EP2930436A1 - Household appliance with a door that can be retracted in a stowing area with vertical position alteration option of a rotating axle of a bearing unit and method for opening and closing a door - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance (1) having a housing (2) surrounding a receiving space and having a door (3) with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is arranged so as to be pivotable relative to the housing (2), and opened state in a storage space (14) in the housing (2) is retractable, wherein the door (3) is coupled to a guide device (18), with which the movement is guided in and out of the storage space (14), and the guide device (18) at least one bearing unit (17) which is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis (A) and on which guide elements (19, 20) are arranged, wherein the guide device (18) is formed such that a rotation axis (A) of Bearing unit (17) on a displacement path (30) is displaceable in the vertical direction and thereby the height position of the rotation axis (A) to the storage space (14) is variable. The invention also relates to a method for opening and closing a door (3).

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance with a housing which surrounds a receiving space. The household appliance further comprises a door with which a loading opening of the receiving space is closable and which is arranged relatively pivotable to the housing. The door is retractable in the open state in a storage space in the housing, wherein the door is coupled to a guide device. With the guide device, the movement is guided in and out of the stowage space. The guide device comprises at least one bearing unit, which is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis and on which guide elements are arranged. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for opening and closing a door of a household appliance, which can be sunk in a storage space.

Out DE 10 2008 010 526 A1 a home appliance device with at least one door unit is known. The door unit is attached with hinges to a housing of the household appliance and can be pivoted relative thereto and in the open state can be lowered into a storage space formed below the receiving space. The hinges also include a U-shaped bracket as a hinge part, on which two rollers are rotatably mounted. The bracket is rigid in itself and pivotable about an axis of rotation.

Also from the EP 2 57 378 A1 is a household appliance with a retractable door known. Again, a hinge with a U-shaped bracket is designed as a storage unit in the form of a hinge rocker with two rollers. This hinge rocker is also rigid in itself, but rotatably arranged on a hinge housing.

The same is true of the EP 2 574 712 A1 known, wherein the design of the hinge is also a hinge housing and a rotatably arranged thereon bearing unit in the form of a U-shaped bracket, which is a hinge hook, is provided.

As a result, a so-called engineering part, which has guideways for this bearing part and receives the rollers when sinking the door to dimension accordingly. In addition, by this configuration at specific door positions, when the door is already partially open, and at the same time enters the storage space, a distance between the door leaf of the front front side upper edge, which limits the front storage space, very small. As a result, if necessary, a bumping of the door leaf during the further closing movement or during opening may occur. With regard to this vertical height, the critical points are the flange at the lower area and thus at the lower edge, as well as the intermediate floor of said technical part, which delimits the storage space from above. This intermediate floor forms in particular an upper cover of the storage space. In the known embodiments, the door at the beginning of the opening movement has a small distance from the flange or to the front edge of the false floor. From the middle to the end of the opening movement of the door, the smallest vertical distance between the door and the intermediate floor occurs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a household appliance and a method for opening and closing a door of a household appliance, in which the motion control is improved and a more efficient space design is achieved.

This object is achieved by a household appliance and a method according to the independent claims.

An inventive household appliance comprises a housing which surrounds a receiving space. In addition, the household appliance has a door with which a feed opening of the receiving space can be closed. The door is arranged relatively pivotable to the housing and in the open state, the door is retractable in a storage space in the housing. The door is coupled to a guide device with which the movement is guided in the storage space and from the storage space. The guide device has at least one bearing unit, which is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis and on which guide elements are arranged.

