US3402508A - Door and hinge arrangement - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 24, 1968 M. H. KESSLER DOOR AND HINGE ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 23, 1966 United States Patent 3,402,508 DOOR AND BEIGE ARRANGEMENT Michael H. Kessler, Grove City, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 581,588 6 Claims. (Cl. 49386) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to improvements in a door and hinge arrangement and is particularly applicable to doors for small compartments such as are typically provided on the inner face of a domestic refrigerator door.

Such compartment doors are preferably biased toward a closed position to insure both that the compartment is closed and that the door does not strike articles stored in the main part of the refrigerator. It is also desirable that the compartment door present a pleasing appearance through a design accommodating hidden fastening means, that the parts of the door lend themselves to a reasonably easy and quick assembly, and that the parts be of moderate cost.

The general object of this invention is the provision of a door and hinge arrangement which has the above characteristics.

The basic parts of a door and hinge arrangement according to the invention include a door panel supported on a torsionally-resilient single wire serving as a hinge which biases the door toward a closed position. Specifically, the wire is formed to include straight portions separated by at least three loop portions spaced along its length. Two of the loop portions lie in a plane angularly displaced from the plane in which the other loop portion lies, when the wire is in a torsionally unstressed condition. The door panel is formed with an open split edge and bore to receive and confine the straight portions of the wire, and define the axis about which the door is swung. Fastening means secure two of the loop portions to the structure framing the compartment opening to prevent the two loop portions from turning with the door. The third loop portion of the wire is held in the door in an angularly displaced position which torsionally strains the straight portions of the wire in a direction which urges the third loop portion in a door closing direction. Since the third loop portion is fixed relative to the plane of the door, the urging of the third loop portion in a door closing direction correspondingly results in the door itself being urged in a closing direction.

To permit the door to be opened with the first two loop portions fixed to the compartment frame, the door is provided with rearwardly-open notches which accommodate the two fixed position loops and allow the door to turn away from the two loops. To hold the third loop portion in the door, a cavity with a closed rear face is provided in the door.

3,492,58 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 The relationship of the loop portions and the accommodating structure of the door lends itself to a relatively simple technique for fastening the two loop portions to the compartment frame. Headed fasteners spaced apart to register with the two fixed loop portions of the wire are driven part way into the compartment frame and the door is moved into a position in which the heads of the fastening means hold the loop portions in place for further tightening of the fasteners While the door panel is swung out of the way to permit access to the heads of the fasteners. To facilitate this assembly procedure, it is preferable that the loop portions carry clips having open end slots therein to receive the shanks of the fasteners.

The invention will be described in somewhat more detail in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment by way of example, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the door in a closed position, with a part of the door panel broken away to expose one fastening location for a loop portion;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the door in a closed position as shown in full lines, and with a broken line showing of the door opened;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of a door at one of the notch locations for accommodating a loop portion of the wire hinge and showing the form of the lower split edge of the door before the hinge is assembled thereto;

FIG. 4 is an exploded, partly-broken, isometric view of the single wire hinge with one clip mounted on a loop, and another before mounting;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section view corresponding to one taken along the line V-V of FIG. 1 the hinge assembled to the door panel; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary isometric view showing how the door panel is swung out of the way to gain access to the fasteners which secure the loop portions to the compartment frame.

Referring to FIG. 1, the front opening of the compartment which the door 10 is to close is framed by a border 12. The door illustrated is of the swing-down type in which it pivots about a horizontal axis close to its lower edge. It will be appreciated that the door could alternatively be arranged to pivot about a vertical axis.

In its currently preferred form the door panel 10 is an aluminum member which may be extruded to provide longitudinally-extending protuberances and channels such as the ledge-shaped handle 14 (FIG. 2) on the front face, a gasket slot 16 along its upper rear face, a somewhat thickened lower portion 18 having a split or bifurcated bottom edge (FIG. 3) with the leg 20 initially projecting rearwardly. A straight, longitudinally-extending bore 22, in which the straight portions of the wire hinge is ultimately journaled is defined at the junction of the split legs.

The shape of the notches 24, which may be milled out of the back face of the panel 10 to accommodate the loop portions of the wire hinge, may also be obersed from FIGS. 1 and 3. A single semicircular cavity or recess 26 is also milled up into the plane of the door panel 10 while the legs at the bottom edge are spread. This cavity 26 is open only at the bottoms.

Referring to FIG. 4, the hinge component is formed of a single wire of torsionally-resilient character which is bent to include opposite-end straight portions 28 and 30, a pair of loop portions 32 and 34 which may conveniently be generally rectangular with right angle corners and,

finally, two straight central portions 36, 38 separated by a central loop portion 40 of V-shape. The pair of loop portions 32 and 34 are shown in FIG. 4 as lying in a vertical plane while the other or third loop portion 40 lies in another plane which is rotated about 45 (as indicated) from the vertical about an axis coincident with the axis of the straight portions of the wire. This angle is stated simply by way of example since the proper displacement is that which, for a given wire, proves the proper biasing force when the third loop portion 44) is angularly displaced back toward the plane in which the pair of loop portions 32 and 34 lie. With a steel wire of about inch in diameter, I have obtained satisfactory results by forming the wire so that the loop portion 40 is displaced about 45 from the plane of the pair of loops 32 and 34 with the wire in a formed but torsionally unstressed condition.

