Patent Abstract:
Disclosed is a removable compact hinge for pivotal connection between a furniture piece and a door. The apparatus incorporates a clamping attachment mechanism in order to avoid permanent mounting holes and to provide quick installation and adjustable installation location. The apparatus comprises a hinge cup pivotally connected to an attachment mechanism ion with a hinge arm. The attachment mechanism comprises a base slidably engaged with a sliding body, the sliding body including an adjustable pressure plate. A lever works with a set of links to slide the sliding body with respect to the base towards the furniture piece and mechanically and releasably clamp the attachment mechanism to the furniture piece without the use of typical wood screws thereby preserving the integrity of the furniture piece. The apparatus further includes adjustability in the vertical, horizontal, and lateral directions.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/082,500 filed on Nov. 20, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to hinge mechanisms for connecting a cabinet door to a cabinet carcass. In particular, the disclosure relates to a removable compact hinge capable of quick installation and repositioning without the need for typical connection hardware. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    In the typical hinged connection between a cabinet door and a cabinet carcass, a hinge mechanism will include a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body by a hinge arm. A common configuration positions the hinge cup in a custom bore in the cabinet door. The hinge body is mounted to the cabinet carcass either directly or through the use of a mounting plate. Mounting screws are typically used to mount the hinge cup to the door and the hinge body or mounting plate to the cabinet carcass. Wood screws leave permanent holes in the wood and are very difficult to reposition accurately. In many situations, such as refacing kitchen cabinets, functional hardware must be replaced and repositioned which the permanent holes make difficult. 
         [0004]    Therefore, there is a need for a hinge between a cabinet door and a cabinet carcass that can be repositioned easily without damaging the cabinet carcass or the cabinet door. 
         [0005]    A need also exists for a hinge that is quickly removable to aid in the installation and manufacturing processes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0006]    In a preferred embodiment, a removable compact hinge is comprised of a hinge arm pivotally connecting a hinge cup to an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism is removably mounted to a cabinet carcass by a clamping mechanism without the use of traditional mounting hardware such as wood screws. The attachment mechanism can be removed from and repositioned on the cabinet without creating permanent screw holes. 
         [0007]    The attachment mechanism comprises a base adjacent to a cabinet carcass. The base includes a set of flanges extending from a body and a hole in the body for attachment to the hinge arm. A set of rails and a set of extensions with pivot holes extend from the body. The attachment mechanism further comprises a dog for slidable engagement with the base. The dog comprises a set of arms extending from a transverse portion. The arms include slots and tabs for engagement with set of rails on the base. A jaw portion extends from the transverse portion and includes a threaded hole for engagement with a thumbscrew and a set of guide holes. The attachment mechanism further comprises a pressure plate. The pressure plate includes a set of posts for slidable engagement with the set of guide holes and a face with protrusions for engagement with the cabinet carcass. The face includes a centrally located hole for attachment of the thumbscrew. The attachment mechanism further comprises a lever pivotally attached to the base and a set of links. The links are further pivotally attached to the dog. 
         [0008]    An adjustment plate connected between the hinge arm and the base of the attachment mechanism cooperates with a vertical adjustment cam, a lateral adjustment screw, and a horizontal adjustment cam to provide adjustability of the removable compact hinge in three directions. The vertical adjustment cam connects the hinge arm and the adjustment plate to the attachment mechanism and provides vertical movement of the hinge arm relative to the attachment mechanism. The lateral adjustment screw connects the hinge arm to the adjustment plate and provides lateral movement of the hinge arm relative to the adjustment plate. The horizontal adjustment cam connects the hinge arm to the adjustment plate and provides horizontal movement of the hinge arm relative to the adjustment plate. 
         [0009]    In use the hinge cup is mounted to a cabinet door. The base is positioned on the cabinet carcass such that the body is adjacent an end face of the cabinet and the set of flanges extend around a corner. The thumbscrew is advanced in the threaded hole in the jaw portion of the dog which urges the pressure plate toward the cabinet carcass resulting in the frame of the cabinet carcass being sandwiched between the set of flanges and the pressure plate. The lever is pivoted towards a position where it is generally parallel with the base and the dog. As the lever closes, it forces the dog toward the cabinet carcass and locks the attachment mechanism in place. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The disclosed embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like parts in different drawings are referenced by the same number. 
