WO1993009323A1 - Reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors - Google Patents

Abstract

Reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors, such as those used in refrigerators and/or freezers, comprising: a first door hinging element, defined by two pairs of pins (10, 20), the pins of each pair being vertically aligned to each other, according to vertical geometrical axes, each located at one of the opposite lateral edges of the cabinet structure and mounted to one of said cabinet and door structures; and a second door hinging element, defined by locking means (30, 30a, 50), mounted to the other of said cabinet and door structures, one of said first and second door hinging elements being selectively movable between a door releasing position and a door locking position.

Description

Reversing Device for the Opening of Cabinet Doors

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors, such as those used in refrigerators and/or freezers, which allows the opening of said doors either to the right, or to the left, at any time, without inverting the position of the door hinges of the appliance.

Backgroυnd Art

In the known reversible door constructions, to invert the opening direction of the door, it is necessary to transfer the door hinges from one cabinet lateral end to the other, this operation including a series of intermediate procedures which, besides being unpractical, may cause damages to the appliance.

The usual procedure to invert the operative position of a cabinet door in a refrigerator and/or freezer requires dismounting the appliance upper panel, which carries angle irons, bolts and other positioning and fastening elements that are usually provided. After the release, and before the removal of said upper panel, it is necessary to tilt the appliance to its horizontal position, so as to avoid the fall of the door when it is disconnected from the upper hinge, which is fastened to said upper panel, and to dismount the lower hinge. After this step has been completed, the reversing operation of the door proceeds: the door is removed, its lower hinge is dismounted and all the plastic plugs, which cover and finish the orifices made for the retaining nuts of said hinge fastening elements, are transferred from the chosen cabinet end to the opposite one, i.e., to the cabinet end where the hinges were applied.

Finally, the mounting operation of the door to its new position takes place, following the steps described above, but in the inverted order.

As it can be observed, to invert the operative direction of the cabinet door in a refrigerator and/or freezer, according to this prior art solution, may cause damage to the door, cabinet, or even to the electromechanical parts of the appliance, due to the necessary, but excessive movements imparted to the appliance and its components.

Besides the inconvenience mentioned above, the intense workmanship required for this type of operation should also be considered.

Another relevant inconvenience of said prior art solution, which is overcome by the present invention, relates to the fact that said door can be actuated in only one direction, determined by the arrangement provided for the hinges when assembled.

Other prior art solutions to invert the door opening direction aim to eliminate the dismounting and mounting operations of the hinging means, but present a very complex and high cost construction.

Disclosure of Invention

Thus, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors, such as those used in refrigerators and/or freezers, which has a simple and low cost construction and which allows the door to be opened, at anytime, either to the right, or to the left, without requiring any dismounting or mounting operations.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a reversing device for the opening of doors, as already mentioned, in which the inversion of the door opening direction does not need handling operations, which are potentially prejudicial to the appliance or components thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reversing device for the opening of doors, which can be easily and efficiently operated by any user.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved through a reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors, such as those used in refrigerators and/or freezers. According to the invention, the reversing device comprises: a first door hinging element, defined by two pairs of pins, the pins of each pair being vertically aligned to each other, according to vertical geometrical axes for door articulation, respectively located at the two possible opposite axes for the door rotation, said two pairs of pins being mounted to one of said cabinet and door structures; and a second door hinging element, defined by locking means mounted to the other of said cabinet and door structures, one of said first and second door hinging elements being selectively movable between a door releasing position, in which any pair from said pairs of pins is disengaged from the respective locking means, and a door locking position, in which any pair from said pairs of pins is engaged to respective locking means, thereby establishing the articulation between the door and the cabinet, according to a geometrical axis containing the pair of pins locked to the locking means.

