DE102023202692A1 - Household appliance with defined locking positions for an open access door - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance with a housing, a chamber for receiving objects to be treated in the household appliance, a chamber access opening 3 arranged in a housing wall and surrounded by an access frame 1 with a first recess 2, wherein in the first recess 2 a hinge body 5 is arranged in a hinge area 4, around which a chamber access door 7 surrounded by a door frame 6 is rotatably mounted, wherein the door frame 6 has a second recess 8 in the hinge area 4 with an upper door frame end 9 and a lower door frame end 10, which are separated from the opposite upper hinge body end 11 and the opposite lower hinge body end 12 by an upper gap 13 and a lower gap 14, wherein spring elements 15 and corresponding locking elements 16 are arranged in the hinge area 4, which are designed to enable the chamber access door 7 to be opened up to at least one locking position 17.

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance with defined locking positions for open access windows. The invention particularly relates to a household appliance with a housing, a chamber for receiving objects to be treated in the household appliance, a chamber access opening arranged in a housing wall and surrounded by an access frame with a first recess, wherein a hinge body is arranged in the first recess in a hinge area, around which a chamber access door surrounded by a door frame is rotatably mounted, wherein the door frame has a second recess in the hinge area with an upper door frame end and a lower door frame end, which are separated from the opposite upper hinge body end and the opposite lower hinge body end by an upper gap and a lower gap.

A door unit of a household appliance, e.g. a laundry care appliance, essentially serves to close an opening through which objects to be treated can be placed in a receptacle of the household appliance. A door unit structure known from the prior art has at least one rear frame element or a door frame. A door glass is inserted into the rear frame element. The door glass is essentially sack- or salad bowl-shaped. Furthermore, a so-called design assembly is attached to the rear frame element. The door glass is essentially firmly held between the rear frame element and the design assembly in the door unit. The design assembly usually includes a viewing window.

The viewing window closes off the bag-shaped door glass in such a way that a hollow space is created between the door glass and the viewing window. This is intended to protect a user from coming into contact with the door glass, since, for example, when selecting a program on a laundry care appliance, a program with high water temperatures and/or drying temperatures can be selected and the door glass heats up during the program run. To ensure that the door unit also makes a good visual impression, a front frame element is formed which extends at least partially over a side front of the individual elements of the door unit, a design spacer and viewing window. The front frame element is also referred to as a design ring. Furthermore, the door unit comprises an engagement section which functions as a door handle, which is formed on the front frame element and/or on the rear frame element.

A hinge connects the door unit to the household appliance. The hinge generally has hinge arms on which so-called bushings are formed. The bushings are intended to mount the hinge arms or the hinge in a rotationally fixed manner on or in the door unit, so that the door unit can be moved from a closed position in which the door unit protrudes at least partially into the receiving container (chamber) of the household appliance, to an open position in which the receiving container or chamber is accessible to a user. A variant of the hinge described above is a steel axis that runs through the hinge arms and the bushings. In both variants, non-destructive disassembly of the hinge unit is not possible because the bushings are welded to the plastic parts of the door unit, in particular the frame elements.

The door can be operated in the defined swivel range, i.e. from the door completely closed to the door fully open, with a small force that is constant over the swivel angle. However, if the user of the household appliance is tilted, the door tends to move unintentionally due to the effect of gravity. The door then remains in a preferred position, for example in the open or closed position.

For example, a household appliance with a door unit and a door hinge is described in the publication EP 3 282 047 A1 The door hinge has a hinge arm on which a bushing is arranged. The bushing is clamped in a bushing bed in a frame element of the door unit.

In the publication EP 3 124 669 A1 describes a laundry care appliance with a door unit and a hinge unit. The hinge unit has a first clamp, a connecting element and a second clamp. The first clamp is attached to a housing of the laundry care appliance. The second clamp is attached to the door unit. The connecting element is designed as a semicircular bracket, wherein the connecting element connects the first clamp and the second clamp. The connecting element is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the first clamp and to the second clamp via a steel axis.

The publication CN111979721A describes a clothing treatment apparatus comprising a front panel and a door body arranged on the front panel so as to be openable and closeable, and comprising further comprising a position limiting structure, wherein the position limiting structure limits the opening of the door body to a first angle in the door opening initial phase, and the first angle is smaller than the maximum door opening angle of the door body. With the aid of the clothing treatment device, the locking of a small-angle door opening state can be realized. The door opening angle at a time of the clothing treatment device is prevented from being so large that there is a risk of the machine door colliding with a wall body. A small-angle door opening and the desire for drum interior ventilation are realized.

