Patent Publication Number: US-2023145622-A1

Title: Hinge

Description:
The invention relates to a hinge for a piece of furniture or a household appliance, in particular for a washing machine. 
     Hinges for furniture are known in many ways in the state of the art. The most common hinges have two hinge parts that are interconnected by two articulated levers. An articulated lever with a hinge is coupled to each of the two hinge parts. In this way, a four-bar linkage system is formed. Usually, one of the hinge parts has a hinge cup. This hinge cup is the first hinge part to be inserted into a recess of a furniture part, in particular a door. The other hinge part is then used to attach the hinge to the cabinet box. Such hing es are also increasingly used in household appliances. Accordingly, doors are hinged to the body of these household appliances. The closed door can be used to cover the front panel of the household appliance. 
     The invention addresses the problem of providing a hinge for a piece of furniture or a household appliance, which can be used, in particular, to hinge heavy doors in a simple manner. 
     This problem is solved by a hinge according to claim  1 . Accordingly, a hinge is proposed having a first hinge part and a second hinge part, wherein the two hinge parts are interconnected in an articulated manner by means of two hinge levers, wherein a base part is provided, which has a mounting section with fasteners and a retaining mount, wherein the second hinge part is retained on the retaining mount, wherein the base part has a mounting section which interacts with a retaining element of the second hinge part in order to establish a releasable connection of the second hinge part to the base part, wherein the retaining mount has a guide, and wherein at least one sliding piece of the second hinge part is guided on the guide of the base part in a preferably linearly adjustable manner when the connection is released. Particularly preferably, the hinge is designed in such a way that, in the assembled state, it is linearly adjusted in the horizontal direction. 
     In this hinge arrangement, the base part can be connected to a furniture part, for instance, to the cabinet box. The fasteners and the mounting section on the base part are provided for this purpose. The other furniture part, for instance the furniture door, can be connected to the second assembly unit of the hinge, which is pre-assembled with the two hinge parts and the hinge levers. To complete the hinge, the second assembly can now be connected to the base part. For this purpose, the second hinge part is inserted into the retaining mount of the base part and connected thereto. Inserting the door is particularly easy because the base part has the retaining mount. There, it is easy to find the second hinge part even in complex installation conditions. In partcular, installation is easy and successful, even if a heavy door is installed. 
     When the second hinge part is inserted into the retaining mount, the detachable connection can be used to connect it to the base part. In this case, this connection is selected such that the second hinge part can be adjusted with respect to the base part to be able to effect an exact alignment of the door with respect to the cabinet box. It is particularly preferred that this guide permits the linear adjustment of the second hinge part relative to the base part. Then the door can be aligned on the guide, guided exactly in one direction. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision may be made for the base part to form the attachment mounts on the mounting section in the form of elongated holes, for these elongated holes, with regard to their longitudinal extension, to extend transverse to the linear adjustment direction defined by the guide, in particular perpendicular thereto. In this way, in conjunction with the guide between the second hinge part and the base part described above, the second hinge part can be aligned in one plane. In this case, the two slotted holes and the guide described above guarantee in the simplest way that (within the range of adjustment permitted by the hinge) alignment can be achieved at any point in this plane. 
     Stable guidance of the second hinge part on the base part is achieved in a simple manner if provision is made for the base part to have two spaced-apart guides having guide surfaces, which extend in the area of the retaining mount, for the second hinge part to have two sliding pieces in the form of wall elements on opposite sides, and for the sliding pieces of the second hinge part to be guided linearly on one guide surface each in the retaining mount. 
     Particularly preferably, a hinge according to the invention is designed in such a way that the base part has a front end and a rear end, that the first hinge part is arranged in the area of the front end and the base part forms a mounting surface at the rear end, for mounting at a piece of furniture or a machine part. 
     In such a hinge, according to the invention provision may be made for the base part to have a connection piece, which is arranged at a distance from the mounting surface and which has a form-fit surface directed towards the rear end of the base part, and for the second hinge part to have a lug, which rests against the form-fit surface to form a form-fit connection in the direction from the rear end towards the front end. When assembling this hinge, the second hinge part is inserted into the retaining mount. The lug of the second hinge part engages behind the form-fit surface of the base part. In this way, a form-fit connection is provided, which can be used to pre-attach the hinge when the door is clipped to the cabinet box. This facilitates the workflow. After the door has been attached to the cabinet box, the second hinge part can be conveniently connected to the base part, for instance, using a screw connection. 
