EP2191088B2 - Door hinge for a household appliance - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a door hinge of a household appliance, for. As a baking oven, a dishwasher or the like, comprising a door lever attachable to a door, wherein the door is movable about a lower, horizontal main axis from an approximately vertical closed position to an approximately horizontal opening position, a fixable on the body of a household appliance housing, with the the door lever is pivotally connected about the main axis and a weight compensating spring and a closing spring, wherein the weight compensating spring holds the door when opening approximately in an equilibrium position and the closing spring causes a self-closing and then applies a locking force.

Door hinges of the aforementioned type are known per se.

In such door hinges, the weight-compensating spring serves as far as possible to absorb the forces occurring when a door is opened about a horizontal, lower axis and to prevent an uncontrolled opening of the door. Conversely, the folding-up of the door from an open position is significantly facilitated by the weight-compensating spring.

The closing spring fulfills the purpose of urging the door shortly before reaching the final closed position with a force acting in the closing direction spring force and thus initiate a self-closing. In addition, the closing spring causes the door is held in the closed position by the force of the closing spring in the closed position.

The US Pat. No. 6,397,836 B1 discloses a mounting kit for a oven hinge. The oven door can be pivoted after mounting the items to the hinge on the oven door about a lower horizontal axis. For this purpose, the hinge has a mounting part for attachment to the furnace housing. The door hinge also has a weight compensation spring, with an adjoining damping device.

The EP 1 555 372 A1 discloses a door hinge, for a furniture which is pivotable about several horizontal axes. In this case, the door hinge on a damping part. The damping part interacts with a connection which is arranged between two of the above-mentioned several axes and whose mobility is reduced or damped by the damping part.

The DE 10 2005 002 822 A1 discloses an oven door hinge. This door hinge has a first and a second hinge part, a sliding part coupled to the second hinge part and a spring, wherein the first hinge part, the spring and the displacement part form a structural unit.

The EP 1 847 670 A2 discloses a hinge for a household electrical appliance with a damping element, which allows damping of the closing movement. Furthermore, two spring elements are arranged in a housing. The hinge is divided into two hinge parts, which are fixed to the door of the oven and to the oven cabinet.

The present invention has for its object to provide a door hinge of the generic type, which causes an improvement in the movement sequences when opening or closing a door, especially in the Endlagenbereichen.

This object is achieved by a door hinge with the features of claim 1.

By such a damping device, the closing and / or opening forces acting on the door in the closing and / or opening direction are opposed by a damping force which is slightly smaller than the respective closing and / or opening force, so that closing and / or opening Although the door is not obstructed, it is clearly dampened in the end position.

Thus, the movement sequences when opening and / or closing a corresponding door are significantly improved, as well as impact noise when reaching the closing and / or opening position are largely prevented.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the damping device consists of a double-acting damping cylinder

In this comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, the damping cylinder is loaded upon reaching the closed position or upon reaching the opening position in each case from its opposite end sides with the result that the damping forces are the same in both the closing direction and in the opening direction.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the damping device consists of two damping cylinders, wherein a damping cylinder for the damping of the closing forces and the other damping cylinder for the damping of the opening forces is provided.

In such, somewhat more complex construction, the advantage is achieved that the damping forces during the closing process can be adjusted independently of the damping forces during the opening process.

Further features of the invention are the subject of further subclaims.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail below.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Backofens mit geöffneter Tür

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Türscharniers

Figur 3a bis 3e

eine Übersichtszeichnung des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 2 nach Art einer Sprengbilddarstellung

Figur 4

eine Ansicht in Richtung des Pfeiles IV in Figur 2

Figuren 5 bis 7

Detaildarstellungen des Türscharniers nach Figur 3 in verschiedenen Schwenkpositionen

Figur 8

eine Perspektivdarstellung eines Türscharniers nach einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung

Figur 9 a bis e

eine Übersichtszeichnung des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 8 nach Art einer Sprengbilddarstellung

