GB2477623A

GB2477623A - Household appliance with panel movable to either side of a component

Info

Publication number: GB2477623A
Application number: GB1101591A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Klaus Erdmann; Ralf Grobleben; Gerhard Nuessler
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2010-02-04
Filing date: 2011-01-28
Publication date: 2011-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-28
Also published as: GB2477623B; DE102010001587A1; GB201101591D0; DE102010001587B4

Abstract

A household appliance subassembly has a panel such as carrier 10 and a mounting means 12 which pivotably and slidable mounts the carrier 10 on a component such as a body 14 of the door 34 so that the carrier 10 can move from one side of the door to the other. Carrier 10 carries a control element (such as rotary control 18 on axle 64 or a touch slider) and forms part of a door handle 16 of the door 34. The household appliance can be a baking oven. With the door closed (fig 2) a front surface (72, fig 1) of the carrier 10' is flush with the door front, but as the door is opened a roller 78, axle 76, cable 82 and spring 84 cause the carrier 10' to move to the other side of the door (fig 4). Also with the door closed an actuator 58 can move the carrier 10' to allow air from a cooking space (62, fig 1) through a passage 56 for cooling. The control element can have detents, be removable mounted to an edge of the carrier (fig 5), or protrude from the carrier (fig 7).

Description

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE SUBASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a household appliance subassembly.

A carrier unit which carries a button and which is mounted to be rotatable relative to a door body and a household appliance body is known from DE 35 20 272 Al.

A panel element, which is movably mounted on a household appliance part, is known from DE 36 21 260A1.

The object of the invention consists particularly in providing equipment according to category with improved characteristics with respect to convenient capability of use.

According to the present invention there is provided a household appliance subassembly with at least one panel element and at least one mounting means, which movably mounts the panel element on at least one unit, wherein at least a part of the panel element can be arranged, by a mounting movement made possible by the mounting means, at at least two mutually opposite sides of the unit.

In a preferred embodiment there is to be understood by a part of the carrier element being able to be arranged at at least two mutually opposite sides of a unit or component "by a mounting movement made possible by the mounting means", for example, that the part of the carrier element can -whilst it is permanently connected with the mounting means and with the unit preferably by at least one mechanical force -be transferred, starting from a position in which the carrier element is arranged at a first side of the unit, by a movement into a position in which it is arranged at a second side of the unit opposite the first side. In this regard, the carrier element is preferably guided by the mounting means, wherein the mounting means with particular preference produces a permanent material connection, which preferably is separable only by detaching at least one mechanical fastening device and which with particular preference is separable only by destruction, between the unit and the panel element. By "panel element" there is to be understood, for example, an element which in at least one operational state is visible in at least one view of a household appliance equipped with the subassembly and which preferably forms a surface, which in the operational state is arranged at an outer side of the household appliance, of the appliance. By "mounting means which mounts the panel element on a unit" there is to be understood, for example, mounting means which in at least one operating state produces a material connection between the panel element and the unit and which preferably differs from a mount which mounts a door on a household appliance body. By "household appliance body" there is to be understood, for example, a support unit of a household appliance which is free of parts of the door and which in at least one operating state transfers at least ten percent and preferably at least fifty percent of a total weight force of the appliance to a support such as a kitchen floor and/or kitchen wall, which is separate from the appliance. A convenient capability of use can be achieved by such an embodiment. In particular, a flexible capability of use of control elements carried by the carrier element can be achieved. A control element carried by the control carrier element can be conveniently actuated by a user in a state in which a door of the subassembly is open and a state in which the door is closed.

In addition, it is proposed that the panel element forms at least part of a door handle. By the panel element forming at least "part of a door handle" there is to be understood, for example, that the panel element has at least one region provided for the purpose of being gripped and/or gripped around by a user so as to thereby introduce forces into the region to enable a closing or an opening movement of the door. In this connection, the part of the door handle is preferably provided for the purpose of being gripped by a user at two mutually opposite sides. Components can thereby be saved.

Preferably, the subassembly comprises at least one carrier element, which is constructed at least in part integrally with the panel element. By the carrier element being constructed at least in part "integrally" with the panel element there is to be understood, for example, that at least a part of the carrier element is formed integrally with the panel element and/or that at least a part of the carrier element is part of a casting and/or an injection moulding including the panel element and/or that at least a part of the carrier element and the panel element are separable from one another only by destruction. A compact mode of construction can thereby be achieved.

