Profile comprising grip-means and means to assemble said profile to a door, door including such a profile and refrigerator having two such doors

Abstract: The refrigerating apparatus is of the type comprising at least one thermoinsulating door, with sunken handles (4) on the left side and on the right side in order to make possible the opening in one direction of rotation or the other. The handle (4) on the hinged side is sealed by a cap or cover element (14) which prevent the access to the handle. The handles are arranged at the frame (3) of the door (1) in one of the horizontal edges of said frame, thereby defining a front wall portion of the handle.

Description: The present invention refers to a profile as defined in the preamble of claim 1. Such a profile is known, for instance, from US-A-4486981. The invention also relates to a door including such a profile and to a refrigerator having two such doors. Refrigerator doors are formed by an outer metal panel and an inner plastic one, there being insulating material between the two. The top and bottom edges have ornamental. flashings that are fastened between screws. US-A-4,486,981 discloses a refrigerator door of joint parts comprising a handle part arranged on the door's front panel having two grip recesses respectively located in the end portions of the handle part. The handle part is inserted about within the vectical top area of the front plate of the door and upwardly enclosed by a frame portion. The handle part is assembled into the vertical front plate of the door and said inwardly curved recesses have U-shaped sections whereby the branches of the U's are equal in height. The disadvantages of the handle part of US-A-4,486,981 are that it is assembled into the vertical front area of the door's front plate whereafter the horizontal frame portion must be assembled on top. This implies that the handle part and the front plate (which, as generally known, are made of very thin metal sheets) may become deformed when the door is frequently and/or rather violently opened, whereby the insulation efficiency of the door is deteriorated. Furthermore, the handle part must be rather broad to allow the user to safely grip into the recesses so that the material and manufacturing costs are increased for the handle part per se and, moreover, the handle part is an element which is additional to the frame part so that again manufacturing costs are increased inasmuch insertion of the handle part requires an additional manufacturing step to that of the frame portion. Finally, the user cannot distinguish which is the grip-recesses he must use to open the door as both recesses are visibly available for pulling. The object of the invention is to provide a profile which does not have the drawbacks of the prior art. This object is attained by a profile having the features of claim 1. The ornamental profile and acting as a handle has in the area of the cavities a U-shaped section of unequal branches and whose ends are turned inward in order to fit in the edge of the door, the former also being fastened with screws. These ornamental profiles are placed on the top edge of a door and/or the bottom edge of the one placed on top. The handles can also be mounted in a parallel position if desired, in other words, placed on the top edges, or on the bottom ones, as applicable. The covers that close the cavity of the pull that is not to be used because the door opens on the opposite side to where the cavity is located, fits in counterforms established in the ornamental profile in order to remain totally secured. This cover also includes teeth being orthogonal to the rear wing thereof, to lock behind the overturned portion of the branches of the "U"shaped cross section of the ornamental profile. With this arrangement, the top edge of the ornamental profile, or more specifically the front vertical wing or flange of the same, interrupts its horizontal course to deflect parallel and shapes the opening that permits insertion of the user's fingers, thus continuing until the cavity of the other side is reached, sealing off the cover. To provide a better understanding of the invention reference will be made to the attached sheets of drawings in which a preferred embodiment is shown. Figure 1 is a raised view of a refrigerator that includes two doors provided with handles in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 a partial raised view of the ornamental profile that fits on the top edge of the bottom door of the refrigerator of figure 1 and that includes the grip for opening. Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of what is shown in figure 2. Figure 4 a top plan view of what is shown in figure 2. Figure 5 is a raised rear view of figure 2 and which also corresponds to the plan view of figure 4. Figure 6 is a section along the cutting line A-A of figure 2. Figure 7 is a section along the cutting line C-C of figure 5. Figure 8 is a section along the cutting line D-D of figure 5. Figure 9 is a partial section along cutting line F-F of figure 3. Figure 10 is a section along cutting line B-B of figure 4. Figure 11 is a partial section along cutting line E-E of figure 3. Figure 12 is a raised view of the cover insertable in the cavity of the ornamental profile that is not to be used as a grip itself. Figure 13 is a bottom plan view of what has been shown in figure 12. Figure 14 is a top plan view of what has been shown in figure 12. Figure 15 is a raised rear view of the same cover. Figure 16 is a section along cutting line G-G of figure 13. Figure 17 is a cross section of the ornamental profile with the cover mounted on the cavity that is not used. Making reference to the numbering used in the figures and more specifically in connection with figures 1 to 11, we can see the structure that the ornamental profile has which is to be secured in the top or bottom edge of the doors 1 and 2 of the refrigerator shown in figure 1 as an example. Each of these ornamental profiles has been referred to in general with no. (3) and they have a cavity (4) that permits access, on the user's, fingers in the door opening operation, by pulling the vertical wall (5) coincident with the front branch of the "U"-shaped section that the profile (3) has in the area of the cavity (4) as is clearly seen in figure 6 which is a section along cutting line A-A of figure 2. The rear branch of this "U"-shaped section has been referred to as no. (6), both having a respective extension (7) and (8) that turns inward to facilitate coupling to the door (1) or (2.) A front flange (7) covers the edge of the front plate of the refrigerator door, in the area of the cavity (4), this flange continuing all along the profile, as is clearly seen in figure 2. In the top view of the ornamental profile (3) as shown in figure 4, we can see the cavity (4) and the wall (5), materialized by the front branch of the "U"-shaped section of the ornamental profile (3) that defines the gripping element itself. We can also see as number (9) one of the end holes for anchoring by means of top screws the ornamental profile (3)to the rest of the door. The metal panel that defines the visible surface of doors (1) or (2), remains pressed between the downward flange (7) and a close wall (10) parallel to the reinforcement ribs (11) (see figures 7 to 9.) In the rear part of the ornamental profile (3) in a downward position close to the overturned flange (8) of the "U"-shaped section of branch (6) of the cavity (4), there is another downward wall (12.) Between walls (10) and (12) there are transversal ribs (13) that are equidistant along the profile and remain eliminated in the areas of the cavities (4.) Now making reference to figures 12 to 17, we can see the structure of the cover generally referred to by number (14) and which as we have said before is to close the cavity (4) that is not to be used as a pull itself. In figure 1 we can see this cover (14) placed on the right part of the refrigerator and on the top door (2) as well as on the bottom door (1), since these doors open to the right. The cover (14) covers the top and side of the cavity (4), thus it has a top horizontal wall (15) and a main wall (16) that descends from its front edge and that is finished in an arched manner at its ends (17) to remain located coplanar to the flange (7) of the ornamental profile (3) in the area defined by the front notch (18) in figure 2. This notch (18) and what we have called the descending wall (16) have the same geometry thus they complement each other. Parallel to the descending wall (16), the cover (14) also has a rear wing (19), thus determining a reversed "U"-shaped cross section in the assembly position of the cover, just as is shown in figure 17. The cover (14) is mounted in a sliding manner vertically upon having guide means defined by the triangular vertical projections that are introduced in the cavity (4), backing to its inner contour. The sideflaps (22) have this same task for side immobilization. There are also some means for locking the cover (14), defined by the teeth (23) which are orthogonal to the rear wing (19), which are located behind the edge of the overturned flange (8) of the ornamental profile (3), precisely in the area where the latter has some notches (24) (see figure 5.) When the cover (14) is in the assembled position, as is shown in figure 17, it is impossible to have access to the inner part of the ascending wall (5), in other words to the inside of the cavity (4) by the "U"-shaped cross section of branch (16) of the cover (14) preventing it. In the event that the pulls of doors (1) and (2) coincide, as is in the example shown in figure 1, access to the cavity (4) is facilitated since the notch (18) of entry is doubled, for opening the top door (2) as well as the bottom door (1.)

