One-piece hinge body and hinge assembly for pivoting elements

The present invention provides for a robust one-piece hinge body which is suitable to withstand strain of rough handling. The novel one-piece hinge body includes a first profile portion which is configured to at least partially enclose a first profile. The hinge body also includes a second profile portion which is configured to at least partially enclose a second profile which is parallel to the first profile. The hinge body further has an outer portion which connects the first and second profile portions and which is located on the outside of the hinge joint of the pivoted profiles. The body also includes an inner portion which opposes the outer portion and connects the first and second profile portions while being located on the inside of the hinge joint of the pivoted profiles. According to the invention the inner portion consists of joinable terminal ends of the first and second profile portions, wherein a mating surface is formed between said joined terminal ends. Accordingly, the outer portion is solid for withstanding retraction upon closing movement of the hinge.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a national stage application filed under 35 USC 371 based on International Application No. PCT/FI2013/050290 filed Mar. 14, 2013.

BACKGROUND ART

The present disclosure relates to hinges. It is common to use a roll container having two fixed side wall sections in collecting items in a warehouse, whereas a four-sided roll container with doors is used to transport items from the ware house onwards. Most four-sided roll containers are assembled by adding two doors to a two-sided container. Sometimes, however, there is a need to be able to transform a two-sided roll container to a four-sided roll container by adding retro-fit doors to it. In either case, the add-on doors are typically pivoted to the upright profile of the side wall section of the roll container by means of a hinge which is arranged around and between adjacent profiles.

FIG. 7illustrates a known one piece hinge body which a portion for enclosing a first profile and a second profile portion for enclosing a second profile parallel to the first profile. The portions for enclosing the profiles are connected by an outer portion on the outside and an inner portion on the inside of the hinge to be formed. The hinge body further comprises an extension with a hole from which the body is closed by a screw or similar joining means. However, said closing extension of the hinge body increases the outer dimensions of the hinge and therefore of the roll container. This problem could be solved with a multi-piece hinge body, as disclosed in EP 1353030 A2, but such hinge bodies are known to be prone to fail in everyday use when attempting to close the door of a roll container which has been loaded to the brimful. Most common failures are due to damages caused by closing the door of a full roll container, whereby outwardly protruding content of the container induces strain to the hinge during closing movement of the door.

It is therefore beneficial to provide a robust one-piece hinge body which does not increase the outer dimensions of hinge body.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is a novel one-piece hinge body for pivoting two parallel wall section profiles of a logistics load carrier. The novel hinge body includes a first profile portion configured to at least partially enclose a first profile. The hinge body also includes a second profile portion configured to at least partially enclose a second profile, which is parallel to the first profile. The hinge body further has an outer portion that connects the first and second profile portions and which is located on the outside of the hinge joint of the pivoted profiles. The body also includes an inner portion that opposes the outer portion and connects the first and second profile portions while being located on the inside of the hinge joint of the pivoted profiles. According to the invention, the inner portion consists of joinable terminal ends of the first and second profile portions, wherein a mating surface is formed between said joined terminal ends. Accordingly, the outer portion is solid for withstanding retraction upon closing movement of the hinge.

On the other hand, the aim is also achieved with a novel hinge assembly for pivoting two parallel profiles, wherein the assembly is formed by means of at least on such hinge body.

Considerable benefits are gained with aid of the present invention. The novel construction of the hinge body is optimized for withstanding the strain caused by handling maneuvers which most commonly lead to a failing hinge. Specifically, by having the terminal ends of the body mate at the inner portion of the hinge body, the point of discontinuity is on the inner side of the joint, whereby the surface on the outside of the joint is solid. By having a solid outer hinge body surface, the hinge body is more suitable to withstand traction caused by forcing the door to close on items not quite fitting inside the roll container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 5and according to a disclosed exemplary embodiment, a one-piece hinge body100is provided such that the hinge body100may be opened for receiving the profiles300,400to be pivoted. The hinge body100is made from a material that can be molded into an appropriate form, which is later described, and which material is flexible enough to allow the hinge body100to be opened according toFIG. 1. Suitable flexible materials which can be molded—particularly injection molded—include polyamide, polypropylene, thermoplastic urethane and similar polymers. Accordingly, the body100can be opened for receiving the profiles and closed for enclosing said profiles such that a sliding fit is formed between the hinge body100and the profiles to be pivoted, whereby a hinge is formed between said profiles Since the hinge body100is constructed as a one-piece component, different parts of the body are for the most part seamlessly interconnected. Portions of the hinge body100may, however, be distinguished.

