A multi-section return door assist hinge assembly and storage cabinet

Abstract

The application discloses a multi-section type back door assisting hinge assembly and a storage cabinet, and mainly relates to the hinge technical field.The hinge assembly comprises a mounting seat, a hinge shaft and an arc-shaped elastic sheet.The mounting seat is installed on a cabinet body, and the hinge shaft is installed on a cabinet door.The arc-shaped elastic sheet has a fixed end and a free end.The fixed end is fixedly connected with the mounting seat, and the free end is provided with an arc-shaped groove.The hinge shaft is vertically arranged, and a transmission shifting block is protruded in the radial direction of the hinge shaft.The arc-shaped groove is located in the circumferential direction of the hinge shaft.The hinge shaft is rotated to drive the transmission shifting block to continuously slide along the inner cavity wall of the arc-shaped groove of the arc-shaped elastic sheet.The distance from the inner cavity wall of the arc-shaped groove to the axis of the hinge shaft gradually decreases or increases from the free end to the fixed end, and the change is gradually changed.The application meets the overall requirement of the user on the back door force in each door opening stage during the opening and closing of the door, and the whole opening process is free from jamming, so that the smoothness during the opening and closing of the cabinet door is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hinge technology, and in particular to a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly and a storage cabinet. Background Technology

[0002] A locker consists of a cabinet body and cabinet doors. In related technologies, the cabinet doors are rotatably connected to the cabinet body via a hinge assembly. Lockers can be various types of devices, such as refrigerators, freezers, microwave ovens, and display cases, with their doors rotatably connected to the cabinet body.

[0003] Taking refrigerators as an example, refrigerators, as convenient appliances for preserving food at low temperatures, are widely used in households and industrial fields. As people's living standards improve, the requirements for the smoothness and convenience of opening and closing refrigerator doors are also increasing. For instance, to prevent doors from not closing tightly, hinge structures need to be designed to increase the force required to close the door and achieve a sealing effect. However, such structures usually require a lot of force to open and close, which can easily cause the door to break open, making a loud noise, and seriously damaging the hinge structure, or even the refrigerator structure. Therefore, the requirements for hinge components are also becoming increasingly stringent.

[0004] Existing commercial refrigerator hinge assemblies mainly rely on torsion springs or gravity for door closing. For example, the door body disclosed in application number CN202421874140.7 includes a door body, vertical beam, connector, and spring. The connector and spring work together to replace the torsion spring structure, solving the problem of insufficient elasticity and inability to provide adequate closing force. Specifically, a spring is used instead of a torsion spring in the refrigerator door, and the spring's specific structure is designed to achieve stable rotation of the vertical beam and easy replacement, improving the reliability of the refrigerator door. Another example is the hinge assembly disclosed in application number CN202010839057.6, which mainly utilizes gravity for door closing. Through an inclined guide surface, the door closing process is more effortless, and the guide surface increases the resistance of the hinge assembly, improving the sealing effect between the door and the cabinet.

[0005] However, while the aforementioned hinge assembly can increase the initial pulling force of the door, it only solves the problem of sealing the door upon opening. It cannot meet the user's overall requirements for the closing force at each stage of the opening and closing process. For example, it should have a large closing force when initially pulling the door to avoid poor sealing; after the door is opened, the user should not need to forcefully push it open and hold it to easily take out items from inside the refrigerator; and after the user closes the door and releases their hand, it should automatically reset and close, and the cabinet door should not be easily pried open or make a loud noise.

[0006] In addition, existing hinge components have a more complex structure, require more parts inside and outside the door, and are labor-intensive and time-consuming to install, maintain and disassemble, resulting in high production and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly.

[0008] The second objective of this invention is to provide a storage cabinet with a multi-stage door-return assist function.

