Patent Publication Number: US-9834967-B2

Title: Hinge constructions

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to hinge constructions and, more particularly, to hinge constructions that allow for the passage of elements through the hinge constructions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Structures of various types can be provided with doors that are mounted on hinges. The presence of the doors can complicate a requirement to uninterruptedly extend between locations at the structures elements that are applied at the structures. For example, electrical appliances can include electrical wiring that is routed through the appliances to various components of the appliances that require electric power for their operation. The appliances can include doors, such as refrigerator doors in the case of household refrigerators for example, that are mounted at the appliances by means of hinges whereby access can be had to the interiors of the appliances. The presence of the doors at the appliances can complicate and interfere with the uninterrupted and efficient routing of the electrical wiring applied at the appliances. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. The summary does not represent an extensive overview of the invention, nor is the summary intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. The sole purpose of the summary is to present certain concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the description of the invention that is presented hereinafter. 
     The present invention provides hinge constructions that facilitate the continuous routing and passage of elements through the hinge constructions between locations at a structure at which the hinge constructions are employed. 
     According to one aspect, a hinge construction can include a hinge bracket and a hinge pin. The hinge bracket can include a hinge pin supporting plate and at least one opening extending through the hinge pin supporting plate, the at least one opening being entirely circumscribed by the hinge pin supporting plate. The hinge pin can be held within the at least one opening and include a hinge pin outer surface. A hinge pin bore can extend through the entire length of the hinge pin, and a hinge pin slot can extend along the entire length of the hinge pin from the hinge pin outer surface to within the hinge pin bore 
     According to another aspect, the at least one opening can comprise at least one tapered opening extending through the hinge pin supporting plate. The hinge pin outer surface can include a hinge pin outer surface first portion and a hinge pin outer surface second portion. The hinge pin outer surface first portion can be tapered in a direction along the length of the hinge pin so as to be congruent with the at least one tapered opening extending through the hinge pin supporting plate. The hinge pin can be held within the at least one tapered opening at the hinge pin outer surface first portion. The hinge pin also can include a hinge pin bore that extends through the entire length of the hinge pin and a hinge pin slot that extends along the entire length of the hinge pin from the hinge pin outer surface to within the hinge pin bore. 
     According to a further aspect, the at least one tapered opening extending through the hinge pin supporting plate can comprise two tapered openings extending through the hinge pin supporting plate, and the hinge pin outer surface first portion can be selectively held within one of the two tapered openings. 
     According to an additional aspect, the hinge pin outer surface second portion can have a cylindrical configuration and merge with the hinge pin outer surface first portion. 
     According to yet another aspect, the tapered openings in the hinge pin supporting plate can be entirely circumscribed by the hinge pin supporting plate. 
     According to yet an additional aspect, there can be included in addition to the foregoing describe hinge construction a complementary hinge construction. The complementary hinge construction can include a hinge bracket that is configured to be secured to the bottom of a door and can include a door stop. The door stop can be configured to engage an upturned portion of the hinge pin supporting plate and limit the extent to which the door to which the hinge bracket is configured to be secured can be opened. 
     According to yet a further aspect, the hinge constructions can be applied at the doors of refrigeration appliances, and, in particular applications of that aspect, the hinge constructions can be employed for the purpose of facilitating the continuous routing of electrical wiring between locations at household refrigerators. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first example of a hinge construction in accordance with the present invention applied at the door of a refrigeration appliance; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a first selected portion of the structure of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second selected portion of the structure of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hinge construction of  FIG. 1  that illustrates the arrangement of the hinge construction when the door of the refrigeration appliance is opened to a maximum extent. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. It is to be appreciated that the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale from one figure to another or within a given figure. Also, the sizes of the components are somewhat arbitrarily drawn in order to facilitate an understanding of the drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, but it can be possible in certain instances to practice the present invention without those specific details. 
     The hinge construction of the present invention can have widespread application in essentially all instances in which a hinge is required. In particular, the hinge construction of the present invention can be usefully applied in instances in which it is convenient or necessary to route an element such as electrical wiring for example through the hinge. An example of the application to the door of a refrigeration appliance of one embodiment of the hinge construction of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings herein and will now be described. 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an example of a hinge construction, indicated generally at  10 , is shown as applied at the door, indicated generally at  50 , of a refrigeration appliance. In that example of the invention, the hinge construction  10  is shown to include a hinge bracket, indicated generally at  12 , that includes a hinge pin supporting plate  14  and at least one tapered opening extending through the hinge pin supporting plate  14 . In the example illustrated in the drawings, and best seen in  FIG. 2 , the at least one tapered opening extending through the hinge pin supporting plate  14  comprises two tapered openings comprising left-hand tapered opening  15  and right-hand tapered opening  16 . 
