Abstract:
A simple and inexpensive hinge system or mechanism that may apply to the front panel or door so as to obtain an easy access to the inside without making the mechanism much more complicated or expensive. The hinge mechanism for a front panel or door is hingedly connected to an enclosure (or cabinet case) and comprises an axis (or shaft) and an axis supporting member having an opening that supports the axis at a first position for door swinging, at a second position for holding the door in a certain state, and at an intermediate position for the axis moving with or without any turning.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a door housing and more particularly relates to a door hinge mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A front panel of an appliance is conventionally screwed or bolted onto the appliance housing or case. The front panel improves the aesthetics, protects contained parts from harmful environment such as dust, prevents human or animal direct contact to the parts, and allows daily inspection through windows on the front panel without causing particular danger. The front panel is conventionally screwed or bolted, which is not expensive. 
     The appliance usually requires a regular maintenance, which may be conducted without removing the front panel but with utilizing small windows and access holes to adjust the equipment. However, on some occasion such as a major maintenance service and repair, the front panel may be needed to be removed from the appliance for the serviceman to access the inside of the appliance case. The front panel that is conventionally fixed on the appliance case may require a special tool and it may take long to unscrew (and screw) all screws on the front panel. 
     In order to obtain an easy access to the inside of the appliance, a front panel hingedly connected to the appliance case with a latch mechanism may be employed. However, a regular hinge does not keep the front panel open unless a special stopping mechanism is installed. Additional parts or equipment tends to complicate the hinged front panel system and to make it much more expensive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention seeks to provide a simple and inexpensive hinge system or mechanism that may apply to the front panel or door so as to obtain an easy access to the inside without making the mechanism much more complicated or expensive. 
     According to the present invention, the hinge mechanism for a front panel or door hingedly connected to an enclosure (or cabinet case) comprises an axis (or shaft) and an axis supporting member having an opening that supports the axis at a first position for door swinging, at a second position for holding the door in a certain state, and in a transition position for the axis moving with or without any turning. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the hinge mechanism mentioned above further comprises a latch mechanism for keeping the door steadily open. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the axis is fixed to the enclosure (or case) so that the door locking and latching movement can be made by pulling the door. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the hinge plate comprise a flat plate and a curved elongated opening so that the hinge mechanism can be simple. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the curved elongated opening of the axis support member has a partial bearing portion parallel with the door face and a curved-away-bearing portion from the door face, so that the hinged mechanism can utilize the door weight to latch or lock the door and create more space from the front opening trim so as to allow the hinge plate to turn around the axis. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the hinge plate comprises a projecting portion to engage with a latch edge portion secured to the case for keeping the door open. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the door lock mechanism is synchronized with the hinge mechanism so that the closed door may be prevented from vibrating and making noise with the case frame. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the hinge mechanism, the latch mechanism, and the lock mechanism may be installed separately to the cabinet case to which the door hingedly connected. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, any kind of door-hingedly-connected-to-case system can apply any one of the hinged mechanisms mentioned above. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the hinge plate having an opening comprising a flat plate, a curved elongated opening, and a projecting portion so that the hinge mechanism may incorporate the latch mechanism. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view from a lower position of a cabinet case with a door hingedly connected to the case, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The door is held at an open position. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view from a lower position of the cabinet case shown in FIG. A, with the door hingedly connected to the case. The door swings up and down to open and close the case, respectively. 
     FIGS.  3 ( a )-( d ) shows a door opening operation, for the embodiment of FIG.  1 . FIG.  3 ( a ) is a perspective view of the cabinet case with the door hingedly connected to the case when the cabinet case is closed. The door is in a closed position. FIG.  3 ( b ) is a perspective view of the cabinet case with the door hingedly connected to the case when the cabinet case is about to open. The door is in a swinging position. FIG.  3 ( c ) is a perspective view of the cabinet case with the door hingedly connected to the case when the cabinet case is opening. The door is in the swinging position. FIG.  3 ( d ) is a perspective view of the cabinet case with the door hingedly connected to the case when the cabinet case is completely open and kept open. The door is in a latched position. 
