GB2075109A

GB2075109A - Magnetic catch eg for clothes washing machines

Info

Publication number: GB2075109A
Application number: GB8104878A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Industrie Zanussi SpA
Current assignee: Industrie Zanussi SpA
Priority date: 1980-02-25
Filing date: 1981-02-17
Publication date: 1981-11-11
Also published as: GB2075109B; FR2476702B3; IT8034011V0; FR2476702A3

Abstract

A magnetic catch for a domestic appliance having a door and a double-walled external panel hinged to the casing of the appliance to cover said door, comprises co-operable first and second magnetic members (32, 9) respectively disposed in the panel (5) and on the casing (8). Pivoted within said panel (5), a lever (16) carries a suction member (19) at its free end and is engaged by sliders (27), bearing spring-loaded stud (26), and also magnetic member (32) via a pin and slot. Spring (36) urges lever (16) clockwise, and its force combined with that of the magnetic attraction overcomes spring (28). To open from the closed (Fig. 2) position, panel (10) is depressed, forcing lever (16) to turn anti- clockwise and attaching sucker member (19) to the panel. The total force of suction and spring (28) overcomes the spring (36) and the magnets, turning lever (16) and opening the magnetic catch so that panel (5) pops open. The controlled leakage of air eventually releases the sucker and permits re-closing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Closure device for clothes washing machines The present invention relates to a closure device for electrical domestic appliances, in particular but not exclusively clothes washing machines, which are provided with a door for access to the interior of the appliance, and an external panel for covering the door. This construction is also adopted in appliances of the built-in type, that is to say, those which are to be functionally and aesthetically inserted in items of domestic furniture.

The panel for covering the door is normally hinged to the casing of the appliance and provided with a closure device which is normally in the form of catches or the like which resiliently engage into suitable seating means.

Also known are closure devices of a magnetic type, comprising members which cooperate with each other and which are respecively fixed to the panel and to the casing. In every case, the panel is provided with a handle for opening and closing the panel, and such handle represents a functional encumbrance in use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a closure device for an electrical domestic appliance provided with a door and a double-walled external panel hinged to the casing of the appliance to cover said door, the device comprising first and second magnetic members which are co-operable with each other and which in use, are respectively disposed in the panel and on the casing, a lever within said panel, the lever being pivoted at one end on a carrier fixed, in use, to the panel and being provided at the other end with a suction member co-operatable, in use, with an internal wall of the panel, said lever being engaged by first and second resilient means acting in mutually opposite directions and being connected by a pin and slot connection to said first magnetic members disposed, in use, in the panel.

As will be apparent from the following description, the invention can provide a device with a panel which is more efficient and more convenient to use and which does not require the fitting of a control handle or the like.

The construction of the device makes it possible to open the panel by pushing it towards the casing of the appliance, without the need for a suitable handle, and to close the panel simply by moving it near the casing.

The features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly apparent from the following description which is given solely by way of non-limiting example, of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a clothes washing machine provided with the closure device according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a view in cross-section of the device in question, mounted on the machine shown in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows a view of the device taken in section along line A-A in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, the electrical domestic appliance is a clothes washing machine which has a door 4 for access to the internal drum and a cover panel 5 which is hinged to the front surface of the casing 8 of the machine, so as to cover the door 4 in the closed position.

The panel 5 incorporates the closure device 7 according to the invention, which is provided with a magnetic member capable of cooperating with a small plate 9 of ferro-magnetic material which is applied to the surface of the casing 8.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the panel 5 comprises two wall members 10 and 11 which are joined together in per se known manner and which are spaced apart so as to define an internal cavity within which the closure device 7 is housed.

The closure device 7 is formed by a forked carrier 1 3 which is fitted by a spring action into an opening in the wall member 11 and which projects towards the casing 8.

Mounted at the upper end of the carrier 1 3 is a pin 1 7 on which the upper end of a lever 1 6 is pivoted. The opposite end of the lever 1 6 is provided with a mounting seat in which there is fitted a suction member 1 9 which is directed towards the wall member 10 of the panel 5.

