# US 11,078,701 B2 · Linear hinge for an appliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,701 B2 - Document ID: US11078701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/239,715 - Filed: 2019-01-04 - Published: 2020-07-09 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-04 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Bart Andrew Nuss - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078701B2 ## CPC - E05D 3/06: with two or more pins (E05D7/08 takes precedence) - E05D 7/043: {by means of dowel attachments} - F25D 23/028: {Details} - E05Y 2900/31: for refrigerators - F25D 2323/024: Door hinges - E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00) - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract An appliance includes a linear hinge that couples a door to a cabinet. The linear hinge includes a bearing and an elongated shaft received within the bearing such that the elongated shaft is slidable along a translation axis. A distal end portion of the elongated shaft is rotatably connected to the door such that the door is rotatable about a rotation axis that extends through the distal end portion of the elongated shaft. A first linkage arm is rotatably connected to the bearing. A second linkage arm is rotatably connected to the elongated shaft and to the first linkage arm. The distal end portion of the elongated shaft is spaced from the bearing by a gap along the translation axis when the door is closed, and a sum of a length of the first linkage arm and a length of the second linkage arm is greater than the gap. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An appliance, comprising: a cabinet; a door; a linear hinge coupling the door to the cabinet, the linear hinge comprising a bearing mounted to the cabinet; an elongated shaft received within the bearing such that the elongated shaft is slidable along a translation axis on the bearing, a distal end portion of the elongated shaft rotatably connected to the door such that the door is rotatable about a rotation axis that extends through the distal end portion of the elongated shaft; a pair of linkage arms, a first linkage arm of the pair of linkage arms rotatably connected to the bearing such that a first end portion of the first linkage arm is positioned at the bearing, a second linkage arm of the pair of linkage arms rotatably connected to the elongated shaft such that a first end portion of the second linkage arm is positioned at the distal end portion of the elongated shaft, the first linkage arm rotatably connected to the second linkage arm such that a second end portion of the first linkage arm is positioned at a second end portion of the second linkage arm, wherein the first linkage arm defines a length between the first and second end portions of the first linkage arm, and the second linkage arm defines a length between the first and second end portions of the second linkage arm, and wherein the distal end portion of the elongated shaft is spaced from the bearing by a gap along the translation axis when the door is closed, and a sum of the length of the first linkage arm and the length of the second linkage arm is greater than the gap. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the length of the second linkage arm is oriented perpendicular to the translation axis when the door is closed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the length of the first linkage arm is greater than the length of the second linkage arm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The appliance of claim 3, wherein the length of the first linkage arm is no less than fifty percent greater than the length of the second linkage arm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft comprises a post at the distal end portion of the elongated shaft that extends along the rotation axis, the door is rotatably connected to the post at one end of the post, and the second linkage arm is rotatably connected to the post at the opposite end of the post. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pinch guard positioned over a portion of the elongated shaft between the bearing and the distal end portion of the elongated shaft when the door is closed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The appliance of claim 6, wherein the pinch guard has a circular segment shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The appliance of claim 7, wherein the first linkage arm is a single piece of metal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft defines a slot that extends along the translation axis, and the bearing comprises a guide positioned within the slot and configured to prevent rotation of the elongated shaft on the bearing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the second end portion of the first linkage arm and the second end portion of the second linkage arm are positioned no more than a quarter of an inch from a side of the door when the door is closed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the length of the first linkage arm and the length of the second linkage arm are selected such that the door translates along the translation axis as the door rotates from a closed position towards an open position. ### Claim 12 An appliance, comprising: a cabinet; a door; a linear hinge coupling the door to the cabinet, the linear hinge comprising a bearing mounted to the cabinet; an elongated shaft received within the bearing such that the elongated shaft is slidable along a translation axis on the bearing, a distal end portion of the elongated shaft rotatably connected to the door such that the door is rotatable about a rotation axis that extends through the distal end portion of the elongated shaft; a pair of linkage arms, a first linkage arm of the pair of linkage arms rotatably connected to the bearing such that a first end portion of the first linkage arm is positioned at the bearing, a second linkage arm of the pair of linkage arms rotatably connected to the elongated shaft such that a first end portion of the second linkage arm is positioned at the distal end portion of the elongated shaft, the first linkage arm rotatably connected to the second linkage arm such that a second end portion of the first linkage arm is positioned at a second end portion of the second linkage arm, wherein the first linkage arm defines a length between the first and second end portions of the first linkage arm, the second linkage arm defines a length between the first and second end portions of the second linkage arm, and the length of the second linkage arm is oriented perpendicular to the translation axis when the door is closed, and wherein the distal end portion of the elongated shaft is spaced from the bearing by a gap along the translation axis when the door is closed, and a sum of the length of the first linkage arm and the length of the second linkage arm is greater than the gap, and wherein the length of the first linkage arm is greater than the length of the second linkage arm, and the length of the first linkage arm and the length of the second linkage arm are selected such that the door translates along the translation axis as the door rotates from a closed position towards an open position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The appliance of claim 12, wherein the length of the first linkage arm is no less than fifty percent greater than the length of the second linkage arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The appliance of claim 12, wherein the elongated shaft comprises a post at the distal end portion of the elongated shaft that extends along the rotation axis, the door is rotatably connected to the post at one end of the post, and the second linkage arm is rotatably connected to the post at the opposite end of the post. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The appliance of claim 12, wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pinch guard positioned over a portion of the elongated shaft between the bearing and the distal end portion of the elongated shaft when the door is closed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The appliance of claim 15, wherein the pinch guard has a circular segment shape, and the first linkage arm is a single piece of metal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The appliance of claim 12, wherein the elongated shaft defines a slot that extends along the translation axis, and the bearing comprises a guide positioned within the slot and configured to prevent rotation of the elongated shaft on the bearing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The appliance of claim 12, wherein the second end portion of the first linkage arm and the second end portion of the second linkage arm are positioned no more than a quarter of an inch from a side of the door when the door is closed.