EP3742090A1 - Ensemble de poignée intégrée pour porte de réfrigérateur - Google Patents

Ensemble de poignée intégrée pour porte de réfrigérateur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3742090A1
EP3742090A1 EP19176049.5A EP19176049A EP3742090A1 EP 3742090 A1 EP3742090 A1 EP 3742090A1 EP 19176049 A EP19176049 A EP 19176049A EP 3742090 A1 EP3742090 A1 EP 3742090A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
door
handle
guiding ribs
handle assembly
integrated
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP19176049.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3742090B1 (fr
Inventor
Kamil Dzik
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Corp filed Critical Whirlpool Corp
Priority to EP19176049.5A priority Critical patent/EP3742090B1/fr
Publication of EP3742090A1 publication Critical patent/EP3742090A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3742090B1 publication Critical patent/EP3742090B1/fr
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D23/00—General constructional features
    • F25D23/02—Doors; Covers
    • F25D23/028—Details

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to refrigerator appliances and in particular to a refrigerator appliance with an improved door opening device.
  • US 7984955 discloses a refrigerator with a recessed handle of the type above.
  • a recess is formed in any one of an upper portion and lower portion of a door and a shield is mounted at a front surface of the door, thus defining a handle.
  • the shield also has an aesthetic function in that it contributes to the aesthetic appearance of the door.
  • a door opening device is mounted in the recessed handle and is hidden by the shield.
  • the shield may either be made as a separate component mounted to the door, or integrally formed with the front wall of the door.
  • door-integrated handles comprising a sheet-metal member formed by bending starting from a flat plate in order to obtain a U-shaped profile to be fitted in a door cavity.
  • the technical problem underlying and solved by the present invention is therefore to provide a refrigerator appliance with a recessed door handle that allows to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the prior art.
  • An idea of solution underlying the invention is to provide a door-integrated handle assembly comprising a handle element and a cover element configured to be assembled to one another by way of a combination of snap-fit connectors, as well as guiding ribs.
  • the snap-fit connectors comprise a plurality of tabs with respective slots formed on one between the cover element and the handle element, as well as a plurality of teeth formed on the other one between the handle element and the cover element.
  • the teeth are received in the slots in an assembled configuration of the door-integrated handle element.
  • the guiding ribs are formed on side portions of the handle element and the cover element and behave as rails easing assembly of the cover element onto the handle element and restraining the side portions of the former.
  • This configuration allows to easily and precisely fit the cover element onto the handle element and snap it to the latter only when assembly is substantially complete.
  • a door-integrated handle assembly according to the invention is generally indicated by reference number 100.
  • the door-integrated handle assembly 100 is shown mounted on a refrigerator door D of a refrigerator appliance (not shown), e.g. a bottom-mount refrigerator type, and is associated with the lower edge of the door.
  • a refrigerator appliance e.g. a bottom-mount refrigerator type
  • the door-integrated handle assembly 100 is shown with reference to a three-dimensional coordinate system.
  • a first axis X and a second axis Y that are mutually perpendicular define a horizontal plane, while a third axis Z defines a vertical axis along which the force of gravity acts.
  • the door-integrated handle assembly 100 comprises a handle element 110 and a cover element 120 that is configured to be attached to the handle element 110.
  • the handle element 110 may be configured as a top or bottom closing element of the door D, defining a cavity to be filled with an insulating foam together with a front wall, a rear wall and a further closing element arranged at the opposite end of the door in the vertical direction Z.
  • the handle element 110 extends from the end of the appliance door in the vertical direction Z and includes a cavity 111 where a user can put his/her hand to pull the door open and/or to close it.
  • the cavity 111 extends in a longitudinal direction X for almost the whole length of the handle element 110, thus offering a user a wide space to put a hand without any specific space or position restriction.
  • the cavity 111 is formed in a body 112 of the handle element 110.
  • An end portion 113 of the body 112 in the vertical direction Z forms an appendix configured to be coupled to a front wall and a rear wall of the refrigerator door D to define the cavity intended to receive the insulating foam.
  • a plurality of guiding ribs 114 are formed along the periphery of the body 112.
  • the cover element 120 is configured as a fascia having a front portion 121 extending in the longitudinal direction X and side portions 122, 123 extending at the ends of the front portion 121 in a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and to the vertical direction Z.
  • the cover element 120 has an aesthetic function in that it is meant to be mounted on the periphery of the handle element 110 to provide a smooth surface substantially flush with the surface of the front wall of the refrigerator door D.
  • first and second snap-fit connectors having matching shapes are formed along the front sides of the handle element 110 and of the cover element 120.
  • the first snap-fit connectors may e.g. comprise a plurality of tabs 124 with respective slots 125 formed on the surface of the front portion 121 intended to face the handle element 110.
  • the second snap-fit connectors may e.g. comprise teeth 115 formed on the handle element 110 in the vertical direction at positions corresponding to the positions of the tabs 124. In an assembled configuration of the door-integrated handle element 100, the teeth 115 are received in the slots 125.
  • two rows of tabs may advantageously be formed on the cover element 120 at its top and bottom edges in the vertical direction Z.
  • Two rows of teeth are correspondingly formed in the top and bottom edges of the handle element 110.
  • the tabs might alternatively be formed on the handle element 110 and that the teeth might be formed on the cover element 120.
  • snap-fit connectors do not only encompass slotted tabs and teeth described above, but also equivalent components such as e.g. hooks, latches and the like.
  • further anchoring means are associated with side portions 122, 123 of the cover element 120 as well as with side portions of the handle element 110.
  • first guiding ribs 116 are formed along the sides of the handle element 110 in the transverse direction Y and second guiding ribs 126 are correspondingly formed along each side portion of the cover element 120.
  • the first guiding ribs 116 of the handle element 110 are spaced apart from the body 112 in the longitudinal direction X so as to define rails adapted to receive the second guiding ribs 126 of the cover element 120 during assembly. This allows to keep the side portions 122, 123 of the cover element 120 flush with the door sides and to compensate possible deformations of the cover element 120 deriving from its manufacturing process.
  • the guiding ribs 116 of the handle portion 110 and those of the cover portion 120 may advantageously feature an L-shaped cross-section, which improves their robustness and ensures a higher assembly precision.
  • two parallel guiding ribs are formed on each side of the handle element 110 as well as of the cover element 120. This configuration offers the advantage of a more precise assembly in the vertical direction Z.
  • the cover element 120 may be made of the same or a different material compared to the front wall of the refrigerator door and may have the same or a different finishing and/or texture.
  • a door opening device may be associated with in the door-integrated handle element 100 and housed in the handle element 110.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Refrigerator Housings (AREA)
EP19176049.5A 2019-05-22 2019-05-22 Porte de réfrigérateur Active EP3742090B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19176049.5A EP3742090B1 (fr) 2019-05-22 2019-05-22 Porte de réfrigérateur

