Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05F—DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
  • E05F1/00—Closers or openers for wings, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
  • E05F1/08—Closers or openers for wings, not otherwise provided for in this subclass spring-actuated, e.g. for horizontally sliding wings
  • E05F1/10—Closers or openers for wings, not otherwise provided for in this subclass spring-actuated, e.g. for horizontally sliding wings for swinging wings, e.g. counterbalance
  • E05F1/1008—Closers or openers for wings, not otherwise provided for in this subclass spring-actuated, e.g. for horizontally sliding wings for swinging wings, e.g. counterbalance with a coil spring parallel with the pivot axis
  • E05F1/1016—Closers or openers for wings, not otherwise provided for in this subclass spring-actuated, e.g. for horizontally sliding wings for swinging wings, e.g. counterbalance with a coil spring parallel with the pivot axis with a canted-coil torsion spring
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05D—HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS
  • E05D11/00—Additional features or accessories of hinges
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05F—DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
  • E05F3/00—Closers or openers with braking devices, e.g. checks; Construction of pneumatic or liquid braking devices
  • E05F3/04—Closers or openers with braking devices, e.g. checks; Construction of pneumatic or liquid braking devices with liquid piston brakes
  • E05F3/08—Closers or openers with braking devices, e.g. checks; Construction of pneumatic or liquid braking devices with liquid piston brakes in which a torsion spring rotates a member around an axis arranged in the direction of the axis of the piston
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2201/00—Constructional elements; Accessories therefor
  • E05Y2201/40—Motors; Magnets; Springs; Weights; Accessories therefor
  • E05Y2201/47—Springs
  • E05Y2201/49—Wrap springs
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2900/00—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
  • E05Y2900/30—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for domestic appliances
  • E05Y2900/31—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for domestic appliances for refrigerators
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D2323/00—General constructional features not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • F25D2323/02—Details of doors or covers not otherwise covered
  • F25D2323/024—Door hinges

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a buried type hinge apparatus having an automatic return function, and more particularly to a buried type hinge apparatus having an automatic return function in which a return spring is removed to thereby reduce overall length of the hinge apparatus, and a closing force of a door is provided with only a torsion spring associated with a clutch unit to thus improve efficiency of the torsion spring that contributes more effectively for an opening force and a closing force of the door, and in which length of the torsion spring is increased so as to compensate for the closing force of the door, and a tilt angle of a cam diagram is established so as to strengthen the closing force of the door, to thereby achieve a compact structure and reliably realize an automatic return function of the door.
• a hinge apparatus makes two members spaced from each other or folded one member over another around a shaft, according to necessity.
• a representative example of the hinge apparatus is a left/right rotational hinge apparatus including a horizontal actuator which is used for a door or window frame, or an up/down rotational hinge apparatus including a vertical actuator which is used for a refrigerator, a mobile phone, or a notebook computer.
• a conventional hinge apparatus having an automatic return function is disclosed in Korean Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001 -0027832.
• a conversion head which ascends and descends according to rotation of a door is guided by a pair of guide pins, and the guide pins are fixed to four hinge knuckles.
• a cylinder and the conversion head are incorporated in the four knuckles. Accordingly, when the movable hinge knuckles receive big load and rotate for a long time, durability of the hinge apparatus is lowered and the structure is complicated. As a result, an assembly productivity deteriorates.
• Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0271646 discloses a hinge type door opening and closing apparatus in which a hydraulic type door closer and a spring type door closer are separately configured and the former and the latter are combined with each other.
• Korean Patent Registration No. 435188 discloses a hinge apparatus using a single camshaft having a spiral cam diagram whose multi-stage automatic return speed establishment structure is stabilized.
• a restoring force required at the time of closing a door cannot be obtained from the hinge apparatus.
• the door closing force is reduced and accordingly an automatic return of the door is not smoothly accomplished.
• diameter of the hinge apparatus is large, it is difficult to make it into a buried type hinge apparatus.
• structure of a damping unit becomes complicated.
• a hinge apparatus having an automatic return function for a large-size door disclosed in Korean Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-18461 on March 2, 2006 which was proposed considering the problem of the above-described Korean Patent No. 435188, employs a double camshaft.
• An upper camshaft which is installed in order to compensate for reduction of a door closing force includes a pair of spiral ascending/descending holes, like a lower camshaft.
• the spiral ascending/descending holes may cause the rotational force to vary in the vertical direction when a piston rod and a valve are operated by the rotating camshaft, to accordingly cause a loss of 30% or so.
• the upper camshaft does not play a big role of improving the door closing force, and has a problem that the overall length of the upper camshaft is somewhat long.
• a cam diagram for guiding a piston to ascend/descend is formed in a cylindrical portion of a camshaft in the case of an oil-hydraulic circuit to offer a damping function of a conventional hinge apparatus, length of the cam diagram is not relatively long. Accordingly, in the case that the up/down travel distance of the piston and the moving flux of oil is small, a sensitive reaction is performed when a temperature change occurs greatly. Thus, it is difficult to control an ascending/descending speed of the piston. As a result, it was required to heighten a working accuracy of a control rod, etc., which was involved with a flow control.
• a buried type hinge apparatus having an automatic return function, comprising: a single body which is movably buried in a groove which is formed in a lengthy direction of a door, and whose upper and lower portions are blocked by an upper cap and a lower cap, respectively; a shaft whose one end is projected through the upper cap and is rotatably supported and whose other end is extended into the single body; a piston whose outer circumferential surface is slidably installed along the inner circumferential surface of the single body and which partitions the inner portion of the single body into upper/lower chambers; a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of the shaft into an axial rectilinear motion of the piston when a rotational force of the door is applied to the shaft according to opening and closing of the door; a damping unit that is installed in the piston and controls a descent and ascent speed of the piston according to the opening and closing of the
• the return unit comprises: a torsion spring which is installed in the single body so that one end of the return unit is fixed to the upper cap, and which provides a restoring force for the shaft to make the shaft rotate in a direction reverse to the closing direction of the door; and a clutch unit which is associated with the torsion spring, to thus interrupt an increase in an elastic force of the torsion spring in the case that a current opening angle exceeds a predetermined opening angle at the time of opening and closing the door and restore the elastic force of the torsion spring in the case that a current opening angle does not exceed the predetermined opening angle at the time of opening and closing the door.
• the hinge apparatus further comprises: a two-joint link unit which transfers an automatic return force for the door, in which the two -joint kink unit comprises: a support bracket which is fixed to the lower end of a main body of the refrigerator and into which a rotational shaft of the door is installed; a driving link whose one end is combined with the shaft of the hinge apparatus and which transfers an automatic return force of the hinge apparatus at the time of closing the door; a follower link whose one end is pivotably combined with the other end of the driving link and whose other end is pivotably combined with the support bracket to thus enforce the door to return around the rotational shaft according to the automatic return operation of the driving link; and first and second ball joints which combine both ends of the follower link pivotably with the driving link and the support bracket and simultaneously movably support the pivot shaft.
• the two -joint kink unit comprises: a support bracket which is fixed to the lower end of a main body of the refrigerator and into which a rotational shaft of the door is installed; a driving link
• a buried type hinge apparatus comprising: a first groove which is extended upwards from the lower end of a door on the same axis as the rotational shaft of the door in which first and second diameter portions communicate with each other through a step portion; a hinge apparatus module which is buried in the first groove in which an automatic return force is applied to a shaft which is projected downwards in the case that the door is opened within a predetermined opening angle, to thereby enable the hinge apparatus to be automatically returned; a height control unit which controls height of the hinge apparatus module, wherein the height control unit comprises: a guide housing which is buried in the second diameter portion of the first groove formed in the lower end of the door and in which a number of guide grooves are formed along the lengthy direction in a radial direction at a predetermined identical angle from a circular inner circumferential portion formed in the inner side of the door; a lower cap into a throughhole of which a shaft projected from the hinge apparatus module is rotatably supported, the outer circumfer
• a return spring is removed from the hinge apparatus, to thereby reduce overall length of the hinge apparatus, to thereby offer a closing force of a door with only a torsion spring associated with a clutch unit to thus improve efficiency of the torsion spring that contributes more effectively for an opening force and a closing force of the door, and to thereby establish a tilt angle of a cam diagram so as to strengthen the closing force of the door, to thus achieve a compact structure and reliably realize an automatic return function of the door.
• an overpressure preventive valve and a check valve can be combined and embodied into a simple structure, to thus make the hinge apparatus compactly embodied and prevent various kinds of 0-rings for keeping air-tightness of a body and a piston from being damaged by an overpressure generated in the upper chamber in the case that the door is abruptly closed by an external force such as strong wind.
• a pair of ascending/descending holes where a cam diagram is formed, respectively, are formed in a cylindrical portion of a cam insert having a large diameter, to thereby increase overall length of the cam diagram, and increase an up/down travel distance of a piston and the moving flux of oil, to thus suppress a sensitive reaction due to an external temperature change, and to accordingly lower a processing accuracy of a control rod etc., which is involved with an oil flow control.
• a two-joint link unit in which ball joints are included in both ends of a follower link. Accordingly, even in the case that a door of the refrigerator is inaccurately installed, or even when height of the door is controlled to repair the inaccurately installed door, the door can be automatically returned smoothly by absorbing a load/noise without controlling height of the hinge apparatus or reinstalling the hinge apparatus.
