Abstract:
The invention disclosed provides a compact hinge capable of a vertical, a horizontal, and an overlay adjustment, comprised of a cup portion and a hinge arm with one end pivotably connected to the cup portion and the other end slideably connected to a fastener plate. The fastener plate further comprises a first semi-planar surface for contact with a cabinet frame and a second semi-planar surface for slideable engagement with the hinge arm to accomplish the horizontal adjustment. The first and second semi-planar surfaces are interconnected by a deformable hinge section that allows for an elastically resilient connection at one end and an adjusting screw at the other end for a horizontally arcing movement relative to each resulting in an overlay adjustment. The fastener plate further comprises an elongated aperture in the first semi-planar surface through which the vertical adjustment is accomplished.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a compact hinge for furniture products. In particular, the present invention relates to a compact overlay hinge that is capable of adjustment in three dimensions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cabinet doors for cabinets generally must be individually adjusted to compensate for manufacturing tolerances. Adjustment is usually required in more than one dimension. If the door has two or more hinges, as is usually the case, adjustments must be carried out on each hinge with respect to the other hinges. A “vertical adjustment” is required when the door does not seat properly with respect to the top and bottom of the cabinet frame. An “overlay adjustment” is a lateral or “side to side” adjustment required when the door does not properly align with the sides of the cabinet frame. A horizontal or an “in and out” adjustment required when the door does not lay flush with the cabinet frame. 
     Prior art hinges suffer from various disadvantages including difficulty in installation, insufficient adjustment capabilities, instability of the adjustments made, complicated construction, and high manufacturing costs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,591 to Domenig et al. discloses a low profile, partial door overlay hinge having a hinge cup, an intermediate base hinge and top hinge arm segments. In order to accomplish adjustments in three dimensions, this device requires a complicated assembly necessitating several assembly connection points. Further, multiple cam screws or eccentric cam screws are required to effectuate the adjustments. All of the above increases the manufacturing complexity and cost of the device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,567 to Domenig et al. discloses an overlay hinge having a hinge cup, a base hinge arm segment and an L-shaped hinge arm segment. This device requires multiple plate hinge arm segments to achieve the three-dimensional adjustment capability. The device of the &#39;567 patent also requires multiple intricate and expensive pieces requiring complex assembly steps and hardware to function as an adjustable hinge. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,958 to Domenig, et al. discloses an adjustable furniture hinge having a hinge cup, a hinge arm and a hinge plate. The hinge arm is pivotally connected to both the hinge cup and the hinge plate. The number of hinge arm segments is lessened, but the intricate parts and the complex assembly remains while the hinge only accommodates a vertical adjustment and a horizontal overlay adjustment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,995 to Domenig discloses an adjustable recessed door hinge having a hinge cup in a bore in a door member and a hinge arm securable to a cabinet member. The hinge cup has two slotted holes for receiving attachment screws that guide displacement of the hinge cup for a side-to-side adjustment. The invention of the &#39;995 patent requires the adjustment of at least two mounting screws per hinge used to mount the hinge cup in order to effectuate a horizontal overlay adjustment. After repeated adjustment as is required to secure and adjust a door, the fit of newly inserted screws becomes unstable which ultimately results in an insecure mounting of the door on the cabinet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the need for a simply designed and adjustable self closing compact hinge, particularly one including the capability of adjustments in three dimensions with a minimum number of components that can be easily and economically manufactured and installed. 
     Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an adjustable self closing compact hinge that includes a cup for mounting in a door and a hinge arm assembly pivotably connected to the cup by means of a hinge pin. The hinge arm assembly includes a hinge arm that is slideably coupled to a fastener plate. The fastener plate is attachable to the frame of a cabinet by a mounting screw through an elongated hole oriented vertically in the fastener plate. The elongated hole in the fastener plate facilitates a vertical adjustment parallel to the axis of the hinge pin. The fastener plate and the hinge arm are slidably engaged to each other and through an eccentric cam can accommodate a horizontal adjustment perpendicular to the axis of the hinge pin. The fastener plate includes a first planar surface for contact with the frame of a cabinet and a second planar surface for engagement with the hinge arm. The first planar surface and the second planar surface of the fastener plate are interconnected by a semi-cylindrical elastically flexible hinge section that allows the distance between the first planar surface and the second planar surface to be selectively adjusted by an adjustment screw which facilitates a lateral adjustment. 
