Hinge bracket assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320176-B2
Application number	US-202418639095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2024
Priority date	May 21, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A hinge bracket assembly includes an appliance wrapper defining a first receiving space extending in a first direction, a second receiving space extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third receiving space extending in a third direction oriented at an acute angle relative to the first direction. An anchor plate is engaged with the appliance wrapper and includes a retention member received by the first receiving space, a first flange received by the second receiving space, and a second flange received by the third receiving space. A hinge plate is coupled with the anchor plate and includes a protrusion received by a slot defined by the retention member. The appliance wrapper is positioned between the anchor and hinge plates. A locking arm is selectively engaged with the anchor and hinge plates and is rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an appliance, comprising:
defining first, second, and third receiving spaces within a top wall of an appliance wrapper;
positioning a retention member of an anchor plate within the first receiving space;
positioning a first flange of the anchor plate within the second receiving space;
positioning a second flange of the anchor plate within the third receiving space;
inserting a fastener through an aperture defined by the top wall and through a through-hole defined by the anchor plate;
coupling an insulation material with the appliance wrapper to at least partially cover the anchor plate;
removing the fastener from at least one of the aperture and the through-hole;
adjusting the anchor plate so that the anchor plate is free to float between the insulation material and the top wall of the appliance wrapper as allowed by the first, second, and third receiving spaces;
adjusting the anchor plate in one of first, second, and third directions to reach a design position, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction is oriented diagonally relative to each of the first and second directions; and
reinserting the fastener to couple the anchor plate in the design position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of defining the first, second, and third receiving spaces includes defining the first, second, and third receiving spaces to be oversized relative to the retention member and first and second flanges.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of defining the first, second, and third receiving spaces further comprises:
defining the first receiving space to allow a first degree of movement of the retention member in the first direction;
defining the second receiving space to allow a second degree of movement of the first flange in the second direction; and
defining the third receiving space to allow a third degree of movement of the second flange in the third direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
coupling a hinge plate with the anchor plate; and
coupling a locking arm with the anchor plate and the hinge plate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein coupling the hinge plate with the anchor plate includes inserting a protrusion of the hinge plate within a space defined by the retention member of the anchor plate.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein inserting the protrusion of the hinge plate within the space defined by the retention member of the anchor plate includes positioning the appliance wrapper between the hinge plate and the anchor plate.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein coupling the locking arm with the anchor plate and the hinge plate further comprises:
inserting the locking arm through a first locking aperture defined by the anchor plate;
inserting the locking arm through a second locking aperture defined by the hinge plate; and
inserting the locking arm through a third locking aperture defined by the top wall of the appliance wrapper.

8. A method of manufacturing an appliance, comprising:
defining at least one receiving space within a top wall of an appliance wrapper;
engaging a flange of an anchor plate with the at least one receiving space;
coupling a hinge plate with the anchor plate;
adjusting the anchor plate within the at least one receiving space until the hinge plate aligns a door with an appliance cabinet;
inserting a locking arm through a first aperture defined by the anchor plate;
inserting the locking arm through a second aperture defined by the hinge plate; and
inserting the locking arm through a third aperture defined by the top wall of the appliance wrapper; and
coupling the locking arm with the anchor plate and the hinge plate, wherein the locking arm couples the hinge plate with the anchor plate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of defining the at least one receiving space within the top wall of the appliance wrapper further comprises:
defining a first receiving space extending in a first direction;
defining a second receiving space extending in a second direction, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and
defining a third receiving space extending in a third direction.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein defining the third receiving space extending in the third direction includes orienting the third direction to define an angle relative to the first direction, and further wherein the angle is about 60 degrees.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
defining the first receiving space to allow a first degree of movement of the anchor plate in the first direction;
defining the second receiving space to allow a second degree of movement of the anchor plate in the second direction; and
defining the third receiving space to allow a third degree of movement of the anchor plate in the third direction.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
inserting a fastener to fixedly couple the anchor plate to the top wall of the appliance wrapper.

13. A method of attaching a door hinge to an appliance cabinet, comprising:
engaging a flange of an anchor plate with a first receiving space of a wall of an appliance wrapper;
disposing a hinge plate proximate the anchor plate to align a hinge guide relative to the appliance wrapper, wherein the hinge guide is configured to receive a hinge of an appliance door;
inserting a first end of a locking arm through a locking aperture to define an unlocked position of the locking arm, wherein the locking aperture is defined by each of the anchor plate, the wall of the appliance wrapper, and the hinge plate;
moving the locking arm within the locking aperture from the unlocked position and toward a locked position; and
coupling a second end of the locking arm with a retention member of the anchor plate to define the locked position, wherein the retention member extends from a body portion of the anchor plate and through the wall of the appliance wrapper and the hinge plate, wherein at least the hinge plate is secured to the wall of the appliance wrapper by engagement of the locking arm with the anchor plate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of engaging the flange of the anchor plate with the first receiving space includes:
temporarily attaching the anchor plate to the wall of the appliance wrapper via a fastener
disposing an insulation material into an insulation space defined by the appliance wrapper, wherein the insulation material biases the anchor plate against the wall of the appliance wrapper; and
removing the fastener.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the anchor plate is disposed within an insulating cavity that is partially defined by the appliance wrapper.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the locking aperture includes an angled edge that aligns the locking arm in the unlocked position.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the wall of the appliance wrapper is disposed between the anchor plate and the hinge plate.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the locking aperture includes a first locking aperture of the anchor plate, a second locking aperture of the hinge plate and a third locking aperture of the wall of the appliance wrapper, the step of inserting the first end of the locking arm through the locking aperture comprises:
inserting the first end of the locking arm through the second locking aperture;
inserting the first end of the locking arm through the third locking aperture; and
inserting the locking arm through the

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Pavnick Ian
• Post Ryan M
• Richards Michael S
• Rotter Chad J

Classifications

• E05D7/123

  specially adapted for cabinets or furniture · CPC title

• B21D53/40

  hinges, e.g. door hinge plates · CPC title

• Y10T29/4995

  Nonthreaded · CPC title

• Y10T29/24

  Hinge making or assembling · CPC title

• E05D11/06

  Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges · CPC title