GB2356894A - Gas spring powered cooker door - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooker unit with a chassis 100 has doors 102, 104 having a powered opening movement in response to a user inputting a command at a control means. The power opening is achieved by means of a gas spring 1001 connected to the door hinge 304. The control command may be by buttons, foot pedals or a voice recognition device.

Description

2356894 COOKER WITH POWERED DOORS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to door opening devices and means and methods of opening domestic appliance doors, and particularly, although not exclusively, to a cooker unit, providing a mechanism of automatic door opening in response to a user command.

Backwound to the Invention It is known in the prior art for conventional cooker units, comprising an oven with a single door, for such a door to be hinged at one side of the cooker unit.

This allows for door opening around such a hinge resulting in the door opening substantially into the room. An inner oven door may also be hinged similarly, thereby also substantially extending into the room on opening.

In order to provide a cooker unit which is convenient for use in a small room eg a kitchen, the inventors have foreseen the benefits of splitting a single conventional oven door into two "wardrobe type" doors. This idea incorporates two doors, each half the area of a single conventional door, which are hinged at one vertical edge each. When closed the two doors meet at a central line sealing the oven. On opening each door only extends half of the distance into the room that a single conventional door would normally extend. This means that the cooker unit is more convenient for use, protruding less into the adjacent room space. When considering a small room which may contain many other space filling items, eg a table and chairs, having a cooker unit protruding less into the room is of obvious benefit and convenience.

The inventors have also incorporated motor operated hinges and means for operating these motors for door opening. Said motors are accessible from a front aspect of the cooker, typically by removing the cooker unit doors by unfastening a simple screw fastening means. This allows for the easy repair, replacement or maintenance of the doors.

P629.Spec Specification as Filed 14 September 2000

The present invention thus provides a means and method of reducing the amount by which a fully opened cooker unit door or doors extends into a room and thus an increased level of convenience for the user.

In order to place items into or remove items from a cooker unit in both domestic and non-domestic kitchens, it is known in the prior art to use cookers with doors including a handle or handles for manually opening and closing the cooker door. Further to this, it is also known in the prior art, that many modern cooker units have inner and outer door extending completely across an oven cavity and hinged at one side of the cavity. The inner door typically becomes hot during use and hence provides a possible source of injury especially injury through burns.

When inserting items into a known prior art cooker unit, there are potential hazards. Firstly, considering placing a tray containing food stuffs into a hot oven, the user must either open the door, and whilst managing to maintain the door open without it swinging closed, insert the tray containing the food stuffs before being able to close the door. Alternatively, the user may wish to balance the tray containing the food stuffs in one hand while opening the door with the other hand or alternatively, the user may put down the tray or dish onto a worktop, in order to use both hands to open the cooker door. In each case, the user is either inconvenienced or subject to possible danger through burning. More hazardous perhaps, is removing hot items from a cooker unit. For example, the door must first be opened and maintained open, in the meantime the user must use the other available hand to remove the tray of food stuffs which will be hot in this case. Not only could they be hot but they may contain hot liquid which is liable to spilling if the tray cannot be held in a steady fashion. The fact that only one hand may be available to remove the tray of food stuffs puts the user at a predispositioned disadvantage regarding their own personal safety. The obvious outcome of the use of conventional cooker units as described here is that the user is put at a distinct disadvantage with regards to their safety.

Further to the above, disabled users, elderly users, or others with potentially weak arms or users with only one arm are at a distinct disadvantage when trying to insert or remove items from a cooker unit and simultaneously hold open the door. Especially, in these cases individuals are at risk of sustaining injury through burns.

Summary of the Invention

Specific embodiments according to the present invention aim to improve the ease of use and safety of use of cooker units in both domestic and nondomestic applications.

Specific embodiments according to the present invention aim to reduce risk of burning due to user contact with the door.

is One object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide a reliable, safe and user friendly means of cooker unit door opening enabling the user to keep their hands free.

A second object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide two separate doors hinged at the left and right hand side respectively, thus, upon opening, encroaching less into the useable room space and therefore enabling easier access to the oven.

Another object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide a controlled and steady speed and method of door closing and/or door opening such that a user may learn to readily anticipate the speed of door closing or opening, thus providing for an increased level of user safety.

One other object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide an advantageous system available to all users of a cooker unit including those who have a physical disabling impairment which may render manual opening of cooker doors difficult or dangerous in respect of simultaneously handling and inserting or removing items into or out of any compartment of a cooker unit.

In some specific embodiments of the present invention motors or mechanisms controlling the opening of any cooker unit door or doors can be within hinge assembly units associated with any said door. Said hinge units are easily accessible for maintenance purposes from the front aspect of the cooker unit. Consequently, there is no need to remove the oven from its installed position within for example a kitchen unit to access the hinge motors or a mechanism associated with the hinge for removal, replacement or repair. Motor replacement and maintenance can be made by removal of the door or doors, which are all completely accessible from the front aspect of the cooker unit.

In specific embodiments of the present invention, the lower heating compartment doors of the cooker unit are of a wardrobe type. That is, the lower heating compartment is accessed by two doors each hinged at their long vertical sides adjacent to the chassis of the cooker unit. The resultant mode of opening of said wardrobe type doors results in each door opening in an opposite rotation about two substantially parallel vertical axes. This results in the two long vertical sides which are non-hinged, one on each wardrobe type door, starting adjacent to each other in closed position and moving to a furthest distance apart described by the combined loci of the axis of rotation of each hinged door when fully open.

