The present invention relates generally to refrigeration appliances with dispensers for water, ice or both.
Refrigeration appliances with having dispensers are well known, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,804,974, 6,763,976 and 6,425,425.
In several of these patents, the actuating device for the dispenser comprises a mechanical lever or paddle which must be attached separately to the dispenser housing or refrigeration appliance cabinet, as well as an electrical switch which is activated by the lever or paddle, and also must be separately attached to the dispenser housing or cabinet. In other arrangements, the actuation device is composed of several components which are assembled onto the refrigerator cabinet or dispenser housing separately, usually with separate fasteners. Finishing elements, including covers, indicia or other markings, and similar styling elements, are applied or attached separately after the other components have been assembled to the cabinet or dispenser. This type of assembly process results in a large number of individual parts being assembled onto the dispenser housing or refrigerator cabinet at the assembly line, increasing the complexity and cost of the appliance.
It would be an improvement in the art if an actuator for a refrigeration appliance dispenser were provided which is fully assembled and complete when it is brought to the assembly line to mate with the dispenser housing or the refrigeration appliance.
The present invention provides a self contained actuation device in the form of an actuator module for a refrigeration appliance dispenser which is fully assembled, complete and ready to attach when it is brought to the assembly line to mate with the dispenser housing or the refrigeration appliance. All of the components necessary for the operation of the actuator are contained within a housing, that also contains all of the styling elements for the actuator. The module contains an attachment mechanism which allows the module to be attached to the dispenser housing or the refrigeration appliance without any additional fasteners.
In an embodiment of the invention, a ready to attach actuation device module is provided for use with a refrigerator dispenser which includes an electrical actuation device, a wiring lead extending from the actuation device, an electrical connector attached at an end of the wiring lead and a housing enclosing the actuation device and at least a portion of the wiring lead and including all stylings for the actuation device module. An attachment mechanism engageable with the refrigerator dispenser or refrigeration appliance cabinet is also a part of the module.
In an embodiment, the actuation device comprises an electrical switch.
In an embodiment, the electrical connector is a male connector.
In an embodiment, the housing is formed in two parts, one part including the attachment mechanism, and a second part being a front cover including the stylings.
In an embodiment, the attachment mechanism includes projecting clips formed on the one part of the housing.
In an embodiment, the attachment mechanism includes a spring member arranged to hold the clips in tight engagement with the refrigerator dispenser.
In an embodiment, the attachment mechanism includes an adhesive.
In an embodiment, the said actuation device includes a printed circuit board.
In an embodiment, the actuation device includes a depressible pad.
These and other aspects and details of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the detailed description and a review of the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are described herein. The present invention is not intended to be limited to only these embodiments. Changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments and yet fall within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention finds particular utility in a domestic refrigerator having a dispenser, such as a water dispenser, an ice dispenser, or both. The invention has utility in other environments, such as stand alone dispensers or other appliances requiring an actuator for operating various components in the appliance. In order to provide a disclosure of the invention, the embodiment of a refrigeration appliance with a water and ice dispenser is shown and illustrated, it being understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to such an arrangement.
An example of a ready to attach actuation device module 30 which may be used with the refrigerator dispensing device 26 is illustrated in
The housing 38 may be formed in two parts, a first part 42 including the attachment mechanism 40, and a second part 44 being a front cover including the stylings. The two parts 42, 44 preferably snap together so that no additional fasteners are required to hold the parts together. The second part 44 may be made, at least partially, of a material, such as silicone rubber, which is flexible and elastic so that at least a portion of the second part can be depressed or moved relative to the remainder of the housing 38 and the various components in the housing, such as at least part of the actuation device 32.
The actuation device 32 shown in
While the actuation device 32 has been described as a normally open switch, closed by pressing against the second part 44 of the housing 38, the actuation device could also be provided as a normally closed switch, opened by pressing against the second part of the housing, in a way known by those of skill in the art. Either type of actuation device could be utilized with appropriate modifications to the control circuitry, as would be well known to artisans in this field.
The actuation device 32 has the wiring lead 34 extending away from it so that an appropriate signal can be transmitted by the actuation device to the dispensing device 26. The lead 34 may comprise individual wires, a ribbon cable, or other known flexible conductive constructions. The lead 34 may extend through an opening 56 in the first part 42 of the housing 38, and from there through an opening 58 in a wall 60 of the dispenser housing 27 or the refrigerator cabinet 24 (
In order to easily and quickly make the connection from the actuation device 32 to the dispensing device 26, the electrical lead 34 includes the connector 36 at an end thereof. This connector 36 can be one of many different configurations or constructions, as is known in the art, from a spade type connector to a plastic snap connector, such as a male connector that mates with a complementary connector 62, such as a female connector, which then is connected to the dispensing device 26 or a control element 64 for the dispensing device.