• a height control nut is provided in a lower cap of a door.
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a hinge apparatus having an automatic return function for use in doors of a refrigerator, which is embodied using a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2A is a front view showing a state where the hinge apparatus having an automatic return function for use in doors of a refrigerator, which is embodied using a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed in a refrigerator using a link unit;
• FIG. 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the link unit of PlG. 2A;
• FIG. 2C is an exploded perspective view of the link unit and the hinge apparatus of FIG. 2A;
• FIG. 2D is an assembled perspective view of the link unit and the hinge apparatus of FIG. 2C;
• FIGS. 3A to 3C are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, and a lengthy cross-sectional view showing a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to the first embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
• FIG. 4 is a diagram which is illustrated on a plane in order to explain a cam diagram of ascending/descending guide holes of a cam insert shown in PlG. 3A;
• FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view showing a first cylindrical portion which is integrally formed with an outer clutch of the automatic return hinge apparatus shown in FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing the first cylindrical portion cut along a line A-A 1 of FIG. 5A;
• FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view showing the first cylindrical portion cut along a line B-B 1 of FIG. 5A;
• FIG. 5D is a front view showing an inner clutch of the automatic return hinge apparatus shown in FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 5E is a cross-sectional view cut along a line C-C of FIG. 1 ;
• FIGS. 6A to 6C are a front view, a plan view, and a bottom view showing an upper cap shown in FIG. 1, respectively;
• FIG. 6D is a cross-sectional view of the upper cap cut along a line D-D 1 of
• FIG. 6A
• FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing a piston including an overpressure preventive valve and a check valve according to the present invention
• FIG. 7B is an exploded perspective view showing components of the overpressure preventive valve and the check valve of FIG. 7A;
• FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view showing the piston of PlG. 7A from which the components of the overpressure preventive valve and the check valve have been removed;
• FIGS. 8A to 8C are cross-sectional views to explain operations of the check valve at the time of opening and closing a door and the overpressure preventive valve, respectively!
• FIG. 9 is a front view showing a fluid pressure control rod according to the present invention.
• FIGS. 1OA to 1OC are schematic views illustrating operational states depending upon an opening angle of the automatic return hinge apparatus including a link unit for use in doors of a refrigerator according to the present invention, respectively;
• FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an automatic return hinge apparatus for use in doors of a refrigerator according to a first variation of the present invention, in which a fluid pressure rod has been removed from the automatic return hinge apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 12A and 12B are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a second embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
• FIGS. 12C and 12D are a cross-sectional view cut along a line B-B' of FIG. 12B and a lengthy cross-sectional view of the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit;
• FIGS. 13A to 13D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a third embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
• FIGS. 14A to 14D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, respectively:
• FIGS. 15A to 15D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
• FIGS. 16A to 16D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
• FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism of controlling height of a fluid pressure control rod in an exposure type structure
• FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism of controlling height of a fluid pressure control rod in a buried type structure.
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a hinge apparatus having an automatic return function for use in doors of a refrigerator, which is embodied using a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2A is a front view showing a state where the hinge apparatus having an automatic return function for use in doors of a refrigerator, which is embodied using a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed in a refrigerator using a link unit.
• FIG. 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the link unit of FIG. 2A.
• FIG. 2C is an exploded perspective view of the link unit and the hinge apparatus of FIG. 2A.
• FIG. 2D is an assembled perspective view of the link unit and the hinge apparatus of FIG. 2C.
• the present invention will be described with a structure that a buried type hinge apparatus according to the present invention has been installed in a door of a refrigerator as an example, but it is possible to apply the buried type hinge apparatus according to the present invention in a hinge apparatus which is used as a buried type such as home appliances including refrigerators as well as building structures such as doors, fire -fighting doors, and emergency doors which are used as slide doors installed in subways.
• the automatic return hinge apparatus 20 is completed using a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston as shown in FIGS. 3 A to 3D.
• the present invention may be implemented into an automatic return hinge apparatus 20 employing a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit of other structures to be described later.
• an upper cap 31 and a lower part cap 33 are pressed and inserted into the upper and lower sides of a body 21, in order to close the inner portion of the hinge apparatus, respectively.
• Annular grooves 31a and 33a are formed on the outer circumferential portions of the upper and lower caps 31 and 33, in order to achieve mutual fixing between the body 21 and the upper cap 31 and between the body 21 and the lower cap 33, respectively.
• the body 21 corresponding to the grooves 31a and 33a of the upper cap 31 and the lower part cap 33 are compressively combined by a caulking process, respectively.
• annular groove 31a is formed on the outer circumferential portion of the upper cap 31.
• a throughhole 31c with which a shaft 51 is combined is formed at the central portion of the upper cap 31.
• a pair of female screw holes 3 Id and a pair of pin union holes 3 Ie with which a pair of a clamp screw 22 and a fixing pin 23 are coupled at the time of fixing a fixing bracket 15, are formed on the upper side surface of the upper cap 31.
• An insertion hole 3 If which is fixed to one end of a torsion spring 76 is formed on the lower side surface of the upper cap 31.
• the shaft 51 passes through the upper cap 31 to then be coupled with the fixing nut 18 as described above, and a driving link 14 is fixed to the fixing nut 18, for example, in a welding method, etc.
• the shaft 51 rotates counterclockwise in proportion to an opening angle of a refrigerator door 3 when the door 3 rotates according to user's opening of the refrigerator door 3 as shown in FIGS. 1OA to 1OC.
• an automatic return hinge apparatus 20 for a refrigerator includes: a cylindrical body 21 with the upper end of which an upper cap is combined and whose lower portion is blocked by a lower cap 33 which is sealed; a shaft 51 whose upper end is exposed outwards through the upper cap 31 and which is extended downwards from the body 21; a piston 62 whose outer circumferential surface is slidably installed along the inner circumferential surface of the body 21 and which partitions the inner portion of the body into upper/lower chambers; a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 which converts a rotational motion of the shaft 51 into an axial rectilinear motion of the piston 62 when a rotational force of a refrigerator door is applied to the shaft 51 according to opening and closing of the refrigerator door 3; a damping unit 100 that is installed in the piston 62 and controls a descent and ascent speed of the piston 62 according to the opening and closing of the door 3.
• the torsion spring 76 and the clutch unit 70 are implemented into a return unit which provides the restoring force for a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 so that the door 3 is returned into an original position at the time of closing the door 3.
• a reference numeral 69 denotes an 0-ring for air-tight in FIG. 1.
• the hinge apparatus 20 is buried in the lower ends of doors 2 and 3 of a refrigerating room and a cooling room in a two-door refrigerator 1, and is implemented to realize automatic return of the doors 2 and 3 using a link unit 10, respectively.
• the two-door refrigerator 1 includes a dispenser in the refrigerating room door 2
• a hose to discharge extra water that is generated from the dispenser to the outside of the refrigerator is extended to the outside through the rotational axis 4 of the door 2. Therefore, in the case that the doors 2 and 3 exist within a predetermined angle, respectively, the automatic return hinge apparatus 20 having an automatic return function is buried at positions which are spaced from the rotational axes 4 and 5 of the doors 2 and 3 and where there are no interruptions in the lower ends of the doors 2 and 3, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2A.
• Height control screws 6 and 7 to keep parallel at the time of installing the refrigerator are rotatably supported in the lower ends of both sides of a min body Ia of the refrigerator 1.
• the hinge apparatus 20 does not include a dispenser in the refrigerating room door 2. Otherwise, in the case of the cooling room door 3, the hinge apparatus is directly installed in the rotational axis 4 of the door 2. In this case, the link unit 10 is not used in the hinge apparatus 20.
• a coupling hole 3a is inserted into and rotatably supported to the rotational axis 5 of a support bracket 11 which is fixedly installed in the lower side of the main body Ia of the refrigerator 1 by the same structure as that of FIG. 2A.
• the link unit 10 includes a rectilinear lever type driving link 14 whose one end is combined with the shaft of the hinge apparatus 20, and a curved lever type follower link 13 whose one end is pivotably combined with the driving link 14 through a first ball joint 16 and whose other end is combined with a support bracket 11 through a second ball joint 17.
• the follower link 13 is preferably designed to minimize a portion which overlaps the driving link 14. As shown, the shape of the follower link 13 is substantially bent once and is formed as an L-shaped curve. The shape of the follower link 13 is determined as an L-shape due to a link ratio between the driving link 14 and the follower link 13. In addition, the shape of the follower link
• the follower link 13 can be made of a rectilinear lever type of an I-shaped form not the L-shaped form, according to a buried position of the hinge apparatus 20. As a result, it is preferable that the shape of the follower link 13 is flexibly varied considering the buried position of the hinge apparatus 20 and the link ratio.
• the hinge apparatus 20 is fixed by the four clamp screws 19 to the lower end surface of the doors 2 and 3 at the state where the hinge apparatus 20 is fixed to a fixing bracket 15 using a pair of a clamp screw 22 and a fixing pin 23 as shown in FIG. 1.
• the hinge apparatus 20 is withdrawn downwards through a throughhole of the fixing bracket 15 and is combined with the externally projected shaft 51 by means of the fixing nut 18.
