Hinge assembly with damping device

A hinge assembly includes a hinge cup, an arm, an installation member and a damping device. The hinge cup has a receiving space and a positioning hole communicating with the receiving space. The bottom wall of the receiving space has at least one first engaging part. The arm is pivotably connected to the hinge cup. The damping device is located in the receiving space and includes a damping member, a slide and a housing. One end of the damping member is mounted in the positioning hole. The damping member has a piston rod which is connected to the slide. The housing has at least one second engaging part which is engaged with the first engaging part on the bottom wall. When the arm is moved toward a closed position relative to the hinge cup, the arm pushes the slide to provide the damping force.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hinge assembly, and more particularly, to a hinge assembly with a damping device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. 2011/0291538 A1 of Brunnmayr discloses a “Furniture Hinge”. FIGS. 9a and 9b of Brunnmayr disclose a damping device 10 and a housing 10a. The housing 10a of the damping device has an outward resilient arresting element 24a. A hinge cup 6a has an opening 23a into which the resilient arresting element 24a is inserted. However, the connection simply by the resilient arresting element 24a and the opening 23a is not secure enough.

FIG. 10a of Brunnmayr discloses another installation way which has a clip-like member 24 which is engaged with an elongate recess 23a in the hinge cup 6a so that the damping device 10 is installed in the hinge cup 6. However, when the damping device 10 is hit by the hinge lever 7, the impact is directed transferred to the positioning position where the damping device 10 is installed in the hinge cup 6, the damping device 10 is easily loosened.

The present invention intends to provide a hinge assembly with a damping device which is more securely installed so as to improve the shortcomings of the conventional hinge assemblies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hinge assembly and comprises a hinge cup having a first side wall, a second side wall, a bottom wall connected between the first and second side walls, a front wall connected between two respective front ends of the first and second side walls, and a rear wall connected between two respective rear ends of the first and second side walls. A receiving space is defined by the first and second side walls, the bottom wall, the front wall and the rear wall. The bottom wall of the receiving space has a first lug, a second lug and at least one first engaging part. An arm is pivotably connected between the first and second side walls of the hinge cup. The arm is located adjacent to the front wall of the hinge cup. An installation member is connected to the arm and installed on a piece of furniture. A damping device is located in the receiving space of the hinge cup and has a damping member, a slide and a housing. The damping member has a piston rod which is connected to the slide. The slide has at least one wing which is located corresponding to one of the first and second lugs. The housing is located in the receiving space and the damping member is accommodated in the housing. The housing has a room, an opening communicating with the room, and at least one second engaging part. The damping member extends through the room and the opening. The second engaging part is engaged with the first engaging part on the bottom wall of the hinge cup. A first resilient member is connected between the first lug and the first side wall so as to provide a force to the arm. A second resilient member is connected between the second lug and the second side wall so as to provide a force to the arm. A first pin has two ends which respectively connect the arm and the first resilient member to the hinge cup. A second pin connects the second resilient member to the hinge cup.

When the arm is located at an open position relative to the hinge cup, the at least one wing of the slide contacts one of the first and second lugs so that the slide is located at a position wherein the slide can be pushed relative to the arm.

When the arm is moved toward a close position relative to the hinge cup, the arm pushes the slide which moves the piston rod, and the at least one wing of the slide is separated from one of the first and second lugs.

Preferably, the housing has at least one slide slot and the at least one wing of the slide is linearly moved in the slide slot.

Preferably, the housing has a positioning member extending therefrom. The bottom wall of the hinge cup has an installation hole in which the positioning member is inserted.

Preferably, the housing has two covers which respectively cover the first and second resilient members.

Preferably, the slide has a recess, and the hinge cup has a stop which is engaged with the recess.

Preferably, the first side wall has a first hole and a second hole. The second side wall has a third hole, a fourth hole and a fifth hole. The first lug has a first through hole and the second lug has a second through hole. The first pin is a U-shaped pin. Two ends of the first pin extend through the first and second holes and are located in the third hole and the first through hole respectively so as to be connected to the arm and the first resilient member. The second pin is a U-shaped pin. Two ends of the second pin extend through the fourth and fifth holes. One of the two ends of the second pin extends through the second through hole and is connected with the second resilient member.

