Handle for a door of a household appliance, door and household appliance

Description

[0001] One aspect of the invention relates to a handle for a door of a household appliance. In particular, the household appliance is a cooking appliance. The handle has a tubular handle bar. The handle bar is hollow, at least in part, so that at least one storage space for objects is formed within the handle bar. The handle bar has a outer wall that delimits the storage space. Another aspect of the invention relates to a door for a household appliance.

[0002] Household appliances can be designed for food preparation. In this context, they can be cooking appliances. Such appliances typically have a door that closes off a cooking chamber. This door has a handle on its outside. Handles can have various designs. Handles with a bar offer the advantage that the user can easily and fully grip the bar. This allows for convenient operation of the handle and, consequently, the door.

[0003] Such handles, especially those designed with a handle bar and permanently mounted on the outside of the door, require sufficient installation space. In this context, they constitute a projection extending forward from the outside of the door.

[0004] Such a handle can be used in a multifunctional way in this context. For example, a handle with a tubular handle is known from DE 10 2010 040 954 A1. This tubular handle is designed to incorporate a storage compartment inside. This compartment is designed and intended for storing other components within the handle. This could be, for example, a temperature probe. In the handle known from the prior art, the handle is open at one end and partially hollow in that area. When the temperature probe is inserted, it forms one end of the handle. This means that, on the one hand, the temperature probe is partially exposed, and on the other hand, accessibility via this small cross-sectional area of ​​the handle is restricted.

[0005] DE 10 2008 054 808 B3 shows a household appliance and a kitchen furniture with a mechanically flexible display unit.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to create a handle for a door of a household appliance in which the storage space is more easily accessible in a handle bar and a more user-friendly handling is achieved when removing and inserting objects into the storage space.

[0007] This task is solved by a handle, a door for a household appliance and a household appliance according to the requirements.

[0008] One aspect of the invention relates to a handle for the door of a household appliance. In particular, the household appliance is a cooking appliance. The handle has a tubular handle bar. The handle bar is hollow, at least in part, so that at least one storage space for objects is formed within the handle bar. The handle bar has a outer wall that defines the storage space. In the direction of rotation around a longitudinal axis of the handle bar, the storage space is bounded by this outer wall.

[0009] According to the invention, at least one loading and unloading opening is formed in this outer wall as an access opening to the storage compartment. In particular, this loading and unloading opening is spaced apart from the ends of the handle in the outer wall. The handle also has a movable cover with which this loading and unloading opening can be covered and uncovered. In this embodiment of a handle, access to the storage compartment and the handling for removing or inserting one or more items into the at least one storage compartment are thus significantly simplified. Since the access is formed via the outer wall, it is no longer necessary for sufficient space to be available laterally at the handle in order to be able to remove and insert even elongated items from the handle in an axial direction.Accessibility via the outer wall allows for easier handling by the user and, in this context, also enables more variable sizes and shapes for at least one loading and unloading opening. This also makes it possible to expand the types and sizes of items that can be stored in the storage space. Thus, the functionality of such a handle is significantly increased.

[0010] In one embodiment, the loading and unloading opening is located on the front side of the casing wall. Thus, when the handle is positioned as intended on a door, this loading and unloading opening faces away from the outside of the door and towards a user standing in front of the door. This makes removing or inserting items into the storage compartment particularly easy and allows for more ergonomic handling. Additionally or instead, in another embodiment, at least one loading and / or unloading opening can be provided on the top side of the casing wall. This allows loading and / or unloading from above and effectively prevents items from falling or rolling out of the storage compartment.

[0011] In one embodiment, a loading and / or unloading opening may also be provided on the front side, extending to the top. In such an embodiment, this opening may form a continuous loading and unloading opening in the circumferential direction around a longitudinal axis of the handle by an angular segment between 70° and 110°, particularly between 70° and 180°.

[0012] In other embodiments, it is also possible that a loading and unloading opening is formed on a front side of the casing wall, and a separate, at least second, loading and unloading opening is formed on a top side of the casing wall. In this context, a top side is the upper region of the casing wall when viewed in the vertical direction of the handle. A front side is the front region when viewed in the vertical direction of the handle.

[0013] If the handle is designed as a hollow cylinder in its basic geometry, then its outer wall will also be a hollow cylinder. If the basic geometry of the handle, viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, is angular, for example triangular or quadrilateral, then the three-dimensional geometry of the handle will also have corners at its outer wall and will not be cornerless. In this context, the handle could then also be, for example, a triangular or square tube.

