EP2464925B1 - Door for a refrigeration device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance, in particular a refrigeration appliance for use in the home or in the catering trade. Most refrigerator doors have a handle that projects over the front of the door. Some users prefer a handle that, instead of projecting, is recessed in a side flank of the door, either for aesthetic reasons or because there is too much danger at the intended installation site of the device that a protruding handle will be jostled.

A recessed in a side edge of the door handle is not visible from the front, so that a user who stands in front of a device with such a door and does not know the device, a priori does not know on which side he can open the door. This problem is particularly irritating for refrigerators with variable door stop. If such a device has handle recesses on both side flanks of the door, and a user grabs a flank of the door to pull it open, he will find a recess there which is good for a handle, but with 50% probability this is the hinge-side recess, where he fails to open the door.

JP 8 189755 A discloses refrigerators with two doors, with a handle on each door. The document EP1563234B1 discloses a household refrigerator with a door, wherein on both side flanks of the door handle recesses are present. TR 2000 03328 A2 discloses a door of a refrigerator, which has a handle on two opposite sides.

Object of the present invention is to provide a door for a refrigerator with a side handle recess in which a user can immediately see where he has to attack to open the door.

The object is achieved by having a second gripping recess in a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator with a door which has a gripping recess at least on a first lateral flank, and the second lateral flank opposite one of the first flank, wherein gripper recess, which is actually usable as a handle to this To mark the handle recess (4, 5, 21), a mark is assigned, which protrudes beyond the lateral edge, so that the sunk in the lateral flank arranged, in particular designed as a recessed grip recess for a user standing in front of the door clearly visible and thus visible is made, wherein the mark is formed as insertable into the handle recess insert which is mounted on the handle recess of each of a door hinge of the door facing away from the door edge to make it immediately recognizable for a user on which flank of the door he has to attack to open them, and wherein the insert is selectively mounted in the first or the second handle recess.

To make the mark conspicuous, it is preferably offset from the door in color.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the insert part is secured in the handle recess.

The insert part may have at least one top plate on which an elastic latching tongue is arranged as a fastening means. The head plate may in particular be arranged at an upper and / or lower end of the insert part.

In a first variant, the insert part may have a leg engaging in the handle recess, which carries a latching hook which engages in a groove of the side wall. The snap hook serves as a fastener to attach the insert in the handle recess. The latching hook can be provided in particular at a free end of the leg.

In a second variant of a fastening means, the insert part may have at least one bore through which screws can be inserted as fastening means. The insert may in particular have two holes. As a bore, any type of opening or breakthrough in the insert part is understood, through which a screw can be passed to secure the insert in the handle recess by means of the screw.

By means of the screws, the insert can be releasably secured to the handle recess. The assembly and disassembly of the insert is self-explanatory. Also, the user of the refrigerator can thereby solve the insert with a conventional screwdriver, for example, to perform a door stop change, i. to remount the handle for a change between the right stop and the left stop of the door leaf.

In a third variant of a fastening means, the at least one bore can be introduced on an edge strip of the insert part. The at least one bore can in particular be introduced into the insert part in an edge strip assigned to the base region of the handle recess. By an arrangement of the screw heads in the base region of the handle recess or the handle shell, this does not disturb the design of the handle or the refrigerator visually.

The color deposition can be achieved in particular by the insert is formed of a bare metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, while the door is usually provided with a covering paint, especially white. The use of a rubber-elastic material for the insert allows not only the color differentiation but also a secure grip of the user's fingers.

Preferably, the insert member projects from a front side of the handle recess so as to simultaneously form an edge which the user must grasp around to pull the door open.

Particularly striking is the insert part, if it extends to a front of the door.

It is also useful if the insert extends over the entire height of the handle recess. This results on the one hand the possibility to lock the insert at the upper and lower ends of the handle recess; on the other hand, it clearly indicates at what height the handle recess is in the case of a handle recess which does not extend over the entire height of the door.

In order to improve the grip of the user's fingers, in a portion of the insert portion lining a front side of the recess, i. where, when the door is being pulled open, the fingertips engage, a depression has to be formed.

