EP3149234A1

EP3149234A1 - Laundry treatment appliance having an improved front door opening mechanism

Info

Publication number: EP3149234A1
Application number: EP14732510.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Salih YILDIRIM; Sema KARACA
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2014-06-02
Filing date: 2014-06-02
Publication date: 2017-04-05
Also published as: WO2015185091A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a front door (3) having an improved front door opening mechanism. The present invention more particularly relates to a laundry washing and/or drying appliance comprising a rotary drum in which the laundry is placeable, an electric motor rotating the rotary drum and a front door (3) allowing access into the rotary drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (2), the front door (3) being openable around a door hinge (5) in the manner that a lock mechanism (6) releasably secures an engagement end (13) such that the front door (3) is lockable and unlockable.

Description

LAUNDRY TREATMENT APPLIANCE HAVING AN IMPROVED FRONT DOOR OPENING MECHANISM

The present invention relates to a laundry washing and/or drying appliance comprising a front door having an improved front door opening mechanism.
The laundry treatment appliances such as for instance washing machines, drying machines and combo washing/drying machines comprise a rotary drum in which cloth items are placeable and accessible via a front door, a water tub in which the rotary drum is rotatable and a motor providing said rotary drum to be driven by means of a pulley mechanism, the latter being disposed outside said tub. To this end, laundry treatment appliances have front doors typically allowing access into the rotary drum for loading and unloading the laundry to be processed.
A front door opening mechanism typically functions in the manner that a handle associated with a handle lever is rotatable to drive a hook lever, the latter being actuable to lock or unlock the front door. The handle lever and the hook lever therefore cooperate to initiate the proper positioning of the mechanical components such that an engagement end of the hook lever is displaced a certain distance to be released from a locking slot.
A problem associated with the above-described mechanical design lies in that while a given user reaches for a handle cover to unlock the front door of the laundry treatment appliance during operation of the same by way of retracting the handle lever relative to the handle cover, he/she may be able to move the handle a certain distance although the front door is locked. This situation may in turn cause that the original locked positions of the inner components of the mechanism are altered. In this case, since the handle lever is also moved away from its original position, the user may suppose that the handle lever is stuck and or is not working properly. To prevent this, the present invention proposes a mechanical arrangement ensuring that the original positional configuration of the components of the front door in locked position is maintained in response to user intervention during operation of the laundry treatment appliance.
The present invention therefore proposes a laundry treatment appliance in which the handle lever of the front door locking mechanism is automatically returned to its original position if rotated during operation of the appliance.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as EP0349494 among others, the document disclosing a door lock for front-loading washing machines, comprising a support body associated with the structure of the machine and a lever articulated to the body and having an end opposite the articulated end which is connected to a flexible operating cable. A slide is articulated to the lever and has a lateral edge surface situated adjacent an aperture in the body, which is provided for the passage of a catch member connected to the door of the machine. The lateral edge surface of the slide also has a cut-out portion for enabling the catch member to be released, and the door to be opened, when the slide slides.
The present invention provides a laundry treatment appliance in which the handle lever of the front door locking mechanism is automatically returned to its original position if rotated during operation of the appliance as defined by the characterizing features in Claim 1.
Primary object of the present invention is hence to provide a laundry treatment appliance the original positional configuration of the components of the front door in locked positions thereof is maintained if the user rotates the handle lever during operation of the laundry treatment appliance.
The present invention proposes a laundry treatment appliance having a lock mechanism for locking and unlocking the front door thereof. A handle lever operates a hook lever in mechanical engagement whereby an engagement end is rotated. Both said handle lever and said hook lever have a common axis of rotation.
The handle lever transfers rotational movement to the hook lever by a contact surface with a flexible driving member such that they remain in mechanical contact during locking and unlocking of the front door. Rotation of the handle lever also rotates the flexible driving member pressing against the hook lever. The flexible driving member transfers the movement to the hook lever while at the same time applying tension to the handle lever.
A torsional spring is provided in a compressed state around a pivot pin. The hook lever being rotatable around the pivot pin axis is therefore forced in the direction of a safety lock by said torsional spring. If the force exerted by the user to the handle lever cannot move the hook lever during operation of the appliance, the handle lever will be taken back to its original position by the flexible driving member. If the force exerted by the user to the handle lever can move the hook lever during operation of the appliance, the handle lever will again be taken back to its original position by the flexible driving member and this also will allow room for the hook lever to be returned to its original position by said torsional spring so that the positional configuration of the components will remain unchanged at the end of the operation of the laundry treatment appliance.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a laundry treatment appliance, whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.
The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of a laundry treatment appliance with an open front door.
Fig. 2 demonstrates a general perspective view of a laundry treatment appliance front door.
Fig. 3 demonstrates a front view of a laundry treatment appliance front door according to the present invention
Fig. 4 demonstrates a cross-sectional side view of the lock mechanism along lines B-B as indicated in Fig. 3 according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 demonstrates an enlarged view of the detail X as shown in Fig. 4 according to the present invention.
The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:

