Abstract:
An articulated hinge allowing non-circular motion of a refrigerator door and having a means for transmitting utilities through the hinge is disclosed. A support rod for preventing torsional deformation of a refrigerator door adapted to carry utilities to an in-door dispenser is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    In a refrigerator having a door mounted ice or water dispenser there is a need to transfer utilities, such as water or high or low voltage electricity, from the refrigerator cabinet to the door. In the prior art, utilities are transferred to the door from the refrigerator cabinet in a number of ways, such as through the hinge, through the edge of the door, or adjacent to the hinge. However, the use of articulated hinges which permit the door to open in a non-circular path makes these traditional routing options ineffective or less desirable. 
         [0002]    Therefore, a need has been identified in the art to provide a means for routing utilities from a refrigerator cabinet through an articulated hinge and to a door mounted dispenser. 
         [0003]    Another recognized area of concern is the potential for a refrigerator door to twist, bend, or otherwise deform as the door is opened on articulated hinges. Therefore, a further need has been identified in the art to provide increased stability for a refrigerator door having articulated hinges. 
         [0004]    There is a further concern in refrigerator manufacturing to route utilities to the dispenser from the interface point between the refrigerator cabinet and door. Therefore, a need has been identified in the art to provide a means for routing utilities within the refrigerator door to the dispenser. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is directed to transferring utilities from a refrigerator cabinet through an articulated hinge to a refrigerator door with an in-door dispenser. Additionally, an apparatus for routing utilities within the refrigerator door and providing support against torsion forces on the door during opening is disclosed. 
         [0006]    According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the articulated hinge has a hinge pin attached to the door, the hinge pin having a passage through which utilities may be routed. 
         [0007]    According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a support rod extends between the top hinge and the bottom hinge, the support rod having a hollow center for carrying utilities towards the door mounted dispenser. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a door mounted dispenser and an articulated hinge. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  shows a refrigerator in a fully opened position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  shows a cutaway view of the hinge demonstrating one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  shows a cutaway view of the hinge showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2C  shows a cutaway view of the hinge showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the hinge according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cutaway view of the refrigerator door according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    The invention relates generally to an improved hinge for use with a refrigerator, the hinge designed to open the refrigerator door in a non-circular path and having features for transmitting utilities through the hinge to a dispenser mounted in the door. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1A  shows a refrigerator  10  with a refrigerated compartment  12  attached to a door  14  with a hinge  30  located at the top and bottom of the door  14 . A dispenser  20  is mounted at a convenient height for a consumer, although the height may vary according to design requirements. The dispenser  20  is preferably designed to selectively dispense ice and water, although other products may be dispensed through the dispenser as is generally known in the art. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1B  shows the refrigerator door  14  in a fully opened position, providing access to the refrigerated compartment  12 . As can be appreciated, the hinges  30  allow the door to be opened in a non-circular path, thereby allowing the refrigerator  10  to be mounted generally flush to and with no obvious gap between adjacent cabinets. The refrigerator as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  is a top mount refrigerator  10  with a single door  14 . However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be utilized with a side-by-side, bottom mount, or other type of refrigerator  10 . Additionally, the refrigerated compartment  12  may feature a single door, a pair of French doors, or any configuration generally known in the art. 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2A-C  show a variety of alternative embodiments of the present invention. Generally, the hinge  30  comprises an annulus  32 , a sun gear  34 , one or more planetary gears  36 , and one or more hinge pins  38 , at least one of the hinge pins  38  having a passage  40 . The door  14  is secured to the hinge pin  38  such that rotational motion of the door  14  is translated to the planetary gear  36 . The combination of the annulus  32  and sun gear  34  translate the rotational motion of the planet gear  36  into translational motion about an arc centered on the sun gear  34 . 
         [0019]    Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2B , the planet gear  36  may include more than one hinge pin  38 . Because the door  14  does not rotate independent of planet gear  36 , both hinge pins  38  could be used to route utilities from the refrigerator cabinet  12  through the hinge  30 . 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 2C , a number of planet gears  36  may be used, each having a hinge pin  38 . The design of the planetary gear system requires that the distance between the two planet gears  36 , and therefore their hinge pins  38 , remain the same. Therefore, utilities may be routed through either hinge pin  38  without having to accommodate a change in distance between the two hinge pins  38 . 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the annulus  32  of the hinge  30  may be a partial gear, allowing the refrigerator door  14  to be open only to a predetermined angle. As shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C , the annulus  32  may be a complete gear with one or more planet gears  36 , each having one or more hinge pins  38  for routing utilities to the door  14 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the refrigerator hinge  30 , showing the hinge pin  38  and passage  40 . The particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  shows passage  40  as a through hole in hinge pin  38 . According to this preferred embodiment, a utility line may be passed through the passage  40  without modification or additional design accommodations. However, hinge pin  38  and passage  40  may take several forms. For example, hinge pin  38  need not be a cylinder, but may be shaped to inhibit rotation of the door  14  about the hinge pin  38 . Hinge pin  38  may also be keyed so as to aid in alignment of the planet gear  36  to the door  14  during assembly. Additionally, hinge pin  38  may include geometry for attaching utility supply lines, for example hinge pin  38  may be threaded to accommodate a plumbing fixture. Hinge pin  38  may also include latches or other geometry for receiving a connection for utility transfer. Passage  40  may include functional elements, such as an electrical socket for receiving electrical lines, or a water tight fixture to which water supply lines may be attached. 
         [0023]    Additionally, not all utilities supplied to the in-door dispenser  20  need be passed through the hinge  30  or the hinge pin  38 . For example, because the distance between the sun gear  34  and the planet gear  36  remains constant, utilities may be passed through the sun gear  34  or other geometry on the sun gear  34 . If multiple planet gears  36  are included, the door  14  may be mounted to only one planet gear  36 . However, because the distance between any two planet gears  36  is constant, utilities may be routed through one planet gear  36  to the door  14  mounted on another planet gear  36 . Additionally, utilities may be passed outside of the hinge, with the utilities having sufficient slack to allow the refrigerator door  14  to fully open. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the refrigerator door  14  may also include a support rod  22  for providing resistance against torsion and other bending forces on the door  14 . Preferably this support rod  22  extends between two hinges  30  located at the top and bottom of the refrigerator door  14 . However, the support rod  22  may be placed elsewhere in the refrigerator, or a plurality of support rods may be placed throughout the refrigerator door  14  according to design and functional requirements. Also as shown in  FIG. 4 , the support rod  22  may be hollow for receiving utility conduits  26  from the hinge  30  and carrying them towards the dispenser  20 . The support rod  22  may feature one or more openings  24  for allowing the conduits  26  to pass out of the support rod  22 . According to the preferred embodiment, the conduits  26  travel from the refrigerated compartment  12  through the hinge  30  and into the hollow support rod  22 , exiting at the opening  24  and continuing to the dispenser  20 . However, additional features may be included on the refrigerator door  14 , including but not limited to a docking station, an electrical outlet, a digital readout, lighting, or any other type of fixture, dispenser, appliance commonly known in the art. 
         [0025]    According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, utilities such as water, low voltage electricity or high voltage electricity pass through the hinge  30  to the dispenser  20 . Additional utilities may also be passed through the hinge  30  according to design requirements. Such utilities include, but are not limited to, a liquid return line, a liquid additive, pressurized air or other gas, or any utility required to operate a door mounted appliance as known in the art. 
         [0026]    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.