Hinge Comprising a Biasable Flat Spiral Spring

Abstract

The invention relates to a hinge (10) comprising a pivotable hinge part (12), a fixed hinge part (14) and a biasable spring element, wherein the pivotable hinge part (12) is pivotably mounted on the fixed hinge part (14) about a pivot axis (S) via a bearing (16), and wherein the biasable spring element is arranged on the bearing (16). The invention is characterized in that the spring element is designed as a flat spiral spring (18).

Claims

1. Hinge (10) comprising a pivotable hinge part (12), a fixed hinge part (14) and a biasable spring element (18) which is a flat spiral spring wound to form an Archimedean spiral, wherein the pivotable hinge part (12) is mounted via a bearing (16) on the fixed hinge (14) so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (S), and wherein the biasable spring element (18) is arranged on the bearing (16) and can be tensioned by means of an adjustable torque adjustment unit (28), characterized in that the fixed hinge part (14) is designed to form a housing (40) which accommodates the bearing (16), the spring element (18), and the torque adjustment unit (28) that can be adjusted by means of an adjusting screw (30), and a damping element (34).

2. Hinge (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat spiral spring (18) and the pivot axis (S) are arranged coaxially.

3. Hinge (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat spiral spring (18) has its radially outer end (26) connected to the pivotable hinge part (12).

4. Hinge (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion of the pivotable hinge part (12) arranged on the bearing (16) is designed as a plain bearing (23).

5. Hinge (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the radially inner end (24) of the flat spiral spring (18) is operatively connected to the adjustable torque adjustment unit (28).

6. Hinge (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixed hinge part (14) has an adjustable stop (36) for the pivotable hinge part (12).

7. Hinge (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that further arranged within the housing (40) is the plain bearing (23), as well as the adjustable stop in the housing (40).

8. Hinge (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the flat spiral spring (18) has its radially outer end (26) connected to the pivotable hinge part (12).

9. Hinge (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the portion of the pivotable hinge part (12) arranged on the bearing (16) is designed as a plain bearing (23).

10. Hinge (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the portion of the pivotable hinge part (12) arranged on the bearing (16) is designed as a plain bearing (23).

11. Hinge (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the radially inner end (24) of the flat spiral spring (18) is operatively connected to the adjustable torque adjustment unit (28).

12. Hinge (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the radially inner end (24) of the flat spiral spring (18) is operatively connected to the adjustable torque adjustment unit (28).

13. Hinge (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the radially inner end (24) of the flat spiral spring (18) is operatively connected to the adjustable torque adjustment unit (28).

14. Hinge (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the fixed hinge part (14) has an adjustable stop (36) for the pivotable hinge part (12).

15. Hinge (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the fixed hinge part (14) has an adjustable stop (36) for the pivotable hinge part (12).

16. Hinge (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the fixed hinge part (14) has an adjustable stop (36) for the pivotable hinge part (12).

17. Hinge (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the fixed hinge part (14) has an adjustable stop (36) for the pivotable hinge part (12).

18. Hinge (10) according to claim 14, characterized in that further arranged within the housing (40) is the plain bearing (23), as well as the adjustable stop in the housing (40).

19. Hinge (10) according to claim 15, characterized in that further arranged within the housing (40) is the plain bearing (23), as well as the adjustable stop in the housing (40).

20. Hinge (10) according to claim 16, characterized in that further arranged within the housing (40) is the plain bearing (23), as well as the adjustable stop in the housing (40).

21. Hinge (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that further arranged within the housing (40) is the plain bearing (23), as well as the adjustable stop in the housing (40).

Description

[0021] In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a top view of the hinge according to the invention, in an open position thereof;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the pivotable hinge part, with the flat spiral spring arranged in it and the torque adjustment unit arranged on it;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a view of a flat spiral spring;

[0025] FIG. 4 are views of the housing in its closed and open states, resp.; and

[0026] FIG. 5 is an exploded view illustrating the individual components of the hinge.

[0027] FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 are various schematic views of a hinge designated by reference numeral 10.

[0028] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, hinge 10 comprises a pivotable hinge part 12 and a fixed hinge part 14, which fixed hinge part 14 is formed by a bearing 16 on which the pivotable hinge part 12 is rotatably mounted and on which a flat spiral spring 18 is arranged. The flat spiral spring 18 and the pivotable hinge part 12 are arranged coaxially on the bearing 16.

