AU2004242054A2

AU2004242054A2 - Door handle

Info

Publication number: AU2004242054A2
Application number: AU2004242054A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jonas Palm; Anna Pettersson; Per-Arne Svantesson
Original assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Current assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority date: 2003-05-23
Filing date: 2004-05-19
Publication date: 2004-12-02
Also published as: WO2004104332A1; KR20060029132A; EP1629164A1; SE0301533D0; CN1795313A; JP2007511683A; NO20056163L; AU2004242054A1

Description

WO 2004/104332 PCTiSE2004/000799 Door Handle TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a handle element for a compartment partly enclosed by compartment walls having edges facing frontward, said compartment having an opening facing frontward and a door for selectively opening and closing said opening being movably attached to said cabinet. Said handle element has pivotally supported means and being attached to said door, said handle also having abutting means by which the door can be is physically forced towards a position at which said compartment is being open.

BACKGROUND

A conventional refrigerator and/or freezer cabinet comprises an inner and an outer shell between which heat insulation is positioned. The cabinet is normally operated by a cooling system providing cooling energy to each or some compartments in said cabinet.

Sometimes separate cooling systems operate different compartments in order to achieve substantially different temperatures in different compartments. The cabinet is provided with at least one door hinged on said shells, the door or doors contributing to enclose one of said compartments. The door is also provided with heat insulating means in order to prevent heat energy to leak into said compartment.

One or many gaskets are used in order to provide extra insulating capacity. The gasket/s is normally attached to the part of the door edges facing the shells or on said shell edges facing said door edges. When the door is closed the gasket seals the space between said edges so that cooling energy inside the compartment does not leak out. A rubber encased magnet is often mounted inside said gaskets to stick the gasket fast to the edge it is facing. The other side of the gasket is normally permanently attached the door edge or shell edge for instance by gluing. This means that when the gasket is attached to the door the magnet will stick the gasket and door fast to the shell edge and thereby enclose the compartment.

A problem with these kind of cabinets using magnet gaskets is that a large amount of pulling force is needed in order to overcome the magnetic force of attraction developed by the magnetic gaskets between the shell and the door. This is particularly true where WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 2 the door is filled with bottles and cans standing in door shelves. Depending on the door size and position of the hinges the forces needed:varies. Nevertheless, the need of a pulling forces its very tiring for thd user.

During the past years several 'solitions have been developed in order to decrease the need of such a pulling force. -One example is disclosed in the'published US Patent US 5908228. A door handle is provided which is actuated by'the user whenever the door needs to be opened. When pulling the handle a slide pushes the door open. The slide pushes on the shell edge just enough in order to separate the gasket from said edge.

When these are separated the magnetic force holding the door in a closed position is removed and' no extra pulling force is needed. in order to open the door. Other constructional solutions solving the problem of magnetic forces in a similar way does also exist.

However, one problem with these new constructional solutions is that the refrigerator or freezer door gets too easy to open. This means that anyone interested can easily open the door in order to bring whatever foodstuffs he or she would like. This could be a problem concerning young children, since their parents might not want them to be able to bring food that easy. Moreover, there could be a risk for the small child to get injured by falling cans or bottles when he is trying to get what he wants on a compartment shelf. Especially if the things he wants is placed on the top shelf in the compartment.

This means that for some people the handles removing the need of a large pulling force causes other problems such as the ones just mentioned.

The object of the preset invention is to provide a solution to those people in need of a refrigerator and/or freezer cabinet where the compartment is less available for small children. The solution should include a handle solution removing the need of 'a large pulling force and also means for hindering young children to be able to get in to the cabinet compartment.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention relates to a handle element for a compartment partly enclosed by compartment walls having edges facing frontward, said compartment having an opening facing frontward and a door for selectively opening and closing said opening being WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 3 movably attached to said cabinet. Said handle element has pivotally supported means and being attached to said door, said handle also having abutting means by which the door can be is physically forced towards a position at which said compartment is being open.

Moreover, the handle element comprises locking means in order to enable for the element to be operated in at least two different modes, in which the abutting means (11) in a locked mode is hindered from being able to physically move said door and in an open mode is being able to physically move said door. The handle element also comprises at least one magnetic element.