Figur 10

eine Ansicht in Richtung des Pfeiles X in Figur 8

Figuren 11 bis 13

Detaildarstellungen des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 9 in verschiedenen Schwenkpositionen

Figur 14

eine Perspektivdarstellung eines Türscharniers nach einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung

Figur 15 a bis e

eine Übersichtszeichnung des Türscharnier gemäß Figur 14 nach Art einer Sprengbilddarstellung

Figuren 16 und 17

perspektivische Teildarstellungen des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 15 aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln

Figuren 18 bis 20

Detaildarstellungen des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 15 in verschiedenen Schwenkpositionen

Figur 21

eine Perspektivdarstellung eines Türscharniers nach einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung

Figur 22 a bis e

eine Übersichtszeichnung des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 21 nach Art einer Sprengbilddarstellung

Figur 23

eine perspektivische Detaildarstellung des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 22

Figuren 24 bis 26

Detaildarstellungen des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 22 in verschiedenen Schwenkpositionen

Figur 27

eine Perspektivdarstellung eines Türscharniers nach einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung

Figur 28 a bis e

eine Übersichtszeichnung des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 27 nach Art einer Sprengbilddarstellung

Figuren 29 und 30

perspektivische Teildarstellungen des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 28 aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln

Figuren 31 bis 33

Detaildarstellungen des Türscharniers gemäß Figur 28 in verschiedenen Schwenkpositionen.

Show it:

FIG. 1

a perspective view of a oven with open door

FIG. 2

a perspective view of a door hinge according to the invention

FIGS. 3a to 3e

an overview drawing of the door hinge according to FIG. 2 in the manner of an exploded view

FIG. 4

a view in the direction of the arrow IV in FIG. 2

FIGS. 5 to 7

Details of the door hinge after FIG. 3 in different pivot positions

FIG. 8

a perspective view of a door hinge according to another embodiment of the invention

Figure 9 a to e

an overview drawing of the door hinge according to FIG. 8 in the manner of an exploded view

FIG. 10

a view in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. 8

FIGS. 11 to 13

Details of the door hinge according to FIG. 9 in different pivot positions

FIG. 14

a perspective view of a door hinge according to another embodiment of the invention

Figure 15 a to e

an overview drawing of the door hinge according to FIG. 14 in the manner of an exploded view

FIGS. 16 and 17

partial perspective views of the door hinge according to FIG. 15 from different angles

FIGS. 18 to 20

Details of the door hinge according to FIG. 15 in different pivot positions

FIG. 21

a perspective view of a door hinge according to another embodiment of the invention

FIGS. 22 a to e

an overview drawing of the door hinge according to FIG. 21 in the manner of an exploded view

FIG. 23

a detailed perspective view of the door hinge according to FIG. 22

FIGS. 24 to 26

Details of the door hinge according to FIG. 22 in different pivot positions

FIG. 27

a perspective view of a door hinge according to another embodiment of the invention

FIGS. 28 a to e

an overview drawing of the door hinge according to FIG. 27 in the manner of an exploded view

FIGS. 29 and 30

partial perspective views of the door hinge according to FIG. 28 from different angles

FIGS. 31 to 33

Details of the door hinge according to FIG. 28 in different pivot positions.

In FIG. 1 is denoted by the reference numeral 1 a total oven, in which a door 2 is connected by means of two door hinges 3 about a lower, horizontal axis pivotally mounted on the body 4.

FIG. 1 serves only to clarify the position of the door hinges 3 in the assembled state.

In the following, various embodiments of such door hinges 3 will be described in detail.

With reference to the FIGS. 2 and 3 should first of all the basic structure of a corresponding door hinge 3 will be described.

A door hinge 3 comprises a door lever 5 which can be fixed to the door 2 and a housing 6 which can be secured to the carcass 4 of a baking oven 1 or a comparable domestic appliance, wherein the door lever 5 is connected to the housing 6 so as to be articulated about a main axis 7. The main axis 7 corresponds to the axis about which the door 2 is pivotable relative to the body 4.

