EP0754920A1 - Device for opening and closing an access door for a cavity and cooking oven provided with such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The linkage consists of a frame to which the door is pivoted, and an articulated parallelogram linkage which allows the door and frame to move up or down relative to the opening. Each parallelogram comprises two arms (11, 14) pivoted at one end to the frame uprights (10). The upper arm (11) is straight and pivoted at one end to the top of an upright and at the other to the side of the oven, while the lower arm (14) is bent at a right angle and pivoted at one end to the middle of an upright and at the other to the output shaft of a drive and reduction gear (47) or to the oven wall.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for opening and closing an access door to any enclosure.

It also relates to a baking oven equipped with this device.

We know that built-in ovens or ovens belonging to cookers are generally equipped with doors whose opening or closing is obtained by pivoting around a horizontal axis located in the lower part of the device.

Thus, in the open position, the door forms a substantially horizontal plane constituting a surface allowing the removal of the dishes from the oven and also facilitating the cleaning of the internal face of the door since it is well cleared.

However, tilting the door to open the oven requires a relatively large clearance space in front of the appliance, which is often not the case in small kitchens.

In addition, this constraint is strongly felt by users, in particular for the doors of cookers or built-in ovens placed under the worktop.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the above drawbacks in particular by proposing a door opening and closing device which does not require any particular clearance in front of the oven to open and close the door, while retaining the possibility of '' convenient access to the inside of the door for cleaning.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for opening and closing an access door to an enclosure, such as for example a cooking oven, characterized by means for opening and closing the door according to two modes, namely either by tilting the door relative to the enclosure or by translation of the same door in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the access opening of the enclosure.

According to yet another characteristic of this device, the aforementioned means consist of a frame on which the door is pivotally mounted and which is itself articulated on the enclosure to allow the translation of said door.

According to a preferred embodiment, the frame consists of two vertical uprights in the lower part of which the door is pivotally mounted and which are each associated with arms to form a hinged parallelogram on the opposite sides of the enclosure.

Each articulated parallelogram consists of two arms, namely a first straight arm mounted articulated by one end on the upper part of the vertical uprights and by its other end on one side of the enclosure, and a second orthogonally bent arm which is mounted articulated by one end on the middle part of the vertical uprights and the other end of which is either wedged on the output shaft of a geared motor group, or mounted articulated on one side of the enclosure, like the first arm.

Thus, in the first case, the door will be opened or closed automatically, while, in the second case, the opening and closing will be controlled manually.

The device according to this invention is further characterized by a spring mounted between the point of articulation of the first arm on the side of the enclosure, and the second arm.

The second arm is orthogonally bent at about two thirds of its length, which advantageously will prevent it from abutting on such or such element of the oven or of the cabinet in which the oven is embedded.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, there are provided bolts or the like urged by a spring and mounted in the upper and lateral part of the door to allow it to be locked, on tilting, on the vertical uprights of the chassis.

Each bolt is capable of cooperating with a keeper mounted articulated on the vertical uprights of the chassis in order to provide security for locking when the door is tilted when the latter operates in translation mode.

According to a preferred embodiment, each bolt is provided with a groove capable of cooperating with an orifice formed in the keeper which is urged permanently by a spring bearing against the aforementioned first arm.

It will also be specified here that in the case where the aforementioned other end of the second arm is not connected to the output shaft of the geared motor group, but is simply mounted articulated on one side of the enclosure, so that the door will have to be opened or closed manually, this other end of the second arm is associated with a cam on which rolls a pressure roller to cancel the action of the spring connecting the first arm to the second arm, when the door is open in translation mode.

However, other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and refers to the appended drawings given solely by way of example, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top view, top wall removed, of a cooking oven equipped with a door opening and closing device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic and partially exploded perspective view of the means according to the invention allowing the door to operate in both tilting and translation modes.

Figure 3 is an elevational side view of the front part of the oven, shown in the closed position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to the previous one but showing the door in the partially open position by tilting.

