TECHNICAL FIELD
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The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a household appliance.
BACKGROUND
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A door of a household appliance, such as a dishwasher, adopts an automatic door opening solution. The automatic door opening of the household appliance may pose a risk of door falling, which may cause a safety hazard and affect the user experience.
SUMMARY
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Some embodiments of the present invention may provide a household appliance, intended to reduce a safety hazard of a door of the household appliance falling after opening at least to a certain extent, thereby improving safety and user experience.
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According to a first aspect of the present invention, some embodiments of the present invention may provide a household appliance. The household appliance may include a body, a door, a buffer member, a trigger member, and a sensing member. The body may define an opening. The door may be connected to the opening of the body and capable of being opened and closed. The buffer member may at least partially be elastic. An end of the buffer member may be connected to the door and another end of the buffer member may be connected to the body. The trigger member may be connected to the buffer member and configured to reciprocate along with opening and closing of the door. The sensing member may be connected to the body. In a case where the trigger member is adjacent to the sensing member, the sensing member may be triggered and configured to generate a trigger signal. In a case where the trigger member is distant from the sensing member, the sensing member may not be triggered.
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In the household appliance provided by some embodiments of the present invention, the buffer member may at least partially be elastic. An end of the buffer member may be connected to the door and another end of the buffer member may be connected to the body. In this way, in a case where the door moves relative to the body, the elastic part of the buffer member may deform and move along with the door, providing a buffering pulling force to the door to stop the door from falling or dropping. The trigger member may be connected to the buffer member and may be configured to reciprocate along the opening and closing of the door. The sensing member may be connected to the body. In this way, in a case where the trigger member is adjacent to the sensing member, the sensing member may be triggered and configured to generate a trigger signal. In a case where the trigger member is distant from the sensing member, the sensing member may not be triggered. That is, during the opening and closing of the door, the trigger member may be configured to intermittently trigger the sensing member, enabling the sensing member to intermittently generate the trigger signal, thereby determining that the buffer member is not malfunctioning. In a case where the trigger member keeps triggering the sensing member during the opening and closing of the door, resulting in the sensing member to constantly generate the trigger signal, the buffer member may be determined to be malfunctioning. In a case where the trigger member fails to trigger the sensing member at all during the opening and closing of the door, resulting in no trigger signal generated by the sensing member, the buffer member may be determined to be malfunctioning. The above process may reduce a safety hazard of the door falling due to the door opening in a case where the buffer member malfunctions, thereby enhancing safety and user experience and providing strong practical utility.
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In some embodiments, the buffer member may include a pull rope and a tension spring. The trigger member may be connected to the pull rope. The pull rope and the sensing member may be spaced apart from each other.
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In some embodiments, the trigger member may include a trigger protrusion connected to the pull rope. In a case where the trigger protrusion is adjacent to the sensing member, the trigger protrusion may be configured to abut against the sensing member, enabling the sensing member to generate the trigger signal.
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In some embodiments, in a case where the door is closed on the body, the trigger member may be configured to abut against the sensing member. In a case where the door is opened away from the body, the trigger member may be distant from the sensing member.
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In some embodiments, the household appliance may further include two steering members connected to the body. The pull rope may have an end connected to the door, and another end wrapping around the two steering members in sequence and connected to the tension spring. The trigger protrusion may be configured to reciprocate between the two steering members.
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In some embodiments, the sensing member may be disposed above or below the trigger member. Along a direction of a moving path of the trigger member, a projection of the trigger member may at least partially overlap with a projection of the sensing member.
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In some embodiments, the household appliance may further include a limiting member. The limiting member may be connected to the body and disposed in the moving path of the trigger member. In a case where the door is closed on the body, the trigger member may be configured to abut against and be stopped by the limiting member.
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In some embodiments, the sensing member may include a main body connected to the body, a switch portion connected to the main body, and a sensing portion connected to the main body. The trigger member may be configured to act on the sensing portion, enabling the sensing portion to trigger the switch portion.
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In some embodiments, the sensing portion may include a deformable elastic member and a roller. An end of the elastic member may be connected to the main body. The roller may be rotatably disposed on another end of the elastic member. In a case where the trigger member abuts against the roller, the elastic member may be configured to trigger the switch portion.
