Damped Oven Door Hinge Assembly for Slow Open and Close
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damped hinge assemblies for oven doors are often specialized in size and structure, requiring modified installation and failing to provide optimal performance and tunability for appliance door opening/closing characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A damped hinge assembly with a damper system comprising a piston and rod in a bore, where a spring biases the piston and damping fluid controls sliding movement, allowing for customizable damping during door opening and closing, and optionally featuring asymmetric damping for specific directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional undamped hinge assemblies are used, then installation is simple and structure is standard, but door opening/closing control performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the hinge arm, channel, damper, and spring into a single integrated hinge assembly unit. The damper is operatively connected between the channel and hinge arm, while the spring is positioned within the damper body, creating a unified structure that provides both hinge functionality and controlled damping action in one assembly, thereby improving door control performance without requiring separate complex subsystems
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly performs multiple functions simultaneously: the hinge arm and channel provide the basic pivoting motion, the damper provides controlled resistance to movement, and the spring provides biasing force. This multi-functional design allows a single assembly to deliver both standard hinge operation and sophisticated door opening/closing control, addressing the performance deficiency of conventional hinges
2Reliability
If specialized damped hinge assemblies are used, then door movement control is improved, but installation requires modified procedures and compatibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into distinct functional modules: the hinge arm portion that connects to the appliance body, the channel portion that connects to the door, and the integrated damper-spring mechanism. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining standard connection interfaces, enabling the specialized damped hinge to be installed using conventional procedures and compatible with standard appliance door configurations
3Reliability
If damped hinge systems are used, then door opening/closing characteristics are controlled, but tunability and ease of modification are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly incorporates adjustable elements that allow the damping characteristics to be tuned for different applications. The damper and spring components can be selected or adjusted to provide varying levels of resistance and biasing force, enabling the same basic hinge structure to be customized for different door weights, sizes, and desired opening/closing behaviors, thereby improving tunability without complicating the manufacturing process
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 precise control over door movement, providing a slow open and close function, improved performance, and ease of modification to suit various appliance applications, while maintaining structural integrity and user safety.
Implementation Method 1
A damper fluid is contained in the bore and acts on the piston to dampen sliding movement of the piston in at least one direction in the bore
Implementation Method 2
A spring is located in the bore and acts on the piston to bias the piston toward one end of the bore
Data Source
AI summary
A damped hinge assembly includes a hinge arm adapted to be connected to an associated appliance body. A channel is pivotally connected to the hinge arm and is adapted to be connected to an associated appliance door. A damper is operatively connected between the channel and the hinge arm. The damper includes a body defining a bore and a piston slidably received in the bore. A rod is connected to the piston and projects outward from the bore. A damper fluid is contained in the bore and acts on the piston to dampen sliding movement of the piston in at least one direction in the bore. A spring is located in the bore and acts on the piston to bias the piston toward one end of the bore. An oven or other appliance includes at least one damped hinge assembly. The appliance can include two damped hinge assemblies, each with or without the spring, arranged such that one hinge assembly provides damping primarily during opening of the appliance door and the other hinge assembly provides damping primarily during closing of the appliance door.