     According to a preferred variant of the invention, provision may be made for the base part to have a clamping section, against which a mounting section of the second hinge part rests, and for the mounting section to be braced with the clamping section by means of a clamping element, in particular a clamping bolt, in the assembly position. The main load forces, applied to the hinge by the weight of the door, are transmitted from the second hinge part to the base part via the guide described in claim  1 . There the force is transferred in a sable manner. Accordingly, a single clamping bolt can preferably be used to easily secure the second hinge part to the base part. Because the clamping section rests against the mounting section and is clamped there, the second hinge part is assigned to the base part with dimensional accuracy. 
     According to the invention, provision may also be made for a mounting section to be arranged projecting from the base part in the area of the clamping section, for the mounting section to have a bolt mount, for the retaining element of the second hinge part to be arranged on the mounting section and to have a penetration, which is preferably formed as an elongated hole or has such a hole, for the mounting section to project into the penetration, and for the clamping bolt to be bolted to the bolt mount. The assignment of the mounting section in the penetration can be used to limit the possible range of adjustment of the second hinge part relative to the base part. Because the mounting section is also equipped with a screw mount, a space-saving design for the hinge is achieved. 
     The base part then forms a stable structural unit, which is particularly suitable for bearing large loads, if provision is made for the base part to have the two spaced-apart guides, which are interconnected by means of the clamping section and the connection piece, wherein the guides, the clamping section and the connecting piece delimit the retaining mount. 
     According to a particularly preferred variant of the invention provision may be made for one of the hinge parts, preferably the second hinge part, to bear a damper unit having a damper, which is preferably designed as a linear damper, in particular as a fluid linear damper having a damper housing, a piston guided therein and a piston rod coupled to the piston, for the damper to be mounted at least sectionally in an area enclosed by the hinge part, and for one of the hinge levers to have an actuating piece, which, when the hinge lever is moved between two actuating positions, effects a displacement of the damper between two damping positions. Because the damper is at least partially enclosed by the assigned hinge part, a visually appealing and at the same time compact design is provided. 
     The damper dampens the closing motion of the door. This prevents the door from hitting the cabinet box or machine body hard. 
     It is also conceivable to design a hinge that performs damping in the direction of the opening motion. This prevents heavy hinge stress caused by the dynamic forces generated when the door is opened with a swing. 
     According to the invention, provision may also be made for one of the mutually displaceable actuating parts, for instance the piston rod or the damper housing, of the damper, preferably the piston rod, to have an actuating piece supported on a counter bearing of the second hinge part, and for the second actuating part, for instance the damper housing, to be supported directly on the actuating piece. Such direct support results in a lower number parts and reduced assembly costs for the hinge. However, it is also conceivable that a carriage is used to couple the second actuating part to the actuating piece. The carriage secures the damper and guarantees a linear damping motion. This is particularly advantageous for fluid linear dampers in favor of a long service life. In this way, transverse forces introduced in the area between the piston rod and the damper housing are eliminated or at least reduced. This protects the piston seal of the fluid linear damper. 
     When using a carriage, provision may be made in particular for the carriage to have a base part having a damper mount, in which the damper is at least partially mounted, for the carriage to be guided by means of a guide, in particular a linear guide, in the second hinge part, and for the carriage to have a support section for the indirect or direct operative engagement of the actuating piece. 
     To be able to effect an exact adjustment and at the same time a reliable guidance of the carriage, provision may be made according to the invention for the carriage to have at least one coupling piece, which projects from the base part and which bears the support section, for the coupling piece to have a mount, which is used to swivel couple the latter to a holder of a connector, and for the connector to be swivel coupled to one of the articulated levers. 
     To implement a simple and cost-efficient design provision may be made for the damper, which is designed as a linear damper, to be held between two retaining elements of the second hinge part. At the same time, these retaining elements can also have or form the above-mentioned sliding pieces. 
     According to a variant of the invention, it is conceivable that at least one locating element is used to support a part of the damper unit transverse to the damping direction to hold the damper on the hinge part, wherein a displacement motion of the part of the damper unit relative to the locating element in the damping direction of the damper is possible, and wherein the locating element is anchored to one, preferably to both, retaining elements. This makes for an easy automated assembly of the hinge. The damper only has to be inserted into the hinge part. The locating element(s) can then be used to attach the damper unit to the hinge part in a fully automated manner. 
     If provision is made for the locating element or elements to be designed as a bolt, for the retaining elements to have locating mounts, which are interaligned in pairs, and for a bolt to be inserted into the aligned locating mounts, then the bolts can be easily inserted into the aligned locating mounts during assembly and can then be secured, for instance swaged, in the retaining elements. 