           [0011]      FIG 1A  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment in a locked position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment in a locked position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2C  is an exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is an isometric view of a base of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is a plan view of a base of a preferred embodiment 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a dog of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a pressure plate of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a lever of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7A  is an isometric view of a link of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7B  is an isometric view of a link of a preferred embodiment. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8A  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment in an unlocked position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8B  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment in an unlocked position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8C  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment in a locked position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2A , removable hinge  100  comprises hinge cup  102  pivotally connected to attachment mechanism  104  by hinge arm  106 . Typically, hinge cup  102  is affixed to cabinet door  103  with screws through mounting holes  107 . Attachment mechanism  104  is removably attached to cabinet carcass  105  as will be described below. Removable hinge  100  is repositionable between a “locked” position to cabinet carcass  105  and an “unlocked” position. In the locked position, the attachment mechanism is securely affixed to the cabinet carcass. In the unlocked position, the attachment mechanism can be removed from attachment to the cabinet carcass. In a preferred embodiment, the components of removable hinge  100  are typically constructed of metal such as cast aluminum or steel alloy plate stock. 
         [0027]    Attachment mechanism  104  comprises base  110 , dog  112 , pressure plate  114 , lever  116 , and opposing links  118  and  119 . Base  110  is attached to cabinet carcass  105  at faces  111  and  113 . Base  110  is slidably engaged with dog  112 . Thumbscrew  120  is threaded into dog  112  at hole  166 . Thumbscrew  120  includes shoulder  121  which abuts washer  101 . The thumbscrew also includes end rivet  131 . End rivet  131  fits into mounting hole  176  in pressure plate  114  and is secured by peening during manufacture. 
         [0028]    Pressure plate  114  includes stanchions  174  and  175  which fit into guide holes  164  and  165 . The clearance level between the stanchions and the guide holes is about 1/16″ and should allow for axial movement of the stanchions without binding. Lever  116  is pivotally attached to base  110  with pins  126  and  127 . Lever  116  is pivotally attached to links  118  and  119  with pins  122  and  123 . Links  118  and  119  are pivotally attached to dog  112  with pins  124  and  125 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C , the horizontal, vertical, and lateral adjustment mechanisms will be described. Adjustment plate  200  includes positioning extensions  204  and  226 . Positioning extension  204  abuts slot  146  in base  110 . Positioning extension  226  abuts slot  145  in base  110 . Adjustment plate  200  includes pivot hole  241  and follower hole  244 . Adjustment plate  200  also includes alignment slot  202  which is positioned between positioning extensions  226 . Alignment slot  202  is open on one end and includes retaining shoulder  227 . The top surface of adjustment plate  200  also includes guide slot  248 . 
         [0030]    Hinge arm  106  is generally sized to fit over and retain adjustment plate  200 . Hinge arm  106  includes sides  229  and  231  which extend over adjustment plate  200 . Guide rail  246  is sized to fit within guide slot  248  of adjustment plate  200 . Hinge arm  106  includes threaded hole  228  for receipt of the threads of lateral adjustment screw B. Hinge arm  106  includes generally square access hole  240  and oblong follower hole  242 . Hinge arm  106  also includes step down  245  which is designed to engage guide shelf  243  of adjustment plate  200 . 
         [0031]    Hinge arm  106  includes extension arm  254 . Extension arm  254  is manufactured to include pivot hole  260 . Pivot hole  260  is designed to engage pin  250  of hinge cup  102 . Extension arm  254  includes cam surfaces  256  and  258 . Cam surfaces  256  and  258  are sized to engage spring arms  264  and  266  of bias spring  262 . 
         [0032]    Lateral adjustment screw B is threaded through threaded hole  228  of the hinge arm. Head  230  of the adjustment screw fits within alignment slot  202  and engages retaining shoulder  227 . Engagement of head  230  and retaining shoulder  227  restrains relative vertical movement between hinge arm  106  and adjustment plate  200 , but allows horizontal movement between the two components. 
         [0033]    Vertical adjustment cam A is sized to fit through follower hole  244  and engage pivot hole  142  in base  110 . Cam shoulder  232  engages the interior surface of follower hole  244 . Offset cam extension  234  is sized to fit within pivot hole  142  while allowing free rotation between the two. During manufacture, offset cam extension  234  is peened after insertion into pivot hole  142  to prevent extraction. Offset cam extension  234  is intentionally located flush with an edge of cam shoulder  232 . 