The innovation of the present invention relates to the provision of a reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors, such as those used in refrigerators and/or freezers, which has a very simple and low cost construction that allows obtaining the following advantages: simple and efficient handling of the door, which can be indistinctly opened, either to the right, or to the left, by any user; no need of any dismounting or mounting operations, thus providing an operative system without jeopardizing the appliance.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention will be described now, with reference to the attached drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective lateral view of a cabinet and its door, in which the lower pins are fastened to the cabinet baseboard and the upper pin locking means is mounted onto the respective door edge, showing in cross section the details of its constructive aspect;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of another constructive detail of the pin locking means, which is indicated in fig. 1 at the right upper corner of the door;

Fig. 3 is a simplified horizontal cross-sectional view of the cabinet, showing the positioning of the lower locking means in relation to the lower pins, in the closed door condition;

Fig. 4 is a similar view to that of fig. 3, but showing one of said pins being locked by the respective locking means, when the door is opened by pivoting around said locked pin;

Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of one of the door ends, showing the positioning of the upper and lower locking means, in relation to the respective unlocked pin, after the door has already been turned around said other pin to its opening condition, by an angle sufficient to release the unlocked pin from the respective locking means;

Fig. 6 shows the same view of fig. 5, but with the door closed.

Fig. 7 shows the same view of fig. 5, in which the door has been opened in the opposite direction;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of another embodiment for one of the pin locking means;

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are views similar to those of figures 5, 6 and 7, respectively, but showing the locking means of the embodiment illustrated in fig. 8; Fig. 12 illustrates, schematically, a possible construction for the pin locking means, which is mounted to the bar and which acts against the respective bar guiding element, the illustrated position corresponding to the closed door condition; Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the reversing device according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 14 shows a cross secctional view of the reversing device of fig. 13, according to line A-A of said fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a similar view to that of fig. 14, but according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged detailed view of part of the bar illustrated in fig. 13; and

Fig. 17 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of another constructive detail of the bar shown in fig. 15.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

According to figures 1-4 presented above, the reversing device in question is appliable to a cabinet 1 of the type comprising an external panel and provided with an internal peripheral frontal edge, which defines a seating surface for the sealing gasket of at least one door 2.

The reversing device comprises a first door hinging element defined by two pairs of pins 10 and 20, the pins of each pair being vertically aligned to each other, according to vertical geometrical axes of door articulation, each being located at one of the opposite lateral edges of the cabinet structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the pins from each pair of hinge pins 10 and 20 are fastened, respectively, to the upper and lower edges of cabinet 1, through brackets 11 projecting from the frontal face of said cabinet 1.

The device of the present invention further comprises a second door hinging element, defined by pin locking means 30 which, in their preferred construction, are in the form of bars mounted, respectively, along the upper and lower edges of door 2 of cabinet 1, internally to bar guiding elements 40, preferably in the form of tubular rods, which are properly and rigidly fastened to the upper and lower edges of said door 2, respectively, in order to surround their respective bars 30.

This arrangement avoids undesirable vertical and horizontal lateral displacements of said bars 30, but allows the linear displacement thereof, towards their respective longitudinal axes, and in the interior of the corresponding guiding element 40, between a releasing position of the pair of pins 20, and a releasing position of the other pair of pins 10, described as follows.

Each bar 30 is provided, at each end thereof, with a pin engaging means 31, which is arranged so as to pivot the respective pin 10 or 20, that is locked when said bar 30 is longitudinally displaced, in order to lock said pin.

In the illustrated embodiments, both pin engaging means are in the form of two slots 31, with a width slightly larger than the diameter of pins 10 and 20 to be locked.

Each slot 31 has a pin locking portion 32, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective bar 30, having a closed end facing the center of the bar, and an opposite end facing the adjacent bar end and presenting a length that is substantially equivalent to half of the total path which is foreseen to the operative displacement of bar 30. Each slot 31 further has an actuating portion 33, defined by a slot region inclined towards the internal face and the adjacent lateral edge of door 2, having one end connected to the open end of the locking portion 32, and an opposite end opened to the internal lateral edge of bar 30.