With advantage, the carrier element in at least one operating state preferably accepts at least a part of a weight force of a rotary control element and/or a touch control element.

By "rotary control element" there is to be understood, for example, a control element provided for the purpose of being rotated by a user in at least one control process, wherein preferably at least one operating mode and/or at least one operating variable is or are selected by means of the rotation. By "touch control element" there is to be understood, for example, a control element which is provided for the purpose of being actuated by pressure-free contact and/or by pressure-free pushing movement, during which the control element is contacted. By "provided" there is to be understood, for example, specifically designed and/or specifically equipped and/or specifically programmed. A convenient capability of use can be achieved in this manner. In particular, it can be achieved that a position of the rotary control element and/or touch control element, which the rotary control element and/or the touch control element adopts or adopt relative to the household appliance body and/or a door body, can be changed in simple manner and adapted to user requirements.

The household appliance subassembly preferably comprises at least one control element mounting unit mounting the rotary control element in at least one operating state to be rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to an appliance front surface. By "control element mounting unit" there is to be understood, for example, a mounting unit which mounts a control element to be movable in at least one operating state, wherein the mounting unit preferably differs from a mounting unit which mounts a door on a household appliance body. By the axis being "substantially parallel" to an appliance front surface there is to be understood, for example, that the axis in a front view of the household appliance subassembly and/or a household appliance equipped therewith includes, with the direction of viewing the appliance front, only angles which are larger than 60 degrees, preferably greater than 70 degrees and with particular preference greater than 88 degrees.

A convenient capability of use can thereby be achieved, especially, a user-friendly capability of operation of the rotary control element.

Moreover, the household appliance subassembly preferably comprises at least one control element mounting unit provided for the purpose of mounting the rotary control element on the carrier element to be able to be decoupled therefrom by a user without destruction. A low cleaning effort can thereby be achieved. In particular, the rotary control element can be cleaned in simple manner in a decoupled state.

Preferably, the control carrier element in at least one operating state bounds at least two unconnected control regions of the rotary control element. By "control region" of the rotary control element there is to be understood, for example, a region of the control element which is provided for the purpose of being able to be gripped by a user and by means of which a user can perform at least one control process in that he or she exerts at least a force on the region. An ergonomically advantageous and at the same time robust mode of construction can thereby be achieved. In particular, the rotary control element is actuable in ergonomically advantageous manner and at the same time is arranged in a shielded region so that the rotary control element is protected from shocks.

In addition, it is proposed that the rotary control element in at least one operating state is arranged with respect to an appliance front view at an outer edge of the carrier element.

By "outer edge of the control carrier element" with respect to an appliance front view there is to be understood, for example, an edge of the control carrier element which in a front view of an appliance equipped with the subassembly forms an outline of the carrier element. A flexible capability of use can thereby be achieved. In particular, a part of the rotary control element which adjoins the outer edge and forms an end face of the rotary control element is usable for control actuations. For preference, in the operating state a door of the household appliance subassembly is arranged in a closed setting.

With advantage the rotary control element in at least one operating state in which a door is arranged in a closed setting protrudes with respect to an appliance front view beyond at least an outer profile of the carrier element. By "outer profile" of the control carrier element there is to be understood with respect to an appliance front view, for example, a profile of the carrier element which forms an outline thereof in a state in which the rotary control element is demounted from the control carrier element and in which the carrier element is arranged in a position, when it is in the operating state, in a front view of a household appliance. In this manner a convenient capability of use can be achieved. In particular, a large surface region of the rotary control element and a large part of an end face of the rotary control element is conveniently usable by a user.

In a preferred embodiment the household appliance subassembly comprises the rotary control element and this includes at least one press control element and/or touch control element and/or at least one display unit. A high degree of functionality can thereby be achieved.

With advantage, the panel element is constructed at least in part integrally with a cooling air control element. By the panel element being constructed at least in part "integrally" with a cooling air control element there is to be understood, for example, that at least a part of the panel element is formed integrally with the cooling air control element and/or that at least a part of the panel element is part of a casting and/or an injection moulding including the cooling air control element and/or that at least a part of the panel element and the cooling air control element are separable from one another only by destruction.