         [0034]    Horizontal adjustment cam C includes cam shoulder  236 . Cam shoulder  236  is sized to fit within follower hole  242 . Horizontal adjustment cam C includes offset cam extension  238 . Offset cam extension  238  is sized to fit within pivot hole  241  to allow free rotation. During manufacture offset cam extension  238  is peened after insertion into pivot hole  241  to prevent extraction. Offset cam extension  238  is intentionally located flush with an edge of cam shoulder  236 . 
         [0035]    In use, lateral adjustment screw B is rotated whereby retaining head  230  moves retaining shoulder  227  and results in lateral movement, in direction  206 , of hinge arm  106  relative to adjustment plate  200 . 
         [0036]    Vertical adjustment cam A is rotated in access hole  240 , which results in cam shoulder  232  engaging follower hole  244 . Follower hole  244  and adjustment plate  200  are moved vertically, sliding positioning extensions  226  and  204  vertically within slots  145  and  146  of base  110 . The positioning extensions prevent angular movement of adjustment plate  200  and hinge arm  106  with respect to base  110 . Adjustment plate  200  abuts sides  229  and  231  thereby moving hinge arm  106  with adjustment plate  200  vertically with respect to base  110 , in direction  208 . 
         [0037]    Horizontal adjustment cam C is rotated whereby offset cam extension  238  rotates in pivot hole  241 . Cam shoulder  236  engages follower hole  242 , thereby moving hinge arm  106  horizontally with respect to adjustment plate  200  in direction  210 . Alignment slot  202  allows retaining head  230  to also move horizontally with respect to adjustment plate  200 . Sides  229  and  231  prevent rotational movement of hinge arm  106  with respect to adjustment plate  200 . 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 2B, and 2C , the connection of hinge cup  102  to hinge arm  106  will be described. Hinge cup  102  comprises cup body  263  including coil indentions  268  and  270 . Hinge cup  102  includes mounting tabs  259  and  261 . Mounting tabs  259  and  261  include mounting holes  107  for securing the hinge cup to a cabinet door. Hinge cup  102  includes through hole  252  in which is positioned pin  250 . Pin  250  also engages pivot hole  260  and retains extension arm  254  in the hinge cup. 
         [0039]    Coil indentions  268  and  270  form a housing for bias spring  262 . Bias spring  262  includes spring arms  264  and  266 . Spring arms  264  and  266  engage cam surfaces  256  and  258  respectively. The spring arms provide a greater bias to the cam surfaces when the hinge is in a closed position than they do when the hinge is in open position. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , base  110  includes flanges  132  and  133  which extend at right angles from bridge  130 . Bridge  130  includes a centrally located pivot hole  142  sized to engage adjustment cam A. A set of extensions  129  and  134  extend from bridge  130  opposite flanges  132  and  133 . Extension  129  includes pivot hole  128 . Extension  134  includes pivot hole  135 . Pivot hole  135  is sized to engage pin  127 . Pivot hole  128  is sized to engage pin  126 . Rails  136  and  149  extend from opposite edges of bridge  130 . Rail  136  includes tab  138  and slot  140 . Rail  149  includes tab  148  and slot  141 . Slot  145  is positioned between flanges  132  and  133  along an edge of bridge  130 . Slot  146  is a generally rectangular shaped cut-out in bridge  130 . 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 4 , dog  112  is comprised of transverse portion  150  and jaw portion  152 . Jaw portion  152  includes guide holes  164  and threaded hole  166 . Threaded hole  166  is sized to engage the thumbscrew. Extending from transverse portion  150  are arms  154  and  155 . Arm  154  includes slot  160 , tab  162 , and extension  156 . Extension  156  includes pivot hole  158 . Pivot hole  158  is sized to engage pin  124 . Arm  154  is slidably engaged with rail  149 . Slot  160  is sized to slidably engage tab  148 . Tab  162  is sized to slidably engage slot  141 . Arm  155  includes slot  161 , tab  163  and extension  159 . Extension  159  includes pivot hole  157 . Pivot hole  157  is sized to engage pin  125 . Arm  155  and is slidably engaged with rail  136 . Slot  161  is sized to slidably engage tab  138 . Tab  163  is sized to slidably engage slot  140 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 5 , pressure plate  114  is shown. Pressure plate  114  is generally rectangular and comprises face  170  and includes stanchions  174  and  175  extending from opposite sides. Stanchions  174  and  175  are sized to slidably engage guide holes  164  and  165 . Pressure plate  114  further includes hole  176 . Thumbscrew  120  engages hole  176  such that thumbscrew  120  is free to rotate with respect to pressure plate  114  while shoulder  121  abuts washer  101  adjacent pressure plate  114 . Face  170  includes a recess space surrounding hole  168  to allow attachment of the thumbscrew to the pressure plate without the thumbscrew extending beyond the plane of face  170 . Face  170  further incudes opposing triangular cleats  172 . In a preferred embodiment, cleats  172  are integrally formed with face  170 . In an alternate embodiment, cleats  172  are comprised of flexible plastic or rubber materials and are affixed to face  170  with a suitable adhesive. In another embodiment, the face includes a knurled surface. