Household appliance with a door that can be retracted into a storage compartment, featuring an elliptical track for moving a bearing bracket of a door storage unit

Abstract

Household appliance (1) with a housing (2) surrounding a receiving chamber and with a door (3) with which a loading opening of the receiving chamber can be closed and which is pivotably arranged relative to the housing (2), wherein the door (3) can be recessed into a storage compartment (14) in the housing (2) when open, wherein the door (3) is coupled to a guide device (18) with which the movement into and out of the storage compartment (14) is guided, and the guide device (18) has at least one bearing unit (17) which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (A) and which has a bearing bracket (17a) on which guide elements (19, 20) are rotatably mounted, characterized in that the bearing bracket (17a) has a sliding cam (26) formed with a varying radius, by means of which the bearing bracket (17a) can be rotatably moved about the axis of rotation (A) with a rotational movement deviating from a circular path segment. is.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a household appliance with a housing that surrounds a receiving space. The household appliance further comprises a door with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is arranged so as to be pivotable relative to the housing. In the open state, the door can be lowered into a storage space in the housing, wherein the door is coupled to a guide device. The guide device guides the movement into and out of the storage space. The guide device comprises at least one bearing unit that is mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation and on which guide elements are arranged. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for opening and closing a door of a household appliance that can be lowered into a storage space.

[0002] DE 10 2008 010 526 A1 discloses a household appliance device with at least one door unit. The door unit is attached to a housing of the household appliance by hinges and is pivotable relative thereto. When opened, it can be retracted into a storage space formed beneath the receiving space. The hinges also include a U-shaped bracket as a hinge part, on which two rollers are rotatably mounted. The bracket is rigid and pivotable about a rotation axis.

[0003] EP 0 257 378 A1 also discloses a household appliance with a retractable appliance door. Here, too, a hinge with a U-shaped bracket is designed as a bearing unit in the form of a hinge rocker with two rollers. This hinge rocker is also rigid in itself, but rotatably mounted on a hinge housing.

[0004] A corresponding thing is also known from EP 2 574 712 A1, wherein a hinge housing and a bearing unit rotatably arranged thereon in the form of a U-shaped bracket, which is a hinge hook, are also provided for the design of the hinge.

[0005] This means that a so-called technical part, which has guide tracks for this bearing part and accommodates the rollers when the door is lowered, must be dimensioned accordingly. In addition, this design means that in certain door positions, when the door is already partially open and simultaneously retracts into the storage space, the distance between the door leaf and the front upper edge, which borders the storage space at the front, is very small. This can result in the door leaf hitting the edge during further closing or opening. With regard to this vertical installation height, the critical points are the flange at the bottom and therefore at the lower edge, as well as the intermediate floor of the technical part mentioned, which borders the storage space from above. This intermediate floor forms, in particular, an upper cover for the storage space.In the known designs, the door has a small gap to the flange or the front edge of the intermediate floor at the beginning of the opening movement. The smallest vertical gap between the door and the intermediate floor occurs from the middle to the end of the door's opening movement.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a household appliance and a method for opening and closing a door of a household appliance, in which the movement guidance is improved and a smaller storage space for the door can be formed.

[0007] This object is achieved by a household appliance and a method according to the independent claims.

[0008] A household appliance according to the invention comprises a housing surrounding a receiving space. Furthermore, the household appliance has a door with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed. The door is arranged so as to be pivotable relative to the housing, and when opened, the door can be retracted into a storage space within the housing. The door is coupled to a guide device, which guides movement into and out of the storage space. The guide device has at least one bearing unit, which is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis and on which guide elements are arranged.

[0009] A key idea of ​​the invention is that the bearing bracket has a sliding guide which is designed with a varying radius and is therefore at least partially non-rectilinear, by means of which the bearing bracket can be rotated about the axis of rotation with a rotational movement that deviates from a circular path. This design makes it possible to change the movement of the door when pivoting in such a way that the space required in the vertical direction can be reduced, so that the storage space can be made smaller, in particular in terms of its height. The sliding guide is therefore a guide for the bearing bracket, which predetermines a movement of the bearing bracket that deviates from a circle, and thus, viewed in the vertical direction, a flatter path is specified than with a circular path.The radius of the shifting backdrop is larger at all points other than a point representing a backdrop minimum than at this minimum point. In particular, the shifting backdrop is thus virtually flatter than a circle with a constant radius corresponding to the radius at this minimum point.