In the publication CN 107 034 623 A a washing machine with a door unit is described, wherein the door unit is connected to a housing of the laundry care appliance with a hinge unit. The hinge unit has hinge arms, on each of which a bushing is attached. The door unit has a frame element, wherein a pin is formed on the frame element and the bushings are arranged on the pin of the frame element or surround the pin.

Against this background, the object of the present invention was to provide a household appliance with a hinge area in which a chamber access door surrounded by a door frame is rotatably mounted, in which it is possible to open the chamber access door into at least one specific locking position. The household appliance should implement the setting of this locking position(s) of the access door in the simplest possible way, whereby the locking positions can be set stably.

According to this invention, this object is achieved by a household appliance having the features of the independent patent claim. Preferred embodiments of the household appliance according to the invention are listed in the dependent patent claims.

The subject matter of the invention is therefore a household appliance with a housing, a chamber for receiving objects to be treated in the household appliance, a chamber access opening arranged in a housing wall, usually a front wall, and surrounded by an access frame with a first recess, wherein a hinge body is arranged in the first recess in a hinge area, around which a chamber access door surrounded by a door frame is rotatably mounted, wherein the door frame has a second recess in the hinge area with an upper door frame end and a lower door frame end, which are separated from the opposite upper hinge body end and the opposite lower hinge body end by an upper gap and a lower gap, wherein spring elements and corresponding locking elements are arranged in the hinge area, which are designed to enable the chamber access door to be opened up to at least one locking position. The spring elements are in particular spring cams and the locking elements are in particular locking cams or locking grooves.

The chamber access door is designed so that the chamber can be closed on one loading side.

According to the invention, several locking positions can in principle be realized if the household appliance is designed accordingly. In a preferred embodiment, in a first locking position, an opening angle α between the chamber access door and the housing wall is in the range of 10° and 30°. The housing wall, in particular a front housing wall, is generally arranged vertically.

The household appliance is not particularly limited according to the invention as long as it has an access door which should be able to be opened to at least one locking position. Preferably, however, the household appliance is selected from a group of laundry treatment appliances which includes a washing machine, a washer-dryer and a dryer.

According to the invention, it is preferred that the spring elements or cams are designed as flexible spring beams. However, other basically springy or elastic variants are possible.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the household appliance according to the invention, the hinge body has a hinge axis which is articulated at the lower and upper ends in two bushings introduced into the door frame. This allows the access door to rotate about the hinge axis. The hinge axis is preferably made of steel. In this embodiment, it is also preferred that spring elements or corresponding locking elements, e.g. spring cams and corresponding locking cams, are arranged at the upper and lower end of the door frame and at the upper and lower end of the hinge body. Finally, it is particularly preferred according to the invention that locking cams are arranged at the upper and lower end of the hinge body, and spring cams are arranged at the upper and lower end of the door frame.

In a further embodiment, however, the effective geometries can be reversed, so that the hinge body contains the spring cam and the door frame contains the locking cams.

The hinge body and door frame or door frame ends can contain the spring elements or locking elements integrated, for example by manufacturing them as a single piece. In a further embodiment, the spring cam is designed as an additional component which is inserted into the hinge body or door frame, for example by locking or screwing.

To minimize friction, the spring cam can also be designed as a roller element, for example.

In a preferred alternative embodiment of the household appliance according to the invention, the hinge body has two curved hinge arms protruding from a hinge plane, at the ends of which two hinge pins are arranged facing away from each other, parallel to the hinge plane, which are articulated in two bushings introduced into the door frame. It is preferred according to the invention that at least one hinge pin has at least two locking grooves at its end and the bushing in which it is articulated has a spring element.

According to the invention, for example, a household appliance is possible in which the locking grooves on the hinge pin are arranged axially. However, a household appliance is also possible in which the locking grooves on the hinge pin are arranged radially.

In this alternative embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention, it is preferred that the hinge body consists essentially of die-cast zinc.

Finally, a household appliance is preferred in which the bushings are made of polyoxymethylene, to which polytetrafluoroethylene may be added. The polytetrafluoroethylene reduces friction so that rotation, e.g. of a hinge axis, can take place easily.

