Description of the Prior Art The design of many cabinets requires that the cabinet door hinges not be observable from the front of the cabinet. Hinges of this type exist and a class of them is referred to as"knife hinges."These knife hinges comprise door and frame wings for mounting to the door and frame, respectively, a pivot interconnecting the wings to permit swinging of the door between open and closed positions and a latching finger disposed in spaced-opposing relation with the door wing having a first or fixed end and a second or movable free end, and where the wing opposite the latching finger includes one or more cam surfaces that are engageable with the second or free end of the finger to force the second portion of the finger to swing away from the door as the door is swung toward the closed position and then seat tightly against the door wing when the door has reached the closed position. This type of hinge holds the door in a yieldingly closed position under pressure from the latching finger in combination with the aforesaid cam surfaces.

One of these knife hinges is disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,203,031. This disclosure shows a hinge that is a self-closing and latching hinge in that it includes a mechanism for automatically closing the door as the door approaches the closed position and for thereafter releasably holding the door in the closed position. This

hinge utilizes a metal torsion spring and plastic roller held in place by means of a rivet. Unfortunately, this hinge is relatively expensive to manufacture due to multiple components and assembly requirements.

Another knife hinge is disclosed in United States Patent No. 5,060,344 and utilizes an integrally molded door component and resilient spring mechanism to provide similar closing and latching functions. This hinge is less expensive to assemble, but not as strong due to the material used for the door wing. In addition, the door wing needs to be quite long to support the integral resilient spring mechanism and this extends the hinge over the door wing, thereby limiting its use to cabinets having large door wings. The latching finger, made integral with the door wing, is of necessity quite high in profile, in order to have sufficient strength to pull the door closed during the last stages of door closure. This high profile extends into the interior of the cabinet to interfere with stacking operations in the cabinet interior.

Efforts to lower the profile of the latching fingers have met with failure because of two general problems. The first is that the plastic used in the finger requires a large profile to be able to close the cabinet with sufficient closure power. The second is that the latch finger becomes de-stabilized as its width and front profile are reduced. Opening and closing a cabinet door places a significant strain on these small hinges so that they must be ruggedly constructed to keep from being deformed during use. The narrower the latch finger is made, the more it tends to wobble from side-to-side during flexing.

Additional metal bracketing added to stabilize the finger only adds to the cost of fabrication and assembly and thus nullifies the savings of going to a smaller finger.

There is accordingly a need for a lower profile knife hinge with a smaller door wing that is overall simpler and less expensive to make and assemble so as to provide the public with lower cost cabinet components without a

concomitant loss in quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is a small profile knife hinge that overcomes all of the problems hereinbefore set forth in the prior art. The hinge requires overall smaller door and frame wings so that it finds use in cabinets both large and small. The latch finger has a significantly lower vertical profile so that it does not intrude into the interior of the cabinet to disrupt cabinet activity. The latch finger is not monolithic with the door wing, but is independent thereof and is attached to the door wing through a unique arrangement that provides high strength to the latch and stability during opening and closing of the cabinet door.

The invention is a hinge for mounting a door for swinging between open and closed positions on a frame, such as a cabinet, wherein the hinge comprises door and frame wings mountable on the door and frame, respectively, a pivot interconnecting the wings to permit swinging of the door between an open and closed position, a latching finger disposed in spaced-opposing relationship with the door wing and having first and second end portions, the first end portion of the finger having a reverse bend formed therein for lapping over a locking edge formed on the door wing and having a tab formed thereon inward from the first end for insertion into a cut-out formed in the door wing spaced- apart from the locking edge, to steady the finger in connection with the door wing, and being fixedly mounted thereto so as to permit the second end portion of the finger to swing cantilever fashion toward and away from the door wing, the finger being made of resiliently yieldable plastic, a post molded integrally with and extending from the second end portion of the finger and engaging the door wing to limit movement of the finger toward the door wing, the second end portion of the finger extending toward the frame wing and having a free end, the frame wing including a cam having a cam surface engageable with the free end of the latching finger to force the second portion of the

finger to swing away from the door wing as the door is swung toward the closed position, and a pocket formed in the cam adjacent the cam surface thereof, where the free end portion of the finger snaps resiliently toward the door wing and into the pocket as the door reaches the closed position and thereafter coacts with the pocket to latch the door releasably in the closed position.

