Patent Abstract:
The invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an appliance body and a door for closing an opening of the appliance body, wherein a pivot bearing is provided which pivotably supports the door relative to the appliance body about a pivot axis. According to the invention, the refrigerator and/or freezer is characterized in that the door relative to the pivot axis and/or the pivot axis relative to the appliance body are movably mounted in the direction perpendicular to the pivot axis.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/235,168 filed Sep. 5, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an appliance body and a door for closing an opening of the appliance body, wherein a pivot bearing is provided which pivotably supports the door relative to the appliance body about a pivot axis.  
         [0003]     Refrigerators and freezers generally have on their door an elastic gasket with an integrated magnet which has the function of pulling the door-side gasket bead against the sealing contact surface on the appliance body. Due to the geometric properties of such pivot doors, however, the desired optimal sealing interface is often not achieved, especially in the region of the door adjacent the pivot axis, despite obliquely positioned magnets present in the gasket profile. The magnet prematurely attracts the gasket against the appliance body such that the gasket does not seat in optimal fashion and may flex as the door continues to pivot closed. Both problems result in an unsatisfactory seal which may cause increased frost formation in the freezer space, and more generally, premature wear of the gasket.  
         [0004]      FIG. 11  shows a refrigerator of the known type in the region of the sealing interface between pivotable door and appliance body, the door being shown in the closed position with the gasket optimally seated. The appliance body  1  has an essentially flat sealing contact surface  2  on which rests the gasket  3  attached to the door  6 . As  FIG. 11  shows, gasket  3  is designed as an elastic sealing bead in which a magnet  4  is integrated. This magnet pulls gasket  3  against the metal sealing contact surface  2  of appliance body  1 . The optimum sealing interface shown in  FIG. 11  for gasket  3  is often not achieved, however:  
         [0005]     When door  6  is pivoted in the closing direction around the essentially vertical pivot axis  5  from the pivoted-open position, the magnet  4  first contacts sealing contact surface  2  of appliance body  1 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . This situation also occurs if magnet  4  is positioned at an oblique angle. When door  6  continues to be pivoted in the closing direction from the position of  FIG. 12 , it may happen that door magnet  4  contacts appliance body  1  during the closing process due to the attractive force and cannot be moved into the optimum position during the continuing closing process by gasket  3 . This sealing interface is of variable size, depending on the tolerances present. Magnet  4  seemingly prematurely attaches itself in fixed position by suction—with the result the gasket  3  flexes.  FIG. 13  shows an unreliably deformed gasket  3  of this type which can only create an insufficient seal. In addition, the above-mentioned flexure of gasket  3  results in premature wear of the gasket.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The object of the invention is therefore to create an improved refrigerator or freezer of the type mentioned in the introduction in which the disadvantages of prior-art technology may be avoided and in which this technology may be further modified in an advantageous manner. Specifically, the goal is to achieve an improved opening and closing of the door with the most optimum seal possible.  
         [0007]     This object is achieved according to the invention by a refrigerator and/or freezer described herein. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are also described herein.  
         [0008]     According to the invention, an additional axis of motion perpendicular to the pivot axis is thus provided for the door. The door may be movably mounted relative to the pivot axis, and/or the pivot axis may be movably mounted relative to the appliance body, in the direction perpendicular to the pivot axis. The pivot bearing is thus designed such that in addition to the rotational pivot motion of the door about the pivot axis, in the region of the pivot axis the door may be moved roughly perpendicular to the sealing interface of the appliance body away from or onto said body. This capability of translational motion transverse to the pivot axis prevents flexure of the gasket. This gasket may essentially be mounted vertically onto the opposite sealing contact surface such that it is always seated in the intended position and provides the optimum seal. Similarly, flexure is prevented when the door is opened since the additional pivot axis of the door perpendicular to the sealing contact surface allows the gasket to be pulled vertically away from the opposite sealing interface.  
