WO1995011362A1

WO1995011362A1 - Device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof

Info

Publication number: WO1995011362A1
Application number: PCT/KR1994/000137
Authority: WO
Inventors: Byung Ki Park
Original assignee: Byung Ki Park
Priority date: 1993-10-18
Filing date: 1994-10-17
Publication date: 1995-04-27
Also published as: KR950011802A; JPH08504910A; EP0678147A1; KR0157397B1

Abstract

An opening/closing device for use in a door member, such as a refrigerator or a microwave oven is able to be opened at either desired side thereof. The device has a simple construction and a small size, and can meet various requirements or conditions such as shapes of the door member the place which the main body is installed. The opening/closing device comprising at least a pair of hinge pins (14) and a main body with which the door is assembled. The cover section (5) of the main body has pin guide grooves (6) for receiving the corresponding hinge pins (14). A pair of latch members (30) are enclosed in the main body, apart from each other and connected to pivot cams (32). The pivot cams (32) are pivotally fixed at pivot shafts (33) with the bottom surface (37). This pivot cams (32) have pin retaining grooves (34) to receive and retain the hinge pins (14) when the door is closed.

Description

DEVICE CAPABLE OF OPENING/CLOSING

A DOOR MEMBER AT EITHER SIDE THEREOF

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an opening/closing device for use in a door member, and more particularly to an opening/closing device of a door member by which the door member can be opened/closed optionally at either desired side thereof.

BACKGROUND ART A door is a useful structure in a human life which is necessarily installed in buildings, furniture, electric home appliances such as a refrigerator or a micro wave oven, automobiles and so forth. The door member generally has hinges disposed only at one of the right and left sides and a grip disposed at the other side of the door member, and thereby is designed to be opened or closed at one side of the door.

Accordingly, it may be inconvenient for a user to use the door according as he is left-handed or right-handed, because the opening direction of the door is limited to only the predetermined direction as described above. There is a further disadvantage, by which the effective utilization of space is largely limited, that a user must always select a place, in which an appliance having a door as described above is placed, in consideration of the opening direction of the door.

U.S. Patent No. 5,064,555 issued to Yoshio Inui et al. discloses an opening/closing device of a door member as a proposal to avoid such inconveniences as described above. The device, which enables a door member to be opened/closed at either side thereof and is particularly suitable to be used for a refrigerator, has hinge pins 102A, 102B disposed at the left and right end portions of one of a door and a body to which the door is assembled, a fixing plate 104B provided at the other of the door and the body and having grooves 107A, 107B in which the hinge pins 102A, 102B can be detachably engaged from the opening side of the door, and latch plates 105A, 105B rotatably disposed at the left and right ends of the fixing plate 104B and having latch grooves 108A, 108B in which the hinge pins 102A, 102B can be engaged, as shown in FIGs. 24 and 25. Links 106A, 106B are respectively mounted on each of the latch plates 105A, 105B, one end of each link being pivotally fixed at the end of each of shafts 113A, 111B protruding from the fixing plate 104B, and the other ends of the links 106A, 106B being connected with each other via a coupling link 106C. The latch plates 105A, 105B have lock pins 115A, 115B, and the links 106A, 106B on the latch plates 105A, 105B have lock holes 114A, 114B having slide guide sections 114A1, 114B1 and stopper sections 114A2, 114B extending not in alignment with each other in which the lock pins 115A, 115B are engaged.

In the opening/closing device of a door member, when a user pulls out the left side of the door in a closed state as shown in FIG. 24, the hinge pin 102B escapes from the groove 107B and the latch plate 105B rotates clockwise, and thereby the door is opened as shown in FIG. 25. At this moment, the lock pin 115B of the latch plate 105B moves along the slide guide section 114B of the link 106B, so that the link 106B is slanted to one side and the link 106A is slanted accordingly through the coupling, link 106C. Thus, the look pin 115A of the right latch plate 105A comes into the stopper portion 114A2 of the lock hole 114A so as to prevent the right latch plate 105A from rotating even when a force for separating the hinge pin 102A is applied, and thereby can perform its hinge function safely.

When the left side of the door is being closed from the opened state thereof, the latch plate 105B is rotated and returned to the initial closed state by the hinge pin 102B. Toggle-type springs 110A, HOB are provided so as to ensure the rotating operation of the latch plates 105A, 105B between the opened and closed positions thereof.

Necessary conditions for double-side operable operation in a opening/closing device for a door member are as follow:

1) Hinge pins at each side of the door must be maintained so that the hinge pins can be inserted into a certain object and escaped from it,

2) When the latch member of the side is in the opened state thereof, the latch member of the other side must secure a hinge pin firmly,

3) The latch member having been in the opened state thereof must be maintained in a state for re-accepting the hinge pin.

In the above-described known opening/closing device, latch plates 105A, 105B were adapted for inserting and escaping a hinge pin respectively, and three link members 106A, 106B, 106C, lock pins 115A, 115B, and lock grooves 114A, 114B were used for satisfying said conditions 2) and 3).