Accordingly, the main object of this invention is a knife hinge that has a low interior profile and is adaptable to large and small cabinets. Other objects of the invention include a knife hinge where the latching finger is stabilized against wobbling during opening and closing of the cabinet door; a knife hinge where the latching finger is not monolithic with the door wing; a knife hinge that is lower in cost in manufacturing and assemble and is adaptable to having the door wing made smaller than those of the prior art, so that it may be used on cabinet doors that are small in comparison to other doors used in cabinetry.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent when reading the description of the preferred embodiment along with the drawings that are appended hereto. The protection sought by the inventor may be gleaned from a fair reading of the claims that conclude this specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cabinet hinge of this invention shown mounted on a cabinet; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cabinet hinge of the invention similar to Figure 1, but taken with the door in the closed position; Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the hinge shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an elevational view of the door wing of the hinge as seen from the inside surface of the cabinet

door ; Figure 6 is a top plan view of the door wing; Figure 7 is an elevational view of the frame wing of the hinge as seen from the inboard edge surface of the cabinet frame; Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the frame wing; and, Figure 9 is an elevational view of the door wing of the hinge as seen from the outside surface of the cabinet door with the latching finger of the self-latching mechanism added in dotted outline.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the drawings wherein elements are identified with numerals and like elements are identified with like numerals throughout the 9 figures, Figure 1 shows the preferred embodiment of this invention of a knife hinge 1 located between a cabinet door 3 in hinged connection with an underlying frame such as a cabinet frame 5. A front cabinet frame member 7 is attached about the perimeter and outside surface 9 of said cabinet frame 5 by glue, screws, nails or other known fastening devices for mounting part of knife hinge 1 thereagainst.

Cabinet door 3 is usually an upright door that swings horizontally from a closed position against cabinet frame 5 as shown in Figures 3 and 4, to an open position shown in Figure 2. However, cabinet door 3 may be made to swing upward or downward and knife hinge 1 is useful for these doors as well.

As shown in Figures 1-4, knife hinge 1 comprises a door wing 13 preferably stamped out of metal and of a generally rectangular shape, having formed therethrough two slots 15 and a hole 17 in mutual spaced-apart arrangement for receipt therethrough of screws to fasten said wing 13 against the inside surface 19 of cabinet door 3.

A frame wing 21 is also provided that is also preferably rectangular in overall outline and stamped from metal and has formed therethrough a slot 25 and a hole 27 for receipt of screws therethrough to mount said wing 21

against front frame member 7. A pair of tabs 29 extend from the outer edge of frame wing 21 to steady wing 21 on front cabinet frame member 7. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in another embodiment of this invention, an additional attachment aid in the form of a flap 31, of the same metal making up frame wing 21, is shown (in dotted outline) extending from the opposite outer edge of frame wing 21 around the corner of said front frame member 7 to provide additional steadying support to frame wing 21. When cabinet door 3 is opened, door wing 13 and frame wing 21 form an interior angle greater than 90°, as shown in Figures 1 and 2; when in the closed position, cabinet frame 5 and door wing 3 swing into a 90° angle as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Formed integrally with and projecting forwardly from the lower margin of door wing 13 is a first ear 33, which is disposed at right angles or normal to the plane of door wing 13 and frame wing 21 and is otherwise in the horizontal plane when knife hinge 1 is properly mounted on an upright swinging door. An aperture 37 is formed in the free end portion of first ear 33. A second ear 39 is formed integrally with and projecting forward from the lower side margin of frame wing 21 and also is disposed at right angles to the plane of frame wing 21 so that it is also in the horizontal plane when cabinet door 3 is hung vertically on cabinet frame 5. An aperture 41 is formed in the free end portion of second ear 39 such that when door wing 13 and frame wing 21 are mounted on front frame member 7 and inside surface of door wing 13, respectively, apertures 37 and 41 are in face-to-face juxtaposed alignment such that a rivet 43 may be mounted therein and hold the parts together in pivotal interconnection.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, a slot 45 is formed in inside door surface 19 of cabinet door and opens out of the edge 49 of cabinet door 3. First and second ears 33 and 39 of wings 13 and 21 are located in slot 45 as is rivet 43.

