Patent Publication Number: US-9903146-B2

Title: Bearing arrangement for a door

Description:
This application is a U.S. nationalization under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/052808, filed Feb. 11, 2015, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2014 101 849.4, filed Feb. 13, 2014. The disclosures set forth in the referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to a bearing arrangement for a door, for example, for refrigerators, having a bearing axis for the rotatable mounting of the door, a closing device, by means of which the door is movable in the closing direction by the force of a spring over a specific pivot range, and a damper for damping a pivot movement of the door over at least one pivot range. 
     DE 20 2006 010 482 U1 discloses an arrangement for the pivotable mounting of a door of a refrigerator or freezer. The pivotable door is coupled to a lever to which a closing device and a damping device are actuated. The closing device and the damping device may be actuated via a pivotable component, which is moved by the door over a specific pivot range. The rigid coupling of the damping device to the closing device via the pivot part has the disadvantage that flexible adaptation of the damping forces or closing forces to the door cannot be performed. In addition, only comparatively small damping forces and closing forces can be caused. 
     The present disclosure illustrates and describes a bearing arrangement for a door which, using a closing device and a damper, can be flexibly adapted to the respective intended use with regard to the damping forces and closing forces. 
     According to the disclosure, a first curve guide, which is movable by the bearing axis, is provided for moving the closing device, and a second curve guide, which is movable by the bearing axis, is provided for moving the damper. The curve guides can have corresponding control projections, which act on the closing device and/or on the damper. Two separate curve guides can be used for the closing device and the damper. It is also possible to provide a single curve guide which acts both on the closing device and also the curve guide. Due to the use of curve guides, the forces for closing or damping can be set more accurately, since rigid coupling is no longer provided between the door and the closing device and the damper. Instead, the coupling takes place via curve guides, which act on the closing device and the damper during pivoting of the door. Both the closing device and also the damper can be pre-tensioned in this case by a spring against the curve guide. 
     The first and the second curve guide may be connected in a rotationally-fixed manner to the bearing axis, so that a particularly compact construction is possible. The first and second curve guides can be arranged offset in relation to one another in the axial direction or can be formed by a single disk, on which control projections are formed. 
     According to an embodiment, the second curve guide actuates the damper for damping the door both in the closing direction before reaching the closing position and also in the opening direction before reaching the maximum open position. A single damper can thus be used to provide a closing damping and additionally an opening damping. The damper is actuated by corresponding control projections on the second control curve, wherein the opening damping takes place before reaching the maximum opening position, which can be in a range between 90° and 180°, for example. The opening damping and the closing damping can extend in this case over a pivot range of the door of at least 5° in each case, for example during the closing damping between 10° and 50° before the closing position and during the opening damping between 5° and 25° before the maximum opening position. 
     For a compact construction, the closing device and the damper may be provided in a housing, which can alternately be installed inside or outside a refrigerator. 
     The damper may be designed as a linear compression damper, which causes a higher damping force during compression than during expansion. The damper can thus provide high braking forces during a closing or opening damping, but not be noticed or be barely noticed by the user during a movement in the opposite direction. Alternatively, a traction or rotation damper can be used instead of a compression damper. 
     The damper may be mounted at one side on the housing so it is rotatable and may be held so it is rotatable on a pivot part on the opposite side. The second curve guide can have control projections, which act on the pivot part and/or a roller arranged on the pivot part, to actuate the damper during a movement of the door. 
     The closing device may have a compression spring, which is tensioned between two end pieces. One end piece may be mounted so it is rotatable on the housing and the opposing end piece may be mounted on a rotatably mounted actuating part. The rotatably mounted actuating part can then be moved via at least one control projection on the first curve guide, wherein a rotatable roller can also be provided on the actuating part, on which the at least one control projection acts. 
     The actuating part for moving the closing device can be rotated in this case independently of the pivot part for actuating the damper, wherein pivot part and actuating part may be mounted on the housing so they are rotatable about the same axis. 
     Furthermore, a catch mechanism may be provided to latch the closing device in a tensioned state when the door is open. It is thus possible, after the tensioning of the closing device, to move the door in a free motion, without friction or braking forces acting due to the closing device. The catch mechanism can have a catch pawl actuable by a control curve, wherein the catch pawl may be pre-tensioned by a spring in the position which releases the latching. This prevents blocking of the door from occurring unintentionally due to the blocking pawl. In addition, the catch mechanism may enable a compact construction, because the closing device is only moved over a part of the pivot path of the door, so that structural space only has to be provided for this movement range. 
     The forces of the closing device and the damper may act in a plane essentially perpendicular in relation to the axis of rotation of the bearing axis. The bearing axis may be aligned essentially vertically, while the forces of the damper and the closing device act essentially horizontally in the installed state. A particularly flat construction of the bearing arrangement thus results. 
