Patent Publication Number: US-7901019-B2

Title: Door assembly for use in a home appliance

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a door assembly comprised of a door provided in a cabinet of a home appliance and a door handle for operating the door, and more particularly, to a door assembly in which a door handle is articulated to facilitate opening and closing the door. 
     A home appliance generally comprises a plurality of outer panels forming a cabinet for housing the inner workings of the home appliance, each panel largely constructing one face of the cabinet. A door, operated by the user, provides access to the interior of the home appliance. For functional and aesthetic reasons, the door is installed flush with one face of the cabinet, to form at least a portion of the cabinet face, and is manually operated by a door handle fixed to an exterior surface of the door. 
     The door may be provided to any face of the cabinet and may be coupled to the door handle at one or more sites. Door handles having a long handle grip gripping surface are generally provided for operating large doors, i.e., doors occupying large areas of the cabinet face, in which case there are at least two coupling sites (handle bases). The door handle for such a door typically includes a handle grip as a bar separated from the door to allow the user&#39;s hand to grasp the door handle at a point along the bar between the coupling sites. A horizontally oriented bar is typically provided to a door opened by an upward or downward pulling action, and a vertically oriented bar is typically provided to a door opened by a pulling action that swings the door to the left or right. 
     Many appliances such as ovens, refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers these days are provided with one or more prominent door handles typically fitted on the frontal face and arranged adjacent to the edge that typically lies opposite to that of the hinged edge. Thus, the handle is one of the few parts of the appliance that is extensively touched and felt by the user. The handle plays a key role in providing a satisfactory and enjoyable product experience to the user. Thus, there is a need to provide a door handle for an appliance which is easy to grip and enhances the enjoyment of using the appliance for the user. 
     A few problems are commonly associated with existing fixed door handles. For example, in most appliances, doors may need to be opened to nearly 180 degrees of an opening angle for providing a full and comfortable view and access to the internal cavity of the appliance. The fixed types of door handles in such cases would reach an awkward position when the doors are being opened beyond a 90 degree opening angle, making it difficult for the user to continue holding them while applying the door opening force. This may also require the user to stretch their arms/wrists extensively during wide-angle door opening or closing making such door operation uncomfortable and strenuous. 
     This deficiency in existing door handles may also prompt users to adopt a style of pulling hard and swinging the door to attempt a wide angle opening without having to retain handle contact during the entire door travel. This would result in doors being banged heavily against the structures and may result in damages to the door system and the structures. Further, this may also cause doors to retreat some travel after banging against the structure before finally coming to an undesired resting position. 
     Thus, there is a need to provide an articulated door handle for an appliance which overcomes the above-mentioned deficiencies and provides better and more advantageous overall results. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to appliance door handles. More particularly, it relates to a device and method for causing an articulated motion of a door handle in response to the door operating force acting on the door thereby improving the door operation and making it ergonomically convenient to the user. 
     An appliance and door assembly is disclosed which has a body; a member extending from the body; at least one door mounted to the member; a handle mounted to said door; and a first linkage member connecting the handle to the member. 
     An articulated handle and door assembly has a door; a handle mounted to the door via a first hinged joint; and a linkage member connected to the handle via a second hinged joint. 
     A method of articulating a handle for an appliance door includes mounting a door to an appliance body via a hinged joint; mounting a handle to the door via a hinged joint; mounting a linkage member to the handle via a hinged joint and to the appliance body via a hinged joint; rotating the handle; and rotating the door in an opposite direction to the handle. 
     An articulated handle is provided in a direction opposite to the door opening direction thereby drastically reducing the stretching of the user&#39;s arms, and also maintaining handle contact throughout the wide angle door travel without extra stretching of the user&#39;s arms or wrists which results in a user-friendly feature that enhances user experience. 
     A structural member is integral to an appliance, a door is mounted onto the structural member, a door handle is mounted on the door of the appliance and at least one linkage interconnects the door handle to the structural member. 
     A door handle is mounted onto the door such that it may have a relative rotational motion or linear or curvilinear translational motion with respect to the door itself. The handle and the linkage are also configured such that the door opening or closing action causes the relative motion of the handle with respect to the door and the direction of this relative motion of the handle opposes the direction of relative motion of the door with respect to the structural member. 
     The door handle has a rotational motion with respect to the door, whereby the action of opening or closing of the door causes the handle to rotate relative to the same door. 
