Door lock and electrical device
By setting a combination structure of a retaining edge and a locking slider on the door hook hole body of the electrical equipment door lock, the problem of needing to drill holes in the panel and use screws for fixing in the prior art is solved, realizing hole-free and screwless installation, and improving the stability and aesthetics of the installation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
- Filing Date
- 2018-06-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-16
Smart Images
Figure CN109209025B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to door locks for electrical equipment, and more specifically to door locks that can be installed on the panel of electrical equipment.
[0002] Related applications
[0003] This application relates to two previously filed applications by the applicant (application numbers 201710536739.8 and 201810482146.2), which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology
[0004] As is well known, door locks are used to lock the doors of electrical appliances (such as washing machines). A door lock has a keyhole, and the lock is mounted on the panel of the electrical appliance. Thus, when a hook mounted on the door of the electrical appliance is inserted into the keyhole, the locking mechanism in the door lock engages the hook, thereby securing the electrical appliance to the panel of the appliance.
[0005] This application provides a door lock that is reliable to install and easy to install and remove. Summary of the Invention
[0006] One of the objectives of this application is to provide a door lock that can be installed without the need for positioning holes on the front panel of the electrical equipment or for screw reinforcement, thus ensuring accuracy, stability, and aesthetic appeal. The specific technical solution is as follows:
[0007] A first aspect of this application provides a door lock, comprising a door hook hole body, the door hook hole body including a top and two opposing first sidewalls and second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls extending downward from below the top; a first locking flange and a second locking flange, the first locking flange and the second locking flange extending outward from the top of the door hook hole body from the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls respectively; a groove, the groove being disposed on the lower surface of the first locking flange; and a locking slider, the locking slider including a lock head, the locking slider being disposed on the side of the first sidewall, the locking slider being able to drive the lock head to extend into or retract from the groove when moving up and down.
[0008] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the inner sidewall of the groove is aligned with the first sidewall; the groove has a width H, which is capable of accommodating the lock head.
[0009] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door lock further includes: a blocking surface that extends laterally at the distal end of the first sidewall.
[0010] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door lock further includes: a sliding bracket, the sliding bracket being disposed at the lower part of the first side wall and extending laterally out of the first side wall, and a guide rail being provided on the outer side of the sliding bracket; the locking slider including a downwardly extending lock tail, the inner surface of the lock tail being provided with a sliding groove; the sliding groove on the locking slider sliding against the guide rail on the sliding bracket for guiding the up and down movement of the locking slider.
[0011] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the blocking surface is disposed on the top of the slide rail.
[0012] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door lock further includes: an elastic biasing member; a cavity is provided on the lock head; one end of the elastic biasing member is installed in the cavity, and the other end of the elastic biasing member is installed on the blocking surface; the elastic biasing member is used to provide an elastic biasing force to push the lock head so that the lock head is inserted into the groove.
[0013] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door lock further includes: an elastic biasing component; a cavity provided on the lock head; a countersunk hole provided on the blocking surface; one end of the elastic biasing component is installed in the cavity, and the other end of the elastic biasing component is installed in the countersunk hole; the elastic biasing component is used to provide an elastic biasing force to push the lock head so that the lock head is inserted into the groove.
[0014] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door lock further includes: a plastic elastic arm; a first end of the plastic elastic arm is connected to the lower end of the lock tail; and a second end of the plastic elastic arm is connected to the lower surface of the blocking surface.
[0015] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, a transverse lock block handle is provided on the outer side of the lock tail, the lock block handle enabling an operator to pull the lock head out of the groove from the outside of the door lock.
[0016] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door hook hole body is rectangular; the first locking edge and the second locking edge are disposed on both sides of the length direction of the door hook hole body.
[0017] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the door lock further includes: an operating handle, the operating handle being in contact with or connected to the bottom of the locking slider, for moving the locking slider when a force is applied to the operating handle.
[0018] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the locking slider is arranged vertically, the operating handle is arranged horizontally, and the locking slider is disposed on the upper surface of the operating handle.
[0019] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the proximal end of the operating handle is rotatably fixed to the housing of the door lock, the operating handle extends from the housing, and the distal end of the operating handle is a free end.
[0020] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the locking slider is configured such that, before the door lock is installed, the top of the locking slider maintains a distance from the top of the groove.
[0021] According to the door lock of the first aspect of this application, the locking slider is configured such that the groove accommodates the lock head before the door lock is installed.
[0022] A second aspect of this application provides an electrical device including a panel with a mounting hole, characterized in that the electrical device includes: a door lock; the door lock includes a door hook hole body, the door hook hole body including a top and two opposing first sidewalls and second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls extending downward from the top; a first locking edge and a second locking edge, the first locking edge and the second locking edge extending outward from the top of the door hook hole body from the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls respectively; a groove, the groove being disposed on the lower surface of the first locking edge; and a locking slider, the locking slider including a lock head, the locking slider being disposed on the side of the first sidewall, the locking slider being able to drive the lock head to extend into or retract from the groove when moving up and down along the first sidewall; the door hook hole body of the door lock is mounted in the mounting hole.
[0023] According to the electrical device of the second aspect of this application, the mounting hole has an indicator hole on one side of the second locking edge; the indicator hole is used to indicate the fixed state of the door lock; wherein, when the door lock is completely fixed in the mounting hole, the second locking edge covers the indicator hole.
[0024] According to the electrical device of the second aspect of this application, the mounting hole has an indicator groove on one side of the second locking edge; the indicator groove is used to indicate the fixed state of the door lock; wherein, when the door lock is completely fixed in the mounting hole, the second locking edge covers the indicator groove.
