A door hinge structure of a dishwasher and a dishwasher

Abstract

The application discloses a door hinge structure of a dishwasher and the dishwasher, and comprises a first hinge plate fixed on a box body, a second hinge plate fixed on a door body and hinged with the first hinge plate, a support with one end sliding up and down on the first hinge plate and the other end hinged on the second hinge plate, and an adjusting structure with a connecting plate sliding up and down on the support and a spring giving the connecting plate upward pulling force. The adjusting structure can be adjusted according to the weight of the door body, so that the opening angle of the door is ensured unchanged after the door plate with different weights is installed. The adjusting structure has the connecting plate sliding up and down on the support and the spring giving the connecting plate upward pulling force, the up and down positions of the connecting plate relative to the support are adjusted, the movement state of the door plate after the door is opened or the pulling force of the spring is adjusted, so that the requirements of the user are met, and the structure is simple and the adjustment is convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of dishwasher technology, specifically relating to a dishwasher door hinge structure and the dishwasher itself. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the improvement of people's living standards, dishwashers are being used more and more widely in daily life. Built-in dishwashers have a larger capacity and are mainly used inside kitchen cabinets. After the door panels are installed, their appearance blends seamlessly with the cabinets, making the kitchen more aesthetically pleasing, thus gaining wider application. Built-in dishwashers are mostly used inside kitchen cabinets, and after the door panels are installed, they can maintain the consistency of the overall cabinet appearance, hence their increasing popularity. However, different types of kitchen cabinets have different door panel weights. When the door panel is light, the opening angle after automatic opening is too small, which is not conducive to ventilation and drying, easily producing odors and affecting the user experience. When the door panel is heavy, the opening angle after automatic opening is too large, occupying more space and making it difficult to plan the installation location.

[0003] Currently, some built-in dishwashers use gears and racks to push the door to a specific angle, allowing for automatic door opening at an appropriate angle even when door panels of varying weights are installed. However, this structure is inherently complex and prone to malfunction; it also requires a motor drive, resulting in higher costs and more demanding requirements for the control circuitry.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this application, and therefore may include prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention proposes a dishwasher door hinge structure that can ensure a fixed opening angle after installing door panels of different weights to meet user needs. Furthermore, the structure is simple and easy to adjust.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution:

[0007] A door hinge structure for a dishwasher, disposed between the dishwasher's cabinet and door, includes:

[0008] The first hinge plate is fixed to the box body;

[0009] The second hinge plate is fixed to the door body and hinged to the first hinge plate.

[0010] The bracket has one end that can slide up and down on the first hinge plate and the other end that is hinged to the second hinge plate.

[0011] The adjustment structure has an adjustable connecting plate mounted on the bracket and a spring that applies an upward pulling force to the connecting plate.

[0012] Furthermore, a third hinge shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the bracket, and an oblong hole matching the third hinge shaft is provided on the connecting plate. The third hinge shaft is located on the bracket and can slide up and down within the oblong hole.

[0013] Furthermore, the adjustment structure also has an adjustment column for adjusting the position of the connecting plate and preventing the connecting plate from moving upward.

[0014] Furthermore, the adjusting column is mounted on the first hinge plate and can move up and down via a threaded connection.

[0015] Furthermore, an mounting plate for mounting the adjusting column is provided at the upper end of the first hinge plate. The adjusting column is fixed to the mounting plate by a threaded connection, and the adjusting column is located at the upper end of the connecting plate.

[0016] Furthermore, a third hinge shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the bracket, and an oblong hole matching the third hinge shaft is provided on the connecting plate. The third hinge shaft is rotatably mounted on the bracket and is fixed in the oblong hole in an adjustable manner.

[0017] Furthermore, the spring has a support rod connected to the connecting plate, a spring body fitted on the outside of the support rod, and a support cap at the top of the support rod that blocks the upper side of the spring body.

[0018] Furthermore, an outwardly folded edge is provided at the upper end of the first hinge plate, and a through hole is provided on the folded edge for the support rod to pass through. A spring seat is provided on the folded edge and fitted on the outside of the support rod. The spring seat is located on the lower side of the spring body.

[0019] Furthermore, a connecting claw is provided on the side of the connecting plate away from the door body, and a hook matching the connecting claw is provided at the lower end of the support rod.

[0020] Furthermore, a front slide groove and a rear slide groove are respectively provided on the front and rear sides of the first hinge plate, which are arranged in parallel to realize the up and down sliding of the connecting plate.