An essential idea of the invention is to be seen in that the guide device is designed so that a rotational axis of the bearing unit is displaceable in a vertical displacement on a displacement path and thereby the height position of the axis of rotation is variable to the storage space. By such a configuration, the opening movement of the door can be improved, in which context a vertical distance between the door, in particular an inner side of the door leaf, and a front upper edge of an intermediate floor which limits the storage space at the top and / or a lower edge of a Flange, which limits the front of the receiving space, in at least part phases of the opening movement in comparison to an embodiment in which such a vertical adjustment is not possible, is increased. This also prevents abutment of the door on these components during the opening movement and at the same time a reduction of the installation space of a technical part viewed in the vertical direction can be achieved. By such a reduction in space of the engineering part, in which run in particular the guideways for the guide elements of the storage unit and the movement of the door is also guided by the receiving space can be increased in the vertical direction and thus the useful volume can be increased.

It is preferably provided that the vertical displacement of the axis of rotation can be carried out before opening the door. As a result, a fixed adjustment of this altitude can be formed.

It is preferably provided that the vertical displacement of the axis of rotation can be carried out on a first partial travel path of a total movement travel of the door between an open and a closed position of the door. In such a preferred embodiment, such a vertical height adjustment of the rotation axis is thus automatically performed during an initiation of an opening movement of the door. A user-individual attitude adjustment in advance, which then remains firm and permanent, is then not required here.

This further alternative solution is also advantageous in that the entire movement sequence of the door is individually adapted to the overall movement path and optimized as needed.

The bearing unit is in particular a component of a hinge, with which the door is pivotable. In particular, the bearing unit is a hinge hook, which can be rotated with the axis of rotation relative to a hinge housing. The bearing unit is coupled via this axis of rotation with the hinge housing.

By such a change in position of the axis of rotation relative to components of the household appliance, in particular to the storage space, in particular a front edge of a false floor, which covers the storage space from above and / or a lower edge or a lower edge of a front flange, which limits the feed opening, the Motion control of the door to the effect improved that an undesirable approaching or touching if necessary this front edge of the intermediate bottom and / or the lower edge of the flange is prevented. Damage to the door during pivoting can be prevented, and a space reduction in the vertical direction of a technical part is achieved.

With the vertical displacement of this axis of rotation down thus a distance of this axis of rotation in the height direction of the household appliance is considered to be increased to an upper side of the household appliance.

It is preferably provided that the displacement is less than 9 cm, in particular less than or equal to 8 cm. It is preferably between 1 cm and 8 cm.

In particular, it is provided that the guide device has a displacement device, by means of which this change in position of the axis of rotation is achieved in the vertical direction. This first movement sub-path is measured starting from the closed position of the door up to an opening angle of less than 15 °, in particular less than 10 °. This means that even with a minimum actuation of the door by a user or an automatic opening controlled by the control unit, no or substantially no pivotal movement occurs. The complexity of the door movement is thereby reduced and the position adjustment for further pivoting and retracting into the storage space is favored.

It is preferably provided that a rotational movement of the bearing unit about the axis of rotation on the first movement part path is blocked by a locking device. As a result, the above-mentioned advantages are reaffirmed and unwanted retraction of the door in the storage space by an already performed in the vertical displacement pivoting is thereby prevented. In particular, this also positions of the door can be prevented on this first movement partial path, which would lead to a particular cause of gravity, jerky folding movement of the door down.

Unwanted acceleration forces, which could then lead to undesirable leverage and stress on the components of the guide device and the door, are thereby prevented.

Preferably, it is provided that the bearing unit has a U-shaped bracket and the axis of rotation is formed on a bracket leg and the guide elements are arranged on a second bracket leg. In particular, this bearing unit is a rigid component, so that the guide elements are fixed in their position to each other as well as the positions of the guide elements are fixed to the axis of rotation of the bearing unit. This is formed on the Gesamtbewegungsweg the door and thus also the storage unit accordingly.

It is preferably provided that the guide elements are rotatably arranged on the bearing unit, in particular the guide elements are rollers. The motion control of the bearing unit on the one hand in a technical part, in which a guide track or a guide slot for moving the door in the storage space or from the stowage space is made possible, is favored, since a corresponding sliding and jerk-free movement is possible. This also forces, especially frictional forces can be minimized and thus the wear can be minimized.

