Abstract:
A door hinge for a household appliance, the household appliance including a body and a door, the door being movable about a horizontal axis between an approximately vertical closed position and an approximately horizontal opened position. The door hinge includes a housing couplable to the body, a door lever pivotably mountable on the door for movement about a main shaft, a weight compensating spring and a closing spring. The weight compensating spring holds the door approximately in a position of equilibrium when the door is opened and the closing spring applies a self-closing force shortly before the door reaches the closed position and applies a closure maintaining force when the door reaches the closed position. Further included is a dampening device that either counteracts a closing force or an opening force.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a National Phase Application based upon and claiming the benefit of priority to PCT/EP2008/061327, filed on Aug. 28, 2008, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority to German Patent Application No. 20 2007 012 603.4, filed on Sep. 7, 2007, the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a door hinge of a household appliance, for example, an oven, a dishwasher or the like. A door is movable about a lower horizontal axis from an approximately vertical closed position into an approximately horizontal open position. The door hinge includes a door lever mountable on the door, a housing fastenable to a body of the household appliance, to which housing the door lever is connected so as to be pivotable about a main shaft. Further included is a weight compensation spring as well as a closing spring, the weight compensation spring holding the door approximately in a position of equilibrium when the door is opened and the closing spring applying a self-closing force shortly before the door reaches a closed position and subsequently applying a closure maintaining force. 
         [0003]    Door hinges of the above-mentioned type are known. 
         [0004]    In the case of such door hinges, the weight compensation springs have the purpose of largely absorbing the gravitational forces occurring when a door is opened about a horizontal lower axis and preventing an uncontrolled swinging-open of the door. Conversely, the weight compensation spring will clearly facilitate the lifting-up of the door from an opened position. 
         [0005]    The closing spring has the purpose of acting upon the door shortly before it reaches the final closed position by a spring force acting in the closing direction and thus initiating a self-closure. In addition, the closing spring has the effect that, in the closed condition, the door is maintained in the closed position by the force of the closing spring. 
         [0006]    The present disclosure provides for a door hinge of the above-mentioned type but which causes an improvement of the movement sequences when opening or closing a door, particularly in final position ranges. 
         [0007]    According to the present disclosure, a damping device is provided which counteracts the closing forces shortly before the final closed position of the door is reached and/or the opening forces shortly before the final opened position of the door is reached. 
         [0008]    By a damping device of this type, a damping force is opposed to the closing and/or opening forces acting in the closing and/or opening direction upon the door. Such a damping force is slightly lower than the respective closing and/or opening force, so that, although the closing and/or opening of the door is not hindered, it is clearly damped in the final positions. 
         [0009]    The movement sequences during the opening and/or closing of a corresponding door are thereby clearly improved. Likewise, impact noises when reaching the closed and/or opened position are largely prevented. 
         [0010]    According to the present disclosure, it is provided that the damping device includes a damping cylinder that can be acted upon on both sides. 
         [0011]    In the case of a comparatively simple and cost-effective construction, according to the present disclosure, when the closed position is reached or the opened position is reached, the damping cylinder is loaded from its opposite faces, with the result that the damping forces are the same in the closing direction as well as in the opening direction. 
         [0012]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is provided that the damping device includes two damping cylinders, one damping cylinder being provided for the damping of the closing forces and the other damping cylinder being provided for the damping of the opening forces. 
         [0013]    Such a slightly more expensive construction has the advantage that, during the closing operation, the damping forces can be adjusted independently of the damping forces during the opening operation. 
         [0014]    Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an oven when the door is open. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a door hinge, according to the present disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 3   a  to  3   e  are a composite exploded view of the door hinge of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a view in the direction of the arrow IV in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0019]      FIGS. 5 to 7  are views of the door hinge of  FIG. 3  in different pivoting positions. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a door hinge, according to the present disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 9   a  to  e  are a composite exploded view of the door hinge of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a view in the direction of the arrow X in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0023]      FIGS. 11 to 13  are views of the door hinge of  FIG. 9  in different pivoting positions. 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a door hinge, according to the present disclosure. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 15   a  to  e  are a composite exploded view of the door hinge of  FIG. 14 . 