[0021] Furthermore, the connecting plate is provided with a front slider that matches the front slide groove and a rear slider that matches the rear slide groove, and the assembly position of the front slider on the connecting plate is higher than the assembly position of the rear slider.

[0022] Furthermore, a first connecting shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the front slider, and a second connecting shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the rear slider. The line connecting the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft is inclined upward and forward.

[0023] Furthermore, a second hinge shaft is provided between the bracket and the second hinge plate; the line connecting the second hinge shaft and the third hinge shaft is inclined forward and downward; when the door is opened to the position, the line connecting the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft is perpendicular to the line connecting the second hinge shaft and the third hinge shaft.

[0024] Furthermore, the first hinge plate has outwardly folded edges on its front and rear sides, respectively, with the front groove formed on the front folded edge and the rear groove formed on the rear folded edge.

[0025] Furthermore, a vertical first sliding groove is provided on the first hinge plate, and the bracket is provided with a first slider that matches the first sliding groove, the first slider being located within the first sliding groove.

[0026] Furthermore, the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate are hinged together by a first hinge axis, and the bracket is hinged together with the second hinge plate by a second hinge axis. The first hinge axis and the second hinge axis are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart.

[0027] Furthermore, a limiting structure for limiting the door to open to the correct position is provided between the first hinge plate and the bracket. The limiting structure includes a limiting post provided on the first hinge plate and a limiting protrusion provided on the bracket.

[0028] Furthermore, once the door is fully opened, the limiting post blocks the bracket, thereby preventing the door from opening further.

[0029] Furthermore, the limiting post is circular, and the bracket has a bracket body and a limiting protrusion protruding from the bracket body. An arc-shaped groove matching the limiting post is provided between the limiting protrusion and the bracket body.

[0030] Furthermore, the bracket is a flat plate with an integral structure. The bracket has a bracket body and a limiting protrusion protruding from the bracket body. The bracket body has a first arm that is assembled with the first hinge plate, a second arm that is hinged with the second hinge plate, and an arc-shaped connecting part that connects the first arm and the second arm. The limiting protrusion is provided on the arc-shaped connecting part.

[0031] Furthermore, the included angle between the first arm and the second arm is 110° to 160°.

[0032] Furthermore, the door body has a door shell and a door panel that can slide up and down relative to the door shell, and the door hinge structure also includes a sliding door structure that cooperates with the bracket to realize the sliding of the door panel relative to the door shell during the opening and closing of the door body.

[0033] Furthermore, the sliding door structure has a door slider fixed to the door panel and a transmission assembly disposed between the bracket and the door slider for transmitting pushing force.

[0034] Furthermore, the bracket has teeth at one end near the door, and the transmission assembly has a first rack that matches the teeth. During the opening and closing of the door, the bracket moves and the teeth push the first rack to move up and down.

[0035] Furthermore, the transmission assembly also has a second rack for pushing the door slider and a gear set for connecting the first rack and the second rack.

[0036] Furthermore, the first slider is provided with a rearward protruding claw, and the upper end of the second rack is provided with a locking head that matches the claw, the locking head engaging within the claw.

[0037] Furthermore, the claw has a downward-facing cavity that matches the claw head. The cavity is arc-shaped, and the opening width of the claw is smaller than the diameter of the cavity.

[0038] Furthermore, a second slide rail is provided on the door shell, the second rack is slidably located in the second slide rail, and an access port is provided on the second slide rail for the claw to extend backward into the second slide rail.

[0039] Furthermore, the door shell is provided with a second groove for accommodating the second slide rail.

[0040] Furthermore, a rearwardly extending guide post is provided on the door panel, and a guide positioning groove matching the guide post is provided on the door shell, with the guide post slidably located within the guide positioning groove.

[0041] Furthermore, a positioning cap is provided at the rear end of the guide positioning post, the size of which is the width of the guide positioning groove, and the positioning cap is located on the rear side of the guide positioning groove.

[0042] Furthermore, an installation port is provided at the top of the guide positioning groove to allow the positioning cap to pass through.

[0043] Furthermore, the second hinge plate has a second hinge plate body hinged to the first hinge plate, a bent bottom plate extending inward along the front end of the second hinge plate body, and a bent side plate extending backward along the inner side of the bent bottom plate. The second hinge plate body, the bent bottom plate, and the bent side plate surround to form a first slide for accommodating the first rack.

[0044] Furthermore, the gear set is mounted on the second hinge plate.