Meanwhile, because the disclosed opening/closing device for a door member includes relatively many operating members and thus its structure is complicated, the cost of production and the rate of trouble occurrence of the device may be high. Further, because some link are installed transversely to the width direction of the door, there is a certain limitation for reducing the thickness of the device. Therefore, even though the disclosed opening/closing device may be suitable in a relative thick door such as that of a refrigerator, it does not appropriate for a door having a thin thickness. Also, because the coupling link 106C for the cooperation of the left and right links 105B, 106A transmits a force only linearly, the disclosed device can not be adopted in a coursed door being inflated forward, backward, or toward in any one direction.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention of provide a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof which has a thin thickness and a simple construction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof which can be adopted for a door member having various sectional shape unevened as various type.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof in which the pivoting radii of the opposite ends of the door member is reduced by making the opposite ends thereof rounded as partially cylindrical or polygonal near similar to semicircular.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof which can safely prevent the door member from being separated by an unexpected external force in a state that the door member is opened at one side thereof.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof comprising:

at least a pair of hinge pins opposed to each other at the opposite ends of either one of the door member and a main body with which the door is assembled;

a fixing member fixedly disposed at the other one of said door member and the main body, the fixing member having pin travelling paths, into/out which each of the pins can come in a pivoting direction of the door pivoting at the opposite pin;

pivot members respectively having a pin retainer groove for receiving the corresponding hinge pin coming thereinto along the pin travelling path, the pivot member being disposed in a region of the pin travelling path of the fixing member to pivot in cooperation with the hinge pin coming into/out the pin retainer groove, so that it can pivot between a pre-receiving position, at which the hinge pin is not received in the pin retainer groove, and a receiving position, at which the hinge pin is received in the pin retainer groove; and

latch members supported by said fixing member, each of one ends of which is connected to each of the pivot members at a position spaced a predetermined interval apart from a pivot center of the pivot member to move in a longitudinal direction of said fixing member by the pivoting of the pivot member, the other ends of which are free ends opposed to each other, the other ends being spaced a predetermined gap apart from each other when the door is closed, and either one of the latch members moving toward the other of the latch members so that the other ends come to be in contact with each other, and thereby the other latch member is prevented from moving longitudinally and the pivot member connected to the other latch member is prevented from pivoting when the door member is opened at the the of said one latch member.

As a preferred embodiment, the device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof may further comprise toggle springs respectively for elastically retaining said pivot member at the pre- receiving position and at the receiving position respectively.

It is preferred that the pivot member and the latch member are connected through a pin-connection to be relatively pivotable, and they can be separated from, and be in slidable contact with each other in consideration of friction.

Further, the latch member may be one rigid body, otherwise the latch member has two rigid bodies bendably connected with each other, so that the transmission from the pivoting operation to the linear movement can be more precise.

Meanwhile, it is preferred that either one of the pivot member and the latch member has a slot and the other thereof has a pin being movable in the slot, the pivot member and the latch member being connected with each other by an engagement between the pin and the slot and the device comprise a first member connected to the pivot member by the engagement between the pin and the slot to be movable only in longitudinal direction of the fixing member, a second member having one end being in contact with the pivot member of cam-shape and the other end being a free end of the latch member to be movable in a longitudinal direction of the fixing member, and a cooperation means disposed between the first and the second members, the cooperation means being arranged for permitting the movement of the first member toward the pivot member only when the first member is accompanied by the second member.

It is further preferred that the second member and the pivot member are in rolling contact with each other and the cooperation means are thresholds in a direction of movement between the first and second members.

Meanwhile, according to embodiments of the present invention, the pair of latch members opposed to each other are in indirect contact with each other through at least one mediation member, the mediation means is a compression spring, the mediation member is movable along a curved path and the mediation members are a plurality of roller bodies.

Further, the opposite ends of the door member partially may have a cylindrical shape.

As another preferred embodiment, the device comprises a lock means for preventing one of the latch members having moved toward the other one from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened at the side of the one latch member, and permitting the latch member to return, to the initial position when the door member is closed.

As a preferred example, the lock means comprises an engagement groove under the latch member, an engagement pin disposed near the engagement groove and urged bias toward a gap between the door member and the main body so as to be engaged in the engagement groove, and a release pin having one end urged bias to protrude toward the gap and the other end capable of being in contact with the engagement pin, so that the engagement pin is engaged in the engagement groove to prevent the latch member from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened, and the release pin is inserted into the fixing member to release engagement pin from the engagement groove and thereby permit the returning of the latch member when the door member is closed.

As another example, the lock means comprises a stopper pin protruding from the latch member, and a first pivot lock member pivotally supported by the fixing member with being urged bias toward the gap between the door member and the main body, the first pivot lock member having a crook slot consisting of longitudinal section and transverse sections respectively extending in longitudinal and transverse directions of the fixing member, in which the stopper pin can be inserted and moved, so that the stopper pin is engaged in the transverse section to prevent the latch member from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened, the stopper pin being engaged in the longitudinal section of a crook slot to permit the returning of the latch member to its initial position, and thereby the engagement pin is positioned in a longitudinal slot to permit the returning of the latch member when the door member is closed.

