Device for electrically powering present on a part of household electrical appliance which is moveable relative to the main structure of this latter

• US 6,409,517 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Malnati, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/897,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20020009903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 439/38, 439/950, 439/246, 439/165
• US Class Current: 439/38
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/02 Flexible line connectors without frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/95 Electrical connector adapted to transmit electricity to mating connector without physical contact, e.g. by induction, magnetism, or electrostatic field

Abstract

A device for electrically powering user devices present on a part of a household electrical appliance movable relative to a fixed main structure of this latter, such as a door, for example of a refrigerator, openable away from the refrigerator cabinet, electrical conductors being present in said movable part and in said fixed structure. The device comprises a magnetic induction transformer arranged to connect said electrical conductors together, said induction transformer being positioned between said movable part and said fixed structure.

Claims

1. A household electrical appliance having a door and a main structure, and a hinge for movably mounting the door to the main structure including a magnetic induction transformer for electrically coupling one or more electrical devices on said door with electrical elements on said main structure comprising:

a first hinge member mounted to said door and having hinge pin hole;

a second hinge member mounted to said main structure and having a hinge pin hole;

a first winding carried on said door adjacent said first hinge member;

a second winding carried on said main structure adjacent said second hinge member; and

an elongated metal hinge pin that is positioned in the hole in said first hinge member and is positioned through the hole in said second hinge member to hinge said door to said main structure, said first winding being disposed adjacent one end of said hinge pin and said second winding being disposed adjacent the other end of said hinge pin such that said metal hinge pin forms the core for said transformer.

2. The household appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first hinge member is formed of electrically insulating diamagnetic material that forms a rotation seat for said hinge pin.

3. The household appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second hinge member is of electrically insulating diamagnetic material.

4. The household appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first hinge member and the second hinge member are formed of plastic material.

5. The household appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second winding is external to the main structure.