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are schematic and side views successively illustrating different positions of the door when it is opened in translation mode.

Figure 9 illustrates in partial view from above the locking means for tilting the door, the left part of the figure illustrating the door in the locked position, and the right part, in the unlocked position.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but illustrating the door seen from the interior of the furnace, that is to say along the arrow X in FIG. 1.

Figure 11 is a partial side view of the door, like Figure 3, but illustrates, in an enlarged manner, the safety system of the door tilting lock when the latter operates in translation mode, the door being shown here in the closed position.

Figure 12 is a view identical to Figure 11, that is to say showing in an enlarged manner and from the side, the upper part of the door, the latter being here shown at the start of opening in vertical translation mode.

Figure 13 is a partial schematic side view of the articulation of the two arms of a parallelogram articulated on the side of the enclosure, the lower arm being here provided with a means capable of canceling the action of the spring between the two arms, so as to allow the door to operate by translation with manual control.

Referring to Figure 1, we see an oven 1 whose enclosure 2 is schematically shown and has a bottom wall 3, an upper wall not shown in Figure 1 but identified by S on the Figures 5 to 8, two side walls 4 and a rear wall 5.

The enclosure 2 is surrounded by walls forming a sort of envelope and defining the sides 6 of the enclosure 2.

Of course, the walls of the enclosure, with the sides 6, define an opening 7 for access to the enclosure 2, this opening being closable by a door 8.

According to the invention, the door 8 can be opened and closed in two modes, namely by tilting the door 8 relative to the enclosure 2 or by translating this door 8 along a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the opening 7, using the means which will be described below.

With particular reference to FIGS. 2 to 8, it can be seen that the door 8 is mounted on a frame 9 essentially comprising two vertical uprights 10 each having a U shape in cross section and connected to arms so as to form two articulated parallelograms on the sides 6 of the oven 1.

As it clearly appears in FIG. 2, the door 8 is mounted articulated in the lower part on the vertical uprights 10, so as to be able to tilt or pivot around the axis XX ′, according to arrow F.

Each articulated parallelogram consists of a first rectilinear arm 11, one end 12 of which is articulated on the upper part of the vertical uprights 10, and the other end of which is mounted articulated at 13 on the sides 6 of the enclosure 2, while second arm 14 is articulated by one of its ends 15 on the middle part of the vertical uprights 10, while the other end 16 of the arm 14 can be either connected to the output shaft of a geared motor group 47 (see figures 5 to 8), in which case the door 8 will be actuated automatically as described below, or articulated on the sides 6 of the enclosure 2, in which case the door 8 will be actuated manually.

Returning to FIG. 2, and as can also be seen in FIGS. 5 to 8, the axes of articulation of the ends 12 and 15 of the first arm 11 and of the second arm 14 on the vertical uprights 10, are positioned vertically one relative to the other, as well as for the axes of articulation of the ends 13 and 16 belonging respectively to the arms 11 and 14. In addition, the lengths between the axes 12 and 15 and the lengths between the axes 13 and 16 are equal, so that the four axes 12, 15, 16, 13 form an articulated parallelogram and deformable from the axes 13 and 16 which are fixed on the device.

Thus, not only can the door 8 swing over the axis XX ′, as explained above, but it can be opened or closed in a vertical translation and substantially parallel to the plane of the access opening 7 to the furnace 1, since, during the opening and closing maneuver of the door 8, the axes 12 and 15 will describe arcs of a circle while maintaining said door 8 vertically, as will be explained in detail below.

There is shown in 17 in the figures a spring which, according to the embodiment shown, is mounted between the hinge pin 13 of the first arm 11 on the side 6 of the enclosure 2, and the second arm 14 in a point identified at 18 in the figures, and this so as to keep the door 8 in the equilibrium position.

The second arm 14, as can be seen at 19 in the figures, is bent orthogonally, the elbow in question preferably being situated at about two thirds of the length of the arm 14.

