Low Profile Adjustable Soft Close Hinge with Helical Cam Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soft close hinges for furniture are often bulky, complex, difficult to install, and costly, with non-adjustable damping functionality, which leads to uncontrolled cabinet door closure and premature wear.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile hinge design featuring a four-bar linkage arrangement with a spring bias, adjustable damper position, and a soft close adjustment mechanism using a helical cam and stop bracket to control the damping function, allowing for customizable damping and quiet door closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring damper mechanism is attached between the hinge arm and the hinge body to provide soft close functionality, then the cabinet door closes softly and quietly, but the hinge becomes large and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is positioned inside the hinge body, with the piston rod extending into the hinge arm. This nested arrangement allows the damping mechanism to be contained within the existing hinge structure rather than adding external components, thereby providing soft close functionality while minimizing increase in hinge size
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the damper vertically within the hinge body, with the piston rod extending upward into the hinge arm. This vertical orientation allows the damping mechanism to occupy space along the height of the hinge rather than expanding the horizontal footprint, maintaining a compact profile
2Speed
If a fluid filled cylinder and piston rod are used for damping, then the door movement is controlled, but the hinge becomes bulky and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge body serves multiple functions: it acts as both the mounting structure for the hinge leaves and as the housing for the damper mechanism. The hinge arm simultaneously provides the pivot connection and houses the piston rod. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated damping components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining speed control
Solution Approach 2:
The damping mechanism is merged with the hinge structure itself rather than being a separate attachment. The hinge body incorporates the fluid-filled cylinder, and the hinge arm incorporates the piston rod assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate damper housings and mounting structures, reducing overall complexity while achieving controlled door closing speed
3Adaptability or versatility
If the damper position is fixed, then the hinge structure is simple, but the damping functionality is not adjustable
Solution Approach 1:
The stop bracket is designed to be movable along the vertical axis within the hinge body, allowing the damper's effective position to be adjusted. The helical cam mechanism converts rotational motion into linear displacement of the stop bracket, enabling dynamic adjustment of the damping characteristics. This dynamic adjustability allows the hinge to adapt to different door weights and closing speed requirements without requiring multiple fixed-position dampers
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, easily installed, and affordable soft close hinge with adjustable damping, extending the life of cabinet hardware and reducing noise, while ensuring precise and quiet door closure.
Implementation Method 1
a four-bar linkage arrangement biased by a spring
Implementation Method 2
A damper is pivotally connected to the set of hinge links and is slidable within a stop bracket
Implementation Method 3
The piston rod extending from the damper is supported in a receptacle which is connected to an adjustment screw acting on the housing
Implementation Method 4
A soft close adjustment helical cam includes a groove which interacts with the protrusion to adjustably control the longitudinal position of the stop bracket
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a low profile, adjustable, soft close hinge comprised of a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body via a hinge arm and a hinge link in a four-bar linkage arrangement. A spring biases the hinge to a closed position. The hinge body is adjustably connected to an inner frame with an overlay adjustment screw and depth adjustment cam. The inner frame releasably connects the hinge body to a mounting plate. A stop bracket is adjustably and slidably connected to the hinge body by a helical cam. The adjustable position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body determines the point at which the damping functionality of a damper begins during a hinge closing movement. A linkage sub-assembly pivotally connects the damper to the hinge link.