Furthermore, the hinge 3 has a weight-compensating spring 8, which serves to keep the door 2 when opening approximately in an equilibrium position. The characteristics described so far are well known as well as a sake of clarity in the drawings, not shown closing spring, whose task is to pivot the door 2 shortly before reaching the final closed position without external forces in their closed position, so to cause a self-closing. In addition, it is the task of the closing spring to press the door 2 in the closed position against the body 4.

The weight-compensating spring 8 will pass through a linkage 9 and is supported at one of its ends on a stop 10 of the linkage 9 and at its other end on a support tab 11 of the housing 6.

That the door lever 5 facing the end of the linkage 9 is connected to a transmission lever 12 which is connected in a known manner about a relative to the main axis 7 offset minor axis on the door lever 5. It follows that when opening the door 2, the linkage 9 is pulled over the transmission lever 12 in the direction of the front of the body 4, whereby the weight-compensating spring 8 is shortened, whereby an uncontrolled folding down of the door 2 is prevented.

Conversely, when closing the door 2 by the weight-compensating spring 8, the external force required for raising and closing the door 2 is lowered.

Shortly before reaching the final closed position, the already mentioned closing spring is activated in a known manner, by which the door 2 is moved in the last angular range before the final closed position solely by the force of said closing spring in its closed position. In addition, the door 2 is held in the closed position by the force of the closing spring.

In addition to this common and known to all embodiments, each door hinge 3 is provided with a damping device 13.

In this case, the damping device 13, as in the embodiment of the FIGS. 2 to 7 shown consist of a damping cylinder 14 or, as in the embodiment of the FIGS. 8 to 13 shown to be constructed of two damping cylinders 14. Damping devices 13, each with a damping cylinder 14 also show the embodiments of the FIGS. 14 to 20 and 21 to 26, a damping device 13 with two damping cylinders 14 is again in the embodiment according to the FIGS. 27 to 33 shown.

The structure and function of the damping devices 13 of the individual embodiments will now be described.

In the embodiment of the FIGS. 2 to 7 the damping cylinder 14 is held within the housing 6 of out of the housing 6 inwardly bent contour tabs 15, but can still move axially. Furthermore, in the region of the damping cylinder 14 on the housing 6, two lying in the axial direction of the damping cylinder 14 and projecting into the housing interior landing bags 16 are provided. The distance between these two attachment tabs 16 is less than the distance between two provided on the linkage 9 and projecting into the region of the damping cylinder 14 folds 17 to each other, also said folds 17 of the linkage 9 are centrally provided with recesses 17a whose base is larger than that Base surface of the leash 16 of the housing. 6

At the free end of the piston rod 14a of the damping cylinder 14, a piston stop 14b is fixed, the base surface is larger than the base surface of the piston rod 14a.

Now is the door 2 of a household appliance in a central opening position with an opening angle of about 44 °, as the FIG. 6 illustrated, the damping cylinder 14 rests with its front end on a landing lug 16 and the piston stop 14b on the other application lug 16 of the housing 6 at. The folds 17 of the linkage 9 have no contact with the damping cylinder 14 or its piston rod 14a in this middle position.

Now, if the door 2 is moved out of this middle position in the closing direction, the linkage 9 is moved by the transmission lever 12 to the left. As a result, the front edge 17 of the linkage 9 facing the door side is brought into contact with the piston stop 14b and presses the piston rod 14a into the damping cylinder 14. As a result, the closing movement is damped according to the design of the damping cylinder 14.

Will the door 2 from the middle position, like her FIG. 6 corresponds further moved in the opening direction, the housing of the damping cylinder 14 is pushed to the right through the door-facing rear bevelling 17 of the rod 9, so that the still supported on the front-side landing flap 16 piston rod 14 a in turn inserted into the damping cylinder 14 and thus the Opening movement is damped in the last angle range. In this comparatively simple and inexpensive to be realized construction so the damping forces during opening and closing the same size.

