Hinges Patents (Class 126/194)
  • Patent number: 12064055
    Abstract: A cooking appliance (100) including: a hollow body (102) having an interior (110) to receive a product to be cooked, the body (102) having an opening (112) via which product to be cooked can be moved relative to the interior (110); a door (114) attached to the body (102) and movable relative thereto between a closed position at which the door (114) closes the opening, and a maximum open position at which the door (114) is spaced from the open position by a maximum predetermined distance; and a latch mechanism (122) operatively associated with the body (102) and the door (114) to at least aid in retaining the door (114) in at least one intermediate position at which the door (114) is spaced from the closed position and the maximum open position, the mechanism (122) including an abutment member (142) fixed to the body (102), and a position defining member (124) attached to the door (114) and the body (102), the position defining member (124) having a plurality of position defining portions including a first por
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: BREVILLE PTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Thorogood, Emma Larkin, Byron Ashley Marsh-Croft, Marian Silviu Rosian, Brendan John Foxlee, Vyvyan Rose, John Chul-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 11629542
    Abstract: Proposed is a door hinge. More particularly, there is provided a door hinge which is conveniently assembled, has a minimized shape, and above all, enables a closing force to be applied to a door so that when the door is opened, high-temperature heat is inhibited from being released from inside an apparatus on which the door hinge is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventor: June Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11377890
    Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance body having a front panel defining a connector slot. A hinge receiver is coupled with the appliance body and has opposing side walls defining a receiving space therebetween. The hinge receiver includes a first striker positioned above a second striker. The first and second strikers are aligned with the connector slot. A hinge arm assembly includes a hinge arm configured to engage with the second striker and a latch cam hingedly coupled with the hinge arm. The latch cam is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and a top surface of the latch cam abuts the first striker in the engaged position. A door is rotatably coupled with the appliance body by the hinge receiver and the hinge assembly and is rotatable about a door axis between open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Rohan Gajananrao Gore, Brian Scott White
  • Patent number: 11371715
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a housing having a cooking chamber and a storage space, which is separate from the cooking chamber. A door is movably arranged on the housing for closing the cooking chamber and for lowering into the storage space in an opened state of the door. A handle is arranged in a fixed location on the door. Movably supported on the door is a guide element which is connected directly to a first end of a retaining spring on the door so as to maintain a coupling position of the guide element on the door. A guide track is mounted in the storage space for guiding the guide element on the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Dankwardt, Kerstin Sickert, Martin Brunner, Thorsten Rausch
  • Patent number: 11261632
    Abstract: A door tensioning system for an oven or other appliance includes a chain and spring assembled as a pull member attached at one end to a door and at an opposite end to a base member of the appliance in a manner maintaining spring-mediated tension between the door and the base/bulk of the appliance. The pull member is routed around a bracket-assembly-mounted pulley, where the bracket assembly includes at least one movable bracket member that is movable with the pulley in a manner that will increase or decrease tension in the pull member by increasing/decreasing its effective length between its ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Middleby Marshall Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Czarnota
  • Patent number: 11203466
    Abstract: A storage box is configured to include a rectangular parallelepiped box-shaped case main body that is opened to a front side and an upper side, a top plate that is assembled to an upper end part of the case main body, and a rectangular frame-shaped frame member is assembled to the front end part of the case main body and the front end part of the top plate. As a result, the rigidity of the front end part of the storage box can be increased by the frame member. In addition, the opening-closing panel is rotatably assembled to the frame member. The opening-closing panel is disposed at the rotation position by being rotated from the closed position to the front side, and by sliding from the rotation position to the rear side the rail portion of the case main body is slid, and then, is disposed at the housing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: IRIS OHYAMA INC.
