Compact hinge device

1. Compact hinge device for the end opening rotation, the intermediate rotation and the end closing rotation or vice versa of a door of an appliance and comprising a first element ( 3 ) assigned to be fixed to a body of the appliance and a second element ( 5 ) assigned to be fixed to the door of said appliance, where said first ( 3 ) and second ( 5 ) elements, in an assembled condition, are mutually connected by means of a hinge pin ( 7 ) engaged in respective hinge seats ( 6 , 8 , 10 ) carried out at least in the first ( 3 ) and second ( 5 ) elements for the rotation of the door between opening and closing or vice versa, around a rotation axis of said hinge pin ( 7 ); said device ( 1 ) being characterized in that it comprises a transmission element ( 44 ) interposed between the second element ( 5 ) and one end of a cradle means ( 53 ) and it comprises elastic means ( 27 ) having an end connected to the cradle means ( 53 ) end opposite the transmission element ( 44 ); the first element ( 3 ) comprises an elongated first box member ( 41 ) containing, at least partially, the transmission element ( 44 ), the connected cradle means ( 53 ) and the elastic means ( 27 ) whose end opposite to the cradle means ( 53 ) is fixed to the first box member ( 41 ) transmitting the elastic closing force of said elastic means ( 27 ) to the second element ( 5 ); said cradle means ( 53 ) comprises a damping means ( 57 ), of cylindrical linear type and piston with protruding rod, whose each ends abut on a respective transverse pin ( 58 ) whose ends slide into respective slots ( 54 ) carried out in the cradle means ( 53 ) and into respective slots ( 42 ) carried out in the first box member ( 41 ).

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the slots for sliding the ends of the transverse pins of the damping means ( 57 ) are positioned and sized to allow the damping means to damp at least the opening and/or closing end rotation.

3. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the transmission element ( 44 ) comprises at least one rocker means ( 9 ) having, at its first end, a first coupling seat ( 11 ) connected, through a first junction pin ( 13 ), to a first junction seat ( 15 ) made in the second element ( 5 ) and placed at a certain distance from the respective hinge seat ( 6 ) for the hinge pin ( 7 ); the rocker means ( 9 ) having, at its second end opposite to first end, a second coupling seat ( 19 ) connected, through a second junction pin ( 21 ), to a corresponding second junction seat ( 23 ) carried out at an end of a tie rod means ( 25 ) whose opposite end is linked to the cradle means ( 53 ) on which said elastic means ( 27 ) acts with the elastic force whose directrix intersects or almost intersects the hinge pin ( 7 ) and runs in the opposite direction to the latter ( 7 ); an intermediate portion of the rocker means ( 9 ) has a fulcrum seat ( 31 ) for a fulcrum pin ( 33 ) having at least one of its ends slidably engaged at least along a cam profile ( 35 ) of a respective first slot ( 37 ) made in, or fixed to the first element ( 3 ).

4. Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the rocker means ( 9 ) is constituted by one or two parallel flat plates, each consisting of two almost straight arms of different or same lengths and mutually angled, each plate carries its respective fulcrum seat ( 31 ) for the fulcrum pin ( 33 ) at or near the angled portion of the plate.

5. Device according to claim 4 characterized in that, in case of rocker means ( 9 ) comprising two parallel plates, one of them is on one side of the second element ( 5 ) and of the portion of the tie rod means ( 25 ) having the second connection seat ( 23 ) and the other is at the opposite side of said second element and portion of the tie rod means.

6. Device according to claim 3 , characterized in that the ends of the elastic means ( 27 ) are connected respectively to one end of the tie rod means ( 25 ) and to the one end of the first box member ( 41 ); the end of the first box member ( 41 ), opposite to the elastic means, having its own pair of hinge seats ( 8 ) for the hinge pin ( 7 ).

7. Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the first box member ( 41 ) furthermore contains, at least partially, a second box member ( 43 ) of the first element ( 3 ) and having at one end a pair of its hinge seats ( 10 ) for the hinge pin ( 7 ) and having two respective first side slots ( 37 ) each for sliding a respective end of the fulcrum pin ( 33 ) projecting from the rocker means ( 9 ).

8. Device according to claim 7 characterized in that the tie rod means ( 25 ) comprises a connection rod means ( 47 ) whose end carries the second junction seat ( 23 ) and the opposite end has a seat for a guide pin ( 49 ) whose protruding ends slide along respective guide slots ( 51 ) parallel to the directrix of the elastic force of the elastic means ( 27 ) and formed in or fixed to first element ( 3 ).

9. Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the side guide slots ( 51 ) are carried out in the second box member ( 43 ) of the first element ( 3 ).

10. Device according to claim 8 , characterized in that the guide pin ( 49 ) is connected to the elastic means ( 27 ), of a pulling spring type, through the cradle means ( 53 ) interconnected between the connecting rod means ( 47 ) and the elastic means ( 27 ) and slidably contained, at least partially, in the first box member ( 41 ) and/or in the second box member ( 43 ).