EP1559977A2

EP1559977A2 - Easily opened door for upright freezers

Info

Publication number: EP1559977A2
Application number: EP05100412A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Edoardo Patent Dept. Oldani; Andrea Patent Dept. Comai; Michele Patent Dept. Gianardoli
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 2004-01-28
Filing date: 2005-01-24
Publication date: 2005-08-03
Also published as: ITMI20040031U1; EP1559977A3

Abstract

An easily opened freezer or refrigerator door (1) presenting an endless gasket (6) incorporating magnetic means (7), and presenting rigid therewith on its inner side, in correspondence with a small region of the endless gasket (6), a rigid means (2, 2a, 2b) which on opening the door operates on a part (5) of the gasket (6) such as to at least partly prevent it from deforming and hence open a passageway for compensating the pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the freezer (Figure 2).

Description

The present invention relates to a freezer or refrigerator door presenting an endless seal gasket incorporating preferably strip-like magnetic means.
In opening a refrigerator or freezer door, particularly that of an upright freezer, a certain force is required to overcome not only the magnetic attraction force of the gasket together with any resistance due to ice formation, but also the opposing pressure difference between the interior compartment, which is cold (and hence under slight vacuum), and the external environment at atmospheric pressure.
An object of the present invention is to facilitate refrigerator or freezer door opening by the use of simple means which during the initial stage of door opening compensate the opposing pressure difference.
This and further objects which will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description are attained by a refrigerator or freezer door in accordance with the teachings of the accompanying claims.
The invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description, which is provided by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of part of an upright freezer or refrigerator door, seen on its inner side;
Figure 2 is a schematic section on the line II-II of Figure 1.
In the figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates overall an upright freezer or refrigerator door of substantially traditional construction except, according to the invention, for a piece of L-shaped profile bar indicated by 2, which projects from the inner side of the door structure and, by means of a part (not visible) of one of its flanges 2a, 2b representing the L shape, is fixed to the structure itself, with which it is hence rigid.
As already stated, only a piece of profile bar is used, it hence involving a relatively short length of one side of the door, namely that side corresponding to the free side (opposite the hinged side) of the door and preferably located in a position corresponding with the door handle (not shown).
As can be best seen in the view of Figure 2, which also shows part of the cabinet 4 of the freezer or refrigerator with which the door 1 cooperates, the flange 2b of the bar piece 2 is located below the main chamber 5 of a conventional gasket 6 fixed to the door and incorporating the conventional permanent strip magnet 7.
On opening the door (arrow F) the flange 2b of the profile bar 2 prevents the gasket chamber from stretching and enables a passageway to form to connect the freezing or preservation compartment 9 of the freezer or refrigerator to the external environment 10, to balance the pressure and hence reduce the force opposing the opening of the door, it being necessary to overcome only the magnetic attraction and the resistance of any ice which has formed.

Claims

An easily opened freezer or refrigerator door (1) presenting an endless gasket (6) incorporating magnetic means (7), characterised by presenting rigid therewith on its inner side, in correspondence with a small region of the endless gasket (6), a rigid means (2, 2a, 2b) which on opening the door operates on a part (5) of the gasket (6) such as to at least partly prevent it from deforming and hence open a passageway for compensating the pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the freezer.
A door as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid means (2, 2a, 2b) is a piece of L-shaped profile bar, one flange (2a) of which serves to fix the piece of bar to the door, while the other flange (2b) operates on the part (5) of the gasket (6).
A door as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein the piece of bar (2) is located in a position corresponding with the door handle.