As another example, the lock means comprises a stopper pin protruding extending from the latch member, and a second pivot lock member pivotally supported by the fixing member with being urged bias toward the gap between the door member and the main body, the first pivot lock member having a crook slot consisting of longitudinal section and transverse sections respectively extending in longitudinal and transverse directions of the fixing member, in which the stopper pin can be inserted and moved, so that the stopper pin is engaged in the transverse section to prevent the latch member from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened, the stopper pin being engaged in the longitudinal section of a crook slot to permit the returning of the latch member to its initial position, and thereby the engagement pin is positioned in a longitudinal slot to permit the returning of the latch member when the door member is closed. Brief Description of Drawings

The above objections, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a refrigerator having a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the present invention, doors of which are opened;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 2 when the door member is closed;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 2 when the door member is opened at one side thereof;

FIGs. 5 and 6 are plan views of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the second embodiment of the present invention respectively when the door is closed and opened;

FIGs. 7 and 8 are plan views of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the third embodiment of the present invention respectively when the door is closed and opened;

FIGs. 9 and 11 are plan views, respectively when a door is closed and opened, of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof, according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the device taken along line A-A in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 12 when the door is closed;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line B-B in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is another sectional view of the device taken along the line C-C in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 12 when the door is opened at the left side thereof;

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof, according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 17 when the door is closed;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 17 when the door is opened.

FIG. 21 is a plan view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention when the door is closed;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line E-E in FIG . 21 ;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 21 when the door member is opened at one side thereof;

FIG. 24 is a plan view of a conventional opening/closing device of a door member when the door member is closed; and

FIG. 25 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 24 when the door member is opened.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a refrigerator having a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the present invention, doors of which are opened.

Referring to FIG. 1, an upper and lower doors 20 are disposed respectively at the front of an upper freezer compartment and a lower fresh food compartment of a refrigerator body 10, the upper door being opened at the right side thereof and the lower door being ope .ed at the left side thereof. Further, hinge pins 20 are provided at both sides of each door opening of the refrigerator body 20 one pair by one pair. Meanwhile, the pins 20 may be disposed at the doors 20, or only one pair of pins may be disposed at a section between the door openings of the refrigerator body, if necessary.

Description will be given hereinafter with respect to several embodiments of the present invention wherein the hinge pins 14 are disposed at the refrigerator body, especially at both upper sides of a door opening thereof, and the same reference numerals designate the same components throughout the following description of the embodiments.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, a fixing section 3 and a cover section assembled therewith constitute a fixing member which is disposed at a door or a body of an apparatus such as a refrigerator.

The fixing member has a shape of an elongated box when the fixing section 3 and the cover section 5 are assembled with each other, and has pin induction grooves 4 and pin guide grooves 6 disposed at the opposite end portions thereof. The pin induction grooves 4 and the pin guide grooves 6 form pin travelling paths, by each of which one of hinge pins 14 can come into/out and pivot in the fixing member with the other of the hinge pins 14 as the pivot center. Accordingly, each pin trailing path is opened upward and at the same time toward the refrigerator body, and preferably has a curved shape with the hinge pin at the opposite side thereof as the center of curvature.

A pair of latch members 30 are enclosed in the fixing member in such a manner that they are opposed to each other and can move alternately in the longitudinal direction of the fixing member. The inner ends of the latch members 30 are received between guide members 35 and opposed to each other with a predetermined gap(s) apart from each other.

Meanwhile, pivot cams 32 are disposed near the pin travelling paths on the bottom surface 37 of the fixing member. One points of the pivot cams 32 are pivotally fixed at pivot shafts 33 in the fixing member, and another points of the pivot cams 32 are hingedly assembled with the outer ends of the latch members through hinge shafts 31. Further, the pivot cams 32 have pin retainer grooves 34 which intersect with pin guide grooves 6 and are recessed so as to receive and retain the hinge pins 14 when the door is closed.

Referring to FIGs. 3 and 4 showing schematic plan views of the device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof having the above described construction respectively when the door is closed and opened, the hinge pins 14 are disposed at brackets 12 of steel plates fixed to the refrigerator body 10 and protruding therefrom, and the fixing section 3 and the member provided therein are disposed in the door 20. The cover section 5 of the fixing members is not shown in FIG. 5 and 6 for easy description of the present embodiment. Further not shown is a sealing gasket provided in a relatively wide gap(s) between the body and the door 20 to seal it.

FIG. 3 shows the door 20 being in close contact with the door opening of the body 10 to close it, wherein the hinge pins 14 are received through the pin guide grooves 6 in the pin retainer grooves 34 which intersect with the pin guide grooves 6. The inner ends of the latch members 30 are received between the guide members 35 with a predetermined gap(s) apart from each other. The width of the gap(s) must be maintained to be the same as the travelling distance of the latch members according to the pivoting of one of the pivot cams 32.

When a grip of the door 20, not shown, is pulled from the body 20 at one side, especially at left side in FIG. 4, to open the door 20 from the closed state of the door as shown in FIG. 3, the left hinge pin 14 moves along the left pin guide groove 6 of the cover section 5 outward to be separated therefrom.

In this case, the left pivot cam 32 pivots counterclockwise about the left pivot shaft 33 by the left hinge pin 14 to make the left latch member 30 slide toward the right latch member 30 as shown by arrows in FIG. 4 so that the inner ends of the latch members come to be in contact with each other. As a result of this operation, the right latch member 30 is prevented from moving leftward, and thereby the door 20 is safely holded with the right hinge pin 14 as the pivot center.

