Slow open hinge assembly

A hinge assembly for an associated appliance door, said hinge assembly comprising:

• an arm;
• a channel comprising an inner end pivotally connected to the arm at a first pivot location by a first pivot fastener and an outer end spaced from said inner end, said channel and arm adapted to pivot relative to each other about a first pivot axis between a first position that corresponds to a closed position of the associated appliance door and a second position that corresponds to an opened position of the associated appliance door, wherein said channel and arm pivot relative to each other through upper and lower intermediate positions located between the first and second positions when the channel and arm pivot between the first and second positions;
• a slide link located adjacent the channel and comprising a slide link inner end and a slide link outer end spaced from said slide link inner end, said slide link inner end pivotally connected to the arm at a second pivot location by a second pivot fastener that is offset from said first pivot axis such that relative pivoting movement between said channel and said arm about said first pivot axis results in:
• (i) pivoting movement of the slide link about a second pivot axis that is offset from said first pivot axis;
• and (ii) sliding movement of the slide link relative to the channel;
• a fluid damped spring rod assembly operably engaged with said channel and comprising a spring-biased piston rod assembly operably engaged with said slide link, wherein said fluid damped spring rod assembly damps movement of said channel from said lower intermediate position toward said second position;
• wherein said inner end of said slide link is pivotally connected to said arm at said second pivot location by said second pivot fastener and wherein the outer end of said slide link is connected to said piston rod assembly by a cross-pin engaged with an outer end of a piston rod of said piston rod assembly:
• wherein said outer end of said slide link comprises a slot in which said cross-pin is located, wherein said cross-pin is configured to move within the slot to accommodate misalignment between the outer end of the slide link and the piston rod.