Laundry treatment appliance
Access opening
Front door
Skirt portion
Door hinge
Lock mechanism
Handle lever
Handle cover
Pivot pin
Hook lever
Flexible driving member
Torsional spring
Engagement end
Friction surface
Safety lock
Driving member connection means

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a water tub, a rotary drum, in which the laundry is to be placed and an electric motor rotating the drum. A front door (3) typically allows access into the drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (2). The front door (3) of the laundry treatment appliance (1) is conventionally openable around a door hinge (5) and a lock mechanism (6) releasably secures an engagement end (13) part to a locking slot.
According to the present invention, a handle lever (7) is provided such that rotation thereof around a pivot pin (9) axis drives a hook lever (10) by means of a flexible driving member (11) in the form of a leaf spring. Said handle lever (7) and the hook lever (10) are rotatable around a common axis, i.e. the pivot pin (9) axis, in cooperation to coaxially actuate or deactuate the lock mechanism (6) of the front door (3). The handle lever (7) maintains a contact surface with the hook lever (10) by means of the flexible driving member (11) such that the two parts remain in mechanical communication with each other during locking and unlocking of the front door (3). More particularly, rotational movement imparted to the handle lever (7) by the user is transferred to the hook lever (10) and the handle lever (7) and the hook lever (10) accordingly cooperate by means of the flexible driving member (11) pressing against the hook lever (10) in response to the rotational movement of the handle lever (7). The flexible driving member (11) is fixedly attached to the handle lever (7) by means of a driving member connection means (16).
A safety lock (15) mechanism conventionally prevents opening of the front door (3) as long as the appliance is carrying out the treatment operation. However, it might still happen that the handle lever (7) is displaced a certain amount relative to a handle cover (8) being fixedly attached to the body of the front door (3) during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1). This situation may give rise to an impression on the part of the user that the handle lever (7) is stuck. The invention provides that the original positional configuration of the handle lever (7) as well as the hook lever (10) is maintained and the respective parts are returned to their original positions if a user tries to open the front door (3) during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1).
According to the present invention, a torsional spring (12) extends around the pivot pin (9) and biases the hook lever (10) in the direction of the safety lock (15) mechanism to maintain a friction surface (15) thereinbetween. The torsional spring (12) is held in compressed form with the two end extensions thereof being appropriately secured in the housing of the front door (3). The numeral 12 in Fig. 5 indicates axis lines of the two end extensions of the torsional spring (12) wound around the pivot pin (9).
As the laundry being processed inside the drum exerts an outward force during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1), in order to move the hook lever (10), the force applied by the rotational movement of the handle lever (7) must be greater than the sum of the frictional force on the friction surface (15) and the force of the torsional spring (12). Even in this case, the safety lock (15) mechanism will not allow opening of the front door (3) but again the handle lever (7) and the hook lever (10) may still be moved a certain amount away from their original positions.
The present invention provides that the flexible driving member (11) as a mechanical connection element between the handle lever (7) and the hook lever (10) also serves as a stopping member that is configured to apply tension to the handle lever (7) when loaded by the rotational movement of the same. To this end, the flexible driving member (11) provides that the handle lever (7) is forced back to its original position if the force applied by the user thereto during operation of the appliance is lower than the sum of the frictional force on the friction surface (15), the force applied by the torsional spring (12) and the force applied by the flexible driving member (11). In this case, the hook lever (10) is not rotated since the frictional force on the friction surface (15) and the force of the torsional spring (12) are not overcome. In case the force applied by the user exceeds a certain threshold, however, the hook lever (10) will rotate a limited amount, but it will regain its original position by the force of the torsional spring (12) as the flexible driving member (11) will be restored to its initial non-loaded state by itself and allow room for the hook lever (10) to also move back to its initial locked position.
After the laundry treatment operation is terminated, the safety lock (15) mechanism will allow opening of the front door (3) in response to the rotational movement of the handle lever (7). In this case, the door will be opened if the force applied by the user overcomes the forces applied by the flexible driving member (11) and the torsional spring (12) as the outward force exerted by the laundry during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1) is now removed.
In a nutshell, the present invention proposes a laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a rotary drum in which the laundry is placeable, an electric motor rotating the rotary drum and a front door (3) allowing access into the rotary drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (2), the front door (3) being openable around a door hinge (5) in the manner that a lock mechanism (6) releasably secures an engagement end (13) such that the front door (3) is lockable and unlockable.
A handle lever (7) is provided to be rotatable in mechanical communication with a hook lever (10) that is drivable by the handle lever (7) by means of a flexible driving member (11), whereby the engagement end (13) is actuable to lock or unlock the front door (3).
In an embodiment of the present invention, rotational movement imparted to the handle lever (7) is transferred to the hook lever (10) by the flexible driving member (11) pressing against the hook lever (10) in response to the rotational movement of the handle lever (7).
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the flexible driving member (11) is fixedly attached to the handle lever (7) by means of a driving member connection means (16).
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the hook lever (10) is rotatable around a pivot pin (9).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, a torsional spring (12) extends around the pivot pin (9) and biases said hook lever (10) in the direction of a safety lock (15) mechanism so as to maintain a friction surface (15) between the engagement end (13) and the safety lock (15) mechanism during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the torsional spring (12) is held in compressed form with the two end extensions thereof being secured in the housing of the front door (3).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the flexible driving member (11) is configured to apply tension to the handle lever (10) when loaded by the rotational movement of the same.
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the flexible driving member (11) forces the handle lever (7) back to its original position if the force applied to the handle lever (7) during operation of the appliance is lower than the force applied back by the flexible driving member (11).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the flexible driving member (11) forces the handle lever (7) back to its original position if the force applied to the handle lever (7) during operation of the appliance is lower than the sum of the frictional force on the friction surface (15), the force applied by the torsional spring (12) and the force applied by the flexible driving member (11).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the flexible driving member (11) forces the handle lever (7) back to its original position so as to allow room for the hook lever (10) to be also moved back to its initial locked position by the torsional spring (12) if the force applied to the handle lever (7) during operation of the appliance is greater than the sum of the frictional force on the friction surface (15), the force applied by the torsional spring (12) and the force applied by the flexible driving member (11).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the handle lever (7) and the hook lever (10) are coaxially rotatable around the pivot pin (9). Said flexible driving member (11) is a leaf spring.
Therefore, the invention solves the problem of positional shift of the handle lever (7) and hook lever (10) in the event a user tries to operate the handle lever (7) while the laundry treatment appliance (1) is operating. The mechanical arrangement of the invention thereby restores the original positional configuration of the components as achieved in the locked position of the front door (3) in response to user intervention during operation.
After the treatment program is terminated, the user will have no difficulty to operate and open the front door (3) as the handle lever (7) will be at its initial “0” position. As the hook lever (10) will also be at its locked position in engagement with the safety lock (15) mechanism at this stage, the operation of the latter mechanism to unlock the door will be carried out in a problem-free manner because the hook lever is at its initial “0” position, i.e. positionally ready for disengaging from the safety lock (15) mechanism.