• the leading end portion of the externally projected shaft 51 of the hinge apparatus 20 is cut equally so that both opposite surfaces run parallel to have rectilinear opposite surfaces, and the other portions thereof is formed of a structure having opposite curved surfaces.
• a throughhole 18a of the shape corresponding to the leading end portion of the shaft 51 is formed in the fixing nut 18 combined with the shaft 51. Therefore, the fixing nut 18 is combined with the shaft 51 with a limited rotation, and the rotational force of the shaft 51 can be transferred to the link unit 20 through the fixing nut 18 having a large diameter.
• the fixing nut 18 is combined with the shaft 51 of the hinge apparatus 20, the driving link 14 of the link unit 10 is combined on the outer circumference of the fixing nut 18, and a clamping bolt 25 is engaged on the upper side of the exposed shaft 51, to thereby prevent the fixing nut 18 from being detached from the shaft 51.
• the fixing nut 18 and the driving link 14 are fixed to each other by a welding method, etc.
• a pair of thrust washers 24a and 24b whose inner circumferences are combined with the outer circumference of the fixing nut 18 are inserted between the fixing bracket 15 and the driving link 14. Accordingly, it is preferable that a pair of the thrust washers 24a and 24b should be inserted to reduce a frictional resistance with the fixing bracket 15 at the time of rotation of the shaft 51 and the driving link 14.
• a pair of the thrust washers 24a and 24b are not essential elements for the hinge apparatus according to the present invention, they may be omitted from the hinge apparatus.
• a support bracket 11 which supports the door 3 has a shape of being bent once at right angle.
• One side surface of the support bracket 11 is fixedly installed in the lower side of the main body Ia of the refrigerator 1 , by a number of clamping bolts 12.
• a cylindrical rotational axis 5 is projected on the other side of the support bracket 11 to then be inserted into a coupling hole 3a of the door 3.
• the first and second ball joints 16 and 17 which are combined in both end portions of the follower link 13 have an equal structure and function.
• a bearing support portion 16c having a throughhole 163 whose inner circumference is formed of an introvert curved surface is fixedly coupled on one side of the follower link 13.
• a joint ball 16b at the central portion of which a throughhole 162 is formed and whose outer circumference is formed of a curved surface shape corresponding to the introvert curved surface of the throughhole 163 is movably inserted into the throughhole 163 of the bearing support portion 16c. ⁇ t the normal state, the joints ball 16b is not separated from the throughhole 163 of the bearing support portion 16c. That is, the diameter of the curved surface of the joint ball 16b is made larger than that of the upper/lower entrance of the inner circumference of the throughhole 163. The upper and lower portions of the joint ball 16b are projected outwards from the bearing support portion 16c, respectively.
• a coupling bolt 16a playing a role of a hinge axis penetrates the throughhole 162 of the joint ball 16b and the throughhole 14a formed in one side of the driving link 14 to then be engaged with a hexagonal fixing nut 16d.
• a fixing nut 18 combined with the shaft 51 is fixed to a throughhole 14b formed at the other side of the driving link 14, as will be described later.
• a groove 161 for a hexagonal nut which is used at the time of assembling and disassembling the ball joint is formed in the head of the coupling bolt 16a.
• a joint ball 17b is movably supported by a bearing support portion 17c fixed to the other side of the follower link 13.
• a coupling bolt 17a passes through a throughhole 172 of the joint ball 17b and a throughhole l ib of the support bracket 11a, and then the leading portion of the coupling bolt 17a is engaged with a hexagonal nut 17d.
• the driving link 14 and the follower link 13 are pivotably connected in the link unit 10 by the coupling bolt 16a through the first ball joint 16, that is, the joint ball 16b which is movably supported to one side of the follower link 13.
• the other side of the follower link 13 is movably and pivotably connected to the support bracket 11 through the second ball joint 17.
• the automatic return hinge apparatus 20 can be automatically returned smoothly by absorbing the load/noise generated when the hinge apparatus is used. 3. Clutch unit
• FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view showing a first cylindrical portion which is integrally formed with an outer clutch of the automatic return hinge apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing the first cylindrical portion cut along a line A-A 1 of FIG. 5A.
• FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view showing the first cylindrical portion cut along a line B-B' of FIG. 5A.
• FIG. 5D is a front view showing an inner clutch of the automatic return hinge apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 5E is a cross-sectional view showing the automatic return hinge apparatus cut along a line C-C' of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS.
• a torsion spring 76 is arranged in the form of surrounding the shaft 51, at the upper side of the inner portion of the body 21 for improvement of the closing force at the closing time of a door 3, and a clutch unit 70 is arranged so as to be associated with the torsion spring 76 in the lower end of the torsion spring 76 in order to control the twisting elastic force generated in the torsion spring 76 according to the rotation of the door.
• the torsion spring 76 is formed as a circularly shaped structure, more preferably, an angularly shaped structure, to thus obtain a greater twisting restoring force.
• the clutch unit 70 includes: an outer clutch 71 whose outer circumference is fixed to the intermediate inner circumference of the body 21, by a compulsive press-in structure and which has a cylindrical inner circumference; an inner clutch 73 whose upper end contacts the inner circumference of the body 21, whose lower end is rotatably inserted into the inner circumference of the outer clutch 71, and in the internal circular space of which the shaft 51 is supported at a rotatable contact state; and a pair of roller balls 75a and 75b which are disposed between the outer and inner clutches 71 and 73 and play a role of combining the inner clutch 73 with the shaft 51 or separating the former from the latter according to the opening angle of the shaft 51, that is, the door.
• a pair of first hemispheric insertion grooves 74a corresponding to a part of the pair of the roller balls 75a and 75b are formed at the outer circumference of the shaft 51, in opposition to each other.
• a pair of second hemispheric insertion grooves 74c corresponding to a part of the pair of the roller balls 75a and 75b are formed at the inner circumference of the outer clutch 71, in opposition to each other.
• a pair of throughholes 74b corresponding to the first and second hemispheric insertion grooves 74a and 74c are formed in the inner clutch 73 so as to make the pair of the roller balls 75a and 75b pass through the pair of throughholes 74b.
• a first annular groove 71b is formed at the outer circumference of the outer clutch 71 between the outer clutch 71 and a first cylindrical portion 71a. Further, in order to heighten a coupling force between the outer clutch 71 and the first cylindrical portion 71a, a number of trench type grooves 71c are formed in the first annular groove 71b, at each and every additionally established angle.
• the outer clutch 71 which is integrally formed with the first cylindrical portion 71a is fixed to the body 21 by compressing the grooves 71b and 71c from the outside of the body 21.
• annular protrusion 71e is protruded at the inner circumference of the outer clutch 71 between the outer clutch 71 and the first cylindrical portion 71a, so as to be caught by the lower end of the inner clutch 73.
• the upper end of the torsion spring 76 is inserted in an insertion hole 3 If which is formed at the lower end of an upper cap 31 , and the lower end thereof is fixed by a fixing hole 73a which is formed at the upper end of the inner clutch 73. Therefore, if the shaft 51 rotates at the door opening time, the inner clutch
• the clutch unit 70 illustrated in FIG. 5E illustrates a case that the clutching start angle of the clutch unit 70 reaches 90°.
• the clutching start angle of the clutch unit 70 is established 45 for example, since a door opening angle which is chiefly used for the door 2 or 3 is within the range of 30-50°.
• a second insertion groove 74c which is formed in the upper end of the outer clutch 71 is disposed at a position where a first insertion groove 74a formed at the outer circumference of the shaft 51 and a throughhole 74b formed in the inner clutch 73 rotate by 45°, on the basis of the time when the shaft 51 is at the initial state.
• the pair of the roller balls 75a and 75b are formed of a pin shape whose cross-section is circular, respectively, and are movably inserted between the pair of the first insertion grooves 74a and the throughhole 74b, and the pair of the first insertion grooves 74a and the second insertion grooves 74c.
• a process of being clutched through the pair of the roller pins 75a and 75b will be described in detail together with the operation of the hinge apparatus to be described later.
• FIGS. 3A to 3C are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, and a lengthy cross-sectional view showing a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to the first embodiment of the present invention, respectively.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 includes: a first cylindrical portion 71a which is installed in the inner circumference of the body 21 and along the outer circumference of which first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b which are formed of a spiral shape of a symmetrical structure, respectively so as to be movable mutually are penetratively formed; a second cylindrical portion 53a which is extended toward the inner portion of the a first cylindrical portion 71a from the shaft 51 and in which first and second vertical guide holes 78 are penetratively formed in opposition to each other vertically; and a guide pin 67 whose both ends are combined with the first and second vertical guide holes 78 of the second cylindrical portion 53, through the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b of the first cylindrical portion 71a, and whose central portion is combined with the upper end of a piston rod 61 connected with a piston 62.
• the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b where the cam diagrams are formed are formed as shown in FIG. 4.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 transfers the rotational force to the shaft 51 through the link unit 10.
• the guide pin 67 rotates together with the shaft 51 along the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b, and moves downwards or upwards in the pair of the vertical guide holes 78.
• the piston 62 connected with the piston rod 61 rotates and descends or ascends downwards or upwards by a predetermined distance.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 plays a role of converting the rotational motion applied to the shaft 51 into the rectilinear motion of the piston 62.
