TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a home appliance having a body in cabinet form;
a lateral panel of the body; a one-piece base tab at the bottom part of the lateral
panel; and a hinge plate connected to the base tab.
THE KNOWN STATE OF THE ART
[0002] In home appliances like cooling device and oven embodied in cabinet form, hinges
are utilized connected to the cabinet body from the bottom and top of the door. The
hinge plates provide the connection between the lateral panels of the home appliances
and the hinges. The connection between the hinge plates and the lateral panel is provided
by means of methods like welding, using connection member and riveting.
[0003] In the utility model
CN202048744, a home appliance connection structure is illustrated. Said home appliance connection
structure comprises a lower border strip, a hinge plate fixedly connected with the
lower border strip, a side plate which is fixed with the hinge plate, and a lower
hinge which is fixed to the lower border strip, the hinge plate and the side plate.
In the home appliance connecting structure and the home appliance provided by the
utility model, the hinge plate and the side plate are riveted and assembled through
rivets, and the lower border strip, the hinge plate and the side plate are fixed with
the lower hinge through the rivets so that the assembling process is simple, and the
cost is relatively low.
[0004] In the patent application
US5408725, a hinge assembly for the door of a home appliance; comprises a hinge plate that
is secured to a cabinet by passing a plurality of fasteners through the hinge plate.
The hinge plate includes a load bearing surface supporting a pivot pin defining a
pivot axis for the door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention relates to a novel hinge plate, in order to eliminate the abovementioned
problems and to bring new advantages to the related technical field.
[0006] The main object of the present invention is to provide a hinge plate where the production
cost and the assembly duration are decreased and where the fixation and centering
performance is improved during the assembly of the door to the body of the home appliance.
[0007] In order to realize said object and the objects which are to be deducted from the
detailed description below, the present invention is a home appliance having a body
in cabinet form; a lateral panel of the body; a one-piece base tab at the bottom part
of the lateral panel; and a hinge plate connected to the base tab. Accordingly, said
home appliance is characterized by comprising at least one assembly gap configured
so as to connect the hinge plate and the base tab by means of the snap-fit method,
said assembly gap provided in the region where the base tab and the hinge plate are
connected; said home appliance also comprising at least one connection tab disposed
within the assembly gap.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the assembly gap is provided
on the hinge plate, and the connection tab is provided on the base tab so as to correspond
to the assembly gap. Thus, the connection of the hinge plate to the lateral panel
is provided.
[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hinge plate comprises
an assembly latch whereon the assembly gap is provided. Thus, a resilience is obtained
while the assembly latch, is passing to the assembly gap of the connection tab.
[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base tab comprises
a housing whereon the connection tab is embodied and the hinge plate comprises a housing
passage opening through which the housing passes. Thus, the strength of the region
where the connection tab is provided is improved, and assembly is facilitated.
[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, two channels are provided
on both sides of the assembly latch, and two lateral edges are provided such that
the housing is disposed to the channels. Thus, a rigid structure of the housing is
provided.
[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hinge plate comprises
a base and an assembly wall coinciding with the lateral panel at the continuation
of the base. Thus, the strength of the hinge plate is improved.
[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing passage opening
is embodied at the region where the base of the hinge plate and the assembly wall
are intersecting. Thus, the housing and the assembly latch is aligned with ease.
[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body is a heat-insulated
body and the home appliance is a cooling device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015] In Figure 1, the perspective view of a cooling device with the subject matter hinge
plate is given.
[0016] In Figure 2a, a cross sectional view of the lateral panel the hinge plate is connected
thereto is given.
[0017] In Figure 2b, a general view of the dismantled form of the subject matter hinge plate
is given.
[0018] In Figure 3a, a general view of the subject matter hinge plate is given, where the
subject matter hinge plate is assembled to the lateral panel.
[0019] In Figure 3b, a cross sectional view of the subject matter hinge plate is given,
where the subject matter hinge plate is assembled to the lateral panel.
REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0020]
- 10
- Cooling device
- 11
- Body
- 12
- Lateral panel
- 121
- Base tab
- 122
- Housing
- 123
- Lateral edge
- 124
- Connection tab
- 125
- Lateral bent part
- 126
- Opening
- 20
- Hinge plate
- 21
- Base
- 211
- Assembly latch
- 212
- Housing passage opening
- 213
- Channel
- 214
- Assembly gap
- 22
- Assembly wall
- 23
- Lateral wall
- 231
- Tab
THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] In this detailed description, the subject matter of the invention is explained with
references to examples without forming any restrictive effect in order to make the
subject more understandable.
