the subframe CF, on which there is pivoted a movable upper half-body 110 rotatable around a longitudinal axis X, which may be substantially vertical, between an open position and a closed position. Advantageously, both fixed lower 100 and movable upper 110 half-bodies may be metal blocks, so as to be able to withstand significant loads without being deformed.

The fixed lower half-body 100 may include a through seat 101 defining the axis X inside which there is inserted - with minimum clearance - a pivot 120, which may be integrally joined with the movable upper half-body 110, for example using specific pins S, to rotate therewith between the opening and closing positions of the door D. Thanks to this characteristic, the hydraulic control hinge 1 may support doors D even very heavy doors without staggering or changes of the behaviour.

Advantageously, the fixed lower half-body 100 may be substantially parallelepipedshaped with a first pair of surfaces 190, 191 substantially parallel to the plane n and a second pair of surfaces 192, 193 substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first pair of surfaces 190, 191. The axis X lies in proximity of the surface 192.

Suitably, at the opposite ends 200, 201 of the through seat 101 of the fixed lower halfbody 100 there may be arranged respective anti-friction elements 130, 131, such as for example bearings. This will allow the movable upper half-body 110 to rotate around the axis X with minimum friction, so that the hydraulic control hinge 1 is able to move the even very heavy doors D.

In particular, the first anti-friction element 130 may be arranged at the upper end 200 so as to be loaded by the upper movable half-body 110. In this manner, the first anti-friction element 130 may withstand the weight of the door to which the hinge 1 is connected.

On the other hand, there may be provided for a pressing element 202, for example a washer, integrally joined with the pivot 120 and arranged at the lower end 201 so as to come into contact with the second anti-friction element 131 in case of inclinations of the axis X of the pivot 120. As a matter of fact, in this case the latter will tend to rise, and the pressing element 202 screwed on the lower end of the pivot 120 will rotate with minimum friction on the second anti-friction element 131.

The hinge 1 may include hydraulic control means configured according to the disclosure of the international patent application PCT/IB2022/053913, still on behalf of the Applicant in question.

Therefore, inside the fixed lower half-body 100 there may be slidably inserted two or more stems 20', 20". Although hereinafter reference will be made to two stems 20', 20", it is clear that the hydraulic control hinge 1 may also include more than two stems without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

FIGS. 5A-5C show various embodiments of one of the stems 20', 20". Although hereinafter reference will be made to only one of them, that is the one shown in FIG. 5A, it is clear that the hinge 1 may include any embodiment of the stem without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

The fixed lower half-body 100 may include two working chambers 11 and 12 mutually superimposed with respect to each other and defining respective axes Y' and Y", which may be preferably substantially parallel and both substantially perpendicular to the axis X.

Such axes Y' and Y" may also define the sliding axes of the two stems 20', 20". The working chambers 11, 12 may include the working fluid, for example, which will flow therein under the thrust of the stems 20', 20".

Each working chamber 11, 12 may include respective end openings 13', 13" and 14', 14", which may preferably be arranged along the axes Y' and Y".

The two stems 20', 20" may be inserted into the working chambers 11, 12 through the openings 13', 14', so as to have ends 21", 22" inside the working chambers 11, 12 and opposite ends 21', 22' outside them.

On the other hand, the openings 13", 14" may be f luidica lly connected to each other by means of the duct 15, which may preferably be substantially perpendicular to the axes Y' and Y".

Thanks to the above characteristics, the sliding of the stem 20' along the axis Y' from the opening 13' toward the opening 13", will correspond to the sliding of the stem 20" in the opposite direction along the axis Y" from the opening 14" toward the opening 14', and vice versa.

The flow of the working fluid through the fluidic connection line defined by the openings 13", 14" and by the duct 15 will actually ensure that to the sliding of the stem 20' along the axis Y' from the distal position of the end 21' from the opening 13', towards the one proximal thereto, there will correspond the sliding of the stem 20" in the opposite direction along the axis Y" from the proximal position of the end 22' to the opening 14', towards the one proximal thereto, and vice versa.

Basically, the working fluid will transmit the thrust exerted on one of the two stems 20', 20" from the external towards the internal of the fixed lower half-body 100 onto the other stem, which will be pushed from the internal towards the external.

In a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment, there may also be provided for at least one element 40 for adjusting the flow of the working fluid between the working chambers 11, 12.