[0045] Based on the aforementioned dishwasher door hinge structure, a washing machine is also provided, which has the aforementioned door hinge structure, and can ensure a certain door opening angle after installing door panels of different weights to meet the user's needs. Moreover, the structure is simple and easy to adjust.

[0046] A dishwasher, comprising:

[0047] The box-shaped structure has an opening on the front.

[0048] The door, with its hinged opening for closure, is located at the opening of the housing.

[0049] The aforementioned door hinge structure is located between the dishwasher's cabinet and door.

[0050] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of the present invention are as follows: by setting an adjustment structure, the adjustment structure can be adjusted according to the different weights of the door, so as to ensure that the opening angle remains unchanged after installing door panels of different weights; the adjustment structure has a vertically adjustable connecting plate on the bracket and a spring that provides upward pulling force to the connecting plate. By adjusting the vertical position of the connecting plate relative to the bracket, the movement state of the door panel after opening can be adjusted or the tension of the spring can be adjusted to meet the user's needs. Moreover, the structure is simple and the adjustment is convenient.

[0051] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer after reading the detailed embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0052] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the dishwasher door hinge structure proposed in this invention;

[0054] Figure 2 for Figure 1Schematic diagram of the exploded structure at the central gate;

[0055] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram of region A in the middle;

[0056] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the door hinge in the closed state;

[0057] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the door hinge structure during the opening process of the door;

[0058] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the door hinge in the open position of the door;

[0059] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a door hinge.

[0060] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged structural diagram of the central support;

[0061] Figure 9 for Figure 7 Enlarged structural diagram of the adjustment structure in the middle;

[0062] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Enlarged structural diagram of the connecting plate in the middle;

[0063] Figure 11 for Figure 7 Enlarged structural schematic diagram of the transmission assembly;

[0064] Figure 12 for Figure 7 Enlarged schematic diagram of the middle gate slider;

[0065] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the door slider and the second slide rail;

[0066] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the dishwasher door hinge structure proposed in this invention;

[0067] Figure 15 for Figure 14 Enlarged structural diagram of the connecting plate in the middle. Detailed Implementation

[0068] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, with the direction closer to the inner cylinder axis being "inner," and the opposite being "outer." These terms are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0070] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0071] See Figures 1-15 This is the first embodiment of the dishwasher door hinge structure proposed in this invention. Figure 1 To show the door hinge structure 30, the door panel 22 of the door body 20 is removed. The door hinge structure 30 is located between the dishwasher's cabinet 10 and the door body 20. The cabinet 10 has a front opening, and the door body 20 is hinged at the opening of the cabinet 10. The door hinge structure 30 includes: a first hinge plate 31, a second hinge plate 32, a bracket 35, and an adjustment structure 36. The first hinge plate 31 and the second hinge plate 32 are hinged together by a first hinge shaft 33. The first hinge plate 31 is fixed to the cabinet 10. A door frame 12 is provided at the front opening of the cabinet 1. The upper end of the first hinge plate 31 is fixed to the door frame 12, and the lower end is fixed to the base 11. The second hinge plate 32 is fixed to the door body 20. One end of the bracket 35 is slidably mounted on the first hinge plate 31, and the other end is hinged to the second hinge plate 32; the adjustment structure 36 has a connecting plate 361 that is adjustable up and down mounted on the bracket 35 and a spring 362 that applies an upward pulling force to the connecting plate 361.

[0072] By setting the adjustment structure 36, the opening angle can be kept constant after installing door panels of different weights, according to the different weights of the door body 20. The adjustment structure 36 has a vertically adjustable connecting plate 361 on the bracket 35 and a spring 362 that provides upward pulling force to the connecting plate 361. By adjusting the vertical position of the connecting plate 361 relative to the bracket 35, the movement state of the door panel 22 after opening can be adjusted or the pulling force of the spring 362 can be adjusted to meet the user's needs. The structure is simple and the adjustment is convenient.

