Front facade structure for front door of dishwasher
By installing a housing in the front door structure of the dishwasher to accommodate the electronic control device, and fix it to the noodle panel through the fastener device, the problem of the existing dishwasher's electronic control device is difficult to maintain. It is easier to install and maintain, suitable for many types of dishwashers.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380050127.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-07-13
- Filing Date
- 2023-07-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-24
AI Technical Summary
Electronic controls of existing dishwashers are usually housed in the thickness of the door, resulting in the need of a complete removal of the door for repair or replacement in case of a failure, and the lack of standardized equipment for both stand-alone and built-in dishwashers.
A front facade structure of the front door of a dishwasher is designed by installing a housing outside the facing panel to accommodate the electronic control device and fixing the housing to the facing panel through fastening devices. These fastening devices Accessible and removable from the front.
Making dishwashers easier to install and maintain, users can modify finishes without replacing the entire appliance, and electronic controls can be easily accessed and repaired in the event of a malfunction, ideal for combating consumer product obsolescence in an economic climate.
Smart Images
Figure CN119365109A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Background Art
[0001] There are two types of dishwashers on the market today: autonomous dishwashers and so-called integrable or integrated dishwashers, which are housed in a dedicated space arranged in a set of furniture elements constituting a unified appliance for the kitchen.
[0002] Although the functional structure of both types of appliances is similar, their external structure varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer, particularly in terms of the door facades, and the arrangement of the control panel.
[0003] It is therefore necessary to provide the user with two types of appliances, and this has an impact on the cost price of these appliances and therefore on the market price.
[0004] Furthermore, in each type of appliance, the electronic control devices are most of the time housed in the thickness of the door, which means that in the event of a malfunction, the door must be completely disassembled to access these devices in order to repair or replace them. In addition, it is usually not possible to provide standardized equipment that is equally suitable for freestanding dishwashers or built-in dishwashers. In particular, the facades of built-in dishwashers are covered with veneer panels that are coordinated with the other furniture elements of the kitchen, making it impossible to easily place on the facade the various control members, selection members and display members of the electronic devices that manage the operation of the dishwasher. An example of a dishwasher door structure is described in document FR 2.465.460, showing some of the devices that allow this adaptation. On reading this document, the complexity of this structure will be understood. Summary of the invention
[0005] In order to make the work of the installer of the integrated kitchen easier and to rationalize the manufacture of a dishwasher intended for two uses, the subject of the invention is a front facade structure of the front door of the dishwasher, which has a wall for sealingly closing the washing tank and a facing panel. The facing panel is mounted on the external face of the above-mentioned wall at a distance from the wall so that the space separating the two can accommodate at least one housing enclosing electronic devices for controlling, monitoring and managing the operation of the appliance. The housing is fastened to the facing panel by fastening means, which are accessible and removable from the front face of the facing panel.
[0006] Preferably, the electronic device accommodated in the housing is connected to a flat conductor cable which passes through a wall of the housing to and from the electronic device, the flat conductor cable being accommodated in the space.
[0007] Advantageously, the fastening means consist of screws passing through the peripheral edge of the housing, these screws being adapted to the material of the facing panel.
[0008] Preferably, the facade structure of the invention has a decorative cover which is fitted on said peripheral edge in order to conceal the fastening screws. This cover has magnetized pins which are positioned facing the heads of the aforementioned screws.
[0009] The invention also relates to a dishwasher appliance having a front door and electronic devices for controlling, monitoring and managing the operation of the appliance, which are housed in the front facade structure of the front door having all or some of the above features. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description and accompanying drawings given below. Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: [ Figure 1 ] The door structure of the dishwasher, which is intended as an integrated kitchen furniture element, is shown in an exploded front perspective view. [ Figure 2 ] The exploded rear view shows Figure 1 The door structure in [ Figure 3 ] The door structure of a dishwasher intended for autonomous operation is shown in an exploded front perspective view. [ Figure 4 ] The exploded front view shows Figure 3 The door structure in. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A wall 1 made of plastic is shown, which forms the inner wall of the door of a dishwasher. This wall 1 constitutes a support for a facing panel 2, the outer face of which is coordinated with a set of furniture elements in which the dishwasher is to be integrated. The connection between this facing panel 2 and the wall 1 is ensured by spacers 3, namely two lateral spacers and one horizontal upper spacer, which are preferably also made of plastic. These spacers are attached to the rear face of the facing panel 2 by means of screws depicted by lines 5, which are then fastened to the outer face of the wall 1. Therefore, the screws are not visible on the visible face of the panel 2. The facing equipped with spacers is fastened to the wall 1 by screws 4.
