Door hinge

• US 7,721,388 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Poong Won Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Poong Won Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, June Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah; Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/592,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 162/86, 162/89, 162/90, 162/92, 163/21, 163/22, 493/86, 493/87, 493/89, 493/98, 494/02, 126/190, 126/191, 126/192, 126/194
• US Class Current: 16/286
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/12 to allow easy detachment of the hinge from the wing or the frame E05D15/507 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1276 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/308 for ovens

Abstract

Provided is a door hinge. The door hinge includes a fixing member, an activating member, a guide pin, and a guide frame. The fixing member is installed at a door frame. The activating member is installed at a door, and connects with the fixing member by a hinge, and opens and closes the door. The guide pin is fitted into guide holes provided at both sides of the activating member, and elastically moves up/down along the guide hole by a tension force of a spring installed inside the activating member. A guide frame is combined to the guide pin, and connects at its lower end with the fixing member by a pin, and rotates about the pin depending on an operation of the activating member. The guide hole is round (R) shaped at its center, and has a curved shape in entirety.

Claims

1. A door hinge comprising:

a fixing member coupled with a door frame;

an activating member coupled with a door, and connecting to the fixing member with a hinge for opening and closing the door, the activating member including a guide cam hole;

a guide pin received in the guide cam hole of the activating member, and elastically moving up and down along the guide cam hole by a tension force of a spring which is coupled with the activating member; and

a guide frame coupled to the guide pin, and connecting with the fixing member via a pivot pin, and rotating about the pivot pin in response to an operation of the activating member;

wherein the guide cam hole has a curved contour;

wherein the door hinge further comprises a plate spring attached to one side of the activating member for restricting a rotational movement of the guide frame by a spring force of the plate spring.

2. The door hinge according to claim 1, wherein the plate spring includes an elastic protrusion configured to be selectively locked in first and second locking portions provided at one side surface of the guide frame to restrict a rotational movement of the door at selected positions.

3. The door hinge according to claim 2, wherein the guide frame further comprises, at its one side surface thereof, a third locking portion for locking a reinforcement pin provided at a lower end of the activating member to restrict the rotational movement of the door within a maximum operation angle of the door.

4. The door hinge according to claim 1, wherein the hinge is provided at its one end with a square jaw coupled to the activating member and configured to prevent a rotation of the hinge relative to the activating member.

5. The door hinge according to claim 1, wherein the guide cam hole is shaped such that a force (F) by the spring is determined by the following equation of:

F=K_x(X₀+X·

sin θ

),

wherein K_x is a spring constant of the spring, X₀ is an initial position of the spring, X is a displaced position of the spring where the door is at an operated position, and θ

is an operation angle of the door where the door is at the operated position.

6. The door hinge according to claim 1, wherein the activating member is shaped to have a pair of parallel plate parts, and the activating member has a pair of guide cam holes of same shape, one hole disposed at one of the parallel plate parts and the other hole disposed at a corresponding location of the other one of the parallel plate parts, and wherein the guide pin is received in the pair of guide cam holes.

7. The door hinge according to claim 6, wherein the spring is placed in a space between the pair of parallel plate parts, with one end of the spring coupled to an upper portion of the activating member and the other end of the spring coupled to the guide pin.