     A benefit of the present invention includes the requirement of fewer component parts to obtain the three dimensional adjustment functionality, specifically; there is no independent intermediate structure between the hinge arm and the component part that becomes attached to the cabinet frame as in the prior art. Additionally, there is no hinge pin needed to couple the hinge arm and any various mounting plates or intermediate plates. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above-mentioned features and advantages of the invention together with other important aspects upon reading the detailed description that follows in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a hinge cup of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view of a hinge cup of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded underside isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a hinge arm assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a hinge arm assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a hinge arm assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an underside isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a hinge arm assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in assembled form. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in assembled form. 
         FIG. 10  is an underside isometric view of an alternate embodiment of a fastener plate of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the descriptions that follow, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures may be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Copyright protection is claimed to the extent that protection is provided by copyright law. 
     Hinge cup  12  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Hinge cup  12  has a semicircular shaped brim  162  opposite ledge  168  encompassing a generally rectangular shaped indention or cup. Ledge  168  connects support  109  and support  119 . Support  109  defines a circular support hole  108  and support  119  defines a circular support hole  118 . The indention or cup of hinge cup  12  includes two different horizontal surfaces, cup floor  102  and cup shelf  104 . Cup floor  102  forms the base of the cup shape and includes a generally rectangular shaped aperture floor hole  158 . Cup shelf  104  is generally a “horseshoe shaped” horizontal surface located approximately halfway between cup floor  102  and ledge  168 . Between cup floor  102  and cup shelf  104  is a generally semicircular shaped cup floor wall  103 . Between ledge  168  and cup shelf  104  is a generally semicircular shaped cup shelf wall  155 . At the tips of the horseshoe shape of cup shelf  104  are spring holes  141  and  142 . Spring holes  141  and  142  are generally rectangular shaped apertures in cup shelf wall  155 . Additionally, spring hub arm hole  164  and spring hub arm hole  165  are located in cup floor wall  103 . Arm hub hole  166  and arm hub hole  167  are located in cup shelf wall  155 . Spring hub arm hole  164  is the same diameter as and is concentrically aligned with spring hub arm hole  165  and is located on the opposite side of hinge cup  12 . Further, arm hub hole  166  is the same diameter as and is concentrically aligned with arm hub hole  167 . Tab  148  is a small projection located on cup floor wall  103  underneath cup shelf  104 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show fastener plate  24  and hinge arm  14 . Additionally, eccentric cam  32  and adjustment screw  28  are shown. Fastener plate  24  includes fastener plate bottom  302  and fastener plate top  304 . Fastener plate bottom  302  is connected to fastener plate top  304  by generally semicircular shaped hinge sections  308  and  309 . Hinge sections  308  and  309  are generally semi-circular shaped deformable plates with an approximate interior radius of 0.75 millimeters. Hinge sections  308  and  309  are divided by hinge section gap  307 . Fastener plate top  304  is generally parallel to fastener plate bottom  302  and is separated at one end by the interior diameter of hinges sections  308  and  309 . Fastener plate bottom  302  includes an elongated aperture fastener plate mounting hole  306 . In the preferred embodiment, fastener plate mounting hole  306  is approximately thirteen millimeters in length and approximately five millimeters wide. Also included on fastener plate bottom  302  extending at approximate right angles away from fastener plate top  304  are guides  310  and  311 . Seat  316  is a generally rectangular shaped protrusion extending from fastener plate bottom  302  towards fastener plate top  304 . In the approximate center of seat  316  is a circular shaped aperture adjustment screw mounting hole  312 . Situated approximately perpendicular to and along the lateral edges of fastener plate top  304  are fastener plate sidewalls  314  and  315 . Fastener plate sidewall  314  and fastener plate sidewall  315  are generally parallel to each other and extend from fastener plate top  304  towards fastener plate bottom  302  but do not come in contact with fastener plate bottom  302 . The slotted spaces left between fastener plate sidewalls  314  and  315  and fastener plate bottom  302  are shown as slots  328  and  329  respectively. Fastener plate top  304  further includes a generally rectangular shaped aperture fastener plate access hole  320 , circular and threaded hole  318 , and a circular shaped fastener plate eccentric cam hole  360 . In the preferred embodiment, the major axis of fastener plate access hole  320  is approximately thirteen millimeters and the minor axis is approximately ten millimeters in length. 
