Hinge Mechanism, Compartment Door Assembly With Such A Hinge Mechanism, Cabinet Or Refrigerator With Such A Hinge Mechanism And/ Or Compartment Door Assembly And Recreational Vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hinge mechanism for supporting a compartment door pivotally to a compartment frame and/or a housing of a cabinet or a refrigerator, in particular provided for a recreational vehicle like a motor home or caravan. The hinge mechanism comprises at least two receiving sections and at least two engaging sections. Each of the receiving sections is configured to be coupled to one of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing. Each of the engaging is configured to be coupled to the other of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a compartment door assembly with such a hinge mechanism and a cabinet or refrigerator with such a hinge mechanism and/or compartment door assembly. Finally, the present invention also refers to a recreational vehicle provided with at least one of the above devices.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism for supporting a compartment door pivotally to a compartment frame and/or a housing of a cabinet or a refrigerator, comprising: at least two receiving sections and at least two engaging sections, wherein each of the receiving sections is configured to be coupled to one of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing, and each of the engaging sections is configured to be coupled to the other of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing, wherein each of the engaging sections is configured to be engaged with and disengaged from one of the receiving sections, wherein in the engaged state of each of the engaging sections is pivotable with respect to the corresponding receiving section about a corresponding pivoting axis.

2. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each of the engaging sections has a pin portion and each of the receiving section has a receiving portion configured to receive the pin portion of the respective engaging section along a direction perpendicular with respect to its pivoting axis.

3. The hinge mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the pin portions are provided as longitudinal members having a non-rotational symmetric configuration with respect to its pivoting axis along the longitudinal direction of the pin portion such that the engaging section and thus the pin portion can be pivoted in the engaged state with the corresponding receiving section about the respective pivoting axis between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein in the unlocked state the respective pin portion can be moved along the direction perpendicular with respect to the respective pivoting axis to be disengaged from the corresponding receiving section, and wherein in the locked state, the respective pin portion only can be rotated about its pivoting axis with respect to the corresponding receiving section.

4. The hinge mechanism according to any one of the preceding claim 1, wherein each of the engaging sections forms with the corresponding one of the receiving sections an open bracket hinge.

5. The hinge mechanism according to any one of the preceding claim 1, wherein the receiving sections at least partially are made of an elastic material and/or in particular have biasing members, such that the receiving sections are biased from a configuration, in which the engaging sections can be freely engaged with and disengaged from the corresponding receiving sections towards a configuration, in which the engaging sections are restrained within the corresponding receiving sections.

6. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises: at least four receiving sections and at least four engaging sections, wherein in particular at least two receiving sections are provided on a coupling section such that the pivoting axes defined by the respective receiving sections correspond with each other or are in parallel with each other but shifted transversally with respect to each other and/or at least two engaging sections are provided on a coupling section such that the pivoting axes defined by the respective engaging sections correspond with each other or are in parallel with each other but shifted transversally with respect to each other, wherein in particular all receiving sections and/or engaging sections are provided on corresponding coupling sections for the receiving sections or for the engaging sections in such a manner that they are defining two parallel main pivoting axes per coupling section.

7. A compartment door assembly for an internal compartment of a cabinet or a refrigerator, comprising: a compartment door and a hinge mechanism configured to couple the compartment door to a frame or a housing of the cabinet or refrigerator; a hinge mechanism, having: at least two receiving sections and at least two engaging sections, wherein each of the receiving sections is configured to be coupled to one of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing, and each of the engaging sections is configured to be coupled to the other of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing, wherein each of the engaging sections is configured to be engaged with and disengaged from one of the receiving sections, wherein in the engaged state of each of the engaging sections is pivotable with respect to the corresponding receiving section about a corresponding pivoting axis.

8. The compartment door assembly according to claim 7, wherein the compartment door assembly further comprises a compartment frame configured to be coupled to the housing of the cabinet or refrigerator, wherein the hinge mechanism couples the compartment door to the compartment frame.

