HANDLE FOR A HOME APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HANDLE

Abstract

 Handle for a home appliance comprising a central body (20) in the form of a handle, and two side bodies (30, 40) through which the central body (20) is attached to the home appliance. The central body (20) and the side bodies (30, 40) are part of an initially straight single main body (10), the main body (10) comprising two transverse bending cuts (61, 62) through which the main body (10) is bent, the central body (20) and the two side bodies (30, 40) being generated by means of said bending. Method for manufacturing said handle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to handles, and more particularly to handles for home appliances, and methods for manufacturing a handle.

PRIOR ART

[0002] Handles are conventionally used in doors and drawers of pieces of furniture and home appliances, for example in ovens and refrigerators. Such handles are arranged in doors, on lids or drawers, to help users open said elements. Handles conventionally comprise three bodies, a central body the user grips to open or close a door, for example, and two side bodies, each attached at one end to one end of the central body, and at the other end to said door.

[0003] Patent document ES2182651 A1 describes a handle for pieces of furniture and home appliances comprising a central body which is a metal tube open at its ends, and two side bodies which are two metal tubes open at their ends. The handle also comprises attachment means which are assembly bodies housed under pressure in the respective ends of the central body and of the side bodies, said ends of the central body abutting with the respective ends of the side bodies.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a handle for a home appliance and a method for manufacturing a handle, as defined in the claims.

[0005] One aspect of the invention relates to a handle for a home appliance, comprising a central body in the form of a grip and two side bodies through which the central body is attached to the home appliance. The central body and the side bodies are part of an initially straight single main body, the main body comprising two transverse folding cuts through which the main body is folded, the central body and the two side bodies being generated by means of said folding.

[0006] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a handle such as the one defined above.

[0007] The handle of the invention comprises a central body which the user employs to grip the handle, and two side bodies forming with the central body a single part that is the main body. As the main body comprises two bending cuts, the central body and the side bodies are separated from one another, although they are still attached by the main body section that has not been cut by the bending cuts, and said bending cuts allow bending the side bodies on the central body, and the handle is still a single part. This means that in the manufacturing method for manufacturing said handle the total time used, including the handling times of the different components, is less. Handle costs are thereby reduced as a whole because the number of parts required for obtaining said handle is reduced, as is the manufacturing time required for manufacturing and mounting the handle.

[0008] These and other advantages and features of the invention will become evident in view of the drawings and detailed description of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] 

Figure 1A shows an elevational view of one embodiment of the main body of the handle of the invention before being bent.

Figure 1B shows a plan view of the main body of Figure 1A.

Figure 1C shows a side view of the main body of Figure 1A.

Figure 1D shows a longitudinal section view according to line ID-ID of the main body of Figure 1B.

Figure 2A shows a plan view of the main body of Figure 1A, with the side bodies bent on the central body.

Figure 2B shows an elevational view of the main body of Figure 2A.

Figure 2C shows a longitudinal section view according to line IIC-IIC of the main body of Figure 2A.

Figure 3A shows an elevational view of the main body of preceding drawings with the attachment means mounted.

Figure 3B shows a longitudinal section view of the handle of Figure 3A.

Figure 4A shows a detailed view of part of the main body of the embodiment shown in the preceding drawings before being bent.

Figure 4B shows a detailed view of part of the main body of the embodiment shown in the preceding drawings with the side body bent on the central body.

Figure 4C shows a detailed view of part of the main body of the embodiment shown in the preceding drawings with the side body bent on the central body and with the attachment means mounted.

Figure 5A shows a front view of the attachment means of Figure 4C.

Figure 5B shows a front longitudinal section view of the attachment means of Figure 4C.

Figure 6A shows a perspective view of the handle of the embodiment shown in the preceding drawings and of the door of a piece of furniture where the handle is mounted.

Figure 6B shows a detailed perspective view of the handle and of the area of attachment with the door of the cabinet of Figure 6A.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Figure 1A shows an elevational view of one embodiment of the main body 10 of the handle 100 of the invention before being bent, Figure 1B shows a plan view of the main body 10 of Figure 1A, Figure 1C shows a side view of the main body 10 of Figure 1A, and Figure 1D shows a longitudinal section view according to line ID-ID of the main body 10 of Figure 1B.

