HINGE SYSTEM

Abstract

A hinge system for pivotably coupling at least one layered composite panel to a counterpart. The hinge system comprising a hinge element having a first hinge leaf and a second hinge leaf and a base element which is configured to be mechanically coupled to the first hinge leaf of the hinge element by means of a first coupling device. The base element is configured to be arranged at least predominantly within a layer structure of the layered composite panel and the base element is configured to be mechanically coupled to the layered composite panel by means of a first fastening device and/or a second fastening device.

Claims

1. A hinge system for pivotably coupling at least one layered composite panel to a counterpart, comprising: a hinge element having a first hinge leaf and a second hinge leaf; and a base element which is configured to be mechanically coupled to the first hinge leaf of the hinge element by means of a first coupling device; and wherein the base element is configured to be arranged at least predominantly within a layer structure of the layered composite panel; and wherein the base element is configured to be mechanically coupled to the layered composite panel by means of a first fastening device and/or a second fastening device.

2. The hinge system according to claim 1, wherein the first fastening device and/or the second fastening device are configured to form a non-positive connection with an edge of a recess of a first top layer of the layered composite panel in order to mechanically couple the base element to the layered composite panel; and/or wherein the first fastening device and/or the second fastening device are configured to form a positive connection with the first cover layer of the layered composite panel by means of a first latching element and/or a second latching element in order to mechanically couple the base element to the layered composite panel.

3. The hinge system according to claim 2, wherein the first fastening device is configured by means of a first fixing screw to fix the first latching element in a latched position of the positive-fit connection, and/or is configured by means of a second fixing screw to fix the second latching element in a latched position of the positive-fit connection; and/or the first fastening device is configured by means of the first fixing screw to form the non-positive connection; and/or the second fastening device is configured by means of the second fixing screw to form the non-positive connection.

4. The hinge system according to claim 2, wherein the first latching element of the first fastening device is configured, by means of a first resilient element; and/or wherein the second latching element of the second fastening device is configured, by means of a second elastic element, to be introduced into the recess of the first cover layer in order to form the positive connection with an inner surface of the first cover layer in the latched position of the positive connection, by means of at least one outer shoulder of the first latching element or the second latching element.

5. The hinge system according to claim 1, wherein the base element has a first adjusting element; and the first hinge leaf has a second adjusting element, wherein the first adjusting element is configured to cooperate with the second adjusting element to adjust a relative position of the first hinge leaf with respect to the base element.

6. The hinge system according to claim 5, wherein the first adjusting element has a first eccentric bolt and is configured to cooperate the second adjusting element of the first hinge leaf in such a way that, a rotation of the first eccentric bolt relative to the base element, to adjust the relative position of the first hinge leaf with respect to the base element, in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the hinge element.

7. The hinge system according to claim 6, wherein the first eccentric bolt has a resiliently mounted projection in order to determine a position of the first eccentric bolt by cooperation of the projection with a recess in a wall of a cavity of the first adjusting element, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the first eccentric bolt.

8. The hinge system according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge leaf is manufactured in one piece with the second hinge leaf and with a film hinge; and the first hinge leaf is resiliently coupled to the second hinge leaf by means of the film hinge in order to form an axial coupling of the first hinge leaf with the second hinge leaf; and/or wherein the first hinge leaf and the second hinge leaf are manufactured in multiple parts, and the hinge system has a hinge joint for an axial coupling of the first hinge leaf to the second hinge leaf in order to form the axial coupling of the first hinge leaf to the second hinge leaf.

9. The hinge system according to claim 1, wherein the second hinge leaf has a third adjusting element which is configured to cooperate with a fourth adjusting element of the counterpart in order to determine a relative position of the second hinge leaf with respect to the counterpart.

10. The hinge system according to claim 9, wherein the third adjusting element has a second eccentric bolt and is configured to cooperate with the fourth adjusting element of the counterpart in such a way that a rotation of the second eccentric bolt relative to the second hinge leaf, the relative position of the second hinge leaf with respect to the counterpart is adjustably fixed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the hinge element.

11. The hinge system according to claim 10, wherein the third adjusting element has a receiving device to cooperate with a second pin of the second eccentric bolt and with an underside of a cylindrical base body of the second eccentric bolt in order to guide the second eccentric bolt.

12. The hinge system according to claim 10, wherein the fourth adjusting element of the counterpart has a slot recess, and wherein the slot recess is configured to cooperate with a base body of the second eccentric bolt such that a rotation of the second eccentric bolt displaces the second hinge leaf relative to the counterpart in a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis.