9. The compartment door assembly according to claim 8, wherein all of the receiving sections of the hinge mechanism are provided on one of the compartment frame or the compartment door, in particular on the compartment frame, forming two parallel but transversally shifted main pivoting axes along two opposing sides of the one of the compartment frame and the compartment door and/or all of the engaging sections of the hinge mechanism are provided on the other one of the compartment frame or the compartment door, in particular on the compartment door, forming two parallel but transversally shifted main pivoting axes along the two opposing sides of the other one of the compartment frame and the compartment door.

10. The compartment door assembly according to claim 7, wherein the compartment door assembly is configured to be movable from a first operation state, in which the compartment door can seal a compartment and in which each of the provided engaging sections is engaged with its corresponding receiving section, to a second operation state, in which the compartment door cannot seal a compartment and in which only some of the engaging sections are engaged with its corresponding receiving sections, or to a third operation state, in which the compartment door cannot seal a compartment and in which only the other of the engaging sections are engaged with its corresponding receiving sections.

11. The compartment door assembly according to claim 7, wherein the compartment door assembly is configured such that the compartment door can be fully disengaged by simultaneously disengaging all of the engaging sections from its respective receiving sections.

12. The compartment door assembly according to claim 7, wherein the receiving sections and/or the engaging sections are formed integrally with the compartment door and/or a compartment frame if provided.

13. The compartment door assembly according to any one of the claim 7, wherein the compartment door has at least two separate handles, in particular in the form of gripping apertures provided in a front surface of the compartment door, configured to be operated to move the compartment door with respect to at least a part of the hinge mechanism.

14. The compartment door assembly according to claim 7, wherein the compartment door assembly is configured to seal a freezer of a refrigerator, the freezer being in particular removable.

15. A cabinet or refrigerator, in particular for a recreational vehicle, the cabinet or refrigerator, respectively, comprising: a housing, the housing having side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, the walls forming an interior space having at least one separate compartment, and a front opening provided in one of the side walls; at least one main door configured to seal the front opening of the housing; wherein the cabinet or refrigerator, respectively, further comprises a compartment door assembly according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 14 and/or a hinge mechanism according to claims 1 to 6 coupling a compartment door to the housing, in particular via a separate compartment frame; wherein at least two receiving sections and at least two engaging sections, wherein each of the receiving sections is configured to be coupled to one of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing, and each of the engaging sections is configured to be coupled to the other of the compartment door and the frame respectively the housing, wherein each of the engaging sections is configured to be engaged with and disengaged from one of the receiving sections, wherein in the engaged state of each of the engaging sections is pivotable with respect to the corresponding receiving section about a corresponding pivoting axis.

16. A recreational vehicle like a motor home or caravan wherein the recreational vehicle is provided with at least one of the above described devices.

Description

[0040] A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a partially disassembled (without a main door) refrigerator in two different opened states for the compartment door coupled to the housing by an exemplary hinge mechanism;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged spatial view of the refrigerator of FIG. 2 in a closed state for the compartment door;

[0043] FIGS. 3A and 3B show various spatial sectional views a compartment door assembly having a hinge mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a partially enlarged spatial view of the refrigerator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0045] Various embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein identical reference numerals designate identical elements throughout the various drawings.

[0046] FIGS. 1 and 2 depict various illustrations of a partially disassembled refrigerator 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator has a housing 2 defined by four side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall forming an interior space of the housing 2. In one side wall of the housing 2, here in the front wall of the housing, there is provided a front opening connecting the interior space of the housing 2 with its environment. Conventionally or in the fully assembled state, respectively, the refrigerator 1 has a main door (not shown) coupled to the housing 2 and configured to be moved between a closed and an opened state to seal and to open the front opening. The interior space of the housing 2 is separated by a removable shelf 4 into two different internal compartments, an upper compartment 2a and a lower compartment 2b. The refrigerator 1 further comprises a compartment door 6a, which is a part of a compartment door assembly 6 illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, coupled to the housing 2 via the hinge mechanism 10 described later with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0047] The hinge mechanism 10 allows to move the compartment door 6a between a closed state, which is illustrated in FIG. 2, and two different opened states, which are illustrated in FIG. 1. The compartment door 6a is provided with two handles 8a and 8b formed as gripping apertures in the front surface of the compartment door 6a. One of the two handles is provided along a left side of the compartment door 6a while the other of the two handles 8a and 8b extends along a right side of the compartment door 6a.