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In some embodiments, the household appliance may be a dishwasher. During the opening and closing of the door, the trigger member may be configured to intermittently trigger the sensing member, enabling the sensing member to intermittently generate the trigger signal and determining whether the buffer member is abnormal.
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In some embodiments, the household appliance may further include a door opening member. The door opening member may be connected to the body to drive the door to open and connected to the sensing member. In a case where the door is closed on the body, the trigger member may be configured to abut against the sensing member. The sensing member may be configured to feed back the trigger signal to the door opening member. The door opening member may be configured to drive the door to open by a predetermined angle.
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In some embodiments, the household appliance may further include a control member. The control member may be connected to each of the sensing member and the door opening member to form a series circuit. In a case where the series circuit is in a conducted state, the control member may be configured to control the door opening member to open the door by a predetermined angle.
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In some embodiments, a door fall-protection device may be formed by the buffer member, the trigger member, and the sensing member. The number of the door fall-protection device may be two and the two door fall-protection devices may be disposed along a width direction of the door. The sensing member of each of the two door fall-protection devices may be connected to the control member to form the series circuit.
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In some embodiments, in a case where the door is closed on the body, the buffer member may be at least partially in a relaxed state. During a process in which the door opening member drives the door to open by the predetermined angle, the sensing member may be triggered and configured to generate the trigger signal.
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In some embodiments, a moving stroke of the door opening member may be greater than a trigger stroke between the trigger member and the sensing member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in some embodiments of the present invention, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required in the description of the embodiments. It is evident that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and those skills in the art may obtain other drawings based on the following drawings without creative work.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a household appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a door of FIG. 1 in different positions.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of a door opening member according to some embodiments of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic structural view of portion A in FIG. 2.
- FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view showing connections among a buffer member, a sensing member, a trigger member, and a door opening member of FIG. 2.
- FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view showing connections among a buffer member, a sensing member, a trigger member, a door opening member, and a control member.
- FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of a sensing member.
- FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a control method for a household appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention.
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In the figures:
- 100, door; 101, door lock;
- 200, body; 201, base; 202, latch; 203, locking hole; 204, connection member; 2051, first steering member; 2052, second steering member; 206, guiding member; 207, guide groove; 208, limiting member; 209, through hole;
- 300, buffer member; 301, tension spring; 302, pull rope;
- 400, trigger member;
- 500, sensing member; 501, main body; 502, switch portion; 503, elastic member; 504, sensing portion;
- 600, door opening member; 601, driving member; 602, pushing member;
- 700, hinge;
- 800, control member;
- 900, display portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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In order to allow those skills in the art of the present invention to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of some embodiments of the present invention are described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is evident that the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skills in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort may fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
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A dishwasher is a type of kitchen household appliance used for automatically cleaning tableware and is gradually becoming popular in more and more households. Dishwashers may generally include a drying function to allow tableware to dry quickly after cleaning, thereby inhibiting bacterial growth in a humid environment.
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After a washing program ends, dishwashers may require relatively high temperatures for drying. To address a problem of high energy consumption, in the related art, a door of the dishwasher may automatically open by a certain angle after the washing program ends, allowing air exchange to dry the tableware inside the body, rapidly expelling the hot, humid air from inside the dishwasher, thereby achieving better drying performance and reducing energy consumption.
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In the related art, the door of the dishwasher is connected to the body through a buffer member to ensure the safety of door opening. However, in a case where the buffer member fails or malfunctions and no longer provides a corresponding pulling force, the door of the dishwasher may drop or fall rapidly as opening automatically, posing a safety risk of injuring users, children, or pets. Though the dishwasher may achieve a drying purpose, great safety hazards may be presented in this case, negatively affecting user experience.
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Due to the above technical problem, some embodiments of the present invention may provide a household appliance, intended to reduce a safety hazard of the door of the household appliance falling after opening at least to a certain extent, thereby improving safety and user experience. The household appliance provided by some embodiments of the present invention may be a dishwasher or another household appliance with an openable and closable door, such as a disinfection cabinet or an oven, etc., which reduces safety risks caused by a falling door. The dishwasher is taken as an exemplary embodiment below to explain the electrical appliance.
