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(11) | EP 1 426 537 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Electric household appliance door opening device |
| (57) An electric household appliance (1) has a main body (2); a door (3) hinged to the
main body (2); and an opening device (4), which is fitted to the door (3), and has
a handle (9) hinged about a first axis (14), a pusher (10) connected to the handle
(9) and for detaching the door (3) from the main body (2), and a member (29) for emitting
an acoustic signal; the acoustic signal being emitted by operation of the opening
device (4). |
[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a refrigerator door opening device, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
[0003] A refrigerator normally comprises a refrigeration compartment defined by a main body, and by a door hinged to the main body and having an annular seal which rests against a metal edge of the main body. The seal houses magnet portions which adhere to the metal edge of the main body to lock the door in the closed position. With a locking device of this type, the magnetic force of attraction between the door and the main body, and at times even the resistance of the suction cup effect of the seal, must be overcome when opening the door. Considerable force may therefore be required to detach the door from the main body, thus resulting in the door jerking open, by opening immediately once the initial resistance is overcome.
[0004] To eliminate this drawback, refrigerator doors are fitted with opening devices. One such device is described in Patent US 2,659,115, and comprises a handle hinged to the refrigerator door; and a pusher, which is movable with respect to the refrigerator door, is hinged to the handle, and rests against the edge of the main body to detach the door from the edge. Appropriately designed, the handle and pusher form a lever mechanism by which to detach the door with very little effort. The above patent, in fact, describes a basic principle, variations of which have been applied in various types of refrigerator door opening devices.
[0005] While indeed eliminating the above drawback by making refrigerator doors easier to open, devices of the above type may result in accidental opening of the door, which may remain open for long periods of time.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric household appliance door opening device designed to eliminate the drawbacks of the known state of the art.
[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided an opening device for opening a door of an electric household appliance, wherein the electric household appliance comprises a main body and a door hinged to said main body; the opening device being supported by said door, and comprising a handle hinged about a first axis, and a pusher connected to said handle and for detaching the door from said main body; the opening device being characterized by comprising emitting means for emitting a signal; emission of said signal being determined by operation of said opening device.
[0008] A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described purely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a refrigerator equipped with an opening device in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a larger-scale section, with parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 opening device in a rest position;
Figure 3 shows a larger-scale section, with parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 opening device in a work position;
Figure 4 shows a larger-scale view in perspective of a detail of the Figure 2 opening device;
Figures 5, 6 and 7 show sections of the Figure 4 detail in three different positions.
[0009] Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a refrigerator comprising a main body 2; a door 3 hinged to main body 2; and an opening device 4 for opening door 3. Main body 2 defines an inner cavity with door 3, and comprises a metal edge 5 (Figures 2 and 3) along which door 3 rests in the closed position (Figure 2). Door 3 supports device 4, and is hinged to main body 2 about an axis (not shown) parallel to a direction D1 and located on the opposite side to device 4. With reference to Figure 2, door 3 comprises an outer face 6; and an inner face 7, along which extends an annular seal G cooperating with edge 5. Seal G contains magnets M which generate a force of attraction between door 3 and edge 5 to keep door 3 in the closed position.
[0010] Device 4 comprises a shell-shaped supporting frame 8 located partly between faces 6 and 7 of door 3; a handle 9 extending in front of outer face 6; a pusher 10 projecting from inner face 7 towards edge 5; and a transmission mechanism 11 between handle 9 and pusher 10. Frame 8 comprises a channel 12, through which pusher 10 extends; comprises an arm 13 projecting from face 6 and supporting handle 9 about a horizontal axis 14; and supports transmission mechanism 11 and pusher 10. Handle 9 defines a lever comprising an arm 15, which is substantially parallel to face 6, extends vertically beneath axis 14, and defines the grip of handle 9; and an arm 16, which is substantially perpendicular to face 6, is much shorter than arm 15, and has a surface 17 mating with mechanism 11. Arms 15 and 16 are connected rigidly to each other at axis 14. Pusher 10 extends perpendicularly to face 7, is supported at a first end by transmission mechanism 11 and at a second end by a guide 18 fitted along face 7 of door 3, and comprises a head 19 connected to the second end of pusher 10 and cooperating with guide 18.
[0011] With reference to Figure 4, mechanism 11 comprises a lever 20 defined by an arm 21 perpendicular to face 6, an arm 22 parallel to face 6, and a pin 23 parallel to axis 14 and which connects arms 21 and 22 and defines an axis 24 of rotation of lever 20. Arm 21 has a surface 25 which mates with surface 17 of arm 16 (Figure 2), and arm 22 is connected to pusher 10 by a pin 26 defining an axis 27 parallel to axis 14. Mechanism 11 also comprises a spring 28 (Figures 2 and 3); and a member 29 cooperating with pin 26. With reference to Figures 2 and 3, spring 28 is housed in a seat 30 of arm 22 and in a seat 31 of frame 8 to keep pusher 10 in the rest position shown in Figure 2.
