Patent Description:
In modern life, refrigerators are applied more and more widely, and almost become requisite household electrical appliance. The refrigerator is such an apparatus that it stores various food in a refrigerated state or a frozen state for a period of time in a preserved manner.

As technologies develop, functions of refrigerators become richer and richer, and the volume of refrigerators becomes bigger and bigger, so that door bodies of refrigerators become bigger and a large force usually needs to be applied on the handles on the door bodies of the refrigerators. Hence, the user's comfort in use is undesirable. On this basis, an assist handle disposed on the door body of the refrigerator is developed, enables the door body of the refrigerator to be opened with less force, and improves the user's comfort in use. Currently, the assist handles used have the following defects: <NUM>) the assists handle is mounted on a side surface of a lateral edge of the door body, and the door body needs to be narrower than the width of the cabinet, which affects the appearance of the refrigerator; <NUM>) the handle is mounted on the front of the door body, and the door body needs to be perforated, which causes problems such as leakage of cold and frosting.

<CIT> discloses a handle component and a refrigerator. The handle component comprises a door body, a handle, a push rod and a transmission part and the door body comprises a mounting chamber. The handle is fixed to one side of the mounting chamber and the handle and the door body surround together to form a hand stretching position. The push rod is movably accommodated inside the mounting chamber, the transmission part is hinged to the door body, the first end of the transmission part is connected with the push rod and the second end of the transmission part is stressed to drive the first end of the transmission part to rotate by taking the hinging axis of the transmission part and the door body as the center so as to drive the first end of the push rod to move. The second end of the transmission part is positioned inside the hand stretching position. Other prior art is disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

The invention provides an assist handle suitable for refrigerators, which does not affect the appearance of the refrigerators, and meanwhile can provide better comfort in use.

The present invention provides an assist handle according to claim <NUM>.

Optional embodiments of the present invention are recited in claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

The present invention also relates to a refrigerator according to claim <NUM>.

As compared with the prior art, the present invention provides the assist handle and the refrigerator, the assist handle comprises the resistance structure, and the resistance structure moves along with the push rod and generates a rotation resistance; when the user pulls the handle bar to open the door body, the rotation resistance enhances the door-opening comfort; when the handle bar returns, the rotation resistance reduces the noise caused by the return of the handle bar.

The present invention will be described in detail in conjunction with embodiments shown in the figures. However, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator mounted with an assist handle according to the present invention; <FIG> is an enlarged schematic view of a region A in <FIG>; <FIG> is a top view of the refrigerator mounted with an assist handle according to the present invention with a top structure being removed.

As shown in <FIG>, a refrigerator <NUM> comprises a door body <NUM> and a cabinet <NUM>. The door body <NUM> is pivoted to a lateral edge of the cabinet <NUM> and may pivot relative to the cabinet <NUM> to close the cabinet <NUM>, or the door body may open relative to the cabinet <NUM>. The cabinet <NUM> comprises a plurality of compartments for storing items.

A front side of the door body <NUM> is provided with an assist handle. The assist handle comprises a handle bar, a rotation shaft <NUM>, a guide groove <NUM>, a push rod <NUM>, and a resistance structure <NUM>. The handle bar is pivoted to the rotation shaft <NUM>, the guide groove <NUM> run through the door body <NUM>, the push rod <NUM> is slidably disposed in the guide groove <NUM>, and the resistance structure <NUM> is located on one side of the push rod <NUM>; when the handle bar pivots about the rotation shaft <NUM> and pushes against a proximal end of the push rod <NUM> to make the push rod <NUM> to slide in the guide groove <NUM>, a distal end of the push rod <NUM> pushes against the cabinet <NUM> to open the door body <NUM>. The resistance structure <NUM> comprises a first tooth-like structure <NUM> and a second tooth-like structure <NUM> that mesh with each other. The first tooth-like structure <NUM> engages one side of the push rod <NUM> and may move along with the push rod <NUM>, so that the first tooth-like structure <NUM> moves relative to the second tooth-like structure <NUM> to form a certain rotation resistance which is used to improve the comfort of the user pulling the handle bar to open the door and reduce the noise caused by the return of the handle bar.

