Household appliance and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance (1), comprising: a appliance body (2), which has an outer housing (3) and an inner container (5), which is arranged in the outer housing and defines an inner space (4), the inlet (13) of which can be closed by means of at least one door (6); a door opening assistance module (30) having an actuator (31) for automatically lifting the door (6) from the device body (2), the door opening assistance module (30) being activatable by means of a door controller (15) when the door (6) is manually operated and / or remotely operated via an external communication interface (16), the door controller (15) being designed to actuate the door opening assistance module (30) by means of the actuator (31). When the door opening auxiliary module (30) is activated, the door (6) is placed in a gap opening position (71) through the door opening auxiliary module (30), and the door (6) is kept in the gap opening position (71) for at least one period of time. The invention further relates to a method with a door controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a household appliance and a method with an actuator for automatically raising and lowering a door of the household appliance. Background Art

[0002] A household appliance usually comprises an appliance body having an interior space which is accessible through a door. An electronic door opening assistance device can be used to assist in opening a door. These electronic door opening assistance devices usually consist of a door controller and an actuator integrated in the household appliance. For example, DE102006061083A1 discloses such a door opening assistance device for a household appliance. Summary of the invention

[0003] The household appliance of the present invention comprises: an appliance body, which has an external shell and an internal container, wherein the internal container is arranged in the external shell and defines an internal space, the entrance of which can be closed by means of at least one door; a door opening auxiliary module, which has an actuator for automatically lifting the door from the appliance body, wherein the door opening auxiliary module can be activated by a door controller when the door is manually operated and / or remotely controlled via an external communication interface, wherein the door controller is configured to place the door in a gap-opening position and keep the door in the gap-opening position for at least a period of time through the door opening auxiliary module when the door is activated.

[0004] The advantage of this is that the operating comfort of the household appliance with a door controller of the present invention is improved, so that the user of the household appliance can manually (for example, by manually pushing or pulling the door) or remotely (for example, by voice input or activation command of a mobile terminal device) activate or operate the door opening assistance module to drive the door. Therefore, the household appliance of the present invention provides a variety of possibilities for automatically lifting the door from the device body. In addition, the user of the household appliance can also lift the door by tapping the door (for example, with the back) or activating the door controller by issuing a voice command to an external instance when all hands are occupied after shopping. The door opening assistance module moves the door from the closed position to the gap opening position. The gap opening position of the door should be understood as a partially open position of the door, forming a narrow opening between the device body and the door. For example, in the gap opening position, the user can put his hand into the door gap formed by the gap opening position of the door between the device body and the door, and lift the door completely from the device body by manually pulling, which is the case with handleless door concepts or embedded household appliances with furniture front panels. In the gap opening position, the angular position of the door relative to the device body is between 5° and 25°, preferably between 10° and 20°. In the gap-open position, at least the adhesion of the door seal should have been overcome, or the door seal on the inside of the door should have been released from the device body, so that the user can manually open the door completely with little effort. In order to move the door from the closed position to the gap-open position, the actuator, in particular the plunger of the actuator, is preferably moved from an initial position to an extended position. In the extended position, the plunger of the actuator extends further than in the initial position. The door opening assistance module can at least open the door to the extent that the attraction of the magnetic door seal is overcome, making it easier for the user to lift the door. In addition, the door opening assistance module should maintain the gap-open position for a duration so that the user has sufficient reaction time to fully lift the door, in particular to put his hand into the door gap formed in the gap-open position. The duration can be process-controlled, for example until a sensor detects a specific event, or time-controlled, for example a fixed time value stored in a timer.

[0005] Domestic equipment can be equipment in a private household or in a company such as a restaurant or hotel. It can be cooling equipment for storing food and / or drinks, such as a refrigerator, freezer or fridge-freezer combination. It can also be equipment for preparing food, such as a cooking appliance or oven, equipment for washing dishes or clothes, such as a dishwasher or washing machine, or drying equipment.

