EP2359738B1 - Household device, in particular installed household device with a controllable operating display - Google Patents

Abstract

The gap (7) between the front (3) of a built-in domestic appliance and the front (4) of a neighboring unit has a sealing strip (8) with a reflecting surface (11). This surface can reflect the light from a source (2) or serve to focus and augment it. The light can come from a direct source along the front edge or door; alternatively it can be transmitted through a light guide from the side (5) of the appliance. Different colors can be used to indicate different functions.

Description

The invention relates to a built-in domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, with a power indicator having one or more illumination elements for emitting light rays, by which an illumination of a gap is formed, which is formed between the household appliance and a surface adjacent to the household appliance ,

There are various household appliances known, the entire front surface is provided with a front panel, which can be adapted to surrounding furniture fronts. Such household appliances are z. As stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers. In a fully integrated household appliance, the problem is that an optical power indicator is hidden in a closed front door of fully integrated household appliance through the front panel, so that the operating state of fully integrated household appliance is not verifiable.

In the DE 100 22 206 C2 is a built-in dishwasher described with a hinged door, which has on its upper face an optical power indicator with one or more light sources, which are covered with the door closed by a, resting on the top of the dishwasher, worktop. There, a light guide is connected to a position fixed to the worktop base over the door fume protection element, which directs the signal light of the overlaid optical operating indicator to the front of the device. The disadvantage is that the signal light in the light guide for a user who is in front of the built-in household appliance or the dishwasher is poorly visible, since the light guide is in a gap between worktop underside and door edge and is covered from above by the worktop , In particular, detection of the signal light when using a device front panel of great strength is made more difficult since in this way the light conductor is additionally covered from below by the front panel of the device.
In order to improve the visibility of the signal light of at least one optical operating indicator, suggests DE 102 59 764 A1 vor, to form the light guide in such a way that its Lichtleitweg is adaptable to the strength of the cover. For this purpose, the light guide can be displaceable relative to the optical operating display. The disadvantage of this is that the coupled out of the light guide light can be different depending on the position of the light source, so that under certain circumstances, the visibility of the power indicator is deteriorated.

The DE 102 36 211 A1 suggests an actively or passively luminous edge or surfaces on the fronts of kitchen furnishings. As a result, the design options and the user guidance of individual kitchen equipment elements as well as for the kitchen equipment to be improved overall.

From the DE 103 03 354 A1 is a lamp with arranged in series light-emitting diodes known, wherein the lamp is designed as a worktop edge piece, in particular as a kitchen worktop edge piece, on the underside of the light-emitting diodes are arranged. The lamp can also be designed as a profile strip, which is fixed in the base recess of one or more cupboard furniture, especially kitchen base cabinets. The aim is to provide a good illumination of the floor and, in the case of the worktop edge piece, an illumination of the cabinet fronts as well as an illumination of drawers or other built-in components. To control an operational display or to signal errors, the arrangement is not suitable.

From the DE 20 2004 017 690 U1 is a cover plate for use on furniture known in which the luminous bodies are arranged in a relatively protected area and emit their light over the front visible edge of the cover plate. This is accomplished by a cover plate made of glass, which is arranged on a support. In this case, one or more light sources are arranged on the side facing away from the viewer over the entire length, so that the light penetrates the cover plate and exits at its front end side.

In order to experience the current status of a program flow during operation of the household appliance without great effort to affect the operation of the household appliance or interrupt, suggests the DE 101 44 668 an operational display in the form of a light strip for a washing machine before that a larger number of light-emitting elements, with the progress of the washing program or with increasing rotational speed of the washing drum a growing number of light elements of the light strip illuminates. However, such an operational display is not suitable for use in dishwashers, for example, since they do not have a rotating washing drum.

Furthermore, from the DE 10 2004 019 329.0 The applicant discloses a controllable operational display with a number of illumination elements, wherein the illumination intensity of the individual illumination elements is controlled as a function of the operation of the dishwasher. The illumination elements of the operational display are arranged in a side surface of the dishwasher or in the border of a front door of the dishwasher, wherein the radiation of the light beams generated by the illumination elements can be at least partially indirect. The arrangement of the Illuminationselemente in the lateral area of the dishwasher has the consequence that the gaps between the dishwasher and the adjacent cabinet components or household appliances are illuminated with illuminating Illuminationselementen. With illuminating Illuminationselementen the outlines of the dishwasher are therefore at least partially illuminated. The disadvantage is that with very narrow gaps between the dishwasher and the adjacent cabinet component or the adjacent appliance is given only limited visibility for the user, which can depend on the light conditions at the installation of the dishwasher and the angle of the user to the dishwasher.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dishwasher with a power indicator, which indicates an operating condition of the dishwasher in a convenient and easy to understand manner. In particular, good visibility of the operating status display should be ensured.

