HINGE, ESPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hinge for preventing injuries due to crushing, especially in doors and windows, comprising a first hinge leaf (4) for connection to the door leaf (1) or the window leaf, a second hinge leaf (5) for connection with the door or window frame (2) and a swivel joint (6) which connects the first and second hinge leaves (4, 5) to one another. Either the first or the second hinge leaf (4, 5) is equipped with one or more fingers (7) projecting substantially at right angles from the plane of the hinge leaf (4, 5), and adapted for axial sliding movement in an opening or slot (11) arranged for the finger (7) or each finger (7) in the frame (2) or the door leaf (1). When the door leaf or window leaf is brought towards the closed position, the finger (7), if it meets with a foreign object, will slide axially out of the opening or slot (11) and create a distance between the door or window frame (2) and the door or window leaf (1).

Description: HINGE, ESPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS The present invention relates to a hinge for preventing injuries due to crushing, especially in doors or windows, comprising a first hinge leaf for connection to the door or window leaf, a second hinge leaf for connection to the door or window frame and a swivel joint connecting the first and second hinge leaves to each other. Such hinges are known from US-2,883,699 and the present applicant's own NO-166 099. The former teaches a hinge where the hinge leaf which is secured to the door is equipped with an extra swivel joint. If a finger or the like comes between the door leaf and the door jamb or frame, the hinge leaf will "break" around this extra swivel joint. The distance between this extra swivel joint and the true swivel joint of the hinge is such that there is sufficient room for, e.g., a finger. To prevent the hinge from breaking around the extra swivel joint when the door is closed normally, i.e., when there is no foreign object between the door leaf and the door jamb, the extra swivel joint is equipped with a spring which causes the hinge leaf to be held flat. The spring must be of a certain strength if this is to be achieved. This means that the foreign object, e.g., the finger of a child, must overcome this spring force before the hinge leaf is "broken" about the extra swivel joint. Certainly, these forces exerted on the finger of child would not be of the same magnitude as with a door equipped with a conventional hinge. However, they would exert a disagreeable pressure on the finger. At worst, if a small child is involved, injury may also be sustained. In addition, the extra swivel joint is relatively complex, and if the spring were to be damaged, the hinge would not function properly, and it would be difficult to close the door. The applicant's own NO-166 099 teaches a very much better hinge structure. Here, two outer hinge leaves are fixedly connected to the frame and the door leaf respectively, between which outer hinge leaves there is pivotally connected an intermediate hinge leaf. The intermediate hinge leaf is connected to opposite edges of the outer hinge leaves. Only the lower hinge of the door is of this type, whilst the upper door hinge is of a conventional type. This means that normally the weight of the door will hold the intermediate hinge leaf in abutment with the outer hinge leaf which is secured to the door. If a foreign object comes between the door frame and the door leaf, the normally closed angle between the intermediate hinge leaf and the outer hinge leaf secured to the door will open. However, it has been found that when a foreign object comes between the door leaf and the door frame, this hinge will easily bend. Moreover, the normally closed angle between the intermediate hinge leaf and the outer hinge leaf secured to the door could easily open, even when the door is in the open position. With the present invention an attempt is made to provide a hinge for preventing injuries due to crushing, which does not interfere with the function of the door, but which at the same time functions as certain prevention against injuries due to crushing. This is achieved by the features disclosed in the characterising clause in claim 1 below. With the hinge of the present invention there is no extra joint, but the creation of the space between the door frame and the door leaf takes place by means of a sliding function. The sliding takes place preferably at right angles to the face of the door frame facing the door leaf, so that the crushing prevention function does not come into effect when the door is fully open. The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a door equipped with a hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a lateral view of a hinge in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 shows the same hinge seen from above; Figure 5 is a plan view of an insert for sliding guidance in accordance with the invention; Figure 6 is a lateral view of the insert according to Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows the insert of Figure 5 seen from above. Figure 1 is a sectional view of a door leaf 1 and a door frame 2. Included in the section there is also a hinge 3 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The door hinge 3 consists, as shown in Figure 2, of a first hinge leaf 4, which is adapted for fixed connection to the door leaf 1, and a second hinge leaf 5, which is designed for interaction with the door frame 2. The hinge leaves 4 and 5 are connected to each other via a swivel joint 6. A finger 7, which is best shown in Figure 1, projects from the hinge leaf 5 approximately at right angles to the face of the hinge leaf 5. The finger 7 is adapted for sliding guidance in an insert 8, which is recessed into the frame 2. The hinge leaf 5 with the finger 7 is also shown in Figures 3 and 4, respectively seen from the side and from above. On the finger 7 there is a stop 9, whose function will be explained in more detail below. The insert 8 is shown in plan view, lateral view and from above respectively in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The insert 8 consists of a cover plate 10, which, when the insert 8 is recessed into the frame 2, is substantially flush with the frame 2. A slot 11 is made in the cover plate 10. The slot 11 has a height and width which approximately corresponds to or preferably is slightly larger than the width and the height of the finger 7. Flush with the slot 11 there are provided on the inside of the cover plate 10 two guide plates 12, 13. The guide plates are preferably connected to one another at their ends opposite the cover plate 10. The distance between the guide plates 12 and 13 corresponds to or is slightly greater than the width of the finger 7. The length of the guide plates 12, 13 corresponds to or is slightly greater than the length of the finger 7. The hinge 3 is secured to the door frame 2 in that the finger is pushed in through the slot 11 , stop 9 first. Opposite the stop 9 there is formed on the finger 7 a curved or chamfered portion 14 which enables the finger 7 to pass through the slot 11 with the stop 9. When the finger 7 has been passed fully into the insert 8, the door can be attached to the hinge leaf in a conventional manner. Only the bottom hinge is of the type mentioned above. The top hinge may be made in the same way as the top hinge in NO-166 099, where the hinge leaves of the top hinge are capable of being moved somewhat laterally relative to one another. If a foreign object, e.g., the finger of a child, should come between the door leaf and the door frame when the door is closed, this will cause the finger 7 to be pulled out of the insert 8. The stop 9 prevents the finger 7 from being pulled all the way out of the insert 8, but the path of travel is so great that there is sufficient clearing for a finger as high up on the door as is natural for the finger of a child to be. The door's own weight causes the finger to be kept fully in place inside the insert 8 during the normal function of the door. Since the finger 7 can only be pulled straight out of the insert 8, there will be no sideways movement of the door, and the door will feel firm and sound on the opening and closing movement, and will not have any tendency to be unsteady as with the previously known hinges. There may optionally be provided a return spring which acts between the stop 9 and the cover plate 10. However, this spring may be very weak, as normally the door leafs own weight will hold the finger 7 in place inside the insert 8.

