Compact Hinge Soft Close Device With Rotating Plunger Deactivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soft close devices for compact hinges are complicated and costly to manufacture, with inadequate deactivation mechanisms that do not effectively turn off the soft close functionality.
Innovation Solution
A soft close device with a housing and damping plunger mechanism that includes a cylindrically shaped cavity, a track with a slot for deactivation, and a piston rod with a helical spring, allowing for easy deactivation and reactivation of the soft close functionality by rotating the plunger to engage or disengage the collar with the slot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If prior art soft close devices are used with deactivation mechanisms, then the soft close functionality can be turned off, but the construction becomes complicated and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deactivation mechanism is merged with the plunger assembly itself. The collar is integrated onto the plunger body, and the slot in the housing serves dual purposes as both a guide track and a deactivation engagement feature. This eliminates the need for separate deactivation components while maintaining the ability to deactivate soft close functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The slot in the housing serves multiple functions: it guides the plunger during normal operation and simultaneously serves as the deactivation mechanism when engaged by the collar. The collar itself serves dual purposes as both a structural element of the plunger and the deactivation actuator. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If prior art soft close devices are used with deactivation mechanisms, then the soft close functionality can be turned off, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deactivation mechanism is merged with the plunger assembly itself. The collar is integrated onto the plunger body, and the slot in the housing serves dual purposes as both a guide track and a deactivation engagement feature. This eliminates the need for separate deactivation components while maintaining the ability to deactivate soft close functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The slot in the housing serves multiple functions: it guides the plunger during normal operation and simultaneously serves as the deactivation mechanism when engaged by the collar. The collar itself serves dual purposes as both a structural element of the plunger and the deactivation actuator. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple soft close device is used, then manufacturing is easy and cost-effective, but the ability to deactivate soft close functionality is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The deactivation mechanism is merged with the plunger assembly itself. The collar is integrated onto the plunger body, and the slot in the housing serves dual purposes as both a guide track and a deactivation engagement feature. This eliminates the need for separate deactivation components while maintaining the ability to deactivate soft close functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The slot in the housing serves multiple functions: it guides the plunger during normal operation and simultaneously serves as the deactivation mechanism when engaged by the collar. The collar itself serves dual purposes as both a structural element of the plunger and the deactivation actuator. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
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 simple, cost-effective, and easy-to-manufacture soft close device that can be easily installed and removed, effectively deactivating the soft close functionality without complex construction, thus optimizing the number of active devices on each cabinet door.
Implementation Method 1
A helical spring on the piston rod between the cylinder and the housing biases the plunger out of the housing
Implementation Method 2
The plunger is a damper mechanism comprised of a fluid filled cylinder having an angled face on one end and a piston rod extending from the opposite end. The piston rod extends through the back of the housing and abuts the hinge cup. The piston rod is connected to a piston head which slides within the cylinder to provide the soft close functionality
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a soft-close device for a compact hinge comprising a housing removably fitted to the compact hinge and a plunger slidingly engaged with the housing. The housing includes a cavity sized and shaped to receive the plunger. The plunger includes a collar that when the plunger is rotated will engage a slot in the housing to deactivate the soft close functionality of the device. In an alternate embodiment, a tab slides around the exterior of the collar to engage the slot. In another alternate embodiment, the plunger includes a detent that engages a catch formed in the housing. The catch extends from a flexible arm of the housing that can be elastically deformed to deactivate and reactivate the soft-close functionality.