EP3884227A1

EP3884227A1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: EP3884227A1
Application number: EP19801782.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Burhan SAHIN; Ibrahim Canigur
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2018-11-22
Filing date: 2019-11-04
Publication date: 2021-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2039-11-04
Also published as: EP3884227B1; TR201817655A2; WO2020104175A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising a body (4); at least one compartment (13) which is disposed in the body (4) and wherein the foodstuffs are placed; a door (2) which provides access into the compartment (13); and a door handle (3) which enables the user to hold the door (2) and to open/close the door (2).

Description

A COOLING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a cooling device which provides alternatives to the user especially in freezing compartment doors.
Refrigerators comprise a fresh food compartment wherein foodstuffs consumed daily or weekly are placed and a freezing compartment which prevents spoilage of foodstuffs stored for a long term. Said freezing and fresh food compartments are generally opened/closed by two separate doors in order to enable the user to access the foodstuff in the desired compartment by opening the door of said compartment and to prevent heat losses. Depending on the installation area of the refrigerators in the kitchen, the opening/closing direction (right turning axis or left turning axis) of the doors of the freezing and fresh food compartments can be adjusted while the refrigerator is installed.
There are also some refrigerators with freezing compartment doors having mechanisms which can be opened/closed in different ways. For example, there are door with different structures which can be opened/closed like a drawer or which have only a standard door opening/closing mechanism. However, in said doors which can be opened/closed in a single manner, the user encounters problems of opening the door of a compartment as desired especially in a narrow area and easily accessing the foodstuffs in the compartment. The user may want to access the foodstuffs through a small gap without completely opening the door when the space is limited.
Therefore, it is important in terms of convenience to differentiate the manner especially the freezing compartment door opens/closes in the refrigerators in limited spaces as per user need so as to save space.
In the state of the art Japanese Patent Document No. JP201710189, it is disclosed that after a drawer-type freezing compartment door is opened as a drawer, the cover part thereof is axially opened outwards.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a door which can be opened/closed in different manners as per user need and a door handle which enables the door to be opened/closed in different manners.
The cooling device of the present invention comprises a door handle which is connected to the door from a point thereof and which can be shifted to horizontal or vertical positions on the door after being rotated around said connection point. With the movement of said door handle, the door of the cooling device can be opened both by rotating around the vertical axis of the body and by sliding forward in the horizontal axis of the body.
The cooling device of the present invention comprises a movement mechanism which enables the door to be opened as a drawer when the user changes the door handle to the horizontal position and which enables the door to be opened by rotating around the vertical axis of the body when the user changes the door handle to the vertical position.
The gearwheel in the movement mechanism is connected to the door handle and the connection point, and thus when the door handle is moved, the gearwheel also moves and actuates the movement mechanism.
When the door handle is rotated around the connection point in the upwards direction to be shifted to the horizontal position on the door, the gearwheel rotates left with the movement of the door, thus the upper movement arm moves downwards and the lower movement arm moves upwards. Thus, the upper and lower hinges are released from the hinge pins and the feet on the upper movement arm are fitted into the rail housing. Consequently, the door can be opened/closed forwards from the body as a drawer.
When the door handle is rotated around the connection point in the downwards direction to be shifted to the vertical position on the door, the gearwheel rotates right with the downwards movement of the door, thus the lower movement arm moves downwards and the upper movement arm moves upwards. In this way, the feet on the upper movement arm are released from the rail housing, and the upper movement arm is fitted into the upper hinge by means of the upper hinge pin while the lower movement arm is fitted into the lower hinge by means of the lower hinge pin. Thus, the door can be opened/closed by rotating around the vertical axis of the body.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device comprises a lower and an upper fixing element which are disposed on the door and which enable the door handle to be connected to the door from the other end of the connection point. Thus, the door handle is enabled to be securely mounted onto the door after moving between the horizontal and vertical positions.
By means of the cooling device of the present invention, a cooling device is realized, comprising a door which can be opened/closed in an alternative manner. Consequently, the user can easily shift between the different opening/closing positions of the door by means of the rotary movement of the door handle.
The model embodiments relating to the cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 - is the front perspective view of the cooling device of the present invention when the door handle is in the vertical position on the door.
Figure 2 - is the front perspective view of the cooling device of the present invention when the door handle is in the vertical position on the door and when the door is open.
Figure 3 - is the front perspective view of the cooling device of the present invention when the door handle is in the horizontal position on the door.
Figure 4 - is the sideways perspective view of the cooling device of the present invention when the door handle is in the horizontal position on the door and when the door is open.
Figure 5 - is the exploded view of the door of the cooling device of the present invention in an embodiment.
Figure 6 - is the front view of the movement mechanism of the cooling device of the present invention.
Figure 7 - is the view of the operation of the movement mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention when the door handle is in the horizontal position.
Figure 8 - is the view of the operation of the movement mechanism in the cooling device of the present invention when the door handle is in the vertical position.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Cooling device
Door
Door handle

