Home appliance having drawer-type movable container with a handle

Abstract

A home appliance, particularly a domestic refrigerator, includes a container being a drawer-type movable container and having a handle for the container. The handle has a connection profile fixed to the container and a second profile fixed to the connection profile, for forming the handle.

Claims

1. A home appliance, comprising: a container being a drawer-shaped movable container; and a handle for said container, said handle having a first profile being a connection profile affixed to said container and a second profile affixed to said connection profile, for forming said handle; said handle including a lid forming a side wall of said handle, said lid having an inner face and first and second protrusions formed on said inner face, said first protrusion facing and being fixed to said connection profile and said second protrusion facing and being fixed to said second profile.

2. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein said connection profile is connected to said container by at least one of a force-fitting connection and a form-fitting connection.

3. The home appliance according to claim 2, wherein said container is formed with a connection edge and said connection profile has a connection housing for receiving said connection edge of said container.

4. The home appliance according to claim 2, wherein said connection profile includes a tab for connecting to said container.

5. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein said connection profile and said second profile are connected to one another by at least one connection selected from the group consisting of a force-fitting connection, a form-fitting connection, an adhesive connection and a fixing-element connection.

6. The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein one of said second profile and said connection profile is formed with a housing for receiving an extension and the other of said second profile and said connection profile is formed with said extension.

7. The home appliance according to claim 6, wherein said extension is a plate.

8. The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein said connection profile has an adhesion wall for said second profile.

9. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein said second profile is formed with a connection wall covering a side wall of said connection profile.

10. The home appliance according to claim 9, wherein said connection wall of said second profile is formed with a hole for a fixing element.

11. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said second profile and said connection profile is formed with a gripping wall.

12. The home appliance according to claim 11, wherein said second profile or said connection profile includes a stiffening rib for supporting said gripping wall.

13. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein said handle includes a cover plate forming an upper wall of said handle.

14. The home appliance according to claim 13, wherein said cover plate is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic and composite.

15. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein said first protrusion is fixed to said connection profile and/or to and said second protrusion is fixed to said second profile by at least one connection selected from the group consisting of a force-fit, a form-fit and a fixing element.

16. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein one or both of said second profile or said connection profile is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a plastic and a composite.

17. The home appliance according to claim 1, formed as a domestic refrigerator have a refrigerator housing accommodating said container in the form of a drawer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 represents the possible home appliance from front-right of the device, which is a domestic refrigerator, with a door being opened.

(2) FIG. 2 represents the possible container from top-right of the container having the first possible embodiment of the handle and being cut in cross-sectional.

(3) FIG. 3 represents the detail-A obtained from FIG. 2 showing the connection edge of the container, the connection profile and the second profile.

(4) FIG. 4 represents the first embodiment of the handle and the container from top-right as dismantled.

(5) FIG. 5 represents the first embodiment of the handle from bottom-left as dismantled.

(6) FIG. 6 represents the second embodiment of the handle from top-right as dismantled. It has the cover plate.

(7) FIG. 7 represents the second embodiment of the handle from bottom-left as dismantled.

(8) FIG. 8 represents the possible container from top-right of the container having the third possible embodiment of the handle and being cut in cross-sectional.

(9) FIG. 9 represents right view of the detail-B obtained from FIG. 8 showing the connection edge of the container, the connection profile and the second profile.

(10) FIG. 10 represents the third embodiment of the handle from top-right as dismantled. It has the lid.

(11) FIG. 11 represents the third embodiment of the handle from bottom-left as dismantled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) All directional references such as front, left or bottom are based on reference to the home appliance (1) shown in FIG. 1, in which the visible side is the front side of the home appliance (1) and the door (4) at the right is opened toward right side of the home appliance (1). One or more of possible embodiments of the present invention will be described as examples in detail below.

(13) The invention is a home appliance (1). As presented in FIG. 1, it is for example a domestic refrigerator. The door (4) of the refrigerator is open and rotated toward right side in the figure. The door (4) is hinged to the refrigerator as rotatable around a hinge and covers the opening in front of the refrigerator as known in the art. Chamber (2) of the refrigerator, where an item (food etc.) is located, is defined by walls and the door (4). The refrigerator may have shelves (3) in the chamber (2), shelves (3) on the door (4) and/or a drawer-type container (10) to dispose an item therein.

