AU2013229660A1

AU2013229660A1 - Household appliance

Info

Publication number: AU2013229660A1
Application number: AU2013229660A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Markus Hopfl; Walter Lippert
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2012-03-06
Filing date: 2013-03-01
Publication date: 2014-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-01
Also published as: CN104159494B; WO2013131822A2; CN104159494A; WO2013131822A3; EP2822442B1; RU2584671C2; PL2822442T3; DE102012203484A1; EP2822442A2; AU2013229660B2; RU2014136790A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance (1), particularly a dishwasher, comprising a door (3), a thermal actuator (6) for the opening or unlocking of the door (3) and a device (11) that is designed to uncouple a closing or locking of the door (3) from the thermal actuator (6).

Description

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 1 / 25 Household appliance The present invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a dishwasher. The unlocking and opening of the door of a traditional dishwasher, for example a dishwasher with a pull-open lock, is associated with a certain exertion of effort on the part of the operator, which is in some cases deemed to be inconvenient. Further it has in the past transpired that opening the door of a dishwasher partially during the drying process is energy-efficient and advantageous with respect to complete drying. Accordingly, dishwashers with a device for the automatic opening of the door have been developed in the recent past. Such a dishwasher is for example described in EP 2 394 561 A2. It is a task of the present invention to provide a household appliance which is equipped with a particularly cost-effective mechanism for the opening of the door. A household appliance, in particular a dishwasher, is thus provided with a door, an actuator, in particular a thermal actuator, for the opening or unlocking of the door and a device. The device is embodied to uncouple a closing or locking of the door from the actuator. In the present case a "thermal actuator" is to be understood as an actuator, in which a movement takes place as a function of a temperature change. The "movement" here comprises for example the moving of an operating element, e.g. a working piston, between an initial position and an opening position, wherein the movement into the opening position effects the opening or unlocking of the door. The temperature change can for example be effected by electrical means, which is simple to implement from the control technology perspective. As a rule, thermal actuators comprise an expansion material (for example oil, wax, hard paraffin or metal) which undergoes a phase transition and thus a significant change in volume, resulting in a movement from the initial position to the opening position. The movement completed is as a rule proportional to the change in volume of the expansion material. If the expansion material cools PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 2/ 25 down once more, then the operating element, in particular the working piston, is typically pressed back into the corresponding housing of the thermal actuator by the spring and in this way moved back into its initial position. Examples of such thermal actuators are wax motors, bimetals or shape memory alloys (memory metals). Thermal actuators, in particular the aforementioned wax motors, are characterized in that they are particularly cost-effective. However such thermal actuators as a rule have the property that they are only capable of performing a relatively slow actuation. In particular the return movement of the operating element from the opening position into the initial position here takes a relatively long time, from several seconds up to several minutes. This will be explained below by way of example, on the basis of a wax motor: by means of an electrical heating device, the wax of the wax motor can be relatively rapidly heated up, so that a relatively rapid movement of the working piston from the initial position into the opening position in relation to the return movement can be achieved as a result of the expanding wax. However the cooling of the wax takes place more slowly than the heating-up, so that the return movement of the working piston from the opening position into the initial position takes place correspondingly more slowly. Although thanks to this property the thermal actuator can be employed without problems for the opening or unlocking of the door, in particular if the speed of movement of the actor from the initial position into the opening position is non-critical for the desired function, such as e.g. in the desired opening or unlocking of the door at the end of a drying program of a dishwasher. However if the door is to be directly closed or locked again after the opening or unlocking, then the thermal actuator itself, in particular the operating element itself, prevents such a closing or locking because of the only slow speed of movement of the operating element, in particular working piston, from the opening position into the initial position, unless additional measures are provided. In principle this problem exists in the case of every actuator whose speed of movement in the case of the return movement of the operating element from the opening position into the initial position falls below a predefinable minimum speed, or expressed in another way, in the case of every actuator in which the time taken by the return movement exceeds a predefinable duration. Such a delayed return movement can be system-dependent, e.g. in the case of a thermal PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 3 / 25 actuator, but can also be effected by means of a special arrangement, e.g. an electric motor with a complex downstream gear mechanism. In the present case a corresponding additional measure consists in uncoupling the closing or locking of the door from the actuator, in particular thermal actuator. This kinematic disengagement has the effect of enabling the door to be closed or locked, although the operating element, in particular the working piston, is still at least partially extended as a result of its slow speed of movement in the direction from the opening position into the initial position. A closing or locking of the door directly after the opening or unlocking of the door is thereby possible. The application of the invention then in particular makes sense, if the return movement