Household appliance
10575639 ยท 2020-03-03
Assignee
Inventors
- Qinchao Liu (Nanjing, CN)
- Ping Lv (Nanjing, CN)
- Ya Xu (Nanjing, CN)
- Chuan Zhang (Chuzhou, CN)
- Oliver Elser (Koenigsbronn, DE)
- Roland Kuemmel (Nellingen, DE)
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
A household appliance includes a connection mechanism fixing a door and a main body. The connection mechanism includes first and second components fixed by first and second fixing mechanisms. The first mechanism includes a first fixing member, a first hole on the first component and a second hole on the second component. The second mechanism includes a second fixing member, third holes elongated in a second direction at intervals on the first component and fourth holes at intervals in a first direction on the second component. When the second fixing member passes through a third hole and a fourth hole, the third and fourth holes define a distance between centers of remaining third holes and centers of remaining fourth holes in the first direction. The fourth holes adjust positions relative to the third holes in the second direction, causing the first and second components to relatively rotate.
Claims
1. A household appliance, comprising: a main body; a door connected to said main body; and a connection mechanism configured to fix said door to said main body, said connection mechanism including first and second components and first and second fixing mechanisms configured to fix said first and second components; said first fixing mechanism having a first hole located on said first component, a second hole located on said second component, and a first fixing member passing through said first hole and said second hole for fixing said first component and said second component; said second fixing mechanism having a group of third holes located on said first component, a group of fourth holes located on said second component, and a second fixing member; said third holes being disposed at intervals in a first direction, said fourth holes being disposed at intervals in said first direction, said third holes and said fourth holes being disposed in such a manner that upon said second fixing member passing through any one of said third holes and any one of said fourth holes corresponding to said third holes, a distance is defined between centers of a remainder of said third holes and centers of a remainder of said corresponding fourth holes in said first direction; and said third holes being elongated holes extending in a second direction, and said fourth holes being suitable for adjusting positions relative to said third holes in said second direction, permitting said first component and said second component to rotate relative to each other about said first fixing member for adjusting a position of said door relative to said main body upon said door being closed.
2. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said centers of said third holes are all disposed along one line and extend in said first direction.
3. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said first hole is a kidney-shaped hole having a major axis extending in said first direction.
4. The household appliance according to claim 3, wherein said major axis of said first hole and said centers of said third holes are all disposed along one line.
5. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said first direction is perpendicular to said second direction.
6. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein: said third holes are kidney-shaped holes having major axes defining extension directions in said second direction, or said third holes are arcuate holes bending toward said first hole and having major axes defining arc segments surrounding said first hole.
7. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein a screw or a bolt is provided as at least one of said first fixing member or said second fixing member.
8. The household appliance according claim 1, wherein: said first component has a first positioning hole; said second component has a second positioning hole corresponding to said first positioning hole; said first positioning hole and said second positioning hole, when aligned with each other, are suitable for receiving a removable positioning member; and when said first positioning hole and said second positioning hole are aligned with each other, said first fixing member is suitable for passing through said first hole and said second hole, and said second fixing member is suitable for passing through one of said third holes and one of said corresponding fourth holes, for placing said first component and said second component at initial relative positions.
9. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said first positioning hole and said second positioning hole are both located between said first fixing mechanism and said second fixing mechanism.
10. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said first positioning hole has a non-round shape.
11. The household appliance according to claim 10, wherein said first positioning hole has a kidney-shape.
12. The household appliance according to claim 11, wherein said first positioning hole has a major axis extending in said first direction.
13. The household appliance according to claim 11, wherein: a center of said first hole and said centers of said third holes are all disposed along one line and said first hole and said third holes extend in said first direction; and said first positioning hole has a major axis located along a line connecting said center of said first hole and said centers of said third holes, or is parallel to a line connecting said center of said first hole and said centers of said third holes.
14. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said first positioning hole and said second positioning hole have identical shapes and sizes.
15. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein a center of said first hole overlaps a center of said second hole, at said initial relative positions.
16. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said second fixing member is suitable for passing through one third hole located centrally in said group of third holes and a corresponding fourth hole, at said initial relative positions.
17. The household appliance according to claim 16, wherein a center of said third hole located centrally in said second direction overlaps a center of said corresponding fourth hole, at said initial relative positions.
18. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said connection mechanism includes an initial fixing mechanism having a first initial fixing hole located on said first component and a second initial fixing hole located on said second component, and said first initial fixing hole is overlapped by said second initial fixing hole to receive a third fixing member, at said initial relative positions.
19. The household appliance according to claim 18, wherein said initial fixing mechanism is located between said first fixing mechanism and said second fixing mechanism.
20. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said second fixing member can pass through only one of said third holes and only one of said fourth holes.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(12) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to
(13) As shown in
(14) The household appliance 100 may further include a container 50 fixedly disposed on a rear side of the door 20. The container 50 may be supported on the connection mechanism 30, and is suitable to move with the door 20.
(15)
(16) As shown in
(17) The third hole group aa includes three third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a disposed at intervals in a first direction m. The second component 30b is provided with a second hole 31b and a fourth hole group bb. The fourth hole group bb includes three fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b disposed at intervals in the first direction m.
(18) As shown in
(19) The first hole 31a, the second hole 31b, and the first fixing member 61 form the first fixing mechanism 41. The third hole group aa, the fourth hole group bb, and the second fixing member 62 form the second fixing mechanism 42. Holes on the first component 30a and the second component 30b are used as a part of the first fixing mechanism 41 and the second fixing mechanism 42. Therefore, no additional component needs to be added, thereby reducing costs.
(20) In this embodiment, when the second fixing member 62 passes through any one of the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a in the third hole group aa and any one of the corresponding fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b, there is a distance between centers of the rest of the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a and centers of the rest of the corresponding fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b in the first direction m.
(21) Referring to
(22) Therefore, when the second fixing member 62 passes through different third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a and the corresponding fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b to fixedly connect the first component 30a and the second component 30b, relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b can be adjusted in the first direction m.
(23) The first component 30a is fixedly disposed on the door 20, and the second component 30b is disposed on the main body 10. Therefore, if the first direction m is a height direction z of the household appliance 100, a height position of the door 20 relative to the main body 10 can be adjusted by using the connection mechanism 30. Specifically, when the household appliance 100 has been used for a long time or has been improperly assembled, and consequently, an appearance of the household appliance 100 is affected because the door 20 deviates upward or downward relative to the main body 10, or when a deviation is too large, and consequently, there is a gap between the door 20 and the main body 10, the second fixing member 62 passes through other third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a and corresponding fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b, to fixedly connect the first component 30a and the second component 30b. In this way, a height of the door 20 can be effectively adjusted, so that the door 20 is at a proper position relative to the main body 10.
(24) In this embodiment, the first hole 31a is a kidney-shaped hole, and a major axis of the first hole 31a extends in the first direction m. When the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b in the first direction m need to be adjusted, a relative position of the second hole 31b to the first hole 31a in the first direction m may be adjusted. Therefore, a fixed connection between the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b through the first fixing member 61 does not affect position adjustment of the first component 30a and the second component 30b in the first direction m.
(25) A distance L3 between the center of the first hole 31a and a center of an upper hole is not less than a deviation distance L1 between the third hole 32a and the fourth hole 32b. A distance L4 between the center of the first hole 31a and a center of a lower hole is not less than a deviation distance L2 between the third hole 34a and the fourth hole 34b.
(26) Referring to
(27) Since the first fixing member 61 passes through the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b, to fixedly connect the first component 36a and the second component 30b, when relative positions between the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b and the corresponding third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a in the second direction n are adjusted, the first component 30a and the second component 30b can relatively rotate around the first fixing member 61, to adjust the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(28) Similarly, the first component 30a is fixedly disposed on the door 20, and the second component 30b is disposed on the main body 10. Therefore, if the first direction m is a front-rear direction x of the household appliance 100, a position of the door 20 relative to the main body 10 can be adjusted, when the door 20 is closed, by using the connection mechanism 34. Specifically, when the door 20 tilts relative to the main body 10 because the household appliance 100 has been used for a long time or has been improperly assembled, the relative positions between the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b and the corresponding third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a in the second direction n are changed, so that the door 20 can be restored from a tilted state to a correct state or a balanced position with an acceptable error, thereby avoiding problems such as a coldness leakage of a refrigerator.
(29) In this embodiment, when the household appliance 100 is in a factory-set state, the first component 30a and the second component 30b are at initial relative positions. At the initial relative positions, as shown in
(30) When an assembly error occurs or the door 20 deviates upward relative to the main body 10 due to various reasons after the household appliance has been used for a long time, the first fixing member 61 is controlled to loosen fixing of the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b, so that a relative position of the second hole 31b to the first hole 31a can be adjusted in the first direction m. In addition, the second fixing member 62 is controlled to cancel fixing of the third hole 33a and the fourth hole 33b, so that the second fixing member 62 passes through the third hole 34a and the fourth hole 34b at the lower portion, to fixedly connect the first component 30a and the second component 30b. Then, the first fixing member 61 passes through the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b having relative positions which have been adjusted, to fixedly connect the first component 30a and the second component 30b, In this case, the first component 30a is lowered, in the first direction m, by the distance L2 relative to the second component 30b, that is, the height of the door 20 is lowered by the distance L2 relative to the main body 10.
