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Lid hinge having piston and cam members for a laundry treatment machine

  • US 9,394,645 B2
  • Filed: 10/25/2013
  • Issued: 07/19/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A laundry treatment machine comprising:

  • a main body having an opening for loading laundry;

    a lid provided over the opening to open and close the opening; and

    at least one hinge that supports the lid with respect to the main body, the hinge includinga hinge housing filled with a fluid having a prescribed viscosity,an elastic member disposed inside the hinge housing,a pair of cams disposed in the housing, wherein at least one of the cams moves in linkage with the lid and the elastic member, wherein the cams include contact surfaces that are inclined relative to each other in an axial direction of the cams, and when a contact surface of one of the cams slides along a contact surface of the other cam, the at least one of the cams is moved in a linear direction, anda piston disposed between the moving cam and the elastic member to deform the elastic member according to a displacement of the moving cam, wherein the piston divides a cavity inside the hinge housing into a first space in which the elastic member is disposed and a second space in which the pair of cams are disposed, wherein a passage is formed inside the piston such that the fluid flows between the first space and the second space through the passage when the moving cam is moved in the linear direction.

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