Combined, plug-in hinge pin and double-ended electrical connector for a hinged appliance door, with mating receptacle and connectors

• US 4,671,582 A
• Filed: 11/08/1985
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: New Anthony Inc (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corporation.
• Inventors: Richardson, Richard J., Stromquist, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desmond, Eugene F.
• Application Number:
  US06/796,634
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 339/4, 16/93 R, 16/261, 16/262, 16/381, 16/386
• US Class Current: 439/31
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/081 the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/40 Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members

Abstract

A hinge pin is described for an appliance door which combines the functions of a plug-in, mechanical hinge pin and bearing member for the door, adaptable for either right-hand or left-hand opening doors, with that of an electrical connector to bring power into the door without the need of a separate, external service loop to the door. A frame-mounted mating receptacle is provided in the combination for sliding engagement of the hinge pin and plug with the appliance in two embodiments permitting a "universal", side-by-side mounting of two or more doors. Electrical connectors are included for engagement with the hinge pin and plug combination, both at the appliance frame and within the door.

Claims

1. A combined hinge pin and double-ended electrical plug for hingably-attaching and electrically-connecting a door in a mating receptacle on a door frame, comprising:

a plug body adapted for sliding engagement in a fore-and-aft direction with said mating receptacle, having a front-facing, first electrical plug face for forward electromechanical engagement with said mating receptacle and at least one lateral surface for lateral mechanical engagement with said mating receptacle, for transmitting lateral forces from said door to said door frame;

fastening means for fastening said plug body in said fore-and-aft, sliding engagement with said mating receptacle;

a hinge pin for hinging said door to said door frame, extending outward from said plug body in a direction normal to said fore-and-aft direction and into said door, said hinge pin terminating in an outward-facing, second electrical plug face within said door; and

electrical conductor means extending internally of said plug body and said hinge pin for conducting electrical power from said first electrical plug face to said second electrical plug face, further including electrical insulator means for insulating said conductor means from said plug body and said hinge pin.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said plug body and said hinge pin are molded as a generally solid, single piece of rigid, electrically-inslulating material.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein:

said electrical conductor means further includes at least one electrical conductor molded into said electrically-insulating material and extending from said first plug face to said second plug face.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein:

said electrical conductor has a first end extending orthogonally-outward from said first plug face for a predetermined length, a second end extending downward into an open-ended recess formed into said second plug face, and wherein said conductor is terminated at either end in a male-connector pin-end.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said plug body is substantially rectangular in cross section, having a pair of oppositely-facing sides, each side containing a horizontal groove therein extending to said first plug face, with a tapered entry thereat for sliding engagement with said mating receptacle.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a tubular bearing sleeve rotatably-retained about said hinge pin for insertion into said door, for reinforcing said hinge pin against lateral forces applied to said hinge pin by said door and for reducing rotational friction between said door and said hinge pin body.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein:

said fastening means further includes a combination leaf spring and over-center latching member attached at one end to said body, said latching member having an inclined-plane forward surface, the outermost portion of which is formed into the apex of an inverted, acute angle, which is sprung outwardly from said plug body, said latching member further having a tool-gripping feature on its rear surface for grasping said latching member and for forcing it inwardly to release said member from engagement; and

wherein said door frame and/or said receptacle contains a detent in their outer surface to receive and engage said over-center latching member therein.

8. A plug-in hinge pin and double-ended electrical plug, and a mounting receptacle and mating sockets therefor, for hinging a door having an electrical power requirement to a door frame, comprising:

a plug-in hinge pin and double-ended electrical plug assembly, including;

a T-shaped, electrically insulating body having an upper part and a lower part, said upper part consisting of an oblate cuboid having horizontally-planar upper and lower surfaces, a vertical front plug face, a vertical rear face and a pair of vertical sides, each said vertical side containing a horizontal groove therein extending to said front plug face, with a tapered entry thereat, said upper surface of said upper part extending outwardly above said front plug face in a horizontally-planar tongue, said upper body further containing a vertical fastening aperture therethrough between said front plug face and said lower part, said lower part consisting of an elongated, cylindrical member extending orthogonally-downward from said lower surface of said upper part and being truncated at its distal end in a horizontally-planar, lower plug face having a connector keying feature formed thereon and a plurality of open-ended recesses formed therein;

