WO2014194953A1

WO2014194953A1 - Refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2014194953A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/061678
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tayfun ERSOZ; Ergin Kaplan; Ercan Akyuz; Semih Erol; Omer Alper MIRZA; Fethi Sen; Ozgun Atac Gultekin
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2013-06-06
Filing date: 2013-06-06
Publication date: 2014-12-11
Also published as: EP3004761A1; EP3004761B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for preserving food items to be cooled or frozen, a door (3) mounted to the cabin (2) to provide access there into, a handle (4) attached to the door (3) for opening the same (3). The handle (4) is operably coupled to at least two door opening mechanisms (5), each door opening mechanism (5) comprising an impact imparting means (7) having a first end bearable against the cabin (2) of the refrigeration appliance (1) to effect separation of the door (3) therefrom.

Description

REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE DOUBLE-ACTION HANDLE MECHANISM

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism and more particularly to such a handle mechanism effective in opening a refrigeration appliance’s door by way of applying a minimal amount of force.

When a refrigeration appliance door is closed, a vacuum effect occurs due to the suction created when the warm air outside the refrigeration appliance moves inside. After the door is closed, the warm air contracts as it cools, and thus creates a vacuum in the refrigeration appliance. To this end, users may face difficulty in opening the door as a result of the created vacuum.

A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2007113230, disclosing a door opening mechanism comprising a handle attached to the door. The disclosure teaches a mechanism activated by two cams connected to the handle, making a rotational movement around an axis when the handle is pushed or pulled.

Another prominent prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2009062921 disclosing two lean members disposed oppositely one on the door and the other on the cabin of the refrigeration appliance. A pusher then exerts a pushing force by moving in the gap therebetween such that the distance thereinbetween gradually gets narrower in the movement direction of the pusher. When the pusher moves from the top downwards in the gap between the lean members, it pushes both of the lean members to effect opening of the door.

The present invention on the other hand provides a double-action handle mechanism which requires a minimal amount of force for effecting opening of the refrigeration appliance door. The mechanical structure of the mechanism therefore ensures that the double-action handle transfers the applied force to two distant contact points in a manner to enable a smooth and convenient opening effect.

The present invention provides a refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism, which is defined by the characterizing features as defined in Claim 1.

Primary object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism by means of which the vacuum effect can be overcome with a minimal amount of force.

The present invention proposes a refrigeration appliance typically having a cabin, a door and at least one door opening mechanism with a handle. The door opening mechanism preferably comprises a pair of impact imparting means actuated by the handle, both of the impact imparting means having a first end pushing against the cabin to effect opening.

The impact imparting means of the invention is linearly guided in a guiding means when actuated. The guiding means closes the impact imparting means inside a support means that is fixedly attached to the door of the refrigeration appliance so that the impact imparting means is movable between two predetermined extremities.

A movement translation means fixed to the handle is provided so as to be in mechanical engagement with the remote end of the impact imparting means from the first end by means of a double-side armed member.

The double-side armed member is an H-shaped frame that is pivotally rotatable around the central extension of the H-shaped form. A helical spring is extended between a first side leg of the double-side armed member and the movement translation means so that the handle takes its original position back after opening the door.

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in the claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of a refrigeration appliance having the handle mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a side view of the refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 demonstrates a top view of the refrigeration appliance handle mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 4a and 4b demonstrates cross-sectional views taken along the line B-B in Fig. 2 respectively before and after the actuation of the opening mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 demonstrates a perspective view of the movement translation means cooperating with the impact imparting means by means of the double-side armed member according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 demonstrates a perspective view of disassembled components making up the refrigeration appliance double-action handle mechanism according to the present invention.

The following numerals are used in this detailed description:

Refrigeration appliance
Cabin
Door
Handle
Door opening mechanism
Support means
Impact imparting means
Guiding means
Double-side armed member
Spring
Movement translation means
Axle means

The door opening mechanism (5) of the present invention provides that a substantially limited amount of force can enable opening of the door (3) due to the balanced double-action structure of the opening mechanism (5), operable by a single handle (4) actuating a pair of impact imparting means (7) at the same time, as explained hereinafter. The present invention in brief relates to a refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for storing food items to be cooled or frozen, a door (3) mounted to the cabin (2) to provide access thereinto and a door opening mechanism (5) with a handle (4) attached to the door (3) for opening the same.

Fig. 1 demonstrates the situation where the handle (4) arm of the invention is not actuated, both of the two door opening mechanisms (5) of the present invention therefore maintaining the position as demonstrated in Fig. 4a.

Each of the two door opening mechanisms (5) comprises an impact imparting means (7) having a first end bearing against the cabin (2) of the refrigeration appliance (1) in response to actuation of the door opening mechanism (5), thereby effecting separation of the door (3) from the cabin (2), to be conventionally opening around an axis of opening. Each impact imparting means (7) is movably guided under the surface of a guiding means (8) along its longitudinal direction. Each impact imparting means (7) is therefore displaceable within a region defined between the guiding means (8) and a support means (6) in an enclosed manner. As the guiding means (8) is fixedly attached to the support means (6) and the latter is secured to the door (3) of the refrigeration appliance (1) by appropriate fixing means, the impact imparting means (7) is only operable in a linearly restricted displacement zone.

A movement translation means (11) is provided so as to be displaceable in the support means (6) in a direction parallel with the operation axis of the impact imparting means (7). The movement translation means (11) is itself a retractable member having a first end fixed to the handle (4) and a second end in mechanical communication with the impact imparting means (7).