[0048] As described later with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the hinge mechanism 6a is configured such that the compartment door 6a can be moved from a closed state of the compartment door 6a (see. FIG. 2) to a first opened state illustrated on the right side of FIG. 1 and a second opened state illustrated on the left side of FIG. 2. In particular, by operation the left handle 8a the compartment door 6a is disengaged from the housing 2 at its left side and pivots with respect to the housing 2 along a first main pivoting axis P1 extending along the right side of the compartment door 6 and of the housing 2 into the first opened state illustrated on the right side of FIG. 1. By operation the right handle 8b the compartment door 10 is disengaged from the housing 2 at its right side and pivots with respect to the housing 2 along a second main pivoting axis extending along the left side of the compartment door 6a and of the housing 2 into the second opened state illustrated on the left side of FIG. 1. Finally, the hinge mechanism 10 is configured such that by simultaneously operating both handles 8a and 8b, the compartment door 6a is fully disengaged from the housing 2.

[0049] The concrete structural configuration of the hinge mechanism 10 to be able to implement these functions will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0050] FIGS. 3A and 3B show the compartment door assembly 6 of the refrigerator 1 disassembled from the housing 2 of the refrigerator 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0051] FIG. 3A illustrates the compartment door assembly in the first opened state while FIG. 3B shows the compartment door assembly in the second opened state.

[0052] In this exemplary embodiment, the compartment door assembly 6 comprises the removable shelf 4 depicting here a compartment (sub) frame and the compartment door 6a. The removable shelf 4 is provided with a coupling protrusion 4a configured to be engaged with coupling recesses (not shown) provided on an inner side of the side walls of the housing 2 to divide the interior space of the refrigerator 1 into the two separate compartments 2a and 2b. The removable shelf 4 further comprises a locking member 4b configured to be releasably engaged with a corresponding locking recess (not shown) provided on the inner side of the side walls of the housing to lock the removable shelf 4 in a fully engaged condition with respect to the housing 2.

[0053] The compartment door assembly 6 further comprises a hinge mechanism according to some embodiments.

[0054] The hinge mechanism has four receiving sections 10a to 10d, wherein in the illustrated embodiment, a second receiving section 10b and a third receiving section 10c are coupled to the removable shelf 4 depicting a compartment (sub) frame as well as a coupling section between these two receiving sections 10b and 10c. A first receiving section 10a and a fourth receiving section 10d are provided independently from the removable shelf 4. Each of the receiving sections 10a to 10d has its own coupling portion 10aa to 10da (some of which are not shown for sake of brevity) and a receiving portion 10ab to 10db (some of which are not shown for sake of brevity). The coupling portions are provided in a plate like shape having several mounting bores to be coupled by corresponding fixing members to the housing 2 and/or the removable shelf 4 of the refrigerator. Although, in the illustrated embodiment the second and the third receiving sections 10b and 10c are coupled via corresponding fixing members (not illustrated) to the removable shelf 4, also configurations in which these receiving sections 10b and 10c are formed integrally with the removable shelf 4 are possible. In such a configuration, the removable shelf 4 with the coupling protrusion 4a and the locking member 4b serve as coupling portions 10ba and 10ca (some of which are not shown for sake of brevity) as well as the fixing members.