Claims: A profile (3) comprising grip-means consisting of two cavities (4) each recessed in the proximity of each one of the two end portions of said profile (3), and means to assemble said profile to a door (1,2), characterized in that: said profile (3) has a substantially horizontal flat outer surface and comprises means (7,8) for assembling said profile (3) on horizontal edge portions of inner and external panel means of said door (1,2); each of said cavities (4) has a substantially U-shaped section comprising a first portion consisting of a substantially vertical wall (5) in the front portion of said profile (3); a second middle portion and a third vertical rear portion (6), said vertical wall (5) being shorter than said rear portion (6) to allow access to the inside of said cavity (4) for pulling said door (1,2); whereby one of the cavities (4) is closed by a cover (14) having a horizontal surface (15) being substantially complementary in shape to said substantially horizontal flat outer surface of said profile (3) and a vertical portion (16) having a shape being substantially complementary to the edge portions of said vertical wall (5), said cover (14) further comprising means (20,21) for insertion thereof in said cavity (4). A profile according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (7,8) for assembling the profile on horizontal edge portions of inner and external panel means of said door (1,2) comprises a flange (7) extending substantially over at least the whole of the front portion of a wall (10) vertically extending from the bottom and spaced from the perimeter of said horizontal surface of the profile (3), and bent vertically away from said horizontal surface and being parallel to said wall (10), whereby the distance between said flange (7) and said front wall (10) is such that at least the horizontal front edge of the external panel of the door (1,2) is closely surrounded by said wall (10) and said flange (7). A profile (3) according to claim 2, characterized in that said wall (10) and said flange (7) are present along the front and lateral sides of the profile (3), to closely surround front and lateral sides of said horizontal edge portions of said inner and external panel means of said door (1,2). A profile (3) according to claim 3, characterized in that a further wall (12) being higher than the front portion of said wall (10) extends vertically from the bottom of the rear side of the profile (3) and that a further flange (8) being shorter than said flange (7) extends vertically from the rear side of said horizontal surface to also surround closely a rear side of said horizontal edge portions of said inner and external panel means of said door (1,2). A profile (3) according to claim 2, characterized in that said wall (10) and said flange (7) are present along the whole of the profile (3) to closely surround said horizontal edge portions of said inner and external panel means of said door (1,2). A profile (3) according to any of claims 2-5, characterized in that said flange (7) extends vertically from the perimeter of said horizontal surface of the profile (3) and is vertically recessed in the areas corresponding to the edges of said vertical walls (5) of said cavities (4). A door (1,2), especially a thermoinsulated refrigerator door having inner and external panel means, characterized in that the door includes a profile (3) according to any of claims 1-6. A refrigerator having two superimposed doors (1,2) in accordance with claim 7 wherein a first profile (3) is assembled to the top edge portions of the first door (1) and where a second profile (3) is assembled to the bottom edge portions of the second door (2), in such a manner that said horizontal flat outer surfaces and said vertical walls (5) of the profiles face each other.

Inventors: GARCIA SANTAMARIA SALVADOR, GARCIA SANTAMARIA, SALVADOR
Applicants: BS ELECTRODOMESTICOS SA, BS ELECTRODOMESTICOS, S.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: F25D23
IPC codes: E05B63, F25D23, E05B1, A47B95, E06B3