[0006] Shelves can be arranged in the inner space to place items that need to be processed. The shelves can be designed as glass plates or grids. The shelves can be held by transverse support ribs molded with the inner container or by a bearing frame arranged on the rear wall of the inner container.

[0007] The inner container may be made of metal or plastic. The inner container may be injection molded or deep drawn. The inner container may be made of polystyrene.

[0008] The outer housing may be formed from a plurality of metal or plastic plates screwed or snapped together.

[0009] A cavity can be formed between the outer shell and the inner container, and the cavity is filled with a heat insulation layer. The heat insulation layer can be composed of a plurality of heat insulation boards or an expansion foam (especially hard polyurethane foam).

[0010] The door can be mounted on the side of the device body, for example in the case of a freezer, or it can be arranged on the upper side of the device body, for example in the case of a refrigerator. The door can have a handle that extends out of the door and can also be configured as a hand lever. In addition, the door can also be handleless, for example in household appliances with a handleless kitchen concept or built-in kitchens with furniture front panels. The door can be connected to the device body by telescopic rails or single-axis or multi-axis hinges. Sealing strips can be installed on the door and / or the device body so that the closed door is in sealing contact with the device body. The sealing strips have elongated magnets, so-called magnetic sealing strips, which adhere to the metal front frame of the device body by magnetic force when the door is closed.

[0011] The actuator can be an electric motor, such as a stepper electric motor. The actuator can drive the door in the opening and / or closing direction, but preferably only in the opening direction. The door controller can activate or deactivate the actuator and transmit control instructions, such as control instructions for opening or closing the door. The actuator can include a retractable plunger or a tappet for lifting the door. The door controller can also include a processor and a memory. The door controller can be installed in the device body or on the door. The door controller can be a component of the door opening assistance module or can be arranged on a household device controller outside the door opening assistance module.

[0012] The external communication interface can be a unidirectional communication interface, such as an acoustic sensor (microphone) or an optical sensor (camera) or a radio receiving antenna, or a bidirectional communication interface, such as a radio antenna or a wired network interface for sending and receiving signals. The external communication interface is preferably designed as a bidirectional radio interface. The radio interface preferably communicates bidirectionally with an external instance (such as a voice assistant device or a mobile terminal device) through a home network.

[0013] Manual operation of the door to activate the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, can be achieved by the user pressing the door, preferably in the case of a door without a handle. Manual operation of the door to activate the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, can be achieved by pulling the door, preferably on a door with a handle.

[0014] In a possible embodiment, the door controller communicates with an external instance via an external communication interface. The external instance can be a mobile terminal device, a personal computer, a server or a voice assistant device, which can communicate with the door controller of the household appliance via the external communication interface and can remotely activate or control the door opening assistance module of the household appliance accordingly. The external instance preferably has a user interface with a software application, through which the user can remotely trigger the start command of the door opening assistance module. The external instance can also be a user of the household appliance, which directly sends a voice command to start the door opening assistance module to the household appliance via the external communication interface, for example, via an acoustic sensor (microphone). The external instance preferably communicates with the household appliance via a home network with a router.

[0015] In one possible embodiment, the door controller includes a proximity sensor for detecting a sensor element in a door or device body, in particular for detecting the closed position of the door, wherein the sensor element is also located within the detection range of the proximity sensor in the gap-open position of the door. The advantage of this is that the proximity sensor can detect both the closed position of the door and the gap-open position of the door, so that the door sensor usually installed in the household appliance can be used. The proximity sensor can be a door sensor of the household appliance. In addition, this does not require an additional expensive door sensor. For the door or each door of the household appliance, the household appliance preferably has a unique or exactly one proximity sensor and a unique or exactly one sensor element. If multiple doors on the household appliance are equipped with a door opening assistance module, each door can have a unique or exactly one proximity sensor and a unique or exactly one sensor element. The proximity sensor can be a magnetic sensor, and the sensor element can be a magnet. In the simplest embodiment, the magnet can detect the magnetic field of the sensor element or the magnet. In addition, the proximity sensor can also be a magnetoresistive sensor, which can detect the magnetic field strength of the sensor element (especially the magnet) and evaluate or output the corresponding distance of the sensor element (especially the magnet) relative to the device body and the door. Threshold values, in particular threshold ranges, for the closed position, the gap opening position and the open position of the door can be stored in a possible evaluation unit of the household device or the door controller and the position of the door can be analyzed. Alternatively, the proximity sensor can also be an optical sensor, which detects infrared rays reflected by a light source and analyzes the corresponding distance of the door relative to the device body. The proximity sensor can be mounted on the front of the device body, so that no cables of the proximity sensor have to enter the door. The sensor element, in particular the magnet, which interacts with the proximity sensor is preferably hidden on the back side of the door.