[0025] According to the electrical device of the second aspect of this application, the mounting hole has an indicator mark on one side of the second locking edge; the indicator mark is used to indicate the fixed state of the door lock; wherein, when the door lock is fully fixed in the mounting hole, the second locking edge covers the indicator mark.
[0026] According to the electrical equipment of the second aspect of this application, the electrical equipment is a washing machine.
[0027] The door lock and electrical equipment of this application have a first and a second locking edge extending from opposite sides of the edge of the door hook hole. A movable locking mechanism is provided below the first locking edge. After the first and second locking edges are passed through the mounting holes on the electrical panel, the door lock base can fix the door lock in the mounting hole when the locking mechanism is moved to the locked position. This results in high installation accuracy and good stability. Only one mounting hole needs to be made on the electrical panel, eliminating the need for any additional holes, and the assembled result is aesthetically pleasing. In addition, the electrical equipment of this application also has an indicator hole (or groove) on the edge of the mounting hole. When the door lock is fully fixed to the mounting hole, it is obscured by the second locking edge and is not visible to the naked eye; when the door lock is not fully fixed to the mounting hole, it is not obscured by the second locking edge and is visible to the naked eye, thus indicating the fixed state of the door lock. The structure is simple and the design is ingenious. Attached Figure Description
[0028] Figure 1A This is a three-dimensional structural view of one embodiment of the door lock of this application;
[0029] Figure 1B This is an exploded view of one embodiment of the door lock in this application;
[0030] Figure 1C yes Figure 1A The door lock shown is a cross-sectional view along line AA;
[0031] Figure 1D yes Figure 1B A three-dimensional structural diagram of the reverse side of the shell shown in the figure;
[0032] Figure 2A for Figure 1A The diagram shows a three-dimensional view of the locking slider.
[0033] Figure 2B for Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the locking slider shown;
[0034] Figure 3A for Figure 1A The first embodiment of the door lock shown;
[0035] Figure 3B for Figure 1A The second embodiment of the door lock shown;
[0036] Figure 3C for Figure 1A The third embodiment of the door lock shown;
[0037] Figures 4A-4C To be Figure 1A The diagram shows the status during the steps of installing the door lock onto the electrical equipment panel.
[0038] Figure 5A and Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of two embodiments of the mounting holes for the mounting panel on the washing machine according to this application;
[0039] Figure 6A and Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working process of the indicator hole on the mounting panel of the washing machine in this application;
[0040] Figure 7A This is a three-dimensional structural view of another embodiment of the door lock in this application;
[0041] Figure 7B for Figure 7A A top view of the door lock shown;
[0042] Figure 7C for Figure 7A A partial cross-sectional view of the door lock shown in the image;
[0043] Figure 7D for Figure 7A The left view of the door lock shown in the image when the operating handle is not being pulled;
[0044] Figure 7E for Figure 7A Left view of the door lock's operating handle shown in the image when it is pulled down;
[0045] Figures 8A-8C To be Figure 7A The diagram shows the status during the steps of installing the door lock onto the electrical equipment panel.
[0046] Figure 9A for Figure 7A A partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the door lock shown;
[0047] Figure 9B for Figure 9A The left view of the door lock shown is when the operating handle is not being pushed.
[0048] Figure 9C for Figure 9A Left view of the door lock's operating handle being pushed upwards;
[0049] Figures 10A-10C To be Figure 9A The diagram shows the status during the steps of installing the door lock onto the electrical equipment panel. Detailed Implementation
[0050] Various specific embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. It should be understood that although directional terms such as "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," and "right" are used in this application to describe the orientation of various example structural parts and elements, their use herein is merely for illustrative purposes and is based on the example orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this application can be arranged in different orientations, these directional terms are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. Where possible, the same or similar reference numerals used in this application refer to the same parts.
[0051] Figure 1A This is a three-dimensional structural view of the door lock 100 of this application. Figure 1A As shown, the door lock 100 includes a door lock component portion 130 located at the rear and a door lock base portion 110 located at the front. The door lock component portion 130 houses an actuator for locking and releasing the electrical equipment door, which will not be described in detail in this application; this application will describe in detail the structure of the door lock base portion 110 to illustrate how the door lock 100 is mounted to the panel of the electrical equipment through the structure of the door lock base portion 110.
[0052] In such Figure 1A In the illustrated embodiment, the door lock base portion 110 includes a rectangular door hook hole body 101, on which a door hook hole 102 is provided. Of course, the door hook hole body 101 can also be other shapes, such as a square. The door hook hole body 101 has a top 109, and symmetrically with respect to its width direction (or left-right direction), oppositely arranged retaining edges 103.1 and 103.2 (left retaining edge or first retaining edge 103.1; right retaining edge or second retaining edge 103.2) extend outward from its edge. According to an embodiment of this application, using the retaining edges 103.1 and 103.2 on the door hook hole body 101, the door lock 100 is installed in the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 of the electrical equipment (see...). Figure 6A and 6B Thus, when the lock hook (not shown) installed on the door of the electrical equipment is inserted into the door hook hole 102, the locking actuator (not shown) in the door lock component part 130 can lock the door hook, thereby locking the electrical door (not shown) onto the panel 450 of the electrical equipment.
[0053] like Figure 1AAs shown, the door lock 100 also includes a locking slider (or locking mechanism) 120, which is located on the left side of the door lock base portion 110, below the left locking edge 103.1. The locking slider 120 can move up and down in the vertical direction (i.e., perpendicular to the main body of the door lock 100). During installation, after the locking edges 103.1 and 103.2 on the door hook hole body 101 pass through the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450, the locking slider 120 moves upward and inserts like a wedge between the left edge 502 of the mounting hole 452 and the left side wall 108.1 of the door hook hole body 101 (see [reference]). Figure 4C This allows the door lock 100 to be fixed to the panel 450 of the electrical equipment.