In the present invention, a side of the door body <NUM> close to the user is defined as "a front side", and the other side away from the user is defined as "a rear side"; an end of the push rod <NUM> close to the user is defined as a proximal end, and the end far away from the user is defined as a distal end.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the handle bar is disposed on the front side of the door body <NUM> and pivoted to the rotation shaft <NUM> so that the handle bar can pivot about the rotation shaft <NUM>. The handle bar comprises an integrally formed handle portion <NUM> and a lever portion <NUM>. The handle portion <NUM> and the lever portion <NUM> are respectively located on both sides of the rotation shaft <NUM>. In other words, a rotation shaft hole (not shown) provided on the handle bar divides the handle bar into the handle portion <NUM> and the lever portion <NUM>, and the rotation engages in the rotation shaft hole, wherein a length of the handle portion <NUM> is greater than the length of the lever portion <NUM>. When the user pulls the handle portion <NUM> to turn the handle bar, the handle portion <NUM> has a larger moment arm, thereby ensuring that the user may turn the handle bar with a smaller force, and achieving a force-saving effect. A protrusion <NUM> is disposed at a top of the level portion <NUM> and abuts against the front end of the push rod <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the rotation shaft <NUM> is for example fixed in a base <NUM> on the front side of the door body <NUM>. The base <NUM> is a box with an end open. The opening of the box engages on the surface of the front side of the door body <NUM>, and is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, the rotation shaft is arranged at a connection between the handle portion and the lever portion on the handle bar, a rotation shaft hole corresponding to the rotation shaft on the handle bar is arranged in the base, and the rotation shaft on the handle bar is inserted into the rotation shaft hole so that the handle bar pivots around the rotation shaft.

The base <NUM> encapsulates the lever portion <NUM> of the assist handle, the rotation shaft <NUM>, a portion of the push rod <NUM> and an elastic member <NUM> therein, so that the refrigerator <NUM> has a good appearance.

As shown in <FIG>, the push rod <NUM> comprises a first rod body <NUM> and a second rod body <NUM>. The first rod body <NUM> and the second rod body <NUM> are connected by the elastic member <NUM>. The elastic member <NUM> is for example a spring. An end of the spring is sleeved around a post on the first rod body <NUM>, the other end of the spring is sleeved around another post on the rod body <NUM>, and post on the first rod body <NUM> is opposite to the another post on the second rod body <NUM>. In other embodiments of the present invention, the elastic member may also be a metal elastic sheet, the metal elastic sheet is arranged between the first rod body and the second rod body, both ends of the metal elastic sheet are respectively welded or adhered on a surface of the first rod body and another surface of the second rod body, and the surface is opposite to the another surface.

The elastic member <NUM> provides an elastic force for returning the handle bar. Specifically, the user applies a force to pull the handle portion <NUM>, so that the handle portion <NUM> and the lever portion <NUM> rotate counterclockwise about the rotation shaft <NUM>, and the protrusion <NUM> of the lever portion <NUM> pushes against the front end of the first rod body <NUM>, the first rod body <NUM> compresses the elastic member <NUM>, the elastic member <NUM> acts on the front end of the second rod body <NUM> so that the second rod body <NUM> moves in the guide groove <NUM>, and the distal end of the second rod body <NUM> extends out of the opening at the distal end of the guide groove <NUM> and pushes against the cabinet <NUM> to open the door body <NUM> relative to the cabinet <NUM>. In the process of opening the door body <NUM>, the elastic member <NUM> is compressed to be in a compressed state. After the door body <NUM> is opened, the distal end of the second rod body <NUM> abuts against the cabinet <NUM>, and the user no longer applies a force to the handle portion <NUM>, and then the force applied to the elastic member <NUM> is removed. At this time, the elastic member <NUM> in the compressed state returns to an extended state to generate an elastic force, the elastic force acts on the first rod body <NUM>, the first rod body <NUM> pushes the protrusion <NUM> of the level portion <NUM> to move towards the user, the lever portion <NUM> rotates clockwise about the rotation shaft <NUM>, and the handle portion <NUM> rotates clockwise together and then returns back.