a plurality of electrical conductors molded into said insulating body, said conductors passing internally through said insulation body from said upper front plug face to said lower plug face, said conductors having first and second ends configured into male connector pins, said first ends extending orthogonally outward from said upper front plug face for a predetermined length, said second ends extending downward for a predetermined length and each being contained within one of said open-ended recesses behind said horizontal lower plug face;

a wraparound, C-shaped reinforcing part having a pair of parallel, spaced, horizontally-planar, rectangular upper and lower fingers, said fingers being connected at their rear edges by a bifurcated, vertical member to hold said fingers apart, said lower finger having a first cylindrical aperture therein, said first cylindrical aperture being dimpled downward about its periphery, said upper and lower fingers each containing a fastening aperture therethrough at their front edges which are opposed and aligned with one another and with said vertical fastening aperture through said upper part;

an open-ended, cylindrical bearing tube having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of said cylindrical part of said insulator body and having a flange at its upper end;

an over-center, spring-latching member having a planar base for mounting, with a fastening aperture in alignment with said fastening apertures in said upper part and said wraparound part, an inclined-ramp upper surface extending outwardly into an inverted V, said inverted V having a tool-engagement hole in the rearward leg thereof for depressing said latching member downward;

wherein said lower part of said insulating body passes through said cylindrical bearing tube and extends downward therefrom to expose a portion of said cylindrical part, including said keyed, lower plug face extending therethrough, said lower surface of said upper part resting against said flanged end of said bearing tube and is rotatably-supported thereby, said bearing tube extending downward through said first cylindrical aperture through said lower finger of said wraparound part, said flared end being contained in said downward-dimpled periphery of said first cylindrical aperture and rotatably-supported thereby, said lower surface of said upper part of said insulator body further being supported by said lower finger of said wraparound member, said upper finger of said wraparound member contacting said upper surface of said upper part of said insulator body and said bifurcated, vertical member of said wraparound member contacting said vertical rear face of said upper part to grip said upper part between said fingers of said channel part, said over-center latching member being mounted to said upper surface of said upper part; and

fastener means passing through said fastener apertures in said over-center member, said upper part of said insulator body and said fingers of said wraparound part to hold said parts of said assembly together;

a female socket assembly for connection with said combination hinge pin and plug within said door, including;

a female connector body made of an insulating material and having a plurality of apertures therethrough, said insulating body being keyed for mating engagement with said lower plug face of said hinge pin and plug assembly;

a plurality of female contact pins inserted within said apertures in said female connector body and adapted to penetrate said open-ended recesses through said lower plug face and to receive said male connector pin ends of said lower cylindrical part of said hinge pin and plug assembly; and

a combination mounting receptacle and socket assembly to receive said combination hinge pin and plug assembly in a plug-in fashion and for mounting said pin assembly to said appliance, including;

a female channel member having a horizontal planar base containing a plurality of fastener apertures therethrough, a pair of vertical sides extending downward from said base, an open front and rear, and a pair of opposed, horizontal sliding members running the length of said vertical sides, said horizontal sliding members being adapted for sliding engagement within said horizontal grooves in said upper part of said insulator body in said combination hinge pin and plug assembly, said open front adapted for receiving said front face of said hinge pin plug and said horizontally-planar tongue for horizontal sliding engagement therethrough;

a female connector, including an insulating connector body having a flange containing a plurality of mounting apertures therethrough for mounting said insulator body to said appliance, a vertically-planar connector face, a plurality of contact-receiving apertures through said connector body;

a plurality of female contact pins inserted within said connector body, each adapted to receive said male connector pins extending from said front face of said combined hinge pin and plug assembly;

said female structural member being mounted in an outward-facing direction to receive said plug-in hinge pin and plug, said female connector being mounted behind said female structural member such that said connector face is aligned with said open rear of said structural member to receive and mate with said plug face of said hinge pin and plug assembly; and

mounting fastener means to fasten said female structural member and said female connector to said appliance;

wherein said appliance contains a plurality of apertures therethrough to receive said mounting fastener means, said appliance further containing at least one aperture adapted to receive and retain said inverted V of said over-center spring member when said combined hinge pin and plug assembly is installed.