[0054] Figure 1B This is an exploded view of the door lock 100 of this application, used to show in more detail the components in the door hook hole body 101, the locking slider 120, and the door lock base portion 110, and the relationships between these components. Figure 1B As shown, the door lock 100 includes a housing 150. In Figure 1B To more clearly show the relationship between the components, the base 114 is separated from the housing 150. The locking slider 120 has a blocking surface 117 near its lock head 133. The door lock base portion 110 includes the base 114, and a slide rail 115 is provided on the left side of the base 114 (i.e., the left side of the outer wall 107). Guide rails 116.1 and 116.2 are provided on the outer side of the slide rail 115, along which the locking slider 120 slides up and down. A blocking surface 117 is provided at the top of the slide rail 115, preventing the locking slider 120 from moving downwards on the slide rail 115 when the blocking surface 117 on the slide rail 115 contacts the blocking surface 117 on the locking slider 120. A cam 177 is mounted on the base 114, which holds the striker (not shown) in a fixed position when it enters the door hook hole 102. The base 114 has four latches 119.1, 119.2, 119.3, and 119.4. When the base 114 is inserted from the bottom of the door hook hole body 101, the four latches 119.1, 119.2, 119.3, and 119.4 fix the base 114 to the door hook hole body 101.
[0055] Figure 1C yes Figure 1A The door lock 100 shown is a cross-sectional view along the section line AA, in which the locking slider 120 is removed from the door hook hole body 101, to better illustrate the structure of the door hook hole body 101. Figure 1CAs shown, the hook hole body 101 includes a top 109, with an outer wall 107 and a right side wall 108.2 (second side wall) extending from the bottom of the top 109. Clamping edges 103.1 and 103.2 extend outward from the top 109 of the hook hole body 101 from the outer wall 107 and right side wall 108.2, respectively. A groove 111 is provided on the outer wall 107, the bottom of which forms the left side wall 108.1 (first side wall). At the far left end of the outer wall 107, a blocking surface 117 extends outward from the base 114 towards the left side wall 108.1. As an embodiment, the blocking surface 117 has a protrusion 118 for mounting a spring 129 that provides biasing force. A groove 131 is provided on the top back surface (or lower surface) of the left clamping edge 103.1. The inner sidewall 132 of the groove 131 is aligned with (or on) the left side wall 108.1. In this way, the lock head 133 on the locking slider 120 can move up and down between the blocking surface 117 and the groove 131 while adhering to the left side wall 108.1.
[0056] Figure 1D yes Figure 1B The three-dimensional structural diagram of the reverse side of the housing 150 shown is used to illustrate the relationship between the groove 111 and the outer wall 107.
[0057] Figure 2A and Figure 2B They are respectively Figure 1A The perspective and sectional views of the locking slider 120 shown are used to illustrate a more detailed structure of the locking slider 120. For example... Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the locking slider 120 includes a lock head 133 located at its upper part, a lock tail 223 extending laterally from its lower part, and a lock block handle 210 extending laterally from the lock tail 223. During the installation of the door lock 100, the operator pulls the locking slider 120 downward by pulling the lock block handle 210, moving it vertically downward to the release position. The lock head 133 has a protrusion 222; of course, the lock head 133 can also be flat without the protrusion 222. The inner surface of the lock tail 223 has dovetail grooves 231 (slide grooves) on both sides, which guide the locking slider 120 when it moves up and down, so that the lock head 133 can be accurately inserted into the groove 131. The near end of the lock head 133 has a blocking surface 117, and the lock head 133 has a cylindrical cavity 208, the entrance 209 of which is located on the blocking surface 117. The back of the lock head 133 is provided with a bevel 232. When the locking edges 103.1 and 103.2 on the door hook hole body 101 pass through the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450, the bevel 232 makes it easy for the lock head 133 to be squeezed into the groove 131 of the locking edge 103.1.
[0058] Figures 3A-3C yes Figure 1AThe sectional view of the door lock 100 shown along the AA direction illustrates the relationship between the door hook hole body 101, the base 114, and the locking slider 120. More specifically, Figure 3A for Figure 1A In the first embodiment of the door lock 100 shown, the elastic biasing component that causes the locking slider 120 to move upward is a spring 129, and a protrusion 118 is provided on the blocking surface 117 for assembling the spring 129; while Figure 3B for Figure 1A In a second embodiment of the door lock 100 shown, the elastic biasing member that causes the locking slider 120 to move upward is a plastic elastic arm 308; while Figure 3C for Figure 1A The third embodiment of the door lock 100 shown has a countersunk hole 318 on the blocking surface 117 for mounting a spring 129.