[0011] The handle 100 shown in this embodiment is configured from a tube, which can be of any section, made in an extrusion process, in which tubes of a given length, for example five meters, are manufactured and then cut to the length defined by the complete handle 100. This cut tube forms the main body 10, and in this embodiment it has a shape comprising a flat base 11, and a side wall 12 which is spherical in the upper portion, opposite the base 11, and flat on the sides. This tube is manufactured from extruded aluminum, but it can be manufactured from another metal and also from plastic.

[0012] The main body 10 is subjected to a cutting operation in a saw or in a machining machine, and two bending cuts 61, 62 are made in two areas of the main body 10. These bending cuts 61, 62 are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the main body 10 and do not reach the base 11, but rather leave a gap in the form of a wall 111. The main body 10 is thereby divided into a central body 20 and two side bodies 30, 40, respectively. When the handle 100 is configured, the central body 20 is used in the form of a grip, and the side bodies 30, 40, which in this embodiment have the same length and are equidistant with respect to the axis of symmetry of the main body 10, are used for attaching the central body 20 to a door 210 of the home appliance 200.

[0013] Therefore, both the central body 20 and the side bodies 30, 40 are part of an initially straight single main body 10, and the bending cuts 61, 62 allow bending each of the side bodies 30, 40 on each respective end of the central body 20, the final shape of the handle 100 thereby being configured before being mounted in the home appliance 200.

[0014] Figure 2A shows a plan view of the main body 10 of Figure 1A, with the side bodies 30, 40 bent on the central body 20, Figure 2B shows an elevational view of the main body 10 of Figure 2A, and Figure 2C shows a longitudinal section view according to line IIC-IIC of the main body 10 of Figure 2A.

[0015] In this embodiment, each bending cut 61, 62 made in the main body 10 is a V-shaped cut made, for example, with a tool having said shape in a machining machine. Each bending cut 61, 62 generates two inclined planes 61 a, 61 b and 62a, 62b, respectively, at respective ends 32, 21 and 22, 42 of the central body 20 and of the side bodies 30, 40. In the place where the vertex of the V of the bending cut 61, 62 hits the wall 111 a respective bending area 61c, 62c is formed. This bending area 61 c, 62c has in this embodiment a rectangular flat shape which is elongated on the wall 111 along the width of the base 11 of the main body 10. Other shapes are also possible, for example a groove or channel shape going deeper into the wall 111, without reaching the base 11 of the main body 10. The different shapes of the bending area 61c, 62c are obtained with the shape provided to the end of the machining tool with which the bending cuts 61, 62 are made. Therefore, each bending area 61c, 62c allows the side bodies 30, 40 to be bent on the central body 20. Likewise, the V shape of each bending cut 61, 62 can have different angles, being a 90° angle in this embodiment.

[0016] However, although the side bodies 30, 40 are bent on the central body 20, they are not attached to one another. To that end, the handle 100 of the invention comprises attachment means for fixing the side bodies 30, 40 to the central body 20 when said side bodies 30, 40 are bent on the central body 20.

[0017] Figure 3A shows an elevational view of one embodiment of the handle 100 of the invention, with attachment means mounted in the main body 10 of Figure 1A, Figure 3B shows a longitudinal section view of the handle 100 of Figure 3A, Figure 4A shows a detailed view of the main body 10 of Figure 1D, with the side body 30, the bending cut 61, and partially the central body 20, Figure 4B shows a detailed view of the main body 10 of Figure 4A, with the side body 30 bent on the central body 20, and Figure 4C shows a detailed view of the handle 100 of Figure 3B.

[0018] The attachment means of the handle 100 comprise for each side body 30, 40 an attachment element 50 which in the embodiment shown is an elongated part acting as a screw. The main body 10 of the handle 100 internally comprises in this embodiment a platform 13 projecting from the base 11, and longitudinally running along the inside of the main body 10. In the embodiment shown, the platform 13 has a rectangular section, a gap is laterally generated with the side wall 12, and a gap 14 is generated between the upper portion of the platform 13 and the wall 12 in the upper spherical portion thereof. Other shapes of the platform 13 are possible (not shown in the drawings), such as a square, for example, or a shape that does not leave a side gap with the side wall 12.

