EP3278042B1

EP3278042B1 - Refrigerator provided with a flap connection adaptor mechanism

Info

Publication number: EP3278042B1
Application number: EP15714457.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Semih Erol; Ercan Akyuz; Resul Yavuz; Ibrahim Yilmaz Evren; Sati MUTLU BOZAY
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2015-03-31
Filing date: 2015-03-31
Publication date: 2019-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-31
Also published as: PL3278042T3; EP3278042A1; WO2016155784A1

Description

The present invention relates to a household appliance and more particularly a refrigerator having a refrigeration compartment accessible by way of opening a rotatable flap connected to the inner wall of the refrigeration compartment by a flap connection portion.
A refrigeration appliance has a plurality of shelves and containers for preserving food items. Refrigeration compartments in the form of storage divisions positioned at upper sections of the refrigerator are inconvenient for users to reach for the food items preserved therein.
In order to address this inconvenience and to provide ease of access, refrigerator compartments are generally covered by a rotatable flap. The rotatable flap conventionally opens and closes through rotational movement around a connection unit attached to the wall of the refrigerator.
Such connection units, however, may cause level differences between neighbouring flaps so that an unaligned unappealing appearance is obtainable. Further, they trigger as such user complaints especially when operation of one of the flaps prevents practical and simultaneous opening of the neighbouring flap. Connection units with a plurality of individual connection elements are not only complex but this complexity also incorporates a prominent disadvantage associated therewith so that additional costs and a more complicated manufacturing and mounting scheme are necessary.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2006120098 , disclosing a refrigerating device having a carcass which delimits a cold chamber, and at least one compartment arranged in the cold chamber and accessible via a pivotable flap held in an open position by a holding strap, the holding strap has two holding elements, a first element which is held on the flap and a second element which is an eyelet which surrounds in a rotary manner a bearing section of a bolt fixed to the carcass. The bolt has a bead which prevents the eyelet from slipping from the bearing section. The eyelet has a non-circular inner cross-section and the bead has an outer cross-section that matches the inner cross-section and makes it possible to push the eyelet over the bead in a particular angular position determined by the shape of the cross-sections.
Document WO2011080109 A2 discloses a similar refrigerator with an interior cabin comprising at least one storage division closed by a flap.
The present invention provides an improved installation of a flap operating portion to ensure stable mounting of a rotatable flap inside a refrigerator as defined by the characterizing features in Claim 1 and subsequent Claims.
Primary object of the present invention is hence to provide an improved attachment mechanism of the flap operating portion on the refrigeration body to ensure stable and accurate positioning of flaps inside the refrigeration cabin.
The present invention proposes a refrigerator comprising a storage division closed by by a flap rotating around a hinging unit in the form of a flap operating portion. The flap operating portion is attached to the refrigeration body by means of serial inter-engaging tab connections in the manner that the flap operating portion is fixedly attached to a collateral cavity on the lateral wall of the refrigeration cabin.
The flap operating portion comprises primary and secondary locking portions as raised edge formations on the engagement surface of the flap operating portion with the collateral cavity. These primary and secondary locking portions extend in a neighboring manner on the longitudinal direction of the flap operating portion along which it is linearly displaceably lockable. The two locking portions are therefore simultaneously engageable with the collateral cavity in response to the movement of the flap operating portion along the mounting axis.
Further, a pair of latching members may be disposed to provide a second locking axis along a surface line perpendicular to the mounting axis. They symmetrically protrude outwardly in an opposite manner in between the primary and secondary locking portions so as to engage with latching housings of the collateral cavity.
Primary and secondary locking portions are shaped as horizontally slanted U-shape raised edge formations. The open side of the U-shaped formations faces the outward side of the flap operating portion in the direction of which it is movably locked on the mounting axis. This configuration permits fixation of the flap operating portion while a pair of rotation restricting tabs projecting outwardly from around the base portion of the U-shaped primary locking portion cooperate with a first pair of blocking members of the collateral cavity and a pair of guiding portions structured as triangular shape end portions of the secondary locking portion cooperates with a second pair of blocking members of the collateral cavity.
This provides secure placement of the second pair of blocking members in the fixation gaps of the secondary locking portion between the guiding portions and the restraining arms such that movement of the secondary locking portion in unmounting direction is prevented by the restraining arms.
The first and second pair of blocking members may be V-formed structures extending into the inner space of the collateral cavity and positioned along the edges thereof in the form of two opposite pair members around both sides of the mounting axis.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a flap attachment 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. 1a demonstrates a general view of flaps inside a refrigerator and Fig. 1b demonstrates a cross sectional view of the flaps taken along line G-G of Fig. 1a according to the present invention.
Fig. 2a demonstrates a general perspective view of the flaps inside the refrigerator in a closed manner and Fig. 2b demonstrates a general perspective view of a flap inside the refrigerator in an open manner according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 demonstrates a general perspective view of a flap operating portion with a corresponding collateral cavity in an unassembled manner according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 demonstrates a general perspective view of the flap operating portion mounted into the corresponding collateral cavity according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 demonstrates a rear perspective view of the flap operating portion according to the present invention.
Fig. 6 demonstrates a lateral cross sectional view where the flap operating portion is mounted into the collateral cavity while a couple of latching members are fitted into latching housings according to the present invention.
Fig. 7a demonstrates a general rear perspective view of the flap operating portion and Fig. 7b demonstrates a rear view of the flap operating portion according to the present invention.
Fig. 8 demonstrates front view of the collateral cavity with the latching housings according to the present invention.
Fig. 9a demonstrates a rear view representation of the flap operating portion prior to engaging with the collateral cavity with the mounting direction arrow and Fig. 9b demonstrates a rear view representation of the flap operating portion in engagement with the collateral cavity according to the present invention.