[0059] like Figure 3A As shown, the base 114 is engaged with the door hook hole body 101 by four snap fasteners 119.1, 119.2, 119.3, and 119.4. A locking slider 120 is located on the left side of the door hook hole body 101's left side wall 108.1 and the left side of the base 114's slide rail 115. A groove 131 on the reverse side of the left locking edge 103.1 has a width H, equal to or slightly larger than the width of the lock head 133, suitable for accommodating the lock head 133. Below the groove 131, at the distal end of the left side wall 108.1, a blocking surface 117 extends from the base 114 outwards from the left side wall 108.1. The blocking surface 117 has a protrusion 118 for mounting a spring 129 that provides biasing force. A groove 131 is provided on the top back (or lower surface) of the left locking edge 103.1, with its inner sidewall 132 aligned with (or on) the left side wall 108.1. In this way, the locking head 133 on the locking slider 120 can move up and down between the blocking surface 117 and the groove 131 against the left side wall 108.1, so that the locking head 133 of the locking slider 120 can be inserted into or removed from the groove 131. When the locking head 133 is outside the groove 131, the locking slider 120 is in the released position. At this time, the length that acts on the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 is the distance between the left side wall 108.1 and the right side wall 108.2 of the door hook hole body 101, that is, the first distance L1 (see Figure 4BBecause the first distance L1 is sufficiently large compared to the length of the mounting hole 452, the retaining edges 103.1 and 103.2 on the hook hole body 101 can enter or exit the mounting hole 452. When the lock head 133 is inserted into the groove 131, the locking slider 120 is in the locked position. At this time, the length acting on the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 is the distance between the left side wall 108.1 and the right side wall 108.2 of the hook hole body 101 plus the width of the lock head 133, i.e., the second distance L2 (L2 = L1 + width of the lock head 133) (see...). Figure 4C Because the second distance L2 is exactly the length of the mounting hole 452 (or slightly less than the length of the mounting hole 452), the combined action of the door hook hole body 101 and the lock head 133 causes the left side wall 333 of the lock head 133 and the right side wall 108.2 of the door hook hole body 101 to abut against the two edges 502, 504 of the mounting hole after the door hook hole body 101 is inserted into the mounting hole 452 (see...). Figure 5A and 5B This prevents the locking edges 103.1 and 103.2 on the door hook hole body 101 from exiting the mounting hole 452, thereby fixing the door lock 100 to the panel 450.
[0060] After the door lock 100 is installed on the electrical equipment panel, the locking slider 120 needs to be held in the locked position, so the lock head 133 of the locking slider 120 needs to be pushed into and held in the groove 131 by the elastic biasing member. Figure 3A In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic biasing component is a spring 129. The locking head 133 of the locking slider 120 has a cavity 208, within which the spring 129 is housed. The upper end of the spring 129 abuts against the top of the cavity 208, and the lower end of the spring 129 abuts against the blocking surface 117, providing a biasing force for the upward movement of the locking slider 120, thereby pushing the locking slider 120 into the groove 131. The blocking surface 117 has a protrusion 118 that extends into the spring 129 to restrict the lateral movement of the spring 129. Without external force, the locking slider 120 will be held in the groove 131, i.e., as... Figure 4C The state shown.
[0061] Before the door lock 100 is installed on the panel 450, the locking slider 120 needs to be moved to the release position. The locking slider 120 has a transverse locking block handle 210 on its tail 223. Under the action of an external force (such as the operator's hand), the locking block handle 210 overcomes the biasing force of the spring 129, pulling the locking slider 120 to the release position, i.e. Figure 3A The state shown.
[0062] As mentioned above, Figure 3B for Figure 1A The second embodiment of the door lock 100 shown. Figure 3BMost of the components in the illustrated embodiment and Figure 3A As in the embodiments, Figure 3B Implementation examples and Figure 3A The difference in the embodiment is that the elastic biasing component is a plastic elastic arm 308 instead of a spring 129. The first end of the plastic elastic arm 308 is connected to the lower end of the lock tail 223, and the second end is connected to the lower end of the base 114, or to the lower surface of the blocking surface 117. The plastic elastic arm 308 provides a biasing force that pushes the locking slider 120 to the locked position, i.e., the biasing force that pushes the locking slider 120 upwards in the figure.
[0063] As mentioned above, Figure 3C for Figure 1A The third embodiment of the door lock 100 shown. Figure 3C Most components in the illustrated embodiment and Figure 3A As in the embodiments, Figure 3C Implementation examples and Figure 3A The difference in the Chinese embodiment is that there is no protrusion 118 on the blocking surface 117, but instead a countersunk hole 318 is provided on the blocking surface 117. Figure 3C In the middle, the upper end of the spring 129 abuts against the top of the cavity 208, and the lower end of the spring 129 abuts against the countersunk hole 318 to provide a biasing spring force for the locking slider 120 to move upward, thereby pushing the locking slider 120 into the groove 131.
[0064] Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C The steps for installing the door lock 100 onto the electrical equipment panel 450 are shown below:
[0065] Step 1: As Figure 4A As shown, firstly, a downward force is applied to the lock block handle 210 of the locking slider 120 to move the locking slider 120 downward to the release position (as shown by arrow 401). Align the door hook hole body 101 with the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450; then tilt the door lock 100 at a certain angle so that the left locking edge 103.1 on the door hook hole body 101 extends through the mounting hole 452 first, at which point the left locking edge 103.1 is engaged on the left edge 502 of the mounting hole 452.
[0066] Step 2: As Figure 4BAs shown, the door lock 100 is moved to the left (as indicated by arrow 402), causing the left edge 502 in the mounting hole 452 to retract into the groove 131. At this time, while maintaining a downward force on the lock block handle 210, the locking slider 120 remains in the released position, and a first distance L1 exists between the left side wall 108.1 and the right side wall 108.2 of the door hook hole body 101. This first distance L1 is less than the length of the mounting hole 452. At this time, the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452 is outside the top edge of the right locking edge 103.2, so the right locking edge 103.2 can be pushed past the right edge 504 of the mounting hole.
[0067] Step 3: As Figure 4C As shown, move the door lock 100 to the right (as indicated by arrow 403) so that the right locking edge 103.2 engages with the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452, at which point the space in the groove 131 on the left is released. Then, remove the external force on the lock block handle 210, and the locking slider 120, under the action of the spring 129, quickly inserts into the groove 131, making a clicking sound to indicate to the operator that it is properly installed. After the locking slider 120 is inserted into the groove 131, the distance between the left side wall 108.1 and the right side wall 108.2 of the door hook hole body 101, plus the width of the lock head 133, forms a second distance L2. This second distance L2 is the same as (or slightly less than) the length of the mounting hole 452, preventing the door lock 100 from moving along the length of the mounting hole 452. The widths of both sides of the door hook hole body 101 are the same as the width of the mounting hole 452, so the door lock 100 also cannot move along the width of the mounting hole 452. Furthermore, the locking edges 103.1 and 103.2 on the main body 101 of the door hook hole are located above the mounting hole 452, and the distance between their top edges is greater than the length of the mounting hole 452, thus preventing the door lock 100 from dislodging from the mounting hole 450. Therefore, the door lock 100 cannot move in the left-right, front-back, or up-down directions of the mounting hole 452, i.e., it is securely fastened within the mounting hole 452.