Referring still toFIGS. 1 and 2, the hinge body100can seen to include four main portions. In the top left corner ofFIG. 1, the hinge body100includes a first profile portion130, which is an arcuate section of the body which is configured to at least partially enclose a first profile300(cf.FIG. 5). In the example illustrated in the Figs., the first profile300is a vertical frame member of the side wall section of a roll container. In the right bottom corner ofFIG. 1, a second profile portion140of the hinge body100is shown. The second profile portion140opposes the first profile portion130and is also a similar arcuate section which is configured to at least partially enclose a second profile400(cf.FIG. 5). In the example illustrated in the Figs., the second profile400is a vertical frame member of a door, for the roll container. The first and second profile portions130,140are dimensioned such to form an enveloping outer surface for the contact between the hinge and the pivoted elements.

Between the first and second profile portions130,140there is a solid, i.e. continuous, sound, outer portion110which is arranged to be on the outside of the joint created by the hinge. By “outside” is meant the side having the larger radius between hinged elements in closed position. The outer portion110therefore connects the first and second profile portions130,140and creates a sound outer surface for the hinge body, whereby the solid outer portion100withstands great retraction upon closing movement of the hinge. Opposing the outer portion110, the hinge body100has an inner portion120which connects the first and second profile portions130,140on the inside of the joint. The inner portion120is therefore located on the inside of the hinge joint of the pivoted profiles, i.e. on the side having the smaller radius between hinged elements in closed position.

As is apparent fromFIGS. 1 and 2showing the hinge body100in opened position, the inner portion120is formed by joinable terminal ends150,160of the first and second profile portions130,140. In other words, the free extensions of the enclosing sections of the hinge body100are configured to be joined on the inside of the joint for closing the hinge body100. Thus, a mating surface200is formed between said joined terminal ends150,160, whereby the outer portion110can be solid for withstanding retraction upon closing movement of the hinge (FIG. 4).

The terminal end160of the second profile portion140is configured to be joined with the outer portion110of the hinge body first for fully enclosing the second profile400. Cooperating snap fit contours111,161are particularly provided to the mating surfaces of the outer portion110and extension of the corresponding terminal end160for securing the second profile in the aperture180thus formed (FIG. 2). With aid of the snap fit between the elements, the hinge body100may be attached to the second profile400with one hand without tools. Therefore said terminal end160is considered as the inner terminal end of the inner portion120of the hinge body100. The inner terminal end160has an angled inward protruding extension which is adapted to engage with the inner surface of the outer portion110(FIGS. 2 and 3). The extension is shaped such that, when engaged to the outer portion110, it together with the first and second profile portions130,140defines apertures170,180for enclosing the profiles. Therefore, as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, the body100comprises two parallel apertures170,180for receiving the profiles. The apertures170,180are in other words separated by the extension of the inner terminal end160.

The terminal end150of the first profile portion130is configured to close the hinge body100by coupling to the terminal end160of the second profile portion140. As the terminal end160of the second profile portion140, i.e. the inner terminal end, is attached to the outer portion110for enclosing the second profile400, the terminal end150of the first profile portion130, i.e. the outer terminal end150is configured to attach to the outer surface of the inner terminal end160. Cooperating snap fit contours152,162are particularly provided to the mating surfaces of the joined terminal ends150,160for securing the first profile in the aperture170thus formed (FIG. 2). With aid of the snap fit between the elements, the hinge body100may be attached also to the first profile300with one hand without tools.

As can also be seen fromFIGS. 2 to 4, the terminal ends150,160have been provided with holes153,163which are parallel to the apertures170,180for the profiles. The holes153,163are provided with corresponding parts of the terminal ends150,160such that they are aligned when the body100is in closed position, i.e. when the terminal ends150,160are joined. The through hole of the hinge body100formed by the consecutive holes153,163enables the use of a torsion bar500(FIG. 6) which may be inserted through the consecutive holes153,163of the terminal ends150,160to secure the terminal ends150,160to each other, thus improving the torsional integrity of the hinge. Also, when a hinge assembly for pivoting two parallel profiles is formed by two superposed hinge bodies, a long torsion bar500may be used to join the superposed hinge bodies, which keeps the hinge bodies aligned and to some extent improves the torsional stiffness of the whole hinge assembly.

As is best visible inFIGS. 1,3, and5, the hinge body particularly includes a through hole190provided between the outer and inner portions110,120, wherein the hole190penetrates the joined terminal ends150,160in a direction which is orthogonal to the axial direction of the apertures170,180for profiles300,400. The through hole190provides a passage way for means for further securing the closed position of the hinge body100. Said means may be established with a bolt and nut (as shown inFIG. 5), locking pin, a tie, such as a cable tie, or a similar fixing apparatus for securing the hinge body100into a closed position. Said means also hold the torsion bar500in place.