DE9308907U1 - Childproof on / off push button switch for household freezers, refrigerators and fridge-freezer combinations - Google Patents

Description

KS-92/14

.,.III '. It4\.«ijun 1993

Licentia Patent Management GmbH Frankfurt/Main

Description

Child-proof on-off push button switch for household freezers, refrigerators and fridge-freezer combinations

The innovation relates to a child-proof on-off pushbutton switch for household freezers, refrigerators and fridge-freezer combinations according to the generic term of claim 1.

Commercial household fridge-freezer combinations have display and control panels arranged above their doors. This includes a so-called "child-safe" push button with which the user can switch off the power to the device or put it out of operation. The said on-off button is recessed or equipped with a recessed operating button which is not accessible to children. (Liebherr Hausgeräte GmbH brochure "Cooling and Freezing 91").

The user can only operate this recessed button using a separate, pointed object (e.g. a pencil or ballpoint pen).

The innovation is based on the task of creating an on-off switch that can be operated easily and without any tools, but is nevertheless secure, i.e. it does not allow children to switch the device off and thus spoil stored supplies.

KS-92/14 ·. .** Ba/nb···;

: 1993

This object is achieved according to the innovation by the characterizing features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the innovation can be found in the subclaims.

The user benefits that can be achieved through the innovation are already evident from the way in which the task is carried out: Increased ease of use through easy but targeted switching off of the device, which is difficult for children to operate. Another advantage is that when cleaning the outer casing, the device cannot be switched off accidentally. Inadvertently operating the push button switch in the on state has no effect.

An example of the innovation is shown in the drawings and is explained in more detail below.

It shows:

Fig. 1 the device push button switch in off position as a longitudinal section in side view,

Fig. 2 shows the device push button switch according to Fig. 1 but in the on position.

According to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a push-button switch 2 arranged behind the device control panel 1 consists essentially of the following parts: a push-button 3 that can be operated in the axial direction and has a molded shaft 4. A molded part 5 is inserted into the free end of the shaft 4, which has a receptacle for a movably guided actuating plunger 6 at the top. Said actuating plunger 6 is loaded by means of a compression spring 7 and closes or opens an electrical contact 8 in a manner not shown in detail. A spring-loaded locking hook 9 is molded into the lower area of the molded part 5, which

KS-92/14

1993

Depending on the switch position or contact position, it either snaps into a fixed front bar 10 or into the rear bar 11 arranged adjacent in the longitudinal direction.

Fig. 1 shows the push button switch 2 in the off position. The locking hook 9 rests on the front bar 10. The front bar 10 serves as a stop for the off position. The push button 3 protrudes from the device control panel 1 and thus signals to the user that the device is off.

According to Fig. 2, by briefly pressing the knob 3, the electrical contact 8 is closed with the aid of the actuating plunger 6, which is now under spring pressure. The spring-loaded locking hook 9 of the molded part 5 snaps into the rear bar 11 and locks the push-button switch 2 in the setting. The push-button 3 is now recessed in the appliance control panel 1. Pressing the push-button 3 again does not change the switching position. The push-button switch 2 remains permanently locked in the on position. A child safety lock button 12, which is normally not visible but is easily accessible and easy to use, is used to unlock or switch off the appliance. To do this, the user must open the appliance door 13 and press the child safety lock button 12 (located outside the refrigerator or freezer interior) recessed or flush in the upper door frame 14. The child safety button 12 represents a short-stroke button with an actuating pin 16 that is loaded by a compression spring 15. In the device on position, this vertical actuating pin 16 is in operative connection with the locking hook 9 locked on the rear bar 11. When the child safety button 12 is actuated, the pin 16 pushes the locking hook 9 upwards, which then snaps out of the rear bar 11 under the pressure of the spring 7 of the

KS-92/14

... .. -1.4.. «duni. 1993

The actuating plunger 6 is abruptly pushed forward and catches on the front bar 10. The electrical contact is opened, the device is de-energized and the state shown in Fig. 1 is restored.

The new push-button switch can be used in normal refrigerators and freezers equipped with surface evaporators as well as in those with circulating air cooling, so-called "no-frost" devices.

Claims (5)

KS-92/14 .'*.." Ba/db'·": • · a * · L &lgr; - 1993 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH Frankfurt/Main Protection claims 1. Child-resistant on-off pushbutton switch for household freezers, refrigerators and fridge-freezer combinations, wherein said pushbutton switch is arranged in the appliance control panel and is equipped with a spring-loaded pushbutton with shaft extension for the purpose of actuating an electrical contact, characterized by the following features, a) that a separate molded part (5) is inserted at the free end of the shaft (4), b) that the moulded part (5) is provided with a receptacle for a contact actuating plunger (6), c) that a locking hook (9) is cast onto the moulded part (5), d) that the locking hook (9) can be snapped into either a front web (10) or a rear web (11), e) that the locking hook (9) can be unlocked by means of a separate child safety button (12). 2. On-off pushbutton switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the child safety button (12) is arranged spatially separated from the pushbutton switch (2). KS-92/14 Ba^ub . &idiagr;4$&Ggr;&eeacgr;&iacgr; 1993 3. On-off pushbutton switch according to claim 2, characterized in that the child safety button (12) is recessed in an upper door frame (14) and is arranged outside the interior of the device. 4. On-off pushbutton switch according to claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the child safety button (12) is only accessible when the appliance door (13) is open. 5. On-off pushbutton switch according to claim 1 or one of the following, characterized in that the child safety button (12) is designed as a short-stroke button.