The bent part 19 of the second arm 14 has several reasons for being, namely in particular the size of the geared motor group 47 on which the arm 14 obviously must not abut, the location of the drawer (not shown) generally provided for in bottom of the stove and on which the arm 14 should not either abut, or also the passage slots (not shown) of the arms 11, 14 at the level of the hearth of the oven and beyond which said arms should not go .

However, for a better understanding of the invention, the operation of the system which has just been described will be explained now and below, with particular reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

Starting from FIG. 5 which shows the door 8 in the closed position, it can be seen that after controlling the geared motor 47, the door 8 performs a first descent phase, moving away from the bearing face of the enclosure 2, that is to say by deviating somewhat from the opening 7 of said enclosure, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 6.

As illustrated by the kinematics of Figures 6, 7 and 8, we see that when the position of the axes 12, 13, 16 and 15 is such that each articulated parallelogram approaches the shape of a rectangle, the door 8 performs a movement vertical translation and parallel to the opening 7 of the enclosure 2, until completely clearing this opening, as can be seen in FIG. 8. Of course, the door 8 will close the enclosure 2 under the action of the geared motor group 47 by performing the reverse sequence of the operations described above.

It should be noted that the geared motor 47 driving the axis 16 can be controlled from a pulse given to a control keyboard (not shown), two switches marked at 20 in Figures 5 and 8 being provided to control the end positions of door 8 closed and open.

As explained above, the geared motor group 47 could be omitted, in which case the end 16 of the arm 14 can be articulated on the side 6 of the enclosure 2, just as is the end 13 of the straight arm 11 , so that the door 8, in this case there can operate manually and by substantially vertical translation, to open or close the enclosure. In such a case, as can be seen in FIG. 13, it is advisable to provide a cam 20 integral with the arm 14 and provided with two notches or notches 21 capable of cooperating with a pressure roller marked at 22. Thus, in the position visible on FIG. 13, which is the open door position, the effect of the springs 17 for balancing the door 8 will be canceled, so that the door will remain in the open position, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Once the door 8 has been raised manually to close the enclosure 2, the cam 20 making an arc of a circle with the arm 14, the pressure roller 22 will fall into the other notch 21 of the cam 20, so that the door 8 will be kept in the closed position.

It should be reiterated here that, if desired, the door 8 can be opened by tilting around the axis XX 'on the vertical uprights 10 of the chassis 9, in order to perform a cleaning operation on the interior of this door or when you simply want to use this opening mode.

For this purpose, a system for locking and unlocking the door 8 on the vertical uprights 10 is provided on each side of the upper part of said door, as will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 9, 10. As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the system for locking the tilting of the door 8 is constituted by two lateral bolts 23 each urged by a spring 24 and mounted in the upper and lateral part of the door 8. Each bolt 23 is constantly biased by a spring 24 so as to engage in orifices 25 formed in the aforementioned vertical uprights 10, so that the door 8 remains locked on these uprights.

With the fingers 23 is associated a linkage 26 making it possible, under the effect of a traction, to release the bolts 23 from their respective orifices 25, and this by operating a button or a lever (not shown) integrated into the handle (also not shown) of door 8.

Unlocking having been carried out, the door can then be released from its vertical position and folded down to its horizontal position by pivoting about the axis XX ′, as can be understood with reference to FIG. 4.

On the left side of Figures 9 and 10, the door 8 is shown in the locked position by the side bolts 23, while on the right side of these figures, the door 8 is shown in the unlocked position. In this regard, it will also be noted that the spring 24 associated with each bolt 23 abuts on a stop washer marked at 27 in the figures.

With the door tilting locking system which has just been described, there is associated, in accordance with the invention, a security system preventing the door from unlocking and therefore from tipping over during the opening of said door according to the mode vertical translation.

