A HOME APPLIANCE COMPRISING A DOOR MOVEMENT MECHANISM

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a home appliance according the preamble of the claim 1.

Prior Art

The document numbered US2007/0035222 A1 discloses an apparatus for tilting a door for a refrigerator. The apparatus includes: the door selectively opening and closing a storage chamber; a basket frame provided on a rear surface of the door and having a basket detachably installed on the basket frame; a tilting hinge connecting the door to the basket frame so that the door is tilted by a desired angle; and a tilting prevention pin having one end extending through a side of the tilting hinge and the other end supported by a side of the basket frame, for restricting and allowing the tilting of the door.

The invention provides an additional improvement, an additional advantage or an alternative to the prior art.

Brief Description of the Invention

An object of the invention is to provide a home appliance with a drawer door having an easy- to-use and easy-to-assemble door movement mechanism.

In order to achieve the objects, the invention is a home appliance, comprising; a body in which a compartment where victuals can be stored, is embodied; a drawer door for covering an access opening of the compartment, and a door movement mechanism having at least one connection arm connected to a the rail device from one side and to the drawer door from the other side. In the invention, the connection arm comprises a guidance slot arranged to receive and guide one or more follower elements extending towards the connection arm for slidably and/or rotatably moving the drawer door. Thus, the drawer door can easily be assembled to the body of the home appliance by means of the connection arm. Moreover, the user can slidably and/or rotatably move the drawer door in an easily manner by an external force applied to the drawer door. More than one possibilities are provided for reaching the compartment with different drawer door opening options for the user. As a result of this, it is possible to easy place or remove victuals in the compartment. Compartment volume can be used more effectively. For example, the user can reach the victuals without opening the door completely. Thus, the compartment volume consumes less energy.

Here, “the drawer door” means the door having a cover for covering the access opening, and a cabinet where the victuals can be stored.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the essentially L-shaped connection arm comprises a first arm extending towards the body and a second arm which connects to the drawer door. Thus, the connection between the rail device and the drawer door for a sliding movement and/or a rotational movement of the drawer door, is provided. The sliding and rotational movement of the drawer door is realized with only the connection provided by the connection arm. There is not any additional connection members, such as hinges, for the rotational movement of the drawer door.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the one or more follower elements are configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the second arm. Thus, the follower elements are received and guided by the guidance slot.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the drawer door comprises a connection profile connected to a door frame of the drawer door and wherein one or more follower elements are provided on a side of the connection profile facing the guidance slot. Thus, the door movement mechanism is provided with less assembly parts.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the connection profile is provided with two follower elements spaced apart each other. Thus, the rotational and sliding movements of the drawer door can be achieved safely.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, one or more follower elements have a cylindrical shape. Thus, the follower elements can rotatably move in the guidance slot effectively.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the guidance slot is configured with a circumference having a guide path so that it provides guidance for the follower elements. Thus, the follower elements follow the guide path for the rotational movement of the drawer door between the first locked position and the second tilted position of the drawer door. “the first locked position of the drawer door” describes that the drawer door is being in the vertical position. In this position, the drawer door can fully cover the access opening or the drawer door can slidably be moved and thus, the drawer door can not cover the access opening and the user can access inside the compartment.

“the second tilted position of the drawer door” describes that the drawer door is being in the angled position with respect to the access opening. In this position, the user can access inside the compartment comfortably.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the guide path is configured as a non-linear circumference portion in such a way that one more follower elements rotatably move along at least a part of the guide path between a first locked position and a second tilted position of the drawer door. Thus, the follower elements follow at least a part of the guide path and provide to remain the drawer door in the first locked position or the second tilted position with the aid of said non-linear circumference.

Here, the term of “at least a part of the guide path” means the follower elements can follow the guide path in whole or can follow the guide path in partly. For example, one of the follower element can follow the guide path in whole and the other follower element can follow the guide path in partly.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the guidance slot has a first slot portion where one or more of the follower elements locate so as to be partly surrounded, when the drawer door is in the first locked position. Thus, one or more follower elements are being locked against a rotational movement in the first locked position. Therefore, the user can use the drawer door without tilting. In this position, the user can reach inside the compartment by a sliding movement of the drawer door.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the guidance slot has a second slot portion provided with an undulated portion having a seating recess where one or more follower elements locate, when the drawer door is at the second tilted position. Thus, when the user lifts the drawer door upwards and pulls linearly, the drawer door opens by tilting forward. With the help of the seating recesses, the drawer door remains at the second tilted position. In this position, the user can reach inside the compartment by the sliding movement and the rotating movement of the drawer door. Conversely, when the user lifts the drawer door upwards in order to get out of the one or more follower elements from the seating recess, and pushes the door backward linearly, the follower elements follow at least a part of the guide path and return to the first locked position again. In a possible embodiment of the invention, the home appliance is being a cooling device, in particular a refrigerator, and wherein the compartment is being a freezer compartment of the cooling device.

In this context, with the indications “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “upward”, “downward”, “inner”, “outer”, “inward”, “outward” etc. the positions and orientations given for intended use and intended arrangement of the cooling device and for a user then standing in front of the home appliance, in particular cooling device in a closed position and viewing in the direction of the device are indicated.

Each possible embodiment disclosed in this text can be combined with the other possible embodiments disclosed in this text if there is no any technical constraint.

Explanation of Figures

The figures, whose brief explanations are herewith provided, are solely intended for providing a better understanding of the present invention and are as such not intended to define the scope of protection or the context in which said scope is to be interpreted in the absence of the description.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the exemplary cooling device with the drawer door which is in the second tilted position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the exemplary cooling device with the drawer door which is in the second tilted position.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the exemplary cooling device with the drawer door which is in the first locked position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the door movement mechanism in the second tilted position.