     When the door is turned in a clockwise direction with respect to the structural member, the handle is made to turn in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the same door, as viewed from the same viewing direction. 
     Thus, one benefit of the present disclosure is to reduce efforts to move the handle as the door moves. 
     Another benefit is to reduce movement or stretching of the user&#39;s arms during operating of the door. 
     Yet another benefit of the disclosure is to reduce the possibility of the user touching a hot door liner when used in the application for an oven door. 
     Still other aspects and benefits of the disclosure will become apparent after a reading of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates of an appliance and side hinge door assembly with an articulated handle in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates of the appliance and door assembly with the door in a slightly opened configuration and the handle in a partially rotated position; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates of the appliance and door assembly of  FIG. 1  with the door in an opened position and the handle in a fully articulated position; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a door and articulated handle with a linkage assembly in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the articulated handle and door assembly of  FIG. 4  with the door and handle rotated slightly in opposite directions; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the articulated handle and door assembly of  FIG. 4  with the door and handle rotated in opposite directions; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an articulated handle and door assembly in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the articulated door and handle assembly of  FIG. 7  with the door and handle rotated slightly in opposite directions; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the articulated door and handle assembly of  FIG. 7  with the door and handle rotated in opposite directions; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a bottom hinged door and articulated handle assembly for an appliance in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the door and articulated handle assembly of  FIG. 10  in a slightly opened configuration; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates the door and articulated handle assembly of  FIG. 10  in a fully opened configuration; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a side hinged door and articulated handle assembly with a sliding door for an appliance in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates the door and handle assembly of  FIG. 13  in a slightly opened configuration; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates the door and handle assembly of  FIG. 13  in a fully opened configuration; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a bottom hinged door and articulated handle assembly with a sliding door in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates the bottom hinged door and handle assembly of  FIG. 16  with the door in a slightly opened position; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates the bottom hinged door and handle assembly of  FIG. 16  with the door in an opened position; 
         FIG. 19  illustrates a double door and articulated handle assembly for an appliance in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 20  illustrates the double door and handle assembly of  FIG. 19  with the doors in a slightly opened configuration; 
         FIG. 21  illustrates the door and handle assembly of  FIG. 19  with the doors in an opened configuration; 
         FIG. 22  illustrates a double door and articulated handle assembly for an appliance with sliding doors in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 23  illustrates the double door and handle assembly of  FIG. 22  with the doors slightly slid and the handles slightly rotated; 
         FIG. 24  illustrates the double door and handle assembly of  FIG. 22  with the doors slid and the handles rotated; 
         FIG. 25  illustrates a door and articulated handle with a linkage assembly in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 26  illustrates the articulated handle and door assembly of  FIG. 25  with the door and handle rotated slightly in opposite directions; 
         FIG. 27  illustrates the articulated handle and door assembly of  FIG. 25  with the door and handle rotated in opposite directions; 
         FIG. 28  illustrates a graph showing door and handle travel where the door and handle travel the same amount over a period of time; 
         FIG. 29  illustrates a graph showing door and handle travel where the handle lags the door over time; 
         FIG. 30  illustrates a graph showing door and handle travel where the door lags the handle over time; 
         FIG. 31  illustrates a graph showing door and handle travel where the door and handle initially travel at the same rate over time then handle stops traveling and the door continues to travel. 
         FIG. 32  illustrates a graph showing door and handle travel where the door travels ahead of the handle and the handle completes travel before the door; 
         FIG. 33  illustrates a graph showing door and handle travel where the handle travels ahead of the door and the door completes travel before the handle; 
         FIG. 34  illustrates a graph showing the door and handle angular travel over the same period of time; 
         FIG. 35  illustrates a graph showing the door angular travel beginning before the handle angular travel over a period of time; 
         FIG. 36  illustrates a graph showing the door angular travel beginning before the handle and continuing after the handle&#39;s travel; 
         FIG. 37  illustrates a graph showing the handle angular travel before the door angular travel; 
         FIG. 38  illustrates a graph showing the door and handle angular travel where the handle completes travel and the door continues to travel; 
         FIG. 39  illustrates a graph showing handle angular travel before door angular travel; 
         FIG. 40  illustrates a graph showing nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle over time; 
         FIG. 41  illustrates a graph showing nonlinear angular movement of the door before the handle over time; 
         FIG. 42  illustrates a graph showing nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle where the handle moves after the door and stops moving before the door; 
         FIG. 43  illustrates a graph showing nonlinear angular movement of the handle before the door over time; 
         FIG. 44  illustrates nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle where the handle stops moving before the door; and 
         FIG. 45  illustrates nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle where the door starts moving after the handle and stops moving before the handle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to appliance door handles. More particularly, it relates to a device and method for causing an articulated motion of a door handle in response to the door operating force acting on the door thereby improving the door operation and making it ergonomically convenient to the user. 