of the operating element from the opening position into the initial position lasts at least one second, in particular at least five seconds. If in fact the door cannot be closed again for such a period, this represents a restrictive condition on the operation of the household appliance, which is perceived by the operator as disruptive or at least unwelcome. In the present case the following distinction is drawn between opening/closing and unlocking/locking: opening/closing means a movement of the door, in order to afford access to a space behind the door (opening) or to prevent such access (closing). Unlocking/locking of the door means an actuation of a locking element, which allows opening of the door (unlocking) or blocks such opening (locking). The opening and unlocking can also take place at the same time, in the same way as the closing and locking can be simultaneous. This is for example the case with a door lock, in which the unlocking of the door is accompanied by opening of the same and/or the locking of the door by closing of the same. According to one embodiment the device is embodied to couple the actuator with the door for the opening of the same or with a door lock for unlocking of the door. By means of the coupling a kinematic functional connection arises between the actuator and the door or the door lock. This kinematic functional connection is then disengaged by the PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 4 / 25 uncoupling, in order to be able to close or lock the door again directly after the opening or unlocking of the same. According to a further embodiment the device has a first and a second actuating element, which can be brought into abutment for coupling to each other and out of abutment for the uncoupling. Typically the first actuating element acts in a first direction against the second actuating element, while these are in abutment with each other. If the first actuating element moves in a second direction essentially perpendicular to the first direction, the first and second actuating element then move out of abutment. The first actuating element can for example be embodied as a plunger. The second actuating element can for example be embodied as a lever. The first and second actuating element are preferably in each case transposable between a first and second location, wherein the first location in each case corresponds to a closed or locked status of the door and the second location in each case to an opened or unlocked status of the door, wherein the first and second actuating element, if these are in each case positioned in their second location, can be brought out of abutment for the uncoupling, by means of which a return of the second actuating element from its second location into its first location is enabled. The first and second actuating element are thus provided in such a manner that they move partially on the same path (first and second actuating element into abutment) and partially on different paths (first and second actuating element out of abutment). The return of the second actuating element can thereby be effected independently of a movement of the first actuating element in a simple manner. According to a further embodiment the bringing out of abutment comprises a displacement of the first actuating element transversely to the feed axis of the actuator. The feed axis means the axis along which the operating element, in particular the working piston, of the actuator can be moved. Insofar as in the present case reference is made to "transverse", PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 5 / 25 "parallel" or "perpendicular", this preferably encompasses variances from the transverse direction, the parallel and the perpendicular of 0 to 450, preferably 0 to 200, even more preferably 0 to 100 or still more preferably 0 to 50 comprises. According to a further embodiment the device has a spring for the displacement of the actuating element. In principle, a different type of actuator, for example a permanent magnet or electromagnet, could be employed instead of the spring (this applies to each of the springs described in the present case, in particular thus the first and second spring). According to a further embodiment the first actuating element has a bevel, against which the spring acts at least indirectly. "At least indirectly" encompasses in the present case indirectly and directly. "Indirectly" means that the spring can for example act on the first actuating element by means of an interposed plunger. A direct action of the spring on the first actuating element - without an interposed element -is nevertheless possible. The bevel has the effect that the spring is increasingly tensioned, and the first actuating element is moved along the feed axis. The bevel additionally has the effect that the force exerted by means of the spring has a component in the direction transversely to the feed axis. According to a further embodiment the first actuating element is provided for the bringing into and out of abutment on a closed path. The closed path can for example be embodied in circular, oval, rectangular, square or elongated hole-shaped form. The aforementioned different paths of the first and second actuating element can thus be effected in a simple manner.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 6/ 25 According to a further embodiment the device has a crank, which interacts with a crank element of the first actuating element, in order to define the closed path. The crank can for example be embodied in the form of an elongated hole-shaped elevation. The crank element can for example be embodied in the form of a tappet, which is moved along the external contour of the elongated hole-shaped elevation. According to a further embodiment the closed path has a first and second section of path, along which the first actuating element is transposable by means of the actuator, in particular thermal actuator. The first and second section of path are preferably embodied parallel to each other. The first section of path here typically corresponds to the extension of the operating element, e.g. in the form of a working piston, of the actuator, while the second section of path corresponds to the retraction of the working piston. According to a further embodiment the closed path has a third and fourth section of path, which connect the first and second section of path to each other, and along which the first actuating element is transposable by means of one or a multiplicity of springs. The third and fourth sections of path can for example in each case be embodied in semicircular form. The third section of path here preferably connects the first and second section of path at one of their respective ends, while the fourth section of path preferably connects the first and second section of path in each case at their other ends. According to a further embodiment the first actuating element is transposable by means of the actuator along the first section of path from its first into its second location in the direction of travel of the actuator, wherein the first actuating element comes at least indirectly into abutment with a first spring and the second actuating element and here compresses the first spring and moves the second actuating element between its first and second location.