           [0026]      FIGS. 16 and 17  are partial perspective views of the door hinge of  FIG. 15  from different viewing angles. 
           [0027]      FIGS. 18 to 20  are views of the door hinge of  FIG. 15  in different pivoting positions. 
           [0028]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a door hinge, according to the present disclosure. 
           [0029]      FIGS. 22   a  to  e  are a composite exploded view of the door hinge of  FIG. 21 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of the door hinge of  FIG. 22 . 
           [0031]      FIGS. 24 to 26  are views of the door hinge of  FIG. 22  in different pivoting positions. 
           [0032]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a door hinge according to the present disclosure. 
           [0033]      FIGS. 28   a  to  e  are a composite exploded view of the door hinge of  FIG. 27 . 
           [0034]      FIGS. 29 and 30  are partial perspective views of the door hinge of  FIG. 28  from different viewing angles. 
           [0035]      FIGS. 31 to 33  are views of the door hinge of  FIG. 28  in different pivoting positions. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0036]    In  FIG. 1 , reference number  1  indicates an oven as a whole, in which a door  2  is connected to a body  4  by two door hinges  3  so as to be pivotable about a lower horizontal axis. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  shows the position of the door hinges  3  in a mounted condition. 
         [0038]    Various embodiments of door hinges  3  are described therein. 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a basic construction of a door hinge is described first, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         [0040]    A door hinge  3  comprises a door lever  5  mountable on the door  2  and a housing  6  mountable on a body  4  of an oven  1 . In accordance with the present disclosure, door hinge  3  is mountable on, for example, a comparable household appliance. A door lever  5  is connected with the housing  6  so as to be pivotable about a main shaft  7 . The main shaft  7  corresponds to the axis about which the door  2  is pivoted with respect to the body  4 . 
         [0041]    Furthermore, the hinge  3  includes a weight compensation spring  8  which has a purpose of maintaining the door  1  approximately in a position of equilibrium. The spring characteristics described so far are generally known as a closing spring which closing spring is not shown in the drawings for reasons of clarity. A task of the closing spring is to pivot the door  2  into its closed position without the effect of external forces shortly before the final closed position has been reached and therefore cause a self-closing. Furthermore, it is a purpose of the closing spring to press the door  2  against the body  4  in the closed position. 
         [0042]    A linkage of bars or bar linkage  9  extends through the weight compensation spring  8 , which weight compensation spring  8  is supported by one of its ends on a stop  10  of the linkage of bars  9  and, by way of its other end, on a supporting lug  11  of the housing  6 . 
         [0043]    The end of the linkage of bars  9  facing the door lever  5  is connected with a transmission lever  12  which, in a known manner, is pivotable about a secondary axis offset with respect to the main shaft  7  connected to the door lever  5 . This has the result that, during the opening of the door  2 , the linkage of bars  9  is pulled by way of the transmission lever  12  in the direction of the face of the body  4 , whereby the weight compensation spring  8  is shortened, thus preventing an uncontrolled dropping-down of the door  2 . 
         [0044]    Conversely, during the closing of the door  2 , the external force required for lifting and closing the door  2  will be reduced by the weight compensation spring  8 . 
         [0045]    Shortly before the final closed position has been reached, the above-mentioned closing spring will be activated in a known manner, by which closing spring, before the final closed position, the door  2  is moved in the last angular area into its closed position solely by the force of the above-mentioned closing spring. Furthermore, the door  2  is also held in the closed position by the force of the closing spring. 
         [0046]    In addition, to this known method of operation, which all embodiments according to the present disclosure have in common, each door hinge  3 , according to the present disclosure, is equipped with a damping device  13 . 
         [0047]    The damping device  13 , as shown, for example, in an embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 to 7 , may include a damping cylinder  14  or, as shown, for example, in the embodiment according to  FIGS. 8 to 13 , may include two damping cylinders  14 . Damping devices  13 , each having one damping cylinder  14 , are also shown, for example, in the embodiments according to  FIGS. 14 to 20  as well as  FIGS. 21 to 26 . A damping arrangement or device  13  including two damping cylinders  14  is shown, for example, in the embodiment according to  FIGS. 27 to 33 . 