     There may also be several variants wherein the door may be designed to be opened sideways (side hinged door) or from top (top hinged door) or from bottom (bottom hinged door). The articulating door handle may also be provided for a sliding door (sideways, upward or downward) wherein the sliding motion of the door may be used to impart relative motion to the door handle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a side hinged door appliance  10  has a structural member or body  12 , a door  14  connected to the body  12  by a conventional hinge  16  at a first end  18  of the door and a door handle  20  connected to the door at a second end  22  of the door. The door hinge  16  is connected to an arm or member  24  extending from the body at approximately 90 degrees. The appliance can be a refrigerator, oven or any appliance with a hinged door assembly. The door and the appliance body can be fabricated from metal, plastic or a combination thereof, as is well known in the art. 
     The handle is articulated to move in an opposite direction to the door. That is, as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , as the door  14  rotates counterclockwise, the user pulls on the handle  20  to rotate it clockwise in an opposite direction to the door. 
     Specifically, referring now to  FIGS. 4-6 , the door  14  has a first hinged joint  30  connected to the door handle  20  and a second hinged joint  32  connected to the arm  24  extending from the appliance body. The arm has a corresponding first hinged joint  34  with the door and a second hinged joint  36  with a linkage member or link  38  connected to the door handle. The link  38  is connected via a hinge  40  at a first end  42  of the link to the arm and at a second end  44  to a second link member or link  46  via a hinge  47 . The second link  46  is attached at a first end  48  of the second link to the first link via hinge  49  and at a second end  50  to the door handle via hinge  51 . 
     The door handle has a hinged joint  52  at a first end  54  of the handle connecting with the door and a hinged joint  56  at a second end  58  of the handle connecting with the second link  46 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the door handle  20  is pulled clockwise as shown by arrow  53  and the door  14  begins to travel in a counterclockwise manner with respect to the appliance body  12  as shown by arrow  55 . The handle then travels in a clockwise manner relative to the door. The first link  38  moves upward along a longitudinal axis  59  of the door toward the arm  24  in a counterclockwise manner and the second link  46  rotates in a clockwise manner and also moves upwards toward the arm  24  along slot  57  in the door along longitudinal axis  59  of the door. 
     The door handle  20  also rotates clockwise and travels upwardly along the longitudinal axis of the door  14  as clearly shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , the door  14  has a first hinged joint  30  connected to the door handle  20  and a second hinged joint  32  connected to arm  24  extending from the appliance body. The arm has a corresponding first hinged joint  34  with the door and a second hinged joint  36  with a link  38  interconnected to door handle  20 . The link  38  is connected via a hinge  40  at a first end  42  of the link to the arm and at a second end  44  to the door handle via hinge  45 . 
     The door handle has a hinged joint  52  at a first end  54  of the handle with the door and a hinged joint  56  at a second end  58  of the handle with the link  38 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the door handle  20  is pulled and rotates clockwise as shown by arrow  53  and the door  14  travels in a counterclockwise manner with respect to the appliance body  10  and arm  24  as shown by arrow  55 . The handle then travels in a clockwise manner relative to the door via hinges  52  and  56 . The link  38  rotates in a clockwise manner along longitudinal axis  59  of the door. 
     The door handle also rotates clockwise and travels upwardly along the longitudinal axis  59  of the door as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-12 , a bottom hinged door appliance  70  has a structural member or body  72 , a door  74  connected to the body  72  by a hinge  76 , at a first end  78  of the door and a door handle  80  connected to the door by a door hinge  82  at a second end  84  of the door. The door hinge  76  is connected to an arm  86  extending from the body at approximately 90 degrees. 
     The handle is articulated to move in an opposite direction to the door. That is, as the door rotates counterclockwise, the user pulls on the handle to rotate it clockwise. 