When the door 20 is changed again from the opened state thereof as shown in FIG. 4 to the closed state thereof, the left hinge pin 14 moves along the left pin guide groove 6 of the fixing member to push the pin retainer groove 34 of the pivot cam 32. In this case, the left pivot cam 32 pivots clockwise to make the left hinge pin 14 to be retained in the left pin retainer groove 34, and the door is closed completely. Then, the width of the gap between the latch members 30 is restored to its initial magnitude, so that further opening operation of the door may be performed.

To the opening and closing operation of the door, the same as that described above can be said when the right latch member 30 is operated. Because the hinge pins 14 slide in the pin guide grooves 6, the wear of them can be a significant problem.

Therefore, to overcome the problem, the hinge pins 14 may be designed to be pivotable, and a thrust bearing for enduring the weight of the door 20 may be provided at the hinge pins if necessary. Further, a rolling member such as ball bearings, which can roll with being in contact with the ends of the hinge pins 14 when the hinge pins 14 come into/out through and move along the pin travelling paths, may be provided at positions of the door 20 corresponding to the hinge pins (14) when the door 20 is closed, the rolling member being arranged for preventing the sagging and ensuring the smooth opening/closing operation of the door.

Embodiment 2

FIGs. 5 and 6 are plan views of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the second embodiment of the present invention respectively when the door is closed and opened.

The present embodiment is similar to the fore mentioned first embodiment except that retainer spring assemblies 40 are arranged for maintaining the pivoting positions of the pivot cams 32 surely in predetermined positions. Referring to FIG. 5, the left retainer spring assembly has a casing 43, a resilient spring 41 disposed in the casing 43, and a support pin 42 protruding outward from the casing 43 to which a resilient force of the resilient spring 41 is applied. The rear end of the casing 43 is pivotally supported on a position of the bottom surface 37 of the fixing member, and the support pin 42 at the front end of the casing 43 is pivotally attached to the pivot cam 32. The retainer spring assemblies 40 are disposed in such a manner to apply force to the pivot cams with inclination thereto.

That is, when the door is closed as shown in FIG. 5, the left retainer spring assembly 40 applies a clockwise force to the left pivot cam 32 so that the left hinge pin 14 is received safely in the pin retaining groove 34 of the left pivot cam 32, and at the same time a counter clockwise force so that the left pivot cam 32 may not over pivoted but maintained in a predetermined position.

In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 6, the left retainer spring assembly 40 receives a compression force by the pivoting operation of the left pivot cam 32 when the door 20 is opened at one side thereof, and the left retainer spring assembly 40 applies a resilient force of the resilient spring 41 to the left pivot cam 32 counter¬ clockwise when the pivot cam 32 is pivoted over a predetermined angle. And at the same time, it retains the pivot cam 32 in a predetermined position so as not to be over pivoted.

Therefore, when the door is opened, because a resilient force is applied to the pivot cam 32 at the open side thereof by the resilient spring 41 of the retainer spring assembly, the pivot cam 32 is prevented from being pivoted clockwise by an unexpected external force. Therefore, the door 20 can be opened/closed safely without being separated from the body 10.

Embodiment 3

FIGs. 7 and 8 are plan views of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the third embodiment of the present invention respectively when the door is closed and opened.

The present embodiment is similar to the fore mentioned second embodiment except that toggle springs instead of retainer spring assemblies 40 are arranged for maintaining the pivoting positions of the pivot cams 32 surely in predetermined positions.

Referring to FIGs. 7 and 8, a toggle spring 44 is of a single compression spring. An end of the toggle spring 44 is pivotally mounted at a position on the bottom surface of the fixing member, and the other end of the toggle spring 44 is pivotally assembled to the pivot cam 32. The toggle spring 44 applies a force to the pivot cam 32 with inclination thereto. Accordingly, the toggle spring applies a clockwise force to the pivot cam 32 and confines it in a predetermined position in order not to pivot clockwise over a predetermined angle so that the hinge pin 14 is safely received in the pin retainer groove 34 in the pivot cam 32, when the door is closed as shown in FIG. 7, while a counter-clockwise force is applied to the pivot cam 32 by the resilient force of the toggle spring 44 to confine the pivot cam 32 in a predetermined pivot position when the door is pivoted over a predetermined angle in the course of being opened.

Therefore, the door 20 is not separated from the body but opened/closed safely.

Embodiment 4

FIGs. 9 and 11 are plan views, respectively when a door is closed and opened, of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof, according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the device taken along line A-A in FIG. 9. The present embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except a point that lock means, by which a latch member 30 of opening side having moved toward a latch member 30 of the opposite side is prevented from returning when the door 20 is opened at one side and is permitted to return to its initial closed position when the door is closed, are further provided.

Referring to FIG. 9, the lock means has engagement grooves 51, 61 formed at the latch members, engagement pins 54, 64, and release pins 57, 67.

The engagement pins 54, 64 are disposed near the engagement grooves 51, 61 so as to be engaged therein or disengaged therefrom and are supported on the fixing member in such a manner to be urged by the biasing force of the spring toward the gap between the door 20 and the body 10. The release pins 57, 67 have one ends urged by the biasing force of the springs so as to protrude toward the gap and the other ends to be in contact with the engagement pins 54, 64. As shown in FIG. 9, the lock means are disposed at each of the left and right latch members 30 two by two, and the two lock means near the center of the fixing member is operated by only one release pin 67.