Claims

A laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a rotary drum in which the laundry is placeable, an electric motor rotating the rotary drum and a front door (3) allowing access into the rotary drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (2), said front door (3) being openable around a door hinge (5) in the manner that a lock mechanism (6) releasably secures an engagement end (13) such that the front door (3) is lockable and unlockable characterized in that;

a handle lever (7) is provided to be rotatable in mechanical communication with a hook lever (10) that is drivable by the handle lever (7) by means of a flexible driving member (11), whereby the engagement end (13) is actuable to lock or unlock the front door (3).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that rotational movement imparted to the handle lever (7) is transferred to the hook lever (10) by the flexible driving member (11) pressing against the hook lever (10) in response to the rotational movement of the handle lever (7).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible driving member (11) is fixedly attached to the handle lever (7) by means of a driving member connection means (16).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said hook lever (10) is rotatable around a pivot pin (9).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 4, characterized in that a torsional spring (12) extends around the pivot pin (9) and biases the hook lever (10) in the direction of a safety lock (15) mechanism so as to maintain a friction surface (15) between the engagement end (13) and the safety lock (15) mechanism during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 5, characterized in that the torsional spring (12) is held in compressed form with two end extensions thereof being secured in the housing of the front door (3).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 6, characterized in that the flexible driving member (11) is configured to apply tension to the handle lever (10) when loaded by the rotational movement of the same.
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that the flexible driving member (11) forces the handle lever (7) back to its original position if the force applied to the handle lever (7) during operation of the appliance is lower than the force applied back by the flexible driving member (11).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the flexible driving member (11) forces the handle lever (7) back to its original position if the force applied to the handle lever (7) during operation of the appliance is lower than the sum of the frictional force on the friction surface (15), the force applied by the torsional spring (12) and the force applied by the flexible driving member (11).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the flexible driving member (11) forces the handle lever (7) back to its original position so as to allow room for the hook lever (10) to be moved back to its initial locked position by the torsional spring (12) if the force applied to the handle lever (7) during operation of the appliance is greater than the sum of the frictional force on the friction surface (15), the force applied by the torsional spring (12) and the force applied by the flexible driving member (11).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 4, characterized in that the handle lever (7) and said hook lever (10) are coaxially rotatable around the pivot pin (9).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in any preceding Claims, characterized in that the flexible driving member (11) is a leaf spring.