EP2676088B1 - Domestic appliance - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance with a cap for covering a recess formed in a component according to the preamble of claim 1.

The door handle of a household appliance door can be bolted from the outside into the door panel of a household appliance door. The outwardly still visible screw head of the fastening screw can be covered for design reasons with a Kunststoffabdeckkappe, which is optically adapted to the, adjacent to the screw visible surface.

From the DE 20 2007 013 032 U1 a generic household appliance is known in which such a door handle is bolted to the door. For this purpose, the door handle on upper and lower handle holder, which are extended in the Bautiefenrichtung on the door front addition to the narrow door side edge and screwed there via mounting screws with the door. The screw heads of the mounting screws can be sunk into a recess of the handle holder and covered by a protective cover cap.

The JP 10 311668 A discloses a generic locking connection and that the component may be a plastic injection molded part.

The CA 2 363 654 A1 discloses a plastic handle that is hollow inside. The deposit there is completely surrounded by plastic.

The US 2004/0007009 A1 describes a refrigerator with a bow handle, which is screwed by means of screws to a door of the refrigerator. The screw heads lie directly on the bow handle, without any insert would be interposed.

The US 2004/0094560 A1 describes a refrigerator with a bow handle, which is screwed by means of screws to a door of the refrigerator. At the door are separate

Fittings screwed by means of screws, the handle is only hung on the fitting, without being screwed to the door itself.

The cap can be attached by way of example directly to the screw head. Alternatively, the cap can also be made of elastic plastic material and be dimensioned so that it can be pressed with slight deformation in the recess in which the screw head is sunk. However, such a frictional clamping connection between the cap and the recess is problematic. For each customer's door operation namely the handle holder is subject to a slight deformation, whereby there is a risk that the cover over time can be released from the screw head recess.

The object of the invention is to provide a domestic appliance in which the cap remains easy to assemble and permanently reliable in its installation position.

The object is solved by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims.

According to the invention, the household appliance has a covering cap for covering a screw-head recess formed in an attachment, which is delimited by side walls and a bottom which is set back by a lowering depth from the component surface. In the screw head recess a screw head of a fastening screw is sunk, with which the attachment is bolted to a base part.

Rather, it relates to any type of component recess to be covered with a cap. According to the characterizing part of claim 1 is dispensed with a clamping connection between the cap and the component recess and instead the cap is secured via a latching connection on the component. The locking connection has at least one undercut, which is formed in the side wall of the recess and is engaged behind by a corresponding locking element of the cap. The holder of the cap is thus no longer by a non-positive clamping connection with associated risk that over time, the cap can replace. Rather, the cap is done by a force-free positive connection, in which a detachment of the cap from the component is permanently excluded.

The household appliance according to the invention is used for household management and may be an example of a refrigerator, such as a refrigerator, a freezer, a freezer, a wine storage cabinet or a fridge freezer.

The detent geometry required in the recess can be created by milling, drilling or any other machining. Alternatively, the component can be produced together with its detent geometry as a plastic injection molded part.

In particular, in a large-scale production, it is important that the locking geometry of the cap and the screw head recess manufacturing technology is easy to implement. Against this background, to form the undercut, the component on the outside have a material recess, for example, a recess or a blind hole in the component outer contour, which is connected via a material breakthrough in the side wall with the recess. In this case, therefore, the undercut is formed by a boundary wall of the material recess, which merges at a locking edge in the side wall of the recess. The material recess can be introduced, for example, transversely to the recess in the component. Alternatively, the material recess may also be designed as a blind hole, which is connected in the region of the blind hole bottom via the material breakthrough with the recess.

In terms of manufacturing technology, it is of great importance that the material recess is incorporated starting from the component outer contour. As a result, the manufacturing process is substantially simplified, in comparison to a production in which the undercut is incorporated starting from the screw head recess as a pocket-shaped recess in the side wall of the recess.

In order for the material recess additionally introduced into the component not to impair the component rigidity and its optical appearance, it is advantageous if the material recess in the assembly position is not visible to the outside. It is preferred if the material recess in one, the component-visible surface opposite mounting surface of the component is formed, which is in the assembly position in contact with the base part.

