WO2017059911A1

WO2017059911A1 - Laundry machine having an improved door locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2017059911A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/073222
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arcan OZCETIN; Salih YILDIRIM; Bugra CETINKAYA; Varol DINDORUK; Baris TEKDEMIR
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2015-10-08
Filing date: 2015-10-08
Publication date: 2017-04-13
Also published as: EP3359723A1; TR201613249A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry machine (1) such as washing-drying machine, comprising a front door with a mechanically improved front door locking mechanism. The present invention more particularly relates to a laundry machine (1) comprising a rotary drum in which the laundry is placed, an electric motor rotating the rotary drum and a front door (2) allowing access into the rotary drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (4), the front door (2) being opened or closed around a door hinge (6) in the manner that a lock mechanism (13) comprising a handle (3) in mechanical connection with a locking arm retainer (9) releasably secured to a locking arm (7) by which the front door (2) is lockable or unlockable.

Description

LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING AN IMPROVED DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM

The present invention relates to a laundry machine comprising a front door with a mechanically improved front door locking mechanism.
The laundry machines such as laundry washing machines comprise a rotary drum in which cloth items are placed and accessible via a front door. An electric motor provides the rotary drum to be driven so as to agitate cloth items therein through mechanical interaction with each other and with the drum surfaces. Laundry washing and/or drying machines have front doors typically allowing access into the rotary drum for loading and unloading the laundry to be processed.

A front door locking mechanism typically functions in the manner that a handle associated with a handle lever is rotatable to drive a hook lever, the latter being actuated to lock or unlock the front door. When the door is closed, the hook settles into a locking slot of a locking arm while a safety latch provides an interengaged connection with the hook to ensure fixedly closing of the door. An electromechanical mechanism provides fixed positioning of the locking arm during the washing process.

As a general situation, although the operation of the laundry machine is terminated, the front door may remain locked due to the forces applied by the laundry within the drum on the front door. This situation stems from the fact that the hook being displaced a certain amount by the applied forces also forces the locking arm as well as a locking pin extending into a locking arm slot to move sideways so that the locking pin remains trapped within its slot in the locking arm and cannot turn to its original position.

A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as US2009013733 among others, the document disclosing a locking device, for the closing lid of washing machines comprising a containing body that houses a cursor equipped with an opening capable of receiving the hook mounted on the lid, and a delaying device capable of locking the cursor in a position retaining the latch. In order to ensure that the user operates under safe conditions, the device provides a lever that is equipped with means to lock the cursor, and is connected to the body by a link.

The present invention proposes a mechanically improved locking system according to which the front door is automatically opened independent from the applied force on the front door due to the imbalanced load at the end of the laundry processing program.

The present invention provides a mechanical locking system for a laundry machine, the system incorporating a locking device selectively effecting unlocking either automatically or in response to an outer control signal as defined by the characterizing features in Claim 1.

Primary object of the present invention is hence to provide a laundry machine selectively effecting unlocking either automatically independent from the effect of the unbalanced load or in response to an outer control signal.

The present invention proposes a laundry machine with a locking arm retainer mounted to the access opening frame of the laundry machine so as to mechanically connect with a locking arm of the front door. A rotated head portion of the hook retainer is aligned to be rotatable by a trigger pin of the locking arm during which the trigger pin is seated inside a C-shaped intermediate recess of the locking arm retainer. Simultaneously, a locking slot of the locking arm receives the rotatable head portion of the locking arm retainer.

The lock mechanism is selectively operated to effectuate unlocking either automatically or in response to an outer control signal. In both cases, a locking pin of a safety latch within a safety latch housing is movable backwards by the help of a PTC heater and a bimetallic element in combination, the latter driving the locking pin locking the locking arm.

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a laundry machine whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in the claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of a laundry machine with a front door.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a general perspective view of the laundry machine with the front door being opened.

Fig. 3 demonstrates a general perspective view of the locking mechanism of the front door according to the present invention.

Fig. 4a demonstrates a top view of the locking mechanism of the front door and Fig 4b demonstrates a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of Fig 4a according to the present invention.

