Embedded home appliance hinges and refrigerators

By using a hinge design that combines a regular triangle track frame and a cam in built-in home appliances, the interference problem when the door of the built-in home appliance is opened in a deep and narrow space is solved, achieving more compact space utilization and aesthetic effects.

CN115288545BActive Publication Date: 2025-10-03HEFEI SNOWKY ELECTRIC
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202211079213.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-09-05
Publication Date
2025-10-03
Estimated Expiration
2042-09-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

When existing built-in home appliances are used in deep and narrow spaces, the door body tends to protrude beyond the box body when opened, taking up extra space and being unsightly, and easily accumulating dust. The existing technology is insufficient for improvement.

Method used

Embedded home appliance hinges are used. By arranging an equilateral triangle track frame and a cam on the door body, the door body moves along the outer wall of the cam during rotation, keeping the three points tangent, so that the door body can retract inward to avoid interference.

Benefits of technology

It achieves a more compact placement of home appliance doors in deep and narrow spaces, reduces gaps, avoids interference, improves aesthetics and space utilization, and has a simple structure and low cost.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention provides an embedded appliance hinge and refrigerator. The embedded appliance hinge is installed between the appliance door and the appliance housing, and includes a hinge body, one end of the hinge body being fixed to the appliance housing, and the other end being provided with a cam. The appliance door is provided with a track frame in the shape of an equilateral triangle, the cam including two mirror-symmetrical short outer arc sides and two mirror-symmetrical long outer arc sides, the long outer arc sides being tangent between the same sides of the two short outer arc sides. During rotation of the appliance door relative to the appliance housing, the inner sidewall of the track frame moves along the outer sidewall of the cam, and during this movement, the outer sidewall of the cam maintains contact and tangency with the inner sidewall of the track frame at three points. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator housing and a refrigerator door equipped with the hinge. The present invention has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. The appliance door retracts inward when opened, effectively preventing the appliance door from interfering with a deep, narrow space or other objects within the deep, narrow space when opened.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of refrigerators, and in particular relates to an embedded household appliance hinge and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Built-in appliances are appliances that are installed within deep, narrow spaces, such as cabinets and cabinets. Common examples include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, microwave ovens, and ovens.

[0003] When opening the door of a home appliance, as the conventional door rotates around the axis (i.e., the hinge between the door and the box), the corner of the front side of the door will extend sideways beyond the box. Sufficient clearance needs to be left in the embedded space to allow for this excess size, which wastes space. In addition, the large gap is unsightly and easily accumulates dust.

[0004] The announcement number is "CN216197343U", and the name is "A built-in opening and closing door hinge". Through the coordinated rotation limit of the Lelo triangle block and the track frame, the inward retraction and track changing action during the opening process of the door body mounting plate is realized. Although the outward extension of the door body when it is turned open is reduced, the outward extension amount of the door body rotation is small and has no practical use value. It still has the improvement possibility of more compact placement of home appliances and deep and narrow spaces or other objects placed in deep and narrow spaces. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the above-mentioned prior art and to provide an embedded home appliance hinge that can place the embedded home appliance more compactly into a relatively deep and narrow space, and the opening of the door of the home appliance will not be interfered with.

[0006] The present invention also provides a household appliance using the embedded household appliance hinge.

[0007] The first aspect of the present invention provides an embedded household appliance hinge, which is installed between the household appliance door and the household appliance box, and includes a hinge body, one end of which is fixed to the household appliance box; a cam is provided at the other end of the hinge body, and a track frame in the shape of an equilateral triangle is provided on the household appliance door. The cam includes two mirror-symmetrical short outer arc edges and two mirror-symmetrical long outer arc edges, and the long outer arc edges are tangent between the same sides of the two short outer arc edges. During the rotation of the household appliance door relative to the household appliance box, the inner side wall of the track frame moves along the outer side wall of the cam, and during the movement, the outer side wall of the cam maintains contact and tangency with the inner side wall of the track frame at three points.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention provides a refrigerator using the above-mentioned embedded household appliance hinge, which includes a refrigerator body and a refrigerator door body on which the above-mentioned embedded household appliance hinge is installed.