In the specific embodiments of the present invention the inner heat protecting glass door maintained as part of each wardrobe type door may result in an increased level of safety considering the user as each inner heat protecting glass door is of shorter length than a conventional single door enclosing a typical lower heating compartment, hence there is less risk of the user burning themselves on it.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a cooker oven unit comprising:

a chassis containing; at least one heating compartment accessed by at least one opening door; and powered automatic door movement means configured to cause movement of said at least one door.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein one form of powered automatic door movement means comprises:

a tubular hinge unit; and a motor; wherein said motor is housed within said tubular hinge unit, and said tubular hinge unit is attached to said chassis.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit where another form of powered automatic door movement means comprises one or more motors within a cooker unit door acting to open or close a connected door.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said powered automatic door movement means are operable by one or more control means.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said control means are taken from the set of buttons, foot pedals and a voice recognition device.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit comprising one or more motors configured to cause movement of said at least one opening door and associated circuitry forming motor control circuits.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein completing a motor control circuit activates one or more motors to operate one complete cycle of door movement.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein a foot pedal, button or voice recognition device is configurable to operate a switch to complete one or more motor control circuits.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said powered automatic door movement means are electrically powered automatic door movement means.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said movement includes at least one of the set of door opening and door closing.

Preferably, automatic door opening and closing is activated by voice command or by foot pedals or buttons located on the cooker unit surface. Said buttons or foot pedals being either at a convenient waist height or at the base of the cooker unit or a combination of both.

is Suitably, motor devices are attached directly to the cooker unit doors.

Preferably, the motor units operating the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors are contained within substantially tubular hinge assembly units being attached to both said doors and said cooker unit chassis.

Preferably, said motor units operating said upper heating compartment door are located within the frame of the upper door.

Suitably, circuitry, wiring and switch devices are substantially connected to both said motor units and said foot pedals or buttons acting as control means to allow the user to operate the electrically powered doors.

Particularly, a cooker unit comprising a plurality of heating compartments enclosed by one or more doors utilizing a means and method of electrically powered door opening and closing in a controlled, steady and predictable fashion which can be implemented on user command.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cooker oven unit comprising:

a chassis containing; at least one heating compartment accessed via at least one opening door; and automatic door opening means configured to allow said at least one door to open.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said automatic door opening means includes spring controlled automatic door opening means.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein one form of automatic door opening means comprises:

a tubular hinge unit; and a resilient spring; wherein said resilient spring is housed within said tubular hinge unit, and said tubular hinge unit is attached to said cooker unit chassis.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said resilient spring is a torsion spring fixed at one end to said chassis.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said torsion spring is frictionally damped to provide opening in a controlled manner.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit where a second form of automatic door opening means comprises one or more resilient springs fixed to the cooker unit chassis operable to open a connected door.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said resilient spring is a gas spring.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said gas spring is self-damping.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said automatic door opening means are operable by releasing a catch, ratchet or other device maintaining the door in a closed position.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said catch, ratchet or other device maintaining the door in a closed position is released, to allow the door to open, by commands input by buttons, foot pedals or a voice recognition device.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit where energy is input to said spring during door closing.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit where pushing a foot pedal or cooker unit surface mounted button or where a user gives an appropriate voice command results in energy release from said spring and door opening in a controlled, steady and predictable fashion.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit where said automatic door opening means incorporates a damping mechanism to provide controlled, steady and predictable door opening.

Preferably said cooker unit houses heating compartments enclosed by automatically opened doors, said doors being opened by a spring controlled mechanism present within either the door hinges or within the cooker unit chassis.

Suitably, materials exist within the cooker unit chassis to operate automatic door opening by said spring control mechanism by means of control means situated at external surfaces of said cooker unit.

Preferably, said control means comprise a voice recognition device, foot pedals or buttons conveniently located on the cooker unit surface at either a waist height or at the base of said cooker unit.

Particularly, a cooker unit comprising a plurality of heating compartments each enclosed by one or more doors and a means and method of nonelectrically powered automatic door opening such that said door or doors open in a controlled, steady and predictable fashion. Said non-electrically powered automatic door opening mechanism may comprise a resilient spring system, where the energy stored in a resilient spring is used in concert with a damping mechanism to provide a controlled, steady and predictable door opening system.

In such a resilient spring mechanism energy is input to the spring during door closing and stored until a user defined input activates the release of the energy from said resilient spring and the use of said stored energy, with appropriate damping, to provide a controlled, steady and predictable opening system.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a cooker oven unit comprising:

a chassis containing; at least one heating compartment accessed via at least one opening door; wherein said at least one opening door includes wardrobe type doors which are automatically operable to close and/or open by a control means.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said control means are taken from the set of buttons, foot pedals and a voice recognition device.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein separate heating compartment doors may be independently operated.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein one or more heating compartments may be enclosed by wardrobe type doors.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit wherein said wardrobe type doors are operable to automatically open simultaneously in response to a command input by a user.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit where all doors contain an inner heat protecting door on the inner door surface.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said automatic door movement or opening means is configured for operation in a steady, controlled and predictable fashion.

Preferably, a cooker oven unit, oven, stove, tabletop oven, portable oven or microwave comprising a door opening mechanism or mechanisms as described anywhere above.

Brief Description of the Drawinqs

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, there will now be described by way of example only, specific embodiments, methods and processes according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective view a front aspect of a cooker unit comprising chassis 100 housing two heating compartments enclosed by doors 104 and 102 wherein both sets of doors contain transparent sections 105 and 103. Additionally a control panel 107 containing unit controls is housed in a panel 106 above the upper most heating compartment.

Fig. 2 illustrates in external perspective view a cooker unit with all doors open showing the mode of operation of the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors.

Fig. 3 illustrates an external perspective view of the lower left portion of a cooker unit particularly showing one of a pair of open wardrobe type doors comprising inner heat protecting glass door 301 retained by extrusion 302 distant from the hinge assembly 304 housing a motor unit supplied via wires 303. The internal surface of the cooker unit 306 and associated tray 305 are also shown.

The top of the hinge unit indicated by 307 is expanded in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 illustrates in external perspective view the upper most portion of the hinge unit showing wardrobe type door glass 102 power supply wires to the hinge motor 303 passing through door retaining means 402 to hinge assembly 304 which additionally houses groove 405 for retaining inner heat protecting glass door.

