Patent Description:
These pivot hinges are typically mounted to a pivot door and comprise a pin, often cylindrical in shape, which can extend from the upper edge of the pivot door. To install the pivot door the pin in its extended position is then to be received in a suitable opening in the structural element, e.g. ceiling or floor. This opening could, for example, be provided in the structural element itself, or in a dedicated mounting plate that is to be fixed to the structural element. Alternatively, the pivot hinge can be mounted to the structural element, e.g. ceiling, floor or a door frame provided thereon. To install the pivot door the pin is extended and is received in a suitable opening in the pivot door.

The pivot pin and the opening typically engage such that the pivot door has a fixed position relative to the structural element, e.g. ceiling and/or floor or door frame, apart from rotation around a vertical pivot axis as defined by the pin. In other words, by using a pivot hinge the pivot door can rotate around the vertical pivot axis and as such can swing between open and closed positions.

Such pivot hinges are known from e.g. <CIT> or <CIT>. In <CIT> the pin can move to an extended position from the upper edge of the door by means of a spring. This means that when installing the door the pin has to be actively pushed down prior to its alignment with the opening in the ceiling. In <CIT> the pin can be caused to move between a retracted and projecting position by operating a rotary shank which runs in a rack that is formed on the pin intermediate its ends. These known pivot hinges are therefore disadvantageous as the hinges rely on cumbersome mechanisms for extending and/or retracting the pin.

<CIT> discloses a pivot hinge with a pin that can move to an extended position.

It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative pivot hinge. It is a further object of the invention to provide a pivot hinge that allows for improved installation and/or removal of a pivotal door leaf.

This object is achieved by a pivot hinge according to claim <NUM> having an extendable and retractable pivot pin for pivotally connecting a pivotal door leaf with a structural element.

The pivot hinge comprising the lever assembly allows for a reliable mechanism for extension and retraction of the pivot pin.

The lever adjustment member is operable from outside the casing. The lever adjustment member is operable from the inner side edge of the door leaf.

In this way easy access to the mechanism is provided when installing and/or removing such a door leaf.

The pivot pin is movably provided in a vertical passage within the casing and the lever assembly is located within the casing. This leads to a robust and integrated pivot hinge.

The lever member is located on an opposite side of the pivot pin relative to the lever adjustment member. This is advantageous, e.g. as it allows for the vertical pivot axis to be located close to the edge of door, whilst still being able to provide sufficient leverage. That is, the distance between the inner side edge of the door and the pivot axis does not rely on the size of the lever member.

The pivot hinge further comprises a slidable base member that is movably mounted in the casing, the slidable base member supporting the lever assembly, the vertical passage and the pivot pin, such that sliding of the base member adjusts a lateral position of the pivot pin relative to the door leaf or the structural element. As such the slidable base member allows for different positions of the vertical passage, pivot pin and the lever assembly. This may e.g. be advantageous when installing a door leaf as the alignment of the door leaf with respect to the structural element (e.g. floor, ceiling) and/ or the alignment of the pivot pin with respect to an opening in said structural element may be adjusted.

The pivot hinge comprises a base adjustment member being configured such that operating the base adjustment member causes the slidable base member to move in the casing, e.g. in a in the direction parallel to the upper edge. This is advantageous as then the distance between the inner side edge and the pivot pin can easily be adjusted. In other words, this facilitates ease of adjustment of the position of the base member that is supporting the vertical passage, pivot pin and lever assembly. The operation of the base adjustment member is independent of operation of the lever adjustment member. That is, adjusting the pivot pin position through the lever adjustment member does not affect adjusting the position of the slidable base member through the base adjustment member, or vice versa.

The casing is configured to be mounted to the door leaf, and the base adjustment member is operable from the inner side edge of the door leaf. Then, it is easy for an installer to access the base adjustment member.

The slidable base member includes a block which defines the vertical passage therein and has sliding faces that are in sliding engagement with the casing. The block may add stability and stiffness to the pivot pin.

The block may be made of a low friction material, e.g. plastic. This leads to low friction for the movement of the pin between the extended and retracted positions (i.e. the up and down movement), and simultaneously to low friction for the movement of the slidable base member along the casing.

In a practical embodiment, the casing is provided with inner ribs to slidably support the slidable base member, e.g. the block thereof.

The invention further relates to a pivotal door leaf provided with a pivot hinge according to the invention. Then the pivotal door leaf can rotate around the vertical pivot axis and as such can swing between open and closed positions. The vertical pivot axis is located between the inner edge of the pivotal door leaf, and a central axis of the pivotal door leaf.

In an embodiment the pivot hinge is mounted to the upper edge of the door leaf, e.g. in corner region between the inner side edge and the upper edge of the pivotal door leaf.

