Domestic appliance hinge assembly with double linkage

A hinge assembly for pivotably attaching a door to a domestic appliance is provided. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body; a damper having a central longitudinal axis; a first linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; a second linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; and a foot pivotably attached at a first end of the foot to the first and second linkage members, the foot being configured to engage at a second end of the foot a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance. The first and second linkage members are offset from and positioned on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the damper.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a hinge assembly for a domestic appliance. The hinge assembly has a double linkage between a damper and a hinge foot that provides improved operation.

An example of an application for the invention is a hinge assembly used with a door of a domestic appliance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many domestic appliances, such as built in ovens, have one or more doors that swing open about a horizontal axis such that the door swings downward into an open position. Such a door is often heavy and uses springs of significant strength to counteract a portion of the weight of the door so that it is easier for a user to open and close the door. These springs often act to slam the door into the closed position after the door has passed a particular rotational position when moved upward toward the closed position. This slamming is undesirable for at least the reasons that it can make a loud noise, it can damage the appliance over time, and it gives the appearance of low quality. The result of such slamming is usually that the user continues to hold the door until it has reached the closed position.

To prevent the undesirable slamming, soft-close hinges can be employed. Soft-close hinges often include some type of damper that slows the movement of the door for a predetermined distance before the door reaches the closed position. This damping prevents the slamming of the door and results in a much more desirable appliance.

SUMMARY

Some dampers include a spring mounted inside a cylinder. The spring is often very long compared to its diameter in order to fit inside the cylinder. The damper can include a rod that moves relative to the cylinder when the damper is operated. A hinge assembly can include a damper, a spring, a hinge body, and a hinge foot. Often a domestic appliance, an oven for example, is provided with one hinge assembly on each side of an opening which is covered by the door. The hinge foot can be provided with an engagement portion that engages a foot receiving portion on the body of the domestic appliance. A linkage can be provided between the foot and the damper to define a predetermined motion of the foot relative to the damper during the opening and closing motions of the door. Due to the spring and damper forces acting on the foot and the foot receiving portion, the linkage between the foot and the damper can be subjected to differing forces at different points along the opening and closing motions. These differing forces can tend to twist the linkage and cause the opening and closing motions to be less smooth than desired.

The invention recognizes the existence of the above described differing forces and addresses this problem by providing a double linkage that holds the foot in the proper position relative to the damper.

Particular embodiments of the invention are directed to a hinge assembly for pivotably attaching a door to a domestic appliance having an appliance body. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body configured to attach to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door; a damper having a central longitudinal axis and including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder, and the rod extending along the central longitudinal axis of the damper; a first linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; a second linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; and a foot pivotably attached at a first end of the foot to the first and second linkage members, the foot being configured to engage at a second end of the foot a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance. The first and second linkage members are offset from and positioned on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the damper.

Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a door assembly for pivotably attaching to a domestic appliance having an appliance body. The door assembly includes a door; and a hinge assembly for pivotably attaching the door to the domestic appliance. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body attached to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door; a damper having a central longitudinal axis and including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder, and the rod extending along the central longitudinal axis of the damper; a first linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; a second linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; and a foot pivotably attached at a first end of the foot to the first and second linkage members, the foot being configured to engage at a second end of the foot a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance. The first and second linkage members are offset from and positioned on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the damper.

Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a domestic appliance that has an appliance body having a foot receiving portion; a door; and a hinge assembly pivotably attaching the door to the domestic appliance. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body attached to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door; a damper having a central longitudinal axis and including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder, and the rod extending along the central longitudinal axis of the damper; a first linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; a second linkage member pivotably attached to the damper; and a foot pivotably attached at a first end of the foot to the first and second linkage members, the foot being engaged at a second end of the foot to the foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance. The first and second linkage members are offset from and positioned on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the damper.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

Many domestic appliances, such as, for example, built-in ovens, have a door that pivots relative to the body of the appliance to permit access to an internal space of the appliance. These doors are often heavy due to glass view panels, insulation, ventilating structure, and other elements. Springs are often used to reduce the effort needed from the user to close the door. These springs can be strong in order to exert a force that counteracts a large portion of the weight of a heavy door. The result of strong springs is often a slamming of the door once the door passes a particular point in the pivoting.

One or more dampers can be used to damp the closing action resulting from the strong springs to eliminate the slamming that can be caused by undamped springs. The dampers can be any type of damper including, but not limited to, gas filled or liquid filled dampers. Examples of fluid (gas and/or liquid) filled dampers have a cylinder that contains the fluid and may or may not include one or more orifices through with the fluid moves to create the damping force.

Some door hinge assemblies include both a spring and a damper. Some of these door hinge assemblies place the spring inside the damper cylinder to provide a compact assembly.

