Support device to carry the load of a door

Abstract: The support device carries the load of a door during the door closure. The door comprises a pair of hinge pin members (2A,2B) projected in a vertical direction from the right, left end portions of either one from the door (1) or the main body (3) on which said door member is mounted. A load receiving member (4A) for supporting the door member through contact with the tip ends of the hinge pin members (2A,2B) during the door member closure is disposed on the either one of the door member (1) or the main body (3). The door (1) is supported for its opening or closing operations with the one between the right and left hinge pin members (2A,2B) as a center. An engagement pair (202) is mounted on each of the door member (1) and the main body (3) and gets engaged immediately before the door member is fully closed so as to raise the door member up to a position where the hinge pin members (2A,2B) do not interfere with the load receiving member (4A).

Description: The present invention generally relates to a support device to carry the load of a door during its closure mainly for use in a door member and more particularly, in a door member of a refrigerator. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate respectively a representative double-side openable device of a refrigerator of the prior art. In the device of Fig. 6 , hinge pins 20 and 20 are provided at the right and left corners of respective opposite upper and lower end portions of a door member 10. The hinge pins 20 are freely projectable upward or downward. Moreover, the hinge pins 20 are received by respective bearing recessed portions 40 each formed in a part of a main body 30 confronting to the upper or lower end portion of the door member 10. When either one of operating handles 50 provided in the door member 10 is rotated, either of the right and left hinge pins 20 are slipped off from the corresponding bearing recessed portions 40, so that the door member 10 becomes openable. Referring to the double-side-operable device shown in Fig. 7 , the refrigerator has a middle frame 80 which is bored at the central part thereof and sandwiched between a main body 60 and a door member 70. The middle frame 80 is pivotally fixed to the main body 60 at one lateral side of the right and left sides thereof, and also pivotally fixed to the door member 70 at the other side thereof. When one of right and left operating handles provided in the door member 70 is rotated, only the door member 70 can be rendered openable at one side, while the door member 70 and the middle frame 80 are all together rendered openable at the other side. GB-A-2 107 768 relates to a refrigerator door and mounting arrangement. Thereby, the arrangement consists of a door with a handle and mounting brackets or a frame. The door and the brackets have projections and resilient clip portions to provide a hinge access at the left-hand end of the door or by inversion alternatively at the right-hand end of the door. Engagement of projections with the clip portions on the other one of the brackets provides a loose engagement or retaining action for the door. IBM, Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 20, No. 11A, April 1978, New York relates to a folding support for hinged gate. A gate support plate which is carried by the gate contains a dowel which rests on a gate support bracket attached to the frame. This provides the support of the gate in the closed position. It is the object of the invention to provide an improved support device to carry the load of a door during the door opening and the door closure which ensures an easy and reliable opening and closure of the door. The present invention is to provide a support device of a door which comprises a pair of hinge pins members projected in a vertical direction from the right, left end portions of either one from the door or a main body on which said door member is mounted. A load receiving member supports the door through contact with the tip ends of the hinge pin members during the door closure and is disposed on the either one of the door or the main body, the door being supported for its opening or closing operations with the one between the right and left hinge pin members as a center. An engagement pair as support device is mounted on each of the door member and the main body, and gets engaged immediately before the door member is fully closed so as to raise the door member up to a position where the hinge pin members do not interfere with the load receiving member. Features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are designated by like reference numerals, and in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator having a door provided with the support device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the device in Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing the operation of an engagement pair provided in a refrigerator; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a roller portion and a support member of the engagement pair in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing a modification of the portion of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional opening/closing device of a door member; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a different conventional opening/closing device of a door member. Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, an engagement pair 202 for raising a door 1 through the engagement immediately before the door 1 is fully closed is disposed on the lower end portion of the door 1 and a refrigerating chamber 203 of a main body 3. Namely, the engagement pair 202 consisting of a support member 205; 205A and a roller portion 204; 204A are projected towards the door closing direction, as indicated with an in the drawing, from near the approximately central position of the lower end portion of the door 1, i.e., of both right, left hinge pins 2A, 2B so that the roller portion 204 which is in the one example thereof may be inserted onto the inner side of the refrigerator during the closure of the door, while the support member 205 which is in one example of the other thereof is disposed in such a position as to be engaged with the roller portion 204 during the door closure on the bottom portion of the refrigerating chamber 203. The support