9. A hinge pin assembly for hinging a door to a door-frame, comprising:

an elongated hinge pin having one end for attachment to said door-frame and a second end for insertion into said door, for hinging said door thereabout;

means located at said one end of said hinge pin for slidably connecting said hinge pin to said door-frame, said sliding connection being in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the door-frame;

means adapted for attachment to said door-frame for slidably receiving said slidably connecting means in said perpendicular direction;

means for fastening said slidably connecting means to said receiving means;

said connecting means further including a body adapted for sliding engagement with said receiving means, said body having a front surface and side surfaces adapted for guiding said body into male/female sliding engagement with said receiving means and for resisting lateral forces applied through said hinge pin;

said receiving means further including a body for receiving said connecting body in said sliding engagement therewith, said receiving body having an opening to receive said connecting body and side surfaces adapted for guiding said receiving body in said male/female sliding engagement therewith and for resisting said lateral forces applied through said hinge pin; and

wherein said connecting body and said hinge pin are made as one piece.

10. The device in claim 9, further comprising:

a bearing sleeve for insertion in said door within which said hinge pin is rotatively-contained for reinforcing said hinge pin, having an internal surface adapted for low-friction sliding with said hinge pin exterior surface.

11. The device of claim 9 further comprising:

conductor means extending through said connecting body and said hinge pin for conducting electrical power from said connecting body front surface to said hinge pin second end, further including means for making sliding electrical connection at said connecting body front surface between said conductor means and said receiving means; and

wherein said receiving means further includes connector means for making sliding electrical connection with said conductor means.

12. A hinge pin and double-ended electrical plug and a mating receptacle therefor, for hinging a door containing an electrical socket and a bearing hole to a door frame, comprising:

a channel member, mounted rigidly to said door frame, open at the bottom, front and rear, having a pair of opposed side walls having a pair of opposed, inward-facing, sliding fingers thereon;

female electrical connector means for electrically connecting said door to said door frame, mounted to said door frame and having a connector face aligned with said open rear of said channel member, further including a plurality of means for making sliding electrical contact thereat;

an integrated plug-in hinge pin and electrical plug body having an upper, male, plug-in part and a a lower, cylindrical hinge pin part extending orthogonally-downward therefrom,

said upper part having an electrical connector face for mating with said female connector means, a forward-extending tongue for sliding-engagement between said opposed sidewalls of said channel part and with said female connector means, and a pair of grooves in its side for sliding engagement with said inward-facing fingers of said channel member,

said lower hinge pin part extending through said bearing hole of said door for hinging said door thereabout and being adapted at its lower end in a downward-facing male plug face keyed for electromechanical engagement with said electrical socket contained within said door, said electrical socket containing a plurality of means for making sliding electrical contact therewith;

a plurality of electrical conductors contained internally of said hinge pin and connector body and being electrically isolated therefrom, said conductors terminating at said upper part connector face in means for making sliding electrical contact thereat with said means for making sliding electrical contact in said female connector means and behind said downward-facing male plug face in means for making sliding electrical contact thereat with said means for making sliding electrical contact in said electrical socket; and

fastening means for fastening said upper body into said channel member after said plug-in engagement thereof.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

said channel member further includes a third, internal wall equally spaced between said pair of opposed sidewalls, said internal wall having a pair of oppositely-facing walls which face said pair of opposed sidewalls and a pair of outward-facing, sliding fingers thereon to oppose said pair of opposed inward-facing sliding fingers on said pair of sidewalls to form a pair of side-by-side channels to receive a pair of said combination plug-in hinge pin and electrical connectors in a side-by-side, plug-in engagement; and

said female electrical connector means is further adapted for electrically connecting said pair of combination plug-in hinge pin and electrical connectors in said side-by-side engagement.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a wraparound, reinforcing member for said upper part, formed in the shape of a C, and wrapping over the top, around the rear, and under the bottom of, said upper part to leave said front connector face, said tongue, and said side grooves of said upper body exposed for sliding engagement, said wraparound member further containing an aperture through its lower surface which is dimpled downward at the periphery thereof for the insertion of said lower body therethrough; and

a tubular, reinforcing and bearing sleeve through which said lower hinge pin part extends, said sleeve having a flange at one end, said flange being retained within said downward-dimpled periphery of said reinforcing member to permit rotation thereof, and a slight pivotal movement of said sleeve and said hinge pin part therein in a lateral direction, without breaking.