Said actuating portion 33 defines a cam or slope surface, with its length and inclination being dimensioned so as to force, during the initial opening of one of the edges of door 2 in relation to cabinet 1, each respective upper and lower locking pins, from its rest condition (or closed door condition), which takes place at the internal end of the actuating portion 33 of slot 31, against the cam or slope surface of said actuating portion 33 of slot 31 thereby causing, with the continuation of the opening motion of door 2, the longitudinal displacement of bar 30, in order to relatively lead said pin being released up to the external open end of the actuating portion 33 of slot 31, while relatively conducting the opposite pin of said other pair of pins to assume a locking or pivoting position on bar 30, located at the closed end of the pin locking portion 32 of respective slot 31.

In order to permit the release and fitting of said vertical pins 10, 20 in the respective slots 31 of bare 30, during the opening and closing movements of door 2, said bar guiding elements 40 are projected so as not to block the access of said pins to the slots of the bars.

In the illustrated embodiment, said bar guiding elements 40 completely cover the respective bars 30, being thus provided with transverse end cuts 41, one at each end and being opened towards the internal lateral edge of the bar guiding element 40. These cuts 41 also present a width slightly larger than the diameter of pins 10, 20 and a length sufficient to allow the respective pin to travel throughout the length of the corresponding slot 31 of the bar, when the door is moved. It should be observed that cuts 41 also function as door blocking elements against horizontal displacements. The relative positioning between pin, slot 31 and cut 41 is represented in figures 5, 6 and 7 for the embodiment of the bar illustrated in figures 2, 3 and 4.

In a closed position of door 2 (fig.6), upper and lower bars 30 of the cabinet door are in a central position, with the internal ends of the actuating portions 33 of their respective slots 31 lodging the corresponding pairs of vertical pins 10, 20, in order to keep door 2 in a locked condition, thus avoiding its complete separation from cabinet 1. When an opening effort is imparted to door 2 at its left side, as shown in fig. 5, the actuating portions 33 of upper and lower left slots 31 have their cam or slope surfaces forced against respective vertical pins 10, causing the linear displacement of bars 30, from left to right, until said pair of vertical pins 20 is lodged at the closed end of the locking portions 32 of slots 31, at the right, and until the pair of pins 10, at the left, reach the open end of the actuating portion 33 of respective slots 31 (see fig. 5), thus allowing the opening of the door, from left to right, around the geometrical axis formed by said vertical pins 20.

The door closing operation follows the sequence described above, but in the inverted order.

The opening and closing of the cabinet door by its right end follow the sequence described above. It should be observed, however, that all the functional steps take place at the ends opposed to those cited above.

Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 show an alternative constructive arrangement, where slots 31a of bars 30a are provided in an inverted position, in relation to that previously described, i.e., the pin locking portions 32a are projected from the center to the adjacent ends of bars 30a, and the actuating portions are inclined towards the internal face and median region of bar 30a.

In this case, the effort to open the door causes a linear displacement of bars 30a, in an inverted direction in relation to that mentioned before, i.e., bars 30a move from right to left, upon imparting an effort to open the door by its left side, or viceversa, but causing the same effect of releasing said bars 30a.

The device of the present invention may be further provided with pin blocking means, for example in the form of notches 37, which are elastically deformable, arranged at one of the edges of each bar 30 and dimensioned so as to fit partially and selectively in respective recesses 47, provided at the adjacent internal wall of the bar guiding element 40, as illustrated in fig. 12. Each recess 47 corresponds to one of the three operative positions of the bar, in order to restrain said bar from displacements that are not caused by the actuation of pins 10, 20 over the actuating portions 33 of respective slots 31 of bars 30. It should be understood that various constructive solutions for the pin blocking means can be used, provided that they avoid involuntary horizontal displacements of said bars 30.

In order to minimize the friction wear between the bar and bar guiding element, the constructive solution illustrated in figures 1-12 may require a certain minimum amount of lubricant.