     However, it is also conceivable that the at least one locating element is designed as a retaining lug, which projects from the retaining element and which is preferably designed as a latching projection integrally formed to the retaining element. Then the damper can simply be inserted into the hinge part and latched in conjunction with the latter in its intended position. 
     The problem of the invention is also solved by a washing machine having a washing machine body comprising a washing machine front panel, wherein the washing machine front panel is penetrated by a loading opening which provides access to a washing drum of the washing machine. Here, provision may be made for a door having hinges according to any one of the claims  1  to  13  to be hinged to the washing machine body. 
    
    
     
       The invention is explained in greater detail below based on exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. In the Figures: 
         FIG.  1    shows a partial representation of a washing machine front panel having a hinged door, 
         FIG.  2    shows a detail taken from  FIG.  1   , 
         FIG.  3    shows a partially exploded view of a first design variant of a hinge,  FIG.  4    shows the hinge according to  FIG.  3    after assembly, 
         FIG.  5    shows an exploded view of the hinge of  FIGS.  3  and  4   , 
         FIGS.  6  and  7    show the hinge of  FIGS.  3  to  5    in a partially assembled state, 
         FIGS.  8  to  10    show a sectional views of different operating positions of the hinge according to  FIGS.  3  to  7   , 
         FIG.  11    shows a partially exploded view of a second design variant of a hinge, 
         FIG.  12    shows the hinge according to  FIG.  11    after assembly, 
         FIG.  13    shows an exploded view of the hinge of  FIGS.  11  and  12   , 
         FIG.  14    shows the hinge in accordance of  FIGS.  11  to  13    in a partially assembled state, 
         FIGS.  15  to  17    show a sectional views of different operating positions of the hinge according to  FIGS.  11  to  14   , 
         FIG.  18    shows a partially exploded view of a third design variant of a hinge,  FIG.  19    shows the hinge according to  FIG.  18    after assembly, 
         FIG.  20    shows an exploded view of the hinge of  FIGS.  18  and  19   ,  FIG.  21    shows the hinge of  FIGS.  18  to  20    in a partially assembled state, and  FIGS.  22  to  24    show sectional views of different operating positions of the hinge according to  FIGS.  18  to  21   . 
     
    
    
     LIST OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  first hinge part 
           11  hinge cup 
           12  mounting flange 
           13  screw mount 
           14  wall 
           15  hinge pin mount 
           16  hinge pin mount 
           17  first joint axle 
           18  second joint axle 
           19  connector(s) 
           20  outer hinge lever 
           21  bridge 
           22  wall element 
           23  knuckle 
           24  knuckle 
           25  spring 
           26  spring arm 
           27  spring element 
           28  spring arm 
           29  joint axle 
           30  inner hinge lever 
           31  lever arm 
           32  end eye 
           33  bearing section 
           34  knuckle 
           35  actuating piece 
           35 . 1  bearing mount 
           35 . 2  bearing axle 
           36  joint axle 
           40  second hinge part 
           41  mounting section 
           41 . 1  retaining element 
           42  transition section 
           43  sliding piece 
           44  first locating mount 
           44 . 1  locating element 
           45  second locating mount 
           45 . 1  locating element 
           45 . 2  hinge pin mount 
           45 . 3  hinge pin mount 
           46  lug 
           46 . 1  wall piece 
           46 . 2  retaining lug 
           47  counter bearing 
           48  guide element 
           48 . 1  third guide mount 
           48 . 2  locating element 
           50  damper 
           51  piston rod 
           52  damper housing 
           53  actuating piece 
           60  carriage 
           61  base part 
           62  damper mount 
           63  guide 
           64  slideway 
           65  lug 
           66  support section 
           67  coupling piece 
           68  mount 
           70  base part 
           71  mounting section 
           72  attachment mount 
           73  connection piece 
           74  clamping section 
           75  mounting section 
           76 . 1  guide 
           76 . 2  further guide section 
           77  retaining mount 
           78  clamping bolt 
           80  connector(s) 
           81  holder 
           82  drilled hole 
           83  drilled hole 
           84  penetration 
           100  washing machine front panel 
           101  loading opening 
           102  magnetic lock part 
           103  ferromagnetic part 
           104  door 
       
    
       FIG.  1    shows an exemplary and preferred application of the invention. There, the hinges according to the invention are used to attach a door  104  to a household appliance in a swiveling manner. In this exemplary embodiment, the household appliance shown is a washing machine. 