[0073] See Figures 3-6As shown, to achieve a slidable and adjustable hinge between the connecting plate 361 and the bracket 35, a third hinge shaft 363 is provided between the connecting plate 361 and the bracket 35. An oblong hole 3611 extending vertically is provided on the connecting plate 361, and the oblong hole 3611 matches the third hinge shaft 363. In this embodiment, the third hinge shaft 363 is provided on the bracket 35. It can be fixed to the bracket 35, or it can be rotatably provided on the bracket 35, and the third hinge shaft 363 can slide vertically within the oblong hole 3611. By opening an oblong hole 3611 on the connecting plate 361, the connecting plate 361 can be adjusted in the vertical direction, so that when the door 20 is closed, the third hinge shaft 363 can be located at any position in the vertical direction of the oblong hole 3611. The distance between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611 when the door 20 is closed is defined as L. After the door 20 begins to open, the upper end of the bracket 35 slides downward and the lower end rotates with the door 20. The upper end of the bracket 35 slides downward. When the moving distance is less than L, the bracket 35 is not subjected to the upward pulling force of the spring 362, and the door 20 rotates and falls under the action of gravity. When the upper end of the bracket 35 moves downward a distance equal to L, the third hinge shaft 363 slides to the lower end of the oblong hole 3611. With the bracket 35 having the potential energy to move downward, the connecting plate 361 tends to move downward, and the spring 362 provides an upward pulling force, causing the door 20 to rotate and open under the action of the pulling force of the spring 362 and gravity. When only the connecting plate 361 can be adjusted up and down, the larger the distance L between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611 in the closed state of the door 20, the greater the speed of the door 20 when the spring 362 begins to apply the pulling force, that is, the greater the inertia. The greater the force that the door 20 can overcome the spring 362, and the greater the opening angle when the door 20 is in force equilibrium and suspended. The distance L between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611 is the same. When the weight of the door body 20 varies, the opening angle of the door body 20 when it is suspended in equilibrium also varies; specifically, the greater the weight of the door body 20, the greater its opening angle. Therefore, when the weight of the door body 20 increases, the connecting plate 361 needs to be adjusted to move downwards, so that the distance L between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611 decreases, to ensure the opening angle of the door body 20 when it is suspended in equilibrium.

[0074] In the initial stage when the door 20 begins to open, the door 20 does not receive the tension of the spring 362 and moves only under the action of its own gravity until the third hinge shaft 363 contacts the lower end of the oblong hole 3611 and pulls the connecting plate 361. At this time, the door 20 moves under the combined action of the elastic force of the spring 362 and the gravity of the door 20 until the movement stops. The initial position of the third hinge shaft 363 and the connecting plate 361 determines the distance of the free movement of the door 20, that is, the distance L between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611. This affects the speed of the door 20 when it ends its free movement, and thus affects the distance of the door 20 during the combined action of the elastic force of the spring 362 and gravity, ultimately resulting in a difference in the opening angle of the door 20.

[0075] For adjusting the vertical position of the connecting plate 361, the adjusting structure 36 also has an adjusting column 365 for adjusting the position of the connecting plate 361. The adjusting column 365 also serves to stop the connecting plate 361 from moving upward, thus acting as a limit. This ensures that after adjusting the position of the connecting plate 361, its position remains unchanged when the door 20 is closed, and it generally requires further adjustment during dishwasher use. The adjusting column 365 is fixed by threads and is fixed on the first hinge plate 31, located at the upper end of the connecting plate 361. When the adjusting column 365 moves downward, the connecting plate 361 moves downward, while the position of the third hinge shaft 363 remains unchanged. This increases the distance L between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611, increasing the free movement distance of the door 20. When the free movement ends, the speed of the door 20 increases, and during the combined action of elasticity and gravity, the distance increases, thus increasing the opening angle of the door 20. For door panels 20 of different weights, the opening angle of the door body 20 can be steplessly changed by adjusting the vertical position of the adjusting column 365, thereby achieving a constant opening angle for door bodies of different weights. The difference between the vertical dimension of the oblong hole 3611 on the connecting plate 361 and the diameter of the third hinge shaft 363 determines the adjustment range of the adjusting structure 36. The larger the difference, the wider the weight range of the door panel 20 that the structure can adapt to.

[0076] See Figure 9 As shown, for the installation of the adjusting column 365, an mounting plate 312 for installing the adjusting column 365 is provided at the upper end of the first hinge plate 31. The adjusting column 365 is provided with threads on the outside. A threaded hole matching the adjusting column 365 is opened on the mounting plate 312. The adjusting column 365 is located at the upper end of the connecting plate 361.