By "cooling air control element" there is to be understood, for example, an element which in at least one operating process influences and preferably deflects a cooling air flow, wherein the element with particular preference changes a volume flow of the cooling air flow during the operating process. Components can thereby be saved.

The household appliance subassembly preferably comprises at least one door which is mounted to be recessible at least partly in a stowage space. A convenient capability of use can thereby be achieved. In particular, a loading opening of the subassembly is accessible in convenient manner for a user.

The carrier element in at least one operating state is preferably substantially flush with at least one appliance front surface. By the carrier element being "substantially" flush with at least one appliance front surface there is to be understood, for example, that the carrier element and the appliance front surface are flush or form a protrusion which has at most a height of 5 millimetres, preferably at most 3 millimetres and with particular preference at most one millimetre. A simple capability of cleaning can thereby be achieved.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a household appliance equipped with the aforesaid household appliance subassembly, whereby convenience in use can be achieved.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a household appliance with a household appliance subassembly embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic, partly broken-way side view, to an enlarged scale, of a part of the subassembly with a door and a control means carrier element, the door being shown in a closed setting; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig 2, but with the door arranged in a partly open setting; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig 3, but with the door in a completely open setting; Fig. 5 is a front view of part of a modified subassembly embodying the invention, in which a rotary control element is arranged at an outer edge of a control means carrier element of the subassembly; Fig. 6 is a view of a front face of the rotary control element of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a view of part of another modified subassembly embodying the invention, in which a rotary control element protrudes beyond an outer profile of a control means carrier element of the subassembly.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a front view of a household appliance which has the form of a baking oven and which comprises a household appliance subassembly or equipment. The subassembly comprises a panel element 10 serving as a control means carrier element 10', a door 34 and a household appliance body 46. The subassembly comprises mounting units 60 which mount the door to be recessible for a major part in a stowage space 44. The stowage space 44 is arranged below a cooking space 62. In addition, the subassembly comprises mounting means 12 which movably mounts the carrier element 10' on a component 14, in particular on a door body 14' of the door 34, so as to be movable relative to the body 46 (Fig. 2). The carrier element 10' in an operating state carries a rotary control element 18 and touch control elements 20, 21.

The household appliance subassembly further comprises a control element mounting unit 22 which mounts the rotary control element 18. For this purpose the unit 22 comprises an axle 64 which mounts the control element 18 to be rotatable relative to the carrier element 10'. In an operating state in which the carrier element 10' is arranged in a standard position (Figs. I and 2) the axle 64 mounts the control element 18 in such a manner that the rotary control element 18 is rotatable about an axis 24 extending in vertical direction.

The axis 24 is thus parallel to a plane of a front surface 26 of the appliance.

The rotary control element 18 has the form of a cylinder and in an operating state is arranged partly in a passage opening 66 of the control carrier element 10'. In that case, a first control region 28 of the control element 18 protrudes out of the passage opening 66 through a first end thereof and a second control region 30 of the control element 18 protrudes out of the passage opening through a second end thereof. The two control regions 28, 30 are respective sections of a cylindrical casing of the control element 18 and are arranged at a spacing from one another.

Moreover, the carrier element 10' forms a door handle 16. In the operating state in which the carrier element 10' is arranged in the standard position (Figs. 1 and 2) the door handle is formed at a lower end of the carrier element 10' by a recess of the control carrier element 10', which defines a grip trough 68. In principle, the carrier element can also have the form of a block-shaped plate, particularly with passage openings, wherein in this case an edge region of the plate is provided for the purpose of being gripped by a user at at least two mutually opposite sides. In a particular method of movement in the door 34, a user grips the carrier element 10' and introduces, solely by gripping this element, force into the element and thus into the door 34 so as to produce opening or closing of the door.

During gripping of the grip trough 68 and movement of the door 34, the user exerts on the grip trough 68 and the door 34 forces which are directed in a horizontal direction away from the cooking space 62. A user can also exert these forces on a carrier element which is formed to be at least substantially block-shaped, in particular in that the user grips the carrier element at two opposite sides, in which connection preferably one of the sides forms a front surface of this control carrier element when the door 34 is closed. In addition, when the carrier element 10' is arranged in the standard position (Figs. 1 and 2) a front surface 72 of the carrier element is substantially flush with the appliance front surface 26, which is a front surface of a door element 54 of the door 34.

