Hinge particularly for box-like bodies

Abstract

A hinge for a box-shaped body, comprising two mutually opposite rigid or semirigid flaps, which are suitable to be inserted and concealed in corresponding seats respectively of a first containment part and of a second closure part of the box-shaped body. The flaps are each provided with at least one engagement portion which is contoured so as to engage and slide tangentially on a flat longitudinal pivoting element, which has a circular arc-shaped cross-section which defines the rotation axis for the flaps and for the respective associated parts of the box-shaped body.

1 . A hinge for a box-shaped body having a first containment part and a second closure part, constituted by two mutually opposite rigid or semirigid flaps suitable for insertion and concealment in corresponding respective seats of said first and second containment and closure parts; a flat longitudinal pivoting element having a circular arc-shaped cross-section which defines the rotation axis for said flaps and for the respective associated containment and closure parts of a box-shaped body, said flaps being each provided with at least one engagement portion which is contoured so as to engage and slide tangentially on said flat longitudinal pivoting element.  
   
   
       2 . The hinge of  claim 1 , wherein each said flap is formed by at least one plate, laterally to which said at least one engagement portion for engagement and sliding on the arc-shaped pivoting element protrudes, each said plate being provided with at least one elastically deformable tooth for snap engagement with a corresponding abutment provided in each one of said respective seats of said first and second containment parts.  
   
   
       3 . The hinge of  claim 1 , wherein each flap is constituted by at least two plates, which are arranged longitudinally in series and are mutually coupled by way of a protrusion, which protrudes longitudinally from a first one of said at least two plates in order to be forced in a complementarily shaped hole of an associated subsequent second one of said at least two plates.  
   
   
       4 . The hinge of  claim 3 , wherein a first one of said at least two plates which are mutually opposite with respect to said pivoting element is provided with an engagement portion and a second one of said at least two plates is provided with two spaced additional said engagement portions, which protrude from the opposite second plate, said engagement portion forming a male element of a coupling in which a female element is constituted by said additional engagement portions.  
   
   
       5 . The hinge of  claim 3 , said at least one engagement portion for engagement and tangential sliding on said flat longitudinal pivoting element is constituted by an arc-shaped tab, which protrudes laterally from a plate of said at least two plates to which the tab is rigidly coupled, said at least one portion being further provided with a gap which is shaped complementarily with respect to said flat longitudinal pivoting element in order to engage therewith by interference, said gap having an opening for tangential sliding on said flat longitudinal pivoting element.  
   
   
       6 . The hinge of  claim 4 , wherein a first one of the said two engagement portions arranged in a female configuration has, on an arc-shaped edge thereof, a hollow, which is suitable to delimit, in cooperation with a protrusion which protrudes radially from said flat longitudinal pivoting element, an opening stroke of the opposite flaps of the hinge.  
   
   
       7 . The hinge of  claim 6 , wherein a second one of said two engagement portions arranged in a female configuration has an outer arc-shaped side thereof which is closed and suitable to receive from an inside part in abutment a corresponding end of said flat longitudinal pivoting element.  
   
   
       8 . The hinge of  claim 3 , comprising two pairs of said plates which are coupled so as to rotate in mutually opposite directions with respect to said flat longitudinal pivoting element with which the plates are associated, each pair of said plates being coupled longitudinally by way of said protrusion and of said complementarily shaped hole and being composed of a first plate with a first male sliding portion and of a second plate with two second female sliding portions.  
   
   
       9 . The hinge of  claim 1 , wherein a center angle of said circular arc cross-section of said flat pivoting element is at least 90°, whereby the second closure part of the box-shaped body is allowed to open by at least 90° with respect to the first containment part.  
   
   
       10 . The hinge of  claim 3 , wherein each said plate forms a monolithic body with the at least one said engagement portion that protrudes therefrom, said monolithic body being of a molded plastic material.  
   
   
       11 . The hinge of  claim 1 , wherein each said flap is formed by a single plate, and by an engagement portion provided laterally to said single plate for engagement and tangential sliding on the arc-shaped pivoting element.  
   
   
       12 . The hinge of  claim 11 , wherein each said engagement portion for engagement and tangential sliding on said flat longitudinal pivoting element is constituted by an arc-shaped tab, which protrudes laterally from said single plate to which the tab is rigidly coupled, said tab being provided with a gap which is shaped complementarily with respect to said flat longitudinal pivoting element in order to engage the pivoting element by interference, said gap having an opening for tangential sliding on said pivoting element.  
   
   
       13 . The hinge of  claim 12 , comprising a protrusion which protrudes radially from said pivoting element, each said engagement portions having, on an arc-like edge thereof, a hollow, said hollow being suitable to limit, in cooperation with said protrusion, an opening stroke of the mutually opposite flaps of the hinge.  
   
   
       14 . The hinge of  claim 13 , wherein each of said engagement portions has an outer arc-shaped side that is closed and suitable to receive from an inside part, in abutment, a corresponding end of said pivoting element.  
   
   
       15 . The hinge of  claim 14 , having a center angle of said circular arc-shaped cross-section of said flat pivoting element that spans at least 90°.  
   
   
       16 . The hinge of  claim 16 , wherein each said single plate forms a monolithic body with the engagement portion that protrudes therefrom, said monolithic body being of a molded plastic material.  
   
   
       17 . The hinge of  claim 16 , wherein said flat pivoting element is made of plastic material.  
   
   
       18 . The hinge of  claim 17 , wherein said flat pivoting element is made of a self-lubricating plastic material.  
   
   
       19 . The hinge of  claim 18 , wherein said self-lubricating plastic material is a filled acetal resin.  
   
   
       20 . The hinge of  claim 11 , wherein said flat pivoting element is made of a reinforced polyamide.  
   
   
       21 . A case constituted by a first containment part, for containment, and by at least one second closure part, for case closure, wherein said at least one second closure part is coupled to the first containment part by way of at least one hinge having the features of  claim 2 .  
   
   
       22 . The case of  claim 21 , wherein said seats are provided molded directly on said first containment part and on said second closure part of the case.  
   
   
       23 . The case of  claim 22 , having the abutment for said at least one tooth of said at least one plate is provided molded along with the seats on the first containment part and second closure part by way of corresponding undercuts.