In the embodiment of the invention according to the FIGS. 8 to 13 the damping device 13 consists of two damping cylinders 14, which are mounted at a distance from each other and with their piston rods 14a pointing towards each other in the housing 6. The damping cylinder 14 are in turn held by contour tabs 15 in the housing 6 and secured against longitudinal displacement by bent into the housing 6 landing bags 16, which create in this embodiment at both ends of the respective damping cylinder 14.

The linkage 9 is provided at its rear end facing away from the door with a projecting into the housing 6, bent driving lug 18 which lies between the opposing piston rods 14a of the damping cylinder 14.

Starting from a middle opening position of the door 2 with about 44 ° - according to the situation FIG. 12 - Is the driving lug 18 of the rod 9 between the mutually facing piston rods 14a of the two damping cylinder 14. The piston rods 14a are extended.

If now the door 2 is moved out of this middle position in the closing direction, the linkage 9 moves up to an end position according to FIG FIG. 11 to the left. The driving lug 18 of the linkage 9 strikes the piston rod 14a of the rear damping cylinder 14 lying opposite the door and pushes this piston rod 14a into the damping cylinder 14. In this case, according to the characteristic of the damping cylinder 14, the closing movement is damped.

Will from the middle position according to FIG. 12 the door 2 moves further in the opening direction, the linkage 9 moves to the right, in which case the driving lug 18 strikes the piston rod 14a of the front damping cylinder 14 facing the door. Until the final opening movement while the piston rod 14a is inserted while achieving a damping effect of the closing movement in the front damping cylinder 14.

Although this construction is somewhat more complicated and somewhat more expensive due to the use of two damping cylinders 14, it offers the advantage, not to be underestimated, that damping cylinders 14 with different damping characteristics can be used, so that the damping effect for the closing movement is designed independently of the damping action for the opening movement can be.

Another advantage of this invention is that in case of failure of a damping cylinder 14, the effect of the remaining other damping cylinder 14 is not affected, so that possibly only the damping effect when closing or when opening the door 2 fails.

In the embodiments of the invention described so far is always only the design-related displacement of the linkage 9 available as Dämpfungsweg.

If it is desired that the damping effect be improved by increasing the effective damping travel, constructions of the following embodiments are recommended.

In the FIGS. 14 to 20 a door hinge 3 is shown with only one damping cylinder 14. This damping cylinder 14 is mounted in an upwardly open upper housing 19. This upper housing 19 is the front side open to the door side and in its side facing away from the door 2 closed by a rear wall 19a. The damping cylinder 14 is inserted into the upper housing 19 in such a way that the piston rod 14 a protrudes beyond the open side of the upper housing 19 in the direction of the door 2.

Furthermore, the upper housing 19 is provided with two lateral guide ribs 20 which engage in lateral guide grooves 21 of the housing 6 and thus allow a longitudinal displacement of the upper housing 19 relative to the housing 6.

On the underside of the guide ribs 20 rack-like portions 20 a are arranged.

Furthermore, a lower housing 22 is provided, which is guided longitudinally displaceable by means of lateral guide webs 23 in guide slots 24 of the housing 6. On the upper side of the guide webs 23, as on the opposite underside of the upper housing 19, toothed portions 23 a are arranged. The lower housing 22 has a distance from the upper housing 19 and is provided on its underside with a guide groove 25, in which the linkage 9 engages in the region of a recess 9a. At its front end facing the door 2, the lower housing 22 is equipped with an end wall 26 which extends into the displacement area of the piston rod 14a of the damping cylinder 14.

Between the upper housing 19 and the lower housing 22 gears 27 are provided on both sides, which are rotatably supported in the housing 6 via a fixed to the housing 6 axis of rotation 28. These two gears 27 mesh with the toothed portions 20a of the upper case 19 and 23a of the lower case 22nd

The recess 9a of the linkage 9 is frontally limited by stop edges 9b.