[0055] The hinge mechanism further has four engaging sections 12a to 12d (some of which are not shown for sake of brevity) provided in the illustrated embodiment as formed integrally with the compartment door 6a. Alternatively, the four engaging section 12a to 12d also could be provided with coupling sections (not shown) configured to be coupled to the compartment door 6a, for example via separate fixing members or directly. Each of the engaging sections 12a to 12d is assigned one of the receiving sections 10a to 10d and has a pin portion 12ab to 12db configured to be engaged with and disengaged from the receiving portion 10ab to 10db of its corresponding receiving section 10 a to 10d.

[0056] The concrete structural configuration of the receiving sections 10a to 10d (in particular of their receiving portions 10ab to 10db) and of the engaging sections 12a to 12d (in particular of their pin portions 12ab to 12db will now be described in view of FIG. 4.

[0057] While FIG. 4 only shows an enlarged view of the second receiving section 12b and of its corresponding engaging section 12b (provided on the lower left side of the drawings) in an engaged state this structure can be transferred to all of the other receiving sections 10a, 10c and 10d, as well as to the respective engaging sections 12a, 12c and 12d, respectively, at least with regard to the receiving portions 10ab to 10ad (some of which are not shown for sake of brevity) and with regard to the pin portions 12ab to 12db (some of which are not shown for sake of brevity) as the various receiving portions 10ab to 10db correspond to each other and the various pin portions 12ab to 12db correspond to each other in the illustrated embodiment. However, also other implementations having varying receiving portions and pin portions are possible.

[0058] The pin portions 12ab to 12db are formed as longitudinal members here in the form of nearly tubular cylinders. However, the pin portions 12ab to 12db are provided in a non-rotational symmetric configuration, which in the present embodiment is achieved by two flattened surfaces 14a and 14b provided on the pin portions 12ab to 12db. The receiving portions 10ab to 10db are formed as c-shaped members, such that each engaging portion 10ab to 10db (respectively each receiving section 10a to 10d) forms with the respective pin portion 12ab to 12db (respectively each engaging section 12a to 12d) an opened bracket hinge.

[0059] In detail, the pin portions 12ab to 12db are configured to be engaged with and disengaged from the respective receiving portions 10ab to 10db along an engagement direction perpendicular with respect to a longitudinal direction of the respective pin portion 12ab to 12db and the respective engaging portion 10ab to 10db (corresponding to the respective pivoting axis thereof). In dependency of the rotational orientation of the pin portions 12ab to 12db the pin portions 12ab to 12db can be engaged with or disengaged from the receiving portions 10ab to 10db or not. In FIG. 4, the pin portion 12bb is oriented in a first orientation with respect to the receiving portion 10bb, in which the pin portion 12bb can be engaged with or disengaged from the receiving portion 12bb. Such an operation state corresponds to an unlocked state in this description. The pin portion 10bb is in this unlocked state in the closed state of the compartment door 6a. When the compartment door 6a is moved from the closed state (illustrated in FIG. 4) to one of the two opened states (illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B) the pin portions 10ab to 10db, which are not disengaged from the respective receiving portions 12ab to 12db, pivot within the respective receiving portions 12ab to 12db about its corresponding pivoting axis P1 or P2. In such a rotated state, which is called the unlocked state, the pin portions 12ab to 12db which are still engaged with its corresponding receiving portions 10ab to 10db cannot be disengaged along the engaging direction perpendicular with respect to the corresponding pivoting axis P1 or P2 from the corresponding receiving portions 10ab to 10db.

[0060] Alternatively or in addition thereto, the receiving portions 10ab to 10db can be made at least partially of an elastic material to be deformable. For example, the receiving portions 10ab to 10db can be provided with an insert 18 made of rubber or another elastically deformable material. Thus, an engaging and a disengaging operation not only can be performed for specific rotational orientations of the pin portions 12ab to 12db with respect to the respective engaging portions 10ab to 10db but in any relative orientation by applying a sufficient pulling force on the handles 8a and 8b.

