Furniture hinge

Abstract

A furniture hinge includes a first fitting portion, a second fitting portion, and a hinge axis hingedly connecting the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion. The fitting portions are movable between a first position, in which the furniture parts are aligned substantially coplanar to one another, and a second position, in which the furniture parts are aligned substantially parallel to one another. A cover can at least partially cover a gap formed between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, and a movement of the cover can be coupled to a movement of the furniture hinge. The first fitting portion and/or the second fitting portion includes an abutment, and the cover includes a counter-abutment. Upon a relative movement of the fitting portions, the abutment abuts against the counter-abutment. The cover, due to the abutment bearing against the counter-abutment, can be moved about the hinge axis.

Claims

1. A furniture hinge, comprising: a first fitting portion configured to be fixed to a first furniture part; a second fitting portion configured to be fixed to a second furniture part; a hinge axis hingedly connecting the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion to one another, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion being movable relative to one another between a first position, in which the first furniture part and the second furniture part are aligned substantially coplanar to one another, and a second position, in which the first furniture part and the second furniture part are aligned substantially parallel to one another; and a cover movably supported about the hinge axis, the cover being configured to at least partially cover a gap formed between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, and a movement of the cover is coupled to a movement of the furniture hinge, wherein at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion includes an abutment and the cover includes a counter-abutment, wherein the abutment of the at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, upon a relative movement of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion relative to each other, abuts against the counter-abutment of the cover, and the cover is configured to be moved at least partially about the hinge axis due to the abutment bearing against the counter-abutment.

2. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a longitudinal direction, and a shell surface of the cover, in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, is curved-shaped.

3. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein a shell surface of the cover is partially cylindrical.

4. The furniture hinge according to claim 3, wherein the shell surface of the cover extends over more than a semi-cylinder.

5. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the furniture hinge includes a hinge body pivotally supported about the hinge axis, wherein the cover is connected or is configured to be releasably connected to the hinge body.

6. The furniture hinge according to claim 5, wherein the hinge body is coaxially arranged with respect to the hinge axis.

7. The furniture hinge according to claim 6, wherein the hinge body is substantially cylindrical.

8. The furniture hinge according to claim 5, wherein the hinge body has a ribbing for releasably fixing the cover thereto.

9. The furniture hinge according to claim 5, wherein the hinge body is a first hinge body of at least two hinge bodies, the at least two hinge bodies being spaced from one another along the hinge axis.

10. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the counter-abutment of the cover extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the cover.

11. The furniture hinge according to claim 10, wherein the counter-abutment extends substantially over an entire length of the cover.

12. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the counter-abutment of the cover is configured as a rounded limb.

13. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the counter-abutment of the cover, in the first position or in the second position, bears against the abutment of the at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion.

14. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the counter-abutment of the cover, in at least one intermediate position located between the first position and the second position of the furniture hinge, is spaced from the abutment of the at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion.

15. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the abutment has an integral one-piece configuration jointly with the at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, and/or the counter-abutment has an integral one-piece configuration jointly with the cover.

16. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, wherein the cover is movable about the hinge axis in a first pivoting direction due to the co-operation of the abutment with the counter-abutment.

17. The furniture hinge according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion further includes a second abutment and the cover includes a second counter-abutment, the cover being movable about the hinge axis in a second pivoting direction opposing the first pivoting direction due to the co-operation of the second abutment with the second counter-abutment.

18. An item of furniture comprising a furniture carcass, a first furniture part, and a second furniture part, each of the first furniture part and the second furniture part being movably supported relative to the furniture carcass and being hingedly connected to one another by the furniture hinge according to claim 1.

19. The furniture hinge according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment device having a movably supported adjustment element configured to adjust a position of the first fitting portion relative to the second fitting portion via actuation of the adjustment element.

20. The furniture hinge according to claim 19, wherein the adjustment device is configured such that, by an actuation of the adjustment element, a position of the first fitting portion and a position of the second fitting portion are synchronically and symmetrically adjusted in relation to the hinge axis.