Referring to FIG. 10 showing a more detailed construction of the lock means, one ends of the engagement pins 54, 64 are in contact with compression springs enclosed in casings 52 fixed on the base surface 37 of the fixing member and the other ends of the engagement pins are biased toward the gap between the door 20 and the body 10. The release pins 57, 67 are also urged toward the gap between the door 20 and the body 10 by the biasing force of the compression springs 56 enclosed in the casings 55 fixed on the base surface 37 of the fixing member. One ends of the release pins 57, 67 are facing toward the interior of the fixing member so as to be in contact with the engagement pins 54, 64 and the other ends of the release pins 57, 67 are protruding from the fixing member toward the gap between the door 20 and the body 10. In other words, the engagement pins 54, 64 and the release pins 57, 67 are opposed to each other with the latch member 30 disposed therebetween, and the height of the other ends of the engagement pins 54, 64 to be in contact with the release pins 57, 67 from the base surface 37 of the fixing member is maintained to be larger than that of the latch members 30, one ends of the release pins 54, 64 extending across upper parts of the latch members 30 to be in contact with the other ends of the engagement pins 54, 64.

Hereinafter, the operation of a device capable of opening/closing a door members at either side thereof will be described. When the door is closed, the other ends of the release pins 57, 67 protruding toward the outerior of the fixing member are in contact with the body 10 so that the release pins 57, 67 are pressed into the fixing member, and the one ends of the release pins 57, 67 are pushing the engagement pins 54, 64 to be disengaged from the engagement grooves 51, 61, as shown in FIG. 9. In this case, each latch member 30 is moved toward the corresponding hinge pin 14 so that a predetermined gap(s) is maintained between the inner ends of the latch members 30.

In the meantime, when the door is opened at the left side thereof as shown in FIG. 11, the left pivot cam 32 is pivoted counterclockwise, so that the left latch member 30 moves toward the right latch member 30. And at the same time, the engage pins 54, 64 slide on the latch members 30 to be engaged and retained in the engagement grooves disposed in the vicinity thereof by the biasing force of the compression springs 53, 56, 63, 66, so that the latch members are locked and the release pins 57, 67 protrudes outward from the fixing member.

Embodiment 5

In FIGs. 12 to 16 showing the fifth embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 13 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 12 when the door is closed; FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line B-B in FIG. 13; FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line C-C in FIG. 14; and FIG. 16 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 12 when the door is opened at the left side thereof.

Referring to FIG. 12, the opposite ends of the fixing member comprising the fixing section 3 and the cover section 5 are rounded, and the opposite ends of the door, with which the fixing member is assembled, are rounded also. The object of making the opposite ends of the door rounded to be a semicircle or a polygon nearly similar to a circle is to reduce the rotational range of the door and thereby the gap between the door and the body, and to make the opening/closing operation of the door smooth and easy.

Meanwhile, a pair of latch plates 70, on ends of which are opposed to each other, are included in the fixing member in such a manner that they can move along the longitudinal direction of the fixing member. The inner ends 71 of the latch plates 70 are received in a guide member 73 disposed on a middle portion of the bottom surface of the fixing member and are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap(s) apart from each other. In this case, the latch plates 70 are urged outward by the resilient force of a compression spring disposed between the inner ends 71 thereof. Further, each latch member 70 has a stopper pin 74 protruding downward and disposed near the inner end thereof, and a transverse slot 75 formed near the outer end thereof extending in the transverse direction thereof.

Meanwhile, pivot cams 80 are disposed near the transverse slots on the bottom surface 37 of the fixing members in such a manner that one ends thereof may pivot about pivot shafts 81. Further, connecting rods 76 for regulating positions of the pivot cams and first pivot lock members 86 for preventing the latch members 70 from returning to their initial positions are provided between the latch members 70 and the bottom surface 37 of the fixing member.

One ends of the connecting rods 76 are pivotally supported on the bottom surface 37 of the fixing member, and the other ends thereof are pivotally attached to the pivot cams 80 with the hinge shaft as the pivot centers.

Further, one ends of the first pivot lock members 86 are pivotally supported on the fixing member in such a manner to be biased toward the gap between the door 20 and the body and to be pivotable about pivot shafts 85.

Crook slots 88 having shapes of consisting of a longitudinal sections and two transverse sections, in which the stopper pins 74 can be inserted and moved, are formed in the first pivot lock members.

Referring to FIGs. 13 and 14 showing the door 20 being in close contact with the door opening of the body 10 to be closed, both hinge pins 14 are received in the pin guide grooves 6 of the cover section and are retained in the pin retainer grooves 82 of the pivot cams 80, with the pin retainer grooves 82 intersecting with the pin guide grooves 6. ^τn this case, the inner ends of the latch members 70 are received in the guide member 73 and are separated with a predetermined separation gap(s) apart from each other.

Further, the pivot shafts 77 connecting the connecting rods and the pivot cams 80 with each other are positioned at an ends of the transverse slots formed at the latch members, and the stopper pins 85 are positioned at the outer ends of the longitudinal sections of the crook slots 88 formed in the first pivot lock member 86.