The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings and referred to in the present detailed description of the invention:

Laundry machine
Front door
Handle
Access opening
Main body
Door hinge
Locking arm
Safety latch housing
Locking arm retainer
Retainer opening
Locking slot
Trigger pin
Lock mechanism
Access opening frame
Planar body portion
Rotatable head portion

The present invention relates to a laundry machine (1) such as a laundry washing machine, a drying machine or a washing-drying machine comprising a rotary drum, in which the laundry is to be placed and an electric motor rotating the drum. A front door (2) typically allows access into the drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (4). The front door (2) of the laundry machine (1) is conventionally opened and closed around a door hinge (6) and a lock mechanism (13) provides the locking of the laundry machine (1).

According to the present invention, a handle (3) is provided such that its positioning on the front door (2) allows the lock mechanism (13) to be operated, locking the front door (2) relative to an access opening frame (14). The lock mechanism (13) is actuated by way of closing the front door (2) as will be delineated hereinafter.

The lock mechanism (13) according to the invention incorporates a safety latch housing (8) and a locking arm (7). A locking arm retainer (9) of the lock mechanism (13) cooperating with the locking arm (7) rotatably engages with the locking arm (7) and reverse movement thereof is prevented by a safety latch (not shown) within the safety latch housing (8).

The locking arm (7) according to the invention has a locking slot (11) extending coplanar with a planar body portion (15) thereof such that the locking slot (11) separates the planar body portion (15) from a trigger pin (12), therefore extending thereinbetween. During closing of the front door (2) and when the front door (2) is in locked position, the locking arm retainer (9) is rotatably moved to a locking position such that the locking slot (11) receives a rotatable head portion (16) of the locking arm retainer (9). The locking arm retainer (9) is a C-form structure with two rotatable head portions (16), a first one thereof proximate the locking arm (7) being engaged with the locking slot (11) of the locking arm (7). At the same time, the intermediate recess (retainer opening (10)) of the C-form locking arm retainer (9) receives the trigger pin (12) of the locking arm (7).

In sum, the engagement head (rotatable head portion (16)) of the locking arm retainer (9) is self-driven during closing of the front door (2) so as to enter into the locking slot (11). In the locked position, a safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) ensures maintained mechanical engagement of the locking arm retainer (9) with the locking arm (7) during locked state of the front door (2). Rotational movement imparted to the locking arm retainer (9) by the user by way of closing the front door (2) is therefore transferred by means of the locking arm (7) to the rotatable head portion (16) and the electrically operated safety latch effectuates maintained interengagement during operation of the laundry machine (1).

The lock mechanism (13) with the locking arm retainer (9) is mounted to the front door (2) of the laundry machine (1) so as to mechanically connect with the stationary locking arm (7) on the laundry machine (1). The lock mechanism’s (13) pivotally rotatable element, i.e. the locking arm retainer (9), therefore assumes a first position during which the rotatable head portion (16) is aligned to be rotatable by the trigger pin (12) of the locking arm (7) at the initial stage of the movement of the locking arm retainer (9) and a second position at which the locking arm retainer (9) is no more rotatable while the trigger pin (12) is seated inside the intermediate recess (retainer opening (10)). The amount of rotation achieved between the first and second positions of the locking arm retainer (9) is seen in Fig. 4b, where the second position thereof is presented in the form of a shaded area.

The lock mechanism (13) with the locking arm retainer (9) according to the present invention is selectively operated to effectuate unlocking either automatically or in response to an outer control signal as will be delineated hereinafter.

An electrical locking structure is involved in the locking mechanism of the front door (2), which ensures maintenance of the interengagingly locked position of the locking arm retainer (9) with the locking arm (7). A locking pin of the safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) is movable by a PTC heater and a bimetallic element in combination. The bimetallic element is conventionally adapted to be structurally reconfigured to drive the locking pin, which is in turn introduced to a locking pin slot (not shown) of the locking arm retainer (9). Therefore, in the interengaged position of the locking arm (7) with the locking arm retainer (9), the locking pin prevents rotatably reverse movement of the locking arm retainer (9) in the releasing direction. Therefore, the safety latch remains powered as long as the laundry machine’s (1) operation continues. While the safety latch is continuously supplied power, the safety latch’s active, i.e. locked position is preserved until either an external command is generated by the user or the laundry processing operation is terminated.

Therefore, according to the present invention, if the user manually stops operation of the laundry machine (1), power supplied to the safety latch to drive the locking pin through the bimetal element is interrupted and the locking pin is retracted back to allow reverse movement of the locking arm retainer (9) so that the latter can take its initial position. Alternatively, in the event that no urgency for stopping operation of the laundry processing operation emerges, the safety latch is automatically retracted back only at the end of the laundry processing program.