[0068] Figure 5A and Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of two embodiments of the mounting hole 452 on the washing machine mounting panel of this application. From the foregoing... Figure 4C As shown in the diagram, when the door lock 100 is completely fixed in the mounting hole 452, the right locking edge 103.2 will definitely engage with the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452. Because the right locking edge 103.2 has a certain span, it will cover a section of the right edge 504.
[0069] Therefore, in such Figure 5AIn the illustrated embodiment, to facilitate indication of whether the door lock 100 is fully secured within the mounting hole 452, the inventors provided an indicator hole 511 on the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452. When the door lock 100 is fully secured within the mounting hole 452, the indicator hole 511 is covered by the right edge 103.2 and is not visible to the naked eye; conversely, when the door lock 100 is not correctly or fully installed in the mounting hole 452, the indicator hole 511 will be visible to the naked eye. Therefore, the indicator hole 511 can indicate the installation status of the door lock 100.
[0070] In such Figure 5B In the illustrated embodiment, the indicator hole 511 is configured as an indicator groove 512. The indicator hole 511 and the mounting hole 452 are not in communication, while the indicator groove 512 is in communication with the mounting hole 452.
[0071] In fact, there are several alternatives to the indicator hole 511 and the indicator groove 512. For example, different colored indicator areas can be painted with paint or pigment, or other indicator marks or traces can be used. These indicator marks have the same function, namely, that when the door lock 100 is correctly and completely installed, the indicator marks are covered by the right edge 103.2.
[0072] Figure 6A and Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working process of the indicator hole on the mounting panel of the washing machine in this application. Figure 6A The following is shown Figure 4B In the second step shown, the right edge 103.2 pushes past the right edge 502 of the mounting hole 452, but the locking slider 120 has not yet entered the locked position. The door lock 100 is still loose and can be removed from the mounting hole 452. At this time, the indicator groove 512 (which is the same as the indicator hole 511) is visible to the naked eye, indicating that the door lock 100 is not fully in place or correctly installed.
[0073] like Figure 6B As shown Figure 4C In the third step shown, the door lock 100 is moved downwards at this time. Figure 4C (Moving to the right), the position of the groove 131 is cleared by the left edge 502 of the mounting hole 452, and the locking slider 120 is automatically inserted into the groove 131 by the elastic element. The door lock 100 is then secured in the mounting hole 452. The door lock 100 cannot be removed from the front of the panel 450 without pulling the locking slider 120 to the release position. At this time, the indicator groove 512 is covered by the right edge 103.2 and cannot be seen with the naked eye, indicating that the door lock 100 has been completely or correctly installed in the mounting hole 452.
[0074] Figure 7A and Figure 7B These are, respectively, a perspective view and a top view of another embodiment of the door lock of this application. Figures 7A-7BAs shown, the door lock 700 includes a door lock component portion 730 located on the right and a door lock base portion 710 located on the left. The door lock component portion 730 houses an actuator for locking and releasing the electrical equipment door. The door lock base portion 710 includes a rectangular hook hole body 701 with a hook hole 702. The hook hole body 701 can also be other shapes, such as a square. The hook hole body 701 has a top 709, from which oppositely disposed locking flanges 703.1 and 703.2 (left locking flange or first locking flange 703.1; right locking flange or second locking flange 703.2) extend outward from its edge, symmetrically with respect to its width direction (or left-right direction). The door lock 700 includes a housing 750. The housing 750 includes an operating handle 761. The proximal end 763 of the operating handle 761 extends laterally from the rear of the housing 750 and is rotatably fixed to the housing 150. The distal end 765 of the operating handle 761 is a free end. A recess 767 is provided on the distal end 765 to facilitate the operator pulling the operating handle 761. A vertically arranged locking slider 720 is provided on the upper surface of the operating handle 761. The locking slider 720 includes a lock head 733 located at its upper part (see...). Figure 7C The operating handle 761 is rotatable about its proximal end 763. When the operating handle 761 rotates, it moves the locking slider 720 approximately vertically. During the installation of the door lock 700, the operator pulls the operating handle 761 to pull the locking slider 720 downward, moving it approximately vertically downward to the release position.
[0075] Figure 7C for Figure 7A The partial cross-sectional view of the door lock 700 shown is used to better illustrate the structure of the door hook hole body 701. (See diagram below.) Figure 7C As shown, a left side wall 708.1 (first side wall) and a right side wall 708.2 (second side wall) extend from the bottom of the top 709 of the hook hole body 701. From the top 709 of the hook hole body 701, locking flanges 703.1 and 703.2 extend outward from the left side wall 708.1 and right side wall 708.2, respectively. A groove 731 is provided on the top back (or lower surface) of the left locking flange 703.1 for accommodating the locking head 733 of the locking slider 720. When the locking head 733 is outside the groove 731, the locking slider 720 is in the released position. At this time, the length acting on the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 is the distance between the left side wall 708.1 and right side wall 708.2 of the hook hole body 701, i.e., the first distance L1 (see...). Figure 8BBecause the first distance L1 is sufficiently large compared to the length of the mounting hole 452, the retaining edges 703.1 and 703.2 on the hook hole body 701 can enter or exit the mounting hole 452. When the lock head 733 is inserted into the groove 731, the locking slider 720 is in the locked position. At this time, the length acting on the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 is the distance between the left side wall 708.1 and the right side wall 708.2 of the hook hole body 701 plus the width of the lock head 733, i.e., the second distance L2 (L2 = L1 + width of the lock head 733) (see...). Figure 8C Because the second distance L2 is exactly the length of the mounting hole 452 (or slightly less than the length of the mounting hole 452), the combined action of the door hook hole body 701 and the lock head 733 causes the right side wall 708.2 of the door hook hole body 701 and the left side wall of the lock head 733 to abut against the two edges 502 and 504 of the mounting hole after the door hook hole body 701 is inserted into the mounting hole 452 (see...). Figure 5A and 5B This prevents the locking edges 703.1 and 703.2 on the door hook hole body 701 from exiting the mounting hole 452, thereby fixing the door lock 700 to the panel 450.
