WO2009083395A2

WO2009083395A2 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2009083395A2
Application number: PCT/EP2008/066961
Authority: WO
Inventors: Okan Can Orhan; Sati Mutlu; Ridvan Kadir Celik
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2007-12-31
Filing date: 2008-12-06
Publication date: 2009-07-09
Also published as: WO2009083395A3; WO2009083395A9; PL2245398T3; EP2245398B1; EP2245398A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising a door (4) that opens by tilting forward. The cooling device (1) comprises a hinge (5) for connecting the door (4) to the body (2) and a retarding mechanism (10) maintaining the door (4) to open controllably.

Description

A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a door that opens by tilting forward.

[0002] The cooling devices comprise an opening in the front so that the user can access the interior. The opening is covered by a door mounted on the body of the cooling device with a hinge, thus preventing the cooling device interior temperature from rising.

[0003] The doors on the body, preferably with a size smaller than the surface emplaced on, opening by tilting forward in the horizontal plane, allow loading into the cooling device. However, these doors can fall uncontrollably by effect of their own weights and damage the hinge connections. Various implementations are developed in the technique for the solution of this problem.

[0004] In the state of the art Korean Patent Application No KR20030093756, a hinge mechanism is explained comprising springs that are deformed and released during the opening, closing motion of the door.

[0005] In another state of the art Korean Patent Application No KR20040107929, a cooling device is explained comprising a door that is opened softly by a hinge mechanism having a component whereon it rotatably opens and turns thereof with a certain angle.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device comprising a door that opens controllably by tilting forward.

[0007] The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is explicated in the claims.

[0008] The cooling device comprises a body, an opening arranged on the body for accessing inside, a door, covering the opening when closed, thereby isolating the interior volume from the outside heat, allowing access from the opening to the cooling device interior when opened by tilting and a hinge rotatably connecting the door to the body.

[0009] The cooling device furthermore comprises a retarding mechanism having a protuberance on the lower surface of the door, a C shaped cam wherein the protuberance rotates on a horizontal axis, movably connected to the body from virtually the center thereof, a vertical spring which the cam compresses as the protuberance moves the cam while the door is closed and a horizontal spring which the cam compresses as the protuberance moves the cam while the door is opened.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface of the C shaped cam is eccentric with respect to the inner surface. As a result of the frictional motion of the protuberance in the inner surface during the rotational movement, the eccentric outer side pushes the horizontal and vertical springs.

[0011] As the door opens by tilting, the protuberance gets caught by the top portion of the cam and stops the door at a certain distance. Thus, the door is prevented from impacting the body surface and/or the floor by opening 180 degrees.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the retarding mechanism comprises a pin situated on the body. By means of a channel on the cam, preferably at the central portion of the cam, the cam can rotate on the pin along the channel. The cam can rotate to the extent allowed by the channel length thereby the door stops at the point the cam stops.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal spring compresses while the vertical spring decompresses as the protuberance rotates the cam while the door is opened. The compressed horizontal spring forms a force opposite to the opening direction of the door by pressing the cam towards the protuberance. Simultaneously, the vertical spring, by changing from the entirely compressed position to the decompressed position, applies a force opposite to the opening direction of the door. Thus, the door is prevented from falling abruptly.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the vertical spring compresses while the horizontal spring decompresses as the protuberance rotates the cam while the door is closed. The compressed vertical spring forms a force opposite to the closing direction of the door by pressing the cam towards the protuberance. Thus, the door is prevented from slamming while closing.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the retarding mechanism comprises actuators that transfer the cam motion to the springs. The actuators prevent damaging of the oval outer surface of the cam from being scratched by the springs and furthermore maintain the force of the springs to be delivered in a balanced manner. [0016] By means of the present invention, the door, openable by tilting forward, is prevented from opening uncontrollably by its own weight and the door is maintained to move controllably and softly for proceeding to the open position. [0017] A cooling realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where: [0018] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a cooling device as the door is ajar in an embodiment of the present invention. [0019] Figure 2 - is the perspective view of a cooling device as the door is ajar in another embodiment of the present invention. [0020] Figure 3 - is the detailed schematic view of the door when closed in an embodiment of the present invention. [0021] Figure 4 - is the detailed schematic view of the door when ajar in an embodiment of the present invention. [0022] Figure 5 _r is the detailed schematic view of the door when open in an embodiment of the present invention. [0023] Figure 6 - is the schematic view of the retarding mechanism when the door is closed in an embodiment of the present invention. [0024] Figure 7 - is the schematic view of the retarding mechanism when the door is ajar in an embodiment of the present invention. [0025] Figure 8 - is the schematic view of the retarding mechanism when the door is open in an embodiment of the present invention. [0026] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Opening

4. Door

5. Hinge

6. Protuberance 7. Cam

8. Vertical spring

9. Horizontal spring

10. Retarding mechanism

11. Channel

12. Pin [0027] 13,113. Actuator

[0028] The cooling device (1) comprises a body (2), an opening (3) arranged on the body (2) for accessing the interior volume of the cooling device (1), a door (4) covering the opening (3) when closed and allowing access into the interior volume of the cooling device (1) when opened by tilting forward and a hinge (5) for connecting the door (4) to the body (2).