[0016] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is arranged to automatically return the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, to the retracted position after a fixed hold open time or after the sensor element leaves the detection range of the proximity sensor. This has the advantage that the resetting of the actuator, in particular the plunger of the actuator, can only be triggered by a low-cost proximity sensor for detecting the position of the door, in particular the closed position of the door, so that the actuator does not hinder the closing of the door. Preferably, the retracted position is defined in such a way that the actuator retreats at least to the extent that the door does not touch or contact the actuator in the closed position, so that a collision of the actuator, in particular the plunger of the actuator, with the retracted door is reliably avoided. The retracted position is preferably determined in such a way that the actuator is fully retracted. In addition, after the actuator is reset, the unlifted door can automatically fall back to the closed position, for example by a mechanical door closer, which pushes the door back to the closed position by a corresponding guide curve or spring return. The action of the door closer is limited to a certain door angle position, preferably not more than 30°, preferably 20°, relative to the door angle position of the device body. In addition, the hold open time of the door in the gap open position can also be set. For example, the hold-open time of the door in the gap open position can be set to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 seconds, in particular 3 seconds. After this time or time value has elapsed, the actuator will reset to the retracted position. Flow control (or sequence control) using proximity sensors and time control using fixed hold-open times can be stored side by side in the door controller.

[0017] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is arranged to set the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, to an initial position in which the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, is supported on the door, when the door is in the closed position, after the sensor element returns to the detection range of the proximity sensor. This has the advantage that as soon as the door reenters the detection range of the proximity sensor, a single proximity sensor can detect the complete lifting of the door and the closed position of the door, and the plunger can also be extended by the door controller until it contacts the door. The initial position can also be used for manual operation of the door, in particular a sliding door. In the initial position of the actuator, the plunger of the actuator contacts the door. After the proximity sensor detects the closed position of the door, the actuator does not contact the door immediately, but with a time delay, for example a waiting time of 0.5 seconds to 3 seconds, in particular 1 second to 2 seconds, so that any vibrations generated by the door subside and the magnetic door seal contacts evenly. The direct contact between the plunger of the actuator and the door shortens the reaction time of the door opening assistance module, and the movement of the door during manual operation by the user is also directly transmitted to the actuator through the plunger. In order to ensure that the plunger remains in contact with the door in the initial position, a magnet is provided on the plunger head, which in the initial position adheres to the ferromagnetic material or iron plate of the door. In the initial position, the actuator, in particular the plunger, is supported on the door with a support force that is less than the adhesion force of the door sealing strip on the device body, in particular the magnetic force of the door sealing strip. In this way, when the door is manually operated, the movement of the door relative to the device body can be directly transmitted to the plunger of the actuator, thereby reducing the delay time of the actuator and preventing the plunger from hitting the door when driving the door. In a possible embodiment, when the door is manually operated, the voltage fed into the electric motor winding of the door opening assistance module can be analyzed and the door opening assistance module can be activated, because when the plunger contacts the door, the movement of the door is directly transmitted to the plunger of the actuator.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, the door controller consists of an appliance controller for controlling processes in the household appliance, which is preferably arranged on a circuit board outside the door opening assistance module in the household appliance, so that the door opening assistance module can be activated independently by the appliance controller when activated via the external communication interface. This has the advantage that the household appliance controller, which usually already has communication electronics or components for the external communication interface installed, can take over the door controller and lift the door from the appliance body. In this case, the actuator control of the door opening assistance module is passive or inactive. As a result, the operating comfort can be improved without installing electronic components for door control or external communication interfaces on the door opening assistance module.

