EP0422565B1 - Charging door for domestic appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

In a household appliance, e.g. an electric cooker, the cooking space is covered with a charging door. In order that, on opening the charging door, the latter does not fall into its end position with force and possibly damage the machine, it is envisaged according to the invention that the weight of the charging door (6) is at least partially compensated by one or more dampers (7). By means of the invention, it is brought about that, on opening the charging door, the latter inclines gently as far as the rest position. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a loading door for household appliances, in particular for electric cookers, e.g. to cover the baking tray; the loading door should be plane-parallel to the front view of the kitchen unit in the closed state and also plane-parallel to the floor space of the kitchen unit in the open state.

When opening the loading door, it can happen that it quickly falls into the open position due to its own weight. This can cause damage. It is therefore necessary for the loading door to be guided and held manually until it has reached its open, rest position. When closing the loading door, it must be raised and brought into the closed position. Such operations are cumbersome and time consuming.

In this context, devices have become known in the case of whose spring elements are arranged on the door of household appliances which is to be opened downwards, the force of which gives the force of gravity of the opening door (DE-A-31 40 039, DE-U-18 79 157 and DE-A-29 39 727). It has also been proposed to replace these devices with a cylinder / piston arrangement, the piston being intended to contain a pressure medium in order to be able to implement an arbitrary door opening position.

The object of the invention is to avoid that when the loading door is opened it falls into the open position with comparatively great force. On the other hand, however, it should also be ensured that the loading door opens automatically and that part of the weight is removed from the loading door when it is closed.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the device acting against the inertial forces of the loading door in its open positions is coupled as a pneumatic damper in connection with a spring element to the loading door in such a way that the influence of this counteracting device on the loading door essentially on the The swiveling opening range of the loading door is limited between approx. 45 ° to 55 ° until the opening is complete.

It is thereby achieved that after unlocking the loading door, it swings slightly out of its closed position and is only intercepted softly when approaching the open end position via the device consisting of pneumatic damper with spring element against the increasing and increasing torque of the door due to gravity.

At least one damper is arranged in the household appliance, the damper being connected to the latter via a lever mechanism when the loading door is opened and closed. Meanwhile, two dampers are advantageously arranged in a household appliance, the dampers being arranged in side niches in the household appliance. The dampers are each connected to an angle lever, the damper being attached to one end of the angle lever and the loading door being fastened to the other end of the angle lever. The pivot point (s) of the loading door are each located in the apex of the angle lever or, if there is only one angle lever, in the apex of the angle lever.

If the loading door is to be cleaned, it is advantageous to lift it off the angle levers and place it on a surface and then clean it. This is accomplished according to the invention in that the loading door can be detached and removed from the angle levers by means of handling and can be placed and fastened again on the angle levers. The dampers are lifted from their rest position when the loading door is opened - by elastic means pre-tensioned when the latter is closed - almost perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the damper. It is accomplished that when the unlocking button is actuated, the loading door opens and then gently lowers in its open position.

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht auf eine Küchenzeile mit einem darin angeordneten Elektroherd,

Fig. 2

den Verschlußmechanismus zum Abziehen der Beschickungstür vom Elektroherd,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Seitenansicht auf die Beschickungstür,

Fig. 4

ein Kraftdiagramm der Beschickungstür und

Fig. 5

eine Sektion des Dämpfers der Beschickungstür.

In the drawings, the invention is shown for example and in part schematically. Show it:

Fig. 1

a view of a kitchenette with an electric stove arranged therein,

Fig. 2

the locking mechanism for pulling the loading door off the electric cooker,

Fig. 3

a schematic side view of the loading door,

Fig. 4

a force diagram of the loading door and

Fig. 5

a section of the loading door damper.

A household appliance, here an electric cooker 2, is arranged in a kitchenette 1; it has a switch panel 3 and a hob 4. The loading door 6 of the hob can be opened by means of an unlocking button 5. Opening of the loading door is initiated by pressing this release button. The loading door can now swing open supported by an elastic force and can be opened by pulling lightly, the loading door automatically tending to the end position, as shown in dashed lines. A pull by hand is required up to an opening angle of 20 °, then the weight of the loading door acts so that it opens automatically, however, at an opening angle of 50 ° from lowering the loading door is damped. This prevents the loading door from falling into its end position at high speed and possibly leading to damage to the device. For this purpose, at least one pneumatic damper 7 with an internal compression spring is installed in the loading door; it is articulated on an angle lever 8. The angle lever rotates about a pivot axis 9 - which is also the pivot axis of the loading door - on which another damper, which is located on the other side of the electric cooker, can also act.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the loading door 6 is slid onto the other leg 8 'of the angle lever 8 and fastened by means of a lock actuated by a handle 10. If the handle is actuated in the direction of arrow 10 ', the bolt 11 of the closure comes into the position shown in dashed lines, so that the loading door 6 can be removed from the leg 8' of the angle lever 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, an elastic element is arranged under the damper 7. When the unlocking button 5 is actuated, the damper 7 is raised slightly by the elastic element, in such a way that the angle lever swings somewhat or the loading door 6 opens. A spring damper or an air damper or a spring air damper can serve as the damper 7. If the loading door 6, as shown in Fig. 3, is drawn up to about 20 ° - as shown by the dashed line 13 - it falls gently into position 14 - the open position - the dampers then taking action and the Catch falling movement. During the closing process, it is necessary to manually close the loading door 6 from the position 14 shown. When the loading door is lifted, the dampers first work, the rest of the closing is done by hand.