[0014] In a non-inventive embodiment, the cover is formed as a lid that can be removed from the handle and thus also from the outer wall.

[0015] The cover on the handle is movably mounted. For example, a pivoting or sliding mechanism can be provided. When the cover moves relative to the handle, it remains attached to the handle itself. A pivoting movement can occur, for example, around a pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle. This pivot axis can be fixed in position. In another embodiment of a pivoting flap as a cover, this flap can be mounted on the handle and thus be azimuthally movable around its longitudinal axis. This can be achieved, for example, by a sliding mechanism that allows such an azimuthal movement of the flap. The cover can be located inside the storage compartment or externally on the handle.In another embodiment, the cover can be arranged to slide along the longitudinal axis of the handle. This also allows at least one loading and unloading opening to be easily opened and closed.

[0016] In one embodiment, the cover is designed as a push-push flap. For example, when closed, it can be released from the closed position by pushing it towards the storage compartment, so that after this release process it can be pivoted away from the storage compartment about a pivot axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis.

[0017] In one embodiment, the movement of the cover on the handle can be dampened by at least one damper in the handle. In particular, the reaching of the respective end position can be dampened by a damper in one embodiment. All of the aforementioned mechanisms for moving the cover are highly functional and user-friendly. This ensures that operating the cover is simple and safe.

[0018] In one embodiment, when the cover is closed and completely covers the loading and unloading opening, its outer surface is flush with the outer surface of the casing wall. This allows for a particularly uniform and smooth external appearance of the casing wall. The cover can also be completely concealed, making it virtually invisible.

[0019] In one embodiment, the cover, viewed along the longitudinal axis of the handle, has a length that corresponds to the length of the storage compartment along this longitudinal axis. Thus, in this embodiment, the cover is exactly the same length as the storage compartment. This allows complete access to the entire length of the storage compartment by opening this single cover. Inserting and removing even relatively long items is therefore very easy and user-friendly. Simple, ergonomic movements for removing or inserting items are thus achieved.

[0020] In one embodiment, the handle is designed without access to the storage compartment at its ends opposite each other when viewed along its longitudinal axis. It is therefore completely sealed in this respect. Loading or unloading via either of these ends of the handle is then not possible in such an embodiment.

[0021] It is also possible, though not according to the invention, for at least one of these ends to be open or to be configured by means of a removable cover so that the storage space is accessible from one end as well. Since the two opposite ends of the tubular handle are closed, no interface needs to be created there to provide access to the storage space. This also allows the tubular handle to be designed to be mechanically more stable. The outer wall is then also stabilized by these ends.

[0022] In one embodiment, an edge defining the loading and unloading opening serves as a tear-off edge for rolled material. This tear-off edge can be either a blade or a serrated edge. Rolled material is defined as an object wound onto a spool, which can then be inserted into the storage compartment. Examples of such rolled material include aluminum foil, baking paper, or a kitchen towel. This allows the object to be placed in the storage compartment, and the rolled material can then be easily removed and torn off to the desired length.

[0023] In one embodiment, the storage compartment may be equipped with hanging elements on which such an exemplary roll can be suspended. It can also be easily unrolled, and the roll material can be easily pulled out or rolled out of the storage compartment.

[0024] In one embodiment, when the loading and unloading opening is closed, a defined gap is formed between the cover and an edge that borders the opening. This gap can, for example, serve as a ventilation gap. This prevents items stored in the compartment from being affected by moisture and / or undesirable temperatures. In particular, it also prevents the formation of unpleasant odors in the compartment. Finally, this gap also allows a roll of material, as mentioned above, to be unrolled from the compartment and cut to a specific length, even when the cover is in its final position.

[0025] Furthermore, in another embodiment, such a gap can also be used as a lighting gap. In particular, if the handle has a lighting device or at least a component thereof, light generated or directed, for example, in the storage compartment, can also be directed out of this gap. This can result in very specific light patterns, such as the creation of a very specific line of light.

[0026] In one embodiment, the cover is at least partially transparent. This means that it is transparent to light in the visible spectrum. For example, the cover can be made of glass, particularly real glass. It is also possible for the handle to be made entirely of glass, particularly real glass.

