Low profile adjustable soft close hinge apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9617773-B2
Application number	US-201514923001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adjustable soft close hinge comprising:
a hinge cup connected to a hinge body by a hinge arm and a hinge link;
a damper, having a damping function, comprising a first end pivotally connected to the hinge link;
a stop bracket adjustably connected to the hinge body and receiving a second end of the damper;
a helical cam, seated in the hinge body, comprising a groove;
a protrusion extending from the stop bracket and engaging the groove; and,
wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the protrusion moves through 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.

2. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;
an overlay adjustment screw threadably attached to the hinge body and slidably attached to the inner frame; and,
wherein upon rotation of the overlay adjustment screw, a relative distance between the hinge body and the inner frame is altered.

3. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;
a depth adjustment cam seated in and rotatable within the hinge body and rotatably connected to the inner frame; and,
wherein upon rotation of the depth adjustment cam, a longitudinal position of the hinge body relative to the inner frame is altered.

4. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.

5. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
a peak on the hinge link;
a spring arm, extending from the spring, adjacent the hinge body;
a spring brace, extending from the spring, contacting the peak; and,
wherein during a closing movement of the hinge, the spring brace maintains contact with the peak.

6. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 5 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.

7. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
a linkage sub-assembly comprising a pivot link and a connecting link;
the pivot link connecting the damper and the connecting link; and
the connecting link connecting the pivot link and the hinge link.

8. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
a first spacer adjacent the hinge link a id the hinge body and a second spacer adjacent the hinge link and the hinge body.

9. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the helical cam further comprises:
a lip section adjacent the hinge body;
a base section adjacent the lip section and seated within the hinge body;
a neck section adjacent the base section and extending from the hinge body;
a head section adjacent the neck section;
a post extending from the lip section and slidably engaging the stop bracket; and,
wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the stop bracket moves longitudinally relative to the hinge body.

10. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
the damper pivotally connected to the hinge body by a pin;
a slot on the stop bracket, having an open end and a closed end, where the pin is slidably engaged with the slot; and,
wherein the damping function begins when the pin abuts the closed end.

11. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 10 wherein a longitudinal position of the closed end is altered by rotation of the helical cam.

12. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge cup, the hinge body, the hinge arm, and the hinge link form a 4-bar linkage arrangement biased by a spring.

13. A low profile, soft close hinge comprising:
a 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;
an inner frame adjustably connected to the hinge body;
a stop bracket adjustably connected to the hinge body by a helical cam;
a groove in the helical cam;
a protrusion extending from the stop bracket and engaging the groove;
a damper, having a damping function, slidable within the stop bracket;
the damper pivotally connected to the hinge link and slidably connected to the hinge body; and,
wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the protrusion moves through the groove to adjust a longitudinal position of the stop bracket relative to the lunge body such that a start poll of the damping function is adjusted.

14. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:
a damper pin slidable within a slot in the hinge body;
wherein as the hinge moves from an open position to a closed position, the damper pin abuts the stop bracket.

15. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.

16. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:
a peak on the hinge link;
a spring arm, extending from the spring, adjacent the hinge body;
a spring brace, extending from the spring, contacting the peak; and,
wherein during a closing movement of the hinge, the spring brace maintains contact with the peak.

17. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:
an overlay adjustment screw engaged with the hinge body and slidably attached to the inner frame; and
wherein upon rotation of the overlay adjustment screw, a relative distance between the hinge body and the inner frame is altered.

18. The low profile, soft close hinge of claim 13 further comprising:
a depth adjustment cam seated in the hinge body and rotatably connected to the inner frame; and,
wherein upon rotation of the depth adjustment cam, a longitudinal position of the hinge body relative to the inner frame is altered.

19. A method of adjusting the damping function of a soft close hinge comprising:
providing a hinge body pivotally connected to a hinge cup by a hinge arm and a hinge link and biased by a spring;
providing a stop bracket slidable relative to the hinge body;
providing a damper having a damping function slidable within the stop bracket and pivotably connected to the hinge link;
providing a helical cam rotatable within the hinge body and slidably connected to the stop bracket;
providing a groove in the helical cam and a protrusion extending from the stop bracket engaging the groove;
rotating the helical cam; and
wherein upon rotation of the helical cam, the protrusion moves through 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.

Assignees

• Hardware Resources Inc

Inventors

• Cooper Rachel
• Mcgregor Dennis

Classifications

• E05D3/142

  with at least one of the hinge parts having a cup-shaped fixing part, e.g. for attachment to cabinets or furniture (E05D11/1021 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05D7/0407

  the hinges having two or more pins and being specially adapted for cabinets or furniture · CPC title

• E05Y2800/00

  Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• E05F5/006 Primary

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

• E05D7/123

  specially adapted for cabinets or furniture · CPC title