GB2497377A

GB2497377A - Cabinet with hinge having electrical wire receiving channel

Info

Publication number: GB2497377A
Application number: GB201213529A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harry Fan; Yannick Lionel Cariot
Original assignee: FORMOSAN UNITED CORP
Current assignee: FORMOSAN UNITED CORP
Priority date: 2011-12-05
Filing date: 2012-07-27
Publication date: 2013-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2032-07-27
Also published as: GB2497377B; CN202386193U; GB201213529D0

Abstract

A cabinet (fig.1) comprises a housing formed with a recess (101) in which is mounted a hinge 5 having a two part hollow mounting portion 502 consisting of an upper shell 52 and lower shell 53 forming a concealed electrical wire receiving channel therein, an aperture in the hinge housing allows entry/exit of the wire. Pivot segment 501 pivotally mounts the cabinet door. Preferably the wire receiving channel comprises a protrusion 505 forming two wire channels. A hollow flanged pivot joint 51 may be provided accommodating male and female electrical connectors 91, 92.

Description

CABINET

The invention relates to a cabinet, and more particularly to a cabinet including a hinge mechanism having a wire-concealing channel for receiving an electric wire therein.

Generally, a conventional cabinet includes a cabinet housing and a door pivoted tc the cabinet housing through a hinge mechanism so as to be rotatable relative to the cabinet housing. In a case where the door is electrically operable, it is necessary to provide electricity to the door. Typically, electricity is provided to the door through a electric wire disposed iii the hinge mechanism.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,412,711 discloses an electrical hinge for passing electricity to the door.

The electrical hinge includes two leaves, two knuckles secured respectively to the leaves, and a hinge pin extending into the knuckles so that the knuckles are rotatable about the hinge pin. Each of the leaves is formed with a conduit. The hinge pin is formed with a slot. /\n electric wire extends along the conduits of the leaves and into and through the slot so thatthe electric wire can be concealed within the electrical hinge. However, theelectrical hingeisdisadvantageous in that installation of the electric wire is relatively inconvenient.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet with a hinge mechanism that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with

the prior art.

S According to the present invention, there is provided a cabinet that comprises: a cabinet housing formed with a recess; a hinge mechanism; and a door pivoted to the cabinet housing through the hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism includes a door connector and.a hollow cabinet connector. The door connector is secured to the door The cabinet connector includes upper and lower members that are detachably secured to each other, and has a pivot segment and an insertion segment connected to the pivot segment.

The pivot segment is pivoted to the door connector.

The cabinet connector defines a wire-concealing channel confined by the upper and lower halves and is adapted to receive an electric wire therein. The insertion segment is fitted into the recess and is formed with a notch in spatial communication with the wire-concealing channel for extension of the electric wire therethrough.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following

detaileddescriptionofthepreferredembodimentswith

reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. lisaperspectivetriewofthefirstpreferred embodiment of a cabinet according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary partly exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge mechanism of the first preferred embodiment; Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the hinge mechanism of the first preferred embodiment; Fig. 5 is a top perspective view of the hinge mechanism of the first preferred embodiment; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of an assembly of a door and a door connector of the first preferred embodiment; and Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge mechanism of the second preferred embodiment of a cabinet according to the present invention.

Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference

numerals throughout the disclosure.

Figs. 1. and 2 illustrate the f±rs.t preferred embodiment of a cabinet according to the present invention. The cabinet includes: a cabinet housing 1 formed with a first recess 101 and a second recess 102 disposed below the first recess 101; a hinge mechanism; a door 2 pivoted to the cabinet housing 1 through the hinge mechanism so as to be rotatable relative to the cabinet housing 1; and male and female electrical connectors 91, 92.

The cabinet housing). has top and bottom walls 11, 12, two opposite side walls extending between arid interconnecting the top and bottom walls 11, 12, a rear wall connected to the top and bottom walls 11, 12 and the side walls, and a plurality of shelves 14 each connected between the side walls within the cabinet housing 1. The first and second recesses 101, 102 are formed in the top and bottom walls ii, 12, respectively. A top box 13 is provided on an interior side of the top wall 11 within the cabinet housing 1. A power connector 7 is mounted in the top box 13.

Referring to Fig. 6, in combination with Fig. 1, the door 2 has inner and outer panels 21, 22 that defineaninnerspace23therebetweenandasideopening in spatial communication with the inner space 23. The outer panel 22 is adapted to be provided with a mirror (not shown). An electrical device 8, such as a defogging heater, may be mounted in the inner space 23.

The hinge mechanism includes a door connector 4, a hollow first cabinet connector 5, and a second cabinet connector 6.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the door connector 4 is secured to the door 2. In this embodiment, the door connector 4 includes a rectangular insertion

S

frame 43 and a hollow column 41. The insertion frame 43 extends through the side opening into the inner space 23 of the door 2 and is securely fitted in the inner space 23 in the door 2. The hollow column 41 is integrally formed with the insertion frame 43, has a top end portion 401 and a bottom end portion 402, and defines an inner space 42 therein.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 5, the first cabinet connectorS includes upper and lower members 52, 53 that are detachably secured to each other. The first cabinet connector 5 has a pivot segment 501, an insertion segment 502 and a bridging segment 503 disposed between and interconnecting the pivot segment 501 and the insertion segment 502. The pivot segment 501 is pivoted to the hollow column 41 of the door connector 4. The first cabinet connector 5 defines a wire-concealing channel 500 confined by the upper and lowermembers 52, 53 andadapted to receives first electric wire 90 therein. The insertion segment 502 is fitted into the first recess 101 in the cabinet housing 1, and is formed with a notch 504 in spatial communication with the wire-concealing channel 500 for extension of the first electric wire 90 therethrough and into the top box 13 to connect electrically with the power connector 7. In this embodiment, the wire-concealing channel 500 is formed in the upper member 52 of the first cabinet connector and has a lower side opening downwardly facing and covered by the lower member 53 of the first cabinet connector 5. A loop-shaped divider 505 is disposed at the insertion segment 502 and protrudes from an S interior side of the upper member 52 of the first cabinet connectorS into the wire-concealing channel 500 so that the wire-concealing channel 500 is bifurcated at the insertion segment 502 and is branched into two channel branches SOa, SOb (see Fig. 3) The first electric wire 90 has a pair of cords 901, 902 extending along the channel branches SOa, SOlD, respectively, and in frictional contact with the divider 505 and the upper member 52 of the first cabinet connector 5.