Claims: P a t e n t c l a i m s 1. A hinge for preventing injuries due to crushing, especially in doors and windows, comprising a first hinge leaf (4) for connection to the door leaf (1) or the window leaf, a second hinge leaf (5) for connection with the door or window frame (2) and a swivel joint (6) which connects the first and second hinge leaves (4, 5) to one another, characterised in that either the first or the second hinge leaf (4, 5) is equipped with one or more fingers (7) projecting substantially at right angles from the plane of the hinge leaf (4, 5), and adapted for axial sliding movement in an opening or slot (11) arranged for the finger (7) or each finger (7) in the frame (2) or the door leaf (1), so that when the door leaf or window leaf is brought towards the closed position, the finger (7), if it encounters a foreign object, will slide axially out of the opening or slot (11) and create a distance between the door or window frame (2) and the door or window leaf (1). 2. A hinge according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the finger (7) is an elongate plate- shaped element. 3. A hinge according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the opening or slot (11) is made in the insert (8) which is recessed into the frame (2) or the door or window leaf (1). 4. A hinge according to Claim 3, characterised in that the insert (8) consists of two parallel plate-shaped guide parts (12, 13), which at their outward facing ends are secured relative to one another by a cover plate (10), in which there is made a slot (11), and that the distance between the guide parts (12, 13) and the slot width in the cover plate (10) is somewhat greater than the thickness of the finger (7). 5. A hinge according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that on the outer end of the finger (7) there is formed a stop (9) which prevents it from sliding all the way out of the opening or slot (11). A hinge according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the opening there is provided a return spring which brings the finger (7) back to its position inside the opening (11). 7. The use of a hinge according to any one of the preceding claims, as the lower of two hinges on a door or window.

Inventors: HETLAND OVE, HETLAND, OVE
Applicants: HETLAND OVE, HETLAND, OVE
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E05D3
IPC codes: E05D3, E05D7, E06B7