Abstract:
A hinge for controlling the movement of a door on a refrigerator is disclosed, the hinge allowing the refrigerator to be installed flush to adjacent cabinets. The door translates and rotates in order to allow access to the refrigerator cabinet interior without contacting the adjacent cabinets.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a refrigerator having a novel hinge for a cabinet-depth mount. The invention also relates to a method for operating the hinge. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a traditional kitchen setting, appliances tend to extend out from the adjacent cabinets. There has been a growing trend towards a seamless appearance between appliances and cabinetry. However, contemporary refrigerators feature a door which is hinged on one or both sides and the refrigerator door pivots about this hinge. Because of this, a refrigerator must either protrude from the surrounding cabinetry to allow space for the door to open or there must be a gap between the refrigerator and the cavity in which the refrigerator sets. Neither of these alternatives is desirable given the goal of seamless integration of the refrigerator to the surrounding cabinetry. Therefore, there is a need for a refrigerator design which is capable of seamlessly and flushly aligning with surrounding cabinetry, while still allowing the refrigerator door to fully open. 
     Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator which may be installed flush to existing cabinetry without a noticeable gap between the cabinetry and the refrigerator. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a door which does not intrude upon the opening of the fresh food compartment. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator door hinge utilizing gears rather than linkages. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for accomplishing the tasks of translating and rotating the refrigerator door relative to the refrigerator compartment through the use of a mechanically operated hinge between the refrigerator compartment and the door. The refrigerator compartment may be either a fresh food compartment or a freezer compartment. 
     According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a number of elliptically shaped gears are used in combination with a timing mechanism, such as a Geneva mechanism. As the door is opened, the timing mechanism translates rotational force as the door is opened to the combination of elliptical gears, resulting in a translation of the refrigerator door away from the refrigerator compartment. Once the Geneva mechanism has reached a preferred angular orientation, the refrigerator door pivots about the final gear. 
     According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a planetary gear box is used, the door being attached to one of the planetary gears. As the door is opened, rotational force from the opening of the door causes the gears in the box to rotate relative to one another, resulting in translation of the door. The gear box is designed to ensure that the refrigerator door clears surrounding cabinetry. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view showing a refrigerator with a first hinge design being mounted flush with the adjoining cabinets. 
         FIG. 1B  is a top down view showing the refrigerator door partially opened and the hinge extended. 
         FIG. 1C  is a top down view of the refrigerator with the door in a fully open position. 
         FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of the first hinge according to the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 2B  is an enlarged view of the first hinge according to a preferred embodiment with the door opened to a slight angle. 
         FIG. 2C  is an enlarged view of the first hinge with the door fully opened. 
         FIG. 3A  is a top down view of the refrigerator with a second hinge design showing the door mounted flush with the cabinets. 
         FIG. 3B  is a top down view of the refrigerator showing the door partially open. 
         FIG. 3C  is a top down view of the refrigerator showing the door fully open. 
         FIG. 4A  is an enlarged view of the second hinge showing the door in a closed position. 
         FIG. 4B  is an enlarged view of the second hinge showing the door partially open. 
         FIG. 4C  is an enlarged view of the second hinge showing the door in a fully open position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The invention relates generally to an improved hinge for use with a refrigerator, the hinge designed so as to allow the refrigerator to be flushly mounted with adjacent cabinets with no noticeable gap between the refrigerator and the cabinets, the hinge opening the refrigerator door so that the door does not impact or damage the adjacent cabinets. 
