Motorized hinge
A hinge ( 1 ) for connecting a door to a household appliance compartment is described, comprising a fastening bracket ( 2 ) adapted to be fastened to the compartment of said household appliance, a movable support ( 3 ) to rotatably constrain said door to said fastening bracket ( 2 ), an activating arm ( 5 ) coupled to said fastening bracket ( 2 ), movement means ( 6 ) adapted to move said activating arm ( 5 ), said activating arm ( 5 ) comprising a first end portion ( 5 a ) adapted to be constrained to said door, and a second end portion ( 5 b ) fitted to be coupled to said movement means ( 6 ) to move said activating arm ( 5 ) between an open position (P 2 ) of the door and a closed position (P 1 ) of the door, said movement means ( 6 ) comprising an electric motor ( 10 ) and reversible connecting means ( 9 ) to couple and decouple selectively said electric motor ( 10 ) and said second end portion ( 5 b ), said hinge ( 1 ) being configured so that when said electric motor ( 10 ) is coupled to said second end portion ( 5 b ), the electric motor ( 10 ) causes the movement of the activating arm ( 5 ), whereas when said electric motor ( 10 ) is decoupled from said second end portion ( 5 b ), the movement of the first end portion ( 5 a ) occurs independently of the electric motor ( 10 ) to allow a user to freely move the door.
1. Hinge ( 1 ) for connecting a door to a household appliance compartment, comprising
a fastening bracket ( 2 ) adapted to be fastened to the compartment of said household appliance,
a movable support ( 3 ) to rotatably constrain said door to said fastening bracket ( 2 ) around a rotation axis (R-R),
an activating arm ( 5 ) coupled to said fastening bracket ( 2 ),
movement means ( 6 ) adapted to move said activating arm ( 5 ),
elastic countering means ( 7 ) functionally interposed between said fastening bracket ( 2 ) and said activating arm ( 5 ),
said activating arm ( 5 ) comprising a first portion ( 5 a ) adapted to be constrained to said movable support ( 3 ) and/or to said door, and a second portion ( 5 b ) adapted to be coupled to said movement means ( 6 ) to move said activating arm ( 5 ) between an open position (P 2 ) of the door and a closed position (P 1 ) of the door,
and wherein said movement means ( 6 ) comprise an electric motor ( 10 ), the hinge being characterized in that said movement means ( 6 ) further comprise reversible connecting means ( 9 ) to couple and decouple selectively said electric motor ( 10 ) and said second portion ( 5 b ) of the activating arm ( 5 ),
said electric motor ( 10 ) causing the activating arm ( 5 ) to move when said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) determine the coupling between said electric motor ( 10 ) and said second portion ( 5 b ) of the activating arm ( 5 ), the movement of the activating arm ( 5 ) occurring freely when said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) determine the decoupling of said electric motor ( 10 ) from said activating arm ( 5 ).
2. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said movement means ( 6 ) comprise a slider ( 11 ) moved linearly by means of said electric motor ( 10 ), said slider ( 11 ) being constrained to said second portion ( 5 b ) of the activating arm ( 5 ).
3. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said first end portion ( 5 a ) and said second end portion ( 5 b ) of the activating arm ( 5 ) are rotatably constrained to each other at an intermediate portion ( 5 c ) of the activating arm.
4. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said first end portion ( 5 a ) and said second end portion ( 5 b ) of the activating arm ( 5 ) are rotatably constrained to each other around a rotation axis parallel to said rotation axis (R-R).
5. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said electric motor ( 10 ) is a linear magnetic motor.
6. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said movement means ( 6 ) comprise a reversible screw ( 12 ) adapted to be rotated by means of said electric motor ( 10 ), said slider ( 11 ) being coupled to said screw ( 12 ) so that to transform the rotation of the screw ( 12 ) into a translation of the slider ( 11 ), said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) being configured to couple and decouple selectively said electric motor ( 10 ) and said screw ( 12 ).
7. Hinge according to claim 1 , wherein said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) comprise a coupling joint ( 19 ) provided with a first member ( 19 a ) indirectly constrained to said activating arm ( 5 ) and a second member ( 19 b ) directly or indirectly constrained to the motor shaft ( 10 a ) of said electric motor ( 10 ), said second member ( 19 b ) being movable with respect to said first member ( 19 a ) and/or vice-versa between a configuration of mutual engagement (C 1 ) wherein the rotation of the motor shaft ( 10 a ) of the electric motor ( 10 ) is transferred to said activating arm ( 5 ) and transformed into an at least partially translatory motion, and a disengagement configuration (C 2 ) wherein the activating arm ( 5 ) is free to move independently of the rotation of the motor shaft ( 10 a ) of said electric motor ( 10 ).
8. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) comprise a coupling joint ( 19 ) provided with a first member ( 19 a ) constrained to said screw ( 12 ) and a second member ( 19 b ) constrained to the motor shaft ( 10 a ) of said electric motor ( 10 ), said second member ( 19 b ) being movable with respect to said first member ( 19 a ) and/or vice versa between a configuration of mutual engagement (C 1 ) wherein the rotation of the motor shaft ( 10 a ) of the electric motor ( 10 ) is transferred to the screw ( 12 ), and a disengagement configuration (C 2 ) wherein the screw ( 12 ) is free to rotate independently of the rotation of the motor shaft ( 10 a ) of said electric motor ( 10 ).
9. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 7 , wherein said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) comprise elastic means ( 22 ) configured to lead said second member ( 19 b ) and/or said first member ( 19 a ) of said coupling joint ( 19 ) to said disengagement configuration (C 2 ).
10. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 7 , wherein said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) comprise an electromagnet ( 23 ) to lead said second member ( 19 b ) and/or said first member ( 19 a ) of said coupling joint ( 19 ) to said configuration (C 1 ) of mutual engagement.
11. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said reversible connecting means ( 9 ) are configured to couple said electric motor ( 10 ) to said second portion ( 5 b ) of said activating arm ( 5 ) in response to an activating command of a user.
12. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said elastic countering means ( 7 ) are arranged to lead said activating arm ( 5 ) towards said closed position (P 1 ) of the door.
13. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 12 , wherein said elastic countering means ( 7 ) comprise at least one spring ( 7 a ) functionally interposed between the second end portion ( 5 b ) of the activating arm ( 5 ) and the fastening bracket ( 2 ).
14. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 12 , wherein said elastic countering means ( 7 ) comprise a spring functionally interposed between the fastening bracket ( 2 ) and an intermediate portion ( 5 c ) of the activating arm ( 5 ) comprised between said first end portion ( 5 a ) and said second end portion ( 5 b ).
15. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said movement means ( 6 ) comprise a connecting bracket ( 27 ) configured to rotatably constrain said electric motor ( 10 ) to the compartment of said household appliance.
16. Hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising means ( 18 ) for detecting the absorption of electric current of said electric motor ( 10 ).
17. Household appliance comprising at least one hinge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .