Integrated Hinge Housing Damping for Quiet Appliance Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance door damping systems are either complex, noisy, and visually unappealing, with existing solutions requiring significant space or being ineffective in dampening the snapping shut of doors, which strains the appliance and is unpleasantly loud.
Innovation Solution
A hinge housing that incorporates a space-saving attachment damper within the hinge mechanism, allowing the door hinge to touch down on a damper before reaching the end positions, providing adjustable damping for a smooth and quiet closure, and is designed to be compact and visually integrated with the appliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a spring-supported damping system is used in the household appliance body to compensate for the door weight, then the door weight is compensated, but the structure becomes complicated and the door snaps shut loudly when closed
Solution Approach 1:
The damping function is extracted from the main appliance body and integrated into the hinge housing itself. The hinge housing now contains both the hinge mechanism and the attachment damper, separating the damping function from the complex body-mounted spring systems while maintaining weight compensation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism and damping system are merged into a single integrated hinge housing unit. The attachment damper is positioned within the hinge housing to directly receive the hinge, combining structural support and damping functions in one compact component.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sealing rings are made strong to dampen the snapping shut sound, then noise is reduced, but the household appliance looks clumsy
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment damper provides beforehand cushioning by gradually decelerating the door before it reaches the fully closed position. The damper extends the closing time and reduces impact velocity, cushioning the closure process before the door contacts the sealed position, thereby reducing noise without requiring bulky sealing rings.
3Reliability
If a comparatively large amount of space is allocated for attachment damping devices, then damping effectiveness is improved, but the appliance occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment damper is nested within the hinge housing structure. The damping mechanism is positioned inside the existing hinge housing volume, utilizing the internal space of the hinge assembly rather than requiring additional external space. This nesting approach maintains damping effectiveness while keeping the overall appliance footprint compact.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the damper is made adjustable for flexible closing characteristics, then closing behavior can be optimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damper provides adjustable closing characteristics through parameter changes in its damping force. The attachment damper can be configured with different spring rates or damping coefficients to optimize closing behavior for different door weights and sizes, allowing flexible adjustment of the closing speed and impact force without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
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 achieves a simple, flexible, and space-efficient damping system that reduces noise and strain on the appliance, enhancing the appliance's integration and user experience while maintaining a sleek design and manageable manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
an attachment damper (6) is arranged in the hinge housing (1), on which the plunger (4) of the door hinge (2) touches down; the attachment damper (6) having an attachment pin (7) which is pressed against the plunger (4) by means of a compression spring (8)
Implementation Method 2
a force counteracting the weight of the household door is applied during each open position... to dampen the snapping shut
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a hinge housing for a door of a domestic appliance, at least part of the door hinge being received in said hinge housing in such a manner that the door hinge can be displaced between two final positions depending on a degree of opening of the door of the domestic appliance. A seat for a contact damper is configured and arranged in the hinge housing in such a manner that the door hinge contacts a contact damper inserted in the seat before it reaches at least one of the final positions.