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FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a household appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a door of FIG. 1 in different positions. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the household appliance provided by some embodiments of the present invention may include a door 100, a body 200, and a buffer member 300. The body 200 may define an opening. The door 100 may be connected to the opening of the body 200 and capable of being opened and closed, to cover or expose the opening of the body 200. The buffer member 300 may be connected between the door 100 and the body 200. The buffer member 300 may at least partially be elastic. That is, at least a part of the buffer member 300 may be elastic. The buffer member 300 may include a first end and a second end. The first end of the buffer member 300 may be connected to the body 200 and the second end of the buffer member 300 may be connected to the door 100. In a case where the door 100 moves relative to the body 200, the elastic part of the buffer member 300 may deform and move along with the door 100, providing a buffering pulling force to the door 100 to stop the door 100 from falling or dropping. In a case where the buffer member 300 malfunctions and fails to provide the pulling force accordingly, when the door of the dishwasher opens automatically, the door 100 may fall rapidly and pose a safety hazard.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in a case where the household appliance is a dishwasher, the opening may be defined at a front end of the body 200 to form an inlet of the dishwasher. The door 100 may be configured to cover or close on the inlet, forming a closed space inside the dishwasher to operate the washing program for tableware.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, a side portion of the door 100 may be connected to the body 200 through a hinge 700. A top portion of the door 100 may be connected to a door opening member 600 disposed on the body 200. The door opening member 600 may be configured to automatically open the door 100 by a predetermined angle in a case where the household appliance completes or finishes the corresponding program. Air exchange may then be performed to dry the tableware inside the body 200, thereby rapidly expelling the hot, humid air from inside the dishwasher to improve drying efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Details on how the door opening member 600 is configured to automatically open the door 100 are further described as shown in FIGS. 4-5.
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FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of a door opening member according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the door opening member 600 may include a driving member 601 and a pushing member 602. The driving member 601 may be a drive device that includes an output portion capable of linear motion, such as a motor or a wax motor, etc. The pushing member 602 may be connected to the output portion of the driving member 601 and may be configured to abut against an inner side of the door 100. In a case where the dishwasher completes or finishes the washing program, the driving member 601 may be configured to move, driving the door 100 to open and remain at a certain angle through the pushing member 602. Air exchange may then be performed to dry the tableware inside the body 200, rapidly expelling the hot, humid air to improve drying performance and reduce energy consumption.
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FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic structural view of portion A in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 4-5, a latch 202 may be disposed on a front side of the body 200. The latch 202 may define a locking hole 203. A rotatable door lock 101 may be disposed on the inner side of the door 100. The door lock 101 may be connected into the locking hole 203 of the latch 202. During a process of the door opening member 600 driving the door 100 to open, the door lock 101 on the door 100 may be configured to rotate within the locking hole 203 until a stroke of the pushing member 602 of the door opening member 600 is completed, after which the door lock 101 of the door 100 may be configured to separate from the locking hole 203 of the latch 202 to allow the door 100 to open.
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It shall be noted that the moving stroke of the door opening member 600 may be greater than a contact stroke between a trigger member 400 and a sensing member 500 to ensure safety during the opening of the door 100, where reasons are described in detail below.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the buffer member 300 may include a tension spring 301 and a pull rope 302. The tension spring 301 may be connected to the pull rope 302, such that the door 100 may be connected to the body 200. During opening and closing of the door 100, the tension spring 301 may be configured to deform accordingly to drive the pull rope 302 to reciprocate. In other embodiments, the pull rope 302 may have a certain degree of elasticity. An elastic deformation capacity of the pull rope 302 may be lower than an elastic deformation capacity of the tension spring 301. During the opening and closing of the door 100, the pull rope 302 may be configured to deform accordingly.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, an end of the tension spring 301 may be connected to the body 200 and another end of the tension spring 301 may be connected to an end of the pull rope 302. Another end of the pull rope 302 may be connected to the door 100. That is, the door 100 and the body 200 may be connected through a combination of one tension spring 301 and one pull rope 302. In other embodiments, the number of the tension spring 301 may be more than one. Any adjacent tension springs 301 may be connected to each other through the pull rope 302. The door 100 and the body 200 may thus be connected through a combination of the more than one tension spring 301 and the pull rope 302. During the opening and closing of the door 100, the more than one tension spring 301 of the buffer member 300 may all be configured to deform accordingly to drive the pull rope 302 to reciprocate.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, a base 201 may be disposed at a bottom portion of the body 200. A connection member 202 may be disposed on the base 201. The connection member 202 may have a rod structure and may be disposed on a side of the base 201 near the door 100. An end of the tension spring 301 may be connected to the connection member 202 and another end of the tension spring 301 may extend in a substantially horizontal direction away from the connection member 202.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, a steering member may further be disposed on the body 200. The pull rope 302 may wrap around the steering member. During the opening and closing of the door 100, friction may be generated between the reciprocating movement of the pull rope 302 and the steering member to balance the self-weight of the door 100, thereby adapting to the door 100 of greater weight. In addition, through directional guidance by the steering member, the pull rope 302 may be kept taut and thus constrained to move along a predetermined path, reducing interference with other components of the household appliance during movement.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the steering member may have a wheel-like structure and may be rotatably connected to the body 200. A rolling friction may be generated between the pull rope 302 and the steering member. In this case, though friction between the pull rope 302 and the steering member may be reduced, the pull rope 302 may be enabled to move smoothly on the steering member, reducing wear of the pull rope 302 and increasing the service life of the pull rope 302. In other embodiments, the steering member may be fixedly disposed on the body 200, generating static friction between the pull rope 302 and the steering member and increasing the friction force between the pull rope 302 and the steering member.
