EP3903053B1

EP3903053B1 - Cooling appliance having a top panel cover

Info

Publication number: EP3903053B1
Application number: EP19813516.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mehmet YASAR; Anil YESIL; Ali Gokhan GENC; Ozgun Atac Gultekin; Ibrahim Yilmaz Evren
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2018-12-24
Filing date: 2019-12-03
Publication date: 2024-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2039-12-03
Also published as: WO2020135977A1; EP3903053A1

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling appliance comprising a top panel cover having simplified installation and constructional properties.
In cooling appliances, the interior lightning and the on/off time of fans blowing cold air inside the of the cooling appliance is regulated by use of switches placed onto the door and the body of the cooling appliances. The switches, after closing of the door, completes the circuit and sends a signal to the processor. The processor , also depending onto interior temperature of the cooling appliance, turns the fan on and allows the cool air to enter inside the cooling compartment. Likewise, as the door is opened the circuit breaks and the processor is notified that the door is opened. The processor turns the lightning on so that the user may view inside the cooling appliance. The said switches are generally placed behind the top panel facing the front of the cooling appliance and the door respectively and are configured to coincide in the closed position of the door. Due to manufacturing errors the position of the switch placed adjacent the top panel may move during the injection of the insulating material inside the top panel. Another problem identified in the prior art is that the covers that are placed onto the top panel require multiple parts so as to attach the top panel cover onto the top panel increasing labour and part related costs.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as KR20120008557A among others, the document disclosing a cooling appliances with a top panel cover used to cover the area behind wherein the functional parts of the cooling appliance are located. DE 10 2013 225648 A1 , EP 3 128 271 A1 and DE 20 2008 005353 U1 relate to a cooling device having a top panel cover, to be placed onto a top panel of the body.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling appliance comprising a top panel cover which is to be superimposed onto a top panel of the cooling appliance with ease and minimum structural parts thus decreasing labour and manufacturing costs meanwhile housing functional units requiring electricity thereby improving safety standards.
The cooling appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a body; at least a compartment inside the body into which the articles to be cooled are stored. The compartment is defined by a top panel and a bottom panel extending parallel to the ground and each other and is further defined by a first side panel, a second side panel extending perpendicular to the ground that are parallel to each other. A door is provided and is pivotably attached onto body via a hinge. The door provides access inside the compartment in the open position and prevents access inside the compartment in the closed position. A threaded pin is inserted onto the top panel via a hole provided on the top panel. A part of the threaded pin protrudes towards the front of the cooling appliance via which a top panel cover is attached onto the top panel. The threaded pim is inserted into the top panel cover via a slot provided at the rear surface of the top panel cover. Upon placement of the slot onto the threaded pin, the top panel cover is fixed unmovable with respect to the cooling appliance. Use of the threaded pim provides ease of assembly of the top panel cover onto the top panel thereby decreasing labour related costs. Another advantageous effect is that the screws and nuts or washers required to unmovable fix the top panel cover onto the top panel is eliminated therefore decreasing the material costs of the cooling appliance.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the top panel cover extends almost along the length of the top panel. By use of the top panel cover extending almost along the length of the top panel a monolithic appearance is achieved therefore increasing quality perception of the cooling appliance.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the top panel cover covers at least a part of the top panel. In the case of the top panel cover having a height less than the top panel, a stepwise structure is achieved which helps the gasket placed around the inner surface of the door to be seated. As a result the surface of the door along with the surface of the top panel cover forms a planar surface, increasing quality perception of the cooling appliance.
In the present invention to achieve the objects, the slot is of cylindrical shape having a hollow center comprising at least a projection directed towards the central axis of the slot. The projections increases binding force between the slot and the threaded pin which in turn helps to keep the top panel cover on the top panel. By this means a robust assembly between the top panel cover and the top panel is achieved. Another advantage of using the projection is the fact that they prevent the top panel cover to slide along the threaded pin and fall off the cooling appliance.
In another embodiment of the present invention to achieve the objects, the projections point towards the bottom of the slot. By bottom it is meant the closed end of the slot. The projections are directed towards the bottom of the slot forming an acute angle between the projection and the central axis of the slot in clockwise direction. By this means, the projections biases the threaded pim to remain seated inside the slot.
In the present invention to achieve the objects, a seat is formed at the rear surface of the top panel cover. A first part of switch is seated inside the seat and the location of the seat is configured to be in close vicinity of the door. A second part of switch is placed onto the door and is configured to align with the first part of switch in the closed position of the door. Therefore, the first part of switch and the second part of switch complete the circuit, detecting the current state of the door. The first part of switch seated inside the seat at the rear surface of the top panel cover requires electricity to operate. The cables carrying electricity extends along the rear surface of the top panel cover making the said cables inaccessible therefore improving safety standards.
By means of the present invention, the top panel cover is attached onto the top panel with ease via the slot and the threaded pin, pTnr, decreasing the costs related to labour and manufacturing processes meanwhile the cables are stored inside the volume created by attachment of the top panel cover onto the front panel increasing safety of the cooling appliance.
The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in the claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Figure 1 - is a front view of the cooling appliance;
Figure 2 - is a front view of the cooling appliance;
Figure 3 - is the cross sectional side view along the dashed line A-A in Figure 2;
Figure 4 - is the enlarged view of dashed line B-B in Figure 3
Figure 5 - is the exploded view of Figure 4.
Figure 6 - is the enlarged view of dashed line C-C in Figure 5;
Figure 7 - is the perspective view of the top panel cover;

The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings and referred to in the present detailed description of the invention:

1. Cooling appliance
2. Body
3. Compartment
4. Top panel
5. First side panel
6. Second side panel
7. Bottom Panel
8. Door
9. Threaded pin
10. Top panel cover
11. Slot
12. Projection
13. Seat
14. First part of switch
15. Second part of switch