[0019] In one possible embodiment, a monitoring unit is provided for detecting manual operation of the door, in particular pulling or pressing the door, wherein the monitoring unit is provided for triggering the activation of the door opening assistance module, in particular moving the actuator from the initial position to the extended position. In particular, the monitoring unit directly activates the door opening assistance module or the door opening assistance module via the door controller and analyzes the measurement results of the monitoring unit. Advantageously, the door opening assistance module can include a door controller in order to analyze the data from the monitoring unit and trigger the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator for lifting the door from the device body. This has the advantage that the door opening assistance module itself also has a corresponding monitoring unit or communicates with it, so that the door opening assistance module can independently trigger the actuation of the door. Therefore, the activation signal of the door opening assistance module is triggered by a unit independent of the device controller, so that the door opening assistance module can be selectively connected to the household appliance without having to adjust the device controller for this purpose or without having to selectively provide this function in the device controller of the household appliance.

[0020] In one possible embodiment, the monitoring unit is configured to monitor the internal pressure curve when the door is in a closed position, in particular when the door is sliding, or to monitor the forward or backward travel of the actuator when the door is driven, in particular when the door is sliding. A pressure sensor, in particular an absolute pressure sensor or a differential pressure sensor, is located in the interior space for detecting the internal pressure, and the door controller continuously analyzes the internal pressure curve in the interior space. Pulling or pushing the door changes the volume of the interior space and changes the pressure of the interior space accordingly. The door controller compares the recorded pressure curve with a predetermined curve of the internal pressure when the door is pushed or pulled, and activates the door opening assistance module if the two match. When monitoring the determined forward or backward travel of the actuator, the door controller monitors the movement of the actuator, which contacts the door through a magnet or the like and moves with the door when the user pushes or pulls the door, for example by measuring the induced voltage of the actuator or the current in the motor winding using a voltmeter or an ammeter. The door controller compares the detected forward or backward stroke of the actuator or the voltage / current curve in the motor winding with a predetermined forward or backward stroke comparison value or an induced voltage comparison value when the door is pushed or pulled, and if the corresponding comparison values ​​or ranges match, the door controller activates the door opening auxiliary module. The advantage of this is that when the door is manually operated by measuring the pressure curve or moving the actuator independently of the device controller, the door opening auxiliary module can be automatically activated and controlled, thereby making the design of the device controller less complicated, and the household device can be selected to be equipped / not equipped with the door opening module without adjusting the device controller.