[0010] Preferably, the sliding guide has an elliptical contour, which facilitates the aforementioned advantages. Such a symmetrical design of the guide to the ellipse axes also enables a very smooth and therefore jerk-free pivoting of the door when retracting into the storage compartment.

[0011] Preferably, the hinge pivot or the pivot axis is fixed on the device side. This reduces the complexity of the bearing bracket's motion control.

[0012] Preferably, the sliding guide is designed as a cutout in a coupling element. This ensures its rigidity and can absorb even large forces when moving the door, while maintaining precise movement over time.

[0013] Preferably, the coupling element is part of the bearing bracket. This allows the bearing bracket to be connected to the rotation axis without any additional parts.

[0014] In particular, the coupling element of the bearing bracket and a base part of the bearing bracket, which contains the guide elements, are rotatably connected to one another and can thus move or pivot relative to one another. This significantly simplifies the movement control and achieves a particularly compact design of the storage space in terms of height. In particular, the coupling element can only be moved horizontally in a straight line, simplifying the movement sequences and further minimizing the installation space of the storage space.

[0015] In particular, it is intended that the bearing bracket be rigid in itself. The distance between the guide elements and / or the distance between the guide elements and the rotation axis remains unchanged over the entire travel path.

[0016] Preferably, the sliding gate has a mechanical connecting structure designed for mechanical coupling with a complementary connecting structure on a device part having the rotation axis and located externally of the bearing bracket. This is particularly advantageous in that no undesired slipping or sliding relative to the coupling element occurs along the path defined by the sliding gate. This increases the precision of the door's movement guidance.

[0017] Preferably, the connecting structures are designed as intermeshing teeth. This achieves particularly advantageous mechanical force transmission and fulfills the aforementioned advantages to a particularly high degree.

[0018] Preferably, the bearing bracket is U-shaped.

[0019] The guide elements are mainly rollers.

[0020] In a method according to the invention for opening and closing a door of a household appliance, which is designed with a housing surrounding a receiving space and with a door with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is arranged such that it can pivot relative to the housing, the door, when opened, is retracted into a storage space in the housing. The door is coupled to a guide device with which the movement guide is guided into and out of the storage space. A bearing unit of the guide device is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis. Guide elements are arranged so as to be rotatable on a bearing bracket of the bearing unit.An essential idea is that the bearing bracket is designed with a sliding link with a varying radius, by means of which the bearing bracket is rotated about the axis of rotation with a rotational movement that deviates from a circular path section when the door moves.

[0021] Due to its shape, the sliding link provides an arcuate path, in particular a completely arcuate path, through which the bearing bracket then moves around the axis of rotation of the bearing unit.

[0022] This makes it possible to provide a storage bracket that is simple in design and can withstand high mechanical stress, while still making the storage space more compact, particularly reducing its height, as the resulting change in the movement behavior of the storage unit when the door is moved means that less space is required.

[0023] The terms “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “height direction” indicate the positions and orientations given when the device is used and arranged as intended and when an observer is standing in front of the device and looking in the direction of the device.

[0024] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments are to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed by the invention that are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which emerge and can be produced by separate combinations of features from the explained embodiments. Embodiments and combinations of features are also to be regarded as disclosed that therefore do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim.

[0025] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. They show: Fig. 1a a perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention; Fig. 1b is a side view of an embodiment of the household appliance with the door partially opened; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view of the household appliance with a storage unit and with the door closed; and Fig. 3 a vertical section of the household appliance according to Fig. 2 with partially open door.

[0026] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0027] In Fig. Figure 1a shows a schematic perspective view of a household appliance 1 designed as an oven. The household appliance 1 comprises a housing 2 in which a cooking chamber is formed, delimited by a muffle (not shown). Food can be placed in the cooking chamber for preparation. The cooking chamber can be closed at the front by a door 3, which Fig. 1a is shown in the closed end position. A handle 4 is formed on the front of the door 3.