In addition, a household appliance is preferred in which the door frame is made of polypropylene, to which polytetrafluoroethylene may be added.

The hinge body preferably forms a cavity provided with struts, into which a hinge axis can protrude in embodiments. By designing the hinge body with a cavity, a stable hinge body is provided that can compensate for the forces occurring in the hinge area. As a result, the hinge body can withstand heavy loads, such as shear forces from the chamber access door and/or sagging of the door during prolonged use due to its own weight.

The chamber access door is pivotable and/or rotatable and/or tiltable and/or pendulum-like arranged on the hinge body or the household appliance.

The invention has numerous advantages. For example, in household appliances with a locking door, it enables the implementation of locking positions at defined and maintained door opening angles for, among other things, a defined appliance ventilation and loading position. In the household appliance according to the invention, one or more locking positions are in principle present in order to implement, among other things, a defined ventilation position without the door opening or closing on its own, e.g. due to the household appliance being at an angle. This is also possible for the loading position. The invention also has the advantage that it can be implemented in embodiments in a chamber access door at no additional cost.

Finally, the presence of a ventilation stop position encourages users to ventilate the household appliance more consciously. This improves appliance hygiene and reduces odors in the household appliance.

Furthermore, in embodiments of the invention, further defined locking positions can be implemented if corresponding additional spring and locking elements are provided. It should also be noted that there is no load application through the locking function. The locking function is generally only achieved by the spring cam moving over the locking cams.

• 1 zeigt eine Vorderansicht einer Kammerzugangstür;
• 2 zeigt eine perspektivische Ansicht eines oberen Türrahmenendes;
• 3 zeigt einen für die Einbringung in die Ausnehmung der 2 geeigneten Scharnierkörper;
• 4 zeigt einen Türrahmen mit einem in einem Scharnierbereich angeordneten Scharnierkörper;
• 5 zeigt eine Vergrößerung des in 1 gezeigten Details für einen geschlossenen Zustand einer Kammerzugangstür;
• 6 zeigt eine Vergrößerung des in 1 gezeigten Details, wobei sich die Kammerzugangstür in einer ersten Rastposition befindet;
• 7 zeigt einen Zustand des Scharnierbereichs, bei dem die Kammerzugangstür weiter geöffnet ist als in 6;
• 8 zeigt in einer seitlichen Ansicht von rechts eine Buchse für einen Scharnierkörper;
• 9 zeigt in einer seitlichen Ansicht von links die Buchse für einen Scharnierkörper;
• 10 zeigt einen Scharnierkörper mit zwei aus einer Scharnierebene herausragenden gebogenen Scharnierarmen;
• 11 zeigt eine an den Scharnierarmen angeordnete Buchse;
• 12 zeigt eine Schnittansicht A-A entlang der in 11 gezeigten gestrichelten Linie.

The present invention is described below with reference to 1 to 12 described in more detail, in which non-limiting embodiments of components essential to the invention of a household appliance according to the invention are shown.

• 1 shows a front view of a chamber access door;
• 2 shows a perspective view of an upper door frame end;
• 3 shows a for insertion into the recess of the 2 suitable hinge body;
• 4 shows a door frame with a hinge body arranged in a hinge area;
• 5 shows an enlargement of the 1 details shown for a closed state of a chamber access door;
• 6 shows an enlargement of the 1 shown details, wherein the chamber access door is in a first locking position;
• 7 shows a condition of the hinge area where the chamber access door is opened further than in 6 ;
• 8 shows a bushing for a hinge body in a side view from the right;
• 9 shows the bushing for a hinge body in a side view from the left;
• 10 shows a hinge body with two curved hinge arms protruding from a hinge plane;
• 11 shows a bushing arranged on the hinge arms;
• 12 shows a sectional view AA along the 11 shown dashed line.

1 shows a front view of a chamber access door 7 without a design group, in which the rotation of the chamber access door 7 takes place around a hinge axis 18 and the detail A described below around an upper gap 13 (not shown in detail here) comprises an upper door frame end and an upper hinge body end with spring elements and locking elements provided according to the invention. While in 1 Thus, only the locking geometries or active geometries are shown in the upper gap 13, an arrangement at the lower gap 14 is also possible. Even if in 1 not clearly visible, the upper end of the door frame contains a spring-loaded cam that projects towards the hinge body, hereinafter referred to as a spring cam or generally a spring element. 31 means a door lock and 32 a door handle.