In a middle open position of the door 2 with about 44 ° - according to the position of the hinge 3 according to FIG. 19 the two abutment edges 9b each have the same distance to the end wall 26 of the lower housing 22 or to the rear wall 19a of the upper housing 19.

If the door 2 is moved upwards in the closing direction from this middle opening position, the linkage 9 shifts out of the in FIG. 19 shown position to the left until the end wall 26 adjacent abutment edge 9b abuts against this end wall 26. Further displacement of the linkage 9 in the same direction then causes an action on the piston rod 14a of the damping cylinder 14 and beyond the synchronization of the upper housing 19 with the lower housing 22 through the gears 27 causes a relative displacement between the lower housing 22 and upper housing 19. The piston rod 14a is thereby inserted into the housing of the damping cylinder 14 and dampens the closing movement accordingly.

If, from the middle opening position, the door 2 is pivoted further in the opening direction, the linkage 9 is correspondingly moved to the right. The door-facing behind stop edge 9b first passes in abutment with the rear wall 19a of the upper housing 19 and by further displacement of the linkage 9 in the same direction we then again with simultaneous execution of Relatiwerschiebung between the upper housing 19 and lower housing 22 which is supported on the end wall 26 piston rod 14a inserted into the housing of the damping cylinder 14 and the Opening movement accordingly damped.

In this case, a doubling of the damping path is achieved due to the relative displacement between the upper housing 19 and lower housing 22.

In the FIGS. 21 to 26 a door hinge 3 is shown, in which also only one damping cylinder 14 is used, in which case an enlargement of the damping path is achieved by a lever construction.

As the FIGS. 22 to 26 make it clear, the damping cylinder 14 is mounted with its piston rod 14 a between two bow-shaped rotary levers 30. These rotary levers 30 are pivotally mounted in bores 31 of the housing 6. The damping cylinder 14 is provided at its front end with a receiving fork 14 c, the connection with the door 2 facing away from the rear rotary lever ermögl icht.

The piston rod 14a has a lever gripper 14d, which allows the coupling with the front, facing the door side rotary lever 30.

The rotary lever 30 pass through a slot-like opening 32 of the linkage 9, the rear, the opening 32 exhibiting area in guide slots 33 of the housing 6 is guided longitudinally displaceable. The clearance of the opening 32 is selected so that the rotary levers 30 can pass through this opening.

Above the guide slots 33 stop rivets 34 are provided in the housing, in which the two rotary levers 30 are supported in the middle open position of the door 2 in the extended piston rod 14a in an approximately vertical position. This is evident FIG. 25 ,

The length of the opening 32 is greater than the distance of the rotary lever 30 to each other, so that a displacement of the rod 9 from the middle open position in the closing or opening direction initially has no effect on the damping device 13. If a pivoting position is reached in which the door 2 is about 15 ° before its closing or before its final open position, the front or the rear stop edge 9b of the aperture 32 hits one of the rotary lever 30. A further displacement in the same direction then causes a Pivoting the applied rotary lever 30 and leads - in the case of the closing process - to insertion of the piston rod 14a in the damping cylinder 14 or - in the case of opening - a displacement of the damping cylinder 14 in the direction of the piston rod 14a. As a result, either the closing process or the opening process is damped.

Due to the lever ratios can be achieved in this construction, a significant increase in the damping travel, for example, two and a half times compared to the pure displacement of the linkage. 9

Without influence on the function is opposite to in the FIGS. 22 to 26 shown mounting position of the damping cylinder 14 also given the opportunity to install this in a 180 ° rotated position, ie, that the piston rod 14a, in contrast to the illustrated embodiment, not in the direction of the door 2, but in the direction of the back of the body of a household appliance.

