Abstract:
The invention relates to a furniture hinge comprising a base plate, which is designed to be fastened to a furniture body, and a hinge arm that is mounted so as to be movable by an adjustment device in a controlled manner relative to the base plate within a predetermined adjustment range, wherein the adjustment device prevents the hinge arm from falling from the base plate by displacement. The furniture hinge has a fall guard for the hinge arm which prevents the hinge arm from falling relative to the base plate upon uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm caused by failure of the adjustment device, and the hinge arm is mounted so as to be movable relative to the base plate within the predetermined adjustment range despite the fall guard.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a furniture hinge comprising a base plate to be fixed to a furniture carcass and a hinge arm which can be displaced in a controlled manner relative to the base plate by an adjusting device within a predetermined adjusting range, wherein the adjusting device prevents the hinge arm from falling off the base plate due to displacement, wherein the furniture hinge has a safety catcher device for the hinge arm which prevents the hinge arm from falling off relative to the base plate upon an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm caused by a failure of the adjusting device. 
     The invention further concerns an article of furniture comprising at least one furniture hinge of the kind to be described. 
     Such an adjusting device makes it possible to adjust a door connected to the furniture hinge, in the depth direction, so that therefore it is possible to adjust the spacing of the door relative to the front side of a furniture carcass. The adjusting device for depth adjustment can have a rotatably mounted actuating element, for example in the form of an eccentric screw which is connected to the base plate and which displaces the hinge arm relative to the base plate upon actuation by a user. 
     A furniture hinge having such an adjusting device is described for example in DE 203 19 539 U1 to the present applicant. The depth adjusting device in an embodiment can have an eccentric screw riveted to the base plate. In the industrial manufacture of such rivet connections however it is quite possible that one rivet connection or the other is not exactly closed. In such a case there is the danger that the eccentric screw can tear loose from the base plate in the mounted position, whereupon the hinge arm is completely detached relative to the base plate, with the further consequence of leading to the door connected to the furniture hinge dropping off. That falling movement on the part of the door leaf can cause injury to people or damage to adjacent objects. 
     EP 1 236 853 A2 describes a hinge having a two-part base plate formed by a bottom part and a top part. The top part can be moved in the lateral direction relative to the bottom part by way of a height adjusting screw. Arranged on the bottom part is a means for preventing falling-out disengagement in the form of a bendable lug which after mounting of the top side is pressed upwardly and in so doing bears against an associated surface of the top part so that displacement between the bottom part and the top part is no longer possible. That securing means serves to hold the bottom part and the top part in the condition of being connected together even if the height adjusting screw provided is defective. A disadvantage of that structure is that the bent lug no longer permits displacement between the top part and the bottom part. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore the object of the invention is to provide a furniture hinge of the general kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantage. 
     According to the invention that is achieved by the features of claim  1 . Further advantageous configurations of the invention are recited in the appendant claims. 
     According to the invention it is therefore provided that the hinge arm is mounted displaceably in spite of the safety catcher device relative to the base plate within the predetermined adjusting range. 
     By means of the adjusting device, the hinge arm can be displaced in a controlled manner relative to the base plate within a predetermined adjusting range. The hinge arm is held in such a way relative to the base plate so as to prevent it from dropping off, wherein the safety catcher device does not influence adjustment of the hinge arm within that predetermined adjusting range. It is only when the displacement travel of the hinge arm exceeds the predetermined adjusting range—triggered by a defect in the adjusting device (fault in the riveting operation, fracture of a component, an actuating element tearing out of the base plate)—that the safety catcher device prevents the hinge arm (and therewith a door leaf connected to the furniture hinge) being able to become completely detached from the base plate. The safety catcher device therefore makes it possible to limit the maximum displacement travel of the hinge arm relative to the base plate in at least one displacement direction. 
     After having avoided a crash of the hinge arm from the base plate, the furniture hinge is admittedly defective and has to be replaced, but it is substantially possible to avoid a flap from dropping down, as well as injury resulting therefrom to people or damage to objects—caused by a door leaf dropping down. 