[0077] Spring 362 has a support rod 3622 connected to connecting plate 361 and a spring body 3621 fitted on the outside of support rod 3622. A support cap 3623 is provided at the top of support rod 3622, blocking the upper side of spring body 3621. An outwardly extending upper flange 313 is provided at the upper end of first hinge plate 31. A through hole for support rod 3622 to pass through is provided on upper flange 313. A spring seat 3624 is fitted on the upper flange 313, fitted on the outside of support rod 3622, and located below spring body 3621. Spring body 3621 is located between spring body 3621 and support cap 3623. When connecting plate 361 moves downward, it pulls support rod 3622 downward, further compressing spring body 3621. The upward spring force is transmitted to connecting plate 361 through support rod 3622. A connecting claw 3612 is provided on the side of the connecting plate 361 away from the door body 20, which helps to increase the distance between the spring tension and the door body 20 and to increase the torque on the door body 2. A hook 3625 matching the connecting claw 3612 is provided at the lower end of the support rod 3622.

[0078] The connecting plate 361 is slidably mounted on the first hinge plate 31. The connecting plate 361 is also adjustable up and down on the upper end of the bracket 35, ensuring the upper end of the bracket 35 can slide up and down on the first hinge plate 31. To ensure the sliding of the connecting plate 361 in the vertical direction and to transmit the elastic force of the spring 362 to the bracket 35, a front sliding groove 314 and a rear sliding groove 315 are provided parallel to each other on the front and rear sides of the first hinge plate 31. The front sliding groove 314 and the rear sliding groove 315 are used to realize the vertical sliding of the connecting plate 361. The connecting plate 361 is provided with a front slider 366 that matches the front slide groove 314 and a rear slider 367 that matches the rear slide groove 315. The mounting position of the front slider 366 on the connecting plate 361 is higher than that of the rear slider 367 on the connecting plate 361. That is, the front slider 366 and the rear slider 367 are set in a forward and upward inclined direction, which is beneficial to the stability of the connecting plate 361 under the pulling force of the upward and forward extending bracket 35 after the door 20 is opened. Specifically, a first connecting shaft 3661 is provided between the connecting plate 361 and the front slider 366, and a second connecting shaft 3671 is provided between the connecting plate 361 and the rear slider 367. The line connecting the first connecting shaft 3661 and the second connecting shaft 3671 is set upward and forward inclined. A second hinge shaft 34 is provided between the bracket 35 and the second hinge plate 32; the line connecting the second hinge shaft 34 and the third hinge shaft 363 is inclined forward and downward; preferably, when the door 20 is opened to the position, the line connecting the first connecting shaft 3661 and the second connecting shaft 3671 is perpendicular to the line connecting the second hinge shaft 34 and the third hinge shaft 363; this is beneficial to the stability of the connecting plate 361 under force and to the stable transmission of the elastic force on the spring 362 to the bracket 35. Outwardly flared front and rear flared edges are provided on the front and rear sides of the first hinge plate 31, respectively; a front sliding groove 314 is formed on the front flared edge, and a rear sliding groove 315 is formed on the rear flared edge.

[0079] One end of the bracket 35 is slidably mounted on the first hinge plate 31 along with the connecting plate 361, and the other end is hinged to the second hinge plate 32. The bracket 35 and the second hinge plate 32 are hinged through the second hinge shaft 34, and the first hinge shaft 33 and the second hinge shaft 34 are arranged parallel and spaced apart. When the door 20 is opened, the second hinge plate 32 and the door 20 rotate and move forward together. The second hinge shaft 34 rotates and moves with the door shell 21 around the first hinge shaft 33. The end of the bracket 35 that is hinged to the second hinge plate 32 also rotates and moves forward together. The upper end of the bracket 35 moves downward and the lower end rotates and moves, so that the bracket 35 moves with the opening and closing of the door 20.

[0080] A limiting structure is provided between the first hinge plate 31 and the bracket 35 to limit the door 20 from opening to the correct position. This limiting structure includes a limiting post 316 on the first hinge plate 31 and a limiting protrusion 351 on the bracket 35. When the door 20 is fully opened, the limiting post 316 prevents the bracket 35 from moving further, thus preventing the door 20 from opening further. By setting this limiting structure, the maximum opening angle of the door 20 is fixed, and the second hinge 32 provides an upward pulling force to the fully opened door 20, which is beneficial to the stability of the door 20 after it is opened.

