Door lock of household appliance and household appliance

Abstract

This invention discloses a door lock for a household appliance and the household appliance itself, including a base and a door hook. The base has a lock cylinder assembly and a socket for inserting the door hook. The lock cylinder assembly includes a rotatable lock hook, which has a locked position for locking the door hook onto the base and an unlocked position for disengaging from the door hook. The base has an elastic buffer member that provides cushioning for the lock hook when it switches from the unlocked position to the locked position. By incorporating the elastic buffer member, this invention buffers the lock hook as it switches from the unlocked position to the locked position throughout the entire insertion process between the door hook and the socket, reducing the impact force on the lock hook and preventing it from directly colliding rigidly with the base under the push of the door hook, thus avoiding breakage and extending the lock hook's service life. When opening the door of the household appliance, the elastic buffer member pushes the lock hook from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby pushing the door hook out of the socket, making it easier for the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electrical equipment, specifically relating to a door lock for a household appliance and the household appliance itself. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most household appliance door locks on the market use a rotatable latch that engages with a door latch. When the door latch is inserted into the latch's opening, the latch pushes the latch to rotate, locking the latch in place. However, when the user closes the appliance door, the existing latch, when rotating to the locked position, requires rigid contact with the door lock to stop. Because the impact force between the latch and the lock is too great, the latch is prone to breakage due to insufficient strength, shortening its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a door lock for household appliances to solve the problem of easy breakage of the lock hook.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a door lock for a household appliance, including a base and a door hook, the base being provided with a lock cylinder assembly and a socket for inserting the door hook, the lock cylinder assembly including a rotatable lock hook, the lock hook having a locking position for locking the door hook on the base and an unlocking position for disengaging from the door hook, the base being provided with an elastic buffer member, the elastic buffer member providing buffer for the lock hook when the lock hook is switched from the unlocking position to the locking position.

[0005] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the elastic buffer includes a buffer block and a buffer spring disposed between the base and the buffer block. When the lock hook is in the locked position, the lock hook abuts against the buffer block so that the buffer spring is in a compressed state.

[0006] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, a guide assembly is provided between the buffer block and the base, and the buffer block is slidably connected to the base through the guide assembly.

[0007] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the guide assembly includes a slide groove on the base and a sliding protrusion on the buffer block. The slide groove includes a sliding section for the sliding protrusion to slide and a mounting section for the sliding protrusion to engage with the sliding section. The mounting section is vertically connected to the end of the sliding section away from the lock hook.

[0008] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, a positioning post is provided on the base, and the end of the buffer spring that abuts against the base is sleeved on the positioning post.

[0009] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the lock cylinder assembly also includes an elastic pusher that abuts against the pivot of the lock hook. During the process of the lock hook switching from the unlocked position to the locked position, the lock hook rotates under the push of the door hook to insert into the door hook and release the stop state between it and the base. Then, the lock hook moves horizontally under the push of the elastic pusher to abut against the elastic buffer.

[0010] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the base has a stop member located on one side of the elastic buffer member, and the lock hook includes a stop portion. When the lock hook is in the unlocked position, the stop portion abuts against the free end of the stop member; when the lock hook is in the locked position, the stop portion abuts against the side of the stop member away from the elastic buffer member.

[0011] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the lock hook also includes a stop rib provided on the stop portion. When the lock hook is in the unlocked position, the stop rib abuts against the side of the stop portion away from the elastic buffer.

[0012] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the lock hook includes a stop part and a locking part. The stop part has a pushing surface facing the locking part and a stop surface away from the locking part. The door hook pushes the lock hook to rotate through the pushing surface. When the lock hook is in the locked position, the stop surface abuts against the elastic buffer member, and the locking part is inserted into the door hook to lock the door hook.

[0013] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the lock hook is provided with a relief notch, which is located on one side of the stop surface, so as to provide relief to the free end of the stop member when the lock hook is in the locked position.