         [0009]     In a further modification of the invention, the motion of the door is controlled perpendicular to the pivot axis as a function of the pivot position of the door. A corresponding motion-control device may specifically be designed such that at the beginning of a pivot-opening process the door is initially moved essentially perpendicular to the pivot axis and thus vertically away from the appliance body; while conversely, toward the end of each pivot-closing process, the door is moved essentially perpendicular to the pivot axis, and thus perpendicular to the appliance body or its sealing contact surface and onto the latter. The translational motion superimposed on the pivot motion is thus provided in the pivot region adjoining the completely closed position of the door such that in this region the door is moved translationally essentially perpendicular to the appliance body. The conventional pure pivot motion may then be again provided in the subsequent open pivot region of the door.  
         [0010]     Preferably, a cam device is provided perpendicular to the pivot axis, specifically in the region of the pivot axis between the appliance body and the door, to control the door motion, said cam device determining the door&#39;s distance from the appliance body as a function of the pivot position of the door. A cam may be provided with a first curve section which allows for a door position close to the appliance body, and with a second curve section adjoining the first curve section which results in a distant door position removed from the appliance body. When the door is opened, the cam presses the door in the region of the pivot axis away from the sealing interface of the appliance body. When closed, the door snaps in or falls vertically onto the sealing interface at the end of the pivot-closing process. In principle, the cam may be provided on the door or on the appliance body and rest against the opposite sliding surface. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cam is rigidly connected to the door so that it slides or rolls off, along with its curve control surface, on a support surface fixedly attached on the appliance body side when the door is pivoted open or closed.  
         [0011]     Preferably, a pretensioning device, specifically a spring device, is provided to pretension the door relative to the pivot axis, or the pivot axis relative to the appliance body, in the direction of the additional axis of motion. The spring device presses the pivot axis relative to the door or relative to the appliance body into its initial position from which it is pressed out by the above-mentioned cam against the spring tension given the appropriate pivot position of the door. The pretensioning device is oriented such that when the door is closed the door is under tension toward the appliance body. The pretensioning device is appropriately dimensioned such that its pretensioning force is greater than the sealing forces in effect between door and appliance body, i.e., such that sealing forces already in effect between door and appliance body do not cause any displacement of the pivot axis, or the door to be pressed open.  
         [0012]     The cam device and pretensioning device advantageously act together so as to effect an automatic closing of the door in the final section of the door&#39;s pivot motion. Cam device and pretensioning device together form a kind of automatic closing device. The last segment automatically swings the door shut in response to the pretensioning force and its translation by the cam device.  
         [0013]     The additional axis of motion of the door perpendicular to the sealing contact surface of the appliance body is preferably achieved by movably mounting the door relative to the pivot axis fixed to the appliance body, and specifically in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the pivot axis. In principle, is also possible, based on an approach employing a kinematic reversal, to mount the door in the conventional fashion as nondisplaceable and only rotationally movable on the pivot axis and then to arrange the latter movably relative to the appliance body in the direction perpendicular to the sealing interface of the appliance body. The preferred approach is the previously mentioned design with the pivot axis rigidly fixed on appliance body. Specifically in this regard, elongated holes may be provided on the door side in the form of bearing slots for the pivot axis, in which holes the pivot axis runs or by which the door sits on the pivot axis. The elongated-hole-shaped bearing slots extend perpendicular to the front and rear sides of the door, thereby achieving the desired motion perpendicular to the sealing interface of the appliance body.  
         [0014]     Preferably, door arresters may be provided which sit essentially free of play and rotationally on the pivot axis, and which are pretensioned by a spring relative to the door in the direction of the door side facing away from the appliance body. The above-mentioned door arresters cause the pivot axis to be pressed preferably toward one end of the elongated-hole-shaped bearing slots of the door such that a defined position of the door relative to the pivot axis is provided whenever the cam device does not press the axis in another direction.  
         [0015]     Door arrester and cam device preferably form one assembly unit. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, provision may be made that one cam each is rigidly fixed to the door along with a control curve surface facing the appliance body and has a guide for one door arrester each in which the respective door arrester located on the pivot axis is displaceably routed perpendicular to the front and rear sides of the door. The pretensioning device, preferably in the form of a spring, may also be integrated into the cam. The cam may have a spring slot to accommodate the pretensioning spring.  