13. The hinge system according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge leaf has a first coupling latching element and/or a second coupling latching element, wherein in each case the coupling latching element is configured to cooperate accordingly with a first coupling recess of the base element and/or with a second coupling recess of the base element in order to mechanically couple the hinge element to the base element.

14. The hinge system according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge leaf and/or the second hinge leaf are configured to form a position of the axis of rotation of the hinge element parallel to a contact surface of the first hinge leaf and of the second hinge leaf, and displaced in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, in order to reduce a gap dimension of the closed hinge element.

15. A base element for a layered composite panel for coupling to a hinge element, comprising: a first coupling device that is configured to mechanically couple the base element to a first hinge leaf of the hinge element; wherein the base element is configured to be arranged at least predominantly within a layer structure of the layered composite panel; and wherein the base element is configured to be mechanically coupled to the layered composite panel by means of a first fastening device and/or a second fastening device; and wherein the base element has a first adjusting element; and wherein the first adjusting element is configured to cooperate with a second adjusting element of the first hinge leaf in order to determine a relative position of the first hinge leaf with respect to the base element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] In the following, the present invention is described in detail with reference to some embodiments and the attached drawings.

[0054] In the drawings:

[0055] FIG. 1A shows a front view of a hinge system;

[0056] FIG. 1B shows a rear view of a hinge system;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a base element;

[0058] FIG. 3A shows a top view of an eccentric bolt;

[0059] FIG. 3B shows a side view of an eccentric bolt;

[0060] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of an assembled base element with adjusting element;

[0061] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of a hinge system;

[0062] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a hinge element;

[0063] FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a hinge element;

[0064] FIG. 8 shows a rear view of a hinge system;

[0065] FIG. 9 shows a lower rear view of a hinge element with a third adjusting element;

[0066] FIG. 10 shows an upper rear view of a hinge element with a third adjusting element;

[0067] FIG. 11 shows a plan view of a counterpart for a hinge system; and

[0068] FIG. 12 shows a side view of an assembled hinge system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] FIG. 1A schematically shows an isometric representation of a plan view of a front side of a hinge system 100 for pivotably coupling at least one layered composite panel 700 to a counterpart 800, wherein the hinge system 100 has a hinge element 300 and a base element 200. The hinge element 300 has a first hinge leaf 400 and a second hinge leaf 500, and the first hinge leaf 400 and the second hinge leaf 500 can be axially rotatably coupled to one another by means of a film hinge 320. The base element 200 is configured to be mechanically coupled to the first hinge leaf 400 of the hinge element by means of a first coupling device 240. Furthermore, the base element 200 is configured to be arranged at least predominantly within a layer structure of the layered composite panel 700 and can be configured to be mechanically coupled to the layered composite panel 700 by means of a first fastening device 210 and/or a second fastening device 220.

[0070] The base element 200 can have a first adjusting element, which can have a cavity 230 for receiving a first eccentric bolt 610. The first adjusting element can cooperate with a second adjusting element, which is arranged in the first hinge leaf 400, in order to set and/or adjustably fix a relative position of the first hinge leaf 400 with respect to the base element 200, in particular in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation 320 of the hinge element 300.

[0071] The base element (200) can have a guide groove (260) and the first hinge leaf (400) can have a corresponding guide rib (440), wherein the guide groove (260) and the corresponding guide rib (440) are configured to cooperate to guide the adjustment of the relative position of the first hinge leaf (400) with respect to the base element (200) perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the hinge element (200).

[0072] FIG. 1B schematically shows an isometric representation of a rear view of the hinge system 100, in which a second coupling device 520 of the hinge system 100 is schematically shown. The hinge system 100 can be configured to be mechanically coupled to the counterpart 800 by means of the second coupling device 520. For this purpose, the second hinge leaf 500 of the hinge element 300 can have the second coupling device 520, which can be mechanically coupled to a rear surface of the second hinge leaf 500 by means of a first web 527 and a second web 528 to the rear surface of the second hinge leaf 500. A first slot 522 and a second slot 526 in the second coupling device 520 can be configured to mechanically couple the second hinge leaf 500 to the counterpart (800) by means of a screwed connection in each case in order to mechanically couple the hinge system (100) to the counterpart 700. The rear surface of the second hinge leaf 500 can be defined in that it lies opposite a contact surface of the first hinge leaf 400 with the second hinge leaf 500 when the hinge element 300 is closed.