• the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b formed in the first cylindrical body 71a which is integrally formed with the outer clutch 71 operate in association with the door opening angle as shown in FIG. 4, and are divided into three sections "a” through “c,” which guide the elevating of the piston 62, that is, a first section "a” of the door opening angle of 0-50°, a second section “b” of the door opening angle of 50-99°, and a third section "c" of the door opening angle of 99-160°.
• the first section “a” is a section that the opening angle at which the piston 62 of the actuator 60 ascends and descends is determined in the range of 0-50° and a cam diagram angle ⁇ of the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b is set to be relatively bigger than an angle ⁇ of the second section "b" to thus enhance an efficiency of ascending the piston 62 and supplementing the closing force loss due to the resistance of the oil-hydraulic circuit and the proportional degradation of the restoring force of the torsion spring 76.
• the return speed of a door is limited to a certain speed and delayed by a damping unit 100 including a check valve 81 and the piston 62 for the safety of a user.
• a damping unit 100 including a check valve 81 and the piston 62 for the safety of a user.
• a latch installed in the door must have a final closing force so as to be combined with a lock installed at a door frame.
• the clutch unit 70 is clutched at the door opening angle of 45 ' .
• the door opening angle exceeds 45°, the reverse twisting of the torsion spring 76 is stopped.
• the opening angle is less than 45°, the clutching operation is released to thus transfer the restoring force of the torsion spring 76 which has been reversely twisted to the shaft 51. Accordingly, the clutch unit is set to make a direct influence upon a return of a door.
• the check valve 81 does not operate and the torsion spring 76 is reversely twisted proportionally to the opening angle, until the opening angle exceeds 45° since the inner clutch 73 and the shaft 51 rotate in the left-hand screw direction and the actuator 60, that is, the piston 62 descends, at the door opening time.
• the clutching operation of the clutch unit 70 is released from the opening angle less than 45° and the restoring force supplied from the torsion spring 76 which is in the reverse twisted state makes the inner clutch 73 and the shaft 50 rotate clockwise. Consequently, the elastic force of the torsion spring 76 is added to the piston 62 to accordingly make the door completely returned to the initial position, that is, locked.
• the clutch unit 70 is at a clutched state, that is, the reverse twisting of the torsion spring 76 is stopped.
• the piston 62 continuously descends. Accordingly, the check valve 81 does not operate.
• the inner clutch 73 and the shaft 51 easily rotate in the left-hand screw direction, to thus enable a user to open a door without using a big force.
• a lower chamber it is possible to design a lower chamber to include a return spring, so as to have a reinforced closing force which makes a latch capable of being combined with a locking unit installed in a doorframe at the time of an automatic return of a door.
• the clutching start angle of the clutch unit 70 is set as the opening angle of 30°, and the clutch unit 70 is clutched at the opening angle of 30°.
• the reverse twisting of the torsion spring 76 is stopped, when the opening angle exceeds the opening angle of 30 ° .
• the opening angle is less than the opening angle of 30°, the clutching operation is released, and thus the restoring force of the torsion spring 76 which has been reversely twisted is added to that of the return spring. Accordingly, the shaft 51 can operate.
• the clutch unit 70 is at a clutched state, that is, the reverse twisting of the torsion spring 76 is stopped.
• the piston 62 continuously descends down to a bottom point. Accordingly, the check valve 81 does not operate.
• the inner clutch 73 and the shaft 51 easily rotate in the left-hand screw direction, according to opening of the door, to thus enable a user to open a door without using a big force.
• the cam diagram angle ⁇ of the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b is set to be relatively smaller than the cam diagram angle ⁇ of the first section "a.” This is nothing but to dispose the cam diagram for ascending and descending the piston 62 in the range of 0-160° within the limited area of the first cylindrical portion 71a.
• the return spring which is a compression spring is removed. Accordingly, an automatic return is accomplished only with the torsion spring 76.
• the clutch unit 70 is at the clutched state from the opening angle of 45°. Accordingly, the cam diagram angle does not make an influence upon operation of the hinge apparatus.
• the cam diagram angle is set to be zero to thus make an amount of the flow of oil zero and to thus accomplish a temporary stop of a door.
• users can conveniently open and close the door 2 or 3.
• the automatic return is blocked by addition of the return spring 67 to the lower chamber.
• the angle of the state where the door 2 or 3 has been opened is maintained.
• the opening angle of the door is changed from 0°, that is, the completely closed state, to 180°, that is, the completely opened state, at the time of opening the door, the opening force required for opening the door increases directly proportionally to the opening angle. Accordingly, it needs much force to open the door.
• the present invention needs the opening force similar to that of the conventional case, in order to preserve the closing force of the door till the door opening angle of 45" in the first section "a,” but it needs the opening force which is greatly reduced in the case of an actually chiefly used opening angle of 30-60° in comparison with the section of the opening angle of less than 45° since the reverse twisting of the torsion spring 76 can be stopped from the opening angle of 45° of the first section "a" according to the operation of the clutch unit 70, to thereby easily open a door.
• a damping unit 100 which is applied in the present invention is installed in the piston 62, and controls an descending and ascending speed of the piston 62, in association with the opening and closing of the door 3.
• the damping unit 100 provides a damping function selectively in the case that the piston 62 ascends according to the return of the door.
• the damping unit 100 includes: a piston rod 61 whose leading end is coupled to the guide pin 67 and is slidably combined with the inner portion of the second cylindrical portion 53 of the shaft 51 up and down, and whose lower end is integrally connected to the center of the piston 62, and which includes a throughhole 90 through which oil can flow between the upper/lower chambers 34 and 35; a check valve 81 which is formed at the center of the piston 62 which communicates with the throughhole 90 of the piston rod 61 and which opens an oil path along which oil moves from the lower chamber 35 to the upper chamber 34 at the door opening time, and limits the oil path along which oil moves from the upper chamber 34 to the lower chamber 35 at the door closing time, with a result that a small amount of oil flows through the oil path; and a fluid pressure control rod 45 whose leading end is inserted into a groove 94 of the piston rod 61 and which controls an ascending/descending speed of the piston 62 which ascends and descends at the door closing time.
• FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing a piston including an overpressure preventive valve and a check valve according to the present invention.
• FIG. 7B is an exploded perspective view showing components of the overpressure preventive valve and the check valve of FIG. 7A.
• FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view showing the piston of FIG.
• FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams for explaining operations of the check valve at the time of opening and closing a door, respectively, and FIG. 8C is a diagram for explaining an operation of the overpressure prevention valve.
• a piston rod 61 is integrally formed in a piston 62 including an overpressure prevention valve and a check valve, to thereby form an actuator 60.
• a groove 97 which communicates with the inside of the piston rod 61 from the lower end of the piston 62 is formed at the central portion of the actuator 60.
• the groove 97 formed in the piston 62 is formed to have first to third diameter portions 91-93 whose diameters are gradually reduced in three steps.
• the third diameter portion 93 whose diameter is the smallest is formed with the same diameter as that of a groove 94 that is extensively formed in the piston rod 61. Moreover, a throughhole 90 is formed in the groove 94 to communicate with the upper chamber 34. As shown in FIG. 7B, a check valve 81 at the central portion of which a throughhole 81a is formed and which is formed of a sheet form plate whose both two side surfaces facing each other are cut open and run in parallel with each other and both other two side surfaces facing each other are curved, is inserted into the second diameter portion 92 of the groove 97.
• An overpressure prevention valve 82 whose outer diameter is greater than the second diameter portion 92 and is smaller than the first diameter portion 91, and at the central portion of which a throughhole 82a is formed, is inserted into the lower portion of the check valve 81.
• a dish shaped spring 83 which has an outer diameter not more than the overpressure prevention valve 82 and at the central portion of which a throughhole 83a is formed, is inserted into the lower side of the overpressure prevention valve 82.
• An overpressure prevention ring 84 is inserted between the overpressure prevention valve 82 and the dish shaped spring 83, and the inner circumference of the first diameter portion 91.
• an overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85 is screw-connected with the inner circumference of the groove 97, in the lowest portion of the groove 97, in order that the overpressure prevention ring 84 and the dish shaped spring 83 do not secede from the groove and the dish shaped spring 83 is maintained at a closely contact state with respect to the overpressure prevention valve 82.
• the overpressure prevention valve 82 is set to have a little smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the overpressure prevention ring 84.
• an overpressure release oil path (OP) is formed to remove overpressure.
• a throughhole 85a is formed at the central portion of the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85, and at least one pair of throughholes
• a fluid pressure control rod 45 is inserted into the throughholes 81 a ⁇ 83a and 85a which are formed at the central portion of the check valve 81 , the overpressure prevention valve 82, the dish shaped spring 83 and the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85.
• the throughhole 82a, 83a, and 85a formed at the central portion of the overpressure prevention valve 82, the dish shaped spring 83 and the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85 are formed to be greater than the throughhole 81 a of the check valve 81.
• the check valve 81 is disposed so as to move up and down in the second diameter portion 92 according to the oil pressure.
• the second diameter portion 92 and the third diameter portion 93 are connected with each other through an up-direction slope 95, and the second diameter portion 92 and the first diameter portion 91 are connected with each other through a vertical step portion 96.