[0019] Figure 5A shows a front view of one embodiment of the attachment element 50, and Figure 5B shows a front longitudinal section view of the attachment element 50 of Figure 5A.

[0020] Each attachment element 50 is introduced through a respective outer end 31, 41 of the side bodies 30, 40 once said side bodies 30, 40 are bent on the central body 20, through the gap 14 in the side bodies 30, 40. A lower end 51 of the attachment element 50 is fixed to the central body 20. To perform this fixing, the end 51 of the attachment element 50 is threaded and screwed in a threaded hole 133, 134 arranged at the respective end 21, 22 of the central body 20. The mouth of each hole 133, 134 coincides with the gap 14 of each respective side body 30, 40.

[0021] In the shown embodiment of the handle 100, the attachment element 50 has a central cylindrical portion 53, and said central portion 53 comprises an undercut 54 reducing the diameter thereof. In turn, the platform 13 in the side bodies 30, 40 comprises a respective step 131, 132 at a distance "d" from the outer end 31, 41 of said side bodies 30, 40. When said attachment element 50 is fixed to the respective hole 133 134 of the central body 20 with its threaded end 51, the undercut 54 of the attachment element 50 is supported on the step 131, 132, the end 51 being screwed in until obtaining a tightening torque that keeps the central body 20 attached to the respective side body 30, 40, the respective ends 32, 21 and 22, 42 of the central body 20 and of the side bodies 30, 40 abutting.

[0022] Figure 6A shows a perspective view of the handle 100 of the invention and of the door 210 of a home appliance 200 where the handle 100 is mounted, and Figure 6B shows a detailed perspective view of the handle 100 and of the area of attachment with the door 210 of the home appliance 200 of Figure 6A.

[0023] The attachment element 50 comprises means for fixing the side bodies 30, 40 to a door 210 of the home appliance 200, and thereby attaching the central body 20 to said door 210. These means are on one hand an end 52 of the attachment element 50, opposite end 51, comprising a threaded hole 521 in the direction of the axis of the attachment element 50. The attachment element 50 projects from inside the respective side body 30, 40 at end 52, to make fixing the side bodies 30, 40 to the home appliance 200 easier. The respective outer end 31, 41 of the side bodies 30, 40 is supported on the door 210, and each end 52 of the attachment elements 50 is introduced in a respective hole 211 of the door 210. The hole 211 goes through the door 210, and a screw 220 that is screwed into the threaded hole 521 of the end 52 is introduced from the other side of the door 210, opposite the side where the ends 31, 41 of the side bodies 30, 40 are supported. The handle 100 is thereby fixed to the door 210 of the home appliance 200.

[0024] The manufacturing method for manufacturing a handle of the invention is associated with a handle 100 such as the one shown in Figures 1A-5B Said handle 300 comprises a central body 20 in the form of a grip, and two side bodies 30, 40 through which the central body 20 is attached to a home appliance 200. The central body 20 and the side bodies 30, 40 are part of an initially straight single main body 10, the main body 10 comprising two transverse bending cuts 61, 62 which allow bending the side bodies 30, 40 on the main body 10.

[0025] Said method comprises the steps of:

• obtaining long tubular strips by means of extruding aluminum,
• obtaining the straight main body 10 having the length defined by the handle 100 by means of cutting with a saw,
• obtaining the main body 10 with two transverse bending cuts 61, 62 by means of machining, dividing the main body 10 into a central body 20 and two side bodies 30, 40,
• grinding the surface of the main body 10 to obtain an aesthetic finish,
• bending the side bodies 30, 40 on the main body 10 along the bending cuts 61, 62, and
• obtaining the finished main body 10 by means of anodizing the surface to obtain higher surface hardness.

[0026] The handle 100 also comprises attachment means which allow fixing the central body 20 and the side bodies 30, 40, the attachment means comprising two attachment elements 50 which are introduced, respectively, in the cavities of the side bodies 30, 40, a threaded end 51 being screwed into a threaded hole 133, 134 of the central body 20. Another end 52 of each attachment element 50, projecting from the side bodies 30, 40, comprises an inner hole 521. This end 52 is introduced in a through hole 211 of a door 210 of the home appliance 200. A screw 220 which is screwed into the hole 521 of the attachment element 50 is introduced on the other side of the hole 211. The handle 100 is thereby attached to the home appliance 200.

