IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0169940
(2008-07-09)
|
등록번호 |
US-8215731
(2012-07-10)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Drach, Deron M.
- Straub, Kendra M.
- Mann, Julie A.
- Klitzing, Frank W.
- Strandemo, Garett L.
- Irwin, Eric C.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
17 |
초록
▼
A handle assembly for mounting to an appliance door includes a main body member having first and second end portions separated by an intermediate portion. First and second plastic end-caps are tightly fit to the first and second end portions via fasteners. The handle assembly is mounted to a front f
A handle assembly for mounting to an appliance door includes a main body member having first and second end portions separated by an intermediate portion. First and second plastic end-caps are tightly fit to the first and second end portions via fasteners. The handle assembly is mounted to a front face of the door through interengagment of the fasteners with clips attached to the appliance door. Latch and ramp portions of clips cooperate with the respective fasteners to draw the end-caps into a close locking engagement with the appliance door.
대표청구항
▼
1. A domestic appliance comprising: a cabinet;a door pivotally mounted relative to the cabinet, said door having a front face portion;a handle for shifting the door relative to the cabinet, said handle including: a main body member having first and second end portions joined by an intermediate porti
1. A domestic appliance comprising: a cabinet;a door pivotally mounted relative to the cabinet, said door having a front face portion;a handle for shifting the door relative to the cabinet, said handle including: a main body member having first and second end portions joined by an intermediate portion;a first end-cap positioned at the first end portion of the main body member and the front face portion of the door;a first fastener securing the first end-cap to the first end portion;a second end-cap positioned at the second end portion of the main body member and the front face portion of the door;a second fastener securing the second end-cap to the second end portion; andfirst and second spring clips secured at spaced locations upon the front face portion of the door, each of said first and second spring clips including a main section interengaging with a respective one of the first and second fasteners and a resilient arm member extending from the main section and directly engaging with the respective one of the first and second fasteners in a locked position to secure the handle to the door. 2. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the main section of the first spring clip further comprises an access aperture, a keyhole opening configured to receive the first fastener, and a ramp portion engaging the first fastener; and the main section of the second spring clip further comprises an access aperture, a keyhole opening configured to receive the second fastener, and a ramp portion engaging the second fastener. 3. The domestic appliance according to claim 2, wherein the first and second end portions are drawn against the front face portion of the door through interaction of the first and second fasteners and the respective ramp portions of the first and second spring clips. 4. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first and second fasteners are constituted by drive screws positioned in threaded openings located in a bottom wall of respective ones of the first and second end portions of the main body member, wherein the first and second fasteners do not extend through the main body member to a top wall of the main body member and are not visible from the top wall of the main body member. 5. A domestic appliance comprising: a cabinet;a door pivotally mounted relative to the cabinet, said door having a front face portion;a handle fixed to the door for shifting the door relative to the cabinet, said handle including: a main body member having first and second end portions joined by an intermediate portion, wherein each of said first and second end portions includes outer portions, a central portion interconnecting the outer portions and an extension projecting from the central portion and being spaced from the outer portions;a first end-cap positioned between the first end portion of the main body member and the front face portion of the door, the first end-cap including a receiving flange beneath which the extension of the first end portion is frictionally received;a first fastener securing the first end-cap to the first end portion;a second end-cap positioned between the second end portion of the main body member and the front face portion of the door, the second end-cap including a receiving flange beneath which the extension of the second end portion is frictionally received; anda second fastener securing the second end-cap to the second end portion, wherein the engagement of the extensions of the first and second end portions with the receiving flanges locks said first and second end-caps to the main body member in a dove-tail arrangement. 6. The domestic appliance according to claim 5, wherein each of the first and second end-caps includes a flexible tapered edge that engages a respective one of the first and second end portions of the main body member. 7. The domestic appliance according to claim 6, further comprising first and second heel fasteners which secure the flexible tapered edges of the first and second end-caps into tight fitting engagement with the first and second end portions of the main body member respectively. 8. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first and second end-caps are formed from a pliable material and include respective heal and toe portions each serving as a distinct soft interface between the handle and the front face portion of the door. 9. The domestic appliance according to claim 5, further comprising: first and second door clips secured at spaced locations upon the front face portion of the door, said first and second door clips directly interengaging with respective ones of the first and second fasteners to secure the handle to the door. 10. The domestic appliance according to claim 9, wherein the first door clip constitutes a spring clip including a main section having first and second attachment apertures through which respective first and second attachment members extend to secure the first door clip to the front face portion of the door and a resilient arm member extending from the main section, and the second door clip constitutes a spring clip including first and second attachment apertures through which respective third and fourth attachment members extend to secure the second door clip to the front face portion of the door and a resilient arm member extending from the main section. 11. The domestic appliance according to claim 10, wherein the main section of the first spring clip includes an access aperture and a keyhole opening receiving the first fastener, wherein the resilient arm member of the first spring clip engages the first fastener; and wherein the main section of the second spring clip includes an access aperture and a keyhole opening receiving the second fastener, wherein the resilient arm member of the second spring clip engages the second fastener. 12. A method of removably attaching a handle having outer portions to a front face portion of an appliance door comprising: securing a first end-cap to a first end portion of the handle by initially inserting a first extension projecting from between the outer portions at the first end portion of the handle beneath a receiving flange on the first end-cap to frictionally retain the first extension under the receiving flange and then interconnecting the first end-cap to the first end portion via a first fastener; andsecuring a second end-cap to a second end portion of the handle by initially inserting a second extension projecting from between the outer portions at the second end portion of the handle beneath a receiving flange on the second end-cap to frictionally retain the second extension under the receiving flange, wherein the engagement of the first and second extensions of the first and second end portions with the respective receiving flanges locks said first and second end-caps to a main body member in a dove-tail arrangement such that the main body member is prevented from twisting relative to respective first and second end caps, and then interconnecting the second end-cap to the second end portion via a second fastener; anddirectly interengaging the first and second fasteners with respective first and second clips mounted at spaced locations on the front face portion to mount the handle onto the door. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein frictionally fitting the first extension projecting from the first end portion of the handle under the receiving flange includes slipping the first extension in the form of a T-shaped extension beneath the receiving flange the first end-cap. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: sliding the handle and attached first and second end caps relative to the first and second clips after interengaging the first and second fasteners with the first and second clips respectively, until the first and second clips secure the respective first and second fasteners in a locked position. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: inserting a neck on the first fastener into a keyhole on the first clip, and a neck on the second fastener into a keyhole on the second clip; andsliding the first and second fasteners within the keyholes to the locked position. 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising: securing the first and second end-caps to respective first and second end portions of the main body member using corresponding first and second heel screws. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second end-caps is secured to respective ones of the first and second clips through a locking action of the clips. 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising: buffering an interface between the door and the handle by forming each of the first and second end-caps from a soft material. 19. The method of claim 12, further comprising: drawing the first and second end portions against the front face portion of the door through interaction of the first and second fasteners and respective ramp portions of the first and second spring clips. 20. The method of claim 12, further comprising: detaching the handle from the front face portion of the appliance door without the use of a tool by forcefully pulling on the handle along the front face portion of the door to cause the first and second fasteners to deflect first arm members of the first and second clips respectively, and slide out of engagement with the clips.
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