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19176049.5A EP3742090B1 (fr) 2019-05-22 2019-05-22 Porte de réfrigérateur

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3742090A1 true EP3742090A1 (fr) 2020-11-25
EP3742090B1 EP3742090B1 (fr) 2023-06-14

Family

ID=66647040

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19176049.5A Active EP3742090B1 (fr) 2019-05-22 2019-05-22 Porte de réfrigérateur

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3742090B1 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040094560A1 (en) * 2002-11-18 2004-05-20 Maytag Corporation Refrigerator handle mounting arrangement
JP2006194545A (ja) * 2005-01-14 2006-07-27 Toshiba Corp 冷蔵庫扉
US7984955B2 (en) 2008-10-28 2011-07-26 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Refrigerator door opening device and refrigerator having the same
DE102010028414A1 (de) * 2010-04-30 2011-11-03 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Kältegerät aufweisend ein Türblatt mit Griffschale

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2008216999B2 (en) * 2007-10-25 2014-11-13 Aktiebolaget Electrolux A Handle Assembly
US8732910B1 (en) * 2013-02-28 2014-05-27 General Electric Companmy Appliance handle assembly
WO2016177428A1 (fr) * 2015-05-06 2016-11-10 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi Ensemble formant poignée de porte destiné à être utilisé dans un réfrigérateur

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040094560A1 (en) * 2002-11-18 2004-05-20 Maytag Corporation Refrigerator handle mounting arrangement
JP2006194545A (ja) * 2005-01-14 2006-07-27 Toshiba Corp 冷蔵庫扉
US7984955B2 (en) 2008-10-28 2011-07-26 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Refrigerator door opening device and refrigerator having the same
DE102010028414A1 (de) * 2010-04-30 2011-11-03 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Kältegerät aufweisend ein Türblatt mit Griffschale

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3742090B1 (fr) 2023-06-14

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