APPLIANCE LID HINGE ASSEMBLY WITH SNUBBER

• US 20170122020A1
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mansfield Engineered Components, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mansfield Engineered Components, Inc.
• Inventors: Collene, James
• Granted Patent: US 10,724,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/18 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/24 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/20 General details of domestic laundry dryers D06F59/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/104 with cam-and-slide transmission between driving shaft and piston within the closer housing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/264 linear
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/30 for domestic appliances
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/312 for washing machines

Abstract

A hinge assembly for pivotally connecting an associated appliance lid to an associated appliance body includes a base adapted to be connected to the associated appliance body. A cam is rotatably supported on the base and is adapted to be engaged by the associated appliance lid and is rotatable about a lid pivot axis. A snubber/damper is operatively connected to the base. The cam exerts a snubber activation force on the snubber when said cam rotates about the lid pivot axis in a first direction corresponding to movement of the associated appliance lid from an opened position toward a closed position such that the snubber damps movement of the cam when the cam rotates in the first direction.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for pivotally connecting an associated appliance lid to an associated appliance body, said hinge assembly comprising:

a base adapted to be connected to the associated appliance body;

a cam rotatably supported on said base, said cam adapted to be engaged by the associated appliance lid and rotatable about a lid pivot axis;

a snubber operatively connected to the base, wherein said cam exerts a snubber activation force on said snubber when said cam rotates about said lid pivot axis in a first direction corresponding to movement of the associated appliance lid from an opened position toward a closed position and such that said snubber damps movement of said cam when said cam rotates in said first direction.

2. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said snubber comprises:

a snubber body including a bore defined therein;

a piston slidably located in the bore and a piston rod connected to and projecting outwardly from the piston through a first end wall of the snubber body;

said piston slidable to and between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein said piston is located closer to said first end wall of said snubber body and said piston rod projects outwardly away from the first end wall of the snubber body to a greater extent when said piston is located in said extended position as compared to when said piston is located in said retracted position.

3. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said snubber body further comprises a second end wall that is spaced from the first end wall, and said snubber further comprises a piston return spring that urges the piston toward its extended position.

4. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a damping fluid located in the snubber bore such that:

said snubber activation force causes the piston to move from its extended position toward its retracted position, and the damping fluid resists inward movement of the piston toward said bottom wall;

when the snubber activation force is removed from said snubber, the piston return spring urges the piston toward its extended position to reset the snubber.

5. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein the piston is configured such that the damping fluid passes by the piston with less resistance when the piston is moving from its retracted position toward its extended position as compared to when the piston is moving from its extended position toward its retracted position such that said snubber provides greater damping force during movement of the piston from its extended position toward its retracted position as compared to movement of the piston from its retracted position toward its extended position.

6. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a primary spring operatively positioned between said base and said snubber body and biasing said snubber body toward a first position, said snubber body selectively moveable by said snubber activation force into said bore toward a second position.

7. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein said base comprises a one-piece polymeric construction.

8. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said snubber comprises:

a snubber rod movably connected to said base and adapted for reciprocal linear sliding movement between a first position and a second position;

a primary spring located between said base and said snubber rod and biasing said snubber rod toward its first position;

wherein said snubber rod moves from said first position toward said second position against said biasing force of said primary spring in response to said snubber activation force exerted thereon by said cam when said cam rotates about said lid pivot axis in said first direction corresponding to movement of the associated appliance lid from the opened position toward the closed position primary spring damps movement of said cam when said cam rotates in said first direction.

9. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said piston return spring is operatively located in the bore between the second end wall and the piston.

10. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said piston return spring is located external relative to said snubber body and is operatively located between the snubber body and an outer end of said piston rod.

11. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein said primary spring biases said snubber body into continuous abutment with the cam for all operative positions of said cam.

12. An appliance comprising:

a body including a chamber with an open mouth;

a lid for selectively covering the open mouth of the chamber; and

hinge assembly for pivotally connecting the lid to the body, said hinge assembly comprising;

a base connected to the body;

a cam rotatably supported on said base, said cam engaged the lid and rotatable with the lid about a lid pivot axis;

a snubber operatively connected to the base, wherein said cam exerts a snubber activation force on said snubber when said cam rotates about said lid pivot axis in a first direction corresponding to movement of the lid from an opened position toward a closed position and such that said snubber damps movement of said cam when said cam rotates in said first direction with said lid.