         [0048]    A construction and function of the damping arrangement or device  13  is further described below. 
         [0049]    In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 to 7 , the damping cylinder  14  is held inside the housing  6  by contour lugs  15  bent from the housing  6  toward the interior but can still be displaced axially. Furthermore, in the area of the damping cylinder  14 , contact lugs  16  situated in the axial direction of the damping cylinder  14  and projecting into the housing interior are provided at the housing  6 . The mutual distance between these two contact lugs  16  is less than the mutual distance between two bevels  17  provided at the linkage of bars  9  and projecting into the damping cylinder  14 . In addition, the bevels  17  of the linkage of bars  9  are provided with recesses  17   a  in the center, whose base is larger than the base of the contact lugs  16  of the housing  6 . 
         [0050]    At the free end of the piston rod  14   a  of the damping cylinder  14 , a piston stop  14   b  is fastened whose base is larger than the base of the piston rod  14   a.    
         [0051]    When the door  2  of a household appliance is in an intermediate opening position with an opening angle of approximately 44°, as suggested or represented, for example, in  FIG. 6 , the damping cylinder  14  will rest with its face-side end against a contact lug  16  and the piston stop  14   b  rests on the other contact lug  16  of the housing  6 . In this intermediate position, the bevels  17  of the linkage of bars  9  have no contact with the damping cylinder  14  or its piston rod  14   a.    
         [0052]    When the door  2  is now moved from this intermediate position in the closing direction, the linkage of bars  9  will be moved toward the left by way of the transmission lever  12 . As a result, the front bevel  17  of the linkage of bars  9  facing the door side is caused to contact the piston stop  14   b  and presses the piston rod  14  into the damping cylinder  14 . The closing movement is thereby damped corresponding to the design of the damping cylinder  14 . 
         [0053]    When the door  2  is moved farther from the intermediate position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , into the opening direction, by way of the rear bevel  17  of the linkage of bars  9  facing away from the door  2 , the housing  6  of the damping cylinder  14  is displaced toward the right so that the piston rod  14   a  still supported on the face-side contact lug  16  is again pushed into the damping cylinder  14  and thereby the opening movement is also damped in the last angular area. In the case of this relatively simple construction which can be implemented in a cost-effective manner, the damping forces are therefore of the same magnitude during the opening operation as well as during the closing operation. 
         [0054]    In the embodiment of the present disclosure according to  FIGS. 8 to 13 , the damping arrangement  13  includes two damping cylinders  14  which are disposed in the housing  6  at a distance from one another while their piston rods  14   a  point toward one another. The damping cylinders  14  are, in turn, held in the housing  6  by contour lugs  15  and are secured against a longitudinal displacement by contact lugs  16  bent into the housing  6 , which contact lugs  16  contact the two faces of the respective damping cylinder  14 . 
         [0055]    On its rearward end facing away from the door  2 , the linkage of bars  9  is provided with a beveled driving lug  18  which projects into the housing  6  and is disposed between the mutually opposite piston rods  14   a  of the damping cylinders  14 . 
         [0056]    Starting from an intermediate opening position of the door  2 , for example, at approximately 44°, corresponding to that shown in  FIG. 12 , the driving lug  18  of the linkage of bars  9  is situated between the mutually facing piston rods  14   a  of the two damping cylinders  14 . The piston rods  14   a  have moved out. 
         [0057]    When the door  2  is now moved out of this intermediate position into the closing direction, the linkage of bars  9  will move to the left to an end position, as shown in  FIG. 11 . In the process, the driving lug  18  of the linkage of bars  9  impacts on the piston rod  14   a  of the rear damping cylinder  14  facing away from the door  2  and pushes this piston rod  14   a  into the damping cylinder  14 . In this case, the closing movement is damped corresponding to the characteristics of the damping cylinder  14 . 