• the overpressure prevention valve 82, the dish shaped spring 83, the overpressure prevention ring 84, and the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85 form an overpressure prevention unit 80 together with the piston 62 on which a groove 109 is formed.
• the piston 62 descends by the rotational/rectilinear motion converters 59 when the door 2 or 3 opens.
• oil in the lower chamber 35 flows to the upper chamber 34 along the arrow of FIG. 8 A.
• the oil in the lower chamber 35 flows in the throughholes 85a, 83a, and 82a formed at the central portion of the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85, the dish shaped spring
• the check valve 81 receives a pressure on the upper side thereof, and moves so that the lower surface of the check valve 81 may contact the upper surface of the overpressure prevention valve 82.
• the oil in the upper chamber 34 does not form an oil path according to a gap of the outer circumferential portion of the check valve 81 but moves by a small quantity through a normal oil path (NP) that passes through the throughholes 81a-83a, and 85a that are formed at the central portions of the check valve 81, the overpressure prevention valve 82, the dish shaped spring 83 and the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85.
• NP normal oil path
• the overpressure prevention valve unit 80 does not operate in the case that a user closes a door 2 or 3 at a normal speed, but operates only when an external force having a big force such as a strong wind is applied to the door to accordingly make the door rapidly closed. That is, in the case that the door is opened and closed at a normal speed as described above, the oil path is selectively blocked according to the position set in the check valve 81.
• an overpressure release oil path is formed between the outer circumference of the check valve 81 and the inner circumference of the piston 62, between the overpressure prevention valve 82 and the overpressure prevention ring 84, and along the throughholes 85b and 85c of the overpressure prevention clamping bolt 85, and thus the oil flows to the lower chamber 35, according to the arrow of FIG. 8C.
• the oil in the upper chamber 34 flows in the lower chamber 35 in a large quantity through the overpressure release oil path (OP) and the normal oil path (NP) which passes through the throughholes 85a, 83a, and 82a formed at the central portion thereof, to thereby release an overpressure state.
• OP overpressure release oil path
• NP normal oil path
• the overpressure prevention valve 83 does not move downwards by pressure of oil.
• the overpressure prevention valve 83 does not move downwards but is maintained at a state of elastically contacting the vertical step portion 96 of the piston 62, the overpressure release oil path (OP) is not formed between the vertical step portion 96 and the overpressure prevention valve 83. Therefore, it is preferable that the dish shaped spring 83 is designed to have such an elasticity that it may be deformed in the case that a predetermined overpressure occurs.
• the fluid pressure control rod 45 is formed as a rod shape in which the lower end of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is fixed to a groove of a plug 36 which is screw-connected with the central portion of a lower cap 33, and a protrusion of a predetermined length is formed at the upper side of the fluid pressure control rod 45.
• the fluid pressure control rod 45 includes a first and second high-speed section setters 45a and 45c having a large amount of the flow of oil in which one side surface of the circular rod shape is greatly cut in the lengthy direction as shown in FIG. 9, so as to vary an amount of the flow of oil which moves through a normal oil path (NP) which passes through the throughholes 85a, 83a, and 82a according to the door opening angle, in particular, which moves through the throughhole 81a of the check valve 81 formed of the smallest diameter, and a low-speed section setter 45b having a small amount of the flow of oil, in which the low-speed section setter 45b is disposed between the first and second high-speed section setters 45a and 45c and one side surface of the circular rod shape is a little cut in the lengthy direction.
• NP normal oil path
• the first high-speed section setter 45a of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is set to correspond to the door opening angle of 0- 15°
• the low-speed section setter 45b of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is set to correspond to the door opening angle of 15-45°
• the second high-speed section setter 45c of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is set to correspond to the door opening angle of 45- 160°.
• the reason why the low-speed section setter 45b of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is set to correspond to the door opening angle of 15-45" in the present invention is because the clutching start angle of the clutch unit 70 is set as the opening angle of 45°. That is, if the door opening angle becomes 45 " or less at the return of the door, the clutching state is released and the restoring force of the torsion spring 76 becomes active, to thus make the door 2 or 3 returned abruptly. For the safety of a user, an amount of the flow of oil is reduced so that the door is returned at low speed in the section of the door opening angle of 15-45° to thereby increase damping power.
• the reason why the first high-speed section setter 45a of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is set to correspond to the door opening angle of 0-15° is to heighten an ascending speed of the piston 62, that is, the closing speed of the door by increasing an amount of the flow of oil in order to make the door 2 or 3 completely returned to the initial position to be maintained at a locked state by latch of the door.
• the reason why the second high-speed section setter 45c of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is set to correspond to the door opening angle of 45-160° is to be able to control an ascending speed of the piston 62, that is, the closing speed of the door by increasing an amount of the flow of oil if possible, in order to make the door 2 or 3 closed by a force with which a user closes the door, that is, according to the user's intention, when the user closes the door 2 or 3, for example, a refrigerator door, in the range of the door opening angle.
• the high-speed section setters 45a and 45c are set to compare a current amount of the flow of oil with the oil amount flow- when the check valve 81 does not operate at an OFF state, that is, at the time of opening of the door (that is, at the time of descending the piston), to thus enable a relatively large amount of the flow of oil to flow.
• FIGS. 1OA to 1OC are schematic views illustrating operational states depending upon an opening angle of the automatic return hinge apparatus including a link unit for use in doors of a refrigerator according to the present invention, respectively.
• the guide pin 67 whose both end portions are inserted into the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b of the first cylindrical portion 71a which is integrally formed with the outer clutch 71, and a pair of vertical guide holes 78 of the second cylindrical portion 53 which is integrally formed with the shaft 51, moves downwards along the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b, according to the rotation of the shaft 51.
• the force to urge the piston 62 to move to the down direction is applied to the piston 62 operating with the guide pin 70 and the piston rod 61 which move to the down direction.
• the piston 62 descends by the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59. Accordingly, the oil positioned in the lower chamber 35 moves up as shown in FIG. 8A, while check valve 81 moves upwards. That is, at the door opening time, the check valve 81 is closed, that is, in the OFF state. As a result, a large amount of oil rapidly moves from the lower chamber 35 to the upper chamber 34. Accordingly, the piston 62 is not greatly influenced by a damping pressure due to oil in the lower chamber 35 when the piston 62 descends.
• the guide pin 70 moves in the first section “a” like the operating state at the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b.
• the actuator 60 descends while reversely twisting the torsion spring 76.
• the piston rod 61 moves downwards, the taper-formed fluid pressure control rod 45 continuously enters into the first oil path 68a.
• an amount of the oil passing through the throughhole 81a of the check valve 81 is gradually decreased.
• the opening angle of the door becomes 15°, and the door enters into the low-speed section setter 45b, the piston 62 rapidly descends since most of a large amount of oil rapidly moves from the lower chamber 35 to the upper chamber 34 through the outer circumference of the check valve 81 which is in the OFF state.
• a pair of the roller balls 75a and 75b are seceded from a first insertion groove 74a of the inner clutch 73 and is inserted to a second insertion groove hole 74c of the outer clutch 71.
• the opening angle of the door becomes 45 ° or greater
• the rotation of the inner clutch 73 is suspended and only the shaft 51 rotates. Accordingly, an increase in the elastic force of the torsion spring 76 is stopped based on the opening angle of the door of 45 ° .
• the check valve 81 is also at an OFF state. Accordingly, the guide pin 70 gets to reach the second section "b" in which the door opening angle is 50°.
• the piston 62 continuously descends along the second section "b" of the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b, to thereby enable a user to open the door without suffering from a big resistance.
• the hinge apparatus proceeds to the third section "c" where the door opening angle is in the range of 99-160°. Accordingly, the rotational movement of the door 3 is limited to the door opening angle of 135°, as shown in FIG. 1OC, and the piston 62 does not descend any more and is maintained as the stationary state at the state of being positioned at the bottom point. That is, a state where only the shaft 51 rotates, that is, a temporary stop state of the door 3, is maintained.
• the oil in the upper chamber 34 moves little by little through the normal oil path (NP) which passes through the throughholes 81a-81c and 85a which are formed at the centers of the check valve 81, the overpressure prevention valve 82, the dish-shaped spring 83 and the overpressure prevention clamping valve 85.
• NP normal oil path
• the piston 62 ascends, the piston 62 is greatly influenced by the damping pressure due to the oil in the upper chamber 34, and the piston 62 ascends at a first speed in proportion to the external force which the user applies to the door 3.
• the oil pressure control rod 45 which has been inserted into the normal oil path (NP) is positioned in the second high speed section setter 45c, and the clutch unit 70 is at the clutching state. Accordingly, the door closing speed, that is, the ascending speed of the piston is determined in proportion to the external force applied to the door by the user. However, assuming that the external force is constant, the oil passing through the normal oil path (NP) moves at high speed. Accordingly, the piston 62 ascends relatively at high speed.
• the user can control the ascending speed of the piston 62. In this case, the user does not feel burdensome for the closing of the door.
• an increase in the speed means that the door can be closed with a small force.
• the shaft 51 rotates clockwise according to the ascending of the piston 62 and the opening angle of a door becomes 45° or less.
• the roller ball 75a and 75b are seceded from the second insertion groove 74c of the outer clutch 71 and is inserted into the first insertion groove 74a of the shaft 51.