The invention is particularly applicable to a door handle of a household appliance door. Such a door handle has a handle that can be grasped by the user, and handle holder, with which the handle is connected to the door. The grip holder can be extended in the Bautiefenrichtung with a mounting leg to the narrow door side edge and screwed there with the door. As already mentioned in connection with the prior art, the handle holder and in particular its mounting leg is subjected to a slight deformation in a door operation. Due to the locking connection according to the invention between the cap and the mounting leg, however, a permanent reliable connection is ensured despite such a deformation work, since it is not a frictional connection in the latching connection, which solves in consequence of the above-mentioned deformation work permanently.

In terms of ease of manufacture, the handle holder may be manufactured in a plastic injection molding process in which liquid plastic is injected into an injection molding chamber bounded by injection mold parts. The injection molding chamber defines a negative mold of the handle holder to be produced. After the injection molding process, the tool parts are separated from each other in a Entformungsrichtung and the plastic injection molded part is removed from the now open injection molding chamber.

In order to achieve a manufacturing technology simple injection molding process, it is advantageous if the geometry of the injection molded part is designed in the Entformungsrichtung without undercuts. Due to geometric conditions, however, such undercuts in the Entformungsrichtung in the component may be unavoidable. In this case, it is necessary to provide in addition to the injection mold parts that define the injection chamber, additional adjustable slide, with which the undercut in the plastic injection molded part is technically complex to produce. To ensure smooth demolding, the slides are reset after shaping in a rest position.

According to the invention, the use of such slides can be avoided by special geometric design of the handle holder. For this purpose, the central axes of the recess and the blind hole can extend coaxially with one another and aligned in the removal direction. Accordingly, in the first injection molding tool part, a mold contour simulating the screw head depression is provided, while the second tool part carries a mold contour simulating the blind hole of the handle holder, in particular a bolt. In order to form the material breakthrough connecting the blind hole with the depression, it is necessary for the depression shape contour to be partially in contact with the blind hole contour of the other tool part.

To increase the component stability, a metal insert is integrated in the plastic injection-molded part thus produced. In the metal insert, the screw hole required for the screw is formed. In addition, the insert may have at least one positioning hole for pre-positioning of the insert in the injection-molding chamber. When properly positioned, a positioning bolt provided in the tool part can protrude through this positioning hole of the insert. At the same time, the positioning bolt can also simulate the blind hole in a double function. When the injection molding chamber is closed, therefore, the positioning bolt with its free end is in tight contact with a portion of the opposite recess molding contour of the opposite tool part.

The side walls defining the recess may preferably be aligned at right angles to one another, whereby the number of permissible installation positions of the cover cap is reduced in comparison with a circular design. In addition, mutually mirror-symmetrically running undercuts can be incorporated on two opposite side walls of the depression, into which corresponding latching elements of the cover cap can be inserted. In order to produce a stable locking connection, the cap may have additional support portions which are supported in the mounting position on the false bottom of the recess. Preferably, the cap on the edge side have a circumferential support web, which bears on the outside integrally formed locking lugs and is supported on the false floor. The overall height of the cap thus formed is designed so that in the installed position, the cap substantially flush with the surrounding visible surface of the component is arranged and on the other hand, the locking elements can engage behind the undercuts substantially stress-free.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures will be described.

Fig. 1

in einer perspektivischen Vorderansicht einen an einer Gerätetür montierten Türgriff;

Fig. 2

eine Teilschnittdarstellung entlang der Schnittebene I-I aus der Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

in einer vergrößerten Detailansicht die Anschraubstelle des Türgriffhalters;

Fig. 4

eine Ansicht zur Veranschaulichung der Herstellung des Türgriffhalters; und

Fig. 5

eine Ansicht entsprechend der Fig. 3 mit entfernter Abdeckkappe.