[0029] The cooling device (1) furthermore comprises a retarding mechanism (10) maintaining the door (4) to be opened controllably and having:

- a protuberance (6) disposed on the lower surface of the door (4),

- a C shaped cam (7) movably connected to the body (2) from virtually the center thereof wherein the protuberance (6) rotates in the horizontal axis,

- a vertical spring (8) which the cam (7) compresses as the protuberance (6) activates the cam (7) while the door (4) closes and

- a horizontal spring (8) which the cam (7) compresses as the protuberance (6) activates the cam (7) while the door (4) opens.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface of the cam (7) is eccentric with respect to the inner surface. In this embodiment, the protuberance (6) moves frictionally in the inner surface of the cam (7) while the door (4) opens by tilting and the eccentric outer surface compresses the horizontal spring (9) as a result of this motion.

[0031] The cam (7) contacts the protuberance (6) to stop the door (4) virtually in the horizontal plane for preventing the door (4) from falling by the effect of its weight while opening thereby damaging the hinge (5) and the body (2). Accordingly, the door (4) is prevented from opening 180° and hitting the body (2) surface and/or the floor.

[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, the retarding mechanism (10) comprises a channel (11) disposed on the cam (7) and a pin (12) situated on the body (2) that is emplaced in the channel (11). As the cam (7) rotates, the channel (11) moves around the pin (12). Thus, the cam (7) rotates on the pin (12) together with the door (4) along the channel (11) by the pushing of the protuberance (6).

[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal spring (9) is compressed as the vertical spring (8) is decompressed by the protuberance (6) rotating the cam (7) while the door (4) is opened. The compressed horizontal spring (9) forms a force opposite to the opening direction of the door (4) by pressing the cam (7) towards the protuberance (6). Thus, the door (4) is prevented from falling abruptly.

[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention, the vertical spring (8) is compressed as the horizontal spring (9) is decompressed by the protuberance (6) rotating the cam (7) while the door (4) is closed. The compressed vertical spring (8) forms a force opposite to the closing direction of the door (4) by pressing the cam (7) towards the protuberance (6). Thus, the door (4) is prevented from being slammed while closing.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present invention, the retarding mechanism (10) comprises actuators (13 and 113) that deliver the cam (7) motion to the springs (8 and 9). The actuators (13 and 113) prevent the direct contact of the springs (8 and 9) to the curved inner surface of the cam (7) protecting from damaging by scratching, furthermore maintain the force formed by the springs (8 and 9) to be delivered in a balanced manner.

[0036] In different embodiments of the present invention, the effect of the retarding mechanism (10) can be adjusted by changing the length of the channel (11) and the constants of the springs (8 and 9).

[0037] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door (4) is used as a door in door by placing on the cooling device (1) cover.

[0038] By means of present invention, the door (4), openable by tilting forward, is prevented from opening, closing uncontrollably by its own weight and the door (4) is maintained to move controllably and smoothly.

Claims

1. A cooling device (1) that comprises a body (2), an opening (3) arranged on the body (2) for accessing the interior volume of the cooling device (1 ), a door (4) covering the opening (3) when closed and allowing access into the interior volume of the cooling device (1) when opened by tilting forward and a hinge (5) for connecting the door (4) to the body (2), characterized by a retarding mechanism (10) maintaining the door (4) to be opened controllably and having:

- a protuberance (6) disposed on the lower surface of the door (4),

2. A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by a cam (7) with the outer surface being eccentric with respect to the inner surface.

3. A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by a retarding mechanism (10) that maintains the door (4) to open slowly as the protuberance (6) activates the cam (7) while the door (4) is opened thereby decompressing the vertical spring (8) as the horizontal spring (9) is compressed.

4. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a retarding mechanism (10) that maintains the door (4) to close slowly as the protuberance (6) activates the cam (7) while the door (4) is opened thereby compressing the vertical spring (8) as the horizontal spring (9) is decompressed.

5. A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by a retarding mechanism

(10) comprising a channel (11) disposed on the cam (7) and a pin (12) situated on the body (2) that is emplaced in the channel (11), around which the channel

(11) moves as the cam (7) rotates.

6. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a retarding mechanism (10) comprising actuators (13 and 113) that deliver the motion of the cam (7) to the springs (8 and 9).

7. A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by a door (4) that is used as a door in door by being placed on the door thereof.