     The bearing arrangement according to the disclosure can be used in particular for domestic appliances, for example, for refrigerators or freezers. In addition, of course, a use for furniture or other domestic appliances is also possible. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a refrigerator having a bearing arrangement according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with a closed door; 
         FIG. 3  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with the door open at a 35° angle; 
         FIG. 4  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with the door open at a 50° angle; 
         FIG. 5  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with the door open at a 67° angle; 
         FIG. 6  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with the door open at a 100° angle; 
         FIG. 7  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with the door open at a 155° angle; 
         FIG. 8  shows a view of the bearing arrangement with the door open at a 180° angle; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the bearing arrangement on an upper side of a cabinet; and 
         FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of the bearing arrangement, which is mounted on a lower side of a cabinet. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     A refrigerator  1  comprises a cabinet  3 , on which a door  2  is mounted so it is rotatable. For this purpose, a housing  5  having a bearing arrangement is fixed on the upper side of the cabinet  3 . The bearing arrangement comprises in this case a bearing axis  4 , which is mounted so it is rotatable in the housing and on which the door  2  is fixed so it is rotatable. In  FIG. 1 , the housing  5  having the bearing arrangement is fixed on the upper side of the cabinet  3 . However, it is also possible to provide the bearing arrangement with the housing  5  on the lower side of the cabinet  3 . In an alternative embodiment, a bearing arrangement is also arranged inside the cabinet  3 , wherein mounting on the outer side has the advantage that retrofitting is possible in existing refrigerators. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the housing  5  of the bearing arrangement is shown with a cover of the housing  5  removed so that a closing device  10  and a damper  20  are visible. 
     The closing device  10  comprises a spring  11 , in the form of a compression spring, which is tensioned between two end pieces  12  and  13 . A first end piece  12  is mounted on the housing  5  so it is rotatable about an axis  16 . On the opposing side, the end piece  13  is mounted about an axis  17 , which is arranged on a rotatable actuating part  18 . The rotatable actuating part  18  is mounted on the housing  5  so it is rotatable about the axis  19 . The spring  11  is guided about a sleeve  14 , which can be pushed onto a rod  15 , to be able to perform a length compensation between the two end pieces  12  and  13 . 
     Furthermore, a damper  20  is provided in the housing  5 , which is formed as a linear compression damper having a housing  21  and a piston rod  22 . The piston rod  22  is insertable into the housing  21 , wherein high damping forces are provided during the insertion of the piston rod  22  via a corresponding piston, while the retraction of the piston rod  22  takes place smoothly. The housing  21  is fixed on a holder  24 , which is mounted on the housing  5  so it is rotatable about an axis  25 . The piston rod  22  is connected at the opposite side via a holder  26  to a pivot part  28 , wherein the holder  26  is mounted so it is rotatable about an axis  27 . The pivot part  28  is mounted so it is rotatable about the axis  19  on the housing  5 , on which the actuating part  18  is also mounted, wherein the actuating part  18  and the pivot part  28  can be rotated independently of one another about the axis  19 . 
     For actuation of the closing device  10  and the damper  20 , a curve guide  30  is provided, which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the bearing axis  4 . The curve guide  30  comprises multiple control projections  31 ,  32 , and  33 , which act on the actuating part  18  and the pivot part  28 . For this purpose, a roller  40  is mounted so it is rotatable on the actuating part  18 , while a roller  41  is held so it is rotatable on the pivot part  28 . Alternatively, the rollers can also be replaced by sliding elements, so that a sequence which is as low friction as possible is ensured between the control projections and the actuating part or pivot part  28 . 
     Furthermore, a catch mechanism is also provided in the housing  5 , to latch the closing device  10  in a tensioned position, wherein the catch mechanism comprises a pivotable catch pawl  35 , which is mounted on the housing  5  so it is rotatable about the axis  38 . 
     If the door  2  is opened from the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the bearing axis  4  thus rotates the curve guide  30  counterclockwise, so that the first control projection  31  acts on the roller  40 , to tension the spring  11  of the closing device  10 . At the same time, in the pivot range between the closing position and an opening angle of between 20° and 60°, the damper  20  is released, and the control projection  31  is rotated, whereby the pivot part  28  rotates clockwise about the axis  19 , until the pivot part  28  comes into contact on a stop  42  of the housing. The withdrawal of the piston rod  22  out of the housing  21  and the pivoting of the pivot part  28  linked thereto take place by means of the force of a spring  23 , which is arranged between the holder  26  and the holder  24 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , the door  2  is arranged remote from the closed position in an angle position of approximately 50°. The damper  20  between the holder  24  and the holder  26  initially does not change its location when the closing device  10  is tensioned further, in that the control projection  31  acts on the roller  40  and at the same time rotates the actuating part  18  further clockwise, to compress the spring  11  of the closing device  10 . 
