Internal buffering hardware hinge

Abstract

An internal buffering hardware hinge comprises a base installed on a cabinet body and a hinge cup installed on a cabinet door, the hinge cup is connected with the base through an upper hinge arm and a lower hinge arm, the upper hinge arm and the lower hinge arm swing relative to the hinge cup and the base to achieve opening and closing of the hinge, a guide groove extending front and back is formed in the inner bottom of the hinge cup, and the hinge cup is arranged in the guide groove. A linkage block is further mounted at the inner bottom of the hinge cup, a guide block is arranged at the bottom of the linkage block and extends into the guide groove, and the linkage block can slide along the guide groove under the action of the guide block; a buffer is fixedly installed outside the hinge cup, and a piston rod of the buffer penetrates through the hinge cup and extends into the hinge cup to be connected with the linkage block. The upper hinge arm extends into the hinge cup to form a driving arm, the driving arm is connected with the linkage block, and when the hinge is closed to a set angle, the driving arm pushes the piston rod to move through the linkage block to generate a buffering effect when the hinge is closed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hardware hinge technology, specifically an internal buffer hardware hinge. Background Technology

[0002] Hardware hinges, as a key connecting component, are widely used in the furniture manufacturing industry. They are extensively used in furniture or building components such as cabinets, wardrobes, doors, and windows to achieve effective connection and smooth opening and closing between movable parts such as cabinet doors and door panels and the cabinet body or frame. Their basic function is to provide a rotatable fulcrum, allowing the door panel to open and close around this fulcrum.

[0003] However, traditional hinges typically only fulfill basic opening and closing functions. In actual use, especially when closing the door, the door often slams violently against the cabinet due to inertia, producing a harsh slamming sound and causing impact damage to the door, cabinet, and hinges themselves. Over time, this can lead to loosening, deformation, or even damage to furniture components. Furthermore, this abrupt closing action significantly impacts the user experience and diminishes the overall perceived quality of the furniture.

[0004] To address these issues, hinges with buffering or damping functions, known as buffer hinges, have gradually emerged in the market. The core of these hinges lies in the introduction of a buffer mechanism, which dampens the door panel as it approaches the closed position, resulting in a slow, smooth, and quiet closing. This effectively prevents direct collisions between the door panel and the cabinet, significantly reduces noise, extends the lifespan of the furniture, and greatly enhances user comfort and the product's premium feel.

[0005] Currently, the implementation methods of the buffer mechanism in commonly available soft-close hinges vary. One common and widely adopted design is to directly integrate or install the buffer damping mechanism (such as a hydraulic damping cylinder, friction damper, or pneumatic damper) inside the hinge arm. The hinge arm, as a key component connecting the hinge seat and fitting into the cabinet side panel, has its internal space used to accommodate the buffer mechanism components and its necessary transmission structure.

[0006] However, existing designs that place the buffer mechanism within the hinge arm reveal some inherent flaws and technical challenges in practical applications: 1. To accommodate the buffer mechanism and its complex transmission components, the overall dimensions of the hinge arm, especially its thickness and width, had to be designed to be correspondingly larger. This made the hinge arm, which should have remained simple and lightweight, appear bulky, heavy, and less refined. When installed on furniture, especially when the door is open or viewed from certain angles, this large hinge arm appears prominent and out of place, disrupting the overall simplicity and aesthetics of the furniture design. For furniture that pursues a minimalist, modern, or slim design, this bulky hinge arm is particularly undesirable and fails to meet the demands of high-end users for a refined appearance.

[0007] 2. Overly large hinges may encroach on the usable space inside the cabinet, especially in furniture designs for small spaces, where this space loss is more pronounced. Furthermore, to accommodate the installation of large hinges or avoid interference, it is sometimes necessary to make additional cuts in the cabinet structure or leave larger door gaps, thus unnecessarily restricting and challenging the overall structural design of the furniture, reducing design flexibility and ease of installation.

[0008] 3. Integrating a buffer mechanism within the limited internal space of a hinged arm often requires a more precise structural design and higher component machining accuracy to ensure the reliability and stability of the buffer mechanism. This not only leads to a more complex manufacturing process, increasing production difficulty and scrap rate, but may also raise the manufacturing cost of components and the selling price of the final product. Therefore, further improvements are necessary. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide an internal buffer hardware hinge that is more compact in structure, more aesthetically pleasing in appearance, easier to install, and has good buffering performance.