Fitted at the centre of the suction member 19 is a socket member 21 provided with a calibrated groove 22, regulation of which makes it possible to vary the flow of air to the region enclosed between the suction member 1 9 and the wall 10, in order to delay separation of those two components, as desired.

Provided in the lever 1 6 is a through hole 24 of a stepped configuration, for housing the head 25 of a peg member 26 which is movable within a thrust member 27. The peg member 26 is surrounded and engaged by a compression spring 28 which abuts between the head 25 and the bottom of the member 27, which is of square section. The member 27 is inserted and can slide through a hole provided in the carrier 13, without sliding therefrom, due to the presence of turned edges 20, until it butts against the surface of the casing 8.

The carrier 14 is provided with a further aperture in which a box member 31 containing a permanent magnet element 32 is slidably inserted.

This arrangement can thus produce a closed magnetic circuit between the element 32 and the plate 9 which is fixed to the fromt surface of the casing 8, when the panel 5 is in the closure position.

The box member 31 is also connected to the lever 1 6 by means of a pin and slot-type connection 30.

The lever 1 6 is continuously loaded for rotary movement towards the left in Fig. 2, around the pin 17, by the force of a torsion spring 36, the ends 37 and 38 of which are engaged in the lever 1 6 and the carrier 1 3 respectively The operation of the above-described device will now be explained.

When the panel 5 is in the closure position (Fig. 2), the bottom of the member 27 bears against the surface of the casing 8 and the magnetic member 32 is in contact with the plate 9 by mutual attraction.

The spring 28 is loaded but its force is counteracted and overcome by the combined action of the spring 36 and the magnetic attraction force as between the member 32 and the plate 9, while the suction member 1 9 is detached from the wall 10.

In order to open the panel 5, a pressure has to be applied to the outside surface of the wall member 10, towards the casing 8 of the washing machine.

Consequently, the thrust means formed by the member 27 and the spring 28 causes rotary movement of the lever 1 6 about the pivot 1 7 towards the right in Fig. 2. This causes the suction member 1 9 to adhere to the inside surface of the wall member 10 and, when a pressure is no longer applied to the wall member 10 from the outside, the thrust force of the spring 28 and the adhesion of the suction member 1 9 overcome the force of the spring 36 and the magnetic attraction as between the member 32 and the plate 9, causing the panel 5 to jump open.

After a subsequent period determined by the calibration of the groove 22 in the socket member 21 of the suction member 19, the suction member automatically comes away from the wall member 10. The panel 5 is thus pre-disposed for subsequent closing, and closure of the panel is effected simply by moving the panel to a position against the casing 8 and resuming the operative conditions described at the beginning.

Claims

1. A closure device for an electrical do mestic appliance provided with a door and a double-walled external panel hinged to the casing of the appliance to cover said door, the device comprising first and second magnetic members which are co-operable with each other and which, in use, are respectively dis posed in the panel and on the casing, a lever within said panel, the lever being pivoted at one end on a carrier fixed, in use, to the panel and being provided at the other end with a suction member co-operatable, in use, with an internal wall of the panel, said lever being engaged by first and second resilient means acting in mutually opposite directions and being connected by a pin and slot connection to said first magnetic members disposed, in use, in the panel.

2. A closure device according to claim 1 wherein that said first resilient means comprise a member slidable in an aperture in said carrier and containing a spring-loaded peg member, while said second resilient means comprise a torsion spring whose ends are engaged against said lever and said carrier respectively.

3. A closure device according to claim 1 or 2 in that said first magnetic members are enclosed in a box member slidable through an aperture in the carrier while said second magnetic members comprise a plate member of ferro-magnetic material, which in use is fixed to the casing of the appliance.

4. A closure device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that said suction member is provided with a socket member or the like having a regulatable calibrated groove.

5. A closure device constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A domestic appliance incorporating a closure device according to any one of the preceding claims.