30. Connection point
31. Lower fixing element
32. Upper fixing element
4. Body
5. Rail housing
6. Movement mechanism
60. Lower movement arm
61. Upper movement arm
62. Gearwheel
63. Foot
7. Upper hinge pin
8. Lower hinge pin
9. Spur gear
10. Upper hinge
11. Lower hinge
12. Rail
13. Compartment
E. Body vertical axis
The cooling device (1) comprises a body (4); at least one compartment (13) which is disposed in the body (4) and wherein the foodstuffs are placed; a door (2) which provides access into the compartment (13); and a door handle (3) which enables the user to hold the door (2) and to open/close the door (2).
The cooling device (1) of the present invention comprises a connection point (30) which enables the door handle (3) to be connected to the door (2) from one point thereof; the door handle (3) which can be rotated around the connection point (30); and a movement mechanism (6) which enables the door (2) to be opened/closed by rotating around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) when the door handle (3) is shifted to the vertical position on the door (2) by being rotated around the connection point (30), and which enables the door (2) to be opened/closed by being slid forwards from the body (4) when the door handle (3) is shifted to the horizontal position on the door (2) by being rotated around the connection point (30).
In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the door handle (3) is mounted to the door (2) via the connection point (30) so as to rotate around the connection point (30). The door handle (3) can be shifted to the horizontal or vertical position on the door (2) by being rotated around the connection point (30). When the door handle (3) is rotated around the connection point (30) in the upwards direction, in other words counterclockwise and shifted to a horizontal position on the door (2), the movement mechanism (6) is actuated and the door (2) can be opened as a drawer by sliding forwards from the body (4). Contrarily, when the door handle (3) is rotated around the connection point (30) in the downwards direction, in other words clockwise and shifted to the vertical position on the door (2), the movement mechanism (6) is actuated once more and the door (2) can be opened by rotating around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4). Thus, the user can open/close the door (2) as desired and access the compartment (13).
The movement mechanism (6) comprises a gearwheel (62) which is connected to the door handle (3) and which transmits the movement of the door handle (3) to the movement mechanism (6). Thus, when the door handle (3) is rotated around the connection point (30) and shifted to the horizontal or vertical position on the door (2), the gearwheel (62) rotates and the movement mechanism (6) is actuated.
The movement mechanism (6) comprises an upper movement arm (61) and a lower movement arm (60) which contact the gearwheel (62) and which move as a result of the rotation of the gearwheel (62). By means of the movement of the upper movement arm (61) and the lower movement arm (60), the door (2) is enabled to be opened/closed in different manners when the door (3) is in the horizontal and vertical positions.
The movement mechanism (6) comprises two spur wheels (9) which transmit the movement of the gearwheel (62) to the upper and lower movement arms (60, 61). Thus, the gearwheel (62), the lower movement arm (60) and the upper movement arm (61) move synchronously.
The movement mechanism (6) comprises two rails (12) and two rail housings (5) which are positioned on the right and left sides of the compartment (13) and which enable the door (2) to be opened/closed as a drawer by sliding forwards from the body (4) when the door handle (3) is shifted to the horizontal position on the door (2).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rail (12) is a telescopic rail.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the upper movement arm (61) comprises two feet (63). In this embodiment, when the door handle (3) is shifted to the horizontal position, the gearwheel (62) rotates counterclockwise and the lower movement arm (60) moves upwards while the upper movement arm (61) moves downwards. Thus, the feet (63) on the upper movement arm (61) are fitted into the rail housings (5) so as to enable the door (2) to be opened as a drawer.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism (6) comprises an upper hinge (10) which is disposed at the upper corner of the door (2) and which provides the connection between the door (2) and the upper movement arm (61) so as to enable the door (2) to be opened around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) and an upper hinge pin (7) which is fitted into the upper hinge (10), and a lower hinge (11) which is disposed at the lower corner of the door (2) and which provides the connection between the door (2) and the lower movement arm (60) so as to enable the door (2) to be opened around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) and a lower hinge pin (8) which is fitted into the lower hinge (11). In this embodiment, as the door handle (3) is shifted to the vertical position, the gearwheel (62) rotates clockwise and the lower movement arm (60) moves downwards such that the lower hinge pin (8) is fitted into the lower hinge (11) while the upper movement arm (61) moves upwards such that the upper hinge pin (7) is fitted into the upper hinge (10). Thus, the door (2) is opened/closed by rotating around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a lower fixing element (31) which is arranged on the door (2) and which fixes the door handle (3) in the vertical position on the door (2), and an upper fixing element (32) which is arranged on the door (2) and which fixes the door handle (3) in the horizontal position on the door (2).
By means of the present invention, a cooling device (1) is realized, comprising a door (2) which can be opened/closed both by rotating around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) and by sliding forwards from the body (4) as a drawer as per user need, and a door handle (3) which controls the different opening/closing manners of the door (2).

