Appliance hinge counterbalance assembly

• US 8,443,489 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mansfield Engineered Components, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
• Inventors: Sir Louis, Nicholas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Batson, Victor
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORGAN, EMILY M
• Application Number:
  US12/701,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20100236021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 162/77, 163/04, 16286-288, 163/06, 163/17, 126/191, 126/194, 126/190, 126/192
• US Class Current: 16/286
• 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 or laundry dryers

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 that extends between said first and second side walls, said base including;

(i) a channel located between the first and second side walls, wherein said face wall closes one end of said channel;

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

(iii) first and second elongated slots defined respectively in said first and second side walls; and

, (iv) at least one mounting tab adapted to be connected to an associated appliance body;

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

(i) a camshaft that extends between the side walls and rotates about a longitudinal axis of said camshaft, 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 that extends through an opening in said face wall and 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, wherein said inner end of said spring rod is located in said channel and said outer end of said spring rod is spaced from said base such that said inner and outer ends of said spring rod are located on opposite sides of said transverse face wall, said spring rod 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 by a pivot fastener, wherein opposite first and second ends of said pivot fastener respectively extend through and are adapted for reciprocal sliding movement in said first and second elongated slots of said base;

said spring comprising a helical coil spring and said spring rod extending coaxially through said spring, said inner end of said spring engaged with said transverse face wall of said base and said outer end of said spring is engaged with said outer end of said spring rod;

wherein;

rotational movement of the cam in a first angular direction about said longitudinal axis causes sliding movement of the spring rod in a first direction against a biasing force of the spring such that said spring rod is drawn inward into said channel through said face wall; and

,

rotational movement of the cam in a second angular direction about said longitudinal axis results in sliding movement of the spring rod in a second direction such that said spring rod is extended outward from said channel through said face wall.

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

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

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

4. The counterbalance assembly as set forth in claim 1, 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.