[0028] In addition, the oven comprises an operating device 5, which has, by way of example only, a display unit 6 and operating elements 7 and 8 in terms of position and display.

[0029] Furthermore, cooking zones 9, 10, 11 and 12 are shown as examples only with regard to position and number.

[0030] The door 3 can be pushed or sunk into the housing 2 in its lower area 13, which is achieved when the door 3 is transferred from the Fig. 1a into the fully open end position. The door 3 is then recessed into a free space in the housing 2, with this free space forming a storage space 14 arranged beneath the cooking chamber and separated from it by a corresponding partition.

[0031] The door 3 is connected to door hinges 15 and 16, which are shown and marked as examples, and can be pivoted via these and can be retracted and extended into the storage space 14 mentioned.

[0032] In Fig. Figure 1b shows a side view of the lower section of the household appliance 1 with the door 3 partially open. A bearing unit 17 is shown. The bearing unit 17 represents a hinge hook of a hinge 15 or 16. The hinges 15 and 16 are, in particular, structurally identical and functionally identical, so that the following explanation for one of the two hinges also applies to the other.

[0033] The hinges 15 and 16, in addition to a respective bearing unit 17, also have a hinge housing, which is not shown in detail here. These hinges 15 and 16 are each assigned to a guide device 18 with regard to the components and functions. The door 3 is guided in movement by means of these guide devices 18 and is thereby coupled accordingly, so that it is guided into and out of the storage space 14. The bearing unit 17 comprises a bearing bracket 17a, in particular a U-shaped one. The bearing bracket 17a is rotatable about a pivot point which is located on a rotation axis A which extends in Fig. 1b extends perpendicular to the plane of the figure. The bearing unit 17 is also connected to the hinge housing and is pivotable relative to the hinge housing. The bearing unit 17 comprises two guide elements 19 and 20, which are designed as rollers and are rotatably mounted on the bearing bracket 17a.

[0034] In Fig. 1b shows a vertical height h, which represents the extension of a technical part 21 associated with the guide device 18. The technical part 21 specifically describes a component that also has a groove or guide track 22 in which the guide elements 19 and 20 are guided when the door 3 slides into the storage space 14.

[0035] For the corresponding guidance, a sliding block 23 is also provided, which slides along the guide track 22 and is associated with the guide device 18.

[0036] In Fig. 2 shows a simplified vertical section of the household appliance 1, with the lower section including the door 3 being shown as a partial section. The door 3 is, as in Fig. 1a, shown in the closed state. It can be seen that the bearing bracket 17a has a base part 28, on which the two guide elements 19 and 20, designed as rollers, are arranged. This base part 28 is inherently rigid and thus cannot be changed in shape. It is, in particular, formed from a single part.

[0037] In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing bracket 17a comprises, in addition to the base part 28, also a coupling element 27. The coupling element 27 is designed to couple the entire bearing bracket 17a with an appliance component 25 external to the bearing bracket. The appliance component 25 is arranged in a fixed position in the household appliance 1 and has the axis of rotation about which the bearing bracket 17a rotates. As shown in Fig. 2, the coupling element 27 has a sliding guide 26, which is formed as a cutout in this coupling element 27. It can be seen that the sliding guide 26 has a limiting contour in the shape of an ellipse. Thus, a sliding guide 26 is formed on the bearing bracket side, which predetermines a very specific movement path of the bearing bracket about the rotation axis A. The bearing bracket 17a thus performs a rotational movement about this rotation axis A, which differs from a circular path section, since the limiting contour of the sliding guide 26, due to the elliptical shape, predetermines a completely arcuate path, which is formed with a varying radius.

[0038] As in Fig. 2, when the door 3 is closed, the coupling element 27 is arranged such that the device component 25 is positioned with the rotation axis A in a narrow end of this elliptical shape.

[0039] In Fig. 2 also shows a bearing bush 24, in particular of the sliding block 23, which is connected to the door 3.

[0040] Based on the Fig. 2 shown position of the door 3, it is now opened as shown in Fig. 3. The bearing bracket 17a moves with the sliding link 26 relative to the device component 25 and, due to the elliptical shape of the link 26, performs the corresponding rotational movement around the rotation axis A.

