Patent Description:
In furniture and/or furnishing items in general, doors and/or panels are provided which must or can be moved between a closed position and an open position to give access to or close a compartment or part of the furniture.

For this purpose, different types of hinges can be used, such as the older and more classic ones consisting of a pair of wings extending from an intermediate axis. One wing is connected to the furniture and the other wing to the door and the pin serves as an intermediate articulation element. For these hinges there are generally no adjustments except for the presence of fixing slots in the wings.

Document <CIT> discloses a hinge device for equipment and furnishing items with damping of terminal speed, for closing or opening, and with predetermined angular sectors for elastic opening and/or closing.

Document <CIT> describes a hinge device for refrigerators, other household appliances and furnishing accessories which comprises a first element fixed to a refrigerator body and a second element fixed to a door of said refrigerator or obtained in such a door in which said first element and second element are connected together by means of a hinge pin for the rotation of the door.

Document <CIT> describes a hinge for connecting a flap door to a body, with a gear (<NUM>) which can be moved between two end positions whose components, which include a shock absorber, are movable relative to each other.

There are also more modern hinges with articulated quadrilaterals, particularly complex, which allow various types of adjustments, but which require recesses either in the shoulder or in the door and are produced with multiple articulation pins collaborating with each other in the various possible movements of the hinge. These hinges are expensive and also create a certain difficulty for adjusting in the various directions.

There are also single-pin hinges without wings in which the movements are more limited and generally have <NUM>° openings or allow the door to open without any angle limit, causing collision between the parts of the furniture.

There are also problems relating to the automatic closing of doors equipped with the type of pin hinges indicated above as it would be desirable to have an automated reclosure at least up to an opening of <NUM>°.

The general objective of the present invention is to provide a single-pin hinge for doors and/or panels of furniture and/or similar furnishing items that is capable of solving the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, economical and particularly functional manner.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a single-pin hinge for doors and/or panels of furniture and/or similar furnishing items that has an easy and guaranteed closure in the presence of openings less than or equal to <NUM>°.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a single-pin hinge for doors and/or panels of furniture and/or similar furnishing items which can be adjustable despite its constructive simplicity.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a single-pin hinge for doors and/or panels of furniture and/or similar furnishing items which can have openings even greater than <NUM>° without generating any type of collision.

The above-mentioned objectives are achieved by a single-pin hinge for doors and/or panels of furniture and/or similar furnishing items produced according to independent claim <NUM> and the following subordinate claims.

The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages with respect to the known art will appear even more evident from the following description, referring to the attached schematic drawings, which show an embodiment example of the invention itself. In the drawings:.

In the following description, for illustrating the figures, identical reference numbers are used for indicating construction elements with the same function. Furthermore, for clarity of illustration, some numerical references may not have been repeated in all the figures.

Indications such as "vertical" and "horizontal", "upper" and "lower" (in the absence of other indications) should be read with reference to the assembly (or operating) conditions and referring to the normal terminology used in current language, wherein "vertical" indicates a direction substantially parallel to that of the force of gravity vector and "g" a horizontal direction perpendicular to it.

With reference to the exemplary and non-limiting figures, these show an embodiment of a single-pin hinge for doors and/or panels of furniture or furnishing items according to the present invention.

<FIG> show completely schematic perspective views which illustrate the type of movement that can be effected with a hinge according to the present invention, showing it in the closed position and in the maximum opening position respectively;.

Said <FIG> show how this type of single-pin hinge, indicated as a whole with <NUM>, is arranged between a door <NUM> and a bottom <NUM> of a piece of furniture or similar furnishing item.

<FIG> show a hinge not according to the present invention.

<FIG> in particular shows this hinge <NUM> in a plan view from above with the single-pin hinge connected in a fixed part thereof within a recessed seat <NUM> of a bottom <NUM> of a piece of furniture and in one of its movable parts connected to a door <NUM>, at least in one of its corners S. The hinge <NUM> is represented with the door <NUM> in an initial closing phase. It is in this phase that it can be seen how the damping phase is initiated.