The handle (4) therefore retracting the movement translation means (11) out of the support means (6) in a linear manner provides that the first end thereof is movable in and out along the surface normal of the door (3), while at the same time rotating a double-side armed member (9) that is pivotally moved around a pivoting axis.

The double-side armed member (9) is an overturned H-shaped frame that is pivotally rotatable around the central extension of the H-shaped form. A pair of arms extends outwards in parallel at each side of the central extension in perpendicular to the same. The two pairs in the overturned H-shaped form are 180-degrees spaced apart. While the arms at the first side are attached to the movement translation means (11), the arms at the second side are connected to the impact imparting means (7). In other words, the double-side armed member (9) functions as a levering means hingedly attached to the movement translation means (11) and to the impact imparting means (7) by means of respective axle means (12). The two impact imparting means (7) operably coupled to the respective movement translation means (11) therefore push against the door (3) in response to the retraction movement of the handle (4).

A helical spring (10) is extended between a first side arm of the double-side armed member (9) and the movement translation means (7) so that the handle (4) is taken to its original position back after opening the door.

The movement translation means (11) is fixedly secured to the handle (4) so that when the handle (4) is pulled, then the movement translation means (11) displaces outwardly in the support means (6), which in turn advances the impact imparting means (7) in the guiding means (8), the latter advancing in response to rotational movement of the double-side armed member (9) around the central extension thereof.

In a nutshell, the present invention proposes a refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for preserving food items to be cooled, a door (3) mounted to the cabin (2) to provide access thereinto and a handle (4) attached to the door (3) for opening the same (3). The handle (4) is operably coupled to at least two door opening mechanisms (5). Each door opening mechanism (5) comprises an impact imparting means (7) having a first end bearable against the cabin (2) of the refrigeration appliance (1), to effect separation of the door (3) therefrom. Said at least two door opening mechanisms (5) are actuably disposed at two ends of the handle (4). The impact imparting means (7) is movably guided along its longitudinal direction in an enclosed manner between a guiding means (8) and a support means (6) being fixedly attached to the door (3). A movement translation means (11) fixedly attached to the handle (4) is in mechanical communication with a second end of the impact imparting means (7).

The movement translation means (11) has a first end fixed to the handle (4) to be retractable therewith and is displaceable in the support means (6) in a direction parallel with operation axis of the impact imparting means (7).

The movement translation means (11) is further retractable out of the support means (6) in a linear manner along the surface normal of the door (3) and has a second end in mechanical communication with the impact imparting means (7) by means of a double-side armed member (9) in the form of a levering means.

The double-side armed member (9) is pivotally moved by the second end of the movement translation means (11) and by the second end of the impact imparting means (7) around a pivoting axis. The double-side armed member (9) is an overturned H-shaped frame that is pivotally rotatable around the central extension of the H-shaped form. It comprises a pair of arms extending in parallel at each side 180-degrees spaced apart around the central extension. It is further hingedly attached to the movement translation means (11) and to the impact imparting means (7).

At least one helical spring (10) is extended between a first side arm of the double-side armed member (9) and the movement translation means (7). The handle (4) longitudinally extends in parallel with the door (3) surface.

The advantageous effect obtained by the opening mechanism (5) of the present invention lies in the application of a limited amount of force by a couple of impact imparting means (7) actuably disposed at the ends of a single handle (4) in a balanced manner. The double-action opening mechanisms (5) with respective levering means therefore provides smooth and convenient opening of the door (3).

Claims

A refrigeration appliance (1) having a cabin (2) for preserving food items to be cooled or frozen, a door (3) mounted to the cabin (2) to provide access thereinto, a handle (4) attached to the door (3) for opening the same (3), the handle (4) being operably coupled to at least two door opening mechanisms (5), each door opening mechanism (5) comprising an impact imparting means (7) having a first end bearable against the cabin (2) of the refrigeration appliance (1) to effect separation of the door (3) therefrom characterized in that;

- at least two door opening mechanisms (5) are actuably disposed at two ends of the handle (4),

- said impact imparting means (7) is movably guided along its longitudinal direction in an enclosed manner between a guiding means (8) and a support means (6) fixedly attached to the door (3) and

- a movement translation means (11) fixedly attached to the handle (4) is in mechanical communication with a second end of the impact imparting means (7).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that said movement translation means (11) has a first end fixed to the handle (4) to be retractable therewith.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the movement translation means (11) is displaceable in the support means (6) in a direction parallel with operation axis of the impact imparting means (7).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 3, characterized in that the movement translation means (11) is retractable out of the support means (6) in a linear manner along surface normal of the door (3).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the movement translation means (11) has a second end in mechanical communication with the impact imparting means (7) by means of a double-side armed member (9).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 5, characterized in that the double-side armed member (9) is pivotally moved by the second end of the movement translation means (11) around a pivoting axis.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 6, characterized in that the double-side armed member (9) is pivotally moved by the second end of the impact imparting means (7) around said pivoting axis.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the double-side armed member (9) is an overturned H-shaped frame that is pivotally rotatable around central extension of the H-shaped form.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 8, characterized in that the double-side armed member (9) comprises a pair of arms extending in parallel at each side 180-degrees spaced apart around the central extension.
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in any of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the double-side armed member (9) is hingedly attached to the movement translation means (11) and to the impact imparting means (7).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 5 or 10, characterized in that at least one helical spring (10) is extended between a first side arm of the double-side armed member (9) and the movement translation means (7).
The refrigeration appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 5 or 10, characterized in that the handle (4) longitudinally extends in parallel with the door (3) surface.