EP0447374A2

EP0447374A2 - A movable member, normally indistinguishable from the surrounding surface of an oven or other appliance, in particular built-in ones, adapted to perform as a handle for pulling out a drawer, shelf or the like

Info

Publication number: EP0447374A2
Application number: EP91830084A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roberto Bertazzoni
Original assignee: Smeg SpA
Current assignee: Smeg SpA
Priority date: 1990-03-12
Filing date: 1991-03-11
Publication date: 1991-09-18
Also published as: IT9020790U1; IT219389Z2; EP0447374A3

Abstract

A movable portion of the outer surface of a wall, particularly a front wall, of an oven or other appliance, in particular built-in ones, which is normally indistinguishable from the surrounding surface, may perform as a handle (1) for pulling out a sliding or tilting member non directly accessible from outside like a drawer (6), a shelf, a door or the like. It is pivoted on the member to be actuated, and resilient means (3) are provided to keep it in a rest position, substantially flush with the surrounding parts, and to bring it back to said position once the pushing action applied from outside on said portion and due to which said portion has taken a position adapted to be grabbed as a handle, is ceased.

Description

This invention concerns a movable portion of a wall outer surface, in particular the front one, of an oven or other appliance, particularly built-in ones, adapted to perform as a handle for pulling out a member non directly accessible from the outside, like a drawer, a shelf, a cabinet door or the like.
As it is already known in the appliances in general, and in built-in ones in particular, there is a sometimes aestethical but more often practical requirement, due to unavoidable limitations imposed by the presence of panelings or linings in general, to avoid the presence of protruding parts, like handles or the like. Therefore, every time that for any contingent aestethical or space efficiency reason it is not possible to use protruding handles, while there is a need to grab members which can slide out like drawers or shelves or which can open like doors, shutters and the like, difficulties and problems arise. On the other hand, the surface of said members facing outwards must often be as much as possible flush with the surrounding surfaces and indistinguishable therefrom, almost "masked" so as not to show up to the eye, blending instead with the surrounding surfaces. Of course, this problem may arise also in applications other than domestic appliances, for instance in the field of interior decorating in general, and this invention is intended to include said applications.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to solve the problem mentioned above, by providing a movable portion of the outer wall structure of an oven or other appliance or the like, normally undistinguishable from the surrounding surface, which is adapted to perform as a handle for pulling out a drawer or a shelf or for opening a shutter, a door or the like.
Said object is met by means of a member pivoted on the inner portion relative to which it must perform as a handle, resilient means being provided in order to normally keep said member in a position substantially flush with the surrounding surfaces, and to pull it back to said position once the pushing action applied from the outside on said member in order to make it to take a position adapted to be grabbed as a handle, is over.
According to a preferred embodiment, the pivotal mounting of said member is performed at the end of an inner projection thereof by means of a substantially cylindrical continuous member received in a matching seat, formed in the movable part to be pulled out, said member being advantageously prevented from coming out of said seat by means of snapping stop means provided integral with said pivoting seat, and arranged for instance evenly spaced from each other.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the member adpted to perform as a handle according to this invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description, referred to the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a handle member of this invention, in a grabbing position, applied to a built-in oven; and
Figures 2 and 2a show a sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 1, of the member in a rest position and in a grabbing position respectively.

