Archetech Issue 47 2020 | Page 24

Sugatsune Concealed Hinges: Lifting the Lid on an Evolving Concept Lift-assist Free-stop Soft-close Allows for light opening of doors Enables doors to hold in position (30°–Max.). OLYMPIA's built-in damper makes doors close slowly. Lift-assist Free-stop Soft-close Allows for light opening of doors Enables doors to hold in position (30°–Max.). The built-in damper of OLYMPIA makes doors close slowly. If there is one thing we have learned at Sugatsune from more than 80 years in the component engineering business, it is that design never stands still. Even when innovative new concepts break through and seem to redefine the thinking around a particular product type, there is always room to improve, always new places to explore. Our 230 range was part of what you might call the ‘first generation’ of concealed hinges. Designed and en- gineered to Sugatsune’s usual im- peccable standards, it was a more than serviceable, hard-wearing, reli- able concealed hinge option, doing everything other concealed hinges could do. But we’ve never been satisfied with our products just matching the com- petition. We are always looking for ways to go above and beyond. Introducing the Olympia concealed hinge. The Olympia improves on the form and function of its predecessor in several ways - it has a slimmer, sleeker profile so takes up less space, it is eas- ier to install onto the mounting plate, and once in position it is easy to adjust alignment using three screws. But the real innovation behind the Olym- pia range is the inclusion of our Lapcon technology in a soft close damper sys- tem. Door dampers are used to create slow closing motion, to prevent slam- ming and trapped fingers but also to give a sense of precision and control to the swing of a door. What is unique about the Olympia damper system is that it offers five-point adjustment, so you can alter the counter-force to get the right amount of control for different sizes and weights of door. By integrating the damper mechanism within the Olympia hinge, we have been able to offer two solutions in one - a premium quality concealed hinge with flexible soft close functionality, without any need to install a separate damper. We have taken the concept further again with the AILERON Olym- pia lid stay. The AILERON can actually be described as a three-in-one solu- tion - a concealed hinge for two orien- tations; vertical-opening flaps and lids that also include soft close control and an adjustable stay that will hold the lid in any open position past 30 degrees. With no need for side mounting for this stay your toy box or overhead cup- board becomes easier to access and with no need for partitions to mount from, you can decide how big you want your space. Our concealed hinge journey is far from over. This summer, we will add safety caps and a new slimline mount- ing plate to the Olympia range - as well as relaunching the entire line in black, giving furniture makers and interior de- signers a new look to incorporate into their plans. Watch this space for where we might take the concept next.