Hinge Damper for Controlled Kitchen Appliance Door Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Kitchen appliance doors require hinges that provide sufficient force throughout their operational range while ensuring soft closing and opening, with small dimensions, long lifespan, and affordability, and must prevent thrusts at end positions.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design incorporating one or more dampers installed within the hinge guide to absorb loads and vibrations, combined with a latch, connecting link, hinge guide, and spring mechanism, which includes damper stops to control door movement and prevent thrusts by balancing forces through constant contact with limiting surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a damper is integrated into the hinge housing to ensure soft door closing, then damping function is improved, but the hinge dimensions and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is integrated directly into the hinge housing, merging two separate functions (hinge mechanism and damper) into a single unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate damper components and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the soft closing function throughout the entire door opening area.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge housing is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the structural hinge component and the damper housing. The hinge guide is simultaneously used for positioning and as part of the damping mechanism, creating a multi-functional component that reduces the number of separate parts needed.
2Reliability
If a damper is added to control door closing, then soft closing is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the damper into the existing hinge housing rather than adding a separate component, the patent reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and quality-checked. This integration approach lowers manufacturing complexity and associated costs while achieving the controlled closing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge housing performs dual functions as both a structural support element and a damper containment structure. This multi-functionality reduces the total component count and material requirements, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs while providing the desired controlled closing performance.
3Manufacturing precision
If the hinge guide is used for positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the hinge dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge guide serves multiple purposes: it positions the door at the correct angle during operation and simultaneously acts as a structural component of the damping mechanism. This multi-functionality allows precise positioning without requiring additional separate positioning components that would increase overall hinge volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning function and damping function are merged into the same structural element (the hinge guide). By combining these functions into a single component rather than using separate elements, the patent achieves precise door angle control without increasing the overall hinge dimensions.
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 ensures smooth and controlled door operation by damping thrusts before end positions, maintaining a soft closing function at any desired angle without increasing the hinge's exterior dimensions, resulting in a compact, robust, and cost-effective design.
Implementation Method 1
one or more dampers (5) installed in the hinge guide (3) to absorb loads and vibrations generated by closing or opening of the door and to dampen thrusts occurring before the end positions of door closing or opening
Implementation Method 2
The damper is installed in such a manner to absorb mainly the loads that are generated by the closing or opening of the door and absorb the loads that are generated before the end positions of door closing or opening
Implementation Method 3
a spring mechanism, which includes damper stops to control door movement and prevent thrusts by balancing forces through constant contact with limiting surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
The object of the invention is the hinge for controlled door closing and opening with damper which solves the technical problem of smooth and controlled closing and opening of the door before the end positions of the hinge, i.e. the open or closed position of the door. The damper fit surface (25) and the damper head fit surface (26) are always in contact with two of the limiting surfaces, i.e. two of the following: the damper stop on the housing for closing (21), the damper stop on the housing for opening (22), the damper stop on the guide for opening (23) and the damper stop on the guide for closing (24), whereby the damper (5) in the initial position constantly applies force in the direction of extension, meaning that the damper (5) constantly applies force to increase the distance between the damper fit surface (25) and the damper head fit surface (26), whereas the hinge guide (3) is dimensioned in such a way that the distance between the damper stop on the guide for opening (23) and the damper stop on the guide for closing (24) is smaller than the maximum distance between the damper fit surface (25) and the damper head fit surface (26).