The following numerals are assigned to different part numbers used in the detailed description:

1. Refrigerator
2. Flap
3. Flap operating portion
4. Collateral cavity
5. Latching member
6. Latching base
7. Latching housing
8. Primary locking portion
9. Guiding extension
10. Rotation restricting tab
11. Blocking member
12. Secondary locking portion
13. Restraining arm
14. Guiding portion
15. First surface
16. Second surface
17. Contact section
18. Fixation gap

The present invention relates to a refrigerator (1) having a plurality of refrigeration compartments in the form of storage divisions having flaps (2) closing the outer sides thereof. The flaps (2) typically rotate around a hinging unit as will be delineated hereinafter.
The flaps (2) communicate with the lateral walls of the refrigeration cabin by means of flap operating portions (3) which are stationarily installed in respective collateral cavities (4) of the refrigerator (1) body in a manner that mutual interlocking of the flap operating portions (3) with the collateral cavities (4) provides a stable mounting of the flaps (2) inside the refrigerator (1) cabin.
The refrigerator (1) according to the invention proposes an installation mechanism for the flap operating portion (3) so that the storage division flap (2) can be rotatably opened and closed relative to the wall of the refrigerator (1).
The flap operating portion (3) having a first surface (15) providing connection with the flap (2) of the storage division and a second surface (16) engaging with the collateral cavity (4) positioned on the wall of the refrigerator (1) body ensures stable fixation and rotational movement of the flap (2).
The flap operating portion (3) comprises primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) positioned in a longitudinally successive manner on the second surface (16) and a pair of latching members (5) centrally situated on the second surface (16) along a surface line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) are shaped as raised surface formations having equal heights as explained below. The latching members (5), on the other hand, protrude outwardly in an opposite manner relative to each other in between the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12). They project outwardly in a symmetrically inclined manner with respect to the second surface (16).
The latching members (5), when the flap operating portion (3) is linearly moved in the respective collateral cavity (4) in the outward direction (i.e. towards the cabin's door), engage with latching housings (7) positioned oppositely at two sides of the longitudinal axis along a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The latching members (5) are structured to have latching bases (6) supporting the latching members (5) when the latter are in engagement with the outward edge of the latching housing (7) cavities. The latching members (5) effecting locking of the flap operating portion (3) along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal mounting axis provides perpendicular axis fixation by preventing dislocation of the flap operating portion (3) from the collateral cavity (4). Further, the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) are fixedly attached in the corresponding connection portions of the collateral cavity (4) by way of advancing the flap operating portion (3) to reach its final locked position as will be delineated below.
The primary locking portion (8) is shaped as a horizontally positioned U-form raised edge having a pair of rotation restricting tabs (10) projecting outwardly from around the base portion of the U-form. Further, the parallel linear sections of the U-form constitute guiding extensions (9). The flap operating portion (3) is moved horizontally by way of sliding the primary locking portion's (8) guiding extensions (9) in contact with opposite blocking members (11) of the collateral cavity (4) until the respective rotation restricting tab (10) leans on a contact section (17) of the respective blocking member (11) in an adjacent manner.
The blocking members (11) are V-form structures extending into the inner space of the collateral cavity (4) with their protruding ends. They are positioned along the edges of the cavity in the form of opposite portions around both sides of the longitudinal axis. While a first pair of blocking members (11) is situated to cooperate with the primary locking portion (8), the second pair mechanically cooperates with the secondary locking portion (12), whereby both locking portions simultaneously assume an operative fixation position so that each pair of the blocking members (11) and the respective locking portion provide interengagement ensuring multi-axis interlocking of the respective parts.
During the displacement of the primary locking portion (8) relative to the collateral cavity (4), the rotation restricting tab (10) of the primary locking portion (8) adjacently faces the contact section (17) of the collateral cavity (4). In the meantime, the latching members (5) fit into the latching housings (7) and the secondary locking portion (12) advances to its final locked position as explained below.
The secondary locking portion (12) in the form of a horizontally positioned U-shaped structure comprises a pair of guiding portions (14) structured as triangular shape end portions at the ends of the parallel extensions of the U-form. The guiding portions (14) are slid past the respective blocking members (11) such that the blocking member (11) is fitted into a fixation gap (18) of the secondary locking portion (12). The linear surface of the guiding portion (14) inclined with respect to the horizontal (longitudinal) axis provides an ease of movement and ensures a simultaneous snap-fit locking connection between the opposite blocking members (11) and the corresponding fixation gaps (18). Therefore, the guiding portion (14) assists in correctly positioning the secondary locking portion (12) in forward direction.