The attachment mechanism 40 may be integral with the housing 38, that is, formed as one piece with the housing, so that no additional or separate fasteners are needed to secure the housing to the dispensing device 26. As illustrated in
In another embodiment, the attachment mechanism 40 could include an adhesive applied on the back side of the first housing part 50 as described in more detail below. A combination of adhesive and mechanical attachment mechanisms could also be utilized.
The stylings which may be incorporated into the housing 38, and particularly the second part 44, include the shape, contours and configuration of the housing, the surface texture, the color and general appearance, as well as lighting features, such as backlighting, LEDs, and other known lighting and illumination elements. Other stylings include indicia, such as, for example, the words “ice” 80 or “water” or similar appropriate words or symbols, as well as other markings including model names, trademarks, design elements, etc. In this manner, additional overlays, labels, covers, bezels, and similar items would not be required for use with the actuation device module 30 in that it would be complete in and of itself, and would be ready to assemble onto the dispenser housing 27 or refrigeration appliance cabinet 24.
Another example of a ready to attach actuation device module 30A which may be used with the refrigerator dispensing device 26 is illustrated in
In this example, the housing 38A may be formed in a single part 82 being a front cover including the stylings. The housing 38A attaches to other components of the actuation device module 30A by an adhesive layer 84 interposed between the housing and at least one other component of the actuation device so that no additional fasteners are required to hold the components together. The housing 38A may be made, at least partially, of a material, such as silicone rubber, which is flexible and elastic so that at least a portion of the housing can be depressed or moved relative to the remainder of the various components in the housing, such as at least part of the actuation device 32A.
The actuation device 32A shown in
The actuation device 32A has the electrical lead 34A extending away from it so that an appropriate signal can be transmitted by the actuation device to the dispensing device 26. The lead 34A and the connector 36A may be constructed in various configurations as discussed above.
The attachment mechanism 40A in this embodiment is illustrated as an adhesive layer 92 applied on a back side 94 of the circuit board 48A. This adhesive layer 92 can be applied directly to the wall 60 of the dispenser housing 27 or refrigerator cabinet 24 to hold the actuator device module 30A securely in place.
Similar stylings as described above may be used with this embodiment of the actuation device module 30A so that it would be complete in and of itself, and would be ready to assemble onto the dispenser housing 27 or refrigeration appliance cabinet 24.
Another example of a ready to attach actuation device module 30B which may be used with the refrigerator dispensing device 26 is illustrated in
Another example of a ready to attach actuation device module 30C which may be used with the refrigerator dispensing device 26 is illustrated in
The housing 38C may be formed in two parts, a first part 42C including the attachment mechanism 40C, and a second part 44C, being a front cover including the stylings. The two parts preferably snap together so that no additional fasteners are required to hold the parts together. The second part 44C may be made, at least partially, of a material, such as silicone rubber, which is flexible and elastic so that at least a portion of it can be depressed or moved relative to the remainder of the housing 38C and the various components in the housing, such as at least part of the actuation device 32C. The second part 44C may also be made of a rigid material and attached to the first part 42C in a pivoting manner, such as by a connection to pivot ears 96 on the first part engaged by pivot pins (not visible) carried on the second part.
The actuation device 32C shown in
Similar electrical lead, connector, attachment mechanism and stylings as described above may be used with this embodiment.
Another example of a ready to attach actuation device module 30D which may be used with the refrigerator dispensing device 26 is illustrated in
This embodiment is very similar to the embodiment of
In each of these embodiments, the actuation device 32 is an electrical component that can render a normally open circuit closed, or a normally closed circuit open, upon a pressing against or engagement of an activation surface on the housing 38. The actuation device 32 might also comprise a proximity sensor, such as sensing the proximity of a magnet, that does not even require contact or pressing.
The present invention has been described utilizing particular embodiments. As will be evident to those skilled in the art, changes and modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments and yet fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, various components could be utilized separately or independently in some embodiments without using all of the other components in the particular described embodiment. The disclosed embodiment is provided only to illustrate aspects of the present invention and not in any way to limit the scope and coverage of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore to be limited only by the appended claims.
As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20070102447 A1 | May 2007 | US |