Preferably, the rear wall has a positioning hole and the damping member has an engaging portion which is engaged with the positioning hole.

Preferably, the first resilient member and the second resilient member are torsion springs.

Preferably, the housing has a reception slot which communicates with the room. The damping member has a threaded portion, a guide portion and an adjustment member. The damping member is linearly movable in the room. The adjustment member is located in the reception slot of the housing and is movably and threadedly connected to the threaded portion. The adjustment member is partially exposed from the reception slot of the housing.

Preferably, the hinge cup has a guide groove and a positioning hole, wherein the guide groove is located in the bottom wall of the hinge cup and substantially perpendicular to the rear wall of the hinge cup. The positioning hole is located in the rear wall of the hinge cup. The guide portion of the damping member extends through the guide groove so that the damping member is linearly movable relative to the hinge cup. The threaded portion of the damping member partially extends through the positioning hole.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly with a damping device, wherein the damping device is securely mounted on the hinge cup of the hinge assembly.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly with a damping device, wherein the travel of the damping device is adjustable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3, the hinge assembly of the present invention comprises a hinge cup10, an installation member12, an arm14connected between the hinge cup10and the installation member12, a damping device16connected to the hinge cup10, a first resilient member18and a second resilient member20connected to the hinge cup10, a first pin22connected to the arm14and the first resilient member18, and a second pin24connected to the second resilient member20. The first and second resilient members18,20respectively provide a first force and a second force to the arm14. The damping device16provides a damping force to the arm14.

The hinge cup10comprises a first side wall26a, a second side wall26b, a bottom wall28which is connected between the first and second side walls26a,26b, a front wall30connected between two respective front ends of the first and second side walls26a,26b, and a rear wall32connected between two respective rear ends of the first and second side walls26a,26b. A receiving space34is defined by the first and second side walls26a,26b, the bottom wall28, the front wall30and the rear wall32. The first side wall26ahas a first hole36aand a second hole36b, and the second side wall26bhas a third hole36c, a fourth hole36dand a fifth hole36e. The bottom wall28has a stop38located adjacent to the front wall30, and the rear wall32has a positioning hole40. The bottom wall28further has a first lug42a, a second lug42band at least one or two first engaging parts44. The first lug42ahas a first through hole46a, and the second lug42bhas a second through hole46b.

The installation member12is connected to the arm14and installed on a piece of furniture such as a cabinet.

The arm14is pivotably connected between the first and second side walls26a,26bof the hinge cup10. The arm14is located adjacent to the front wall30of the hinge cup10.

The damping device16is located in the receiving space34of the hinge cup10and comprises a damping member48, a slide50and a housing52. The damping member48has an engaging portion54on the rear end thereof, and the engaging portion54is engaged with the positioning hole40of the rear wall32as shown inFIG. 3. The damping member48has a piston rod56on the front end thereof, and the piston rod56is connected to the slide50. Preferably, the slide50has a recess58, and the stop38of the hinge cup10is engaged with the recess58to temporarily position the slide50. The slide50has two wings60which are located corresponding to the first and second lugs42a,42b. Preferably, the two wings60are in contact with the first and second lugs42a,42bto temporarily position the slide50. The housing52is located in the receiving space34and the damping member48is accommodated in the housing52. The housing52covers the first and second resilient members18,20. The housing52has a room62, an opening64communicating with the room62, a positioning member66, at least one or two second engaging parts68, two slide slots70and two covers72. The damping member48extends through the room62and the opening64, and the engaging portion54extends through the opening64. The bottom wall28of the hinge cup10has an installation hole74in which the positioning member66is inserted. The at least one second engaging part68is engaged with the at least one first engaging part44on the bottom wall28of the hinge cup10. The slide slots70allow the wings60of the slide50to move linearly.

The first resilient member18is connected between the first lug42aand the first side wall26a. Preferably, the first resilient member18is a torsion spring pivotably connected to the first lug42aand is covered by the cover72of the housing52as shown inFIG. 4.

The second resilient member20is connected between the second lug42band the second side wall26b. Preferably, the second resilient member20is a torsion spring pivotably connected to the second lug42band is covered by the cover72of the housing52as shown inFIG. 4.