         [0058]    When the door  2  is moved from the intermediate position according to  FIG. 12  farther into the opening direction, the linkage of bars  9  will move to the right, in which case the driving lug  18  will then impact on the piston rod  14   a  of the forward damping cylinder  14  facing the door  2 . While achieving a damping effect of the closing movement, the piston rod  14   a  will be pushed into the forward damping cylinder  14  until the final opening movement takes place. 
         [0059]    Although this construction requires slightly higher expenditures and also becomes somewhat more expensive because of the use of two damping cylinders  14 , it offers the advantage of being able to use damping cylinders  14  with different damping characteristics, which advantage should not be underestimated. Thus, the damping effect for the closing movement can be designed independently of the damping effect for the opening movement. 
         [0060]    Another advantage is the fact that, when one damping cylinder  14  fails, the effect of the remaining other damping cylinder  14  will not be impaired so that, as required, the damping effect will fail only during the closing or the opening of the door  2 . 
         [0061]    In the embodiments of the present disclosure described so far, only the displacement path of the linkage of bars  9  is available as the damping path. 
         [0062]    The damping effect may be improved by an enlargement of the effective damping path, a description of which follows. 
         [0063]      FIGS. 14 to 20  show a door hinge  3  including one damping cylinder  14 . This damping cylinder  14  is disposed in an upper housing  19  that is open toward its top. This upper housing  19  is open on the face-side in the direction of the door  2  and is closed by a rear wall  19   a  on its rearward side facing away from the door  2 . The damping cylinder  14  is inserted in the upper housing  19  such that the piston rod  14   a  protrudes beyond the open side of the upper housing  19  in the direction of the door  2 . 
         [0064]    Furthermore, the upper housing  19  is provided with two lateral guide ribs  20  which engage in lateral guide grooves  21  of the housing  6  and thereby permit a longitudinal displacement of the upper housing  19  relative to the housing  6 . 
         [0065]    Toothed-rack-type areas  20   a  are arranged on the underside of the guide ribs  20 . 
         [0066]    Furthermore, a lower housing  22  is provided which, by way of lateral guide webs  23 , is longitudinally displaceably guided in guide slots  24  of the housing  6 . As on the opposite underside of the upper housing  19 , toothed areas  23   a  are arranged on the top side of the guide webs  23 . The lower housing  22  is spaced from the upper housing  19  and is provided with a guide groove  25  on its underside, into which guide groove  25  the linkage of bars  9  engages in the area of a recess  9   a . At its forward end facing the door  2 , the lower housing  22  is equipped with a face wall  26  which extends into the displacement area of the piston rod  14   a  of the damping cylinder  14 . 
         [0067]    Between the upper housing  19  and the lower housing  22 , gears  27  are provided on both sides which, by way of an axis of rotation fastened to the housing  6 , are rotatably disposed in the housing  6 . These two gears  27  mesh with the toothed areas  20   a  of the upper housing  19  and  23   a  of the lower housing  22 . 
         [0068]    The recess  9   a  of the linkage of bars  9  is bounded on the face side by stop edges  9   b . 
         [0069]    In an intermediate opening position of the door  2  at approximately 44°,corresponding to the position of the hinge  3  as shown in  FIG. 19 , the two stop edges  9   b  each have the same distance from the face wall  26  of the lower housing  22  and from the rear wall  19   a  of the upper housing  19 . 
         [0070]    When the door  2  is now moved from this intermediate opening position upward in the closing direction, the linkage of bars  9  will be displaced to the left from the position shown in  FIG. 19  until the stop edge  9   b  adjacent to the face wall  26  comes to rest on this face wall  26 . A further displacement of the linkage of bars  9  in the same direction will then cause an action on the piston rod  14   a  of the damping cylinder  14  and, furthermore, by way of the synchronization of the upper housing  19  with the lower housing  22  by the gears  27 , a relative displacement will be caused between the lower housing  22  and the upper housing  19 . In this case, the piston rod  14   a  will be pushed into the housing of the damping cylinder  14  and the closing movement is correspondingly damped. 
