Low profile adjustable soft close hinge apparatus
AssigneeHardware Resources, Inc.
InventorsRachel Cooper, Dennis McGregor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a low profile, adjustable, soft close hinge comprised of a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body via a hinge arm and a hinge link in a four-bar linkage arrangement. A spring biases the hinge to a closed position. The hinge body is adjustably connected to an inner frame with an overlay adjustment screw and depth adjustment cam. The inner frame releasably connects the hinge body to a mounting plate. A stop bracket is adjustably and slidably connected to the hinge body by a helical cam. The adjustable position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body determines the point at which the damping functionality of a damper begins during a hinge closing movement. A linkage sub-assembly pivotally connects the damper to the hinge link.
Claims17
An adjustable soft close hinge comprising:
- a hinge cup and a hinge body;
- a hinge arm connecting the hinge cup and the hinge body;
- a hinge link connecting the hinge cup and the hinge body;
- wherein the hinge cup, hinge body, hinge arm and hinge link form a 4-bar linkage arrangement biased by a spring;
- an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;
- a linkage sub-assembly connecting the hinge link to a damper, the damper having a damping function;
- a stop bracket adjustably connected to the hinge body and receiving one end of the damper;
- a helical cam seated in the hinge body and engaged with the stop bracket;
- a groove in the helical cam;
- a protrusion extending from the stop bracket and engaging the groove;
- and,
- wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the protrusion moves through the length of the groove to adjust a longitudinal position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body such that a start point of the damping function is adjusted.
A low profile hinge comprising:
- a hinge body having a generally U-shaped cross section comprised of an upper surface and a first side and a second side, where a damper pin is attached to the first side and the second side;
- an inner frame, adjustably connected to the hinge body by an overlay adjustment screw threadably engaged with the upper surface and a depth adjustment cam rotatable within the upper surface, where the damper pin passes through the inner frame;
- the hinge body pivotally connected to a hinge cup by a hinge arm and biased by a spring;
- the hinge body pivotally connected to the hinge cup by a hinge link, where the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates;
- a stop bracket adjustably connected to the hinge body by a helical cam rotatable within the upper surface;
- a groove in the helical cam;
- a protrusion extending from the stop bracket and engaging the groove;
- and
- a damper having a damping function, the damper slidable within the stop bracket and pivotally connected to the hinge link;
- and,
- wherein as the hinge moves from an open position to a closed position, the damper pin abuts the stop bracket and
- wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the protrusion moves through the length of the groove to adjust a longitudinal position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body such that a start point of the damping function is adjusted.
A method of adjusting a damping function of a soft close hinge comprising:
- providing a hinge cup and a hinge body;
- providing a hinge arm connecting the hinge cup and the hinge body;
- providing a hinge link connecting the hinge cup and the hinge body;
- wherein the hinge cup, hinge body, hinge arm and hinge link form a 4-bar linkage arrangement biased by a spring;
- providing a damper connected to the hinge link, the damper having a damping function;
- providing a stop bracket adjustably connected to the hinge body, the stop bracket receiving one end of the damper;
- providing a helical cam seated in the hinge body and engaged with the stop bracket;
- providing a groove in the helical cam;
- providing a protrusion extending from the stop bracket and engaging the groove;
- and
- rotating the helical cam;
- wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the protrusion moves through the length of the groove to adjust a longitudinal position of the stop bracket relative to the hinge body such that a start point of the damping function is adjusted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.