The invention further relates to a structural element and a pivotal door leaf connected to the structural element via a pivot hinge according to the invention, wherein the casing is mounted to the door leaf, for example at the upper edge of the door leaf.

The invention further relates to a method of installing and/or removing a pivotal door leaf according to the invention, wherein the method comprises the steps of:.

The invention will be explained further with reference to the drawings, in which like reference symbols designate like parts. In these drawings:.

In <FIG> is shown a pivot hinge <NUM> having an extendable and retractable pivot pin <NUM> for pivotally connecting a pivotal door leaf with a structural element, the door leaf having an upper edge, lower edge, an inner side edge and an outer side edge, and the pivot pin <NUM> defining a vertical pivot axis P. It is noted that in <FIG> the vertical pivot axis P coincides with the line A-A.

The pivot hinge <NUM> is shown to further comprise a casing <NUM> configured to be mounted to the door leaf, for example at the upper edge of the door leaf, e.g. at a corner region between the inner side edge and the upper edge of the door leaf. The casing <NUM> comprises an inner side plate <NUM>, a top plate <NUM> and an outer side plate <NUM>.

The top plate <NUM> has an opening <NUM> through which the extended pivot pin <NUM> may project. In this embodiment the opening is of an elliptical shape, but other shapes are conceivable.

The pivot pin <NUM> is movably provided in a vertical passage <NUM> within the casing <NUM>.

In <FIG> is shown that the pivot hinge <NUM> comprises a lever assembly <NUM>. This lever assembly <NUM> is located within the casing <NUM> and is adapted to move the pivot pin <NUM> between a retracted position (shown e.g. <FIG>) and an extended position (shown e.g. in <FIG>, <FIG>). In <FIG> the pivot pin <NUM> is in an extended position in which the pivot pin <NUM> projects outwardly from the casing <NUM>, through the opening <NUM> in the top plate <NUM>. In <FIG> the pivot pin <NUM> is in a retracted position in which the pivot pin <NUM> is located within the casing <NUM>.

The lever assembly <NUM> has a lever member <NUM> having a first end <NUM> engaging the pivot pin <NUM>, a fulcrum <NUM>, and a second end <NUM>. The lever adjustment member <NUM> is operable from the inner side edge of the leaf door. It is positioned in or near the inner side plate <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The lever adjustment member <NUM> is in engagement with the second end <NUM> of the lever member <NUM> such that operating the lever adjustment member <NUM> causes the lever to pivot about the fulcrum <NUM>, which in turn causes movement of the pivot pin <NUM> between the retracted and extended positions. In <FIG> the lever adjustment member <NUM> comprises a connecting block <NUM> with which the second end <NUM> of the lever member is coupled. A linear movement of the connecting block <NUM> in the direction parallel to the top plate <NUM> leads to a rotation of the fulcrum <NUM>, which in turn leads to a linear movement of the pin <NUM> in the vertical direction.

The lever member <NUM> is located on an opposite side of the pivot pin <NUM> relative to the lever adjustment member <NUM>. Adjustment member <NUM> comprises a fastener <NUM> that can be operated through opening <NUM> in the inner side plate <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. Rotation of the fastener <NUM> pushes the connecting block <NUM> towards the outer side edge and/or pulls the block <NUM> towards the inner side edge.

The pivot hinge <NUM> further comprises a slidable base member that is movably mounted in the casing <NUM>, the slidable base member supporting the lever assembly <NUM>, the vertical passage <NUM> and the pivot pin <NUM>, such that sliding of the base member adjusts a lateral position of the pivot pin relative to the door leaf or the structural element. For example, when the pivot hinge <NUM> is mounted to a door leaf, e.g. a the corner region between the inner side edge and the upper edge of the door leaf, the slidable base member is movably mounted in the casing <NUM> such that it can slide in a direction parallel to the upper edge.

The pivot hinge <NUM> comprises a base adjustment member <NUM> being configured such that operating the base adjustment member <NUM> causes the slidable base member to move in the direction parallel to the upper edge of the door leaf, i.e. parallel to the top plate <NUM>. The base adjustment member <NUM> is operable from the inner side edge of the door leaf as it is positioned in or near the inner side plate <NUM> of the casing <NUM>.

Adjustment member <NUM> comprises a fastener <NUM> that can be operated through opening <NUM> in the inner side plate <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. Rotation of the fastener <NUM> pushes adjustment block <NUM> towards the outer side edge and/or pulls the adjustment block <NUM> towards the inner side edge. Then the distance between the inner side edge and the pivot pin <NUM> can be adjusted. That is, depending on the rotation of fastener <NUM> the vertical passage <NUM>, pivot pin <NUM> and lever assembly <NUM> move towards the inner side edge or towards the outer side edge. The latter can be seen in comparing <FIG> and <FIG> to <FIG> and <FIG>.