         [0016]     In an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention, the cam may be rigidly fixed on the door along with a control curve surface facing the appliance body and be of an integrated one-piece design with the door arrester sitting on the pivot axis, wherein a spring section is provided between the curve control surface and the door arrester—this being achieved, for example, by having the curve control surface section and the door arrester section together define an approximately U-shaped contour. The one leg defining the door arrester may be deflected by spring action relative to the other leg of the U-shaped body which forms the rigid cam or the rigid curve control surface.  
         [0017]     In a further modification of the invention, the pivot axis or the hinge pins are rigidly fixed to hinge plates projecting from the appliance body. The hinge plates may be attached in the conventional fashion to the appliance body or housing. Supports, specifically support pins parallel to the hinge pins, may be provided on the hinge plates on which the door-side-attached cam rests. The cam is preferably of plastic. It is useful to employ a slidable lubricating material such as polyamide. The support pins interacting with the cams at the hinge plates may be steel pins. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     The following discussion explains the invention based on preferred embodiments and associated drawings. The drawings are as follows:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a refrigerator and freezer with a refrigerator door and a freezer door which are each pivotably mounted on the appliance body about a vertical pivot axis.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a top bearing of the refrigerator door of  FIG. 1  in a sectional view from above based on a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a door bearing from  FIG. 2  as seen obliquely from below.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is an exploded plan view of a door bearing from the previous figures wherein first the door is shown with a movable guide for the pivot axis as well as a door-side-located cam, and secondly a hinge plate provided on the appliance body side is shown with the pivot axis and a support pin for the door-side cam.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a horizontal section through the refrigerator and freezer of  FIG. 1  in the region of the seal between appliance body and door wherein the door is shown in a completely closed position.  
         [0024]      FIG. 6 . shows a section through the refrigerator and freezer similar to  FIG. 5  wherein the door is shown in a position which is slightly pivoted open and raised vertically from the appliance body.  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a horizontal section through the refrigerator and freezer similar to  FIGS. 5 and 6  wherein the door is shown in a position pivoted further open.  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  shows a longitudinal section through a top bearing of the door of the refrigerator and freezer of  FIG. 1  based on another preferred embodiment of the invention, specifically along line A-A in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of the top bearing of  FIG. 8 , specifically along line B-B of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of a top door bearing of the refrigerator and freezer of  FIG. 1  based on another preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  shows a horizontal section through a refrigerator in the region of the seal between door and appliance body based on prior art in which a fixed pivot axis is provided.  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  shows a horizontal section through a refrigerator of prior art similar to  FIG. 11  wherein the door is shown in a slightly opened position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 13  shows a horizontal section through a refrigerator of prior art similar to  FIGS. 11 and 12  wherein the gasket is shown in a flexed, displaced contact position.  
         [0032]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a top bearing of a refrigerator door, similar to  FIG. 2 , of another preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrating an embodiment where the pivot axis is movable relative to the appliance body.  
         [0033]      FIG. 15  shows a horizontal section through the refrigerator and freezer in the region of the seal between the appliance body and door in completely closed position, similar to  FIG. 5 , and illustrating the embodiment where the pivot axis is movable relative to the appliance body.  
         [0034]      FIG. 16  shows a section through the refrigerator and freezer similar to  FIG. 15  wherein the door is shown in a position which is slightly pivoted open and raised vertically from the appliance body.  
         [0035]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a door bearing from  FIG. 14  as seen obliquely from below.  
         [0036]      FIG. 18  is an exploded plan view of a door bearing from  FIGS. 14-17  wherein first the appliance body is shown with a movable guide for the pivot axis as well as an appliance-side-located cam, and secondly a hinge plate provided on the door side is shown with the pivot axis and a support pin for the appliance-side cam.  
         [0037]      FIG. 19  shows a horizontal section through the refrigerator and freezer similar to  FIGS. 15 and 16  wherein the door is shown in a position pivoted further open in the direction of the arrow.  