) aufgetragen, während auf der Ordinaten Y das von der Beschickungstür 6 bewirkte Drehmoment aufgetragen ist. Bis etwa zu einem Öffnungswinkel von 20° muß die Beschickungstür von Hand aufgezogen werden, wobei sodann das durch das Gewicht der Beschickungstür ausgeübte Drehmoment wirksam wird, so daß die Beschickungstür in die Endlage E fällt. Ab etwa 50° werden die pneumatischen Dämpfer 7, unterstützt durch ihre innenliegenden Federn, besonders wirksam, wie bei 15 dargestellt, so daß die Beschickungstür sanft in die Endlage E fällt. Das durch die Schwere der Beschickungstür ausgeübte Drehmoment ist bei E etwas größer als die Rückstellkraft 15, so daß die Beschickungstür in der Endlage verbleibt. Der Kurvenzug 16 zeigt die Last der Beschickungstür beim Schließen. Vorteilhaft ist es, die Dämpfer 7 in seitlichen Nischen 17 des Haushaltsgerätes anzuordnen; die Montage und Einstellung wird dadurch erleichtert.4, the stroke distance (in the direction of arrow X) $\frac{\text{X}}{\text{2nd}}$

) is plotted while the ordinate Y plots the torque caused by the loading door 6. The loading door must be opened by hand up to an opening angle of 20 °, in which case the torque exerted by the weight of the loading door becomes effective, so that the loading door falls into the end position E. From about 50 °, the pneumatic dampers 7, supported by their internal springs, become particularly effective, as shown at 15, so that the loading door falls gently into the end position E. The torque exerted by the weight of the loading door is somewhat greater at E than the restoring force 15, so that the loading door remains in the end position. The curve 16 shows the load of the loading door when closing. It is advantageous to arrange the dampers 7 in side niches 17 of the household appliance; assembly and adjustment is thereby facilitated.

As shown in FIG. 5, a compression spring is advantageously used as the elastic element 12 for initiating the door opening movement Damper 7 tensions, but can relax when unlocking the release button 5 and the loading door opens slightly. The compression spring 12 can be connected directly to the damper and, when the loading door is opened further, lift it off the floor 18 of the household appliance or, as shown, can be connected directly to the floor 18 of the household appliance, the damper 7 resting on a top plate 12 'of the elastic Supported element.

The in part in the description Shockers shown schematically can also have a different characteristic than shown in Fig. 4, without thereby leaving the invention. The closure 11 for pulling off the loading door from the angle levers 8 can also be formed in a different way, only the expediency being decisive here. The dampers can also be arranged at a different location in the household appliance than shown in the example.

Claims (6)

1. Loading door for a household appliance, in particular for an electrical cooker, wherein the door is tiltable open downwardly about an horizontal pivot axis against the effect of a device absorbing the mass forces of the door, characterised thereby, that the device, which acts directed against the mass forces of the loading door (6) in the open setting thereof, is coupled as pneumatic damper (7) in connection with a spring element to the loading door (6) in such a manner that the influence of this counteracting device on the loading door is restricted substantially to the pivotal opening range of the loading door between about 45° to 55° and the complete opening.
2. Loading door according to claim 1, characterised thereby, that at least one damper (7) is arranged in the household appliance (2), wherein the damper is connected with the loading door (6) by way of a lever mechanism (8).
3. Loading door according to one of the claims 1 and 2, characterised thereby, that two dampers (7) are arranged in the household appliance (2), wherein the dampers are arranged in lateral recesses (17) in the household appliance.
4. Loading door according to claim 3, characterised thereby, that the dampers (7) are each connected with a respective angle lever (8, 8'), wherein the damper (7) is hinged at one end of the angle lever and the loading door (6) is fastened at the other end of the angle lever (8').
5. Loading door according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised thereby, that the loading door (6) is detachable and withdrawable from the angle levers (8, 8') by means of handles (10) as well as again settable onto and fastenable at the angle levers.
6. Loading door according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised thereby, that the or each damper (7) is raised out of its rest position almost perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the damper during the opening of the loading door (6) by elastic means (12) biassed during the closing of the latter (6).

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