     Such a washing machine has a washing machine front panel  100 . The washing machine front panel  100  is penetrated by a loading opening  101 . The load opening  101  provides the user with access to the washing drum of the washing machine. To be able to integrate such a household appliance into the front of a kitchen unit, hinges are used to hinge the door  104  to the body of the machine. Two hinges are used in this exemplary embodiment for this purpose. The hinges each have (see  FIG.  2   ) a base part  70 . The latter can be connected to the machine body. The hinges further comprise a first hinge part  10 . This first hinge part  10  is connected to the door  104 . 
     To be able to keep the door  104  secured in the closed state, for instance, magnetic locking parts  102  may be used to interact with ferromagnetic parts  103  to form a magnetic connection. In each case, one of these components is attached to the front panel of the washing machine  100 , and the other component is attached to the door  104 . The magnetic connection not only ensures that the door  104  does not open unintentionally, but also prevents the door  104  from swinging relative to the front panel  100  of the washing machine during operation of the washing machine. 
       FIGS.  3  to  10    show a first exemplary embodiment of a hinge according to the invention. As  FIGS.  3  and  4    show, the hinge has a first hinge part  10 . The first hinge part  10  is preferably integrally formed. It has a mounting flange  12  with attachment mounts, in particular screw mounts  13 . A hinge cup  11  is connected to the mounting flange  12 . The hinge cup  11  is configured such that the hinge having the form of a cup hinge can be inserted into a cup mount of a door  104 . 
     The first hinge part  10  has two spaced-apart walls  14 . Hinge pin mounts  15  and  16  are incorporated into the walls  14 . The hinge pin mounts  15  in the walls  14  are interaligned. Furthermore, the hinge pin mounts  16  in the walls  14  are also interaligned. 
     A second hinge part  40  can be coupled to the first hinge part  10  via a four-bar linkage system in an articulated manner. In this case, the four-bar linkage system has two hinge levers, an outer hinge lever  20  and an inner hinge lever  30 . 
     The outer hinge lever  20  has two spaced-apart wall elements  22 , which are interconnected by a bridge  21 . Each of the wall elements  22  has two knuckles  23 ,  24 . The knuckles  23  are interaligned; just like the knuckles  24 . The two wall elements  22  of the outer hinge lever  20  can be set in the area of the first hinge part  10  formed between the two walls  14 . Preferably, the outer sides of the wall elements  22  are guided on the insides of the walls  14  facing each other. The knuckles  23  are aligned with the hinge pin mounts  15 , thus a first hinge axis  17 , which may have the form of a pin, may be inserted through the aligned hinge pin mounts  15  and the knuckles  23  to provide a swivel coupling of the outer hinge lever  20  to the first hinge part  10 . 
     The inner hinge lever  30  has a lever arm  31  to which an end eye  32  may be directly connected. 
     The inner hinge lever  30  supports two spaced-apart bearing sections  33 . Interaligned knuckles  34  may be provided on these bearing sections  33 . 
     As  FIG.  5    shows, the inner hinge lever  30  has one, preferably two, actuating pieces  35 . The actuating pieces  35  are preferably integrally formed on the bearing sections  33 . 
     To assemble the inner hinge lever  30 , the end eye  32  is placed in alignment with the hinge pin mounts  16  of the first hinge part  10  and placed between the walls  14 . Then, a second hinge axis  18  extending through the hinge pin mounts  16  and the end eye  32  can be used to achieve an articulated coupling of the inner hinge lever  30  to the first hinge part  10 . 
     The second hinge part  40  has a mounting section  41 , as further shown in  FIG.  5   . The mounting section  41  is equipped with a retaining element  41 . 1 . The retaining element  41 . 1  has an elongated hole. 
     At the end facing away from the retaining element  41 . 1 , the mounting section  41  merges into a transition section  42 . 
     The second hinge part  40  is provided with walls on its two longitudinal sides. These two walls are spaced apart, and preferably extend in parallel to each other. The two walls can form sliding pieces  43  on the outer sides facing away from each other. 
     The two walls are each provided with a first locating mount  44 . 1 . The first two locating mounts  44 . 1  are interaligned. Further, a second locating mount  45  may be provided in each of the walls, wherein the second locating mounts  45  are interaligned. Furthermore, hinge pin mounts  45 . 2  and hinge pin mounts  45 . 3  may be provided in the two walls. The hinge pin mounts  45 . 2  and the hinge pin mounts  45 . 3  are interaligned. 
     The second hinge part  45  is provided with a lug  46  on its rear end. This lug  46  is located between the two sliding pieces  43 . 
