A control panel motion mechanism

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control panel movement mechanism, including a fixed mounting plate, a control panel and a panel driving mechanism, wherein the panel driving mechanism includes a power unit having a power output shaft; a transmission unit connected to the power unit and used to convert the rotational motion of the power output shaft into a linear motion of its output end; a four-bar linkage connecting the output end of the transmission unit and the control panel and slidingly cooperating with the fixed mounting plate, and a limiting structure; the limiting structure is provided with a guide slot at least tilted downward, and one end of the four-bar linkage is provided with a protruding sliding shaft, which slides with the guide slot; when the sliding shaft is inserted into the guide slot, the four-bar linkage will rotate while sliding horizontally, thereby driving the control panel to move simultaneously in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The present invention can make the control panel movement more flexible and solve the problem that it is not convenient to take out or place the water tank after the control panel is opened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a kitchen appliance, in particular to a control panel movement mechanism. Background Art

[0002] As people's living standards continue to improve, kitchen cooking equipment has gradually become more diversified and professional. When purchasing kitchen appliances, many families, in addition to the necessary kitchen stoves, sometimes choose to purchase an oven to make various delicious foods. The food baked in the oven has a unique aroma and is very popular among people.

[0003] In order to diversify the functions of existing ovens, some of them have added steaming and baking functions. When baking food, a large amount of high-temperature steam can be generated, which contacts with the food to lock the moisture in the food and make the food taste more delicious. Such ovens are generally equipped with a water tank, which is located at the upper end of the box body and behind the control panel. Most steam-assisted ovens need to regularly add pure water to the water tank in time during use, and collect the condensed water after steaming into the waste water storage box and then discharge it from the cavity. Existing ovens generally open the control panel by manually pressing to take out the water tank for water replacement. The control panel can only move forward and backward in a straight line or can only flip upward. The control panel that moves forward and backward is easy to cause interference or collision with the water tank when taking and placing the water tank, which is not very convenient to use. The control panel that moves upward requires a relatively high installation space on the upper part of the oven, which is not suitable for embedded ovens. Moreover, when the control panel moves, it is not easy to keep an upright state, which affects the user experience.

[0004] The present invention is proposed in view of the above. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and provide a control panel movement mechanism that can provide a more flexible control panel movement mode, thereby solving the problem that it is difficult to take out or place a water tank after the control panel is opened.

[0006] In order to achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A control panel motion mechanism comprises a fixed mounting plate, a control panel and a panel driving mechanism, wherein the panel driving mechanism comprises:

[0008] A power unit is mounted on the fixed mounting plate and has a power output shaft;

[0009] A transmission unit, connected to the power unit, for converting the rotational motion of the power output shaft into the linear motion of its output end;

[0010] A four-bar linkage connects the output end of the transmission unit and the control panel and is slidably matched with the fixed mounting plate;

[0011] and a limiting structure coordinated with the four-bar linkage;

[0012] The power unit drives the four-bar linkage to slide in the horizontal direction through the transmission unit. A guide slot that is at least downwardly inclined is provided on the limiting structure. The guide slot is located on one side of the four-bar linkage. A protruding sliding shaft is provided at one end of the four-bar linkage, and can be inserted into the guide slot to slide in cooperation with the guide slot. When the sliding shaft is inserted into the guide slot, the four-bar linkage will rotate while sliding horizontally, thereby driving the control panel to move simultaneously in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0013] Furthermore, the guide slot includes a horizontal slot and an inclined slot. The horizontal slot extends to one side of the limiting structure and forms an opening so that the sliding shaft can be inserted into the guide slot. The inclined slot is inclined downward in a direction away from the horizontal slot. When the sliding shaft slides in the inclined slot, the four-bar linkage will rotate.

[0014] Further, the four-bar linkage mechanism includes:

[0015] A first connecting rod connected to the transmission unit and slidably matched with the fixed mounting plate;

[0016] A second connecting rod and a third connecting rod which are hinged to the first connecting rod and arranged in parallel;

[0017] and a fourth connecting rod hinged to the second connecting rod and the third connecting rod;

[0018] The control panel is mounted on the fourth connecting rod, and the sliding shaft is mounted on one end of the second connecting rod. When the sliding shaft slides in the inclined groove, the second connecting rod rotates around the hinge point with the first connecting rod and drives the fourth connecting rod to move in the vertical direction.

