EP1957909B1 - Household device comprising an anti-jamming door - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a domestic appliance, in particular a refrigeration appliance, with a body, a door hinged to the body for closing an interior of the body and a decorative panel which is pre-shielded from the door by a gap. Household appliances of this type are used in particular as built-in appliances, sunk into a furniture recess, but also as large-sized floor-standing appliances which are set up in close proximity to furniture or other household appliances. The decorative panel mostly takes up design elements from neighboring furniture or household appliances in order to give the entire arrangement an aesthetically uniform appearance.

In such an arrangement, it is generally important that the front sides of the furniture and household appliances form a flush surface. In order to be able to open the door of such a household appliance without bumping into neighboring furniture or devices, multi-joint hinges are usually used, with which a movement of the door can be guided like a rotation about an imaginary axis laterally spaced from the body. One consequence of this guidance is that when the door is opened, a gap is formed between the hinge-side edge of the door and the front of an adjacent piece of furniture or equipment, which can reach a width of several centimeters. A finger that is in this gap while the door is closed runs the risk of being seriously injured.

In order to eliminate this danger, the applicant has in the unpublished German patent application 10 2004 062 238.8 proposed a built-in household appliance in which a flexible plate element is mounted on the one hand in the area of the door and on the other hand in a transition area between the furniture body of the built-in household appliance and an adjacent second furniture body in such a way that it covers the gap over its entire length.

According to a first embodiment, it is proposed to attach the cover element to a side flank of the decorative panel that is pre-shielded from the household appliance door. However, a front edge of the cover element remains visible even when the door is closed, which can be perceived as aesthetically unsatisfactory. According to a second embodiment, an edge region of the flexible cover element slidably engages in a gap between the appliance door and the pre-shielded decorative panel. This complicates the mounting of the decorative panel on the door, since the hinge-side edge cannot be used to attach support parts for the decorative panel. This can become a problem, particularly for floor-to-ceiling units of great height, since the decorative panel cannot swing out of the way.

The object of the invention is to provide a household appliance of the type specified above, the door of which provides effective protection against jamming without the appearance of the appliance or the strength of the decorative panel being adversely affected thereby.

The object is achieved by a household appliance having a body, a door hinged to the body for closing an interior of the body, a decorative panel which is pre-shielded by a gap, and a flexible cover element which extends from a side wall of the body to the gap, in which the cover element is held in the gap on a carrier part connecting the door and the decorative plate.

According to a preferred embodiment, the cover element is clamped in a groove formed between the carrier part and the decorative plate.

In order to improve the strength of the anchoring of the cover element, the carrier part can be provided with claws projecting into the groove.

The carrier part is preferably a mounting bracket, the two legs of which the first is held on a rear side of the decorative panel and the second is attached to a flank of the door, in particular the hinge-side flank of the door. A fastening bracket of the same type can of course also be used to fasten the decorative panel on the flank of the door facing away from the hinge; there is only no cover element provided in the groove between the decorative plate and the mounting bracket.

The two legs of the mounting bracket are preferably connected via an intermediate section spaced apart from the decorative plate, which, together with the decorative plate, delimits the groove for clamping the cover element.

A bracket fastened to the decorative plate, into which the first leg of the fastening bracket is inserted into the gap, enables the decorative plate to be particularly easily attached to the door and an adjustment of the decorative plate in the insertion direction, i.e. in the width direction of the door.

When the door is closed, the cover element preferably forms an angle with a first leg engaging in the gap and a second leg abutting the side wall. The two legs preferably meet at a point at the level of a lateral edge of the decorative panel.

The two legs are advantageously connected via a film hinge. It is thus possible in particular to implement the cover element in one piece, preferably as an extruded profile made of a flexible plastic.

It is furthermore advantageous that the second leg comprises a first section with a first thickness extending from the decorative panel to the body and a section with a second thickness extending along the side wall, the second being larger than the first thickness.