[0009] The present invention has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture, so that the door of the home appliance will retract inward when opened, effectively preventing the door of the home appliance from interfering with a deep and narrow space or other objects in the deep and narrow space when opened.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 、 Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the embedded household appliance hinge in Example 1;

[0012] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge body in Example 1;

[0013] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerator door in Example 1 (partial);

[0014] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the installation structure of the refrigerator door and the hinge body in Example 1;

[0015] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the cam in Example 1;

[0016] Figures 7 to 12 Schematic diagram of the running track of the cam and the track frame in Example 2;

[0017] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator door in the open state in Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Taking the built-in refrigerator as an example, the doors of other built-in home appliances can be equivalent to the refrigerator door, and the appliance body can be equivalent to the refrigerator body, as long as the door has the feature of swinging open on the body (such as built-in dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, microwave ovens and ovens, etc.). Example 1

[0019] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 The embedded household appliance hinge provided in this embodiment is installed between the refrigerator door 1 and the refrigerator body 2, and includes a hinge body 3, one end of which is fixed on the refrigerator body 2 (wherein, Figure 1 and Figure 2 All are double-door refrigerators. Figure 1 The hinge body 3 marked in the middle is the upper hinge, which is symmetrically arranged on both sides. Figure 2 The hinge body 3 marked in the middle is the lower hinge, which is symmetrically arranged on the left and right. Of course, the different types of refrigerators and the different hinge positions do not affect the realization of the hinge function. Single-door, four-door, French refrigerators, etc. are all available. Figures 3 to 5The other end of the hinge body 3 is provided with a cam 4, and the refrigerator door body 1 is provided with a track frame 5 in the shape of a regular triangle. Figure 6 The cam 4 includes two mirror-symmetrical short outer arc edges 41 and two mirror-symmetrical long outer arc edges 42. The long outer arc edges 42 are tangent between the same sides of the two short outer arc edges 41. During the rotation of the refrigerator door 1 relative to the refrigerator body 2, the inner wall of the track frame 5 moves along the outer wall of the cam 4, and during the movement, the outer wall of the cam 4 maintains three points of contact and tangency with the inner wall of the track frame 5.

[0020] The principle is that when the refrigerator door 1 is rotated and opened relative to the refrigerator body 2, the inner wall of the track frame 5 moves along the outer wall of the cam 4, which will cause the refrigerator door 1 with the track frame 5 installed to retract inward, so that it will not protrude outward for too long and will not hit the inner wall of the deep and narrow space embedded in the refrigerator or other objects placed adjacent to the deep and narrow space. Example 2

[0021] This embodiment is an explanation of the principle of embodiment 1:

[0022] join Figure 7 , the three sides of the track frame 5 are L1, L2 and L3 respectively;

[0023] The short outer arc edges 41 of the cam 4 are A and B respectively;

[0024] The long outer arc edges 42 of the cam 4 are C (located on the left side of the interval AB) and D (located on the right side of the interval AB);

[0025] The center point of track frame 5 is E0, and the trajectory of E0 is E;

[0026] Taking the case where the track frame 5 rotates counterclockwise outside the cam 4 as an example, the track change process is as follows:

[0027] join Figure 7 When line segment AB is perpendicular to L3, A is at the top corner of track frame 5, and its two ends are tangent to L1 and L2 respectively; B is at the center of the bottom straight line of track frame 5, and is tangent to L3; the top ends of C and D coincide with the tangent points of A, and the bottom ends of C and D coincide with the tangent point of B, so cam 4 still has three tangent points on L1, L2 and L3;

[0028] See also Figure 8 , the track frame 5 rotates counterclockwise. When the line segment AB is perpendicular to L2, B is at the bottom corner of the track frame 5, and its two ends are tangent to L1 and L3 respectively; A is at the center of the top straight line of the track frame 5, and is tangent to L2; the bottom ends of C and D coincide with the tangent points of B, and the top ends of C and D coincide with the tangent point of A. Therefore, the cam 4 still has three tangent points on L1, L2 and L3.