21. The furniture hinge according to claim 20, wherein the actuation of the adjustment element adjusts the position of the first fitting portion and the position of the second fitting portion in a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following description of figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1a, 1b are perspective views of an item of furniture comprising a furniture carcass and furniture parts movably-supported relative to the furniture carcass in two different positions,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a possible embodiment of a furniture hinge in a perspective view,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the furniture hinge according to FIG. 2 in a further relative position of the fitting portions to one another,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the furniture hinge in an exploded view,

(6) FIG. 5a-5d show the furniture hinge in two different relative positions of the fitting portions to one another in a view from below, and enlarged detail views thereof, and

(7) FIG. 6a-6d show the furniture hinge in two further relative positions of the fitting portions to one another in a view from below, and enlarged detail views thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIG. 1a shows an item of furniture 1 comprising a furniture carcass 2 and furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b, each of the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b being movably supported relative to the furniture carcass 2. The furniture parts 3a, 3b are hingedly connected to one another by two or more furniture hinges 8, the furniture hinges 8 being spaced from each other in a height direction and being fixed to a rear side of the furniture parts 3a, 3b. The other two furniture parts 4a, 4b are also pivotally connected to one another by two or more furniture hinges 8 spaced from one another in the height direction. In the shown figure, the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are located in a first position in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are aligned substantially coplanar to one another. The furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are movable relative to the furniture carcass 2 by a guide system 6, the guide system 6 including a guide rail 7 and running carriages 5a, 5b movably supported in a longitudinal direction (L) of the guide rail 7. The guide rail 7, in a mounted condition, is arranged substantially parallel to a front edge of the furniture carcass 2. The first running carriage 5a is hingedly connected to the furniture part 3a, whereas the second running carriage 5b is pivotally connected to the furniture part 4b.

(9) FIG. 1b shows the item of furniture 1 according to FIG. 1a, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are located in a second position in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are aligned substantially parallel to one another. The furniture parts 3a, 3b, in a parallel position to one another, can be inserted—jointly with the first running carriage 5a—into a first lateral insertion compartment 9a in a depth direction (Z). The other furniture parts 4a, 4b, in a parallel position to one another, can be inserted—together with the second running carriage 5b—into a second lateral insertion compartment 9b in the depth direction (Z). A gap is formed between each of the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b, and the gap can be at least partially covered by a cover 11 in at least one relative position of the furniture hinges 8. In the parallel positions of the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b, the covers 11 are arranged between the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b. The covers 11 are formed as longitudinal profiles made of metal or plastic, the covers 11 extending substantially over an entire height of the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b. A direct comparison between FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b shows that in a first position, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are aligned substantially coplanar to one another (FIG. 1a), an inner carcass 10 can be entirely separated from the remaining area of a room. In the second position, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b are aligned substantially parallel to one another, the inner carcass 10 is freely accessible for a person. For example, the inner carcass 10 can be in the form of a kitchen block, an office niche, a storage room, a shelf or a walk-in closet.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a possible embodiment of a furniture hinge 8 in a perspective view. The furniture hinge 8 includes a first fitting portion 12 configured to be fixed to a first furniture part 3a and a second fitting portion 13 configured to be fixed to a second furniture part 3b. The first fitting portion 12 and the second fitting portion 13 are pivotally connected to one another by at least one hinge axis 14. Each of the fitting portions 12, 13 can include a flat-shaped bearing surface configured to be fixed to a flat-shaped inner side of the furniture parts 3a, 3b. The first fitting portion 12 and/or the second fitting portion 13 can include at least one or a plurality of fastening locations 15, for example in the form of bores. By the fastening locations 15, the fitting portions 12, 13 can be fixed to the furniture parts 3a, 3b, for example with the aid of screws. In FIG. 2, the fitting portions 12, 13 are located in a position corresponding to the coplanar first position of the furniture parts 3a, 3b to one another (FIG. 1a).

(11) The cover 11 has a longitudinal direction (L2), and a shell surface of the cover 11, in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L2), can be curved-shaped. According to a possible embodiment, the shell surface of the cover 11 can be partially cylindrical. Preferably, the shell surface of the cover 11 extends over more than a semi-cylinder. The cover 11 is connected or is configured to be releasably connected to the furniture hinge 8. In the shown embodiment, the cover 11 is configured to be releasably connected to at least one hinge body 16a. Preferably, the cover 11 is configured to be releasably connected to the hinge body 16a by a snap-connection device. The hinge body 16a is freely pivotally supported about the hinge axis 14, or is possibly movable about the hinge axis 14 against an action of a force storage member. The at least one hinge body 16a can be arranged coaxially to the hinge axis 14. Preferably, the at least one hinge body 16a is substantially cylindrical. In the shown embodiment, two identically configured hinge bodies 16a, 16b are provided, the hinge bodies 16a, 16b being spaced from one another along the hinge axis 14.