[0061] In addition to such inserts 18 of elastic material, the receiving sections 10a to 10d can be provided with biasing members (not shown), forcing the receiving portions 10ab to 10db towards a configuration, in which the pin portions 12ab to 12db cannot be engaged with or disengaged from the respective engaging portions 10ab to 10db without applying a pulling force sufficient to overcome the biasing force applied by the biasing members.

[0062] The receiving sections 10a to 10d are positioned in such a manner that at least two receiving sections 10c and 10d form a first main pivoting axis P1 and at least two other receiving sections 10a and 10b form a second main pivoting axis P2 parallel with the first main pivoting axis P1 but shifted transversally with respect to the first main pivoting axis P1. The respective engaging sections 12a to 12d are positioned in a corresponding manner to be engaged with the receiving sections 10a to 10d in the closed operation state of the compartment door 6a. Here, the second receiving section 10b and the third receiving section 10c are provided on the removable shelf 4 serving as coupling section for these two receiving sections 10b and 10c. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment all of the provided engaging sections 12a to 12d are provided on the compartment door 6a serving as coupling section for the engaging sections 12a to 12d. However, also other configurations are possible.

[0063] Although, in the illustrated embodiment the second and the third receiving sections 10b and 10c are coupled by the removable shelf 4 to the housing 2 and the first and fourth receiving sections 10a and 10d are coupled directly to the housing 2, the compartment door assembly can be provided with a compartment frame (not shown), to which all of the receiving sections 10a to 10d are coupled, wherein the compartment frame is configured to be coupled to the housing 2.

[0064] Of course, instead of the receiving sections 10a to 10d the engaging sections 12a to 12d can be coupled to the housing while the receiving sections 10a to 10d are coupled to the compartment door 6a.

[0065] The receiving sections 10a to 10d and the engaging sections 12a to 12d always are provided in such a manner that two separate but parallel main pivoting axes P1 and P2 about which the compartment door 6a can be pivoted with respect to the housing 2, are formed.

[0066] In addition thereto, in the illustrated embodiment the hinge mechanism is configured such that the compartment door 6a can be fully disengaged from the housing 2. In other words, the compartment door assembly is configured such that also in an assembled state of the compartment door assembly, all of the engaging sections 12a to 12d can be disengaged from the respective receiving sections 10a to 10d. In this embodiment, such an operation state is achievable by operating both handles 8a and 8b simultaneously when the compartment door 6a is in the closed state.

[0067] Besides the hinge mechanism, the compartment door assembly 6 and the refrigerator 1, the present embodiments refer to generals cabinets and recreational vehicles like motor homes or caravans provided with at least one of the above described devices.

[0068] It is to be noted that for cabinets or refrigerators in recreational vehicles, the doors have to be provided with a locking mechanism preventing and autonomous opening of the door for example due to vibrations and or slanted positions for the recreational vehicle. However, the above described compartment door mechanism does not have to be provided with such a separate locking mechanism as in the assembled state, the main door of the cabinet or refrigerator, which has to be provided with such a locking mechanism locks the compartment door when the main door is closed. Accordingly, the overall structure of the compartment door assembly can be provided in the above described simple but reliable and highly functional configuration.

[0069] The above described exemplary embodiment is not provided to serve in a limiting manner but depict a possibility of implementing the present invention. A skilled artisan will easily see many possibilities of adapting the above described configurations without departing form the scope of protection defined by the accompanying claims.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0070] 1 refrigerator/cabinet [0071] 2 housing [0072] 4 removable shelf/coupling section [0073] 4a coupling protrusion [0074] 4b locking member [0075] 6 compartment door assembly [0076] 6a compartment door/coupling section [0077] 10a-10d receiving sections [0078] 10aa-10da coupling portions [0079] 10ab-10db receiving portions [0080] 12a-12d engaging sections [0081] 12ab-12db pin portions [0082] 14a first flattened surface [0083] 14b second flattened surface [0084] 18 insert [0085] P1 first (main) pivoting axis [0086] P2 second (main) pivoting axis