EP0178211B1 - Tamper-proof hinge device, especially for the articulated fitting of a lid of a rolling container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tamper-evident hinge device which can be used in particular, but not exclusively, for the articulated mounting of a cover on the tank of a rolling bin such as those which are more and more commonly used for mechanized garbage collection. housewives.

It is already known to mount covers in an articulated manner on the tank of such rolling bins in particular at the level of the upper part of the rear wall of the tank, the articulation being carried out around one or more axes in the form of rods. mounted coaxially in one or more sockets forming grips, arranged horizontally and integral with the tank, the cover being capable of rotating on the said rod or rods by bearings, in the form of flanges, in the orifices of which the said rods engage.

FR-A-2 413 290 thus discloses such a hinge device comprising an axis rod mounted in an end bearing and a sleeve coaxially surrounding the rod and disposed between the two end bearings, the rod comprising at at least one elastic tab capable of moving away radially from the body of the rod and the bushing comprising in its internal recess an area whose cross-section allows the expansion of said tab (s) and an axial bearing surface for the elastic tab (s) in the expanded position in said zone of the socket recess.

In this document, the elastic lugs are produced at the end of a rod of short length relative to the distance between the bearings, the axial bearing surface for said lugs in the recess of the sleeve being produced at a short distance from the bearing end in which the rod is mounted, that is to say near the flange secured to the cover.

Due to this blocking of the rod at a short distance from the flange secured to the cover, that is to say in an area subjected to significant shearing forces, the device is relatively fragile during use, the hinge not being resistant not at frequent and brutal opening of the lid as is the case during the mechanized collection of household waste.

The present invention proposes to produce a hinge device of the inviolable type precisely avoiding the drawbacks mentioned above.

According to the invention, the shaft rod mounted in the two end bearings, has a length greater than the distance between said bearings, the elastic tab or legs being produced in the vicinity of the central part of the rod and said axial bearing being made at a distance from the ends of the socket in the vicinity of the central part of the socket recess.

In a first embodiment, the recess of the sleeve has a section, preferably substantially constant, greater than that of the rod and comprises in its central part a partition disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and having an orifice central section reduced compared to the section of the inner recess of the sleeve. Thus the rod can engage in the socket from one end of the latter, the tab (s) being folded elastically on the rod at the passage of the orifice of reduced section of the partition, the blocking of the rod being then ensured by snap-fastening as a result of a radial elastic expansion of the lug (s) after crossing the orifice of the partition of the interior recess of the sleeve.

In another embodiment, the recess of the sleeve has a section corresponding to that of the rod and is provided, to allow the expansion of the elastic tab (s) in the sleeve, at least one cavity including a wall d the end is located in the vicinity of the central part of the sleeve, said cavity having at least a part of section greater than that of the recess of the sleeve.

The invention also relates to a rolling bin according to claim 4.

• - la figure 1 illustre un premier mode de réalisation de dispositif selon l'invention,
• - la figure 2 est une coupe selon II-II de la figure 1,
• - la figure 3 représente la tige d'axe utilisée dans le dispositif de la figure 1,
• - la figure 4 est une vue en coupe selon IV-IV de la figure 3,
• - la figure 5 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 d'un autre mode de réalisation,
• - la figure 6 est une coupe selon VI-VI de la figure 5, et
• - les figures 7a illustrent la mise en place d'une tige d'axe selon la figure 3, selon un troisième mode de réalisation de dispositif selon l'invention.

In order to better understand the invention, we will now describe different embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the device according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a section on II-II of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 represents the shaft rod used in the device of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view along IV-IV of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment,
• FIG. 6 is a section on VI-VI of FIG. 5, and
• - Figures 7a illustrate the establishment of an axis rod according to Figure 3, according to a third embodiment of the device according to the invention.

In the various embodiments shown, the device according to the invention comprises a rod of cylindrical axis 1 with chamfered ends 2, said rod having from a recess 3 produced in its middle part a plurality of elastic tabs or fins 4 arranged to be applied against the axle body under the action of a radial peripheral force from the outside, said legs deviating radially from the suppressions of the external force.

The tabs 4 which can usually be two or more (four in the example illustrated) therefore diverge from the axis body and each have at their free end a bearing face 5 whose function will be explained by the next, the bearing faces 5 of the different tabs being located substantially in the same plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the axis rod 1.

The shaft rod with the tab (s) can advantageously be produced by injection molding in plastic material, for example polyethylene or polyacetal.