In a further embodiment a gasket is fitted to a part of the door which is engageable with said edges of the compartment when said door is closed. By said abutting means the gasket can be is physically released from the contact it has with the edges when the door is being closed. Said gasket might have at least one magnet attached thereto.

In a further embodiment said compartment walls and said door is being thermally insulated. Said compartment is a refrigerator or freezer cabinet compartmnent.

In another embodiment said pivotally supported means consist in a grip in one part with said abutting means, said handle element comprising a chassis being attached to said door, the element also comprising supporting means providing interaction between the pivotally supported means and the chassis. Said supporting means might consist in two parts detachably attached to said pivotally supported means, which parts enable for the pivotally supported means to move in parallel with said chassis. Said parallel movement might be guided by at least two grooves formed in the chassis, each of said parts interacting with one of said grooves.

In a fu-ther embodiment said interaction enables for the handle element to operate in said locked mode and said open mode. The interaction between one of said parts and one of said grooves enables for said pivotally supported means to either being able to pivot or being fixed.

WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 4 In a further embodiment said pivotally supported means pivots around an axis formed by one of said parts. Said locking means might comprise a locking latch pivotally and detachably attached to said chassis. Said latch enables for said pivotally supported means to at least move between two positions corresponding to the locked mode and the open mode. In another embodiment, said pivotally supported means during said open mode being able to pivot and during said locked mode being fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will be described in form of an illustrative embodiment by maling reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a blown out perspective view of a handle according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the chassis of the handle according to fig. 1.

Fig. 3 a shows the handle according to fig. 1 in a first position of an open mode.

Fig. 3b shows the handle according to fig. 3a in a second pivoted position of an open mode.

Fig. 3c shows the handle according to fig. 3a in and open mode when being switched to a locked mode.

Fig. 3d shows the handle according to fig. 3c in a locked mode.

AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT An illustrative embodiment of a shelf and tray according to the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. The refrigerator and/or freezer cabinet onto which the handle according to the present invention is to be mounted is not shown in any of the accompanying drawings. Any suitable cabinet comprises at least one thermally insulated compartment which is partly enclosed by compartment walls. These walls are often made of an inner shell and an outer shell between which thermal insulation is positioned. Especially the inner shell is normally made in one piece and WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 then preferably forms the backside inner wall, the vertical sidewalls and the inner roof and floor of the compartment. The shell is also normally designed with engagement means for shelves etc. If the cabinet comprises more than one compartment these may be formed by the same inner shell made in one piece or by different inner shells. Most cabinets are then provided with one outer shell forming the outside of said cabinet. Each compartment in any such cabinet is chilled by a cooling system of any type. The cooling system used does not limit the scope of the invention.

When the inner and outer shell/-s are mounted together edges are formed which faces frontward. Moreover, each compartment has an opening also facing frontward, though which food products are brought in and out of the compartment. A hinged door or a drawing door could preferably close the opening. If a hinged door is used it is preferably hung to the cabinet by hinges and if a drawing door is used it forms a drawer with guiding rails attached to the drawer and the compartment inside sidewalls. At least one gasket for avoiding chilled air to leak out of the compartment is preferably fitted to the part of the door which is engageable with the edges mentioned earlier. When the door is closed and encloses the compartment the gasket fills the space between the door portion closest to the edges and the said edges.

The gasket might be a magnetic gasket in which a flexible magnet is embedded. The magnetic gasket may have any configuration as long as it fulfils the needs of avoid leaking of chilled air. A magnetic gasket enables for a tight closing of the door that is kept tight. One problem with these kinds of gaskets is that a larger pulling force is needed in order to open the door. These problems have been brought up earlier in this application. The present invention is not limited to cabinets using magnetic gaskets.

Instead it may be used on any type of cabinets using some kind of sealing means in order to enclose a compartment. For instance some cabinets uses air pumps in order to force the door towards a sealed position. A regular rubber gasket without magnets may then be used in order to improve the sealing effect.

Now moving over to the most important parts of the present invention. It relates to a handle for refrigerator and/or freezer cabinets which provides a user-friendly way of opening a compartment door for instance sealed by some kind of sealing means such as magnetic gasket. It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that the handle WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 6 disclosed in this application might be used together with any door in which the solution provided by the handle is needed.

The handle according to the present invention is attached to the door enclosing a compartment. None of the drawings accompanying the application shows where and how the handled is mounted on the door, but it should be understood that any position of the handle providing the necessary effects falls within the scope of the invention.