     The hinge bracket  12  also includes a mounting plate  18  that is integral with the hinge pin supporting plate  14 , the hinge pin supporting plate  14  extending outwardly from the mounting plate  18  at a right angle. The mounting plate  18  provides a means by which the hinge bracket  12  can be mounted to a supporting structure. For example, the mounting plate  18  can be secured at the base of the refrigeration appliance, not shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  but shown in  FIG. 3 , below the door  50  using suitable fasteners such as screws for example that extend through the openings  19  in the mounting plate  18  and are secured to the base of the refrigeration appliance. The hinge pin supporting plate  14  includes a supporting plate upturned portion  20  that is located at the front of the hinge pin supporting plate  14  away from the junction of the mounting plate  18  and the hinge pin supporting plate  14  and whose function is described below. 
     Also included in the hinge construction is a hinge pin, indicated generally at  24 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The hinge pin includes a hinge pin outer surface, including a hinge pin outer surface first portion  26  and a hinge pin outer surface second portion  28  best seen in  FIG. 2 . The hinge pin outer surface first portion  26  is tapered along a length of the hinge pin  24  so as to be congruent with the left-hand tapered opening  15  and the right-hand tapered opening  16 , and the hinge pin outer surface second portion  28  has a cylindrical configuration that merges with the hinge pin outer surface first portion  26 . The congruity of each tapered opening and the hinge pin outer surface first portion  26  allows for the hinge pin outer surface first portion  26  to be securely held within whichever tapered opening is employed. As will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art, and as will become more apparent from the description that follows, when the hinge construction  10  is located at the right-hand side of the door  50 , as shown in the drawings, the right-hand tapered opening  16  is selectively employed, and when the hinge construction  10  is located at the left-hand side of the door  50 , not shown, the left-hand tapered opening  15  is selectively employed. The taper provided at each tapered opening in the hinge pin supporting plate  14  need not extend through the entire thickness of the hinge pin supporting plate  14  and need only extend that distance through the thickness that allows for the hinge pin  24  to be satisfactorily held in place at the tapered opening. 
     The hinge pin  24  also includes a hinge pin bore  30  that extends through the entire length of the hinge pin  24  and a hinge pin slot  32  that extends longitudinally along the entire length of the hinge pin  24  from the hinge pin outer surface, i.e., from the hinge pin outer surface first portion  26  and the hinge pin outer surface second portion  28 , to within the hinge pin bore  30 . 
     In the example of the hinge construction described above, an example of a complementary hinge construction is provided at the bottom  52  of the door  50 . That example comprises a door-mounted hinge bracket, indicated generally at  40 , that can be secured to the bottom  52  of the door  50  by a suitable fastener such as a screw  41  as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The door-mounted hinge bracket  40  includes at least one hinge pin opening that extends through the door-mounted hinge bracket  40 . In the example illustrated in the drawings, the at least one hinge pin opening comprises two hinge pin openings comprising left-hand hinge pin opening  42  and right-hand hinge pin opening  43 . Each hinge pin opening is located in line with a corresponding opening, not shown, in the bottom  52  of the door  50 , which opening can comprise a socket into which the hinge pin outer surface second portion  28  extends and within which the hinge pin is rotatably held, in a manner that is familiar to those having ordinary skill in the art, when the door  50  is mounted onto the hinge construction  10 . When the hinge construction  10  is selectively located at the right-hand side of the door  50 , as shown in the drawings, the hinge pin  24  will extend through the right-hand hinge pin opening  43  and the opening at the bottom  52  of the door  50  that is in line with the right-hand hinge pin opening  43  and within which the hinge pin is rotatably held; and when the hinge construction  10  is selectively located at the left-hand side of the door  50 , not shown, the hinge pin  24  will extend through the left-hand hinge pin opening  42  and the opening at the bottom  52  of the door  50  that is in line with the left-hand hinge pin opening  42  and within which the hinge pin is rotatably held. 