FIG. 1shows an example of a domestic appliance20mounted in a cabinet10. An example of a domestic appliance20is a cabinet-mounted oven. In this example, domestic appliance20includes a door30pivotably attached to a body of domestic appliance20to selectively open and close an interior space of domestic appliance20. In some embodiments, door30is attached to the body of domestic appliance20by two hinge assemblies. Examples of the hinge assemblies are discussed below.

FIG. 2shows a perspective view of a hinge assembly100that can be used to pivotably attach door30to the body of domestic appliance20. In particular embodiments, two hinge assemblies100are used, one on each side of the opening of the interior space of domestic appliance20.FIG. 3shows hinge assembly100in a partially exploded view. A hinge assembly body110partially surrounds an assembly that includes a damper200and a foot120.

Damper200includes a cylinder300and a rod400. Rod400is partially inside cylinder300and partially outside cylinder300and moves in a reciprocating motion relative to cylinder300. A damping force is applied to rod400as it moves relative to cylinder300and damps the motion of rod400relative to cylinder300. This damping force can result from a fluid inside cylinder300being forced through at least one aperture when rod400moves, or from some other type of damping mechanism.

In this example, hinge assembly100is attached to door30such that hinge body110does not move relative to door30. Also shown inFIGS. 2 and 3is a foot120that is pivotably attached to damper200by a pin122. An engagement end124of foot120engages a foot receiving feature (for example foot receiving portion600shown inFIG. 5) on domestic appliance20to attach door30to domestic appliance20. Hinge assembly100and door30are then pivotable relative to the body of domestic appliance20. Foot120is attached in this embodiment to the end of cylinder300by a first linkage member700and a second linkage member800such that foot120can pivot relative to cylinder300. First and second linkage members700,800are pivotably attached to cylinder300by a pin104and are pivotably attached to foot120by pin122.

First linkage member700and second linkage member800have slots710,810, respectively, formed in them to receive a pin114.FIG. 2shows pin114in the operating position.FIG. 3shows pin114removed from hinge body110to illustrate how slots710,810engage pin114. In this example, pin114includes a roller116that rotates around a center portion of pin114that is attached to hinge body110in order to provide a smooth rolling relationship between slots710,810and pin114.

Embodiments of the invention include a coil spring positioned inside cylinder300as shown inFIG. 4.FIG. 4shows rod400extending through the center of spring500and including a shoulder that supports the right side end of spring500. As rod400is moved to the left in the figure, spring500is compressed. This movement corresponds to door30being moved from the closed position to the open position. As rod400is moved farther to the left, spring500becomes increasingly more compressed.

FIG. 5shows door30attached to body25of domestic appliance20, and in a partially opened position. Engagement end124of foot120is engaged with foot receiving portion600to keep door30attached to body25.

FIG. 6shows foot120and first and second linkage members700,800with foot120in an extended position.FIG. 7shows foot120and first and second linkage members700,800with foot120in a retracted position. These two Figures represent the two extremes of travel of slots710,810relative to pin114.FIG. 8shows first and second linkage members700,800out of hinge body110and with foot120removed so that the features of the linkage members can be seen more clearly.FIG. 8shows slot710having a bump720that separates a closed-position resting spot730from the rest of slot710. Similarly, slot810has a bump820that separates a closed-position resting spot830from the rest of slot810. As door30is moved toward the closed position, pin114travels (relatively) in slots710,810from left to right inFIG. 8until it passes over bumps720,820and comes to rest in closed-position resting spots730,830when door30reaches the closed position. The curved shape of slots710,810provide a predetermined motion of door30relative to appliance body25during the opening and closing operations.

Having two linkage members instead of one result in a simple, inexpensive design that provides a wider effective bearing surface for pin114while also providing a linkage that is centered on a plane that includes the central longitudinal axis of damper200. By being centered on a plane that includes the central longitudinal axis of damper200, the linkage provides a stable connection between foot120and damper300. This stable linkage is important to the smooth operation of a damped hinge more so than to the operation of a non-damped hinge because the damping forces in conjunction with the curved shape of slots710,810subject the linkage to different forces at different points of travel of pin114through slots710,810. The wider bearing surface also provides resistance to the linkage twisting relative to pin114, which further improves the smoothness of operation. By providing two plate-like linkage members, fabrication costs are reduced as compared to a machining the required shape out of one piece of material.

It is noted that in domestic appliances that have two hinge assemblies, particularly when the hinge assemblies are located or different sides of a door opening, slightly different spring characteristics, slightly different damper characteristics, and/or uneven wear of the spring, damper, or other components, can cause the hinge assemblies to operate with different force and damping characteristics. Such differences can result unequal forces acting on the door of the domestic appliance. These unequal forces can act to twist or skew the door relative to the appliance body. The double linkage system of the invention resists these forces as well as the damper/spring forces discussed above.