    Inventors: Susumu Kobayashi, Shuhei Yamashiro
  • Patent number: 11147277
    Abstract: A conveyor tunnel oven incorporating forwardly opening baking case having a rear wall, a longitudinal wall, an oppositely longitudinal wall, an upper wall and a lower wall, the case being further opened by a longitudinal food passage port and an oppositely longitudinal food passage port; a continuous loop conveyor within the baking case, the conveyor extending to the longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal food passage ports; a panel having a forward surface, the panel being fitted for closing the baking case's forward opening; a pair of “L” hooks, each “L” hook including a helically threaded stem and a foot, the hooks positioning the panel over the baking case's forward opening; and a “J” hook having a stem and a tail, the tail having a distal end and a throat engaging the “L” hooks' feet so that the “J” hook's stem overlies the panel's forward surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Kester, Skyler Martinez
  • Patent number: 10961755
    Abstract: An oven having an improved hinge structure of a door, which is capable of preventing deformation of the door and opening a part of a plurality of cooking chambers is provided. The oven includes a main body, a cooking chamber provided inside of the main body, a first door rotatably coupled to the main body by a first hinge unit to open or close the cooking chamber, the first door including a door frame having an opening, at least one reinforcing unit coupled to the door frame, and configured to prevent deformation of the first door, a second door rotatably coupled to the first door, and configured to open or close the opening, and a second hinge unit configured to enable the second door to be rotatably coupled to the first door, and including a hinge shaft positioned behind a front surface of the first door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Jin Oh, Eun-Oh Kim, Tae Youl Lee, Geun Yong Park
  • Patent number: 10959437
    Abstract: A conveyor oven including a baking case having front, longitudinal, and oppositely longitudinal walls, the baking case having longitudinal, oppositely longitudinal, and front ports wherein the front port has a longitudinal end and a rectangular periphery; a conveyor extending through the baking case; a mounting land extending along the front port's periphery; a conveyor access door fitted for covering the front port; a first pin and socket hinge operatively interconnecting the front wall and the longitudinal end of the conveyor access door, the hinge's socket having a rearward opening and further opening oppositely longitudinally; the oven further including a deformable seal positioned between the conveyor access door and the land, the seal being adapted for, upon positioning of the pin at the rearward opening, forwardly biasing the door and the pin, and forwardly seating said pin within the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Wolfe Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent W. Staver, Timothy P. Gile
  • Patent number: 10948194
    Abstract: An oven appliance includes a cabinet and a chamber defined within the cabinet for receipt of food items for cooking. A door is rotatably mounted to the cabinet by a hinge. The oven appliance also includes a first cable extending within the cabinet and a second cable extending within the door. The hinge includes a door removal bracket which is movable between a locked position where the door is locked to the cabinet by the hinge and an unlocked position where the door is removable from the cabinet. The door removal bracket is connected to one of the first cable and the second cable such that the first cable and the second cable are disconnected by moving the door removal bracket from the locked position to the unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony E. Kendall
  • Patent number: 10948195
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a housing having a stowage compartment, a door for closing a cooking chamber, and a door opening mechanism constructed to automatically move the door at least in a section of an entire movement path between a closed position and an open position of the door, in which open position the door is retractable into the stowage compartment of the housing. The door opening mechanism includes an actuation unit which is configured to automatically tilt the door from the closed position into an intermediate position located such that any further movement of the door from the intermediate position into the open position is implemented automatically under the force of gravity of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Grobleben, Tobias Schmidt, Thomas Rembold
  • Patent number: 10731865
    Abstract: A domestic appliance, such as a double oven range, incorporates a door having a bottom end portion which, when shifted between closed and opened positions, both pivots and vertically shifts relative to a frame body of the appliance through at least a connecting rod, push rod and pivot arm of a hinge mechanism. Due to a combined pivoting and lifting action of the door, minimal to no clearance is required between the bottom end portion and adjacent structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Tushar Jadhav, Sachin Kadus, Sachin Karade, Atul Nalawade
  • Patent number: 10655376
    Abstract: A dishwasher comprising a cabinet, a door, and a counterbalance assembly coupling the cabinet to the door. The counterbalance assembly has a guide member with a rotatable pulley with a fixed radius and a cam affixed to one side of the pulley and having a varying radius. The cam and the pulley rotate about a pulley axis of rotation as a single unit. The counterbalance has a force applicator that applies a counterbalance force to one of the pulley or cam, and the counterbalance has a connector that couples the other of the pulley or cam to the door. The counterbalance force applies a varying counterbalance torque to the door that is a function of the ratio between the fixed radius and the varying radius over the pivotal range of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Zachary J. Saylor
  • Patent number: 10502431