The entire hinge is concealed from the front of cabinet

door 3 when door 3 is closed over cabinet frame 5 and only a small portion of the hinge is visible from the hinged edge 49 of the door. Hinge 1 is provided with a self- locking mechanism 51 for holding door 3 releasably in the closed position. It is in this self-latching mechanism where the benefit lies over the prior art. As the door is open and closed, first and second ears 33 and 39 scissor back and forth across each other in conventional manner of knife hinges.

As shown in Figures 2,4 and 9, self-latching mechanism 51 is provided in the form of a latching finger 53 of terminal length that is disposed in close space opposing relation with door wing 13 and is preferably held parallel to wing 13 and apart therefrom a short distance such as about 1.3 cm. Finger 53 is terminate by first and second distal ends 55 and 57, respectively. A first large bend 61, of approximately 180°, is formed in finger 53 intermediate ends 55 and 57 and provides the spring action for second end 57 as will be more fully explained later.

A second smaller reverse bend 63 is formed at first distal end 55 and arranged for overlapping or hooking engagement with said door wing 63 about a locking edge 65 formed in door wing 13. A tab 67 is formed on the outside surface of finger 53, intermediate first bend 61 and second bend 63, and extends outward from the outer surface of finger 53, to repose in a cut-out 69 formed in door wing 13 spaced-apart from said locking edge 65. Finger 45 preferably takes the form of a J-shaped element with a substantially long straight portion, between first bend 61 and second distal end 57, that acts as a spring body.

Because of this straight element, it may lie very close to door wing 13 and not interfere with stacking or storing of goods or other items in the cabinet. Finger 45 is prefera- bly made of plastic and is injection molded.

The simultaneous hooking of reverse bend 63 over locking edge 65 and insertion of tabs 67 and cut-out 69 provide significant locking power for finger 53 in door

wing 13. In addition, both reverse bend 63, engaged with locking edge 65, and tab 67, engaged in cut-out 69, relieve side stresses on finger 53 to reduce wobble therein when cabinet door 3 is open and closed.

As shown in Figures 2,4 and 8, second distal finger end 57 is formed into a round cam 73 that rides against a camming surface 75 preferably formed in second ear 39.

Camming surface 75 has a first ramp surface 77 against which cam 73 rides as cabinet door 3 is swung from open position to closed position, said action forcing cam 73 to move apart from door 3 and placing a stress on latching finger 53. A rather sharp bend 79 formed in ear 39 divides first ramp surface 77 from a second camming surface or pocket 81 that is generally normal to first ramp surface 77. Cabinet door 3 is positioned slightly outboard of the surface of front frame member 7 such as about 4 mm so that second finger end 77 rides onto second camming surface 77 to force door 3 into a yieldably closing position against said member 7. This co-action between cam 73 and pocket 81 makes cabinet door 3 remain closed until enough pulling force is exerted on door 3 to overcome the bias pressure of cam 73.

Having latching finger 53 made from plastic and door wing 13 made from metal means that a smaller vertical profile can be formed in finger 53 and yet the force of said finger can be made significant enough to provide adequate door closing power.

A post 85 formed on finger second distal end 57 that extends toward door wing 13. This provides a stop to finger 53 so that it does not force second distal end 57 into contact with door wing 13 and ruin the action of hinge 1.

While the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. It is intended

that all combinations of elements and steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the way to achieve substantially the same result are within the scope of this invention.