[0073] The second hinge leaf 500 can have a third adjusting element which is configured to cooperate with a fourth adjusting element 814 of the counterpart 800 (FIG. 11) in order to determine a relative position of the second hinge leaf 500 with respect to the counterpart 800. For this purpose, the third adjusting element can be configured to receive a second eccentric bolt 620 by means of a receiving hole 524 in the second coupling element 520 and a receiving device 530 arranged on the rear side of the second hinge leaf 500. The third adjusting element can thus have the receiving hole 524, the receiving device 530 and the second eccentric bolt 620.

[0074] FIG. 6 schematically shows an isometric front plan view of the hinge element 300 with the first hinge leaf 400 and the second hinge leaf 500, which are rotatably coupled about a hinge axis by means of a film hinge 320, wherein the hinge element 300 is manufactured in one piece. A second adjusting element has a slot in the first hinge leaf 400 in order to cooperate with a first pin 614 of the first eccentric bolt 610 of the first adjusting element to adjust and/or fix a relative position of the first hinge leaf 400 with respect to the base element 200. For this purpose, the slot 420 can extend parallel to the axis of rotation of the hinge element 300. A hole 410 in the first hinge leaf 400 is configured to cooperate with the first coupling device of the base element 200 in order to couple the hinge element 300 to the base element 200.

[0075] FIG. 7 schematically shows an isometric front bottom view of the hinge element 300. A guide rib 440, which is coupled to the first hinge leaf 400 at an underside, can be configured to cooperate with the guide groove 260 of the coupling element 200 in order to guide the adjustment of the relative position of the first hinge leaf 400 with respect to the base element 200, in particular perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the hinge element 200. In addition, the first hinge leaf can have on its underside a first coupling latching element 432 and/or a second coupling latching element 434, which are configured to cooperate with a first coupling recess 218 of the base element 200 and/or correspondingly with a second coupling recess 228 of the base element 200 in order to mechanically couple the hinge element 300 to the base element 200.

[0076] FIG. 3A schematically shows an isometric representation of a front view of the first eccentric bolt 610, which can be designed identically to the second eccentric bolt 620. The first eccentric bolt 610 and/or the second eccentric bolt 620 have a cylindrical base body 612 and a first pin 614, wherein the first pin 614 is arranged on an upper side of the cylindrical base body. A center line of the first pin 614 can be offset parallel to a center line of the cylindrical base body 612 to form the eccentric pin in each case. In addition, the first eccentric bolt 610 and/or the second eccentric bolt 620 can have a resilient element 616 on an outer cylindrical surface of the corresponding base body 612, which resilient element is configured to spring perpendicular to the outer cylinder surface of the base body 612. The resilient element 616 is mechanically coupled to a projection 618 which projects beyond the outer cylinder surface of the base body 612 in order to engage by means of the projection 618 in a recess 232 in a wall of the cavity 230 of the first adjusting element of the base element 200 and/or in a recess 532 in a rear wall of the second hinge leaf 500, in particular in order to position and/or fix the first and/or second eccentric bolts 610, 620. Furthermore, the first pin 614 of the first and/or second eccentric bolts 610, 620 can have a device 615 which is configured to receive a tool in order to rotate the first and/or second eccentric bolts 610, 620 in particular about a central axis of the first pin 614.

[0077] FIG. 3B schematically shows an isometric side view of the first and/or second eccentric bolts 610, 620, with a second pin 619 arranged on an underside of the cylindrical base body 612, wherein a center line of the second pin 619 is arranged and aligned according to the center line of the first pin 614, in particular such that the center line of the first and second pins 614, 619 can act according to an axis of rotation for the first and/or second eccentric bolt 610, 620.

[0078] FIG. 10 schematically shows an isometric representation of a rear view of the second hinge leaf 500 to illustrate how a first pin 614 of the second eccentric bolt 620 is received by the receiving hole 524 and how a base body 612 of the second eccentric bolt 620 is supported by the receiving device 530. The first pin 614 can comprise the device 615 which is configured to receive the tool in order to rotate the eccentric bolt 610, 620.

[0079] FIG. 9 schematically shows an isometric representation of a rear bottom view of the second hinge leaf 500 to illustrate how a second pin 619 of the second eccentric bolt 620 is guided by the receiving device 530 and how the base body 612 of the second eccentric bolt 620 is supported by the receiving device 530. The third adjusting element can be configured with the receiving device 530 to cooperate with the second pin 619 of the second eccentric bolt (620) and an underside of a cylindrical base body 612 of the second eccentric bolt 620 in order to guide the second eccentric bolt 620 in particular during a rotation of the second eccentric bolt 620.