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 7/25 Here, "in the direction of travel of the actuator" means preferably the direction from the initial position of the operating element, e.g. of the working piston, into its opening position. "In the direction of travel of the thermal actuator" here preferably means the direction along which the expansion material of the thermal actuator expands. In the direction of travel the actuator, in particular the thermal actuator, or as the case may be its working piston, has a relatively high speed of movement compared with the return direction (against the direction of travel). The door can thereby be rapidly opened or unlocked, for example within 45 to 60 seconds. According to a further embodiment the first spring moves the first actuating element, if this is positioned in its second location, along the third section of path in the transverse direction to the feed axis from its second location into a third location, wherein the first actuating element moves out of abutment with the second actuating element. The disengagement of the first and second actuating element from each other thus takes place in a simple manner. According to a further embodiment the first actuating element is transposable along the second section of path from its third location into a fourth location against the direction of travel by means of the actuator, wherein the first actuating element moves at least indirectly into abutment with a spring and thereby compresses the second spring. "Against the direction of travel" means a movement along the direction from the opening position into the initial position of the operating element. In the case of thermal actuators this is that direction along which the expansion material of the thermal actuator typically contracts, so that the corresponding speed of movement of the thermal actuator or of the working piston of the same is low.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 8 / 25 According to a further embodiment the second spring moves the first actuating element, if this is positioned in its fourth location, along the fourth section of path from its fourth location into the first location against the transverse direction. The closed path along which the first actuating element is moved is thus created in a simple manner. According to a further embodiment the device has a stop, which the first spring strikes, when the first actuating element is positioned in its third location. The stop prevents the first spring acting against the second spring, and the second spring moves the first actuating element along the fourth section of path. According to a further embodiment the first actuating element is mounted in a movable fashion on a working piston of the actuator transversely to the direction of travel. To this end the working piston can have an engagement element, which engages in a corresponding accommodating element in the actuating element in a slidable manner. Alternatively the first actuating element can also have the engagement element and the working piston the accommodating element. The engagement and accommodating element can be embodied according to the groove-spring principle. According to a further embodiment a return spring is provided, which returns the second actuating element from its second location to its first location. Thus as soon as the first actuating element enables a return of the second actuating element, the second actuating element is returned by means of the return spring. The second actuating element and any further actuating elements connected with this are thereby positioned in such a way that the door can be closed or locked without any problems.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 9/ 25 According to a further embodiment the first and second actuating element have bevels corresponding to each other for the bringing into abutment. By means of a minimal displacement of the first and second actuating element from each other it can thereby be achieved that these can move past each other for the return of the second actuating element. According to a further embodiment the first spring acts by means of a plunger upon the first actuating element, which comprises a bevel, which corresponds to the bevel of the first actuating element. The movement of the first actuating element in the direction of travel of the actuator can thereby be translated in a simple manner into a movement for compression of the first spring. The springs, in particular the first and/or second spring, can be embodied as compression springs, in particular coil pressure springs. The springs can furthermore be embodied as leaf springs. According to a further embodiment the second actuating element is embodied as a bell crank. The device thereby takes up little constructional space. Alternatively, the second actuating element can also be embodied as a cam. According to a further embodiment the second actuating element acts on a door opening plunger or a locking element of the door lock. A "door opening plunger" is a plunger which is essentially moved perpendicularly to the door in order thereby to press this closed. A "locking element of the door lock" is such an element, which engages in a recess of the door or in a frame of a housing of the household appliance delimiting the door opening, in order to lock the door, or can be disengaged with this recess, in order to unlock the door thus to enable opening of the same.