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In some embodiments, the number of the steering member may be more than one. The friction between the more than one steering member and the pull rope 302 may adapt to the opening and closing of door 100 of different weights, while keeping the pull rope 302 taut and constrained to move along the predetermined path, thus reducing interference with other components of the dishwasher during movement.
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As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the number of the steering member may be two, namely a first steering member 2051 and a second steering member 2052. The first steering member 2051 and a second steering member 2052 may both be connected to the base 201 of the body 200. The first steering member 2051 and the connection member 202 may be disposed on two sides of the base 201, respectively, in a substantially horizontal direction. The second steering member 2052 may be located above an area between the connection member 202 and the first steering member 2051. The pull rope 302 may have an end connected to the tension spring 301, and another end wrapping around the first steering member 2051 and the second steering member 2052 in sequence. The another end of the pull rope 302 may further be connected to the hinge 700. A part of the pull rope 302 between the hinge 700 and the second steering member 2052 may be arranged obliquely. In other embodiments, the another end of the pull rope 302 may be connected to the side portion of the door 100, which is not limited herein.
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FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view showing connections among a buffer member, a sensing member, a trigger member, and a door opening member of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 6, the household appliance may further include a trigger member 400 and a sensing member 500. The trigger member 400 may be connected to the buffer member 300 and may be configured to reciprocate along the opening and closing of the door 100. The sensing member 500 may be connected to the body 200. In a case where the trigger member 400 is adjacent to the sensing member 500, the sensing member 500 may be triggered and configured to generate a trigger signal. In a case where the trigger member 400 is distant from the sensing member 500, the sensing member 500 may not be triggered. That is, during the opening and closing of the door 100, the trigger member 400 may be configured to intermittently trigger the sensing member 500, enabling the sensing member 500 to intermittently generate the trigger signal, thereby determining that the buffer member 300 is not malfunctioning. In a case where the trigger member 400 keeps triggering the sensing member 500 during the opening and closing of the door 100, resulting in the sensing member 500 to constantly generate the trigger signal, the buffer member 300 may be determined to be malfunctioning. Alternatively, in a case where the trigger member 400 fails to trigger the sensing member 500 at all during the opening and closing of the door 100, resulting in no trigger signal generated by the sensing member 500, the buffer member 300 may be determined to be malfunctioning. The above process may reduce a safety hazard of the door 100 falling due to the door 100 opening in a case where the buffer member 300 malfunctions, thereby enhancing safety and user experience and providing strong practical utility.
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As shown in FIG. 6, the trigger member 400 may be connected to the pull rope 302 to move along with the pull rope 302. The trigger member 400 may be a trigger protrusion connected to the pull rope 302. The trigger protrusion may be a columnar structure connected partially around a circumference of the pull rope 302. In a case where the trigger protrusion is adjacent to the sensing member 500, the trigger protrusion may be configured to abut against the sensing member 500, thereby enabling the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. In a case where the trigger protrusion is distant from the sensing member 500, the sensing member 500 may not be triggered. In application of the household appliance described in some embodiments of the present invention, in a case where the door 100 is closed on the body 200, the trigger protrusion may be configured to move toward the sensing member 500 until the trigger protrusion abuts against the sensing member 500, enabling the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. In a case where the door 100 is opened away from the body 200, the trigger protrusion may be distant from the sensing member 500 and the sensing member 500 may not be triggered.
