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(11) | EP 2 638 346 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
A REFRIGERATOR KÜHLSCHRANK RÉFRIGÉRATEUR |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising a switch that controls if the door is open or closed.
[0002] Whether or not the doors used in refrigerators are closed, is detected by means of position sensing switches disposed on the inner liners of the body and actuated by the pressure exerted thereon by the door. The switch actuated by the movement of the door transmits a signal to the control unit. The control unit controls the processes which are required to be performed, according to the signal received from the switch. For example, the inside of the body that is desired to be illuminated when the door is open and the lamp disposed in the body is activated by the control unit, when the door is opened.
[0003] The door is generally produced by the method of joining two pieces, an inner liner disposed on the inner side of the door and produced from plastic material, and an outer wall disposed on the outer side of the door and produced from sheet metal material. The heat insulating material is injected between the inner liner and the outer wall in order to provide heat insulation. The position sensing switch is actuated by means of the actuator extending from the inner liner outwards, aligning with above the switch when the door is closed. The actuator presses on the switch while the door is closed. The inner liner is produced by means of the thermoforming mould, and the wall thickness of the actuator produced integrated with the inner liner is thinner than the wall thickness of the inner liner. Deformations occur on the actuator due in course, since the actuator rubs the switch, during opening/closing of the door. Increase in deformation can lead to results such as tearing of the actuator surface. If the actuator surface is torn, problems occur such as the switch not being actuated and the position of the door cannot be detected. This situation requires the whole door to be changed and hence the maintenance costs increase.
[0004] In the state of the art Application No. US20050045457, a door switch actuating structure for a refrigerator is described.
JP 2001 201252 A discloses a refrigerator door having a flange uprising perpendicularly from the door plane for activating a switch for detecting whether the refrigerator door is open or closed, wherein the switch has a push button operable in a direction perpendicular to the refrigerator door in closed position. EP 1 816 421 A2 and JP 59 096597 disclose also a switch activated by a flange uprising perpendicularly from a door plane of a refrigerator wherein the switch has a push button operable in a direction perpendicular to the refrigerator door in closed position. US 6,150,622 discloses a refrigerator with a door having a shoulder that is activating a switch with its outer surface, wherein the switch has a push button operable in a direction parallel to the refrigerator door in closed position.
[0005] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a refrigerator having a door the excepted life of which is increased.
[0006] The refrigerator realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises at least one door having an inner liner, a switch disposed on the body, providing the open or closed states of the door to be detected, an actuator disposed on the inner liner, providing the switch to be actuated by contacting the switch when the door is closed. In the refrigerator of the present invention, furthermore, at least one strengthener is disposed on the actuator increasing the strength of the actuator. Since the strengthener increases the strength of the actuator, the actuator is prevented from wearing out in time due to frictions between the switch and the actuator during the opening/closing of the door. Thus, the expected life of the actuator and hence of the door are increased.
[0007] In the present invention, the actuator is arranged on one of two flanges disposed on two opposite sides of the inner liner and on which door shelves are mounted.
[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener is in form of a transverse channel. By means of this embodiment, the production of strengtheners is facilitated and the strength of the actuator is increased by the production technique which is applied in a simple way
[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener is in form of a longitudinal channel.
[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener is in form of a circular recess.
[0011] By means of the present invention, the actuator actuating the switch during opening/closing of the door, is prevented from being deformed, thus the expected life of the door is increased.
[0012] A refrigerator realized to fulfill the object of the present invention is illustrated in the attached claims, where:
Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a refrigerator.
Figure 2 - is the perspective view of a door in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 - is the cross-sectional view of detail A in Figure 2.
Figure 4 - is the perspective view of a door in another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 - is the cross-sectional view of detail B in Figure 4.
Figure 6 - is the perspective view of a door in another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 - is the cross-sectional view of detail C in Figure 6.
[0013] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:
- 1. Refrigerator
- 2. Body
- 3. Opening
- 4. Flange
- 5. Inner liner
- 6. Door
- 7. Switch
- 8. Actuator
- 9. Strengthener
[0014] The refrigerator (1) of the present invention comprises a body (2), at least one opening (3) disposed on the body (2), at least one door (6) having an inner liner (5) produced from plastic material, covering the opening (3) when closed, a switch (7) disposed on the body (2) in the vicinity of the opening (3), and an actuator (8) disposed on the inner liner (5), actuating the switch (7) by pressing on the switch (7) when the door (6) is closed (Figure 1).
[0015] During the production of the door (6), the inner liner (5) is produced by means of a thermoforming mould and heat insulating material such as polyurethane etc. is poured over the inner wall of the inner liner (5). The inner liner (5) is provided to be joined with the outer wall by covering the outer wall on the inner liner (5), onto the inner surface of which polyurethane is poured and hence the door (6) production is realized. The door (6) is provided to be opened/closed by being hinged from one edge to the body (2).