The present invention relates to a cooling appliance (1) comprising; a body (2), a compartment (3) inside the body (2) in the form of a rectangle and delimited by a top panel (4), a first side panel (5), a second side panel (6) and a bottom panel (7) wherein the articles to be cooled are placed, a door (8) having an opened position providing access inside the compartment (3) and a closed position preventing access inside the compartment (3) wherein the said panels (4,5,6,7) are adjacent to the door (8) in the closed position.
The present invention relates to a cooling appliance (1) comprising; a threaded pim (9), horizontally inserted onto the top panel (4) from where a part of the threaded pim (9) protrudes towards the front, a top panel cover (10), to be placed onto the top panel (4) wherein the top panel cover (10) comprises a slot (11) configured to coincide with the threaded pim (9), which upon placement is at least partly filled by insertion of the threaded pim (9), fastening the top panel cover (10) onto the top panel (4). The cooling appliance (1) of the present invention comprises at least a compartment into which the articles to be cooled are placed. Viewed from the front side of cooling appliance (1), the compartment is delimited by the top panel (4), the first side panel (5), the second side panel (6) and the bottom panel (7) forming a rectangular shaped structure. A door is provided and pivotably attached onto the body (2) via the hinge. A threaded pim (9) is inserted onto the top panel (4) and a part of the threaded pim (9) remains inside the top panel (4) wherein the remainder of the threaded pim (9) protrudes towards the front onto which the top panel cover (10) is placed via the slot (11).As a result the top panel cover (10) is placed onto the top panel (4) and the cooling appliance (1). By use of the threaded pim (9) and the top panel cover (10), an assembly requiring decreased labour force is achieved, therefore increasing the manufacturing cost of the cooling appliance (1). Another advantageous effect of using the top panel cover (10) is that the screws visible to the user is eliminated, therefore increasing the product quality perception.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the top panel cover (10) extends almost along the length of the top panel (4). As a result, the top panel cover (10) increases the quality perception of the cooling appliance (1).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the top panel cover (10) covers at least a part of the height of the top panel (4) forming a stepwise structure along with the top panel (4) or with the side panels (5,6). In one preferred embodiment, the top panel cover (10) protrudes from the body (2) and the door (8) after being closed, slides underneath the top panel cover (10). By this means, display or touch screens, allowing the user to control operation functions of the cooling appliance (1) can be assembled onto the top panel cover (10). In another preferred embodiment, the door (8) after being closed covers the top panel cover (10) forming a rigid structure increasing the quality perception of the cooling appliance (1).
In the present invention, the slot (11) comprises a projection (12) directed into the slot (11).Upon insertion of the threaded pim (9) inside the slot (11) the projections (12) protrude towards the threaded pim (9) holding the top panel cover (10) attached onto the top panel (4). Use of the slot (11) having projections (12) increases the holding strength between the top panel cover (10) and the threaded pim (9).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the projection (12) points towards the bottom of the slot (11). Use of projections (12) pointing inside the slot (11) makes it harder for the threaded pim (9) to get released from the slot thereby increasing the structural strength between the top panel cover (10) and top cover (4).
In the present invention, a seat (13) is formed inside the top panel cover (10) into which a first part of switch (14) is placed and wherein the seat (13) is in close vicinity of the door (8) so as to vertically align and complete the circuit with a corresponding second part of switch (15) in the closed position of the door (8). The first part of switch (14) and the second part of the switch (15) are aligned and coincide in the closed position of the door thereby completing the circuit. As a result, the processor of the cooling appliance turns on or off the interior lightning or the fans of the cooling appliance (1) depending on the position of the door (8). Placing the first part of switch (14) inside the top panel cover (10) provides ease of installation which in turn decreases labour costs. Another advantageous effect of placing the first part of switch (14) inside the top panel cover (10) is that the location of the seat (13) and the said part of the switch can be changed therefore adapting the same top panel cover (10) to different cooling appliance models.
In the cooling appliance (1) of the present invention, the top panel cover (10) is placed onto the top panel (4) minimizing the number of screws and nuts to be used therefore decreasing the component costs and as a result the cost of labour is achieved. Furthermore, by means of the top panel cover (10) the structural integrity of the cooling appliance (1) is achieved.

Claims

A cooling appliance (1) comprising;
a body (2),

a compartment (3) inside the body (2) in the form of a rectangle and delimited by a top panel (4), a first side panel (5), a second side panel (6) and a bottom panel (7) wherein the articles to be cooled are placed,

a door (8) having an opened position providing access inside the compartment (3) and a closed position preventing access inside the compartment (3) wherein the said panels (4,5,6,7) are adjacent to the door (8) in the closed position, a seat (13) formed inside a top panel cover (10) into which a first part of switch (14) is placed and wherein the seat (13) is in close vicinity of the door (8) so as to vertically align and complete a circuit with a corresponding second part of switch (15) in the closed position of the door (8)

wherein

a threaded pin (9) is horizontally inserted onto the top panel (4) from where a part of the threaded pin (9) protrudes towards the front,

the top panel cover (10), to be placed onto the top panel (4), (10)comprises a slot (11) of cylindrical shape having a hollow center comprising at least a projection (12) directed towards the central axis of the slot (11), configured to coincide with the threaded pin (9), which upon placement is at least partly filled by insertion of the threaded pin (9), fastening the top panel cover (10) onto the top panel (4).
A cooling appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the top panel cover (10) extending almost along the length of the top panel (4)
A cooling appliance (1) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized by the top panel cover (10) covering at least a part of the height of the top panel (4) forming a stepwise structure along with the top panel (4) or with the side panels (5,6).
A cooling appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims , characterized by the projection (12) pointing towards the bottom of the slot (11).