     To couple the outer hinge lever  20  to the second hinge part  40  in a swiveling manner, the outer hinge lever  20  is placed between the two longitudinal walls of the second hinge part  40 . In this case, the wall elements  22  then face the insides of the walls of the second hinge part  40 . The knuckles  24  are aligned with the hinge pin mounts  45 . 3 . In that way, a joint axle  29  can be inserted through the aligned hinge pin mounts  45 . 3  and the knuckles  24  to form a hinge joint. 
     The inner hinge lever  30  is also connected to the second hinge part  40  in a similar manner. The inner hinge lever  30  is placed between the two walls of the second hinge part  40 , such that the outer sides of the bearing sections  33  face the insides of the walls. Then the knuckles  34  are aligned with the hinge pin mounts  45 . 2 . A joint axle  36  extending through the aligned knuckles  34  and the hinge pin mounts  45 . 2  can be used to establish the hinge connection. 
     As  FIG.  5    shows, a spring  25  can optionally be connected to the hinge. The spring  25  is designed such that it supports the closing motion of the first hinge part  10  relative to the second hinge part  40 , and in that way supports the closing motion of the door  104  over at least a portion of its closing motion. 
     The spring  25  has a spring element  27  to which two spring arms  26 ,  28  are attached. The spring arms  26 ,  28  can be moved relative to each other against the force of the spring element  27 . The spring arm  28  is arranged and formed such that it is rests on the end of the first joint axle  17 . The second spring arm  26  is designed and arranged to be supported relative to a locating element  45 . 1 . This can be clearly seen in figures 
     The locating element  45 . 1  can advantageously be designed as a bolt, which extends through the two aligned second locating mounts  45 . 
     Advantageously, the spring  25  is formed from a section of wire, wherein the spring element  27  is wound as a spiral spring. As can be seen from  FIGS.  8  to  10   , the spring  25  is retained on the joint axle  29 , for which purpose the joint axle  29  passes through the coiled spring element  27 . 
     A damper unit can optionally be connected to the hinge  10 . The damper unit comprises a damper  50 , which is designed as a fluid linear damper. This damper  50  has a damper housing  52 . A piston can be displaced against the pressure of a fluid, for instance air or a liquid, in particular oil, in the damper housing  52 . A piston rod  51  is connected to the piston. The piston rod  51  bears an actuating piece  53 . The actuating piece  53  can be integrally formed by the piston rod  51  or can be placed on the piston rod  51  as a separate component. 
     The damper unit comprises a carriage  60 . The carriage  60  has a base part  61  having a damper mount  62 . The base part  61  has guides  63  on its two longitudinal sides. They can be formed by the lateral wall elements of the base part  61 . 
     On its underside, the carriage  60  is equipped with a slideway  64 . The slideway  64  may have the form of a recess recessed from the base part  61 . As  FIG.  5    further shows, the carriage  60  may include a rear lug  65 . Furthermore, a support section  66  is provided on the base part  61 . In this exemplary embodiment, two support sections  66  are provided on opposite sides of the base part. However, it is also conceivable to use only one support section  66 . 
     The damper unit may be connected to the second hinge part  40 . For this purpose, the damper  50  is inserted into the damper mount  62  of the carriage  60 . The damper housing  52  rests on the rear of a stop surface of the damper mount  62  in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the piston rod  51  in a form-fitting manner. 
     The unit thus formed can be inserted into the second hinge part  40  from below. This is shown in particular in  FIG.  8   . As can be seen from this illustration, in the assembled state, the actuating piece  53  of the damper  50  is applied to the inside of a counter bearing  47  of the second hinge part  40 . 
     Within the damper  50 , there is a spring that acts on the piston to hold it in the extended position and thus to hold the piston rod  51  in the extended position shown in  FIG.  8   . If the piston rod  51  is retracted, this is done against the pressure of this spring. When the piston rod  51  is re-released, the spring pushes the piston rod  51  back to the initial position shown in  FIG.  8   . 
     To locate the damper unit, the damper housing  52  is held on the locating element  45 . 1 . This locating element  45 . 1  is preferably the same locating element  45 . 1  that supports the spring arm  26  as well. Further, the damper housing  52  rests against the underside of the mounting section  41 . The locating element  44 . 1  is used to prevent the damper unit from falling downwards out of the second hinge part  40 . This locating element  44 . 1  extends through the interaligned first locating mounts  44 . In the assembled state, the locating element  44 . 1  forms a guide arrangement in conjunction with the slideway  64 . This guide arrangement allows the carriage  60  and with the carriage  60  the damper housing  52 , to be moved linearly in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the piston rod  51 . When the carriage  60  is displaced, the base part  61  slides on the first locating element  44 . 1 . Furthermore, the damper housing  52  slides along the locating element  45 . 1  and finally the damper housing  52  also slides along the underside of the mounting section  41 . In particular, the guide can be designed to provide a small guide play between the guide partners mentioned. 