A pair of restraining arms (13) extending out from the linear extensions of the U-form of the secondary locking portion (12) prevents movement of the secondary locking portion (12) in the reverse direction such that the respective blocking members (11) cannot be released from the fixation gaps (18) formed between the guiding portions (14) and the restraining arm (13), thereby ensuring interlocking of the flap operating portion (3) within the collateral cavity (4).
The inter-locking mechanism of the present invention provides a cost-effective and time-efficient mounting for sturdy attachment of the flap (2) to the refrigerator's (1) inner cabinet, enabling rotational movement of the flap (2) for accessing the stored food items inside the refrigeration compartment.
In summary, the present invention proposes a refrigerator (1) having an interior refrigeration cabin enclosed by a heat-insulating housing and a refrigeration cabin door, the refrigeration cabin comprising at least one storage division having a flap (2) closing the outer side thereof, the flap (2) in mechanical communication with two flap operating portions (3) is hingedly operated in open and closed positions by rotational movement relative to the flap operating portions (3).
According to the present invention, the flap operating portion (3) connectible with the flap (2) of the storage division is stationarily mountable into a collateral cavity (4) on a wall portion of the refrigeration cabin.
According to the present invention, the flap operating portion (3) comprises primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) in the form of raised edge surface forms positioned on a surface portion of the flap operating portion (3) facing the collateral cavity (4).
According to the present invention, the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) are disposed in a successive manner along a mounting axis, the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) engaging with the collateral cavity (4) in a simultaneously inter-locking manner during displacement of the flap operating portion (3) along the mounting axis. Rotational or out-of-axis displacement of the flap operating portion (3) is therefore avoided and simultaneous, preconfigured interlocking of the respective parts is ensured.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the surface portion of the flap operating portion (3) facing the collateral cavity (4) comprises a pair of latching members (5) situated along a surface line perpendicular to the mounting axis. The latching members (5) provide additional security as to the multiple-axis secure mounting of the flap operating portion (3).
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the latching members (5) protrude outwardly from the surface portion of the flap operating portion (3) in an opposite manner relative to each other in between the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12).
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the latching members (5) project in a symmetrically inclined manner with respect to the surface portion.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the latching members (5) are engageable with latching housings (7) of the collateral cavity (4), the latching housings (7) being positioned oppositely at two sides of the mounting axis along a line perpendicular thereto
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the flap operating portion (3) is linearly movable in the collateral cavity (4) in a mounting direction in the manner that the latching members (5) are fixedly secured into the latching housings (7).
According to the present invention, the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) are shaped as horizontally positioned substantially U-formed raised edge surface forms, the open side of the U-formed raised edge surface forms facing the mounting direction of the flap operating portion (3) on the mounting axis thereof.
According to the present invention, the primary locking portion (8) has a pair of rotation restricting tabs (10) projecting outwardly from around the base portion of the U-formed raised edge surface form.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the primary locking portion (8) has a pair of guiding extensions (9) formed by the parallel linear sections of the U-formed raised edge surface form.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, movement of the flap operating portion (3) in the mounting direction slides the primary locking portion's (8) guiding extensions (9) in contact with opposite blocking members (11) of the collateral cavity (4) until a respective rotation restricting tab (10) leans on a contact section (17) of the respective blocking member (11).
According to the present invention, the secondary locking portion (12) comprises a pair of guiding portions (14) structured as triangular shape end portions at the ends of the parallel extensions of the U-formed raised edge surface form.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the guiding portions (14) are slidable past a blocking member (11) of the collateral cavity (4) such that the blocking member (11) is fitted into a fixation gap (18) of the secondary locking portion (12).
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a pair of restraining arms (13) extending out from the linear extensions of the U-formed raised edge surface form prevents movement of the secondary locking portion (12) in the opposite direction of the mounting direction.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the fixation gaps (18) are formed between the guiding portions (14) and the restraining arms (13).
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the blocking members (11) are V-formed structures extending into the inner space of the collateral cavity (4) and positioned along the edges thereof in the form of opposite portions around both sides of the mounting axis.
The present invention therefore provides an improved installation of a flap operating portion (3) to ensure stable mounting of a rotatable flap (2) inside a refrigerator (1). Multiple-axis fixation of the flap operating portion (3) is ensured by the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) in the same time preventing rotational or out-of-axis displacement of the flap operating portion (3). The flap operating portion (3) can hence be displaced only on the mounting axis and only in the mounting direction.

