Breakaway hinge system for appliance door

• US 7,150,071 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mansfield Engineered Components, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
• Inventors: Collene, James J., Habegger, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/379,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 162/23, 162/89, 163/06, 163/05, 163/43, 493/86, 493/87, 126/194, 126/192, 126/190
• US Class Current: 16/289
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/022 allowing an additional lateral movement, e.g. for sealing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1276 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/06 Buffers or stops limiting opening of swinging wings, e.g. floor or wall stopsE05F5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/08 with springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/47 Springs; Spring tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/13 by motors, magnets, springs, weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/424 against unintended use
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/308 for ovens
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/023 Mounting of doors, e.g. hinges, counterbalancing

Abstract

A breakaway hinge system for an appliance door includes a claw and a receptacle adapted to receive and retain the claw. The receptacle includes a support member and at least one hinge mounting structure that is engaged by the claw. The at least one hinge mounting structure is movable relative to the support member between first and second positions. A spring biases the at least one hinge mounting structure to the first operative position, and the at least one hinge mounting structure is movable to the second position in response to application of force to the hinge assembly having a magnitude sufficient to overcome the spring. The at least one hinge mounting structure can be a pin or like structure provided as part of a pair of pins connected directly or indirectly to the support member.

Claims

1. A receptacle for mounting a hinge assembly to an appliance, said receptacle comprising:

a support member defining a recess between first and second sidewalls, wherein said first and second sidewalls comprise respective elongated slots located on opposite sides of said recess and aligned with each other;

a pivoting member nested in said recess between said first and second sidewalls of said support member and pivotally connected to said support member by a first hinge mounting structure that spans the recess of the support member, said pivoting member adapted for movement relative to said support member pivotally on an arc about said first hinge mounting structure between a first position and a second position;

a second hinge mounting structure that is inserted through and slidably located in said elongated slots of said support member and the spans the recess of the support member, said second hinge mounting structure also connected to the pivoting member for movement therewith relative to said support member pivotally about said first hinge mounting structure, wherein said first and second hinge mounting structures are adapted to be releasably engaged by a claw of an associated hinge assembly for releasable connection of the associated hinge assembly to said receptacle; and

,

a spring that normally biases said pivoting member and said second hinge mounting structure into said first position and that resiliently accommodates movement of said pivoting member and the second hinge mounting structure pivotally on said arc about said first hinge mounting structure to said second position under break-away forces.

2. The receptacle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first hinge mounting structure comprises at least one of a pin, stud, rivet or fastener, and wherein said second hinge mounting structure comprises at least one of a pin, stud, rivet or fastener.

3. The receptacle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring is a coil spring.

4. A receptacle for mounting a hinge assembly, said receptacle comprising:

a support member defining a recess between first and second spaced-apart opposing sidewalls;

a pivoting member connected to said support member and pivotably movable relative to said support member on an arc between first and second positions, wherein said pivoting member is movably nested within said recess of said support member between said first and second spaced-apart sidewalls;

a first hinge mounting pin that is connected to the first and second spaced-apart sidewalls of said support member, wherein said first hinge mounting pin spans said recess of said support member and extends through said pivoting member so as to pivotally connect said pivoting member to said support member;

a second hinge mounting pin that is slidably seated in respective first and second elongated slots defined respectively in said first and second spaced-apart sidewalls of said support member and that spans said recess and that also extends through said pivoting member so as to be connected to and movable with said pivoting member relative to said support member, wherein said first and second pins are adapted for releasably mating with a claw of an associated hinge; and

,

a spring that normally biases said pivoting member into its first position and that accommodates movement of said pivoting member to its second position.

5. The receptacle as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first and second hinge mounting pins comprise respective first and second rivets.

6. A breakaway hinge system for an appliance door, said system comprising:

a hinge assembly comprising a claw;

a receptacle adapted to receive and retain said claw of said hinge assembly, said receptacle comprising;

a support member defining a recess and an aligned pair of elongated apertures located on opposite sides of said recess;

a first hinge mounting member connected to said support member and spanning said recess;

a second hinge mounting member that spans said recess of said support member and that is slidably located in and extends between said pair of elongated apertures for movement within said pair of elongated apertures about said first hinge mounting member between first and second positions, wherein said claw of said hinge assembly is releasably engaged with said first and second hinge mounting members; and

,

a spring having a biasing force that biases said second hinge mounting member to said first operative position, wherein said second hinge mounting member is movable to said second position in response to application of force to said hinge assembly having a magnitude sufficient to overcome said biasing force of said spring.

7. The breakaway hinge system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first hinge mounting member comprises one of a pin, rivet, stud or fastener and wherein said second hinge mounting member comprises one of a pin, rivet, stud or fastener.

8. The breakaway hinge system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said receptacle comprises a pivoting member and wherein said first hinge mounting member pivotally connects said pivoting member to said support member and wherein said second hinge mounting member is connected to and moves with said pivoting member on an arc about said first hinge mounting member.

9. The breakaway hinge system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said pivoting member is nested within said recess of said support member.

10. A breakaway hinge system far an appliance door, said system comprising:

a support member fixedly secured to an appliance chassis and defining a recess between first and second spaced-apart sidewalls, said first and second sidewalls comprising respective first and second elongated slots that are aligned with each other on opposite sides of said recess;

a first hinge mounting structure connected to the first and second spaced-apart sidewalls of said support member and spanning said recess;

a second hinge mounting structure slidably located in said first and second aligned slots and spanning said recess between said first and second sidewalls of said support member and movable on an arc centered at said first hinge mounting structure between first and second positions, said first and second hinge mounting structures adapted to be engaged and releasably retained by associated hinge assembly; and

,

a spring that biases said second hinge mounting structure to said first position, said second hinge mounting structure selectively movable on said arc within said first and second elongated slots to said second position against said biasing force of said spring.

11. A receptacle for mounting a hinge assembly to an appliance, said receptacle comprising:

a support member;

first and second hinge mounting structures each comprising a pin, rivet, stud or fastener adapted to be engaged by a claw of an associated hinge assembly, said first hinge mounting structure secured to said support member in a fixed location and said second hinge mounting structure spanning a recess defined between spaced-apart first and second sidewalls of said support member and comprising opposite first and second ends slidably positioned in first and second slots defined respectively in said first and second spaced-apart sidewalls, wherein said second hinge mounting structure is movable in said first and second slots between first and second positions relative to said first hinge mounting structure, and wherein said second hinge mounting structure is connected to a pivoting member defined separately from and nested between said first and second spaced-apart sidewalls of said support member, wherein pivoting member is pivotally connected to said support structure by said first hinge mounting structure; and

,

a spring for biasing said second hinge mounting structure toward said first position, said second hinge mounting structure movable from said first position toward said second position when a breakaway force is applied to the associated hinge assembly sufficient to overcome a biasing force of said spring.

12. The receptacle as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second mounting structure moves on a circular arc section about a pivot point defined by said first mounting structure so that a distance between said first and second mounting structures is constant when said second mounting structure moves from said first position to said second position.