[0014] In the door lock of the aforementioned household appliance, the elastic coefficient of the elastic buffer is greater than that of the elastic pusher.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0016] A door lock for a household appliance includes a base and a door hook. The base has a lock cylinder assembly and a socket for inserting the door hook. The lock cylinder assembly includes a rotatable lock hook, which has a locked position where it is locked to the base and an unlocked position where it is disengaged from the base. The base has an elastic buffer that provides cushioning when the lock hook switches from the unlocked position to the locked position. This technical solution has the following technical advantages:

[0017] This invention features a locking hook with locked and unlocked positions, allowing it to switch between these positions to lock or unlock a door hook inserted into or detached from its base via a socket. An elastic buffer provides cushioning for the locking hook. When the appliance door is open, the hook is not inserted into the socket, and the locking hook is in the unlocked position, separating from the elastic buffer. When the user closes the appliance door, the hook inserts into the socket, and the locking hook, pushed by the hook, switches from the unlocked to the locked position. During this process, the hook contacts and compresses the elastic buffer. When the hook is in the locked position, it stops extending further into the socket, locking it securely to the base and preventing it from detaching freely. During the entire insertion process between the door hook and the socket, the elastic buffer stops the hook when it switches to the locked position. Simultaneously, its own elasticity buffers the hook as it switches from the unlocked to the locked position, reducing the impact force on the hook and preventing it from rigidly colliding with the base under the push of the door hook, thus extending its service life. When the user opens the door of the appliance and pulls the door hook out of the socket, the hook switches from the locked to the unlocked position. During this process, the compressed elastic buffer resets under the action of its elasticity. The reset elastic buffer pushes the hook from the locked to the unlocked position, thereby pushing the door hook out of the socket. This makes pulling the door hook easier and improves the user experience.

[0018] The elastic buffer includes a buffer block and a buffer spring located between the base and the buffer block. When the locking hook is in the locked position, the locking hook abuts against the buffer block, causing the buffer spring to be in a compressed state. The cooperative arrangement of the buffer spring and the buffer block allows the elastic buffer to achieve sufficient cushioning of the locking hook through the large extension and contraction margin of the buffer spring, while the large end face of the buffer block ensures the abutment effect between the elastic buffer and the locking hook, thereby ensuring the stable cushioning and pushing of the locking hook by the elastic buffer.

[0019] A guide assembly is provided between the buffer block and the base, and the buffer block is slidably connected to the base via the guide assembly. The guide assembly guides the buffer block, ensuring that it can only slide in a specified direction. This guarantees that the buffer block is always on the operating path of the locking hook, ensuring that the locking hook can contact and push the buffer block to compress the buffer spring during the transition from the unlocked to the locked position, thus providing stable buffering for the locking hook. It also ensures that the buffer spring can push the locking hook through the buffer block during the transition from the locked to the unlocked position, making it easier for the user to open the door.

[0020] The guide assembly includes a groove on the base and a sliding protrusion on the buffer block. The groove includes a sliding section for the sliding protrusion to slide and a mounting section for the sliding protrusion to engage with the sliding section. The mounting section is vertically connected to the end of the sliding section away from the lock hook. During installation, the sliding protrusion on the buffer block can be engaged with the sliding section through the mounting section. When the user opens and closes the door, the sliding protrusion always slides within the sliding section. The buffer spring abuts against the buffer block, preventing the sliding protrusion from entering the mounting section from the sliding section and freely dislodging from the groove, thus ensuring the stability of the buffer block's position.

[0021] The base is equipped with a positioning post, and the end of the buffer spring that abuts against the base is sleeved on the positioning post. The positioning post facilitates quick installation of the buffer spring and also limits the buffer spring to prevent it from moving freely and detaching from the base and the buffer block. This ensures that the buffer spring is always between the base and the buffer block, so as to stably buffer and push the lock hook when opening and closing the door, thereby extending the service life of the lock hook.

[0022] The lock cylinder assembly also includes a resilient pusher that abuts against the pivot of the lock hook. During the transition from the unlocked to the locked position, the lock hook rotates under the push of the door hook to insert into the door hook and release the stop between it and the base. Then, the lock hook moves horizontally under the push of the resilient pusher to abut against the resilient buffer. The resilient pusher, working in conjunction with the door hook, pushes the lock hook horizontally towards the locked position, making closing the door easier and improving the user experience.