         [0071]    When the door  2  is further pivoted from the intermediate opening position in the opening direction, the linkage of bars  9  is correspondingly displaced to the right. In this case, the stop edge  9   b , which is in the rear facing away from the door, first will come to rest against the rear wall  19   a  of the upper housing  19  and, as a result of a further displacement of the linkage of bars  9  in the same direction, again while simultaneously carrying out a relative displacement between the upper housing  19  and the lower housing  22 , the piston rod  14   a  supported on the face wall  26  will be pushed into the housing of the damping cylinder  14 , and the opening movement is correspondingly damped. 
         [0072]    Because of the relative displacement between the upper housing  19  and the lower housing  22 , a doubling of the damping path is achieved. 
         [0073]      FIGS. 21 to 26  show a door hinge  3  including one damping cylinder  14 , in which case an enlargement of the damping path is achieved here as a result of a lever construction. 
         [0074]    As shown in  FIGS. 22 to 26 , the damping cylinder  14  with its piston rod  14   a  is disposed between two U-shaped rotary levers  30 . These rotary levers  30  are pivotably disposed in bores  31  of the housing  6 . At its face-side end, the damping cylinder  14  is equipped with a receiving fork  14   c  which permits the connection with the rearward rotary lever  30  facing away from the door  2 . 
         [0075]    The piston rod  14   a  includes a lever gripper  14   d  which allows the coupling with the forward rotary lever  30  facing the door side. 
         [0076]    The rotary levers  30  extend through an oblong-hole-type opening  32  of the linkage of bars  9  whose rearward area having the opening  32  is longitudinally displaceably guided in guide slots  33  of the housing  6 . The clear width of the opening  32  is selected such that the rotary levers  30  can extend through this opening  32 . 
         [0077]    Above the guide slots  33 , stop rivets  34  are provided in the housing  6 , on which stop rivets  34  the two rotary levers  30  are supported in an approximately perpendicular position in the intermediate opening position of the door  2  when the piston rod  14   a  has moved out, as shown in  FIG. 25 . 
         [0078]    The length of the opening  32  is greater than the distance of the rotary levers  30  from one another, so that a displacement of the linkage of bars  9  from the intermediate opening position in the closing or in the opening direction first has no effect on the damping arrangement  13 . When a pivoting position has been reached in which the door is situated approximately 15° before its closing or before its final opening position, the forward or the rearward stop edge  9   b  of the opening  32  impacts on one of the rotary levers  30 . A further displacement in the same direction will then cause a pivoting of the acted-upon rotary lever  30  and, in the case of the closing operation, will result in a pushing of the piston rod  14   a  into the damping cylinder  14  or, in the case of the opening, in a displacement of the damping cylinder  14  in the direction of the piston rod  14   a . Optionally, the closing operation or the opening operation will thereby be damped. 
         [0079]    In the case of this embodiment, based on the lever  30  conditions, a clear enlargement of the damping path can be achieved, such as, for example, 2½ times in comparison with the pure or sole displacement path of the linkage of bars  9 . 
         [0080]    Without influence on the function, in comparison with the installation position of the damping cylinder  14  shown in  FIGS. 22 to 26 , it is within the scope of the present disclosure to install the damping cylinder  14  in a position that is turned by 180°. That is, in comparison to the present embodiment shown in  FIGS. 22-26 , the piston rod  14   a  does not point in the direction of the door  2  but in the direction of the rearward side of the body  4  of a household appliance  1 . 
         [0081]    The receiving fork  14   c  as well as the lever gripper  14   d  create a connection to the rotary levers  30  which permits a pushing as well as a pivoting motion between the above-mentioned components. As a result of the pivoting movement of the respective rotary level  30 , the piston rod  14   a , while the damping cylinder  14  is pivoted, can be pushed into this damping cylinder  14 . Likewise, the damping cylinder  14 , while being simultaneously pivoted, can be displaced in the direction of the piston rod  14   a  which takes place, for example, during the opening of the door  2 . This applies to the present embodiment shown in  FIGS. 22 to 26 . When the damping cylinder  14  as a whole is installed in a position pivoted by 180°, the corresponding conditions will naturally change. During the closing of the door  2 , the damping cylinder  14  will then be displaced in the direction of the piston rod  14   a , and during the opening of the door  2 , the piston rod  14   a  will be displaced in the direction of the damping cylinder  14 . 
