WO2020135982A1

WO2020135982A1 - A cooling appliance having a multi joint hinge with sensor mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2020135982A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/083512
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet YASAR; Ibrahim Canigur; Tayfun ERSOZ; Deniz BAYSAK; Murat TUYSUZ
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2018-12-26
Filing date: 2019-12-03
Publication date: 2020-07-02
Also published as: EP3903051B1; EP3903051A1; PL3903051T3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) comprising: a body (2), a door (3) having an open position providing access inside the body (2) and a closed position blocking access inside the body (2), a multi joint hinge (4) comprising a first plate (5) and a second plate (6) attached onto the body (2) and the door (3) respectively, wherein the first plate (5) and the second plate (6) are attached to each other via a plurality of levers (7) and a support lever (8) wherein the said levers (7) are pivotably attached to at least another one of the said levers (7) or to the support lever (8) and wherein the said levers (7) are pivotably attached to the first plate (5) or the second plate (6) from one end and wherein the said levers (7) are configured to fold onto each other forming a close-fit structure in the closed position of the door (2) and extends towards the front of the cooling appliance (1) in the open position of the door (2).

Description

A COOLING APPLIANCE HAVING A MULTI JOINT HINGE WITH SENSOR MECHANISM

The present invention relates to a cooling appliance having a multi joint hinge comprising a sensor and a magnet.

In cooling appliances, the body and the door of the cooling appliances comprises the sensor and the magnet respectively. The sensor, also called as the reed switch, is visible to the user as it is provided under the plating next to the door and is configured to coincide with the magnet provided on the door. The visibility of the sensor or the protrusion housing the sensor decreases the quality perception of the cooling appliance. In the closed position of the door, the sensor and the magnet are configured to align therefore completing the circuit. Another problem with the prior art is that the sensor and the magnet in the closed position of the door tends to misalign after a prolonged time of use due to the drop of the door which prevents the sensor and the magnet to align and thus function properly. Both situations are unfavorable form users’ perspective as they decrease the quality perception and increase energy consumption of the cooling appliance respectively.

A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2017089340 among others, the document disclosing a domestic appliance having a multi joint hinge.

An objective of the present invention is to prevent the malfunction of the sensor and the magnet placed onto the door and the body of the cooling appliance by prolonged use which is caused by the drop of the door which in turn causes the sensor and the magnet to misalign.

The cooling appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a cooling appliance having a body and a door providing access inside the body. The door is pivotable attached onto the body via at least a multi joint hinge. The multi joint hinge is attached to the body and the door via a first plate and a second plate respectively. A plurality of levers interconnects the first plate to the second plate. The said levers are pivotably attached to at least another one of the said levers from one end and to the first plate or the second plate from the other end. A support plate is provided to be pivotably attached to the levers. The multi joint hinge comprises the plurality of levers, the first plate and the second plate and folds onto itself forming a close-fit structure in the closed position of the door. In the open position of the door, the multi joint hinge extends towards the front of the cooling appliance. A sensor and a magnet are placed onto the said levers such that the sensor and the magnet are almost adjacent to each other in the closed sate of the door therefore completing the circuit. Upon completion of the circuit, a signal is generated and is transmitted to a processor, wherein the processor controls the operation functions of the cooling appliance. The processor according to the position of the door, turns the interior lightning of the body on or off. Also, the processor, turns the fan or the compressor on according to the internal temperature of the cooling appliance and the position of the door. By placement of the sensor and the magnet onto the multi joint hinge, the negative effects caused by the drop of the door is prevented assuring co-planarity of the sensor and the magnet for a prolonged use.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the sensor and the magnet are placed onto the neighboring levers. By placing the sensor and the magnet close to each other, it is ensured that the sensor is activated by the magnet in closed position of the door therefore improving operational accuracy of the sensor and the magnet couple.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the magnet is configured to have a recess. The sensor, in the closed position of the door, is slidably inserted inside the said recess therefore improving operational accuracy of the sensor and the magnet couple.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the multi joint hinge is in the shape of a rectangular box in the closed position of the door. Therefore, the volume of the multi joint hinge is decreased leaving more volume on the door and the body for the insulation material to be injected improving thermal insulation of the cooling appliance.

By means of the present invention, the sensor and the magnet are placed onto the multi joint hinge therefore the need to use additional cover parts being placed onto the body is eliminated decreasing costs related to labor and parts. Also, ib built in cooling appliances, the metal plating of the cooling appliances interfere with the magnetic field created by the sensor and the magnet. By placing the sensor and the magnet onto the multi joint hinge such interference is eliminated.

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.