2 shows a perspective view of an upper door frame end 9, in which a recess 8 for receiving a hinge body (not shown here) is also visible. The upper door frame end 9 contains a spring-mounted cam 15 (hereinafter referred to as spring cam) that protrudes in the direction of the hinge body (not shown here), but which has no contact with the hinge body except in a locking cam area (also not shown here). The spring cam 15 is designed as a flexible bending beam. However, other spring geometries are also conceivable, as long as there is sufficient material elasticity. Also visible is the interior of the door frame, which is stiffened by several struts made of a plastic, preferably polypropylene.

3 shows a for insertion into the recess of the 2 suitable hinge body 5. The hinge body 5 has several locking cams in this non-limiting embodiment. In 3 Two locking cams 16 are shown arranged on a circular path around a hinge axis (not shown here). The locking cams 16 are particularly in the direction of the 2 shown spring cam, but they have no contact with the door frame except in the spring cam area.

4 shows a door frame 6 with a hinge body 5 arranged in a hinge area 4 in a closed state of the chamber access door 7. 6 means a door frame.

In 5 is that in 1 The detail shown is shown in an enlarged view for a closed state of the chamber access door, which is otherwise not shown in detail. A spring cam 15 arranged on the upper end of the door frame 9 and two locking grooves 16 arranged on the upper end of the hinge body 11 protrude into an upper gap 13 between the hinge body 5 and the upper end of the door frame 9. The hinge body 5 and the upper end of the door frame 9 have no point of contact here. The door frame and hinge body are made of polypropylene, to which polytetrafluoroethylene can be added for better sliding properties.

6 shows that in 1 shown detail in enlargement for a state in which the chamber access door, otherwise not shown in detail here, is in a first locking position. Here too, a spring cam 15 arranged on the upper door frame end 9 and two locking grooves 16 arranged on the upper hinge body end 11 protrude into an upper gap 13 between the hinge body 5 and the upper door frame end 9. Accordingly, the spring cam 15 is located between two locking cams 16. When, during the transition from the state of 5 to 6 When the chamber access door is swung open, the spring cam 15 moves along the wave profile of a first locking cam 16 shown here as an example and springs in. After passing over the locking cam 16, it springs out again. The spring cam 15 is now located between the two locking cams 16 and a locking position of the door is reached, which here is at an opening angle between 10° and 30° between the chamber access door and a wall of the household appliance. The locking position shown here is particularly suitable for appliance ventilation and is intended here.

7 shows a state of the hinge area 4 in which the chamber access door, otherwise not shown in detail here, is further open. If the door swings open further, the spring cam 15 continues to move on the path shown here as an example. used spring profile. The customer perceives the movement over the locking cams 16 as a slight resistance. The chamber access door is swung open here. The other reference symbols have the same meaning as in the other figures.

8 shows a side view from the right of a bushing 18 which is used in a further embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention. Here, the locking geometries (effective geometries) are arranged in the bushing and hinge body. In the embodiment shown here, the bushing 28 comprises an integrated spring element with a spring cam 15. An associated hinge body is located below in 9 The hinge body 5 therefore has no hinge axis here. The bushing 28 is preferably made of polyoxymethylene, which preferably contains a proportion of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

9 shows in a side view from the left the socket 18 of 8 , which has a spring element 15 which is suitable for engagement in a corresponding groove of a hinge pin (not shown here).

10 shows a hinge body 5 used in an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention with two curved hinge arms 22, 23 protruding from a hinge plane 21, at the ends 24, 25 of which two hinge pins 26, 27 are arranged facing away from each other and parallel to the hinge plane 21, which are articulated in two bushings introduced into the door frame (not shown here), also not shown here. The hinge body 5 is preferably made of die-cast zinc.

In 10 the front hinge pin 26 has two locking grooves 30, which are designed for insertion into the socket of 10 The locking grooves 30 are arranged axially on the hinge pin 26.

11 shows the interaction of hinge arms 22 and 23 with the bushing 28, since the hinge pin used here is covered by the bushing 28. Due to the aforementioned structure of the bushing 28 and hinge, the arrangement of the hinge body 5 and the bushing 28 shown here enables defined locking positions. In this assembled and closed state of the chamber access door, the spring cam 15 of the bushing 28 is in a locking groove of the otherwise invisible hinge pin. This means that there is no permanent deflection of the spring element when the door is closed. When the door is opened, the spring cam is deflected and springs into the next locking groove. This then reaches the first locking position and locks the door. For further locking positions, further locking grooves would have to be inserted.