    Abstract: An oven and a door assembly are provided. The oven includes a casing, a cooking chamber located inside the casing and having a shape with an open front, and a door assembly having an inner space therein and configured to close and open the open front of the cooking chamber. The door assembly includes a handle member, a shielding member located between the inner plate and a rear side of the door assembly and configured to shield an air flow, an inlet formed in a bottom of the door assembly and configured to allow an inflow of air from outside of the door into the inner space, and an outlet located on top of the door assembly at the rear of the handle member and configured to provide a space to allow air to move outside the door assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dong Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10487549
    Abstract: A hinge used for being installed between a door leaf and a door frame or between a sash and a window frame (7). The hinge includes a gear and rack unit and an inclined draw bar (1). The gear and rack unit is installed on the door frame or window frame (7). A gear (5) is rotatably installed on the door frame or window frame (7). A rack is located on one side of the gear (5). The gear (5) is meshed with the rack. A gear installation portion (51) is arranged on one side of the gear (5). Both ends of the inclined draw bar (1) are installed on the door leaf and door frame or the sash and window frame (7) respectively. According to the present invention, the problem that the existing hinge is unreasonably stressed and prone to damage is effectively solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Inventor: Hai Fu
  • Patent number: 10413124
    Abstract: A charcoal-fueled barbecue grill and smoker includes a duct system with “volcanoes” on the inside of the lower grill chamber that match holes in a tube fitted to the lower grill chamber, such that a turning of the tube provides precise venting and temperature control during cooking. A rear stabilizer attached to the lower grill chamber allows the grill to be used either with or without a stand, preventing the grill from toppling over when the lid is opened. The grill may include one or more removable shelves. An ash evacuation system includes a frusto-conical ash bucket that attaches at a hole in the lower grill chamber and held in place by the rear stabilizer using an ash bucket hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Portable Kitchens, Inc.
    Inventors: David Morelock, Brian Taylor, Jeff Humiston, Scott Moody, Paul James, Martha James
  • Patent number: 10301866
    Abstract: Hinge, in particular for an oven, with a housing on which a lever arm is stored in a swingable manner, and is activated by a driving gear. In an improved hinge of this type, the driving gear is connected to a tappet, which is connected to exert pressure on the lever arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Apparatebau Gronbach GmbH
    Inventors: Massimiliano Margonari, Gerold Meurer
  • Patent number: 10278240
    Abstract: A cooking appliance including a body includes a cooking compartment and an electrical component compartment formed therein, a door link-coupled with the body to open and/or close the cooking compartment, a door moving unit including a link member which connects the door with the body to allow the door to pivot upward and downward in front of the cooking compartment, and a cover unit which prevents the electrical component compartment in the body from being exposed by a movement of the link member. Here, the body includes a link moving portion formed on a front side to allow the link member to move into or out of the body, and the cover unit is configured to shield the link moving portion when the door is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyung Kwen Ham, Nam Soo Park, Jea Won Lee
  • Patent number: 10234146
    Abstract: Provided is a door for a cooking appliance, such as an oven range, with multiple spaced apart glass panels. An interlocking mechanism promotes a proper installation of the glass panels, and interferes with the installation of the glass panels or with operation of the appliance if at least one of the panels is not properly installed. A switch with a plunger can be installed in the door, which allows the appliance to operate only when a failsafe electrical circuit is closed corresponding to a selected position of the plunger when the door is closed. The plunger is prevented from retaining that selected position if at least one of the glass panels is improperly installed or if a top cap is not properly seated or installed above the glass panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Thomas Phillips, Brian Martin, Steven Baas
  • Patent number: 10214950
    Abstract: A poly axial hinge comprising a mounting plate, a first arm pivotally coupled to a panel mounting element, a second arm pivotally coupled in an scissoring manner with the first arm by a main pivot, and a third arm pivotally coupled to the second arm at a location part way between a first end of said second arm and the main pivot. The mounting plate includes at least one rigidly fixed first gear, and the third arm includes gear teeth directly or indirectly coupled together with the fixed gear, such that rotation of the second arm with respect to said mounting plate causes rotation of the first arm with respect to the second arm, thereby driving the poly axle hinge open and/or closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: MANFRED FRANK PATENT HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventor: Manfred Johannes Frank
  • Patent number: 9834926
    Abstract: In a partition system partitions there are two or more doors, positioned in a common plane. Adjacent doors have angled sides that meet when the doors are closed. Each door is attached to a post or partition by a pair of hinges and is mounted so that there is a space adjacent each side surface of the doors when the front surfaces of those doors are parallel to the common plane. When the front surfaces of those doors are parallel to the common plane each door is mounted so that and any sight line through each space will intersect at least one of the spaced apart posts and the spaced apart partitions when the front surfaces of the doors are parallel to the common plane. The hinges may provide an axis of rotation that is inward from the edge of the door. The partitions are preferably mounted on frame members that have an L-shaped or inverted T-shaped cross-section. The partitions have a slot along one side which receives the upright portion of the frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Scranton Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell Ray Bakker, Christopher Michael George