Claims

A refrigerator (1) having an interior refrigeration cabin enclosed by a heat-5 insulating housing and a refrigeration cabin door, the refrigeration cabin comprising at least one storage division having a flap (2) closing the outer side thereof, the flap (2) in mechanical communication with two flap operating portions (3) is hingedly operated in open and closed positions by rotational movement relative to the flap operating portions (3) wherein,
- the flap operating portions (3) connectible with the flap (2) of the storage division are stationarily mounted into collateral cavities (4) on lateral walls of the refrigeration cabin,

- each of the flap operating portion (3) comprises primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) in the form of raised edge surface forms positioned on a surface portion of the flap operating portion (3) facing a collateral cavity (4), the refrigerator being characterised in that

- the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) are disposed in a successive manner along a mounting axis, the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) engaging with the collateral cavity (4) in a simultaneously inter-locking manner during displacement of the flap operating portion (3) along the mounting axis and in that the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12) are shaped as horizontally positioned substantially U-formed raised edge surface forms, the open side of the U-formed raised edge surface forms facing a mounting direction of the flap operating portion (3) on the mounting axis thereof and a pair of rotation restricting tabs (10) projecting outwardly from around the base portion of the U-shaped primary locking portion (8) cooperate with a first pair of blocking members (11) of the collateral cavity (4) and a pair of guiding portions (14) structured as triangular shape end portions at the ends of the parallel extensions of the U-formed raised edge surface form of the secondary locking portion (12) cooperates with a second pair of blocking members (11) of the collateral cavity (4).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the surface portion of the flap operating portion (3) facing the collateral cavity (4) comprises a pair of latching members (5) situated along a surface line perpendicular to the mounting axis.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 2, characterized in that the latching members (5) protrude outwardly from the surface portion of the flap operating portion (3) in an opposite manner relative to each other in between the primary and secondary locking portions (8, 12).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 3, characterized in that the latching members (5) project in a symmetrically inclined manner with respect to the surface portion.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the latching members (5) are engageable with latching housings (7) of the collateral cavity (4), the latching housings (7) being positioned oppositely at two sides of the mounting axis along a line perpendicular thereto
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 5, characterized in that the flap operating portion (3) is linearly movable in the collateral cavity (4) in a mounting direction in the manner that the latching members (5) are fixedly secured into the latching housings (7).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the primary locking portion (8) has a pair of guiding extensions (9) formed by the parallel linear sections of the U-formed raised edge surface form.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that movement of the flap operating portion (3) in the mounting direction slides the primary locking portion's (8) guiding extensions (9) in contact with opposite blocking members (11) of the collateral cavity (4) until a respective rotation restricting tab (10) leans on a contact section (17) of the respective blocking member (11).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the guiding portions (14) are slidable past a blocking member (11) of the collateral cavity (4) such that the blocking member (11) is fitted into a fixation gap (18) of the secondary locking portion (12).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 9, characterized in that a pair of restraining arms (13) extending out from the linear extensions of the U-formed raised edge surface form prevents movement of the secondary locking portion (12) in the opposite direction of the mounting direction.
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the fixation gaps (18) are formed between the guiding portions (14) and the restraining arms (13).
A refrigerator (1) as in Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the blocking members (11) are V-formed structures extending into the inner space of the collateral cavity (4) and positioned along the edges thereof in the form of opposite portions around both sides of the mounting axis.