Patent Publication Number: US-7587788-B2

Title: Horizontally adjustable hinge

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/084,262 (filed Feb. 25, 2005), issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,085 (issued on Feb. 19, 2008), and claims the benefit thereof, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 60/548,845, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 27, 2004, and provisional patent application No. 60/555,223, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Mar. 22, 2004. 

   FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to an adjustable hinge system, such as for a door. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Adjustable hinges are desirable, as they permit adjustment as needed such as when a house settles. Typically such adjustable hinges have been complicated and have required multiple fastening components. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of an adjustable hinge of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the adjustable hinge of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a generally top view of the hinge of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the hinge of  FIG. 1 , which hinge is not vertically adjustable; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a the hinge of  FIG. 1 , which hinge is vertically adjustable; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a frame wing of the vertically adjustable hinge of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a further perspective view of a frame wing of the vertically adjustable hinge of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a further perspective view of a frame wing of the vertically adjustable hinge of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view of a hinge having an alternative arrangement for securing the door leaf to the housing; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a door leaf of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a spring pocket of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view of a spring pocket of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a sectional view of a hinge having an alternative arrangement for horizontally adjusting the hinge; 
       FIG. 14  is a further sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an adjustment screw as used in the embodiment of  FIG. 13 ; and 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of an adjustment nut as used in the embodiment of  FIG. 13 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiment illustrated. 
   A first embodiment of a horizontally adjustable hinge  12  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . The hinge  12  includes a receiver assembly  14  and a steel door leaf  16 . The receiver assembly  14  includes a die cast housing  20  and a steel or brass cover  22 . The housing  20  has a tapered slot  24  extending from a housing opening  26 . The cover  22  has a slotted opening  28  aligned with, but slightly smaller than, the housing opening  32 . The receiver assembly  14  includes four aligned holes  30  to receive screws (hot shown) to secure the receiver assembly  14  to a door (not shown). 
   The door leaf  16  includes a slotted leaf  34  and a retaining spring  36 . The retaining spring  36  is attached to, and extends from, the slotted leaf  34 . The slotted leaf  34  has a leaf slot  38 . The retaining spring  36  terminates with a release tab  40 . The door leaf  20  further includes first and second opposed posts  42 . 
   The slotted leaf  34  is inserted into the tapered housing slot  24 . As the slotted leaf  34  is inserted, the retaining spring  36  is squeezed by the cover opening  28 , until the spring  36  passes the cover opening  28 , at which time the spring  36  expands, locking the slotted leaf  34  in the tapered slot  24 . The slotted leaf  34  can be removed by depressing the tab  40 , such as with a screw driver. 
   The hinge  12  includes an adjustment screw  44 . The adjustment screw  44  includes a threaded portion  46  and a circumferential grooved portion  48 . The threaded portion  46  is screwed into a cooperatively threaded hole  50  in the housing  20 . 
   As the slotted leaf  34  is inserted into the tapered housing slot  24 , the leaf slot  38  captures the grooved portion  48  of the adjustment screw  44 . Rotation of the adjustment screw  44 , such as with an Allen wrench, axially moves the adjustment screw  44 , thereby horizontally moving the door leaf  16 . 
   The hinge  12  further includes a steel frame wing  52  for attachment to a door frame (not shown). The frame wing  52  includes first and second opposed knuckles  54 . Bearings  56  are placed over the first and second posts  42 , which are then placed into respective first and second knuckles  54 . Decorative steel end caps  60  are placed over outer openings of the knuckles  54 . A decorative steel shroud  62  is disposed between the knuckles  54 . 
   The hinge  12  can also be vertically adjustable, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5-8 . 