The area of the cover element that blocks the gap between the door and an adjacent furniture front when the door is open can have sufficient rigidity to ensure that it is not accidentally pressed aside by a finger, on the other hand, the section with the second thickness can be flexible enough to be held so that the cover element can deform following the movement of the door, without requiring any significant effort on the part of the user.

In order to allow an exact adjustment of the position of the decorative panel to neighboring furniture fronts, the decorative panel is preferably in three spatial directions, or at least in the width direction of the door, adjustable. Accordingly, the cover element should also be adjustable in order to ensure reliable functioning.

According to a second preferred embodiment, adjustability of the cover element can advantageously be achieved by releasably clamping the cover element between clamping jaws of the carrier part, which extend parallel to the decorative plate, and a clamping part. Alternatively, it would also be conceivable to clamp the cover element directly between the carrier part and the decorative plate, as in the first embodiment described above, in this case, however, an excessive clamping force can lead to excessive stress on the decorative plate and thus to its damage.

A space-saving structure can be achieved if the clamping part is held pressed against a side flank of the door by screws and the clamping part is displaceably guided in relation to the support part in a manner in which an approach of the clamping part to the flank forces the clamping jaws to approach simultaneously . If the clamping part is pulled against the flank by tightening the screws, the cover element is clamped between the clamping jaws at the same time.

The displacement of the clamping part is preferably performed by at least one inclined surface facing the decorative plate, which is formed on a tab of the carrier part which extends away from the flank.

The carrier part and the clamping part preferably each have an elongated base plate parallel to the side flank of the door. The clamping part can then be held in a simple manner with the aid of at least one screw passing through an opening in the carrier part.

A particularly compact structure can be realized if the base plate of the clamping part has on one side a projection which engages in the opening of the carrier part and on the other side a recess which receives a head of the screw.

Several of the carrier parts can be arranged on opposite flanks of the door. Only the carrier parts on the hinge-side flank need to be equipped with clamping parts.

Each carrier part preferably also has a clamp which receives a profile covering the gap between the door and the decorative panel.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Kältegerätes, bei dem die Dekorplatte fortgelassen ist, um die Tür und an dieser angebrachte Befestigungsmittel zum justierbaren Befestigen der Dekorplatte an der Tür zeigen zu können;

Fig. 2

einen horizontalen Teilschnitt durch die Tür und die daran montierte Dekorplatte in der durch zwei Linien II-II in Fig. 1 definierten Ebene, bei geschlossener Tür;

Fig. 3

einen zu Fig. 2 analogen Schnitt bei halb geöffneter Tür; und

Fig. 4

einen zu Fig. 2 analogen Schnitt bei in etwa rechtwinkelig geöffneter Tür.

Fig. 5:

eine abgewandelte Ausgestaltung eines Montagewinkels zum Verbinden von Tür und Dekorplatte;

Fig. 6

einen zu Fig. 2 analogen Teilschnitt durch ein Kältegerät und ein benachbartes Möbel, wobei das Kältegerät mit dem Montagewinkel der Fig. 5 ausgestattet ist;

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Montagewinkels und eines mit dem Montagewinkel zusammenwirkenden Klemmteiles gemäß einer weiterentwickelten Ausgestaltung der Erfindung; und

Figs. 8

bis 10 Schnitte durch den Montagewinkel und das Klemmteil der Fig. 7 im zwischen einer Kältegerätetür und einer Dekorplatte montierten Zustand.

Further features and advantages result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a refrigerator, in which the decorative plate is omitted to show the door and attached to this fastener for adjustable attachment of the decorative plate to the door;

Fig. 2

a partial horizontal section through the door and the decorative panel attached to it in the by two lines II-II in Fig. 1 defined level, with the door closed;

Fig. 3

one too Fig. 2 analog cut with the door half open; and

Fig. 4

one too Fig. 2 analog cut with the door opened approximately at a right angle.