     Specifically, referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the door handle  80  is pulled downwardly and the door travels in a counterclockwise manner with respect to the appliance body  72 . The handle is then pulled upwardly and travels in a clockwise manner relative to the door. The original position of the handle is shown as reference numeral  81 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 13-15 , a side hinged door appliance  90  has a structural member or body  92 , a door  94  connected to the body  92  by a hinge  96 , at a first end  98  of the door and a door handle  100  connected to the door by a hinge  102  at a second end  104  of the door. The door hinge is connected to an arm  106  extending from the body at approximately 90 degrees. 
     The door is also configured to slide (in a vertical direction in  FIGS. 13-15 ) along arrow  107  from the appliance body. The door slides away from the body on arm  106 . Then the door is rotated counterclockwise with respect to the appliance body. 
     The handle is articulated to move in an opposite direction to the door. That is, as the door rotates counterclockwise, the user pulls on the handle to rotate it clockwise as seen in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . The original position of the handle is shown as reference numeral  101 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 16-18 , a bottom hinged door appliance  110  has a structural member or body  112 , a door  114  connected to the body  112  by a conventional hinge  116 , at a first end  118  of the door and a door handle  120  connected to the door by a hinge  122  at a second end  124  of the door. The door hinge is connected to an arm  126  extending from the body at approximately 90 degrees. 
     The door is also configured to slide (in a horizontal direction in  FIGS. 16-18 ) away from the appliance body along arrow  115 . Then the door is rotated counterclockwise with respect to the appliance body. 
     The handle is articulated to move in an opposite direction to the door. That is, as the door rotates counterclockwise, the user pulls up on the handle  120  to rotate it clockwise. The original position of the handle is shown as reference numeral  125 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 19-21 , a plurality of doors  130 ,  132  may be also provided to a double rotating door appliance  134  wherein each door has its own articulating handle  136 ,  138 . Referring to  FIG. 19 , appliance  134  has a structural member or body  140 , doors  130 ,  132  connected to the body by conventional hinges  142 ,  144 , at first ends  146 ,  148  of the doors and door handles  136 ,  138  are connected to the door at second ends  150 ,  152  of the door via hinges  154 ,  156 . Each door hinge is connected to an arm  158 ,  160  extending from the body at approximately 90 degrees on opposite ends of the body. Each handle is articulated to move in an opposite direction to the corresponding door. That is, as door  130  rotates counterclockwise, the user pulls on the handle  136  to rotate it clockwise about hinge  154 . Similarly, as door  132  is rotated clockwise, the handle  138  is rotated counterclockwise about hinge  156 . The original positions of the handles are shown as reference numerals  137 ,  139 , respectively. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 22-24 , a plurality of sliding doors  170 ,  172  may be also provided to a double rotating door appliance  174  wherein each door has its own articulating handle  176 ,  178 . Referring to  FIG. 22 , appliance  174  has a structural member or body  180 , doors  170 ,  172  connected to the body by sliding mechanisms  182 ,  184  (such as a conventional track or a slot, as is well known in the art) at first ends  186 ,  188  of the doors and door handles  176 ,  178  are connected to the door at second ends  190 ,  192  of the door via conventional hinges  194 ,  196 . Each handle is articulated to move as the corresponding door is slid or moved. That is, as door  170  is slid to the right (in  FIGS. 23 and 24 ), the user pulls on the handle  176  to rotate it clockwise. The original position of the handle is shown as reference numeral  177 . Similarly, as door  172  is slid to the left (in  FIGS. 23 and 24 ), the handle  178  is rotated counterclockwise. The original position of the handle is shown as reference numeral  179 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 25-27 , a door  200  has a first hinged joint  202  connected to door handle  204  and a second hinged joint  206  connected to arm  208  extending from appliance body  209 . The arm has a corresponding first hinged joint  210  with the door and a second hinged joint  212  with a first linkage member or link  214  connected to the door handle. The link  214  is connected via a hinge  216  at a first end  218  of the link to the arm and at a second end  220  to a second link member or link  222  via a hinge  224 . The second link is attached at a first end  226  of the second link to the first link via hinge  228  and at a second end  230  to a third link  232 . The third link  232  is connected via a hinge  236  to the door handle. 