[0009] One of the objectives of this invention is achieved by the following technical solution: a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly for movably connecting a cabinet body and a cabinet door, comprising a mounting base, a hinge shaft, and an arc-shaped spring; the mounting base is mounted on the cabinet body, and the hinge shaft is mounted on the cabinet door;

[0010] One end of the arc-shaped spring is a fixed end, and the other end is a free end. The fixed end is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the free end is provided with an arc-shaped groove. The hinge shaft is arranged vertically, and a transmission block is protruding in the radial direction of the hinge shaft. The arc-shaped groove is located in the circumferential direction of the hinge shaft. The rotation of the hinge shaft drives the transmission block to actively slide continuously along the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove of the arc-shaped spring. The distance from the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove to the axis of the hinge shaft gradually decreases or increases alternately from the free end to the fixed end, so that the hinge shaft squeezes the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring at different rotation angles to obtain different door-closing assistance required for different door-opening stages.

[0011] Furthermore, the arc-shaped groove on the arc-shaped spring sheet has at least a first position, a second position, and a third position, which are distributed sequentially from the free end to the fixed end;

[0012] The angle between the cavity wall at the first position and the second position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 0°-30°, and the distance between the cavity wall at the first position and the second position and the axis of the hinge shaft gradually decreases; the angle between the cavity wall at the first position and the third position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 30°-90°, and the distance between the cavity wall at the second position and the third position and the axis of the hinge shaft first gradually increases and then gradually decreases.

[0013] When the cabinet door is closed, the transmission block is located at the end of the first position; when the cabinet door opening angle is less than 30°, the transmission block abuts against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring and moves from the first position to the second position; when the cabinet door opening angle is between 30° and 90°, the transmission block continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring and moves from the second position to the third position.

[0014] Furthermore, the arc-shaped groove on the arc-shaped spring sheet also has a fourth position, and the first position, the second position, the third position, and the fourth position are distributed sequentially from the free end to the fixed end;

[0015] The included angle between the cavity wall of the first position and the fourth position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 90°-100°. The distance between the cavity wall of the third position and the fourth position and the axis of the hinge shaft gradually increases and then gradually decreases. During the opening process of the cabinet door from 90° to 100°, the transmission lever continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece and moves from the third position to the fourth position, and hovers at the fourth position.

[0016] Furthermore, the arc-shaped groove on the arc-shaped spring sheet also has a fifth position, and the first position, second position, third position, fourth position and fifth position are distributed sequentially from the free end to the fixed end;

[0017] The included angle between the cavity wall of the first position and the fifth position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 100-110°. The distance between the cavity wall of the fourth position and the fifth position and the axis of the hinge shaft is further reduced to form a return assist protrusion. When the cabinet door is in an open position greater than 100°, the transmission block continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring and moves from the fourth position to the fifth position. After the transmission block is lifted by the return assist protrusion, it no longer stays in the hovering position, but directly passes through the fourth position, the third position, and the second position in sequence, and returns to the first position.

[0018] Furthermore, the arc-shaped spring sheet includes a mounting part and a strip-shaped cantilever part, the strip-shaped cantilever part being formed by bending one side of the mounting part upwards, and the arc-shaped groove being provided on the strip-shaped cantilever part; wherein, the arc-shaped spring sheet is a metal spring sheet, and both its mounting part and strip-shaped cantilever part are manufactured by a stamping process.

[0019] Furthermore, the arc-shaped spring is made of wear-resistant alloy steel sheet.

[0020] Furthermore, the end of the transmission block that abuts against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring has a guide slope.

[0021] Furthermore, the hinge shaft and the transmission block are separate structures. The middle section of the hinge shaft is provided with a transmission block with a non-circular radial cross section. The transmission block is provided with a mounting cavity along the axial direction that matches the shape and size of the transmission block. The transmission block is sleeved on the transmission block of the hinge shaft.

[0022] Alternatively, the hinge shaft can be integrally formed with the transmission lever;

[0023] The hinge shaft is connected to the cabinet door via a transmission mechanism. When the cabinet door rotates, it synchronously drives the hinge shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the transmission lever to rotate.

[0024] Furthermore, the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly also includes a lower bushing and an upper bushing; the mounting base has a shaft hole, the lower bushing is installed on the shaft hole of the mounting base, the bottom of the transmission block is also provided with a mounting sleeve, the mounting sleeve is installed on the lower bushing, and the upper bushing is sleeved on the hinge shaft.