In addition, the door body <NUM> is closed on the cabinet <NUM>, the cabinet <NUM> pushes against the distal end of the second rod body <NUM>, and the second rod body <NUM> compresses the elastic member <NUM> so that the portion of the second rod body <NUM> extending out of the guide groove <NUM> retracts back into the interior of the guide groove <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the first rod body <NUM> and the elastic member <NUM> are located on the front side of the door body <NUM>, and the second rod body <NUM> is located in the guide groove <NUM>, but the arrangement is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present invention, the first rod body, the elastic member and the second rod body may be simultaneously disposed in the guide groove.

Further referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, in order to improve the comfort of the assist handle, the assist handle further comprises a resistance structure <NUM> which is disposed on one side of the push rod <NUM> to provide resistance. The resistance structure <NUM> comprises a first tooth-like structure <NUM> and a second tooth-like structure <NUM> meshing with each other. The first tooth-like structure <NUM> is disposed on one side of the first rod body <NUM> and fixedly connected to the first rod body <NUM>, and may move along with the first rod body <NUM>; the second tooth-like structure <NUM> is located below the first tooth-like structure <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the first tooth-like structure <NUM> is for example a rack, the second tooth-like structure <NUM> is for example a gear, and the gear meshes with a distal end of the rack. When the first rod body <NUM> moves towards the rear side of the door body <NUM>, the rack moves towards the rear side of the door body along with the first rod body <NUM>, and the gear rotates counterclockwise to mesh with a proximal end of the rack; when the first rod body <NUM>, driven by the elastic piece <NUM>, moves toward the front side of the door body <NUM>, the rack moves towards the front side of the door body <NUM> along with the first rod body <NUM>, and the gear rotates clockwise to gradually mesh with the distal end of the rack.

The rotation of the lever portion <NUM> and the elastic force provided by the elastic piece <NUM> enable the first rod body <NUM> to move reciprocally, and then the rack moves reciprocally along with the first rod body <NUM>. Hence, during the reciprocal movement of the rack, the gear moves clockwise or counterclockwise on the surface of the rack, and the rotation of the gear provides an appropriate rotation resistance. On the one hand, while the handle portion <NUM> is pulled to open the door body <NUM>, the rotation resistance reduces a movement rate of the first rod body <NUM> of the push rod <NUM> so that the second rod body <NUM> moves slowly along the guide groove <NUM> to gradually push against the cabinet <NUM>, and the door body <NUM> gradually opens to improve the user's door-opening comfort; on the other hand, after the door body <NUM> is opened, the first lever body <NUM> moves toward the front side of the door body <NUM> under the action of the elastic member <NUM>, the rotation resistance may slow down the movement rate of the first lever body <NUM> so that the lever portion <NUM> slowly pivots to return, and the handle portion <NUM> does not impinge on the front side of the door body <NUM>, thereby reducing the noise caused by the return of the handle bar.

In the present embodiment, the first tooth-like structure <NUM> and the second tooth-like structure <NUM> are disposed on the front side of the door body <NUM>, and the first tooth-like structure <NUM> engages on the first rod body <NUM> and moves along with the first rod body <NUM>, but the arrangement is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present invention, the first tooth-like structure and the second tooth-like structure may be disposed in the interior of the door body, and the first tooth-like structure engages on the second rod body.

Further referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, in order to avoid the problems such as cold leakage and frosting caused by the guide groove <NUM> on the door body <NUM>, the guide groove <NUM> is provided with a guide sleeve <NUM> and a pair of bellows <NUM>, wherein the guide sleeve <NUM> is received in the guide groove <NUM>, and the second rod body <NUM> runs through the guide sleeve <NUM>; the pair of bellows <NUM> are located at the openings at both ends of the guide groove <NUM>, outer sides of the pair of bellows <NUM> are respectively connected to inner walls at both ends of the guide sleeve <NUM>, and inner sides of the pair of bellows <NUM> are respectively sleeved on the outer surface of the proximal end and the outer surface of the distal end of the second rod body <NUM>. That is, the pair of bellows <NUM> may be regarded as being filled between the ends of the second rod body <NUM> and the ends of the guide sleeve <NUM> respectively so that the space between the pair of bellows <NUM> is a sealed space, and the sealed space may function for heat preservation and heat insulation.