The hinge mechanism further includes a hollow pivot joint 51 having a hollow cylindrical upper section 5101 a hollow cylindrical lower section 511, anda flange 512 disposed between and interconnecting the upper and lower -sections 510, 511. The top end portion 401 of the hollow column 41 is sleeved rotatably on the lower section 521 of the pivot joint 51 and -is in sliding contact with the flange 512. The pivot segment 501 of the first cabinet connectorS is sleeved rotatably on the upper section 510 of the pivot joint 51 and is in sliding contact with the flange 512.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the second cabinet connector6hasapivotsegrnent62, aninsertionsegment 63 and a bridging segment 64 disposed between and interconnecting the pivot segment 62 and the insertion segment 63. The insertion segment 63 of the second cabinet connector 6 is fitted into the second recess 102. The pivot segment 62 of the second cabinet connector 6hasacylindrical shaft 621 extending into and pivoted to the hollow column 41 of the door connector 4.

Referring to Fig. 1 to 3, the male electrical, connector9lissecurelydisposedinthehollowcolumn 41 of the door connector 4 (see Fig. 6) and is adapted to be connected to a second electric wire 94 that is connected to the electrical, device 8 (see Fig. 1).

The female electrical connector 92 is securely disposed in the lower section 511 of the pivot joint 51 (see Fig. 4) . The male and female electrical connectors 91, 92 are detachably mated with each other and are rotatable relative to each other when the lower section 521 of the pivot joint 51 extends into the hollow column 41 of the door connector 4 (see Figs.'' 1 and 2) . By virtue of the hollow pivot joint 51 and the male and female electrical connectors 91, 92 in the cabinet of this invention, installation of the first and second electric wires 90, 94 in the hinge mechanism and coupling of the door connector 4 to the first and second cabinet connectors 5, 6 can be facilitated.

S

Fig. 7 illustrates a configuration of the hinge mechanism of the second preferred embodiment of the cabinet according to thepresent invention. The second preferred embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the wire-concaaling channel 500 is formed in the lower member 53 of the first cabinet connector 5 and has an upper side opening upwardly facing and covered by the upper member 52 of the first cabinet connectorS, and that the loop-shaped divider tO 505 protrudes from an interior side of the lower member 53 of the first cabinet connector 5 into the wireS-concealing channel 500.

By virtue of the hinge mechanism in the cabinet of the present invention, the aforesaid drawback

associated with the prior art can be overcome.

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS: 1. A cabinet comprising a cabinet housing formed with a first recess; a hinge mechanism; and a door pivoted to said cabinet housing through said hinge mechanism; wherein said hinge mechanism includes a door connector andahollow first cabinet connector, said door connector being secured to said door, said first cabinet connector including upper and lower members that are detachably secured to each other, said first cabinet connector havingapivot segment and an insertion segment connected to said pivot segment, said pivot segment being pivoted to said IS door connector, said first cabinet connector defininga wire-concealing channel conf med by said upper and lower members and adapted to receive an electricwiretherein, saidinsertionseqmentbeing fitted into said first recess andbeing formed with a notch in spatial communication with said wire-concealing channel for extension of the electric wire therethrough.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. rhecabinetofclaiml, whereinsaidhingemechanism further includes a divider disposed at said insertion segment and protruding from an interior of said upper member into said wire-concealing channel. so that said wire-concealing channel is bifurcated at 5aid insertion segment.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said hinge mechanism further includes a divider disposed at said insertion segment and protruding from an interior S of said lower member into said wire-concealing channel so that said wi.re-concealinq channel is bifurcated at said insertion segment.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. The cabinet of claim!, wherein said hingemechanism further includes a hollow pivot joint having a hollow cylindrical upper section, a hallow cylindrical lower section, and a flange disposed between and interconnecting said upper and lower sections, said door connector including a hollow column having an end portion sleeved rotatably on said lower section of saidpivot joint and in sliding contact with saidflange, saidpivot segment of said first cabinet connector being sleeved rotatably on said upper section of said pivot joint and in sliding contact with said flange.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. Thecabinetofclaim4,whereinsaidcabinethousjng is further formed with a second recess disposed below s-aid first recess, said hinge mechanism further including a second cabinet connector that has a pivot segment, an insertion segment and a bridging segment disposed between and interconnecting said pivot segment and said insertion segment, said insertion segment of said second cabinet connector being fitted into said second recess, said pivot segment of said second cabinet connector being pivoted to said hollow column.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. The cabinet of claim 4, further comprising male and female electrical connectors that are detachably mated with each other, said male electrical connector being securely disposed in one of said pivot joint and said hollow column and being adapted to be connected to the electric wire, said female electrical connector being securely disposed in the other of said pivot joint and said hollow bolumn.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. The cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>