[0025] The second objective of this invention is achieved by the following technical solution: a storage cabinet, comprising a cabinet body, a cabinet door, and a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described above, wherein the lower end of the cabinet door is connected to the cabinet body through the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly; the storage cabinet is one of a refrigerator, freezer, microwave oven, or display cabinet.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0027] 1. This application designs the arc-shaped groove of the arc-shaped spring and the protruding structure of the transmission block connected to it. During the transmission process, the arc-shaped spring undergoes different deformations at different opening stages, thereby obtaining the required door return assistance that better meets the user experience at different opening stages, such as strong door closing assistance in the initial stage, buffer door opening assistance in the middle stage, and strong return door closing assistance in the final stage. This satisfies the user's overall door return force requirements at each opening stage during the opening and closing process. At the same time, the entire opening process is smooth without any jamming, effectively improving the smoothness of opening and closing the cabinet door.

[0028] 2. More specifically, the hinge assembly of the present invention allows the cabinet door to have different closing forces at different opening stages. When the cabinet door opening angle is less than 30°, the pressure exerted on the transmission block by the arc-shaped spring increases, resulting in a greater closing force even at small opening angles. This allows the door to close automatically, effectively preventing accidental opening and ensuring a tight seal between the door and the cabinet body. This is particularly suitable for refrigerators used for storing medicines. During the opening process from 30° to 90°, the pressure on the door is greatest when it reaches the second position. After the door crosses the second position, the closing force drops sharply from this critical point. Users do not need to forcefully push against the door to retrieve items from inside the cabinet during opening; this also avoids forceful slamming of the door, which could damage door components and produce loud noise, greatly enhancing the user experience.

[0029] During the cabinet door opening process from 90° to 100°, the pressure exerted by the curved spring is minimal when the door enters the third and fourth positions. At this point, the door's return force is abruptly eliminated from the critical point at the end of the third position, meaning the return force is zero, and the door hovers within the preset hovering positioning section, making it easier for users to retrieve items from inside the cabinet. When the cabinet door is open beyond 100°, the transmission lever is lifted by the return force protrusion, obtaining maximum door return force. Without requiring additional external force to return the door, it no longer lingers in the hovering position but directly returns to the closed state. The entire closing process is gentle and not abrupt.

[0030] 3. The transmission block on the hinge shaft of this application serves as the power supplier, while the arc-shaped spring acts as the passive pressure receiver, providing a continuous, uniform, and linear deformation area. This effectively prevents the spring from fatigue and damage, and provides excellent anti-vibration or anti-shaking effects at each stage and during the switching moment.

[0031] 4. The hinge assembly of this invention has a simple structure, especially the arc-shaped spring, which can be obtained by stamping without the need for additional molds, greatly reducing the cost of parts and processing. In addition, the arc-shaped spring is detachably fixed to the mounting base by fasteners. As a consumable part, the external mounting structure of the arc-shaped spring outside the hinge shaft also simplifies the later maintenance of this product. The spring can be replaced simply by loosening the fasteners of the arc-shaped spring, reducing the later maintenance cost.

[0032] 5. The arc-shaped spring sheet of the present invention is made of wear-resistant alloy steel sheet. Compared with the existing plastic spring sheet, its door opening and closing times are increased by more than 80%, which can meet the high frequency opening and closing needs of cabinet doors, and the accessories are highly durable.