[0029] See also Figure 9, the track frame 5 rotates counterclockwise. When the line segment AB is perpendicular to L1, A is at the top corner of the track frame 5, and its two ends are tangent to L2 and L3 respectively; B is at the center of the bottom straight line of the track frame 5, and is tangent to L1; the top ends of C and D coincide with the tangent points of A, and the bottom ends of C and D coincide with the tangent point of B. Therefore, the cam 4 still has three tangent points on L1, L2 and L3.

[0030] See also Figure 10 , the track frame 5 rotates counterclockwise. When the line segment AB is perpendicular to L3, B is at the bottom corner of the track frame 5, and its two ends are tangent to L2 and L1 respectively; A is at the center of the top straight line of the track frame 5, and is tangent to L3; the bottom ends of C and D coincide with the tangent points of B, and the top ends of C and D coincide with the tangent point of A. Therefore, the cam 4 still has three tangent points on L1, L2 and L3.

[0031] See also Figure 11 , the track frame 5 rotates counterclockwise. When the line segment AB is perpendicular to L2, A is at the top corner of the track frame 5, and its two ends are tangent to L3 and L1 respectively; B is at the center of the bottom straight line of the track frame 5, and is tangent to L2; the top ends of C and D coincide with the tangent points of A, and the bottom ends of C and D coincide with the tangent point of B. Therefore, the cam 4 still has three tangent points on L1, L2 and L3.

[0032] See also Figure 12 , the track frame 5 rotates counterclockwise. When the line segment AB is perpendicular to L1, B is at the bottom corner of the track frame 5, and its two ends are tangent to L3 and L2 respectively; A is at the center of the top straight line of the track frame 5, and is tangent to L1; the bottom ends of C and D coincide with the tangent points of B, and the top ends of C and D coincide with the tangent point of A. Therefore, the cam 4 still has three tangent points on L1, L2 and L3.

[0033] Repeat step 1 over and over again.

[0034] From the above trajectory change process, it can be seen that when the track frame 5 rotates outside the cam 4, it always keeps three points tangent to the cam 4. Therefore, it can be inferred that when the refrigerator door body 1 rotates relative to the refrigerator body 2, the track frame 5 on the refrigerator door body 1 will rotate on the cam 4 (the hinge body 3 is fixed on the refrigerator body 2, so the cam 4 remains fixed during the rotation process). When the track frame 5 rotates on the cam 4, Figure 13 As shown, the refrigerator door 1 will retract inward (in the direction of the arrow), so that the point F where interference is most likely to occur avoids the interfering object.

[0035] Compared to ordinary hinges that rotate around an axis, every point on the hinge of this technical solution changes with the rotation. Compared to the coordinated rotation limiting method of the Lelo triangle block and the track frame in the background technology, since the Lelo triangle block contacts the track frame at four points and the trajectory changes less, the inward retraction amplitude will be significantly lower than that of this technical solution. Therefore, compared with the Lelo triangle block, this technical solution can achieve a more compact placement of the refrigerator and other objects placed in a deep and narrow space, thereby not only making the refrigerator take up less space, but also making the gap smaller and more beautiful, and not easy to collect dust. From the perspective of production and manufacturing, it also has the advantages of simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0036] Furthermore, if the radius of A and B is set to r, and the radius of C and D is set to R, it can be inferred that if the ratio r / R increases, the trajectory change of the refrigerator door 1 will increase, and the amplitude of inward retraction will also increase accordingly; conversely, if the ratio r / R decreases, the trajectory change of the refrigerator door 1 will decrease, and the amplitude of inward retraction will also decrease accordingly. Adaptive adjustment can be made according to the size of the refrigerator and the requirements of the built-in location. Example 3