[0029] The embodiment of FIG. 2 shows the pivotable hinge part 12 which has a hinge arm 12a and a hinge leaf 12b. At its end remote from the hinge leaf 12b, the hinge arm 12a is formed into a bearing bushing 20, which connects positively with a bearing journal 22 formed on the bearing 16, thus forming a plain bearing 23. The flat spiral spring 18 arranged radially around the bearing 16 constitutes the drive for the pivotable part 12 of the hinge, with the pivot axis S defining the movement B of the hinge.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, starting from the radially inner end 24 of the spring, the flat spiral spring 18 is wound as an Archimedean spiral, and its turns run spirally in one plane. The turns are formed from strip or flat material, thus making the flat spiral spring 18 very narrow as seen perpendicular to the plane of its turns. The radially outer end 26 and the radially inner end 24 of the flat spiral spring 18 are adapted to be anchored in place.

[0031] As illustrated in the embodiments of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a torque adjustment unit 28 is arranged on the flat spiral spring 18, and the radially inner end 24 of the flat spiral spring 18 is connected to the torque adjustment unit 28. In this embodiment, the flat spiral spring 18 is anchored in a groove of the torque adjustment unit 28. The torque adjustment unit 28 allows the flat spiral spring 18 to be pretensioned to the required torque. The pretension of the flat spiral spring 18 can be varied by means of an adjusting screw 30 located on the fixed hinge part 14, with the screw shaft meshing with a toothed portion 32 of the torque adjustment unit 28. Varying the adjusting screw 30 results in a corresponding rotation of the torque adjustment unit 28, which in turn pretensions the flat spiral spring 18 that is firmly anchored at both its ends 24, 26. The pretension set in this way is maintained by means of the adjusting screw 30. A damping element 34 is arranged on the pivotable hinge part 12 and ensures a controlled smooth upward pivoting movement of the pivotable hinge part 12 and the flap (not shown). In this embodiment, the damping element 34 is positively connected to the pivotable hinge part 12, with the fixed end of the damping element being firmly secured to the cover 42.

[0032] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a stop 36 with a stop screw 38 for the pivotable hinge part 12 is provided on the fixed hinge part 14. In the completely open position of the flap, the pivotable part makes contact with a stop screw 38 disposed on the fixed hinge part 14. The stop screw 38 can be used for a fine adjustment of the open position of the hinge 10. It is possible to provide a spring on the stop screw 38 in order to dampen the impact.

[0033] In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4, the fixed hinge part 14 is designed as a housing 40. The frontal top view of the housing 40 shows the vertically very narrow design of hinge 10, which is made possible by the flat spiral spring 18. In the present embodiment, the housing 40 comes with a cover 42. It is possible to make the housing 40 of plastic, and to connect the cover 42 to the housing 40 in a positive, force-locking or material-locking manner. The individual components of the hinge 10 are all accommodated within the housing 40. The housing 40 holds the individual parts of the overall mechanism of the hinge 10 together and secures the individual components in place by means of projections 46. The housing 40 advantageously protects the mechanism from damage. The stop screw 38 screwed through the housing 40 and the adjusting screw 30 of the torque adjustment unit 28 are easily accessible from the outside through openings 44 in the housing 40.

[0034] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the hinge 10 which in particular illustrates the way the individual parts of the assembly are arranged in housing 40 and how they are secured by housing 40.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0035] 10 hinge

[0036] 12 pivotable hinge part

[0037] 12a hinge arm

[0038] 12b hinge leaf

[0039] 14 fixed hinge part

[0040] 16 bearing

[0041] 18 flat spiral spring

[0042] 20 bearing bushing

[0043] 22 bearing journal

[0044] 23 plain bearing

[0045] 24 inner end of the spring

[0046] 26 outer end of the spring

[0047] 28 torque adjustment unit

[0048] 30 adjusting screw

[0049] 32 toothed portion of torque adjustment unit

[0050] 34 damping element

[0051] 36 stop

[0052] 38 stop screw

[0053] 40 housing

[0054] 42 cover

[0055] 44 openings

[0056] 46 projections

[0057] B pivot movement

[0058] S pivot axis