Referring now to the drawings, handle member 1 which is shown in Figure 1 in a rotated position in order to enable a manual grabbing to pull out a sliding drawer 6 from inside an appliance, for instance a built-in oven, is shaped in such a way that, in a rest position, it lies flush with frame 4 and with door 5 of said appliance. In the embodiment shown herein, only lower portion 1a of member 1, as it is also shown in Figures 2 and 3, lies flush with said frame while the remaining upper portion 1b is slightly angled inwards. As it is understood, member 1 may have any different shape, for instance thoroughly flat, in order to lie in the same plane of the surrounding surfaces.
Referring now in particular to Figures 2, 2a, as it is shown therein, handle member 1 is normally pushed towards the rest position thereof by resilient means 3, like a compression spring retained at one end thereof inside a holder 3a provided within portion 6 connected to handle 1, for instance the bottom of a drawer molded in a plastic material. At the opposite end thereof spring 3 pushes against the inner surface of member 1, preferably at the location of moulding 2 thereof facing inside, whereby the abutment area moves from said molding 2 towards the position shown in Figure 2a when the handle is pulled out, at the upper portion of the handle (1b in the embodiment shown herein) in such a way as to prevent spring 3 from getting out of engagement with member 1 in either position.
Still referring to Figures 2, 2a, handle member 1 is inwardly provided with an angled extension 7 bearing a substantially cylindrical pivot 8 at the inner end thereof, said pivot extending in the longitudinal directtion of handle 1, transverse to drawer 6, and being adapted to be received within a corresponding seat 8a provided for instance by molding on said drawer 6. Handle member 1 may be preferably made of suitably extruded aluminium in order to be integral with shaped walls 2, 7, 8 and possibly 1a, 1b. Cylindrical pivot 8 will preferably be retained within seat 8a thereof in order to rotate therein without coming out therefrom, and for said purpose stop means 9 may be provided as narrower portions of seat 8a, preferaby longitudinally spaced from each other along pivot 8. If drawer 6 or at least the bottom thereof, is molded in a plastic material having a slight resiliency, pivot 8 will be advantageously snap-fitted within seat 8a thereof by adjusting all the stops 9 thereof, in order to assure a mechanical connection between drawer 6 and handle 1.
Still referring to the Figures, it will only be needed to push on member 1 according to arrow F, relative to pivot 8, in particular on the upper portion thereof, opposite to the lower grabbing portion thereof, to bring member 1 to the position shown in Figure 2a. In this way it is ready to perform as a handle whereby, if it is subjected to an outward pulling action, according to arrow F', drawer 6 will be drawn out, or any other moving member will be opened or tilted, while overcoming in any case the bias of spring 3. The latter will bring member 1 back to the starting position when the action according to arrow F' is ceased and the drawer for instance has to be closed again by simply pushing this time the lower portion of handle 1 back in. Once drawer 6 has been pushed completely back, member 1 will lie again in the starting position, flush with adjacent members 4, 5. It should be understood that the scope of protection of this invention is not to be considered limited to the embodiment described and shown above, but extended to any possible mechanical equivalent, useful to the same extent.

Claims

A movable member, adapted to perform as a handle (1) for pulling out a drawer or any other sliding or tilting portion (6) relative to an oven or any other appliance, in particular built-in ones, characterized in that said member (1) is pivoted on said portion (6) relative to which it must perform as a handle, spring means (3) being provided, which are adapted to keep said member (1) in a rest position, substantially flush with the surrounding surfaces (4, 5) and to bring it back to said position when the pushing action said member is subjected to from the outside, and due to which said member has taken a position adapted to be grabbed as a handle, is ceased.
The member according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot means of said handle member (1) comprise a substantially cylindrical member (8) at the end of an inner extension (7) of said member (1), extending longitudinally of said member (1), in a direction transverse to said movable portion (6) to be moved, received within a seat (8a) correspondingly formed in said movable portion (6).
The member of claim 2, characterized in that said movable portion (6) additionally includes a holding seat (3a) for an end of a compression spring (3) whose opposite end constantly abuts the inner surface of said member ( 1 ) .
The member of claim 3, characterized in that said member (1) has an inward bent portion (2) for better counteracting and holding the opposite end of said spring (3) in an area (1a, 2) opposite, relative to said pivot (8), to portion (1a) of said handle member adapted to protrude from the surrounding surfaces (4, 5) for a manual grabbing action, when an inward push is applied on the side opposite pivot pin (8), where said spring (3) applies its bias in said area (1a, 2).
The member according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that said pivot seat (8a) is provided with narrower stop areas (9) uniformly spaced longitudinally thereof, adapted to prevent pivot pin (8) from coming out of said seat, while allowing it to be snapfitted therein.
A member according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is comprised of a single piece extruded from aluminium, while said movable portion (6), like for instance the bottom of a sliding drawer, is comprised of a single piece molded in plastic with said seats (3a, 8a).