EP0478523A1

EP0478523A1 - Device for a dishwasher door

Info

Publication number: EP0478523A1
Application number: EP91850222A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carl Quarfordt; Lars-Bertil Ohlson
Original assignee: Electrolux AB
Current assignee: Electrolux AB
Priority date: 1990-09-25
Filing date: 1991-09-13
Publication date: 1992-04-01
Also published as: SE9003030D0; SE467038B; SE9003030L; JPH05161585A

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for dishwasher door (10). The door is turnable about a mainly horizontal axis (11) from a vertical closed position via a partly open position to a mainly horizontal open position and vice versa. In the closed position the door (10) covers the opening of a tub (12) in which the dish is placed. The door is influenced by means (17) counteracting the movement of the door from the partly closed to the open position. During the last part of the opening movement to the completely open position the door (10) is also influenced by a movement damping means (24).

Description

This invention relates to a device for a dishwasher door which is turnable about a mainly horizontal axis from a vertical closed position via a partly open position to a mainly horizontal completely open position and vice versa the door in the closed position covering the opening of a tub in which the dish is placed, the door being influenced by means counteracting the movement of the door from the partly closed to the open position.
Dishwashers having the abovementioned type of doors are wellknown and common on the market. The means which are used to balance the door usually comprise one or several springs the fastening points of the spring being so placed with respect to the pivot axis of the door that the opening movement of the door during a major part of the turning motion is counteracted by the spring whereas the door in the completely open position and without outer forces rests in a stable horizontal position against a stop or is forced to tilt slightly upwards.
During the last years the interest in hiding the kitchen equipment by building in the kitchen machines behind panels has gradually increased which means that different types of wood and plastic covers are fixed at the outside of the doors of the machines. In order to balance these outer loads, whose weights vary within wide limits, different types of mechanic adjustment means for the springs have been used. The simplest versions of these arrangements comprise different fastening points for one or both of the ends of the spring. In more elaborated versions, see EP 386.725 and DE 3.140.039, the adjustment means are more complicated but easier to handle. Nevertheless for all these arrangements the installation engineer has to carry out tests to find the best position when a panel has been fixed to the door which is time-consuming and troublesome.
The purpose of this invention is the eliminate the above mentioned drawback and achieve a simple arrangement making it possible to fasten different types of panels to the door without the necessity of making adjustments during the installation stage. This is achieved by an arrangement having the characteristics mentioned in the claims.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing on which the Figure is a partly broken side view of the lower front part of a dishwasher.
The dishwasher as usual comprises a door 10 which is turnable about a horizontal shaft 11 in order to cover a vertical opening of a tub 12 in which the dish is stored during the washing operation. The door is supported by L-shaped brackets 13 at each side of the door, one leg 14 of the bracket being fixed to the door by means of screws 15 or the like. The other leg 16 of the bracket is under the influence of a tension spring 17 one end 18 of which is bent and inserted into a slot 19 of the side plate 20 of the machine whereas the other end 21 of the spring, which is also bent, is fastened in a hole 22 of the leg 16. The side plate 20 of the machine also supports a dowel 23 to which a damper 24 for instance a gas spring, an oil or friction damper is fastened. The other end of the damper 24 is in a corresponding way supported on a dowel 25 fastened to the other leg 16 of the bracket. The damper is so shaped that it, when turning the door from its closed to its completely open position and independent of if outer additional loads such as panels are fastened on the door, during the last part of the motion takes up and damps out the movement of the door so that a soft movement to a stop at the completely open position is achieved. The spring 17 is so designed and placed that it, when the door is completely open and when there are no outer loads in the form of panels or a basket on the door, remains in its horizontal position or is forced to tilt upwards.
The device works in the following manner. When the door of the dishwasher is moved from its closed position to a partly open position the bracket 13 will be moved clockwise about the shaft 11 which means that the spring 17 is successively tightened. During this part of the movement the door is not influenced by the damper 24. If the door is released from this partly open position corresponding to a comparatively small opening movement the door returns because of the spring force to a mainly vertical position.
If the door is turned further it will at a certain angle - depending on the weight of the door and the outer loads in the form of panels which are fastened on the door - and without being influenced by additional forces fall towards its horizontal end position which is illustrated with dash-dotted lines in the Figure. This means that the damper will start to operate thereby counteracting and damping out the falling movement. It should be observed that it of course is possible to combine the spring and the damper to an intergrated unit if this should be desirable.

Claims

Device for a dishwasher door (10) which is turnable about a mainly horizontal axis (11) from a vertical closed position via a partly open position to a mainly horizontal open position and vice versa the door in the closed position covering the opening of a tub (12) in which the dish is placed, the door being influenced by means (17) counteracting the movement of the door from the partly closed to the open position, characterized in that the door during the last part of the opening movement to the completely open position also is influenced by a movement damping means (24).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the door is used for supporting external panels the movement damping means (24) being so designed that the opening movement of the door, without adjusting the means (17) counteracting the opening movement of the door (10), is damped out when using any type of suitable panel.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the door (10) at the lower part of each side edge has a bracket (13) which is turnably fastened about said axis (11) the bracket being a fastening point for said counteracting means (17) as well as the movement damping means (24).
Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said counteracting means (17) consists of a spring.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement damping means (24) is a gas damper, an oil damper or a friction damper.