Fig. 5:

a modified embodiment of a mounting bracket for connecting the door and decorative panel;

Fig. 6

one too Fig. 2 analog partial section through a refrigerator and an adjacent piece of furniture, the refrigerator with the mounting bracket of Fig. 5 Is provided;

Fig. 7

a perspective view of a mounting bracket and a cooperating with the mounting bracket clamping part according to a further developed embodiment of the invention; and

Figs. 8th

up to 10 cuts through the mounting bracket and the clamping part of the Fig. 7 when installed between a refrigerator door and a decorative panel.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the upper front area of a household refrigerator as an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention. A door 1 can be seen, which has a multi-joint hinge 2 with a Body 3 of the refrigerator is connected. The door 1 is realized in a conventional manner as a hollow body filled with a foamed polymer material. In the upper edge of door 1 there are two pairs of blind threads. An adjusting rail 4 has a base plate 5, which extends essentially over the entire width of the door 1, and two tabs 6 bent at right angles from the base plate. Two holes, each aligned with the blind thread, are punched into the tabs 6. In a blind thread of each pair there is a special screw, the head of which comprises a plate, which in the figure is hidden under the tab 6 and is larger than the hole so that the tab is supported on it, and a pin which protrudes axially from the plate , which penetrates the hole with play and makes it possible to turn the special screw under the tab 6 and thus adjust the height of the adjustment rail or the decorative plate attached to it. In the other pocket thread there is a screw 7 which holds the tab 6 pressed against the plate and thus fixes the adjustment rail 4 to the door 1. The base plate 5 is stiffened by a flat embossed rib 9, from which extensions extend into the tab 6.

At the lateral edges of the base plate 5, adjacent to the side flanks 12 of the door 1, two tabs 13 are cranked out towards the door 1 from the plane of the base plate 5; they are provided with stamped claws 11.

A plurality of holes 14 of the base plate 5 are provided in order to fasten a decorative plate 15 to the base plate with the aid of screws inserted through them. When this has been done, the tabs 13 together with the opposite decorative plate 15 form open slots towards the flanks 12 of the door 1, into which the claws 11 project.

On the side flanks 12 of the device-side door plate 1, several mounting brackets 16, each formed in one piece from a strong sheet metal in the adjustment rail 4, are fastened with the aid of a screw 7, which passes through an elongated hole in a first leg 17 of the bracket 16 into a blind thread on the flank 12 engages. A second leg 18 of the angle 16 can be fixed by moving the elongated hole on the screw 7 at an adjustable distance from the door 1. Between the two legs 17, 18, an intermediate section 19 is formed on the mounting bracket parallel to the second leg 18, from which in turn two claws 11 project.

A shown in the figure behind the second leg 18, also made of sheet metal bracket 20 is not fixed to the mounting bracket 16, but is provided to be attached to the decorative plate 15 by means of two screws 21, so as to between a central portion of the Bracket 20 and the decorative plate 14 form a slot, in which the second leg 18 engages from the side slidably. A bead 22 embossed into the second leg 18 facilitates the production of a frictional connection between the second leg 18 and the slot when the leg 18 is inserted into it.

Fig. 2 shows a partial section through a front corner of the refrigerator with part of the door 1 and the decorative plate 15 spaced from the door 1 by a gap 33 at the level of the mounting bracket 16 and through an adjacent household appliance or furniture 8, the front of which in the closed position of the door 1 is flush with the front of the decorative plate 15.

Because of the stronger anchoring, the blind thread for the screw 7 in the door 1 is formed by a solid, plastic body 24 embedded in the expanded polymer material 23 and fastened to the outer skin of the door 1.

A first leg 26 of an extruded plastic profile 27 of an angular cross section is inserted into a plug-in groove 25 delimited on the one hand by the intermediate section 19 and on the other hand by the decorative plate 15 and held by frictional engagement and with the aid of the claws 11 projecting into the plug-in groove 25. The insertion depth is selected so that a foil hinge 29, which connects the leg 27 to a second leg 28, comes to lie directly on the lateral edge of the decorative plate 15.