The first pin22is a U-shaped pin. Two ends of the first pin22extend through the first and second holes36a,36band are located in the third hole36cand the first through hole46arespectively so as to be connected to the arm14and the first resilient member18. The first resilient member18provides a first force to the arm14.

The second pin24is a U-shaped pin. Two ends of the second pin24extend through the fourth and fifth holes36d,36e, one of the two ends of the second pin24extends through the second through hole46band is connected with the second resilient member20. The second resilient member20provides a second force to the arm14.

As shown inFIG. 4, the installation member12is installed to the cabinet76, and the hinge cup10is connected to the door78. When the door78/arm14is moved toward a closed position relative to the cabinet76/hinge cup10(shown inFIGS. 5 and 6), the arm14pushes the slide50which moves the piston rod56to slowly retract into the damping member48to have a damping function. Therefore, the door78is slowly and quietly closed to the cabinet76. In the meanwhile, the wings60of the slide50are separated from the first and second lugs42a,42b(FIG.6shows that one of the wings60is separated from the first lug42a), and the stop38of the hinge cup10is moved away from the recess58of the slide50.

As shown inFIG. 7, when the arm14is spread out relative to the hinge cup10at an open position, the piston rod56of the damping member48extends and moves the slide50until the wings60of the slide50contact the first and second lugs42a,42b(the drawing shows that one of the wings60contacts the first lug42a). Simultaneously, the stop38of the hinge cup10is engaged with the recess58of the slide50, so that the slide50is located at a position wherein the slide50can be pushed relative to the arm14to generate the damping function.

The damping device16is installed to the hinge cup10by the configuration that the engaging portion54of the damping member48extends through the opening64of the housing52and is engaged with the positioning hole40of the rear wall32. Further, the at least one second engaging part68of the housing52is engaged with the first engaging part44on the bottom wall28of the hinge cup10so as to position the damping device16to the hinge cup10. During the damping process, the wings60of the slide50are linearly movable in the slide slots70of the housing52so as to provide smooth and stable damping force. Accordingly, when the arm14contacts the slide50or when the arm14is closing toward the hinge cup10, the damping device16provides stable damping travel.

It is noted that the travel distance of the damping device16can be adjustable. As shown inFIGS. 8 and 9, in another embodiment, the hinge cup10has a guide groove80. The guide groove80is located in the bottom wall28of the hinge cup10and substantially perpendicular to the rear wall32of the hinge cup10. The housing52has a reception slot82which communicates with the room62. The damping member48has a threaded portion84, a guide portion86and an adjustment member88. The threaded portion84is located corresponding to the positioning hole40of the rear wall32of the hinge cup10. The threaded portion84of the damping member48partially extends through the positioning hole40. The guide portion86extends through the guide groove80, so that the damping member48is linearly movable relative to the hinge cup10. The adjustment member88is located in the reception slot82of the housing52and is movably and threadedly connected to the threaded portion84. The adjustment member88is partially exposed from the reception slot82of the housing52. By this way, the damping member48is linearly movable linearly in the room62.

As shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, when the adjustment member88is rotated in a certain rotating direction, the damping member48moves to a first position relative to the hinge cup10in response to the rotation of the adjustment member88, so that relative position of the slide50to the arm14can also be changed. Consequently, the impact angle, the arm14hits the slide50to generate the damping function when the arm14is pivoted to close the hinge cup10, can be adjusted. The damping function is executed when the door78is located at the angle α relative to the cabinet76(asFIG. 10shown), so that the door78is slowly and quietly closed within the range of the angle α. When the adjustment member88is further rotated in the certain rotating direction, the damping member48moves to a second position relative to the hinge cup10(asFIG. 11shown), the arm14is pivoted toward the cabinet76, the impact angle is changed from the angle α to angle β. Therefore, when the door78is being closed toward the cabinet76and the angle therebetween is within the range of the angle β, the damping function is executed so that the door78is slowly and quietly closed within the range of the angle β.

As shown inFIG. 12, the damping function16is shut off when the adjustment member88is rotated to move the damping member48to a third position relative to the hinge cup10. Wherein, the slide50is moved away from the arm14, so that when the arm14is located at the complete closed position relative to the hinge cup10, the arm14does not touch the slide50.