Low profile adjustable soft close hinge apparatus

• US 10,081,975 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hardware Resources Incorporated (Dimora Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hardware Resources Incorporated (Dimora Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Rachel, McGregor, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): O Brien, Jeffrey D
• Application Number:
  US15/485,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20170218675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2007/0484 in a radial direction
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/142 with at least one of the hinge parts having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture E05D11/1021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/0276 for attachment to cabinets or furniture, the hinge having two or more pins E05D5/046, E05D5/065, E05D7/125 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/0407 the hinges having two or more pins and being specially adapted for cabinets or furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/0415 with adjusting drive means
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/006 for hinges having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/02 specially for preventing the slamming of swinging wings during final closing movement, e.g. jamb stops
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/027 with closing action
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/638 Cams; Ramps
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/12 by manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/20 characterised by the movement transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/312 Horizontal motion
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/268 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

Disclosed is a low profile, adjustable, soft close hinge comprised of a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body via a hinge arm and a hinge link in a four-bar linkage arrangement. A spring biases the hinge to a closed position. The hinge body is adjustably connected to an inner frame with an overlay adjustment screw and depth adjustment cam. The inner frame releasably connects the hinge body to a mounting plate. A stop bracket is adjustably and slidably connected to the hinge body by a cam. The adjustable position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body determines the point at which the damping functionality of a damper begins during a hinge closing movement. A linkage sub-assembly pivotally connects the damper to the hinge link.

Claims

1. An adjustable soft close hinge comprising:

a hinge cup connected to a hinge body by a hinge arm and a hinge link;

a damper, having a damping function, having a first end and a second end;

the damper pivotally connected to the hinge body by a pin;

the first end pivotally connected to the hinge link;

a stop bracket, having a slot with an open end and a closed end, adjustably connected to the hinge body and slidingly engaged with the second end, where the pin is slidably engaged with the slot;

a soft close cam, seated in the hinge body, comprising an offset protrusion rotatably engaged with the stop bracket;

wherein upon rotation of the soft close cam, the offset protrusion rotates within the stop bracket and the stop bracket moves longitudinally with respect to the hinge body such that the damping function is adjusted; and

,

wherein onset of the damping function begins when the pin abuts the closed end.

2. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:

an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;

an overlay adjustment screw threadably attached to the hinge body and slidably attached to the inner frame; and

,

wherein upon rotation of the overlay adjustment screw, a relative distance between the hinge body and the inner frame is altered.

3. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:

an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;

a depth adjustment cam seated in and rotatable within the hinge body and rotatably connected to the inner frame; and

,

wherein upon rotation of the depth adjustment cam, a longitudinal position of the hinge body relative to the inner frame is altered.

4. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.

5. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:

a peak on the hinge link;

a spring arm, extending from a spring, adjacent the hinge body;

a spring brace, extending from the spring, contacting the peak; and

,

wherein during a closing movement of the hinge, the spring brace maintains contact with the peak.

6. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 5 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.

7. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:

a linkage sub-assembly comprising a pivot link and a connecting link;

the pivot link connecting the damper and the connecting link; and

,

the connecting link connecting the pivot link and the hinge link.

8. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:

a first spacer adjacent the hinge link and the hinge body and a second spacer adjacent the hinge link and the hinge body.

9. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the soft close cam further comprises:

a base section adjacent the hinge body;

a neck section seated within the hinge body and adjacent to and concentrically aligned with the base section along a first axis;

the offset protrusion extending from the neck section along a second axis and engaging a hole in the stop bracket; and

,

wherein upon rotation of the soft close cam, the offset protrusion urges the stop bracket to move longitudinally relative to the hinge body.

10. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal position of the closed end is altered by rotation of the soft close cam.

11. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:

a set of graduated indicia on the hinge body surrounding the soft close cam; and

,

a radial indicator on the soft close cam, adjacent the set of graduated indicia.

12. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge cup, the hinge body, the hinge arm, and the hinge link form a four-bar linkage arrangement biased by a spring.

13. A low profile, soft close hinge comprising:

a hinge body pivotally connected to a hinge cup by a hinge arm and biased by a spring;

the hinge body pivotally connected to the hinge cup by a hinge link;

an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;

a stop bracket, having a slot with an open end and a closed end, and adjustably connected to the hinge body by a soft close cam, where a pin is slidably engaged with the slot;

an offset protrusion extending from the soft close cam and engaging the stop bracket;

a damper, having a damping function, slidable within the stop bracket;

the damper pivotally connected to the hinge body by the pin;

the damper pivotally connected to the hinge link and slidably connected to the hinge body;

wherein upon rotation of the soft close cam, the offset protrusion rotates within the stop bracket and adjusts a longitudinal position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body such that onset of the damping function is adjusted; and

,

wherein the onset of the damping function begins when the pin abuts the closed end.

14. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13

wherein as the hinge moves from an open position to a closed position, the pin abuts the stop bracket.

15. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.

16. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:

a peak on the hinge link;

a spring arm, extending from the spring, adjacent the hinge body;

a spring brace, extending from the spring, contacting the peak; and

,

wherein during a closing movement of the hinge, the spring brace maintains contact with the peak.

17. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:

an overlay adjustment screw engaged with the hinge body and slidably attached to the inner frame; and

,

wherein upon rotation of the overlay adjustment screw, a relative distance between the hinge body and the inner frame is altered.

18. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:

a depth adjustment cam seated in the hinge body and rotatably connected to the inner frame; and

,

wherein upon rotation of the depth adjustment cam, a longitudinal position of the hinge body relative to the inner frame is altered.

19. A method of adjusting the damping function of a soft close hinge comprising:

providing a hinge body pivotally connected to a hinge cup by a hinge arm and a hinge link and biased by a spring;

providing a stop bracket, having a slot with an open end and a closed end, and slidable relative to the hinge body, where a pin is slidably engaged with the slot;

providing a damper having a damper function slidable within the stop bracket and pivotably connected to the hinge link;

the damper pivotally connected to the hinge body by the pin;

providing a soft close cam rotatable and slidable within the hinge;

providing an offset protrusion extending from the soft close cam and rotatably connected to the stop bracket;

rotating the soft close cam such that the protrusion urges the stop bracket to move longitudinally with respect to the hinge body and a start point of the damping function is adjusted; and

,

wherein onset of the damper function begins when the pin abuts the closed end.