DE8813044U1 - Electric motor-operated folding shutter - Google Patents

Description

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Electric motor-operated folding shutter Description

The innovation concerns a hinged panel for a household appliance, which carries operating elements that are accessible in a swung-out position and, in a swung-in position, are swung into the housing and hidden by the hinged panel.

Such folding panels/ which can be operated by hand/ are already used on electric stoves. The panel is opened by applying slight pressure to it/ which unlocks a snap mechanism. The panel is folded into the operating position by spring force. Closing is done by pressing until the snap mechanism clicks into place.

The innovation is based on the task of replacing this manual operation with an electric motor drive that is protected against any risk of accidents.

According to the innovation, this task is solved by the fact that the folding panel is connected to an electric motor drive for the opening and closing movement, that the drive can be started by a switching element and that a sensor detects objects lying along the closing path, and if they are present, the power supply to the drive for the closing movement is interrupted.

The advantage achieved by the innovation is increased ease of use combined with effective protection against accidents.

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Fig. 1 the perspective view of a household appliance, here a Electric stove and

&idigr; Fig. 2 shows a partial section of this household appliance in the area of the folding panel.

- Fig. 1 shows an electric stove 1 with a swivelled-out flap end 2, at " which the operating elements 3 are accessible.

\ The function of the folding cover can be seen from the partial section in Fig. 2. The solid lines show the folding cover in its retracted state, in which the operating elements are located inside the housing and the folding cover ensures a smooth finish to the housing.

In this way, control elements that are swiveled into the interior of the housing are protected against access by children and it is not possible for the control elements to become dirty.

The dash-dotted illustration shows the extended folding panel 2 with the operating elements 3, which are accessible in this position for operating the device. The folding panel 2 is operated by an electric motor drive 4, which swings the folding panel 2 in or out. The drive 4 is activated by a switching element (not shown). Such a switching element can, for example, be designed as a manually operated touch switch.

However, other designs of the switching element are also conceivable, e.g. in the case of an electric stove, by switching elements that are assigned to the hotplates 6 and that, when a pot is present, send a signal to the drive 4, which causes the folding panel 2 to swing out 1n 6β&eegr;&sfgr;.

The folding cover can be swung in by means of a manual flofehH ei*Olo;*n or»" β« 1«f a Z# ⁴ .t«ehai filament provided/ du«

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When swung in or swung out, it is sealed with a seal 9 so that no dirt or moisture can get into the interior of the housing. The swiveling movement of the folding cover takes place around a hinge 7. The electric motor drive 4 can be carried out by means of a rod/ a gear wheel with a rack, an eccentric or in another way.

With such a folding panel, a high torque and therefore a small gear ratio of the driving motor is required due to the design. It is therefore only possible to implement such a folding panel 2 equipped with an electric motor drive 4 if adequate protection against the risk of accidents is provided. Sensors 5 are used for this purpose. Such sensors can be designed as a light barrier in the area of the pivoting path of the folding panel 2 or a sensor S is provided along the upper edge of the folding panel as an element that reacts to contact. Such a sensor 5 can also be arranged along the edge of the housing in the pivoting area. The sensors operate a further switching element which immediately interrupts the supply of electrical energy to the electric motor drive 4 for the pivoting movement as soon as an object is located in the pivoting path. After that, especially when using touch sensors, it is advisable to switch on the current for the drive 4 for the swing-out movement in order to release an object or a hand located between the flap and the housing.

Such protection against the risk of accidents can be achieved by means of strain gauges arranged on the actuating rods of the folding cover instead of a sensor 5. These strain gauges react when a predetermined force is exceeded in the rods, which is a sign that an object is in the pivoting path of the folding cover. When this force is exceeded, the power supply to the drive 4 is interrupted. Another possibility is to arrange springs on the actuating rods of the folding cover, which stretch when the predetermined force is exceeded and thus prevent the folding cover from

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blind squeezes the object in the way more strongly. Another possibility is to limit the closing force of the folding blind by limiting the current of the motor or by using a slip clutch and thus reduce the possible closing force of the folding blind to a harmless level. With these safety devices, the drive 4 can also be switched over to release the object 1 m away by swinging it out.

In Fig. 2, such a sensor 5 is arranged on the lower edge of the cover plate 8. Such sensors that react to contact are known and can be based on residual or capacitive principles. Membrane keyboards or a pressure-sensitive/conductive silicone rubber that changes its resistance when pressure is applied are conceivable. Sensors that react to ultrasound or infrared are also possible. A hose-like sensor can also be arranged that is attached along the edges where there is a risk of being crushed. Such a hose can be filled with gas or liquid, with the switching command being triggered by pressure on the hose. A change in the resistance of a conductive liquid in the hose due to constriction as a result of contact is also conceivable.

Of course, such sensors must withstand the special environmental conditions / that occur, for example, when cooking / i.e. temperatures of up to 80' C / high humidity / pollution as well as electromagnetic radiation / that occurs, for example, from microwave ovens set up nearby. They must also be resistant to mechanical and chemical stress (cleaning agents) and react to touch or the presence of any objects / textiles or hands protected with rubber gloves.

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Claims (12)

Folding panel for a household appliance such as an electric stove or the like, which carries operating elements which are accessible in a swung-out position and are swung into the interior of the housing and hidden by the folding panel in a swung-in position,
characterized, that the folding panel (2) is connected to an electric motor drive (4) for swiveling out or in, that the drive (4) can be switched on by a switching element and that a sensor (5) is arranged in the area of the swiveling path of the folding panel (2) and detects objects lying in the swiveling path, until the presence of these objects causes the sensor (5) to operate a further switching element, which immediately interrupts the supply of electrical energy to the electric motor drive (4) for the swiveling movement. 2. Folding panel according to claim 1,
characterized, that after the interruption of the swing in, the power supply for the swing out is switched on immediately. 3. Folding panel according to claim 1 or 2,
thereby divided into that the switching element is a touch switch for manual commands. 4. Folding panel according to claim \, 2 or 3 for an electric cooker,
characterized , that each hotplate (6) is assigned a switching element which, when The presence of a pot activates the drive (4) for swinging out the hinged cover (2). 5. Folding panel according to one of claims 1 to 4,
thereby recognized, that a time stop element after a specified time period after the operation of the household appliance (1) has ended sets the drive (4) for the swinging in of the folding panel (2) in motion. 6. Folding panel according to one of claims 1 to 5, aaacids characterized, dasu- the sensor (S) is a light barrier 7. Folding panel according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that that the sensor (S) is a contact-reacting element arranged along the upper edge of the folding cover and/or the edge of the housing in the pivoting area. 8. Folding panel according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that that the sensor (5) is an element arranged along the upper edge of the folding cover and/or the edge of the housing in the pivoting area and reacts to the approach of an object. 9. Folding panel according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that that the sensor for detecting objects lying in the swivel path is designed as a strain gauge on the actuating rod of the folding cover, which causes an interruption of the power supply to the drive (4) when a predetermined force is exceeded. 10. Folding panel according to one or more of the?* claims 1 to 5, characterized in that that springs are arranged on the actuating rod of the folding cover, which stretch when the predetermined force is exceeded. 11. Folding cover according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the closing force of the folding cover is limited by a current limitation of the motor. 12. Folding cover according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the closing force of the folding cover is limited by a slip clutch. &bull;&bull;&bull;&bull;&bull;&bull;..(&bull;■ti