This object is achieved by the dishwasher according to the invention having the features according to claim 1. Advantageous developments emerge from the dependent claims.

An improvement in the visibility of the controllable operation indicator having one or more illumination elements for emitting light rays, by which an illumination of a gap is effected, which is formed between the household appliance and a household appliance adjacent surface, results in the inventive built-in household appliance thereby in that a reflection element is provided in the gap for guiding and / or focusing the light radiation emitted by the illumination elements.

The surface may be the sidewall of an adjacent cabinet component, an adjacent domestic appliance, or a panel covering the domestic appliance.

By the reflection element, the light radiation generated by the illumination elements can be coupled out of the gap at least partially directed, whereby the signal effect is improved. This can be done independently of the arrangement of Illumination elements.

In one embodiment, the reflective element is formed by a, the household appliance and the adjacent surface connecting, piping. This has the advantage that no additional components must be provided for directing and / or bundling the light radiation emitted by the illumination elements, since a welt is usually provided to cover a gap formed between the built-in domestic appliance and the adjacent area. The piping may be attached to a side wall of the built-in domestic appliance, its base or its roof. The attachment can be carried out using common methods, such as. As gluing, clamps, screws, etc. done.

If the welt is made of a plastic, it is provided according to a further embodiment that it has a reflective surface and the reflective surface is created by a reflective coating of the welt or a color with high reflectance. Alternatively, according to another embodiment, the welt may already be made of a material having a reflective surface. For this purpose, the piping example, as a metal bracket, z. B. stainless steel, be formed.

In order to ensure an at least partially directed decoupling of the light radiation from the gap, it is provided according to a further embodiment that the shaping of the surface of the welt for deflection and / or bundling of the light beams generated by the illumination elements is designed such that they are decoupled from the gap ,

The Illuminationselemente can be arranged in one embodiment in a border of a front door of the household appliance. It is preferred if the light beams generated by the illumination elements are at least partially directed to the piping, so that the radiation of the light beams generated by the illumination elements takes place at least partially indirectly.

The illumination elements can also be arranged in a side wall of the household appliance, so that the radiation of the light beams generated by the illumination elements takes place at least partially directly. In this case, the piping can be used for example for directing the generated light radiation. The Illuminationselemente can be arranged in a gap facing the end face of the side wall. It is also conceivable that a light source of the illumination element is arranged in the side wall of the household appliance. In order to enable a simplified arrangement of the light source of the illumination element, it is further provided that a light guide of the illumination element is arranged in the side wall of the household appliance. It can be provided that the light source is arranged in the side wall or in the movable door. The light guide may be formed for example by a prism. It is also possible that the illumination elements are provided with an optical system influencing the beam path. The optics can be used in addition to serving as a reflection surface piping for bundling the beams or to a scattering.

A further improvement in the visibility of the operating status display results when the walls of the gap are provided with a reflective surface. These may be either only the walls of the side surface of the household appliance and / or the side surface of the door and / or the wall of the adjacent surface.

According to a further embodiment, it is provided that the operating display has illumination elements with different colors, wherein preferably each color symbolizes a different display function. In this case, the illumination elements can already be designed to emit light beams of different colors. The coloring may also be influenced by the surface of the welt and / or the reflective surface of the walls of the nip. The Illuminationselemente may consist of any lamps, with light emitting diodes or ends of light sources connected to light guides due to the free choice of color and their ease of control are particularly suitable.

To signal different operating states, it is further provided that the light intensity of the individual illumination elements can be controlled as a function of the operating state of the household appliance.

The domestic appliance according to the invention is according to a preferred embodiment, a fully integrated dishwasher, which may be formed with a pivotable door. The household appliance can also be designed by a drawer dishwasher.

• Fig. 1 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer ersten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 2 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer zweiten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 3 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer dritten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 4 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer vierten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 5 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer fünften bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 6 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer sechsten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 7 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer siebten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 8 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer achten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 9 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer neunten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung,
• Fig. 10 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer zehnten bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung, und
• Fig. 11 eine teilweise Schnittansicht einer Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer Betriebsanzeige gemäß einer elften bevorzugten Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 2 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 3 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 4 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 5 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 6 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 7 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 8 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 9 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• Fig. 10 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention, and
• Fig. 11 a partial sectional view of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to an eleventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 1 is a sectional view from above of a portion of a dishwasher with a power indicator according to a first embodiment of the invention. The Dishwasher is not shown in detail, but only a corner, on which a side wall 5 of the dishwasher and a front door 20 of the dishwasher with the closed state of the front door 20 come into contact with each other. Parallel to the side wall 5 of the dishwasher is a side wall 16 of a cabinet component adjacent to the dishwasher or a household appliance with which the dishwasher is integrated into a kitchen unit.

