Multi-joint hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-joint hinges for refrigerators face challenges in optimizing installation space, especially with heavy door weights, due to the additional space required by rotatably mounted linear dampers and complex assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-joint hinge design featuring a rotationally fixed linear damper with a displaceable piston rod, where the damper housing is inserted into a receptacle on a holding element within a lever, eliminating the need for eyelets and allowing for a compact structure with adjustable damping forces, and a freewheel area with no damping forces acting during part of the pivoting range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If linear dampers are rotatably mounted to slow hinge part movement, then damping function is improved, but installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotatably mounting the damper housing to the lever (conventional approach), the patent inverts the mounting approach by rotationally fixing the damper housing via a holding element within the lever. This inversion eliminates the need for rotational movement of the damper itself while achieving the same damping effect, thereby reducing installation space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper housing is nested within the lever structure through the holding element arrangement. The holding element is fixed to the lever, and the damper housing is rotationally fixed to this holding element, creating a compact nested configuration that eliminates additional installation space that would be required for external rotational mounting.
2Strength
If eyelets are used to attach dampers to levers, then secure attachment is achieved, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the eyelet component from the damper attachment system. Instead of using separate eyelets to attach the damper housing to the lever, the holding element is directly fixed to the lever and provides the attachment function, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes while maintaining secure attachment.
3Reliability
If linear dampers are coupled to levers across the entire pivoting range, then continuous damping is achieved, but installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing damping only in the specific region where it is most needed - shortly before the closed position. The holding element arrangement allows the damper to be effectively engaged only in the critical closing phase, rather than requiring the damper to be coupled across the entire pivoting range, thus reducing installation space requirements.
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
This design achieves improved damping performance while minimizing space requirements and simplifying assembly, effectively braking heavy door weights like those found in refrigerators, with adjustable damping forces and reduced complexity in production and installation.
Implementation Method 1
the hinge part is pretensioned in the closing direction by a spring in a tightening region
Implementation Method 2
at least one linear damper is provided with a damper housing and a piston rod that can be displaced relative to the damper housing, which decelerates a closing movement of the hinge part before reaching the closed position
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A multi-joint hinge (1), more particularly for a refrigerator, comprises a mounting element (2), which can be fastened to a body, and a hinge part (3), which can be fastened to a door and which is retained on the mounting element (2), for pivoting between a closed position and a maximal open position, by means of a joint mechanism having a plurality of articulatedly connected levers (4, 5, 6, 7), wherein, in a draw-in range, the hinge part (3) is preloaded in the closing direction by means of a spring (10), and wherein at least one linear damper (30) is provided, which has a damper housing (31) and a piston rod (32) translatable relative to the damper housing (31), which damper housing and piston rod brake a closing movement of the hinge part (3) before the closed position is reached. The damper housing (31) of the at least one linear damper (30) is rotationally fixed within a lever (4) by means of a retaining element (33), and the retaining element (33) is fixed on a lever (4) of the joint mechanism. The piston rod (32) can be inserted into the damper housing (31) by means of an actuation element (14), which is disposed on an additional lever (7) of the joint mechanism.