[0081] The limiting post 316 is circular, and the bracket 35 has a bracket body 350 and a limiting protrusion 351 protruding from the bracket body 350. An arc-shaped groove 353 matching the limiting post 316 is provided between the limiting protrusion 351 and the bracket body 350. By setting the arc-shaped groove 353 and the limiting post 316 to be circular, it is beneficial to increase the contact area between the limiting post 316 and the bracket 35, increase the support of the limiting post 316 for the bracket 35, and make the fitting precision requirement between the limiting post 316 and the limiting protrusion 351 not high. Even if there is a slight deviation in the relative position between the limiting post 316 and the limiting protrusion 351, the limiting fit can be achieved by the guidance of the arc-shaped contact between the limiting post 316 and the limiting protrusion 351.

[0082] The bracket 35 is a flat plate with an integral structure. The bracket body 35 has a first arm 3501 assembled with the first hinge plate 31, a second arm 3502 hinged with the second hinge plate 32, and an arc-shaped connecting part 3503 connecting the first arm 3501 and the second arm 3502. A limiting protrusion 351 is provided on the side of the arc-shaped connecting part 3503 away from the door body 20. The angle between the center line of the first arm 3501 and the center line of the second arm 3502 is 110° to 160°, preferably 130° to 140°. The bracket 35 is arranged in a vertical plane.

[0083] In this embodiment, the dishwasher is a built-in dishwasher. The door 20 has a door shell 21 fixed to the second hinge plate 32 and a door panel 22 located on the front side of the door shell 21. The different door panels 22 result in different weights of the door 20. Built-in dishwashers are mainly used inside cabinets. After the door panel is installed, it blends seamlessly with the cabinet in appearance, making the kitchen more aesthetically pleasing, and thus it is increasingly widely used. However, in order to maintain the overall aesthetics, the door panel should cover the built-in dishwasher cabinet. This can lead to interference between the door panel and the base or the external environment during the opening and closing process, which can accelerate door panel wear, damage the connection structure between the door panel and the built-in dishwasher, and affect the overall appearance and performance. Therefore, the door panel is made to slide up and down during the opening and closing process to avoid interference between the door panel and the base or the external environment.

[0084] The door 20 has a door shell 21 and a door panel 22 that can slide up and down relative to the door shell 21. The door panel 22 is located on the front side of the door shell 21 and is the front end face of the door shell 21. The door panel 22 and the door shell 21 are arranged parallel to each other. The sliding door structure 37 is used to realize the sliding of the door panel 22 relative to the door shell 21 during the opening and closing of the door 20. During the opening of the door 20, the door 20 rotates forward and downward around the first hinge axis 33 to open, and the door shell 21 and the door 22 rotate and move synchronously. At the same time, the door panel 22 slides upward relative to the door shell 21. Preferably, the door 20 is opened to a horizontal state, that is, the opening angle is 90°, which is conducive to the retrieval and placement of the dish rack inside the cabinet 10. During the closing of the door 20, the door 20 rotates backward and upward around the first hinge axis 33 to close, that is, the door shell 21 and the door 22 rotate and move synchronously, and the door panel 22 slides downward relative to the door shell 21. By setting the sliding door structure 37, the door panel 22 can slide up and down relative to the door shell 21 during the opening and closing process. When the door body 20 is opened, the door panel 22 rotates and opens along with the door shell 21, and also moves upward relative to the door shell 21, so that the lower end of the door panel 22 moves upward and away from the base 11 of the cabinet 10, which helps to avoid interference between the door panel 22 and the base 11 or the external environment. During the closing process, the upwardly slidable door panel 22 is reset, so that the door body 20 covers the cabinet 10 of the built-in dishwasher after it is closed. This achieves the goal of avoiding interference between the door panel 22 and the base 11 or the external environment without reducing the length of the door panel 22 or adjusting the external environment. A door frame 12 is provided at the opening on the front side of the box body 1. The upper end of the first hinge plate 31 is fixed on the door frame 12 and the lower end is fixed on the base 11. The second hinge plate 32 is fixed on the door body 20, specifically on the door shell 21 of the door body 20. The door body 20 also has a door liner 23 fixed on the rear side of the door shell 21.

[0085] The sliding door structure 37 includes a door slider 371 fixed on the door panel 22 and a transmission assembly 372 disposed between the bracket 35 and the door slider 371 for transmitting pushing force. Specifically, a tooth 352 is provided on the hinge end of the bracket 35 that is connected to the second hinge plate 32, and a first rack 3721 that matches the tooth 352 is provided on the transmission assembly 372, with the tooth 352 meshing with the first rack 3721. During the opening and closing of the door 20, the bracket 35 moves, and the tooth 352 rotates relative to the door shell 21 around the third hinge axis 354, thereby pushing the first rack 3721 to move up and down relative to the door shell 21.