[0023] The base has a stop on one side of the elastic buffer. The lock hook includes a stop portion. When the lock hook is in the unlocked position, the stop portion abuts against the free end of the stop portion. When the lock hook is in the locked position, the stop portion abuts against the side of the stop portion away from the elastic buffer. When the lock hook is in the unlocked position, the stop portion abuts against the free end of the stop portion to prevent the lock hook from rotating freely or moving freely towards the elastic buffer under the push of the elastic pusher, ensuring that the lock hook is in the unlocked state to wait for the door hook to be inserted. When the lock hook rotates to the correct position, the stop portion no longer abuts against the free end, releasing the stop state between it and the base, allowing the elastic pusher to push the lock hook to move horizontally. When the lock hook is in the locked position, the stop portion abuts against the limiting surface to hold the lock hook in the locked position, preventing the lock hook from rotating back, ensuring stable locking of the lock hook to the door hook, and preventing the lock hook from freely disengaging from the door hook.

[0024] The lock hook also includes a stop rib on the stop part. When the lock hook is in the unlocked position, the stop rib abuts against the side of the stop part away from the elastic buffer to limit the lock hook, keep the lock hook in the unlocked position, prevent the lock hook from rotating excessively, and make the door hook inserted into the socket just aligned with the lock hook so as to push the lock hook to rotate.

[0025] The locking hook includes a stop portion and a locking portion. The stop portion has a pushing surface facing the locking portion and a stopping surface facing away from the locking portion. The door hook pushes the locking hook to rotate via the pushing surface. When the locking hook is in the locked position, the stopping surface abuts against the elastic buffer. The locking portion is inserted into the door hook to lock it. By configuring the stop portion with both a pushing surface and a stopping surface, the pushing surface facilitates the door hook's rotation, and the stopping surface facilitates the abutment between the stopping portion and the elastic buffer. This design provides good pushing and stopping effects for the locking hook and facilitates user operation.

[0026] The locking hook is provided with a clearance notch located on one side of the stop surface. This clearance notch provides clearance to the free end of the stop member when the locking hook is in the locked position. When the locking hook is in the locked position, the stop surface abuts against the elastic buffer member and presses the elastic buffer member towards the base. During this process, the clearance notch provides clearance to the free end of the stop member, preventing the stop from impacting the free end of the stop member when pressing the elastic buffer member, thereby preventing damage to the locking hook caused by impact between the stop member and the locking hook.

[0027] The present invention also provides a household appliance, including a body and a door, and the aforementioned door lock, with a base disposed on the body and a door hook disposed on the door.

[0028] The features and advantages of the present invention will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:

[0030] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the lock hook in the unlocked position;

[0031] Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram showing the lock hook in the unlocked position;

[0032] Figure 3 A 3D view showing the lock hook in the unlocked position;

[0033] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the locking hook in the non-stop position;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram showing the locking hook in a non-stopping position;

[0035] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view showing the locking hook in the locked position;

[0036] Figure 7 A partial schematic diagram showing the locking hook in the locked position;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the locking hook.

[0038] Figure label:

[0039] 100. Base; 110. Insertion hole; 120. Positioning post; 130. Stop; 131. Connecting end; 132. Free end; 133. Mounting surface; 134. Limiting surface;

[0040] 200, door hook; 210, through hole;

[0041] 300. Lock cylinder assembly; 310. Elastic pusher; 320. Lock hook; 321. Rotating shaft; 322. Stop part; 3221. Stop rib; 323. Stop part; 3231. Push surface; 3232. Stop surface; 3233. Clearance notch; 324. Locking part;

[0042] 400. Elastic buffer; 410. Buffer block; 420. Buffer spring;

[0043] 500, guide assembly; 510, sliding protrusion; 520, slide groove; 521, sliding section; 522, mounting section. Detailed Implementation