[0076] Figure 7D and 7E for Figure 7A The left view of the door lock 700 shown illustrates the positions of the operating handle 761 when it is not pulled and when it is pulled. Figure 7D As shown, when the operating handle 761 is not pulled (i.e., no external force is applied to the operating handle 761), the lock head 733 is accommodated in the groove 731. Figure 7E As shown, when the operating handle 761 is pulled (i.e., when a downward force is applied to the recess 767 of the operating handle 761), the operating handle 761 can rotate about its proximal end 763, moving the locking slider 720 approximately downward to the release position (as indicated by arrow 801). When the operator releases the operating handle 761 (i.e., no longer applies force to the operating handle 761), the operating handle 761 can return to its original position. Figure 7D As shown, the lock head 733 is once again accommodated in the recess 731. As an example, the operating handle 761 may be made of an elastic material (such as plastic) so that the operating handle 761 is elastic and can return from the released position to the position where the lock head 733 is accommodated in the recess 731.
[0077] Figures 8A-8C To be Figure 7A The steps for installing the door lock onto the electrical equipment panel 450 are as follows:
[0078] Step 1: As Figure 8AAs shown, first apply a downward force to the recess 767 of the operating handle 761 to move the locking slider 720 downward to the release position (as indicated by arrow 801). Align the door hook hole body 701 with the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 (panel 450 and mounting hole 452 and...). Figures 5A-5B (The same as shown in the figure); then tilt the door lock 700 at a certain angle so that the left locking edge 703.1 on the door hook hole body 701 extends through the mounting hole 452 first, at which time the left locking edge 703.1 is locked on the left edge 502 of the mounting hole 452.
[0079] Step 2: As Figure 8B As shown, the door lock 700 is moved to the left (as indicated by arrow 802), causing the left edge 502 in the mounting hole 452 to retract into the position of the recess 731. At this time, while maintaining a downward force on the operating handle 761, the locking slider 720 remains in the released position, and there is a first distance L1 between the left side wall 708.1 and the right side wall 708.2 of the door hook hole body 701, which is less than the length of the mounting hole 452. At this time, the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452 is outside the top edge of the right locking edge 703.2, so the right locking edge 703.2 can be pushed past the right edge 504 of the mounting hole.
[0080] Step 3: As Figure 8C As shown, move the door lock 700 to the right (as indicated by arrow 803) so that the right edge 703.2 engages with the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452, at which point the space in the groove 731 on the left is released. Then, remove the external force on the operating handle 761, and the locking slider 720 on the operating handle 761 moves upward, inserting the lock head 733 of the locking slider 720 into the groove 731, producing a clicking sound to indicate that the lock is properly installed. After the locking slider 720 is inserted into the groove 731, the distance between the left side wall 708.1 and the right side wall 708.2 of the door hook hole body 701, plus the length of the lock head 733, forms a second distance L2. This second distance L2 is the same as (or slightly less than) the length of the mounting hole 452, preventing the door lock 700 from moving along the length of the mounting hole 452. The width of both sides of the hook hole body 701 is the same as the width of the mounting hole 452, so the door lock 700 cannot move in the width direction of the mounting hole 452. Furthermore, the locking edges 703.1 and 703.2 on the hook hole body 701 are located above the mounting hole 452, and the distance between their top edges is greater than the length of the mounting hole 452, thus preventing the door lock 700 from dislodging from the mounting hole 450. Therefore, the door lock 700 cannot move in the left-right, front-back, or up-down directions of the mounting hole 452, meaning it is securely fastened within the mounting hole 452.
[0081] Figure 9A for Figure 7AA partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the door lock is shown to better illustrate the structure of the lock cylinder 733. Figure 9A Most components in the illustrated embodiment and Figure 7A As in the embodiments, Figure 9A Implementation examples and Figure 7A The difference in the embodiment is that the lock head 733 includes an extension 913 extending laterally outward from the lock head 733, and the lower surface of the extension 913 forms a recess 920 with the lock head 733. Furthermore, when the operating handle 761 is not pushed (i.e., no external force is applied to the operating handle 761), the top of the locking slider 720 on the operating handle 761 maintains a distance D (D is greater than zero) from the top of the recess 731, and does not abut against the top of the recess 731. When the lock head 733 is within the recess 731, the locking slider 720 is in the released position, at which time the length acting on the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 is the distance between the left side wall of the locking slider 720 and the right side wall 108.2 of the door hook hole body 701, i.e., the third distance L3 (see [reference]). Figure 10B Because the third distance L3 is sufficiently large compared to the length of the mounting hole 452, the retaining edges 703.1, 703.2 on the hook hole body 701 and the locking slider 720 can enter or exit the mounting hole 452. When the lock head 733 is outside the groove 131, the locking slider 720 is in the locked position. At this time, the length acting on the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450 is the distance between the left side wall 708.1 and the right side wall 708.2 of the hook hole body 701 plus the width of the lock head 733 of the locking slider 720 and the width of the extension 913 (i.e., the distance between the left side wall of the extension 913 and the right side wall 708.2 of the hook hole body 701), which is the fourth distance L4 (L4 = L1 + width of lock head 733 + width of extension 913) (see...). Figure 10C Because the fourth distance L4 is exactly the length of the mounting hole 452 (or slightly less than the length of the mounting hole 452), the combined action of the door hook hole body 701 and the lock head 733 causes the left edge of the extension 913 and the right side wall 708.2 of the door hook hole body 701 to abut against the two edges 502, 504 of the mounting hole after the door hook hole body 701 and the lock head 733 are inserted into the mounting hole 452 (see...). Figure 5A and 5B This prevents the locking edges 703.1 and 703.2 on the door hook hole body 701 from exiting the mounting hole 452, thereby fixing the door lock 700 to the panel 450.