     Eccentric cam  32  includes eccentric cam face  344  and eccentric cam base  346 , a circular shaft located to one side of the axial center of eccentric cam  32 . Adjustment screw  28  includes a threaded section adjustment screw thread  340  and an end section adjustment screw base  342 . 
     At one end of hinge arm  14  is arm hook  330 . Arm hook  330  separates a pair of projections, cam surface  331  and cam surface  332 . Arm hook  330  leads to arm section  334  that is connected to hinge arm top  350 . Situated approximately perpendicular to and along the lateral edges of hinge arm top  350  are hinge arm sidewalls  322  and  323 . Hinge arm sidewall  322  and hinge arm sidewall  323  lie in generally parallel planes. Hinge arm sidewall  322  includes an inward facing set of flanges  326 . Similarly, hinge arm sidewall  323  includes a set of inward facing of flanges  327 . The height of flanges  326  and  327  is generally equal to slots  328  and  329  and in the preferred embodiment are approximately 1.5 millimeters. Hinge arm top  350  further includes an elongated aperture hinge arm eccentric cam hole  324 , a generally rectangular shaped hinge arm hole  338 , having a section forming a generally semicircular shaped adjustment screw access hole  336 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  depict hinge arm assembly  48 . Hinge arm assembly  48  shows fastener plate  24  fitted with hinge arm  14  including eccentric cam  32  and adjustment screw  28 . Arm hook  330  forms a hollow tubular shape defining pivot hole  502 . Hinge arm  14  slidably engages fastener plate  24 . Flanges  326  of hinge arm top  350  align with and slide into slot  328  between fastener plate sidewall  314  and fastener plate bottom  302 . Simultaneously, flanges  327  of hinge arm top  350  align with and slide into slot  329  between fastener plate sidewall  315  and fastener plate bottom  302 . In this position, fastener plate  24  is frictionally held by flanges  326  and  327  between fastener plate sidewalls  314  and  315  and fastener plate bottom  302  respectively. Except for eccentric cam  32 , fastener plate  24  can slide lateral of hinge arm top  350 . Eccentric cam  32  fits through hinge arm eccentric cam hole  324  and fastener plate eccentric cam hole  360 . Eccentric cam base  346  is peened over once hinge arm assembly  48  is together, thus keeping fastener plate  24  and hinge arm  14  slidably engaged but allowing eccentric cam  32  to rotate in this position when turned. Similarly, adjustment screw  28  fits through adjustment screw access hole  336 , threaded hole  318 , and adjustment screw mounting hole  312 . Adjustment screw  28  is also penned over once hinge arm assembly  48  is together forming adjustment screw base  342  thus preventing adjustment screw  28  from backing out of adjustment screw mounting hole  312 . 
       FIG. 10  shows an alternate preferred embodiment of fastener plate  1024 . The overall width of fastener plate top  1004  shown as  1032  is greater than the width of fastener plate bottom  1002  shown as  1030 . The wider top section results in sidewalls  1014  and  1015  not being positioned directly over fastener plate bottom  1002 . Fastener plate  1024  is frictionally held to and slidably engaged with hinge arm  14  by the upper horizontal surfaces of flanges  326  and  327  abutting sidewalls  1014  and  1015  respectively while the top surface of fastener plate top  1004  becomes adjacent to hinge arm  14 . Additionally, fastener plate  1024  includes guides  1010 ,  1011 ,  1012 , and  1013 . Guides  1012  and  1013  are positioned to be offset from and inside guides  1010  and  1011 . The alternate embodiment allows the fastener plate bottom to advance upward and between flanges  326 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7  the components comprising a preferred embodiment of the compact three dimensionally adjustable hinge  700  are shown in an exploded view. The compact adjustable hinge  700  serves to pivotally connect a piece of furniture to a door. When assembled, the compact adjustable hinge  700  generally includes coil spring  42 , hinge cup  12 , hinge pin  18 , hinge arm  14 , and fastener plate  24 . 