Show it:

Fig. 1

in a perspective front view of a door mounted on a door handle;

Fig. 2

a partial sectional view along the section plane II of the Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

in an enlarged detail view of the Anschraubstelle the door handle holder;

Fig. 4

a view for illustrating the manufacture of the door handle holder; and

Fig. 5

a view corresponding to the Fig. 3 with removed cap.

In the Fig. 1 is shown in a partial view from the front a refrigeration device with a about a vertical pivot axis S laterally hinged to the device body of the refrigerator appliance door 1. The appliance door 1 has in the device side direction x opposite to the pivot axis S a door handle 3. The door handle 3 is constructed in several parts of an upper and a lower handle holder 5 and an intermediate handle tube 7. The two upper and lower handle holder 5 are according to the Fig. 1 executed with a comparatively massive box-shaped body 9, which is placed on the door front 11 of the door 1 and in the depth direction y protrudes forward from the door front 11. The base body 9 of the handle holder 5 is also extended in the depth direction y to the rear with a mounting leg 13, the contour of the vertical outer edge 16 of the door surrounds and with the narrow door side edge 15 in an indicated screw 17 is. The screw head 23 ( Fig. 2 or 3 ) of the fastening screw 18 of this screw 17 is in the Fig. 1 covered by a cap 19.

In the Fig. 2 the basic structure of the handle holder 5 and the screw 17 is shown. Accordingly, the narrow compared to the body 9, plate-shaped mounting leg 13 is screwed on the mounting screw 18 with the door panel on the narrow door side edge 15 and with its mounting surface 21 over a large area in contact with the door outer panel. The screw head 23 of the fastening screw 18 is sunk in a recess 25 of the mounting leg 13, which is formed on the, the mounting surface 21 opposite visible side 27.

In the Fig. 2 the mounting surface 21 of the mounting leg 13 is shown for reasons of clarity of the door 1 slightly spaced. The depression 25 is defined by edge side walls 29 and by a false bottom 31, which is inclined by a depression depth s (FIG. Fig. 5 ) is reset from the component visible surface 27. In the, in the Fig. 2 shown assembly position of the screw head 23 exerts a clamping force on the false bottom 31 of the recess 25, whereby the mounting leg 13 is tightened on the door side edge 15. The screw head recess 25 is closed by the cap 19, which according to the Fig. 2 and 3 in releasable latching connection with the mounting leg 13. The cap 19 is according to the Fig. 2 and 3 formed on their opposite side edges with locking projections 33 which engage behind respective corresponding undercuts 34 in the side walls 29 of the recess 25. The cap 19 is according to the Fig. 2 and 3 completely disposed within the recess 25 and aligned substantially flush with the surrounding visible surface 27 of the mounting bracket 13. The cap 19 is also formed in approximately pot-shaped with a peripheral circumferential support bar 37 which is supported with its free end on the false bottom 31 of the recess 25. On the outside of the support web 37, the two opposing locking projections 33 are integrally formed. In addition, the cap 19 has a tool attachment 39 on its upper side in order, if appropriate, to release the cover cap 19 from the mounting leg 13 with the aid of a tool.

To increase the component rigidity of the handle holder 5 is designed as a plastic injection molded part in which a metal insert 41 is injected into the plastic material and partially on both sides of this is cast .. The metal insert 41 is plate-shaped executed and extends in the Bautiefenrichtung y from the device front side end face of the handle holder 5 to the rear end of the mounting leg 13. The metal insert 41 is according to the Fig. 5 exposed in the region of the false bottom 31 to the screw hole 43 out of the plastic material and in the further course radially outwardly covered by the plastic material, so that there is a step-like transition in the false bottom 31. The screw head 23 is therefore supported directly in the installed position on the metal insert 41, while in the further radial course to the outside of the metal insert 41 is covered with plastic material on which the support web 37 of the cap 19 rests.

