Abstract
A corner fitting for a door element, in particular for a glass door element, includes first and second fitting elements, which each include, at least sectionwise, a locating portion, which includes an intermediate layer able to contact the door element. The fitting elements delimit the restraining area, wherein a holding element is in operative connection with a connecting element, which serves for supporting the door element on a center of rotation and/or an axis. At least one exchangeable rigid distancing element is disposed between the fitting elements outside the locating portions. The distancing element forms a counter-bearing to the locating portions and the door element which can be restrained in the restraining area.
Claims
1. A corner fitting for a door element including a first fitting element and a second fitting element, which each include, at least sectionwise, a locating portion, which comprises an intermediate layer able to contact with the door element, and the fitting elements delimit a restraining area, wherein a holding element is interconnected with a connecting element, which serves for supporting the door element on a center of rotation and/or an axis, wherein at least one exchangeable rigid distancing element is disposed between the first and second fitting elements and separate from the locating portions, wherein the distancing element forms a counter-bearing to the locating portions and the door element which can be restrained in the restraining area, wherein a free space in the shape of a recess extends along the longitudinal extension of the fitting elements, and the holding element is supported with a head part in the free space to be movable, wherein, in the fixing condition, the holding element with a resting portion, which is located at the head part, abuts against the free space.
2. The corner fitting according to claim 1, wherein the first and second fitting elements each include a mount, at which the distancing element is disposed and which is provided separate from the locating portions.
3. The corner fitting according claim 2, wherein the mount includes a reception in which the distancing element extends.
4. The corner fitting according to claim 2, wherein the first and second fitting elements are embodied with a lower recess, in which the connecting element is displaceable, wherein a bottom area forms as a free space between the first and second fitting elements, and the distancing element is located at approximately the same height as that of the lower recess.
5. The corner fitting according to claim 4, wherein two distancing elements are provided, wherein the lower recess for the connecting element is located between the distancing elements.
6. The corner fitting according to claim 2, wherein the mount forms a common structural component with at least one of the first and second fitting elements.
7. The corner fitting according to claim 1, wherein the distancing element is exchangeable with a distancing element having a different material thickness to accommodate a thickness of the door element, without the need to exchange the intermediate layer.
8. The corner fitting according to claim 1, wherein an attaching mechanism is incorporated at the holding element as well as at the connecting element, which mechanism is transferable between a released condition and a fixing condition, wherein, in the released condition, the holding element is displaceable at the first and second fitting elements, and in the fixing condition it is connected to at least one of the first and second fitting elements.
9. The corner fitting according to claim 8, wherein the attaching mechanism is configured such that in the released condition, a static friction is effective between the holding element and the free space, which is considerably lower than the static friction, that is effective in the fixing condition between the holding element and the free space.
10. The corner fitting according to claim 8, wherein in the fixing condition, a clamping is effective between the holding element and the free space, wherein the clamping prevents a movement of the holding element in relation to the fitting elements.
11. The corner fitting according to claim 8, wherein the attaching mechanism is configured such that during the transfer from the fixing condition into the released condition and vice versa, the holding element performs a stroke movement within the free space.
12. The corner fitting according to claim 8, wherein a transfer from the fixing condition into the released condition and vice versa can be performed via the attaching mechanism, which is disposed at the connecting element and is accessible for the user from the outside of the corner fitting.
13. The corner fitting according to claim 1, wherein the holding element includes a connecting part, to which the connecting element is attached, via the attaching element, wherein the head part and the connecting part are aligned vertically.
14. A method for adjusting a corner fitting for a door element for accommodating different material thicknesses of the door element in the corner fitting, including a first fitting element and a second fitting element, which, each at least sectionwise, include a locating portion, which comprises an intermediate layer able to contact the door element, and the first and second fitting elements delimit a restraining area, wherein a holding element is interconnected with a connecting element, which serves for supporting the door element on a center of rotation and/or an axis, at least one distancing element is disposed on a mount between the first and second fitting elements and separate from the locating portions, wherein the distancing element forms a counter-bearing to the locating portions and the door element, which can be restrained in the restraining area, wherein the method includes the following steps are intended: 1) dismounting the first and second fitting elements, 2) removing the at least one distancing element from the mount, 3) inserting at least one new distancing element having a different material thickness into the mount, 4) mounting the first and second fitting elements.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Hereinafter, further measures enhancing the disclosure will be illustrated in more detail in conjunction with the description of preferred embodiments of the disclosure based on the Figures.