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 6 , lever  116  comprises arms  182  and  183  extending from bridge  180 . Arm  182  includes pivot hole  184  and pivot hole  186 . Arm  183  includes pivot hole  185  and pivot hole  187 . Pivot holes  184  and  185  are aligned with and sized to engage pins  126  and  127 , respectively. Pivot holes  186  and  187  are aligned with and sized to engage pins  122  and  123 , respectively. Lever  116  is pivotally connected to base  110  by pin  126  through pivot holes  184  and  128  and by pin  127  through pivot holes  185  and  135 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 7A , link  118  is shown. Link  118  comprises body  190  integrally formed with standoff  192 . Standoff  192  is generally cylindrical and includes a centrally positioned pivot hole  194 . Pivot hole  194  is sized to engage pin  122 . Body  190  includes pivot hole  196 . Pivot hole  196  is sized to engage pin  124 . Body  190  forms stop surface  198 . Lever  116  is pivotally connected to link  118  by pin  122  through pivot holes  194  and  186 . Link  118  is pivotally connected to dog  112  by pin  124  through pivot holes  196  and  158 . 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 7B , link  119  is shown. Link  119  comprises body  191  integrally formed with standoff  193 . Standoff  193  is generally cylindrical and includes a centrally positioned pivot hole  195 . Pivot hole  195  is sized to engage pin  123 . Body  191  includes pivot hole  197 . Pivot hole  197  is sized to engage pin  125 . Body  191  forms stop surface  199 . Lever  116  is pivotally connected to link  119  by pin  123  through pivot holes  195  and  187 . Link  119  is pivotally connected to dog  112  by pin  125  through pivot holes  197  and  157 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C , the preferred method of installing the hinge to the cabinet carcass will be described.  FIGS. 8A and 8B  show the hinge in an unlocked position. To install removable hinge  100 , base  110  is positioned adjacent face  111  of cabinet carcass  105 . Flanges  132  are positioned adjacent face  113  of cabinet carcass  105 . Thumbscrew  120  is rotated and advances in direction  201  through threaded hole  166  thereby urging pressure plate  114  towards cabinet carcass  105  and away from jaw portion  152 . Stanchions  174  and  175  similarly advance through guide holes  164  and  165 . Thumbscrew  120  is advanced until cleats  172  abut face  115  of cabinet carcass  105 . Lever  116  is pivoted in direction  200  toward base  110 . As the lever pivots, links  118  and  119  pivot with respect to the lever and dog  112  thereby forcing dog  112  towards cabinet carcass  105 . Arms  154  and  155  slide on rails  136  and  139 , while tabs  138  and  148  engage slots  161  and  160  and tabs  163  and  162  engage slots  140  and  141 . The engagement prevents torsional rotation of dog  112  relative to base  110 . The lever in conjunction with the dog and links form a classic mechanical toggle which amplifies the compressive force applied to the pressure plate. As a result, cleats  172  are driven into face  115 , clamping attachment mechanism  104  to cabinet carcass  105  in a locked position. Once in the locked position, minor vertical, horizontal, and lateral adjustments are made by rotating vertical adjustment cam A, horizontal adjustment cam C, and lateral adjustment screw B. 
         [0047]    To release the hinge from the cabinet carcass, lever  116  is pivoted away from base  110 , thereby urging dog  112  away from cabinet carcass  105 . Thumbscrew  120  is reversed in threaded hole  166  causing cleats  172  to disengage from face  115 . As a result, the hinge can be removed completely or quickly adjusted to an alternate location. As lever  116  is moved away from base  110 , the stop surfaces provide a stop which abuts dog  112  and restricts rotational movement of the lever to prevent damage. 
         [0048]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed and remain within the inventive concept. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover changes within the scope and spirit of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4