EP2840330A2 - Device flap - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device flap for a heating, ventilation or air conditioning unit for covering control elements and / or display elements. The device flap comprises a cover 1, which can be opened in two directions.

Description

The invention relates to a device flap, in particular a device flap for a heating, ventilation or air conditioning unit.

Generic device flaps are used to protect controls on devices against external influences and against incorrect operation. In addition, controls required for advanced operation or adjustment of the device can be covered by a device door, while controls for operating the basic functions of the device are directly accessible, which simplifies operation. From the patent US 2,150,756 It is known to cover controls on a water heater by a removable flap. In addition, device flaps are known which open by means of a hinge to one side, up or down.

While equipment flaps that open upwards either have to be held by the operator or need an additional holding device, flaps that open downwards must be protected against accidental falling down in a springy or cushioning manner. These problems do not exist with laterally opening flaps. However, depending on the installation situation or the right-handed or left-handed operation of the operator, either a flap opening to the right or to the left is preferred.

For example, in the field of refrigerators, it is known to solve this problem in that the hinges of the refrigerator door can be struck either right or left side. However, this requires an additional installation effort in the Installation. Moreover, this does not solve the problem that several operators in a household have different right or left handedness.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a laterally opening device flap, which does not have the disadvantages mentioned above.

This object is achieved by a device flap according to the features of the independent claim.

Preferred developments are described in the dependent claims.

The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to FIGS.

Figur 1:

die Draufsicht einer nach vorne öffnenden erfindungsgemäßen Geräteklappe,

Figur 2:

im Detail das linke geöffnete Scharnier der Geräteklappe aus Figur 1,

Figur 3:

im Detail das rechte geschlossene Scharnier der Geräteklappe aus Figur 1.

They show:

FIG. 1:

the top view of a forwardly opening device flap according to the invention,

FIG. 2:

in detail, the left hinge open the device flap FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3:

in detail the right closed hinge of the device flap FIG. 1 ,

The FIGS. 1 to 3 show the device flap according to the invention in a view from above.

The device flap opens to the front, the axes 5, 6 of the hinges 2, 3 are aligned vertically, so that the flap can be pivoted laterally without the influence of gravity. The flap can be provided on a heating, ventilation or air conditioning unit.

It serves, for example, to cover operating elements and / or display elements of the device. It is also provided according to the invention that the device flap for maintenance or repair accessible parts or may be provided for other purposes.

The device flap comprises a lid 1, a fastening means 4 and a first hinge 2 and a second hinge 3, which inseparably connect the lid 1 with the fastening means 4. The lid 1 is in the FIGS. 2 and 3 not shown. The fastening means 4 may be a fixed part of the hinges 2, 3 or a connection of the hinges or a part of the housing of the device, which is covered with the device flap. In the in FIG. 1 illustrated embodiment, the fastening means 4 is integral with the stationary parts of the hinges 2, 3 executed. The cover 1 may be integral with the mobile parts of the hinges 2, 3 or connected to these parts, which is the case in the embodiment.

Each of the hinges has an axis 5, 6 and a bushing 7, 8, which are inseparable from each other. In the embodiment, the stationary part and the mobile part is rotatably connected to each other on the right side in the hinge 3, so that the axis 6 and the sleeve 8 cooperate so that a hinge is formed in which the mobile part of the hinge 3 to the axis 6 of the stationary part of the hinge 3 can rotate. According to the invention, the axis 6 can also be connected to the mobile part of the hinge 3 and the socket 8 to the stationary part of the hinge 3.

The bushing 8 has an opening 10 which is smaller than the diameter of the axis 6. As a result, the mobile part of the hinge 3 is securely fixed, without the axis 6 can be passed through the opening 10.