[0086] The transmission assembly 372 also includes a second rack 3722 for pushing the door slider 42 and a gear set 3723 for connecting the first rack 3721 and the second rack 3722. By setting the second rack 3722 and the gear set 3723, the travel distance of the second rack 3722 can be different from that of the first rack 3721 by setting the tooth pitch of the first rack 3721 and the second rack 3722, and the pushing force applied by the second rack 3722 to the slider 42 can be adjusted.

[0087] The second hinge plate 32 has a second hinge plate body 321 hinged to the first hinge plate 31, a bent bottom plate 322 extending inwardly along the front end of the second hinge plate body 321, and a bent side plate 323 extending backwardly along the inner side of the bent bottom plate 322. A bracket 35 is located on the outer side of the first hinge plate 31 and the inner side of the second hinge plate body 321. To enable the teeth 352 to mesh with the first rack 3721, the first rack 3721 should be located on the inner side of the second hinge plate body 321. The second hinge plate body 321, the bent bottom plate 322, and the bent side plate 323 surround each other to form a first slide rail for accommodating the first rack 3721. Directly setting the first slide rail on the second hinge plate 32 avoids the need for a dedicated slide rail structure, which is beneficial for structural simplicity and ensures the meshing of the teeth 352 with the first rack 3721. The gear set 3723 is mounted on the second hinge plate 32. The second hinge plate body 321 and the bent side plate 323 are respectively provided with a first mounting hole 324 and a second mounting hole 325 arranged coaxially. The gear set 3723 has a first gear and a second gear arranged coaxially, and the tooth pitch of the second gear is greater than the tooth pitch of the first gear.

[0088] To transmit the pushing force from the second rack 3722 to the door slider 371, the door slider 371 is provided with a slider body 3711 fixed to the door panel 22 and a claw 3712 protruding rearward along the slider body 3711; an insertion port 3731 for the claw 3712 to extend rearward is provided on the second slide rail 373, and the claw 3712 is located on the upper part of the second rack 3722; when the second rack 3722 moves upward, it pushes the claw 3712 to move upward together; when the second rack 3722 moves downward, the door panel 22 also moves downward under its own weight, and the second rack 3722 supports the door panel 22 to move downward together.

[0089] The engaging arrangement of the claw 3712 and the second rack 3722 improves the stability of the second rack 3722 in pushing the door slider 371, and also facilitates a slidable assembly with the door housing 21, allowing the door panel 22 to be parallel to the door housing 21 and to move relatively vertically. The upper end of the second rack 3722 has a locking head 37221 that matches the claw 3712, and the locking head 37221 is located inside the claw 3712. The claw 3712 has a downward-opening locking cavity 3713 that matches the locking head 37221. The locking cavity 3713 is arc-shaped, and the width of the opening of the locking cavity 3713 is smaller than the diameter of the locking cavity 3713.

[0090] A second slide rail 373 is provided on the door shell 21. The second rack 432 is slidably located in the second slide rail 373. In order to transmit the pushing force on the second rack 3722 to the second slider 371, the second slider 371 is provided with a slider body 3711 fixed to the door panel 22 and a claw 3712 protruding backward along the slider body 3711. An extension inlet 3731 for the claw 3712 to extend backward is provided on the second slide rail 373. The claw 3712 is located on the upper part of the second rack 3722. When the second rack 3722 moves upward, it pushes the claw 3712 to move upward together. When the second rack 3722 moves downward, the door panel 22 also moves downward under its own weight. The second rack 432 supports the door panel 22 and moves downward together.

[0091] See Figures 14-15 As shown, this is the second embodiment of the dishwasher door hinge structure proposed in this invention. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the third hinge shaft is fixed in the oblong hole that can be adjusted up and down, so that the spring 362 exerts different tension on the connecting plate 361. Other structures can adopt the same structure as the first embodiment.

[0092] The third hinge shaft 363 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 35 and is vertically adjustable within the oblong hole 3611. By opening the oblong hole 3611 on the connecting plate 361, the connecting plate 361 can be adjusted vertically, and the third hinge shaft 363 is fixed within the oblong hole 3611 after adjustment. This allows the connecting plate 361 to exert different tensions on the connecting plate 361 (i.e., different tensions on the bracket 35) by adjusting its vertical direction when the door 20 is closed. Under the combined force of the spring 362 and the weight of the door 20, the door 20 rotates and opens. As the opening angle of the door 20 increases, the spring 362... The compression of 2 also increases, and the elastic force provided by spring 362 also increases; when the door 20 is closed, the connecting plate 361 is adjusted downward, which increases the initial tension of spring 362. During the opening process of the door 20, the tension of spring 362 continues to increase, which reduces the opening angle of the door 20; when the weight of the door 20 increases, it is necessary to adjust the connecting plate 361 to move downward, so that the distance between the third hinge shaft 363 and the lower end of the oblong hole 3611 becomes smaller, so as to ensure the opening angle when the door 20 is suspended in a state of force balance.

