Abstract: A method of opening an appliance door includes translating the door up and away from a unit so as to clear a lower edge of a physical constraint, thus allowing for gaps to be minimized, further translating the appliance door out so that its handle would not make contact with an adjacent door should the adjacent door be closed or opened while the appliance door is opened, thus allowing the appliance door to be lowered when the same is fully opened in order to increase the usable height and to reduce the gaps below and above the appliance door.

Abstract: A vehicle door hinge assembly that includes a body bracket, a door bracket, and, an interconnecting door bracket carrier. The door bracket carrier and the door bracket shift in unison from a fully closed position to an intermediate open position. The door bracket pivots in a swinging motion about the door bracket carrier from the intermediate open position to a fully open position. The hinge assembly further includes a motion restriction mechanism that restricts the door bracket from pivoting relative to the door bracket carrier when the door bracket carrier is not in the intermediate open position. Additionally, the motion restriction mechanism restricts the linkage assembly from moving relative to the body bracket until the door bracket has returned to the intermediate open position. A door attached to the hinge assembly moves first in a shifting motion and then in a swinging motion. The shifting motion moves the door laterally and outwardly relative to a vehicle body.