In <FIG> is shown a cross-section of the pivot hinge <NUM> of <FIG> along C-C. In <FIG> is shown a view in perspective of a pivot hinge. In these figures the pivot pin <NUM> is in an extended state and projects from the top plate <NUM> through opening <NUM>. Furthermore, it can be seen in <FIG> that the vertical passage <NUM>, pivot pin <NUM> and lever assembly <NUM> are located further towards the outer side edge relative to their position of <FIG>. Similarly, in <FIG> the pivot pin <NUM> is located further towards the outer side edge. This adjusted state is achieved through the base adjustment member <NUM> being configured such that operating the base adjustment member <NUM> causes the slidable base member to move in the direction parallel to the upper edge of the door leaf.

In <FIG> is shown a cross-section in perspective of the pivot hinge <NUM> of <FIG> along the line A-A and in <FIG> is shown an exploded view of pivot hinge <NUM>. It can be seen that the slidable base member includes a block <NUM>, which is made of a low friction material. The block <NUM> defines the vertical passage <NUM> therein and has sliding faces <NUM>, <NUM> that are in sliding engagement with the casing <NUM>. In <FIG> and <FIG> is shown that the casing <NUM> is provided with inner ribs <NUM> to slidably support the slidable base member, e.g. the block <NUM> thereof.

In <FIG> is shown a pivotal door leaf <NUM> provided with a pivot hinge <NUM>. The door leaf <NUM> has an upper edge <NUM>, lower edge <NUM>, an inner side edge <NUM> and an outer side edge <NUM>. The door leaf <NUM> is installed in an opening between walls <NUM>, <NUM> and is pivotally connected to the ceiling <NUM> by means of pivot hinge <NUM>. The pivot hinge <NUM> is mounted to a corner region between the inner side edge <NUM> and the upper edge <NUM> of the pivotal door leaf. The pivot hinge <NUM> may be provided internally within the door leaf <NUM> and/or may form the outer contour of the door leaf <NUM> in said corner region. In case of a fully internal pivot hinge openings in the inner side edge <NUM> of the door may be provided to allow access to the lever adjustment member <NUM> and/or base adjustment member <NUM>. The pivot pin <NUM> defines the vertical pivot axis P and in the extended position projects into an opening in ceiling plate <NUM>. The vertical pivot axis P is located at a distance d from the inner side edge. This distance can be adjusted by means of the base adjustment member <NUM>. It is noted that in <FIG> the vertical pivot axis P is located relatively close to the inner edge <NUM> of the door leaf <NUM>. It is conceivable that the vertical pivot axis P is located further towards and/or coinciding with a central axis of the door leaf <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Pivot hinge (<NUM>) having an extendable and retractable pivot pin (<NUM>) for pivotally connecting a pivotal door leaf with a structural element, the door leaf having an upper edge, lower edge, an inner side edge and an outer side edge, and the pivot pin defining a vertical pivot axis (P),
wherein the pivot hinge (<NUM>) further comprises:
- a casing (<NUM>) configured to be mounted to the door leaf, for example at the upper edge of the door leaf, e.g. at a corner region between the inner side edge and the upper edge of the door leaf, wherein the pivot pin is movably provided in a vertical passage (<NUM>) within the casing,
- a slidable base member that is movably mounted within the casing, the slidable base member supporting a lever assembly (<NUM>), the vertical passage (<NUM>) and the pivot pin (<NUM>), such that sliding of the base member adjusts a lateral position of the pivot pin relative to the door leaf, wherein the slidable base member includes a block (<NUM>) which defines the vertical passage (<NUM>) therein and has sliding faces (<NUM>,<NUM>) that are in sliding engagement with the casing,
- a base adjustment member (<NUM>) being configured such that operating the base adjustment member causes the slidable base member to move in the casing, e.g. in a direction parallel to the upper edge,
- a lever assembly (<NUM>) adapted to move the pivot pin between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the lever assembly is located within the casing, the lever assembly comprising:
∘ a lever member (<NUM>) having a first end (<NUM>) engaging the pivot pin, a fulcrum (<NUM>), and a second end (<NUM>),
∘ a lever adjustment member (<NUM>) being in engagement with the second end of the lever such that operating the lever adjustment member causes the lever to pivot about the fulcrum, which in turn causes movement of the pivot pin between the retracted and extended positions,
characterized in that
the lever member (<NUM>) is located on an opposite side of the pivot pin (<NUM>) relative to the lever adjustment member (<NUM>),
the lever adjustment member (<NUM>) is operable from outside the casing (<NUM>) from the inner side edge of the door leaf, and in that the base adjustment member (<NUM>) is operable from the inner side edge of the door leaf.