Household appliance and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance and a control method thereof. The household appliance includes an appliance body, a door body, a door lock structure, the door lock structure including a lock rod and a lock catch capable of mutually locking and unlocking, the lock rod being provided on the appliance body, the lock catch being provided on the door body, the lock rod being capable of moving toward or away from the lock catch, a drive mechanism connected to the lock rod for driving the lock rod to move forward and backward, a sensor for detecting deformation or force exerted on the lock rod when the door body is pushed toward the appliance body by a user, and a controller having an input end electrically connected to the sensor and an output end electrically connected to the drive mechanism, so that when the sensor detects that the door body that has been opened or is being opened is pushed toward the appliance body by the user, the drive mechanism controls the lock rod to retract. No rigid interference with the door body or the lock catch is generated, thus avoiding damage to components, and directly closing the door when desired is more in line with the user's instinctive operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a household appliance and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] For a box with a functional inner cavity, due to functional requirements, a door body that can open or cover the opening is usually provided at the opening of the box, and when the box is in use, the door body needs to be locked relative to the box body through a door lock structure.

[0003] In response to the above problems, the Chinese utility model patent application with patent number CN202022033167.1 (publication number CN214006807U) discloses a "door lock device for a cleaning machine", which includes a matching lock tongue and a lock hook. The lock tongue is arranged in the door body of the cleaning machine, and the lock hook is arranged in the slot body of the cleaning machine. It is characterized in that it also includes a first driver for driving the lock tongue, a second driver for driving the lock hook to move up and down, and a control circuit board electrically connected to the first driver and the second driver. The lock hook has a lock groove on the lock tongue, and the first driver can drive the lock tongue to move forward and backward relative to the lock groove.

[0004] When the door is opened to a certain angle, the user may have two operating intentions: continue to pull the door to continue opening, or push the door toward the slot to close it. If the operating intention is to push the door toward the slot, push the door directly. Because the second driver locks the lock hook, the lock hook cannot retract by itself. Forcibly pushing the door will damage the lock hook. The control circuit board must first drive the lock hook down and then close the door. The logic is more complicated. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a household appliance in which the door can be directly pushed to close when the door is half opened and needs to be closed, in view of the current status of the existing technology.

[0006] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a control method for household appliances with simple logic in view of the current status of the existing technology.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned first technical problem is: a household appliance comprising

[0008] The electrical appliance body is a box with an open front or top;

[0009] A door body is movably arranged at the opening of the electrical appliance body, so that the door body opens or closes the opening of the electrical appliance body;

[0010] A door lock structure comprising a lock rod and a lock catch that can lock and unlock each other, the lock rod being provided on the appliance body, the lock catch being provided on the door body, and the lock rod being movable toward or away from the lock catch;

[0011] A driving mechanism, connected to the locking rod driving, for driving the locking rod to move forward and backward;

[0012] It is characterized by: also including

[0013] A sensor for detecting the deformation or force exerted on the lock rod when the door is pushed toward the appliance body by the user;

[0014] The controller has an input end electrically connected to the sensor and an output end electrically connected to the driving mechanism, so that when the sensor detects that the door body that has been opened or is being opened is pushed toward the appliance body by the user, the driving mechanism controls the locking rod to retract.

[0015] In order to facilitate the sensor to detect that the door body that has been opened or is being opened is pushed toward the appliance body, when the lock rod contacts the door body, the door body is pushed toward the appliance body by the user so that the lock rod triggers the sensor.

[0016] The appliance body can be open at the top or at the front, the door can be pulled out and matched with the appliance body, or the lower part of the door can be rotatably connected to the appliance body, and the upper part of the door can be deflected forward and backward relative to the appliance body.

[0017] The drive mechanism can be constructed using a motor and a push rod connected to the motor, with the push rod pushing the locking rod. However, this type of drive mechanism takes up a lot of space because space must be reserved for the push rod to move. Therefore, the drive mechanism includes a motor and a first gear connected to the motor. The locking rod is provided with multiple teeth along its length, and the first gear meshes with the teeth directly or indirectly through an intermediate gear. Gear transmission is a compact structure. When the motor is running, it drives the first gear to rotate, which in turn transmits power to the locking rod through the teeth, driving the locking rod to move.

[0018] In order to facilitate the installation of the lock catch on the door body and to lock it with the lock rod, the door lock structure also includes a housing, which is installed on the door body and located at an upper position of the door body. A lock hole that penetrates the wall thickness of the housing is opened on the rear side wall of the housing, and the lock catch is arranged in the housing;

[0019] The locking rod is installed on the top of the electrical appliance body, extends forward and backward and is arranged on the rear side of the shell, and can move toward or away from the shell. The locking rod includes a rod body and an extension part that can be locked or unlocked with the lock catch. The extension part is located on the front side of the rod body. The extension part can be inserted into the lock hole to lock with the lock catch or exit the lock hole and be located outside the shell.

[0020] One form of the sensor is: the sensor is arranged in the housing and adjacent to the lock catch, the sensor is a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor can abut against the front wall of the lock rod, so that the lock rod presses the pressure sensor, causing the pressure sensor to be triggered.

[0021] Because the door body not only moves forward but also moves downward during the opening process, if the push rod has only one movement trajectory, which is forward and backward movement, it may interfere with the lock hole on the shell, affecting the door opening feel. Therefore, the rod body is at least partially in an arc-shaped structure that arches away from the line connecting its two ends. In this way, when the lock rod moves forward along its extension trajectory to push the door body open, it will not only produce displacement in the horizontal direction, but also produce a large displacement in the vertical direction to adapt to the horizontal and vertical movement distances of the door body, so as to ensure that the lock rod can push the door well and has high working reliability; when the door body rotates forward to the door opening state, the extension part is always in the shell, that is, the push rod is not deformed in the door opening position, and there is no friction with the surrounding lock hole of the shell. At the moment of opening, the push rod will not tremble due to bending energy storage, and closing the door immediately after opening will not cause squeezing deformation to the push rod, which not only optimizes the door opening feel experience but also increases the service life of the push rod.