In addition, the bellows <NUM> near the rear side of the door body <NUM> is filled between the distal end of the guide sleeve <NUM> and the distal end of the second rod body <NUM>, and may block the overflow of the cold air through the guide groove <NUM> of the door body <NUM> when the door body <NUM> closes the cabinet <NUM>, thereby avoiding the frosting at the assist handle of the door body.

In addition, the door body <NUM> comprises a first housing, a thermal insulation layer and a second housing. The thermal insulation layer is disposed between the first housing and the second housing. The guide groove <NUM> sequentially penetrates the first housing, the thermal insulation layer and the second housing, wherein the guide sleeve <NUM> is filled in the guide groove <NUM>, a proximal end of the guide sleeve <NUM> is connected with the first housing, and a distal end of the guide sleeve <NUM> is connected with the second housing.

The present invention further provides a refrigerator <NUM> comprising the door body <NUM> and the cabinet <NUM>, wherein the door body <NUM> may be opened or closed relative to the cabinet <NUM>, and the front side of the door body <NUM> is provided with the assist handle as stated above.

In summary, the present invention provides the assist handle and the refrigerator, the assist handle comprises the resistance structure, and the resistance structure moves along with the push rod and generates a rotation resistance; when the user pulls the handle bar to open the door body, the rotation resistance enhances the door-opening comfort; when the handle bar returns, the rotation resistance reduces the noise caused by the return of the handle bar.

It should be understood that although the description is described according to the embodiments, not every embodiment only comprises one independent technical solution, that such a description manner is only for the sake of clarity, that those skilled in the art should take the description as an integral part, and that the technical solutions in the embodiments may be suitably combined to form other embodiments understandable by those skilled in the art.

Claim 1:
An assist handle for mounting on a front side of a door body (<NUM>) of a refrigerator (<NUM>), wherein the assist handle comprises:
a handle bar configured to be disposed on the front side of the door body (<NUM>);
a rotation shaft (<NUM>) pivoted to the handle bar;
a guide groove (<NUM>) configured to be disposed in the door body (<NUM>) and configured to run through the door body (<NUM>);
a push rod (<NUM>) running through the guide groove (<NUM>), a distal end of the push rod (<NUM>) configured to be close to a cabinet (<NUM>) of the refrigerator (<NUM>), and a proximal end of the push rod (<NUM>) being close to a front end of the handle bar; and
a resistance structure (<NUM>) disposed on a side of the push rod (<NUM>) and comprising a first tooth-like structure (<NUM>) and a second tooth-like structure (<NUM>) that mesh with each other, the first tooth-like structure (<NUM>) being engaged with the push rod (<NUM>);
wherein, the handle bar rotates about the rotation shaft (<NUM>), the front end of the handle bar pushes against the proximal end of the push rod (<NUM>), the push rod (<NUM>) slides in the guide groove (<NUM>), the distal end of the push rod (<NUM>) configured to push against the cabinet (<NUM>) of the refrigerator (<NUM>), and the push rod (<NUM>) drives the first tooth-like structure (<NUM>) to move relative to the second tooth-like structure (<NUM>),
wherein the assist handle further comprises an elastic member (<NUM>) disposed in the push rod (<NUM>) to provide an elastic force for returning the push rod (<NUM>), where the push rod (<NUM>) comprises a first rod body (<NUM>) and a second rod body (<NUM>), the elastic member (<NUM>) is disposed between the first rod body (<NUM>) and the second rod body (<NUM>), and both ends of the elastic member (<NUM>) are respectively connected to the first rod body (<NUM>) and the second rod body (<NUM>); and
wherein the first tooth-like structure (<NUM>) is disposed on one side of the first rod body (<NUM>) and fixedly connected to the first rod body (<NUM>), and moves along with the first rod body (<NUM>); the second tooth-like structure (<NUM>) is located below the first tooth-like structure (<NUM>).