[0033] 6. The end of the transmission lever is provided with a guide slope. The design of this guide slope can improve the smoothness of the cabinet door opening. Whether it is assisted closing or assisted opening, there will be no obvious jamming sensation with the arc-shaped spring. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly and the cabinet and cabinet door in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-segment door-assisted hinge assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembly structure of the multi-segment door-assisted hinge assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly and the cabinet and cabinet door installation in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly and the cabinet door to be installed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a top view of the arc-shaped spring and the hinge axis in the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the arc-shaped spring sheet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 8 This is a top view of the arc-shaped spring sheet of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge assembly of the preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention in the cabinet door closed state;

[0043] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge assembly of the preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention when the cabinet door opening angle is less than 30°;

[0044] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge assembly of the preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention when the cabinet door opening angle is 30°-90°;

[0045] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge assembly of the preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention when the cabinet door opening angle is 90°-100°;

[0046] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge assembly of the preferred embodiment 1 of the present invention when the cabinet door opening angle is greater than 100°;

[0047] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-segment door-assisted hinge assembly of the preferred embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembly structure of the multi-segment door-assisted hinge assembly according to a preferred embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly and the cabinet and cabinet door installation in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly and torsion spring structure in a preferred embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 19 for Figure 18A magnified structural diagram at point A.

[0053] In the picture:

[0054] 1. Multi-stage door retraction hinge assembly;

[0055] 11. Mounting base; 111. Shaft hole;

[0056] 12. Hinge shaft; 121. Transmission block; 122. Torsion spring mounting hole; 13. Arc-shaped spring; 131. Fixed end; 132. Free end; 133. Arc-shaped groove; 133a. First position; 133b. Second position; 133c. Third position; 133d. Fourth position; 133e. Fifth position; 134. Door closing assist section; 135. Door return buffer section; 136. Hovering positioning section; 137. Return assist protrusion section; 13a. Mounting part; 13b. Strip cantilever part;

[0057] 14. Transmission block; 141. Guide slope;

[0058] 15. Lower bushing;

[0059] 16. Upper bushing;

[0060] 2. Box body;

[0061] 3. Box door;

[0062] a. Cabinet body; b. Cabinet door; b1. Non-circular slot; c. Torsion spring structure; o. Hinge shaft axis. Detailed Implementation

[0063] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0064] Example 1

[0065] like Figure 1-13 As shown, a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly 1 is used to movably connect cabinet a and cabinet door b. The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly 1 includes a mounting base 11, a hinge shaft 12, and an arc-shaped spring piece 13. The mounting base 11 is installed on cabinet a, and the hinge shaft 12 is installed on cabinet door b, and is driven by cabinet door b to rotate synchronously.

[0066] One end of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 is a fixed end 131, and the other end is a free end 132. The fixed end 131 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 11, and the free end 132 is provided with an arc-shaped groove 133. The hinge shaft 12 is arranged vertically, and a transmission block 14 is protruding in the radial direction of the hinge shaft 12. The arc-shaped groove 133 is located in the circumferential direction of the hinge shaft. The rotation of the hinge shaft 12 drives the transmission block 14 to actively slide continuously along the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove 133 of the arc-shaped spring piece 13. The distance from the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove 133 to the axis o of the hinge shaft gradually decreases or increases alternately from the free end 132 to the fixed end 131, so that the hinge shaft 12 squeezes the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 at different rotation angles to obtain different door-closing assistance required for different door-opening stages.

[0067] This application designs the arc-shaped groove 133 of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and the protruding structure of the transmission block 14 connected to it. During the transmission process, the arc-shaped spring piece 13 undergoes different deformations at different door opening stages, thereby obtaining the required door closing assistance that better meets the user experience at different door opening stages, such as strong door closing assistance in the initial stage, buffer door opening assistance in the middle stage, and strong return door closing assistance in the final stage. At the same time, the entire door opening process is smooth without any jamming, effectively improving the smoothness of opening and closing the cabinet door.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the arc-shaped groove 133 on the arc-shaped spring piece 13 has at least a first position 133a, a second position 133b, a third position 133c, a fourth position 133d, and a fifth position 133e, wherein the first position 133a, the second position 133b, the third position 133c, the fourth position 133d, and the fifth position 133e are distributed sequentially from the free end 132 to the fixed end 131;