[0044] This invention discloses a door lock for a household appliance, comprising a base and a door hook. The base has a lock cylinder assembly and a socket for inserting the door hook. The lock cylinder assembly includes a rotatable lock hook, which has a locked position for locking the door hook onto the base and an unlocked position for disengaging from the door hook. An elastic buffer is provided on the base, which provides cushioning for the lock hook when it switches from the unlocked position to the locked position. This invention, by providing a lock hook with both a locked and unlocked position, allows the lock hook to switch between these positions to lock or unlock the door hook inserted into or removed from the base via the socket. The elastic buffer provides cushioning for the lock hook. When the appliance door is open, the door hook is not inserted into the socket, and the lock hook is in the unlocked position. At this time, the lock hook and the elastic buffer are separated. When the user closes the appliance door, the door hook inserts into the socket, and the lock hook switches from the unlocked position to the locked position under the push of the door hook. During this process, the lock hook contacts and squeezes the elastic buffer, compressing it. When the lock hook is in the locked position, the door hook stops extending further into the socket due to the lock hook's obstruction. At this time, the lock hook locks the door hook onto the base, preventing the door hook from detaching from the base. Throughout the entire insertion process between the door hook and the socket, the elastic buffer not only stops the lock hook when it switches to the locked position, but also cushions the lock hook's transition from the unlocked to the locked position through its own elasticity, reducing the impact force on the lock hook and preventing the lock hook from directly colliding rigidly with the base under the push of the door hook, which could lead to lock hook breakage and extend the lock hook's service life. When a user opens the door of a home appliance, pulling the door hook out of the socket causes the lock hook to switch from the locked to the unlocked position. During this process, the compressed elastic buffer returns to its original position under the action of elasticity. The returned elastic buffer pushes the lock hook from the locked to the unlocked position, thereby pushing the door hook out of the socket. This makes it easier for the user to pull the door hook and improves the user experience.

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be explained and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in the implementation methods without creative effort are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0046] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and 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 this invention.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless explicitly defined otherwise.

[0048] 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 connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0049] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0050] Example 1:

[0051] A type of door lock for a household appliance, such as Figures 1 to 8As shown, the device includes a base 100 and a door hook 200. The base 100 is provided with a lock cylinder assembly 300, a socket 110, and an elastic buffer 400. The socket 110 is used for the insertion of the door hook 200. The lock cylinder assembly 300 is used to lock the door hook 200 inserted into the socket 110. The lock cylinder assembly 300 includes a rotatable lock hook 320, which has a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock hook 320 can switch between the locked position and the unlocked position. When the lock hook 320 switches from the unlocked position to the locked position, the lock hook 320 abuts against and squeezes the elastic buffer 400, so that the elastic buffer 400 cushions the lock hook 320.

[0052] The present invention provides a locking hook 320 with a locking position and an unlocking position, so that the locking hook 320 can switch between the locking position and the unlocking position to lock or unlock the door hook 200 inserted into or removed from the base 100 through the jack 110. The elastic buffer 400 provides cushioning for the locking hook 320. When the appliance door is not closed, the door hook 200 is not inserted into the socket 110, and the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked position. At this time, the lock hook 320 and the elastic buffer 400 are separated. When the user closes the appliance door, the door hook 200 is inserted into the socket 110, and the lock hook 320 switches from the unlocked position to the locked position under the push of the door hook 200. During this process, the lock hook 320 contacts and squeezes the elastic buffer 400 to compress the elastic buffer 400. When the lock hook 320 is in the locked position, the door hook 200 stops extending into the socket 110 due to the obstruction of the lock hook 320. At this time, the lock hook 320 locks the door hook 200 onto the base 100 to prevent the door hook 200 from freely separating from the base 100. During the entire insertion process between the door hook 200 and the socket 110, the elastic buffer 400 stops the lock hook 320 when it is switched to the locked position. At the same time, it can also buffer the lock hook 320 when it switches from the unlocked position to the locked position through its own elasticity, reduce the impact force on the lock hook 320, and prevent the lock hook 320 from directly colliding with the base 100 under the push of the door hook 200, which would cause the lock hook 320 to break and extend the service life of the lock hook 320. When a user opens the door of a household appliance, the door hook 200 is pulled out of the socket 110. Under the pull of the door hook 200, the lock hook 320 switches from the locked position to the unlocked position. During this process, the elastic buffer 400, which is in a compressed state, is reset under the action of elasticity. The reset elastic buffer 400 pushes the lock hook 320 to switch from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby pushing the door hook 200 out of the socket 110 through the lock hook 320. This makes it easier for the user to pull the door hook 200 and improves the user experience.

