DETACHABLE HINGE DAMPER

• US 20140115823A1
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hardware Resources Incorporated (Dimora Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hardware Resources Incorporated (Dimora Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lowe, Mark Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,151,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/85
• 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 5/08 with springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/256 with pistons or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/264 linear
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furniture, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

A detachable and adjustable damper hinge attachment for connection to pre-installed hinge hardware to dampen the closing motion of a swinging cabinet door. The attachment comprises a housing and a spring damper assembly slidingly and removably engaged with the housing. The housing includes an attachment means for detachable engagement with a hinge body. The spring damper assembly extends from the housing and contacts a portion of the hinge to which the door is mounted. One embodiment positions the spring damper assembly to more perpendicularly meet the door portion of the hinge. Another embodiment includes an adjustment knob for adapting the contact point of the spring damper assembly.

Claims

1. An attachment for a pre-mounted hinge comprising:

a housing;

an attachment channel attached to the housing;

a cam lock means for detachably coupling the attachment to the pre-mounted hinge, in the attachment channel;

an adjustable knob threadably engaged with the housing; and

,

a spring damper assembly supported by the housing and removably supported by the adjustable knob.

2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the attachment channel extends generally radially from the housing, and further comprises:

a base having a distal end and a proximal end;

a hook attached to the distal end;

an adjustment hole integrally formed in the base; and

,

whereby the hook releasably connects the attachment to the pre-mounted hinge.

3. The attachment of claim 2, wherein the cam lock means further comprises:

a seat attached to the base;

a support hole integrally formed in the seat;

a shaft rotatively positioned in the support hole;

the shaft further comprising an off-center pin;

a cam lock slidingly engaged with the seat and the shaft;

a fastener hole integrally formed in the cam lock;

the off-center pin rotatively positioned in the fastener hole; and

,

whereby the cam lock is advanced and retreated to releasably secure the attachment to the pre-mounted hinge.

4. The attachment of claim 3, wherein the cam lock means further comprises a cam cover attached to the off-center pin and slidingly secured adjacent the cam lock.

5. The attachment of claim 3, wherein the support hole is sized to accommodate a rotation of the shaft and a translation of the shaft;

whereby the translation and the rotation advance and retreat the cam lock.

6. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises:

a distal housing end;

a proximal housing end opposite the distal housing end;

at least one damper slot integrally formed on the distal housing end and slidably engaged with the spring damper assembly; and

,

a set of internal threads integrally formed on the proximal housing end and threadably engaged with the adjustable knob.

7. The attachment of claim 1, further comprising an axial gap integrally formed in the housing.

8. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the spring damper assembly further comprises:

a damping cylinder further comprising a cylinder case and a piston; and

,

a flexible tip removably connected to the cylinder case.

9. The attachment of claim 8, wherein the spring damper assembly further comprises:

a damping medium between the piston and the cylinder;

a spring adjacent the piston and the cylinder and biasing the piston with respect to the cylinder; and

,

wherein the spring has a spring constant of between about 10 lbs./inch and about 20 lbs./inch.

10. The attachment of claim 9, wherein the spring damper assembly further comprises a piston rod attached to the piston and wherein the adjustable knob further comprises a generally central cavity removably supported by the piston rod.

11. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the housing and the spring damper assembly are positioned at an off-set angle with respect to the attachment channel.

12. The attachment of claim 11, wherein the off-set angle is a range from about 1°

to about 20°

.

13. An attachment for detachable coupling to a pre-mounted hinge comprising:

a housing;

an adjustable knob threadingly engaged with the housing;

a spring damper assembly supported by the housing and removably supported by the adjustable knob;

an attachment channel attached to the housing;

the attachment channel further comprising a base;

a seat attached to the base;

a cam lock slidingly engaged with the seat;

a support hole integrally formed in the seat;

a fastener hole integrally formed in the cam lock;

a shaft rotatively positioned in the support hole;

a cam pin attached to the shaft and rotatively positioned in the fastener hole;

whereby a rotation of the shaft and a translation of the shaft detachably couples the cam lock to the pre-mounted hinge.

14. The attachment of claim 13, further comprising a cam cap attached to the cam pin and slidingly secured adjacent to the cam lock.

15. The attachment of claim 13, wherein the cam pin is positioned off-center with respect to the shaft.

16. The attachment of claim 13, wherein the attachment channel further comprises a hook attached to the base and releasably connected to the pre-mounted hinge.

17. The attachment of claim 13, wherein the housing and the spring damper assembly are positioned at an off-set angle with respect to the attachment channel

18. The attachment of claim 17, wherein the off-set angle is a range from about 1°

to about 20°

.

19. In an attachment for detachable engagement with a pre-mounted hinge, the attachment further comprising a housing, an attachment channel attached to the housing, an adjustable knob threadably engaged with the housing, a spring damper assembly supported by the housing and removably supported by the adjustable knob, a cam lock slidably engaged with the attachment channel, a support hole integrally formed in the attachment channel, a fastener rotatively positioned in the support hole and rotatively secured to the cam lock, a method comprising the steps of:

rotating the fastener in a first rotational direction;

translating the fastener in the support hole;

advancing the cam lock in a first translational direction; and

,

detachably engaging the pre-mounted hinge with the cam lock.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

rotating the fastener in a second rotational direction;

retracting the cam lock in a second translational direction; and

,

disengaging the cam lock from the pre-mounted hinge.