To form the undercuts 34, starting from the mounting surface 21 of the mounting leg 13 in each case a blind hole 45 is incorporated into the plastic material of the mounting leg 13. The position and the dimensioning of the blind hole 45 is chosen so that it is connected via a formed in the side wall 29 material breakthrough 47 with the screw head recess 25. According to the invention, the undercut 34 is formed by the blind hole bottom 48, which merges at a locking edge 49 in the side wall 29 of the screw head recess 25. The central axis 51 of the screw head recess 25 and the center axis 53 of the blind hole are coaxial with each other and in the Entformungsrichtung E (FIG. Fig. 4 ). As a result, undercuts / undercuts in the Entformungsrichtung E can be avoided, as in the Fig. 4 is illustrated. In the Fig. 4 is roughly schematically shown a plastic injection molding apparatus having an upper first tool part 55 and a lower second tool part 57. The two tool parts 55, 57 define an injection molding chamber 59, which defines a negative mold of the handle holder 5. Accordingly, the upper first tool part 55 carries a screw head recess 25 replicating mold contour 61. The second lower tool part 57, however, carries two, the blind holes 45 replicating bolt 63. To form the in the Fig. 3 and 5 shown, the bolt end faces 65 in contact with corresponding abutment portions 66 of the upper mold contour 61. In addition, the two bolts 63 support a correct position positioning of the insert 41 in the injection chamber 59. For this purpose, the insert 41 positioning holes 64, through which the two Bolt 63 protrude.

In the Fig. 5 is the component produced by injection molding without cap 19 shown. For installation, the cap 19 is first inserted obliquely with a latching projection 33 in one of the two undercuts 34 and then spent in a pivoting movement in the final construction situation, in which also the opposite latching projection 33 comes into latching connection.

Claims (12)

1. Domestic appliance having a cover cap (19) for covering a recess (25) formed in a component (13) and delimited by lateral walls (29) and a bottom (31), which is set back from the component surface (27) by a countersinking depth (s), said recess (25) being a screw head recess, in which a screw head (23) of a fastening screw (18) is countersunk, with which the component (13) is in a screwed connection (17) with a base part (1), wherein the cover cap (19) is in a latching connection with the component (13), in which at least one undercut (34) is formed in the lateral wall (29) of the recess (25), behind which a latching element (33) of the cover cap (19) can engage, wherein the component (13) is a plastic injection-moulded part, characterised in that a metal insert (41) is integrated in the plastic injection-moulded part, in which the screw hole (43) of the screwed connection (17) is formed, such that the screw head (23) is directly supported against the metal insert (41) in the incorporation position, while in the further outwardly radial course the metal insert (41) is covered with plastic material, on which a support web (37) of the cover cap (19) rests.
2. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the component (13) has a material cutout (45) on the outside of the component to form the undercut (34), said material cutout (45) being connected to the recess (25) by way of a material hole (47) in the lateral wall (29).
3. Domestic appliance according to claim 2, characterised in that a boundary wall (48) of the material cutout (45) forming the undercut (34) transitions into the lateral wall (29) of the recess (25) at a latching edge (49).
4. Domestic appliance according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the material cutout (45) is a blind hole, which is connected to the recess (25) at the blind hole bottom (48) by way of the material hole (47).
5. Domestic appliance according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that an assembly surface (21) of the component (13) facing away from the component surface (27) is screwed into contact with the base part (1) and in particular the material cutout (45) in the assembly surface (21) opposite the component surface (27) is formed.
6. Domestic appliance according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the recess (25) and the material cutout (45) are disposed without an undercut in a mould removal direction (E).
7. Domestic appliance according to claim 6, characterised in that the centre axes (51, 53) of the recess (25) and the material cutout (45) run coaxially to the mould removal direction (E).
8. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the metal insert (41) has a positioning hole (64) for prepositioning the metal insert (41) in the injection moulding chamber (59).
9. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lateral walls (29) of the recess (25) are aligned at right angles to one another and/or an undercut (34) is formed in each instance on two opposing lateral walls (29).
10. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover cap (19) is supported on the countersink bottom (31) of the recess (25) in the incorporation position and/or is aligned essentially flush with the component surface (27).
11. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the component (13) is part of a door handle of the domestic appliance.
12. Domestic appliance according to claim 11, characterised in that the component (13) is an assembly arm of the door handle.

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