[0027] All that has been described for the handle related to its manufacture is considered to have been described also for the manufacturing method of the invention.

[0028] The invention also relates to a home appliance 200 incorporating at least one handle 100 according to the invention.

[0029] Although the handle 100 of the invention is conceived in principle for home appliances, particularly for ovens, the scope of protection, insofar as the actual handle 100 and the manufacturing method for manufacturing same are protected, is not limited to its use in home appliances, but it also covers the use thereof in pieces of furniture, for example.

Claims

1. Handle for a home appliance comprising a central body (20) in the form of a grip, and two side bodies (30, 40) through which the central body (20) is attached to the home appliance (200), characterized in that the central body (20) and the side bodies (30, 40) are part of an initially straight single main body (10), the main body (10) comprising two transverse bending cuts (61, 62) through which the main body (10) is bent, the central body (20) and the two side bodies (30, 40) being generated by means of said bending.

2. Handle according to claim 1, wherein the main body (10) comprises a base (11), each bending cut (61, 62) being a V-shaped cut generating two inclined planes (61 a, 61b; 62a, 62b) at respective ends (32, 21; 22, 42) of the central body (20) and of the side bodies (30, 40), which come together when the side bodies (30, 40) are bent on the central body (20), a bending area (61c, 62c) being formed where the vertex of the V of the bending cut (61, 62) hits a wall (111) formed in the base (11) by the bending cut (61, 62), the V-shaped cut of the bending cut (61, 62) preferably being at 90°.

3. Handle according to claim 2, wherein the bending area (61 c, 62c) is a groove in the wall (111) of the base (11) of the main body (10).

4. Handle according to any of the preceding claims, comprising attachment means (70) for fixing the side bodies (30, 40) to the central body (20) when the main body (10) is bent along the transverse bending cuts (61, 62).

5. Handle according to claim 4, wherein the main body (10) is a tubular part, and the attachment means (70) comprise for each side body (30, 40) an attachment element (50) which is introduced through a respective outer end (31, 41) of the side bodies (30, 40) once the main body (10) is bent along the transverse bending cuts (61, 62), an end (51) of said attachment element (50) being fixed to the central body (20).

6. Handle according to claim 5, wherein the end (51) of the attachment element (50) which is fixed to the central body (20) is threaded and screwed in a threaded hole (133, 134) arranged in the central body (20).

7. Handle according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the attachment element (50) comprises stop means pressing on a surface of the respective side body (30, 40).

8. Handle according to claim 7, wherein the main body (10) comprises a platform (13) longitudinally running along the inside of the main body (10), the stop means of the attachment element (50) comprising an undercut (54) that is supported on a step (131, 132) arranged in the platform (13) of the respective side body (30, 40), when the attachment element (50) is fixed to the respective hole (133, 134) of the central body (20).

9. Handle according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the attachment element (50) comprises means for fixing the respective side body (30, 40) to the home appliance (200).

10. Handle according to claim 9, wherein the means of the attachment element (50) for fixing the respective side body (30, 40) to the home appliance (200) comprise a hole (521) threaded in an outer end (52) of said attachment element (50).

11. Handle according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the attachment element (50) projects from inside the respective side body (30, 40) to make fixing the side bodies (30, 40) to the home appliance (200) easier.

12. Handle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (10) is a metal, preferably aluminum part, made from extrusion.

13. Home appliance, characterized in that it comprises at least one handle (100) according to any of the preceding claims.

14. Manufacturing method for manufacturing a handle (100), characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

- obtaining a straight main body (10) with two transverse bending cuts (61, 62) dividing the main body (10) into a central body (20) and two side bodies (30, 40), and

- bending the side bodies (30, 40) on the main body (10) along the bending cuts (61, 62).

15. Manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein once the side bodies (30, 40) are bent on the main body (10), the side bodies (30, 40) are fixed to the central body (20) through attachment means (70).

Drawing