     FIGS.  4 ( a )-( e ) are perspective views of a left and top portion of the front opening for the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the door and cabinet case partially broken away to show operation of a hinge mechanism. FIG.  4 ( a ) is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism when the door is in the closed position. FIG.  4 ( b ) is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism when the door is pulled up to start to open the cabinet. The door (or axis) is in the swinging position. FIG.  4 ( c ) is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism when the door is swinging to open the cabinet. The door (or axis) is in the swinging position. FIG.  4 ( d ) is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism when the door is completely open. The door (or axis) is in the swinging position. FIG.  4 ( e ) is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism when the door is pushed down onto an edge portion of a side plate of the case. The door is in the latched position. 
     FIGS.  5 ( a ) and ( b ) show a hinge bracket for the embodiment of FIG.  1 . FIG.  5 ( a ) is a side view of the hinge bracket. FIG.  5 ( b ) is a plan view of the hinge bracket. 
     FIGS.  6 ( a )-( e ) are views of a lock mechanism for the embodiment of FIG. 1 with some parts broken away to show operation of a door lock mechanism. FIG.  6 ( a ) is a cross sectional view of a projecting pin with a pin head secured to the side plate along with a cross sectional view of a back panel of the door when the door lock mechanism does not operate. FIG.  6 ( b ) is a cross sectional view of the projecting pin secured to the side plate along with a cross sectional view of the back panel of the door when the door lock mechanism starts to operate. The projecting pin penetrates through a large opening of the engaging opening. FIG.  6 ( c ) is a cross sectional view of the projecting pin secured to the side plate along with a cross sectional view of the back panel of the door when the door lock mechanism locks the door. The projecting pin, having penetrated through the large opening, now slides up to a small opening. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hinge mechanism of another aspect according to the present invention. A door hingedly connected to a case is completely open. A door stopping bar sits on a lever of a side plate of the case. The door is in the latched position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a cabinet case  10  with a front panel or door  12  open and at a latched position. The cabinet case  10  has an enclosure or a case  14  with a front opening  16 . At a left side of the front opening  16  a side plate  18  is secured to a case left edge  20 . Another side plate  18  is secured to a case right edge  22  of the front opening  16 . At the top of the left and right side plates  12 , a hinge system (or mechanism)  24  is installed to hinge the door  12  to the case  14 . Around mid height of the left and right side plates  18 , projecting pins  26  are installed, respectively. The hingedly connected door  12  has two key holes  28  at left and right sides, respectively. Each key hole  28  has a large opening  30  and a small opening  32 , which are connected a narrow path  34 . The left projecting pin  26  engages with the left key hole  28  and the right projecting pin  26  engages with the right key hole  28  when the door is locked. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the door  12  is now swinging up to open the cabinet case  10  or swinging down to close the cabinet case  10  as shown by Arrow AA. The door opening and closing operations will be explained with reference to FIG.  3 . 
     FIG.  3 ( a ) shows the cabinet case  10  when the door  12  is closed. The case  14  has a top panel  36  and two side panels  38 . The top panel has two hinge openings  40  at left and right sides near the front opening  16 , respectively. When the door  12  is about to open, the door  12  is pushed (or pulled) up vertically as shown by Arrow BB such that a door lock may be released and the door  12  starts to depart from the front opening trim as shown FIG.  3 ( b ). 
     The door  12  is now separated from the trimming frame of the front opening  16  as shown FIG.  3 ( b ). When the door  12  is pushed (or pulled) up (FIG.  3 ( a )), the door  12  is moved forward because of the hinge mechanism, which will be described in details later. In this position the lock mechanism is released such that the projecting pins  26  may be moved out or almost moved out from the key hole  28 . Therefore, the bottom portion of the door  12  may be pulled forward as shown by Arrow CC. Since the top portion of the door  12  is connected to the case  14  via the hinge mechanism  24 , the door  12  starts to swing up when the bottom portion of the door  12  is pulled forward as shown in FIG.  3 ( c ). 