Both the dishwasher is covered by a front panel 3 and the adjacent cabinet component or the household appliance through a front panel 4 to the front of the kitchen unit. In the closed position of the front door 20 of the dishwasher and the adjacent cabinet component or the household appliance, the two front panels 3 and 4, flush with each other, lie in one plane, but between the lateral joints of the front panels 3 and 4, a gap 7 remains to the free movement to ensure the front panels 3 and 4. The gap 7 continues even between the side wall 16 and the dishwasher, depending on how closely the side wall 5 of the dishwasher and the adjacent side wall 16 abut each other.

In a side portion of the front door 20 of the dishwasher, a number of illumination elements 1 are arranged, which serve as a service indicator for operating and operating status display of the dishwasher according to the invention. The illumination elements 1 are controlled by an electronic program control (not shown) of the dishwasher, wherein the program control regulates the lighting mode and the light intensity of the individual illumination elements according to the current status of a Spülprogrammablaufs or an operating state of the dishwasher. The illumination elements thus indicate the current status or state of the dishwasher in the form of a visually easily detectable display.

At the in Fig. 1 In the embodiment shown, the front panel 3 covering the dishwasher protrudes so far beyond the lateral dimensions of the front door 20 that it covers the illumination elements 1 of the operating display arranged in the side section of the side wall 6, the gap 7 being adjacent to the front panel Front panel 4 of the cabinet component or the household appliance is maintained. As a result, the direct view of the illumination elements of the operating display is concealed and the gaps between the dishwasher and the adjacent cabinet components or household appliances are illuminated with illuminating illumination elements 1. A particularly visually striking display results when the illumination elements are distributed over the entire border of the front door 20, that is on the two sides and above and below.

To improve the recognizability of the operating indicator, a reflection element in the form of a welt 8 is provided in the gap 7. This is in the embodiment of Fig. 1 formed in one piece and extends over an end face of the side wall 5 of the dishwasher. The piping 8 has two piping sections 9 and 10. Here, the front door facing - and in the closed state of the front door 20 adjacent to this - Kederabschnitt 10 is primarily a noise insulation. The second Kederabschnitt 9, which is adjacent to the side wall 16 of the cabinet component or the household appliance, forms an optical closure, so that the gap formed between the side wall 5 of the dishwasher and the side wall 16 of the adjacent cabinet component or the household appliance not visible to a user and against the penetration of dirt is protected. The piping 8 is provided with a reflective surface 11, which may be provided by either a reflective coating or a high reflectance color. The piping can consist of a plastic or rubber profile in a known form. The piping can according to another variant z. B. made of a sheet metal angle made of stainless steel, which already has reflective properties due to its material properties. The separate application of a reflective surface is dispensable. By means of a corresponding design of the surface of the welt 8, in particular of the welt section 9, the light radiation generated by the illumination element 1 can be redirected and decoupled from the gap 7 in a more or less bundled form. As a result, the recognizability of the power indicator is improved.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is the illumination element, in particular a light source 2 of the illumination element in the front door 20 is arranged. In the embodiment according to Fig. 2 the illumination element, however, is provided in the side wall 5, wherein the piping 8 may be formed in two parts, for example can. The separate Kederabschnitte 9 and 10 are used in this case, corresponding to a headlamp as a reflector or beam-bundling element. In contrast to the execution according to Fig. 1 remains the illumination element 1 when you open the door static in the housing of the dishwasher.

In the third embodiment according to Fig. 3 the light source 2 of the illumination element is arranged in the front door 20. An optical waveguide 12 is arranged in the side wall 5 of the dishwasher in such a way that a light input surface is associated with the light source 2 when the front door 20 is closed. A light exit surface of the light guide 12 is located in the front side of the front door 5. The piping 8, which may be formed in two parts or provided with corresponding recesses for the light guide 12, forms the reflector surface. According to the embodiments Fig. 2 and 3 is common that at least a portion of the light beams generated by the illumination elements 1 can also be coupled out directly from the gap 7.

The Fig. 4 to 9 show further embodiments of the invention. In the fourth embodiment according to Fig. 4 the illumination element 1 protrudes beyond the front panel 3, so that part of the light radiation generated by the illumination element 1 is coupled out directly and another part is reflexively coupled out of the gap 7 via the piping section 9.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 5 the illumination element is provided with a beam directing optics 13. The beam-directing optics can be used to direct a part of the generated light radiation on the piping 8 in unfavorable installation position of the illumination element in order to effect a good decoupling of the light from the gap 7.

Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the illumination element 1, wherein the light source 2 is also upstream of an optical system for beam steering and beam focusing.