[0019] Furthermore, the length of the second connecting rod is greater than that of the third connecting rod, the first connecting rod is hinged to the middle of the second connecting rod, and the hinge point is located directly below the hinge point of the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod, and the sliding shaft is installed at one end of the second connecting rod away from the fourth connecting rod.

[0020] Furthermore, a slide rail is provided on the fixed mounting plate, and a sliding block is installed at the bottom of the first connecting rod and slidably cooperates with the slide rail.

[0021] Furthermore, the four-bar linkage is a pair and is symmetrically installed on both sides of the control panel, and the number of the limiting structures matches the number of the four-bar linkage.

[0022] Furthermore, the power unit includes an electric motor and a reducer, and the transmission unit includes a transmission shaft and a rack and pinion mechanism. The rack and pinion mechanisms are a pair and are respectively connected to a four-bar linkage mechanism. The transmission shaft is connected to the reducer, and the motor drives the transmission shaft to rotate through the reducer. The transmission shaft is connected to two rack and pinion mechanisms, and drives the four-bar linkage mechanism to move horizontally through the rack and pinion mechanism.

[0023] Furthermore, the rack and pinion mechanism includes a spur rack connected to a four-bar linkage mechanism, a first gear installed at both ends of the transmission shaft, and the first gear drives the spur rack to move horizontally when it rotates. The reducer is a gear reducer, including a second gear installed on the motor shaft and a third gear installed on the transmission shaft, and the second gear is meshed with the third gear.

[0024] Furthermore, both ends of the spur rack are connected to the four-bar linkage via a connecting piece respectively.

[0025] Furthermore, the limiting structure includes a retaining frame fixedly mounted on the fixed mounting plate and a strip plate mounted on the retaining frame, and the guide slot is a long strip opening arranged on the strip plate.

[0026] The technical solution of the present invention brings the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The present invention uses a four-bar linkage in conjunction with a guide slot so that when the control panel is opened, it can first move forward horizontally for a certain distance and then move diagonally upward, thereby freeing up sufficient space for taking and placing the water tank and avoiding interference between the control panel and the water tank when taking and placing the water tank. In addition, due to the good stability of the four-bar linkage, the control panel can always remain in an upright state during the movement. Due to the high reliability of the four-bar linkage, the entire motion mechanism has low requirements for later maintenance and is not prone to failure, thereby improving the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 : The overall structure diagram of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 : A structural diagram of the four-bar linkage and a partial transmission unit of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 : A structural diagram of the limiting structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 : A schematic structural diagram of the power unit of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 : A schematic diagram of the position of the control panel when the sliding shaft of the present invention is in the horizontal groove;

[0033] Figure 6: A schematic diagram of the position of the control panel when the slide shaft of the present invention is in the inclined groove;

[0034] Among them: 1. fixed mounting plate 2. control panel 3. power unit 4. transmission unit 5. four-bar linkage 6. limiting structure 11. slide rail 12. slider 31. motor 32. reducer 41. transmission shaft 42. first gear 43. spur rack 44. connector 51. first connecting rod 52. second connecting rod 53. third connecting rod 54. fourth connecting rod 55. sliding shaft 61. retaining frame 62. strip plate 321. second gear 322. third gear 621. guide slide groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The specific implementation modes of the present invention are further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, a control panel motion mechanism includes a fixed mounting plate 1 located inside an oven, a control panel 2 and a panel driving mechanism for driving the control panel 2 to move. The panel driving mechanism includes a power unit 3, a transmission unit 4, a four-bar linkage 5 and a limiting structure 6.

[0037] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the power unit 3 is installed on the fixed mounting plate 1, and includes a motor 31 and a reducer 32. The motor 31 is a servo motor, and its rotating shaft serves as a power output shaft to drive the reducer 32 to rotate. The transmission unit 4 is connected to the power unit 3. The transmission unit 4 includes a transmission shaft 41 and a gear rack mechanism. The gear rack mechanism is used to convert the rotational motion into a linear motion. Preferably, the gear rack mechanism is a pair and includes a spur rack 43 and a first gear 42. When the first gear 42 rotates, it drives the spur rack 43 to move horizontally. The transmission shaft 41 is connected to the reducer 32. The two ends of the transmission shaft 41 are respectively connected to the two gear rack mechanisms. The transmission shaft 41 is used to achieve uniform distribution of power. The motor 31 drives the transmission shaft 41 to rotate through the reducer 32. The transmission shaft 41 drives the first gear 42 to rotate. The first gear 42 meshes with the spur rack 43 and drives the spur rack 43 to do linear motion.