         [0038]      FIG. 20  shows a longitudinal section through a top bearing of the appliance body of the refrigerator and freezer of  FIGS. 14-19  based on another preferred embodiment of the invention, specifically along line A-A in  FIG. 21  infra.  
         [0039]      FIG. 21  is a plan view of the top bearing of  FIG. 20 , specifically, along line B-B of  FIG. 20 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 22  is a plan view of a top door bearing of the refrigerator and freezer of  FIGS. 14-19  based on another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0041]      FIG. 1  shows a standing refrigerator and freezer which has a cubic appliance body  1 , the front side of which has a refrigerator opening and a freezer compartment opening. The top-located smaller freezer compartment opening is closed by a freezer compartment door  7 , while the bottom large refrigerator opening is closed by the refrigerator door  6 . Both doors  6  and  7  and are pivotable about a vertical pivot axis which is located on the right side of the refrigerator and freezer as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0042]     Both doors here have a top bearing and a bottom bearing which together define the pivot axis  5 . The top and bottom bearing of each door  6  and  7  may be designed analogously, and consequently the following discussion describes only the top bearing of refrigerator door  6 .  
         [0043]      FIGS. 2 and 3  provide a perspective view of the top bearing of refrigerator door  6 . A bearing bracket  8  in the form of a hinge plate  9  projects from the appliance housing or body  1 , the bracket overlapping door  6  on its top side. A hinge pin  10  projecting downward is rigidly fixed to hinge plate  9 , the hinge plate along with the corresponding hinge pin of the lower bearing of door  6  defining pivot axis  5 . Hinge pin  10  may be fastened by screws or welded on to hinge plate  9 , or attached by an analogous method.  
         [0044]     An essentially plate-type door arrester  11  with an essentially U-shaped contour is fastened to the top side of door  6 . Specifically, door arrester  11  along with its one leg is rigidly connected to the top side of door  6 , specifically screwed to it, while the other leg of door arrester  11  does not have a fixed connection to the surface of the door. Door arrester  11  is composed of an elastic material, specifically a flexible plastic, so that the free door arrester leg  12  may move flexibly relative to the door. Door arrester  11  is arranged such that the recess between legs  12  and  13  runs parallel to the front and rear sides of the door. As a result, free door arrester  12  is able to move or function elastically essentially perpendicular to the front and rear side of door  6 .  
         [0045]     As  FIG. 2  shows, hinge pin  10  of bearing bracket  8  engages the elastic or movable leg of door arrester  11 . Door arrester  11  has a hinge pin slot  14  on door arrester leg  12 , which slot accepts hinge pin  10  (see  FIG. 4 ). Hinge pin  10  passes through door arrester  11  and then passes within an elongated-hole-type bearing slot  15  provided on the top side of door  6 . The elongated hole  15  extends along its longitudinal axis essentially perpendicular to the front and rear sides of the door such that door  6  is able to move perpendicular to its front and rear sides relative to pivot axis  5 . To explain it from the reverse point of view, hinge pin  10  can be moved back and forth within elongated hole  15 , where each door arrester leg  12  moves elastically in tandem. Door arrester leg  12  is arranged such that hinge pin  10  is pressed into that end of elongated slot  15  which lies toward the outside of door  6 . The mobility of the door relative to the hinge pin, and visa versa, is indicated in  FIG. 4  by the arrow  16 . Door arrester  11  thus simultaneously forms a pretensioning or spring-like device which pretensions pivot axis  5  and door  6  in a predefined position relative to each other.  
         [0046]     In an alternative inventive design, not shown separately, it would also be possible to dispense with the elongated-hole design  15  and to guide hinge pin  10  exclusively with door arrester leg  12 . In this case, hinge pin slot  14  in door arrester  11  would sit essentially free of play and concentrically on hinge pin  10 . Mobility would then not be provided by elongated hole  15  but by the elastic motion of door arrester leg  12 . Stops may be used to limit the maximum deflection of door arrester leg  12  in the direction of arrow  16 .  