[0069] In this configuration, the angle ∠θaob between the cavity walls of the first position 133a and the second position 133b on the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and the hinge axis center O is 0°-30°. The distance from the cavity wall between the first position 133a and the second position 133b to the hinge axis center O gradually decreases, forming a door closing assist section 134. The angle ∠θaoc between the cavity walls of the first position 133a and the third position 133c and the hinge axis center O is 30°-90°. The distance from the cavity wall between the second position 133b and the third position 133c to the hinge axis center O first gradually increases and then gradually decreases, forming a door return buffer section 135. The angle ∠θaod between the cavity wall of the first position 133a and the fourth position 133d and the axis O of the hinge shaft is 90°-100°. The distance from the cavity wall of the third position 133c to the fourth position 133d to the axis O of the hinge shaft gradually increases and then gradually decreases to form a hovering positioning section 136. The angle ∠θaoe between the cavity wall of the first position 133a and the fifth position 133e and the axis O of the hinge shaft is 100-110°. The distance from the cavity wall of the fourth position 133d to the fifth position 133e to the axis O of the hinge shaft is further reduced to form a return assist protrusion section 137.

[0070] Below, this application describes the structure of the cabinet door in the preferred embodiment, which has different closing forces at different opening stages, thereby improving the user's experience and comfort when opening the door.

[0071] Please see the appendix Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the multi-stage door-returning hinge assembly 1 in the cabinet door closed state. Specifically, when the cabinet door is closed, the transmission block 14 is located at the end of the first position 133a. The transmission block 14 and the arc-shaped spring 13 are not in contact, and neither the transmission block 14 nor the arc-shaped spring 13 is subjected to force. The cabinet door remains closed, or a more sealed closed state is maintained under the action of the existing conventional cabinet door magnetic chuck.

[0072] Figure 10 yes Figure 9A schematic diagram of the multi-segment door-opening assist hinge assembly 1 when the cabinet door opening angle is less than 30° is shown in Figure 10. At this time, the included angle ∠θaob between the cavity walls of the first position 133a and the second position 133b on the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and the hinge axis center O is 0°-30°. The distance from the cavity wall between the first position 133a and the second position 133b to the hinge axis center O gradually decreases, forming the door-closing assist segment 134. When the cabinet door changes from closed to open angle less than 30°... During the 0° process, the transmission block 14 abuts against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and moves from the first position 133a to the second position 133b. During the above process, the pressure of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 on the cabinet door increases, which makes the cabinet door have a large closing force when the door is opened at a small angle and can close the door automatically, effectively avoiding the cabinet door not closing tightly due to accidental opening by the user, improving the sealing performance between the cabinet door and the cabinet body a, and is especially suitable for refrigerators used for storing medicines.

[0073] Figure 11 yes Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the multi-stage door-opening hinge assembly 1 with a cabinet door opening angle of 30°-90° is shown below. Figure 11 As shown, at this time, the included angle ∠θaoc between the cavity wall of the first position 133a and the third position 133c on the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and the axis O of the hinge shaft is 30°-90°. The distance between the cavity wall of the second position 133b and the third position 133c and the axis O of the hinge shaft first gradually increases and then gradually decreases to form a door buffer section 135. During the process of the cabinet door opening from 30° to 90°, the transmission block 14 continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and moves from the second position 133b to the third position 133c. When the cabinet door reaches the second position 133b, the pressure on the cabinet door is at its maximum. After the cabinet door crosses the second position 133b, the door's closing assistance drops sharply from this critical point. During the opening process, the user does not need to forcefully push against the door to retrieve items inside the cabinet. At the same time, it avoids the adverse effects of violent closing, such as door impact, loud noise, and damage to parts caused by sudden acceleration of opening the door. It can be seen that this structure can greatly improve the user experience.

