FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to jigs for attaching concealed hinges to a cabinet door and/or to a cabinet frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cabinet doors often use concealed hinges to attach the doors to the cabinet frame. The concealed hinge typically includes a first portion that is attached to the cabinet door that is hingedly attached to a second portion that is attached to the cabinet frame. The portion that is attached to the cabinet door is often located within a cup formed in an inner face of the cabinet door so as to recess that portion of the hinge.

Also, fasteners, typically screws, are used to secure the first portion of the hinge to the cabinet door. Fasteners, typically screws, are used to secure the second portion of the hinge to the cabinet frame.

It is important that the cup and holes that receive the fasteners are all properly located in the corresponding components of the cabinet (e.g. cabinet door or cabinet frame) so that the cabinet door is properly oriented relative to the cabinet frame as well as any other doors or drawers that may be provided by the cabinet.

The present invention provides an improvement over the art in how to form the cup in the cabinet door as well as the holes for receiving the fasteners to secure the first and second portions of the hinge to the components of the cabinet.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and improved jig for drilling holes for mounting a hinge to a cabinet door and/or cabinet frame is provided.

In an embodiment, a jig for drilling a cup hole in a cabinet door for receipt of a hinge is provided. The jig includes a main body and a central drill bit guide. The main body has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a drilling aperture extending therethrough. The drilling aperture is bounded by a sidewall extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The sidewall extends at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the top and bottom surfaces such that the drilling aperture is larger at the top surface than at the bottom surface. The central drill bit guide is positioned over the drilling aperture. The central drill bit guide has a drill bit hole for receiving and guiding a shank of a drill bit.

In one embodiment, the jig includes a pair of alignment cams. Each alignment cam of the pair of alignment cams is rotatably mounted to the main body for rotation about a central axis. Each alignment cam has a plurality of cam regions having different radial spacings from the central axis to adjust the position of the drilling aperture from a side of the cabinet door when the different cam regions abut an edge of the cabinet door.

In one embodiment, the central drill bit guide is removably attached to the main body.

In one embodiment, the sidewall extends at an angle of between 1 degree and 10 degrees relative to perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces.

In an embodiment, a jig for drilling a cup hole in a cabinet door for receipt of a hinge is provided. The jig includes a main body, a first drill bit guide, a second drill bit guide, and a central drill bit guide. The main body has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a drilling aperture extending therethrough. The main body is formed of a first material. The first drill bit guide is offset from the drilling aperture. The first drill bit guide has a first plurality of holes extending therethrough at different positions relative to the drilling aperture. The first plurality of holes defines a first pattern. The second drill bit guide is offset from the drilling aperture. The second drill bit guide has a second plurality of holes extending therethrough at different positions relative to the drilling aperture. The second plurality of holes defines a second pattern. The second pattern being a mirror image of the first pattern. The central drill bit guide is removably attachable to the main body over the drilling aperture. The central drill bit guide has a drill bit hole for receiving and guiding a shank of a drill bit.

In one embodiment, the jig includes a pair of alignment cams. Each alignment cam of the pair of alignment cams is rotatably mounted to the main body for rotation about a central axis. Each alignment cam has a plurality of cam regions having different radial spacings from the central axis to adjust the position of the drilling aperture from a side of the cabinet door when the different cam regions abut an edge of the cabinet door.

In one embodiment, the main body is formed from a first material and the first and second drill bit guides are formed from a second material. The second material is harder than the first material.

In one embodiment, the main body is a molded plastic and the first and second drill bit guides are metal. The main body is molded around the first and second drill bit guides to secure the first and second drill bit guides to the main body.

In an embodiment, a jig for drilling a cup hole in a cabinet door for receipt of a hinge is provided. The jig includes a main body, a central drill bit guide, and a pair of alignment cams. The main body has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a drilling aperture extending therethrough. The central drill bit guide extends over the drilling aperture. The central drill bit guide has a drill bit hole for receiving and guiding a shank of a drill bit. Each alignment cam of the pair of alignment cams is rotatably mounted to the main body for rotation about a central axis. Each alignment cam has a plurality of cam regions having different radial spacings from the central axis to adjust the position of the drilling aperture from a side of the cabinet door when the different cam regions abut an edge of the cabinet door. Each alignment cam includes a knob extending upward beyond the top surface and is sized to be grasped by a user to rotate the alignment cam about the central axis.