[0022] In this case, the sensor is provided on the rod body and is a bending sensor for detecting the bending state of the rod body.

[0023] In order to achieve locking and unlocking of the lock rod and the lock buckle, a lock opening is provided on the extension portion, and the front end portion of the extension portion located at the front edge of the lock opening is a columnar structure;

[0024] The lock catch is rotatably connected to the shell through a rotating shaft extending in the left and right directions. A locking groove with a U-shaped opening is provided on the lock catch, and the locking groove is located on one side of the rotating shaft. The lock catch can be rotated to a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state, the notch of the locking groove faces upward and limits the columnar structure of the locking rod therein to lock the locking rod. In the unlocked state, the notch of the locking groove faces the lock hole to allow the columnar structure of the locking rod to disengage from the locking groove; when the door body is rotated forward a certain angle relative to the main body of the appliance and the locking rod is in the shell, the backward movement of the door body will cause the locking rod to trigger the sensor.

[0025] In order to improve the door opening and closing experience, the lock catch is provided with a convex portion on the wall facing away from the locking groove. The convex portion has a first wall surface and a second wall surface that intersect each other. The first wall surface is located behind the second wall surface. The intersection of the first wall surface and the second wall surface is recorded as the intersection portion.

[0026] A drive block is disposed in the housing and below the lock catch, wherein the top wall of the drive block includes a third wall and a fourth wall connected in sequence, the fourth wall being located behind the third wall and tilted backward from top to bottom; in an unlocked state, the first wall of the protrusion abuts against the third wall of the drive block; in a locked state, the boundary portion of the protrusion abuts against the fourth wall;

[0027] The first elastic member acts on the drive block, causing the drive block to always maintain a tendency to move upward and counteract the lock catch. In the unlocked state, the first wall of the protrusion counteracts the third wall of the drive block, and the force exerted by the drive block on the lock catch is directed toward the rotating shaft (preferably through the rotating shaft). At this time, the force exerted by the drive block on the lock catch passes through the center of the rotating shaft. Therefore, in this state, the lock catch will not flip over due to the torque and will remain stationary. In the locked state, the intersection of the protrusion counteracts the fourth wall. At this time, the direction of the force exerted by the drive block on the lock catch changes, deviating from the center of the rotating shaft, and generating a clockwise torque on the lock catch. At this time, no external force is required, and the lock catch can also flip to a position locked with the lock rod under the action of the drive block, making it easy to close the door. When unlocked, when the lock catch rotates to the intersection and counteracts the connection between the third and fourth walls, the compression is the largest at this time, and the interlocking force between the lock rod and the lock catch is the largest, and the door opening force is also the largest at this time.

[0028] In summary, the present invention can close the door relatively easily, but requires a certain amount of force to open the door, so the user experience when opening and closing the door is good and the safety is high.

[0029] In order to ensure that when the first wall surface of the protrusion abuts against the third wall surface of the driving block, the force exerted by the driving block on the lock passes through the rotating shaft, the third wall surface is a horizontal surface.

[0030] Alternatively, in order to ensure that the force exerted by the driving block on the lock catch passes through the rotating shaft when the first wall surface of the protrusion abuts the third wall surface of the driving block, the third wall surface is a downwardly arched arc surface, the first wall surface is an arc surface that matches the third wall surface, and the third wall surface is concentric with the rotating shaft. When the first wall surface contacts the third wall surface, the third wall surface is concentric with the rotating shaft. During this stage, the force exerted by the driving block on the lock catch passes through the center of the rotating shaft, and the applied torque, except for the friction torque, is almost zero. During the door opening process, after the lock catch and the lock rod disengage, the lock catch contacts the third wall surface of the driving block, resulting in a large contact area. This increases friction and reduces wear, making it easier for the lock catch to be stably stopped in the disengaged position from the lock hook by the friction torque, without abnormal disengagement or jittering and retreating after disengagement, thereby improving stability. During the door closing process, during the contact stage between the first wall surface and the third wall surface, only the friction torque needs to be overcome. After passing the connection between the third wall surface and the fourth wall surface, the force exerted by the fourth wall surface on the lock catch causes the lock catch and the lock hook to interlock, thereby reducing the closing force.

[0031] In order to reduce the friction between the protrusion and the top wall of the driving block and reduce component wear, a groove extending in the front-to-back direction is provided on the top wall of the driving block, which can reduce the contact area between the protrusion and the driving block and reduce friction.

[0032] In order to limit the clockwise rotation angle of the lock catch and prevent the lock catch from separating from the fourth wall, when the lock catch is flipped over so that its front wall abuts the front side wall of the housing, the intersection of the protrusion abuts the fourth wall. When the lock catch is flipped over so that its front wall abuts the front side wall of the housing, the lock catch cannot continue to flip forward (clockwise), thereby ensuring that the lock catch will not lose contact with the fourth wall of the drive block, thereby ensuring the interlocking of the lock catch and the locking rod.

[0033] In the above solution, the cross-sectional area of the lock hole preferably decreases from rear to front. This ensures that the lock rod initially enters the lock hole smoothly. The smaller cross-sectional area of the lock hole later on also restricts and guides the movement of the lock rod, ensuring that the lock rod moves toward the locking groove of the lock buckle, thereby achieving interlocking with the lock buckle.

[0034] Preferably, the lock hole comprises a first tapered hole and a second tapered hole, arranged sequentially and connected. The first tapered hole and the second tapered hole both taper in diameter from back to front. The first tapered hole is located behind the second tapered hole, and the minimum inner diameter of the first tapered hole is greater than or equal to the maximum inner diameter of the second tapered hole. The first tapered hole ensures smooth entry of the lock rod into the lock hole. The cross-sectional area of the second tapered hole is slightly larger than the lock rod's width W, preferably within the range of W + 0.2 to W + 1.5. A smaller cross-sectional area can easily cause the lock rod to become stuck, while a larger cross-sectional area can result in a wider range of movement within the lock hole. This can cause a noise to be generated when the lock rod disengages from the latch when the door is opened, affecting smooth door opening.

