Compliant door hinge

• US 8,201,304 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Steurer, Brian M., Shaffer, Timothy Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Batson, Victor
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORGAN, EMILY M
• Application Number:
  US12/392,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20100212112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 493/86, 493/87, 162/86, 162/87, 162/57, 162/61, 162/63, 163/23, 163/24, 162/89, 162/97, 163/44, 162/23, 163/06, 163/05, 163/43, 126/194, 126/191, 126/192, 126/190, 312/405, 312/228, 312/327, 312/328, 312/319.2, 312/319.3, 411/84, 411/85, 411/15
• US Class Current: 16/286
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4261 Connections of the door to the casing, e.g. door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1261 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/11 by automatically acting means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/322 around a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/304 for dishwashers

Abstract

An apparatus including a frame, a door and a compliant hinge mechanism hingably mounting the door to the frame, the compliant hinge mechanism including a resistance configured to provide a preload to balance the door in a first open position and an increasing force resisting further opening of the door when the preload is overcome and the door is opened past the first open position.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a door comprising a top and bottom; and

a hinge mechanism hingably mounting the door to the frame, the hinge mechanism comprising;

a receiver mounted to the frame;

a resistance coupled to the receiver;

a pair of spaced-apart pins affixed to the receiver;

a pivoting member pivotably coupled to the receiver, the pivoting member comprising a single curved slot configured to receive the pair of spaced apart pins to allow the pivoting member to pivot about a pivot point in front of the frame and the bottom of the door;

a hinge component coupled to the door and configured to engage the pivoting member; and

wherein said resistance slidably engages a cam surface of said pivoting member to provide a preload to balance the door in a first open position and an increasing force resisting further opening of the door when the preload is overcome and the door is opened past the first open position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistance is configured so that the increasing force increases depending on an open angle of the door.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistance comprises a spring.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a follower, the follower being coupled to the resistance and configured to engage one or more features of the pivoting member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pivoting member further comprises a detent, the follower being configured to engage the detent to balance the door in the first open position and to engage the cam surface when the door is further opened past the first open position, wherein the cam surface is configured to interact with the resistance through the follower to provide the increasing force.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein resultant forces on the door when the door is opened past the first open position substantially resist tipping of the frame.

7. A cooking appliance comprising:

a frame;

a door comprising a top and a bottom; and

a hinge mechanism hingably mounting the door to the frame, the hinge mechanism comprising;

a receiver mounted to the frame;

a pair of spaced-apart pins affixed to the receiver;

a pivoting member pivotablv coupled to the receiver, the pivoting member comprising a single curved slot configured to receive the pair of spaced apart pins to allow the pivoting member to pivot about a pivot point in front of the frame and the bottom of the door;

a hinge component coupled to the door and configured to engage the pivoting member; and

a resistance coupled to the receiver, wherein said resistance slidably engages a cam surface of said pivoting member to provide a preload to balance the door in a first open position and an increasing force resisting further opening of the door when the preload is overcome and the door is opened past the first open position.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 7, wherein the resistance is configured so that the increasing force increases depending on an open angle of the door.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 7, wherein the resistance comprises a spring.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 7, wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a follower, the follower being coupled to the resistance and configured to engage one or more features of the pivoting member.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein the pivoting member further comprises a detent, the follower being configured to engage the detent to balance the door in the first open position and engage the cam surface when the door is further opened past the first open position, wherein the cam surface is configured to interact with the resistance through the follower to provide the increasing force.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 7, wherein resultant forces on the door when the door is opened past the first open position substantially resist tipping of the appliance.