Referring to FIG. 15, guide grooves 38 are formed along the pin travelling paths at the bottom surface of the fixing member which is in contact with the ends of the hinge pins coming into/out through the pin travelling path, so as to make the hinge pins 14 come into/out therethrough easily.

When the door 20 is pulled to be opened at the left end thereof from the closed state thereof shown in FIG. 13, the left hinge pin 14 moves outward along the pin travelling path and is separated from the fixing member, so that the door is opened, as shown in FIG. 16. In this case, the left pivot cam 80 is pivoted counterclockwise about the left pivot shaft 81 to make the left latch plate 70 slide toward the right latch plate 70, as shown by arrow (a) in FIG. 16, so that the inner ends of the latch plates 70 come into contact with each other. As a result of the above process, the right latch plate 70 is prevented from moving leftward, and thereby the door 20 is supported surely by the body 10 with the right hinge pin 14 as the pivot center.

In this case, the right pivot shaft 77, at which the right connecting rod 76 and the right pivot cam 80 are pivotally assembled with each other, are positioned at the other end of the right transverse slot opposite to the body, so as to retain firmly the right pivot cam 80 at a predetermined pivoting position. Further, the first right pivot lock member 86 is pivoted in a direction of arrow (b) by the resilient force of the right spring, so that the free end of the member 86 protrudes toward the outerior of the fixing member through a hole defined at a side surface of the fixing member. The stopper pin 74 of the latch plate 70 slides along the crook slot 88 defined in the first pivot lock member 86 to be positioned at the outer end of the transverse slot of the right latch plate 70, so that the right latch plate 70 is prevented from moving rightward by the right stopper pin 74.

When the door is closed again from the opened state thereof, the left hinge pin 14 moves inward along the left pin guide groove 6 of the fixing member to push the left pin retainer groove 82 of the left pivot cam 80, and at the same time the free end of the first left pivot lock member 86 is pushed into the fixing member with being in contact with the body 10. According to this operation, the left pivot cam 80 pivots clockwise to receive the left hinge pin 14 in the left pin retainer groove thereof and the left latch. plate 70 moves to the left, and then the door is closed as shown in FIG. 13.

Embodiment 6

In FIGs. 17 to 20 showing the sixth embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at eⁱther side thereof, according to the sixth embodiment of the present embodiment; FIG. 18 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 17 when the door is closed; FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line D-D in FIG. 18; and FIG. 20 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 17 when the door is opened.

Referring to FIG. 17, connecting levers 90a are further provided between latch members 90 and the pivot cams 80, in the fixing member, and are connected to the latch plates 90 by connecting pins 91. By the above construction, the preciseness of the transmission between the pivoting operation of the pivot cams and the linear operation of the latch members is improved. The inner ends of the latch members 90 are received in guide members 73 disposed on a middle part of the bottom surface 37 of the fixing member and are opposed to each other with a predetermined separation gap(s) apart from each other. Each latch member has shopper grooves 92 formed transversely therein.

Meanwhile, as is in the fore mentioned fifth embodiment of the present invention, pivot cams 80 are disposed near the pin travelling path, and connecting rods 76 for regulating the position of the pivot cams and second pivot lock members 96 for preventing the latch members 90 from returning to their initial position are provided in the fixing member.

One ends of the second pivot lock members 96 are supported on the fixing member in such a manner that the second pivot lock members 96 are urged toward the gap between the door 20 and the body 10 by a spring 97 so as to be pivotable about the pivot shaft 95, and engagement pieces 99 protruding upward are disposed to the other ends thereof.

Referring to FIGs. 18 and 19 showing the door 20 being in close contact with the body at the front of the door opening thereof, the hinge pins 14 at both ends of the door opening are received and retained in the retainer grooves 92 through the pin guide grooves 6 intercepting the retainer grooves 82. In this case, the inner ends of the latch members 90 are received between the guide members 73 and spaced with a predetermined separation gap(s) apart from each other. Further, the connecting rods 76 are so disposed as enable to apply the force in clockwise direction to the pivot cam 80, and the free ends of the second pivot lock members 96 are in contact with the body 10 to be pushed into the fixing member.

The engagement pins 99 protruding from the free ends of the second pivot lock member 96 are separated from the stopper grooves 92 formed the latch members 90. When the door 20 is pulled at the left side thereof from the door 20 to be opened, the left hinge pin 14 moves along the left pin travelling path to be separated from the fixing member. In this case, the left pivot cam 80 pivots counterclockwise about the pivot shaft 81, and the left latch member 90 slides toward the right latch member 90 until the inner ends of the latch members 90 are in contact with each other. And then, the right latch member 90 is prevented from moving to the left, and the door 20 is surely supported by the body 10 with the right hinge pin as the pivot center.

In this case, because the left latch plate 90 is connected to the left pivot cam 80 via the separate left connecting lever 90a connected thereto by the left connecting pin 91, the left latch member 90 pivots clockwise about the left connecting pin 91 corresponding to the pivoting of the left pivot cam 80, and accordingly the left latch member 90 disposed at the right side of the left connecting lever 90a moves only linearly. Therefore, the alternating movement of the latch member becomes more precise.