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As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the trigger member 400 may be configured to reciprocate between the steering member and the door 100, for example between the first steering member 2051 and the second steering member 2052. In other embodiments, the trigger member 400 may be configured to reciprocate between the first steering member 2051 and the connection member 204, or between the second steering member 2052 and the hinge 700, which is not limited herein. In addition, during reciprocating of the trigger member 400, the sensing member 500 may be configured to remain spaced apart from the pull rope 302, reducing a chance of the pull rope 302 contacting the sensing member 500 during the opening and closing of the door 100, thereby reducing a chance of the sensing member 500 generating the trigger signal because of the pull rope 302.
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As shown in FIGS. 2-3, to ensure that the trigger member 400 moves along the predetermined path, the household appliance may further include a guiding member 206 disposed inside the body 200. The trigger member 400 may be configured to reciprocate on the guiding member 206. In some embodiments, the guiding member 206 may be disposed on the base 201 of the body 200 and may be configured to have a block structure arranged in the substantially horizontal direction. A guide groove 207 may be defined on a top portion of the guiding member 206 or a side portion of the guiding member 206. The trigger member 400 may be configured to at least partially reciprocate within the guide groove 207, thereby guiding the trigger member 400 to reciprocate. In addition, in a case where the buffer member 300 malfunctions, the trigger member 400 may fall into the guide groove of the guiding member 206 due to self-gravity, reducing negative impact caused by the trigger member 400 falling to other components of the dishwasher due to the self-gravity.
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As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the household appliance may further include a limiting member 208. The limiting member 208 may be fixed to the base 201 of the body 200 and disposed in a moving path of the trigger member 400 to limit a movement of the trigger member 400. In a case where the door 100 is closed on the body 200, the trigger member 400 may be configured to abut against and be stopped by the limiting member 208 and further abut against the sensing member 500, enabling the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal.
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As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the limiting member 208 may have a block structure and be fixed upright on the base 201 of the body 200. A through hole 209 may be defined on the limiting member 208. The pull rope 302 of the buffer member 300 may be configured to reciprocate through the through hole 209. Along a direction of the moving path of the trigger member 400, a projection of the trigger member 400 may at least partially fall onto the limiting member 208. In this way, during the reciprocating of the pull rope 302 of the buffer member 300, the trigger member 400 may be blocked by the limiting member 208, limiting the position of the trigger member 400 and ensuring that the trigger member 400 is contact with the sensing member 500 to enable the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal.
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As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, in some embodiments, a notch may be defined on a side portion of the limiting member 208. The notch may serve as the through hole 209 and may reduce an overall size of the limiting member 208. In other embodiments, a through hole may be defined at the center of the limiting member 208 to serve as the through hole 209.
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As shown in FIGS. 2-3, in a case where the household appliance is a dishwasher, the side portion of the door 100 may be connected to the body 200 through the hinge 700. The top portion of the door 100 may be connected to the door opening member 600 disposed on the body 200. In a case where the dishwasher completes the washing program, the door opening member 600 may be configured to automatically open the door 100 by a predetermined angle, enabling air exchange to dry the tableware inside the body 200 by rapidly expelling the hot, humid air inside the dishwasher, thus improving drying effectiveness and reducing energy consumption.
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As shown in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the door opening member 600 may be connected to the sensing member 500. In a case where the door 100 is closed on the body 200, the trigger member 400 may be configured to abut against the sensing member 500 and the sensing member 500 and the door opening member 600 may be connected in series. In this way, in a case where the household appliance is in operation and the door 100 is closed on the body 200, in condition of the trigger member 400 abutting against the sensing member 500 and the sensing member 500 being triggered by the trigger member 400, the buffer member 300 may be determined to be functioning normally or properly. The sensing member 500 may then be configured to feed back the trigger signal to the door opening member 600. The door opening member 600 may be configured to control the door 100 to open by the predetermined angle. In a case where the trigger member 400 is spaced apart from the sensing member 500 and the sensing member 500 fails to be triggered by the trigger member 400, the buffer member 300 may be determined to be malfunctioning or abnormal. In this case, the sensing member 500 may fail to feed back the trigger signal to the door opening member 600. In a case where the household appliance finishes operating, the door opening member 600 may be configured to cease action, thereby canceling the automatic opening of the door 100 to reduce the safety hazard of the door 100 falling due to the door 100 opening in a case where the buffer member 300 malfunctions, thereby enhancing safety and user experience.