Fig. 5 is a zoomed side view of the door movement mechanism in the second tilted position. Fig. 6 is a side view of the door movement mechanism in the first locked position.

Detailed Description of the Figures

In this detailed explanation, the invented subject matter is explained with examples in order to make the subject more understandable without forming any restrictive effect. According to this, in the detailed explanation below, the door movement mechanism (6) is explained to be applied to a cooling device such as a refrigerator. However, the same embodiment can be applied to any kind of home appliances, such as ovens. Vertical direction (x), which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 corresponds to a vertical direction of the cooling device and a vertical direction of a compartment (3) of the cooling device mentioned in this document. Horizontal direction (y), which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 corresponds to a horizontal direction of the cooling device and a horizontal direction of a compartment (3) of the cooling device mentioned in this document.

As shown in the Fig.1 , the exemplary cooling device comprises a body (2) in which a compartment (3) where victuals can be stored, is embodied. There is an access opening (5) provided on a front side of the compartment (3). A drawer door (4) can cover said access opening (5) in a closed position. There is at least one handle provided for applying for external force to the drawer door (4). A rail device (7) arranged to provide a sliding movement, is provided on a side wall of the compartment (3). There is a door movement mechanism (6) having at least one connection arm (8) connected to the rail device (7) from one side and to the drawer door (4) from the other side.

With reference to Fig. 2, the connection arm (8) is provided in an essentially L-shaped form. In more details, as can be seen in Fig. 4, the connection arm (8) comprises a first arm (81) extending towards the body (2) and a second arm (82) which connects to the drawer door (4). The first arm (81) extends in a substantially horizontal direction (y). The second arm (82) extends in a substantially vertical direction (x). In other words, the second arm (82) extends in a substantially perpendicular to the first arm (81). There is a connection profile (11) connected to a door frame (12) of the drawer door (4). The connection profile (11) extends along at least a part of a width of the drawer door (4). Said connection profile (11) is provided on an inner surface (41) of the drawer door (4) so as to be connected to the door frame (12). Said inner surface (41) faces to the access opening (5), when the drawer door (4) is in the vertical direction. In a possible embodiment of the invention, the connection arm (8) comprises a guidance slot (9) arranged to receive and guide one or more follower elements (10) extending towards the connection arm (8) for moving the drawer door (4) slidably and/or rotatably. Said one or more follower elements (10) are provided so as to pass through the guidance slot (9). The guidance slot (9) is arranged on the second arm (82) in order to receive and guide one or more follower elements (10). Furthermore, one or more follower elements (10) are provided on a side of the connection profile (11) facing the guidance slot (9). In a possible embodiment, one or more follower elements (10) are configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the second arm (82). With reference to Fig. 5, in a possible embodiment of the invention, the connection profile (11) is provided with two follower elements (10) spaced apart each other. The guidance slot

(9) is configured with a circumference having a guide path (13) so that it provides guidance for the follower elements (10). The guidance slot (9) has a first slot portion (14) extending in an essentially vertical direction (x) and a second slot portion (15) extending in an essentially horizontal direction (y). Said second slot portion (15) is configured in a continuation of the first slot portion (14) so as to extend backwardly. In other words, the second slot portion (15) extends in a direction away from the compartment (3). In the invention, one or more follower elements (10) have a cylindrical shape for rotatably moving the follower elements (10) in the guidance slot (9). In a possible embodiment, the guide path (13) is configured as a non-linear circumference portion in such a way that one more follower elements (10) rotatably move at least a part of the guide path (13) between a first locked position and a second tilted position of the drawer door (4). Moreover, the second slot portion (15) is provided with an undulated portion (16) having a seating recess (17) where one or more follower elements (10) locate, when the drawer door (4) is at the second tilted position. Adversely, with reference to Fig.6, when the drawer door (4) is at the first locked position one or more of the follower elements

(10) locate in the first slot portion (14) so as to be partly surrounded by said first slot portion (14).

As shown in Fig. 3, the drawer door (4) is at the first locked position which means that the drawer door (4) is being at the vertical direction (x). In this position, one or more of the follower elements (10) locate in the first slot portion (14) so as to be partly surrounded by said first slot portion (14) in order to prevent undesired tilting of the drawer door (4). This means the drawer door (4) can only be slidably moved, when the user pulled the drawer door (4) linearly. Therefore, the user can reach the compartment (3) by using the drawer door (4) without tilting.

As shown in Fig. 2, the drawer door (4) is at the second tilted position which means that the drawer door (4) is being at an angled position with respect to the access opening (5). When the user lifts the drawer door (4) upwards and pulls linearly, the follower elements (10) rotatably moved along at least a part of the guide path (13) and then locate in the second slot portion (15). Thus, the drawer door (4) is being rotatably moved by tilting forward. With the help of the seating recesses (17), the drawer door (4) remains at the second tilted position. Therefore, the user can reach the compartment (3) by using the drawer door (4) with tilting in a more comfortably manner. Conversely, when the user lifts the drawer door (4) upwards in order to get out of the one or more follower elements (10) from the seating recess (17) and pushes the drawer door (4) downwards linearly, the follower elements (10) follow along at least a part of the guide path (13) and return to the first locked position again. Therefore, more than one possibilities are provided for reaching the compartment with different drawer door opening options for the user.

Reference List

1 Home appliance

2 Body

3 Compartment

4 Drawer door

41 Inner Surface

5 Access opening

6 Door movement mechanism

7 Rail device

8 Connection arm

81 First arm

82 Second arm

9 Guidance slot

10 Follower element

11 Connection profile

12 Door frame

13 Guide path

14 First slot portion

15 Second slot portion

16 Undulated portion

17 Seating recess x. Vertical direction y. Horizontal direction