Further, the right connecting rod 76 is so disposed as to apply a force to the right pivot cam 80 only in counterclockwise direction to maintain the cam 80 firmly in a predetermined pivot position. Further, the right second pivot lock member 96 is pivoted by the resilient force of the right spring 97, so that the free end thereof protrudes out the fixing member through the opening formed at one side of the fixing member and the right engagement piece 99 disposed at the free end of the right second pivot lock member 96 slides into the stopper groove 92 formed on the latch member 90. And then, the right latch member 90 is prevented from moving to the left, and thereby the door 20 is safely supported by the body 10.

When the door 20 is "losed again from the opened state thereof as shown in FIG. 20, the left hinge pin 14 moves inward along the left pin guide groove 6 of the left fixing member to push the left pin retainer groove 82 of the left pivot cam 80, and the free end of the second pivot lock member 96 is pushed into the fixing member the being in contact with the body 10, and then the locking of the latch member is released. And then the left pivot cam 80 pivots clockwise to receive the hinge pin 14 in the pin retainer groove thereof, and the left latch member 90 moves to the left. Then, the door is completely closed as ε .own in FIG. 18.

Embodiment 7

In the FIGs. 21 to 23 showing the seventh embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 21 is a plan view of a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof when the door is closed; FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the device taken along line E-E of FIG. 21; and FIG. 23 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 21 when the door is opened at the left side thereof.

In the present embodiment, cooperation members for preventing the pivot members from pivoting to its initial position of the close state when the door is opened at one side thereof and thereby the latch member is locked by the lock member in the fixing member are further included, so that the functions of latch members for latching and for preventing the returning of the latch member are separated from each other.

Referring to FIGs. 21 and 22 showing the door 20 being in close contact with the body 10 at the front of the door opening thereof, both side hinge pins 14 are maintained in their received positions.

Meanwhile, each latch member comprises first members 105 and second members 100, which is a characteristic construction of the present embodiment.

Each first member 105 has a shape of an elongated box, which can be moved in the fixing member longitudinally, at the outer end of which a transverse slot 106 is formed in a transverse direction of the fixing member, and at the inner end of which a first threshold 109 is formed. Each second member 100 is received in the respective first member 105, and a second threshold 110 to cooperate with the first threshold is formed at the middle portion of each second member 100.

The first members move toward the pivot cams 80 only together with the second members due to the mutual cooperation of the first and second thresholds 109, 110.

The inner ends 71 of the second members 100 are received in the guide means 73 with a predetermined separation gap(s) apart from each other. Further, rollers 108 are provided at the opposite side of the pin retainer groove 82 of the pivot cam 80 by roller pins 107, and the roller pins 107 are received in the transverse slots 106 formed at the first members 105 and positioned at the end of the body side.

Meanwhile, the lock means 84 for locking the second members 100 are pushed into the fixing member with being in contact with the body 10, and the stopper pins 74 of the second members 100 are positioned at the outer ends of the longitudinal sections of the crook slots 88.

When the door is pulled away from the body at the left side thereof to be opened, the left hinge pin 14 moves outward along the pin travelling path and are separated from the fixing member. In this case, the left pivot cam 80 is pivoted counterclockwise about the pivot shaft 81 by the left hinge pin 14 and stayed thereat. At this moment, the left roller pin 107 slides along the transverse slot 106 of the first member 105 to the opposite side of the body 10 to make the left second member 100 slide toward the right second member 100 until their inner ends 71 are in contact with each other. Accordingly, the right second member 100 is prevented from moving to the left, so that the door 20 is safely supported by the body with the right hinge pin 14 as the pivot center.

Further, the lock means 84 is pivoted by the resilient force of the spring 87, so that the free end there of protrudes out the fixing member through an opening defined t a side of the fixing member, and the stopper pin 74 of the second member 100 slides along the crook slot 88 in the lock member 86 to be positioned at the outer end of the transverse slot. Then, the second member 100 is prevented from moving to the left by the stopper pin 74.

In the meantime, though the roller pin 107 slides along the transverse slot 106 in case an unexpected external force is applied to the pivot cam 80 to be moved to its hinge pin receiving position in the course of staying with the second member 100 opened at one side thereof, the first member 105 does not move because the first threshold 109 of the second member 100 is engaged with the second threshold 100, according to the present embodiment. Accordingly, the pivot cam is always maintained at a position for receiving the hinge pin when the door is opened at one side thereof.

That is, the first members 105 move toward the pivot cams 80 only when they accompany with the second members 100, due to the cooperation of the first and second thresholds 109, 110.

When the door 20 is closed again, the left hinge pin 14 moves inward along the pin guide groove 6 of the fixing member to push the pin retainer groove 82 of the left pivot cam 80, and there end of the lock member 86 is pushed into the fixing member with being in contact with the body 10 to release the locking of the second member 100. And then, the pivot cam 80 is pivoted clockwise to receive the hinge pin 14 at the pin retainer groove 82 thereof and the second member 100 moves to the left.

As a result of the above operation, the door is closed completely as shown in FIG. 21.