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FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view showing connections among a buffer member, a sensing member, a trigger member, a door opening member, and a control member. As shown in FIG. 7, in other embodiments, the household appliance may further include a control member 800. The control member 800 may be connected to both the sensing member 500 and the door opening member 600. That is, the sensing member 500, the door opening member 600, and the control member 800 may together form a series circuit or loop. In a case where the trigger member 400 triggers the sensing member 500, the series circuit may be in a conducted or closed state. In a case where the series circuit is in the conducted state, the control member 800 may be configured to control the door opening member 600 to open the door 100 by the predetermined angle.
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As shown in FIGS. 2, 6, and 7, the number of the buffer member 300 may be two. The two buffer members 300 may be disposed respectively on two sides of the door 100 in a width direction. Correspondingly, the number of the sensing member 500 may be two and the number of the trigger member 400 may be two. Each buffer member 300, along with the corresponding trigger member 400 and the corresponding sensing member 500, may form one door fall-protection device. Two door fall-protection devices may be disposed in the width direction of the door 100. The sensing member 500 of each of the two door fall-protection devices may be connected to the control member 800 to form the series circuit. The series circuit may be in the closed or conducted state only in a case where the trigger member 400 in each of the two door fall-protection devices triggers the corresponding sensing member 500. In a case where the series circuit is in the conducted state, the control member 800 may be configured to control the door opening member 600 to open the door 100 by the predetermined angle. In a case where only the trigger member 400 of one door fall-protection device triggers the corresponding sensing member 500 or the trigger member 400 of none of the two fall-protection devices triggers the corresponding sensing member 500, the series circuit may not be in the conducted state. In this case, the control member 800 may be configured to control the door opening member 600 to stop opening the door 100 to ensure safety.
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In some embodiments of the present invention, the trigger member 400 may be configured to reciprocate between the limiting member 208 and the second end of the buffer member 300. In a case where the buffer member 300 is not malfunctioning and the door 100 is closed, the trigger member 400 may be configured to abut against and be stopped by a side of the limiting member 208 facing the door 100 and further abut against the sensing member 500, triggering the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. In a case where the door 100 is opening, the door 100 may move to drive the pull rope 302 and the trigger member 400 to move in a direction away from the limiting member 208, thereby separating the trigger member 400 from the sensing member 500. In a case where the door 100 is closing, a restoring deformation of the tension spring 301 may enable the pull rope 302 and the trigger member 400 to move in a direction toward the limiting member 208, until the trigger member 400 abuts against and is stopped by the limiting member 208 and abuts against the sensing member 500, enabling the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. In a case where the buffer member 300 malfunctions, the trigger member 400 may fail to perform the above movements during the opening and closing of the door 100, allowing the failure or malfunction of the buffer member 300 to be determined based on whether the trigger signal is generated. Details on the determination method are described below.
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In some embodiments, in a case where the door 100 is closed on the body 200, the buffer member 300 may be at least partially in a relaxed state. In this case, due to a preload of the tension spring 301 of the buffer member 300, the trigger member 400 may be configured to be stopped by the limiting member 208 and trigger the sensing member 500, enabling the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. During a process in which the door opening member 600 drives the door 100 to open, the door 100 may be configured to pull the pull rope 302 of the buffer member 300 to move until the pull rope 302 is in a taut state. In this case, the door opening member 600 may be configured to drive the door 100 to open by the predetermined angle. Throughout the above process, the preload of the tension spring 301 may keep the trigger member 400 in contact with or abut against and stopped by the limiting member 208 and keep triggering the sensing member 500, enabling the sensing member 500 to constantly generate and transmit the trigger signal to the door opening member 600 or the control member 800. In a case where the sensing member 500 fails to keep generating and transmitting the trigger signal to the door opening member 600 or the control member 800 during the above process, the trigger member 400 may be determined to be spaced apart from the sensing member 500 and the buffer member 300 may be determined to be malfunctioning or abnormal. In this case, the door opening member 600 may be controlled to stop opening the door 100 to ensure safety.