• the roller ball 75a and 75b hanging on the second insertion groove 74c are inserted up to the center or less thereof.
• the inner clutch 73 which receives the rotational force from the initial setting direction, that is, the clockwise direction by the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring 76, applies the rotational force to the roller ball 75a and 75b. Then, the roller ball 75a and 75b secede from the second insertion groove 74c and rotates clockwise together with the inner clutch 73.
• the stopped inner clutch 73 receives the rotational force from the initial setting direction, that is, the clockwise direction by the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring 76, and applies the rotational force of the clockwise direction to the shaft 51 via the roller ball 75a and 75b.
• the door closing force is provided for the door.
• the piston 62 receives a strong elastic restoring force of the torsion spring 76 with respect to the shaft 51.
• a larger amount of the flow of oil flows from the upper chamber 34 to the lower chamber 35 via the normal oil path (NP) than that in the range of 99-45°.
• NP normal oil path
• the clutch unit 70 is released and the door 2 or 3 is abruptly returned by the restoring force of the torsion spring 76, the safety of the user is not guaranteed.
• it is required to increase a damping power by decreasing an amount of the flow of oil so that the door is returned at low- speed in the section of the door opening angle of 45-15 ° which has been frequently used by the user.
• the low speed section setter 45b of the fluid pressure control rod 45 is of a taper structure so that the diameter thereof is gradually decreased, an amount of oil passing through the normal oil path (NP) is increased gradually. It is also possible to design the low speed section setter
• the damping unit 100 in particular, the check valve 81 is at an ON state at the door closing time, and accordingly oil flows little by little from the upper chamber 34 to the lower chamber 35 via only the normal oil path (NP), to thereby perform a damping function.
• the fluid pressure control rod 45 is synchronized to make the low speed section setter 45b start at the same time of releasing the clutch unit.
• the piston 62 enters the opening angle of 15-0°, following the section of the opening angle of 45-15°, it is required that the door 2 or 3 completely should return to the initial position, and should be at a locked state by a latch of the door.
• the fluid pressure control rod 45 enters the first high speed section setter 45a so as to increase an amount of the flow of oil.
• the ascending speed of the piston 62 that is, the closing speed of the door increases.
• the door returns to the initial position and the piston 62 returns to the position of the initial state.
• the hinge apparatus 20 having the automatic return function operates to provide a restoring force so that the door 3 is returned to the initial position through the link unit 10.
• the hinge apparatus 20 employs the torsion spring 76 and the clutch unit 70, and if the shaft 51 rotates clockwise and the door opening angle becomes 45° or less which is the clutching start angle when the door 3 is closed with a predetermined force, the clutch unit is released and the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring is applied to the shaft 51 as the rotational force of the clockwise direction. Accordingly, the closing force is applied to the door through the link unit 10, and thus the door 3 is automatically returned to the initial position. That is, if the door 3 rotates counterclockwise and the torsion spring 76 reaches the door opening angle which provides the restoring force, the elastic restoring force is applied to the shaft 51. Accordingly, the fixing nut 18 combined with the shaft 51 and the driving link 14 of the link unit 10 which is fixed to the outer circumference of the fixing nut 18 by welds rotate clockwise together while the shaft 51 rotates clockwise.
• joint balls 16b and 17b of the first and second ball joints 16 and 17 can prevent coupling bolts 16a and 17a playing a role of a hinge shaft, respectively from be twisted, to thereby block the friction and load which may be caused when the hinge shaft of the connection portion is twisted at the time of opening and closing the door 2 or 3.
• the hinge apparatus 20 having the automatic return function does not generate noise and partial wear and smoothly operates.
• the hinge apparatus according to the present invention employs only the torsion spring 76 at the time of closing the door, an oil-hydraulic circuit that is formed by the normal oil path (NP) of the piston 62 plays a role of functioning as only a damper which lowers the door closing speed in view of only the hinge apparatus.
• the hinge apparatus according to the present invention does not attain a multistage speed control.
• a compression spring which is used as a return spring makes the piston vertically move.
• the vertical movement is converted into a rotational movement of the camshaft and provided for the restoring force of the door.
• an energy loss may occur. Only 30% of the opening force that is required at the door opening time exhibits as the door closing force.
• the restoring force of the torsion spring 76 which has been reversely twisted according to opening of the door is a rotational moment. Accordingly, in the case that clutching of the clutch unit 70 is released, the restoring force of the torsion spring 76 functions to just make the camshaft perform a rotational motion. Accordingly, an energy loss which may occur during conversion of the rectilinear motion into the rotational motion is less. As a result, 50-70% of the opening force exhibits as the door closing force, to thereby provide an effect of enhancing a conversion efficiency of 20-40%.
• the single torsion spring 76 is employed in this invention, an efficiency of contributing for the closing force of the spring is high.
• a part of the length which is reduced due to removal of the return spring is utilized for an increase in the length of the torsion spring. Accordingly, the closing force of the door can be compensated for.
• the return spring that is inserted in the lower chamber is removed, and a sealing cap, a ball bearing, an adjusting bolt, etc., can be removed, to thereby achieve simplification of parts and enhancement of an assembly, and seek reduction in the length of the hinge apparatus.
• the fluid pressure control rod 45 is removed and the diameter of the throughhole of the check valve 81 is reduced. Accordingly, an amount of the flow of oil is greatly reduced and simultaneously maintained constant when the piston ascends and descends according to the door closing, to thereby have no need to a minute speed control. That is, when the hinge apparatus according to the first modification is compared with the above-described first embodiment, the check valve 81 according to the first modification provides a uniform damping force at the door closing time. Further, the hinge apparatus according to the first modification provides a more simplified structure of a fluid pressure control rod 45 wand a lower cap 33 supporting the fluid pressure control rod 45.
• the operation at the door opening time in the hinge apparatus according to the first modification is substantially same as that of the first embodiment. However, there is a difference therebetween at the door closing time. That is, if the piston 62 ascends according to the closing of the door, the oil in the upper chamber 34 is pressurized by the ascending piston 62. Accordingly, oil flows out little by little to the lower chamber 35 through a narrow throughhole formed in the check valve 81 consistently, to then make the piston 62 ascend slowly.
• the hinge apparatus according to the first modification reduces an amount of the flow of oil greatly, and thus ascends slowly at a constant speed.
• the hinge apparatus according to the first modification is a hydraulic circuit appropriate in the case that there is no need to perform a minute speed control and a door closing is required within a predetermined time. Further, since the fluid pressure control rod, the plug, etc., have been removed from the hinge apparatus according to the first modification, the overall length of the hinge apparatus is further reduced to thus enhance simplification and assembly of parts.
• the first and second elevating guide holes are formed in the first cylindrical portion having the largest diameter, and the first and second vertical guide holes are formed in the second cylindrical portion disposed in the first cylindrical portion, to thereby increase the length of the cam diagram and suppress a sensitive reaction according to the outer temperature change.
• FIGS. 12A and 12B are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a second embodiment of the present invention, respectively, and FIGS. 12C and 12D are a cross-sectional view and a lengthy cross-sectional view of the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit cut along a line B-B' of FIG. 12B.
• like reference numerals are assigned with respect to like elements when compared with the first embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the description thereof will be omitted.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59a according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be modified without making an influence upon the clutch unit 70 formed in the upper end of the shaft 51.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59a includes first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b formed in the second cylindrical portion 53 which is integrally formed with the shaft 51 reversely to that of the first embodiment of the present invention, and first and second vertical guide holes 78 formed in the cylindrical portion 71a.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59a includes: the first cylindrical portion 71a which is installed in the inner circumference of the body 21 and in which first and second vertical guide holes 78 are penetratively formed in opposition to each other vertically!
• the second cylindrical portion 53 which is extended toward the inner portion of the first cylindrical portion 71a from the shaft 51 and in which the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b which are formed of a spiral shape of a symmetrical structure, respectively so as to be movable mutually are penetratively formed; and a guide pin 67 whose both ends are combined with the first and second vertical guide holes 78 of the first cylindrical portion 71a, through the first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b of the second cylindrical portion 53, and whose central portion is combined with the upper end of the piston rod 61 connected with the piston 62.
• the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed are formed in the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4.
• the first cylindrical portion 71a is integrally formed with the outer clutch 71. Therefore, in the case of the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59a according to the second embodiment, a rotational force is delivered to the shaft 51 through the link unit 10 when the refrigerator door 3 is made to rotate.
• the guide pin 67 rotates along the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b together with the shaft 51, and thus moves downwards or upwards in the pair of the vertical guide holes 78.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59a plays a role of converting the rotational movement applied to the shaft 51 into the rectilinear movement of the piston 62.
• a reference numeral 74a denotes a pair of hemispheric first insertion groove corresponding to a part of the pair of the roller balls 75a and 75b in the clutch unit 70.
• FIGS. 13A to 13D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a third embodiment of the present invention, respectively.
• a pair of elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed are formed in a second cylindrical portion 72 which is extensively formed with a diameter of a medium size in the lower side of an outer clutch 71.
• a pair of vertical guide holes 78 are penetratively formed in the top and bottom direction in an extension shaft 151 that is extended with the same diameter of a small size as that of the shaft 51 in the lower end portion of the shaft 51.
