Importance

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Abstract

A hinge assembly for the door of a refrigerated cabinet includes a hinge bracket that is secured to a cabinet weld assembly by passing a plurality of fasteners through the bracket and weld assembly and securing the fasteners to a first leg of a substantially L-shaped mounting arm such that the cabinet weld assembly is sandwiched between the first leg and the bracket. The bracket includes a load bearing surface supporting a pivot pin defining a pivot axis for the door. The mounting arm includes a second leg which is arranged at a predetermined angle, preferably ninety degrees, with respect to the first leg thereof. After the bracket is secured to the first mounting leg, the second leg assumes a static position from which it is rotated and is secured to a bottom panel of the cabinet. Rotation of the second leg of the mounting arm creates an inward preload on the cabinet weld assembly and causes a toe-in of the hinge bracket. The door, when pivotally mounted between the lower hinge bracket and an upper hinge bracket secured at the top of the cabinet, is biased upward at its handle side due to having pivoted about the upper hinge. This arrangement prevents the handle side of the door from dropping beyond a perpendicular position due to static and dynamic forces exerted thereon.

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First Claim