[0041] As explained in Fig. 3, the sliding link 26 moves tangentially around the pivot point defined by the rotation axis A due to the opening movement of the door 3. This results in a horizontal, rectilinear longitudinal movement of the base part 28 and thus of the hinge arm at the height of this pivot point of the rotation axis A. This longitudinal movement is determined by the distance x in Fig.3. As can be seen, the design of the bearing bracket 17a with its base part 28 and the coupling element 27 is such that, in this vertical sectional view, the orientation of the sliding link 26 remains the same during the movement of the door 3 and that it thus virtually does not rotate in its orientation.

[0042] In particular, it is provided that the base part 28 then rotates relative to this coupling element 27.

[0043] In this embodiment, the hinge pivot point, which is defined by the rotation axis A, is not variable but rather fixed in the household appliance 1. Preferably, a mechanical coupling is formed between the coupling element 27 and the appliance component 25. In particular, a respective mechanical connecting structure is formed here, which is preferably designed as meshing toothings 29 and 30. Due to this gear geometry, the toothing 29 of the sliding link 26 engages with the toothing 30 of the appliance component 25. List of reference symbols 1 oven 2 housings 3 Door 4 handle 5 Control device 6 Display unit 7 Control element 8 Control element 9 cooking zones 10 cooking zones 11 cooking zones 12 cooking zones 13 Area 14 storage space 15 Door hinge 16 Door hinge 17 storage unit 17a Bearing bracket 18 Guide device 19 Guide element 20 guide element 21 Technical part 22 guideway 23 scenery slides 24 bearing bush 25 Device component 26 sliding backdrop 27 Coupling element 28 Base part 29 teeth 30 teeth

Claims

[1] Household appliance (1) with a housing (2) surrounding a receiving space, and with a door (3) with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is arranged so as to be pivotable relative to the housing (2), wherein the door (3) can be lowered into a storage space (14) in the housing (2) in the open state, wherein the door (3) is coupled to a guide device (18) with which the movement into and out of the storage space (14) is guided, and the guide device (18) has at least one bearing unit (17) which is mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (A) and which has a bearing bracket (17a) on which guide elements (19, 20) are arranged so as to be rotatable, characterized by that the bearing bracket (17a) has a sliding guide (26) formed with a varying radius, by means of which the bearing bracket (17a) can be rotated about the axis of rotation (A) with a rotational movement deviating from a circular path section. [2] Household appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the sliding gate (26) has an elliptical boundary contour. [3] Household appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the axis of rotation (A) is fixed on the device side. [4] Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sliding gate (26) is designed as a cutout in a coupling element (27). [5] Household appliance (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that the coupling element (27) is part of the bearing bracket (17a). [6] Household appliance (1) according to claim 5, characterized by that the coupling element (27) of the bearing bracket (17a) and a base part (28) of the bearing bracket (17a) having the guide elements (19, 20) are rotatably connected to one another. [7] Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the bearing bracket (17a) is rigid. [8] Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the sliding link (26) has a mechanical connecting structure (29) which is designed for mechanical coupling with a complementary connecting structure (30) on a device component (25) having the axis of rotation (A) and external to the bearing bracket. [9] Household appliance (1) according to claim 8, characterized by that the connecting structures (29, 30) are toothings (29, 30) which mesh with each other. [10] Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the bearing bracket (17a) is U-shaped. [11] Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the guide elements (19, 20) are rollers. [12] A method for opening and closing a door (3) of a household appliance (1) which is provided with a housing (2) surrounding a receiving space and with a door (3) with which a loading opening of the receiving space can be closed and which is arranged pivotably relative to the housing (2), wherein the door (3) is recessed into a storage space (14) in the housing (2) in the open state, wherein the door (3) is coupled to a guide device (18) with which the movement guide is guided into and out of the storage space (14), and the guide device (18) has at least one bearing unit (17) which is mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation (A) and which has a bearing bracket (17a) on which guide elements (19, 20) are arranged rotatably mounted, characterized bythat the bearing bracket (17a) is formed with a sliding guide (26) formed with a varying radius, by means of which the bearing bracket (17a) is rotated about the axis of rotation (A) with a rotational movement deviating from a circular path section when the door (3) moves.

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