[0038] The four-bar linkage 5 includes a first link 51, a second link 52, a third link 53, and a fourth link 54. The first link 51 is arranged horizontally, connected to the transmission unit 4, and slidably cooperates with the fixed mounting plate 1. The spur rack 43, as the output end of the transmission unit 4, is connected to the first link 51 through a connector 44. Specifically, the connector 44 is installed at both ends of the spur rack 43 and connected to the first link 51 through screws. A slider 12 is installed at the bottom of the first link 51, and a slide rail 11 is provided on the fixed mounting plate 1. The slider 12 is located in the slide rail 11 and slidably cooperates with the slide rail 11. When the spur rack 43 moves, it will drive the first link 51 to move synchronously. The slider 12 plays a role in limiting the movement direction of the first link 51 and the spur rack 43 by cooperating with the slide rail 11. The second connecting rod 52 and the third connecting rod 53 are arranged in parallel and are respectively hinged to the first connecting rod 51 . The fourth connecting rod 54 is hinged to the second connecting rod 52 and the third connecting rod 53 . The control panel 2 is mounted on the fourth connecting rod 54 .

[0039] Combination Figure 3 As shown, the limiting structure 6 is provided with a guide slot 621 which is at least inclined downward, and the guide slot 621 is located at one side of the four-bar linkage 5. A horizontally protruding slide shaft 55 is provided at one end of the four-bar linkage 5. When the four-bar linkage 5 slides horizontally, the slide shaft 55 can be inserted into the guide slot 621 and slide with the guide slot 621. When the slide shaft 55 is inserted into the guide slot 621, the four-bar linkage 5 will rotate while sliding horizontally, thereby driving the control panel 2 to move simultaneously in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

[0040] Preferably, the guide slot 621 includes a horizontal slot and an inclined slot, the horizontal slot extends to one side of the limiting structure 6 and forms an opening so that the slide shaft 55 can be inserted into the guide slot 621. The inclined slot is inclined downward in a direction away from the horizontal slot, and when the slide shaft 55 slides in the inclined slot, the four-bar linkage 5 will rotate.

[0041] Specifically, the limiting structure 6 includes a retaining frame 61 fixedly mounted on the fixed mounting plate 1 and a strip plate 62 mounted on the retaining frame 61 , the strip plate 62 is connected to the retaining frame 61 by riveting, and the guide slot 621 is a long strip opening arranged on the strip plate 62 .

[0042] Specifically, the length of the second link 52 is greater than that of the third link 53, the first link 51 is hinged to the middle part of the second link 52, and the hinge point is located directly below the hinge point of the first link 51 and the third link 53, and the sliding shaft 55 is installed at the end of the second link 52 away from the fourth link 54. When the sliding shaft 55 slides in the inclined groove, the second link 52 rotates around the hinge point with the first link 51, and drives the fourth link 54 to move in the vertical direction.

[0043] Preferably, the four-bar linkage 5 is a pair and is symmetrically installed on both sides of the control panel 2. The number of the limiting structures 6 matches the number of the four-bar linkage 5. The two four-bar linkages 5 keep synchronous movement to improve the stability of the control panel 2 during movement.

[0044] Preferably, the reducer 32 is a gear reducer, including a second gear 321 installed on the rotating shaft of the motor 31 and a third gear 322 installed on the transmission shaft 41, the second gear 321 is meshed with the third gear 322, and the diameter of the third gear 322 is larger than the second gear 321, so that the input speed of the reducer 32 is greater than the output speed.