[0037] In this embodiment, based on the first embodiment, the three corners of the track frame 5 are all rounded. The rounded corners have two meanings: (1) from a manufacturing perspective, it is impossible to form an absolutely sharp angle, and all corners have a certain degree of rounding; (2) it allows the track frame 5 and the cam 4 to be closer to the front and side (hinged side) of the refrigerator door, resulting in a smaller amount of overhang when the refrigerator door is opened, further enhancing the product's advantages. Example 4

[0038] This embodiment is based on embodiment 1, see Figure 3 The hinge body 3 is in the shape of a bent plate and includes a mounting portion 31 for fixing to the refrigerator body 2 and a connecting plate 32 extending to the hinge of the refrigerator door 1. The cam 4 is fixed to the end of the connecting plate 32. Figure 3 , the track frame 5 is embedded in the refrigerator door body 1. This design has the advantages of simple structure, easy manufacturing and installation, and beautiful appearance.

[0039] When the hinge body 3 is located at the top between the refrigerator door 1 and the refrigerator body 2, there is space at the top of the refrigerator door 1 to accommodate the connecting plate 32. The purpose is not only to facilitate the installation of the hinge body 3, but also to hide the hinge body 3 when the refrigerator door 1 is closed. When the refrigerator door 1 is open, the space for the connecting plate 32 is also small, which further ensures the aesthetics of the refrigerator when in use.

[0040] It can be foreseen that the technical effect can be achieved by exchanging the positions of the track frame 5 and the cam 4, or by adding a mounting plate and placing the track frame 5 on the mounting plate, as long as the outer wall of the cam 4 moves along the inner wall of the track frame 5 and the three points are tangent. Example 5

[0041] This embodiment is based on embodiment 1, see Figure 2 A roller 6 is mounted on the bottom surface of the hinge body 3 fixed at the bottom between the refrigerator door 1 and the refrigerator body 2. Mounting the roller 6 directly on the bottom surface of the hinge body 3 has the advantages of beautiful appearance and convenient manufacturing, and also makes it easier to push the refrigerator into a deep and narrow space. Example 6

[0042] This embodiment also provides a refrigerator using the above-mentioned embedded household appliance hinge, which includes a refrigerator body 2 and a refrigerator door 1 on which the above-mentioned embedded household appliance hinge is installed.

[0043] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. All technical solutions based on the concept of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, various improvements and modifications that do not depart from the principles of the present invention should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An embedded home appliance hinge, installed between the door and the appliance housing, comprising a hinge body, one end of which is fixed to the appliance housing, characterized in that: A cam is provided at the other end of the hinge body, and a track frame in the shape of an equilateral triangle is provided on the home appliance door body. The cam includes two mirror-symmetrical short outer arc sides and two mirror-symmetrical long outer arc sides. The long outer arc sides are tangent between the same sides of the two short outer arc sides. During the rotation of the home appliance door body relative to the home appliance box body, the inner wall of the track frame moves along the outer wall of the cam, and during the movement, the outer wall of the cam maintains contact and tangency with the inner wall of the track frame at three points.

2. The embedded household appliance hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three corners of the track frame are all arc angles.

3. The embedded household appliance hinge according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The hinge body is in the shape of a bent plate, including a mounting portion for fixing to the appliance housing and a connecting plate extending to the hinge of the appliance door. The cam is fixed to the end of the connecting plate, and the track frame is embedded in the appliance door.

4. The embedded household appliance hinge according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the hinge body is located at the top between the household appliance door body and the household appliance box body, the top of the household appliance door body also has a space for accommodating the connecting plate.

5. The embedded household appliance hinge according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When the hinge body is located at the bottom between the home appliance door body and the home appliance box body, a roller is installed on the bottom surface of the hinge body.

6. A refrigerator using the built-in household appliance hinge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The invention comprises a refrigerator body and a refrigerator door body on which the above-mentioned embedded household appliance hinge is installed.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Embedded door opening and closing hinge

    CN216197343U

  • Embedded door opening and closing hinge

    CN113882768A

  • Embedded household appliance hinge and refrigerator

    CN115288544A

  • Embedded household appliance hinge and refrigerator

    CN220365453U

  • Embedded household appliance hinge and refrigerator

    CN220365454U