   To make the hinge  12  vertically adjustable, the bottom one of the knuckles  54 ′ is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded vertical positioning screw  66 . Rotation of the vertical positioning screw  66  vertically adjusts the door leaf  34  relative to the frame wing  52 . The decorative end cap  60  is placed over the opening of the other knuckle  54 . Which knuckle is threaded depends upon whether the hinge is to be a right hand hinge or a left hand hinge. 
   Such vertical adjustment systems are known, but have been subject to a problem of having the vertical positioning screw  66  lock when it is rotated past the threads of the threaded knuckle  54 ′. 
   In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the threaded knuckle  54 ′ is provided with a stop surface  70 . The vertical positioning screw  66  includes a circumferential groove  72 , which receives a wing stop  74 . The wing stop  74  is preferably formed of steel, and includes a stop tab  76 . As the vertical positioning screw  66  is rotated into the threaded knuckle  54 ′, the stop tab  76  travels along a knuckle slot  78 , until the stop tab  76  ultimately engages, and is blocked by, the stop surface  70 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
   A second embodiment of a system for retaining a door leaf  16 ′ in a modified housing  20 ′, using a modified retaining spring  36 ″, having spring apertures  80 , is illustrated in  FIGS. 9-12 . As discussed below, other changes include two threaded release pins  84  for insertion in corresponding threaded passages  86  in the housing  20 ′. In addition, a modified tapered slot  24 ′ includes a pocket  88  along opposed walls  90  of the modified tapered slot  24 ′. The pocket  88  is best seen in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . 
   As the retaining spring  36 ′ is inserted into the tapered slot  24 ′, a distal portion of the spring  36 ′ passes over tips  84   a  of the release pins  84 , until the tips  84   a  of the release pins  84  extend into the spring apertures  80 , locking the slotted leaf  34 ′ in the housing  20 ′. In order to subsequently remove the slotted leaf  34 ′ from the housing  20 ′, the release pins  84  are first unthreaded from the housing  20 ′, and the slotted leaf  34 ′ is slid out of the tapered slot  24 ′. 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the tapered slot  24 ′ includes the pocket  88 , dimensioned to receive the spring  36 ′ when the slotted leaf  34 ′ is drawn towards the wall  90 , providing precise horizontal positioning of the slotted leaf  34 . 
   A second embodiment of a horizontal hinge adjustment system for an adjustable hinge  12 ′ is illustrated in  FIGS. 13-16 . The adjustable hinge  12 ′ includes a receiver assembly  14 ′, a stop plate  92  and a cover  22 ′, collectively to be mounted to a door (not shown). The adjustable hinge  12 ′ further includes a slotted leaf  34 . The slotted leaf may be either of the above-described slotted leafs. 
   The hinge  12 ′ includes a horizontal adjustment screw  94 , preferably formed of stainless steel. The horizontal adjustment screw  94  is threaded into a threaded passage of a horizontal adjustment nut  96 . The horizontal adjustment nut  96  is preferably formed of steel. As the horizontal adjustment screw  94  is rotated, the horizontal adjustment nut  96  moves axially along the horizontal adjustment screw  94 . The horizontal adjustment nut  96  has a generally squared portion  96   a , which fits into a complementarily shaped portion  14   a  in the receiver assembly  14 ′, to prevent rotation of the horizontal adjustment nut  96 . 
   The horizontal adjustment nut  96  includes a circumferential grooved portion  46  to receive the leaf slot  38 ′ in the door leaf  34 . 
   Rotation of the horizontal adjustment screw  94  in a first direction moves the door leaf  34 ′ to a first horizontal position, as shown in  FIG. 13 . Rotation of the horizontal adjustment screw  94  in a second, opposite direction moves the door leaf  34 ′ to a second horizontal position, as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
   The groove in the adjustment nut and the slot of the slotted leaf are sized to minimize play between the components during adjustment. The centerline of the slot of the slotted leaf and the centerline of the adjustment nut will be coincident in the nominal position. 
   The horizontal positioning feature and the vertical positioning feature can be implemented in a single hinge. Alternatively, a hinge may include only one of the features. It is believed to be more desirable to the end consumer to utilize, in a three hinge system, horizontally adjustable hinges as the upper and lower hinges, and a vertically adjustable hinge as the center hinge. 
   If a hinge only includes the vertical adjustment feature, no horizontal adjustment screws are required. To cover the opening for the adjustment screw, a cover solid at that location can be provided.