[0035] To improve the reliability of the household appliance, a microswitch is also provided in the housing. When the appliance is locked, the locking rod triggers the microswitch. The microswitch can be electrically connected to a controller that controls the operation of the cleaning machine. When the locking rod triggers the microswitch, it indicates that the locking rod and the lock catch are locked, and the controller then controls the operation of the cleaning machine.

[0036] In order to ensure that the lock buckle and the lock rod can cooperate well to achieve locking and unlocking, the front and rear opposite walls of the lock slot of the lock buckle are respectively called C surface and B surface, the wall of the lock buckle located next to the B surface is called A surface, and the wall of the lock buckle located next to the C surface is called D surface;

[0037] The two wall surfaces of the locking opening on the locking rod are sequentially arranged in the front and rear directions respectively, and the front wall surface of the columnar structure is the E surface.

[0038] The width between surface A and surface B is smaller than the width between surface G and surface F; the width between surface F and surface E is smaller than the width between surface B and surface C; and during the movement of the locking rod, surface B contacts surface F and surface C contacts surface E at no time; during the backward movement of the locking rod, surface B contacts surface F; and during the forward movement of the locking rod, surface C contacts surface E.

[0039] The household appliance may be a steamer, an oven, etc. In the above solution, the household appliance is a washing machine.

[0040] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned second technical problem is: after the door body is opened to a certain angle relative to the electrical appliance main body, the door body is pushed toward the electrical appliance main body until the locking rod or lock triggers the sensor, the sensor transmits a signal to the controller, the controller controls the operation of the driving mechanism, and the driving mechanism drives the locking rod to move toward the electrical appliance main body.

[0041] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: 1. The present invention sets a sensor that can be triggered by the locking rod or the lock buckle, so that when the door body is opened to a certain angle and the door wants to be closed, the door body is directly pushed toward the main body of the appliance, and the locking rod or the lock buckle will trigger the sensor, causing the locking rod to retract, and will not cause hard interference with the door body or the lock buckle, thereby avoiding damage to components, and directly closing the door when wanting to close the door is more in line with the user's instinctive operation; 2. The present invention only needs to set a sensor and a controller (electrically connected to the driving mechanism that drives the locking rod to move) to realize the backward movement of the locking rod, and the logic is simple. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of Example 1 of the present invention (the door is in a closed state);

[0043] Figure 2 for Figure 1 sectional view of

[0044] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of point A;

[0045] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Exploded diagram of the door lock structure;

[0046] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the lock;

[0047] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of the locking rod in FIG.

[0048] Figure 7 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the driver block;

[0049] Figures 8 to 12 Schematic diagram of the locking process of the door lock structure of this embodiment;

[0050] Figure 13 This is a structural diagram of Example 1 of the present invention (the door is in a closed state);

[0051] Figure 14 for Figure 13 sectional view of

[0052] Figure 15 for Figure 14 Enlarged view of point B;

[0053] Figures 16 to 20 Schematic diagram of the unlocking process of the door lock structure of this embodiment;

[0054] Figure 21 This is a structural diagram of Example 1 of the present invention (the door body is in standby mode);

[0055] Figure 22 for Figure 21 Enlarged view of point C;

[0056] Figure 23 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door lock structure according to embodiment 2 of the present invention (the lock catch is in a locked state);

[0057] Figure 24 2. It is a cross-sectional view of the door lock structure of embodiment 2 of the present invention (the lock catch is in the unlocked state);

[0058] Figure 25 for Figure 24 Schematic diagram of the structure of the driver block;

[0059] Figure 26 Schematic diagram of the structure of the ejector rod according to embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 27 for Figure 26 Schematic diagram of the top rod;

[0061] Figure 28 for Figure 26 Schematic diagram of the movement of the push rod when it moves from the door closed state to the door open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0063] Example 1

[0064] like Figures 1 to 22As shown, the household appliance of this preferred embodiment includes an appliance body 1, a door 2, and a door lock structure A. The appliance body 1 is embedded in a cabinet 10, with the front side of the appliance body 1 open. The lower end of the door 2 is rotatably connected to the appliance body 1, and the upper end of the door 2 can be deflected toward or away from the appliance body 1, thereby causing the door 2 to open or close the opening of the appliance body 1. When the door 2 closes the opening of the appliance body 1, the door 2 and the appliance body 1 are locked by the door lock structure A. In this embodiment, the household appliance is a dishwashing machine, and the appliance body 1 is the housing of the dishwashing machine. Of course, the household appliance can also be a steamer, oven, etc.

[0065] like Figures 3 to 20 As shown, in this embodiment, the door lock structure A includes a housing 3, a lock rod 4, a lock catch 5, a drive block 6, a first elastic member 60, and a drive mechanism 7. The accommodating box 9 is mounted on the top wall of the appliance body 1. The drive mechanism 7 is disposed in the accommodating box 9. The lock rod 4 is disposed in the accommodating box 9 so as to be movable forward and backward. That is, the lock rod 4 and the drive mechanism 7 are both mounted on the top of the appliance body 1. The lock catch 5, the drive block 6, and the first elastic member 60 are all disposed in the housing 3, which is mounted on the door body 2 and located at an upper position of the door body 2.

[0066] A lock hole 31 is provided on the rear side wall of the shell 3, which passes through the wall thickness. The lock rod 4 extends forward and backward and is arranged on the rear side of the shell 3. The lock rod 4 can move forward and backward along its extension trajectory under the action of the drive mechanism 7, thereby moving toward or away from the shell 3. The lock rod 4 includes a rod body 41 and an extension portion 45 located on the front side of the rod body 41. The extension portion 45 can penetrate into the lock hole 31 to lock with the lock buckle 5 or exit the lock hole 31 and be located outside the shell 3.

