Patent ID: 11939717
Assignee: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC D  E | IPC D  E

Claim 10:
11. A washing machine appliance, comprising:
a tub;
a basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the basket comprising a cabinet defining at least one chamber accessible via an opening for receipt of articles for washing;
a cover member movable between an open position and a closed position for providing selective access to the opening; and
a hinge assembly constructed of a polymer material and operably coupled to the cover member, the hinge assembly comprising a first hinge member and a second hinge member rotatable with respect to the first hinge member, the first hinge member fixedly secured to the cabinet, the second hinge member comprising a base portion and a pin portion, the base portion fixedly secured to cover member, the pin portion rotatably secured to the first hinge member to move the cover member between the open position and the closed position,
wherein, in the open position, the first and second hinge members cooperatively engage together to restrict movement of the cover member in the open position, and wherein, in the closed position, the cabinet restricts movement of the cover member,
wherein the first hinge member comprises a recess, the pin portion being rotatably secured within the recess,
wherein the recess defines a keyway passage and the pin portion comprises a corresponding key feature that aligns with the keyway passage when an orientation of the key feature is in a predetermined position to allow the pin portion to be inserted into the recess only when oriented in the predetermined position, and
wherein the keyway passage of the first hinge member comprises an arcuate opening receiving the key feature, the arcuate opening defining a rotatable path for the key feature extending from a first end to a second end, the first end configured for receiving the key feature upon insertion of the pin portion in the predetermined position, the second end comprising a stop feature for stopping rotation of the key feature within the recess, thereby restricting movement of the cover member, and
wherein the key feature extends parallel with a longitudinal axis of the cover member in both the open and closed positions of the cover member.