[0027] In one embodiment, the handle has a lighting device. This allows, in particular, the storage compartment to be illuminated. Individual sections of the handle can thus be illuminated separately. This also allows objects located in the storage compartment to be illuminated. They can then be visible even outside the handle, especially when illuminated.

[0028] The lighting device can be arranged entirely or in partial components within the handle, particularly the handle itself. The lighting device can include at least one light source, for example, at least one light-emitting diode. It is also possible for the light source to be located outside the handle, for example, in a handle bracket or in the door on which the handle is mounted. The light emitted by the light source can then be guided into the handle via light guides. In this case, for example, only one light guide is arranged on the handle itself.

[0029] Another aspect of the invention relates to a door for a household appliance. The household appliance is specifically designed for preparing food. It is, in particular, a cooking appliance.

[0030] The door has a panel-shaped door leaf on which a handle is arranged on one outer side, according to the aspect mentioned above or an advantageous embodiment thereof. The handle can, in particular, be designed as a fixed or stationary handle. For this purpose, the handle can have one or more handle brackets, which are connected to the handle bar on one side and to the outer side of the door on the other, and are particularly arranged on the door leaf.

[0031] In one embodiment, the handle is positioned at a distance from the outer surface of the door leaf. This allows it to be positioned prominently and fully gripped. Furthermore, this hollow storage space can also be used to house at least some components of the lighting system.

[0032] Another aspect of the invention relates to a household appliance, in particular for preparing food, such as a cooking appliance. In one embodiment, this household appliance has a handle according to the aspect mentioned above or an advantageous embodiment thereof. In another embodiment, the household appliance may also have a door according to the aspect mentioned above or an advantageous embodiment thereof.

[0033] The household appliance can also be designed for storing and preserving food. For example, it could be a refrigerator, a freezer, or a fridge-freezer combination. It could also be a dishwasher. Similarly, the household appliance could be designed for laundry care. In that case, it could be a washing machine or a tumble dryer.

[0034] The terms "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "horizontal", "vertical", "depth", "width", "height", etc. indicate the positions and orientations given when the handle, door and device are used and arranged as intended.

[0035] The invention shall also be deemed to include and disclose aspects which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures.

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention with an embodiment of a door according to the invention, which has an embodiment of a handle according to the invention; Fig. 2 a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a handle according to the invention; Fig. 3 a perspective view of a further embodiment of a handle according to the invention; Fig. 4 a schematic cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a handle according to the invention; and Fig. 5 a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a handle according to the invention.

[0037] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference symbols.

[0038] In Fig. 1 A perspective view shows an embodiment of a household appliance. This appliance is designed for preparing food. Specifically, it is a cooking appliance 1. The cooking appliance 1 has a housing 2. Within the housing 2, a cooking chamber 3 is formed, defined in particular by a muffle. The cooking appliance 1 also has a door 4. The door 4 is movable and can close the cooking chamber 3 from the front.

[0039] The door 4 has a panel-shaped door leaf 5. A handle 7 is arranged on an outer surface 6 that faces away from the cooking chamber 3 when the door 4 is closed. The handle 7 is fixed to this outer surface 6 of the door leaf 5. It projects forward beyond this outer surface 6 in the depth direction (z-direction) of the cooking appliance 1. The handle 7 has a handle bar 8. The handle bar 8 is tubular in design. The handle bar 8 is hollow, at least in part. A storage compartment 9 is located within the handle bar 8. Fig. 3 The storage compartment 9 is designed to hold or store objects inside the handle 8. The handle 8 has a outer wall 10. This outer wall 10 defines the storage compartment 9. The handle 8 has a longitudinal axis A. In this embodiment, the handle 8 is closed at opposite ends 11 and 12. This means that no removable opening and closing elements are provided at these ends, so the storage compartment 9 is not accessible via these ends 11 and 12.

[0040] In one embodiment, the handle 8 can be designed as a hollow cylinder. This means that the outer wall 10 is free of corners in a section plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. Its cross-sectional contour can therefore be circular or oval.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment, the handle 7 has, in addition to the handle bar 8, at least one, here two, grip brackets 13 and 14. The handle bar 8 is connected to these grip brackets 13 and 14. Furthermore, the grip brackets 13 and 14 are attached to the door leaf 5. This positions the handle bar 8 at a distance from the outer surface 6.

[0042] The handle 7 also has a cover 15. The cover 15 is shown here in the state in which it has its end position on the handle bar 8, in particular on the outer wall 10.