[0067] like Figure 8 As shown, the cross-sectional area of the lock hole 31 decreases from back to front. Specifically, the lock hole 31 includes a first tapered hole 311 and a second tapered hole 312, which are arranged in sequence and connected. The first tapered hole 311 and the second tapered hole 312 both gradually decrease in diameter from back to front. The first tapered hole 311 is located behind the second tapered hole 312, and the minimum inner diameter of the first tapered hole 311 is greater than or equal to the maximum inner diameter of the second tapered hole 312. The first tapered hole 311 is designed to ensure smooth entry of the lock rod 4 into the lock hole 31. The cross-sectional area of the second tapered hole 312 is slightly larger than the width W of the lock rod 4, preferably within the range of W + 0.2 mm to W + 1.5 mm. If the cross-sectional area is too small, the lock rod 4 may become stuck. If the cross-sectional area is too large, the lock rod 4 may have a larger range of movement within the lock hole 31. When the door is opened, the lock rod 4 may produce an abnormal sound when it disengages from the lock catch 5, affecting the smoothness of the door opening.

[0068] like Figure 5 、 6As shown in Figures 8 and 12, a locking opening 41 is formed on the extension portion 45, and a front end portion of the extension portion 45 located at the front edge of the locking opening 41 is a columnar structure 42. The lock catch 5 is disposed within the housing 3 and is rotatably connected to the housing 3 via a rotating shaft 51 extending in the left-right direction. The lock catch 5 is provided with a locking groove 52 with a U-shaped opening. The locking groove 52 is located on one side of the rotating shaft 51. The lock catch 5 is provided with a protrusion 53 on the wall facing away from the locking groove 52. The protrusion 53 has a first wall 531 and a second wall 532 that intersect. The first wall 531 is located behind the second wall 532. The intersection of the first wall 531 and the second wall 532 is marked as the intersection 533. The driver block 6 is disposed within the housing 3 and below the latch 5. The top wall of the driver block 6 includes a third wall 61 and a fourth wall 62, which are connected in sequence. The junction of the third and fourth walls 61, 62 is referred to as an inflection point 63. The fourth wall 62 is located behind the third wall 61 and slopes backward from top to bottom. A first elastic member 60 acts on the driver block 6, ensuring that the driver block 6 maintains a tendency to move upward and contact the latch 5. In this embodiment, the first elastic member 60 is a spring, with its upper end contacting the driver block 6 and its lower end contacting the bottom wall of the housing 3.

[0069] The lock buckle 5 can be rotated to a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state (such as Figure 12 ), the notch of the locking groove 52 faces upward and limits the columnar structure 42 of the locking rod 4 therein to lock the locking rod 4, and the junction portion 533 of the protrusion 53 abuts against the fourth wall 62. In the unlocked state (such as Figure 8 ), the notch of the locking groove 52 faces the lock hole 31 to allow the columnar structure 42 of the locking rod 4 to disengage the locking groove 52, and the first wall 531 of the protrusion 53 abuts against the third wall 61 of the driving block 6. The force exerted by the driving block 6 on the lock buckle 5 passes through the rotating shaft 51. In this embodiment, the third wall 61 is a horizontal surface.

[0070] During the unlocking and locking process of the lock buckle 5 and the lock rod 4, it is best to meet the following conditions:

[0071] like Figure 5 As shown, the two opposite front and rear walls of the locking groove 52 of the lock buckle 5 are surface C and surface B respectively, the wall of the lock buckle 5 located next to surface B is surface A, and the wall of the lock buckle 5 located next to surface C is surface D.

[0072] like Figure 6 As shown, the locking opening 41 on the locking rod 4 is in a mouth shape, the two wall surfaces of the locking opening 41 arranged in sequence in the front and rear directions are F surface and G surface respectively, and the front wall surface of the columnar structure 42 is E surface.

[0073] The width between surface A and surface B is smaller than the width between surface G and surface F; the width between surface F and surface E is smaller than the width between surface B and surface C; and during the movement of the locking rod 4, surface B contacts surface F and surface C contacts surface E at no time; during the backward movement of the locking rod 4, surface B contacts surface F; and during the forward movement of the locking rod 4, surface C contacts surface E.

[0074] In order to limit the clockwise rotation angle of the lock catch 5 and prevent the lock catch 5 from being separated from the fourth wall 62, when the lock catch 5 is flipped over to the state where its front wall (i.e., the D surface) is in contact with the front side wall of the shell 3, the junction portion 533 of the protrusion 53 is in contact with the fourth wall 62. At this time, the lock catch 5 cannot continue to flip forward (flip clockwise), which can ensure that the lock catch 5 will not be separated from the contact with the fourth wall 62 of the drive block 6, thereby ensuring the interlocking of the lock catch 5 and the locking rod 4.

[0075] The locking and unlocking working process and force conditions of the lock buckle 5 of this embodiment are as follows:

[0076] Locking process (such as Figures 8-12 shown):

[0077] a. Before the lock rod 4 enters the door lock, the lock catch 5 is in the following state: Figure 8 The boundary portion 533 of the lock buckle 5 abuts against the third wall surface 61 of the driving block 6. The force F1 exerted by the driving block 6 on the lock buckle 5 passes through the center of the rotating shaft 51. Therefore, in the initial state, the lock buckle 5 is not subjected to the torque and will not flip over, ensuring that it does not move.