The device according to the invention comprises, in addition to the axis rod which has just been described, a socket 6 which can be of circular section or also, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, of substantially square section, this socket being integral , by means not shown, of the upper rear part of a tank, not shown, for example of a rolling bin. Is illustrated in the figures side flanges 7a, 7b of a cover (not shown) intended to be articulated on the tank, each of the flanges having an orifice 8, one of the flanges, in the illustrated embodiments, having in addition a rib 9 intended to contribute to the stop in axial translation of the shaft rod placed between the flanges, forming bearings 7a, 7b, as will be described later.

To contribute to this stop in translation, other means can also be envisaged, for example a shoulder or a removable head, such as for example a clip, at one end of the axis rod.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the sleeve 6 has an internal recess of constant section 10 and has in the vicinity of its central part a partition 11 formed, as seen in Figure 2, of radial ribs, in number of four in the example illustrated defining a central orifice of reduced section. This embodiment is symmetrical in the sense that the rod can be placed in one or the other end of the socket.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the interior recess of the bushing comprises a right-hand part 12 of substantially constant circular section corresponding to the cross-section of the pin shaft 1 and a left-hand part having a section of cylindrical end of diameter corresponding substantially to that of the section 12 connecting by a frustoconical section 14 to a section 15 of diameter greater than that of the section 12, the separation between these sections providing a wall 16 for the axial support of the legs of the rod axis.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7a to 7c, the sleeve 6 has between two recess sections of constant section 17 corresponding substantially to the dimensions of the rod of axis 1, a cavity 18 of larger section providing a bearing surface 19 for the free end faces of the elastic tabs of the rod. In a variant not shown of this embodiment, the mounting can be carried out in one or the other direction by providing two cavities arranged on either side of the middle of the socket.

The establishment of an axis rod for the production of the device according to the invention can be carried out as illustrated in FIGS. 7a to 7c by introducing at one end into one of the flanges, for example the flange 7b, a rod d axis 1 by its chamfer 2 in the axial orifice 8, the rod engaging with its legs 4 folded in the sleeve 6 as illustrated in FIG. 7b, the legs deviating radially when they reach the cross-sectional area more important, in this case, the cavity 18. The snap-fastening thus produced ensures retention, by radial elasticity of the shaft rod in the bushing as well as axial retention of the rod by abutment of the free end faces of the lugs against the bearing surfaces in the recess of the sleeve as well as against the rib 9.

It is clear from reading the previous description that the axis according to the invention is of a particularly simple and rapid assembly requiring no tools. No orientation device is also necessary for the engagement of the shaft rod between the corresponding bearings. Intermediate bearings through which the rod can also be provided.

It is also understood that the axial forces to which the parts of the device are subjected in operation are practically nonexistent so that the risks of axial exit from the axis are very low. In addition, the locking tabs are located in an area close to the middle part of the bushing, an area which is not subjected to shearing forces so that the rod can have its maximum section in the areas adjacent to the bearings. which are subjected to these shear forces.

It is also understood that the device is inviolable in the sense that one cannot extract the shaft rod without causing its destruction.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto, and that it can be brought, within the framework defined by the claims, numerous variants. and modifications.

Claims (4)

1. A tamper-proof hinge device, especially for the articulated fitting of a lid of a rolling container bin, comprising an axis stem (1) mounted on one of two end bearings (8), formed each in a flange (7a, 7b) rigidly connected to a rolling container lid, a socket (6) surrounding coaxially said stem and disposed between the two bearings, said stem including at least one resilient lug (4) adapted for moving away radially from the body of said stem, said socket including in its inner recess a zone (10.14,15.18) the section of which allows the expansion of said lug or lugs, and an axial bearing surface (11, 16, 19) for the resilient lug or lugs in the expansion position of said zone of the socket recess, characterized by the fact that said axis stem (1) is mounted in the two end bearings (8), has a length superior to the distance between said bearings, the resilient lug or lugs (4) being provided in the vicinity of the central portion of the stem, and said axial bearing surface (11, 16, 19) being provided at a distance from the ends of the socket (6) in the vicinity of the central portion of the recess (10, 12, 13, 17) of said socket.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the recess (10) of socket (6) has a section, preferably substantially constant, superior to that of the stem (1) and includes in its central portion a wall (11) placed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the socket and formed with a central orifice of reduced section with respect to the section of the socket inner recess.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the recess of the socket (12, 13, 17) has a section corresponding to that of the stem and there is provided, for ensuring the expansion of the resilient lug or lugs in the socket, at least one cavity (18) of which one end wall (19) is in the vicinity of the central portion of the socket, said cavity having at least one portion with a section superior to that of the socket recess.

4. A rolling container including a bin and a lid mounted and articulated at the upper portion of the bin, characterized by the fact that it includes at least one tamper-proof hinge device according to any one of the preceding claims, the socket or sockets forming holding handles.

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