     A first embodiment of this invention is shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C  and  2 A- 2 C.  FIGS. 1A-1C  show the refrigerator door being opened to various angles, while  FIGS. 2A-2C  show the orientation of the hinge components as the door is opened.  FIG. 1A  shows the refrigerator  10  with the door  30  in a closed position, the door  30  being flush to the outer surface of the cabinets  12 . The door  30  is connected to the fresh food compartment  20  by a hinge  40 .  FIG. 2A  shows the orientation of the various elements of the hinge  40  when the door is in the closed position. The three elliptical hinges  42 ,  44 ,  46  are arranged such that the minimum distance between the three centers  48  is achieved. Further, the timing gear  56  to which the door  30  is coupled is in a position such that slot  60  interacts with pin  58 . Springs  54  are in a relaxed position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A-C , the timing gear  56  preferably is a Geneva mechanism. This type of timing gear is characterized by a slot  60  extending radially away from the center of the timing gear  56  and a pin  58  on an adjacent gear  46 . As the timing gear  56  rotates, the slot  60  contacts the pin  58 , rotating the adjacent gear  46 . Once the timing gear  56  has reached a predetermined angle, the slot  60  no longer contacts the pin  58 , allowing the two gears to rotate independently of one another. Other alternative timing gears are contemplated by this invention. The timing gear may be a mutilated gear, having teeth only about a portion of its perimeter. Any known device for producing intermittent rotary motion would satisfy the requirement for performing the invention. 
       FIG. 1B  shows the refrigerator door  30  open to a partially open angle  64  causing the hinge  40  to expand.  FIG. 2B  shows the orientation of the elements of hinge  40  at this angle  64 . The door  30  has been opened to an angle  64  causing the timing gear  56  to rotate clockwise. As the timing gear  56  rotates clockwise, the slot  60  acts on pin  58  to cause the third elliptical gear  46  to rotate counterclockwise. As gear  46  rotates, its teeth  62  interact with the teeth on the second gear  44  causing it to rotate clockwise which in turn causes the first elliptical gear  42  to rotate counterclockwise. As these gears rotate, their elliptical shape causes them to displace one another along the path  52  in the base member  50 . Springs  54  ensure that the gears  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  56  remain in contact. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2B , when the hinge  40  is at its maximum extended position, springs  54  provide maximum tension between the gears. 
       FIG. 1C  shows the refrigerator door  30  in a maximum open position with hinge  40  fully extended. When the door  30  is in a fully open position, as shown in  FIG. 1C , the door  30  has translated away from the fresh food compartment  20  and rotated about the hinge  40  to fully expose the fresh food compartment  20 . The translation of the door  20  allows it to open without contacting the adjacent cabinets  12 . As shown in  FIG. 2C  at this position, the slot  60  on the timing gear  56  is no longer interacting with the pin  58 . The refrigerator door is thereby free to rotate about the center of the timing gear  56 . As the refrigerator door closes, the slot  60  on the timing gear  56  will interact with the pin  58  and, upon closing, return the elliptical gears  42 ,  44 ,  46  to their original position as the springs  54  maintain contact between the gears. 
     The type, shape and number of the gears may vary according to preference. For example, the first  42 , second  44 , and third  46  gears may be either toothed about their perimeter or may be mutilated gears, having teeth only about a portion of their perimeter. Also, the gears need not be elliptical, any noncircular gear having a variable radius may be used. Additionally, circular gears rotating about a non-centralized point may be used. Any combination of gears which displace one another while rotating is contemplated by the invention. 
     The type and number of springs  54  may also vary according to the particular needs of the manufacturer. The number and type of springs  56  will generally relate to the number and type of gears. Traditional tension springs have a zero or minimum distance between coils at a released position will be the preferred type. Other devices, such as bands, rotary springs, cams, and other devices commonly known in the art may be used to ensure continuous contact between pairs of gears. 
     The hinge  40  may also incorporate a means by which the door  30  may be held open at a variety of positions. One or more of the gears may feature a gravity closing cam, a deformed gear, or other like means by which door  30  may be held at a variety of open positions. 
     Other features common to refrigerator doors, as known in the art, may also be included. Some of these features include, but are not limited to: dampers to slow or reduce the door opening or closing speed; auto-closing features, such as a gravity biased cam; a door stop to limit the extend the door may be opened; or any other features common to refrigerator doors. 
