DOOR HINGE ASSEMBLY

• US 20100251521A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Donoho, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US12/416,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251521A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/343
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/06 Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1261 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/304 for dishwashers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/308 for ovens

Abstract

A hinge assembly for a door enclosing a compartment includes a first housing, a second housing, a mounting member, a link member, a locking member, and a biasing member. The first housing includes an opening in a front wall leading to a channel. An upper stop and a lower stop are located in the channel. The mounting member includes a distal end including a first abutting portion, a second abutting portion and a slot. The distal end of the mounting member is configured to be inserted in the opening so that the first abutting portion engages the upper stop, the second abutting portion engages the lower stop and the slot engages a lower edge of the opening.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for a door enclosing a compartment, the assembly including:

a first housing configured to be mounted in the compartment and including a front wall and two adjacent side walls extending therefrom defining a channel, the front wall including an opening leading to the channel, the opening partially defined by a lower edge, an upper stop and a lower stop extending between the side walls in the channel, the upper stop located higher in the channel than the lower stop, the lower stop located closer to the front wall than the upper stop;

a second housing configured to be mounted in the door; and

a mounting member including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the mounting member pivotally coupled to the second housing, the distal end of the mounting member including a first abutting portion, a second abutting portion and a slot, the distal end of the mounting member configured to be inserted in the opening so that the first abutting portion engages the upper stop, the second abutting portion engages the lower stop and the slot engages the lower edge.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal end is a protrusion, the first abutting portion is formed at a top part of the protrusion, and the second abutting portion and the slot are formed at a bottom part of the protrusion.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 2, wherein the first abutting portion is formed by an upwardly bent tip and the second abutting portion is formed by a recess in the protrusion.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening is substantially elongate and includes a top portion that is rectangular and a bottom portion that the gradually tapers toward the lower edge.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower stops have a round cross section.

6. A hinge assembly for a door enclosing a compartment, the assembly including:

a first housing configured to be mounted in a compartment, the first housing including a first opening;

a second housing configured to be mounted in a door, the second opening including a front wall and two adjacent side walls extending therefrom defining a channel, the second housing further including a second opening on the front wall;

a mounting member including a distal end, a proximal end, and a proximal intermediate point, the distal end configured to be inserted into the first opening and engage the first housing, and the mounting member pivotally coupled to the second housing at the proximal end and projecting out of the channel through the second opening; and

a link member including a first end and a second end, the first end pivotally coupled to the proximal intermediate point, a shaft through the second end configured to slide along a predetermined path between the side walls,

wherein the predetermined path is delineated by a pair of passages formed on each of the side walls.

7. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the predetermined path is further delineated by a cam bracket inserted in the channel.

8. The hinge assembly of claim 6, further including a biasing element including a moving end and a fixed end, the moving end pivotally coupled to the second end of the link member, the fixed end coupled to the second housing, the biasing element biased to rotate the door and abut the enclosed structure.

9. The hinge assembly of claim 6, the mounting member further including a distal intermediate point, a locking member pivotally coupled to the distal intermediate point of the mounting member, the locking member having a coupled end and a free end, the locking member configured to lock the second housing about the mounting member in a detent position.

10. The hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein at least one of the front wall and the two side walls of the second housing member is reinforced by an elongate bead.