[0053] In this embodiment, as Figure 2As shown, the elastic buffer 400 includes a buffer block 410 and a buffer spring 420. The buffer spring 420 is located between the base 100 and the buffer block 410, with both ends of the buffer spring 420 abutting against the base 100 and the buffer block 410 respectively. During the process of the locking hook 320 switching from the unlocked position to the locked position, the locking hook 320 first contacts the buffer block 410, and then pushes the buffer block 410 towards the side of the buffer block 410 where the buffer spring 420 is located. The buffer block 410 compresses the buffer spring 420, thereby compressing the buffer spring 420. The cooperative arrangement of the buffer spring 420 and the buffer block 410 allows the elastic buffer 400 to achieve sufficient buffering of the locking hook 320 through the large extension and contraction margin of the buffer spring 420, and also ensures the abutment effect between the elastic buffer 400 and the locking hook 320 through the large end face of the buffer block 410, thus ensuring the stable buffering and pushing of the locking hook 320 by the elastic buffer 400. In this preferred embodiment, a positioning post 120 is provided on the base 100. The positioning post 120 is located on the surface of the base 100 facing the buffer block 410. The end of the buffer spring 420 that abuts against the base 100 is sleeved on the positioning post 120. The positioning post 120 facilitates the quick installation of the buffer spring 420 and also limits the buffer spring 420 to prevent it from moving freely and disengaging from between the base 100 and the buffer block 410. This ensures that the buffer spring 420 is always between the base 100 and the buffer block 410, so as to stably buffer and push the lock hook 320 when opening and closing the door, thereby extending the service life of the lock hook 320.

[0054] In this embodiment, a guide component 500 is provided between the two sides of the buffer block 410 and the base 100. The buffer block 410 is slidably connected to the base 100 through the guide component 500. The guide component 500 can guide the buffer block 410, so that the buffer block 410 can only slide in a specified direction. That is, the guide component 500 can restrict the movement direction of the buffer block 410, so that the buffer block 410 can only move in the movement direction of the door hook 200 (i.e., Figure 2 The buffer block 410 is moved vertically to ensure that it is always on the running path of the locking hook 320. This ensures that when the locking hook 320 switches from the unlocked position to the locked position, it can contact and push the buffer block 410 to compress the buffer spring 420, thus providing stable buffering for the locking hook 320. It also ensures that when the locking hook 320 switches from the locked position to the unlocked position, the buffer spring 420 can push the locking hook 320 through the buffer block 410, making it easier for the user to open the door.

[0055] The guide assembly 500 can be two mating slide rails, which are respectively mounted on the buffer block 410 and the base 100. Alternatively, it can be a sliding groove and a slider respectively provided on the buffer block 410 and the base 100. In this embodiment, the guide assembly 500 includes a slide groove 520 and a sliding protrusion 510. The slide groove 520 is provided on the base 100, and the sliding protrusion 510 is provided on the side of the buffer block 410. The slide groove 520 includes a sliding section 521 and a mounting section 522. The sliding section 521 extends along the insertion direction of the door hook 200. The mounting section 522 is connected to the end of the sliding section 521 away from the lock hook 320 and is perpendicular to the sliding section 521. One end of the mounting section 522 communicates with the sliding section 521, and the other end passes through the base 100 to form an opening on the base 100. During installation, the sliding protrusion 510 on the buffer block 410 can slide into the mounting section 522 through the opening of the mounting section 522 and eventually lock into the sliding section 521. When the user opens and closes the door, the sliding protrusion 510 always slides within the sliding section 521. The buffer spring 420 abuts against the buffer block 410, which can prevent the sliding protrusion 510 from entering the mounting section 522 from the sliding section 521 and freely coming out of the slide groove 520 during the opening and closing process. The end of the sliding section 521 near the lock hook 320 is closed to stop the buffer block 410 and prevent the buffer block 410 from coming off the sliding section 521 under the push of the buffer spring 420, thus ensuring the stability of the position of the buffer block 410.