As is apparent from the above detailed description of several preferred embodiments, according to the present invention, provided is a device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof, which has a relatively simple construction and a thin thickness, and which can be adopted for a door having a shape of various sections. Further, according to the present invention, the opposite ends of a door having the device can be rounded to be a semicircle or a polygon nearly similar to a circle so as to reduce the pivoting radius of the opposite ends of the door, and the door is prevented from being separated from the body by an unexpected external force when it is opened.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is given as preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof comprising:

a fixing member fixedly disposed at the other one of said door member and said main body, the fixing member having pin travelling paths, into/out which each of said pins can come in a pivoting direction of the door pivoting at the opposite pin;

pivot members respectively having a pin retainer groove for receiving the corresponding hinge pin coming thereinto along the pin travelling path, the pivot member being disposed in a region of said pin travelling path of said fixing member to pivot in cooperation with said hinge pin coming into/out said pin retainer groove, so that it can pivot between a pre-receiving position, at which said hinge pin is not received in said pin retainer groove, and a receiving position, at which said hinge pin is received in said pin retainer groove; and

latch members supported by said fixing member, each of one ends of which is connected to each of said pivot members at a position spaced a predetermined interval apart from a pivot center of said pivot member to move in a longitudinal direction of said fixing member by the pivoting of said pivot member, the other ends of which are free ends opposed to each other, said other ends being spaced a predetermined gap apart from each other when the door is closed, and either one of said latch members moving toward the other of said latch members so that said other ends come to be in contact with each other, and thereby said other latch member is prevented from moving longitudinally and the pivot member connected to said other latch member is prevented from pivoting when the door member is opened at the side of said one latch member.

2. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof as claimed in claim 1, further comprising toggle springs respectively for elastically retaining said pivot member at the pre-receiving position and at the receiving position respectively.

3. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot member and said latch member are connected through a pin-connection to be relatively pivotable.

4. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof as claimed in claim 3, wherein said latch member consists of a rigid body.

5. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof as claimed in claim 3, wherein said latch member consists of two rigid bodies linked with each other.

6. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side thereof as claimed in claim 1, wherein either one of said pivot member and said latch member has a slot and the other thereof has a pin being movable in said slot, said pivot member and said latch member being connected with each other by an engagement between the pin and the slot.

7. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 6, wherein said latch member comprises a first member connected to the pivot member by the engagement between said pin and said slot to be movable only in longitudinal direction of said fixing member, a second member having one end being in contact with the pivot member of cam-shape and the other end being a free end of said latch member to be movable in a longitudinal direction of the fixing member, and a cooperation means disposed between the first and the second members, the cooperation means being arranged for permitting the movement of the first member toward the pivot member only when the first member is accompanied by the second member.

8. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second member and said pivot member are in rolling contact with each other.

9. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cooperation means are thresholds in a direction of movement between the first and second members.

10. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in one of claim 1 to claim 9, wherein said pair of latch members opposed to each other are in indirect contact with each other through at least one mediation member.

11. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 10, wherein said mediation means is a compression spring.

12. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 10, wherein said mediation member is movable along a curved path.

13. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 12, wherein said mediation members are a plurality of roller bodies.

14. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof a_^ claimed in claim 9, further comprising a lock means for preventing one of said latch members having moved toward the other one from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened at the side of said one latch member, and permitting said latch member to return, to the initial position when the door member is closed.

15. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 14, wherein said lock means comprises an engagement groove under the latch member, an engagement pin disposed near said engagement groove and urged bias toward a gap between the door member and the main body so as to be engaged in said engagement groove, and a release pin having one end urged bias to protrude toward the gap and the other end capable of being in contact with said engagement pin, so that the engagement pin is engaged in the engagement groove to prevent said latch member from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened, and said release pin is inserted into the fixing member to release engagement pin from the engagement groove and thereby permit the returning of the latch member when the door member is closed.

16. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 15, wherein a plurality of release pins is operated only by one release pin in said lock means.

17. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 14, wherein said lock means comprises a stopper pin protruding from the latch member, and a first pivot lock member pivotally supported by the fixing member with being urged bias toward the gap between the door member and the main body, the first pivot lock member having a crook slot consisting of longitudinal section and transverse sections respectively extending in longitudinal and transverse directions of the fixing member, in which said stopper pin can be inserted and moved, so that said stopper pin is engaged in said transverse section to prevent the latch member from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened, said stopper pin being engaged in the longitudinal section of a crook slot to permit the returning of the latch member to its initial position, and thereby said engagement pin is positioned in a longitudinal slot to permit the returning of the latch member when the door member is closed.

18. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 14, wherein said lock means comprises a stopper pin protruded extending from the latch member, and a second pivot lock member pivotally supported by the fixing member with being urged bias toward the gap between the door member and the main body, the first pivot lock member having a crook slot consisting of longitudinal section and transverse sections respectively extending in longitudinal and transverse directions of the fixing member, in which said stopper pin can be inserted and moved, so that said stopper pin is engaged in said transverse section to prevent the latch member from returning to its initial position when the door member is opened, said stopper pin being engaged in the longitudinal section of a crook slot to permit the returning of the latch member to its initial position, and thereby said engagement pin is positioned in a longitudinal slot to permit the returning of the latch member when the door member is closed.

19. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in one of claim 1 to claim 9, wherein the opposite ends of said door member partially has a cylindrical shape.

20. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in one of claim 1 to claim 9, wherein the opposite ends of said door member partially has a shape of a polygonal shape.

21. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in one of claim 1 to claim 9, wherein said hinge pin is freely rotatable about a center axis.

22. A device capable of opening/closing a door member at either side therof as claimed in claim 20, wherein said hinge pin has thrust bearings.