Both the receiving fork 14c and the lever gripper 14d provide a connection to the rotary levers 30, which allows both a thrust and a pivoting movement between said components. As a result, by the pivoting movement of the respective rotary lever 30, the piston rod 14a are inserted under pivoting of the damping cylinder 14 in this damping cylinder 14, as well as the damping cylinder 14 can be moved with simultaneous pivoting in the direction of the piston rod 14a, which for example when opening the door 2 of the case has. This then naturally applies to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG FIGS. 22 to 26 to. If the damping cylinder 14 installed in total in a pivoted position by 180 °, the corresponding conditions change naturally. Then, when closing the door 2, the damping cylinder 14 in the direction of the piston rod 14a and when opening the door 2, the piston rod 14a in the direction of the damping cylinder 14 is moved.

In the embodiment of the invention according to the FIGS. 27 to 33 again two damping cylinder 14 are provided, which are installed within the housing 6 at a distance from each other and with their piston rods 14a pointing toward each other.

The damping cylinder 14 are within the housing 6 analogous to the embodiment according to the FIGS. 11 to 13 held, ie, the housing of the damping cylinder 14 is partially encompassed by contour tabs 15 of the housing 6 and secured against axial displacement by abutting the end faces of the respective housing lugs 16. Between the facing ends of the piston rods 14a of the two damping cylinder 14 is within of the housing 6, an approximately U-shaped carriage 35 via guide rivets 36 which engage in slots 37 of the housing 6, guided longitudinally displaceable within limits. The guide rivets 36 lie on the central axis of the damping cylinder 14 and thus also the piston rods 14a. On the piston rods 14a rivet grippers 38 are placed end, each of which is brought to one of the guide rivet 36 and the guide rivet 36 can be partially pushed around this on.

In the middle between the two damping cylinders 14 a bow-shaped rotary lever 30 is pivotally in Drilled holes 31 of the housing 6.

The rear end of the linkage 9 is provided with laterally projecting arms 39, between which a constriction 40 is formed. This is very descriptive FIG. 28e recognizable. The arms 39 are slidably guided within guide slots 41 of the housing 6.

The constriction 40 of the rod 9 passes through the bow-shaped rotary lever 30th

This construction allows the following function:

In a middle open position of the door 2 - as shown in FIG FIG. 32 - Is the entire damping system in a middle neutral position. The piston rods 14 a of both damping cylinders 14 are extended and abut with the rivet grippers 38 on the guide rivets 36 of the carriage 35. The entire system is not charged. The rotary lever 30 is also in a neutral position and is approximately vertical.

Now, by moving the door 2 in the closing direction, the linkage 9 from the position according to FIG. 32 shifted to the left, meet the door side facing boom 39 of this linkage 9 on the rotary lever 30 and swing it to the left. Characterized the door-facing rear damping cylinder 14 is activated, ie, the piston rod 14a is pushed into the damping cylinder 14 to the position in accordance FIG. 31 , By the translation of the rotary lever 30 of the insertion of the piston rod 14a is significantly greater than the pure displacement of the linkage 9. Depending on the design of the rotary lever 30, an enlargement of the damping travel through the lever design easily by a factor of 2.5 can be achieved.

The same applies if the door 2 is moved further out of its middle opening position in the opening direction. Shortly before reaching a certain opening angle is on the door 2 facing away from the rear boom 39 of the linkage 9 of the rotary lever 30 in the off FIG. 33 pivoted apparent shape to the right, it is activated according to the front, the door side facing damper cylinder 14, ie, the piston rod 14a is now inserted into the housing of the damping cylinder 14 while achieving the desired damping effect. Of course, also for this case, the attenuation path is correspondingly larger than would be possible only by the displacement of the linkage 9.

In the embodiment according to the FIGS. 14 to 20 a gear transmission for increasing the effective damping path is realized. The embodiments of the FIGS. 21 to 33 show constructions in which an increase in the effective damping travel is achieved by lever mechanism.