The second leg 28 extends along the flank 12 of the door 1 into a gap 30 between the side wall of the body 3 and the adjacent furniture 8. The leg 28 is divided into two sections, a thick and accordingly rigid section adjacent to the film hinge 29 31, which extends in front of the edge 12 of the door 1 towards the body 3, and an adjoining, thin and more flexible section 32 which engages between the body 3 and the neighboring furniture 8.

Fig. 3 shows the same components as Fig. 2 , but in a partially open position of the door 1. Due to the movement of the door 1, the leg 28 is pulled out of the gap 30 to a certain extent, and its rigid section 31 bridges a gap 34 which is defined by the movement of the door 1 between the Decorative plate 15 and the furniture 8 has formed.

Since the extruded profile 27 in the film hinge 29 is slightly flexible, it does not provide any appreciable resistance to the opening of the door 1. The stiffness of section 31, on the other hand, not only effectively prevents fingers from accidentally entering gap 34, but also effectively prevents a small child who is not aware of the danger from deliberately inserting his fingers into gap 34.

If door 1 is opened even further than in Fig. 3 shown, the decorative panel 15 finally moves in the lateral direction in front of the neighboring furniture 8. This state is in Fig. 4 shown.

The width of the section 31 is dimensioned such that when the film hinge 29 moves in front of the furniture 8, the thin section 32 has reached the front corner of the furniture 8, so that when the film hinge 29 moves laterally in front of the furniture 8 , the leg 28 can yield to this by the section 32 bending in its front region. The construction of the leg 28 from the differently thick and different rigid sections 31, 32 gives the leg 28 a high degree of rigidity overall, which ensures that it reliably moves back into the gap 30 when the door 1 is closed. There is no risk of the leg getting stuck and subsequently buckling between the furniture 8 and the flank 12 of the door 1.

Fig. 5 FIG. 14 shows a mounting bracket 40 that is different from the mounting bracket 16 with respect to FIG Figures 1 to 4 described embodiment differs in that on its side 41 parallel to the lateral flank 12 of the door 1 two tabs 42 are angled. The tabs 42 are each provided with a notch 43 which is open towards the free end of the leg 41.

As in Fig. 6 to see the one too Fig. 2 shows an analog section through a refrigerator with the mounting bracket 40, the notches 43 serve to keep a web 44 of a flexible cover profile 45 clamped. The web 44 is connected in one piece with a jacket 46 which extends in an arc around the leg 17 and with an edge 47 touches the flank 12 of the door and with the opposite edge 48 the leg 26 of the angle profile 27 and in this way the gap 33 hidden between the door 1 and the decorative plate 15.

A side flank of the door 1, not shown in the figure and opposite the flank 12, is connected in the same way to the decorative panel 15 via mounting brackets 40. Here, too, a cover profile 45 is inserted into the notches 43 of the mounting bracket 40 in order to also close the gap 33 on this side, the front edge 48 of the jacket 46 directly touching the decorative plate 15 here.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a mounting bracket 50 and a clamping part 51 provided for cooperation with the mounting bracket 50 according to a further developed embodiment of the invention. Like the mounting brackets 16, 40, the mounting bracket 50 also has a leg 18, which is provided to fit between the decorative plate 15 and a bracket, such as the bracket 20, attached to it Fig. 1 to be inserted.

The other leg is widened to form an elongate plate 52 in which three open cutouts 53, 54, 54 are formed. Two tabs 55 are notched out of the plate on both sides of the central cutout 53. An inclined surface 56 is formed on a lower edge of the tabs 55, facing the decorative plate 15 in the assembled state of the mounting bracket 50.

From the longitudinal ends of the plate 52, two arms 57 are angled, each with an upwardly open notch 58. A latching projection or barb 59 projects into the notch 58 on each of the two arms 57.