[0056] In this embodiment, the lock hook 320 can be directly rotatably connected to the base 100, rotating only on the base 100 to lock and unlock the door hook 200; alternatively, it can both rotate and slide on the base 100. Preferably, the lock cylinder assembly 300 further includes an elastic pusher 310. The lock hook 320 has a pivot 321, which can rotate around the pivot 321. Two elastic pushers 310 are provided, both mounted on the base 100 and respectively abutting against the pivots 321 on both sides of the lock hook 320. The elastic pushers 310 push the lock hook 320 in the direction where the elastic buffer 400 is provided via the pivots 321. The door hook 200 has a through hole 210. During the process of switching the lock hook 320 from the unlocked position to the locked position, the lock hook 320 first rotates around the pivot 321 under the push of the door hook 200, so that the lock hook 320 is inserted into the through hole 210 of the door hook 200. When the lock hook 320 rotates to the correct position, the stop between it and the base 100 is released (i.e., the base 100 no longer prevents the lock hook 320 from moving towards the elastic buffer 400). The elastic pusher 310 pushes the pivot 321 to drive the lock hook 320 to move, so that the lock hook 320 abuts against the elastic buffer 400, thereby locking the door hook 200. The elastic pusher 310 can work together with the door hook 200 to push the lock hook 320 to the locked position, making it easier for the user to close the door and improving the user experience. Preferably, the elastic coefficient of the elastic buffer 400 is greater than that of the elastic pusher 310, giving the elastic buffer 400 stronger resistance to deformation and stronger rebound ability compared to the elastic pusher 310. In other words, the deformation of the elastic buffer 400 is less than that of the elastic pusher 310. This allows the elastic buffer 400 to maintain balance with the compressed elastic buffer 400 after pushing the locking hook 320 a certain distance, ensuring that the locking hook 320 remains stably in the locked position to maintain a smooth locking of the door hook 200. Because the elastic buffer 400 can provide the user with opening assistance force in the initial stage of opening the door, the process of opening the door is more continuous, improving the user's feel. In the initial stage of opening household appliances, it avoids the feeling of the user having to apply too much force to overcome the locking force provided by the elastic pusher 310 to make the door move outward, resulting in a segmented opening sensation. Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the base 100 has a stop 130, which is located on one side of the elastic buffer 400. The two opposite ends of the stop 130 are the connecting ends 131 (i.e., Figure 1 The upper end of the stop member 130 and the free end 132 (i.e. Figure 1The lower end of the stop member 130), the two sides of the stop member 130 are the mounting surface 133 facing the elastic buffer member 400 and the limiting surface 134 away from the elastic buffer member 400, the slide groove 520 is provided on the mounting surface 133, the connecting end 131 is connected to the elastic buffer member 400 on the same plane of the base 100, and the locking hook 320 includes a stop part 322. When the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked position, the stop 322 abuts against the free end 132 of the stop member 130 to prevent the lock hook 320 from rotating freely or moving freely towards the elastic buffer member 400 under the push of the elastic push member 310, ensuring that the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked state so as to wait for the door hook 200 to be inserted; when the lock hook 320 rotates to the position, the stop 322 no longer abuts against the free end 132, and the stop state between it and the base 100 can be released so that the elastic push member 310 can push the lock hook 320 to move horizontally; when the lock hook 320 is in the locked position, the stop 322 abuts against the limiting surface 134 to keep the lock hook 320 in the locked position (i.e., the state of being inserted into the door hook 200), preventing the lock hook 320 from rotating back, ensuring the stable locking of the lock hook 320 to the door hook 200, and preventing the lock hook 320 from freely disengaging from the door hook 200. Preferably, the end of the stop portion 322 is an arc-shaped surface. When the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked position, the arc-shaped surface of the stop portion 322 abuts against the free end 132 of the stop member 130. The arc-shaped surface allows the stop portion 322 to quickly and smoothly disengage from the free end 132 of the stop member 130 when the door hook 200 pushes the lock hook 320 to rotate, making it easier for the user. The lock hook 320 also includes a retaining rib 3221 on the stop portion 322. When the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked position, the retaining rib 3221 abuts against the limiting surface 134 of the stop member 130 to limit the lock hook 320, keeping it in the unlocked position and preventing the lock hook 320 from rotating excessively. This ensures that the door hook 200 inserted into the socket 110 is aligned with the lock hook 320 so that the lock hook 320 can be pushed to rotate.

