Door handle for a door of a domestic appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a door handle ( 20 ) for a door ( 16 ) of a domestic appliance ( 10 ), in particular for an oven door ( 16 ) of a cooking oven ( 10 ). The door handle ( 20 ) comprises an elongated handle bar ( 24 ) formed as a hollow profile part or as a pipe and at least one handle adapter ( 26 ), preferably two handle adapters ( 26 ), connectable or connected to the handle bar ( 24 ) at its front side and connectable to the door ( 16 ) at its rear side. The door handle ( 20 ) comprises at least one housing ( 34 ) removably attached at the handle bar ( 24 ). The handle bar ( 24 ) includes at least one recess ( 70 ) for receiving at least partially the housing ( 34 ). The housing ( 34 ) includes an open side facing the recess ( 70 ) of the door handle ( 20 ), so that an inner space ( 62 ) of the door handle ( 20 ) is enlarged by said housing ( 34 ). The door handle ( 20 ) comprises an electric device ( 28 ) arranged or arrangeable inside the housing ( 34 ) and/or inside the handle bar ( 24 ) next to said housing ( 34 ). The handle adapter ( 26 ) includes at least one cable opening ( 74 ) at its rear side. The door handle ( 20 ) comprises at least one wiring cable ( 72 ) extending inside the handle bar between the electric device ( 28 ) and the cable opening ( 74 ) of the handle adapter ( 26 ).

1 . A door handle for a door of a domestic appliance, wherein:
 the door handle comprises an elongated handle bar formed as a hollow profile part or as a pipe,   the door handle comprises at least one handle adapter connectable or connected to the handle bar at its front side and connectable to the door at its rear side,   the door handle comprises at least one housing removably attached at the handle bar,   the handle bar includes at least one recess for receiving at least partially the housing,   the housing includes an open side facing the recess of the door handle, so that an inner space of the door handle is enlarged by said housing,   the door handle comprises an electric device arranged or arrangeable inside the housing and/or inside the handle bar next to said housing,   the handle adapter includes at least one cable opening at its rear side, and   the door handle comprises at least one wiring cable extending inside the handle bar between the electric device and the cable opening of the handle adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle bar is made of metal. 
     
     
         3 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle adapter and/or the housing are made of plastics. 
     
     
         4 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is fixable at the handle bar by at least one housing screw and/or at least one clip element. 
     
     
         5 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle bar includes at least one flow drill thread for receiving the housing screw and/or at least one handle screw. 
     
     
         6 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric device comprises at least one network interface unit. 
     
     
         7 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric device comprises at least one camera, camera lens, camera module, LED display and/or LED indicator, light guide, antenna, projector, sensor and/or USB interface. 
     
     
         8 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna and/or USB interface are arranged in or at the handle adapter. 
     
     
         9 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the wiring cable includes one wiring connector element at one end or two wiring connector elements at both ends, wherein said wiring connector element is provided for connecting to the electric device and/or for connecting to a connector element of the door and/or for preparing an electrical grounding of the handle bar to a chassis of the appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle bar comprises at least one plug element, wherein said plug element is provided for closing an end of the handle bar. 
     
     
         11 . The door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess and the housing are arranged in a central portion of the handle bar, wherein preferably said recess and housing are arrangeable between the handle bar and the door. 
     
     
         12 . A door for a domestic appliance, comprising a door handle according to  claim 1  attached or attachable at said door, wherein the camera lens of the door, so that a cavity behind the door is within a view field of said camera lens. 
     
     
         13 . The door according to  claim 12 , wherein the door includes holes for the handle screws and at least one cable opening formed as a slotted hole for wiring cables, wherein said cable opening is opposite the cable opening of the handle adapter, and wherein the door comprises an outer glass panel including the holes for the handle screws and the cable opening. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The domestic appliance according to  claim 14 , wherein the domestic appliance comprises chassis contact elements and door contact elements being in contact to each other in a closed state of the door, wherein preferably a galvanic or inductive contact occurs between the chassis contact elements and door contact elements. 
     
     
         16 . The door handle according to  claim 6 , wherein said network interface unit includes a WIFI unit, a Bluetooth unit, an INFC unit and/or a Zig Bee unit. 
     
     
         17 . The door handle according to  claim 10 , wherein the plug element includes a thread for receiving a handle screw connecting the handle bar, the handle adapter and/or the door or a front panel of said door, or wherein said plug element is directly pressed into a lateral opening of the door handle. 
     
     
         18 . A domestic appliance comprising a chassis having a front frame and a door having an outer panel, said door configured to open and close a cavity accessible through the front frame, a door handle comprising an elongated hollow handle bar defining an inner space and a handle adapter, a plug element inserted into said handle bar and a handle screw penetrating said handle adapter from opposite said outer panel and being received and fixed in threads formed in said plug element to thereby affix said door handle to said door, a plastic housing for an electric device and a recess in said handle bar configured to removably receive said housing, a flow drill thread formed in said handle bar adjacent a first side of said recess, said housing having a clip element at one end for inserting into a second side of the recess, said housing being configured to be reversibly fastened at its opposite end via a housing screw that penetrates a screw hole in said housing and said flow drill head, a wiring cable extending through said inner space between said recess and said handle adapter effective to conduct power from a power source in said chassis to said electric element in said housing when installed, a wiring connector element attached at an end of said wiring cable adjacent said recess for reversibly connecting to said electric element, a chassis connection element provided in said front frame and a door connection element provided in said door at a location so as to be aligned with said chassis connection element when said door is closed thereby establishing a connection for delivering power to said electric device via said wiring cable. 
     
     
         19 . The domestic appliance according to  claim 18 , said chassis connection element and door connection element being selected from among: electrical contacts that come into contact when said door is closed thereby establishing a conductive electrical connection therebetween, and inductive coupling elements that establish a wireless, inductive coupling upon being brought into proximity of one another when said door is closed. 
     
     
         20 . The domestic appliance according to  claim 18 , said electric device comprising a WIFI unit, an antenna for said WIFI unit disposed in said handle adapter, said door handle further comprising a USB port operatively coupled to a control unit of said appliance via said chassis connection element and said door connection element when said door is closed, wherein a personal computer or a WLAN stick may be plugged into said USB interface to control appliance functions, perform software updates and/or service the appliance.