[0010] The objective of this invention is achieved in the following manner: an internally buffered metal hinge, comprising a base mounted on a cabinet body and a hinge cup mounted on the cabinet door, the hinge cup and the base being connected by an upper hinge arm and a lower hinge arm, the upper hinge arm and the lower hinge arm swinging relative to the hinge cup and the base to realize the opening and closing of the hinge; the inner bottom of the hinge cup is provided with a guide groove extending forward and backward, and a linkage block is also installed on the inner bottom of the hinge cup, the bottom of the linkage block being provided with a guide block extending into the guide groove, the linkage block being able to slide along the guide groove under the action of the guide block; a buffer is fixedly installed on the outside of the hinge cup, the piston rod of the buffer passing through the hinge cup and extending into the hinge cup to connect with the linkage block. The upper hinge arm extends into the hinge cup with a drive arm. The drive arm is connected to the linkage block. When the hinge is closed to a set angle, the drive arm pushes the piston rod to move through the linkage block, which produces a buffering effect when the hinge is closed.

[0011] Furthermore: the guide groove extends through the bottom of the hinge cup.

[0012] Furthermore, the linkage block is provided with an inverted buckle. After the inverted buckle passes through the guide groove from top to bottom, it slides and is locked onto the outer bottom surface of the hinge cup.

[0013] Furthermore, the bottom of the guide groove is recessed to form a receiving area, and the buckle slides within this receiving area.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer contour of the inverted buckle is provided with an inclined guide surface.

[0015] Furthermore, a connecting arm extends outward from one side of the linkage block, and the piston rod is connected to the connecting arm.

[0016] Furthermore, the linkage block, connecting arm, and guide block are integrally injection molded from plastic material.

[0017] Furthermore, a return spring is provided between the tail end of the linkage block and the hinge cup, and the return spring pushes the linkage block to always move away from the drive arm.

[0018] Furthermore, a stop is provided on the upper end face of the linkage block, and the drive arm drives the linkage block to move by contacting the stop.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. Simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and improved market competitiveness.

[0020] 2. By moving the linkage block and damper inside the hinge cup, the hinge arm no longer needs to be specially thickened or widened to accommodate the damping mechanism, allowing for a thinner, more compact, and streamlined design. This solves the problem of bulky, heavy, and uncoordinated hinge arms in existing technologies, resulting in a simpler and more aesthetically pleasing overall appearance. It perfectly integrates into the minimalist design style of modern furniture, significantly enhancing the overall sophistication and high-end feel of the furniture product. Even when the door is open, the hinge appears less obtrusive, meeting consumers' growing demand for furniture aesthetics.

[0021] 3. Since the buffer mechanism no longer occupies hinge arm space, it also reduces restrictions on the external dimensions of the hinge arm. This lowers the requirements for cabinet interior space or installation clearance during hinge installation. It avoids the problems of encroachment on usable cabinet interior space or the need for additional structural modifications that may occur with excessively large hinge arms in traditional designs. This improves the utilization efficiency of furniture interior space and provides greater flexibility and convenience for furniture design and installation.

[0022] 4. This internally integrated design not only makes the structure more compact, but also better protects the cushioning mechanism from external environmental factors such as dust and moisture, thus improving the stability and service life of the cushioning mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 , 2 This is a rendering of the final assembly of the invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure in the open state of the hinge in this invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure in which the hinge is in the closed state in this invention.