Although hereinafter reference will be made to a single adjustment element 40, it is clear that the hinge 1 may also include more than one adjustment element without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Suitably, the adjustment element 40 may be at least partially inserted into the fluidic connection line defined by the openings 13", 14" and by the duct 15 to interact with at least one through-flow section thereof, therefore adjusting the flow of the working fluid.

Advantageously, the adjustment element 40 may comprise a screw element 41 engaged in a nut screw 17 to widen / narrow the through-flow section of the duct 15.

A plug element 42 elastically forced by means of a spring 43 against the end of the screw element 41, which, furthermore, may have an opposite vacant end which can be controlled from the external by an operator, may also be provided for. It is clear that the plug element 42 may also be simply slidable without spring 43, without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Suitably, the through-flow section of the duct 15 may have a substantially frustoconical shape, same case applying to the end of the screw element 41. Preferably, the through-flow section may be calibrated.

As disclosed by the above-mentioned international patent application PCT/IB2022/053913, still on behalf of the Applicant in question, in proximity of the end of the screw element 41 which can be controlled by the user there may be provided for a passage opening 44', which may be placed in fluid communication with the opening 13".

Furthermore, at the other end of the screw element 41, there may be provided for a passage opening 44", which may be placed in fluid communication with the opening 14" and may be selectively closed by the plug element 42.

Furthermore, the screw element 41 may include an internal duct 45 extending between the passage openings 44', 44" to place them in mutual fluid communication.

Suitably, the plug element 42 may have a substantially mushroom-like shape, with an enlarged end at the end 44" and a stem slidably inserted into the internal duct 45 of the screw element 41.

The spring 43 may be suitably sized so that when the stem 20" slides from the distal position to the proximal position, the plug element 42 opens, vacating the passage opening 44" and allowing the working fluid to controllably flow through the interspace between the internal duct 45 and the stem of the plug element 42.

However, upon the reverse passage, the plug element 42 will close, plugging the passage opening 44" and forcing the working fluid to controllably flow through the through- flow section between the screw element 41 and the fixed lower half-body 100.

Therefore, basically, the spring 43 - plug element 42 assembly acts as one-way valve means for controlling the flow of the working fluid.

The flow of the working fluid through the duct 15 will always be controlled in both directions. The difference of diameters between the internal duct 45 and the stem of the plug element 42 will actually control the flow of the working fluid in one direction, while the size of the passage section between the screw element 41 and the fixed lower half-body 100 will control the flow of the working fluid in the reverse direction.

It is clear that the adjustment element 40 may comprise or not comprise the plug element 42. In the embodiment without the latter, the resistant strength when opening and closing will be the same, while in the embodiment which includes the plug element 42 the resistant strength when opening and the resistance strength when closing will be different from each other.

This is due to the fact that the plug element 42 is open, for example when opening the door D, the through-flow section for the working fluid is larger than when the plug element 42 is closed, for example when closing the door D.

The working chambers 11 and 12 may be arranged facing the through seat 101 in which there is inserted the pin 120. In this manner, the ends 21', 22' of the stems 20', 20" protrude from the hydraulic working chambers 11 and 12 to remain facing the pivot 120, with which they will interact in a dry fashion.

To this end, the pivot 120 may include first and second cam means 210, 215, mutually superimposed with respect to each other, which may selectively and alternately mutually interact with corresponding first and second cam follower means 25', 25" integrally coupled with the stems 20", 20'.

Advantageously, the first and second cam means 210, 215 may be defined by recesses obtained in the section of the pivot 120, for example through chip removal operation.

In particular, the first and second cam follower means 25', 25" may be obtained as a single piece with the first and second stem 20', 20" to define respective opposite ends 21", 22". Alternatively, although not shown in the attached drawings, the first and second cam follower means 25', 25" may be integrally coupled with the latter.

This will promote the reciprocating motion of the stems 20', 20", so that the sliding of the stem 20' from the opening 13' towards the opening 13", that is from the end 21" from the distal position towards the proximal position, corresponds to the sliding of the stem 20" from the opening 14" towards the opening 14', that is of the end 22" from the proximal position towards the distal position, and, vice versa, the sliding of the stem 20" from the opening 14' towards the opening 14", that is of the end 22" from the distal position towards the proximal position, corresponds to the sliding of the stem 20' from the opening 13" towards the opening 13', that is of the end 21" from the proximal position toward the distal position.