[0012] With reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7, member 29 comprises a C-shaped support 32 fixed to frame 8 and having a seat 33 housing a ball 34 retained inside seat 33 by a spring 35. Seat 33 has a hole smaller in diameter than ball 34, so that ball 34 projects partly through seat 33. Pin 26 is located beneath seat 33 and interferes with ball 34 when pusher 10 is moved.
[0013] In actual use, when handle 9 is rotated clockwise, in Figure 2, about axis 14, as of the Figure 2 configuration with door 3 closed, door 3 is detached from main body 2 (Figure 3) and, at the same time, an acoustic signal is emitted. Clockwise rotation of handle 9 rotates lever 20 anticlockwise, and pusher 10 moves forward with respect to door 3 against main body 2 to detach door 3 from main body 2. With reference to Figure 5, ball 34 is located inside seat 33, and pin 26 is located to the left of ball 34. With reference to Figure 6, operation of device 4 produces a sliding movement of pusher 10, and pin 26 contacts ball 34 and pushes ball 34 upwards in opposition to spring 35. As pusher 10 and pin 26 move further forward (Figure 7), pin 26 no longer interferes with ball 34, which is clicked back into seat 33 by spring 35 and emits the acoustic signal. When handle 9 is released, spring 28 restores handle 9, pusher 10, and mechanism 11 to the original position. And, as it moves back, pin 26 again interferes with ball 34 to emit the acoustic signal.
[0014] Since the back and forth travel of pusher 10 and pin 26 normally takes place in rapid succession, the acoustic signal has the characteristic click-clack sound typical of a lock.
1. An opening device for opening a door (3) of an electric household appliance (1), wherein
the electric household appliance (1) comprises a main body (2) and a door (3) hinged
to said main body (2); the opening device (4) being supported by said door (3), and
comprising a handle (9) hinged about a first axis (14), and a pusher (10) connected
to said handle (9) and for detaching the door (3) from said main body (2); the opening
device (4) being characterized by comprising emitting means (29) for emitting a signal; emission of said signal being
determined by operation of said opening device (4).
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that emission of said signal depends on the movement of said pusher.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said emitting means (29) are emitting means (29) for emitting an acoustic signal.
4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said handle (9) is connected to said pusher (10) by a transmission mechanism (11);
said emitting means (29) cooperating with said transmission mechanism (11).
5. A device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said emitting means (29) comprise a spring (35) which is compressed by operation
of said pusher (10).
6. A device as claimed in Claim 5, characterized by comprising a seat (33) housing a striking body (34) pushed by said spring (35) inside
said seat (33); the acoustic signal being emitted by said striking body (34) clicking
inside said seat (33).
7. A device as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that said seat (33) is defined by a ring, and said striking body (34) by a ball; said
pusher (10) being connected to a pin (26) which pushes said ball (34) out of said
seat (34) during part of the travel of said pusher (10).
8. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said first axis (14) is horizontal.
9. A device as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that the handle (9) comprises a first arm (15), which extends beneath said first axis
(14) and defines the grip of said handle (9).
10. A device as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that the handle (9) comprises a second arm (16), which is substantially perpendicular
to the first arm (15) and located over said first axis (14).
11. A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that the handle (9) is connected to the pusher (10) by a transmission mechanism (11) comprising
a lever (20) rotating about a second axis (24) parallel to the first axis (14).
12. A device as claimed in Claim 11, characterized in that said lever (20) comprises a third and a fourth arm (21, 22) inclined with respect
to each other; the end of the third arm (21) cooperating with the second arm (16)
of the handle (9), and the end of the fourth arm (22) being hinged about a third axis
(27) to the pusher (10).
13. A device as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said lever (20) comprises a first pin (23); the third and fourth arm (21, 22) being
fitted to said first pin (23) at a given distance from each other along said second
axis (24).
14. A device as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said fourth arm (22) is connected to said pusher (10) by a third pin (26).
15. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that said pusher (10) comprises a head (19) sliding inside a guide (18) fitted to said
door (3).
16. A refrigerator comprising a main body (2); and a door (3) hinged to the main body
(2) and having a seal (G) and magnets (M) for keeping the door (3) in the closed position;
the refrigerator being characterized by comprising an opening device (4) as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 15.