Granted Patent B2

US 12,577,804 · App. 18/812,130 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: John Adam Yantis (Prospect, KY); Olurotimi Joaquim (Louisville, KY)

Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

E05B1/0053F25D23/028

Abstract

Claims (37)

1 . An accessibility handle device for a domestic appliance comprising a door, the door comprising a door handle, the accessibility handle device comprising:

a pivot defining a handle opening, the accessibility handle device being pivotably disposed around the door handle at the handle opening;

a first arm extending from the pivot in a first direction, the first arm being tangential to the handle opening; and

a second arm extending from the pivot in a second direction, the second arm being tangential to the handle opening, the second direction being opposite the first direction;

wherein the first arm and the second arm are positioned in a parallel arrangement.

2 . The accessibility handle device of claim 1 , wherein one of the first arm or the second arm is engageable with the door of the domestic appliance.

3 . The accessibility handle device of claim 1 , wherein the first arm extends between a first proximal end and a first distal end,

wherein the first arm defines a first length between the first proximal end and the first distal end,

wherein the second arm extends between a second proximal end and a second distal end,

wherein the second arm defines a second length between the second proximal end and the second distal end, and

wherein the first length is larger than the second length.

4 . The accessibility handle device of claim 3 , wherein the first length is at least twenty five percent larger than the second length.

5 . The accessibility handle device of claim 1 , wherein the first arm or the second arm comprise an arm material,

wherein the first arm or the second arm comprises an engagement portion,

wherein the engagement portion is disposed at a distal end of the first arm or the second arm, and

wherein the engagement portion comprises a user contact material that is different than the arm material.

6 . An accessibility handle device for a domestic appliance comprising a door, the door comprising a door handle, the accessibility handle device comprising:

a pivot defining a handle opening, the handle opening having a circular cross-sectional area, the accessibility handle device being pivotably disposed around the door handle at the handle opening such that the door handle extends through the circular cross-sectional area of the handle opening;

a first arm extending from the pivot in a first direction, the first arm being tangential to the handle opening; and

a second arm extending from the pivot in a second direction, the second arm being tangential to the handle opening, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;

wherein the first arm and the second arm are positioned in a parallel arrangement; and

wherein one of the first arm or the second arm is engageable with the door.

7 . The accessibility handle device of claim 6 , wherein the pivot comprises a first arcuate body and a second arcuate body, and

wherein the first arcuate body is fastened to the second arcuate body.

8 . The accessibility handle device of claim 7 , wherein the first arcuate body extends between a first end and a second end,

wherein the second arcuate body extends between a first end and a second end,

wherein the first end of the first arcuate body is fastened to the first end of the second arcuate body, and

wherein the second end of the first arcuate body is fastened to the second end of the second arcuate body.

9 . The accessibility handle device of claim 6 , wherein the first arm extends between a first proximal end and a first distal end,

wherein the first arm defines a first length between the first proximal end and the first distal end,

wherein the second arm extends between a second proximal end and a second distal end,

wherein the second arm defines a second length between the second proximal end and the second distal end, and

wherein the first length is larger than the second length.

10 . The accessibility handle device of claim 9 , wherein the first length is at least twenty five percent larger than the second length.

11 . The accessibility handle device of claim 6 , wherein the first arm or the second arm comprises an engagement portion,

wherein the engagement portion is disposed at a distal end of the first arm or the second arm, and

wherein the engagement portion comprises a user contact material that is different than a material of the first arm or the second arm.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (60)