As shown above, during such passages the working fluid will hydraulically dampen the door closing and opening movement.

The pivot 120 and the hydraulic control means may be configured so that the distal and proximal positions respectively of the stems 20', 20" corresponds to the closed position of the door D and the proximal and distal positions respectively of the stems 20', 20" corresponds to the open position of the door D. To this end, the cam means 210, 215 may be suitably configured.

In particular, when opening the door D, the cam means 210 may push the stem 20' to slide along the axis Y' from the distal position of the end 21' thereof to the proximal one. At the same time, the oil present in the chambers 11, 12 will push the stem 20" to slide along Y" from the proximal position of the end 21" thereof to the distal one. During such movement, the cam means 215 will rotate with respect to the stem 20" to allow the sliding mentioned above. Suitably, during such movement the cam means 215 and the end 21" of the stem 20' may be mutually spaced apart and not in contact.

The pressure inside the circuit will bring the plug element 42 to open, allowing the oil to flow through the duct 15. As shown above, such through passing will occur through the tubular interspace between the internal duct 45 and the stem of the plug element 42. Therefore, such tubular interspace will define the maximum opening force that acts on the door D, even in case of sudden forcing for example due to a gust of wind or an incautious user. As a matter of fact, even in this case, the door will always be controlled and protected from undesired impacts and possible damage.

By contrast, when closing the door D, the cam 215 may promote the movement of the stem 20" along the axis Y" from the distal position of the end 21" thereof towards the proximal one. The pressure inside the circuit will bring the plug element 42 to close, allowing the oil to act to hydraulically dampen the closing movement of the door D, as described above.

Basically, the hinge 1 will act as a hydraulic brake to hydraulically dampen the closing movement of the door D. In this manner, the movement of the door is always controlled both to close and open, even in case of sudden forces which act on the door D, for example a gust of wind or the thrust of an incautious user.

More particularly, the movement of the stems 20', 20" will hydraulically dampen that of the pivot 120.

Suitably, the resistant strength given by the stems 20', 20" will always be constant between the opening and closing positions.

To this end, the stroke of the stems 20', 20" in the hydraulic working chambers 11, 12 may be equal. In this manner, the volume of the working fluid displaced from one stem, for example the stem 20', may correspond to the volume left vacant by the other stem, for example the stem 20", in the corresponding hydraulic working chamber.

In order to obtain the above, in a first preferred but not exclusive embodiment, the first and second cam means 210, 215 may respectively comprise a first and second plane 210', 215' substantially perpendicular to each other and substantially parallel to the first axis X, while the first and second cam follower means 25', 25" may respectively comprise a third and a fourth contact surface 250', 250" respectively with the first and the second plane 210', 215'. Such contact surfaces 250', 250" may be substantially flat and parallel to each other and to the first axis X, and they may have inclinations a with respect to the respective second and third axis Y', Y" substantially equal to each other.

Suitably, the first plane 210' in the closing position may have a second inclination P' with respect to the second inclination Y' substantially coincident with the first inclination a mentioned above, while the inclination " of the second plane 215' with respect to the third axis Y" still in the closing position may be such that summed with the second inclination P' is 90°. In other words, the angles P’, P" may be complementary.

Furthermore, preferably, the stems 20', 20" may be substantially equal.

Thanks to one or more of the characteristics mentioned above, the amount of oil which flows out from a hydraulic chamber is equal to the volume which is created in the other chamber, this allowing to have constant resistant strength.

Furthermore, in a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment, the first and the second plane 210', 215' may comprise respective first and second bevelled end portions 210", 215" susceptible to come into contact with the third and the fourth contact surface 250', 250" respectively in proximity of the door closed and door open position.

Thanks to this characteristic, the thrust of the stem 20' will be minimum at the beginning of the opening and maximum movement at the end, given that the volume of the working fluid to be displaced is minimum at the beginning of the movement and maximum at the end.

Furthermore, in a further preferred but not exclusive embodiment, the other fixed lower half-body 100 may further include an abutment grub screw 140 susceptible to abut against an abutment surface 240 of the pivot 120. This will allow to mechanically block the rotation of the door in a predetermined open locking position, for example as shown in FIG. 9D.

In the light of the above, it is clear that the invention attains the pre-set objectives.

The invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of protection of the attached claims. All details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials can be different depending on the needs, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention defined by the attached claims.