  • Patent number: 9693671
    Abstract: A hinge assembly for a dishwasher and a dishwasher having the same are provided. The hinge assembly (100) includes: a hinge friction sleeve (11) having an inserting groove (111), in which the inserting groove (111) extends along a length direction of the hinge friction sleeve (11) and has a first end provided with a snap-fitting rod (112) and a second end provided with a snap-fitting portion (113); and an L-shaped hinge (12) having a horizontal limb (121) fitted within the inserting groove (111), in which the horizontal limb (121) has a first end snap-fitted with the snap-fitting rod (112) and a second end provided with an open axial groove (1212) fitted with the snap-fitting portion (113), the snap-fitting portion (113) is snap-fitted within the open axial groove (1212) to close an opening of the open axial groove (1212), and an upper edge of the open axial groove (1212) is spaced apart from an upper edge of the snap-fitting portion (113) at a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: FOSHAN SHUNDE MIDEA WASHING APPLIANCES MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Leixun Ju, Pingping Xu, Haibo Zhang
  • Patent number: 9625160
    Abstract: A hinge includes a hinge arm (1) and a hinge base (6) fitting with the hinge arm. A support (2) is disposed between the hinge arm (1) and the hinge base. A first end of the support is movably connected to the hinge arm, and a second end is movably disposed with the hinge base (6). A locking position (12) is disposed on the hinge arm. A connecting piece (4) is disposed in fitting with the locking position. A first end of the connecting piece is movably connected to the body of the support, and a second end is movably connected to a first end of a rocking bar (7). The body portion of the rocking bar (7) is movably connected coaxially to a second end of the support (2) and the hinge base (6). A connecting shaft (72) is disposed on a second end of the rocking bar. A first end of a spring (3) is hung to the connecting shaft, and the other end of the spring is hung to a hanging shaft (62) that is disposed fixedly with the hinge base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Union Industry Investment (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yousong Xiao
  • Patent number: 9463908
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are food pouch containers comprising a body having an interior cavity; a door; a hole; and a surface for contouring the bottom of the food pouch. Also disclosed are food pouch containers comprising a back portion having an interior cavity; a cover; a hole; means for contouring the food pouch from a bottom thereof; and means for contouring the food pouch from at least a side thereof. In some embodiments, a surface divides the interior cavity into an upper cavity and the lower cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy B. Fellin, Jennifer Fellin
  • Patent number: 9404299
    Abstract: A home appliance having an adjustable door and including an appliance body defining a cavity therein, defining an access opening to the cavity and carrying the door, with the door being movable between a generally vertical covering relationship with the access opening and a generally horizontal open relationship with the access opening; and at least one hinge assembly operatively associated with the door, the hinge assembly including an adjustable hinge receiver and a claw mounted to the hinge receiver and the door to extend therebetween, the hinge receiver including an adjustment assembly operatively connected to the claw for at least one of raising the door and lowering the door with respect to the appliance body, the adjustment assembly including a user-accessible adjustment member, wherein the adjustment member and the claw are in general vertical alignment and the adjustment member is disposed above the claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Ben Braden, Rose Marie Parker, Timothy Russell
  • Patent number: 9371608
    Abstract: A laundry treatment apparatus including a cabinet comprising a front panel having a laundry introduction hole formed therein, a laundry accommodating unit provided in the cabinet including a predetermined space in which laundry introduced through the laundry introduction hole is held, a door which is coupled to the front panel and rotatable about a horizontal axis parallel to a bottom surface of the cabinet to open and close the laundry introduction hole, and a damper provided in the front panel and upwardly inclined with respect to the bottom surface of the cabinet, to elastically support the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hongjun Cho, Sanghun Bae
  • Patent number: 9181741
    Abstract: A hinge for a closing door of a compartment, of the type having a first and a second body, respectively integral to the door and to the frame of the corresponding compartment, or vice versa, and mutually hinged by at least one pin, first elastic means mounted on the second body and acting upon the first body, and at least one dampening device fixed to the second body, acting upon the first body and actuated by at least a first slider, functionally connected to the dampener, and by at least a second slider, configured for engaging, directly or indirectly, the aforesaid first body in correspondence of at least a certain angular range assumed by the first body with respect to the second body during their relative rotation, whereby the second slider is actuated in translation by the first body when engaged therewith, as well as constraining means between the first slider and the second slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: FARINGOSI HINGES, S.R.L.