         [0047]     As  FIGS. 2 and 4  show, the door arrester section  13  rigidly fixed to the top side of the door forms a cam  17  projecting toward the door interior or appliance body  1 , which cam has a curve control surface  18  on its side facing appliance body  1 . Curve control surface  18  essentially consists of a first section in the form of a sink  19  and a second section contiguous with it in the form of a convex camber  20  projecting with the door closed toward appliance body  1 , which camber forms a door opening section or functions as a door opener.  
         [0048]     Interacting with cam  17  is a support pin  21  which is rigidly fixed and projects parallel to hinge pin  10  on bearing bracket  8  (see  FIG. 3 ). The peripheral surface of support pin  21  forms a sliding surface on which curve control surface  18  of cam  17  is able to slide.  
         [0049]     Curve control surface  18  of cam  17 , and support pin  21  are arranged and dimensioned relative to one another such that with the door completely closed, support pin  21  contacts sink  19  of cam  17  with a snug fit. This configuration is shown in  FIG. 5 , specifically in segment a). With door  6  in the completely closed position, a seal extending circumferentially around the interior side of the door in the form of an elastic gasket bead  3  contacts the sealing contact surface  2  facing the door of appliance body  1 . As  FIG. 5  shows, gasket  3  may include a magnet  4  in the conventional manner which attracts the metallic appliance housing surface or exterior side of body  1 , thus effecting a secure tight contact between sealing contact surface  2  and gasket  3 .  
         [0050]     When door  6  is pivoted open from the closed position, curve control surface  18  of cam  17  with its camber  20  projecting toward sealing contact surface  2  must move over support pin  21 .  FIG. 6  shows this specifically in segment a). Since cam  17  is rigidly connected to door  6 , this bumping of cam  20  against support pin  21  presses door  6  essentially vertically away from sealing contact surface  2 . In the process, gasket  3  is lifted essentially deflection-free from sealing contact surface  2 . The hinge axis or hinge pin  14  then moves within elongated hole  15 , as  FIG. 6  shows, against the spring resistance of the pretensioning device. Door arrester leg  12  here is flexed toward the fixed door arrester leg  13 .  
         [0051]     As the door is opened further, curve control surface  18  moves further along support pin  21 . Camber  20  retracts so that the spring pretensioning device of elastic door arrester  11  is able to press door  6  back into its initial position relative to hinge pin  14 . This is shown in  FIG. 7 . As soon as pivot axis  5  again assumes its initial position relative to the door, the superimposition of the translational motion of the door perpendicular to pivot axis  5  has ended. When the door is pivoted further open, the door again undergoes a purely rotary motion of the conventional type. When pivoted back to the closed position, the door undergoes a correspondingly reverse motion. Specifically, gasket  3  along with its magnet  4  does not remain prematurely caught on sealing contact surface  2 ; instead gasket  3  moves essentially vertically onto sealing contact surface  2  only toward the end of the closing motion, and specifically when cam  17  along with its sink  19  snaps onto support pin  21 . In the process, an automatic closing motion occurs effected by the spring pretensioning of elastic door arrester  11 , which motion pulls the door completely shut. The spring pretensioning device attempts to press support pin  21  into sink  19  in order to obtain a lower energy level for the system.  
         [0052]     Other embodiments are also possible in place of the integrated one-piece and elastic spring-action design of door arrester  11 .  
         [0053]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show another embodiment of this type. Here again the hinge pin  10  is routed within an elongated-hole-shaped bearing slot  15  in the top side of door  6 . Elongated-hole-shaped bearing slot  15  also extends perpendicular to the door interior and exterior sides, thereby achieving the corresponding motion already described. Here, however, door arrester  22  is of a multi-part design. A first door arrester section  23 , the side of which facing the appliance body is designed as cam  17 , is rigidly fixed on the top side of door  6 . First section  23 , essentially of a plate-like design, has on its side facing the door exterior a drawer-like slot  26  in which the second door arrester section  24  is displaceably mounted and is located. Slot  26  extends along its longitudinal axis parallel to elongated-hole-shaped slot  15  within the top side of door  6  such that second door arrester section  24  is reciprocally slidable within first door arrester section  23  transversely relative to hinge pin  10 , or with the door closed, essentially perpendicular to sealing contact surface  2 . A spring  25  presses second door arrester section  24  toward the outside of door  6 . Here a stop, which may be formed by a stage of slot  26 , defines an end position of second door arrester section  24  in which this section is pretensioned.  