[0078] b. After the locking rod 4 enters the housing 3, Figure 9 , the E surface of the lock rod 4 contacts the C surface of the lock catch 5. The external force F2 exerted on the lock catch 5 through the lock rod 4 exerts a clockwise torque on the lock catch 5. At this time, the friction force f1 of the driving block 6 on the lock catch 5 exerts a counterclockwise torque on the lock catch 5. Therefore, the external force F2 only needs to overcome the torque of the friction force f1 to make the lock catch 5 flip clockwise, so the door can be easily closed;

[0079] c. When the lock buckle 5 turns over to the junction 533 and contacts the inflection point 63 of the driving block 6, as shown in FIG. Figure 10 , the direction of the force F1 exerted by the driving block 6 on the lock buckle 5 changes, deviating from the center of the rotating shaft 51, and generating a clockwise torque on the lock buckle 5. At this time, no external force F2 is required. The lock buckle 5 can also be flipped under the action of the driving block 6 until the B surface of the lock buckle 5 contacts the F surface of the lock rod 4, reaching the position where the lock buckle 5 and the lock rod 4 are interlocked, as shown in FIG. Figure 11 ;

[0080] d. The lock buckle 5 continues to turn over, and the limit position is that the front wall surface of the lock buckle 5 (ie, the D surface) is against the front side wall of the shell 3. Figure 12 ;

[0081] As can be seen from the above, when the boundary portion 533 of the convex portion 53 of the lock buckle 5 abuts against the fourth wall 62 of the driving block 6, the lock buckle 5 and the lock opening 41 of the locking rod 4 can be interlocked; it can be seen from the compression amount of the first elastic member 60 that when the boundary portion 533 of the convex portion 53 of the lock buckle 5 abuts against the inflection point 63 on the driving block 6 (the connection between the third wall 61 and the fourth wall 62) (as shown in FIG. Figure 10 ), the compression amount of the first elastic member 60 is the largest, that is, the interlocking force between the locking rod 4 and the lock 5 is the largest at this point, which is F4max; when the front wall of the lock 5 is against the front side wall of the shell 3 (such as Figure 12 ), the compression amount of the first elastic member 60 is the smallest, that is, the interlocking force between the locking rod 4 and the lock buckle 5 is the smallest at this point, which is F4min.

[0082] Unlocking process (such as Figures 16-20 shown):

[0083] e. When the door body 2 is pushed out to the door opening position by the lock rod 4, the E surface of the lock rod 4 contacts the C surface of the lock catch 5, and the D surface of the lock catch 5 abuts against the front side wall of the shell 3. The lock catch 5 cannot be turned over, so there is no relative movement between the lock rod 4 and the shell 3 and the door body 2. This process is equivalent to the lock rod 4 moving together with the door body 2. Figure 16 ;

[0084] f. After the door body 2 is pushed open to the door opening position by the locking rod 4, if the door body 2 needs to be opened, the user needs to open it manually. The external force pulling the door body 2 outward is equivalent to the force F2 exerted by the locking rod 4 on the lock buckle 5, which exerts a counterclockwise torque on the lock buckle 5 to overcome the clockwise torque F1 exerted by the driving block 6 on the lock buckle 5. Figure 17 ;

[0085] j. As the lock buckle 5 turns over, the compression amount of the first elastic member 60 increases, and the torque of the force F2 of the lock rod 4 on the lock buckle 5 needs to overcome the torque of the force F1 of the driving block 6, as shown in FIG. Figure 18 ;

[0086] h. When the boundary portion 533 of the lock 5 moves from the fourth wall 62 on the driving block 6 to the third wall 61, as shown in FIG. Figure 19 , the direction of the force F1 of the driving block 6 changes, and it passes through the center of the rotating shaft 51, then the torque of the driving block 6 on the lock buckle 5 mainly becomes the torque of the friction force f1. Due to the small friction coefficient, it can be known that at this time the torque F2 of the locking rod 4 on the lock buckle 5 needs to be overcome becomes smaller.

[0087] i. The lock buckle 5 continues to turn over until the lock rod 4 is separated from the lock buckle 5. Figure 20 ;

[0088] From the above analysis, we can know that the maximum required door opening force is Figure 18In the position shown, the force F2 of the locking rod 4 on the lock buckle 5 can be equivalent to the user's door-opening force Fopen due to the interaction, so Fopen ≈ F4max; through the cooperation between the junction 533 on the lock buckle 5 and the fourth wall 62 and the third wall 61 on the driving block 6, a large door-opening force and a small door-closing force can be achieved.

[0089] like Figures 8-12 As shown, housing 3 is also equipped with a microswitch. In the locked state, locking rod 4 triggers the microswitch. The microswitch can be electrically connected to a controller that controls the operation of the cleaning machine. Therefore, when locking rod 4 triggers the microswitch, it indicates that locking rod 4 and lock catch 5 are locked, and the controller then controls the operation of the cleaning machine. The microswitch and controller both use existing structures, and the connection between them can also use existing structures, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0090] like Figure 4 As shown, the drive mechanism 7 is drivably connected to the locking rod 4, thereby driving the locking rod 4 to move forward and backward relative to the housing 3. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism 7 includes a motor 71 and a first gear 72 drivably connected to the motor 71. The locking rod 4 is provided with a plurality of teeth 43 along its length. The first gear 72 engages with the teeth 43 directly or indirectly through an intermediate gear 73. When the motor 71 is in operation, it drives the first gear 72 to rotate, which in turn transmits power to the locking rod 4 through the teeth 43, driving the locking rod 4 to move.

[0091] Because after the door body 2 rotates forward a certain angle relative to the appliance body 1 (i.e., after the door body 2 opens a certain angle), the user may have two operating intentions: pulling the door body 2 forward to continue opening the door body 2, or pushing the door body 2 backward to close the door body 2. If the operating intention is to push the door body 2 backward, the user directly pushes the door backward. Because the drive mechanism 7 locks the lock rod 4, the lock rod 4 cannot retract on its own. Forcibly pushing the door backward will damage the lock rod 4. Therefore, the door lock structure also includes a controller electrically connected to the motor 71 of the drive mechanism 7. A sensor electrically connected to the controller is provided in the housing 3. When the lock rod 4 is in the housing 3, the backward movement of the housing 3 will cause the lock rod 4 to trigger the sensor, thereby causing the drive mechanism 7 to drive the lock rod 4 to move backward. In this way, pushing the door body 2 backward will trigger the lock rod 4 to move backward. This will not cause hard interference with the housing 3 or the lock buckle 5, and the logic is simple, which is more in line with the user's instinctive operation. In this embodiment, the sensor is a pressure sensor 32, which can be against the front wall surface (E surface) of the lock rod. The controller and the pressure sensor 32 both adopt existing structures, and the electrical connection between the two also adopts existing technology, which will not be described in detail here.