     The door handle has a hinged joint  238  at a first end  240  of the handle connecting with the door and a hinged joint at a second end  244  of the handle connecting with the third link. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 26 and 27 , the door handle is pulled clockwise as shown by arrow  246  and the door begins to travel in a counterclockwise manner with respect to the appliance body as shown by arrow  248 . The handle then travels in a clockwise manner relative to the door. The first link moves upward along a longitudinal axis  250  of the door toward the arm in a counterclockwise manner along elongated slot  252  in the door along the longitudinal axis of the door. Third link  232  moves upwardly along a second elongated slot  254  in a clockwise manner along longitudinal axis  250  of the door. 
     The door handle also rotates clockwise and travels upwardly along the longitudinal axis of the door as clearly shown in  FIG. 27 . 
     The appliance door system can have both translational and rotational motion of the door in succession to span the total length and time of door travel, and one or either of these respective motions may be used to articulate the door handle during the respective lengths of door travel. This feature enables usage of articulated handle on complex door systems where the doors themselves have an articulated motion with respect to the appliance structure. 
     Referring to the charts in  FIGS. 28-45 , the door and handle can provide that the length and time of travel of the door with respect to the structural member is not equal to that of the door handle with respect to the same door. In  FIG. 28 , the door and handle travel the same length over the same time period. In  FIG. 29 , the door and handle do not have an equal length and time of travel, in which a dwell period for which the door handle may not have a relative motion with respect to the door occurs. Referring to  FIG. 30 , there can be provided handle articulation with the help of user applied force during initial time when the door does not move and the articulation continues when the door is in motion. As seen in  FIG. 31 , both the door and handle move in synchronization during part of the length and time of door travel followed by a constrained door handle for the rest of the door travel. 
     As seen in  FIG. 32 , the door and handle travel wherein the door begins travel before the handle and the handle completes travel before the door. The door continues to complete its range of travel.  FIG. 33  shows door and handle travel where the handle begins travel before the door and the door completes travel before the handle. The handle then continues its range of motion.  FIG. 34  shows the door and handle angular travel over the same period of time.  FIG. 35  shows the door angular travel beginning before the handle angular travel over a period of time. There is a dwell or lag period before the handle begins to rotate. The angular velocity of the handle relative to the door and the angular velocity of the door relative to the arm extending from the appliance body may vary at different rates for at least part of the maximum door rotation angle. A dwell period can exist for rotation of the handle or rotation of the door relative to each other. The dwell period coincides with either the fully open or fully closed position of the door. 
       FIG. 36  shows the door angular travel beginning before the handle and continuing after the handle&#39;s travel.  FIG. 37  shows a graph showing the handle angular travel before the door angular travel. There is a dwell or lag period before the door begins to rotate.  FIG. 38  shows a graph showing the door and handle angular travel where the handle completes travel and the door continues to travel.  FIG. 39  shows handle angular travel before door angular travel and the door completes travel while the handle continues to move. 
       FIG. 40  shows nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle over the same period of time.  FIG. 41  shows nonlinear angular movement of the door before the handle over time. There is a dwell or lag period before the handle begins to rotate.  FIG. 42  shows nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle where the handle moves after the door and stops moving before the door.  FIG. 43  shows nonlinear angular movement of the handle before the door over time. There is a dwell or lag period before the door begins movement.  FIG. 44  shows nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle where the handle stops moving before the door.  FIG. 45  illustrates nonlinear angular movement of the door and handle where the door starts moving after the handle and stops moving before the handle. 
     Unlike the alternatives discussed above, wherein the user applied force for door operation is utilized to cause the door handle to move in an articulated way, an external energy source such as a motor or actuator augments or substitutes the human force to accomplish the articulated movement of the door handle. Specifically, a displacement sensor may be deployed to continuously monitor door travel and the response of this sensor is used to govern the operation of any motor or actuator that facilitates the articulated movement of door handle. 
     The articulating door handle assembly described above may be incorporated into French door ovens, such as single well ovens, double well ovens, microwave ovens, and ovens with a full glass front, panel, colored solid panels, and stainless steel door trims. The articulated door handle may also be used with freestanding, slide and drop-in ranges, as well as dishwashers, ice dispensers, refrigerators, washers and dryers. 
     The articulated door and handle assembly uses the door operating force/motion to articulate the handle dynamically in synchronization with door opening thereby maintaining a comfortable handle orientation throughout the length and time of door travel for the user and also reduces the extent of stretching of arm the user may have to do in order to operate the door. 
     The present disclosure has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the disclosure be construed as including all such modifications and alterations.