     To facilitate the opening of the door  50  at the hinge construction  10  and the door-mounted hinge bracket  40 , a bearing system is provided as can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Specifically, a hinge pin supporting plate bearing, indicated generally at  34 , is secured to the hinge pin supporting plate  14  by means of suitable fasteners provided at a supporting plate bearing opening  36  and a supporting plate first opening  17  that is adjacent the right-hand tapered opening  16 . The hinge pin supporting plate bearing  34  includes a hinge pin supporting plate bearing opening  35  that is aligned with the right-hand tapered opening  16  and through which the hinge pin  24  extends when the hinge pin supporting plate bearing  34  is secured to the hinge pin supporting plate  14  at the supporting plate first opening  17 . At the same time, a door-mounted hinge bracket bearing, indicated generally at  44 , as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3  is secured to the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  by means of a suitable fastener  41 . The door-mounted hinge bracket bearing  44  includes an opening that, when the door-mounted hinge bracket bearing is secured to the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  at the right hand of the bottom  52  of the door  50 , is aligned with the right-hand hinge pin opening  43 , and the hinge pin  24  extends through both those openings and into the opening at the right-hand side of the bottom  52  of the door that is aligned with those openings when the door  50  is mounted at the hinge construction  10 . 
     Should the hinge construction  10  and the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  be selectively located at the left-hand side of the door  50 , as has been discussed above, the hinge pin supporting plate bearing  34  is secured to the hinge pin supporting plate  14  by means of suitable fasteners provided at the supporting plate bearing opening  36  and a supporting plate second opening  21  that is adjacent the left-hand tapered opening  15 . In that case, the hinge pin supporting plate bearing opening  35  is aligned with the left-hand tapered opening  15  through which the hinge pin  24  extends when the hinge pin supporting plate bearing  34  is secured to the hinge pin supporting plate  14  at the supporting plate second opening  21 . At the same time, the door-mounted hinge bracket bearing  44  is secured to the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  by means of suitable fasteners  41  at the left-hand side of the bottom  52  of the door  50 . The left-hand hinge pin opening  42 , when the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  is secured to the left hand of the bottom  52  of the door  50 , is aligned with the opening for the hinge pin in the hinge pin supporting plate bearing  34 , and the hinge pin  24  extends through both those openings and into an opening at the left-hand side of the bottom of the door that is aligned with those openings when the door  50  is mounted at the hinge construction  10 . 
     The door-mounted hinge bracket  40  can include at least one door stop, and in the example shown in the drawings two door stops comprising left-hand door stop  48  and right-hand door stop  49  are provided. These door stops limit the maximum extent to which the door  50  can be opened by engaging the back side of the supporting plate upturned portion  20  of the hinge pin supporting plate  14 . Thus, when the hinge construction is located at the right hand side of the door  50 , after the door  50  is initially opened and continues to be opened further, the right-hand door stop  49  will move in an arc of a circle until the right-hand door stop comes into contact with the back side of the supporting plate upturned portion  20 . The relative positioning of the hinge construction  10  and the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  when the door  50  is opened to the maximum extent allowed as a result of the engagement of the right-hand door stop  49  with the back side of the supporting plate upturned portion  20  of the hinge pin supporting plate  14  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The positioning of the door stop and the supporting plate upturned portion  20  in relation to one another can be selected to allow the door  50  to be opened to whatever maximum extent is desired. When the hinge construction  10  and the door-mounted hinge bracket  40  are located at the left-hand side of the door  50 , the left-hand door stop  48  will act to engage the back side of the supporting plate upturned portion  20 , thereby stopping any further opening of the door. 
     As will be understood from the foregoing description, the hinge construction of the present invention provides a system that allows elements such as electrical wiring for example to be routed through the hinge construction. For example, in a refrigeration appliance, electrical wiring connected to a source of electrical power internally at the base of the refrigeration appliance can be routed from the base through the hinge pin bore  30  and into the door of the refrigeration appliance so as to provide electrical power to equipment at the door that requires such power. The electrical wiring can be threaded through the hinge pin bore  30  while the hinge pin  24  is in place at the hinge pin supporting plate  14 ; alternatively, the wiring can be threaded through the appropriate tapered opening, either left-hand tapered opening  15  or right-hand tapered opening  16 , with the hinge pin  24  removed from that tapered opening, and the wiring can then be inserted into the hinge pin bore  30  through the hinge pin slot  32  after which the hinge pin  24  can be placed into the tapered opening. 
     The invention has been described herein above using specific examples; however, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various alternatives may be used and equivalents may be substituted for elements or steps described herein without deviating from the scope of the invention. Modifications may be necessary to adapt the invention to a particular situation or to a particular need without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular implementation described herein, but that the claims be given their broadest interpretation to cover all embodiments, literal or equivalent, covered thereby.