Claims

A cooling device (1) comprising a body (4); at least one compartment (13) which is disposed in the body (4) and wherein the foodstuffs are placed; a door (2) which provides access into the compartment (13); and a door handle (3) which enables the user to hold the door (2) and to open/close the door (2), characterized by

- a connection point (30) which enables the door handle (3) to be connected to the door (2) so as to move by rotating,

- the door handle (3) which can be rotated around the connection point (30), and

- a movement mechanism (6) which enables the door (2) to be opened/closed by rotating around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) when the door handle (3) is shifted to the vertical position on the door (2) by being rotated around the connection point (30), and which enables the door (2) to be opened/closed by being slid forwards from the body (4) when the door handle (3) is shifted to the horizontal position on the door (2) by being rotated around the connection point (30).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising a gearwheel (62) which is connected to the door handle (3) and which transmits the movement of the door handle (3) to the movement mechanism (6).
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising an upper movement arm (61) and a lower movement arm (60) which contact the gearwheel (62) and which move as a result of the rotation of the gearwheel (62).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising two spur wheels (9) which transmit the movement of the gearwheel (62) to the upper and lower movement arms (60, 61).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising two rails (12) and two rail housings (5) which enable the door (2) to be opened/closed by sliding forwards from the body (4) when the door handle (3) is shifted to the horizontal position.
A cooling device (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising a telescopic rail (12) which enables the door (2) to be opened/closed by sliding forwards from the body (4).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising the upper movement arm (61) having two feet (63) which are fitted into the rail housings (5) so as to enable the door (2) to be opened as a drawer when the door handle (3) is in the horizontal position.
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising an upper hinge (10) which is disposed at the upper corner of the door (2) and which provides the connection between the door (2) and the upper movement arm (61) when the door handle (3) is in the vertical position so as to enable the door (2) to be opened around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) and an upper hinge pin (7) which is fitted into the upper hinge (10).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the movement mechanism (6) comprising a lower hinge (11) which is disposed at the lower corner of the door (2) and which provides the connection between the door (2) and the lower movement arm (60) when the door handle (3) is in the vertical position so as to enable the door (2) to be opened around the vertical axis (E) of the body (4) and a lower hinge pin (8) which is fitted into the lower hinge (11).
A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a lower fixing element (31) which is arranged on the door (2) and which fixes the door handle (3) in the vertical position on the door (2), and an upper fixing element (32) which is arranged on the door (2) and which fixes the door handle (3) in the horizontal position on the door (2).