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In other embodiments, in a case where the door 100 is closed on the body 200, the buffer member 300 may be in the taut or tensioning state. The moving stroke of the door opening member 600 may be greater than a trigger stroke between the trigger member 400 and the sensing member 500 to ensure safety. Detailed principle is further explained below.
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As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6-7, in some embodiments, the sensing member 500 may be disposed above the trigger member 400. Along the direction of the moving path of the trigger member 400, a projection of the trigger member 400 may at least partially overlap with a projection of the sensing member 500, so that the trigger member 400 may abut against the sensing member 500 during a process in which the trigger member 400 is driven by the pull rope 302 to reciprocate. In other embodiments, the sensing member 500 may be disposed below the trigger member 400.
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FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of a sensing member. As shown in FIG. 8, in some embodiments, the sensing member 500 may include a main body 501, a switch portion 502, and a sensing portion 504. The main body 501 may be connected to the body 200. The switch portion 502 may be connected to the main body 501. The sensing portion 504 may be elastically connected to the main body 501. The trigger member 400 may be configured to abut against the sensing portion 504. In a case where the trigger member 400 abuts against the sensing portion 504 of the sensing member 500, the sensing portion 504 may be configured to move toward the main body 501 and come into contact with the switch portion 502 on the main body 501, thereby generating the trigger signal. In a case where the trigger member 400 is not in contact with the sensing portion 504, the sensing portion 504 may be configured to reset to an initial position under an elastic restoring force.
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As shown in FIG. 8, a protruding structure may be disposed on a side of the main body 501 facing the pull rope of the buffer member 300. The protruding structure may be configured as the switch portion 502 of the sensing member 500. The sensing portion 504 may be connected to the main body 501 through an elastic member 503. In some embodiments, the elastic member 503 may have a plate-shaped structure. A rotatable roller may be disposed on the elastic member 503 and may be configured as the sensing portion 504. During the opening and closing of the door 100, the trigger member 400 on the reciprocating pull rope 302 may be configured to come into rolling contact with the roller, resulting in the rolling friction between the trigger member 400 and the sensing portion 504, thereby extending the service life of both the sensing portion 504 and the trigger member 400. In some embodiments, a bracket may be disposed at an end of the elastic member 503 away from the main body 501. The roller may be rotatably connected to the bracket. A circumferential side of the roller may be configured to protrude from the bracket to make contact with the trigger member 400. In other embodiments, the elastic member 503 may be a tension spring. Two ends of the tension spring may be respectively connected to the main body 501 and the bracket.
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In other embodiments, the sensing member 500 may be a micro switch, a Hall element, or an optocoupler sensor. In a case where the sensing member 500 is the micro switch, a sensing protrusion of the micro switch may be configured as the sensing portion of the sensing member. In a case where the trigger member 400 is adjacent to the sensing member 500, the trigger member 400 may be configured to abut against the sensing protrusion of the sensing member 500, thereby enabling the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. In a case where the sensing member 500 is the Hall element, at least a part of the trigger member 400 may be magnetic. In a case where the trigger member 400 is adjacent to the sensing member 500, the magnetic part of the trigger member 400 may be configured to trigger the sensing member 500 to generate the trigger signal. In a case where the sensing member 500 is the optocoupler sensor, during the approach of the trigger member 400 toward the sensing member 500, the trigger member 400 may be configured to block at least a part of the sensing member 500, thereby triggering the sensing member to generate the trigger signal.
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Based on the above household appliance, some embodiments of the present invention may further provide a control method for a household appliance. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a control method for a household appliance according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the control method may include the following operations.
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At operation S1: in a case where a door 100 is closed, determining that a trigger member 400 is in contact with a sensing member 500.
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At operation S2: controlling a household appliance to operate.
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At operation S3: in a case where the household appliance finishes operating, controlling a door opening member 600 to operate based on a position of the trigger member 400 detected by the sensing member 500.
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In the control method for the household appliance provided by some embodiments of the present invention, the position of the trigger member 400 may be detected by the sensing member 500 and the door opening member 600 may be controlled to operate accordingly, reducing the safety hazard of the door 100 falling due to the door 100 opening in a case where the buffer member 300 is malfunctioning, thereby enhancing safety and user experience and providing strong practical utility.
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In some embodiments of the present invention, the operation S1 may include: in a case where the door 100 is closed and the trigger member 400 abut against the sensing portion 504 of the sensing member 500 for generating the trigger signal, the trigger member 400 and the sensing member 500 may be determined to be in contact with each other, further determining that the buffer member 300 is not malfunctioning.