(31) When the door 20 deviates downward relative to the main body 10 due to various reasons after an assembly error occurs or after the house appliance has been used for a long time, the second fixing member 62 passes through the third hole 32a and the fourth hole 32b that are located at the upper portion, to fixedly connect the first component and the second component 30b. Then, the first fixing member 61 passes through the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b having relative positions which have been adjusted, to fixedly connect the first component and the second component 30b. In this case, the first component 30a is lifted, in the first direction m, by the distance L1 relative to the second component 30b, that is, the height of the door 20 is increased by the distance L1 relative to the main body 10.
(32) A value of the distance L1 by which the third hole 32a and the fourth hole 32b that are located at the upper portion deviate and a value of the distance L2 by which the third hole 34a and the fourth hole 34b that are located at the lower portion may be set according to specific cases. This is not limited in this technical embodiment. In another variant embodiment, the third hole group aa may alternatively include two third holes or at least four third holes. Correspondingly, the fourth hole group aa may alternatively include two fourth holes or at least four fourth holes. Larger quantities of third holes and fourth holes indicate more adjustable relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(33) When an assembly error occurs or an upper portion of the door 20 deviates from the main body 10 due to various reasons after the house appliance has been used for a long time, the first fixing member 61 is controlled to loosen fixing of the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b. In addition, the second fixing member 62 is controlled to loosen fixing of the third hole 33a and the fourth hole 33b, so that the relative position of the fourth hole 33b to the third hole 33a is changed in the second direction n (the left direction in
(34) When an assembly error occurs or a lower portion of the door 20 deviates from the main body 10 due to various reasons after the house appliance has been used for a long time, the relative position of the fourth hole 33b to the third hole 33a is changed in the second direction n (the left direction in
(35) In this embodiment, the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a may be kidney-shaped holes. An extension direction of a major axis of the kidney-shaped hole is the second direction n. Optionally, the first direction m is perpendicular to the second direction n. In this case, the relative positions between the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b and the corresponding third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a can be changed better by using the first fixing member 61 as a center. However, a distance between a position of the kidney-shaped hole and the center of the first hole 31a varies, so that changes in relative positions of the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b relative to the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a are relatively limited, thereby limiting a rotation amplitude between the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(36) In addition, the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a may be arcuate holes, and major axes of the arcuate holes are arc segments surrounding the first hole 31a As compared with the kidney-shaped hole, a distance between a position of arcuate hole and the center of the first hole 31a does not vary, so that the relative positions between the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b and the corresponding third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a can be changed better by using the first fixing member 61 as a center. In addition, the rotation amplitude between the first component 30a and the second component 30b is not limited.
(37) Both the first fixing member 61 and the second fixing member 62 are screws or bolts, to fix the first component 30a and the second component 30b. The second hole 31b may be a threaded hole coordinating with the first fixing member 61, or may be a through hole, and a fixed connection is implemented by placing a bolt coordinating with the through hole. The fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b may be threaded holes coordinating with the second fixing member 62, or may be through holes, and a fixed connection is implemented by placing bolts coordinating with the through holes.
(38) Still referring to
(39) If the centers of the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a are on the same line, on one hand, it is convenient to make a hole on the first component 30a and fix the first component 30a to the second component 30b. On the other hand, when the second hole 31b changes the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b in the first direction m, the centers of the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b can be overlapped with the centers of the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a. This facilitates the position adjustment between the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(40) In this embodiment, the first hole 31a and the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a are provided on the first component 30a, and the second hole 31b and the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b are provided on the second component 30b. It should be understood that in another variant embodiment, the positions of the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b may be exchanged, the positions of the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a and the positions of the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b may also be exchanged. In addition, the first component 30a may be disposed on the main body 10, and the second component 30b is fixedly disposed on the door 20.
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(42) In this embodiment, a first component 30a is further provided with a first positioning hole 35a, and a second component 30b is provided with a second positioning hole 35b corresponding to the first positioning hole 35a. The connection mechanism 30 further includes a positioning member (not shown). When the first positioning hole 35a is aligned with the second positioning hole 35b, the positioning member can be inserted into the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b, to prevent the first component 30a and the second component 30b from relatively moving, thereby avoiding changes in relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(43) The first positioning hole 35a is located between a first hole 31a and third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a. The second positioning hole 35b is located between a second hole 31b and fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b.