Fig. 5 illustrates in three dimensional aspect a cooker unit with upper is heating compartment door 104 in an open position. Inner heat protecting glass 504 being held by guide rails 503. Hinge 502 connecting door 104 to the chassis.

Within the upper heating compartment is illustrated a support tray 501. Cooker unit controls 506 are shown within display panel 107.

Fig. 6 illustrates a single open wardrobe type door and a section through the cooker unit and foot pedal 101 showing a representation of a circuit comprising wires 603, switch 601, circuitry 602. The axis of rotation of the hinge being indicated by arrow 604.

Fig. 7 illustrates the upper heating compartment door 104 in a closed position and a section through the cooker unit showing motor 701, motor arm 703, axis of motor rotation 704 and motor power supply wires 702.

Fig. 8 shows a flow diagram indicating a preferred mode of operation of the wardrobe type doors or upper heating compartment door in a first specific embodiment.

Fig. 9 shows a flow diagram illustrating a preferred mode of operation of the wardrobe type doors or upper heating compartment door in a second specific embodiment.

Fig. 10 illustrates a stylized view from above of a single lower heating compartment wardrobe type door in both closed position as shown in Fig. 10 (A) and an open position as shown in Fig. 10 (B).

Fig. 11 illustrates a cross sectional view of the upper heating compartment door in closed position and connection to a gas spring facilitating door opening.

Detailed Description of the Best Mode for Carrvinq Out the Invention

There will now be described by way of example the best mode contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the invention. In the following description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, well known methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

This patent application is a divisional application of the parent application GB 9916587.0. The description of GB 9916587.0 is hereby incorporated in its entirety by cross-reference.

The inventors have noted the safety hazards involved in inserting or removing an item into an oven cooker unit. In order to avoid users having to both open the oven door and insert or remove potentially hot food and thereby risk injury to the user by sustaining burns, there is a requirement to provide a means of opening and closing the required door(s) without having to remove or compromise the user's grip on the item to be inserted or removed. With safety, ease of use and ease of maintenance in mind, inventors have provided for a cooking unit with user friendly access to the heating compartments.

The inventors have also noted the not inconsiderable encroachment into an adjacent room eg a kitchen of conventional oven doors. By including two wardrobe type opening doors, each with half the surface area of a single conventional oven door coveeing the same size of heating compartment, such doors offer a considerable decrease in the level to which they extend into an adjacent room. This obviously affords advantages to the user especially in crowded kitchens and the like.

Specific embodiments according to the present invention herein consider cooker units, including ovens, for use as domestic appliances. Specific cooker units considered are electrically powered, however, the specific embodiments are envisaged to extend in principle and practice to cooker units encompassing any means of power supply or fuel supply, typically being considered applicable to gas fuelled cookers, wood and coal burning stoves and mixed power and fuel is supply units, eg gas hobs with electdcally powered oven units. Specific embodiments consider cooker units wherein said cooker units combine two heating compartments for use as ovens, each independently temperature regulated by thermostats controlling electric elements within the compartment walls or within the compartment itself. Additionally said units comprise an integral heating surface on the upper most flat surface of the cooker unit for use in heating external vessels placed thereon, for example saucepans. The specific embodiments consider access to the two heating compartments provided within the cooker unit by means of hinge opening doors. Said doors are operable to open and close without manual operation, said doors being operated by automatic opening and closing mechanisms provided within the hinge section of said doors. Said opening and closing mechanisms are operated by the user by means of foot pedals or buttons placed conveniently on an external surface of the cooker unit. Alternatively, a voice recognition device is employed providing an additional means of controlling door opening and closing.

In particular, these embodiments are related to cooker units with two heating compartments accessed via hinge opening doors wherein the lower heating compartment is accessed by two wardrobe type opening doors, each of said wardrobe type doors having its own door opening and closing mechanism, comprising a motor, located within the hinge of each of said doors such that both doors are operated by a single user input at one of the operating means on the external surface of the cooker unit. Said upper heating chamber door opens and closes by means of a hinge mechanism maintained within the upper door and linked to the chassis by a tubular lever. In this way, said upper heating compartment door is also opened and closed in an axis of rotation transverse to that of the lower wardrobe type doors. Said upper heating compartment door is operated to open and close by a control means located on the external surface of the cooker unit. Said latter control means being independent of said control means used to open and close said lower heating compartment wardrobe type opening doors.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the front aspect of an electric cooker is unit comprising a chassis which is essentially in the shape of a parallelepiped, having six faces; operating means 101 for opening and closing either lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors 102 or upper heating compartment door 104 wherein all of said doors comprise a metal frame 102 and inset heat resistant transparent material providing a window making the inside of both heating compartments visible from an external position at the front of the cooker unit. Alternatively, said doors may be manufactured from a glass, polymer or ceramic wherein coloration is used to distinguish transparent sections and give the appearance of a frame, 102. Vertically above the upper heating compartment and maintained on the same front surface of said cooker unit is a substantially rectangular panel 106 inset in said panel 106 is a display unit 107 housing control means 506 for use in regulating the temperature of individual heating compartments and surfaces contained within the cooker unit. Said display panel 107, is used to display information regarding the temperature of any of said heating compartments and surfaces. Both heating compartments and a horizontally plane top heating panel transverse to the front plane of the cooker unit are electrically powered.

Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the cooker unit described in Fig. 1 where all doors are in an open position. Wardrobe type doors 102 open in opposite rotation about vertically parallel axes. Upper heating compartment single door 104 opens around an axis transverse to the axes of rotation of the wardrobe type doors to a fully opened position transverse to the plane of the front of the cooker unit.