The First Embodiment

(14) FIG. 2 shows the container (10) as cut in cross sectional. The container (10) has the first embodiment of the handle (20). The container (10) has a bottom and walls vertically rising around the bottom and an access opening on top. The handle (20) is on the front wall (11) of the container (10). The front wall (11) has a step-like form close to its upper edge, where the handle (20) is connected and which will be called from that point as the connection edge (13). This form of the front wall (11) provides together with the handle (20) a recess (12) for the user to put his hand and grip the handle (20). The handle (20) exists all along the width of the container (10).

(15) FIG. 3 presents the detail-A shown in FIG. 2 in a greater scale. The connection profile (30) is the profile connected to the connection edge (13) of the container (10). It is made of plastic or plastic based material for the first possible embodiment.

(16) The connection profile (30) has a connection housing (35) close to a rear edge (31) of the connection profile (30) and exists along the rear edge (31). The connection housing (35) is delimited by an upper wall (33) of the connection profile (30), a rear housing wall (36) extending vertically downward from the upper wall (33), and a front housing wall (38) again extending vertically downward from the upper wall (33) and spaced from the rear housing wall (36). The front housing wall (38) extends downward more than the rear housing wall (36). The front housing wall (38) has horizontally spaced portions (39) and tabs (40) between each of two portions (39) as seen in FIG. 5. That means portions (39) and tabs (40) form the front housing wall (38). Moreover, by the help of such arrangement, the tabs (40) can spring and act flexibly.

(17) The connection edge (13) of the container (10) has a cross section corresponds with the connection housing (35). Therefore, the connection edge (13) has a step toward front side and an offset wall (14) being at front side with an offset compared to a section of the front wall (11) close to the connection edge (13). After connection of the container (10) and the connection profile (30), in other words, after the connection edge (13) is positioned in the connection housing (35), the rear housing wall (36) remains in the container (10) and behind the offset wall (14). The front housing wall (38), as a result, the portions (39) and the tabs (40) remain in front of the offset wall (14). Finally, a hook end (41) of the tab (40) is positioned under the offset wall (14). The bottom face (15) of the offset wall (14) facing the hook end (41) of the tab (40) may be horizontal or, as in FIG. 3, may have a rising inclination from front to back. Thus the hook end (41) of the tab (40) can extend upward more and ensures that the connection is stronger and durable compared to an alternative having horizontal bottom face (15). Due to inclination, the handle (20) may be supported against vertically and horizontally applied forces by the bottom face (15). The handle (20) also supported by the offset wall (14) through the rear housing wall (36). The rear housing wall (36) has more than one horizontally spaced support walls (37) behind thereof for increasing its strength against applied forces (FIG. 5). The support wall (37) is formed as perpendicular to the rear housing wall (36). The connection wall (51) also has two rear protrusions (32) extending at both ends thereof and on the periphery of the opening of the container (10). Thus, recess details (5) of the container (10) on each side may be compensated; and a smooth surface and look may be achieved. The recess details (5) of the container (10) exist due to other embodiments of the connection profile (30) as providing brand or variant specific container (10) with a single design container (10).

(18) The connection profile (30) has a gripping wall (70) for gripping and applying force to the handle (20) to pull the container (10). The gripping wall (70) has a cross section in form of a concave arc. It extends from front of the front housing wall (38) toward the second profile (50).

(19) FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 present the handle (20) as dismantled.

(20) The connection profile (30) comprises more than one stiffening ribs (47) that are vertical plates located between the gripping wall (70) and the upper wall (33) of the connection profile (30). The stiffening ribs (47) support both gripping wall (70) and the upper wall (33) against deformation.

(21) The connection profile (30) also has some adhesion walls (46) extending between the adjacent stiffening ribs (47) as facing forward. The adhesion walls (46) form a partial front wall for the connection profile (30). The adhesion walls (46) are used to adhere the second profile (50) to the connection profile (30).

(22) The second profile (50) is made of a metal for the first embodiment of the handle (20). The second profile (50) is in a long-narrow plate form. It has two connection walls (51) at both ends like side walls. The connection profile (30) has also side walls (42) on right and left thereof. The connection walls (51) of the second profile (50) cover the side walls (42) of the connection profile (30). The connection walls (51) and the side walls (42) of the connection profile (30) have a hole (52, 43) for a screw (not shown in figures). During mounting the handle (20) on the container (10), the side walls (42) themselves, or together with the connection walls (51), are accommodated in side recesses (17) formed on the side walls (16) of the container (10) as neighbor to the connection edge (13) as shown in FIG. 4.