It is preferably provided that retraction of the door into the stowage space is prevented on the first movement partial path.

In particular, it is provided that the overall movement path of the door has a second movement partial path adjoining the first movement partial path, on which the door enters the storage space. In particular, it is provided that, at a transition between the two movement partial paths, the rotationally locked state of the storage unit can be automatically released by a release device. This is advantageous in that again a very user-friendly and thus jerk-free and smooth motion control over the Gesamtbewegungsweg is possible and yet individual functionalities and positions of the door or the components can be met and adjusted in the individual, the Gesamtbewegungsweg characterizing movement partial paths, so on the entire path of movement unwanted striking or contacting an inside or outside of a door panel is prevented to equipment components.

In particular, an impact of an inner side of a door leaf of the door on a front edge of the intermediate bottom of the stowing space and / or on a lower edge of a muffle flange is thus prevented.

It is preferably provided that a stop is formed, by means of which a downwardly displaced end position of the door with the bearing unit at the end of the first movement partial path is predetermined. In this vertical downward displacement of the axis of rotation on the first movement partial path thus a haptic perceptible end position is defined, so that here too the motion control and the entire trajectory of the door is configured and adapted to demand, so that it can be done very user friendly, on the other hand allows a smooth motion control.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for opening and closing a door of a domestic appliance which is provided with a housing which surrounds a receiving space and with a door with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is arranged so as to be relatively pivotable on the housing, is trained. In the open state of the door this is recessed in a storage space in the housing, wherein the door is coupled with a guide device with which the movement guide is led out into the storage space and from the storage space. The guide device is at least with a storage unit formed, which is rotatably supported about a rotation axis and on which guide elements are arranged. An essential idea is to be seen in the fact that a rotational axis of the bearing unit is displaced on a displacement path in a vertical direction on a first partial movement path of a total movement path of the door between an open and a closed position of the door and thereby changes the height position of the axis of rotation to the stowage space becomes.

In particular, an at least greater rotational movement, in particular greater than 15 °, of the bearing unit about the axis of rotation on the first movement partial path is blocked by a blocking device.

Preferably, the Gesamtbewegungsweg the door is divided with a subsequent to the first movement part path second movement part path, wherein on the second movement partial path, the door enters the storage space and is automatically released at a transition between the two movement parts of the rotationally locked state of the storage unit by a release device.

On the first partial movement path, the door is not retracted into the storage space.

Advantageous embodiments of the household appliance according to the invention are to be regarded as further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention. It is possible through the individual components of the household appliance, their design, arrangement and functional interaction, the implementation of the respective processes when opening and closing the door.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation, without the scope of To leave invention. There are thus also embodiments of the invention as encompassed and disclosed, which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but by Separated feature combinations emerge from the described embodiments and can be generated.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Haushaltsgeräts;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer Lagereinheit einer Führungsvorrichtung für die Tür des Haushaltsgeräts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer teilweise geöffneten Tür mit der Lagereinheit gemäß Fig. 2 und weiteren Komponenten der Führungsvorrichtung; und

Fig. 4

eine schematische Seitenansicht von Teilkomponenten des Haushaltsgeräts im vorderen unteren Bereich.

Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a side view of an embodiment of a storage unit of a guide device for the door of the household appliance according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

a schematic side view of a partially opened door with the storage unit according to Fig. 2 and other components of the guide device; and

Fig. 4

a schematic side view of sub-components of the household appliance in the front lower area.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

In Fig. 1 is shown in a schematic perspective view of a trained as a baking oven 1 household appliance. The oven 1 comprises a housing 2, in which a limited by a muffle, not shown cooking space is formed. In the oven food can be introduced for preparation. The cooking chamber is closed at the front by a door 3, which in Fig. 1 is shown in the closed end position. At the front of the door 3, a handle 4 is formed.