(12) The furniture hinge 8 includes at least one adjustment device 17 having at least one movably supported adjustment element 17a. By an actuation of the at least one adjustment element 17a, a position of the first fitting portion 12 relative to the second fitting portion 13 can be adjusted. With a possible embodiment, by an actuation of the at least one adjustment element 17a, the position of the first fitting portion 12 and the position of the second fitting portion 13 can be synchronically and symmetrically adjusted in relation to the at least one hinge axis 14, preferably in a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis 14. For example, this can be implemented such that the hinge axis 14 is configured as a threaded spindle at least over a region, and the threaded spindle is in threading engagement with two or more threaded nuts 18a, 18b, 18c. The threaded nut 18b is connected to the first fitting portion 12, whereas the other threaded nuts 18a, 18c are connected to the second fitting portion 13. Upon a rotation of the adjustment element 17a, the threaded nuts 18a, 18b, 18c are adjustable along the hinge axis 14. Therefore, the fitting portions 12, 13 can be synchronically and symmetrically adjusted in relation to the hinge axis 14. The adjustment element 17a can have a receiving device for a tool, so that the adjustment element 17a can be rotated with the aid of a tool. Upon a rotation of the adjustment element 17a, the hinge bodies 16a, 16b cannot be rotated, because the hinge bodies 16a, 16b are loosely supported about the hinge axis 14. In the shown figure, two adjustment elements 17a, 17b are provided, and the two adjustment elements 17a, 17b are spaced from one another along the hinge axis 14. In this way, the adjustment elements 17a, 17b can be actuated from above and from below, preferably with the aid of a tool in the form of a screwdriver, in order for a position of the fitting portions 12, 13 to be adjusted relative to one another.

(13) FIG. 3 shows the furniture hinge 8 in a perspective view, in which the fitting portions 12, 13 are located in a position corresponding to the parallel second position of the furniture parts 3a, 3b to one another (FIG. 1b). The cover 11 is thereby located in a centered position in relation to the fitting portions 12, 13, so that the cover 11 at least partially covers a gap formed between the furniture parts 3a, 3b when the furniture parts 3a, 3b are aligned parallel to one another. Thereby, the cover 11, in the parallel position of the furniture parts 3a, 3b to one another, is arranged between the furniture parts 3a, 3b, whereby an unobtrusive and compact arrangement of the cover 11 can be afforded.

(14) FIG. 4 shows the furniture hinge 8 in an exploded view. The first fitting portion 12 and the second fitting portion 13 are pivotally connected to one another by at least one hinge axis 14. The hinge axis 14 can be rotated by the adjustment elements 17a, 17b of the adjustment device 17 for adjusting a relative position between the first fitting portion 12 and the second fitting portion 13. A peripheral surface of the substantially cylindrical hinge bodies 16a, 16b can be provided with a ribbing 19 for releasably fixing the cover 11 to the annular-shaped hinge bodies 16a, 16b. At least one abutment 20a, 20b, preferably in the form of a control edge integrally formed on one of the fitting portions 12, 13, is arranged on the first fitting portion 12 and/or on the second fitting portion 13. At least one counter-abutment 21a, 21b is arranged or formed on the cover 11, the at least one counter-abutment 21a, 21b extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction (L2) of the cover 11. Preferably, the counter-abutment 21a, 21b extends over substantially an entire length of the cover 11. In the shown figure, the counter-abutment 21a, 21b of the cover 11 is configured as a rounded limb extending at least over a region along the longitudinal direction (L2) of the cover 11. Upon a movement of the fitting portions 12, 13, starting from the position shown in FIG. 4 into a position according to FIG. 3, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b connected to the fitting portions 12, 13 in the mounted condition are aligned substantially parallel to one another, the abutment 20a of the fitting portions 12, 13 abuts against the counter-abutment 21a of the cover 11. Therefore, the cover 11 can be entrained in a pivoting direction about the hinge axis 14 due to the co-operation of the abutment 20a with the counter-abutment 21a, so that the cover 11 eventually reaches the pivoting position shown in FIG. 3.