[0092] Of course, a pressure sensor can also be set on the locking rod 4 and triggered by the lock buckle 5; the sensor is not limited to a pressure sensor, as long as it can detect the deformation or force exerted on the locking rod 4 when the door body is pushed toward the appliance body by the user, so that when the sensor detects that the door body 2 that has been opened or is being opened is pushed toward the appliance body 1 by the user, the drive mechanism controls the locking rod 4 to retract.

[0093] The control method of this embodiment is as follows: after the door body 2 is opened to a certain angle relative to the electrical appliance body 1, the door body 2 is pushed backward until the locking rod 4 enters the shell 3 and triggers the pressure sensor 32. Then the pressure sensor 32 transmits a signal to the controller, the controller controls the operation of the driving mechanism, and the driving mechanism drives the locking rod 4 to move backward.

[0094] Example 2

[0095] like Figures 23-25 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is:

[0096] 1. The third wall surface 61 of the driving block 6 is a downwardly arched arc surface, and the first wall surface 531 of the lock buckle 5 is an arc surface adapted to the third wall surface 61 . The third wall surface 61 is concentric with the rotating shaft 51 . When the first wall 531 contacts the third wall 61, the third wall 61 is concentric with the rotating shaft 51. At this stage, the force of the driving block 6 on the lock buckle 5 passes through the center of the rotating shaft 51. Except for the friction torque, the acting torque is almost 0. At this time, during the door opening process, after the lock buckle 5 is disengaged from the lock rod 4, since the lock buckle 5 is in contact with the third wall 61 of the driving block 6, the contact area is large, which increases the friction and reduces the wear. At the same time, it is easier to rely on the friction torque to make the lock buckle 5 stably stop in the disengagement position from the lock hook without abnormal unhooking and shaking and retreating after unhooking, thereby improving stability; during the door closing process, during the contact stage between the first wall 531 and the third wall 61, it is only necessary to overcome the friction torque. After passing the connection between the third wall 61 and the fourth wall 62, the force of the fourth wall 62 on the lock buckle 5 will prompt the lock buckle 5 to interlock with the lock hook, so the door closing force is small.

[0097] The forces acting on the lock buckle 5 in the locked state (the boundary portion 533 of the protrusion 53 abuts against the fourth wall 62) of this embodiment are as follows:

[0098] The force F1 exerted by the locking rod 4 on the lock catch 5;

[0099] The force F2 of the first elastic member 60 acting on the driving block 6;

[0100] The force F3 of the fourth wall of the driving block 6 acting on the lock;

[0101] The friction force f3 between the driving block 6 and the lock 5;

[0102] The lever arm x of the locking rod 4 acting on the lock catch 5;

[0103] The force arm y of the driving block 6 acting on the lock 5;

[0104] The moment arm z of the friction force exerted by the drive block 6 on the lock 5;

[0105] The friction coefficient u between the lock 5 and the driving block;

[0106] Counterclockwise torque M1 acts on the lock buckle 5;

[0107] Clockwise torque M2 acts on the lock buckle 5;

[0108] F3*cos(10°)=F2, cos10°=0.98, and 10° is the angle between the fourth wall surface 62 and the horizontal plane.

[0109] Lock hold status:

[0110] f3≤u*F3;

[0111] M1=F1*x;

[0112] M2=F3*y+f3*z≤F2 / cos10°*y+f3*z;

[0113] To maintain the locked state without unhooking, M1≤M2 must be satisfied;

[0114] Unlocking process:

[0115] M1=F1*x;

[0116] M2=F3*y+f3*z=F2 / cos10°*y+u*F3*z;

[0117] To successfully unlock, M1 ≥ M2 must be satisfied;

[0118] Locking process:

[0119] F1 and f3 are in reverse order;

[0120] M1=f3*z=u*F3*z;

[0121] M2=F1*x+F3*y;

[0122] To lock successfully, M1≤M2 must be satisfied;

[0123] Since the influence of the friction coefficient is relatively small, during the locking process, when the boundary portion 533 of the lock buckle 55 interacts with the fourth wall surface 62 of the driving block 6, M2 is much larger than M1, and the lock buckle 55 will quickly flip to the locked position.

[0124] Unlocked status:

[0125] The force F1 exerted by the locking rod 4 on the lock catch 5;

[0126] The force F2 of the first elastic member 60 acting on the driving block 6;

[0127] The force F3 of the fourth wall of the driving block 6 acting on the lock;

[0128] The friction force f3 between the driving block 6 and the lock 5;

[0129] The lever arm x of the locking rod 4 acting on the lock catch 5;

[0130] The force arm y of the driving block 6 acting on the lock 5;

[0131] The moment arm z of the friction force exerted by the drive block 6 on the lock 5;

[0132] The friction coefficient u between the lock 5 and the driving block;

[0133] Counterclockwise torque M1 acts on the lock buckle 5;

[0134] Clockwise torque M2 acts on the lock buckle 5;

[0135] The force arm y of F3 is basically 0, at this time F3≈F2

[0136] Locked static state (the third wall surface 531 of the protrusion 53 abuts against the third wall surface 61):

[0137] f3≤u*F3≈u*F2

[0138] M1=F1*x

[0139] M2=f3*z≤u*F2*z

[0140] To maintain the locked state without unhooking, M1≤M2 needs to be satisfied. From the equation, we can see that to meet this condition, F1 needs to be very small, that is, the locking sealing force that can be provided is very small, which contradicts the actual requirements;

[0141] The locked static state needs to avoid the state where the third wall surface 531 of the protrusion 53 and the third wall surface 61 of the driving block 6 interact with each other;

[0142] Unlocking process:

[0143] M1=F1*x

[0144] M2=f3*z=u*F3*z

[0145] To unlock successfully, M1≥M2 must be satisfied.

[0146] Locking process:

[0147] F1 and f3 reverse

[0148] M1=f3*z=u*F3*z

[0149] M2=F1*x

[0150] To lock successfully, M1≤M2 must be satisfied.

