Hinge assembly for an insulated glass door

• US 9,970,224 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Component Hardware Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Component Hardware Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Gompper, Brion, Rowland, James, Erfan, Zohreh
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry E
• Application Number:
  US15/057,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20170009503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 312405, 312326, 312329, 200 617
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/00 Additional features or accessories of hinges edge protecting devices E06B3/88
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/02 with one pin
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/00 Hinges or pivots of special construction used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/063 with complementary, substantially identical and slidingly cooperating cam surfaces E05F1/066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/104 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/106 Lighting
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/672 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/67 characterised by additional arrangements or devices for heat or sound insulation or for controlled passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 13/026 in door, windows
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 13/028 Glass panels, e.g. mirrors, design radiators, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

The hinge assembly comprises a housing for mounting on a cabinet and a post member for mounting on a door and for rotation relative to the housing. A first electrical contact is mounted within the housing for connection to a source of electrical power in the cabinet and a second electrical contact is disposed in the post in electrical contact with the first contact for connection to an electrical appliance in the door. In one embodiment, the electrical contacts rotate relative to each other as the post member pivots on the housing while in other embodiments; the electrical contacts remain stationary relative to each other as the post member pivots on the housing.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for a door mounted on a cabinet comprising

a housing having a first wall for vertical deposition against the cabinet and a base projecting from a bottom end of said first wall;

a first electrical contact means including an upstanding pin mounted within said base of said housing for connection to a source of electrical power in the cabinet;

a post member having a second wall for vertical disposition against the door and a depending tubular portion rotatably disposed in said base of said housing for rotation of said post member relative to said housing;

a second electrical contact means including a barrel receiving said pin disposed in said post in electrical contact with said first contact means for connection to an electrical appliance in the door; and

a sleeve bearing concentrically fixed on said barrel of said second electrical contact means and rotatably received in said depending tubular portion of said post member to allow said second electrical contact means to remain stationary relative to said first electrical contact means during rotation of said post member relative to said housing.

2. A hinge assembly for a door mounted on a cabinet comprising

a housing having a first wall for vertical deposition against the cabinet and a base projecting from one end of said first wall;

a first electrical contact means including an upstanding pin mounted within said base of said housing for connection to a source of electrical power in the cabinet;

a post member having a second wall for vertical disposition against the door and a depending tubular portion rotatably disposed in said base of said housing for rotation of said post member relative to said housing;

a second electrical contact means including a barrel receiving said pin disposed in said post in electrical contact with said first contact means for connection to an electrical appliance in the door; and

a female connector cam secured to said barrel for abutment against one end of said tubular portion of said post member with a reduced diameter portion slidably mounted in said tubular portion and a cam holder secured to said barrel and slidably mounted in said tubular portion with a collar at one end projecting from and for abutting against an opposite end of said tubular portion.

3. A hinge assembly for a door mounted on a cabinet comprising

a housing having a first wall for vertical deposition against the cabinet and a base projecting from a bottom end of said first wall;

a first electrical contact means including an upstanding pin mounted within said base of said housing for connection to a source of electrical power in the cabinet;

a post member having a second wall for vertical disposition against the door and a depending tubular portion rotatably disposed in said base of said housing for rotation of said post member relative to said housing;

a second electrical contact means including a barrel receiving said pin disposed in said post in electrical contact with said first contact means for connection to an electrical appliance in the door; and

a spring in said base biasing said first electrical contact means against said base to maintain said first electrical contact means therein and to center said pin.

4. A hinge assembly for a door mounted on a cabinet comprising

a housing having a first wall for vertical deposition against the cabinet and a base projecting from one end of said first wall;

a first cam member mounted in said base, said cam member having a first circular cam surface and a central bore concentrically within said circular cam surface;

a first electrical contact means mounted within said base of said housing below and under said bore of said cam member for connection to a source of electrical power in the cabinet;

a post member having a second wall for vertical disposition against the door, a depending tubular portion rotatably disposed within said bore of said first cam member and a second cam member with a circumferential cam surface mating with said first circular cam surface of said cam member to cause the door to be moved vertically between a closed position over the cabinet and an open position in response to rotation of said tubular portion within said bore; and

a second electrical contact means mounted in said tubular portion in electrical contact with said first contact means.

5. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second wall of said post has an aperture therein and which further comprise an electrical line extending from said second electrical contact through said aperture in said post member to an interior of the door.

6. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said second wall of said post has an aperture therein and which further comprise an electrical line extending from said second electrical contact through said aperture in said post member to an interior of the door.

7. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first electrical contact means includes an upstanding pin and said second electrical contact means includes a barrel receiving said pin in electrical contact.

8. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first electrical contact means includes an upstanding pin and said second electrical contact means includes a barrel receiving said pin in electrical contact.

9. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a female connector cam secured to said barrel for abutment against one end of said tubular portion of said post member with a reduced diameter portion slidably mounted in said tubular portion and a cam holder secured to said barrel and slidably mounted in said tubular portion with a collar at one end projecting from and for abutting against an opposite end of said tubular portion.

10. A hinge assembly for a door mounted on a cabinet comprising

a housing having a first wall for vertical deposition against the cabinet and a base projecting from one end of said first wall;

a plastic cam member mounted in said base and having a central bore;

a first electrical contact means mounted within said base for connection to a source of electrical power in the cabinet;

a post member having a second wall for vertical disposition against the door and a depending tubular portion rotatably disposed within said bore of said cam member; and

a second electrical contact means disposed in said tubular portion in electrical contact with said first contact means and in fixed manner with respect to said first electrical contact means.

11. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a bearing sleeve having said second electrical contact means fixedly mounted therein and being disposed in said tubular portion of said post member for pivoting of said post member thereon.

12. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first electrical contact means includes an upstanding pin and said second electrical contact means includes a barrel receiving said pin in electrical contact.

13. The combination of

a door for a cabinet including an insulated glass unit having at least a pair of glass panes disposed in parallel relation and defining a space therebetween and an electrical appliance within said space;

and

a hinge assembly for mounting said door on a cabinet including a housing having a first wall for vertical deposition against the cabinet and a base projecting from one end of said first wall, and a post member having a second wall disposed against said door and a depending tubular portion rotatably disposed in said base for rotation of said post member relative to said housing;

a first electrical contact means including an upstanding pin mounted within said base of said housing for connection to a source of electrical power in said cabinet;

a second electrical contact means disposed in said post member and including an electrically conductive barrel receiving said pin in electrical contact at one end thereof in electrical contact with said first contact means and having a pair of leads extending from an opposite end thereof electrically connected to said electrical appliance in the door; and

a female connector cam secured to said barrel for abutment against one end of said tubular portion of said post member with a reduced diameter portion slidably mounted in said tubular portion and a cam holder secured to said barrel and slidably mounted in said tubular portion with a collar at one end projecting from and for abutting against an opposite end of said tubular portion, and wherein said tubular portion of said post member is rotatable relative to said cam holder.