(2) In the drawings:
(3) FIG. 1 A and FIG. 1B: show a corner fitting known from the state-of-the-art, which serves for accommodating door elements having different door leaf thicknesses by inserting different intermediate layers,
(4) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the essential structural components of an inventive corner fitting, which serve for forming a restraining area and for disposing the corner fitting on an axis of rotation,
(5) FIG. 3 A and FIG. 3B show the reception of a glass door element with a universal glass cutout in the corner fitting of FIG. 2, wherein the fitting element shown in FIG. 2 on the top right is not illustrated, in a top view from the bottom in A), and in a lateral view in B),
(6) FIG. 4 A and FIG. 4B show the inventive corner fitting of FIG. 2 with just one distancing element with a glass door element with Italian glass cutout, wherein the fitting element shown in FIG. 2 on the top right is not illustrated, in A) in a top view from the bottom, and in B) in a lateral view in, and
(7) FIG. 5 A and FIG. 5B show the corner fitting of FIG. 2 in a frontal sectional view, wherein in A) a glass door element having a glass thickness of approximately 15 mm is restrained, and in B) a door element having a glass thickness of approximately 8 mm is restrained.
(8) Throughout the different Figures, same parts are always identified by the same reference numerals, and therefore they will be normally only described once.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(9) FIGS. 1A and B illustrate a corner fitting 100 known from the state-of-the-art in a frontal view with the part of the corner fitting 100 to be disposed on an axis of rotation. The corner fitting 100 comprises two fitting elements 30 and 40, which engage in each other in the lower part via contours. By means of said contours, the fitting elements 30 and 40 form a reception area, respectively a restraining area 70 for a door element 20. For this purpose, the fitting elements 30 and 40 include respective locating portions 50 and 51, which each abut indirectly via an intermediate layer 60 on both sides of the door element 20. In the frontal view on the corner fitting 100, illustrated in the FIGS. 1A and B, just the part of the locating portions 50 tapering towards the axis of rotation can be seen. As the locating portions 50 and 51 taper in the direction of a reception for the axis of rotation, below the door element, which includes a cutout, the contour thereof following approximately the locating portions 50, a free space is formed in the frontal part of the corner fitting 100, illustrated in FIGS. 1A and B, below the door element 20 for being able to accommodate the corner fitting 100 respectively for being able to dispose it on a center of rotation respectively an axis of rotation.
(10) As shown in FIG. 1A, the corner fitting 100 known from the state-of-the-art is structurally designed for a door element 20 having a relatively thick glass thickness. This means that the thickness of the intermediate layers 60 can be kept as low as possible, so that a cover placed onto the fitting elements 30 and 40, which surrounds the fitting elements 30 and 40, abuts against the surfaces of the door element 20. In the present case, the cover surrounding the fitting elements 30 and 40 is not illustrated. In case it is desired to utilize the corner fitting 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A for disposing a door element 20 on a center of rotation respectively an axis of rotation, and the door element 20 has a smaller glass thickness, the known corner fitting 100 needs to be adapted to the smaller glass thickness of the glass door element by means of intermediate layers 60, wherein the intermediate layers 60 need to be correspondingly thicker to be able to accommodate, respectively to restrain the glass door element as illustrated in FIG. 1B, which has a smaller glass thickness than the door element 20 illustrated in FIG. 1A, in the restraining area between the fitting elements 30 and 40. A cover, respectively a cover element, as the one that would be used in FIG. 1A for covering the fitting elements 30 and 40, would then not abut anymore against the glass door element 20 such that a gap could be visible between the cover and the surfaces of the glass door element and formed on both sides of the door element. In addition, a thicker intermediate layer 60 could result in that clamping, respectively restraining the door element 20 between the fitting elements 30 and 40 in the restraining area 70 would become more unstable, which could in particular affect the longevity of the corner fitting 100. In the extreme case, the material properties of the intermediate layers 60 could change over the time of operational demands on the known corner fitting 100 such that the door element 20 tilts out of the clamping respectively restraining area 70 and thereby damages for example a floor or gets damaged itself. This could be possibly counteracted in that in case of operational demand on the known corner fitting, the connection between the fitting elements 30 and 40 would be readjusted to press for example an intermediate layer 60 that became brittle or softer with a higher pressure to the surfaces of the door element 20 restrained in the restraining area 70. Also even if the corner fitting 100 known from the state-of-the-art would be able to solve the indicated problems, namely for example with a cover element drawn deeper, which would abut against the surfaces of the door element 20 when restraining a narrower glass door element 20, and if the materials of the intermediate layers 60 would be improved insofar that they would keep the material properties over the period of operation of the known corner fitting 100, it is still disadvantageous that with narrower door elements 20, i.e. with door elements 20 having a smaller glass thickness, the construction depth of the corner fitting 100 would increase when inserting thicker intermediate layers 60.