[0074] Figure 12 yes Figure 9A schematic diagram of the multi-segment door-opening hinge assembly 1 with the cabinet door opening angle of 90°-100° is shown in Figure 12. At this time, the included angle ∠θaod between the cavity wall of the first position 133a and the fourth position 133d on the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and the axis O of the hinge shaft is 90°-100°. The distance from the cavity wall between the third position 133c and the fourth position 133d to the axis O of the hinge shaft first gradually increases and then gradually decreases, forming the hovering positioning segment 136. During the opening process of the cabinet door from 90° to 100°, the transmission... The lever 14 continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and moves from the third position 133c to the fourth position 133d. When the cabinet door enters between the third position 133c and the fourth position 133d, the pressure from the arc-shaped spring piece is minimal. At this time, the door's closing force is abruptly eliminated from the critical point at the end of the third position 133c, i.e., the closing force is zero, and it hovers within the hovering positioning section 136. This makes it easier for users to retrieve items from cabinet a, and at the same time, it provides a buffer, protection, and closing function to prevent forced opening, thus improving the hinge's lifespan. It is understood that the position of the hovering positioning section 136 can be adjusted according to the maximum opening angle required by the cabinet door.

[0075] Figure 13 yes Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the multi-segment return door assist hinge assembly 1 when the cabinet door opening angle is greater than 100° is shown in Figure 13. At this time, the included angle ∠θaoe between the cavity wall of the first position 133a and the fifth position 133e and the hinge axis center O is 100-110°. The distance between the cavity wall of the fourth position 133d and the fifth position 133e and the hinge axis center O is further reduced to form the return assist protrusion 137. When the cabinet door is in an opening position greater than 100°... The transmission block 14 continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 and moves from the fourth position 133d to the fifth position 133e. After the transmission block 14 is lifted by the return assist protrusion 137, it obtains the maximum cabinet door return assist. Without the need for additional external force to return the door, it no longer stays in the hovering position, but directly passes through the fourth position 133d, the third position 133c, and the second position 133b in sequence, and returns to the first position 133a.

[0076] As a further preferred embodiment, the distance from the cavity wall of the first position 133a to the hinge axis center O is greater than the distance from the cavity wall of the third position 133c to the hinge axis center O, which is greater than the distance from the cavity wall of the fourth position 133d to the hinge axis center O, which is greater than the distance from the cavity wall of the second position 133b to the hinge axis center O, which is greater than the distance from the cavity wall of the fifth position 133e to the hinge axis center O. This design aims to further improve the smoothness of the entire door opening and closing process, effectively enhancing the smoothness of the cabinet door opening and closing, and maintaining smooth transitions between different opening angles.

[0077] As a further preferred option, such as Figure 8 As shown, the arc-shaped spring 13 includes a mounting portion 13a and a strip-shaped cantilever portion 13b. The strip-shaped cantilever portion 13b is formed by bending upwards from one side of the mounting portion 13a, and the arc-shaped groove 133 is provided on the strip-shaped cantilever portion 13b. The arc-shaped spring 13 is a metal spring, and both its mounting portion 13a and strip-shaped cantilever portion 13b are manufactured by a stamping process. Various arc shapes within the arc-shaped groove 133 can be adjusted to adjust the elastic force. This accessory has a simple structure, requires no additional molds, and has low processing requirements, greatly reducing accessory and processing costs. Furthermore, the mounting portion 13a is detachably fixed to the mounting base 11 by fasteners. The arc-shaped spring 13, as a consumable part, is externally mounted outside the hinge shaft 12, simplifying later maintenance. The spring can be replaced simply by loosening the fasteners on the arc-shaped spring 13, reducing later maintenance costs.

[0078] As a further preferred option, the arc-shaped spring 13 is made of wear-resistant alloy steel sheet, which increases the number of times the door can be opened and closed by more than 80%, meeting the needs of high-frequency opening and closing of cabinet doors, and the accessories are highly durable.

[0079] As a further preferred embodiment, the end of the transmission lever 14 that abuts against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 has a guide slope 141. This guide slope 141 design improves the smoothness of the cabinet door opening, preventing noticeable jamming with the arc-shaped spring piece 13 whether the door is being assisted to close or open. In practical use, lubricant can also be applied to the contact surfaces of the transmission lever 14 and the arc-shaped spring piece 13, depending on the needs of the application, to further improve the smoothness of opening.