A part 74 of the carrier element 10' can be disposed, by a movement made possible by the mounting means 12, at either one of two mutually opposite sides 48 and 50 of the door 34, which are equally sides of the door body 14' (Figs. 2 to 4). For this purpose the household appliance subassembly comprises an axle 76 which is fixed to the body 46. Moreover, the door 34 comprises a roller 78 which is mounted to be rotatable about a horizontal axis 80 in an operating state. Wound around the roller 78 and the axle 76 is a cable pull 82, the ends of which are connected by means of a tension spring 84. The tension spring 84 tensions the cable pull 82. In addition, the cable pull 82 is fastened to the axle 76, in that a pin 118 engages in a recess therein. A fastening means 86 fastens the carrier element 10' to the cable pull 82. Starting from a closed setting of the door 34 (Fig. 2), a user grips, the door grip 16 and exerts thereon a force which is directed towards the user and downwards, whereby the door executes an opening movement. In that case the door 34 runs through a half-open setting (Fig. 3) up to a completely open setting (Fig. 4). During the door opening movement the carrier element 10' performs a pivot movement relative to the door body 14'. When the door 34 is in the closed setting, the part 74 contacts the side 48. When the door 34 is in the completely open setting, the part 74 contacts the side 50.

The carrier element 10', in addition, represents a cooling air control element 42. During and/or after a cooking process in which the door 34 is in the closed setting, the cooling air control element 42 makes it possible for air to be able to flow out of the cooking space 62 through a passage opening 56 in the door element 54. For this purpose an actuator unit 58, which is arranged in the door 34, fixes -after it has been activated by a control unit (not illustrated) -a section 88 of the cable pull 82 and exerts on another section 90 of the cable pull 82 a force which is directed downwardly and which causes stretching of the tension spring 84 and movement of the part 74 away from the side 48. The carrier element 10' in that case describes a movement path relative to the door body 14' as in the case of a partial opening of the door 34. In the closed setting of the door 34, the passage opening 56 is closed by the carrier element 10'. Through the force exerted by the actuator unit 58 the carrier element 10' is caused to traverse the movement path so that the side 48 and the part 74 form an air guide through which air flows out of the cooking space 62 via the passage opening 56. A movement of the carrier element 10' along the movement path changes the flow cross-sectional area of the air guide, whereby a cooling air control is produced by the air flowing out of the cooking space 62..

In principle, the control carrier element 10' can also comprise a fraction of the width of the door 34, in which case the carrier element 10' can be arranged to be centred with respect to a centre of the door width.

The carrier element 10' can, starting from setting in which the part 74 bears against the side 48, be moved in such a manner as in the case of opening movement of the door 34 that the part 74 is moved away from the side 48 and the carrier element 10' is after such a movement locked in an operating setting which corresponds with an intermediate setting between the two positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. This is achieved in that a user, starting from the position of the carrier element illustrated in Fig. 2, actuates an actuating means (not shown) of the household appliance subassembly, performs the movement and thereafter actuates the actuating means again. The double actuation of the actuating means has the effect that in the course of the movement, during which the tension spring 84 is tensioned, the cable pull 82 remains tensioned, and the second actuation produces a fixing of the cable pull 82 in the tensioned position, thereby fixing the carrier element in a control setting. In the control setting the two control regions 28 and 30 can be more conveniently gripped by a user.

In addition, the control carrier element 10' comprises a display 119 and a touch slider 123.

In principle, the household appliance subassembly can also comprise a plurality of rotary control elements of the same construction as the control element 18. A very precise setting can be achieved by the rotary control element 18.

Alternative embodiments of the subassembly are illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7. Components, features and functions remaining substantially the same are denoted by the same reference numerals, but with addition of the letters a' and b'. The following description is confined to the differences from the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4. With respect to components, features and functions remaining the same, reference can be made to the

description of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 5 is a front view of part of a household appliance subassembly, in a position in which a door (not illustrated) is arranged in a closed setting. A rotary control element 18a of the subassembly is arranged at an outer edge 32a of a control means carrier element 10'a of the subassembly. The control element 1 8a is mounted by a control element mounting unit 22a to be rotatable about a horizontally extending axis 24a. In addition, the rotary control element 18a is mounted on the carrier element 10'a to be able to be decoupled therefrom by a user without destruction. For this purpose the mounting unit 22a comprises a detent element 92a which in a mounted state is detented with a detent element 94a of the control element iSa. Starting from the mounted state, the control element 18a can be demounted from the carrier element i0'a in that a user pulls the control element along the axis 24a away from the carrier element. At its front face the rotary control element 1 8a has a press control element 38a in the form of a pushbutton (Fig. 6). Moreover, the rotary control element 18a has at the front face a display unit 40a in the form of an LED signal lighting ring. The LED signal lighting ring can indicate actuation of the press button. The front face of the rotary control element 1 8a could also be arranged at an underside 96a of the carrier element.