    Inventor: Angelo Bettinzoli
  • Publication number: 20150128927
    Abstract: An oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a door and a hinge assembly for rotatably mounting the door to a cabinet. The hinge assembly includes features for adjusting a position of the door. At least one of a vertical position and a lateral position of the door can be adjusted with the hinge assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathan Ernell Nelson, John Adam Yantis, Scott Thomas Kershner, Darren Allen Turner, Srisurya Prakash Pilli
  • Publication number: 20150107574
    Abstract: A damped hinge assembly includes a hinge arm adapted to be connected to an associated appliance body. A channel is pivotally connected to the hinge arm and is adapted to be connected to an associated appliance door. A damper is operatively connected between the channel and the hinge arm. The damper includes a body defining a bore and a piston slidably received in the bore. A rod is connected to the piston and projects outward from the bore. A damper fluid is contained in the bore and acts on the piston to dampen sliding movement of the piston in at least one direction in the bore. A spring is located in the bore and acts on the piston to bias the piston toward one end of the bore. An oven or other appliance includes at least one damped hinge assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: MANSFIELD ASSEMBLIES CO.
    Inventors: Brian White, James Collene
  • Publication number: 20150075512
    Abstract: A home cooking appliance with a side swing door is provided. The home cooking appliance includes a housing having a cooking cavity, and a side swing door movable about at least one hinge between a closed position and an open position to provide access to the cooking cavity. The at least one hinge includes a friction hinge configured to impede rotational motion of the side swing door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: James Gayle, Joseph Geiger, George May, Felix Rueter
  • Publication number: 20150027429
    Abstract: A frame structure for an appliance, such as an oven appliance, is provided. The frame structure includes a pair of vertical rails and a pair of lateral rails. A pair of hinges is mounted to the vertical rails, and a door is mounted to the vertical rails with the pair of hinges. A control panel is also mounted to the pair of vertical rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Nathan Ernell Nelson, William Byron Wiggins
  • Patent number: 8936019
    Abstract: A connecting device for connecting glass panes of a door of a household appliance includes a first retainer configured to connect to an outer glass pane. The first retainer includes a first insertion structure configured to receive an inner glass pane. A second retainer is fixed to the first retainer and configured to pivot from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position. The second retainer includes a locking element configured to retain the inner glass pane in the first position of the second retainer. The second retainer further includes an actuating element including a handle. The handle is configured to pivot the second retainer from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Miele & Cie. KG
    Inventor: Hermann Bronstering
  • Patent number: 8925542
    Abstract: A damped hinge assembly includes a hinge arm adapted to be connected to an associated appliance body. A channel is pivotally connected to the hinge arm and is adapted to be connected to an associated appliance door. A damper is operatively connected between the channel and the hinge arm. The damper includes a body defining a bore and a piston slidably received in the bore. A rod is connected to the piston and projects outward from the bore. A damper fluid is contained in the bore and acts on the piston to dampen sliding movement of the piston in at least one direction in the bore. A spring is located in the bore and acts on the piston to bias the piston toward one end of the bore. An oven or other appliance includes at least one damped hinge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
    Inventors: Brian White, James Collene
  • Patent number: 8919338
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an outer cabinet within which is provided an oven cavity which can be selectively accessed by movement of a door mounted through a door linkage system which enables the door to be shifted between opened and closed positions through either sliding or tilting movements. In particular, the door can be automatically or manually shifted between open and closed positions, through either the sliding or tilting motions. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the door can be automatically opened at the end of a process or cooking cycle, or manually opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: ACP, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert McNamee, Thomas Miller, Edward R Cook
  • Patent number: 8857422
    Abstract: An oven door assembly is provided that selectively closes and permits access to an access opening of an oven cavity of the oven. The oven door assembly includes an outside door panel having a non-opaque pane, an inside door panel having a non-opaque pane, the inside door panel being located closer to the oven cavity of the oven than the outside door panel, and a middle non-opaque pane, and a shield fitted relative to the middle non-opaque pane for drawing heat away from the middle non-opaque pane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: Suad Elkasevic
  • Publication number: 20140097172
