Dishwasher and hinge assembly thereof

• US 9,693,671 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foshan Shunde Midea Washing Appliances Manufacturing Company Limited (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Foshan Shunde Midea Washing Appliances Manufacturing Company Limited (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Ju, Leixun, Xu, Pingping, Zhang, Haibo
• Primary Examiner(s): MAH, CHUCK Y
• Application Number:
  US15/129,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20170105598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4261 Connections of the door to the casing, e.g. door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/08 Friction devices between relatively-movable hinge parts E05D7/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/02 Parts for attachment, e.g. flaps
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/16 to be secured without special attachment parts on the socket or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/304 for dishwashers

Abstract

A hinge assembly for a dishwasher and a dishwasher having the same are provided. The hinge assembly (100) includes: a hinge friction sleeve (11) having an inserting groove (111), in which the inserting groove (111) extends along a length direction of the hinge friction sleeve (11) and has a first end provided with a snap-fitting rod (112) and a second end provided with a snap-fitting portion (113); and an L-shaped hinge (12) having a horizontal limb (121) fitted within the inserting groove (111), in which the horizontal limb (121) has a first end snap-fitted with the snap-fitting rod (112) and a second end provided with an open axial groove (1212) fitted with the snap-fitting portion (113), the snap-fitting portion (113) is snap-fitted within the open axial groove (1212) to close an opening of the open axial groove (1212), and an upper edge of the open axial groove (1212) is spaced apart from an upper edge of the snap-fitting portion (113) at a predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for a dishwasher, comprising:

a hinge friction sleeve having an inserting groove, wherein the inserting groove extends along a length direction of the hinge friction sleeve and has a first end provided with a snap-fitting rod and a second end provided with a snap-fitting portion; and

an L-shaped hinge having a horizontal limb fitted within the inserting groove, wherein the horizontal limb has a first end snap-fitted with the snap-fitting rod and a second end provided with an open axial groove fitted with the snap-fitting portion, the snap-fitting portion is snap-fitted within the open axial groove to close an opening of the open axial groove, and an upper edge of the open axial groove is spaced apart from an upper edge of the snap-fitting portion at a predetermined distance to accommodate a rotating shaft of the dishwater.

2. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein a side wall of the open axial groove is provide with a first concave portion and an opposite side wall thereof is provided with a second concave portion, and the snap-fitting portion comprises a first snapping leg having a first convex hook fitted with the first concave portion and a second snapping leg having a second hook fitted with the second concave portion.

3. The hinge assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first convex hook has a first branch leg thereon and the second convex hook has a second branch leg thereon.

4. The hinge assembly according to claim 3, wherein respective upper edges of the first branch leg and the second branch leg are rounded off.

5. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the horizontal limb of the L-shaped hinge has a snap hook fitted with the snap-fitting rod.

6. The hinge assembly according to claim 5, wherein the snap hook is a U-shaped snap hook, and a cross section of the snap-fitting rod is shaped as a semicircle or a circle.

7. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein a front surface of the hinge friction sleeve has a convex rib thereon.

8. The hinge assembly according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of the convex ribs are provided and spaced apart evenly along the length direction of the hinge friction sleeve.

9. The hinge assembly according to claim 7, wherein a rear surface of the hinge friction sleeve has a supporting boss thereon.

10. A dishwasher, comprising an inner tank and a door pivotably mounted to the inner tank by a hinge assembly, said hinge assembly comprising:

a hinge friction sleeve having an inserting groove, wherein the inserting groove extends along a length direction of the hinge friction sleeve and has a first end provided with a snap-fitting rod and a second end provided with a snap-fitting portion; and

an L-shaped hinge mounted to the door and having a horizontal limb fitted within the inserting groove, wherein the horizontal limb has a first end snap-fitted with the snap-fitting rod and a second end provided with an open axial groove fitted with the snap-fitting portion, the snap-fitting portion is snap-fitted within the open axial groove to close an opening of the open axial grooves such that an upper edge of the open axial groove is spaced apart from an upper edge of the snap-fitting portion at a predetermined distance to define an aperture, and said aperture receives a rotating shaft of the dishwasher.

11. The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein a side wall of the open axial groove is provide with a first concave portion and an opposite side wall thereof is provided with a second concave portion, and the snap-fitting portion comprises a first snapping leg having a first convex hook fitted with the first concave portion and a second snapping leg having a second hook fitted with the second concave portion.

12. The dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the first convex hook has a first branch leg thereon and the second convex hook has a second branch leg thereon.

13. The dishwasher according to claim 12, wherein respective upper edges of the first branch leg and the second branch leg are rounded off.

14. The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the first end of the horizontal limb of the L-shaped hinge has a snap hook fitted with the snap-fitting rod.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 14, wherein the snap hook is a U-shaped snap hook, and a cross section of the snap-fitting rod is shaped as a semicircle or a circle.

16. The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein a front surface of the hinge friction sleeve has a convex rib thereon.

17. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of the convex ribs are provided and spaced apart evenly along the length direction of the hinge friction sleeve.

18. The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein a rear surface of the hinge friction sleeve has a supporting boss thereon.