Movable or removable closures – Mounted for optional movements – On alternative axes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2001-09-04
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Mounted for optional movements
On alternative axes
C049S192000, C049S382000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282838
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to door opening/closing mechanisms for refrigerators and the like, and in particular to a door opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the door from either the right-hand side or the left-hand side.
2. Description of Related Art
According to a prior art door opening/closing device as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. HEI 5-5431, a door is provided with a securing plate having an engagement groove which can be releasably engaged with a hinge pin on a main body from the open side of the door, a latch plate which is releasably engaged in a pivotal manner with the hinge pin by a latch groove at both the right-hand and left-hand portions of the securing plate and constrains the hinge pin in the groove, and a connecting member on the door which is interlocked with the pivoting of the latch plate in a direction in which the constraint of the latch plate is released and prevents the other latch plate from pivoting.
As another prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-129759 discloses an automatic door opening/closing device with brake comprised of a motor with brake mounted so that its output shaft is disposed coaxially with the hinge pin of the door, a door opening/closing arm mounted to a lower end of the output shaft, an elastic member such as a spring and a resistance detector.
The former door opening/closing device is provided with a spring for constraining the pivoting of the latch plate. Therefore, a repelling force against the spring force is required in opening and closing the door, and this has the disadvantage that opening and closing the door require more force. There has been another problem that an operating noise (mechanical noise) is generated because the mechanism is operated against the spring force. Furthermore, if the latch plate on the open side is operated to be put into a locked state when the door is open, the door will be disengaged and fall off when a force is exerted on the pivot shaft side. In addition, due to an increased number of components, a complicated assembling work, high component and assembling costs and the components arranged all along the door, the device has had the problem that the whole mechanism occupies a large space.
On the other hand, since the driving of the pivoting operation is performed on the pivot shaft side in the latter door opening/closing device, a considerably great power is required as a load torque of the motor which serves as a driving power source. Furthermore, since the device is a single swing door system, there is the disadvantage that two drive power sources are required to cope with a double swing door system. Furthermore, in the case of the double swing door system, it is required to voluntarily switch the engagement between the drive unit and the door, and there is another problem that the door cannot be opened without electrification and cannot be opened from inside the refrigerator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a novel and useful double swing door opening/closing mechanism which solves the aforementioned problems.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a double swing door opening/closing mechanism is provided comprising. cam mechanisms which are provided on the right-hand and left-hand sides of a door respectively and cause the door to be engaged with and disengaged from a main body, the cam mechanisms being able to assume a first engagement position which is symmetrically arranged on the right-hand and left-hand sides of the door and a second engagement position which is symmetrically arranged on the right-hand and left-hand sides of door. The right-hand and left-hand cam mechanisms assume the first engagement position in a state in which the door is closed, and the door slides when the door is opened at either the right-hand side or the left-hand side of the door, so that the cam mechanism at the other side assumes the second engagement position and is pivotally locked in the second engagement position.
With this arrangement, both the right-hand and left-hand cam mechanisms are in the first engagement position when the door is closed, therefore the door fitting state is maintained by the engagement force. Then, the engagement state remains without locking at both the right-hand and left-hand cam mechanism, and therefore, the engagement can be easily released when the door is pulled at either the right-hand side or the left-hand side in this state. Furthermore, when the engagement is released at one side, the other side is locked in the second engagement position while being able to pivot. Therefore, the door can be opened as if it were a usual single swing door.
Also, a double swing door opening/closing mechanism is provided comprising:
a pair of slide cam members which are respectively provided symmetrically about a center line of a door as arranged at right-hand and left-hand end portions of the door or a main body on which the door is mounted;
a pair of lock cam members provided symmetrically in portions corresponding to those of the slide cam members on the main body or the door; and
a hinge pin which is mounted in a state in which it penetrates an axial hole provided at each of the lock cam members; and
wherein the each slide cam member has a first grooved cam which can be engaged with and disengaged from the hinge pin in a horizontal direction, and a second grooved cam which can move from a first engagement position which continues from the first grooved cam and is engaged with the hinge pin guided by the first grooved cam when the door is closed to a second engagement position which serves as a pivot axis of the slide cam member when the door is open, and a first cam projection provided around the second grooved cam,
and the each lock cam member has a second cam projection which locks the first cam projection in the first engagement position. According to this arrangement, the hinge pin serves as a pivot axis when the door is opened and closed.
Also, a double swing door opening/closing mechanism is provided comprising:
cam mechanisms which are respectively provided on the right-hand and left-hand sides of a door and cause the door to be engaged with and disengaged from a main body, the cam mechanisms being able to assume a first engagement position which is symmetrically arranged on the right-hand and left-hand sides of the door and a second engagement position which is symmetrically arranged on the right-hand and left-hand sides of the door, and wherein the right-hand and left-hand cam mechanisms assume the first engagement position in a state in which the door is closed, and the door slides when the door is opened at one side of the right-hand side and the left-hand side of the door, so that the cam mechanism at the other side assumes the second engagement position and is pivotally locked in the second engagement position; and
an assisting means for urging the door toward the second engagement position so as to assist the locked state in the second engagement position.
According to this arrangement, the assisting means assists the movement of the door towards the locked state in the second engagement position, and therefore, an improved reliability of the door opening/closing mechanism is achieved.
Also, a double swing door opening/closing mechanism is provided comprising a powered mechanism for performing a door opening assisting operation by releasing the cam engagement by a power from the closed state of the door achieved by the cam engagement. According to this arrangement, the engagement state of the door can be released merely by operating the operating members such as switches. Therefore, the door opening operation is made easy, which is convenient.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3454299 (1969-07-01), Hewitt et al.
patent: 3889419 (1975-06-01), Maleck
patent: 4495673 (1985-01-01), Khan
patent: 4503582 (1985-03-01), Gurubatham
patent: 4503583 (1985-03-01), Frohbieter
patent: 4503584 (1985-03-01), Malchow
p
Cohen Curtis
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Stodola Daniel P.
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