• a piston rod 161 is integrally cylindrically extended and formed from a piston 62.
• a guide pin 67 is combined with a pair of facing pin holes 162 formed in the cylindrical piston rod 161, a pair of elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed in the cylindrical portion 72, and a pair of vertical guide holes 78 which are penetratively formed in the top and bottom direction in the extension shaft 151.
• the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed are formed in the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the case of the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit
• the guide pin 67 rotates along the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b together with the shaft 51, and thus moves downwards in the pair of the vertical guide holes 78.
• the cylindrical piston rod 161 connected with the guide pin 67 and the piston 62 also rotate and thus the piston 62 descends downwards by a predetermined distance.
• FIGS. 14A to 14D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, respectively.
• a pair of elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed are formed in a first cylindrical portion 71a which is extensively formed in the lower side of an outer clutch 71 whose outer circumference is fixed to a body 21.
• a pair of vertical guide holes 78 are penetratively formed in the top and bottom direction in an extension shaft 152 that is extended with the same diameter of a small size as that of a shaft 51 in the lower end portion of the shaft 51.
• a piston rod 163 is integrally cylindrically extended and formed from a piston 62 with a medium size.
• a guide pin 67 is combined with a pair of elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed in the first cylindrical portion 71a, a pair of facing pin holes 162 formed in the cylindrical piston rod 163 which is inserted into the first cylindrical portion 71a, and a pair of vertical guide holes 78 which are penetratively formed in the top and bottom direction in the extension shaft 151.
• the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed are formed in the same as those of the first embodiment.
• the guide pin 67 rotates along the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b together with the shaft 51, and thus moves downwards in the pair of the vertical guide holes 78.
• the cylindrical piston rod 163 connected with the guide pin 67 and the piston 62 also rotate and thus the piston 62 descends downwards by a predetermined distance.
• FIGS. 15A to 15D are an assembled perspective view, an exploded perspective view, a first lengthy cross-sectional view and a second lengthy cross-sectional view of a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit which converts a rotational motion of a shaft to an axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, respectively.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59d includes: a cylindrical portion 71a whose upper end portion is installed in the inner circumferential surface of the body 21 and through which first and second elevating guide holes 54a and 54b which are made of a spiral shape of a movement symmetrical structure for each other are penetratively formed; an extension shaft 152 which is extended into the inside of the first cylindrical portion 71a from the shaft 51 and which has a number of vertical guide protrusions 152a in the vertical direction; a cylindrical piston rod 163 which is extended from the piston 62, and on the upper end portion of which a pair of pin holes 162 are formed and face each other and on the inner circumference of which grooves 163b are formed in correspondence to the number of the vertical guide protrusions 152a of the extension shaft 152, and with the outer circumference of which the cylindrical portion 71a is slidably combined; and first and second guide pins 67a and 67b which are combined with the pair of
• the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b in which cam diagrams are formed are formed in the same as those of the first embodiment.
• the shaft 51 rotates according to opening of the door
• the guide pins 67a and 67b rotate along the pair of the elevating guide holes 54a and 54b.
• the piston rod 163 also rotates together with the guide pins 67a and 67b and thus the piston rod 163 descends downwards by a predetermined distance.
• the shaft 51 and the extension shaft 152 do not include any throughhole, respectively.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59d according to the fifth embodiment can be fabricated by a form rolling process which is a kind of a plastic working process. Therefore, the shafts for use in the first to fourth embodiments include a throughhole, respectively, and thus are fabricated by a cutting process using a cutting tool, but the shaft for use in the fifth embodiment can be fabricated by a form rolling process, to thereby lower a processing cost and avoid waste of material costs due to a cutting process.
• FIGS. 16A to 16D are an assembled perspective view, a disassembled perspective view and lengthy cross-sectional views showing a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit for converting the rotational motion of a shaft to the axial rectilinear motion of a piston according to a sixth embodiment of the present, respectively.
• two lines of female thread portions 163a formed of a spiral shape are formed on the inner circumference of a cylindrical piston rod 163 of a medium size which is extended from the piston 62, instead of a pair of elevating guide holes in which cam diagrams are formed.
• a pair of vertical guide holes 78 are penetratively formed facing each other in the vertical direction in the cylindrical piston rod 163, respectively.
• Two lines of male thread portions 153a corresponding to the two lines of female thread portions 163a are formed in a spiral form in an extension shaft 151 which is extended in the lower end of a shaft 51 in the same diameter as that of the shaft 51.
• a pair of opposing pin holes 162 are formed in a first cylindrical portion 71a which is extended and formed in the lower end portion of an outer clutch 71 whose outer circumference is fixed to a body 21.
• a pair of guide pins 67a and 67b are combined between a pair of vertical guide holes 78 which are formed in the cylindrical piston rod 163 and a pair of the pin holes 162 which are formed in the cylindrical portion 71a, via the pair of the pin holes 162.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59e As the shaft 51 rotates in the right-hand screw direction according to opening of a door, the rotational force of the right-hand screw direction is applied to the piston rod 163 having the two lines of female thread portions 163a screw-engaged with the two lines of male thread portions 153a of the extension shaft 151.
• one end of the guide pins 67a and 67b is combined with the pin holes 162 of the first cylindrical portion 71a, respectively, and the other end of the guide pins 67a and 67b is inserted into the vertical guide holes 78 of the piston rod 163, respectively. Accordingly, the piston rod 163 does not rotate.
• the cylindrical piston rod 163 and the piston 62 descend downwards in the vertical direction by a predetermined distance.
• the shaft 51 and the extension shaft 153 do not include any throughhole, respectively, similarly to that of the fifth embodiment, but include only the threads.
• the rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59e according to the sixth embodiment can be fabricated by a form rolling process which is a kind of a plastic working process. Therefore, the shafts for use in the first to fourth embodiments include a throughhole, respectively, and thus are fabricated by a cutting process using a cutting tool, but the shaft for use in the sixth embodiment can be fabricated by a form rolling process, to thereby lower a processing cost and avoid waste of material costs due to a cutting process.
• the axial rectilinear motion of the piston 62 is achieved by an ascending force according to a restoring force of the return spring which is inserted into the lower chamber and/or that of the torsion spring which is associated with the clutch unit 70.
• a height control mechanism for controlling the height of the fluid pressure control rod 45 illustrated in FIG. 17, includes: a set nut 43 whose outer circumference is inserted into a throughhole which is formed at the central part of a lower cap 21 so as to be elevated and whose inner circumference is combined with the lower end of the fluid pressure control rod 45; and a set bolt 41 whose lower end is supported to a throughhole which is formed at the central part of a lower cap 33 so as to be rotated and whose central protrusion is screw-coupled with the inner circumference portion of the set nut 43, to thereby control the fluid pressure control rod 45 according to the left/right rotation.
• An annular groove 33a which is used for caulking the body 21 is formed in the outer circumference of the lower cap 33.
• a protrusion 33b that restricts the set nut 43 from escaping the throughhole of the lower cap is formed on the top portion of the inner circumference of the lower cap 33.
• a step portion 33c which restricts the lower end of the set bolt 41 from ascending is formed in the lower side of the inner circumference of the lower cap 33.
• a stop ring 42 which restricts the set bolt 41 from seceding to the outside of the lower cap 33 is formed on the lower end of the lower cap 33.
• the outer circumference of the upper end of the set nut 43 is formed to have a small diameter. As a result, the outer circumference of the upper end of the set nut 43 does not contact the protrusion 33b and ascends into the inner portion of the lower chamber as long as a predetermined length.
• a reference numeral 44 denotes a sealing O -ring.
• FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism of controlling- height of a fluid pressure control rod in an exposure type structure
• PlG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism of controlling height of a fluid pressure control rod in a buried type structure.
• the buried type hinge apparatus illustrated in FIG. 18 has a structure of controlling height of the fluid pressure control rod.
• the height controllable hinge apparatus 300 according to the modification of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 18 is embodied using the hinge apparatus having an automatic return function.
• the hinge apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment that is illustrated in FIG. 1 shows an example that the hinge apparatus 20 is buried at a position spaced with no interference from the rotational axis 4 or 5 of the door 2 or 3 in the lower end of the door 2 or 3.
• the hinge apparatus according to the modification that is illustrated in FIG. 18 shows an example that the hinge apparatus is directly installed in the rotational axis 4 or 5 of the door 2.
• FIG. 18 Like reference numerals are assigned with the like elements in FIG. 18 in comparison with FIG. 1. Accordingly, the description thereof will be omitted.
• An automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 applied to the modification of the present invention has an automatic return function. Any automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 having an automatic return function, can be applied in the present invention.
• the automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 can be applied to the hinge apparatus having an automatic return function disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2007- 14713 on February 1, 2007, for example.
• the automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 can be buried into a door.
• the automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 may be also applied to a case that a shaft of a hinge apparatus protrudes to the outside.
• an upper cap and a lower cap 144 are fixedly combined with the upper and lower sides of a cylindrical body 21 in order to close the inside of the hinge apparatus module 1 10, respectively.
• a shaft 51 which transfers a return force to a door 3 is protruded downwards while passing through a lower cap 144.
• a fixing nut 18 is combined with the protruded portion of the shaft 51.