         [0082]    In the embodiment of the present disclosure as shown in  FIGS. 27 to 33 , two damping cylinders  14  are provided, which are installed inside the housing  6  at a distance from one another while their piston rods  14   a  point to one another. 
         [0083]    The damping cylinders  14  are held inside the housing  6  analogously to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 11 to 13 . That is, contour lugs  15  of the housing  6  reach in partially around the housing  6  of the damping cylinders  14 , and the housing  6  is secured against an axial displacement by contact lugs  16  resting against the faces of the housing  6 . Between the two mutually facing ends of the piston rods  14   a  of the two damping cylinders  14 , an approximately U-shaped carriage  35  is guided, to a limited extent, in a longitudinally displaceable manner inside the housing  6  by way of guide rivets  36  engaging in oblong holes  37  of the housing  6 . In this case, the guide rivets  36  rest on the center axis of the damping cylinders  14  and thus also their piston rods  14   a . Rivet grippers  38  are placed at the end side on the piston rods  14   a , which rivet grippers  38  can each be caused to approach one of the guide rivets  36  and can be pushed onto the guide rivet  36  while partially reaching around the latter. 
         [0084]    In the center between the two damping cylinders  14 , a U-shaped rotary lever  30  is pivotably disposed in boreholes  31  of the housing  6 . 
         [0085]    The rearward end of the linkage of bars  9  is equipped with laterally projecting arms  39  between which a contraction  40  is formed. This is more clearly seen in  FIG. 28   e . The arms  39  are displaceably guided within guide slots  41  of the housing  6 . 
         [0086]    The contraction  40  of the linkage of bars  9  extends through the U-shaped rotary lever  30 . 
         [0087]    The construction of the embodiment shown permits the following function or operation. 
         [0088]    In an intermediate opening position of the door  2 , corresponding, for example, to that shown in  FIG. 32 , the entire damping system is also in an intermediate neutral position. The piston rods  14   a  of both damping cylinders  14  have moved out and rest by way of their rivet grippers  38  against the guide rivets  36  of the carriage  35 . However, the entire system is not loaded. The rotary lever  30  is also in a neutral position and stands approximately vertical. 
         [0089]    When now, by moving the door  2  in the closing direction, the linkage of bars  9  is moved from the position as shown in  FIG. 32  to the left, the arms  39  of this linkage of bars  9 , which face the door side, impact on the rotary lever  30  and pivot the latter to the left. As a result, the rearward damping cylinder  14  facing away from the door is activated. That is, its piston rod  14   a  is pushed into the damping cylinder  14  into the position as shown in  FIG. 31 . As a result of the leverage of the rotary lever  30 , the push-in path of the piston rod  14   a  is clearly larger than the pure or sole displacement path of the linkage of bars  9 . Depending on the design of the rotary lever  30 , an enlargement of the damping path by a lever design by the factor of 2.5 is within the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0090]    A similar operation occurs when the door  2  is moved from its intermediate opening position farther into the opening direction. Shortly before a certain opening angle is reached, by way of the rearward arms  39  of the linkage of bars  9  facing away from the door  2 , the rotary lever  30  is pivoted toward the right in the manner shown in  FIG. 33 . The forward damping cylinder  14  facing the door side is correspondingly activated. That is, its piston rod  14  is now pushed into the housing of the damping cylinder  14  while achieving the endeavored damping effect. The damping path is correspondingly larger than would be possible exclusively by displacing only the linkage of bars  9 . 
         [0091]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14 to 20 , a toothed gearing is implemented for enlarging the effective damping path. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 21 to 33 , an enlargement of the effective damping path is achieved by lever mechanisms. 
         [0092]    The present disclosure thus relates to a variety of embodiments for a damping of a door hinge  3 . It is within the scope of the present disclosure to provide for damping of the closing operation independently of the damping of the opening operation and to differently adjust the respective damping factors. 
         [0093]    Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.