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In some embodiments of the present invention, the operation S2 may include: in a case where the buffer member 300 is determined to be not malfunctioning, the household appliance may be controlled to operate a user-selected program. During an operation of the household appliance, the door opening member 600 may not be activated, ensuring a normal operation of the household appliance.
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In some embodiments of the present invention, the operation S3 may include: in a case where the household appliance finishes operating, the sensing member 500 may be configured to determine whether the trigger member 400 remains in an original position. In a case where the trigger member 400 is determined to be in contact with the sensing member 500, the trigger signal may be generated to confirm that the trigger member 400 is in contact with the sensing member 500 and the buffer member 300 is functioning normally. The door opening member 600 may then be controlled to perform a door opening operation according to a preset program. In a case where no trigger signal is generated, the trigger member 400 and the sensing member 500 may be determined to be spaced apart from each other, and the buffer member 300 may be determined to be malfunctioning. In this case, the door opening member 600 may be controlled to maintain a locked operation, so that the door 100 may not be automatically opened, thus reducing the safety hazard caused by the door 100 falling. In addition, a corresponding error code may be displayed on a display portion 900 of the household appliance to alert the user and facilitate after-sales maintenance.
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Moreover, in a case where the door 100 is closed on the body 200, the trigger member 400 may abut against the limiting member 208. In this way, in a case where the pull rope 302 between the trigger member 400 and the second end of the buffer member is malfunctioning, since the limiting member 208 limits the trigger member 400, the trigger member 400 may be configured to still remain contact with the sensing portion 504 of the sensing member 500. Under this condition, in a case where the door opening member 600 performs the door opening operation, the door 100 may be at risk of falling. Thus, in a case where the trigger member 400 is determined to be in contact with the sensing member 500 and the door opening member 600 is controlled to perform the door opening operation, the control method may further include the following: before the door opening member 600 finishes the door opening operation, determining whether the sensing member 500 and the trigger member 400 are separated or spaced apart from each other. In a case where the sensing member 500 and the trigger member 400 are determined to be separated from each other, the door opening member 600 may be controlled to continue the door opening operation to open the door 100. In a case where the sensing member 500 and the trigger member 400 are determined to be not separated from each other, the door opening member 600 may be controlled to stop the door opening operation. That is, during the door opening process driven by the door opening member 600, the door 100 may be configured to open by a small angle, driving the trigger member 400 to move away from the limiting member 208 and separate from the sensing portion 504 of the sensing member 500, indicating that the buffer member 300 is not malfunctioning. In this case, the door opening member 600 may be controlled to continue the door opening operation to open the door 100. In a case where the trigger member 400 remains in contact with the limiting member 208 and the trigger signal is generated during the door opening process driven by the door opening member 600, the pull rope 302 between the trigger member 400 and the second end of the buffer member may be determined to be malfunctioning. In this case, the door opening member 600 may be controlled to stop the door opening operation to reduce safety hazards. In some embodiments, the moving stroke of the door opening member 600 needs to be greater than the trigger stroke between the trigger member 400 and the sensing member 500.
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It should be noted that the control method provided by some embodiments of the present invention may be performed during the operation of the household appliance. The malfunction of the buffer member 300 as described above may include, but is not limited to, insufficient elastic deformation of the buffer member 300, or partial detachment or breakage of the buffer member 300, etc., which are not described in detail herein.
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In the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, or that the first feature and the second feature are not in direct contact but connected through another feature therebetween. Furthermore, the first feature being "above", "upper", and "on top of" the second feature may include being directly above or obliquely above, or merely indicate that the first feature is at a greater vertical height than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "lower", and "under" the second feature may include being directly below or obliquely below, or merely indicate that the first feature is at a lesser vertical height than the second feature.
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In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness," "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", and "counterclockwise" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are intended solely for ease of description and simplification, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, such terms shall not be construed as limitations on the present invention.
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In the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" "fixed", etc., shall be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" may include fixed connection, detachable connection, or integrally formed connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it may involve fluid communication between components or interaction between components. Those skills in the art may understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific context.
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Furthermore, in the present invention, the descriptions involving "first", "second", and the like are merely for descriptive purposes and shall not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Accordingly, features defined as "first", "second", etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more such features. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality of" shall mean two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.