[0043] The handle 8 indicates access to the storage compartment 9, as shown in the enlarged illustration in Fig. 2 It can be seen that at least one loading and unloading opening 16 is present. This is fully formed in the casing wall 10. Fig. 2 The loading and unloading opening 16, shown with a dashed line, is designed as a rectangular opening. It is located in a front side 17 of the outer casing 10. The term "front side" can be seen in the spatial coordinate system and when the handle 8 is positioned as intended. The front side 17 is the side of the outer casing 10 that faces away from the outer surface 6. Therefore, when the handle 8 is positioned as intended, the front side 17 faces a user standing in front of the cooking appliance 1. Additionally or instead, the loading and unloading opening 16 can be located on a top side 18 ( Fig. 1 ) of the casing wall 10. The top surface 18 is the one that, when the handle 8 is positioned horizontally as intended and thus oriented with the longitudinal axis A in the width direction (x-direction), points upwards. It is also possible that at least one loading and unloading opening 16 is formed on both the front surface 17 and the top surface 18.

[0044] In Fig. 2 This elongated loading and unloading opening 16 is completely covered by the cover 15 in its final position. Therefore, the contour or loading and unloading opening 16 is shown only with dashed lines. As can be seen, in one embodiment, the loading and unloading opening 16, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis A, has a length that corresponds to at least 50 percent, in particular at least 60 percent, in particular at least 70 percent, in particular at least 80 percent, in particular at least 90 percent of the length of the casing wall 10. The loading and unloading opening 16 can be slot-shaped. However, it is also possible to provide a larger opening width in the loading and unloading opening 16 in the direction of rotation around the longitudinal axis A.Azimuthal opening widths of at least one loading and unloading opening 16 of greater than 20°, in particular greater than 30°, especially between 30° and 180°, are also possible.

[0045] The cover 15 can be reversibly removable and replaceable. It can therefore be completely removed from the casing wall 10 when the loading and unloading opening 16 is opened.

[0046] Preferably, however, the cover 15 is movably connected to the outer wall 10, so that during relative movement of the cover 15 to the handle 8, the cover 15 remains attached to the handle 8. For example, a pivoting movement of the cover 15 about the longitudinal axis A can occur. It is also possible, as shown in Fig. 3 As shown in the perspective view, the cover 15 can be pivoted about a fixed pivot axis B. In this respect, the cover 15 is designed as a pivotable flap or a pivotable lid. The pivot axis B is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis A. Fig. 3 The cover 15 is shown in its open position, so that the loading and unloading opening 16 is exposed and access to the storage compartment 9 is provided.

[0047] In another embodiment, the cover 15 can be, as shown in Fig. 4 As shown, within the outer wall 10 and thus within the storage compartment 9 itself and as a whole about the longitudinal axis A relative to the outer wall 10, it can be displaced. This also allows, as shown in Fig. 4 As shown, the loading and unloading opening 16 is released or opened.

[0048] In another embodiment, the cover 15 can also be moved axially, and thus along the longitudinal axis A, for opening and closing. For example, the cover 15 can also be flexible, at least in some areas. With such axial displacement, the cover 15 can, for instance, be rollable. However, it can also have a lamellar structure, allowing it to be fanned out into segments, pushed together, and pulled apart again.

[0049] In an embodiment in which the cover 15 is preferably rigid in itself, the cover 15 can also be designed as a push-push flap.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiments of the cover 15, the movement can be dampened at at least one end point. This allows, for example, the reaching of the open position of the cover 15 to be dampened. The closing action can also be dampened in this respect. For this purpose, the handle 7 can have at least one damper.

[0051] In one embodiment, when the cover 15 is closed, an outer surface 15a ( Fig. 2 ) the cover 15 flush with an outer surface 10a of the outer wall 10.

[0052] Viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis A, in one embodiment the cover 15 can be as long or substantially as long as the length of the storage space 9 in the direction of this longitudinal axis A.

[0053] In one embodiment, at least one edge, for example an edge 16a and / or an edge 16b, as shown in Fig. 4 The edges shown are tear-off edges or tear-off edges for raw material. Such rolled material can be wound onto a roll. Such a roll with the rolled material then forms an example of an object that can be placed in storage space 9.