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 10 / 25 According to a further embodiment the door lock has a striker and a lever. The striker is, by means of the actuator., in particular thermal actuator, transposable from a locking position, in which it engages in the door in a form-fitted manner, against a spring acting in the direction of closure of the door, into an unlocking position, in which it releases the door for opening of the same, and is secured against a return by means of the spring in a form-fitted manner. Upon closing of the door the lever releases the form fit, by means of which the spring forces the striker into the locking position and pulls the door in the direction of closure. In the case of this door lock, the unlocking of the door is accompanied by a slight opening of the same and the locking of the door by a slight closure of the same. This type of door lock can also be designated a "pull-open lock". According to one embodiment the door is embodied without a handle. In this case the inventive actuator, in particular thermal actuator, brings about any opening of the door. Such an embodiment then in particular makes sense if the feed speed, that is to say the speed of movement of the operating element from the initial position into the opening position, is sufficiently high. According to another embodiment the door is embodied with a handle or a recessed grip. The actuator only then effects the opening of the door if it is provided for by the operating program of the household appliance, for example the wash program of a dishwasher. The opening of the door preferably takes place during or after a drying program of a dishwasher. The opening or unlocking of the door can be triggered by a sensor, which is connected to the actuator, e.g. the thermal actuator, by means of electrical signals. For example the sensor can be embodied in the form of a pushbutton, tactile sensor, proximity sensor or optical sensor. Alternatively the opening or unlocking of the door can be triggered by a control device. Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are the subject of the subsidiary claims and the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. The invention is PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 11 / 25 further explained in greater detail on the basis of preferable embodiments with reference to the attached figures. In the figures: Figure 1: shows a dishwasher in a schematic side view; Figure 2: shows an enlarged view II from Figure 1 in a partially cutaway representation, wherein an actuator plunger is in a first location; Figure 3: shows an actuator plunger from Figure 2 shown in a three-dimensional view; Figure 4: shows a section TV-IV from Figure 2; Figure 5: shows a section V-V from Figure 4; Figure 6: shows the view from Figure 2, wherein the actuator plunger is in a second position; Figure 7: shows the view from Figure 5. when the actuator plunger is positioned in the second location shown in Figure 6; Figure 8: shows the view from Figure 6, wherein the actuator plunger is in a third location; Figure 9: shows the view from Figure 8, wherein the actuator plunger is in a fourth location; Figure 10: shows in schematic form a closed path, on which the actuator plunger is moved; and Figure 11: shows the view from Figure 5 with active overload protection. In the figures, elements which are the same or have the same functions have been provided with the same reference characters, unless otherwise specified. Figure 1 shows in a schematic side view a household appliance in the form of a dishwasher 1. This has a washing compartment 2 to accommodate items to be washed. A door 3 is joined in a pivoting manner to a carcass 4 forming the washing compartment 2 by means of a hinge 5. The closed position of the door 3 is here illustrated by means of a continuous line and the open position by a dashed line.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 12 / 25 The dishwasher I furthermore has an actuator in the form of a thermal actuator 6 (see Figure 2), a door lock 7 and a device 11, which are arranged in each case underneath a top cover 12 of the carcass 4. The door lock 7 comprises a locking element 13 (see Figure 4) and a indentation 14 (see Figure 1), into which the locking element 13 engages in the closed position of the door 3 and pulls this in the direction of the washing compartment 2 against a seal 15 shown in Figure 2. A gas- and liquid-tight closure of the washing compartment 2 is thereby achieved in the closed position of the door 3. The dishwasher I furthermore has a tactile sensor 16, which is coupled with a control device 17 of the dishwasher I by means of electrical signals. If an operator actuates the tactile sensor 16 while operating the dishwasher 1, that is to say while the latter is running a wash program, for example to place a cup which has been forgotten in a basket in the washing compartment 2. which is not shown, the control device 17 then interrupts the washing process and controls the thermal actuator 6 for unlocking of the door 3. In this status the device 11 couples the thermal actuator 6 with the door lock 7. The thermal actuator 6 then forces the locking element 13 from its locking position shown by the continuous line in Figure 4 into the unlocking position shown there by a dashed line. Thereafter the operator for example pulls the door 3 into its open position by means of a recessed grip 21, as shown in Figure 1, or the door 3 falls open under its own weight. The tactile sensor 16 can also be in integrated into the recessed grip 21, so that merely manually grasping the recessed grip 21 results in unlocking of the door 3. With the door 3 in its open position, the forgotten cup can now for example be placed in the basket. The operator then closes the door 3 again. With the pushing closed of the door 3 the locking element 13 (see Figure 4) once more springs out of its unlocking position into its locking position, by means of which the door 3 is locked and pressed in the direction of the washing compartment 2 against the seal 15. The opening and closing of the door 3, including the corresponding unlocking and locking of the locking element 13, takes only a short time. As a rule, this timescale is not sufficient to enable PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 13 / 25 resetting of the thermal actuator 6. So that the return of the locking element 13 from its unlocking position into its locking position is possible despite the thermal actuator 6 not yet being returned, the device 11 uncouples the locking element 13 from the thermal actuator 6. Figure 2 shows an enlarged view 11 from Figure 