Appliance Door Hinge with Cam-Actuated Damping Cartridge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinges for domestic appliances with internal dampers face challenges in inserting effective damping members due to limited space, harmonizing damping action with hinge movement, and requiring specific damping means for varying door weights and opening types, leading to increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design incorporating a removable cartridge with a cam-shaped lever that adapts the damping member's stroke to the angular movement of the hinge, allowing for adjustable damping action and compatibility with different door types through interchangeable cartridges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If damping members are introduced inside the hinges, then the door closing becomes smooth and controlled, but the available space for housing the hinge is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The damping member is nested within the hinge mechanism by utilizing the existing space between the lever and the door, and between the lever and the hinge body. The damping rod moves linearly within the hinge structure, effectively nesting the damping function within the limited hinge volume without requiring additional external space.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping action is achieved by converting the rotational movement of the hinge into linear movement of the damping rod through a converting mechanism. This dimensional transformation allows the damping member to operate in a different movement dimension (linear vs. rotational), enabling effective damping within the constrained hinge space.
2Reliability
If damping members are introduced inside the hinges, then the door closing becomes smooth and controlled, but the difficulty of associating the damping action with the hinge movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
A converting mechanism acts as an intermediary between the hinge's rotational movement and the damping rod's linear movement. This intermediary component automatically translates the angular displacement of the hinge into proportional linear displacement of the damping rod, harmonizing the damping action with the hinge movement without requiring complex external control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the hinge's position. As the hinge rotates during door opening and closing, the converting mechanism automatically activates the damping rod at the appropriate moment, eliminating the need for external control or manual intervention to coordinate the damping action with hinge movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If specific damping members with different strokes are used for different door types, then the damping action is optimized for each application, but the production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The damping rod's stroke is made dynamically adjustable through the converting mechanism, which translates a fixed linear stroke into a variable angular displacement based on the hinge's position. This allows a single damping member with a standard stroke to provide optimized damping performance across different door weights and opening angles, eliminating the need for multiple customized damping members for different applications.
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 hinge provides a compact, easily assembled damping solution that adapts to various door types, ensuring smooth and silent closure without user intervention, reducing production costs and enhancing usability.
Implementation Method 1
Elastic elements act on the above-mentioned lever which influence the movement of the door during both opening and closing
Implementation Method 2
a damping member (15) having a fixed part and a mobile part, for applying a damping action during the reciprocal motion between the first lever (2) and the box-shaped element (3)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Described is a hinge for doors of electrical household appliances, comprising a box-shaped element (3) and a first lever (2) pivoted on the box-shaped element (3) by means of a first pin (4); one of either the box-shaped element (3) or the first lever (2) being fixable to a frame, and the other being fixable to a door, to make the door tiltably movable relative to the frame between a closed position and an open position; elastic means (14) supported by the box-shaped element (3) and designed to apply an elastic action on the first lever (2), a damping member (15) for applying a damping action during the reciprocal motion of the first lever (2) and the box-shaped element (3), in proximity of reaching the above-mentioned closed position, means (29) for actuating the damping member (15).