[0057] The locking hook 320 in this embodiment also includes a stop portion 323 and a locking portion 324. The stop portion 323 is located between the locking portion 324 and the stop portion 322. The stop portion 323 has a pushing surface 3231 facing the locking portion 324 and a stopping surface 3232 facing away from the locking portion 324 (i.e. facing the stop portion 322). When the door hook 200 is inserted into the insertion hole 110, the door hook 200 pushes the locking hook 320 to rotate through the pushing surface 3231, so that the locking portion 324 rotates toward the through hole 210 of the door hook 200. When the locking hook 320 is in the locked position, the stopping surface 3232 abuts against the elastic buffer 400, and the locking portion 324 is inserted into the through hole 210 of the door hook 200 to lock the door hook 200. The stop part 323 is configured with a push surface 3231 and a stop surface 3232. The push surface 3231 facilitates the door hook 200 to push the lock hook 320 to rotate, and the stop surface 3232 facilitates the stop part 323 to abut against the elastic buffer 400. This provides a good pushing and stopping effect on the lock hook 320 and makes it easy for the user to operate.

[0058] In this preferred embodiment, a clearance notch 3233 is provided on the locking hook 320. The clearance notch 3233 is located on the side of the stop surface 3232 near the stop portion 322. When the locking hook 320 is not in contact with the elastic buffer 400, the end face of the elastic buffer 400 is flush with the free end 132 of the stop portion 130. When the locking hook 320 is in the locked position, the stop surface 3232 abuts against the elastic buffer 400 and presses the elastic buffer 400 towards the base 100. During this process, the clearance notch 3233 provides clearance to the free end 132 of the stop portion 130 to avoid the stop portion 323 impacting the free end 132 of the stop portion 130 when pressing the elastic buffer 400, thereby avoiding damage to the locking hook 320 caused by the impact between the stop portion 130 and the locking hook 320.

[0059] The specific operating principle is as follows:

[0060] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the household appliance is not closed, the door hook 200 is not inserted into the socket 110. At this time, the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked position, and the lock hook 320 is separated from the elastic buffer 400. The arc-shaped surface of the stop portion 322 of the lock hook 320 away from the stop portion 323 abuts against the free end 132 of the stop member 130 to prevent the lock hook 320 from freely moving towards the elastic buffer 400 under the push of the elastic push member 310. The stop rib 3221 abuts against the limiting surface 134 of the stop member 130 to prevent the lock hook 320 from rotating freely, ensuring that the lock hook 320 is in the unlocked state so as to wait for the door hook 200 to be inserted.

[0061] When the user closes the door of the household appliance, the door hook 200, during the process of inserting into the socket 110, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the end of the door hook 200 first contacts the pushing surface 3231 of the stop part 323, and drives the locking hook 320 to rotate to a non-stopping position by pushing the pushing surface 3231. At this time, the stop part 322 no longer abuts against the free end 132, releasing the stopping state between the stop part 322 and the stop member 130. At the same time, the locking part 324 is rotatably inserted into the through hole 210 of the door hook 200. Then, under the elastic force of the elastic pushing member 310, the locking hook 320 moves towards the elastic buffer member 400, and the stop surface 3232 of the stop part 323 contacts and presses the elastic buffer member 400 until the locking hook 320 is in the locked position. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, at this time, the stop surface 3232 abuts against the buffer block 410 of the elastic buffer 400, the buffer spring 420 is in a compressed state, the surface of the stop part 322 facing the stop part 323 abuts against the limiting surface 134 to prevent the lock hook 320 from rotating freely and disengaging from the door hook 200. The free end 132 of the stop part 130 extends into the relief recess 3233. There can be a gap between the free end 132 of the stop part 130 and the bottom surface of the relief recess 3233, or they can fit together. When the two fit together, the force between them is zero, which can prevent the stop part 130 from impacting the lock hook 320 during the movement of the lock hook 320.