[0082] Figure 9B and 9C for Figure 9A The left view of the door lock 700 shown illustrates the positions of the operating handle 761 when it is not pushed and when it is pushed. Figure 9BAs shown, when the operating handle 761 is not pushed (i.e., no external force is applied to the operating handle 761), the top of the locking slider 720 on the operating handle 761 can maintain a distance D from the top of the groove 731. Figure 9C As shown, when the operating handle 761 is pushed (i.e., when an upward force is applied to the distal end 765 of the operating handle 761), the operating handle 761 rotates about its proximal end 763, moving the locking slider 720 approximately upward to the release position (as indicated by arrow 1001). When the operator releases the operating handle 761 (i.e., no longer applies force to the operating handle 761), the operating handle 761 returns to its original position. Figure 9B As shown, the top of the locking slider 720 is once again at a distance D from the top of the recess 731. As an example, the operating handle 761 may be made of an elastic material (such as plastic) so that the operating handle 761 is elastic and can return from the released position to the position where the top of the locking slider 720 is at a distance D from the top of the recess 731.
[0083] Figure 10A , Figure 10B and Figure 10C The steps for installing the door lock 700 onto the electrical equipment panel 450 are shown below:
[0084] Step 1: As Figure 10A As shown, firstly, an upward force is applied to the distal end 765 of the operating handle 761 to move the locking slider 720 upward to the release position (as shown by arrow 1001), that is, to make the extension 913 of the lock head 733 of the locking slider 720 extend into the groove 731. Align the door hook hole body 701 with the mounting hole 452 on the panel 450; then tilt the door lock 700 at a certain angle so that the left retaining edge 703.1 on the door hook hole body 701 first extends through the mounting hole 452, at which point the left retaining edge 703.1 is engaged on the left edge 502 of the mounting hole 452.
[0085] Step 2: As Figure 10B As shown, the door lock 700 is moved to the left (as indicated by arrow 1002), causing the left edge 502 in the mounting hole 452 to retract to the position of the recess 920 (i.e., below the extension 913 of the lock head 733). At this time, while maintaining an upward force on the operating handle 761, the locking slider 720 remains in the released position. The distance between the left side wall 708.1 and the right side wall 708.2 of the door hook hole body 701, plus the width of the lock head 133, forms a third distance L3, which is less than the length of the mounting hole 452. At this time, the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452 is outside the top edge of the right locking edge 703.2, so the right locking edge 803.2 can be pushed past the right edge 504 of the mounting hole.
[0086] Step 3: As Figure 10CAs shown, move the door lock 700 to the right (as indicated by arrow 1003) so that the right locking edge 703.2 engages with the right edge 504 of the mounting hole 452, at which point the space in the groove 731 on the left side is released. Then, remove the external force on the operating handle 761, and the locking slider 720 on the operating handle 761 moves downward, quickly exiting the groove 731, making a clicking sound to indicate to the operator that it is properly installed. The distance between the left side wall 708.1 and the right side wall 708.2 of the door hook hole body 701, plus the width of the lock head 733 of the locking slider 720 and the width of the extension 913, forms a fourth distance L4. This fourth distance L4 is the same as (or slightly less than) the length of the mounting hole 452, preventing the door lock 700 from moving along the length of the mounting hole 452. The widths of both sides of the door hook hole body 701 are the same as the width of the mounting hole 452, so the door lock 700 also cannot move along the width of the mounting hole 452. Furthermore, the locking edges 703.1 and 703.2 on the main body of the door hook hole 701 are positioned above the mounting hole 452, and the distance between their top edges is greater than the length of the mounting hole 452, thus preventing the door lock 700 from dislodging from the mounting hole 450. Therefore, the door lock 700 cannot move in the left-right, front-back, or up-down directions of the mounting hole 452, i.e., it is securely fastened within the mounting hole 452.
[0087] It should be noted that, Figure 7A The door lock shown is Figure 9A The door locks shown can also be used as follows: Figures 5A-5B The mounting hole 452 or indicator hole 511 described herein is provided to indicate whether the door lock 700 is fully secured within the mounting hole 452.
[0088] Existing electrical equipment (such as washing machines) can be fixed to its front panel with screws. However, the screw fixing method has the following drawbacks: (1) the screws are prone to rusting when the washing machine door lock is installed with screws, resulting in problems such as corrosion of the holes in the washing machine panel and affecting the firmness of the door lock installation; and (2) it is time-consuming and laborious to reinforce the door lock with screws, which is not conducive to improving production efficiency. In order to avoid the problems caused by using screws to fix the door lock to its panel, existing electrical equipment uses a screwless method to fix the door lock to its panel. Specifically, the prior art has two mounting holes on the panel of the electrical equipment and two mounting posts on the door lock housing. During installation, the two mounting posts on the door lock housing are pressed into the two holes on its panel, and the door lock is fixed to the panel. However, the screwless fixing method in the prior art has the following drawbacks: (1) by pressing the mounting posts from the front of the panel, the user can make the door lock fall off the panel; (2) the setting accuracy of the mounting holes and mounting posts is required; and (3) the mounting holes affect the aesthetics of the panel.