[0022] In the detailed description below, the subject matter of the invention is described
to be applied on a body (11) of a cooling device (10).
[0023] In Figure 1, the representative view where a hinge plate (20) is assembled onto a
lateral panel (12) on the body (11) of the cooling device (10) is given. A hinge plate
(20) is assembled horizontally with respect to the lateral panel (12).
[0024] In Figure 2a, the lateral panel (12) comprises a base tab (121); and two housings
(122) provided on the base tab (121). The housings (122) comprise two each lateral
edges (123) and one each inclined connection tab (124) provided in the middle sides
thereof.
[0025] In Figure 2b, the dismantled view of the hinge plate (20) on the lateral panel (12)
is given. The hinge plate (20) comprises a base (21); a lateral wall (23) having a
tab (231) extending in a horizontal manner on the base (21); and an assembly wall
(22) embodied so as to overlap with the lateral panel (12). The hinge plate (20) is
cut in hypotenuse form on the side thereof corresponding to the assembly wall (22);
and the hinge plate (20) has a form similar to a trapezoid. Two assembly latches (211)
are embodied from the base (21) towards the assembly wall (22) such that there is
a certain distance in between, and there are channels (213) on the lateral sides of
the assembly latches (211). There is an assembly gap (214) in the middle of the assembly
latches (211). In the place where the assembly wall (22) and the base (21) are joining,
one each housing passage opening (212) is embodied at the continuation of the assembly
latches (211). The housing passage openings (212) are extending on the assembly wall
(22) at a height where the housings (122) will enter.
[0026] In Figure 3a, a vertical lateral bent part (125) of the lateral panel (12) and a
vertical opening (126) is illustrated formed on the lateral bent part (125). A gap
(not illustrated in the figure) is formed wherein the hinge plate (20) can be placed
at the point where the base tab (121 ) of the lateral panel (12) and the vertical
lateral bent part (125) will join.
[0027] In Figure 3a and Figure 3b, the assembled form of the hinge plate (20) on the lateral
panel (12) is illustrated. The housing (122) is passing through the housing passage
opening (212) such that the assembly wall (22) of the hinge plate (20) is coinciding
with the lateral panel (12), and the lateral edges (123) of the housing (122) are
placed into the channels (213). The connection tab (124) of the housing (122) is placed
into the assembly gap (214). Thus, the hinge plate (20) is locked with the lateral
panel (12). While the hinge plate (20) is in assembled state, the lateral tab (231),
provided on the lateral wall (23), is placed to the gap at the bottom part of the
lateral bent part (125) of the lateral panel (12). The connection between the hinge
plate (20) and the lateral panel (12) is in snap-fit form.
[0028] The protection scope of the present invention is set forth in the annexed claims
and can not be restricted to the illustrative disclosures given above, under the detailed
description. It is because a person skilled in the relevant art can obviously produce
similar embodiments under the light of the foregoing disclosures, without departing
from the main principles of the present invention.
1. A home appliance particularly a cooling device (10), having a body (11) in cabinet
form; a lateral panel (12) of the body (11); a one-piece base tab (121 ) at the bottom
part of the lateral panel (12); and a hinge plate (20) connected to the base tab (121);
characterized by comprising at least one assembly gap (214) configured in a manner to connect the
hinge plate (20) and the base tab (121 ) by means of the snap-fit method, the assembly
gap (214) provided in the region where the base tab (121 ) and the hinge plate (20)
are connected; the home appliance also comprising at least one connection tab (124)
disposed within the assembly gap (214).
2. A home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the assembly gap (214) is provided
on the hinge plate (20) and the connection tab (124) is provided on the base tab (121)
in a manner to correspond to the assembly gap (214).
3. A home appliance according to Claim 2, wherein the hinge plate (20) comprises an assembly
latch (211) whereon the assembly gap (214) is provided.
4. A home appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base tab
(121) comprises a housing (122) whereon the connection tab (124) is embodied and the
hinge plate (20) comprises a housing passage opening (212) through which the housing
(122) passes.
5. A home appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two channels
(213) are provided on both sides of the assembly latch (211) and two lateral edges
(123) are provided such that the housing (122) is disposed to the channels (213).
6. A home appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge plate
(20) comprises a base (21) and an assembly wall (22) coinciding with the lateral panel
(12) at the continuation of the base (21).
7. A home appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing
passage opening (212) is embodied at the region where the base (21) of the hinge plate
(20) and the assembly wall (22) are intersecting.
8. A home appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (11)
is a heat-insulated body and the home appliance is a cooler (10).