(11) FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate an inventive corner fitting 1, which solves all the problems of a conventional corner fitting 100
(12) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of an inventive corner fitting 1 without the frame surrounding the fitting elements 3 and 4 and without a cover element attached to the frame. At the fitting elements 3 and 4, the inventive corner fitting 1 comprises locating portions 5 and 5.1 configured at least sectionwise, which serve for locating a door element 2, which is disposed between the fitting elements 3 and 4 and disposed on an axis of rotation respectively a center of rotation. As the fitting elements 3 and 4 are preferably made from metal, a metal allow or also for example a plastic material metal alloy, the locating portions 5 and 5.1 respectively comprise an intermediate layer 6, which is between the locating portions 5 and 5.1 and the door element 2. As the door element 2 is preferably a glass door element, on the one hand the intermediate layer serves for preventing the contact of metal on glass. On the other hand, the intermediate layers 6 assist the dampening properties of the inventive corner fitting 1, increase the friction quotient between the glass door element and the fitting elements 3 and 4, and also when the elasticity is lower, they serve as screw securing for the attaching means 14, by means of which the fitting elements 3 and 4 are preferably connected to each other. Preferably, the intermediate layers 6 are made from a plastic material or a rubber elastic material for this purpose. Obviously, the intermediate layers 6 could be configured from ferroelastic soft materials or metal elastomer compounds, such as known for example for cylinder heads in the automotive industry. In particular, when utilizing the inventive corner fitting 1 for disposing glass door elements 2, which serve as fire-rated doors, highly durable metal elastomer compounds would be of importance for the intermediate layers 6. One respective mount 9, which serves for disposing, i.e. for inserting exchangeable rigid distancing elements 8 and 8.1, is intended in the lower area of the fitting elements 3 and 4. In the fitting element 4, the mount 9 is a recess in the shape of a pocket hole, which serves for the at least positive accommodation of the distancing element 8.1. The mount 9 illustrated for the fitting element 3 for inserting the rigid distancing element 8 is configured as a separate structural component, which engages, respectively can be inserted for example into a bore, in particular into a pocket hole configured at the fitting element 3. The mount 9 of the fitting element 3, just like the mount 9 of the fitting element 4, has a recess, which serves for inserting, respectively for a positive connection to the distancing element 8. As illustrated in the following FIGS. 3 and 4, depending on the type of glass cutout of the door element 2, the mount 9 inserted into the fitting element 3 can be optionally foregone, which however, does not affect the functioning of the remaining distancing element, in this case the distancing element 8.1, nor does it affect the functioning of the corner fitting 1.
(13) A connecting element 11, which is operatively connected to a holding element 10, serves for supporting the door element 3 on the center of rotation 2 and/or the axis. The holding element 10 includes a head part 10.1 and a connecting part 10.2. In the present case, the connecting element 11 is non-positively and/or positively operatively connected at the connecting part 10.2 to the holding element 10 and together with the connecting element 11 forms the attaching mechanism. The holding element 10 being in operative connection with the connecting element 11 is guided via the head part 10.1 to be movable in a free space 13 configured as a recess in the shape of a groove in the fitting element 3 and the fitting element 4. In this case, the free space 13 is configured in the shape of recess configured as a groove parallel to the longitudinal extension of the fitting elements 3 and 4. The holding element 10 and the connecting element 11, which is in operative connection via the attaching elements 15, are thereby displaceable parallel in the free space 13, i.e. with regard to, i.e. in the longitudinal extension of the fitting elements 3 and 4. As the connecting element 11 with the holding element 10 is displaceable in the opposite direction in relation to a restrained door element 2, the door element 2 can be infinitely variably adjusted to a center of rotation for example in its position in a door frame or a glass door installation. In the event e.g. the center of rotation, respectively the axis of rotation of the door element 2 is located outside the standardized ranges for the usual centers of rotation, namely outside of 55 mm, 65 mm or 70 mm, the door element 2 may be aligned on the center of rotation and/or the axis by displacing the holding element 10 with the connecting element 11, which is operatively connected to the holding element 10. In the present case, the holding element 10 and the connecting element 11 are configured as two interconnected structural components comprising the attaching mechanism, which presently is incorporated into both structural components, namely the holding element 10 and the connecting element 11. For transferring the attaching mechanism form the released condition, in which the holding element 10 is supported to be movable in the longitudinal extension of the fitting elements 3 and 4 in the free space 13 configured as a recess, into the fixing condition, the attaching elements 15, which connect the holding element 10 via the connecting part to the connecting element 11, are screwed into the through-holes 18. When screwing the attaching elements 15 into the connecting part 10.2 of the holding element 10, the head part 10.1 of the holding element gets clamped at least sectionwise non-positively in the free space 13, configured as a recess in the form of a groove or a slot on both sides of the fitting elements 3 and 4. Thus, in the fixing condition of the attaching mechanism, the displaceability of the holding element 10 and of the connecting element 11 operatively connected to the holding element 10 is disabled, respectively the holding element 10 is immobilized at the fitting elements 3 and 4.