The exemplary embodiments shown are intended to make it clear that there are many variants for damping a door hinge 3, wherein it is also readily possible to design the damping for the closing process independently of the damping of the opening process and to set the damping factor differently.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

oven

2

door

3

hinge

4

corpus

5

door lever

6

casing

7

main axis

8th

Weight-compensating spring

9

linkage

9a

recess

9b

stop edges

10

attack

11

support tab

12

transmission lever

13

damping device

14

damping cylinder

14a

piston rod

14b

piston stop

14c

receiving fork

14d

lever gripper

15

contour Flange

16

landing flaps

17

bends

17a

recesses

18

driver link

19

upper housing

19a

rear wall

20

guide ribs

20a

Rack-like areas

21

guide

22

lower case

23

guide webs

23a

Rack-like areas

24

guide slot

25

guide

26

bulkhead

27

gears

28

rotational axes

30

lever

31

drilling

32

perforation

33

guide slots

34

stop rivets

35

carriage

36

leadership rivets

37

slots

38

Nietgreifer

39

boom

40

constriction

41

guide slot

Claims (10)

1. Door hinge (3) for a domestic appliance, e.g. an oven (1), a dishwasher or the like, comprising a door lever (5), which can be fastened on a door (2), wherein the door (2) can be moved, by a lower, horizontal main pin (7), from an approximately vertical, closed position into an approximately horizontal, open position, and also comprising a counterbalancing spring (8), which retains the door (2) approximately in a position of equilibrium during opening, and a closing spring, which gives rise to a self-closing action just prior to the definitively closed position being reached and then applies a holding-closed force, wherein a damping device (13) is provided to counteract the closing forces just prior to the definitively closed position of the door (2) being reached, and to counteract the opening forces just prior to the definitively open position of the door (2) being reached, wherein a housing (6) is provided, which can be secured to the basic structure of a domestic appliance and is connected to the door lever (5) such that it can be pivoted by the main pin (7), and the damping device (13) comprises one or two damping cylinders (14), which is or are retained within the housing (6) by contour lugs (15) bent over inwards on the housing (6) and which is or are secured against a longitudinal displacement by contact lugs (16) bent into the housing (6), which contact lugs (16) contact the two faces of the respective damping cylinder (14).
2. Door hinge according to Claim 1, characterized in that the damping device (13) comprises a damping cylinder (14) which can be activated on either side.
3. Door hinge according to Claim 1, characterized in that the damping device (13) comprises two damping cylinders (14), wherein one damping cylinder (14) is provided for damping the closing forces and the other damping cylinder (14) is provided for damping the opening forces.
4. Door hinge according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the damping cylinder or cylinders (14) can be actuated directly or indirectly via a transmission lever (12) which is known per se and is articulated on the door lever (5) by a secondary pin, which is offset in relation to the main pin (7).
5. Door hinge according to Claim 4, characterized in that the displacement path of the transmission lever (12) is increased by means of a transmission gear mechanism in order to increase the effective damping path of the damping cylinder (14) or damping cylinders (14).
6. Door hinge according to Claim 5, characterized in that the transmission gear mechanism is designed as a toothed gear mechanism.
7. Door hinge according to Claim 5, characterized in that the transmission gear mechanism is designed as a lever mechanism.
8. Door hinge according to Claim 6, characterized in that the toothed gear mechanism has an upper housing (19) and a lower housing (22) with rack-like regions (20a, 23a) and gearwheels (27), wherein the gearwheels (27) are mounted in a rotatable manner in the housing (6) and mesh with the rack-like regions (20a, 23a) of the upper housing (19) and/or of the lower housing (22).
9. Door hinge according to Claim 7, characterized in that the lever mechanism has at least one bracket-like rotary lever (30), which is mounted in a pivotable manner in the housing (6) and can be actuated via a movable linkage (9), which is connected to the transmission lever (12) and is mounted in the housing (6).
10. Door hinge according to Claim 9, characterized in that, in the case of just one rotary lever (30), the latter actuates a carriage (35) which is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the housing (6), is arranged between two mutually opposite damping cylinders (14) and pushes the piston rods (14a), depending on the displacement direction of the carriage (35), into the respective damping cylinder (14).

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