Abstract:
The finger grip assembly for moving large appliances provides a user with a place to grasp the appliance at its sides and slide the appliance forward on a floor or other support surface. The finger grips are arcuately shaped cups disposed on opposing sidewalls of the appliance. The cups each have a generally C-shaped base and a peripheral wall arising from the base, the peripheral wall including a back wall, a front wall and opposing sidewalls. The sidewalls join the front wall to the back wall, forming a generally C-shaped configuration. The front wall and the back walls are arcuately shaped. The front wall may have finger depressions or grooves defined therein for separating the fingers, thereby improving the grip.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/648,714, filed Feb. 2, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to appliances, and more particularly to a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances, such as a refrigerator or the like.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Large appliances come in different sizes and shapes. Many large appliances, such as refrigerators, are tall and heavy. Large appliances do not usually need to be moved often once set in their place. Occasionally, however, large appliances must be moved for repair or cleaning. Moving the large appliance is not an easy task. Large appliances generally have smooth sidewalls that lack a place to grasp and move the large appliance. When a person attempts to move the large appliance, he or she lays their palms flat on the opposing sidewalls of the large appliance and, with great effort, slides the large appliance forward. People with longer arm spans may be able to reach the back edges of the large appliance, gaining a better hold on the large appliance. Many women are smaller in stature than men and cannot reach all the way to the back of the large appliance.  
         [0006]     Regardless of gender, people have come up with different ways to move large appliances. Some hold the doors in order to grasp and move the large appliance. However, this can weaken and harm the joint between the door and the housing. Others open the door of the large appliance and try to grasp an internal element, edge, or protuberance. This is problematic because the large appliance may suffer irreparable damage to the interior surface or element, and if the large appliance is used to house small articles, such as food stored in a refrigerator, the contents need to be removed or risk spillage in the process of moving the appliance. There is a need for finger grips disposed at a convenient height to provide the person moving the large appliance a place to hold and grip the large appliance. Thus, a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The finger grip assembly for moving large appliances provides a user with a place to grasp the large appliance at its sides and slide the appliance forward on a support surface. The finger grip is an arcuately shaped cup used in pairs disposed on opposing sidewalls of the appliance. The cup has a generally C-shaped base and a peripheral wall arising from the base, the peripheral wall including a back wall, a front wall and opposing sidewalls. The sidewalls join the front wall to the back wall, forming a cavity in a generally C-shaped configuration. The front wall and the back walls are arcuately shaped. The front wall may have finger depressions or grooves to prevent the fingers from sliding along the walls of the cup, thus facilitating a better grip.  
         [0008]     The front wall, the back wall and the sidewalls extend from the base. A lip or flange borders the periphery of the cup. The lip flanks the back wall, the front wall and the sidewalls and abuts the sidewall of the appliance. The grip provides sufficient space for the index, middle, ring and small fingers. The finger grip assembly is used by inserting fingers into the opening of the cups and sliding the appliance on the floor or other support surface.  
         [0009]     The finger grips are placed vertically on the sidewalls. Preferably the grips form a ninety-degree angle with the ground or a bottom wall of the appliance. The finger grips are disposed at a convenient height above the ground and set back from the front of the appliance. The position of the grips allows the user to conveniently pull the appliance forward.  
         [0010]     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances according to the present invention, showing finger grips installed on a refrigerator.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a finger grip according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a finger grip according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a section view drawn along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a finger grip according to the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is an environmental, perspective view of a microwave oven/conventional oven and range combination with a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances according to the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is an environmental, perspective view of a stacked washer/dryer combination with a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances according to the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is an environmental, perspective view of an upright freezer with a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances according to the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is an environmental, perspective view of a chest freezer with a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances according to the present invention. 
     
    
       [0020]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     The present invention is directed towards a finger grip assembly for moving large appliances. As used herein, the term “large appliance” refers to an appliance more than about three feet in height or three feet in width. Large appliances are part of both residential and commercial buildings, and as such it is necessary to periodically move these appliances for cleaning or other purposes. Large appliances are not equipped with finger grips. Consequently such appliances are difficult to move, particularly for short people.  
         [0022]     The present invention solves this problem by providing a finger grip assembly for large appliances. The positioning of the finger grips in any large appliance is essential for increasing the function and purpose of the finger grips. In particular, the finger grips should be disposed at a level of the appliance at or about a horizontal plane extending through the center of gravity of the large appliance. In addition, disposing the finger grips in a vertical plane extending through the center of gravity perpendicular to the sidewalls of the large appliances may situate the finger grips too far from the front wall of the large appliance for a person to reach. It is within the scope of the embodiments described herein to locate the finger grips between the front wall and the vertical plane extending through the center of gravity. Finger grips positioned horizontally and vertically in this manner provide the ability to move the large appliance with great ease, and prevent the large appliance from tipping forward and falling on the mover or movers.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the exemplary large appliance is a refrigerator  50 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the finger grips  10  are disposed on the opposite sidewalls of the refrigerator  50  housing or cabinet. The refrigerator  50  has a housing including a top wall  52 , opposing sidewalls  53 ,  54 , a back wall  56 , a bottom wall  60  and at least one front door  58 . The finger grips  1   0  are disposed on the sidewalls  53 ,  54  of the refrigerator  50 .  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the finger grips  10  are arcuately shaped cups, faintly resembling a hospital room emesis basin. Each cup has a generally C-shaped base  18 , an arcuate back wall  12 , an arcuate front wall  14  and opposing sidewalls  16 . The sidewalls  16  join the front wall  14  to the back wall  12  in a generally C-shaped configuration. The front wall  14 , the back wall  12  and the sidewalls  16  extend from the base  18 , forming a cavity  22 .  