[0080] When the door opens or closes, the cabinet door b drives the hinge shaft 12 in the hinge assembly 1 of this invention to rotate synchronously. The rotation of the hinge shaft 12 drives the transmission block 14 to actively slide continuously along the inner wall of the arc groove 133 of the arc-shaped spring piece 13. As the distance from the inner wall of the arc groove 133 to the axis O of the hinge shaft alternates and gradually changes, the transmission block 14 squeezes the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece 13 at different rotation angles to obtain different reaction forces, thereby obtaining different sizes of door opening assistance at different stages, improving the user's door opening experience and comfort, and solving a common pain point in industry products.

[0081] In the above process, the hinge shaft 12 can be connected to the cabinet door drive using either existing direct or indirect drive methods, which will not be elaborated here. This application provides a specific embodiment for the purpose of understanding the meaning of transmission.

[0082] Specifically, the top of the hinge shaft 12 of the present invention is provided with a transmission block 121 that directly drives the door body. The horizontal cross-sectional shape of the transmission block 121 is non-circular, such as a polygonal shape like a triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, or hexagon. The bottom mounting position of the door body b is provided with a non-circular slot b1 that matches the shape of the transmission block 121. When the non-circular slot b1 at the bottom of the door body is fitted onto the transmission block 121 of the hinge shaft 12, direct transmission between the two can be achieved. This structure is simple, easy to assemble and disassemble, and requires no additional assembly or disassembly tools.

[0083] In this embodiment, the hinge shaft 12 can be directly integrally formed with the transmission block 121 and the transmission lever block 14, such as... Figure 3 As shown, this simplifies the assembly structure and reduces the difficulty of assembly.

[0084] As a further preferred embodiment, to further reduce the friction between the hinge shaft 12 and the mounting base 11 and improve the performance, lifespan, and smoothness of the hinge assembly, the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly 1 of the present invention further includes a lower bushing 15 and an upper bushing 16; the mounting base 11 has a shaft hole 111, the lower bushing 15 is installed in the shaft hole 111 of the mounting base 11, the lower part of the transmission block 14 is inserted into the lower bushing 15, and the upper bushing 16 is sleeved on the hinge shaft 12. The transmission block 121 of the hinge shaft 12 can directly drive the cabinet door b, or it can be connected to the cabinet door b by sleeved with the upper bushing 16.

[0085] Example 2

[0086] Compared with Embodiment 1, the structural difference of the hinge assembly in Embodiment 2 is that the connection method between the hinge shaft 12 and the cabinet door is different. This embodiment uses a torsion spring structure c for indirect transmission. The remaining structure and overall operation process are the same as those in Embodiment 1. The beneficial effects of the hinge assembly in Embodiment 1 are also present in Embodiment 2, and will not be repeated here.

[0087] Below, we further refine the indirect transmission structure between the hinge shaft 12 and the cabinet door b. Specifically, as follows... Figure 14-17 As shown, a torsion spring mounting hole 122 is provided at the top of the hinge shaft 12. The torsion spring structure c is installed inside the entire door frame of the cabinet door. The bottom of the torsion spring structure c is attached to the torsion spring mounting hole 122 of the hinge shaft 12 by a hook. The hinge shaft 12 can be indirectly rotated by rotating the torsion spring structure c through the door frame of the cabinet door.

[0088] Example 3

[0089] like Figure 18-19 As shown, a refrigerator includes a cabinet 2, a door 3, and a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly 1 as described in Embodiment 1. The lower end of the door 3 is connected to the cabinet 2 via the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly 1. The specific structure of the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly 1 designed in this embodiment is shown in Embodiments 1-2. Figure 1-17 As shown, it will not be elaborated here.