     Upon opening of the door between an opening angle of 35° ( FIG. 3 ) and 50° ( FIG. 4 ), a control curve  34  of the catch mechanism additionally engages with an arm  37  of the catch pawl  35 , so that it is rotated about the axis  38 . A second arm  36  of the catch pawl  35 , which is formed as essentially V-shaped, is thus pivoted in relation to the actuating part  18 . The control curve  34  rotates the catch pawl  35  against the force of a spring  39  in this case, which pre-tensions the catch pawl  35  in the unlocked position. 
     If the door  2  is now pivoted further in the opening direction, it passes through the position shown in  FIG. 5 , at which the arm  36  engages with the end piece  13 , to latch the closing device  10 . The control curve  34  now leaves the arm  37 , wherein the control projection  31  is formed so that the spring  11  relaxes slightly upon the latching, to latch on the arm  36 , so that the roller  40  can be lifted off of the control projection  31 . 
     If the door  2  is now moved further in the opening direction, for example, up to an opening angle of approximately 100° ( FIG. 6 ), the door  2  moves freely, i.e., neither the closing device  10  nor the damper  20  exerts closing or opening forces on the door  2 . This is because the closing device  10  is latched on the catch pawl  35  and remains stationary, while the damper  20  presses against the stop  42  and is also arranged in a stationary manner. 
     If the door  2  is now moved further in the opening direction, a further control projection  33  of the curve guide  30  engages with the pivot part  28  and/or the roller  41  to rotate the pivot part  28  counterclockwise. The damper  20  is thus compressed and the piston rod  22  moves into the housing  21 , whereby damping forces are generated. During a movement from an opening angle of approximately 155° ( FIG. 7 ) up to the maximum opening position of approximately 180° ( FIG. 8 ), the damper  20  is thus compressed. The closing device  10  is still in the latched position and therefore does not exert forces on the door  2 . The maximum opening angle may be, for example, from 90° to 180°. 
     If the door  2  is now moved out of the maximum opening position of  FIG. 8  in the closing direction, firstly the damper  20  is moved away again from the compressed position, wherein the movement is performed by the spring  23 , so that the user does not feel any forces due to the extension of the damper  20  during the closing of the door  2 . The door  2  is now moved further in the closing direction until, at an opening angle of approximately 60° to 70°, the control projection  31  comes into contact with the roller  40  of the actuating part  18  and simultaneously the control curve  34  abuts the arm  37  of the catch pawl  35 . By way of a minor compression of the spring  11  of the closing device  10  and a pivot of the catch pawl  35  by the control curve  34 , the catch pawl can be moved into the unlocked position, in that the catch pawl  35  is pivoted about the axis  38  by the force of the spring  39 . 
     If the door  2  is now moved further in the closing direction, at a closing angle between 20° and 60°, the control projection  31  engages with the roller  41  to pivot the pivot part  28  counterclockwise and thus move the damper  20  into the compressed position. Damping forces are thus also generated during the closing of the door  2 . The closing device  10  is simultaneously active, since it was unlocked via the control curve  34 , so that the spring  11  now rotates the actuating part  18  counterclockwise about the axis  19 , wherein the roller  40  runs on the rear side of the control projection. 
     If the door  2  is closed beyond an angle of 0° as a result of manufacturing tolerances, it is possible using the bearing arrangement shown, wherein a further control projection  32  is provided for this purpose on the control curve, to keep the maximum closing forces small. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown, the actuating part  18  of the closing device  10  and the pivot part  28  of the damper  20  are partially actuated via the same control projections  31 , which form a shared control curve. Of course, it is also possible to provide two separate control curves on the bearing axis  4 , wherein one control curve is exclusively responsible for the actuating part  18  and the second control curve is exclusively responsible for the pivot part  28 . Furthermore, it is possible that the actuating part  18  and the pivot part  28  are not mounted via a shared axis  19 . Each of these components can also have a separate axis. 
     The shape of the control projections  31 ,  32 , and  33  can be adapted to the respective intended use. For example, it is possible to embody the damping forces as greater in an angle range shortly before reaching the maximum closing position than in an opening range between 20° and 30°. In addition, the spring  11  of the closing device  10  can be activated via the curve guide  30  so that the closing forces are kept low in the closed position, to keep the forces on the seals low, while the closing forces are embodied as greater in a slightly open range. Depending on the embodiment of the invention, the bearing axis  4  can be embodied as a separate bearing axis. That is to say, the bearing axis is already attached in the door during the mounting, for example, and the bearing arrangement is plugged onto the bearing axis, so that the bearing axis is indirectly connected to the curve guide. 
     In  FIG. 9 , the bearing arrangement is mounted with the housing  5  on an upper side of a cabinet  3  and the bearing axis  4  protrudes downward. A door can then be mounted on the bearing axis  4  having non-circular cross-section, which is subjected to corresponding damping, opening, and closing forces by the bearing arrangement. 
     Furthermore, the bearing arrangement can also be mounted on a lower side of a cabinet, as shown in  FIG. 10 . A door is then mounted on the upwardly protruding bearing axis  4 . 
     The bearing arrangement shown can be used on a right or left side of a cabinet  3 , without special right or left components being required.