At the in the representation of the Fig. 7 The lower edge of the plate 52 is connected at right angles to an intermediate section 60, which is largely hidden behind the plate 52 in the figure. As with the mounting bracket 16, the intermediate section and the leg 18 separated by a crank, so that when the leg 18 abuts the decorative plate 15, there is a gap between the decorative plate 15 and the intermediate section 60. At the longitudinal ends of the intermediate section 60, two tongues 61 are formed which extend below the angled arms 57.

Like the mounting bracket 50, the clamping part 51 is punched out of a sheet metal and shaped. In an elongated base plate 62 of the clamping part 51, five cutouts 63, 64, 64, 65, 65 which are open at the top are formed. The wide central cutout 63 is aligned with the cutout 53 of the mounting bracket 50; the two small cutouts 64 adjacent thereto are provided to receive the tabs 55 of the mounting bracket, and the outer cutouts 65 are aligned with the cutouts 54 of the mounting bracket. The cutouts 65 are formed in a U-shaped recess 66 of the base plate 62; a projection complementary to the recess 66 on the back of the base plate 62 engages in the cutout 54 in the cutouts 54 of the mounting bracket.

Two short arms 67 are angled at the longitudinal ends of the base plate 62.

Fig. 8 shows the mounting bracket 50 and the clamping part 51 in the state mounted on the refrigerator door 1 in section along a plane running through the central cutouts 53, 63. The head of a screw 21, which crosses the cutout 53 and is anchored in the door 1, holds the plate 52 pressed against the flank 12. The head of the screw 21 is received in the wide cutout 63 of the clamping part 51 without touching the clamping part 51. The leg 18 of the mounting bracket 50 engages between the decorative plate 15 and a bracket 20 attached to it. By moving the leg 18 in the gap formed between the bracket 20 and the decorative plate 15, the decorative plate 15 can be adjusted with respect to the door 1 in the width direction.

As in the design of Fig. 2 has a flexible extruded profile 27 a leg 26 which engages between the decorative plate 15 and the intermediate section 60 and a leg 28 which extends from the edge of the decorative plate 15 into a gap between the body of the refrigerator (not shown in the figure) and neighboring furniture or - device extends. A web 68 of the extruded profile 27 parallel to the leg 26 is between the arms 67 of the clamping part 51 and the opposite tongues 61 of the Mounting bracket 50 clamped. Since this clamping ensures a firm hold of the profile 27, the leg 26 in turn does not need to be clamped and is preferably accommodated with little play between the decorative plate 15 and the intermediate section 60.

In a similar way as in Fig. 6 shown, a web 44 of a cover profile 45 is inserted into the notches 58 of the arms 57, and a jacket 46 of the cover profile 45 extends between the flank 12 of the door 1 and the web 68 and thus covers the mounting bracket 50, the clamping part 51 and the Gap between door 1 and decorative panel 15.

Fig. 9 shows a second section through the mounting bracket 50, the clamping part 51 and their surroundings along a plane running through one of the cutouts 64. The tab 55 engages in the cutout 64, the web 68 clamped between the tongue 61 and the arm 67 elastically holding the lower edge of the cutout 64 against the inclined surface 56 on the underside of the tab 55 and thus the clamping part on one by the Orientation of the inclined surface 56 defined path slidably leads.

Fig. 10 shows a third section through the mounting bracket 50 and the clamping part 51 in a plane running through a pair of cutouts 54, 65. A screw 69 passes through the cutouts 54, 65 and is anchored in the door 1. Her head lies within the recess 66 on the plate 52 and holds the clamping part 51 pressed against the edge 12 of the door. A projection opposite the recess 66 on the side of the plate 52 facing the door is snapped into the cutout 54. The projection does not directly touch the flank 12. When the screw 69 is tightened to the

To bring plate 52 closer to the flank 12, the plate 52 is simultaneously forced downwards on the inclined surfaces 56 of the tabs 55, so that the gap between arm 57 and tongue 61, in which the web 68 is clamped, narrows. That is, with the aid of the inclined surfaces 56, the clamping part 51 is guided obliquely, displaceably towards the flank 12 and at the same time towards the decorative plate 15, so that by tightening the two screws 69 passing through two pairs of cutouts 54, 65, the extruded profile 27 is firmly tensioned and by loosening the screws 69, the extruded profile 27 can be released. It is thus possible, after the decorative plate 15 has been adjusted in relation to the door 1, to place the extruded profile 27 exactly such that the outside of its leg 28 is flush with the edge of the decorative plate 15.