     Hinge pin  18  is a solid shaft formed into a generally three sided rectangular shape. Hinge pin  18  is shaped to accommodate the semicircular shape of brim  162  through the inclusion of angled corner  163 . In the preferred embodiment, the diameter of hinge pin  18  is approximately three millimeters. Hinge pin  18  includes spring hub arm  702  and arm hub  704 . Arm hub  704  provides an axle for pivotally connecting hinge arm  14  to hinge cup  12 . Spring hub arm  702  provides an axle for pivotally supporting coil spring  42  with respect to hinge cup  12 . Spring hub arm  702  and arm hub  704  simultaneously fit through and are seated in spring hub arm holes  164  and  165  and arm hub holes  166  and  167  respectively. Those skilled in the art will recognize that spring hub arm  702  and arm hub  704  can be replaced by separate keeper pins or cotter keys. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 , it can be seen that coil spring  42  is positioned around the exterior of cup floor wall  103  and rests on tab  148 . Coil spring  42  follows the exterior of hinge cup  12  to where spring hub arm  702  extends out of hinge cup  12  on both sides. Coil spring  42  is positioned around spring hub arm  702  and extends into the interior of hinge cup  12  through both spring holes  141  and  142 . Coil spring ends  706  and  707  of coil spring  42  rest slidingly on cam surfaces  331  and  332  of hinge arm  14 . 
       FIG. 9  shows compact adjustable hinge  700  installed to pivotally connect door member  902  with cabinet member frame  904 . Typical installation requires that hinge cup  12  be fitted into a routed bore opening in the door of the cabinet and secured with wood screws or press fit dowels in support holes  108  and  118 . Ledge  168  and brim  162  abut the inside surface of door member  902 . Fastener plate  24  is mounted adjacent to cabinet member frame  904  using wood screw  908  passing through fastener plate mounting hole  306 . Guides  310  and  311  in contact with one corner of the cabinet frame to ensure that fastener plate  24  is squarely aligned with cabinet member face  906  by slightly protruding around the corner of cabinet member face  906  and the inside door opening of cabinet member frame  904 . In an alternate preferred embodiment, guides  1010 ,  1011 ,  1012  and  1013  perform the same function. Hinge arm assembly  48  is attached to hinge cup  12  at hinge pin  18 . This attachment allows hinge arm  14  to rotate around hinge pin  18  and to move hinge arm  14  from a closed position to an open position. 
     The self-closing function of compact adjustable hinge  700  is accomplished by coil spring  42  biasing the hinge in either an open or a closed position. As hinge arm  14  pivots, coil spring ends  706  and  707  of coil spring  42  move over cam surfaces  332  and  331  respectively forcing compact adjustable hinge  700  to tend to rest on one side or the other of the cam surfaces in either the fully open position or the fully closed position. 
     Compact adjustable hinge  700  is constructed such that its overall longitudinal length is minimized. In a preferred embodiment, hinge cup  12  and hinge arm  14  each have a longitudinal length of approximately 34 to 36 millimeters and an overall length of approximately 65 to 68 millimeters when assembled. However, other lengths are acceptable as well within the scope of the invention. It is of course to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the identified connecting components and that other connecting components may be used. For example, it is known in the art to use a four bar linkage system comprised of multiple hinge arm elements connected to the fastener plate. The fastener plate and hinge arm can be adapted to this configuration. 
     In the preferred embodiment, hinge cup  12 , fastener plate  24 , and hinge arm  14  are typically constructed of metal such as cast aluminum or steel alloy plate stock and formed from casting or stamping but can also be made of injection molded plastic or nylon. In the preferred embodiment, the material used to construct hinge cup  12  is approximately 0.8 millimeters thick and the material used to construct fastener plate  24  and hinge arm  14  is approximately 1.5 millimeters thick. 