[0054] In one embodiment, when the cover 15 is closed, a gap can be formed between the cover 15 and an edge 16a and / or 16b that defines the loading and unloading opening 16. This can be a ventilation gap, a material exit gap for thin materials such as aluminum foil, baking paper, etc., or a light emission gap.

[0055] In one embodiment, the cover 15 can be at least partially transparent. In one embodiment, the casing wall 10 can be at least partially transparent.

[0056] In one embodiment according to Fig. 5 A handle 7 with a handle bar 8 is shown. The handle bar 8 does not have a hollow cylindrical cross-section, but rather a square hollow cylinder. For example, a square tube can be used as the geometric shape for this handle bar 8. In one embodiment, at least one loading and one unloading opening 16 can be formed on the upper surface 18 and / or on the front surface 17 of this exemplary square geometry. These openings can each be covered by a separate cover 15.

[0057] In one embodiment, a handle 7 can also be a lighting device 19 ( Fig. 1 ) exhibit. Neither the size, nor the position, nor the like are relevant in this regard. Fig. 1To be understood in conclusion, the illustration is merely symbolic of a lighting device 19. The lighting device 19 can be arranged with at least one component in the handle 8. The storage compartment 9 can be illuminated by the lighting device 19. This can be started automatically, for example, when the cover 15 is opened and / or when approach to the cover 15 is detected. For example, a sensor could be provided here that is part of the cooking appliance 1 and detects this approach. The illumination of the storage compartment 9 can then be started automatically. It can remain activated until the cover 15 is closed again.

[0058] In another embodiment, the storage compartment 9 can also be illuminated when the cover 15 is closed. In particular, the storage compartment 9, and especially any objects stored therein, can then be illuminated. Especially when the cover 15 and / or the outer wall 10 are transparent, a customized lighting scenario, visible from outside the handle 8, is possible. Reference symbol list

[0059] 1 Cooking appliance 2 Housing 3 Cooking chamber 4 Door 5 Door leaf 6 Exterior 7 Handle 8 Handle bar 9 Storage compartment 10 Casing wall 10a Exterior 11 End 12 End 13 Handle bracket 14 Handle bracket 15 Cover 15a Exterior 16 Loading and unloading opening 16a Edge 16b Edge 17 Front 18 Top 19 Lighting device x Width direction z Depth direction A Longitudinal axis B Swivel axis

Claims

1. Handle (7) for a door (4) of a household appliance (1), with a tubular handle bar (8), which is hollow at least in regions, so that at least one storage space (9) for items is formed in the handle bar (8), wherein the handle bar (8) has a jacket wall (10) which bounds the storage space (9), wherein in the jacket wall (10) at least one assembly and removal opening (16) is embodied as an access opening to the storage space (9), and the handle (7) has a movable cover (15), with which the assembly and removal opening (16) can be covered or released, characterised in that the cover (15) is a flap arranged in a pivotable or displaceable manner on the jacket wall (10).

2. Handle (7) according to claim 1, characterised in that the assembly and removal opening (16) on a front side (17) and / or a top side (18) of the jacket wall (10) is embodied in the jacket wall (10).

3. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (15) is embodied as a push-push flap.

4. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the closed state of the cover (15), an exterior (15a) of the cover (15) is arranged flush with the exterior (10a) of the jacket wall (10).

5. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis (A) of the handle bar (8), the cover (15) is as long as the storage space (9).

6. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle bar (8) is embodied without access to the storage space (9) on its opposing ends (11, 12) viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis (A).

7. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an edge (16a, 16b), which bounds the assembly and removal opening (16), is embodied as a trailing edge for a roller material, which can be introduced as an item into the storage space (9) on a roller.

8. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the closed state of the cover (15), a gap is formed between the cover (15) of an edge (16a, 16b), which bounds the assembly and removal opening (16).

9. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (15) is transparent at least in regions.

10. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (15) is made of real glass.

11. Handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle (7) has a lighting apparatus (19), with which the storage space (9) can be illuminated.

12. Door (4) for a household appliance (1), with a plate-shaped door leaf (5), on which a handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims is arranged on an exterior (6).

13. Door (4) according to claim 12, characterised in that the handle (7) has two handle brackets (13, 14), which are connected to the handle bar (8) and with which the handle (7) is arranged on the exterior (6) so that the handle bar (8) is positioned at a distance from the exterior (6).

14. Household appliance (1) with a handle (7) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, and / or with a door (4) according to one of the preceding claims 12 and 13.