Fig. 7 is a view of a part of a household appliance subassembly in a position in which a door (not illustrated) is arranged in a closed setting. The subassembly comprises a cylindrical rotary control element 18b which in the appliance front view protrudes downwardly beyond an outer profile 36b. The control element 18b is rotatable about an axis 98b which with respect to the appliance front side runs along a viewing direction when the door is in a closed setting. The rotary element 18b is secured in radial direction with respect to the axis 98b by way of a control means carrier element 1 O'b of the subassembly or is limited in its movement by, in particular, an edge region 106b of a receptacle lOOb of the carrier element 10'b. The edge region 106b lOOb extends, referred to the axis 98b, over more than 180° and over less than 360°, so that the receptacle lOOb, in which the control element 18b is seated, is formed partly without an edge region so that the control element can be contacted at its front face by a user. The edge region 106b is of circularly segmental shape, whereby an advantageous guidance of the control element 18b can be achieved.

The household appliance subassembly preferably comprises a magnet (not illustrated), which is arranged in the carrier element 10'b and which exerts a holding force on the control element 18b. In addition, the carrier element 10'b comprises detent magnets 102b.

The control element 18b has eighteen magnets which are arranged at uniform spacings along a circular outer profile 1 04b of the control element 1 8b and allow the control element to detent in defined rotational settings during rotation about the axis 98b, wherein the magnets interact with the detent magnets 102b. Between the edge region 106b and a planar, circular surface I 08b of the carrier element I O'b the latter carrier element has a recess which is of circularly segmental form like the edge region 106b in the appliance front view. Through pressing on a front surface outer region 111 b the control element 1 8b is tiltable about any axes perpendicularly to the axis 98b. A tipping and/or a rotation of the rotary control element 18b is or are sensed by a sensor unit of the household appliance subassembly and interpreted as control inputs.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A household appliance subassembly, comprising a panel element and mounting means mounting the panel element on a component of the subassembly to be movable between a position in which the panel element is arranged at least partly at one side of the component and a position in which the panel element is arranged at least partly at another side of the component opposite the said one side.
2. A subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the panel element forms at least part of a door handle.
3. A subassembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a carrier element for appliance control means, the carrier element being formed at least in part integrally with the panel element.
4. A subassembly according to claim 3, wherein the carrier element in at least one of the panel element positions is constructed to bear at least part of the weight of at least one of a rotary control element and a touch control element of appliance control means.
5. A subassembly according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the carrier element carries a rotary control element of appliance control means.
6. A subassembly according to claim 5, comprising a mount mounting the rotary control element to be rotatable about an axis which, when the subassembly is incorporated in an intended location in an appliance at a front thereof and with the panel element in a given position, is substantially parallel to a front face of the appliance.
7. A subassembly according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the control element is mounted on the carrier element to be detachable therefrom without destructive action.
8. A subassembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the carrier element is constructed to frame two spaced-apart regions of the rotary control element.
9. A subassembly according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the rotary control element is arranged in an edge region of the carrier element.
10. A subassembly according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the component is a door and the rotary control element, when the subassembly is incorporated in an intended location in an appliance and with the door closing an opening of the appliance, protrudes outwardly of the carrier element at the front of the appliance.
11 A subassembly according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the rotary control element includes at least one of a press control element, a touch control element and display means.
12, A subassembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel element is formed at least in part integrally with a cooling air control element.
13. A subassembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component is a door and the door, when the subassembly is incorporated in an intended location in an appliance, can be received at least partly in a recess in the appliance.
14. A subassembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel element, when in a given position when the subassembly is incorporated in an intended location in an appliance, is substantially flush with a front face of the appliance.
15. A housing appliance comprising a subassembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.