     The cabinet case  10  now starts to show its front opening as shown in FIG.  3 ( c ). The door  12  may be continued to open if the bottom portion of the door  12  is pulled up as shown by Arrow DD. However, the door may swing back to close the front opening  16  if the pulling force is removed during this process. The door  12  has some weight and tends to fall with gravity but the top portion of the door  12  is connected to the case  14  such that the top portion does not fall. Therefore, the door  12  swings down like a seesaw with one hand full of heavier weight. 
     The door  12  can be pulled up to become almost horizontal as shown in FIG.  3 ( d ). However, with this embodied cabinet case, the top and back edge of the door  12  may contact the top panel  36  of the case  14  to prevent the door from further opening. If the contact between them is prevented, the door  12  may swing even higher. 
     After the door  12  swings up to be almost horizontal, the door  12  may be pulled forward as shown by Arrow EE such that the hinge mechanism is latched. Because of the latch mechanism the door  12  does not swing down to close the cabinet case  10 . The latch mechanism will be described in details later. 
     FIGS.  4 ( a )-( e ) illustrate the hinge mechanism  24  and operation thereof. Although FIG.  4 ( a ) shows the left-and-top corner of the front opening  16  with broken door  12  and case  14 , the same or symmetrically identical mechanism applies at right-and-top corner of the front opening  16 . The case  14  has the top panel  36  with the hinge opening  40  next to the front opening  16 , which is surrounded by first, second, and third edges  42 ,  44 ,  46  and has one open side open to the front opening  16 . Therefore, the hinge opening  40  is formed in a cup- or C-shape on the top panel as shown in FIGS.  4 ( a )-( e ). The top panel  36  defines the upper end of the front opening  16  by first and second top front edges  48 ,  50 . The first and second top front edges  48 ,  50  are separated by the hinge opening  40 . 
     The left side panel  38  is connected to the top panel  36  at the top edge and to the side plate  18  at the case left edge  20 . The side plate  18  is also connected to the top panel  36  at the second top front edge  50 . The left side plate  18  has an inner edge  52  along a right side of the plate  18  and an opening defined by L-shaped edges at the right-and-top corner of the side plate  18 , where an axis holding plate  54  is fixed at the vertical edge of the L-shaped edges. The axis holding plate  54  may be formed by bending an upper part of the side plate  18  (i.e., it was originally a part of the side plate.) at the vertical edge of the L-shaped edges with a right angle from the side plate  18  after the upper part of the side plate  18  is cut along a first latch edge  56 , which is the bottom edge of the L-shaped edges. 
     The axis holding plate  54  has a axis fixing portion  58 , on which an axis  60  is securely fixed. The axis  60 , therefore, extends rightward from the axis fixing portion  58  on the axis holding plate  54  and has a stopping end  62  at the tip end of the axis  60 . The axis  60  holds a hinge plate  64  between the axis holding plate  54  and the stopping end  62  such that the axis  60  can pass through an opening of the hinge plate  64  but neither the axis holding plate  54  nor the stopping end  62  can pass through it. 
     The hinge plate  64  is fixed to the door  12  or the back plate  66  at the top edge (a hinge plate fixing portion  68 ) of the plate  64 . The hinge plate  64  is surrounded by the top edge ( 68 ), a hinge front edge  70 , a first hinge chamfered edge  72 , a projecting portion  74 , a second latch edge  76 , a bottom edge  78 , a second hinge chamfered edge  80 , and a hinge back edge  82  if viewed counter-clockwise. The hinge plate  64  also has an opening for receiving or bearing the axis  60 , which comprises a first position  84  and a second position  86 , and transition position  88 . In the first position the door  12  can swing and at the second position the door  12  may not swing, which will be explained later. The hinge front edge  70  is horizontal in FIG.  4 ( a ) (and perpendicular to the top edge) extending straight until the first hinge chamfered edge  70 , which is designed to allow the hinge plate  64  to turn around the axis  60  when the axis  60  is in the first position. The projecting portion  74  is designed to latch the hinge mechanism by letting the second latch edge  76  engage with the first latch edge  56  of the side plate  18  and by letting the bottom edge  78  rest on the first latch edge  56  when the door is opened. The detailed operation will be explained later. The bottom edge  78  is connected to the second hinge chamfered edge  80 , which in turn is connected to the hinge back edge  82  that is parallel with the hinge front edge  70 . 
