Plastic top hinge for refrigerator

A top hinge for a refrigerator cabinet door comprising:

• an elongated hinge body formed of molded plastic having a generally planar top surface, a generally planar bottom surface and a perimeter wall extending for a height substantially perpendicularly from said bottom surface and extending substantially around an entirety of a perimeter of said bottom surface defining an interior of said top hinge being enclosed by said perimeter wall,
• a plastic hinge pin extending substantially perpendicularly from said bottom surface, parallel to but beyond said height of said perimeter wall and being located towards one end of said hinge body, and being molded integrally and simultaneously with said hinge body,
• one or more points of attachment formed on said hinge body towards an opposite end of said hinge body from said hinge pin and within said interior of said top hinge defined by said perimeter wall, said points of attachment defining a geometric center of attachment,
• an axis of twist passing through a center of said hinge pin and said center of attachment, a plurality of first ribs parallel to each other and a plurality of second ribs parallel to each other, said ribs extending substantially perpendicularly from said bottom surface of said hinge body, with each of said ribs having at least one end in engagement with said perimeter wall along at least a portion of said height,
• said first ribs and said second ribs extending along a length of said bottom surface at an oblique angle relative to said axis of twist, said first ribs and said second ribs intersecting each other and diverging from each other by an angle of at least about 60 degrees,
• a lateral rib extending perpendicular to said axis of twist and engaging at each end with said perimeter wall and extending along at least a portion of said height, at least one of said first ribs and at least one of said second ribs engaging at one end with said lateral rib at a point on said lateral rib spaced from said perimeter wall, and
• a longitudinal rib extending along said axis of twist and engaging at at least one end with said perimeter wall and extending along at least a portion of said height, and having a second end, at least one of said first ribs and at least one of said second ribs intersecting with said longitudinal rib at a point on said longitudinal rib spaced from said ends of said longitudinal rib.

A top hinge for a refrigerator cabinet door comprising:

• a hinge body formed of molded plastic having a substantially planar top surface and a substantially planar bottom surface with a perimeter wall extending for a height substantially perpendicularly from said bottom surface and extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of said bottom surface defining a substantially open interior of said top hinge being enclosed by said perimeter wall,
• a hinge pin extending substantially perpendicularly from said bottom surface, parallel to but beyond said height of said perimeter wall and being located at a first area of said hinge body, and being molded integrally and simultaneously with said hinge body,
• a plurality of points of attachment formed on said hinge body at a second area spaced from said first area and within said interior of said top hinge defined by said perimeter wall, said points of attachment defining a geometric center of attachment,
• an axis of twist passing through a center of said hinge pin and said center of attachment, and
• a plurality of first ribs parallel to each other and a plurality of second ribs parallel to each other, all extending substantially perpendicularly from said bottom surface of said hinge body within said substantially open interior and extending along a length of said bottom surface at an angle of between about 30 degrees and 60 degrees relative to said axis of twist, said first ribs and said second ribs intersecting each other and engaging at least at one end with said perimeter wall along at least a portion of said height.