Claims (17)

1. Household device comprising a body (3), a door (1) which is connected to the body (3) in order to close an inner chamber of the body (1), a superimposed decorative plate (15) which is arranged at a distance from the door (1) by means of a gap (33), and a flexible cover element (27) extending from a side wall of the body (3) into the gap (33), characterised in that the cover element (27) is held in the gap (33) on at least one support part (16, 40, 50) which connects the door (1) and decorative plate (15).
2. Household device according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover element (27) is clamped in a groove (25) formed between the support part (16, 40) and the decorative plate (15).
3. Household device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support part (16, 40) is provided with claws (11) projecting into the groove (25).
4. Household appliance as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support part (16, 40, 50) is a mounting bracket which has two legs (18; 17, 41, 52), the first (18) of which is held on a back of the decorative plate (15) and the second of which (17, 41, 52) is attached to an edge (12) of the door (1).
5. Household device according to claim 4, characterised in that the two legs (18; 17, 41, 52) are connected by an intermediate section (19, 60) arranged a distance from the decorative plate (15), and that the intermediate section (19, 60) together with the decorative plate (15) forms the boundary of the groove (25).
6. Household device according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the first leg (18) is inserted into the gap (33) between the decorative plate (15) and a clip (20) attached to the decorative plate (15).
7. Household device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that with the door (1) closed the cover element (27) forms an angle with a first leg (26) engaging in the gap (33) and a second leg (28) lying against the side wall.
8. Household device according to claim 7, characterised in that the two legs (26, 28) are connected by means of a foil hinge (29).
9. Household device according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the second leg (28) has a first section (31) with a first thickness extending from the decorative plate (15) to the body (3) and a second section (32) with a second thickness extending along the side wall, with the second thickness being smaller than the first thickness.
10. Household device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the decorative plate (15) and the cover element (27) are adjustable relative to the support part (16, 40, 50) at least in the direction of the width of the door (1).
11. Household device according to claim 10, characterised in that the cover element (27) is releasably clamped between clamping jaws (61) of the carrier part (50) and (67) of a clamping part (51) extending parallel to the decorative plate (15).
12. Household device according to claim 11, characterised in that the clamping part is held pressed by bolts (69) against a side edge (12) of the door (1) and the clamping part (51) slides guided relative to the support part (50) in a direction in which an approach of the clamping part (51) to the edge (12) forces a simultaneous approach of the clamping jaws (61, 67).
13. Household device according to claim 12, characterised in that the sliding of the clamping part (51) is guided at least by a bevelled surface (56) facing towards the cover plate (15) which is formed by a tab (55) of the support part (50) extending out from the edge (12).
14. Household device according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterised in that the support part (50) and the clamping part (51) each have a base plate (52, 62) extending lengthwise parallel to a side edge (12) of the door and that the clamping part (51) can be simply held on the edge (12) by at least one bolt (69) passing through an opening (54) in the support part (50).
15. Household device according to claim 14, characterised in that the base plate (62) of the clamping part (51) has a projection on one side which engages in the opening (54) of the support part (50) and a recess (66) on the other side to take a head of the bolt (69).
16. Household device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that several of the support parts (16, 40, 50) can be arranged on opposite edges (12) of the door (1).
17. Household device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each support part (40, 50) has a clamp (43, 58) which holds a profile (45) covering the gap (33).

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