[0080] FIG. 2 schematically shows an isometric plan view of an upper side of the base element 200, wherein the upper side faces the first hinge leaf 400 in the assembled state of the hinge system. The base element 200 has a first fastening device 210 and a second fastening device 220, each of which is configured to form a non-positive connection with an edge of a recess (710, FIG. 4) of a first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700 in order to mechanically couple the base element to the layered composite panel 700.

[0081] For this purpose, the first fastening device 210 can have a first cylindrical outer collar 236 and/or the second fastening device 220 can have a second cylindrical outer collar 238. The first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220 can each have a first gap 212, 222 and a second gap 213, 223 along a central axis of the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220 and aligned with a longitudinal direction of the base element 200. The central axis of the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220 can extend along a receiving opening 216, 226 of the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220, each of which is configured to receive a fixing screw.

[0082] The first gap 212, 222 and the second gap 213, 223 of each fastening device can extend from the top of the base element 200 to a bottom surface of the base element 200 in order to divide the first and/or the second fastening devices 210, 220 into two parts which are resiliently coupled by means of the corresponding bottom surface 219, 229 of the base element 200.

[0083] Due to the gaps 212, 222 and 213, 223 of the fastening devices 210, 220, the first and/or the second cylindrical outer collars 236, 238 can each be divided into two collar parts, which, in the assembled state of the base element 200 in the layered composite panel 700, can be arranged in a positively fitting manner on the corresponding recess 710 of the first cover layer.

[0084] Furthermore, the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220 can be configured by means of a corresponding first and/or second fixing screw 724, 722 to fix the positive connection of the first and/or second collar parts of the outer collar 236, 238, and, in particular by means of a conical taper of the receiving opening 216, 226 for the first and/or second fixing screw 724, 722, to couple the collar parts of each outer collar 236, 238 in a non-positive manner to the recess 710 of the first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700, in order to form in each case a non-positive connection of the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220 to the first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700.

[0085] Alternatively or additionally, the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220 can be configured by means of a first latching element 214, 215 and/or second latching element 224, 225 to form a positive connection with an inner surface of the first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700, in particular at an inner edge of the recess 710 of the inner surface of the first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700, in order to mechanically couple the base element 200 to the composite panel 700. For this purpose, the first latching element 214, 215 and/or the corresponding second latching element 224, 225 can have an outer shoulder which forms the positive connection of the first and/or second latching elements with the inner surface of the first cover layer. In this case, in each case a shoulder surface of the outer shoulder can be configured to be arranged directly adjacent to the inner surface of the first cover layer in the assembled state of the base element 200.

[0086] On the basis of the division in each case of the first and/or second fastening devices 210, 220, the first latching element 214, 215 and/or the second latching element 224, 225 can each have two latching element parts which are resiliently coupled by means of the corresponding bottom surface 219, 229. The latching element parts of the latching elements can be configured to be inserted into the recess 710 of the first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700 being pressed against one another, and to spread open again after passing the outer shoulders of the latching element part on the inner surface of the first cover layer, in particular to form the positive connection of the first and/or second latching elements with the inner surface of the first cover layer, and to advantageously mechanically couple the base element 200 to the layered composite panel 700.

[0087] The base element 200 can have a first coupling recess 218 and/or a second coupling recess 228, each of which is configured to cooperate with the first coupling latching element 432 and/or correspondingly with the second coupling latching element 434 of the first hinge leaf 400 in order to mechanically couple the hinge element 300 to the base element 200. For this purpose, the first and/or the second coupling recesses 218, 228 can have an undercut in which a corresponding latching lug of the first and/or second coupling latching element 432, 434 can engage.

[0088] The base element 200 can have a positioning protrusion 290 which can interact with a correspondingly shaped recess 710 of the first cover layer of the layered composite panel 700 in order to determine a defined installation position of the base element 200 in the layered composite panel 700.

[0089] FIG. 4 shows an isometric plan view of the surface of the base element 200, which is arranged at least predominantly within a recess 710 of a layer structure of the layered composite panel 700. The base element 200 is fixed or non-positively connected by means of the first and second fixing screws 722, 724, which are arranged in the corresponding receiving opening 216, 226 of the first and second fastening devices 210, 220. In this illustration, the first eccentric bolt 610 is arranged, in particular with the first pin 614 and the device 615 for receiving a tool, in the recess 710 of the base element 200 in order to form the first adjusting element. In particular, the device 615 for receiving a tool can have a Phillips-shaped recess for actuation by a Phillips screwdriver.