     FIG.  4 ( a ) shows the hinge mechanism  24  when the door  12  is closed. The figure corresponds to FIG.  3 ( a ). The axis  60  is positioned in the second position  86  such that the door may not swing since the door  12  is locked with the lock mechanism as described later. The hinge plate  64  is positioned between the axis holding plate  54  and the stopping end  62  with the axis  60  passing through the opening of the hinge plate  64 . Thus, the hinge plate  64  is parallel or almost parallel with the axis holding plate  54 , which is vertical or almost vertical. The top edge (the hinge plate fixing portion  68 ) is vertical and in front of the front opening  16  such that the door  12  may close the front opening  16 . Therefore, the hinge front edge  70 , which may or may not touch the first latch edge  56 , is horizontal and at the bottom of the hinge plate  64 . The axis is in the second position because the weight of the door  12  pull down the hinge plate  64  to let the axis  60  find the highest position (the second position  86 ) in the opening. 
     FIG.  4 ( b ) shows the hinge mechanism  24  when the door is pulled up or pushed up vertically. The figure corresponds to FIG.  3 ( b ). The arrangement of the components are basically the same as shown in FIG.  4 ( a ) except the hinge plate  64  being lifted and moved forward as the axis  60  slides along front and back guide edges  90 ,  92  of the opening. (Or the guide edges  90 ,  92  slide around the axis  60  because the hinge plate  64  is pulled up while the axis stays still with the case  14 .) The front and back guide edges  90 ,  92  are, therefore, bearing portions. The hinge plate  64  first vertically lifted up until the axis  60  touches the front guide edge  90 . Since the front guide edge  90  is curved to form a slope, which makes some angles more than 0 but less than 90 degrees against the horizontal line, the front guide edge  90  slides on the axis  60  to move the hinge plate  64  forward while the hinge plate  64  (or the door  12 ) is being lifted up. Therefore, the area sided by the front and back guide edges  90 ,  92  may be called a transition position  88 . The axis  60  is, thus, in the first position  84 . Some space between the door  12  and the case  14  is created so that the door has freedom to swing around the axis  60 . 
     FIG.  4 ( c ) shows the hinge mechanism  24  when the door is being swung up (or down). The figure corresponds to FIG.  3 ( c ). The axis  60  is still in the first position  84  so as to allow the door to swing. The hinge plate fixing portion  68  now makes some angle (more than 0 and less than 90 degree) against the horizontal line. Since the hinge plate  64  is appropriately chamfered at the first hinge chamfered edge  72  and lifted up, the hinge plate  64  is not blocked by the first latch edge  56 . Conversely, the hinge plate  64  is well designed with the peripheral shape and size, and the opening position, pattern and size to avoid any blockage and to operate the latch mechanism properly as described later. 
     FIG.  4 ( d ) shows the hinge mechanism  24  when the door  12  is opened to become horizontal like the door  12  in FIG.  3 ( d ). In FIG.  4 ( d ), however, the axis  60  is still in the first position such that the projecting portion  74  is far from the first latch edge  56  of the side plate  18 . The door  12  is still being pulled at this time because the door  12  may swing back or down if the pulling force is removed. This is because the door has some weight and the axis  60  is somehow constrained in the opening such that the bottom portion of the door  12  may fall first to make the door  12  swing down around the axis  60 . In order to hold the door open, the hinge mechanism may be latched by pulling the door  12  forward. Because the front guide edge  90  is angled to be a slope, the hinge plate  64  (or the door  12 ) may lowered gradually while the door  12  is pulled forward. The back guide edge  92  helps the hinge plate come down gradually. 
