Patent ID: 11859434
Assignee: MANSFIELD ENGINEERED COMPONENTS, LLC
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E  F | IPC E  F

Claim 4:
5. An appliance door hinge assembly comprising:
a hinge plate including: (i) an inner portion adapted to be connected to an associated appliance structure; and, (ii) an outer portion adapted for pivoting connection of an associated door thereto;
a damper system comprising a damper connected to one of: (i) the hinge plate; (ii) the associated door;
a damper engagement structure connected to the other of: (i) the hinge plate; (ii) the associated door;
said damper system comprising: (i) a base comprising a molded polymeric body including a damper support bore; and (ii) a damper comprising a cylinder body slidably located in the damper support bore of the base, said damper further comprising a piston slidably supported in a cylinder bore defined in said cylinder body and a piston rod connected to said piston and extending outwardly from a first end of the cylinder body, said piston adapted for movement in said cylinder bore between an extended position corresponding to an extended position of the damper and a retracted position corresponding to a retracted position of the damper;
wherein said damper engagement structure is separated from the damper system when the associated door is in an opened position, said damper engagement structure contacts said damper system when the associated door is pivoted to an engagement position located between said opened position and a closed position, and said damper engagement structure contacts and activates the damper system and causes sliding movement of the cylinder body relative to the base in the damper support bore such that said damper is moved from its extended position to its retracted position when the associated door is pivoted toward the closed position from the engagement position such that said damper slows movement of the associated door toward the closed position when the damper is activated;
wherein the damper system further comprises a damper activation lever movably connected to the damper base and movable relative to the damper base from a first position toward a second position in response to pivoting movement of the associated door toward its closed position, wherein said damper activation lever activates the damper by movement of the damper from its extended position to its retracted position upon movement of the damper activation lever from its first position toward its second position.