The axis 6 has a flattening 14. The depth and the angular position of the flattening 14 is selected so that in the closed state of the lid 1, the remaining material of the axis 6 has a thickness which allows the axis 6, passed through the opening 9 to become. Thus, in addition to the rotational degree of freedom of the hinge about the axis 6 described above, the mobile part of the hinge 3 has a translatory degree of freedom available exclusively in this position, which is orthogonal to the connecting line of the two axes 5, 6. For the first hinge 2 on the left side, the above applies accordingly. Thus, the lid can be opened in the closed state both on the left hinge 2 and the right hinge 3. As soon as the lid is only slightly opened, the other hinge is blocked due to the angular position by the opening 9, 10 relative to the flattening 13, 14 is rotated, so that the axis 5, 6 can not be guided through the openings 9, 10 ,

To prevent inadvertent opening of the lid, are provided on both hinges on bolt 11, 12. In this case, the latch 11, 12 as shown in the embodiment outside of the flattening 13, 14 engage around the axis 5, 6, which allows a soft engagement of the bolt. Alternatively, the latches 11, 12 in the region of the flats 13, 14 engage around the axes 5, 6, wherein the latch 11, 12 must be positioned closer to the axes 5, 6. Any other convenient position of the latches 11, 12 is possible and included according to the invention.

To open the lid 1 handles 15, 16 are provided. The handles 15, 16 are connected to the rules 11, 12, which are controlled when pulling on the handles 15, 16, the bars 11, 12. This is how in FIG. 2 As shown below, the latch 11 is connected to the mobile part of the hinge 2 by a resilient cantilever-like structure. If an operator pulls on the handle 15 the lid to the front, so the latch bends to the left due to the elasticity and releases the axis 5, which is still in this state within the axis 7, so that the mobile part of the fixed part of the hinge 2 can be separated.

It is also possible that the operator at the same time pulls on the handles 15 and 16, so that he can remove the lid 1 completely from the appliance flap only from the closed state.

Alternatively, the device flap can also be designed so that the handles 15, 16 are not connected to the latches 11, 12 as described above. In this case, the corresponding resilient latch is unlocked exclusively by the tensile load on the cover 1.

The bars 11, 12 are designed so that they automatically engage when closing the lid. By a stop, not shown here, which prevents the handle 15, 16 is pressed when closing forward, it is ensured that the executed as a latch latch 11, 12 resiliently engages.

In the described device flap, the lid opens to the right or left. It is also possible to arrange the hinges 2, 3 so that the lid can be opened upwards and downwards but also eg to the right and above or in any other combination of directions. Also, more than 2 hinges can be provided, in which case several bars must be unlocked during operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cover

2

first hinge

3

second hinge

4

fastener

5

first axis

6

second axis

7

first socket

8th

second socket

9

first opening

10

second opening

11

first bar

12

second bar

13

first flattening

14

second flattening

15

first grip

16

second handle

Claims (5)

Appliance flap, in particular for a heating, ventilation or air conditioning unit, in particular for covering operating elements and / or display elements, wherein the appliance flap comprises a cover (1) and a fitting means (2, 3) which allow lateral opening of the cover (1) by a pivoting movement and at the same time the lid (1) with a fastening means (4) connects, characterized in that the fitting means (2, 3) is formed so that the pivotal movement of the lid (1) both by a left-side and to a right-sided axis (5, 6) is possible. Device flap according to claim 1, wherein the fitting means as a pair of hinges (2, 3) is executed, wherein each hinge (2, 3) defines a left and right side pivot axis (5, 6) for laterally opening the lid (1) by means of a pivoting movement in which the hinge (2, 3) is formed by an axle (5, 6) and a bushing (7, 8), the bushing (7, 8) having a radial opening through which the axle (5, 8) can be passed radially, and wherein the hinge (2, 3) with a latch (11, 12) cooperates so that the bolt (11, 12) the axis (5, 6) radially against the bushing (7, 8) locks , Device flap according to claim 2, wherein the width of the opening (9, 10) of the bush (7, 8) is smaller than the diameter of the axis (5, 6) and the axis (5, 6) has a flattening (13, 14) , wherein the thickness of the axis (5, 6) in the region of the flattening (13, 14) is less than or equal to the width of the opening (9, 10), so that the axis (5, 6) only in one Angular position, which is established with the lid (1) closed, through the opening (9, 10) can be performed. A device flap according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the lid is connected to handles (15, 16) for opening and wherein the handles (15, 16) cooperate with the bars (11, 12) so that when pulled on the handle (15, 16 ) the bolt (11, 12) the axle (5, 6) unlocked. Device flap according to claim 4, wherein the handle (15, 16) and the bolt are made in one piece and the bolt is resiliently connected to the lid.

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