12 shows a sectional view AA along the 11 shown dashed line through the locking function geometries. 26 means the hinge pin, 16 the locking grooves and 15 a spring element with spring cam.

List of reference symbols

1

Access framework

2

First recess

3

Chamber access opening

4

Hinge area

5

Hinge body

6

Door frame (which surrounds a chamber access door)

7

Chamber access door

8

Second recess

9

Upper door frame end

10

Lower door frame end

11

Upper hinge body end

12

Lower hinge body end

13

Upper gap

14

Lower gap

15

Spring element, spring cam

16

Locking element, locking cam

17

Locking position

18

Hinge axis

19

Bushing (lower) for the hinge axis

20

Bushing (upper) for the hinge axis

21

Hinge level

22

(First) hinge arm

23

(Second) hinge arm

24

End of the (first) hinge arm

25

End of the (second) hinge arm

26

(First) hinge pin

27

(Second) hinge pin

28

Bushing (lower) for receiving the first hinge pin

29

Socket (upper) for the second hinge pin

30

Locking groove on hinge pin

31

Door lock

32

Door handle

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 3282047 A1 [0006]
• EP 3124669 A1 [0007]
• CN111979721A [0008]
• CN107034623A [0009]

Claims (14)

Household appliance with a housing, a chamber for receiving objects to be treated in the household appliance, a chamber access opening (3) arranged in a housing wall and surrounded by an access frame (1) with a first recess (2), wherein in the first recess (2) in a hinge area (4) a hinge body (5) is arranged, around which a chamber access door (7) surrounded by a door frame (6) is rotatably mounted, wherein the door frame (6) in the hinge area (4) has a second recess (8) with an upper door frame end (9) and a lower door frame end (10), which are separated from the opposite upper hinge body end (11) and from the opposite lower hinge body end (12) by an upper gap (13) and a lower gap (14), characterized in that spring elements (15) and corresponding locking elements (16) are arranged in the hinge area (4), which are designed to open the chamber access door (7) up to at least one locking position (17) to enable. Household appliance according to Claim 1 , characterized in that in a first locking position (17) an opening angle α between the chamber access door (7) and the housing wall is in the range of 10° and 30°. Household appliance according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the household appliance is selected from a group of laundry treatment appliances which includes a washing machine, a washer-dryer and a dryer. Household appliance according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the spring cams (15) are designed as flexible spring beams. Household appliance according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the hinge body (5) has a hinge axis (18) which is articulated at the lower and upper ends in two bushings (19,20) introduced into the door frame (6). Household appliance according to Claim 5 , characterized in that spring cams (15) and corresponding locking cams (16) are arranged at the upper door frame end (9) and/or lower door frame end (10) as well as at the upper hinge body end (11) and/or lower hinge body end (12). Household appliance according to Claim 6 , characterized in that locking cams (16) are arranged at the upper hinge body end (11) and at the lower hinge body end (12), and spring cams are arranged at the upper door frame end (9) and lower door frame end (10). Household appliance according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the hinge body (5) has two curved hinge arms (22,23) protruding from a hinge plane (21), at the ends (24,25) of which two hinge pins (26,27) are arranged facing away from each other and parallel to the hinge plane (21), which are articulated in two bushings (28,29) introduced into the door frame (6). Household appliance according to Claim 8 , characterized in that at least one hinge pin (26,27) has at least two locking grooves (30) at its end and the bushing (28,29) in which it is articulated has a spring element (15). Household appliance according to Claim 9 , characterized in that the locking grooves (30) are arranged axially on the hinge pin (26,27). Household appliance according to Claim 9 , characterized in that the locking grooves (30) are arranged radially on the hinge pin (26,27). Household appliance according to one of the Claims 8 until 11 , characterized in that the hinge body (5) consists essentially of die-cast zinc. Household appliance according to one of the Claims 8 until 12 , characterized in that the bushings (28,29) consist of polyoxymethylene, to which polytetrafluoroethylene may be added. Household appliance according to one of the Claims 1 until 13 , characterized in that the door frame (6) consists of polypropylene, to which polytetrafluoroethylene may be added.

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