[0026] Figure 5 , 6 This is an assembly diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the linkage block structure in this invention.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Base; 2. Hinge cup; 21. Guide groove; 22. Accommodation area; 3. Upper hinge arm; 31. Drive arm; 4. Hinge arm; 5. Linkage block; 51. Guide block; 52. Inverted clip; 53. Guide surface; 54. Connecting arm; 55. Stop block; 6. Buffer; 61. Piston rod; 7. Return spring. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. An internal buffer hinge includes a base 1 mounted on a cabinet body and a hinge cup 2 mounted on the cabinet door. The hinge cup 2 and the base 1 are connected by an upper hinge arm 3 and a lower hinge arm 4. The upper hinge arm 3 and the lower hinge arm 4 swing relative to the hinge cup 2 and the base 1 to open and close the hinge. The inner bottom of the hinge cup 2 is provided with a guide groove 21 extending forward and backward. A linkage block 5 is also installed on the inner bottom of the hinge cup 2. A guide block 51 is provided at the bottom of the linkage block 5, extending into the guide groove 21. Under the action of the guide block 51, the linkage block 5 can slide along the guide groove 21. A buffer 6 is fixedly installed on the outside of the hinge cup 2. The piston rod 61 of the buffer 6 passes through the hinge cup 2, extends into the hinge cup 2, and connects to the linkage block 5. A drive arm 31 extends from the upper hinge arm 3 into the hinge cup 2. The drive arm 31 is connected to the linkage block 5. When the hinge is closed to a set angle, the drive arm 31 pushes the piston rod 61 through the linkage block 5 to move, generating a buffering effect when the hinge is closed.

[0030] In this embodiment: When the cabinet door begins to close, the hinge is in a normal open / closed state. As the cabinet door continues to close, the drive arm 31 connected to the upper hinge arm 3 gradually extends into the hinge cup 2. When the hinge closes to a set angle, i.e., when the door panel is nearly fully closed, the drive arm 31 contacts the linkage block 5 located at the bottom of the hinge cup 2 and can slide along the guide groove 21, pushing it forward. The movement of the linkage block 5 further drives the piston rod 61 connected to it to move into the buffer 6, thereby activating the damping function of the buffer 6 and generating a buffering force to resist the closing of the door panel. Under the push of the linkage block 5, the piston rod 61 compresses the medium inside the buffer 6, realizing energy dissipation, so that the cabinet door can close smoothly and slowly, avoiding violent impact and noise. When the door panel opens, the linkage block 5, under the action of the rebound force of the piston rod 61 or the return spring force, slides in the opposite direction along the guide groove 21 and separates from the drive arm 31, returning to the initial position, preparing for the next buffering.

[0031] In this embodiment, the problem of the hinge arm being bulky and aesthetically unappealing due to the placement of the buffer mechanism inside the hinge arm in the prior art is completely solved. By cleverly integrating the core buffer components, such as the linkage block, guide groove, linkage part of the drive arm, and the buffer body and its piston rod, inside the hinge cup 2, the hinge maintains the slim and beautiful appearance of a traditional hinge on the outside, greatly improving the product's appearance design and the overall grade of the furniture.

[0032] In one embodiment, the guide groove 21 extends through the bottom of the hinge cup 2. When the guide groove 21 extends through the bottom of the hinge cup 2, it provides a sliding channel. The linkage block 5 slides back and forth within the extending guide groove 21 via the guide block 51 at its bottom.

[0033] In one embodiment: the linkage block 5 is provided with an inverted buckle 52. After the inverted buckle 52 passes through the guide groove 21 from top to bottom, the inverted buckle 52 is slidably locked onto the outer bottom surface of the hinge cup 2.

[0034] This structure provides an additional fixing and guiding mechanism for the sliding of the linkage block 5 within the hinge cup 2. During installation, the buckle 52 at the top of the linkage block 5 first passes through the guide groove 21 that runs through the bottom of the hinge cup, and then its bottom buckles against the outer bottom surface of the hinge cup 2 to form a locking mechanism. This "sliding locking" allows the buckle 52 to both vertically position the linkage block 5 and prevent it from detaching from the hinge cup, while simultaneously allowing the linkage block 5 to slide back and forth within the guide groove 21, ensuring the proper functioning of the buffer.

[0035] The sliding locking structure of the inverted buckle 52 effectively locks the linkage block 5 inside the hinge cup 2, preventing the linkage block 5 from detaching from the hinge cup due to force or vibration during the opening and closing of the hinge, which greatly enhances the stability, reliability and durability of the linkage mechanism.

[0036] Meanwhile, by simply passing the inverted buckle 52 through the guide groove and locking it in place, the linkage block can be quickly and conveniently assembled without the need for additional fasteners, thus reducing assembly difficulty and cost.

[0037] In one embodiment: the lower bottom of the guide groove 21 is recessed to provide a receiving area 22, and the buckle 52 slides within the receiving area 22.