To facilitate mounting of the door to the compartment frame or border 12, a mounting clip 42 (FIG. 4) is secured on each of the end loop portions 32 and 34. Each mounting clip 42 is made from a single metal piece which is stamped and formed so that it may be slipped down onto the loop as indicated at the left-end of FIG. 4, and the opposite halves then be clamped together. In this way sleeves 44 are formed along each of three edges of the clip and encircle respective lengths of the loop portion to hold the clip to the loop. A central slot 46 which is open at its bottom end is generally centered in the loop. The central portion of the clip lies at an angle relative to the sleeves to provide clearance for the bottom edge of the door panel when the door is opened, and to give space for a fastener head.

After each of the mounting clips 42 has been mounted on its respective loop portion adjacent the ends of the wire, the wire and clip assembly is assembled to the door panel 10. This is accomplished by first forcing the central V loop 40 up into the semicircular cavity 26, and then turning and pushing the two loop portions 32 and 34 with their clips up into their respective notches. This turning twists the central straight portions 36 and 38 which fit freely in the longitudinally-extending bore 22. The bottom split edge is then closed upon the straight portions of the wire by clamping it shut with the metal taking a permanent set. This completes the subassembly of the door, and wire and mounting clip assembly.

The way of fastening the door and hinge assembly to the compartment structure will be described in connection with FIG. 6. A pair of headed fasteners such as selftapping screws 48 are turned part way into the compartment structure bordering the open mouth of the compartment at the bottom. The door assembly is then slipped down into place with the open ended slots 46 of the mounting clips 42 receiving the shanks of the fasteners 48. The fastener heads hold the clips in place while the door panel is swung downwardly to an out-of-the-way position as shown in FIG. 6 to give access to the fastener head with a screwdriver 50. The fastener 48 is then tightened so that the mounting clip 42 is rigidly secured to the compartment framing structure. The door may then be released to automatically assume its closed position under the force of the torsionally strained straight portions 36 and 38 of the wire. The end straight portions 28 and of the wire also turn freely in the bore 22 so that it may be said that in a sense these end straight portions serve as the hinge pins of the door, while the central straight portions 36 and 38 both give support and supply the biasing force which closes the door.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing that with an arrangement according to the invention the hinge is entirely hidden when the door is closed. Further the parts of the arrangement are of simple character and moderate cost, and the assembly may be accomplished simply and easily. The load imposed upon each of the mounting screws 48 when the door is moved to an open position 4 is equalized by locating the biasing loop portion 40 equadistant between the end loop portions. In some cases it may be desirable for economy, for example, to form the end loop portions 32 and 34 in a configuration permitting them to engage the fastener 43 directly and without the aid of the mounting clip 42. However it seems preferable at this time to provide the separate mounting clip which may readily be formed so that as best shown in FIG. 5 a space to accommodate the fastener head is provided between the central portion of the mounting clip and the opposite rear face of the milled notch section 24 of the door panel 10.

To insure an understanding of how the torsional forces set up in the wire act to accomplish the closing of the door, a brief explanation may be in order. Viewing the door from the front as in FIG. 1, the end loop portions 32 and 34 are fixed by the clips in a substantially vertical plane. If the center loop 40 were not retained within its door cavity 26 the natural condition of the wire would result in this loop 40 projecting upwardly and rearwardly. However, the rear face of the cavity holds the loop 40 forwardly and this imposed the torsional strain upon the central straight portions 36 and 38 of the wire. Since the end loops are fixed, the loop 49 exerts a rearwardlydirected turning force upon the door panel.

When the door is pulled forwardly to an open position, the back side of the cavity 26 forces the center loop portion 40 to turn through the same angle as the door. Since this increases the strain (within elastic limits) upon the central straight portions 36 and 38, the loop 40 exerts a correspondingly greater door closing force upon the door.

I claim as my invention:

1. A door and torsion hinge arrangement, comprising:

a single-wire of torsionally resilient character having straight aligned portions interrupted by at least three loop portions along its length, two of said loop portions lying in a plane angularly displaced from the plane in which said other loop portion lies in a torsionally unstressed condition of said wire;

a one piece, solid panel door including a split longitudinal edge for receiving said straight portions of said wire;

means for rigidly fastening said two loop portions against angular displacement with said door during swinging movement, said fastening means providing the sole support and hinge connection for said door;

said door including means holding said other loop portion in a position sufliciently angularly displaced from its normal torsionally unstressed position that said other loop portion exerts a door closing force upon said door.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

said door includes forwardly-closed rearwardly-open notches accommodating said two loop ortions, and further includes a cavity lying generally in the plane of said door, said cavity including a closed rear face against which said other loop portion bears to urge said door in a door closing direction.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

said two loop portions are located adjacent the ends of said door, and said other loop portion is substantially centered therebetween, with a substantial length of said straight portion of said wire being provided between each of said two loop portions and said other loop portion.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein:

said door includes a longitudinally-extending bore at the apex of said split edge for receiving said straight portions in freely rotatable relation therein.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

said two loop portions ea'ch includes a mounting clip secured thereto, each clip including a slot which has an open end to permit said clip to be moved into straddling engagement with outwardly-projecting fastenin'g means for effecting said rigid fastening of said Referen Ci two loop portions.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein: UNITED STATES PATENTS said door comprises an extruded aluminum panel in 2502957 7/ 1952' Anderson 49386 XR which said split edge is formed in a substantially open 5 2,670,872 3/1954 Olesky 16.192 XR split to facilitate the assembly of said wire to said 2,707,803 5/ 95 Anderson et a1 49-386 panel, and is adapted to be subsequently clamped to- 2,733,483 2/1956 A derson 49386 ward a closed position of said split edge to secure said wire to said door panel, KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner.

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