Description

A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device wherein the door is opened easily.

[0002] In conventional art, a vacuum is created in the interior section of cooling devices due to the circulation of air during the refrigerant cycle. When the door is desired to be opened, the user may face difficulty in opening the door as a result of this created vacuum.

[0003] In the state of the art International patent applications WO0050828 and WO2005057106, mechanisms are described for opening the door easily that actuates the arm to which the handle is connected thereto, pivotably moving around an axis and pushing the body.

[0004] However, in these implementations known in the technique, a spring or similar additional element is disposed in the mechanism for returning the handle to the initial position after moving for the door opening operation. This increases the number of elements and hence makes assembly harder.

[0005] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooling device wherein the door, being hard to open due to the vacuum created during the refrigerant cycle by the pressure difference between the inner volume and the outside, can be opened with little effort.

[0006] The cooling device realized in order attain the aims of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a biasing means that is compressed by the opening movement of the handle thereby directly applies pressure on the body and thus overcomes the vacuum effect for opening the door, and returns to the free position when the handle is released thereby maintaining the handle to resume the free position as well.

[0007] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the biasing means is bent from a wire and configured as a V. The biasing means is disposed on the door, such that one arm is fixed and the other arm can be pressed on by the motion of the handle. The ends of the arms are bent to become vertical to the plane formed by the arms, and the joining region of the arms

is bent in the opposite direction of the ends, to become again vertical to the plane formed by the arms. The biasing means is arranged such that the arms will be parallel to the body side wall and the side surface of the door and the joining region, bent vertical to the arms, to be inserted between the body and the door.

[0008] The cooling device comprises an actuator, connected to the handle, that transfers the force exerted by the motion of the handle in the opening direction to the biasing means and presses at least one arm of the biasing means towards the other arm. Due to the bent V shape of the biasing means, when at least one of the arms is pressed towards the center, the joining region moves in the vertical direction to the force exerted on the arms, that is towards the body and separates the door from the body by pushing the body.

[0009] When the user pulls the handle for opening the door, the actuator, moving together with the handle, presses on at least one of the arms of the biasing means. The arm moves in the direction of this exerted force causing the joining region to shift towards the body. Thus, the vacuum effect created in the door is prevented and the door can be opened easily by the user.

[0010] The cooling device of the present invention furthermore comprises a casing that bears the biasing means and the actuator.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the casing is configured of two plate form parts, with the actuator and biasing means sandwiched therebetween and is pivotably secured to the door from one point. The casing pivots around this point of attachment to the door in the direction of the force applied on the handle. The biasing means is mounted to the casing, with the lower arm being fixed and the upper arm being movable. In this embodiment, the actuator is configured as a plate, disposed between the two parts of the casing, with one end secured to the handle. The actuator comprises a housing that is virtually C shaped, wherein the free end of the biasing means upper arm is placed, providing the said arm to be pressed on by the motion of the handle and bearing the arm's movement.

[0012] In this embodiment, when the user pulls the handle, the casing pivots

around the point of attachment to the door. Thus the actuator, disposed in the casing, also moves. As the actuator rotates, the free end of the biasing means upper arm, placed in the housing thereon, moves from top to bottom in the C shaped form of the housing. In other words, the upper arm of the biasing means is pressed in the downwards direction. When the end of the arm in the housing moves downward, the joining region automatically moves forward, that is towards the body. Accordingly, the vacuum force created between the body and the door is prevented and the door is opened easily. When the user releases the handle, the biasing means opens by exerting force in the direction of resuming the free position and the joining region recedes. Thus, the handle can return to the initial position without requiring to use an additional element.

[0013] By means of the present invention, the door, needing a considerable amount of force for opening due to the vacuum effect created by the difference in pressure, can be opened easily allowing the user to access inside the body without effort.

[0014] The cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0015] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a cooling device.

[0016] Figure 2 - is the exploded view of Detail A.

[0017] Figure 3 - is the schematic view of Detail A when the door is in the closed position.

[0018] Figure 4 - is the schematic view of Detail A when the door is in the open position.

[0019] Figure 5 - is the perspective view of a biasing means.

[0020] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Body

3. Door

4. Casing

5. Handle

6. Biasing means

7. Actuator

8. Arm

9. Joining region

10. Housing

[0021] The cooling devices (1), preferably refrigerators or freezers, comprise a body (2) wherein the foodstuff and beverages to be cooled are stored, a door (3) for accessing inside the body (2), and a handle (5) for opening, closing the door (3).