In fig. 1 the handle is shown in a blown out perspective view. All parts important are shown in the figure. The handle comprises a grip 10 designed in a user friendly way.

The user catches the grip in a direction out from the drawing meaning that figure shows the handle from a side facing towards the cabinet. The grip is in one piece with a trigger part 11 preferably made in plastics or similar. Detachable attachment means for attaching the grip and trigger to the rest of the handle consist in two holes 12 and 13 in which two plugs 14 and 15 are engaged.

One hole 13 is positioned on an extending arm 16. Moreover, the handle comprises a locking latch 17 pivotally and detachably attached to a supporting pin 18 on a handle chassis 19. A spring 20 is engaged to the latch and the chassis. The handle furthermore comprises at least one magnet 21 attached to said chassis. The magnet is positioned in a space 25 formed in the chassis. Said parts are held together as the guiding dotted lines 24 shows by an enclosing plate placed in surface contact with the chassis when the handle is mounted together. A leftmost plate in fig. 1 (to the left of the grip 10) is intended to enclose the parts of the handle and keep them together such as shown in fig.

2 3d in order for the handle to operate as intended.

In fig. 2 the chassis 19, the latch 17, the spring 20 and the plugs 14 15 are shown more visible. Each one of the plugs used on the handle have, as seen on plug 15 in fig. 1, one part 26 with a larger diameter to fit inside the hole 13. Moreover, the same plug has part 27, in one piece with part 26, with a smaller diameter facing the chassis. The smaller part is designed to cooperate with the chassis 19 as described later on. The plugs are in fig. 2 simplified in relation to how they are shown in fig, 1, meaning that only the part with the smaller diameter is shown. This makes it easier to illustrate the features of the handle. The chassis also comprises two holes 22 and 23 through which screws (not shown) attaching the handle to the door are positioned. The screws could for instance WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 7 also keep the handle together since they extend through the whole handle. This is not necessary and should not be read as limiting for the scope of the invention.

The chassis 19 is preferably made in a metal, for instance aluminum. Grooves 30 -33 are formed in the chassis. The grooves 30 31 are preferably at the same level, while the groove 32 are in a higher level and 33 in the highest level. Groove 30 extends along the chassis and has a perpendicular angle shape with one part pointing up to the right in the figure. Groove 31 extends in the same direction as groove 30. Groove 32 has a shape obviously shown in fig. 2. Groove 33 relates to an immersion in which the handle and trigger part 10 11 intends to move.

With relation to figures 3a to 3d the function of the handle will now be described. In these figures the grip and trigger part 10 11 with the holes 12 13 are shown with dotted lines. Moreover, such as in fig. 2, the plugs 14 15 are simplified meaning that only the part of them having a smaller diameter is shown. In the figures a cross-section of the cabinet edge 28, which the handle co-operates with, is shown. The edge is mentioned earlier in this application and is formed when the outer and inner shell is mounted together. The edge of the illustrative embodiment is made in metal.

In fig. 3a the handle is shown in an open mode. This means that the grip and trigger part 11 is in a vertically higher position. This can be seen when comparing the vertical level of the plugs 14 15 with relation to fig. 3d. When looking at fig. 3a and 3b it can be seen how the handle in its open mode is operated. When the user holding the grip pulls it in a direction illustrated by the arrow 29 the grip and trigger part will twist around an axis formed by the lower plug 15, see arrow 34. The angled groove 30 will allow for the upper plug 14 to move to the right while the lower plug 15 is kept in place by the groove 31 and the locking latch 17. When the grip is pulled the trigger will protrude the handle from the cabinet edge 28. This will cause the magnet 21 to be separated from the edge, see arrow 35, and thereby the magnet force holding the handle in place will decrease dramatically. Since the handle is mounted to the cabinet door, the twisting motion will help the user to open the door.

In fig. 3c 3d the essence of the present invention is shown. The handle of the present invention comprises means in order to operated in a locking mode described further WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 8 down below. This locking mode is enabled as shown in fig. 3c. When the user presses the locking latch 17 downward, see arrow 36, the latch will twist around its axis formed by the supporting pin 18. The latch will thereby reach the position shown in fig. 3c.

Please notice that the latch also operates in a groove 37 at a lower level than the immersion groove 33. The position shown in fig 3c enables for the grip and trigger part 11 to be moved vertically downwards, see arrow 38, to a position shown in fig. 3d.