(44) In addition, when the first positioning hole 35a is aligned with the second positioning hole 35b, a center of the first hole 31a is overlapped with a center of the second hole 31b, and a center of the third hole 33a located in the middle is overlapped with a center of the corresponding fourth hole 33b. A first fixing member 61 is suitable to pass through the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b, to fixedly connect the first component 30a and the second component 30b. A second fixing member 62 is suitable to pass through the third hole 33a and the fourth hole 33b, to fixedly connect the first component 30a and the second component 30b. In this case, the first component 30a and the second component 30b are at initial relative positions.
(45) The first positioning hole 35a, the second positioning hole 35b, and a positioning member are disposed in such a way that the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b can be fixed before the connection mechanism 30 is assembled, thereby facilitating fixed mounting of the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(46) The positioning member is a removable positioning member. After the first component 30a and the second component 30b are fixedly mounted, the positioning member is pulled out of the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b, so that the positioning member can be repeatedly used. In addition, the positioning member does not affect adjustment of the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(47) In this embodiment, the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b have the same shape and size. An outline of the positioning member and the first positioning hole 35a also have the same shape and size. In this way, when the positioning member is inserted into the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b, there will be no gap between the first positioning hole 35a and the outline of the positioning member and between the second positioning hole 35b and the outline of the positioning member. A problem that the first hole 31a and the second hole 31b cannot be aligned, and the third hole 33a and the fourth hole 33b cannot be aligned because the first component 30a and the second component 30b relatively move due to existence of a gap will not be caused.
(48) As shown in
(49) In another variant embodiment, the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b are non-round holes, to prevent the first component 30a and the second component 30b from relatively rotating. For example, the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b are polygonal holes such as triangles.
(50) In this embodiment, major axes of the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b extend in the first direction m. In addition, the major axis of the first positioning hole 35a is located in a direction of a connection line between the first hole 31a and the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a, or is parallel to a direction of a connection line between the first hole 31a and the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a. The major axis of the second positioning hole 35b is located in a direction of a connection line between the second hole 31b and the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b, or is parallel to a direction of a connection line between the second hole 31b and the fourth holes 32b; 33b, and 34b.
(51) When the relative positions of the second component 30b relative to the first component 30a in the first direction m need to be adjusted, inserting a positioning member having a constant thickness and a relatively small width into the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b can define relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b in the second direction n. In the first direction m, the first component 30a and the second component 30b can relatively move. In this case, it facilitates adjustment of the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b in the first direction m.
(52) Still referring to
(53) When the positioning member is inserted into the first positioning hole 35a and the second positioning hole 35b to limit the first component 30a and the second component 30b at the initial relative positions, the first initial fixing hole 36a is overlapped with the second initial fixing hole 36b. In this case, the third fixing member 63 is suitable to pass through the first initial fixing hole 36a and the second initial fixing hole 36b, to pre-fix the first component 30a and the second component 30b. Based thereupon, the first component 30a and the second component 30b are fixed by using the first fixing member 61 and the second fixing member 62, thereby further facilitating fixing of the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(54) The first initial fixing hole 36a, the second initial fixing hole 36b, and the third fixing member 63 form an initial fixing mechanism 43 of the connection mechanism 30. The first component 30a and the second component 30b are pre-fixed by using the initial fixing mechanism 43, and the first fixing mechanism 41 and the second fixing mechanism 42 again fix the first component 30a and the second component 30b. In this way, the first component 30a and the second component 30b can be effectively prevented from becoming loose, thereby improving connection strength of the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(55) In addition, after the first component 30a and the second component 30b are pre-fixed, it also facilitates the first fixing mechanism 41 and the second fixing mechanism 42 to fix the first component 30a and the second component 30b.
(56) It should be noted that the initial fixing mechanism 43 only fixes the first component 30a and the second component 30b when the first component 30a and the second component 30b are at the initial relative positions. When the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b need to be adjusted, the third fixing member 63 needs to be detached from the first initial fixing hole 36a and the second initial fixing hole 36b. After the relative positions between the first component 30a and the second component 30b are adjusted, the first component 30a and the second component 30b do not need to be fixed by using the initial fixing mechanism 43.
(57) In this implementation, the initial fixing mechanism 43 is located between the first fixing mechanism 41 and the second fixing mechanism 42. That is, the first initial fixing hole 36a is located between the first hole 31a and the third holes 32a, 33a, and 34a, and second initial fixing hole 36b is located between the second hole 31b and the fourth holes 32b, 33b, and 34b.
(58) The third fixing member 63 is a screw or a bolt.
(59) Although the present invention has been disclosed above, the present invention is not limited thereto. A person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be subject to the scope defined by the claims.