         [0025]     A peripheral flange or lip  20  borders the front wall  14 , the back wall  12  and the sidewalls  16  and is disposed opposite the base  18  around the opening of cavity  22 . The lip  20  flanks the front wall  14 , the back wall  12  and the sidewalls  16 , providing a surface that is adapted to fit flush against or abut the sidewalls  53 ,  54  of the refrigerator  50  when the finger grip  10  is inserted into an opening defined in the sidewall  53  or  54  of the refrigerator  50 , thereby preventing the finger grip  10  from being pressed too far into the refrigerator sidewall  53 ,  54  when the refrigerator  50  is being moved. The finger grips  10  have finger depressions or grooves defined in the front wall  14 , which provide sufficient space for the index, middle, ring and small fingers to rest within the cavity  22  of the grips  10  and keep the fingers separated, thereby improving grip.  
         [0026]     In an alternative embodiment, shown in  FIG. 5 , finger grip  100  may have a smooth front wall  114  without finger depressions, a back wall  112 , sidewalls  116 , and a base  118  forming a cavity  122 . The grip  100  may have a lip  120  extending from the front wall  114 , the back wall  112  and the sidewalls  116  around the cavity  122 . Regardless of whether the grip  10  or grip  100  is used, the grips  10 ,  100  provide a place to insert the fingers into the cavity  22 ,  122  of the grips  10 ,  100  and manipulate the refrigerator  50 .  
         [0027]     The grips  10  are placed vertically on the sidewalls  53 ,  54  forming about a ninety-degree angle with the ground or a bottom wall  60  of the refrigerator  50 . The grips  10  are placed at a height corresponding to about a horizontal plane through the center of gravity of the appliance. It will be understood that the actual center of gravity may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but will generally be at the midpoint in height of the appliance, or in some cases, slightly below or above the midpoint in height above bottom wall  60 . The grips  10  are set back from the front of the refrigerator  50 , at about the middle of the sidewalls  53 ,  54 , which is about twelve to sixteen inches. The position of the grips  10  provides a convenient holding place to pull the refrigerator  50  forward. The finger grips  10 ,  100  can be made as inserts for after market use on refrigerators. Alternatively, the grips  10 ,  100  can be integrated into the sidewalls  53 ,  54  of the refrigerator  50  during manufacturing for convenience.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 6-9 , various large appliances are illustrated to show the versatility of the embodiments of finger grips  10 .  FIG. 6  shows a large cooking appliance  500  having a lower oven  510 , an upper oven  520 , and range top  530 . The upper oven  520  may be any conventionally available oven such as a convection heating type, a microwave type, a rotisserie type, or the like. In addition, the upper oven may be replaced by a ventilation hood or device, or any other commonly found apparatus used in a cooking appliance  500  of such large configuration. The cooking appliance has sidewalls  502  in which the finger grips  10  are disposed in accordance with the above description. It is important to note that the finger grips  10  are disposed about in the horizontal plane passing through the center of gravity of the large appliance, in this instance, the cooking appliance  500 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a large laundry appliance  600  having a lower washing element  610 , and an upper drying element  620 . The laundry appliance  600  has sidewalls  602  in which the finger grips  10  are disposed in accordance with the above description. It is important to note that the finger grips  10  are disposed about in the horizontal plane passing through the center of gravity of the large appliance, in this instance, the laundry appliance  600 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  shows a large upright freezer appliance  700  having a door  710 . The upright freezer appliance  700  has sidewalls  702  in which the finger grips  10  are disposed in accordance with the above description. It is important to note that the finger grips  10  are disposed about in the horizontal plane passing through the center of gravity of the large appliance, in this instance, the upright freezer appliance  700 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 9  shows a large horizontal, or chest type freezer appliance  800  having a hinged lid  810 . The horizontal, or chest type freezer appliance  800  has sidewalls  802  in which the finger grips  10  are disposed in accordance with the above description. As seen in  FIG. 9 , one or more persons may effectively move the horizontal, or chest type freezer by the finger grips  10 . This feature is also commensurate with each of the foregoing embodiments, in that more than one person may utilize the finger grips  10  to move any large appliance. It is important to note that the finger grips  10  are disposed about in the horizontal plane passing through the center of gravity of the large appliance, in this instance, the horizontal, or chest type freezer appliance  800 .  
         [0032]     In another embodiment, referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the arcuate cups  10  form a kit for retrofitting any appliance, cabinet, or the like, in order to offer the ability to maneuver the same with ease. A method for installing the finger grips  10  and the kit formed by the finger grips is encompassed by the following description. The basic principle is to dispose the finger grips at a position that is substantially in a horizontal plane passing through, or near, the center of gravity. The C-shaped base  18  of the finger grips  10  serves as a template. An outline of the base  18  is traced onto the sidewalls  53 ,  54 ,  502 ,  602 ,  702 ,  802  at the position desired to place the finger grips  10 . The sidewalls are cut along the traced outlines, forming holes therein. Any suitable filler (not shown), such as epoxy, putty, etc, is used to secure the finger grips  10  into the holes formed in the sidewalls  53 ,  54 ,  502 ,  602 ,  702 ,  802 . The flange prevents the finger grips  10  from passing completely into the holes. Once the filler sets, dries, or hardens, the finger grips  10  will allow the maneuverability of the appliance, cabinet, or the like.  
         [0033]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.