According to the alternative embodiments illustrated in figures 13 - 17, bar 50 is constructed in such a way as to present, in its upper and lower surfaces 52, 53, straight longitudinal cuts, forming channels 54 that extend through at least part of the length of bar 50. These channels 54 serve as chambers for the lubricant that will act on said bar 50, reducing the friction between said bar and the internal walls of the corresponding bar guiding element. With this construction, the quantity of lubricant required for the operation of the set is reduced, without impairing the lubricating efficiency. Moreover, said channels 54 also serve as chambers for the deposition of dust or impurities which eventually penetrate into the bar guiding element.

Though not illustrated, other embodiments for the lubricating chambers are foreseen. In one of said embodiments, bar 50 has recesses of irregular shape and variable length, which are provided in part, or throughout the entire length of bar 50, and on both upper and lower surfaces 52 and 53 of said bar 50.

In any of the embodiments described above, bar 50 can further present its surfaces or lateral edges 55 also provided with recesses which, besides defining lubricant or impurity chambers, reduce the contact area between said bar 50 and the corresponding bar guiding element.

In the preferred illustrated embodiment, the improved lubrication of the lateral walls 55 and the reduction of contact between said walls and the corresponding internal lateral walls of the bar guiding element, are achieved by providing said lateral walls 55 with notches 56, projecting from the surface of said lateral walls 55.

To reduce the wearing contact between each bar 50 and the corresponding guiding element 40, said bar 50 can present its upper, lower and lateral surfaces 52, 53, 55 in a corrugated form, or provided with small area projections. Such projections define, between each other, channels serving as passages for lubricant, or as chambers for the deposition of dust and impurities. Another embodiment for this solution presents the body of each bar 50 having at least one cut, as described above, which are through cuts, provided to reduce the contact of each bar 50 with the respective bar guiding element 40, and to allow the deposition of dust and impurities in those regions of the bar/bar guiding element set that do not affect the operation of said set.

Still another embodiment presents said corrugations or projections being provided from the internal surfaces of each bar guiding element 40, or also alternately distributed through the surfaces of the corresponding bar 50.

The reversing device using the embodiment of the bar, as illustrated in figures 13 -17, further comprises pin blocking means 60, provided at corresponding end portions of the length of the bar 50, which avoid accidental displacements between said bar 50 and bar guiding element 40, due to vibrations, inclinations, etc.

Said pin blocking means 60 acts against a corresponding set of retaining recesses, such as illustrated in figure 13, being presented as a pair of simple elongated projections 61, in the form of an extension from the lateral edge of the external portion of each bar 50, facing cabinet 1 and adjacent to each end of said bar. Said projections 60 are provided, at their free end, with a small notch 62, which is prominent in relation to the corresponding edge of bar 50, has a substantially round shape and is dimensioned to be selectively and partially fitted in a recess of a respective plurality of recesses provided in the bar guiding element 40. The recesses of each plurality of recesses correspond to the operative positions of open door, closed door to the left and closed door to the right.

in still another embodiment of the present invention, said projections 60 and corresponding recesses are provided, respectively, at the edge of each bar 50 and adjacent internal wall of a bar guiding element 40, opposite to cabinet 1. A variation of this construction presents each projection/recess pair, for one bar 50, at one of the opposite edges of said bar 50.

In another embodiment of bar 50, each guiding slot 51 and pin blocking means 60 are provided in a respective bar end portion 50a, said end portions being independent from each other, and from a bar median body 50b, and can be engaged with said median body 50b during an assembly step of said bar 50.

It should be observed that each guiding slot 51 has the same longitudinal pin locking portion 51a and inclined pin actuating portion 51b (see fig.17), as defined for the guiding slots 33 and 33a of figures 5-11.

The fitting of each end portion 50a with the median body 50b is achieved through male and female type fittings, where the projecting portion is provided at the edge of each end portion 50a, opposite to that which carries the guiding slot 51, whereas the corresponding fitting portion is provided at each end of the median body 50b.

The fitting system and its provision at the bar end portions 50a may vary, provided that the set, once mounted, functions as a single unit, without relative displacements between the various parts that form said bar 50.