Referring to Fig. 3 and 4 herein, there is illustrated schematically in perspective external view a left front section of the cooker unit illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the left-hand wardrobe type door is in an open position. The inner surface of said left-hand wardrobe type door is revealed and shows the inner heat protecting glass 301 as an integral part of the wardrobe type door thus opening together with and in a manner dependent on the external glass 102 of said wardrobe type door. Said inner heat protecting glass 301 is mounted on a retaining groove 405, one of each retaining means being located on each horizontal edge of hinge assembly 304. The inner heat protecting glass is retained at the vertical edge furthest from hinge assembly 304 by a metal extrusion 302 mounted on the frame 102 of the wardrobe type door said extrusion extending in a long axis vertically along the length of the vertical edge of said wardrobe type door said extrusion 302 being connected to said wardrobe type door all its vertical length, fixed by adhesive or appropriate screw fixing. Said metal extrusion 302 provides for the inner heat protecting glass door being maintained equidistant from frame 102 as a flat heat resistant glass sheet. Said metal extrusion 302 also provides rigidity and shape to the wardrobe type door.

The inner heat protecting glass door is mounted along its entire vertical length at the hinge by a specially formed groove 405 which forms part of the hinge assembly shown in Fig. 4. The wardrobe type door hinge assembly 304 further houses a tubular metal extrusion containing a motor unit. Said tubular metal extrusion within hinge assembly 304 forms part of the axis of rotation of the wardrobe type door, said hinge assembly 304 being attached to or an integral part of said wardrobe type door frame 102. Said hinge assembly 304 connects to the chassis of said cooker unit 306 via retaining means 402. This allows for rotation of hinge assembly 304 about the hinge axis during motor operation whilst retaining means 402 secures the door to the chassis. A second similar retaining means fixes the door at the base of the cooker, also allowing for rotation, acting as a suitable hinge. The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is mirrored by the right hand wardrobe type door, in that hinge unit, power supply and door are all alike.

The substantially tubular hinge assembly 304 on each wardrobe type door hinge comprises a hollow metal extrusion in which a tubular motor unit is located.

Said motor unit is fixed by a simple screw fixing to the tubular hinge assembly 304 and thus provides for ease of access and removal allowing for ease of replacement or repair. Said motor is held in place within the hinge assembly 304 by one or two screws easily accessible from the hinge top. Said motor may be inserted in the center of said hinge assembly 304and slid down the central cavity of said hinge assembly 304 for fitment. Once in position, said motor may be located by a screw extending radially inwards through a sidewall of the substantially tubular hinge unit to fix the motor in position within said hinge unit.

Considering the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors, placing said tubular motor unit within each hinge assembly unit, and locating said motor unit by simple screw fixings through the wall of said hinge unit renders the motor powered hinge unit readily accessible for necessary repair/replacement. As said wardrobe type doors are located on the front of said cooker unit, there is no need to remove the cooker from a fitted kitchen unit in order to replace/repair the motors. That is, the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors can be easily removed from said cooker unit by means of screw attachments, allowing the hinge units to be readily accessed.

Each motor unit is suitably configured to operate in door opening and closing through a required arc. Said configuration is such as to operate door opening so that the door is substantially opened without the door proceeding beyond the vertical plane of the front of the cooker unit.

A further modification to the motor activated hinge opening mechanism considers metal abutments, one projecting from the cooker unit chassis at each side of the chassis base and one projecting radially from the base of each of said hinge units. Said abutments are envisaged to be in the order of 1 CM2 and located such that on door opening, the abutments meet at a point of furthest door opening and restdct further opening. This is intended to prevent damage to each door by providing a guide preventing the door opening too far and potentially damaging the door by opening beyond and behind the vertical plane of the front of the cooker unit. This mechanism provides fail safe protection if the motor unit configuration is disturbed.

Control means for opening and closing said wardrobe type doors is provided by a foot pedal 101 located beneath said wardrobe type doors along the lowest horizontal edge on the front face of said cooker unit. Said control means is activated by depressing the foot pedal 101, this activates the hinge motor provided within each hinge assembly 304 wherein said hinge motor receives a is power supply via wires 303. Said hinge assembly, power supply wires 303 and groove 405 for retaining inner heat protecting glass door at the hinge as encompassed by 307 are shown in greater detail in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 illustrates the intersection of a wardrobe type door as illustrated in Fig.

3 and the hinge unit. Said hinge assembly 304 is connected to a retaining means 402 attaching the door to the cooker unit chassis. Power supply wires 303 enter said substantially hollow hinge assembly 304 through a tubular pin surrounded by an aperture in the retaining means 402 which also provides a fixed point for the motor armature to act in driving door rotation in opening or closing. Said hinge assembly section containing said motor unit extends vertically downwards away from the power wires 303 and retaining means 402 beneath the upper horizontal face of hinge assembly 304. Attached to said retaining means.402 and as an integral part of the hinge assembly 304 is a retaining lip extending vertically along the length of said hinge forming a groove in the order of 5 mm in width and depth.

Said groove 405 provides a means of housing and retaining said inner heat protecting glass door along the entire vertical edge of the inner heat protecting glass door at the hinge. Said inner heat protecting glass door can be slid into groove 405 or removed by sliding out for replacement, repair etc.

Referring to Fig. 5 there is illustrated in external perspective view of the cooker unit with both lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors and upper heating compartment door in an open position such that the support tray 501 in the upper heating compartment is visible. The upper heating compartment door 104 is mounted at both ends of the lower long horizontal edge of said door by an arm 502 at each end fixed to the inner plane surface of said door 104 and connecting to the chassis 100 of the cooker unit.

As part of said upper heating compartment door and its two short vertical edges, when in closed position, and extending along the length of both vertical edges as part of said door 104 are two integral grooves formed by the edges of said door 104 which allow for the inner heat protecting glass door to be placed in position on the inner side of said upper heating compartment door, once in place is retaining said inner heat protecting glass door. Said grooves are thus formed by brackets attached to or part of the frame of the door with a raised section of the bracket parallel to the plane of the door said parallel section extending towards the opposite edge of the door. The bracket forms a groove between the inner door frame and the section of the bracket parallel to the inner door frame.