(15) In the shown embodiment, the cover 11 includes a second counter-abutment 21b configured to be identical as the first counter-abutment 21a. A second abutment 20b can be arranged on the first fitting portion 12 and/or on the second fitting portion 13, the second abutment 20b being configured to co-operate with the second counter-abutment 21b of the cover 11. Upon a movement of the fitting portions 12, 13, starting from the position shown in FIG. 3 in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b connected to the fitting portions 12, 13 in the mounted condition are aligned substantially parallel to one another, into the position shown in FIG. 2, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b are aligned substantially coplanar to one another, the second abutment 20b of the fitting portions 12, 13 abuts against the second counter-abutment 21b of the cover 11. Therefore, the cover 11 can be entrained in a second pivoting direction about the hinge axis 14 due to the co-operation of the second abutment 20b with the second counter-abutment 21b, so that the cover 11 eventually reaches the pivoting position shown in FIG. 2.

(16) As already mentioned in the introductory part, the arrangement of a second abutment 20b of the fitting portions 12, 13 and the arrangement of a second counter-abutment 21b of the cover 11 is not mandatorily required, because the cover 11 can be moved in a first pivoting direction, due to the co-operation of the first abutment 20a with the first counter-abutment 21a, against a force of a force storage member. Therefore, the cover 11 can be driven at least partially about the hinge axis 14 in a second pivoting direction by a force of the force storage member. However, the arrangement of two counter-abutments 21a, 21b on the cover 11 offers the opportunity to snap the cover 11 onto the ribbings 19 of the hinge bodies 16a, 16b via the two counter-abutments 21a, 21b. In a fixed condition, the cover 11 is held with a sufficient holding force on the hinge bodies 16a, 16b by a material elasticity of the cover 11.

(17) Due to the co-operation of the first abutment 20a of the fitting portions 12, 13 with the first counter-abutment 21a of the cover 11, and due to the co-operation of the second abutment 20b of the fitting portions 12, 13 with the second counter-abutment 21b of the cover 11, the cover 11 can be newly centered upon each opening and closing movement. According to an embodiment, the at least one abutment 20a, 20b, jointly with one of the fitting portions 12, 13, has an integral one-piece configuration, and/or that the at least one counter-abutment 21a, 21b, jointly with the cover 11, has an integral one-piece configuration.

(18) FIG. 5a shows the furniture hinge 8 in a view from below, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b connected to the fitting portions 12, 13 in a mounted condition are aligned substantially coplanar to one another. Visible is the cover 11 with the two counter-abutments 21a, 21b. In the shown figure, the abutment 20a of the fitting portions 12, 13 bears against the counter-abutment 21a of the cover 11. FIG. 5b shows the encircled region of FIG. 5a in an enlarged view.

(19) When now the fitting portions 12, 13 are moved relative to one another, the abutment 20a of the fitting portions 12, 13 is lifted from the counter-abutment 21a of the cover 11 (FIG. 5c), and the cover 11 remains in its relative position, that is to say that the cover 11 is not yet rotated about the hinge axis 14. In this intermediate position of the fitting portions 12, 13, the abutments 20a, 20b of the fitting portions 12, 13 are spaced from the counter-abutments 21a, 21b of the cover 11. FIG. 5d shows the encircled region of FIG. 5c in an enlarged view. It can be seen that the abutments 20a, 20b can be arranged offset relative to one another by approximately 90° on at least one of the fitting portions 12, 13.

(20) FIG. 6a shows the furniture hinge 8 in a view from below in a further relative position of the fitting portions 12, 13 to one another, in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b connected to the fitting portions 12, 13 in a mounted condition adopt an angle of approximately 90° to one another. It can be seen that the abutment 20b of the fitting portions 12, 13 abuts against the counter-abutment 21b of the cover 11, thereby initiating the start of a pivoting movement of the cover 11 about the hinge axis 14. FIG. 6b shows the encircled region of FIG. 6a in an enlarged view.

(21) By a continued movement of the fitting portions 12, 13 to one another, the cover 11 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction due to the co-operation of the abutment 20b with the counter-abutment 21b. In FIG. 6c, the fitting portions 12, 13 have reached a position in which the furniture parts 3a, 3b connected to the fitting portions 12, 13 in a mounted condition are aligned substantially parallel to one another (FIG. 1b). The cover 11 has been moved by the abutment 20b of the fitting portions 12, 13, starting from FIG. 6a, over a partial path of the maximum pivoting angle range of the furniture hinge 8 about the hinge axis 14, and the cover 11 is centered relative to the fitting portions 12, 13.