1, wherein the cover 12 is shown in cutaway form. The thermal actuator 6 is for example embodied as a wax motor. The thermal actuator 6 comprises a housing 22, which is filled with wax 23, which drives a working piston 24. The device II has a first, fixed carrier piece 28, to which the housing 22 is attached. A coil 25 is further provided, which heats the wax 23, as soon as the control device 17 (see Figure I) applies current to the coil 25. The wax 23 then expands relatively rapidly, wherein the working piston 24 is extended along the feed axis 26 in the direction of travel V. For retraction of the working piston 24 against the direction of travel V the thermal actuator 6 can have a spring, which is not shown. Along the feed axis 26 the working piston 24 has a form-fit connection with a first actuating element in the form of an actuator plunger 27. Figure 3 shows the actuator plunger 27 in a three-dimensional view. The actuator plunger 27 has a T-groove 31, in which the working piston 24 engages in a slidable manner at its free end, which is in the form of a T (not shown). along the feed axis 26 in a form fit manner and along a transverse axis 32 transversely to the direction of travel 26. The actuator plunger 27 further has a crank element in the form of a tappet 33. The tappet 33 extends perpendicularly to the plane E defined by the feed axis 26 and the transverse axis 32 To return now to Figure 2 it can be seen that the device II furthermore comprises a crank in the form of an elongated hole-shaped elevation 34. The elevation 34 is embodied on a second, fixed carrier piece 29 of the device 11. The carrier piece 29 is represented in transparent form in Figure 2. In a manner described below in greater detail, the actuator plunger 27 or the tappet 33 PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 14 / 25 respectively is guided on a closed path 35 (see Figure 10) around the elevation 34 along its external contour. The device 11 furthermore has a first spring plunger 36, which is pretensioned by a first spring 37 in the form of a coil pressure spring in a transverse direction Q along the transverse axis 32. The first spring 37 rests on one side on the first carrier piece 28 and on the other on the first spring plunger 36. The spring plunger 36 has a bevel 41, which corresponds to a bevel 42 (see Figure 3) of the actuator plunger 27, that is to say the bevels 41, 42 have the same angle, and lie opposite each other. In the first location LI (see Figure 10) of the actuator plunger 27 shown in Figure 2, the first spring plunger 36 lies against a stop 40 in the transverse direction Q. According to the exemplary embodiment the actuator plunger 27 and the first spring plunger 36 in the first location LI of the actuator plunger 27 are separated from each other by a gap. If the control device 17 now applies current to the coil 25, the working piston 24 transposes the actuator plunger 27 from its first location Li along a section of path 43 (see Figure 10) in direction of travel V. by means of which the actuator plunger 27, via its bevels 42, comes into abutment with the bevel 41 of the first spring plunger 36, and then shifts the first spring plunger 36 against the transverse direction Q and hereby compresses the first spring 37. A displacement of the actuator plunger 27 in the transverse direction Q is here prevented by the tappet 33 in interaction with the elevation 34. The actuator plunger 27 next comes into abutment with a second actuating element of the device II in the form of a bell crank 44. The bell crank 44 is here initially in its first location L. In its first location LI the bell crank 44 extends along the transverse axis 32. "Along" comprises in the present case co-linear and parallel, unless otherwise specified. The bell crank 44 has a first and a second end 45, 46 and is mounted in pivoting form between the ends 45, 46 at a link point 47 on the second carrier piece 29. The first end 45 comprises a bevel 51, which preferably has the same angle as the bevels 41, 42. If the actuator plunger 27 is now further forced in the direction of travel V, the bevel 42 of the actuator plunger 27 acts against the bevel 51 of the bell crank 44, by means of which the bell crank 44 pivots from its first location LI into its second location L2 (see Figure 6). As seen in PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 15 / 25 Figure 2, the bell crank thus pivots in a clockwise direction about the link point 47. The actuator plunger 27 thereby finally arrives in its second location L2, as shown in Figure 10. The second end 46 of the bell crank II is formed with a for example semicircular crank, which acts for example on the T-shaped end 54 of a plunger 53. The plunger 53 clamps down the first carrier piece 28. Between the T-shaped end 54 and the first carrier piece 28 is arranged a return spring 55 in the form of a coil pressure spring. As soon as the bell crank 44 forces the plunger 53 against the direction of travel V, the return spring 55 is compressed. Figure 5 shows a section V-V in Figure 4. Against the direction of travel V the plunger 53 clamps down a U-shaped bar 56 in a form-fitted manner, which at its free ends 57 pushes a pressure plate 61 from behind. Between the bar 56 and the pressure plate 61 is arranged an overload spring 62 in the form of a coil pressure spring, which can be provided with a pretension of, for example 50 Newtons. The bell crank 44 thus acts on the pressure plate 61 by means of the plunger 53 and the overload spring 62. The locking element 13 of the door lock 7 mentioned in the introduction is in the present case embodied as a striker. The striker 13 comprises two arms 63, which push a spring 64 from behind at its one end 65. The spring 64 is embodied as a coil pressure spring. At its other end 66 the spring 64 rests on a housing 67 of the door lock 7. An upper part of the housing 67 is not shown in Figure 5, in order to allow a view of the components thereunder. Opposite the arms 63 the striker 13 has a hook 71, which extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane E. Figure 4 shows a section IV-IV from Figure 2. The hook 71 engages in its locking position in the indentation 14 (see Figure 1). If the bell crank 44 now acts on the arms 63 by means of the pressure plate 61, the striker 13 is forced from its locking position (see Figure 5) into its unlocking position (see Figure 7). The hook 71 is here moved on the one hand against the direction of travel V and on the other