         [0054]     A circular hinge pin slot  14  is provided in second door arrester section  24 , with which slot second door arrester section  24  sits on hinge pin  10  ( FIG. 8 ).  
         [0055]     In order to move the door perpendicular to pivot axis  5 , spring  25  is deformed accordingly, specifically compressed as in  FIG. 9 . Here second door arrester section  24  moves deeper into drawer-like slot  26  within first door arrester section  23 . Pivot axis  5  moves toward the interior side of the door. In this design too, the motion between pivot axis  5  and door  6  is controlled transversely relative to the pivot axis as a function of the pivot position of the door. Cam  17  acts in analogous fashion, and so reference is made here to the previous description.  
         [0056]     Another embodiment of the door arrester is shown in  FIG. 10  which essentially corresponds to the embodiment of  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The door arrester  27  here is also of a two-part design. The first door arrester section  28  is rigidly connected with door  6 , specifically as in the embodiments described previously on the top side of the door. Its side facing appliance body  1  with the door closed is designed analogously as cam  17 . In place of the previously described drawer-like slot  26 , door arrester  27  has a longitudinal groove  29  open on the top side in which the second door arrester section  30  sits longitudinally with precise fit and is arranged to be longitudinally displaceable ( FIG. 10 ). A spring  32  located in a first spring receptacle compartment  31  of door arrester section  28  pretensions second door arrester section  30  toward the exterior of the door. As in the embodiments described previously, hinge pin  10  is able to pass through door arrester  27  and engage elongated hole  15  within the top side of door  6 . Otherwise the function of door arrester  27  matches the previously described embodiment.  
         [0057]     The additional axis of motion of the door perpendicular to pivot axis  5  and, with the door closed, perpendicular to sealing interface  2  in connection with the cam device prevents any flexure of gasket  3 . Gasket  3  always meets, and is lifted from, sealing contact surface  2  of body  1  essentially vertically. Defective sealing is prevented and the life considerably lengthened due to the flexure-free closing and opening processes.  
         [0058]      FIGS. 14-16  and  19  illustrate an embodiment according to the present invention, in which the pivot axis  5  is fixed to the door  6  and movable with respect to the appliance body  1 , notably in a direction perpendicular to the sealing interface  2  of door  6 . The various components in this embodiment are mounted upon the respective door  6  and appliance body  1  in exactly opposite fashion to the mounting of the analogous components upon the door  6  and appliance body  1  illustrated, e.g., in  FIGS. 2 and 5 - 7 .  
         [0059]     More specifically, a bearing bracket  8  in the form of a hinge plate  9  projects from the door  6 , the bracket  8  overlapping the appliance body  1  on its top side. A hinge pin  10  projecting downwardly is rigidly fixed to the hinge plate  9  which, together with the corresponding hinge pin of the lower bearing of the appliance body  1 , defines pivot axis  5 . Hinge pin  10  may be fastened by screws or welded onto the hinge plate  9 .  
         [0060]     An essentially plate-type door arrester  11  with an essentially U-shaped contour is fastened to the top side of appliance body  1 . Specifically, door arrester  11  along with its one leg is rigidly connected to the top side of appliance body  1 , specifically screwed to it, while the other leg of door arrester  11  does not have a fixed connection to the surface of the appliance body  1 . Door arrester  11  is composed of an elastic material so that free door arrester leg  12  may flexibly move relative to the appliance body  1 . Door arrester  11  is arranged such that the recess between legs  12  and  13  run parallel to the front and rear sides of the appliance body  1 . As a result, free door arrester leg  12  is able to move or function elastically essentially perpendicular to the front and rear side of appliance body  1 .  