The construction of the bar, by using several portions longitudinally interlocked, produces a structure of variable resistance, in which each portion is adapted to the effort to which it will be submitted during the use of the bar on door 2. Moreover, such construction simplifies the bar moulding process.

In order to reduce the friction between the parts, said parts can be made of a self-lubricant material, such as teflon. It should be observed that the embodiments illustrated and described above, in which the vertical pins 10, 20 are fastened to the cabinet and the bars 30, 30a, 50 are mounted to the cabinet door, reveal only one possible constructive conception for the device in question. In case the assembly is inverted, i.e., the vertical pins being fastened to the door and the bars to the cabinet, the device will present the same functional characteristics.

Still another embodiment (not illustrated) is also feasible, in which the vertical pins are movable and the bars are fixed. As in the already described arrangements, the vertical pins and bars can be mounted, respectively, to the cabinet and to the door, or vice-versa, but always presenting the same functional characteristics.

It should also be emphasized that the device of the present invention has been applied to a cabinet of a refrigerator and/or freezer, this being the specific application developed by the inventor. Nevertheless, said device is useful, with the same advantages described above, in other fields, such as cabinetmaking, electromechanic, or any other which requires a similar constructive solution, such as furniture, command panel cases, etc.

Claims

1- Reversing device for the opening of cabinet doors, such as those used in refrigerator and/or freezers, characterized in that it comprises: a first door hinging element, defined by two pairs of pins (10, 20), the pins of each pair being vertically aligned to each other, according to vertical geometrical axes for door articulation, respectively located at the two possible opposite axes for the door rotation, said two pairs of pins (10, 20) being mounted to one of said cabinet and door structures; and a second door hinging element, defined by locking means (30, 30a,50), mounted to the other of said cabinet and door structures, one of said first and second door hinging elements being selectively movable between a door releasing position, in which any pair from said pairs of pins (10, 20) is disengaged from the respective locking means (30, 30a,50), and a door locking position, in which any pair from said pairs of pins (10, 20) is engaged to respective locking means (30, 30a, 50), thereby establishing the articulation between the door and the cabinet, according to a geometrical axis containing the pair of pins (10, 20) locked with the locking means (30, 30a, 50).

2- Reversing device, as in claim 1, wherein the displacement of the door hinging element, which is movable between the door releasing position and the door locking position, is made according to at least one unique straight path, parallel to the cabinet frontal face plane.

3- Reversing device, as in any of claims 1 or 2, wherein said first and second door hinging elements are constructed, so that the disengagement of one of said pair of pins (10, 20) from the respective locking means (30, 30a, 50) causes the engagement of said other pair of pins (10,20) to the respective locking means (30, 30a, 50).

4- Reversing device, as in claim 3, wherein the displacement of one of said door hinging elements is caused by the actuation of a cam surface of the other hinging element over the first hinging element, when the adjacent door edge is moved away from the respective cabinet edge.

5- Reversing device, as in claim 3, wherein said locking means (30, 30a, 50) are defined by a pair of bars, which are horizontally and longitudinally movable in a vertical plane containing both door articulation axes, said bars being provided, at each end, with pin engaging means (31, 31a, 51), which is arranged so as to pivot the respective locked pin, when said bar is longitudinally displaced in order to lock said pin.

6- Reversing device, as in claim 5, wherein each pin engaging means is defined by a slot (31, 31a, 51), with its diameter being slightly larger than that of pins (10, 20) and presenting a pin locking longitudinal portion (32, 32a, 51a), which has a closed end and an opposite open end, and an inclined actuating portion (33, 33a, 51b), having an internal open end that coincides with the open end of the locking portion (32, 32a, 51a) and an opposite external end opened to the lateral edge of bar (30, 30a, 50) facing cabinet (1), said actuating portion (33, 33a, 51b) defining a cam surface which acts against the respective pin (10, 20), during the initial opening of the door and the final closing of the door, in order to cause the longitudinal displacement of said bar.

7- Reversing device, as in claim 6, wherein the actuating portion (33, 51b) is inclined towards the lateral edge and adjacent end of said bar.