member 205 which is an approximately trapezoidal column member in the side face is provided on the door side of the top face thereof with a slant face F falling towards the door opening direction (arrow mark B) and on the recesses of the main body with a slant face G falling towards the door closing direction. As shown in Fig. 4 , the roller portion 204 is composed of a roller 206 adapted to roll on the top face of the support member 205 to support the load of the door 1 during the door closure, a mounting angle 208 which is an approximately ]-shaped frame member in the plane to be secured on the reverse face of the door 1 with a screws 207, a roller holder 210 which is an approximately ]-shaped plate member in the plane to be pivotally supported on the pin 209 that is pivoted at its one end so as to grasp the roller 206 and is provided at its other end in the lower portion of the mounting angle 208, a fixing base plate 211 projected towards the main body side from the central portion of the mounting angle 208, a screw pair for the height position adjustment composed of a screw 212 which is engaged into a tapped hole drilled in the top face of the roller holder 210 with the tip end of the screw advancing direction being provided to be brought into contact against the tip end portion.of the fixing base plate 211, and a screw 213 which is engaged into the tapped hole drilled in the fixing base plate with the head portion thereof being adapted to support the roller holder 210. In such a door opening, closing apparatus 201 as described hereinabove, the opened door 1 is closed towards the door closing direction (arrow mark A). At this time, first, the roller 206 located at the tip end of the roller portion 204 comes into contact against the slant face F of the support member 205. When the door is pushed, the door 1 is rolled on the slant F so as to upwardly raise the door 1 with the roller portion 204 being secured thereon. And when the door 204 has come to the high base face H of the support member 205, the load receiving member 4A of the door 1 is located above the hinge pin 2A disposed on the side of the main body as shown in Fig. 3 so that they do not come into contact against each other. On further pushing operation of the door 1, the roller 206 lowers on the slant face G of the support member 205 as shown in Fig. 2 . Accordingly, the door 1 also lowers to come to the full closure. At this time, the hinge pin 2A comes into contact against the load receiving member 4A to receive the load of the door 1 and also, becomes the shaft during the door closure. Also, the door 1 is urged towards the closing direction (arrow mark A). Also, even when the door 1 is opened from the condition of the full closure, the roller 206 rises on the slant face G of the support member 205 to raise the door 1, so that as shown in Fig. 3 , the opening, closing operations of the door 1 is smoothly effected without the contacting between the hinge pin 2A and the load receiving member 4A. Here, the upper evacuation degree of the door 1 is required to be adjusted so that the hinge pin 2A and the load receiving member 4A may not come into contact against each other during the opening, closing operations of the door 1. This operation is effected by the screw pair for height position adjusting use 212, 213 capable of displacing the roller holder 210 with respect to the fixing base plate 211. Namely, one of the screws adjusts the evacuation degree and thereafter, the other of the screws secures the adjusting position. The slant G is provided to receive the door load by both the right, left hinge pins 2A, 2B during the door closure so as to prevent the door 1, the engagement pair 202, etc. from being deformed, and to urge the door 1 in the shutting direction (arrow mark A) so that the door 1 may not be opened unexpectedly during the door closure. The slant face G may be omitted. The support member 205 may be composed of a slant face F and a high base H so that the door load may be received by the roller 206 even when the door 1 has been fully shut. Also, in the present embodiment, the roller 206 is projected towards the door shutting direction (arrow mark A) from the inner side of the door 1. In this manner, the door size may be made larger as compared with the case where the roller 206 is provided on the lower face of the door 1. Even when a plurality of doors have been placed one upon the other, the space between the doors does not become wider. In the above-described embodiment, there are provided the engagement pair 202 with the roller portion 204 being provided on the door 1, and the support member 205 being provided on the main body 3. Another embodiment shows the engagement pair 202A with the support member 205A being provided on the door 1, and the roller portion 204A being provided on the main body 3. In the roller portion 204A of a modified embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5 , a pedestal 215 is provided in a position where the support member 205 has been disposed in the previous embodiment, with the roller 206A being rotatably pivoted by a bearing portion 216 projected from the pedestal. The support member 205A is formed straight in the shutting direction on the bottom face, and is a column-shaped member having an approximately circular (in the side face) engagement groove 217 into which the roller 206A is 40 engaged during the door closure. The support member 205A is oscillably pivoted on the mounting angle 126 with the end portion being secured on the reverse face of the door 1. Furthermore, the height position adjustment of the support member 205A is likewise effected by the screw pair 212A, 213A for height position adjusting operation with respect to the fixing base plate 211 projected from the mounting angle 126. In the door opening, closing apparatus in accordance with the embodiment, when the opened door 1 is closed, at first, the tip end lower portion J of the support member 205A on the side of the door 1 comes into contact against the upper portion of the roller 206A on the side of the main body 3. Furthermore, the bottom face of the tip end portion of the support member 205A is raised onto the roller by the pushing operation of the door 1. The door 1 coupled thereby to the support member 205A is raised as far as a position with the load receiving member 4A being not