     In a possible embodiment the safety catcher device has at least one abutment which is arranged on the hinge arm and which upon an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm relative to the base plate cooperates with at least one corresponding counterpart abutment of the base plate. In this connection it may be desirable if the hinge arm is connected to a hinge cup by way of at least one pivotal lever, wherein the at least one abutment is arranged at an end of the hinge arm, that is remote from the pivotal lever, and the at least one counterpart abutment is arranged at the end of the base plate, that is towards the pivotal lever. 
     It is to be noted that at least one intermediate plate can also be arranged between the base plate and the hinge arm. In such a case the safety catcher device can be operative between the hinge arm and the at least one intermediate plate and/or between the hinge arm and the base plate. 
     The article of furniture according to the invention has at least one furniture hinge of the kind in question. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details and advantages of the present invention are described by means of the specific description hereinafter. In the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an article of furniture with a door mounted pivotably by way of furniture hinges relative to a furniture carcass, 
         FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  show two different perspective views of a furniture hinge, 
         FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the furniture hinge of  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b,    
         FIGS. 4   a ;  4   b  show a perspective view of the hinge arm in two opposite end positions relative to the base plate, 
         FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b  show a furniture hinge with a safety catcher device according to a further embodiment and an enlarged detail view thereof, and 
         FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b  show highly diagrammatic views of a safety catcher device according to a further embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an article of furniture  1 , wherein a movable furniture part  3  in the form of a door  3   a  is pivotally mounted relative to a furniture carcass  2  by way of two or more furniture hinges  4 . In known manner, the furniture hinges  4  have a hinge arm  5  to be fixed to a frame  2   a  and a hinge cup  6  pivotally connected to the hinge arm  5 . The hinge arm  5  is respectively fixed to the frame  2   a  of the furniture carcass  2  by way of a base plate  7  (not visible here). The hinge cup  6  is counter-sunk as is known per se in a corresponding bore in the door  3   a.    
       FIG. 2   a  shows a perspective view of a furniture hinge  4  with a base plate  7  to be mounted to the furniture carcass  2  and a hinge arm  5  which is fitted on to the base plate  7  and which is displaceable relative to the base plate  7  in the directions of the illustrated double-headed arrow (X) by way of an adjusting device  8 . The adjusting device  8  includes a rotatably mounted actuating element  8   a , for example in the form of a clamping screw, an eccentric screw or a screw wheel. In addition there is an adjusting wheel  9  by which the front region of the hinge arm  5  can be tilted relative to the base plate  7 . Depth adjustment, that is to say the spacing of the door  3   a  relative to the front of the frame  2   a , is made possible by the adjusting device  8  while transverse adjustment, that is to say the lateral position of the door  3   a  relative to the furniture carcass  2 , can be implemented by the adjusting wheel  9 . The furniture hinge  4  has a hinge cup  6  which is pivotally connected to the hinge arm  5  by way of at least one pivotal lever  10 . In the illustrated embodiment the hinge lever  10  is formed in one piece with the hinge arm  5  and is hingedly connected to the hinge cup  6 . The hinge movement can be damped over the last closing travel by a damping device  11  mounted in the hinge cup  6 . The damping device  11  has a housing  11   a , wherein a slider  11   b  is pressed by the pivotal lever  10  into the housing  11   a  towards the end of the closing movement of the furniture hinge  4  against the resistance of a damping fluid, whereby the last closing travel can be damped. 
       FIG. 2   b  shows a perspective view from below of the furniture hinge  4 . The Figure shows a fixing flange  6   a  connected to the hinge cup  6  and a spring device  12 , by which the hinge cup  6  is moveable into the completely closed position and/or into the completely open position relative to the hinge arm  5 . By manual adjustment of the actuating element  8   a  of the adjusting device  8 , the hinge arm  5  can be displaced in a controlled manner relative to the base plate  7  which is fixed to the furniture carcass  2 . Also shown is the adjusting wheel  9  for transverse adjustment, which projects into a guide  18  ( FIG. 3 ) of the base plate  7  and is guided displaceably therein. Reference  13  denotes a safety catcher device for the hinge arm  5 , wherein in the illustrated embodiment the safety catcher device  13  has at least one abutment  14  which is arranged or formed on the hinge arm  5  and which, in the case of an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7 —triggered by a defect in the adjusting device  8 —which results in an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7 —cooperates with at least one counterpart abutment  15  on the base plate  7 , thereby stopping an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7 . In that way it is not possible for the hinge arm  5  to be completely detached from the base plate  7 . In the illustrated Figure, the hinge arm  5  has two lateral abutments  14  which upon a defect in the adjusting device  8  can respectively cooperate with counterpart abutments  15  on the base plate  7 . The abutments  14  on the hinge arm  5  can be produced by an embossing process, wherein the abutments  14  are produced in the form of elevations by a ram being pressed in. 
       FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b . The base plate  7  has a slot  21  provided for a fixing screw to be screwed into the furniture carcass  2  to pass therethrough. The base plate  7  further has angled limbs  22   a  and  22   b  which are provided for pre-positioning of the furniture hinge  4  and which in the mounted position embrace the front of the frame  2   a  of the furniture carcass  2 . The actuating element  8   a  of the adjusting device  8 , that projects through the opening  19  in the hinge arm  5 , is riveted in the opening  16  of the base plate  7 , wherein a shaft of the adjusting wheel  9  is displaceable by adjustment of the actuating element  8   a  within a guide  18  which is preferably open towards a front end of the base plate  7 . The adjusting wheel  9  for transverse adjustment projects through the bore  20  in the hinge arm  5 , wherein the end of the hinge arm  5 , that is towards the pivotal lever  10 , can be limitedly raised and lowered by adjustment of the adjusting wheel  9  relative to the front end of the base plate  7 . Abutments  14  project in the direction of the base plate  7  from the side limbs  17  of the hinge arm  5 , wherein the abutments  14 , upon uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7 , butt against corresponding counterpart abutments  15  on the base plate  7 , whereby the maximum permissible displacement travel of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7  is limited. 
       FIG. 4   a  shows the hinge arm  5  arranged on the base plate  7 , wherein however the actuating element  8   a  of the adjusting device  8  is missing, which can be caused for example by a defect in riveting the actuating element  8   a  in the opening  16  of the base plate  7 . When the hinge arm  5  is moved in the direction of the furniture carcass  2  with the actuating element  8   a  missing (see  FIG. 4   a ) that displacement of the hinge arm  5  is stopped by the adjusting screw  9  butting against the bottom of the guide  18 . If in contrast the hinge arm  5  is moved in the opposite direction (that is to say out of the furniture carcass  2 ) (see  FIG. 4   b ) the uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  is stopped by the cooperation of the abutments  14  on the hinge arm  5 , with the counterpart abutments  15  of the base plate  7 . 
       FIG. 5   a  shows a perspective view from below of the furniture hinge  4 , showing a further embodiment of a safety catcher device  13 . In the illustrated Figure, the safety catcher device  13  for the hinge arm  5  has a bracket  24  which is pivotally mounted to the side limb  17  of the hinge arm  5  and which projects through a bore  25  in the base plate  7 .  FIG. 5   b  shows an enlarged view of the region circled in  FIG. 5   a , a pivotal mounting  27  arranged on the side limb  17  of the hinge arm  5  being provided for the bracket  24 . Thus controlled displacement of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7  is admittedly possible by rotation of the actuating element  8   a , but in contrast, upon an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5 , the displacement travel of the hinge arm  5  is stopped by the limited pivotability of the bracket  24  so that the hinge arm  5  cannot slide completely off the base plate  7 . 
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  show in highly diagrammatic form a safety catcher device  13  for the hinge arm  5  in accordance with a further embodiment. In the illustrated Figure the safety catcher device  13  includes a tensile force-resistant band  26  (preferably of metal) anchored on the one hand to the base plate  7  and on the other hand to the hinge arm  5 . In an uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  relative to the base plate  7 , the band  26  can be at least partially rolled up ( FIG. 6   a ).  FIG. 6   b  diagrammatically symbolizes a defect with the adjusting device  8 , wherein uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm  5  is stopped by a stressing position of the band  26 . 
     The present invention does not relate to the illustrated embodiments but includes or extends to all variants and technical equivalents which can fall within the scope of the following claims. The positional references adopted in the description such as for example up, down, lateral and so forth are also related to the directly described and illustrated Figure and are to be appropriately transferred to the new position.