(14) As already described, attaching elements 15, which pass through through-holes 18 in the shape of bores configured in the connecting element 11, serve for the non-positive and/or positive connection between the connecting element 11 and the holding element 10. Advantageously, the through-holes 18 or bores are embodied in the shape of internal thread bores. Advantageously, the attaching elements 15 configured in the shape of screws engage in the through-holes 18 configured as internal thread bores. For disposing the door element 2 on a center of rotation and/or an axis, a reception 16 is configured almost in the center of the connecting element 11. Advantageously in this case, the reception 16 is adaptable to the center of rotation and/or the axis, for example by means of different adapter inserts.
(15) As, in the present exemplary embodiment, the connecting element 11 is a single component of the corner fitting 1, obviously the latter may obviously be variably connected to the holding element 8 also with differently sized receptions 16. For connecting the holding element 10 to the connecting element 11, the connecting element 11 has apertures 17 configured in the area of the through-holes 18, which serve for accommodating the connecting part 10.2 of the holding element 10, which in the present case is configured as a tappet. The tappets have respectively one bore 19, through which the attaching elements 15 engage, which are guided in the through-holes 18 and thereby non-positively and/or positively connect the connecting element 11 to the holding element 10. The head part 10.1 of the holding element disposed orthogonally to the connecting part 10.2 is guided, respectively retained in the free space 13 configured as a recess in the fitting elements 3 and 4.
(16) For this purpose, the head part 10.1 has resting portions 12, which reach abutment at locating surfaces configured in the free space 13. By tightening the attaching elements 15 and by abutment of the resting portions 12 of the head part 10.1 of the holding element 10 against the locating surfaces of the free space 13 of the fitting elements 3 and 4, an increased static friction is generated between the resting portions 12 of the head part 10.1 of the holding element 10 and the locating surfaces of the free space 13, and thus results in a non-positive connection between the holding element 10 and the fitting elements 3 and 4. The non-positive connection between the holding element 10 and the free space 13 of the fitting elements 3 and 4 may be even increased in that the resting portions 12 of the head part 10.1 of the holding element 10 include a ribbing on the surface, for example a diamond-shaped ribbing, which engages in a ribbing configured in the locating surfaces of the free space 13 such that in addition to the non-positive connection also a positive connection is created between the holding element 10 and the fitting elements 3 and 4. For increasing a clamping, i.e. the friction effect between the holding element, in particular between the engaging, respectively resting portion 12 and the free space 13 configured as a recess, advantageously, the engaging, respectively resting portion 12 includes a ribbing. Obviously, the clamping of a holding element 10 configured as a clamping plate, may also just be effected by a non-positive connection.
(17) The FIGS. 3 A and B show the corner fitting 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 without the fitting element 4, in A in a top view from the bottom and in B in a lateral view. Also a frame surrounding the fitting element 3, and a cover, respectively a cover element fitted onto said frame are not illustrated in FIGS. 3 A and B for the sake of clarity. As illustrated in the FIGS. 3 A and B, the distancing elements 8 and 8.1 are disposed parallel to each other outside the locating portion 5 almost on the height of a lower recess 13.1 in the bottom area 13.2 of a free space formed between the fitting elements 3 and 4. In this case, the lower recess 13.1 serves for the displaceability of the connecting element 11 with the holding element 10 parallel to the longitudinal extension of the fitting elements 3 and 4. The locating portion 5 is adapted to the glass cutout of the door element 2 restrained in the corner fitting 1. The locating portion 5 just as the intermediate layer 6, which is surrounded by the locating portion 5, in the right part, as illustrated in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, extend over the entire height of the fitting element 3 and taper to the left following the glass cutout, such that below the glass cutout, the free space is created for accommodating the holding element 10 and the connecting element 11, which is operatively connected to the holding element 10, as well as for disposing the distancing elements 8 and 8.1 between the fitting elements 3 and 4. In the present caste, the glass cutout configured in the door element 2 is a glass cutout universal. As the size of the rigid distancing elements 8 and 8.1 is adaptable to the glass thickness of the door element 2, i.e. the distancing elements 8 and 8.1 are exchangeable, all door elements with a glass cutout universal having different glass thicknesses can be restrained with the inventive corner fitting 1 and be disposed for example on an axis of rotation.