According to the invention, a single insert part is optionally mounted in the first or the second handle recess. Such an insert part can be conveniently mounted only when installing the refrigerator, even if the stop orientation of the door is set.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1

eine auseinander gezogene perspektivische Ansicht eines Teils einer Kältegerätetür und eines zur Montage in der Kältegerätetür vorgesehenen Einsatzteils;

Fig. 2

die Tür mit dem darin montierten Einsatzteil;

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt durch ein Außenblech der Tür mit dem daran montierten Einsatzteil;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Teilansicht einer Tür mit einem Einsatzteil gemäß einer zweiten Ausgestaltung;

Fig. 5

einen horizontalen Teilschnitt durch die Tür der Fig. 4;

Fig. 6

einen zu Fig. 3 analogen Schnitt gemäß einer dritten Ausgestaltung;

Fig. 7

ein Einsatzteil gemäß einer vierten Ausgestaltung; und

Fig. 8

eine Teilansicht einer Tür gemäß einer fünften Ausgestaltung der Erfindung

Fig. 9

eine perspektivische Teilansicht einer Tür mit einem Einsatzteil, das mittels Schrauben zu befestigen ist, in einer explodierten Darstellung;

Fig. 10

eine perspektivische Teilansicht der Tür mit dem Einsatzteil gemäß Fig.9 in der montierten Position.

Show it:

Fig. 1

an exploded perspective view of a portion of a refrigerator door and a provided for mounting in the refrigerator door insert part;

Fig. 2

the door with the insert mounted therein;

Fig. 3

a section through an outer panel of the door with the insert mounted thereon;

Fig. 4

a partial perspective view of a door with an insert part according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 5

a horizontal partial section through the door of Fig. 4 ;

Fig. 6

one too Fig. 3 analog section according to a third embodiment;

Fig. 7

an insert part according to a fourth embodiment; and

Fig. 8

a partial view of a door according to a fifth embodiment of the invention

Fig. 9

a partial perspective view of a door with an insert, which is to be fastened by means of screws, in an exploded view;

Fig. 10

a partial perspective view of the door with the insert according to Figure 9 in the mounted position.

Fig. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a refrigerator door 1, seen from the outside. A front side 2 and adjacent thereto side edges 3 of the door are integrally molded from a painted sheet metal. In an upper region of the flank 3, a slot 4 is punched, which is deposited from behind or inside with an elongated channel-shaped shell 5 made of plastic. As in particular in Fig. 3 to recognize, engage inwardly angled edges of the sheet around the slot 4 in a circumferential groove of the shell 5, to produce a foam-tight connection of the shell 5 to the flank 3.

An upper flank of the door is formed by a molded plastic end profile 7. In the end profile 7 is an upwardly open sleeve 8 can be seen, which is adapted to receive a pin of a door hinge, not shown, known per se, which connects the door 1 with a refrigerator body. If such a hinge pin in the in Fig. 1 visible sleeve 8 engages the door 1 can only be opened at the opposite side, not shown; In this case, the handle recess formed by the slot 4 and the shell 5 would be inoperative. It can only actually serve as a handle recess for opening the door 1, when the door 1 is suspended by sleeves 8, which are formed at the opposite end of the end profile 7 and a mirror-image end profile at the bottom of the door 1, not shown.

In order to make it immediately apparent to a user on which flank 3 of the door 1 he has to attack to open it, an insert 9 is provided which can be mounted on the handle recess of the respectively remote from the door hinge edge 3 of the door 1. The insert 9 is here a piece of extruded profile of a rubber-like material with Z-like cross-section, with a substantially flat centerpiece 10 and against the central piece 10 angled edge strips 11, 12th

As in the FIGS. 2 and 3 shown, the insert part 9 is provided to abut with its edge strip 11 at the bottom of the shell 5 and with its central part 10 on a front side wall 13 of the shell 5. The second edge strip 12 is located outside of the shell 5 on the flank 3 of the door, wherein it applies to the flank 3 so far that it for a user who is close enough in front of the door to grab this and open, clearly is visible. Since the height of the insert part 9 corresponds to the height of the shell 5, the visible edge strip 12 not only indicates on which side of the door the handle to be used is located, but also at what height.

A recess 14, which extends at the back of the center piece 10, when assembled forms a vertical groove on the front side wall 13 of the handle recess, which gives good grip to the fingers of the user when opening the door.

The attachment of the insert 9 is preferably carried out by gluing, in particular by means of self-adhesive strips, which can be attached to the front side wall 13 and the bottom of the shell 5 and the flank 3 facing sides of the center piece 10 and the edge strips 11, 12.

The use of a flexible material such as rubber for the insert 9 allows, in particular in connection with the surface attachment by gluing, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances of the door 1 to a certain extent by a corresponding bending of the insert part 9.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show in to the FIGS. 2 and 3 analog representations of a refrigerator door 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention. It is different from the one of the FIGS. 1 to 3 in that the front edge strip 12 of the insert part 9 widens and is pulled at an angle to the front side 2 of the door. Thus, the insert part 9 is clearly recognizable from every direction, and a user sees immediately on which side he has to open the door 1, regardless of which direction he is approaching.

Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment in one Fig. 3 or 5 analog section. The insert 9 is here a profile of bare aluminum or stainless steel of approximately C-shaped cross-section, with a front side 2 extending leg 15, which is prevented by a glued pad 16 made of felt, foam or the like, when mounting the To scratch the front 2, and engaging in the shell 5 leg 17 which carries at its free end a engaging in a shallow groove of the front side wall 13 latching hook 18.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an insert part 9 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. The insert 9 is here an injection molding of a limited deformable plastic. How about the FIGS. 1 to 3 described, has the insert 9 here a substantially flat centerpiece 10 and angled edge strips 11, 12 and additionally two head plates 19 at the upper and lower end of the insert part 9, which are connected to the center piece 10 and the edge strip 11 and in each of which an elastic latching tongue 20 formed is. The shell 5 has in this embodiment at the top and bottom of a respective recess in which the latching tongue 20 engages when center piece 10 and edge strips 11 of the insert part 9 abut the bottom and the front side wall 13 of the shell.

Fig. 8 shows a corner of a refrigerator door 1, in which a front side 2 and the side edges 3 forming sheet is bent several times to each side of the door over the entire height of the door extending, to the side and to the rear, to the device body, not shown open handle recess 21 to form. An insert 9 made of plastic, rubber or metal covers the area extending between the handle recess 21 and the front side 2 region of the remote from the hinge of the door edge 3, an adjacent, in Fig. 8 facing away from the viewer inner surface of the handle recess 21 and a said inner surface opposite edge region of the front page. 2

The Fig. 9 shows a perspective section of the refrigerator door 1, and the insert part 9 and two screws 23. In the illustrated embodiment with two screws, the insert part 9 has two holes 22. Through the holes 22, the screws 23 shown can be plugged to secure the insert part 9 in the handle recess or the shell 5 can. The two holes 22 are made on the edge strip 11 of the insert part 9. The two holes 22 are located in an area of the handle recess or the shell 5 associated edge strips 11 of the insert part. 9

As in Fig. 10 represented by the screws 23, the insert part 9 in the handle recess or the shell 5 are releasably secured. A threaded portion 23 a of the screw 23 engages in the Fig. 10 shown mounted position in a holding portion 24 of the handle recess or the shell 5 a.

Claims (12)

1. Household refrigeration device with a door (1), having a handle recess on at least one first lateral flank, and having a second handle recess (4, 5; 21) on a second lateral flank (3) lying opposite the first lateral flank, characterised in that the handle recess (4, 5; 21) which is actually able to be used as a handle has a marking (9) projecting above the lateral flank (3) in order to identify this handle recess (4, 5; 21), wherein the marking is embodied as an insert part (9) able to be inserted into the handle recess (4, 5; 21), said insert part being mounted on the handle recess (4, 5; 21) of the flank (3) of the door (1) facing away from a door hinge of the door (1) in each case in order to make it immediately evident to a user on which flank (3) he has to grip the door (1) in order to open the latter, wherein the insert part (9) is optionally mounted in the first or the second handle recess (4, 5; 21).
2. Household refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterised in that the marking (9) is differentiated from the door (1) by its colour.
3. Household refrigeration device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the insert part (9) is attached in the handle recess (4, 5; 21).
4. Household refrigeration device according to claim 3, characterised in that the insert part (9) has at least one top plate (19), especially at an upper and/or lower end of the insert part (9), on which an elastic latching tongue (20) is arranged as an attachment means.
5. Household refrigeration device according to claim 3, characterised in that the insert part (9) has a limb (17) engaging in the handle recess (4, 5; 21) which, especially at its free end, has as an attachment means a latching hook (18) engaging in a groove of the side wall (13).
6. Household refrigeration device according to claim 3, characterised in that the insert part (9) has at least one, in particular two, holes (22) through which screws (23) can be inserted as attachment means.
7. Household refrigeration device according to claim 6, characterised in that the at least one hole (22) is made on an edge strip (11) of the insert part (9), especially in an edge strip (11) in the insert part (9) assigned to the base area of the handle recess (4, 5; 21).
8. Household refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insert part (9) is formed from an elastic-rubber material or from metal.
9. Household refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insert part (9) projects over a front side of the handle recess (4, 5; 21).
10. Household refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insert part (9) extends as far as a front side (2) of the door (1).
11. Household refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insert part (9) extends over the entire height of the handle recess (4, 5; 21).
12. Household refrigeration device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an indentation (14) is moulded into a section (10) of the insert part (9) covering a front side (13) of the handle recess (4, 5).

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