Mechanical power service communicating device and system

• US 8,830,660 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Kuehl, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US12/643,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20110152024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/601, 403/119, 74/63, 744/16
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/00 General constructional features F25D21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 7/02 characterised by special provisions for conveying or converting motion, or for acting at a distance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1836 Rotary to rotary

Abstract

A mechanical power communicating device and a modular system of a host and a mechanical power communicating device for communicating a mechanical power service. A first component of the mechanical power communicating device communicates a mechanical power service from host to a second component of the mechanical power communicating device or to a functional device. The mechanical power communicating device may be a functional device, an adapter for coupling a functional device to a host, or a functional unit of an adapter and a functional device. The mechanical power communicating device may include a first component having a first interface connectable to the host, the first component pivotally connected to a second component having a second interface connectable to the functional device. The modular system may include a host having differently oriented mechanical power service interfaces and the mechanical power communicating device.

Claims

1. A system for communicating a mechanical power service, comprising:

a household appliance having an electrical output coupler providing electrical power; and

a mechanical power communicating device mountable to the household appliance and comprising;

a first component comprising;

an electrical input coupler capable of removably coupling with the electrical output coupler and receiving electrical power from the household appliance; and

a motor electrically coupled to the electrical input coupler and having a drive shaft, the motor converting the electrical power from the household appliance to a mechanical power service comprising mechanical power or movement via rotation of the drive shaft;

a second component comprising a mechanical power consumer that uses the mechanical power service and having a mechanical power input coupler supplying the mechanical power service to the mechanical power consumer;

a hinge pivotally connecting the first component to the second component for movement about a pivot axis and comprising a hinge shaft defining the pivot axis; and

a transmission comprising;

a transfer element provided on the hinge shaft and operably coupled to the mechanical power input coupler of the mechanical power consumer to supply the mechanical power service from the first component to the second component via rotation of the transfer element; and

a drive element coupled between the drive shaft and one of the hinge shaft or the transfer element for converting rotation of the drive shaft into rotation of the one of the hinge shaft or the transfer element;

wherein the transfer element remains operably coupled to the drive shaft and the mechanical power input coupler during movement of the first component relative to the second component about the pivot axis.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the drive element comprises at least one of a belt, a gear, a wheel, a chain, or a cable.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein:

the transfer element comprises a first wheel provided on the hinge shaft, the first wheel having a first engagement surface capable of communicating the mechanical power service; and

the transmission further comprises a second wheel disposed adjacent the pivot axis, the second wheel having a second engagement surface engageable with the first engagement surface and being capable of communicating the mechanical power service with the first engagement surface.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the first and second engagement surfaces comprise at least one of a clutch surface or a gear surface.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein the first and second wheels rotate about perpendicular axes when the first and second engagement surfaces are engaged.

6. The system according to claim 3, and further comprising a biasing member biasing at least one of the first and second wheels into engagement with the other of the first and second wheels.

7. The system according to claim 1, and further comprising a locking system to selectively lock the first and second components in at least one relative angular orientation.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first component comprises a service consumer.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second component is pivotally connected to the first component to pivot between a first orientation wherein the electrical input coupler is generally oriented in a parallel plane with the mechanical power input coupler, and a second orientation wherein the electrical input coupler is generally oriented in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the mechanical power input coupler is oriented.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the electrical input coupler and the mechanical power input coupler face opposing directions relative to the pivot axis in the first orientation.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second component pivots relative to the first component between a first orientation having a first angular relationship between the first and second components, and a second orientation having a second angular relationship between the first and second components different than the first angular relationship, and wherein the mechanical power service is supplied between the first and second components in both the first and second orientations.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer element comprises a rotatable member coupled to the hinge shaft.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the hinge comprises:

a pair of first apertures formed in the first component;

a pair of second apertures formed in the second component, with each second aperture adjacent to one of the first apertures to form an adjacent set of first and second apertures that is aligned with the pivot axis;

a pair of hinge pins, each inserted into at least one of the adjacent sets of first and second apertures; and

a bore in each of the hinge pins, each bore being axially aligned with the pivot axis;

wherein the hinge shaft comprises two ends, with each end inserted into one of the bores; and

wherein the rotatable member is mounted to the hinge shaft at a location between the hinge pins.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein each hinge pin comprises a shank having a first and a second end, a head formed at a first end of the shank, and a threaded portion at the second end, and the hinge further comprises two fasteners that are threadably engaged with one of the threaded portions to secure the hinge pins to the first and second components.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the fasteners are selectively tightenable to inhibit the relative movement of the first and second components about the pivot axis.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the drive element comprises a belt coupling the drive shaft with the rotatable member.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical output coupler comprises one of a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation, and the second component is pivotally connected to the first component to move between at least a first position for connecting to the electrical output coupler having the vertical orientation, and a second position for connecting to the electrical output coupler having the horizontal orientation.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the household appliance comprises a door with a peripheral edge, and the electrical output coupler has a horizontal orientation and is provided on the peripheral edge.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the household appliance comprises a door with a vertical face, the electrical output coupler has a vertical orientation and is provided on the vertical face.

20. The system according to claim 17 wherein in the first position the first and second components are oriented along a common plane and in the second position the first and second components are oriented along perpendicular planes.

21. The system according to claim 1, and further comprising a removable cover selectively connected to the household appliance to cover the electrical output coupler when the mechanical power communicating device is not mounted to the household appliance, and selectively connected to the mechanical power communicating device when the mechanical power communicating device is mounted to the household appliance.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the removable cover is connected to the first component opposite the electrical input coupler when the removable cover is connected to the mechanical power communicating device.

23. The system according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical power consumer comprises at least one of a dispenser or a fan.

24. The system according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical power service is rotational shaft power.

25. The system according to claim 1 wherein the household appliance comprises a refrigerator.

26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer element comprises one of a gear or a wheel mounted to the hinge shaft.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the second component comprises one of a gear or a wheel that engages the one of a gear or a wheel mounted to the hinge shaft.

28. The system according to claim 1, wherein the drive element comprises a belt coupling the drive shaft to the hinge shaft.

29. The system according to claim 1, wherein the hinge comprises:

a pair of first apertures formed in the first component;

a pair of second apertures formed in the second component, with each second aperture adjacent to one of the first apertures to form an adjacent set of first and second apertures that is aligned with the pivot axis; and

a pair of hinge pins, each inserted into at least one of the adjacent sets of first and second apertures.

30. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second component further comprises an adapter component pivotally connected to the first component by the hinge and a functional device coupled with the adapter component, wherein the mechanical power consumer is positioned within the functional device.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the functional device comprises the mechanical power input coupler.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the transmission comprises a first shaft operably coupled between the transfer element and mechanical power output coupler.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the mechanical power consumer comprises a second shaft connected to the mechanical power input coupler.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the first and second shafts comprise keyed ends which are capable of engagement with each other.