     FIG.  4 ( e ) shows the hinge mechanism  24  when the door  12  is latched in the open position. The figure corresponds to the FIG.  3 ( d ). The hinge plate fixing portion  68  is horizontal like the door  12  and the hinge front and back edges  70 ,  82  are vertical. The bottom edge  78  sits on the first latch edge  56  to hold the door  12  open. The second latch edge  76  of the projecting portion  74  may contact the front face of the side plate  18  near the first latch edge  56  so that the door  12  may be prevented from swinging down by turning around the axis  60 . Since the door  12  has some weight and is pivotably secured around the axis  60  as mentioned before, the door  12  tends to turn counterclockwise around the axis  60  in FIG.  4 ( e ). However, the bottom edge  78  sits on the first latch edge  56 , which is located between the pivotable axis  60  and the center of gravity of the door  12 . Thus, the down force moment by the door weight is cancelled by the resisting upward force moment. Since the length from the center of gravity of the door  12  to the pivotable axis  60  is longer than that from resisting upward force working point to the pivotable axis  60 , the first latch edge  56  may have to endure the door weight and more if only one first latch edge is employed for the cabinet case  10 . 
     FIG. 5 shows an example of the hinge plate  100 . The hinge plate  100  includes a flat plate surrounded by a hinge plate fixing portion  102 , a hinge front edge  104 , a first hinge chamfered edge  106 , an projecting portion  108 , a second latch edge  110 , a bottom edge  112 , a second hinge chamfered edge  114 , and hinge back edge  116 . The hinge plate  100  also includes an opening comprising a first position  120 , a second position  122 , a front guide edge  124 , and a back guide edge  126 . In the example, the hinge fixing portion is composed of a rib plate  128  and two bolt holes  130 . The hinge plate of the example may be fixed on the back panel of the door  12  with screws or bolts. 
     With reference to FIGS.  6 ( a )-( e ), the lock mechanism is described. FIG.  6 ( a )-( c ) show cross sectional views of the projecting pin  26  installed on the front face of the side plate  18  and the back plate  66  of the door  12  with broken parts. FIGS.  6 ( d ) and ( e ) are front views by Arrows FF and GG, respectively. In this particular embodiment, the door  12  comprises a back panel, a front panel and side members connecting the back and front panels. The projecting pin comprises a pin head  140  and pin stem  142 , which is fixed on the side plate  18 . The pin head may be round like semisphere so that the curved top may direct the projecting pin by contacting the hole brim to the center of a hole, which engages with the projecting pin  26 . The back panel  66  has the key hole  28 , which comprises the large opening  30  and the small opening  32 , which are connected via a narrow path  34 . The projecting pin  26  and the key hole  28  are arranged to engage with each other when the door  12  closes. 
     FIGS.  6 ( a ) and ( d ) show the lock mechanism when the door  12  is about to swing down to close the cabinet  10 . The hinge mechanism is adjusted to such relative height and position as shown in FIGS.  6 ( a ) and ( d ). In the figure, the pin head  140  is centered of the large opening  30  in FIG.  6 ( d ) so that the pin head  140  easily passes through the large hole  30 . However, a small deviation may be self-adjusted at the curved head of the pin head  140  and a peripheral edge of the large opening  30 . 
     FIG.  6 ( b ) shows the lock mechanism when the door  12  is closed but the door is still lifted. The pin head  140  has passed through the large opening  30  and the back plate  66  is located between the pin head  140  and the side plate  18 . In this particular embodiment, the displacement from the front opening  16  to the back plate  66  by the hinge mechanism is small. The figure, therefore, corresponds to FIG.  4 ( b ) although the FIG.  4 ( b ) shows the mechanism when the door is about to open. 
     FIGS.  6 ( c ) and ( e ) show the lock mechanism when the door  12  is closed. After the pin head  140  passes through the large opening  30 , the door  12  is lowered or dropped by gravity. The pin stem  142  slides the narrow path  34  of the back panel key hole  28 . (The narrow path  34  actually moves down relative to the projecting pin  26  when the door  12  is dropped.) Thus, the pin head  140  can be seen as shown in FIG.  6 ( e ) if viewed by arrow GG. 