[0062] When the user opens the door of the household appliance, the door hook 200 moves outward toward the socket 110, pulling the locking part 324, which causes the lock hook 320 to move away from the elastic buffer 400 and squeeze the elastic pusher 310 until the stop part 322 no longer abuts against the limiting surface 134 of the stop member 130. Then, the door hook 200 continues to pull the locking part 324, and the locking part 324 drives the lock hook 320 to rotate until the door hook 200 disengages from the lock hook 320. At this time, the stop rib 3221 abuts against the limiting surface 134 of the stop member 130, and the lock hook 320 moves under the push of the elastic pusher 310 so that the arc-shaped surface of the stop part 322 abuts against the free end 132 of the stop member 130, thereby keeping the door hook 200 in the unlocked position.

[0063] Example 2:

[0064] A household appliance includes a body and a door, the door being rotatably connected to the body to open or close the body by rotation. It also includes a door lock as described in Embodiment 1, with a base on the body and a door hook on the door. The household appliance in this embodiment can be any one of a washing machine, dryer, or washer-dryer combo.

[0065] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the scope of the present invention's concept are within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, any improvements and modifications made without departing from the principle of the present invention should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A door lock for a domestic appliance comprising a base and a door hook, the base being provided with a lock cylinder assembly and a socket for the insertion of the door hook, the lock cylinder assembly comprising a rotatable lock hook having a locking position in which the door hook is locked to the base and an unlocking position in which the door hook is released, characterized in that: The base is provided with an elastic buffer. When the lock hook is switched from the unlocked position to the locked position, the elastic buffer provides cushioning for the lock hook. The lock cylinder assembly also includes an elastic pusher that abuts against the rotating shaft of the lock hook. During the process of the lock hook switching from the unlocked position to the locked position, the lock hook rotates under the push of the door hook to insert into the door hook and release the stop state between it and the base. Then, the lock hook moves horizontally under the push of the elastic pusher to abut against the elastic buffer.

2. A door lock for a domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic buffer includes a buffer block and a buffer spring disposed between the base and the buffer block. When the locking hook is in the locked position, the locking hook abuts against the buffer block to compress the buffer spring.

3. A door lock for a domestic appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that: A guide assembly is provided between the buffer block and the base, and the buffer block is slidably connected to the base through the guide assembly.

4. A door lock for a domestic appliance according to claim 3, characterized in that: The guide assembly includes a groove on the base and a sliding protrusion on the buffer block. The groove includes a sliding section for the sliding protrusion to slide and a mounting section for the sliding protrusion to engage with the sliding section. The mounting section is vertically connected to the end of the sliding section away from the locking hook.

5. A door lock for a domestic appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base is provided with a positioning post, and the end of the buffer spring that abuts against the base is sleeved on the positioning post.

6. A door lock for a domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base has a stop on one side of the elastic buffer, and the locking hook includes a stop portion. When the locking hook is in the unlocked position, the stop portion abuts against the free end of the stop member; when the locking hook is in the locked position, the stop portion abuts against the side of the stop member away from the elastic buffer.

7. A door lock for a household appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that: The locking hook also includes a stop rib provided on the stop portion. When the locking hook is in the unlocked position, the stop rib abuts against the side of the stop member that is away from the elastic buffer member.

8. A door lock for a household appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that: The locking hook includes a stop portion and a locking portion. The stop portion has a pushing surface toward the locking portion and a stop surface away from the locking portion. The door hook pushes the locking hook to rotate through the pushing surface. When the locking hook is in the locked position, the stop surface abuts against the elastic buffer. The locking portion is inserted into the door hook to lock the door hook.

9. A door lock for a household appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that: The locking hook is provided with a relief notch, which is located on one side of the stop surface, so as to provide relief to the free end of the stop member when the locking hook is in the locked position.

10. A door lock for a household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The equivalent elastic coefficient of the elastic buffer is greater than the elastic coefficient of the elastic pusher.

11. A household appliance, comprising a body and a door, characterized in that: It also includes the door lock as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the base is disposed on the body and the door hook is disposed on the door.

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