Domestic appliance hinge assembly with hinge keeper
First Claim
1. A hinge assembly for pivotably attaching a door to a domestic appliance having an appliance body, the hinge assembly comprising:
- a hinge body configured to attach to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door;
a damper including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder;
a foot attached to the hinge body and the cylinder, the foot being configured to engage a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance; and
a hinge keeper configured to be fixedly attached to the appliance body of the domestic appliance such that the hinge keeper is rotationally fixed relative to the appliance body, the hinge keeper havinga retaining portion that contacts the foot, the retaining portion having an edge that contacts the foot from above such that the foot is prevented from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, anda fixing portion that is adapted to be fixed to the appliance body of the domestic appliance and prevent the retaining portion from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance,wherein the retaining portion is planar and the fixing portion is planar,the retaining portion is parallel to the fixing portion, andthe retaining portion and the fixing portion are not co-planar.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hinge assembly is provided for pivotably attaching a door to a domestic appliance. The hinge assembly has a hinge body that attaches to the door; a damper including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body; a foot attached to the hinge body and the cylinder and engaging a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance; and a hinge keeper fixedly attached to the appliance body of the domestic appliance. The hinge keeper has a retaining portion that contacts the foot, the retaining portion having an edge that contacts the foot from above such that the foot is prevented from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, and a fixing portion fixed to the appliance body of the domestic appliance and preventing the retaining portion from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance.
25 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A hinge assembly for pivotably attaching a door to a domestic appliance having an appliance body, the hinge assembly comprising:
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a hinge body configured to attach to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door; a damper including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder; a foot attached to the hinge body and the cylinder, the foot being configured to engage a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance; and a hinge keeper configured to be fixedly attached to the appliance body of the domestic appliance such that the hinge keeper is rotationally fixed relative to the appliance body, the hinge keeper having a retaining portion that contacts the foot, the retaining portion having an edge that contacts the foot from above such that the foot is prevented from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, and a fixing portion that is adapted to be fixed to the appliance body of the domestic appliance and prevent the retaining portion from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, wherein the retaining portion is planar and the fixing portion is planar, the retaining portion is parallel to the fixing portion, and the retaining portion and the fixing portion are not co-planar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A door assembly for pivotably attaching to a domestic appliance having an appliance body, the door assembly comprising:
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a door; and a hinge assembly for pivotably attaching the door to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, the hinge assembly comprising; a hinge body attached to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door; a damper including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder; a foot attached to the hinge body and the cylinder, the foot being configured to engage a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance; and a hinge keeper configured to be fixedly attached to the appliance body of the domestic appliance such that the hinge keeper is rotationally fixed relative to the appliance body, the hinge keeper having a retaining portion that contacts the foot, the retaining portion having an edge that contacts the foot from above such that the foot is prevented from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, and a fixing portion that is adapted to be fixed to the appliance body of the domestic appliance and prevent the retaining portion from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, wherein the retaining portion is planar and the fixing portion is planar, the retaining portion is parallel to the fixing portion, and the retaining portion and the fixing portion are not co-planar. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A domestic appliance, comprising:
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an appliance body having a foot receiving portion; a door; and a hinge assembly pivotably attaching the door to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, the hinge assembly comprising; a hinge body attached to the door such that the hinge body is fixed relative to the door; a damper including a damper cylinder attached to the hinge body, the damper cylinder having a rod partially located inside the cylinder and partially located outside the cylinder, and a coil spring located inside the cylinder and around the rod such that the rod extends through a center of a coil of the coil spring, the damper damping the movement of the rod relative to the cylinder; a foot attached to the hinge body and the cylinder, the foot engaging a foot receiving portion of the domestic appliance such that the hinge body and the door pivot relative to the domestic appliance; and a hinge keeper fixedly attached to the appliance body of the domestic appliance such that the hinge keeper is rotationally fixed relative to the appliance body, the hinge keeper having a retaining portion that contacts the foot, the retaining portion having an edge that contacts the foot from above such that the foot is prevented from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, and a fixing portion that is fixed to the appliance body of the domestic appliance and prevents the retaining portion from moving vertically upward relative to the appliance body of the domestic appliance, wherein the retaining portion is planar and the fixing portion is planar, the retaining portion is parallel to the fixing portion, and the retaining portion and the fixing portion are not co-planar. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification