APPLIANCE HINGE COUNTERBALANCE ASSEMBLY

• US 20130239364A1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
• Original Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
• Inventors: SirLouis, Nicholas R.
• Application Number:
  US13/897,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20130239364A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/50
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1261 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/18 with counteracting springs double-acting springs E05F1/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/20 in hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/312 for washing machines

Abstract

A counterbalance assembly for an appliance hinge includes a base including first and second spaced-apart side walls and a transverse face wall. The base includes: (i) a channel located between the first and second side walls; and, (ii) a notch comprising first and second notch portions respectively located in said first and second side walls. A rotating cam is supported on the base. The cam includes: (i) a camshaft that extends between the side walls and that is adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, with a first end of the camshaft located in the first notch portion and a second end of the camshaft located in the second notch portion; and, (ii) a lobe that projects from the camshaft. The hinge assembly includes a biasing spring that comprising an inner end engaged with the base and an outer end spaced from the base. The outer end of said spring is located outside the channel. A spring rod includes an outer end operatively coupled to the spring and an inner end operatively coupled to the lobe of the cam such that the spring biases the spring rod to an extended position.

Claims

1. A counterbalance assembly for an appliance hinge, said counterbalance assembly comprising:

a base including first and second spaced-apart side walls and a transverse face wall, said base including;

(i) a channel located between the first and second side walls; and

, (ii) a notch comprising first and second notch portions respectively located in said first and second side walls;

a rotating cam supported on the base, said cam including;

(i) a camshaft that extends between the side walls and that is adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, said camshaft comprising a first end located in said first notch portion and a second end located in said second notch portion; and

(ii) a lobe that projects from the camshaft;

a biasing spring comprising an inner end engaged with the base and an outer end spaced from the base, said outer end of said spring located outside said channel;

a spring rod including an outer end operatively coupled to the spring and an inner end operatively coupled to the lobe of the cam such that said spring biases said spring rod to an extended position.

2. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an appliance lid/door mounting hinge arm connected to the camshaft to rotate therewith, said appliance lid/door mounting hinge arm adapted to be connected to an associated appliance lid/door.

3. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said spring comprises a helical coil spring;

said spring rod extends coaxially through said spring;

said inner end of said spring is engaged with said transverse face wall of said base;

said outer end of said spring is engaged with said outer end of said spring rod.

4. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said inner end of said spring rod is located in a channel defined between the first and second side walls of said base;

said outer end of said spring rod is spaced from said base, said that said inner and outer ends of said spring rod are located on opposite sides of said transverse face wall.

5. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

rotational movement of the cam in a first angular direction causes inward sliding movement of the spring rod in a first direction against a biasing force of the spring;

rotational movement of the cam in a second angular direction corresponds to outward sliding movement of the spring rod.

6. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inner end of said spring rod is operatively connected to the lobe of the cam by a connecting link, said connecting link including a first end pivotally connected to the cam lobe and a second end pivotally connected to the inner end of the spring rod.

7. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first end of the connecting link is pivotally connected to the cam lobe by a pivot fastener, and wherein said pivot fastener is slidably engaged with the base.

8. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein first and second elongated slots are defined respectively in the first and second sidewalls of the base, and wherein said pivot fastener is slidably located in at least one of the first and second slots.

9. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein said pivot fastener comprises opposite first and second ends that are respectively located in said first and second elongated slots.

10. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said inner end of said spring rod is operatively connected to the lobe of the cam by a connecting link, said connecting link including a first end pivotally connected to the cam lobe and a second end pivotally connected to the inner end of the spring rod.

11. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first end of the connecting link is pivotally connected to the cam lobe by a pivot fastener, and wherein said pivot fastener is slidably engaged with the base.

12. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein first and second elongated slots are defined respectively in the first and second sidewalls of the base, and wherein said pivot fastener is slidably located in at least one of the first and second slots.

13. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein said pivot fastener comprises opposite first and second ends that are respectively located in said first and second elongated slots.

14. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said lobe of said cam comprises a curved slot;

said inner end of said spring rod is operatively connected to the lobe of the cam by a fastener that is slidably engaged with said curved slot.

15. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base further comprises at least one mounting tab adapted to be connected to an associated appliance body.

16. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein said base further comprises a top wall that extends between the first and second side walls, wherein said top wall comprises a keeper tab that captures said first and second ends of said camshaft in said first and second notch portions, respectively.

17. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring rod extends through an opening defined in said transverse face wall such that said inner end of said spring rod is located in said channel and said outer end of said spring rod is external to said channel.

18. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 17, wherein said inner end of said spring is operatively engaged with said transverse face wall and said spring rod extends coaxially through a hollow core region of said spring.

19. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 18, wherein said outer end of said spring rod comprises an enlarged portion that prevents said outer end of said spring rod from sliding through said hollow core region of said spring.

20. A counterbalance assembly for an appliance hinge, said counterbalance assembly comprising:

a base including first and second spaced-apart side walls and a transverse face wall, said base including;

(i) a channel located between the first and second side walls; and

, (ii) a notch comprising first and second notch portions respectively located in said first and second side walls;

a rotating cam supported on the base, said cam including;

(i) a camshaft that extends between the side walls and that is adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, said camshaft comprising a first end located in said first notch portion and a second end located in said second notch portion; and

(ii) a lobe that projects from the camshaft;

a biasing spring comprising an inner end engaged with the base and an outer end spaced from the base, said outer end of said spring located outside said channel;

a spring rod including an outer end operatively coupled to the spring and an inner end operatively coupled to the lobe of the cam such that said spring biases said spring rod to an extended position;

said lobe of said cam comprising a curved slot, and said inner end of said spring rod is operatively connected to the lobe of the cam by a fastener that is slidably engaged with said curved slot.