Invisible hinge for furniture

1 . A hinge for a piece of furniture that comprises a furniture door, said hinge comprising a substantially flat-shaped fixed part conformed to be inserted in a seat provided within the thickness of a horizontal wall of the piece of furniture and open on a front side of the same wall, and a movable part connectable to the furniture door, the fixed part and the movable part being swingably connected with each other by an articulation device comprising at least first and second rockers and an articulation axis, the hinge further comprising a movement control device for controlling the closing/opening movement of the hinge and a drive member for driving the movement control device, said movement control device being configured as a damping device for damping the closing and/or the opening movement of the hinge or as a spring opening device for opening the hinge;

wherein the movement control device is completely arranged within one of said fixed part and movable part of the hinge;

wherein said drive member is movably supported by the same hinge part in which the movement control device is arranged, the drive member being operatively connected or actuated by the other of said fixed part or movable part of the hinge, the drive member transferring relative movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediate transmission elements separate from said articulation device; and

wherein the drive member transfers relative movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device without contact or action from the articulation device.

2 . The hinge of claim 1 , characterized in that the movement control device is arranged in the movable part of the hinge and in that the drive member is movably arranged and supported in the movable part of the hinge and operatively connected or actuatable by the fixed part of the hinge.

3 . The hinge of claim 2 , characterized in that the drive member is a lever swingably connected in said movable part of the hinge and having a first arm arranged to contact the movement control device and a second arm arranged to contact a portion of the fixed part at least during a part of the closing and/or opening movement of the hinge.

4 . The hinge of claim 1 , characterized in that the movement control device is arranged in the fixed part of the hinge and in that the drive member is movably arranged and supported in the fixed part of the hinge and operatively connected or actuatable by the movable part of the hinge.

5 . The hinge of claim 4 , characterized in that the drive member is a slider slidably supported in the fixed part of the hinge and operatively connected to the movement control device by a transmission mechanism, the slider protruding from the fixed part of the hinge to be pushed by the movable part of the hinge during at least part of the closing movement of the hinge.

6 . The hinge of claim 1 , characterized in that the drive member is operatively connected to the movement control device or actuates the same one directly or indirectly by at least one intermediate transmission element.

7 . The hinge of claim 1 , characterized in that the movement control device comprises a damping device for damping the closing and/or opening movement of the hinge, the hinge further comprising spring means for closing the same hinge;

or wherein

the movement control device comprises a spring opening device for opening the hinge.

8 . The hinge of claim 1 , characterized in that the fixed part of the hinge has a flat shape extending according to a plane orthogonal to the at least one articulation axis.

9 . The hinge of claim 1 , characterized in that the fixed part has a box-shaped body made in one piece or made by several parts.

10 . A piece of furniture comprising:

at least a horizontal wall having a predefined thickness;

said horizontal wall comprising at least a seat provided in said thickness and at least open on a front side of the same wall;

said piece of furniture further comprising at least a door;

said piece of furniture further comprising at least one hinge according to claim 1 , wherein said hinge with its fixed part substantially flat shaped is fitted in said seat, and with its said movable part connected to the door.

11 . The hinge of claim 1 , wherein said fixed part comprises a casing and a support element within said casing, wherein said support element is movable and adjustable.

12 . The hinge of claim 11 , wherein said support element is a flat element.

13 . The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the drive member is configured to transfer movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device with no movement of the articulation device.

14 . The hinge of claim 1 , wherein said fixed part comprises a casing and a flat support element within said casing, wherein said flat support element is movable and adjustable, and wherein the drive member is configured to transfer movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device with no movement of the articulation device.

15 . The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the drive member transfers relative movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device directly.

16 . The hinge of claim 1 , wherein the drive member transfers relative movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device indirectly through one or more intermediate transmission elements separate from said articulation device.

17 . A hinge for a piece of furniture that comprises a furniture door, said hinge comprising a substantially flat-shaped fixed part conformed to be inserted in a seat provided within the thickness of a horizontal wall of the piece of furniture and open on a front side of the same wall, and a movable part connectable to the furniture door, the fixed part and the movable part being swingably connected with each other by an articulation device comprising at least first and second rockers and an articulation axis, the hinge further comprising a movement control device for controlling the closing/opening movement of the hinge and a drive member for driving the movement control device, said movement control device being configured as a damping device for damping the closing and/or the opening movement of the hinge or as a spring opening device for opening the hinge;

wherein the movement control device is completely arranged within one of said fixed part and movable part of the hinge;

wherein said drive member is movably supported by the same hinge part in which the movement control device is arranged, the drive member being operatively connected or actuated by the other of said fixed part or movable part of the hinge, the drive member transferring relative movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediate transmission elements separate from said articulation device; and

wherein the drive member is configured to transfer movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device with no movement of the articulation device.

18 . A hinge for a piece of furniture that comprises a furniture door, said hinge comprising a substantially flat-shaped fixed part conformed to be inserted in a seat provided within the thickness of a horizontal wall of the piece of furniture and open on a front side of the same wall, and a movable part connectable to the furniture door, the fixed part and the movable part being swingably connected with each other by an articulation device comprising at least first and second rockers and an articulation axis, the hinge further comprising a movement control device for controlling the closing/opening movement of the hinge and a drive member for driving the movement control device, said movement control device being configured as a damping device for damping the closing and/or the opening movement of the hinge or as a spring opening device for opening the hinge;

wherein the movement control device is completely arranged within one of said fixed part and movable part of the hinge;

wherein said drive member is movably supported by the same hinge part in which the movement control device is arranged, the drive member being operatively connected or actuated by the other of said fixed part or movable part of the hinge, the drive member transferring relative movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediate transmission elements separate from said articulation device;

wherein said fixed part comprises a casing and a flat support element within said casing;

wherein said flat support element is movable and adjustable; and

wherein the drive member is configured to transfer movement between the movable part and the fixed part to the movement control device with no movement of the articulation device.