When this is done the user can release the locking latch and it will be forced to its original position, see arrow 39, by the spring When the grip and trigger part is in the position shown in fig. 3d, this corresponds to a locking mode. The grip and trigger part can no longer by twisted as in fig. 3b since the shape of the groove 30 at its lower part hinders this motion. The plug 14 will cooperated with the groove and thereby hinder a twisting motion. This will result in the situation that the magnet 21 will keep the cabinet door in a closed position. Since the magnet preferably is very strong it will be quit difficult for the user to overcome that magnetic force. Especially you children will not have enough strength to be able to open the door. And since young children normally do not have the capacity of bring the handle back to the open mode as shown in fig. 3a 3c, the handle will have a child lock function.

In order to bring the handle back to the open mode the user only has to lift the grip and trigger part 10 11 vertically upwards. The motion will make the plug 15 to force the latch 17 back to the position shown in fig. 3c and thereby allow the grip and handle part to move upwards. When the plug has passed the latch, the same latch will again be forced back to its original position. Thereby the grip and handle part will be kept in the open mode corresponding to fig. 3a 3c.

It will be appreciated by those ordinary people skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. The present disclosed embodiment is therefore considered in all respect to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.

WO 2004/104332 PCT/SE2004/000799 9 This means that the main scope of the invention as we see it concerns the way of providing a second mode, the locking mode, in which a pivotable handle can operate.

This mode, that complements the open mode normally available at these kinds of handles, will enable to lock the compartment door so that young children can't come therein. The use on a refrigerator and/or freezer cabinet should not be seen as limiting for the scope of the invention. The handle may be used at any door which task is to enclose a compartment.

Claims

1. A handle element for a compartment partly enclosed by compartment walls having edges facing frontward, said compartment having an opening facing frontward, a door for selectively opening and closing said opening being movably attached to said cabinet, said handle element having pivotally supported means and being attached to said door, said handle also having abutting means by which the door can be is physically forced towards a position at which said compartment is being open, wherein said handle element comprises locking means in order to enable for the element to be operated in at least two different modes, in which the abutting means in a locked mode is hindered from being able to physically move said door and in an open mode is being able to physically move said door, each of said modes being activated by moving the pivotally supported means substantially vertically in parallel with said door, the handle element also comprising at least one magnetic element.

2. A handle element according to claim 1, further comprising a gasket fitted to a part of the door which is engageable with said edges of the compartment when said door is closed.

3. A handle element according to claim 2, wherein by said abutting means the gasket can be physically released from the contact it has with the edges when the door is being closed.

4. A handle element according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said gasket has at least one magnet attached thereto.

A handle element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said compartment walls and said door are being thermally insulated.

6. A handle element according to claim 5, wherein said compartment is a refrigerator or freezer cabinet compartment. I P:%OPERSASJan.Jon06\12688670 Ist sp.doc-1O/0112006 -11

7. A handle element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said pivotally supported means is in the form of a grip in one part with said abutting means, said handle element comprising a chassis being attached to said door, the element also comprising supporting means providing interaction between the pivotally supported means and the chassis.

8. A handle element according to claim 7, wherein said supporting means has two parts detachably attached to said pivotally supported means, which parts enable for the pivotally supported means to move in parallel with said chassis.

9. A handle element according to claim 8, wherein said parallel movement is guided by at least two grooves formed in said chassis, each of said parts interacting with one of said grooves.

A handle element according to claim 9, wherein said interaction enables for the handle element to operate in said locked mode and said open mode.

11. A handle element according to claim 10, wherein the interaction between one of said parts and one of said grooves enables for said pivotally supported means to either pivot or be fixed.

12. A handle element according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein said pivotally supported means pivots around an axis formed by one of said parts.

13. A handle element according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein said locking means comprises a locking latch pivotally and detachably attached to said chassis.

14. A handle element according to claim 13, wherein said latch enables for said pivotally supported means to at least move between two positions corresponding to the locked mode and the open mode.

P:\OPER\SASUan-Jw, 06%12688670 si spadc.IIl0/0O116 -12- A handle element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said pivotally supported means is able to pivot during said open mode and be fixed during said locked mode.

16. A handle element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 10th day of January, 2006 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. By their Patent Attorneys: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE