EP2980673B1 - Domestic appliance - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a household appliance.

A control panel of a household appliance usually hides one or more control devices for controlling the domestic appliance. On or at a front of the control panel controls such as knobs for operating the control devices may be provided.

The WO 2009/077330 A1 describes a household appliance with a knob that is connected by means of provided on the control panel latch hooks with the control panel.

The EP 0 327 175 A1 shows a knob for control devices or the like with a bearing piece for a rotatable mounting in a housing part with a rotatably connected to an actuating shaft of the control unit body and a connectable thereto via a first latching handle, wherein the handle and body are substantially rotatably connected and wherein the Bearing piece has latching means for a second latching connection and is formed on the base body.

The DD 291 859 A5 describes a rotary knob with ratchet, consisting of a base body, a spring element which is anchored in the base body, and a knob, on the underside of a sprocket is arranged, wherein the base body has a bore and on top of a base with two slugs, said Spring element passes through the bore, rests on the base between the slugs and so far beyond this protrudes that the spring element is detected by the located on the underside of the knob ring gear of the area.

Against this background, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved home appliance.

Accordingly, a domestic appliance with a control panel and a rotary knob for actuating a control device of the household appliance is proposed, wherein the control panel has an opening into which a guide portion of the knob inserted wherein the guide portion comprises radial guide members for radially guiding the guide portion on a cylindrical outer wall of the aperture and axial guide members for axially guiding the knob on the control panel, and wherein each radial guide member has a sliding surface adapted to be on the outer wall of the aperture to slide, each axial guide member having a latching hook, which is adapted to lock the knob on the control panel, wherein on the control panel surrounding the aperture annular recess is provided, into which the latching hooks are snapped, and wherein end faces of the latching hooks are adapted to slide on a bottom surface of the recess.

The control panel can also be referred to as the front panel. The fact that both guide elements for radial guidance and guide elements for axial guidance of the rotary knob are provided on the control panel on the knob, a particularly play-free mounting of the knob can be achieved with small gaps. This creates a very good haptic feedback for a user who operates the appliance. Furthermore, a particularly high-quality impression is created. The fact that the knob is guided directly to the control panel, beyond a small space can be realized.

Each radial guide element has a sliding surface which is adapted to slide on the outer wall of the aperture.

For example, four guide elements are provided, which are arranged distributed uniformly around a circumference of the knob.

According to a further embodiment, the radial guide elements and / or the axial guide elements are arranged in a circle.

Preferably, the radial guide elements and the axial guide elements are positioned on a common circular path.

According to a further embodiment, the radial guide elements each have a curvature corresponding to the aperture.

As a result, a full-surface contact between the radial guide elements and the outer wall of the opening is achieved. This results in a particularly good leadership of the knob.

According to a further embodiment, the breakthrough is circular.

The breakthrough is for example provided in the control panel hole. The sliding surfaces of the radial guide elements preferably have a circular arc-shaped curvature.

Each axial guide element has a latching hook, which is adapted to lock the rotary knob on the control panel.

As a result, the knob can be mounted without additional components on the control panel. The latching hooks are preferably resiliently deformable. The locking hooks can be solved by means of a tool or without tools, so that disassembly of the knob is easily possible.

At the control panel, a circumferential recess around the aperture is provided into which the latching hooks can be snapped.

For this purpose, a particularly compact axial construction can be achieved.

According to a further embodiment, the annular recess is provided on a rear side of the control panel.

End surfaces of the latching hooks are preferably adapted to slide on a bottom surface of the recess.

According to a further embodiment, the axial guide elements are elastically deformable.

The axial guide elements are in particular made of a resiliently deformable plastic material.

According to a further embodiment, the rotary knob on a receiving portion for receiving an operating shaft of the control device.

The receiving portion is in particular adapted to receive an end portion of the operating shaft with play. As a result, tolerances that may occur in the attachment of the control device on a board of the household appliance, can be easily compensated.

According to a further embodiment, the receiving portion is adapted to engage positively in the operating shaft.

The actuating shaft preferably has a lateral flattening, in which the receiving portion engages positively. The receiving portion is formed in particular corresponding to the lateral flattening of the operating shaft.

According to a further embodiment, the receiving portion is arranged coaxially with the guide portion.

The receiving section is positioned in particular within the guide section.

According to another embodiment, the knob is material integral.

The rotary knob is preferably a plastic injection molded component. As a result, the knob can be inexpensively manufactured in large quantities.

According to a further embodiment, the rotary knob has a rib, which is adapted to slide on a front side of the control panel.

As a result, a linear support surface is achieved. This results in a particularly good haptic feedback. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide circularly arranged running knobs for the running rib.

According to a further embodiment, the running rib rotates in an annular manner around the guide section.

In particular, the running rib, the receiving portion and the guide portion are positioned coaxially with each other.

Further possible implementations of the domestic appliance also include combinations of features or embodiments which have not been explicitly mentioned above and which have been described above or below with respect to the exemplary embodiments. The expert will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the household appliance.

• Fig. 1 zeigt eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform eines Haushaltsgeräts;
• Fig. 2 zeigt eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform eines Drehknopfs für das Haushaltsgerät gemäß der Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 zeigt eine schematische Schnittansicht des Drehknopfs gemäß der Fig. 2;
• Fig. 4 zeigt eine schematische perspektivische Teilansicht einer Bedienblende für das Haushaltgerät gemäß der Fig. 1;
• Fig. 5 zeigt eine weitere schematische perspektivische Ansicht der Bedienblende gemäß der Fig. 4; und
• Fig. 6 zeigt eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht eines Betätigungsschafts für den Drehknopf gemäß der Fig. 2.

Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the domestic appliance are the subject matter of the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments of the household appliance described below. In the following, the domestic appliance will be explained in more detail on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the enclosed figures.

• Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance;
• Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a knob for the household appliance according to the Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the knob according to the Fig. 2 ;
• Fig. 4 shows a schematic partial perspective view of a control panel for the household appliance according to the Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 5 shows a further schematic perspective view of the control panel according to the Fig. 4 ; and
• Fig. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of an operating shaft for the knob according to the Fig. 2 ,

In the figures, the same or functionally identical elements have been given the same reference numerals, unless stated otherwise.

The Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a household appliance 1. The household appliance 1 may be a Haushaltsgargerät such as an oven, a microwave oven, a microwave oven or the like. Furthermore, the household appliance 1 may be a refrigerator, a washing machine, a tumble dryer, a dishwasher or the like. The household appliance 1 has a cuboid or cube-shaped receiving area 2, which can be closed by a door 3. The receiving area 2 may be a cooking chamber or a baking oven muffle of a household cooking appliance. Furthermore, the receiving area 2 can be, for example, a rinsing container of a dishwasher.

The receiving area 2 can be arranged inside a housing of the household appliance 1. The door 3 is in the Fig. 1 shown in their closed position. By pivoting about a provided at a lower end of the door 3 pivot axis, the door 3 can be closed or opened. Alternatively, the door 3 may be hinged laterally to the receiving area 2. Furthermore, the door 3 can be arranged on a carriage which can be pulled out of the receiving area 2, in particular a baking carriage. At an upper portion of the door 3, a handle 4 may be provided. The domestic appliance 1 also has a control panel 5 or control panel 5. At the control panel 5, at least one knob 6 may be provided for actuating a control device of the household appliance 1. Preferably, a plurality of knobs 6 are provided.

The Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the knob 6 with an operating shaft 7 of the control device of the household appliance 1. The knob 6 has a guide portion 8, which extends from a rear side 9 of a base body 10 of the knob 6 out. On the base body 10, a cover 11 is attached. The cover 11 may be latched to the base body 10. For this purpose, as in the Fig. 3 shown, on the base body 10 may be provided out of a front side 12 of the base body 10 outwardly projecting snap hook 13, which are adapted to intervene in a form-fitting manner in corresponding recesses of the cover 11.

The guide section 8 has radial guide elements 14 and axial guide elements 15. For example, four radial guide elements 14 and four axial guide elements 15 are provided. The guide members 14, 15 are preferably uniformly distributed around a receiving portion 16 for receiving an end portion of the operating shaft 7. The receiving portion 16 is arranged coaxially with the guide portion 8. Each radial guide element 14 has a curved sliding surface 17. Each axial guide element 15 has a latching hook 18.

The Fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of a section of an embodiment of the control panel 5. The control panel 5 has a in the Fig. 1 shown front 19 and a back 20. The control panel 5 has an opening 21, which is preferably circular. In the opening 21 of the guide portion 8 of the knob 6 can be inserted. The radial guide elements 14 and in particular the sliding surfaces 17 of the radial guide elements 14 are adapted to slide on an outer wall 22 of the opening 21. The radial guide elements 14 are thus arranged for radially guiding the guide section 8 on the cylindrical outer wall 22 of the opening 21.

Furthermore, the axial guide elements 15 are arranged for axially guiding the rotary knob 6 on the control panel 5. The radial guide elements 14 and / or the axial guide elements 15 are arranged in a circle around the receiving section 16. The radial guide elements 14 each have a corresponding to the opening 21 curvature. The latching hooks 18 of the axial guide elements 15th are adapted to lock the knob 6 on the control panel 5. For this purpose, at the rear side 20 of the control panel 5, a circumferential recess 23 surrounding the aperture 21 is provided, into which the latching hooks 18 can be snapped. End faces 24 ( Fig. 3 ) of the latching hooks 18 are adapted to slide on a bottom surface of the recess 23.

The Fig. 5 shows in a schematic perspective view mounted on the control panel 5 rotary knob 6. The sliding surfaces 17 of the radial guide elements 14 are guided radially on the cylindrical outer wall 22 of the opening 21. The end faces 24 of the latching hooks 18 of the axial guide elements 15 slide on the recess 23, which is provided on the back 20 of the control panel 5. As a result, the axial guide elements 15 are guided axially on the control panel 5. The axial guide elements 15 are preferably resiliently deformable.

The Fig. 6 shows in a schematic perspective view of the operating shaft 7 of the control device. The operating shaft 7 has a lateral flattening 25 on an end section facing the rotary knob 6. In the lateral flattening 25 of the receiving portion 16 of the knob 6 engages positively. Preferably, the operating shaft 7 is accommodated with play in the receiving portion 16. As a result, tolerances that may arise during assembly of the control device can be compensated.

Preferably, the knob 6 is formed integrally with material. In particular, the rotary knob 6 is a plastic injection molded component. As the Fig. 2 shows, on the back 9 of the knob, a rib 26 is provided which is adapted to slide on the front side 19 of the control panel 5. The running rib 26 runs in an annular manner around the guide section 8 and the receiving section 16. Preferably, the receiving portion 16, the guide portion 8 and the rib 26 are arranged coaxially. As an alternative to the running rib 26, circularly arranged running knobs may be provided.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to embodiments, it is variously modifiable.

Used reference signs:

1

household appliance

2

reception area

3

door

4

Handle

5

control panel

6

knob

7

actuating shaft

8th

guide section

9

back

10

base body

11

cover

12

front

13

snap hooks

14

guide element

15

guide element

16

receiving portion

17

sliding surface

18

latch hook

19

front

20

back

21

breakthrough

22

outer wall

23

recess

24

face

25

flattening

26

running rib

Claims (12)

1. Household appliance (1) with an operating panel (5) and a rotary knob (6) for actuating a regulation facility of the household appliance (1), wherein the operating panel (5) has an aperture (21), into which a guide section (8) of a rotary knob (6) can be introduced, wherein the guide section (8) comprises radial guide elements (14) for radially guiding the guide section (8) on a cylindrical outer wall (22) of the aperture (21) and axial guide elements (15) for axially guiding the rotary knob (6) on the operating panel (5), wherein each radial guide element (14) has a sliding surface (17) which is configured to slide on the outer wall (22) of the aperture (21), wherein each axial guide element (15) has a latching hook (18) which is configured to latch the rotary knob (6) on the operating panel (5), wherein there is provision on the operating panel (5) for an annular recess (23) running around the aperture (21), into which the latching hook (18) can be snapped into place, and wherein end faces of the latching hooks (18) are configured to slide on a base surface of the recess (23).
2. Household appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the radial guide elements (14) and/or the axial guide elements (15) are arranged in a circular manner.
3. Household appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the radial guide elements (14) each have a curvature corresponding with the aperture (21).
4. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the aperture (21) is circular.
5. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that the annular recess (23) is provided on a rear side (20) of the operating panel (5).
6. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that the axial guide elements (15) are resiliently deformable.
7. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 6, characterised in that the rotary knob (6) has a receiving section (16) for receiving an actuating shank (7) of the regulation facility.
8. Household appliance according to claim 7, characterised in that the receiving section (16) is configured to engage into the actuating shank (7) in a form-fitting manner.
9. Household appliance according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the receiving section (16) is arranged coaxially with respect to the guide section (8).
10. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 9, characterised in that the rotary knob (6) is made of a single piece of material.
11. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 10, characterised in that the rotary knob (6) has a running rib (26) which is configured to slide on a front side (19) of the operating panel (5).
12. Household appliance according to claim 11, characterised in that the running rib (26) runs annularly around the guide section (8).

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