    Abstract: An oven in which a cooking space in a cooking chamber is dividable into a plurality of individual cooking spaces by a partition member. The oven includes a door assembly including a main door rotatably combined with a main body and provided with a plurality of openings corresponding to the respective plurality of individual cooking spaces and a plurality of individual doors rotatably combined with the main body to open and close the respective plurality of openings. The door assembly may selectively open and close the entirety of the cooking space or the respective plurality of individual cooking spaces, and thus a heat loss or danger of burn generated due to opening and closing the main door when only the individual cooking space is used may be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han Seong KANG, Hyang Ki Kim, Sang Yun Jung, Seok Weon Hong, Yun Ic Hwang
  • Patent number: 8674269
    Abstract: A safe product transfer apparatus that heats refrigerated food products and then hold those heated food products in a hold drawer until they can be transferred to a heater merchandizer, preferably a roller grill as needed. The apparatus features a control assembly. A pre-heat indicator indicates when the preheat temperature has been reached so that the food products can be loaded into an operable drawer. The apparatus can heat a refrigerated product from 34° F. to greater than or equal to 140° F. in 35 minutes or less. The apparatus has a safe product transfer apparatus that has a heating cavity ranging from 250° F. to 425° F. The apparatus provides a safe product transfer apparatus that can hold the products stored therein at a safe holding temperature (ranging from greater or equal to 140° F. to not more than 205° F.), that is, not hot enough to continue heating or degrading the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Standex International Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Humphrey, Anthony Kukla, Diosdado Pangan
  • Publication number: 20130319394
    Abstract: An oven includes an oven cavity, an oven door providing access to the oven cavity, and a dampening hinge member pivotably coupling the oven door to the oven. A channel encloses the dampening hinge member and provides a flow of air to the dampening hinge member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: John Adam YANTIS, Richard ROBERTSON, William Byron WIGGINS
  • Patent number: 8474103
    Abstract: A door hinge includes a fixing member (10) fixed to a door frame (100), an actuation frame (20) fixed to a door (200) to enable the door to be opened and closed, a slider (22) coupled between the actuation frame and the fixing member, a rotatable moving guide plate (30) rotatably moved around the hinge (34) when the door is opened, and configured to forwardly push the slider, a guide roller (18) to resiliently support the rotatable movement of the rotatable moving guide plate, and a connection frame (60) having one end connected to a slot (11) of the fixing member by a pin (62) and the other end connected to the actuation frame by the hinge (24) and forwardly pushed out when the door is opened along with the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Poong Won Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: June-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 8464705
    Abstract: An open/close adjustment device is connected to the door of a heating chamber of a cooking device, and the open/close adjustment device pulls the door back to its totally closed position. The open/close adjustment device adjusts an operation force when the door is passing a predetermined open angle. The operation force indicates a maximum value when the door is passing the predetermined open angle, and the maximum value is given by two protrusions disposed at front-side and rear-side with distance between them. Each of the protrusions each produces a load when they go over a support member, and a following one of the two protrusions produces a load larger than a load firstly produced by a preceding one of the two protrusions when the door is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Kitayama, Masahiro Nishijima, Takeyuki Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8443489
    Abstract: A counterbalance assembly for an appliance hinge includes a base including first and second spaced-apart side walls and a transverse face wall. The base includes: (i) a channel located between the first and second side walls; and, (ii) a notch comprising first and second notch portions respectively located in said first and second side walls. A rotating cam is supported on the base. The cam includes: (i) a camshaft that extends between the side walls and that is adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, with a first end of the camshaft located in the first notch portion and a second end of the camshaft located in the second notch portion; and, (ii) a lobe that projects from the camshaft. The hinge assembly includes a biasing spring that comprising an inner end engaged with the base and an outer end spaced from the base. The outer end of said spring is located outside the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
    Inventor: Nicholas R. Sir Louis
  • Patent number: 8439027
    Abstract: A door control mechanism which is attached near the hinge region of a door to bias the door to a closed orientation, and after a prescribed location, bias the door toward an open location to a sufficient degree such that the door is noticeably open. The door control mechanism in one form may have a cam extension that engages a spring member to supply stored energy to and from the spring member to bias the door closed and to bias the door open after a prescribed amount of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Wood Stone Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence Byron Johnson, Tadeusz Karabin
  • Patent number: 8430089