[0021] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is configured to move the door to the gap opening position with the aid of the door opening assistance module when a specific internal pressure curve is detected or a specific forward or backward stroke of the actuator is detected by the monitoring unit. This has the advantage that false triggering of the door opening assistance module can be avoided. Advantageously, if the detected internal pressure is within a predetermined range for determining the pressure curve corridor, it can be assumed that there is a door opening request and the door opening assistance module is activated. However, if the detected internal pressure curve leaves the predetermined pressure curve corridor, it can be assumed that, for example, the door of the household appliance has been accidentally operated, and the door opening assistance module will not be activated. The internal pressure curve is determined by the pressure output value of the absolute pressure sensor or the differential pressure sensor, for example, within a predetermined time interval of 1 millisecond, 500 milliseconds or 1 second. Therefore, it is not based on a single pressure value, but on the pressure curve, that is, on the shape of the pressure curve, to decide whether to activate the door opening assistance module. □Here, the door control includes the activation of the door opening assistance module, the deactivation of the door opening assistance module, the inactivation of the door opening assistance module and the amplification of the effect of the door opening assistance module. According to one embodiment, the controller is designed to activate the door opening assistance module if the detected pressure curve is within the predetermined pressure curve corridor. For example, the pressure curve corridor can be determined by a predetermined lower pressure curve limit and an upper pressure curve limit. If the pressure curve extends within these limits and therefore within the predetermined pressure curve corridor, it can be assumed that there is a door opening request and the door opening assistance module can be activated. The pressure curve corridor can be different for different door opening methods. If the door opening process is triggered by applying pressure to the door, it can be assumed that the pressure increases when the user presses the door. But after the user releases the door, the pressure will drop. In this case, the pressure curve can, for example, rise linearly to the upper pressure limit value, that is, the maximum pressure value. After reaching the maximum pressure value, that is, for example, after the door is released, the pressure will drop linearly immediately. If such a pressure curve is detected, the door controller activates the door opening assistance module. On the contrary, if the door is opened by pulling the door, the pressure detected by the differential pressure sensor will, for example, drop linearly during the pulling stage, which, for example, leads to a negative pressure slope. If such a negative pressure curve is detected in the pressure curve corridor, then in the case of the pull-open variant, it can also be assumed that there is a door opening request, so that the door controller can activate the door opening assistance module.

[0022] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is designed to compare the slope of the detected pressure curve with at least one slope threshold value to identify whether the detected pressure curve is within a predetermined pressure curve corridor, and activate the door opening assistance module only when the detected pressure curve is within the predetermined pressure curve corridor. The slope threshold value can be determined by the lower limit value of the pressure curve and / or the upper limit value of the pressure curve. In the case of the push-open variant, the slope of the slope threshold value is positive in the first pressure curve stage and then decreases with a negative slope. In the pull-open variant, the slope threshold value has a negative slope from the beginning. In this way, different opening situations and the associated different pressure curves can be taken into account in an advantageous manner.

[0023] In one possible embodiment, the door operator is designed to detect a reversal of the slope of the detected pressure curve and to activate the door opening assistance module when a reversal of the slope occurs. As described above, a reversal of the slope is to be expected in the push-to-open variant and occurs immediately after the door is released. The reversal of the slope is determined by the maximum pressure value, which can also be detected. As a result, the desire to open the door is detected in a particularly simple and reliable manner in the case of the push-to-open variant.

[0024] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is designed to detect the positive slope of the pressure curve detected before the slope reversal and the negative slope of the pressure curve detected after the slope reversal, and to activate the door opening assistance module only when the positive slope and the negative slope of the pressure curve are located within a predetermined pressure curve corridor. In this way, instead of analyzing a single pressure value, the curve of the pressure rise and fall is analyzed to activate the door opening assistance module. As a result, the entire pressure activation process (which is activated, for example, by pressing the door according to the push-to-open variant) is monitored and analyzed. As a result, false triggering of the door opening assistance module is avoided in an advantageous manner.

[0025] In one possible embodiment, the door operator activates the door opening assistance module, or increases its effect, when the slope of the detected pressure curve increases. In this case, a pull-type variant is considered particularly advantageous, in which both the pressure difference and the slope of the detected pressure curve are negative. The door opening assistance module in the pull-type variant is therefore activated when the absolute value of the detected negative pressure difference is exceeded.

[0026] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is designed to activate the door opening assistance module if the pressure curve with negative pressure values ​​is below the pressure curve corridor. In this way, the desire to open the door can be detected in a pull-open variant in which the pressure difference is negative from the outset due to the pressure applied to the door, so that the pressure curve has a negative slope from the outset.

[0027] The actuator is generally designed as a rotating or rotatable electric machine, which is also well known in the prior art, so that no separate documentation is required in this regard or in the case of household appliances. A rotary electric machine is a device which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, in particular rotational energy, in motor mode, and / or mechanical energy into electrical energy in generator mode. The movement is usually a rotary movement, which is performed by a rotor of the rotary electric machine, which rotates relative to a stator of the rotary electric machine. In contrast to the rotor, the stator is usually torsionally rigid, i.e. the rotary movement is a rotational movement of the rotor relative to the stator. The rotor is rotatably mounted on the stator, so that an air gap is usually formed between the rotor and the stator.