[0089] Compared with the prior art, the screwless door lock mounting structure disclosed in this application has the following technical advantages: (1) the user cannot detach the door lock from the panel from the front of the panel; (2) the manufacturing precision requirements are relatively low; (3) it is convenient to install and remove from the back of the panel; (4) after the door lock is installed, the mounting holes are not visible on the panel; and (5) due to the depth of the locking slider entering the mounting hole (it can penetrate the mounting hole 452, see Figure 4C It can be larger than existing technologies, increasing the reliability of door lock installation.
[0090] Although this application will be described with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the door lock structure in the embodiments of this application can have many variations without departing from the spirit, scope, and context of the teachings of this application. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are different ways to modify the embodiment structure in the embodiments disclosed in this application, all of which fall within the spirit and scope of this application and the claims.
Claims
1. A door lock for electrical equipment, characterized in that... include: The door hook hole body includes a top and two opposing first sidewalls and second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls extending downward from below the top; The first and second locking edges extend outward from the top of the hook hole body from the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively; A groove is provided on the lower surface of the first card edge; and A locking slider, comprising a locking head, is disposed on the side of the first sidewall. The locking slider can move up and down on the side of the first sidewall. When the locking slider moves up and down, it can cause the locking head to extend into or retract from the groove. The up and down movement of the locking slider can cause the locking head to occupy the space in the groove or release the space in the groove. A slide rail is provided on the lower part of the first side wall and extends laterally out of the first side wall. A guide rail is provided on the outer side of the slide rail. The slide rail on the locking slider slides against the guide rail on the slide rail to guide the up and down movement of the locking slider. A blocking surface, the blocking surface extending laterally at the distal end of the first sidewall; and Flexible biasing component; The lock head is provided with a cavity; One end of the elastic biasing component is installed in the cavity, and the other end of the elastic biasing component is installed on the blocking surface; and The elastic biasing component is used to provide an elastic biasing force to push the lock head so that the lock head is inserted into the groove.
2. A door lock for electrical equipment, characterized in that... include: The door hook hole body includes a top and two opposing first sidewalls and second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls extending downward from below the top; The first and second locking edges extend outward from the top of the hook hole body from the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively; A groove is provided on the lower surface of the first card edge; and A locking slider, comprising a locking head, is disposed on the side of the first sidewall. The locking slider can move up and down on the side of the first sidewall. When the locking slider moves up and down, it can cause the locking head to extend into or retract from the groove. The up and down movement of the locking slider can cause the locking head to occupy the space in the groove or release the space in the groove. A slide rail is provided on the lower part of the first side wall and extends laterally out of the first side wall. A guide rail is provided on the outer side of the slide rail. The slide rail on the locking slider slides against the guide rail on the slide rail to guide the up and down movement of the locking slider. A blocking surface, the blocking surface extending laterally at the distal end of the first sidewall; and Flexible biasing component; The lock head is provided with a cavity; The blocking surface is provided with countersunk holes; Wherein, one end of the elastic biasing component is installed in the cavity, and the other end of the elastic biasing component is installed in the countersunk hole; and The elastic biasing component is used to provide an elastic biasing force to push the lock head so that the lock head is inserted into the groove.
3. A door lock for electrical equipment, characterized in that... include: The door hook hole body includes a top and two opposing first sidewalls and second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls extending downward from below the top; The first and second locking edges extend outward from the top of the hook hole body from the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively; A groove is provided on the lower surface of the first card edge; and A locking slider, comprising a locking head, is disposed on the side of the first sidewall. The locking slider can move up and down on the side of the first sidewall. When the locking slider moves up and down, it can cause the locking head to extend into or retract from the groove. The up and down movement of the locking slider can cause the locking head to occupy the space in the groove or release the space in the groove. A slide rail is provided on the lower part of the first side wall and extends laterally out of the first side wall. A guide rail is provided on the outer side of the slide rail. The slide rail on the locking slider slides against the guide rail on the slide rail to guide the up and down movement of the locking slider. A blocking surface, the blocking surface extending laterally at the distal end of the first sidewall; and Plastic elastic arm; Wherein, the first end of the plastic elastic arm is connected to the lower end of the locking slider; and The second end of the plastic elastic arm is connected to the lower surface of the blocking surface.
4. A door lock for electrical equipment, characterized in that... include: The door hook hole body includes a top and two opposing first sidewalls and second sidewalls, the first sidewalls and the second sidewalls extending downward from below the top; The first and second locking edges extend outward from the top of the hook hole body from the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively; A groove is provided on the lower surface of the first card edge; and A locking slider, comprising a locking head, is disposed on the side of the first sidewall. The locking slider can move up and down on the side of the first sidewall. When the locking slider moves up and down, it can cause the locking head to extend into or retract from the groove. The up and down movement of the locking slider can cause the locking head to occupy or release space in the groove. An operating handle, which contacts or connects to the bottom of the locking slider, is used to move the locking slider when a force is applied to the operating handle. The proximal end of the operating handle is rotatably fixed to the housing of the door lock, the operating handle extends from the housing, and the distal end of the operating handle is a free end.
5. The door lock as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The locking slider is configured such that, before the door lock is installed, the top of the locking slider maintains a distance from the top of the groove.
6. The door lock as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The locking slider is configured such that the groove accommodates the lock head before the door lock is installed.