Compact hinge apparatus and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10745954-B2
Application number	US-201816042859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2018
Priority date	Jun 23, 2016
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is a silent, soft-close compact hinge comprising of a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body via a hinge arm. A set of coil springs biases the hinge to a closed position. A damping mechanism is removably attached to the hinge cup and acted on by the hinge arm. A set of spring sleeves are fitted to the coil springs to insulate the movement of the coil springs on the hinge arm providing the closing bias. The hinge body is comprised of three separate plates adjustably connected to each other with cam screws. The position of the hinge body with respect to the hinge arm is adjustable in three directions without the need for removal or loosening of mounting hardware used to attach the hinge body to a furniture piece.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A soft-close hinge for pivotally connecting a cabinet door to a cabinet frame comprising:
a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge arm, the hinge cup having a first side wall and a second side wall defining an interior;
at least one tab extending from the first side wall into the interior;
a hinge body adjustably connected to the hinge arm;
a damping mechanism removably seated in the interior and anchored by the at least one tab;
a coil spring, having an angular cross-section and connected to at least one side wall of the pair of side walls, biasing the hinge cup toward the hinge arm; and,
wherein a position of the hinge arm relative to the cabinet frame is adjustable in a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction.

2. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge body further comprises:
an overlay plate adjustably connected to the hinge arm;
an adjustment plate adjustably connected to the overlay plate; and,
a mounting plate adjustably connected to the adjustment plate.

3. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the coil spring further comprises:
a curved leg extending from a coil section and restrained by at least one side wall of the pair of side walls;
a straight leg extending from the coil section; and,
a spring sleeve connected to the coil section and encasing the straight leg.

4. The soft-close hinge of claim 3 wherein the spring sleeve further comprises:
an attachment portion extending from a stabilizing portion, attached to the coil spring;
an insulating portion extending from the stabilizing portion; and,
wherein the insulating portion encases the coil spring.

5. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
wherein the coil spring has a curved leg extending from a coil section and a straight leg extending from the coil section, the curved leg connected to at least one side wall of the pair of side walls;
wherein a spring sleeve has an attachment portion extending from a stabilizing portion and an insulating portion extending from the stabilizing portion, the attachment portion attached to the coil section; and,
wherein the insulating portion encases the straight leg.

6. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge body further comprises:
an overlay plate adjustably connected to the hinge arm by an overlay cam screw;
an adjustment plate adjustably connected to the overlay plate by a depth cam screw;
a mounting plate adjustably connected to the adjustment plate by a vertical cam screw;
wherein rotation of the overlay cam screw causes the first direction to be a horizontal direction;
wherein rotation of the depth cam screw causes the second direction to be a depth direction; and,
wherein rotation of the vertical cam screw causes the second direction to be a vertical direction.

7. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge body further comprises:
an overlay plate having a first planar surface aligned with a second planar surface and a third planar surface;
an access opening in the first planar surface, the second planar surface, and the third planar surface;
a depth adjustment slot in the first planar surface;
an adjustment plate connected to the overlay plate at the first planar surface by a depth cam screw; and,
a mounting plate connected to the adjustment plate.

8. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge body further comprises:
an overlay plate, having an overlay hole and a depth slot, connected to the hinge arm by an overlay cam screw rotatable in the overlay hole;
an adjustment plate, having a depth hole and a vertical slot, connected to the overlay plate by a depth cam screw rotatable in the depth slot and the depth hole;
a mounting plate, having a vertical hole, connected to the adjustment plate by a vertical cam screw rotatable in the vertical slot and the vertical hole;
wherein rotation of the overlay cam screw adjusts the position of the hinge arm relative to the cabinet frame in a horizontal direction;
wherein rotation of the depth cam screw adjusts the position of the hinge arm relative to the cabinet frame in a depth direction; and,
wherein rotation of the vertical cam screw adjusts the position of the hinge arm relative to the cabinet frame in a vertical direction.

9. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the damping mechanism further comprises:
a housing abutting the at least one tab; and,
a cylinder, adjacent the hinge arm and the hinge cup, slidably engaged with the housing.

10. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the damping mechanism further comprises:
a housing having a first arm and a second arm extending from a base, the first arm and the second arm defining an opening and the base releasably engaged with each tab; and,
a fluid filled cylinder slidably engaged with the housing between the first arm and the second arm and extending through the opening to abut the hinge arm and extending through the base to abut the hinge cup.

11. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge arm further comprises:
a first end having a cylindrical sleeve connected between a set of curved cam portions;
a second end having a first set of flanges;
the hinge body having a second set of flanges;
the first set of flanges slidably engaged with the second set of flanges; and,
a spring sleeve abuts at least one cam portion of the set of curved cam portions.

12. The soft-close hinge of claim 1 wherein:
the hinge cup is configured to be mounted to the cabinet door;
the hinge body is configured to be mounted to the cabinet frame with a wood screw; and,
the adjustment of the position of the hinge arm relative to the cabinet frame is accomplished without loosening the wood screw.

13. A method of damping the closing movement of a compact hinge having a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge arm, an overlay plate connected to the hinge arm by an overlay screw, an adjustable plate connected to the overlay plate by a depth cam screw, a mounting plate connected to the adjustable plate by a vertical cam screw, a housing abutting at least one tab extending from the hinge cup, a damping cylinder slidably engaged with the housing and adjacent the hinge arm, a coil spring attached to the hinge cup biasing the hinge cup toward the hinge arm, and a spring sleeve encasing the coil spring comprising:
providing a closing force to the compact hinge to begin the closing movement;
abutting the cylinder with the hinge arm;
moving the cylinder through the housing;
pressing the spring sleeve on the hinge arm; and,
whereby a closing speed of the compact hinge is controlled.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the hinge arm further includes a set of cam portions and the method further comprises the step of:
biasing the spring sleeve toward at least one cam portion of the set of cam portions.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
rotating the vertical cam screw to adjust a vertical position of the hinge arm relative to the mounting plate.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
rotating the depth cam screw to adjust a depth position of the hinge arm relative to the mounting plate.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
rotating the overlay cam screw to adjust a horizontal position of the hinge arm relative to the mounting plate.

18. A compact, soft-close hinge for pivotally connecting a cabinet door to a cabinet frame comprising:
a hinge cup defining an interior and having a tab extending into the interior, the hinge cup connected to a hinge arm;
an overlay

Assignees

• Hardware Resources Inc

Inventors

• Mcgregor Dennis
• Mcelveen Travis

Classifications

• E05Y2800/268

  cylindrical; disc-shaped; circular · CPC title

• E05D3/02 Primary

  with one pin · CPC title

• E05Y2201/638

  Cams; Ramps · CPC title

• E05F5/006

  for hinges having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture · CPC title

• E05D2007/0492

  in three directions · CPC title