[0012] The panel 2 is provided with an opening 2a which can be made by the installer at the installation site. This opening 2a can then receive a housing 6, preferably made of plastic, which houses all the electronic control, monitoring and management elements of the appliance, in particular a printed circuit board and various indicator lights associated with the operation of the dishwasher. Once removed from the opening 2a, this housing can be easily opened in order to access these various components.
[0013] The housing 6 is provided with a peripheral collar 7 for fastening the housing to the facing panel 2 by means of a plurality of screws 8 passing through it, which screws, like the other screws, are adapted to the nature of the facing material. Thus, the bulk of the housing is accommodated in the space present between the wall 1 and the panel 2 by means of a spacer, in which a flat conductor cable (or bundle) is also accommodated, which passes through the side wall of the housing to and from the electronic components located in the housing. Since most of the failures or operating accidents of household appliances of this type are caused by electronic components, it is easy to disassemble the housing 6 in order to remove the housing from the opening 2a, open the housing and test the operation of the electronic devices contained in the housing. It can be provided that the length of the flat conductor cable exceeds the length just required to connect the electronic components of the housing 6 when the housing 6 is in place, and this excess of length makes it easier to remove the housing 6. The flat conductor cable can terminate in a connector, which is arranged to be connected to a connector that passes through the wall of the housing 6 and is connected to the electronic components contained in the housing 6.
[0014] The device of the invention finally comprises a decorative cover 9 covering the housing 6 and its collar 7 , retained in place by magnetized studs 10 , for example inserted into the material of the cover and cooperating with corresponding ferromagnetic studs in the collar and in particular on the heads of the screws 8 .
[0015] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A variant embodiment of a dishwasher door arrangement according to the invention is shown.Some of the elements already described in the above figures have the same reference numerals.
[0016] In this case, the facing panel 11 consists of a metal sheet folded into an open box having a rear edge 11a, allowing it to be attached to the door wall 1 by screwing. It is then no longer necessary to put spacers in place between these two elements to pass, for example, flat conductor cables between the housing and the various functional components of the dishwasher.
[0017] This panel 11 is provided with an opening 11b to accommodate the housing 7. The housing is likewise screwed to the panel 11 by suitable screws (sheet metal screws) and is covered by a decorative cover 9 which has retaining magnets.
[0018] It will be understood from the above description that the structure according to the invention allows the rational manufacture of one or another type of dishwasher required by the market. In addition, it is easy for the user (or kitchen installer) to adapt the finish to the other elements of the kitchen, to modify the finish over time without replacing the entire appliance, and to take action on the control electronics during a malfunction or malfunction. The structure according to the invention is suitable for a more constrained economic environment in which there is a tendency to fight against obsolescence of consumer products.
Claims
1. A front facade structure of a front door of a dishwasher, the front facade structure comprising a wall (1) for sealing a washing tank and a facing panel (2, 11), characterized in that: The above-mentioned facing panel is mounted on the outer face of the above-mentioned wall (1) at a certain distance from the wall so that the space separating the two can accommodate at least one housing (6), which encloses electronic devices for controlling, monitoring and managing the operation of the appliance, and the housing (6) is fastened to the facing panel (2, 11) by fastening devices (8), which can be accessed and removed from the front face of the facing panel (2).
2. The structure of claim 1, wherein: The electronic devices are connected to a flat conductor cable which passes through the wall of the housing to and from the electronic devices located in the housing, the flat conductor cable being accommodated in the space.
3. The structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The fastening means are constituted by screws (8) passing through the peripheral edge (7) of the shell, these screws being adapted to the material of the facing panel (2).
4. The structure as claimed in claim 3, having a decorative cover (9) which is fitted on the peripheral edge (7) in order to conceal the fastening screws.
5. The structure according to claim 4, characterized in that The cover (9) has magnetized pins (10) which are positioned facing the heads of the above-mentioned screws (8).
6. A dishwasher having a front door and electronic devices for controlling, monitoring and managing the operation of the appliance, the electronic devices being housed in the front facade structure of the front door according to any one of the preceding claims.