• a stop ring 150 is engaged with the lower end of the shaft 51 to thereby intercept the fixing nut 18 from being detached from the shaft 51.
• a thrust bearing 152 formed of a pair of washers whose inner circumferences are combined with the outer circumference of the shaft 51 is inserted between the lower side surface of the lower cap 144 and the upper side surface of the fixing nut 18. It is preferable to insert the thrust bearing 152 so that a frictional resistance between the lower cap 144 and the fixing nut 18 can be reduced at the time of rotation of the shaft 51 and the fixing nut 18.
• a guide housing 138 is fixed to a groove 103a at the entrance part, using a foam or an adhesive.
• the guide housing 138 includes for example, four trench style grooves 138a which are formed radially at an angle of 90 degrees along the lengthy direction.
• the upper portion of the lower cap 144 in the hinge apparatus module 110 is fixedly inserted into the inner portion of the body 21.
• Four rectangular protrusions 144a are protruded radially at an angle of 90 degrees along the lengthy direction, so that the intermediate portion of the lower cap 144 correspond to the four trench style grooves 138a which are formed at the outer circumference of the lower cap 144.
• a male thread portion is formed in the outer circumference of the lower end of the lower cap 144.
• the hinges apparatus module 40 when the hinges apparatus module 40 is inserted into the groove 103 or 103a of the door 3 to thereby perform a height control, the rectangular protrusion 144a of the intermediate portion of the lower cap 144 is made to contact the step portion between the cylindrical groove 103 and the trench style groove 138a, to accordingly establish an upper limit level to which the hinge apparatus module 110 can rise up.
• a fixing bracket 132 is fixed to the groove 103a of the door 3 so as to flush with the lower end surface of the door, using a clamp screw or a coupling bolt (not illustrated).
• a control nut 134 on the inner circumference of which a female thread portion is formed is screw-coupled with the lower end of the lower cap 144 which is withdrawn downwards through the throughhole of the fixing bracket 132 and is protruded to the outside.
• a step portion is formed in the outer circumference of the fixing nut 18 of the hinge apparatus module 110.
• the step portion is combined with an insertion hole so as to be fixedly inserted into a bracket that is installed in a bearing (or a support bracket) 136 of a refrigerator or a door frame.
• the leading end of the externally projected shaft 51 of the hinge apparatus module 110 is cut equally so that both opposite surfaces run parallel to have rectilinear opposite surfaces, and the other portions thereof are formed of a structure having opposite curved surfaces.
• a throughhole of the shape corresponding to the leading end portion of the shaft 51 is also formed in the fixing nut 18 combined with the shaft 51. Therefore, the fixing nut 18 is combined with the shaft 51 with a limited rotation.
• the shaft 51 contacts and is fixed to a bearing (or a support bracket) 136 of a refrigerator, together with the fixing nut 18 having a large diameter.
• a contact area increases to thereby accomplish a stable fixture.
• the automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 includes: a body 21 in the lower end of which a lower cap 144 (which is referred to as an upper cap in the above-described embodiment) is formed and whose upper end is blocked by an upper cap 33 (which is referred to as a lower cap in the above-described embodiment); a shaft 51 whose upper end is projected through the lower cap and is extended to the lower side of the body; a piston 62 whose outer circumferential surface is slidably installed along the inner circumferential surface of the body 21 and which partitions the inner portion of the body 21 into upper/lower chambers; a rotational/rectilinear motion conversion unit 59 which converts a rotational motion of the shaft into an axial rectilinear motion of the piston when a rotational force of the door is applied to the shaft according to opening and closing of the door; a damping unit 100 that is installed in the piston and controls a descent and ascent speed of the piston according to the opening and closing of the door
• the return unit preferably includes: a torsion spring 76 whose one end is fixed to the lower cap 144 and incorporated in the lower portion of the body, and which provides a restoring force for the shaft 51 to make the shaft 51 rotate in the direction of closing the door; and a clutch unit 70 which is associated with the torsion spring 76, to thus interrupt an increase in an elastic force of the torsion spring in the case that a current opening angle exceeds a predetermined opening angle at the time of opening and closing the door and restore the elastic force of the torsion spring in the case that a current opening angle does not exceed the predetermined opening angle at the time of opening and closing the door.
• a current opening angle exceeds the predetermined opening angle, it is possible to maintain the door at an angle set by a user in a temporary stop state.
• the control nut 134 is supported by the fixing bracket 132 so that the ascending of the control nut 134 is blocked and rotated only. Accordingly, if the control nut 134 is made to rotate, the lower cap 144 of the hinge apparatus module 110 which is screw-coupled with the control nut 134 ascends or descends. Therefore, the hinge apparatus module 1 10 which is supported by the lower cap 144 ascends or descends together in the grooves 103 and 103a of the door 3. Therefore, a user checks the state that the door 3 is installed in the bearing
• the lower cap 144 that is, the fixing nut 18 and the shaft 51 ascends (are inserted) or descends (are protruded) in the grooves 103 and 103a.
• the hinge apparatus 300 has an automatic return function as in the modification of the present invention, if a current door opening angle reaches a door opening angle allowing a predeterminately set automatic return function at the door opening time, a built-in automatic return hinge apparatus module 110 operates and thus provides the shaft 51 and the fixing nut 18 with a restoring force so that the door 3 returns automatically to the initial position.
• the compression spring or the torsion spring reaches a door opening angle allowing a restoring force when the door 3 rotates clockwise at the door closing time, the elastic restoring force is applied to the shaft 51 to thus enable the shaft 51 rotate clockwise, and the fixing nut 18 combined with the shaft 51 rotate clockwise together.
• the shaft 51 and the fixing nut 18 are fixed to the support bracket 136, the door 3 can rotate.
• the hinge apparatus 300 illustrated in FIG. 18 is installed in the groove 103 of the door 3 in a burial form.
• a control plate 46 on the outer circumference of which a number of uneven portions such as teeth are formed is supported by a fixing ring 47.
• a passage 103b communicating with the groove 103 is formed at the side surface of the door 3. It is preferable that the passage 103b need to be formed to have a length or so which corresponds to a diameter of the control plate 46.
• control panel 46 is made to rotate using a control installation device through the passage 103b. Accordingly, the fluid pressure control rod 45 is made to rotate. As a result, height of the fluid pressure control rod 45 may be controlled in the same as that of a height control mechanism of the fluid pressure control rod 45 shown in FIG. 17.
• a reference numeral 48 denotes a stop ring which hinders the set bolt 41 from seceding and a reference numeral 49 denotes an 0-ring for sealing.
• the hinge apparatus is applied to the hinge apparatus having an automatic return for a refrigerator.
• the hinge apparatus according to the present invention is applicable to various home appliances and building doors, fire preventive doors, or emergency doors, such as slide doors installed in the subway requiring the automatic return without a big transformation.
• the present invention cancels a compression repelling force of the torsion spring 76, from the door opening angle of 45 ° from which clutching of the clutch unit 70 is achieved at the door opening time.
• the present invention enables a user to easily open the door with a relatively small force in comparison with the case having no clutching.
• a door In the case that a door is closed in the present invention, if a user closes or opens the door at the door opening angle of 45° or less and then releases the door at the door opening angle of 45° or less, the door automatically returns to the initial position.
• the opening angle of an ordinary door by a user is accomplished within the door opening angle of 45 ° or less. Accordingly, if the automatic return speed of the door is properly set, a safety accident due to a rapid return of the door can be prevented. Further, a burden of controlling the door to automatically return can be reduced.
• the clutching start angle is set as 45 " .
• the clutching start angle is properly set as necessary.
• the hinge apparatuses according to the above-described embodiments of the present invention can be used as slim type hinge apparatuses having bodies of small diameters so as to be applied in a burial type to the refrigerator doors for example.
• the hinge apparatus according to the present invention can be used for a large-size refrigerator having at least one large-size heavy door.
• both a sealing cap and a ball bearing can be removed from the hinge apparatus, to thus attain simplification of parts and improvement of assembly.
• link unit and the hinge apparatus have been applied in the automatic return refrigerator door has been described in the embodiments of the present invention.
• the link unit according to the present invention and the hinge apparatus having the link unit can be applied to various home appliances and building doors, without a big modification.
• the hinge apparatus has been described with respect to the case that the hinge apparatus is used for a door in a burial form.
• the hinge apparatus can be fabricated in a compact and slim style, or other well-known styles.
• a hinge apparatus according to the present invention can be used in various home appliances such as refrigerator doors and building doors. Moreover, the hinge apparatus according to the present invention cannot only be fabricated in a burial style for an interior of a door, but can be also fabricated in a compact and slim style, or other well-known styles. Further, the hinge apparatus according to the present invention includes a link unit which can be applied in a form which transfers a door return force for the door.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Closing And Opening Devices For Wings, And Checks For Wings (AREA)
• Refrigerator Housings (AREA)
• Fluid-Damping Devices (AREA)
• Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39062058

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Cited By (8)

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• 2006
  • 2006-10-24 KR KR1020060103649A patent/KR100776627B1/ko active IP Right Grant
• 2007
  • 2007-10-23 WO PCT/KR2007/005199 patent/WO2008050989A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-10-23 JP JP2009534490A patent/JP5607932B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-10-23 CN CN200780039417.7A patent/CN101535587B/zh active Active

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