8- Reversing device, as in claim 6, wherein the actuating portion (33a) is inclined towards said lateral edge and median region of said bar (30a).

9- Reversing device, as in claim 6, wherein the locking portion (32, 32a,51a) presents a longitudinal extension approximately equal to half the total operative longitudinal displacement of said bar (30, 30a, 50).

10- Reversing device, as in claim 5, wherein said bars (30, 30a) are respectively mounted along the upper and lower edges of door (2) and cabinet (1).

11- Reversing device, as in any of claims 5 or 6, wherein said bars (30, 30a, 50) are each mounted in the interior of a respective bar guiding element (40), in order to be longitudinally displaced in opposite directions, between their two limit operative positions.

12- Reversing device, as in claim 11, wherein said bar guiding elements (40) are respectively fastened to the upper and lower edges of door (2).

13- Reversing device, as in claim 11, wherein said bar guiding element (40) surrounds the ends of respective bar (30, 30a), the opposite end portions of each bar guiding element (40) being provided with a transverse cut, with one of the ends being opened to the edge of the bar guiding element facing the cabinet (1), said cut presenting a width larger than the diameter of said pins (10, 20) and a length sufficient to allow the respective pin (10, 20) to travel throughout the entire length of the corresponding slot (31) of the bar, when the door is moved.

14- Reversing device, as in any of claims 1, 5 or 11, wherein there is provided a pin blocking means (37 ) , which is incorporated to one of said door hinging elements and which selectively operative against receiving means (47), provided in one of the parts defined by the other element for the door/structure articulation of the refrigerator and/or freezer, in order to avoid involuntary horizontal displacements of bars (30), from any of their three operative conditions: closed door, open door to the left and open door to the right.

15- Reversing device, as in claim 14, wherein said pin blocking means (37) is incorporated to each locking means (30), said receiving means (47) for the pin blocking means being fastened to the refrigerator structure.

16- Reversing device, as in any of claims 14 or 15, wherein the pin blocking means (37) is defined by a flexible notch and said receiving means are defined by recesses which correspond to said three door operative conditions.

17- Reversing device, as in claim 11, wherein at least one of said upper, lower and lateral surfaces (52),

(53), (55) of at least one of said bar element (50) and bar guiding element (40) presents, along at least part of its extension, reduced area regions, which define points of contact with an adjacent surface portion of the other of said bar element (50) and bar guiding element (40).

18- Reversing device, as in claim 17, wherein each bar (50) presents at least a median portion (50a) and end portions (50b), which are independent from each other and which can be locked to each other, to avoid relative displacements on the bar plane.

19- Reversing device, as in any of claims 17 or 18, wherein at least one of said surfaces of each bar element (50) presents superficial fractions in contact with a respective wall of the corresponding bar guiding element (40).

20- Reversing device, as in any of claims 17 or 18, wherein at least one of the lateral surfaces (55) of said bar element (50) is provided with notches (56). 21- Reversing device, as in any of claims 17 or 18, wherein the upper (52) and lower (53) surfaces of the bar element (50) are provided with recesses (54) along at least part of the length of said element.

22- Reversing device, as in claim 21, wherein said recesses (54) are straight, elongated recesses that are parallel to each other.

23- Reversing device, as in claim 18, wherein the fitting between the various portions of said bar (50) is achieved through male and female type elements.

24- Reversing device, as in any of claims 17 or 18, wherein one of the components defined by the bar element (50) and by the bar guiding element (40) presents at least a pin blocking means (60), in the form of an elongated superficial projection, which is elastically deformable and partially and selectively fittable in a recess of a respective plurality of recesses that are provided at the edge of the wall adjacent to the other of said components, corresponding to the operative positions of open door, closed door to the left and closed door to the right.

25- Reversing device, as in claim 24, wherein each superficial projection (60) is in the form of a lateral edge extension of bar (50) incorporating, at a free end, a small notch that is prominent in relation to said edge.