     In operation, hinge arm assembly  48  provides three dimensional adjustability for hinge  700 . Having multiple adjustment capabilities contributes to proper closure of the door member thereby prolonging cabinet and hinge useful life. One direction of adjustment is the vertical movement of door member  902 . This adjustment is required when the top and bottom edges of door member  902  do not align with the top and bottom edges of cabinet member frame  904  or an adjacent door member. Hinge arm assembly  48  is attached to the cabinet member frame  904  with wood screw  908  through fastener plate mounting hole  306 . The elongated shape of fastener plate mounting hole  306  allows for vertical adjustments of the door member with respect to the cabinet frame. Door member  902  may be vertically adjusted to the proper height of an adjacent door member or adjoining cabinet member by loosening wood screw  908  and repositioning door member  902  to the desired height and retightening the wood screw. Fastener plate access hole  320  in fastener plate top  304  is positioned to permit access to the screw regardless of the screw&#39;s location in fastener plate mounting hole  306 . For additional connection strength, additional wood screws may be used in the mounting hole to attach fastener plate  24  to the cabinet frame. 
     Another direction of adjustment is the horizontal movement of door member  902 . This adjustment is required when the inside face of door member  902  does not lay flush with cabinet member face  906  impeding the opening and closing action. Eccentric cam  32 , when turned, causes eccentric cam face  344  to engage the edge of hinge arm eccentric cam hole  324  in hinge arm top  350 . Eccentric cam base  346  is engaged with fastener plate eccentric cam hole  360  of fastener plate top  304 . The force of eccentric cam face  344  on hinge arm eccentric cam hole  324  converts the rotational movement into a horizontal movement resulting in the horizontal adjustment as between the door member and the cabinet frame member. As eccentric cam  32  is turned, hinge arm  14  slides horizontally with respect to fastener plate  24  resulting in door member  902  traveling horizontally with respect to cabinet member frame  904 . In the preferred embodiment, a quarter turn of eccentric cam  32  translates into approximately three millimeters of horizontal travel. 
     A further direction of adjustment is the lateral movement of door member  902 . This adjustment is also referred to as an overlay adjustment. This adjustment is required when the vertical edges of door member  902  do not align with the vertical edges of cabinet member frame  904  or the vertical edges of an adjacent door member. In most applications, more than one hinge  700  is used to mount a door member. Providing different lateral adjustments on two different hinges provides an angular adjustment to the cabinet door with respect to the cabinet member frame. 
     The lateral adjustment is achieved through the use of adjusting screw  28  which has adjustment screw thread  340  threadably engaged with threaded hole  318  and with adjustment screw base  342  rotatably affixed to adjustment screw mounting hole  312 . Adjustment screw base  342  is expanded in order to retain it to fastener plate  24 . Turning adjustment screw  28  clockwise advances it through threaded hole  318  and causes the screw to abut seat  316 . Adjustment screw base  342  freely rotates in and is guided by adjustment screw mounting hole  312 . Further clockwise rotation of adjustment screw  28  results in fastener plate top  304  rotating about the longitudinal axis of hinge sections  308  and  309  with respect to fastener plate bottom  302  by bending the hinge sections. Clockwise rotation of adjustment screw  28  increases the distance between fastener plate top  304  and fastener plate bottom  302  at the location of the adjustment screw, while counter-clockwise rotation decreases the distance. As the distance between the two fastener plates increases or decreases, by virtue of the fastener plates being attached to the cabinet member frame and hinge arm  14 , a lateral movement of the door member with respect to the cabinet member frame is achieved. 
     Further, those skilled in the art will realize that the invention provides a stable long term adjustment because the hinge sections  308  and  309  are semi-permanently deformed by advancement of adjustment screw  28  and will hold an adjustment virtually indefinitely thereby eliminating the need for periodic readjustment. The elimination of a sufficient amount of material represented by gap  307 , allows hinge sections  308  and  309  to be elastically bendable about a longitudinal axis parallel to the rotational axis of the hinge pin  18 . The amount of space represented by gap  307  controls the amount of elasticity and the effort needed to impart the bending of the hinge sections. In the preferred embodiment, gap  307  is approximately sixteen millimeters. 
     It should be noted that the installation orientation with hinge cup  12  fitted into a bore opening on the door of a cabinet and the hinge arm assembly fitted on to the frame of a cabinet, could be reversed even though this is not the usual practice. In addition, the self closing compact adjustable hinge of the present invention may be used in other applications that require a hinge treatment, including furniture, overhead flipper doors mounted on shelves, and the like. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.