Mansfield Engineered Components, Inc.

Mansfield Assemblies Co.

Whirlpool Corporation

James J Collene

Brian Scott White

Nicholas R SirLouis

Jeffrey D Habegger

Andria R Bauman

Ryan L Allen

Philip R Thompson

Eric Osler

James Oddo

Nick Sir Louis

Igor Viveiros

Steven O Cummins

Brian S Studer

A door hinge assembly includes a hinge plate including: (i) an inner portion adapted to be connected to an associated structure; and, (ii) an outer portion adapted for pivoting connection of an associated door thereto. The hinge assembly also includes a damper system with a damper connected to one of: (i) the hinge plate; (ii) the associated door. The damper is adapted to be activated by pivoting movement of the associated door in a closing direction toward a closed position of the associated door such that said damper slows movement of the associated door toward the closed position when the damper is activated.

Dampened hinge for a refrigerator door or other door

A hinge for a laundry treating appliance has a housing having a portion received by an aperture in the shroud. The housing also has a first end comprising a mouth adapted to couple with the shroud. The hinge further has a bracket that has a first end connected to the lid and a second end fastened to the housing and the bracket is received in the aperture in the shroud.

Lid hinge for a laundry treating appliance

An adjustable appliance hinge receiver includes a base including spaced-apart first and second lateral walls. A slide body is slidably connected to the base and located between the lateral walls. The slide body slides relative to the base along an adjustment axis. At least one hinge mounting structure is connected to the slide body and is adapted to be engaged by an associated hinge. An adjustment system includes a first inclined ramp connected to the slide body and an adjustment shaft that extends between and that is rotatably supported by the first and second lateral walls of the base. The adjustment shaft is rotatable relative to the base about an axis of rotation. The adjustment system also includes an adjustment member engaged with the adjustment shaft and selectively movable along the axis of rotation in opposite first and second directions in response to rotational movement of the adjustment shaft in opposite first and second rotational directions such that rotation of the adjustment shaft in one of the first and second rotational directions causes the adjustment member to bear against the first ramp and induce sliding movement of the slide body relative to the base along the adjustment axis.

Side-accessible adjustable receiver for appliance hinge

A hinge assembly for an associated appliance door includes an arm and a lever pivotally connected to the arm. The lever and arm are adapted to pivot relative to each other about a main pivot axis between a first position that corresponds to a closed position of the associated appliance door and a second position that corresponds to an opened position of the associated appliance door. A slide link is located adjacent the lever. A damper engagement structure is connected to the slide link. A biasing system urges the arm and lever toward the first position. A damper system includes a damper that damps pivoting movement between the arm and the lever for at least part of the movement between the arm and the lever when the arm and lever pivot relative to each other from the first position toward the second position.

Hinge assembly with slow close and/or slow open characteristics

A household appliance hinge includes a mounting portion and a mounting tab including a cam profile. A door mounting lever is pivotally connected to the mounting tab of the mounting portion. A spring-biased control system is connected to the door mounting lever and includes a spring-biased cam follower system including a cam follower that: (i) engages the cam profile in an engagement position and for all positions of the door mounting lever between the engagement position and a first operative position; and, (ii) separates from the cam profile for all positions of said door mounting lever located between the engagement position and a second operative position. The hinge is self-latching.

Blade hinge assembly with closure mechanism

A laundry treating appliance with a shroud having an access opening, a lid for opening and closing the access opening and a hinge coupled to the shroud. The hinge has a housing having a portion received by an aperture in the shroud. The housing also has a first end comprising a mouth adapted to couple with the shroud. The hinge further has a bracket that has a first end connected to the lid and a second end fastened to the housing and the bracket is received in the aperture in the shroud.

An appliance lid hinge assembly includes a cam arm pivotally connected a base. A cam arm control system includes a spring rod adapted to move in a sliding reciprocal manner. A spring urges the spring rod toward an extended position. The spring rod is movable toward a retracted position. The cam arm is engaged with the spring rod through a cam follower such that: (i) pivoting movement of the cam arm in an opening direction corresponds with movement of the spring rod from the retracted position toward the extended position; and, (ii) pivoting movement of the cam arm in a closing direction opposite the opening direction corresponds with movement of the spring rod from the extended position toward the retracted position. An optional damper exerts a damping force on the spring rod or other part of the cam arm control system when the cam arm moves in a closing direction.

Appliance lid hinge

A method of securing a lid comprising a hinge to a laundry treating appliance. The laundry treating appliance has a shroud with an access opening. The hinge has a housing that defines a channel and the housing has a first end comprising a v-shaped mouth. The hinge further comprises a bracket that has a first end connected to the lid and a second end fastened within the channel. The method comprises receiving the channel and the bracket into an aperture in the shroud and sliding the housing relative to the shroud to enable the v-shaped mouth to mate with the shroud.

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. The appliance can include two damped hinge assemblies, each with or without the spring, arranged such that one hinge assembly provides damping primarily during opening of the appliance door and the other hinge assembly provides damping primarily during closing of the appliance door.

Slow open and/or slow close hinge assembly and hinge system

A hinge assembly for pivotally connecting an associated appliance lid to an associated appliance body includes a base adapted to be connected to the associated appliance body. A cam is rotatably supported on the base and is adapted to be engaged by the associated appliance lid and is rotatable about a lid pivot axis. A snubber/damper is operatively connected to the base. The cam exerts a snubber activation force on the snubber when said cam rotates about the lid pivot axis in a first direction corresponding to movement of the associated appliance lid from an opened position toward a closed position such that the snubber damps movement of the cam when the cam rotates in the first direction.

Appliance lid hinge assembly with snubber

In accordance with one aspect of the present development, an adjustable receiver for an associated appliance hinge includes a base adapted to be secured to an associated appliance body. A first cross-member is connected to the base and is movable relative to the base. The first cross-member provides a first hinge mounting structure for an associated appliance hinge. A second cross-member is connected to the base and is movable relative to the base. At least one link extends between and interconnects the first and second cross-members. The first and second cross-members and the at least one link define an adjustable hinge mount that is selectively movable relative to the base along an adjustment axis. The adjustable receiver further includes an adjustment system for selectively altering a position of the adjustable hinge mount relative to the base along the adjustment axis.

Adjustable receiver for appliance hinge

A laundry treating appliance that has a shroud having an access opening, a lid for opening and closing the access opening, and a hinge mounted to the shroud. The hinge can have a housing that defines a channel and is received by an aperture in the shroud. The hinge can also have a bracket with a first end connected to the lid and a second end fastened within the channel and the bracket can be received in the aperture in the shroud.

A hinge assembly for pivotally connecting an associated appliance lid to an associated appliance body includes a base adapted to be connected to the associated appliance body. The hinge assembly also includes a snubber housing connected to the base. A cam is rotatably supported on the snubber housing, and the cam is adapted to be engaged by the associated appliance lid and rotate about a lid pivot axis in a first direction and in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. A snubber is operatively connected to the snubber housing. The cam exerts a snubber activation force on the snubber when the cam rotates about the lid pivot axis in the second direction corresponding to movement of the associated appliance lid from an opened position toward a closed position and such that the snubber damps movement of the cam when the cam rotates in the second direction. A counterbalance spring is operatively engaged between the base and the cam and exerts a counterbalance force on the cam that biases the cam in the first direction.

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Bucyrus, OH, United States of America

James J Collene