    Abstract: Provided is a heating cooker which allows a door on a cooking chamber to be opened without direct handling of the door by a user. The heating cooker includes a body having a cooking chamber defined therein, a door hingably mounted to the body to open and close the cooking chamber, a door holder positioned in the body to hold the door and keep the cooking chamber closed by the door, and a hinge part connected between the door and the body to guide rotation of the door such that when the door is released from the door holder, the door is automatically opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Kwang Kim, Dae Sung Han, Yong Hyun Kwon, Seok Weon Hong, Tae Uk Lee, Pung Yeun Cho, Han Seong Kang, Sung Soo Park, Han Jun Sung, Tae Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 8413649
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooking oven door including at least one door frame and at least one door panel. The door frame includes a U-shaped part with a center portion and two legs. The U-shaped part is formed as a one-piece plastic part. The door panel is inserted within the U-shaped part. The U-shaped part encloses three circumferential sides of the door panel. The U-shaped part comprises support elements on its inner side in order to hold the door panel in a predetermined position. At least one fixing element is attached or attachable on at least one free end portion of the leg in order to secure the door panel within the U-shaped part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventor: Mirko Capacci
  • Patent number: 8387609
    Abstract: A grill (10) includes a base (11) and a grill assembly (12) pivotally coupled to the base. The base includes a two oppositely disposed sides (14) which define an empty storage space (16). The grill assembly is pivotal between a stowed position generally contained within the base empty space and an operational position generally situation outside the base empty space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sure Heat Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A Olsen
  • Patent number: 8353280
    Abstract: A grill comprising a front, a rear, a grill base, a grill lid and a grill door. The grill lid comprises an opening and is in hinged communication with the grill base. The grill door communicates with the grill lid via a hinge, which is disposed at a rear portion of the opening. When the grill door is closed, the grill door seals the opening in the grill lid. The grill lid includes a lifting-assist mechanism and the grill door has an opening-assist mechanism. A method of grilling comprising the steps of opening the grill lid, placing food on the grill base and closing the grill lid to cook food. The method further comprises the steps of opening the grill lid and the grill door during the cooking process, thereby creating a flue that urges smoke away from the front of the grill and towards the rear of the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Inventor: Timothy Jackovitch
  • Publication number: 20130000626
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an oven door with at least one elongated plastic door column and at least one corresponding door hinge. The door hinge includes an elongated door part and an oven part. The plastic door column includes an elongated channel for receiving the door part. The channel extends from one end of the plastic door column parallel to the longitudinal axis of said plastic door column. The door part is detachably mountable within the channel. A leaf spring for clamping the door part is durably fixed within the channel. A section of the leaf spring is complementary with a corresponding section of the door part. Further, the present invention relates to a corresponding plastic door column and a method for assembling said plastic door column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Trautner, Christoph Bluml, Erhardt Koitzsch
  • Patent number: 8286306
    Abstract: Described is a hinge for wings or doors, in particular for electrical household appliances, comprising a first body (5), a second body (6) and a connecting lever (7) between the first and the second body (5, 6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: NUOVA STAR S.p.A.
    Inventor: Angelo Vanini
  • Patent number: 8201304
    Abstract: An apparatus including a frame, a door and a compliant hinge mechanism hingably mounting the door to the frame, the compliant hinge mechanism including a resistance configured to provide a preload to balance the door in a first open position and an increasing force resisting further opening of the door when the preload is overcome and the door is opened past the first open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian M. Steurer, Timothy Scott Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20120067333
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an oven door opening and closing device comprising at least one hinge, which is connectable to an oven door and to an oven housing for realizing a predetermined pivoting opening and closing movement of the oven door relative to the oven housing between an open and a closed position; at least one closing force generating means for generating a predetermined closing force; kinematic means, which are coupled to the hinge and to a moveable element in such a manner, that the predetermined pivoting opening and closing movement of the hinge is converted into a predetermined reciprocating opening and closing movement of the moveable element; and at least one damping system having a damper for generating a damping force which counteracts the closing movement of the movable element within a predetermined section, which corresponds to a predetermined angle section of the pivoting closing movement of the hinge shortly prior to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Behnam Mirshekari, Klaus Walzlein, Simone Stephan, Klaus Kern, Dietmar Hildner, Gerhard Schaff, Branko Ivanovic, Tobias Weber