US2840405A - Electrically-controlled refrigerator door - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1958 u. J. FELTZ ETAL 2,840,405

ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED REFRIGERATOR DOOR Filed Aug. 1'7, 1956 g A 4 I 1 1 l INVENTORS URBAN J. FELTZ TTORNEK United States Patent ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED REFRIGERATOR DOOR Urban J. Feltz, St. Louis, Mo., and Charles C. Benn, East St. Louis, 11!.

Application August 17, 1956, Serial No. 604,828

1 Claim. (Cl. 292-122) This invention relates to refrigerators generally, but more especially to so controlling the door latch of the same that the latter is released through electrically operable means.

One of the principal objects of our invention is to provide an extremely simple, safe and eflicient electrically operable mechanism to shift the latch from its normally latching position to its released position to thereby permit opening of the refrigerator door.

Another object of the invention is to so construct such an electrical control mechanism that it may be operated from either within or without said refrigerator, thus insuring that in the event that a child has become locked within the refrigerator he can readily extricate himself and open the door by simply pressing the inside switch and also pressing against the door.

Other objects of our invention herein shown and described, and the uses and advantages thus obtained, will be obvious to those skilledin the art to which this invention appertains, all as will be seen from the disclosures hereinafter given.

To this end, the invention consists inthe novel construction, arrangement, combination and form of parts herein shown and described and set forth in the claim.

in the drawings, wherein like reference characters represent like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a horizontal-cross-section view througha refrigerator showing its closure door and electrical control mechanism for the door latch;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the same, taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram for the electrical control mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein we have illustrated the preferred embodiment of our in vention, there is shown a refrigerator of any usual or special construction, and including anouter housing or casing 1 and with a closure door 2 hingedly mounted along one edge of the latter for providing access to the refrigerator interior.

In order to maintain the door in its normally closed position and in good sealing engagement with the casing,

a latch element 3 may be shiftably mounted on either p the door or casing structure and a latch keeper element 4 fixed to the other structure, and in this instance the latch 3 is mounted on the door and the keeper 4 on the casing.

A handle 5 may be carried by the door to facilitate urging of the latter to its open or closed position, in the usual manner.

It is sometimes desirable to have only authorized persons know exactly how to open the refrigerator; hence we provide a mechanism that isrelatively inconspicuous when seen from the refrigerator exterior, but which must be operated in order to permit opening of the door.

For accomplishing this purpose, we have included electrically-controlled means that must be set in operation to thereafter permit opening of the door in the usual manner, and which re-sets or retracts to its normal lock.- ing engagement upon the re-closing of the door.

-To this end, we have set a receptacle 6 into the door, and have pivotally interconnected one end of the latch thereto at 7. The other end of the latch is so shaped as to cam past the edge of the keeper element 4 to thereby maintain the latch in engaged position. A spring 8 may be interposed between the latch and the receptacle to urge the latch to its latching position and retract the latch as soon as any force that lifted the latter to released position has ceased.

To overcome the latch-closing force of the spring, we have interposed a solenoid or electromagnet 9 within said receptacle, to exert its magnetic force on a plunger element 10 carried .by said latch. Obviously, energizing of the electromagnet will exert sufficient force on the element 10 to pull the latter and the latch associated therewith in such a direction (upwardly, in the position shown in the drawings) as to release the latch from its interlocking relation with its keeper. is held in this position, the door may be opened by a simple pull on its handle. Otherwise, pulling on said handle will not serve to permit openingof the door.

Electrical energy for the operation of the electromagnetic circuit is obtained from any handy source of electric power outlet from the conductor wires 11 having the usual connector plug at its end.

Inasmuch as the usual source of household current is at a higher voltage than needed to safely and efficiently operate the electromagnet, a reducing voltage transformer 12 may be interposed between the conductor wires and the electromagnet.

A switch 13, preferably in the shape of a push-button that is relatively inconspicuously arranged to be in convenient association with the 'handle 5, as by having it projecting slightly through an opening through the latter, may be used and is placed in the electrical circuit to control passage of current through the circuit. In such an arrangement, this button may be actuated concurrently with grasping said handle, and the pull on the handle,

while said button is so actuated will result in opening movement of the door. As soon as pressureon the button is released, the spring retracts the latch to its normal latching position as indicated in Fig. 2.

In the possible instance, even though not very likely to occur, that a child might entrap himself within the refrigerator, we have added a second control switch 14 in series with the electrical control circuit, this switch being so located Within the 'box as to be conveniently reached by the child, say, by placing its button somewhat lower than the exterior button 13. v

' Thus, when either switch is actuated to release the latch, the door may be opened by a simple pull from without the casing or a push from within the latter.

We claim:

The combination with a refrigerator having a normallyclosed latch-controlled door with a door handle movably mounted thereon, of an electromagnet cooperable with said latch to shiftably release the same to permit the opening of said door, an electrical plug for connection to a source of electric current, a reducing-voltage trans former between said plug and electromagnet for operation of the latter, an electric switch between said electromagnet and transformer for controlling the operation While the electromagnet References Cited in the file of this patent -STA'IES PATENTS Louis Aug. 9, 1904 Brockway Mar. 24, 1936 Burke July 27, 1943 Wildberg Feb. 27, 1951 Halovatch Mar. 5, 1957

Images