         [0061]     As  FIG. 14  illustrates, hinge pin  10  of bearing bracket  8  engages the elastic or movable leg  12  of door arrester  11  which also has a hinge pin slot  14  to accept hinge pin  10  ( FIG. 18 ), passing through door arrester  11  and then within an elongated-hole-type bearing slot  15  provided on the top side of appliance body  1 . The elongated hole  15  extends along its longitudinal axis essentially perpendicular to front and rear sides of the appliance body  1  such that the door  6  and pivot axis  5  are able to move perpendicular to the front and rear sides of appliance body  1 . In other words, hinge pin  10  can be moved back and forth within elongated hole  15 , with each door arrester leg  12  moving elastically in tandem. Door arrester leg  12  is arranged such that hinge pin  10  is pressed into an end of elongated slot  15  which lies toward the inside of the appliance body  1 . The mobility of the door  6  and hinge pin  10  relative to appliance body  1  is illustrated in  FIG. 18  by arrow  16 . Door arrester  11  thus simultaneously forms a pre-tensioning or spring-like device which pretensions pivot axis  5  and door  6  in predefined position.  
         [0062]     In an alternative design not shown separately, it would also be possible to dispense with the elongated-hole design  15  and guide hinge pin  10  exclusively with door arrester leg  12 . In this situation, hinge pin slot  14  in door arrester  11  would sit essentially free of play and concentrically on hinge pin  10 . Mobility would then not be provided by elongated hole  15  but by the elastic motion of door arrester leg  12 . Stops may be used to limit the maximum deflection of door arrester leg  12  in the direction of arrow  16 .  
         [0063]     As  FIGS. 14 and 18  show, the door arrester section  13  rigidly fixed to the top side of the appliance body  1  forms a cam  17  projecting toward the door  6  and having a curved control surface  18  on a side facing the door  6  and which is essentially constituted by a first section in the form of a sink  19  and a second section contiguous with it in the form of a convex camber  20  projecting towards the door  6  when closed. This camber  20  forms a door opening section.  
         [0064]     Interacting with cam  17  is a support pin  21  which is rigidly fixed and projects parallel to hinge pin  10  on bearing bracket  8  ( FIG. 17 ). The peripheral surface of support pin  21  forms a sliding surface on which curved control surface  18  of cam  17  can slide.  
         [0065]     Curved control surface  18  of cam  17  and support pin  21  are arranged and dimensioned relative to one another such that with the door  6  completely closed, support pin  21  contacts sink  19  of cam  17  with a snug fit. This configuration is shown in  FIG. 15 , specifically in segment a). With door  6  in completely closed position, a seal extending circumferentially around the interior side of the appliance body  1  in the form of an elastic gasket bead  3  contacts the sealing surface  2  of the door  6 . As  FIG. 15  shows, gasket  3  may include a magnet  4  in the conventional manner which attracts the metallic door surface or exterior side of door  6 , thus effecting a secure, tight contact between sealing contact surface  2  and gasket  3 .  
         [0066]     When door  6  is pivoted open from the closed position, curve control surface  18  of cam  17  with its camber  20  projecting toward sealing contact surface  2  must move over support pin  21 .  FIG. 16  shows this specifically in segment a). Since cam  17  is rigidly connected to appliance body  1 , this bumping of cam  20  against support pin  21  presses door  6  essentially vertically away from gasket  3 . The hinge axis or hinge pin  10  then moves within elongated hole  15 , as  FIG. 16  shows, against the spring resistance of the pre-tensioning device. Door arrester leg  12  here is flexed toward the fixed door arrester leg  13 .  