In summary, the present invention proposes a laundry machine (1) comprising a rotary drum in which the laundry is placed, an electric motor rotating the rotary drum and a front door (2) allowing access into the rotary drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (4), the front door (2) being openable around a door hinge (6) in the manner that a lock mechanism (13) comprising a handle (3) in mechanical connection with a locking arm retainer (9) releasably secured to a locking arm (7) by which the front door (2) is lockable or unlockable.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm retainer (9) in connection with a safety latch housing (8) is mounted to the front door (2) of the laundry machine (1) so as to mechanically connect with the locking arm (7) of the laundry machine (1).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm retainer (9) rotatably engages with the locking arm (7) and reverse movement thereof is prevented by an electrically operated safety latch within the safety latch housing (8).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, rotational movement imparted to the locking arm retainer (9) by way of closing of the front door (2) is transferred to the locking arm retainer (9) by means of the stationary locking arm (7) and the electrically operated safety latch effectuates maintained interengagement between the locking arm retainer (9) and the locking arm (7) during operation of the laundry machine (1).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm retainer (9) is a pivotally rotatable element assuming a first position during which it is aligned to be rotatable by the locking arm (7) at the initial stage of its rotatable movement and a second position at which it is no more rotatable.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm (7) has a locking slot (11) extending coplanar with a planar body portion (15) of the locking arm (7) such that the locking slot (11) separates the planar body portion (15) from a trigger pin (12), extending thereinbetween.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm retainer (9) assumes a first position during which a rotatable head portion (16) thereof is aligned to be rotatable by the trigger pin (12) at the initial stage of the rotatable movement of the locking arm retainer (9) and a second position at which the locking arm retainer (9) is no more rotatable while the trigger pin (12) is seated inside an intermediate recess of the locking arm retainer (9).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm retainer (9) is rotatably moved to a position such that the locking slot (11) receives the rotatable head portion (16) of the locking arm retainer (9).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking arm retainer (9) is a C-form structure with two rotatable head portions (16), a first rotatable head portion (16) proximate the locking arm (7) engaging with the locking slot (11) of the locking arm (7) while the intermediate recess of the C-form locking arm retainer (9) receives the trigger pin (12) of the locking arm (7).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, in the locked position, the safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) maintains mechanical engagement of the locking arm retainer (9) with the locking arm (7) during locked state of the front door (2).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the lock mechanism (13) is selectively operated to effectuate unlocking either automatically or in response to an outer control signal.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a locking pin of the safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) is movable by a PTC heater and a bimetallic element in combination.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the bimetallic element is adapted to be structurally reconfigured to drive the locking pin, which is in turn introduced to a locking pin slot of the locking arm retainer (9) so as to prevent rotatably reverse movement thereof in the releasing direction of the locking arm retainer (9) from the interengaged position with the locking arm (7).

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the safety latch is continuously supplied power after the laundry machine’s (1) operation is initiated until either an external command is generated or the laundry processing operation is terminated.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, if an external command stops operation of the laundry machine (1), power supplied to the safety latch to drive the locking pin through the bimetallic element is interrupted and the locking pin is retracted back to allow reverse movement of the locking arm retainer (9) while the latter is taken to its initial position.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, if no external command stops operation of the laundry machine (1), the safety latch is automatically retracted back only at the end of a laundry processing program.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the laundry machine (1) is a washing machine, drying machine or a combo washing/drying machine.

Therefore, the invention ensures that the situation of an unbalanced load blocking automatic opening of the front door (2) in response to the inappropriate repositioning of the safety latch is advantageously addressed by a lock mechanism (13) having a locking arm retainer (9) rotatably cooperating with a locking arm (7) instead of a linear interaction between reciprocating parts on an axis parallel with the forces of the unbalanced load so that the forces applicable by the laundry at the end of the washing/drying operation cannot prevent automatic release of the lock mechanism (13).

The present invention further affords automatic opening of the front door (2) from inside the washing machine either in response to an outer command by the user pressing a respective start/stop button or automatically at the end of the laundry washing-drying operation as the bimetal element cools down allowing free rotation of the locking arm retainer (9) in the reverse direction.