       FIGS.  8  to  10    further show that the damper unit is supported relative to the inner hinge lever  30 . For this purpose, the lug  65  engages between the two bearing sections  33  of the inner hinge lever  30 . Preferably, the lug  65  is in contact (with slight play) with the insides of the two bearing sections facing each other. In this way, the damper unit is prevented from moving in the direction of the central longitudinal axis of the joint axle  36 . 
       FIGS.  6  and  7    show that the damper unit can also be guided with the joint axle  36  in the area of its lug  65 . For this purpose, the joint axle  36  overlaps the upward facing guide surface of the lug  65 . 
       FIG.  5    further shows that the hinge includes a base part  70 . The base part  70  has a mounting section  71 . The mounting section  71  has a front end and an opposite rear end. In  FIG.  1   , the front end is the end facing upwards toward the viewer. The back is the surface of the base part  70  facing downwards. 
     In particular, the rear surface may define or form a planar mounting section. This mounting section can be used to place the base part  70  against a surface of the cabinet box or machine body. The mounting section  71  is penetrated by attachment mounts  72 . As shown here, the attachment mounts  72  can advantageously be formed as elongated holes. The longitudinal axes of the two slotted holes  72  extend in the direction of a first adjustment direction. 
     The base part  70  has a retaining mount  77 . The retaining mount  77  penetrates the base part  70  from the front to the rear. 
     On its longitudinal sides the retaining mount  77  may be delimited by guides  76 . 1 . In that case, the guides  76 . 1  form guide surfaces facing the retaining mount  77 . 
     A clamping section  44  is provided in the one end area of the base part  70  facing the guides  76 . 1 . A mounting section  75  may be integrally formed on the clamping section  74 . Advantageously, the mounting section  75  has a screw mount. Preferably, the thread axis of this screw mount can be perpendicular to the upper clamping surface formed by the clamping section  74 . Opposite the clamping section  74 , the base part  70  has a connection piece  73 . This connection piece  73  engages over a guide section  76 . 2  of the guide  76 . 1 . Further guide surfaces may be provided on the guide section  76 . 2 . The further guide surfaces are aligned with the guide surfaces assigned to the clamping piece  74 . 
     The retaining mount  77  is delimited by the two guides  76 . 1 , the clamping section  74  and the connection piece  73 . 
     Below, the function of the hinge described above is explained with reference to  FIGS.  8  to  10   . 
       FIG.  8    shows the open position of the hinge. In this position, the spring  25  is tensioned. The spring arm  26  rests on the locating element  45 . 1  preloaded by the spring. The spring arm  28  rests against the first joint axis  17  in a preloaded manner. As  FIG.  8    shows, the piston rod  51  is in its extended position. The actuating piece  35  of the inner hinge lever  30  does not act on the carriage  60 ; when the first hinge part  10  is swiveled relative to the second hinge part  40 , the two hinge levers  20  and  30  also swivel. 
     In  FIG.  9   , when the contact point between the spring arm  28  and the first hinge axis  17  has passed a dead center position, the spring force is effective to pull the first hinge part  10  to its closed position under the action of the spring  25 . As  FIG.  9    shows, the two actuating pieces  35  of the inner hinge lever  30  hit the assigned support sections  66  of the carriage  60 . During a further motion in the closing direction, the damping force of the damper  50  becomes effective and acts against the closing force of the spring  25 . For this purpose, the actuating pieces  35  are used to displace the carriage  60 . This causes the piston rod  41  and with it the piston to slide into the damper housing  52 . This causes the damping force. 
     When the door  104  is now re-opened, the first hinge part  10  moves from the closed position shown in  FIG.  10    to the intermediate position shown in  FIG.  9   , wherein the spring  25  is re-tensioned. The piston rod  51  is pushed out of the damper housing  52 .  FIG.  8    shows the fully open position of the hinge. 