In addition, the oven 1 comprises an operating device 5, which in the position and display only by way of example has a display unit 6 and operating elements 7 and 8.

In addition, cooking zones 9, 10, 11 and 12, which are shown merely by way of example in terms of position and number, are likewise shown.

The door 3 can be inserted or sunk in its lower portion 13 in the housing 2, resulting in the transfer of the door 3 of the in Fig. 1 shown closed end position in the fully open end position is the case. The door 3 is then inserted sunk into a free space of the housing 2, which is formed by this space arranged below the cooking chamber and separated by this by a corresponding partition wall storage space 14.

The door 3 is connected to exemplarily shown and marked door hinges 15 and 16 and pivotable about this and in said storage space 14 retractable and extendable.

In Fig. 2 is a side view of a bearing unit 17 is shown, which is designed as a U-shaped bracket. The hinge unit 17 represents a hinge hook of a hinge 15 or 16. The hinges 15 and 16 are of identical design and functionally identical, so that the following explanation of one of the two hinges also applies to the other.

The hinges 15 and 16 have in addition to a respectively provided storage unit 17 and a hinge housing, which is not shown here in detail. These hinges 15 and 16 are each a guide device 18 (FIG. Fig. 3 ) associated with the components and the functions. The door 3 is guided by means of these guide devices 18 and thereby coupled accordingly, so that it is in the storage space 14 in and out of the storage space 14. The bearing unit 17 comprises a fulcrum, which on an axis of rotation A, which in Fig. 2 extends perpendicular to the plane of the figure, is arranged. At this axis of rotation A, the bearing unit 17 is also connected to the hinge housing and pivotable relative to the hinge housing. The bearing unit 17 comprises two guide elements 19 and 20 which are designed as rollers and are mounted rotatably mounted on the bearing unit 17. The bearing unit 17 comprises a first bracket leg 21, which is the hinge pivot point or having the axis of rotation A. It also includes a second bracket leg 22, on which the two guide elements 19 and 20 are arranged.

The bearing unit 17 is rigid in its U-shaped bracket, that is, the two bracket legs 21 and 22 are not movable relative to each other.

The second guide element 20 is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis B. The first guide element 19 is rotatable about an axis C, which extends parallel to the axis A and to the axis B itself.

The axis C has a distance a1 to the axis A and the axis B has a distance a2 to the axis A.

The second bracket leg 22 can thus be pivoted back and forth along the arrow P about the axis B.

By a particular before retraction and / or pivoting of the door 3 in the storage space 14 caused vertical change in position of the axis of rotation A is a vertical distance and thus a z-direction measured distance between the door 3, in particular an inner side of a door panel, and an intermediate floor 23 ( Fig. 4 ), which limits the storage space 14 from above and / or a vertical distance between a lower edge 24 of a front flange of the cooking chamber defining muffle during subsequent pivoting of the door 3 in principle and further on a second movement part of the path to a vertical displacement of the axis of rotation A performing first movement partial path connects, increases.

The first guide member 19 is disposed at an upper free end 25a of the second stirrup leg 22, and the second guide member 20 is disposed at an end 25b of the second stirrup leg 22 opposite the free end 25a.

In addition, it is also provided that retraction of the door 3 into the storage space 14 is prevented on the first movement partial path. It is thus carried out on this first movement partial path in particular only a pivoting and a Movement of the storage unit 17 seen as a whole and thus prevented a shift of the axis A in their position.

In Fig. 3 , which has already been mentioned, a vertical height h is shown, which represents the extension of a technical part 26, which is the guide device 18 associated. In particular, the engineering part 26 describes a component which also has a groove or a guide track 27 in which the guide elements 19 and 20 are guided into the storage space 14 when the door 3 is inserted.

For corresponding guidance, a slide carriage 28 is also provided, which slides in the guideway 27 and the guide device 18 is associated.

In Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the oven 1 is shown in a schematic side view, in which case a front lower portion is shown. As can be seen, a vertical distance a3 between the intermediate bottom 23 and an inner side of the door 3 is present, which can be achieved by a previous vertical displacement of the axis of rotation A before the actual pivoting movement and thus the retraction of the door 3 in the storage space 14. This distance a3 would not exist without such a vertical displacement of the axis of rotation A at this height and thus only a smaller distance. By such a distance increase between the intermediate bottom 23 and / or a lower front edge 24 of the flange to the inside of the door 3, a component reduction of the technical part 26 is achieved, whereby, for example, the cooking chamber of the household appliance or the oven 1 can be increased.

In the illustration in Fig. 4 First, the axis of rotation A, which extends perpendicular to the plane of the figure, shown in its horizontal position (position in the x direction), when the door 3 is arranged in its fully closed position.

Starting from this horizontal position position is then carried out at an opening initiation of the door 3 by a first movement part of the door 3, a vertical displacement. In particular, it is provided that this first partial movement path, starting from the fully closed position of the door 3rd measured and up to an opening angle less than 15 °, in particular less than 10 °, is sufficient. In particular, only a vertical movement of the door 3 is carried out on this first partial movement path, and the possibly minimal pivoting of the door 3 in the sense is negligible.

On this first partial movement path no retraction of the door 3 in the storage space 14 is performed.

The guide device 18 comprises for the horizontal displacement of the door 3 and at least some components of the guide device 18, in particular the bearing unit 17, a displacement device 29, which in Fig. 4 is indicated only with the corresponding reference numerals, but component-specific not shown in detail.

By means of this displacement device 29 is preferably carried out only a vertical change in position of the axis of rotation A on a displacement path 30. The displacement path 30 has a maximum length of a4. This displacement path 30 is in particular less than 9 cm, in particular less than or equal to 8 cm, preferably between 1 cm and 8 cm.

If this vertical displacement is then completed, a retraction of the door 3 into the storage space 14 is then carried out on a subsequent second movement partial path which, together with the first movement partial path, defines the total movement path of the door 3 from the completely closed position to the completely open position. In this first partial movement path, the vertical position is achieved at the end of it, that it is displaced in position, so that this through the axis of rotation A 'in Fig. 4 is marked. Starting from this position of the axis of rotation A 'then the pivoting movement of the door 3 is performed on the second movement part path and then carried out the retraction into the storage space 14. In Fig. 4 In this case, a snapshot is shown, in which the door 3 is already located on the second movement partial path and has already been pivoted, so that it has already moved easily into the storage space 14.

As already known, the movement of the bearing unit 17 to the rear into the stowage space 14 is likewise accomplished during this retraction into the stowage space 14 and this is achieved via the carriage 28.

In addition, it should be mentioned that, for the sake of clarity, at least a greater rotational movement, in particular greater than 15 °, of the bearing unit 17 about the axis of rotation A by means of a blocking device 31, which is likewise not specified by the reference numeral, is specified in Fig. 4 not impaired, is locked.

In particular, it is also provided that during the movement of the door 3 from the closed to the open position at the transition between the first movement partial path and the second movement partial travel of the rotationally locked state of the storage unit 17, as it is set on the first movement partial path, by a release device 32 automatically is solvable. This release device 32 is also shown with a reference numeral, the clarity serving in Fig. 4 but not shown in detail.

In addition, in particular, a stop is formed, through which a forwardly pulled out end position of the door 3, as it is reached at the end of the first movement part path, is predetermined.

In the vertical height adjustment of this hinge pivot point or the axis of rotation of the bearing unit 17, this can thus either generally, which means that it is fixed and no longer displaceable before the opening movement of the door 3 or during the opening movement is performed as part of the movement. During the movement, this hinge pivot point can thus change its vertical position at a certain point in time. As a result of this, as already explained, a vertical distance a3 is increased in comparison to a design without such a height-adjustability of the axis of rotation and thus permits a reduction of the space in the engineering part 26.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

oven

2

casing

3

door

4

Handle

5

operating device

6

display unit

7

operating element

8th

operating element

9

cooking zone

10

cooking zone

11

cooking zone

12

cooking zone

13

Area

14

stowage

15

door hinge

16

door hinge

17

storage unit

18

guiding device

19

guide element

20

guide element

21

First hanger leg

22

Second stirrup leg

23

false floor

24

Lower edge

25a

The End

25b

The End

26

technology part

27

guideway

28

setting slide

29

Shifter

30

displacement

31

locking device

32

release device

A, A '

axis of rotation

B

axis

C

axis

a1

distance

a2

distance

a3

distance

a4

length

Claims (15)

Domestic appliance (1) with a housing (2) surrounding a receiving space, and with a door (3) with which a loading opening of the receiving space is closable and which is arranged relatively pivotable to the housing (2), and in the open state in a Storage space (14) in the housing (2) is retractable, wherein the door (3) is coupled to a guide device (18), with which the movement in and out of the storage space (14) is guided, and the guide device (18) at least a bearing unit (17), which is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis (A) and on which guide elements (19, 20) are arranged, characterized in that the guide device (18) is formed such that an axis of rotation (A) of the bearing unit (17) on a displacement path (30) in the vertical direction is displaceable and thereby the height position of the rotation axis (A) to the storage space (14) is variable. Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical displacement of the axis of rotation (A) on a first movement part of a path between an open and a closed position of the door (3) dimensioning Gesamtbewegungswegs the door (3) is feasible. Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first movement partial path, starting from the closed position of the door (3) and measures up to an opening angle less than 15 °, in particular less than 10 °, extends. Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a rotational movement of the bearing unit (17) about the axis of rotation (A) on the first movement part path is blocked by a locking device (31). Domestic appliance (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that retraction of the door (3) in the storage space (14) is prevented on the first partial movement path. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the Gesamtbewegungsweg the door (3) has a subsequent movement partial path subsequent second movement partial path on which the door (3) enters the storage space (14). Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that at a transition between the movement partial paths of the rotationally locked state of the bearing unit (17) by a release device (32) is automatically releasable. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that a stop is formed, by which a vertically downwardly shifted end position of the door (3) with the bearing unit (17) is predetermined at the end of the first movement partial path. Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical displacement of the axis of rotation (A) before opening the door (3) is feasible. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement path (30) is less than 5 cm, in particular less than 3 cm. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing unit (17) has a U-shaped bracket, and on a first bracket leg (21), the axis of rotation (A) is formed and on a second bracket leg (22) Guiding elements (19, 20) are arranged. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide elements (19, 20) are rotatably arranged on the bearing unit (17), in particular the guide elements (19, 20) are rollers. Method for opening and closing a door (3) of a household appliance (1), which is provided with a housing (2) surrounding a receiving space and with a door (3) with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is relatively pivotable relative to Housing (2) is arranged, is formed, and in opened state in a storage space (14) in the housing (2) is recessed, wherein the door (3) with a guide device (18) is coupled, with which the movement guide is guided in and out of the storage space (14), and the guide device (18) has at least one bearing unit (17) which is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis (A) and on which guide elements (19, 20) are arranged, characterized in that an axis of rotation (A) of the bearing unit (17) on a displacement path (30) is displaced in the vertical direction and thereby the height position of the rotation axis (A) is changed to the storage space (14). A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the vertical displacement of the axis of rotation (A) on a first partial movement path of a between an open and a closed position of the door (3) dimensioning Gesamtbewegungswegs the door (3) is performed. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that a rotational movement of the bearing unit (17) about the axis of rotation (A) on the first movement part path is blocked by a locking device (31) and / or retraction of the door (3) in the first movement partial path Storage space (14) is prevented.

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