in a direction R PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 16 / 25 perpendicular to plane E. The movement in the direction R is brought about in that the door lock 7 comprises a step 72. In the unlocking position (shown as a dashed line in Figure 4) of the striker 13 the hook 71 latches behind the step 72 in a form-fitted manner. The unlocking position of the striker 13 is also shown in Figure 7. The indentation 14 is released in the unlocking position of the striker 13, so that the door 3 can be opened manually by the operator. Alternatively, the door 3 can also be opened automatically by a further device of the dishwasher 1. Although such a device is not shown in detail in the figures, it can however be realized in a simple manner based on the same working principle as presented in the foregoing. In this case the pressure plate 61 would not act on the door lock 7, but on a door opening plunger 73, which is shown by way of example in Figure 2. The door opening plunger 73 would push the unlocked door 3 from its closed position into the open position. Furthermore, a device functioning in a different manner could also be used for the opening of the door 3. Figure 6 shows the view from Figure 2, wherein the actuator plunger 27 and the bell crank 44 are in each case positioned in their second location L2. In the second location L2 the support of the tappet 33 in the transverse direction Q is not now present, so that the first spring plunger 36 pushes the actuator plunger 27 in the transverse direction Q from the second location along a semicircular section of path 74 into a third location L3 (see Figure 8). As soon as or shortly before the actuator plunger 27 reaches its location L3, the first spring plunger 36 strikes the stop 40. As the actuator plunger 27 moved from its second location L2, see Figure 6, into its third location L3, see Figure 8, it enables a return of the bell crank 44 from its second location L2 to its first location LI by means of the return spring 55. When the bell crank 44 is then, as shown in Figure 8, positioned in its first location L1, the pressure plate 61 is arranged at a distance from the arms 63 of the striker 13. If for example after a few seconds the operator now again closes the door 3 manually, so a door section which is not further designated actuates a lever 75 of the door lock 7, which is represented in Figure 4. The actuation of the lever 75 results in the hook 71 being lifted from its unlocking position, that is behind the step 72, and placed upon the step 72. The form fit hitherto PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 17 / 25 existing between the hook 71 and the step 72 is released, by means of which the hook 71 is drawn into its locking position by means of the spring 64. The gap identified as 76 in Figure 8 is thereby used up. A recoupling of the movement of the striker 13 with the actuator plunger 27 does not take place. According to a further embodiment the first spring plunger 36, the first spring 37 and the stop 40 can be dispensed with. In this case the bevel 51 of the bell crank 44 acts on the bevel 42 of the actuator plunger 27 in such a way that the actuator plunger 27 is moved into the third location L3 at the end of its movement in the direction of travel V. The actuator plunger 27 is slowly drawn from the third location L3 (see Figure 8) along a section of path 77 (see Figure 10) by means of the working piston 24 of the thermal actuator 6 against the direction of travel V and thereby moved into its fourth location L4. The section of path 77 is provided parallel to the section of path 43. The movement along the section of path 77 thus takes place more slowly than the opposing movement along the section of path 43, because the wax 23 cools down and contracts more slowly than it heats up and expands. The device 11 furthermore has a second spring plunger 81, which is supported on the second carrier piece 29 via a second spring 82 in the form of a coil pressure spring. As the actuator plunger 27 moves from its third L3 into its fourth location L4, it comes into abutment with a bevel 83 of the spring plunger 81 and presses this against the effect of the second spring 82 in the transverse direction Q. As soon as the support provided to the tappet 33 by the elevation 34 against the transverse direction Q is absent, the second spring plunger 81 pushes the actuator plunger 27 back into its first location LI by means of the bevel 83 against the transverse direction Q along a section of path 84 (see Figure 10). The thermal actuator 6 and the device II and the door lock 7 are now once more in the initial position, at which point the process of the unlocking and opening of the door 3 previously described, can be repeated.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 18 / 25 According to a further embodiment the second spring plunger 81 and the second spring 37 can be dispensed with. In this case a bevel, which is not shown, arranged on the second carrier piece 29, acts on the actuator plunger 27, in such a way that the actuator plunger 27 is moved to the end of its movement against the direction of travel V into the first location Li. Figure 11 shows the view from Figure 5 and thereby illustrates an integrated overload protection. If for example a child lock is activated, or an opening of the door 3 is otherwise prevented, for example if a heavy object is leaning against the door 3, the striker 13 cannot move from its locking position as shown in Figure 11. as in the case of the present design this always calls for a certain opening movement of the door 3. In order now to prevent damage to the device II or the door lock 7, the overload spring 62 is provided. This is compressed, if the striker 13 cannot move from its locking position into its unlocking position and at the same time the bell crank 44 is forced into its second location L2 by means of the actuator plunger 27. Although the present invention has been described on the basis of exemplary embodiments, it may be modified in a variety of ways. The control device 17 can for example be set up to unlock the door 3 during or after a drying program of the dishwasher 1, in that it activates the thermal actuator 6 accordingly. The tactile sensor 16 is optional in this embodiment. It is likewise conceivable to replace the thermal actuator with another actuator, which in particular, in a similar manner to a thermal actuator, permits only a slow return movement of the operating element.

PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 19 /25 Reference characters used: 1 Dishwasher 2 Washing compartment 3 Door 4 Carcass 5 Hinge 6 Actuator 7 Door lock II Device 12 Cover 13 Locking element 14 Indentation 15 Seal 16 Sensor 17 Control device 21 Recessed grip 22 Housing 23 Wax 24 Working piston 25 Coil 26 Feed axis 27 Actuator plunger 28 Carrier piece 29 Carrier piece 31 T-groove 32 Transverse axis 33 Tappet 34 Elevation 35 Closed path PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 20 /25 36 First spring plunger 37 First spring 40 Stop 41 Bevel 42 Bevel 43 Section of path 44 Bell crank 45 First end 46 Second end 47 Link point 51 Bevel 52 Crank 53 Plunger 54 End 55 Return spring 56 Bar 57 End 61 Pressure plate 62 Overload spring 63 Arm 64 Spring 65 End 66 End 67 Housing 71 Hook 72 Step 73 Door opening plunger 74 Section of path 75 Lever 76 Gap PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 21 / 25 77 Section of path 81 Second spring plunger 82 Second spring 83 Bevel 84 Section of path

Claims

1. Household appliance (1), in particular dishwasher, with a door (3), an actuator (6), in particular thermal actuator, for the unlocking of the door (3) and a device (1), which is embodied to uncouple locking of the door (3) from the actuator (6).

2. The household appliance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device (11) is embodied to couple the actuator (6) with a door lock (7) for unlocking of the door (3).

3. The household appliance as claimed in claim I or 2, characterized in that the actuator (6) comprises an operating element (24) which can be moved between an initial position and an opening position, in particular a working piston (24'). wherein a movement into the opening position effects an unlocking of the door (3) and wherein a return movement from the opening position into the initial position lasts at least one second, in particular at least five seconds.

