Domestic appliance hinge assembly with cylinder alignment shoulder bushing

• US 10,633,904 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Elkasevic, Suad
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Brien, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/478,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20130312221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,897 Days
• Field of Search: 16286, 16287, 16288, 16289, 16290, 16291
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1261 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/108 with piston rod protruding from the closer housing; Telescoping closers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/254 Fluid or viscous friction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/264 linear
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/626 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/308 for ovens
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/023 Mounting of doors, e.g. hinges, counterbalancing

Abstract

A hinge assembly is provided for attaching a door to a domestic appliance. The hinge assembly includes a hinge body; a damper; a foot pivotably attached to the damper and having a pivot end, the foot engaging a foot receiving portion of the appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the appliance; and a shoulder bushing attached to the pivot end of the foot and to a pivot point of the hinge body such that the foot pivots relative to the hinge body around the pivot point, the shoulder bushing having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The pivot end of the foot is fixed to the shoulder bushing at a fixing area of the small diameter portion such that a side surface of the pivot end of the foot is in contact with a side surface of the large diameter portion.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for pivotably attaching a door to a domestic appliance having an appliance body, the hinge assembly comprising:

a hinge body;

a damper having a central longitudinal axis and including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder, and the rod extending along the central longitudinal axis of the damper;

a pair of linkage members coupled to the damper and forming a slot therein to receive a linkage member pin;

a foot pivotably attached to the pair of linkage members and having a pivot end, the foot operable to engage a foot receiving portion of the appliance body such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the appliance body; and

a shoulder bushing attached to the pivot end of the foot and to a pivot point of the hinge body such that the foot pivots relative to the hinge body around the pivot point, the shoulder bushing having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion,

wherein the pivot end of the foot is fixed to the shoulder bushing at a fixing area of the small diameter portion such that a side surface of the pivot end of the foot is in contact with a side surface of the large diameter portion.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the linkage member pin includes a roller that rotates around a center portion of the linkage member pin, which is attached to the hinge body.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 2, wherein the slot is curved.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the slot is curved.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the shoulder bushing has an outer portion that includes the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion, the outer portion having a through hole, and an inner portion that extend through the through hole and around which the outer portion rotates.

6. The hinge assembly of claim 5, wherein the inner portion of the shoulder bushing is a rivet.

19. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the slot has a substantially uniform width.

20. The hinge assembly of claim 19, wherein the linkage member pin has a smooth rolling relationship with the slot.

7. A door assembly for pivotably attaching to a domestic appliance having an appliance body, the door assembly comprising:

a door;

a hinge assembly, the hinge assembly having a hinge body;

a damper having a central longitudinal axis and including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder, and the rod extending along the central longitudinal axis of the damper;

a pair of linkage members coupled to the damper and forming a slot therein to receive a linkage member pin;

a foot pivotably attached to the pair of linkage members and having a pivot end, the foot operable to engage a foot receiving portion of the appliance body such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the appliance body; and

a shoulder bushing attached to the pivot end of the foot and to a pivot point of the hinge body such that the foot pivots relative to the hinge body around the pivot point, the shoulder bushing having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion,

wherein the pivot end of the foot is fixed to the shoulder bushing at a fixing area of the small diameter portion such that a side surface of the pivot end of the foot is in contact with a side surface of the large diameter portion.

8. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the linkage member pin includes a roller that rotates around a center portion of the linkage member pin, which is attached to the hinge body.

9. The door assembly of claim 8, wherein the slot is curved.

10. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the slot is curved.

11. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the shoulder bushing has an outer portion that includes the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion, the outer portion having a through hole, and an inner portion that extend through the through hole and around which the outer portion rotates.

12. The door assembly of claim 11, wherein the inner portion of the shoulder bushing is a rivet.

13. A domestic appliance, comprising:

an appliance body having a foot receiving portion;

a door; and

a hinge assembly, the hinge assembly having a hinge body;

a damper having a central longitudinal axis and including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder, and the rod extending along the central longitudinal axis of the damper;

a pair of linkage members coupled to the damper and forming a slot therein to receive a linkage member pin;

a foot pivotably attached to the pair of linkage members and having a pivot end, the foot operable to engage a foot receiving portion of the appliance body such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the appliance body; and

a shoulder bushing attached to the pivot end of the foot and to a pivot point of the hinge body such that the foot pivots relative to the hinge body around the pivot point, the shoulder bushing having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion,

wherein the pivot end of the foot is fixed to the shoulder bushing at a fixing area of the small diameter portion such that a side surface of the pivot end of the foot is in contact with a side surface of the large diameter portion.

14. The domestic appliance of claim 13, wherein the linkage member pin includes a roller that rotates around a center portion of the linkage member pin, which is attached to the hinge body.

15. The domestic appliance of claim 14, wherein the slot is curved.

16. The domestic appliance of claim 13, wherein the slot is curved.

17. The domestic appliance of claim 13, wherein the shoulder bushing has an outer portion that includes the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion, the outer portion having a through hole, and an inner portion that extend through the through hole and around which the outer portion rotates.

18. The domestic appliance of claim 17, wherein the inner portion of the shoulder bushing is a rivet.