[0151] 2. A groove 64 extending in the front-to-back direction is provided on the top wall of the driving block 6. This can reduce the contact area between the protrusion 53 and the driving block 6 and reduce friction. In this embodiment, the groove 64 passes through the front and rear walls of the driving block 6. Of course, a groove can also be provided on the top wall of the driving block 6 of Example 1.

[0152] Example 3

[0153] The difference between Example 3 and Example 1 is that:

[0154] like Figure 26 、 27 As shown in Figures 28, the locking rod 4 of this embodiment includes a rod body 44 and an extension portion 45 provided on the front side of the rod body 44. The rod body 44 partially presents an arc-shaped structure 410 that arches away from the connecting line c between its two ends. The locking rod 4 is installed on the top of the electrical appliance body 1 and is arranged near its opening, and the arc-shaped structure 410 of the rod body 44 arches upward.

[0155] The sensor in this embodiment is a curvature sensor provided on the rod 44. When the door 2 is opened to a certain angle, if the user does not want to open the door 2 further, he or she can gently press the door 2 in the closing direction. The locking rod 4 will bend in the process of squeezing against the door 2, triggering the curvature sensor and transmitting a signal to the controller, which in turn controls the motor 71 to pull the locking rod 4 back. This eliminates the need for other complex logic controls and is more in line with the user's instinctive operation.

[0156] The curvature sensor is electrically connected to the input terminal of the controller, and the output terminal of the controller is electrically connected to the motor 81. The electrical connections between the aforementioned components can all be made using existing methods, which will not be described in detail here.

[0157] like Figure 27 、 28 As shown, the radius of the arc-shaped structure 410 of the rod body 44 of the locking rod 4 of this embodiment is G;

[0158] The state in which the door body 2 is opened to the point where its upper end is outside the cabinet 6 and the user's hand can easily touch the upper end of the door body 2 is called the open state. Relative to the closed state, the opening angle of the door body 2 in the open state is D.

[0159] The rotation angle H is the angle between the line connecting the first end of the rod body 44 and the center of the rod body 44 in the closed state and the line connecting the first end of the rod body 44 and the center of the rod body 44 in the open state.

[0160] When the door is open, the included angle between the connecting line c between the first end and the second end of the rod body 44 and the top wall surface b of the electrical appliance main body 1 is A'; when the door is closed, the included angle between the connecting line c between the first end and the second end of the rod body 44 and the top wall surface b of the electrical appliance main body 1 is A;

[0161] Among them, the straight-line distance R from the rotation center of the door body 2 to the center line of the lock port 41.

[0162] Since B = C * tan(A'), and C = F, it can be obtained that B = R * sin(D) * tan(A')

[0163] If it is required that the lock rod 4 always enters the housing 3, then it is required that B = E, and it can be obtained that R * sin(D) * tan(A') = R * (1 - cos(D));

[0164] Assume that in the case of a very large radius, the moving distance of the extension part 45 is approximately the straight-line length L, then L ≈ (H / 180) * π * G; L * cos(A') = C = F = R * sin(D); A' = A + H;

[0165] Finally, the following two formulas can be obtained:

[0166] R * sin(D) * tan(A') = R * (1 - cos(D)); ((A' - A) / 180) * π * G * cos(A') = R * sin(D);

[0167] According to the designed R value and D value, A' can be calculated according to the first formula; then input A' into the second formula, and the G value can be calculated, which is convenient for engineers to calculate the bending radius of the rod body 44 more accurately according to the installation space of the household appliance.

[0168] When the arc radius G is relatively large, the errors of the above two formulas can be ignored. A relatively large G means that the maximum distance J from the highest point of the arch of the rod body 44 to the connecting line between its first end and the second end is relatively small, that is, J / G ≈ 0. At this time, the errors of the above formulas can be ignored; generally, the value of J / G < 0.01.

[0169] The lock rod 4 provided in this embodiment enables the extension part 45 of the lock rod 4 not to bend when the door body 2 is opened at a large angle, thereby improving the opening feel; and in the case where the lock rod 4 does not retract after the door is opened, the lock port 31 of the housing 3 can still be well matched with the extension part 45 of the lock rod 4.

[0170] In this embodiment, generally, the moving stroke of the lock rod 4 is designed to be between 80 mm and 110 mm, A' < 3°, 9° < D < 11°, 400 mm < R < 600 mm, 1000 mm ≤ G ≤ 5000 mm, and the height of the installation space of the lock rod 4 at the top of the electrical appliance main body 1 is less than 30 mm.

[0171] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Since the embodiments disclosed in the present invention can be set in different directions, these terms indicating directions are only for illustration and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "up" and "down" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

Claims

1. A household appliance comprising An electrical appliance main body (1), wherein the electrical appliance main body (1) is a box with an open front side; A door body (2), wherein the lower portion of the door body (2) is rotatably connected to the electrical appliance body (1), and the upper portion of the door body (2) can be deflected forward and backward relative to the electrical appliance body (1), thereby allowing the door body (2) to open or close the opening of the electrical appliance body (1); A door lock structure, comprising a lock rod (4) and a lock catch (5) capable of locking and unlocking each other, the lock rod (4) being arranged on an electrical appliance body (1), the lock catch (5) being arranged on a door body (2), and the lock rod (4) being capable of moving toward or away from the lock catch (5); A driving mechanism, connected to the locking rod (4) and used to drive the locking rod (4) to move; Its characteristics are: Also includes A sensor for detecting deformation or force exerted on the lock rod (4) when the door body (2) is pushed toward the appliance body (1) by a user; A controller, wherein the input end is electrically connected to the sensor and the output end is electrically connected to the drive mechanism, so that when the sensor detects that the door body (2) that has been opened or is being opened is pushed toward the appliance body (1) by the user, the drive mechanism controls the lock rod (4) to retract; The door lock structure further comprises a housing (3), the housing (3) being mounted on the door body (2) and being located at an upper position of the door body (2), a lock hole (31) penetrating the thickness of the wall of the housing (3) being provided on the rear side wall of the housing (3), and the lock catch (5) being arranged in the housing (3); The locking rod (4) is mounted on the top of the electrical appliance body (1), the locking rod (4) extends forward and backward and is arranged on the rear side of the housing (3), the locking rod (4) can move toward or away from the housing (3), the locking rod (4) comprises a rod body (44) and an extension portion (45) that can be locked with or unlocked by the lock catch (5), the extension portion (45) is located on the front side of the rod body (44), the extension portion (45) can penetrate into the lock hole (31) to lock with the lock catch (5), or exit the lock hole (31) and be located outside the housing (3); The rod body (44) is at least partially in an arc-shaped structure that arches away from the connecting line (c) between its two ends; A micro switch is also provided in the housing (3), and in the locked state, the locking rod (4) triggers the micro switch.

2. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein: When the locking rod (4) is in contact with the door body (2), the locking rod (4) triggers the sensor when the door body (2) is pushed toward the appliance body (1) by a user.

3. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is arranged in the housing (3) and adjacent to the lock catch (5). The sensor is a pressure sensor (32). The pressure sensor (32) can abut against the front wall of the lock rod (4).

4. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is arranged on the rod body (44) and is a bending sensor used to detect the bending state of the rod body (44).

5. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The extension portion (45) is provided with a locking opening (41), and the front end portion of the extension portion (45) located at the front edge of the locking opening (41) is a columnar structure (42); The lock catch (5) is rotatably connected to the housing (3) via a rotating shaft (51) extending in the left-right direction. A locking groove (52) with a U-shaped opening is provided on the lock catch (5). The locking groove (52) is located on one side of the rotating shaft (51). The lock catch (5) can be rotated to a locked state and an unlocked state. In the locked state, the notch of the locking groove (52) faces upward and limits the columnar structure (42) of the locking rod (4) therein to lock the locking rod (4). In the unlocked state, the notch of the locking groove (52) faces the lock hole (31) to allow the columnar structure (42) of the locking rod (4) to disengage from the locking groove (52). When the door body (2) rotates forward a certain angle relative to the main body of the electrical appliance (1) and the locking rod (4) is in the housing (3), the door body (2) moves backward to cause the locking rod (4) to trigger a sensor.

6. The household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that: The lock buckle (5) is provided with a convex portion (53) on the wall surface facing away from the locking groove (52), and the convex portion (53) has a first wall surface (531) and a second wall surface (532) intersecting with each other, the first wall surface (531) is located at the rear side of the second wall surface (532), and the intersection of the first wall surface (531) and the second wall surface (532) is recorded as the intersection portion (533); The household appliance further includes A driving block (6) is provided in the housing (3) and below the lock catch (5); the top wall of the driving block (6) comprises a third wall (61) and a fourth wall (62) connected in sequence; the fourth wall (62) is located on the rear side of the third wall (61); and the fourth wall (62) is inclined backward from top to bottom; in an unlocked state, the first wall (531) of the convex portion (53) abuts against the third wall (61) of the driving block (6); in a locked state, the boundary portion (533) of the convex portion (53) abuts against the fourth wall (62); The first elastic member (60) acts on the driving block (6), so that the driving block (6) always maintains a tendency to move upward and resist the lock buckle (5).

7. The household appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that: The third wall surface (61) is a horizontal surface; or, the third wall surface (61) is a downwardly arched arc surface, the first wall surface (531) is an arc surface adapted to the third wall surface (61), and the third wall surface (61) is concentric with the rotating shaft (51).

8. The household appliance according to claim 7, wherein: A groove (64) extending in the front-to-back direction is provided on the top wall surface of the driving block (6).

9. The household appliance according to claim 6, wherein: When the lock buckle (5) is turned over to a state where its front wall abuts against the front side wall of the shell (3), the boundary portion (533) of the protrusion (53) abuts against the fourth wall (62).

10. The household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that: The two opposite front and rear walls of the locking groove (52) of the lock buckle (5) are respectively the C surface and the B surface, the wall of the lock buckle (5) located next to the B surface is the A surface, and the wall of the lock buckle (5) located next to the C surface is the D surface; The two wall surfaces of the lock opening (41) on the lock rod (4) are respectively arranged in the front and rear directions as the F surface and the G surface, and the front wall surface of the columnar structure (42) is the E surface; The width between the A surface and the B surface is smaller than the width between the G surface and the F surface; the width between the F surface and the E surface is smaller than the width between the B surface and the C surface; and during the movement of the locking rod (4), the B surface contacts the F surface and the C surface contacts the E surface. Both of them do not occur at the same time; during the backward movement of the locking rod (4), the B surface contacts the F surface; and during the forward movement of the locking rod (4), the C surface contacts the E surface.

11. The household appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The cross-sectional area of the lock hole (31) decreases from the back to the front.

12. The household appliance according to claim 11, characterized in that: The lock hole (31) comprises a first tapered hole (311) and a second tapered hole (312) which are arranged in sequence and connected. The first tapered hole (311) and the second tapered hole (312) both gradually decrease in diameter from back to front. The first tapered hole (311) is located at the rear side of the second tapered hole (312), and the minimum inner diameter of the first tapered hole (311) is greater than or equal to the maximum inner diameter of the second tapered hole (312).

13. The household appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The driving mechanism (7) comprises a motor (71) and a first gear (72) drivingly connected to the motor (71); a plurality of tooth portions (43) are sequentially provided on the locking rod (4) along its length direction; the first gear (72) is directly meshed with the tooth portions (43) or indirectly meshed with the tooth portions (43) via an intermediate gear (73).

14. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The household appliance is a cleaning machine.

15. A method for controlling a household appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: After the door body (2) is opened to a certain angle relative to the appliance body (1), the door body (2) is pushed toward the appliance body (1), and the locking rod (4) or the lock catch (5) triggers the sensor until the sensor transmits a signal to the controller. The controller controls the operation of the driving mechanism, and the driving mechanism drives the locking rod (4) to move toward the appliance body (1).

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