     To mount the hinge on a machine body or cabinet box, the rear end of the base part  70  (that is the downward facing surface shown in  FIG.  10   ) is placed on a matching surface of the machine body or cabinet box and screwed there using fastening screws, which are passed through the attachment mounts  72 . The assembly unit formed by the two hinge parts  10 ,  40 , the two hinge levers  20 ,  30  and the damper unit is pre-assembled. This assembly in conjunction with the hinge cup  11  of the first hinge part  10  is inserted into a cup mount of the door  104 . The screw mounts  13  can be used to screw the hinge to the door  104 . For final assembly, the second hinge part  40  is inserted into the retaining mount  77  of the base part  70 . As  FIG.  8    shows, the lug  46  of the second hinge part  40  engages behind the connection piece  73  in a form-fitting manner. The two slideways  43  rest against the guides  76 . 1 . In the area of the lug  76 , the sliding pieces  43  can rest against the further guide section  76 . 2 . 
       FIGS.  8  to  10    show that the mounting section  75  engages with the penetration of the retaining element  41 . 1 . A clamping bolt  78  can be used to connect the second hinge part  40  to the base part  70 . Here, the clamping bolt  78  is passed through the elongated hole of the retaining element  41 . 1  formed by the penetration and bolted into the bolt mount of the mounting section  75 . In this way, the mounting section  41  of the second hinge part  40  is braced with the clamping section  74 . 
       FIGS.  11  to  17    show a further exemplary embodiment of the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, identical or similarly acting components are described using the same reference signs used above with respect to the first exemplary embodiment. The statements above relating to these components therefore also apply to this second exemplary embodiment. To avoid repetition, the differences between the exemplary embodiments are therefore discussed below. 
     As  FIG.  13    shows, the inner hinge lever  30  again has a lever arm  31  having an end eye  32 . The two bearing sections  33  are again connected to the lever arm  31 .  FIG.  13    indicates that the actuating piece  35  is arranged between the two bearing sections  33 . This actuating piece  35  interconnects the two bearing sections  33  and is integrally bent from the lever arm  31 . The two bearing sections  33  may be integrally bent from the actuating piece  35 . The actuating piece  35  can be seen more clearly in  FIG.  14   . 
     The second hinge part  40  has a lug  46  for mounting the damper  50 . The damper  50  is again of the same design as the damper  50  according to the first exemplary embodiment. The lug  46  is formed like a pocket. It has two spaced-apart wall sections  46 . 1 . At their longitudinal end, the two wall pieces  46 . 1  are connected to the counter bearing  47 . 
     As  FIGS.  15  to  17   , the damper  50  is inserted into the pocket-shaped recess of the lug  46 . The damper  50  is inserted into this mount from above. Retaining lugs  46 . 2  are provided on the wall sections  46 . 1 , in particular integrally formed. These retaining lugs  46 . 2  preferably form snap lugs. To mount the damper  50 , it is pressed into the pocket-shaped mount. The retaining lugs  46 . 2  engage behind the damper housing  52  and in that way hold the damper  50  in the pocket-shaped mount in a form-fitting manner. 
     The piston rod  51  rests against the counter bearing  47  of the second hinge part  40 . 
     In the open hinge position, shown in  FIG.  15   , the actuator  35  is still out of operative engagement with the damper  50 . The spring  25  is re-tensioned. After passing a dead center position, the spring  25  becomes effective and pulls the first hinge part  10  towards the closed position shown in  FIG.  17   . In the process, as  FIG.  16    shows, the actuating piece  35  comes into engagement with an actuating piece  53 , which is now arranged on or formed by the damper housing  52 . During further motion in the closing direction, the inner hinge lever  30  is displaced, wherein its actuating piece  35  linearly displaces the damper housing  52  in the damping direction. This dampens the closing motion of the hinge. The two retaining lugs  46 . 2  are designed to permit a longitudinal displacement of the damper housing  52  in the direction of the central longitudinal axis of the piston rod  51 . 
       FIGS.  18  to  24    show a third exemplary embodiment of the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, identical or similarly acting components are described using the same reference signs used above with respect to the first and the second exemplary embodiments. The statements above relating to these components therefore also apply to this third exemplary embodiment. To avoid repetition, the differences between the exemplary embodiments are therefore discussed below. 
       FIG.  20    shows the modified embodiment of the second hinge part  40 . As this embodiment illustrates, the second hinge part  40  includes a guide element  48  adjacent to the retaining element  41 . 1 . The guide element  48  forms a hollow body that is open at the bottom. 
     The wall elements, which preferably form the sliding pieces  43 , extend beyond the retaining element  41 . 1  and join the guide element  48  on both sides. Third interaligned locating mounts  48 . 1  are inserted into these walls below the guide element  48 . A locating element  48 . 2  can be inserted through these third locating mounts  48 . 1 . 