Fig. 6 illustrates the left-hand wardrobe door of the cooker unit shown in Fig.

1, where the door is in an open position. The inner heat protecting glass door is not shown for the sake of clarity, although the metal extrusion providing a retaining means for said inner heat protecting glass door and providing a spacing means between wardrobe type door and heating compartment, is shown. Fig. 6 also illustrates a section through the main chassis of the cooker unit, such that the section passes through one of the operating means 101. Considering the cooker unit from a front view, behind the operating means 101 is situated a means of activating and deactivating the hinge motor unit in the form of a switch.

Fig. 6 illustrates a possible mechanism for operating the hinge motor unit. In this example when the button that constitutes the operating means for the hinge motor is depressed, it results in the completion of a circuit at 601 by acting as a switch such that the motor unit is operated in a manner sufficient to either open or close the door completely, depending on the previous state of the door. The box 602 represents the circuitry that is required for a single depression of the operating means 101, which may complete the circuit shown only for a short period of time, to result in the motor unit being activated for a sufficient amount of time to allow the door to completely open or close. The circuit is connected to the hinge unit by the circuit shown as 603, the result of depressing the button twice therefore is to activate the hinge motor twice, but each time in an opposite direction such that the door will either be opened and closed or closed and opened. That is to say that each operation of the motor units are in a reversed polarity to the previous operation.

In normal operation, depressing the operating means 101 to activate the opening or closing of the wardrobe type doors results in both wardrobe type door hinge motors being operated to simultaneously open or close both wardrobe type doors.

The wardrobe type door hinge motor is located within a metal, substantially tubular, hinge unit, within hinge assembly 304 which extends the length of the vertical edge of the door. At either or both the base and/or top of said hinge assembly, both hinge assembly and motor are attached to the chassis of the cooker unit by a retaining means 402 in the form of a bracket at which the hinge ca n rotate.

In this way the retaining bracket 402 attaches the wardrobe type door to the cooker unit chassis 100 at the top of the hinge assembly 304. Retaining bracket 402 also provides a fixed point about which the motor can drive rotation of the doors required in either opening or closing.

Fig. 7 illustrates a section taken midway through the upper heating compartment door 104. The upper heating compartment door 104 is in a closed position. The section shows a motor unit 701 located at an approximately midway position between the two arms 502. Motor unit 701 is connected to a tubular lever 703 through which power supply wires 702 can be directed to a motor unit 701.

Activation of motor unit 701 results in the tubular lever 703 being pushed back into the body of the chassis of the cooker unit. Due to the shape of tubular lever 703 the motor unit and hence attached door are brought down to a horizontal position. Motor unit 701 is substantially tubular and fixed into position within said door 104 by simple screw fixing.

Arms 502 provide support for the door 104 and the door is fixed to a motor 701. Tubular lever 703 extends into the cooker unit chassis 100 such that when the motor 701 is activated the door 104 is rotated in a direction indicated by the arrow 704. Power is supplied to the motor 701 through wires 702, which, it is suggested lead to a control means similar to that shown in Fig. 6 where a single depression of said control means will result in activation of said motor 701 such that the door 104 is either fully opened or fully closed depending on the original position of the door 104. Depressing the control means twice will then result in a full cycle of either opening and closing or closing then opening.

As with the wardrobe type door hinge motors, upper heating compartment single door motor or motors are suitably configured to operate in door opening and closing through a required arc. Said configuration is such as to operate door opening so that the door is substantially open without proceeding beyond a plane transverse to the plane of the cooker unit front. An abutment within the cooker unit chassis located to prevent armature 703 proceeding beyond a required end point could also be envisaged as a modification, preventing door opening beyond the required end point when motor unit configuration is disturbed.

In all specific embodiments either a single motor or spring controlled door opening mechanism may exist within the upper door frame or cooker unit chassis at a chosen side of the cooker unit. Alternatively two motors or other door operating mechanisms may exist, one on each side of the upper heating compartment door within the cooker unit chassis. When considering any motor and associated circuitry operated to result in door opening or closing, each following operation results in a reversal of motor polarity such that door opening is always followed by door closing and door closing is always followed by door opening.

In a first specific embodiment of the present invention there is provided a cooker unit comprising two heating compartments, vertically adjacent to each other, the lower heating compartment being accessed by means of two wardrobe type doors which open about vertical hinges at the right and left vertical edges of the cooker unit when viewing the unit from a front plane perspective. The second heating compartment is vertically adjacent to the first heating compartment and is accessed by means of a single door opening in a transverse direction to the axis of orientation of opening of the wardrobe type doors, such that when open the upper heating compartment door lies in a direction transverse to the plane of the front of the cooker unit. All doors are operable to open and close in an automatic manner by means of electrically powered doors, independent of the user having to manually pull or push the doors open or closed, while still responding to a user input. Said automatic opening and closing is in a controlled, steady and predictable fashion.

In a first specific embodiment of the present invention there are provided 3 possible means of operation and control of opening and closing either of the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors or the single upper heating compartment door. Suitably, said control means in a first specific embodiment are located at the right and left-hand side at the base of the front of the cooker unit as indicated by 101. Said control means are envisaged to comprise foot pedals or buttons which can be operated by a user whilst the user is in a fully upright standing position, the user is intended to operate the foot pedals or buttons by contacting them with one foot. The foot pedals are suitably sized, in the order of 10cm to 30cm, such that the user should have no trouble in operating one of the said foot pedals whilst wearing a pair of shoes.

In the first specific embodiment of the present invention the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors are considered to open and close in a manner dependent on the adjacent wardrobe type door. That is to say that activation of door opening by a said control means designed to open the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors will result in both doors being opened or both doors being closed. It is not envisaged in this specific embodiment that a single wardrobe type door can be opened or closed by an automatic means independent of the other said wardrobe type door.