As releasing of the lock mechanism (13) at the end of the laundry washing-drying operation is accomplished without additional control signal from an electronic control card to cut power supply to the safety latch, a more reliable opening operation without necessarily involving additional control signal is ensured. It is to be noted that an opening operation when the laundry washing-drying process is terminated may require an additional power control signal but interruption of the power supply to the electronic control card also causing the safety latch to be automatically released is advantageous in that no electronic control card involvement is needed or software-based errors can be effective so that the front door (2) is openable independent of software or control unit errors.

Further, if needed, the laundry washing-drying operation can be interrupted and the front door (2) can be opened any time before the end of the washing-drying program.

Claims

A laundry machine (1) comprising a rotary drum in which the laundry is placed, an electric motor rotating the rotary drum and a front door (2) allowing access into the rotary drum for loading or unloading laundry through an access opening (4), the front door (2) being openable around a door hinge (6) in the manner that a lock mechanism (13) comprising a handle (3) in mechanical connection with a locking arm retainer (9) releasably secured to a locking arm (7) by which the front door (2) is lockable or unlockable characterized in that;

- the locking arm retainer (9) in connection with a safety latch housing (8) is mounted to the front door (2) of the laundry machine (1) so as to mechanically connect with the locking arm (7),

- the locking arm retainer (9) rotatably engages with the locking arm (7) and reverse movement thereof is prevented by an electrically operated safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) and,

- rotational movement imparted to the locking arm retainer (9) by way of closing of the front door (2) is transferred to the locking arm retainer (9) by means of the stationary locking arm (7) and the electrically operated safety latch effectuates maintained interengagement between the locking arm retainer (9) and the locking arm (7) during operation of the laundry machine (1).
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the locking arm retainer (9) is a pivotally rotatable element assuming a first position during which it is aligned to be rotatable by the locking arm (7) at the initial stage of its rotatable movement and a second position at which it is no more rotatable.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking arm (7) has a locking slot (11) extending coplanar with a planar body portion (15) of the locking arm (7) such that the locking slot (11) separates the planar body portion (15) from a trigger pin (12), extending thereinbetween.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 3, characterized in that the locking arm retainer (9) assumes a first position during which a rotatable head portion (16) thereof is aligned to be rotatable by the trigger pin (12) at the initial stage of the rotatable movement of the locking arm retainer (9) and a second position at which the locking arm retainer (9) is no more rotatable while the trigger pin (12) is seated inside an intermediate recess of the locking arm retainer (9).
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 4, characterized in that the locking arm retainer (9) is rotatably moved to a position such that the locking slot (11) receives the rotatable head portion (16) of the locking arm retainer (9).
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the locking arm retainer (9) is a C-form structure with two rotatable head portions (16), a first rotatable head portion (16) proximate the locking arm (7) engaging with the locking slot (11) of the locking arm (7) while the intermediate recess of the C-form locking arm retainer (9) receives the trigger pin (12) of the locking arm (7).
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that in the locked position, the safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) maintains mechanical engagement of the locking arm retainer (9) with the locking arm (7) during locked state of the front door (2).
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 7, characterized in that the lock mechanism (13) is selectively operated to effectuate unlocking either automatically or in response to an outer control signal.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 8, characterized in that a locking pin of the safety latch within the safety latch housing (8) is movable by a PTC heater and a bimetallic element in combination.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 9, characterized in that the bimetallic element is adapted to be structurally reconfigured to drive the locking pin, which is in turn introduced to a locking pin slot of the locking arm retainer (9) so as to prevent rotatably reverse movement thereof in the releasing direction of the locking arm retainer (9) from the interengaged position with the locking arm (7).
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 10, characterized in that the safety latch is continuously supplied power after the laundry machine’s (1) operation is initiated until either an external command is generated or the laundry processing operation is terminated.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 10, characterized in that if an external command stops operation of the laundry machine (1), power supplied to the safety latch to drive the locking pin through the bimetallic element is interrupted and the locking pin is retracted back to allow reverse movement of the locking arm retainer (9) while the latter is taken to its initial position.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 10, characterized in that if no external command stops operation of the laundry machine (1), the safety latch is automatically retracted back only at the end of a laundry processing program.
A laundry machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the laundry machine (1) is a laundry washing machine, drying machine or a washing-drying machine.