Damped Appliance Door Hinge for Quiet End-Position Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door hinges for household appliances face challenges in smoothing movement sequences, particularly in end position areas, and often result in impact noises when reaching closed or open positions due to uncontrolled forces.
Innovation Solution
A door hinge equipped with a damping device, either a single damping cylinder or two separate cylinders for opening and closing forces, which applies a damping force slightly less than the respective opening or closing force, ensuring smooth movement and reducing impact noises by evenly loading the damping cylinder in both directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping device is added to the door hinge, then the movement sequences are smoothed and impact noises are prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping cylinder is integrated into the existing hinge housing structure, with the piston rod and piston assembly nested within the cylinder bore. This nesting approach allows the damping device to be incorporated without significantly increasing the overall hinge footprint or structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping cylinder acts as an intermediary element between the door lever and hinge housing, providing a controlled damping force that smooths the movement sequences and prevents impact noises during door opening and closing operations.
2Device complexity
If a single damping cylinder is used for both opening and closing forces, then the device complexity is reduced, but the damping forces cannot be independently adjusted for each direction
Solution Approach 1:
The damping function is segmented into two independent damping cylinders, with one cylinder dedicated to damping closing forces and the other dedicated to damping opening forces. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of damping forces for each direction while maintaining structural clarity and functional independence.
3Ease of operation
If the damping force is set slightly smaller than the closing or opening force, then the movement is not impeded but significantly dampened in end positions, but the damping device must be precisely designed to balance these forces
Solution Approach 1:
The damping forces are calibrated by adjusting parameters such as piston rod diameter, piston area, damping orifice size, and spring preloads to achieve the optimal balance where damping force is slightly smaller than the closing or opening force, ensuring smooth movement without impeding the door operation.
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 damping device significantly improves the movement sequences of opening and closing the door, preventing impact noises and maintaining equilibrium in end positions, with the option of adjustable damping forces for enhanced functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a damping device (13), in particular a damping cylinder (14), which counteracts the closing and/or opening forces acting on the door (2) in the closing and/or opening direction with a damping force
Implementation Method 2
a weight-compensating spring (8) holding the door (2) approximately in an equilibrium position when opening
Implementation Method 3
a closing spring causing self-closing and then applying a locking force
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a door hinge (3) for a household appliance, e.g. an oven (1), a dishwasher, or the like. The door (2) can be moved about a lower, horizontal shaft from an approximately vertical closed position into an approximately horizontal open position. Said door hinge (3) comprises a door lever (5) that can be mounted on a door (2), a housing (6) which can be mounted on the carcass of a household appliance and to which the door lever (5) is connected so as to be pivotable about a main shaft (7), a weight compensation spring (8), and a closing spring. The weight compensation spring (8) maintains the door (2) approximately in a position of equilibrium when the door (2) is opened, and the closing spring applies a self-closing force shortly before the door (2) reaches the closed position, followed by a locking force. A damping device (13) is provided which counteracts the closing forces shortly before the door (2) reaches the final closed position and/or the opening forces shortly before the door (2) reaches the final open position.