Figure 1 – is a side view of the cooling appliance

Figure 2 – is the rear view of A-A line of Figure-1

Figure 3 – is an exploded view of the multi joint hinge

The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings and referred to in the present detailed description of the invention:

Cooling appliance
Body
Door
Multi joint hinge
First Plate
Second plate
Lever
Support lever
Sensor
Magnet
Processor
Recess

The present invention relates to a cooling appliance (1) further comprising: a sensor (9) and a magnet (10) placed onto two of the said levers (7) such that the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are almost adjacent to each other in the closed position of the door (2) completing the circuit upon which the sensor (9) is activated to send a signal to a processor (11) controlling the operational functions of the cooling appliance (1). The cooling appliance (1) of the present comprises the body (2) into which the articles to be cooled are placed. The interior of the body (2) is isolated from the environment via the door (3) barring access inside the body (2) in closed position and providing access inside the body (2) in the open position. The multi joint hinge (4) is utilized to pivotable attach the door (3) onto the body (2). The multi joint hinge (4) comprises the first plate (5) connecting the multi joint hinge (4) onto the body (3) and the second plate (6) connecting the multi joint hinge (4) onto the door (3). The first plate (5) and the second plate (6) are connected to each other via the plurality of levers (7). Each of the said levers (7) are connected to either the first plate (5) or to the second plate (6) from one end. Said levers (7) are also connected to another lever (7) either from the other end or from a point in close vicinity of the longitudinal center of the lever (7) at issue. During open position of the door (3) the multi joint hinge (4) extends towards the front of the cooling appliance (1). The movement during extension of the multi joint hinge (4) is parallel to the ground. The levers (7) reach towards the front of the cooling appliance (1) as far as the structure of the multi joint hinge (4) allows. In the closed position, the levers (7) along with the first plate (5) and the second plate (6) fold onto each other forming a close-fit structure. The support lever (8) is attached to at least two of the said levers (7) and provides structural support. In order to detect the position of the door (3), the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are placed onto two of the levers (7). The position of the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are configured to be in close vicinity of each other. As the door (3) is closed, the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are aligned to coincide with each other therefore completing the circuit. Upon closing the circuit the sensor (9) generates the signal which will be transmitted to the processor (11). According to the position of the door (3), the processor controls the operational functions of the cooling appliance (1). In the case of the door (3) being open, the processor (11) turns on the interior lighting of the cooling appliance (1) increasing visibility of the interior of the cooling appliance (1). In the closed position of the door (3), the processor (11), also depending on the temperature of the interior of the cooling appliance (1), turns the fans and/or the compressor therefore providing energy saving. By means of this inventions, the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are placed onto the multi joint hinge (4) which eliminates the possibility of malfunction of the sensor (9) and the magnet placed onto the door (3) and the body (2) in the case the axis of the door (3) shifts due to prolonged use. Therefore, the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) couple overcome the negative effects of an axial run-out of the door (2).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are placed onto the neighboring levers (7). By placing the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) in close proximity to each other, operational sensitivity of the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) is achieved.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the sensor (9) is configured to be inserted inside a recess (12) in the closed position of the door (3) provided on the magnet (10). The magnet (10) comprises the recess (12) into which the sensor (9) is seated in closed position of the door (3). The recess (12) is configured to match the shape of the sensor (9), therefore further increasing operational sensitivity of the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) couple.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the multi joint hinge (4) is mainly box shaped in the closed position of the door (3). The multi joint hinge (4) folds onto itself therefore covers a small volume. The shape of the multi joint hinge (4) in folded position is preferably a rectangular prism.

In the cooling appliance (1) of the present invention, the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are placed onto the multi joint hinge (4) providing co-planarity for the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) during the period of use of the cooling appliance (1) eliminating the possibility of malfunction of the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) placed onto the door (3) and the body (2) due to the drop of the door (3).

In the cooling appliance (1) of the present invention, the malfunction of the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) placed onto the door (3) and the body (2) due to the drop of the door is prevented by placing the said sensor (9) and the magnet (10) onto the multi joint hinge (4) therefore providing co-planarity for the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) during the period of use of the cooling appliance (1).

Claims

A cooling appliance (1) comprising:

a body (2),

a door (3) having an open position providing access inside the body (2) and a closed position blocking access inside the body (2),

a multi joint hinge (4) comprising a first plate (5) and a second plate (6) attached onto the body (2) and the door (3) respectively, wherein the first plate (5) and the second plate (6) are attached to each other via a plurality of levers (7) and a support lever (8) wherein the said levers (7) are pivotably attached to at least another one of the said levers (7) or to the support lever (8) and wherein the said levers (7) are pivotably attached to the first plate (5) or the second plate (6) from one end and wherein the said levers (7) are configured to fold onto each other forming a close-fit structure in the closed position of the door (2) and extends towards the front of the cooling appliance (1) in the open position of the door (2),

characterized by

a sensor (9) and a magnet (10) placed onto two of the said levers (7) such that the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are almost adjacent to each other in the closed position of the door (2) completing the circuit upon which the sensor (9) is activated to send a signal to a processor (11) controlling the operational functions of the cooling appliance (1).
A cooling appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor (9) and the magnet (10) are placed onto the neighboring levers (7).
A cooling appliance according to any one the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor (9) is configured to be inserted inside a recess (12) in the closed position of the door (3) provided on the magnet (10) .
A cooling appliance according to any one the preceding claims, characterized in that the multi joint hinge (4) is mainly box shaped in the closed position of the door (2).