(18) FIGS. 4 A and B likewise show the corner fitting 1 of FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein however here a door element 2 having an Italian glass cutout is restrained between the fitting elements 3 and 4. Presently, for the purpose of illustration, just the fitting element 3 is illustrated. In this case, a top view from the bottom is shown in FIG. 4 A, and a lateral view of the inventive corner fitting 1 is shown in FIG. 4 B. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4B, the Italian glass cutout superimposes the position for the second distancing element 8. Insofar, here just the distancing element 8.1, which is inserted into the aperture 9 of the fitting element 3, serves as a counter bearing to the locating portion 5 and 5.1 and the door element 2 restrained between the fitting elements 3 and 4. As the size of the distancing element 8.1 is adaptable to the glass thickness of the door element 2, i.e. the distancing element 8.1 is exchangeable, all door elements with an Italian glass cutout having different glass thicknesses can be restrained with the inventive corner fitting 1 and be disposed for example on an axis of rotation.
(19) The advantageous functioning of the inventive corner fitting 1, namely in particular the consistent construction depth thereof with the same intermediate layers 6 is represented in an impressive way by illustrating the inventive corner fitting in a frontal sectional view in the FIGS. 5 A and B.
(20) In FIG. 5 A, the door element 2 is clamped between the fitting elements 3 and 4, which compared to the door element 2 of FIG. 5 B has a glass thickness which is almost twice as thick. By way of example the door element 2 has a glass thickness of 15 mm in FIG. 5 A. By way of example the door element 2 in FIG. 5 B has a glass thickness of just 8 mm. As can be seen in both FIGS. 5 A and B, the distances between the fitting elements 3 and 4 and the door element 2, namely seen towards the surfaces thereof, are identical, because the intermediate layers 6 remain the same, namely when comparing the FIGS. 5 A and 5 B, they have the same material thickness, even though the glass thickness of the restrained door element is almost half as thick. Thus, independently of the glass thickness of the accommodated door element 2 and independently of the size of the restraining area 7, the construction depth of the inventive corner fitting 1 can remain constant. As pressure is built-up in the upper area of the corner fitting 1, namely between the fitting elements 3 and 4 on both sides of the door element 2 by tightening the attaching means 14, wherein the force, applied for the pressure approximately in the center of the leaf thickness of the door element 2, i.e. almost in the center of the restraining area 7 in the resultant, is equal to zero, in the lower area of the corner fitting 1, namely between the fitting elements 3 and 4 outside the restraining area 7, a similar ratio of forces needs to be generated between the fitting elements 3 and 4. This is realized according to the disclosure by disposing the distancing element 8.1, which extends between the fitting elements 3 and 4 outside the restraining area 7 in the free space formed between the fitting elements 3 and 4 in the bottom area 13.2 between the fitting elements 3 and 4 and props up against the fitting elements 3 and 4. The size of the free space in the bottom area 13.2 between the fitting elements 3 and 4 in FIG. 5 B is so small that the fitting elements 3 and 4 almost contact each other. In contrast thereto, the free space in the bottom area 13.2 between the fitting elements 3 and 4 as illustrated in FIG. 5 A, is considerably larger. In this case, the size of the distancing element 8.1 is determined by the glass thickness of the door element 2 and is to be adapted such that the distancing element 8.1 extends over the free space between the fitting elements 3 and 4. It can be seen in FIG. 5 A that a larger distancing element 8.1 is inserted between the fitting elements 3 and 4 than the one in FIG. 5 B. In this case, the difference of the glass thickness of FIG. 5 A to the glass thickness of FIG. 5 B determines the difference in size between the distancing element 8.1 of FIG. 5 A and the distancing element 8.1 of FIG. 5 B.
