Low profile adjustable soft close hinge apparatus
View Patent ↗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.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge link is comprised of a plurality of interlocking plates.
4. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 wherein the linkage sub-assembly further comprises:
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.
5. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 4 wherein the connecting link further comprises a pair of links bridged by a brace.
6. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 4 wherein the pivot link is pivotally connected to the damper, the connecting link, and the hinge body.
7. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
a first spacer adjacent the hinge link and the hinge body and a second spacer adjacent the hinge link and the hinge body.
8. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
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.
9. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 1 further comprising:
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.
10. 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 lock ring, adjacent the neck section, connecting the helical cam to the hinge body;
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.
11. 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.
12. The adjustable soft close hinge of claim 11 wherein a longitudinal position of the closed end is altered by rotation of the helical cam.
13. 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.
14. The low profile 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.
15. The low profile hinge of claim 13 further comprising:
a linkage sub assembly pivotally connected to the hinge link and the damper.
16. The low profile hinge of claim 13 further comprising:
an overlay adjustment screw threadably attached to the upper surface and slidably attached to the inner frame;
a depth adjustment cam seated in the upper surface and rotatably connected to the inner frame;
wherein upon rotation of the overlay adjustment screw, a relative distance between the hinge body and the inner frame is altered; and,
wherein upon rotation of the depth adjustment cam, a longitudinal position of the hinge body relative to the inner frame is altered.
17. 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.