This security system, which blocks the bolts 23 in the locked position on the vertical uprights 10, will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

It essentially consists of a keeper 28 mounted articulated at 29 on the vertical uprights 10 of the chassis 9, said keeper being constantly urged in the support position against the arms 11, and this thanks to a spring 30 surrounding the articulation 29.

The keeper 28 is provided with an orifice 31 capable of cooperating with a groove 32 provided on each lug 23, and which can be clearly seen on the right side of FIGS. 9 and 10. The operation of this security system is as follows .

When the door is closed, as can be seen in FIG. 11, the keeper 28 is supported on the swinging arm 11 by the springs 30. Consequently, the orifice 31 of the keeper 28 is located in the axis of the bolt 23 the through, so that the release of the bolt 23 by the linkage 26 is authorized. Consequently, the door 8 can operate by tilting around the axis XX '(see FIG. 4).

By cons, from the beginning of the opening by vertical translation of the door 8, the swinging arm 11 pivots about the axis 12 in the direction of the arrow G (Figure 12), so that the keeper 28 following the movement of the arm 11 by means of the spring 30 will position the edge of the orifice 31 in the groove 32 of the bolt 23. This is what is seen in FIG. 12, and also on the left part of FIG. 10 Thus, the bolt 23 is blocked in the keeper 28 and it prevents any possibility of unlocking and therefore of tilting of the door when the latter is open in the vertical translation mode.

Conversely, one could perfectly provide, without departing from the scope of the invention, a system with switch preventing, during the opening of the door 8 by tilting, the current supply of the geared motor group 47 allowing the opening of said door in vertical translation, such a system with switch (not shown), capable of acting from the start of the tilting of door 8.

A device has therefore been produced according to the invention for opening and closing an enclosure such as a cooking oven using a door operating both by tilting and by vertical translation using means. simple and reliable and, moreover, comprising all the security required for locking and unlocking. In addition, such a door can advantageously be opened or closed automatically or manually.

This invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given only by way of example.

On the contrary, the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these are carried out in spirit and fall within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims (8)

Device for opening and closing a door (8) for access to an enclosure (2), such as for example a cooking oven, of the type comprising a frame (9) on which the door (8) is pivotally mounted ) to allow it to tilt relative to the enclosure (2), and which is itself mounted articulated on the enclosure (2) by arms (11, 14) associated with the chassis (9) to form an articulated parallelogram and allow the translation of the door (8) relative to the plane of the opening (7) for access to the enclosure, characterized in that each articulated parallelogram consists of two arms, namely a first straight arm (11) mounted articulated by one end (12) on the upper part of vertical uprights (10) belonging to the chassis (9) and by its other end (13) on one side (6) of the enclosure (2), and a second arm (14) orthogonally bent which is articulated by one end (15) on the middle part of the vertical uprights (10) and the other of which end (16) is either wedged on the output shaft of a geared motor group (47), or hinged mounted on one side (6) of the enclosure (2). Device according to claim 1, characterized by a spring (17) mounted between the articulation point (13) of the first arm (11) on the side (6) of the enclosure (2), and the second arm (14) . Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second arm is orthogonally bent (19) to about two thirds of its length. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by bolts (23) biased by a spring (24) and mounted in the upper and lateral part of the door (8) to allow its locking, on tilting, on the vertical uprights (10) of the chassis (9). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that each bolt (23) is capable of cooperating with a keeper (28) hinged mounted on the vertical uprights (10) of the frame (9) to provide security for locking the door to tilt (8) when the latter operates in translation mode. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that each bolt (23) is provided with a groove (32) capable of cooperating with an orifice (31) formed in the keeper (28) which is urged permanently by a spring (30) bearing against the aforementioned first arm (11). Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the case where the aforementioned other end (16) of the second arm (14) is mounted articulated on one side (6) of the enclosure (2), this other end is associated with a cam (20) on which a pressure roller (22) rolls to cancel the action of the aforementioned spring (17) when the door is open in translation mode. Cooking oven equipped with a device according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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