The recessed seat <NUM> is suitable for receiving a box-like element, produced in two parts <NUM>, <NUM>, which in turn at least partially receives a shaped arm <NUM> supporting a rotation pin <NUM>. The rotation pin <NUM> is the point around which the articulation of the hinge <NUM> is effected, or around which the door <NUM> is caused to rotate with respect to the bottom <NUM> of the furniture.

As previously mentioned, the box-like element has a lower housing part <NUM>, or female part, and an upper covering part <NUM>, or male part. In the lower part <NUM> of the box-like element there is at least a plate portion <NUM> of the supporting arm <NUM>. Above this plate portion <NUM> there is a shaped connecting rod <NUM>, of which a first end carries a pin <NUM>. A second end of the shaped connecting rod <NUM> is rotatably connected to the door <NUM>. The shaped connecting rod <NUM> in fact houses in a hole <NUM> thereof, formed at this second end, a plug <NUM> which is housed in a hole <NUM> formed in a block <NUM> associated with an L-shaped joint <NUM> of the door <NUM>. This L-shaped joint <NUM> is associated with a horizontal portion and a vertical portion of the door <NUM> and is arranged in correspondence with the edge S of door <NUM>.

The shaped connecting rod <NUM> is kept in the recessed seat <NUM> above the plate portion <NUM> by a further plate <NUM> in which a guiding slot <NUM> is formed. The pin <NUM> is positioned in the guiding slot <NUM> and causes the movement of the shaped connecting rod <NUM>.

It should be noted that a depth-adjustment block <NUM> and a horizontal- or side- adjustment block <NUM> are arranged in the recessed seat <NUM> next to and alongside the further plate <NUM> above the plate portion <NUM>.

Hexagon socket screws <NUM> and <NUM> that can be positioned frontally in respective holes <NUM> and <NUM> on one side of the two parts <NUM> and <NUM> of the box-like element, when coupled, allow the above-mentioned adjustment actions of the two blocks <NUM> and <NUM>.

Finally, with respect to the constituent elements of the hinge <NUM> in its part positioned in the recessed seat <NUM> of the bottom <NUM> of a piece of furniture, an arrangement is provided that allows an intervention in the possible opening of the door. In the further plate <NUM>, in fact, at least one stop element is also provided, as will be seen in the example hereunder, which can be actuated from the outside, which blocks the sliding of the pin <NUM> within the guiding slot <NUM> and consequently limits the movement of the shaped connecting rod <NUM> in the maximum opening of the door <NUM>.

In the example shown, this stop element includes a threaded pass-through hole <NUM> which extends from a lower side of the plate <NUM> facing the outside of the bottom as far as the guiding slot <NUM> (<FIG>). A long grub screw or hexagon socket headless screw <NUM> is inserted in this threaded hole <NUM>, which can be actuated in front of the bottom <NUM>, which limits the translation of the pin <NUM> in the guiding slot <NUM>.

Alternatively, in place of the grub screw as stop element, a sliding cursor <NUM> can be provided in the seat, equipped with a return spring with the possibility of insertion and disengagement. Consequently, by limiting the run of the pin <NUM> inside the slot <NUM>, the movement degree of the shaped connecting rod <NUM> and therefore of the opening of the door, or the rototranslation of the connecting rod <NUM>, can be selected.

As better illustrated in <FIG>, this shows the angle of inclination according to which the pass-through threaded hole <NUM> is formed for limiting the run in the plate <NUM> according to an axis x. The threaded pass-through hole <NUM> is in fact arranged according to an angle α with respect to an edge <NUM> of the plate <NUM> facing outwardly. This edge <NUM> of the plate <NUM> is parallel to an end side of the bottom <NUM> of the piece of furniture on which the door <NUM> is abutted so as to define a selected maximum opening for the door <NUM>. This takes place specifically due to the fact that the grub screw or hexagon socket headless screw <NUM> is arranged at least with one of its free ends protruding inside the guiding slot <NUM> so as to prevent the free sliding of the pin <NUM> as far as the run end.

<FIG> and <FIG> show two selectable positions of the door in maximum opening. More specifically, from a position of <FIG> that can also be considered a position of the door just opened, the arrangement provided in the hinge of the invention allows two extremely precise and advantageous open-door positions to be obtained for the use of the furniture.