Preferably, a first specific embodiment suitably considers a cooker unit comprising two separate control means 101 at the base of the front of said cooker unit on the right and left-hand side of the base. It is intended that one of each said pair of control means is intended to activate the substantially tubular motor unit residing in the substantially hollow hinge assembly 304 of each of the two wardrobe type doors enclosing the lower heating compartment and that the remaining control means from said pair of control means is designed to activate the motor unit in the frame of said upper heating compartment door in order-to open or close the single door of the upper heating compartment.

is Within the first specific embodiment of the present invention, the control means can alternatively be located at waist height to the user. Control means are considered to be incorporated on the panel 106, where the control means comprise a button or buttons operable to the user by depressing one of said control means by hand. In this embodiment the position of the control means is obviously different to that described in Fig. 6. However, the intended result of pressing the control means on the panel 106 is to complete the circuit and thus activate a cycle of operation of the hinge motor units. Suitably, as for control of door opening using foot pedals, two buttons exist as control means, one such means being used in operation to activate opening or closing of both wardrobe type doors simultaneously and dependently and operation of the remaining control.means being used in operation to activate either opening or closing of the single upper heating compartment door. Said pair of control means present on panel 106 are thus such that depressing one such control means may result in the opening or closing of either the upper heating compartment door or the lower heating compartment doors, depending on the particular control means depressed. Activation of both control means will result in either opening or closing of both upper heating compartment door and lower heating compartment doors, depending on their existing open or closed status.

An additional means of operating both door opening and door closing is provided by a voice recognition device located within the cooker unit. Such a device includes a microphone for the detection of voice commands, circuitry and components for recognizing and translating such commands into an operation required to open or close one or a set of doors. Such an operation includes the completion of a circuit controlling activation of an appropriate motor unit in either the hinge assembly 304 of each wardrobe type door or the motor unit within the frame of upper heating compartment door 104. The voice recognition device can be appropriately configured to recognize simple instructions eg "open" or "close".

These simple instructions could be combined with a qualifying instruction as to which set of doors to open or close eg "open main oven doors".

Suitably, in a first specific embodiment, a cooker unit with electrically powered motor driven doors as considered may alternatively comprise any combination of foot pedals at the base of the front of the cooker unit, waist high buttons near the display panel 107 and voice activation as door control means.

Five control means, two waist high and two at the cooker unit base and voice activation may be combined in operation. One waist high button and one foot pedal is envisaged to operate one set of doors and either operating means may be used to open or close a set of doors. The remaining foot pedal and waist high button are envisaged to operate the remaining set of doors where either operating means may be used to open or close the second set of doors. Different voice commands are required to open or close a distinct set of doors.

Fig. 8 relates to the first specific embodiment and describes a possible flow pathway for commands required to operate the hinge motor units in either set of doors. In order to open and close a said set of doors depressing the operating means 801 results in a circuit being completed 601 and the hinge motors, in the set of doors for which the operating means which has been depressed or for which a voice command is issued, is used for activating, are operated in a first direction 802. If the doors were originally in a closed position, then this results in the doors being automatically opened to a fully open position such that a user may insert/remove a tray or dish containing a food stuff or similar 803. The user may retain a firm grip on the item removed, by keeping hold of the item with two hands whilst simultaneously closing the door by depressing the associated control means or giving the required voice command 804. This results in the circuit being completed for a second time and the door motors being operated for a second time however, as each time the motors are operated it is in a reversed polarity, the motors are activated in an opposite direction to the first direction 802 and hence result in an open set of doors being automatically closed 805.

The flow diagram described in Fig. 8 and the paragraph above are essentially applicable to the opening and closing of either the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors or the upper heating compartment single door.

The difference between the two pathways is the requirement for differing operating means to be depressed or different voice commands to be given, thus, activating different hinge motors, by the user and the variation in the precise mechanism of action of the motor units which is required to result in the opening of either the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors or the upper compartment single door respectively.

In the first specific embodiment of the present invention each wardrobe type door, which when closed cover the lower heating compartment cavity contain a hinge assembly 304 extending the vertical length of each door and located suitably at the left and right hand sides of the lower heating compartment. Within each hinge assembly 304, which is substantially hollow, a tubular motor unit can be located and fixed in position by screw fixings either or both through the wall of the hinge assembly 304 in a radial manner or directly from the horizontal base at one end of the hinge assembly 304. Said door is retained in position by a retaining means in the form of brackets 402. One of each said brackets is located at both a top and bottom of the hinge assembly 304. Each retaining bracket 402 is connected to the cooker oven unit chassis and also provides an armature, axis or pivot extending vertically inside the hinge assembly 304. This armature, axis or pivot allows the wardrobe type door to rotate about a vertical axis running along the length of the hinge assembly 304 in order for each door to open or close. The motor unit housed within hinge assembly 304 uses this armature, pivot or axis as a fixed point about which to drive rotation of the door in an automatic manner in response to a user input through an appropriate control means. Although only one motor unit per door has generally been considered there is no limitation to a plurality of motor units being used per door. For example, one motor unit at a top end of the hinge assembly 304 and one motor unit at a bottom end of the hinge assembly 304 adjacent to control means 101.

Each motor unit is anticipated to be an AC universal or induction motor unit operable to rotate in both a first and a second rotational direction ie clockwise and anti-clockwise in response to an appropriate command. This type of motor is commonly suited to an AC induction motor. However, there is no limitation to the type of motor used ie direct current or alternating current motor.

is In the upper heating compartment door a motor unit is located substantially at a central position within the upper heating compartment door frame adjacent to the cooker unit chassis as illustrated in Fig. 7. This type of motor unit is also anticipated to be an AC induction motor unit operating in both a first and second rotational direction. Rotation of the motor is translated to movement of the door through a tubular lever arm which extends through a right angle.