In one embodiment, the alignment cams are able to be rotated relative to the main body without the use of tools.

In one embodiment, the knobs are sized to be gripped by a thumb and an index finger of a user.

In one embodiment, the alignment cams may have indexing features for allowing for quick acknowledgement of the appropriate orientation of the alignment cams relative to the main body.

In an embodiment, a jig for drilling a cup hole in a cabinet door to be mounted to a cabinet frame with a hinge is provided. The jig includes a main body, a central drill bit guide, a pair of alignment cams, and a cabinet hole template. The main body has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a drilling aperture extending therethrough. The drilling aperture is bounded by a sidewall extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The central drill bit guide is removably attachable to the main body over the drilling aperture. The central drill bit guide has a drill bit hole for receiving and guiding a shank of a drill bit. Each alignment cam of the pair of alignment cams is rotatably mounted to the main body for rotation about a central axis. Each alignment cam has a plurality of cam regions having different radial spacings from the central axis to adjust the position of the drilling aperture from a side of the cabinet door when the different cam regions abut an edge of the cabinet door. The cabinet hole template has a first portion and a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion. The cabinet hole template has at least a first pair of holes formed therethrough for forming holes in the cabinet frame. The cabinet hole template and the main body have a snap engagement interface for releasably securing the cabinet hole template to the main body.

In one embodiment, the snap engagement interface includes an aperture formed by one of the main body and the cabinet hole template and a resilient post sized larger than the aperture. The resilient post being formed by the other one of the main body and the cabinet hole template.

In one embodiment, the cabinet hole template includes a second pair of holes. The first pair of holes is formed in the first portion and the second pair of holes is formed in the second portion.

In one embodiment, each hole of the first pair of holes is spaced a same first distance from the second portion and each hole of the second pair of holes is spaced a same second distance from the first portion. The second distance is different than the first distance.

In one embodiment, the cabinet hole template includes a third pair of holes. The third pair of holes is formed in the second portion. Each hole of the third pair of holes is spaced the same second distance from the first portion. The second pair of holes is spaced a third distance from one another. The third pair of holes is spaced a fourth distance from one another. The third and fourth distances are different.

In one embodiment, the cabinet hole template includes a fourth pair of holes. The fourth pair of holes is formed in the first portion. Each hole of the fourth pair of holes is spaced a fifth distance from the second portion. The fifth distance is greater than the first distance. The holes of the first pair of holes are spaced a sixth distance from one another. The holes of the fourth pair of holes are spaced the sixth distance from one another.

In an embodiment, a jig for drilling a cup hole in a cabinet door includes a main body, a central drill bit guide, a drill bit, and a stop collar (also referred to as a depth collar). The main body has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a drilling aperture extending therethrough. The drilling aperture is bounded by a sidewall extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The central drill bit guide is, optionally, removably attachable to the main body over the drilling aperture. The central drill bit guide has a drill bit hole for receiving and guiding a shank of a drill bit. A drill bit having a shaft slidably and rotatably mountable within the drill bit hole is provided. A stop collar adjustably attachable along the shaft of the drill bit is provided. A first stop collar alignment channel is formed in the main body having a first portion sized to receive an end portion of the shaft and a second portion sized to receive the stop collar to position the stop collar at a first position along the shaft from an end of the shaft defined by the end portion. A second stop collar alignment channel formed in the main body having a first portion sized to receive an end portion of the shaft and a second portion sized to receive the stop collar to position the stop collar at a second position along the shaft from the end of the shaft.

In one embodiment, the first stop collar alignment channel includes a first abutment against which the end of the shaft abuts when the stop collar is attached thereto. The second portion of the first stop collar alignment channel is spaced the first distance from the first abutment. The second stop collar alignment channel includes a second abutment against which the end of the shaft abuts when the stop collar is attached thereto. The second portion of the second stop collar alignment channel is spaced the second distance from the second abutment.

In one embodiment, the first portion of the first and second stop collar alignment channels has a curved bottom that has a first radius of curvature. The second portion of the first and second stop collar alignment channel has a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature. The first portions are radially offset from the second portions to form a radial step between the first portions and the second portions. The steps form an abutment for locating the stop collar relative to the first and second abutments.

Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