<FIG> shows a position in which the door <NUM> is open to a maximum of <NUM>° and this position is reached in the following way.

In order to have this maximum opening of <NUM>°, in fact, it is sufficient to form the threaded hole <NUM> according to a predetermined angle α which allows a <NUM>° opening of the door <NUM>. The long grub screw <NUM> is then screwed into the threaded hole <NUM> passing through the plate <NUM>, causing the free end to protrude into the guiding slot <NUM> (<FIG>). This end of the grub screw <NUM> prevents the pin <NUM> from sliding in the guiding slot <NUM>, limiting its translation.

This limitation prevents the shaped connecting rod <NUM> from moving outwardly from the position contained in the bottom <NUM> of the furniture and consequently the door <NUM> from opening further.

It should be taken into account that this limited maximum opening adjustment of <NUM>° must be effected with the door/hinge of the furniture open by no more than <NUM>°.

<FIG> on the other hand shows what happens if the grub screw <NUM> remains contained in the threaded hole <NUM> of the plate <NUM>. The free end does not protrude into the guiding slot <NUM> and therefore does not prevent the pin <NUM> from sliding in the same for its entire length.

In this way, the shaped connecting rod <NUM> can be brought outwards from its initial position (for example <FIG>) contained in the bottom <NUM> of the furniture with the pin <NUM> constrained to it, which moves to the bottom of the guiding slot <NUM> (<FIG>).

The pin <NUM>, completely covering the guiding slot <NUM>, thus reaches the stop and fixes the maximum protrusion of the shaped connecting rod <NUM> and the maximum rotation of the door <NUM> which opens at an angle of <NUM>-<NUM>°, preferably <NUM>° from its initial position flanked to the outer edge of the bottom <NUM>. This can be defined as the standard opening position, in any case having the certainty that the door <NUM> has an opening limitation.

It is therefore possible to select the maximum opening of the door/hinge in two positions, according to the use or the user's preferences. It is clear that more than one stop element can be envisaged, thus defining various differentiated openings of the door <NUM>, if necessary and required.

The selection of the maximum opening of the door shown in the exemplary but non-limiting figures, can be <NUM>° or <NUM>°, it can be selected by adjusting the above-mentioned grub screw <NUM> or other stop element according to its positioning.

The hinge therefore allows at least a double opening position depending on the positioning of one or more run-stop elements arranged along the slot. The stop elements shown in the form of a grub screw can however be a lever, a cam or other stop elements having various forms that block the sliding of the pin in the guiding slot <NUM>.

Furthermore, a damping group is associated with said shaped connecting rod or lever <NUM> which prevents the door <NUM> from hitting the furniture, closing too rapidly on the same.

This damping group is obtained thanks to the presence of a cylinder <NUM>, whose stem <NUM> is normally extended at rest, on one end of which a side portion of the shaped connecting rod <NUM> acts. More specifically, said cylinder <NUM> with its relative stem <NUM> is positioned inside a housing or cap <NUM> which contains and guides it. And both are arranged at one end of a horizontal side of the L-shaped joint <NUM> of the door <NUM>.

In particular, the housing or cap <NUM> provides side slots <NUM> arranged on facing sides in which final parts of a shaft <NUM> are inserted, that slides within the same. The shaft <NUM> in turn acts on the free end of the cylinder <NUM> and on moving, it can cause the compression of the stem <NUM>, therefore slowing down the closing run of the door.

<FIG> shows the position of the parts in an initial damping phase when closing the door on the piece of furniture.

The damping group described therefore prevents the door/hinge from hitting the furniture and, as seen, is always present, but is only actuated before the door/hinge closes completely. This damping unit is in fact actuated by the contact of the long connecting rod <NUM> on the pin <NUM>, or on the end of the cylinder <NUM>.

The assembly of this damping group within the L-shaped joint <NUM> of the door <NUM> hides it in the door frame, making it more protected and invisible from the outside.

As already mentioned, the hinge <NUM> has been seen to provide two adjustments, namely one in the frontal direction or depth and one in the side or horizontal direction.

The front adjustment is effected by adjustment of the screw <NUM> which acts on the front adjustment block <NUM>.