       FIG.  20    clearly shows the modified carriage  60 . This illustration shows that the carriage  60  has a base part  61 , and  2  coupling pieces  67  are formed on the base part. The coupling pieces  67  bear mounts  68  at their ends. The mounts  68  are provided with the support sections  66 , which in this case have the shape of drilled holes. 
     A connector  80  is located between the two spaced-apart coupling pieces  67 . The connector  80  has two spaced-apart holders  81 , which are interconnected by an integrally molded-on connection part. The interaligned drilled holes  82 , the interaligned drilled holes  83  and/or the interaligned penetrations  84  are machined into the two holders  81 . 
     As  FIG.  21    shows, the locating element  45 . 1  is used to swivel connect the connector  80  to the second hinge part  40 . For this purpose, the locating element  45 . 1  can, for instance, be pushed through the aligned second locating mounts  45  and the aligned drilled holes  83 . 
     The connector  80  provides the connection between the inner hinge lever  30  and the carriage  60 . 
     The bearing axle  35 . 2  is used to couple the inner hinge lever  30  coupled to the connector  80 . This bearing axle  35 . 2  is inserted through the interaligned bearing mounts  35 . 1  of the inner hinge lever  30  and the also interaligned drilled holes  82  of the connector  80 , which are designed as elongated holes. 
     The locating element  48 . 2  is used for coupling the carriage  60 . The locating element  48 . 2  is guided through the interaligned mounts  68  of the carriage  60  and the penetrations  84 , which are also aligned therewith and which are formed as elongated holes and which are provided on the connector  80 . 
     The assignment and coupling of the inner hinge lever  30 , the connector  80  and the carriage  60  can be clearly seen in  FIG.  21   . As this embodiment further shows, the damper  50  can be inserted into the damper mount  62  of the base part  61 . For this purpose, the base part  61  is formed as a hollow body whose inner contour is adapted to the outer contour of the damper housing  52 . The locating element  44 . 1  is used to prevent the damper  50  from falling down out of the damper mount  62 . This locating element  44 . 1  engages through the third locating mounts  48 . 1  of the second hinge part  40  and in that way underpins the damper housing  52 . 
     The function of the hinge can be seen in more detail in  FIGS.  22  to  24   .  FIG.  22    again shows the opening position of the hinge. In this position, the carriage  60  is in its initial position moved to the right in  FIG.  22   . The piston rod  51  is extended. The piston rod  51  rests against the counter bearing  47  of the second hinge part  40 . If the first hinge part  10  now performs a closing motion again, the spring  25  becomes effective after exceeding a dead center position. It pulls the first hinge part  10  in the direction of the closed position of the hinge. On this spring-assisted closing path, the damper  50  brakes the closing motion, as in the other exemplary embodiments. 
       FIG.  23    shows an intermediate position, in which the damper  50  is already activated. As can be seen from this illustration, the connector  80  has already been swiveled clockwise a short distance as a result of the adjusting motion of the inner hinge lever  30 . As a result of this swiveling, the connector  80  pulls the coupling pieces  67  and thus the carriage  60  in  FIG.  23    from the right to the left via the locating element  48 . 2 . This pushes the piston rod  51  into the damper housing  52 , thus producing the damper effect. 
       FIG.  24    shows the fully closed position of the hinge. The carriage  60  is moved to its left position in  FIG.  24   . The piston rod  51  is fully retracted into the damper housing  52 . It can be clearly seen that connector  80  has been swiveled further in a clockwise direction. 
     To guide the linear motion of the carriage  60 , the outer contour of the base part  61  slides within the inner contour of the guide element  48  and/or the guides  63  slide on assigned linear guide surfaces of the second hinge part  40 . During a displacement, the damper housing  52  also slides along the locating element  44 . 1 . 
     Once the hinges described above have been installed and the door  104  has been hinged in that way, the hinge can be adjusted to align the position of the door  104 . 
     In the horizontal direction, the door is then aligned in a simple manner by loosening the clamping bolt  78 . Then, the second hinge part  40  can be moved linearly with respect to the base part  70 . Once the desired adjustment position has been reached, the clamping bolt  78  can be set again. 
     The base part  70  is used for adjustments in the vertical direction. The fastening screws, which were screwed into the locating mounts  72  of the mounting section  71 , can be loosened for this purpose. Then the base part can be adjusted vertically with respect to the machine or cabinet box. Once the desired position has been reached, the fastening screws can be re-tightened.