The Second Embodiment

(23) FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 represents the second embodiment of the handle (20). Most of the features mentioned above are also valid for the second embodiment. Compared to the first embodiment, the second embodiment has a cover plate (80). The cover plate (80) is made of metal for the second embodiment. It is used as the upper wall (33) of the connection profile (30). Therefore, the connection profile (30) of the second embodiment does not have the upper wall (33) as in the first embodiment.

(24) The connection profile (30) of the second embodiment also does not have the adhesion walls (46) as same as ones of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the adhesion wall (46) extends as a frame on front side of the connection profile (30). However, it is a frame without an upper edge.

(25) Lastly, in the second embodiment, the connection profile (30) has an extended upper wall (34) that extends over the opening of the container (10) compared to the rear protrusions (32) of the first embodiment. The support walls (37) of the rear housing wall (36) mentioned above extends until a rear edge of the extended upper wall (34). The support walls (37) seem like a triangle from right or left. Thus, desired strength is obtained with less material usage.

The Third Embodiment

(26) FIG. 8 shows a container (10) with the handle (20) of the third embodiment.

(27) As presented in FIG. 9, the connection profile (30) and the second profile (50) differ from the ones of the first and second embodiments.

(28) The connection housing (35) and the extended upper wall (34) of the connection profile (30) are same as the second embodiment. However, the third embodiment does not have the gripping wall (70), the upper wall (33) and the stiffening ribs (47). The connection profile (30) has an extension (45) as a horizontal plate extending from behind the front housing wall (38).

(29) The second profile (50) has a horizontal housing (53) for the extension (45). The housing (53) of the second profile (50) is delimited by an upper wall (54), a lower wall (55) and a front wall (57) of the second profile (50). The distance between the upper wall (54) and the lower wall (55) is same or less than the thickness of the plate-form extension (45). In FIG. 9, it is the same. Therefore, the extension (45) and connectively the connection profile (30) is connected to the second profile (50) by force-fit connection. The depth of the housing (53) is same or longer than the depth of the extension (45). In FIG. 9, it is the same.

(30) The connection profile (30) is made of plastic or plastic based material like previous embodiments. The second profile (50) is made of metal as previous embodiments.

(31) The second profile (50) is obtained by metal extrusion. It has the gripping wall (70). The gripping wall (70) has a cross section in form of a concave arc. It extends between a rear edge (56) of the lower wall (55) and a lower edge (58) of the front wall (57) of the second profile (50).

(32) As shown in the FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the connection profile (30) has the side wall (42) narrower than the previous embodiments and having a cut-out (44). In addition to that, the second profile (50) is obtained as hollow and having a space (59) between the lower wall (55), the gripping wall (70) and the front wall (57).

(33) The third embodiment has a lid (90) as in FIG. 9,10,11. The lid (90) has two protrusions (92) on an inner face (91) thereof. The first protrusion (92a) penetrates the cut-out (44). The second protrusion (92b) penetrates into the space (59).

(34) The first protrusion (92a) is in form of a tab and has a hook end. The second protrusion (92b) has the same cross section as the space (59) dimensionally same or smaller.

(35) The gripping wall (70) has a fixing opening (71) correspond to the second protrusion (92b) inside the space (59). Through the fixing opening (71), a fixing element (not shown in figures) like a screw is penetrated and fixed to the second protrusion (92b) inside the space (59). Thus a durable fixing is achieved. After mounting the connection profile (30), the second profile (50) and the lid (90); at least some part of the lid (90) is accommodated in the side recess (17) of the container.

(36) The support walls (37) for the rear housing wall (36) exist on the third embodiment as in the second embodiment.

(37) TABLE-US-00001 Reference Numbers 1. Home appliance 2. Chamber 3. Shelf 4. Door 5. Recess detail 10. Container 11. Front wall 12. Recess 13. Connection edge 14. Offset wall 15. Bottom face 16. Side wall 17. Side recess 20. Handle 30. Connection profile 31. Rear edge 32. Rear protrusion 33. Upper wall 34. Extended upper wall 35. Connection housing 36. Rear housing wall 37. Support wall 38. Front housing wall 39. Portion 40. Tab 41. Hook end 42. Side wall 43. Hole 44. Cut-out 45. Extension 46. Adhesion wall 47. Stiffening rib 50. Second profile 51. Connection wall 52. Hole 53. Housing 54. Upper wall 55. Lower wall 56. Rear edge 57. Front wall 58. Lower edge 59. Space 70. Gripping wall 71. Fixing opening 80. Cover plate 90. Lid 91. Inner face 92. Protrusion 92a First protrusion 92b Second protrusion