[0016] The actuator (8) is produced integrated with the inner liner (5) and extends from the inner liner (5) outwards. The actuator (8) is positioned on the inner liner (5) so as to align with above the switch (7), when the door (6) is closed. For example, if the switch (7) is arranged on the inner side of the lateral wall of the body (2) to which the door (6) is attached, the actuator (8) extends from the lateral edge of the inner liner (5) outwards. When the door (6) is closed, the actuator (8) provides the switch (7) to be actuated by contacting the switch (7) and pushing the switch (7). When the switch (7) is actuated, the information that the door (6) is closed, is delivered by transmitting a signal to the control unit.
[0017] The refrigerator (1) of the present invention, furthermore comprises at least one strengthener (9) disposed on the actuator (8) increasing the strength of the actuator (8) (Figure 2 - Figure 7). The strengthener (9) prevents deformations from forming on the actuator (8) due to frictions between the switch (7) and the actuator (8) during the opening/closing of the door (6) by increasing the strength of the actuator (8). The actuator (8) is prevented from being damaged due to the long time usage of the door (6) by means of the strengthener (9). Thus, the expected life of the door (6) is increased and the cost advantage is provided by reducing maintenance costs.
[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator (1) comprises two flanges (4) disposed on two opposite sides of the inner liner (5), on which the door shelves are mounted, and the actuator (8) disposed on the outer surface of the flange (4). Since the flanges (4) are the first portion extending into the body (2), while the door (6) is closed, the actuation of the switch (7) by means of actuator (8) is facilitated.
[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener (9) is in form of a transverse channel (Figure 2 and Figure 3). The strengthener (9) is formed on the actuator (8) by means of the form created preferably on the mould surface during the production of the actuator (8). The strength of the actuator (8) is increased by means of the said strengtheners (9) formed in a simple and easy way.
[0020] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener (9) is in form of a longitudinal channel (Figure 4 and Figure 5). The strengtheners (9) arranged preferably side by side on the surface of the actuator (8), that contacts the switch (7) extend from the lower end of the said surface to the upper end thereof.
[0021] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener (9) is in form of a circular recess (Figure 6 and Figure 7). Thus, the strength of the actuator (8) is increased by means of the strengthener (9), and the actuator (8) is provided to have a more esthetic appearance as well.
[0022] In another embodiment of the present invention, the strengthener (9) is in form of a protrusion.
[0023] By means of the present invention, the strength of the actuator (8) is increased by means of the strengthener (9) disposed on the actuator (8) that actuates the switch (7) detecting if the door (6) is open or closed. Thus, the expected life of the door (6) is increased by preventing deformations from forming on the actuator (8) due to the long time usage.
- a body (2),
- at least one opening (3) disposed on the body (2),
- at least one door (6) having an inner liner (5) produced from plastic material, covering the opening (3) when closed,
- a switch (7) disposed on the body (2) in the vicinity of the opening (3),
- two flanges (4) disposed on two opposite sides of the inner liner (5), on which door shelves are mounted,
- an actuator (8) disposed on the inner liner (5) that actuates the switch (7) by pressing on the switch (7) when the door (6) is closed, characterized in that the actuator (8) is disposed on the outer surface of the flange (4) and protruding from the outer surface of the flange (4), and in that at least one strengthener (9) is disposed on the actuator (8) increasing the strength of the actuator (8).
- einen Körper (2),
- mindestens eine Öffnung (3), die auf dem Körper (2) angeordnet ist,
- mindestens eine Tür (6) mit einer Innenauskleidung (5), die aus Kunststoffmaterial hergestellt ist und die Öffnung (3) im geschlossenen Zustand bedeckt,
- mindestens einen Schalter (7), die auf dem Körper (2) in der Nähe der Öffnung (3) angeordnet ist,
- zwei Flansche (4), die auf zwei gegenüberliegenden Seiten der Innenauskleidung (5) angeordnet ist, auf denen die Türablagen angebracht sind,
- einen Aktuator (8), der auf dem Innenauskleidung (5) angeordnet ist, die beim Schließen der Tür (6) den Schalter (7) durch Drücken auf den Schalter (7) betätigt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Aktuator (8) an der Außenfläche des Flansches (4) angeordnet ist und aus der Außenfläche des Flansches (4) herausragt, und
- dass mindestens ein Verstärker (9) auf dem Aktuator (8) angeordnet ist, der die Festigkeit des Aktuators (8) erhöht.
- un corps (2),
- au moins une ouveture (3) situé sur le corps (2),
- au moins une porte (6) ayant un revêtement interne (5) réalisé en matière plastique, recouvrant l'ouverture (3) lorsqu'elle est fermée,
- un commutateur (7) disposé sur le corps (2) au voisinage de l'ouverture (3),
- deux brides (4) disposées sur deux côtés opposés du revêtement interne (5), sur lesquels sont montées les étagères de porte,
- un actionneur (8) disposé sur le revêtement interne (5) qui actionne le commutateur (7) en appuyant sur le commutateur (7) lorsque la porte (6) est fermée, caractérisé en ce que l'actionneur (8) est disposé sur la surface extérieure de la bride (4) et fait saillie de la surface extérieure de la bride (4), et
- en ce qu 'au moins un renforçateur (9) est disposé sur l'actionneur (8) augmentant la résistance de l'actionneur (8).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description