     FIG. 7 shows another embodiment explaining another aspect of the present invention. Most components are common with the previous embodiment and FIG.  4 ( e ) may be referred to for comparison. The figure shows another embodiment of the hinge mechanism, which may apply to the previous embodiment shown in FIGS.  3 ( a )-( d ). A case  150  comprises a top panel  152 , a side panel  154  and side plate  156 . The top plate  152  comprises first and second top front edges  158 ,  160  and a rectangular hinge opening  162  surrounded by first, second, and third edges  164 ,  166 ,  168  in a similar manner in FIGS.  4 ( a )-( e ). The top panel  152  is connected to a side panel  154  at the left edge. The side panel  154  is connected to a side plate  156  at a left side edge  170 . The side plate  156  is also connected to the top panel  152  at the second top front edge  160 . The side plate  156  is connected to a fixed hinge plate  172 , which may be formed by bending a part of the side plate  156  along a vertical right edge  174 . The fixed hinge plate  172  is surrounded by fixed hinge plate bottom edge  176  and a fixed hinge plate back edge  178 . 
     The fixed hinge plate  172  has an L-opening  180  which comprises a fixed hinge first position  182 , a fixed hinge second position  184 , a fixed hinge transition position, a fixed hinge front guide edge  186 , and a fixed hinge back guide edge  188 . The fixed hinge first position  182  is located at the most front and highest position and the fixed hinge second position  184  is located at the most rear and lowest position of the L-opening  180 . In the figure, a axis  190  passes through the L-opening  180  which extends from the lower portion of a axis support member  192 . The axis support member is secured to the door  194  at a axis support member fixing portion  196 . 
     At lower portion of the side plate  156  than the fixed hinge plate  198 , a latch member  200  extends horizontally from the side plate  156 . The latch member may be formed by cutting the side plate  156  vertically to some extent and bending the cut part toward the front. In order to make the latch member steady, upper and lower parts may be bent at the same time to form double layered fixed hinge plate  172 . Around a bar resting area  202 , a topping bar, which is fixed at the top edge (stopping bar fixing portion  206 ) and extending down vertically from the stopping bar fixing portion  206  to the resting area  202 . 
     The figure shows the hinge mechanism when the door  194  is open and kept open. The axis  190  is in the second position  184  and the stopping bar  204  is sitting on the bar resting area  202  to resist the downward force caused by the door weight and axis  190  in the similar manner as described with reference to FIG.  4 ( e ). 
     In order to close the door  194 , the bottom portion of the door  194  may be lifted up to release the latch mechanism on the latch member  200  and the door may be pulled forward to move the axis  190  forward and upward, such that the stopping bar  204  disengages from the bar resting area  202  and the door may turn counterclockwise without the stopping bar touching the latch member  200 . When the door  194  is swung down to close the cabinet case, the upper part of the door  194  may be pushed to move the axis  208  from the first position  182  to the second position  184  so that the axis settles in the second position  184 . During the last process the lock mechanism allows the pin head  140  of the projecting pin  26  to pass through the large opening  30  and slide through the narrow path  34  into the lock position. 
     In the foregoing description, although only the left hinge mechanism of the two hinge mechanism is explained, the other mechanism may be identical or symmetrically identical so that the same explanation may apply to the other mechanism. Since the present invention utilizes the door weight, the present invention may apply best to the equipment having a middle range of door weight. However, the invention may also be applied to equipment with a heavy door. It may be even better for such an application if the heavy weight can be cancelled by a counter spring force or the like. 
     Although the latch mechanism is incorporated in the hinge plate in the first embodiment, the latch mechanism may installed separately from the hinge mechanism. 
     In the foregoing embodiment, a pair of hinge mechanisms are employed for the cabinet case. However, it should be understood that only one hinge mechanism or more than two hinge mechanisms may be applied to the hinged-door cabinet. 
     In the foregoing embodiment, although only box-shaped cabinet case is employed, the present invention may apply to other types of cases such as a round shape. 
     Although foregoing embodiments show a door to swing only upward, the present invention may apply to the cabinet which has a door to swing in any direction. 
     It should be understood that the components may be made of metal such as steel, and other materials such as organic material and inorganic materials. 
     It should also be understood that the foregoing relates only to preferred embodiments of the present invention, and thus changes and modifications thereto may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.