[0022] The cooling device (1) furthermore comprises:

- a biasing means (6) that is compressed by the movement of the handle (5) in the opening direction thereby separating the door (3) from the body (2) and returns to the free position when the handle (5) is released thereby providing the handle (5) to return its first position as well and

- at least one actuator (7) that provides the biasing means (6) to be compressed by the movement of the handle (5) in the opening direction.

[0023] In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, when the handle (5) is pulled, the actuator (7) makes a rotational and/or translational movement together with the handle (5). Due to this movement, the actuator (7) presses on the biasing means (6) and thereby the biasing means (6) pushes the body (2). When the handle (5) is released after the door (3) is opened, the biasing means (6) returns to free position since the force exerted on the biasing means (6) is removed thereby enabling the handle

(5) to resume the free position. Thus, the biasing means (6) not only maintains the door (3) to be opened easily by exerting force on the body (2) without being subjected to the vacuum effect of the door (3) but also when released pushes the handle (5) to resume its free position.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the biasing means

(6) comprises two arms (8) formed by bending a wire in a V shape and a joining region (9) wherein these arms (8) join. The free ends (S) of the arms (8) are bent to become vertical (Z) to the plane (XY) formed by the arms (8), and the joining region (9) is bent in the opposite direction of the free ends (S), to become again vertical (-Z) to the plane (XY) formed by the arms (8). The arms (8) are opened to move away from each other on the plane (XY) they form.

[0025] In this embodiment, the cooling device (1) furthermore comprises a casing (4) disposed on the door (3) that bears the biasing means (6) and the actuator (7). The casing (4) is configured of two plate form parts, with the actuator (7) and free ends of the biasing means (6) sandwiched therebetween. The biasing means (6) is mounted to the casing (4), with one of the arms (8) being fixed and the other being compressible by the actuator (7) with the movement of the handle (5).

[0026] The casing (4) is mounted to the cooling device (1) to remain on the side surface (D) of the door (3). The biasing means (6) is arranged such that the free ends stay in the casing (4) and the arms (8) are parallel to the side surface (D) of the door (3), whereas the joining region (9) is insertable between the door (3) and the body (2).

[0027] The actuator (7) is configured as a plate, disposed between the two parts of the casing (4), with one end secured to the handle (5) and movable together with the handle (5).

[0028] When the user pulls the handle (5) for opening the door (3), the actuator

(7) is enabled to press on at least one of the arms (8) and thus maintaining the joining region (9) to move towards the body (2). Accordingly, the joining region (8) separates the body (2) from the door (3) by pushing the body (2) and the vacuum effect created at the door (3) is prevented thereby allowing the door (3) to be opened by the user easily.

[0029] The casing (4) is secured to the door (3) from one point (N) allowing the actuator (7) to rotate by the motion of the handle (5). The actuator (7), connected to the handle (5), pivots around this point (N) in the direction of the force applied on the handle (5).

[0030] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the biasing means (6) is placed in the casing (4), with the lower arm (8) being fixed and the upper one being movable. In this embodiment, the actuator (7) comprises an arcuately shaped housing (10) situated thereon. The free end (S) of the biasing means (6) upper arm (8) is placed in the housing (10). The said arm (8) moves inside the arc and thus is pushed downward by the motion of the handle (5). When the end of the arm (8) in the housing (10) moves downward, the joining region (9) moves towards the body (2) in the

forward direction. Consequently, the joining region (9) connected to the said end presses on the body (2) and eliminates the vacuum created between the body (2) and the door (3). The door (3) is enabled to be opened easily. When the user releases the handle (5), the biasing means (6), while returning to the free position with the force thereon being removed, the arms (8) move apart and the joining region (9) resumes the initial position. Thus, the handle (5) returning to the initial free position is maintained without using an additional biasing means or another similar element.

[0031] In the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the biasing means (6) presses on the body (2) when force is applied on the handle (5) enabling the door (3) to move away from the body (2) thereby opening the door (3) and also enables the handle (5) to return to the initial position when the applied force is removed. Thus, the need for using two different elements for two different functions is eliminated.

[0032] By means of the cooling device (1) of the present invention, the door (3), not easily openable due to the vacuum created during the refrigerant cycle by the pressure difference between the inner volume of the body (2) and the outside can be opened effortlessly, separating from the body (2) by easily counterbalancing the required force for opening the door (3). Thus, the user is allowed access into the body (2) without effort.