[0090] FIG. 8 schematically shows an isometric representation of a bottom view of a rear side of the hinge system 100, wherein, in addition to the previous explanations, a recess 532 is provided for engagement of the projection 618 of the second eccentric bolt 620, in particular in order to fix and/or lock the second eccentric bolt 620 in a zero position of the second eccentric bolt 620 during assembly of the hinge element 300.

[0091] FIG. 5 schematically shows the hinge system 100 with an isometric representation of a plan view of an underside of the base element 200, wherein the first eccentric bolt 610 is arranged within the cavity 230 of the base element 200. Since a bottom of the base element 200 has an opening 292, the second pin 619 of the first eccentric bolt 610 can be received by the base element 200. As a result, the first eccentric bolt 610 can be designed identically to the second eccentric bolt 620.

[0092] FIG. 11 schematically shows, in an isometric view, an embodiment of a connection of the counterpart 800 to the second hinge leaf 500 for coupling the hinge system 100 to the counterpart 800. The counterpart 800 is configured to be coupled to the hinge element 300 by means of a first hole 842 and a second hole 844, and by means of a screwed connection with the first slot 522 and the second slot 526 in the second coupling device 520 of the second hinge leaf 500. The counterpart 800 can have a fourth adjusting element 814, which is configured in the form of a slot recess to cooperate with the base body 612 of the second eccentric bolt 620 such that, in particular, a rotation of the second eccentric bolt 620 displaces the second hinge leaf 500 relative to the counterpart 800 in a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis in order to adjust and/or adjustably fix the second hinge leaf 500 relative to the counterpart 800. To accommodate the second hinge leaf 500, the counterpart 800 can have a recess 812. The counterpart 800 can have an edge 830 which is interrupted for receiving and/or coupling to the second hinge leaf 500.

[0093] FIG. 12 schematically shows a side view of the assembled hinge system 100, wherein the hinge system 100 pivotably couples the layered composite panel 700 to the counterpart 800. The hinge element 300 is coupled to the counterpart 800 by means of the second coupling device 520 of the second hinge leaf 500 and by means of a screwed connection 810. The hinge element 300 is mechanically coupled to the layered composite panel 700 by means of the first hinge leaf 400 and the base element 200 (not shown here). The axial coupling 320 of the first hinge leaf 400 to the second hinge leaf 500 is designed such that in the assembled state of the hinge system 100 the axial coupling 320 is arranged with the layered composite panel 700 and the counterpart 800 below a bottom side of the counterpart 800, in particular parallel to a contact surface of the first hinge leaf 400 and the second hinge leaf 500 in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, when the top side of the counterpart 800 is mechanically coupled to the second coupling device 520 of the second hinge leaf 500. This makes it possible to reduce or minimize a gap dimension D, which denotes a distance between a surface of the layered composite panel 700 and an edge of the counterpart 800.

[0094] When assembling the hinge system 100 with a layered composite panel 701 counterpart 800, in a first step a first eccentric bolt 610 can be inserted into a cavity 230 of a base element 200. Here the first eccentric bolt 610 can be rotated such that the resiliently mounted projection 618 of the first eccentric bolt 610 engages in a recess 232 of the wall of the cavity 230 of the coupling element 200 in order to position the first eccentric bolt 610 in a zero position in the base element 200. In a further step, the base element 200 together with the positioned first eccentric bolt 610 can be inserted into a recess 710 of the layered composite panel 700 and fixed by means of a first fixing screw 724 and by means of a second fixing screw 722 in a receiving opening 216 of the first fastening device or in a receiving opening 226 of the second fastening device in order to couple the coupling element 200 to the layered composite panel 700. In a further step, a hinge element 300 can be latched into a first and/or second coupling recess 218, 228 of the base element 200 by means of a first and/or second coupling latching element 432, 434 of a first hinge leaf 400 of the hinge element 300 and coupled to the base element 200 by means of a first coupling device 240, in particular by means of a screwed connection. In a further step, a second eccentric bolt 620 can be inserted into a receiving device 530 of a second hinge leaf 500 of the hinge element. In a further step, the second hinge leaf 500 of the hinge element 300, equipped with the second eccentric bolt 620, can be coupled to the counterpart 800, in particular by means of a screwed connection, in order to couple the layered composite panel or a furniture front to the counterpart 800 or a furniture body. The counterpart 800 can have a recess 812 in order to position the second hinge leaf 500 on the counterpart 800.

[0095] In the present description, identical reference symbols denote the same objects in order to largely avoid repetitions in the description when the same objects are repeatedly shown in different figures.