The optic 13 is in the embodiment according to Fig. 7 integrated into a light guide 12, which fills a part of the gap formed between the front panels 3 and 4. These Embodiment has the advantage that the light generated by the Illuminationselementen 1 is well visible even under unfavorable lighting conditions and unfavorable viewing angles for a user.

Fig. 8 shows a modification of the embodiment according to Fig.1 in which the illumination element 1 is arranged in the side wall 6 of the front door 20 at a constructively different location.

Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment in which the illumination element 1 is arranged in the side wall 5 of the dishwasher and the Kederabschnitt 10 simultaneously forms a buffer when closing the front door 20.

In the 10 and 11 a partial sectional view of the dishwasher is shown from the side. The two embodiments show that the illumination elements 1 can also be used to illuminate the gap 7 formed between the front panel 3 and a cover plate 17 of the dishwasher. Corresponding to the previously described embodiments, the end face of a housing roof 18 is also provided with a piping. In the embodiment according to Fig. 10 the illumination element 1 is applied to the piping, wherein the, the cover plate 17 facing keder portion serves as a reflection element.

Fig. 11 shows a further embodiment in which the light source 2 of the illumination element 1 on the underside of the cover plate 17 - outside the housing of the dishwasher - is arranged. The electrical contacting of the Illuminationselements via a cable 19, which is guided between the cover plate 17 and the piping 8 inside the dishwasher housing. This variant allows a direct decoupling of the light rays from the gap 7, wherein a flexible arrangement of the illumination element to the structural conditions is possible.

In all the variants described, in order to improve the decoupling of the light beams generated by the illumination elements, the wall of the side wall of the dishwasher and / or the wall of the side wall of the adjacent surface may also be provided with a reflective surface.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Illumination element

2

light source

3

Front panel of the dishwasher

4

Front panel of an adjacent cabinet component or household machine

5

Side wall of the dishwasher

6

Side wall of the door of the dishwasher

7

gap

8th

piping

9

Keder section (between side wall of the dishwasher and adjacent cabinet component or household machine surface)

10

Keder section (between side panel of the dishwasher and door)

11

Surface of the welt

12

optical fiber

13

optics

16

Side wall of the adjacent cabinet component

17

cover

18

housing roof

19

electric wire

20

front door

Claims (15)

1. Built-in domestic appliance, in particular fully integrated dishwasher, with a controllable operation indicator and one or more illumination elements for the output of light beams by which illumination of a gap, which is formed between the domestic appliance and a surface adjacent to the domestic appliance can be produced, wherein a reflection element (8) is provided for deflecting and/or focusing the light beam, which is output by the illumination elements (1), in the gap (7), characterised in that the walls of the gap (7) are provided with a reflective surface.
2. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the reflection element (8) is provided by a piping connecting the domestic appliance and the adjacent surface (16).
3. Domestic appliance according to claim 2, characterised in that the piping (8) has a reflective surface (11) and the reflective surface (11) is created by a reflective coating of the piping or a colour with a high degree of reflectivity.
4. Domestic appliance according to claim 2, characterised in that the piping (8) is produced from a material with a reflective surface.
5. Domestic appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shape of the surface of the piping (8) for deflection and/or focusing the light beams produced by the illumination elements (1) is formed in such a manner that these are coupled out of the gap (7).
6. Domestic appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the illumination elements (1) are arranged in an edging of a front door (20) of the domestic appliance.
7. Domestic appliance according to claim 6, characterised in that the light beams produced by the illumination elements (1) are directed at least partly onto the piping (8) so that the radiation of the light beams produced by the illumination elements (1) takes place at least in part indirectly.
8. Domestic appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the illumination elements (1) are arranged in a side wall of the domestic appliance (5), in particular an end face of the side wall (5) facing the gap (7), so that the radiation of the light beams produced by the illumination elements takes place directly at least in part.
9. Domestic appliance according to claim 8, characterised in that a light source (2) or an optical conductor (12) of the illumination element (1) is arranged in the side wall (5) of the domestic appliance.
10. Domestic appliance according to claim 9, characterised in that the light source (2) is arranged in the side wall (5) or in the movable front door (20).
11. Domestic appliance according to claim 9, characterised in that the optical conductor (12) is formed by a prism.
12. Domestic appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the illumination elements (1) are provided with an optical system (13) influencing the beam path.
13. Domestic appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operation indicator has illumination elements (1) with different colouring, wherein preferably each colour symbolises a different indication function.
14. Domestic appliance according to claim 13, characterised in that the illumination elements (1) are constructed for the output of light beams of different colours or the colour visible to the user is influenced by the surface of the piping and/or the reflective surface of the walls of the gap (7).
15. Domestic appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the light intensity of the individual illumination elements (1) is controllable in dependence on the operating state of the domestic appliance.

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