Damped Hinge Mounting Without Hole Pattern Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinges for appliances like chest freezers face challenges in attaching a damper without altering the hole pattern, making it difficult to manufacture both versions with and without damping in the same production line, risking noise and safety issues with heavy lids.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design where a damper is attachable to the side surface of the first hinge arm, using a damper mount that allows for longitudinal displacement of an actuating part, and a transmission part to manage the movement of the second hinge arm, maintaining the same hole pattern for attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a damper is integrated into the hinge to control lid closing speed and reduce noise, then safety and quiet operation are improved, but the hole pattern must be changed which increases manufacturing complexity and prevents using the same production line for both damped and undamped versions
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into modular components: a base hinge structure and a separate damper assembly. The damper is attached to the side surface of the first hinge arm via a damper mount, allowing the damping function to be added without modifying the base hinge's attachment points or hole pattern. This segmentation enables independent optimization of each component and maintains compatibility with existing production lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper assembly is nested onto the side surface of the first hinge arm, utilizing the existing hinge structure as a mounting substrate. The damper mount engages with the hinge arm's side surface without requiring changes to the base hinge's attachment geometry, effectively nesting the damping function within the existing hinge framework while preserving the original hole pattern for manufacturing consistency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a damper is attached to the hinge arms to dampen pivoting movement, then noise and safety issues are reduced, but the space requirement increases making it difficult to attach in the same location
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is positioned specifically on the side surface of the first hinge arm, utilizing otherwise unused spatial real estate. This localized placement provides the necessary damping function without expanding the overall hinge footprint or interfering with the lid's sealing edge, thereby addressing noise and safety concerns while maintaining compact dimensions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hole pattern is changed to accommodate a damper, then damping function is added, but additional manufacturing steps and tool changes are required increasing production complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The damper mount is designed with universal compatibility, attaching to the side surface of the first hinge arm using a standardized interface that does not require modifications to the base hinge's hole pattern. This universal mounting approach allows the same hinge design to serve both damped and undamped applications, enabling a single production line to manufacture both variants without tool changes or additional manufacturing steps.
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
Enables the integration of damping without additional manufacturing steps or tool changes, ensuring safe and quiet operation by controlling the closing speed of the lid without obstructing the seal, and allowing for cost savings by using existing standard hinges.
Implementation Method 1
The hinge can have a spring element. In particular, the weight of a cover or a flap or any other pivotable part can be compensated for by the spring element. The spring element can be designed as a tension spring or as a compression spring.
Implementation Method 2
A hinge of the type specified with a damper is known from DE 10 2005 045 365 A1. The damper is attached to the flap and coupled to the spring element.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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AI summary
The hinge has a set of hinge arms, where one of the hinge arms includes a base surface and a side surface (6). Another hinge arm is swingably mounted on the former hinge arm. A rotational damper is fastened at the side surface of the former hinge arm. The latter hinge arm comprises a holding element overlapped with the side surface of the former hinge arm. The damper is attached in a damper bearing (16) to be fastened at side surface of the former hinge arm, where the bearing comprises separable housings (24, 25). An operating element (17) for damper is lengthwise-sliding fed in the bearing.