[0038] In this embodiment, a concave receiving area 22 is specially designed at the bottom of the guide groove 21. This receiving area precisely supports and guides the sliding of the buckle 52. This means that the buckle 52 no longer simply slides on the flat outer bottom surface, but is confined to a specific groove-shaped area, thereby providing more precise guidance and more stable engagement, while avoiding friction between the buckle and the outer sheet material.

[0039] In one embodiment, the outer contour of the undercut 52 is provided with an inclined guide surface 53. During installation, the inclined guide surface 53 on the outer contour of the undercut 52 acts as a wedge, guiding the undercut 52 to more easily enter the guide groove 21 and smoothly achieve the locking action. When the linkage block 5 slides, the inclined guide surface also helps reduce sliding resistance, ensuring smooth movement.

[0040] In one embodiment: a connecting arm 54 extends outward from one side of the linkage block 5, and the piston rod 61 is connected to the connecting arm 54.

[0041] In this embodiment, by providing an outwardly extending connecting arm 54 on one side of the linkage block 5, the piston rod 61 is no longer directly connected to the body of the linkage block 5, but is connected to the outside away from the axis of the linkage block body. This design allows for a more reasonable arrangement of the piston rod 61 inside the hinge cup 2 and ensures that the movement direction of the piston rod is consistent with the sliding direction of the linkage block 5, thereby accurately and effectively transmitting the movement of the linkage block to the buffer.

[0042] In this embodiment, the linkage block 5, connecting arm 54, and guide block 51 are integrally injection molded from plastic material. This integral molding process greatly simplifies the production process, reduces the number of parts and assembly steps, thereby significantly lowering manufacturing costs.

[0043] In one embodiment: a return spring 7 is provided between the tail of the linkage block 5 and the hinge cup 2, and the return spring 7 pushes the linkage block 5 to move away from the drive arm 31.

[0044] In this embodiment, the return spring 7 is always in a compressed state. Its elastic force acts on the tail of the linkage block 5, generating a force that pushes the linkage block 5 towards the rear end of the hinge cup 2, i.e., away from the drive arm 31. When the drive arm 31 pushes the linkage block 5 to perform a buffering action, the return spring 7 is further compressed. When the drive arm 31 disengages from the linkage block 5, i.e., when the cabinet door opens or the buffering is completed, the elastic force of the return spring 7 quickly pushes the linkage block 5 back to its initial position, ensuring that the linkage block is always in a ready state, prepared for the next buffering action. This structure ensures that the linkage block 5 can accurately reset after each buffering action, avoiding buffering failure caused by the linkage block not resetting, and greatly improving the reliability and service life of the product.

[0045] In one embodiment, a stop 55 is provided on the upper surface of the linkage block 5. The drive arm drives the linkage block to move by contacting the stop 55. When the hinge is closed to a set angle, the drive arm 31 on the upper hinge arm 3 will precisely contact the stop 55 and drive the linkage block 5 to slide along the guide groove 21 by applying a pushing force to the stop 55, thereby activating the buffer. The stop 55, as a dedicated force-bearing point, ensures stable and reliable contact between the drive arm 31 and the linkage block 5, making the triggering timing of the buffer function more precise and controllable. Compared to the wide area where the drive arm directly contacts the linkage block body, the stop 55 can serve as a locally reinforced or optimized contact point, helping to reduce wear on the contact surface and extend the component's lifespan.

[0046] In summary, the core innovation of the internal buffer hardware hinge provided by the present invention lies in the ingenious integration and concealment of the buffer mechanism, including the linkage block 5, guide groove 21, buffer 6 and its piston rod 61, inside the hinge cup 2, rather than inside the traditional hinge arm, thereby achieving an internal buffer effect that is aesthetically pleasing and structurally compact.

[0047] When the cabinet door is open, the linkage block 5 is in its initial position within the guide groove 21 at the bottom of the hinge cup 2. The return spring 7 pushes it away from the drive arm 31, and the piston rod 61 fully extends out of the buffer 6. The drive arm 31 on the upper hinge arm 3 is not in contact with the linkage block 5.