         [0067]     As the door  6  is further opened, curve control surface  18  moves further along support pin  21 , camber  20  retracts so that the spring pre-tensioning device of elastic door arrester  11  is able to press door  6  back into its initial position relative to elongated hole  15 , i.e., appliance body  1 . This is shown in  FIG. 19 . As soon as pivot axis  5  again assumes its initial position relative to the appliance body  1 , the superimposition of the translational motion of the door  6  perpendicular to slot  15  defined on appliance body  1 , has ended. When the door  6  is pivoted further open, the door  6  again undergoes a purely rotary motion of the conventional type. When pivoted back to the closed position, the door  6  undergoes a correspondingly reverse motion. Specifically, gasket  3  along with its magnet  4  does not remain prematurely caught on sealing contact surface  2 ; instead, contact surface  2  moves essentially vertically onto gasket  3  only toward the end of the closing motion, and specifically when cam  17  along with its sink  19  snaps onto support pin  21 .  
         [0068]     In this process, an automatic closing motion occurs effected by the spring pre-tensioning of elastic door arrester  11 , which motion pulls the door  6  completely shut. The spring pre-tensioning device attempts to press support pin  21  into sink  19  in order to obtain a lower energy level for the system.  
         [0069]     Other embodiments are also possible in place of the integrated one-piece and elastic spring-action of door arrester  11  mounted upon appliance body  1 . For example,  FIGS. 20 and 21  illustrate hinge pin  10  routed within an elongated-hole-shaped bearing slot  15  in the top side of appliance body  1  and which also extends perpendicular to exterior and interior sides of the appliance body  1 , to achieve the corresponding motion described above. In  FIGS. 20 and 21 , the door arrester  22  is of a multi-part design. A first door arrester section  23 , the side of which facing the door  6  is designed as cam  17 , is rigidly fixed on the top side of appliance body  1 . First section  23 , essentially of a plate-like design, has on its side facing the appliance body exterior a drawer-like slot  26  in which the second door arrester section  24  is displaceably mounted and located. Slot  26  extends along its longitudinal axis parallel to elongated-hole-shaped slot  15  within the top side of appliance body  1  such that second door arrester section  24  is reciprocally slidable within first door arrester section  23  essentially perpendicular to sealing contact surface  2  (with the door  6  closed). A spring  25  presses second door arrester section  24  toward the outside of appliance body  1 . Here a stop, which may be formed by a stage of slot  26 , defines an end position of second door arrester section  24  in which this section is pre-tensioned.  
         [0070]     A circular hinge pin slot  14  is provided in second door arrester section  24 , through which the second door arrester section  24  sits on hinge pin  10  ( FIG. 20 ). In order to move the door  6  with pivot axis  5  perpendicular to sealing contact surface  2 , spring  25  is deformed, i.e., compressed as shown in  FIG. 21 . Here, second door arrester section  24  moves deeper into drawer-like slot  26  within first door arrester section  23 . Pivot axis  5  moves toward the interior side of the appliance body  1 . In this design too, the motion between pivot axis  5  and appliance body  1  is controlled transversely relative to the pivot axis  5  as a function of the pivot position of the door  6 . Cam  17  acts in analogous fashion as the preceding description.  
         [0071]     Another embodiment of the door arrester is shown in  FIG. 22  which essentially corresponds to the embodiment of  FIGS. 20 and 21 . The door arrester  27  here is also of a two-part design. The first door arrester section  28  is rigidly connected with appliance body  1 , specifically as in the embodiments described previously on the top side of the appliance body  1 . Its side facing door  6  when closed is designed analogously as cam  17 . In place of the previously-described drawer-like slot  26 , door arrester  27  has a longitudinal groove  29  open on the top side in which the second door arrester section  30  longitudinally with precise fit and is arranged to be longitudinally displaceable ( FIG. 22 ). A spring  32  located in a first spring receptacle compartment  31  of door arrester section  28  pre-tensions second door arrester section  30  toward the exterior of the appliance body  1 . As in the embodiments described previously, hinge pin  10  is able to pass through door arrester  27  and engage elongated hole  15  within the top side of appliance body  1 . Otherwise, the function of door arrester  27  matches the previously-described embodiment.  
         [0072]     The additional axis of motion of the door  6  and pivot axis  5  perpendicular to face of the sealing interface  2  (with the door  6  closed) in connection with the cam device, prevents any flexure of gasket  3  which always meets, and is lifted from, sealing contact surface  2  of door  6  essentially vertically.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5