     An alternative embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C  and  4 A- 4 C.  FIGS. 3A-3C  show the refrigerator  10  positioned flush between cabinets  12 . The door  30  is shown at various states of opening.  FIGS. 4A-4C  show the hinge  40  of the refrigerator  10  as the door  30  is opened to various positions as shown in the corresponding  FIGS. 3A-3C . As shown in  FIG. 4A , the hinge  40  has a support member  70  with an annulus or gear housing  72  cut through the support member. The support member  70  is secured to the fresh food compartment  20 . A center gear  74 , sharing a center point with the annulus  72 , is free to rotate about its axis  80 , the axis being preferably attached to the fresh food compartment  20 . A door gear  76  and an offset gear  78  are positioned in contact with and between the center gear  74  and the annulus  72  and are free to rotate and translate relative to the fresh food compartment  20 . The door gear  76  is attached to the door  30  such that movement of one is transferred to the other. Because door gear  76  is constrained to move in a predetermined path, the opening path of door  30  can be controlled. 
       FIG. 3B  shows the refrigerator  10  with the door  30  open to an intermediate position. As shown in  FIG. 4B , as the refrigerator door  30  is opened, it causes door gear  76  to rotate. Center gear  74  forces door gear  76  to translate about an arc centered at the axis  80 . As shown in  FIGS. 3B and 4B , the door  30  translates away from the adjacent cabinets  12 , thereby eliminating the potential for damaging the adjacent cabinets  12 .  FIGS. 3C and 4C  show the refrigerator in a fully opened position. As shown in  FIG. 3C , the refrigerator door  30  has rotated about the hinge  40  and translated away from the cabinets  12 . As shown in  FIG. 4C  with the door  30  opened to a fully opened position, door gear  76  has fully translated about the arc centered on the axis  80  and the door gear  76  has rotated as the door  30  was opened. As the door  30  is closed, the door gear  76  rotates back to its original position and translates back along the arc centered at the axis  80 . 
     The above described apparatus produces hypocycloidic motion of the door hinge, although a number of circular or noncircular gears in a planetary arrangement may be used according to the present invention. The annulus  72  may be either a complete or a partial gear, the partial gear allowing the door to be stopped at a predetermined opening. The offset gear  78  prevents unbalanced forces, and may be either a single gear, or any number of gears. Also, the offset gear  78  may be omitted from the hinge  40  as a cost-saving measure. 
     Preferably, the hinge includes a gear casing. The gear casing enclosed the moving parts of the gear and provides support for the refrigerator door. By supporting the refrigerator door&#39;s weight on the gear casing, the moving parts of the hinge will less likely to suffer mechanical failure or prematurely wear. The gear casing also features a slot corresponding to the path of the hinge pin. The door would rest adjacent this slot on a washer, bearing, or other surface. Preferably, the interaction between the door and gear casing has a low friction, allowing the door to easily open by a consumer. 
     In certain circumstances, the door may twist or deform as the door is opened. Because the top and bottom hinges do not rotate about a fixed hinge, and move separate from one another, there is a chance for the door to become stuck if the door should deform. Therefore, a support rod located inside the door, extending from the top to the bottom of the door, may also be used. The support rod prevents twisting or deformation of the refrigerator door between the hinges, ensuring the top and bottom hinges remain in line and allowing the door to open smoothly. 
     The above described embodiment of the present invention may be further improved through the use of cams to assist in gravity closing of the door, dampers to slow the opening and closing speed of the refrigerator door, or notches to cause the door to remain open at selected angles. Further improvements may be made to the above-described embodiments as known by those skilled in the art, such as the improvements suggested for the previous embodiment. 
     The above described embodiments of the present invention may be used on any type of refrigerator as will be recognized by those in the art. Any refrigerator having a door, whether French doors, freezer on top, side-by-side, or other style, the present invention may be incorporated into the design. 
     The above-described embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the claimed invention. The invention is only to be limited by the claims of the patent.