[0048] As the cabinet door begins to close, the upper hinge arm 3 swings relative to the hinge cup 2, and the drive arm 31 moves inward into the hinge cup 2. When the cabinet door closes to the preset angle, usually at the end of the closing stroke, the drive arm 31 of the upper hinge arm 3 precisely contacts the stop block 55 on the upper surface of the linkage block 5.

[0049] The drive arm 31 continues to push the stop block 55, causing the linkage block 5 to slide forward along the guide groove 21. The guide block 51 at the bottom of the linkage block 5 provides stable guidance within the guide groove 21, while the inverted buckle 52 at its top slides and engages within the receiving area 22 on the outer bottom surface of the hinge cup 2, ensuring the stable and smooth linear movement of the linkage block 5. The linkage block 5 pushes the piston rod 61 into the externally fixed buffer 6 via the connecting arm 54. The buffer 6 activates its damping function, generating a counterforce that slowly dissipates the kinetic energy of the cabinet door closing, thereby achieving a silent and smooth buffer closure.

[0050] After the cabinet door is completely closed or reopened, the drive arm 31 disengages from the stop 55 of the linkage block 5. At this time, the compressed return spring 7 quickly pushes the linkage block 5 back to its initial position, causing the piston rod 61 to extend from the buffer 6, thus resetting the buffer 6 and restoring the entire mechanism to the standby state, ready to receive the next buffering action.

[0051] Through this series of ingenious structural designs and coordinated actions, the present invention successfully realizes the "built-in" function of the buffer mechanism, effectively solving the drawbacks of the existing technology, such as the bulky hinge arm and its impact on aesthetics. At the same time, it ensures the stable buffering performance and long service life of the hinge, so it can be widely promoted and used.

[0052] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0053] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. An internal buffer metal hinge, comprising a base (1) mounted on a cabinet body and a hinge cup (2) mounted on a cabinet door, wherein the hinge cup (2) and the base (1) are connected by an upper hinge arm (3) and a lower hinge arm (4), the upper hinge arm (3) and the lower hinge arm (4) swing relative to the hinge cup (2) and the base (1) to realize the opening and closing of the hinge, characterized in that: The inner bottom of the hinge cup (2) is provided with a guide groove (21) extending forward and backward. A linkage block (5) is also installed on the inner bottom of the hinge cup (2). A guide block (51) is provided at the bottom of the linkage block (5) and extends into the guide groove (21). Under the action of the guide block (51), the linkage block (5) can slide along the guide groove (21). A buffer (6) is fixedly installed on the outside of the hinge cup (2). The piston rod (61) of the buffer (6) passes through the hinge cup (2) and extends into the hinge cup (2) to connect with the linkage block (5). The upper hinge arm (3) extends into the hinge cup (2) with a drive arm (31). The drive arm (31) is connected to the linkage block (5). When the hinge is closed to the set angle, the drive arm (31) pushes the piston rod (61) to move through the linkage block (5), generating a buffering effect when the hinge is closed.

2. The internal buffer metal hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide groove (21) extends through the bottom of the hinge cup (2).

3. The internal buffer metal hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linkage block (5) is provided with a buckle (52). After the buckle (52) passes through the guide groove (21) from top to bottom, the buckle (52) slides and is locked on the outer bottom surface of the hinge cup (2).

4. The internal buffer metal hinge according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom of the guide groove (21) is recessed to provide a receiving area (22), and the buckle (52) slides within the receiving area (22).

5. An internal buffer hardware hinge according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that: The outer contour of the buckle (52) is provided with an inclined guide surface (53).

6. The internal buffer metal hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linkage block (5) has a connecting arm (54) extending outward on one side, and the piston rod (61) is connected to the connecting arm (54).

7. The internal buffer hardware hinge according to claim 6, characterized in that: The linkage block (5), connecting arm (54), and guide block (51) are integrally injection molded from plastic material.

8. The internal buffer metal hinge according to claim 6, characterized in that: A reset spring (7) is provided between the tail of the linkage block (5) and the hinge cup (2). The reset spring (7) pushes the linkage block (5) to move away from the drive arm (31) at all times.

9. The internal buffer metal hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that: A stop (55) is provided on the upper end surface of the linkage block (5), and the drive arm drives the linkage block to move by contacting the stop (55).

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