projected from the hinge pin 2A provided on the side of the main body 3. Continuously, when the roller 206A has been loosely engaged into the engagement groove 217 of the support member 205A, namely, during the full closure of the door 1, the door 1 is lowered so as to support the load receiving member 4A by the upper end portion of the hinge pin 2A. In this manner, the smooth closing operation may be effected during the closing operation of the door 1. Also, even in the opening operation of the door 1 closed, the roller 206A raises the door 1 in getting away from the engagement groove 217 so that one portion of the door 1 does not come into contact against the hinge pins 2A,2B. Thus, even in the embodiment, the smooth opening, closing operation may be effected during the opening, closing of the door 1. The door 1 may be smoothly opened, closed without unnecessary contacting among the members if the door opening, closing operation is effected from the optional right or left side as described hereinabove. As the degree of evacuating the door 1 upwardly may be adjusted by the engagement pair 202, 202A, the setting operation may be effected into the given position if dispersion is caused in the mounting position of the hinge pins 2A, 2B and the roller portions 204, 204A. Accordingly, the operationality during the assembling operation may be improved, with the yield being made better. The engagement pair is disposed in the lower end portion of the approximately central position if the interior of the respective door of the refrigerator. It is needless to say that the arrangement position of the engagement pair is not limited to the above description. Namely, the operation, effect remain unchanged in the above-described embodiment if they are is disposed on the upper end portion of each door, on both the right, left portions or on the side of the optional right or left side. As described hereinabove, the present embodiment provides a support device for a door, wherein hinge pins each being vertical in direction are projected from the right, left end portions of either one from a door and a main body with the door mounted thereon, a load receiving member for supporting the door through contact with the tip ends of the hinge pins during the door closure is disposed on the other one from the door and the main body, the door is supported for its opening, closing operations with the one between the right and left hinge pins as a center. The opening, closing apparatus for the door is characterized in that an engagement pair which gets engaged immediately before the door is fully closed so as to raise the door up to a position where the hinge pins do not interfere with the load receiving member is mounted on each of the door and the main body. Therefore, such simple construction as described hereinabove prevents the hinge pins from contacting against the load receiving member even when the door is opened, shut from the optional right or left direction. Accordingly, the smooth opening, shutting operations of the door may be effected. Furthermore, as the door may be disposed in the given position of the door even if the dispersion is caused in the mounting position for the hinge pins or the like, the operationality during the assembling operation, etc. may be improved and also, the yield may be made better.

Claims: A support device to carry the load of a door during the door opening and the door closure, wherein the door (1) comprises a pair of hinge pin members (2A, 2B) projected in a vertical direction from the right, left end portions of either one of the door (1) or a main body (3) on which said door (1) is mounted, a load receiving member (4A) for supporting the door (1) through contact with the tip ends of the hinge pin members (2A, 2B) during the door opening and the door closure and disposed on the other one of the door (1) or the main body (3), the door (1) being supported for its opening or closing operations with the one of the right and left hinge pin members (2A, 2B) as a center, wherein an engagement pair (202; 202A) is mounted on each of the door (1) and the main body (3) and gets engaged immedately before the door (1) is fully closed so as to raise the door (1) up to a position where the hinge pin members (2A, 2B) do not engage with the load receiving member (4A). A support device according to claim 1, wherein the engagement pair (202; 202A) provides for a lowering of the door in the full closure position. A support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the engagement pair (202; 202A) comprises a roller portion (204; 204A) and a support member (205; 205A). A support device according to claim 3, wherein the roller portion (204) is mounted on the door (1) and is composed of a roller (206) and a roller holder (210), the support member (205) mounted on the main body (3) is an approximately trapezoidal column member which is provided on the door side of the top face thereof with a slant face (F) falling towards the door opening direction. A support device according to claim 4, wherein the trapezoidal column member comprises on the inside of the main body (3) a slant face (G) falling towards the door closing direction. A support device according to claim 3, wherein the roller portion (204A) is mounted on the main body (3) and is composed of a roller (206A) and a pedestal (215), and the support member (205A) is a column-shaped member having an approximately circular engagement groove (217) for engaging the roller (206A) during the door closure. A support device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein a screw pair (212, 213; 212A, 213A) and a fixing bore plate (211) projecting from a mounting angle (208; 126) are provided and the screw pair (212, 213; 212A, 213A) connects a fixing bore plate (211) with the roller holder (210) and the support member (205), respectively, for adjustment of the height position of the roller holder (210) and the support member (205A), respectively.

Inventors: HASEGAWA TOORU, INUI YOSHIO, KAI HIDEKAZU, KAMIKUBO HIROSHI, KAMITAKA MASUO, MIYAMOTO MASAO, OSAKA MASAYOSHI, TANAKA MITSUO, HASEGAWA, TOORU, INUI, YOSHIO, KAI, HIDEKAZU, KAMIKUBO, HIROSHI, KAMITAKA, MASUO, MIYAMOTO, MASAO, OSAKA, MASAYOSHI, TANAKA, MITSUO
Applicants: SHARP KK, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E05F7
IPC codes: F25D23, E05F7, E05D15