[0093] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A door hinge structure of a dishwasher, provided between a tub and a door of the dishwasher, characterized in that, include: The first hinge plate is fixed to the box body; The second hinge plate is fixed to the door body and hinged to the first hinge plate. The bracket has one end that can slide up and down on the first hinge plate and the other end that is hinged to the second hinge plate. The adjustment structure includes an adjustable connecting plate mounted on the bracket and a spring that applies an upward pulling force to the connecting plate. The door has a door shell and a door panel that can slide up and down relative to the door shell. The sliding door structure is used to realize the sliding of the door panel relative to the door shell during the opening and closing of the door. The sliding door structure has a bracket provided on the hinge, a door slider fixed on the door panel, and a transmission assembly provided between the bracket and the second slider for transmitting the pushing force. The hinge end of the bracket near the second hinge plate is provided with teeth. The transmission assembly is provided with a first rack that matches the teeth and a second rack for pushing the second slider. The second hinge plate has a second hinge plate body hinged to the first hinge plate, a bent bottom plate extending inward along the front end of the second hinge plate body, and a bent side plate extending backward along the inner side of the bent bottom plate; the second hinge plate body, the bent bottom plate, and the bent side plate surround to form a first slide rail for accommodating the first rack; a second slide rail is provided on the door shell, the second rack is slidably located in the second slide rail, the second slide rail is fixed in a groove, and the groove is a through groove in the front-back direction; The door slider is provided with a rearward protruding claw, and an insertion port is provided on the second slide for the claw to extend rearward into the second slide; the upper end of the second rack is provided with a locking head that matches the claw, the claw has a downward-opening locking cavity, the locking cavity matches the locking head, the locking cavity is arc-shaped, and the width of the opening of the locking cavity is smaller than the diameter of the locking cavity.

2. The door hinge structure according to claim 1, characterized in that A third hinge shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the bracket. An oblong hole matching the third hinge shaft is provided on the connecting plate. The third hinge shaft is located on the bracket and can slide up and down within the oblong hole.

3. The door hinge structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment structure also includes an adjustment column for adjusting the position of the connecting plate and preventing the connecting plate from moving upward.

4. The door hinge structure according to claim 1, characterized by A third hinge shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the bracket. An oblong hole matching the third hinge shaft is provided on the connecting plate. The third hinge shaft is rotatably mounted on the bracket and is fixed in the oblong hole in an adjustable manner.

5. The door hinge structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The spring has a support rod connected to the connecting plate and a spring body fitted on the outside of the support rod. The top of the support rod is provided with a support cap that blocks the upper side of the spring body.

6. The door hinge structure according to claim 5, characterized in that An outward-facing upper folded edge is provided at the upper end of the first hinge plate. A through hole is provided on the upper folded edge for the support rod to pass through. A spring seat is provided on the upper folded edge and fitted on the outside of the support rod. The spring seat is located on the lower side of the spring body.

7. The door hinge structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The first hinge plate has a front slide groove and a rear slide groove arranged in parallel on its front and rear sides, respectively, for realizing the up and down sliding of the connecting plate.

8. The door hinge structure according to claim 7, characterized in that The connecting plate is provided with a front slider that matches the front slide groove and a rear slider that matches the rear slide groove. The assembly position of the front slider on the connecting plate is higher than the assembly position of the rear slider.

9. The door hinge structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, A first connecting shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the front slider, and a second connecting shaft is provided between the connecting plate and the rear slider. The line connecting the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft is inclined upward and forward. A second hinge shaft is provided between the bracket and the second hinge plate. When the door is opened to the position, the line connecting the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft is perpendicular to the line connecting the second hinge shaft and the third hinge shaft.

10. A dishwasher, characterized in that, include: The box-shaped structure has an opening on the front. The door, with its hinged opening for closure, is located at the opening of the housing. The door hinge structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is disposed between the cabinet and the door of the dishwasher.

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