4. The household appliance as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the device (11) comprises a first and a second actuating element (27, 44). which can be brought into abutment with each other for the coupling and out of abutment for the uncoupling, wherein the first and second actuating element (27, 44) are in each case preferably transposable between a first and second location (LI, L2), wherein the first location (Li) in each case corresponds to a locked status of the door (3) and the second location (L2) in each case to an unlocked status of the door (3), wherein the first and second actuating element (27, 44), if these are in positioned in their respective second location (L2), can be brought out of abutment for the uncoupling, by means of which a return of the second actuating element (44) from its second location (L2) into its first location (L1) is enabled.

5. The household appliance as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the bringing out of abutment comprises a displacement of the first actuating element (27) transversely to the feed axis (26) of the actuator (6), wherein the device (11) preferably comprises a spring (37, 82) for the displacement of the first actuating element (27), wherein the first actuating PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 23 / 25 element (27) further preferably comprises a bevel (42), against which the spring (37) acts, at least indirectly.

6. The household appliance as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first actuating element (27) is provided in a movable manner on a closed path (35) for the bringing into and out of abutment.

7. The household appliance as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the device (11) comprises a crank (34), which interacts with a crank element (33) of the first actuating element (27), in order to define the closed path (35).

8. The household appliance as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the closed path (35) comprises a first and second section of path (43, 77), along which the first actuating element (27) is transposable by means of the thermal actuator (6), wherein the closed path (35) preferably comprises a third and fourth section of path (74, 84), which connect the first and second section of path (43, 77) with each other and along which the first actuating element (27) is transposable by means of one or a multiplicity of springs (37, 82).

9. The household appliance as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the first actuating element (27) is transposable by means of the actuator (6) along the first section of path (43) from its first location (LI) into its second location (L2) in the direction of travel (V) of the actuator (6), wherein the first actuating element (27) comes at least indirectly into abutment with a first spring (37) and the second actuating element (44) and thereby compresses the first spring (37) and transposes the second actuating element (44) between its first and second location (L1, L2), wherein the first spring (37) preferably transposes the first actuating element (27), if this is positioned in its second location (L2), along the third section of path (74) in transverse direction (Q) to the direction of travel (V), from its second location (L2) into a third location (L3), wherein the first actuating element (27) comes out of abutment with the second actuating element (44), wherein the first actuating element (27) further preferably is transposable by means of the actuator (6) along the second section of path (77) from its third location (L3) into a fourth location (L4) against the direction of PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 24 / 25 travel (V), wherein the first actuating element (27) preferably comes at least indirectly into abutment with a second spring (82) and thereby compresses the second spring (82), wherein the second spring (82) further preferably transposes the first actuating element (27), if this is positioned in its fourth location (L4), along the fourth section of path (84) from its fourth location (L4) in the first location (LI). against the transverse direction (Q).

10. The household appliance as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the device (11) comprises a stop (40), which the first spring (37) strikes, when the first actuating element (27) is positioned in its third location (L3).

11. The household appliance as claimed in one of the claims 4 - 10, characterized in that the first actuating element (27) is mounted in a movable manner on a working piston (24) of the actuator (6) transversely to direction of travel (V).

12. The household appliance as claimed in one of the claims 4 - 11, characterized in that a return spring (55) is provided, which returns the second actuating element (44) from its second location (L-2) into its first location (LI).

13. The household appliance as claimed in one of the claims 4 - 12, characterized in that the first and second actuating element (27, 44) have bevels (42, 52) corresponding to each other, for bringing them into abutment.

14. The household appliance as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the first spring (37) acts on the first actuating element (27) by means of a plunger (36), which comprises a bevel (41), which corresponds to the bevel (42) of the first actuating element (27).

15. The household appliance as claimed in one of the claims 4 - 14, characterized in that the second actuating element (44) is embodied as a bell crank and/or the second actuating element (44) acts on a locking element (13) of the door lock (6), in particular by means of an overload spring (62). PCT/EP2013/054170 / 2012P00097WO 25 / 25

16. The household appliance as claimed in one of the claims 2 - 15, characterized in that the door lock (7) comprises a striker (13), which by means of the actuator (6) is transposable from a locking position, in which it engages in the door (3) in a form-fitted manner, against a spring (64) acting in the direction of closure of the door (3), into an unlocking position, in which it releases the door (3) for an opening of the same, and is secured against a return by means of the spring (64) in a form-fitted manner, and a lever (75), which upon closing of the door (3) releases the form fit, by means of which the spring (64) forces the striker (13) into the locking position and pulls the door (3) in the direction of closure.