The side adjustment is effected by means of the screw <NUM> which acts on the side adjustment block <NUM>.

A third adjustment in a vertical direction is provided in this hinge <NUM> through a vertical adjustment group, as will be seen hereunder with particular reference to <FIG>.

For this purpose, it has been stated that the block <NUM> is provided in the L-shaped joint <NUM> of the door <NUM>, a hole <NUM> being formed in said block, where a part of the rotation pin <NUM> is housed around which the door <NUM> is caused to rotate with respect to the bottom <NUM> of the furniture. This rotation pin <NUM> in another portion thereof is arranged pivoted to the supporting arm <NUM>, more specifically in a hole <NUM> of a right-angled extension <NUM> of the plate portion <NUM> of the supporting arm <NUM>. Said right-angled extension <NUM> of the plate portion <NUM> of the supporting arm <NUM> is such that it extends outside the box-like element <NUM>, <NUM>. Furthermore, said right-angled extension <NUM> is arranged so as to be able to be positioned below the horizontal portion of the L-shaped joint <NUM> of the door <NUM>, when the door <NUM> approaches the bottom <NUM> of the furniture for closure.

More specifically, the block <NUM> is housed in a vertical portion of the L-shaped joint <NUM> of the door <NUM> in correspondence with the joining of the two sides of said joint in a housing <NUM>. In its upper part, the block <NUM> has a horizontal threaded hole <NUM> which receives an adjusting screw <NUM>. A free end of this adjusting screw <NUM> acts in contact on an adjustment cam <NUM> oscillating around a pin <NUM> inserted in a hole <NUM> of the block <NUM>.

The vertical adjustment is carried out by acting on the adjusting screw <NUM> which, in contact with the adjustment cam <NUM>, forces the latter to rotate. The adjustment cam <NUM> rotating on the pin <NUM> comes into contact with an upper end <NUM> of the rotation pin <NUM>.

This rotation causes a downward thrust which causes the vertical translation of the block <NUM> and therefore of the whole door that is associated with the L-shaped joint <NUM>.

It should be noted that this adjustment group, or rather the block <NUM>, is firmly fixed to the L-shaped joint <NUM> by means of a screw <NUM>. Furthermore, the fixing is ensured by an interlocking present, as a seat on the L-shaped joint <NUM> and as a key on block <NUM>. This allows a rigid junction of the two parts, thus avoiding a possible misalignment on the rotation pin <NUM>.

Also in this case, all of these elements (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the vertical adjustment group are hidden from sight by a cover <NUM> positioned as a side closure of the housing <NUM> of the L-shaped joint <NUM>.

The part of the hinge <NUM> positioned in the recessed seat <NUM> of the bottom <NUM> of a piece of furniture is contained, as already mentioned, in the box-like element, produced in two parts <NUM>, <NUM>, which is kept closed by means of a pair of screws <NUM>.

<FIG> show the hinge according to the present invention in which identical elements are indicated with the same reference numbers used for the embodiment shown in <FIG>.

The positioning of a spring <NUM> is provided, which causes the forced closing of the door with respect to the bottom <NUM> of a piece of furniture or similar furnishing item, when the door is open and has an opening equal to or less than <NUM>°.

This spring <NUM> is actuated in the example shown, directly by the shaped connecting rod <NUM>, or by the pin <NUM>, as can be seen from the attached figures.

In addition to the general structure of the pin hinge described above, in fact, the arrangement of a slide <NUM> above the plate <NUM> is provided. This slide <NUM> slides inside a guiding channel <NUM> formed in the body of the depth-adjustment block <NUM>. The slide <NUM> is U-shaped in the form of a profiled section, as is also the guiding channel <NUM> which is complementary to it in shape. A first eyelet end <NUM> of the spring <NUM> is attached to a first pin <NUM> which extends inside the slide <NUM>. A second opposite end <NUM> of the spring <NUM>, also in the form of an eyelet, is hooked to a second pin <NUM> which extends from plate <NUM>.