In a second specific embodiment of the present invention all of said motor units are replaced with a resilient spring mechanism such that the doors can be opened by activation of an operating means. Suitably, said operating means is one of two foot pedals 101 or one of two buttons or components and circuitry for receiving a voice command. Each foot pedal or button or voice command received providing a means of controlling operation of either wardrobe type doors or upper heating compartment single door. The mechanism of opening is not electrically powered and the door or doors must be manually closed. Such an embodiment provides for a resilient spring within the door or hinge assembly of the wardrobe type doors. Manual closing of the doors or door inputs energy into the spring. Activation of a control means results in the energy stored in the resilient spring being released to operate the door release mechanism, said mechanism resulting in the door opening in a controlled manner. That is to say the doors are not allowed to purely spring open, but the opening is regulated and damped to produce a steady and controlled opening cycle. A system of door opening using such a resilient spring is likened to that used to open the port for holding a tape cassette in a domestic tape cassette recorder which uses a spring mechanism to open the door to the cassette port and a damping mechanism which controls the rate of door opening. Such a mechanism used to open the door when an operating means is activated would require the manual closing of the door to reset the opening mechanism and is likely to require a ratchet or catch which allows the user to impart potential energy into the resilient spring during the action of closing the door. Such a ratchet or catch would prevent the door naturally springing open. In such a system activating the control means would release the ratchet eg by releasing a catch and allow the potential energy stored within the spring to be converted to kinetic energy and by connecting the is spring appropriately to the axis of rotation of the hinge of the door, then the door or doors are allowed to rotate about a hinge such that the doors open. The opening mechanism including the resilient spring has a suitable damping system such that the doors open in a controlled and steady manner, which the user can learn to understand and expect, such that the doors do not open at an unexpectedly rapid rate as this may cause an increased likelihood of injury through burns by the user contacting for instance the hot inner heat protecting glass door.

In the second specific embodiment of the present invention all doors may be opened using an appropriate control means, where all hinges and door opening means are reliant on a resilient spring which is appropriately damped to give controlled and steady door opening. It is intended that one control means of a pair or one voice command is used to initiate opening of the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors in a simultaneous fashion and the remaining operating means or alternative voice command is used to activate door opening on the upper heating compartment. In the second specific embodiment, suitably, two foot pedals 101, one of each foot pedals operable in use to open or close both wardrobe type doors and the other foot pedal operable in use to open or close the upper heating compartment single door.

Suitably, in a second specific embodiment of the present invention, a resilient spring with appropriate damping mechanism hinges may be used on all doors where the operating means required to activate door opening is located on the panel 106 at the top of said cooker unit at a substantially waist high level such that said operating means may be activated by hand by the user.

Within the second specific embodiment of the present invention, there is provided for a voice recognition device comprising a means of detecting voice commands eg a microphone, components and circuitry for receiving and translating a voice command into an operation to open a set of doors. Such a voice recognition unit can be configured to respond appropriately to different voice commands to open a different set of doors. A mechanism of translating a generally electronic signal produced by a voice recognition device to a mechanical movement required to release a catch and allow a set of doors to spring open being controlled by a damping mechanism can be configured using an appropriate solenoid. When operable such a solenoid could maintain in position a catch or catches to hold closed one or a set of doors. On receiving the appropriate voice command a voice recognition device releases such a solenoid and therefore releases one or several catches holding closed one or a set of doors.

Suitably, in a second specific embodiment, a cooker unit with automatically opening doors opened by a resilient spring as considered, may comprise foot pedals at the base of the front of the cooker unit and waist high buttons near the display panel 107 and a voice activation means as door operating means. Five operating means, two waist high and two at the cooker unit base and voice activation may be combined in operation. One waist high button and one foot pedal or one voice command is envisaged to operate one set of doors and one of these control means may be used to open or close a set of doors. The remaining foot pedal and waist high button or alternate voice command are envisaged to operate the remaining set of doors where either operating means may be used to open or close the second set of doors.

Although the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors are intended to open simultaneously following activation of an operating means they may be closed individually, and hence it is foreseeable that a situation may arise in which one of said lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors is open and one of said lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors is closed. In such an instance, activation of the appropriate operating means for opening the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors would result in only one door opening.

Hence, the second specific embodiment differs to the first specific embodiments in that the lower heating compartment wardrobe type doors may be opened and closed independently of each other, although that is not the intended instruction to the user.

is Fig. 9 describes a flow pathway relevant to the possible modes of action described in the second specific embodiments of the present invention. A door operating means is manually operated by pushing a button or foot pedal or by giving a voice command 901, this results in closed doors being released and opened 902. This opening mechanism is a result of the energy stored in a resilient spring being released and used to rotate a wardrobe type door hinge around a vertical axis, said rotation being suitably damped such that the door is opened in a steady and controlled manner, which can be suitably predicted. Such mechanisms of door opening allows for the user to insert/remove a tray or dish containing a foodstuff for instance and then manually close the door or doors 904. Manually closing said door or doors results in energy being input and stored in the resilient spring mechanism, the energy being prevented from release by a suitable ratchet mechanism or catch. In this way said door or doors can be fully closed and the resilient spring mechanism for door opening be reset 905 such that on next activation of a said operating means the appropriate door or doors is released via a release on the ratchet mechanism or catch described. Such a release of said ratchet mechanism or catch allows the energy stored in the resilient spring to be used to provide a damped and controlled door opening mechanism.