[0090] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any non-substantial changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-segment door-assisted hinge assembly for movably connecting a cabinet body and a cabinet door, characterized in that, It includes a mounting base, a hinge shaft, and an arc-shaped spring; the mounting base is installed on the cabinet body, and the hinge shaft is installed on the cabinet door; One end of the arc-shaped spring is a fixed end, and the other end is a free end. The fixed end is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the free end is provided with an arc-shaped groove. The hinge shaft is arranged vertically, and a transmission block is protruding in the radial direction of the hinge shaft. The arc-shaped groove is located in the circumferential direction of the hinge shaft. The rotation of the hinge shaft drives the transmission block to actively slide continuously along the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove of the arc-shaped spring. The distance from the inner wall of the arc-shaped groove to the axis of the hinge shaft gradually decreases or increases alternately from the free end to the fixed end, so that the hinge shaft squeezes the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring at different rotation angles to obtain different door-closing assistance required for different door-opening stages. The arc-shaped groove on the arc-shaped spring sheet has at least a first position, a second position, and a third position, which are distributed sequentially from the free end to the fixed end. The angle between the cavity wall at the first position and the second position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 0°-30°, and the distance between the cavity wall at the first position and the second position and the axis of the hinge shaft gradually decreases; the angle between the cavity wall at the first position and the third position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 30°-90°, and the distance between the cavity wall at the second position and the third position and the axis of the hinge shaft first gradually increases and then gradually decreases. When the cabinet door is closed, the transmission block is located at the end of the first position; when the cabinet door opening angle is less than 30°, the transmission block abuts against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece and moves from the first position to the second position; when the cabinet door opening angle is between 30° and 90°, the transmission block continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece and moves from the second position to the third position. The arc-shaped groove on the arc-shaped spring sheet also has a fourth position, and the first position, the second position, the third position and the fourth position are distributed sequentially from the free end to the fixed end; The included angle between the cavity wall of the first position and the fourth position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 90°-100°. The distance between the cavity wall of the third position and the fourth position and the axis of the hinge shaft first gradually increases and then gradually decreases. During the opening process of the cabinet door from 90° to 100°, the transmission block continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring piece and moves from the third position to the fourth position, and hovers at the fourth position. The arc-shaped groove on the arc-shaped spring sheet also has a fifth position, and the first position, second position, third position, fourth position and fifth position are distributed sequentially from the free end to the fixed end; The included angle between the cavity wall of the first position and the fifth position and the axis of the hinge shaft is 100-110°. The distance between the cavity wall of the fourth position and the fifth position and the axis of the hinge shaft is further reduced to form a return assist protrusion. When the cabinet door is in an open position greater than 100°, the transmission block continues to abut against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring and moves from the fourth position to the fifth position. After the transmission block is lifted by the return assist protrusion, it no longer stays in the hovering position, but directly passes through the fourth position, the third position, and the second position in sequence, and returns to the first position.

2. The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The arc-shaped spring includes a mounting part and a strip-shaped cantilever part. The strip-shaped cantilever part is formed by bending one side of the mounting part upwards, and the arc-shaped groove is provided on the strip-shaped cantilever part. The arc-shaped spring is a metal spring, and both its mounting part and strip-shaped cantilever part are made by a stamping process.

3. The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The arc-shaped spring is made of wear-resistant alloy steel sheet.

4. The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the transmission block that abuts against the inner wall of the arc-shaped spring has a guide slope.

5. The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge shaft and the transmission block are separate structures. The middle section of the hinge shaft is provided with a transmission block with a non-circular radial cross section. The transmission block is provided with a mounting cavity along the axial direction that matches the shape and size of the transmission block. The transmission block is sleeved on the transmission block of the hinge shaft. Alternatively, the hinge shaft can be integrally formed with the transmission lever; The hinge shaft is connected to the cabinet door via a transmission mechanism. When the cabinet door rotates, it synchronously drives the hinge shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the transmission lever to rotate.

6. The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly also includes a lower bushing and an upper bushing; the mounting base has a shaft hole, the lower bushing is installed on the shaft hole of the mounting base, the bottom of the transmission block is also provided with a mounting sleeve, the mounting sleeve is installed on the lower bushing, and the upper bushing is sleeved on the hinge shaft.

7. A storage cabinet, characterized in that, The cabinet includes a cabinet body, a cabinet door, and a multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lower end of the cabinet door is connected to the cabinet body via the multi-segment door-returning hinge assembly.

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