The slide <NUM> moreover, almost in correspondence with one of its ends facing the second pin <NUM>, extends below into a tooth <NUM>, protruding towards the inside of the plate <NUM> and sliding both with respect to the plate <NUM> and to the body of the depth-adjustment block <NUM> within respective recesses (not shown).

<FIG> shows how, in the closed hinge position, with the door close to the bottom <NUM> of the furniture, the pin <NUM> arranged in the slot <NUM> is still detached from the tooth <NUM>. In this way the slide <NUM> is in the rest position and the spring <NUM> is at minimum load as previously determined.

Continuing to open the door up to <NUM>°, the pin <NUM> then slides into the slot <NUM> and the spring <NUM> only produces a certain resistance to opening up to <NUM>°, which is however allowed.

Beyond <NUM>°, the pin <NUM> then tends to move from the position shown in <FIG> to the run end in the slot <NUM> as shown in <FIG> when the door is opened up to about <NUM>°.

When the door is open (as for example in <FIG>), upon closing, there is therefore an initial loading of the spring <NUM> during the closing phase of the door, as the pin <NUM> at the end of the shaped connecting rod <NUM> pushes the slide <NUM> by acting on its tooth <NUM>. This pushing action continues up to about half of the rotation of the closing door (about <NUM>°) where there is the maximum extension of the spring <NUM> (<FIG>).

From this point, the spring <NUM> in tension and loaded exerts its return action of the door <NUM> until it moves back again to the rest position shown in <FIG>.

In this way, this further advantageous function of the pin hinge of the present invention is also exerted, ensuring a correct and constantly precise total closure of the hinge and the door connected to it.

The new solutions proposed by a single-pin hinge according to the invention that prevent the door from being closed too rapidly, and hitting the furniture thanks to the damping unit, have therefore been seen.

These solutions on the other hand, allow the maximum opening of the door/hinge to be selected in two positions, based on the requirements of use or the user's preferences for the specific application requested.

Furthermore, the hinge of the present invention, in addition to possible adjustments according to a front and side direction, also allows the hinge to be adjusted in a vertical direction, improving and increasing its possible applications.

All of this naturally without evidence of complex, bulky, expensive and aesthetically unsuitable mechanisms as in applications of the state of the art.

The objective mentioned in the preamble of the description has thus been achieved.

Claim 1:
A single-pin hinge (<NUM>) for doors and/or panels of furniture or furnishing items suitable for being positioned between a bottom (<NUM>) and a door (<NUM>) of a piece of furniture, said hinge being connectable with a fixed part thereof within a recessed seat (<NUM>) of the bottom (<NUM>) of the furniture and with a movable part thereof, to said door (<NUM>), at least in correspondence with an edge (S) of said door (<NUM>), wherein
said fixed part of the hinge comprises a box-like element (<NUM>, <NUM>) containing
- at least partially a shaped supporting arm (<NUM>) of a rotation pin (<NUM>), wherein said rotation pin (<NUM>) is the point around which the articulation of the hinge (<NUM>) takes place and around which said door (<NUM>) is caused to rotate with respect to the bottom (<NUM>),
- a shaped connecting rod (<NUM>), at least partially protruding from said box-like element (<NUM>,<NUM>) and provided with a rototranslation movement, said connecting rod (<NUM>) at a first end carrying a pin (<NUM>) sliding inside a guiding slot (<NUM>) of a plate (<NUM>) held in said box-like element (<NUM>,<NUM>) and at a second end being rotatably connected by means of a plug (<NUM>) to an L-shaped joint (<NUM>) arranged in correspondence with the edge (S) of said door (<NUM>),
- a depth-adjustment block (<NUM>) and a horizontal- or side-adjustment block (<NUM>) arranged in correspondence with respective holes (<NUM>,<NUM>) and above said shaped arm (<NUM>);
said movable part of the hinge comprises an L-shaped joint (<NUM>) arranged in correspondence with the edge (S) of said door (<NUM>) a spring (<NUM>) also being provided, connected at one end (<NUM>) to said plate (<NUM>) and at the other end (<NUM>) to a slide (<NUM>) which can be moved with respect to said plate (<NUM>) by means of said sliding pin (<NUM>) within a guiding slot (<NUM>) and integral with said shaped connecting rod (<NUM>).