Specifically, two mechanisms of utilizing a resilient spring to operate door opening in response to user input by a control means are proposed. A first mechanism utilizes a torsion spring. In a similar manner to insertion of the motor unit into a hinge assembly 304 in a first specific embodiment, a torsion spring is fitted in hinge assembly 304 directly below retaining means 402. Such a torsion spring is configured to be maintained in a tubular vessel mounted around an axle provided by a protruding arm, axis or pivot projecting vertically downwards from the retaining means 402 into the hinge assembly 304. This provides a fixed point around which such a torsion spring is allowed to act. Manual closing of each wardrobe type door therefore imparts potential energy into the torsion spring by rotating said torsion spring around the axis of the hinge such that said torsion spring is strained. Suitable catches are used to hold each or one wardrobe door in a closed position. On operation of a control means including foot pedal, waist high button and voice recognition facility the described catch is released and the potential energy stored within said torsion spring is released and translated into rotational kinetic energy about the axis provided by the retaining means 402 such that the wardrobe type door is allowed to open. This opening is frictionally damped by friction provided by movement around the hinge axis such that door opening is in a controlled, steady and predictable manner.

Considering the upper heating compartment single door as shown in Fig. 7 a torsion spring replaces motor unit 701 such that when open a torsion spring is at a lower strain than in the closed position where the torsion spring has greater potential energy. In closed position the upper heating compartment door is held closed by a suitable catch. Releasing this catch by an operation by a suitable control means allows for translation of potential energy into rotational kinetic energy with tubular lever arm 703 defining a rotational movement such that door 104 is moved to an open position. This opening is also frictionally damped to provide steady, controlled and predictable opening.

A second specific mechanism comprises a gas spring of the type commonly incorporated on car hatchback doors. Fig. 10 (A) shows a wardrobe type door 102, retaining means 402 and oven chassis 100. Gas spring 1001 is fixed at both the retaining means 402 and metal extrusion 302. In Fig. 10 (A), said gas spring 1001 is compressed and has greater potential energy than in Fig. 10 (B). In Fig.

(A) a suitable catch is required to hold the door in a closed position. On releasing such a catch the door is allowed to rotate around an axis 1002 provided by the retaining means 402 through hinge assembly 304. Rotation is caused by translation of the potential energy within spring 1001 to kinetic energy hence driving rotation around axis 1002 as gas spring 1001 expands. Manually closing the door 102 results in potential energy being input back into gas spring 100 1 and resetting the system.

Referring to Fig. 11 there is illustrated the upper heating compartment door 104, gas spring 1101 maintained substantially within oven unit chassis 100 connected to a bracket 1103 which is also connected to door 104. The system is set up such that on release of the catch holding closed the upper heating compartment door 104 the weight of the door is such to drive rotation under gravity of the door about axis 1104. This rotation results in the gas spring 1101 being compressed as the arm is pushed into gas spring 1101 shown by arrow 1102. Rotation about axis 1104 in one of directions 1105 is thus damped by the telescopic damping action of the gas spring 1101. This system is in some respects the opposite to that described for the wardrobe type doors in Fig. 10.

That is, during door opening the spring is compressed and provides the damping in order to provide controlled, steady and predictable door opening. Door opening is thus due to the mass of the door resulting in door opening around an axis due to gravity.

Preferably, in both first and second specific embodiments, operation of the hinge motors or door opening mechanisms of any door results in a controlled, steady and predictable closing and/or opening of the door or doors. Such action is designed such that the user may learn to expect and anticipate the rate of door opening or closing and avoids uncontrolled, rapid opening or closing which may catch the user unaware leading to possible accident and/or injury.

Preferably, both first and second specific embodiments can be combined such that there is a cooker unit with a plurality of door or sets of doors wherein any number of doors or sets of doors are automatically operable in closing and/or opening by any combination of motor units or resilient spring mechanisms as described which may also include prior art non-powered closing and/or opening mechanisms.

Preferably, the upper and lower heating compartments described are substantially operable as ovens for use in domestic cooking and baking. Suitably, said doors described enclosing said upper and lower heating compartments include hinged covers, windows, panels and the like. Such doors can be substantially comprised of a single material or made up of a plurality of components.

In all specific embodiments considered an inner heat protecting glass door is always maintained as a part of the external door such that on opening of any one of the doors present on the cooker unit the associated inner heat protecting door will also swing open with the external door. That is to say, that there is no need for a further automatic or manual operation to open any inner heat protecting door and that a single operation of an operating means to result in the opening of a single door or a pair of wardrobe type doors will also result in the inner heat protecting door also being opened.

Considering the wardrobe type doors alone when compared to a conventional single door to cover a compartment such as the lower heating compartment on the cooker unit described in all embodiments, the length of the inner heat protecting glass door, which when the oven is in use will become hot, is shorter than the length of a conventional single door, there is potentially a lower risk of the user sustaining bums by contacting the inner heat protecting glass door. As a result the design is potentially safer than a conventionally designed single door for a heating compartment such as the lower heating compartment described, where a separate, large, single inner heat protecting glass door is also present.

Claims (6)

Claims:

1. A cooker oven unit comprising a chassis and at least one control means, said chassis further comprising at least one heating compartment, said compartment accessible by at least one opening door configured for movement about a hinge characterized by further comprising:

at least one gas spring connected to said hinge and configured to substantially effect controlled opening movement of said at least one opening door in response to a user command input by said at least one control means.

2. A cooker oven unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one opening door opens about a vertical axis and said at least one gas spring extends substantially between the hinge axis and said at least one opening door, during door opening said gas spring expanding telescopically to rotate said at least one opening door around said hinge to effect door opening.

3. A cooker oven unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one opening door opens about a horizontal axis, said at least one gas spring fixed at said chassis and extending between said chassis and said hinge, during door opening said gas spring providing a controlled, steady and predictable door opening.

4. A cooker oven unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein said hinge is located at a lower door edge, said door opening under gravity, said at least one gas spring providing telescopic damping during door opening.

5. A cooker oven unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said at least one opening door comprises a pair of wardrobe-type doors.

6. A cooker oven unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said control means is taken from the set of buttons, foot pedals and a voice recognition device.