[0045] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the working process of the present invention is as follows: when the control panel 2 is in the starting position, the four-bar linkage 5 is located at the rear half of the fixed mounting plate 1. When the control panel 2 needs to be opened, the motor 31 drives the transmission shaft 41 to rotate through the reducer 32, and the transmission shaft 41 drives the gear rack mechanisms on both sides to move forward, so that the spur rack 43 moves forward, pushing the four-bar linkage 5 to translate forward as a whole. When the four-bar linkage 5 translates forward, the control panel 2 moves forward synchronously. As the four-bar linkage 5 moves forward, the slide shaft 55 will be stuck in the guide slide groove 621 (in the starting position, the slide shaft 55 can also be located in the horizontal groove, such as Figure 5 ), when the sliding shaft 55 slides in the horizontal groove, the control panel 2 moves horizontally. When the sliding shaft 55 enters the inclined groove, the sliding shaft 55 will move downward along the inclined groove and drive the second connecting rod 52 to rotate. Since the second connecting rod 52 is arranged in parallel with the third connecting rod 53, the fourth connecting rod 54 will move upward while moving forward, causing the control panel 2 to translate obliquely upward. When the control panel 2 moves to the end position, the control panel 2 will be located above and to the side of its starting position, which makes room for taking and placing the water tank. When the motor 31 rotates in the opposite direction, the control panel 2 will return to the starting position along the original path.

[0046] The above is an embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, which should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control panel motion mechanism, comprising a fixed mounting plate, a control panel and a panel drive mechanism, characterized in that: The panel driving mechanism comprises: A power unit is mounted on the fixed mounting plate and has a power output shaft; A transmission unit, connected to the power unit, for converting the rotational motion of the power output shaft into the linear motion of its output end; A four-bar linkage connects the output end of the transmission unit and the control panel and is slidably matched with the fixed mounting plate; and a limiting structure coordinated with the four-bar linkage; The power unit drives the four-bar linkage to slide in the horizontal direction through the transmission unit, and a guide slot inclined at least downward is provided on the limit structure, and the guide slot is located on one side of the four-bar linkage. A protruding sliding shaft is provided at one end of the four-bar linkage, and can be inserted into the guide slot to slide and cooperate with the guide slot; when the sliding shaft is inserted into the guide slot, the four-bar linkage will rotate while sliding horizontally, thereby driving the control panel to move in the horizontal and vertical directions at the same time; The four-bar linkage mechanism comprises: A first connecting rod connected to the transmission unit and slidably matched with the fixed mounting plate; A second connecting rod and a third connecting rod which are hinged to the first connecting rod and arranged in parallel; and a fourth connecting rod hinged to the second connecting rod and the third connecting rod; The control panel is mounted on the fourth connecting rod, and the sliding shaft is mounted on one end of the second connecting rod. When the sliding shaft slides in the inclined groove, the second connecting rod rotates around the hinge point with the first connecting rod, and drives the fourth connecting rod to move in the vertical direction. The length of the second connecting rod is greater than that of the third connecting rod. The first connecting rod is hinged to the middle of the second connecting rod, and the hinge point is located directly below the hinge point of the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod. The sliding shaft is installed at one end of the second connecting rod away from the fourth connecting rod.

2. A control panel motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide slide groove includes a horizontal groove and an inclined groove. The horizontal groove extends to one side of the limiting structure and forms an opening so that the sliding shaft can be inserted into the guide slide groove. The inclined groove is inclined downward in a direction away from the horizontal groove. When the sliding shaft slides in the inclined groove, the four-bar linkage rotates.

3. A control panel motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed mounting plate is provided with a slide rail, and the bottom of the first connecting rod is provided with a sliding block which is slidably matched with the slide rail.

4. A control panel motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The four-bar linkage is a pair and is symmetrically mounted on both sides of the control panel. The number of the limiting structures matches the number of the four-bar linkage.

5. The control panel motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power unit includes an electric motor and a reducer, and the transmission unit includes a transmission shaft and a rack and pinion mechanism. The rack and pinion mechanism is connected to a four-bar linkage mechanism, and the transmission shaft is connected to the reducer. The electric motor drives the transmission shaft to rotate through the reducer, and the transmission shaft is connected to the rack and pinion mechanism, and drives the four-bar linkage mechanism to move horizontally through the rack and pinion mechanism.

6. A control panel motion mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The rack and pinion mechanism includes a spur rack connected to a four-bar linkage mechanism, and a first gear installed at both ends of a transmission shaft. When the first gear rotates, it drives the spur rack to move horizontally. The reducer is a gear reducer, including a second gear installed on the motor shaft and a third gear installed on the transmission shaft. The second gear is meshed with the third gear.

7. A control panel motion mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: Both ends of the spur rack are connected to the four-bar linkage through a connecting piece respectively.

8. The control panel motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting structure comprises a retaining frame fixedly mounted on a fixed mounting plate and a strip plate mounted on the retaining frame, and the guide slide groove is a long strip opening arranged on the strip plate.

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