[0028] In normal operation, the stator and the rotor are linked by a magnetic flux, which, in motor operation, provides a force action or torque, which drives the rotor in rotation relative to the stator. In generator operation, the mechanical energy supplied to the rotor is converted into electrical energy in the form of rotation in combination with the torque. For this purpose, at least the stator has an electrical winding, also called a stator winding, through which the current flows. The rotor can also have an electrical winding as a rotor winding and / or one or more permanent magnets.

[0029] In order to achieve normal operation, the stator winding needs to be applied with voltage. Depending on the design of the motor, in particular the design of its stator winding, for example, in order to apply an AC voltage, a single-phase or even a multi-phase stator winding can be provided, which is correspondingly applied with a single-phase or multi-phase AC voltage. A multi-phase AC voltage usually has alternating phase voltages corresponding to the number of phases, which usually have approximately the same frequency and approximately the same amplitude, but are offset in phase. For example, a very common multi-phase AC voltage is a three-phase AC voltage, in which the phases of the phase voltages are shifted by 120° from each other. For example, such an AC voltage is also used in public power supply networks.

[0030] The sensor signal is preferably an electrical signal which can be, for example, an analog signal or a digital signal, in particular a binary signal.

[0031] The invention makes it possible to reliably detect the operation of a door of a household appliance and thus to determine the operation of a user, even if door twisting, door elasticity and / or similar interfering influences make the detection difficult. At the same time, the operation of a user can be reliably detected and identified at almost any point on the door.

[0032] It is also proposed that, during the forward stroke of the plunger, the movement-related sensor signal is compared with a forward stroke comparison value. The forward stroke comparison value is therefore used in this case as a comparison value. Thus, a specific comparison value can be provided for the forward stroke, so that the detection of the operation of the door of the household appliance by the user can be improved when there is a forward stroke. The forward stroke refers in particular to an axial mechanical movement of the plunger, in which the plunger head of the plunger moves away from the body, i.e. extends from the body.

[0033] It is further proposed that during the retraction stroke of the plunger, the motion-related sensor signal is compared with the retraction stroke comparison value. Therefore, the retraction stroke comparison value can also be used as a comparison value in this example. This can further improve the reliability of detecting whether the user operates the door of the household appliance. The direction of the retraction stroke is opposite to the forward stroke. The retraction stroke comparison value can be the same as the forward stroke comparison value.

[0034] According to an advantageous further development, it is proposed that the forward travel comparison value and the reverse travel comparison value are different comparison values. This allows different characteristics of the door during user operation to be taken into account, in particular interfering characteristics such as twisting of the door to be better taken into account. This allows the reliability of the user operation detection to be further improved.

[0035] Furthermore, it is proposed that the supporting force is provided by the actuator without energy supply. This has the advantage that the supporting force can be reliably provided for a long period of time between the door closing operation in which the door is rotated to the closed state and the subsequent door opening operation in which the door is rotated to the open state without requiring energy, in particular electrical energy. In this regard, the actuator can be designed accordingly and, for example, have one or more corresponding spring storage elements or the like, which can provide the supporting force even without an external energy supply.

[0036] Furthermore, it is proposed that the actuator has an electric motor with a rotor rotatably arranged relative to a stator and a transmission mechanically connected to the rotor and the plunger, wherein the supporting force is provided by the transmission. This has the advantage that the supporting force can be provided completely by the transmission without the need for an energy supply. For this purpose, the transmission can have one or more corresponding force storage elements that can provide the supporting force in addition to the motor operation function. As a result, the functional reliability of determining the user operation can be further improved.

[0037] Furthermore, it is proposed that in the open state of the door, the actuator is moved to a position in which the forward travel is greater than the forward travel when the door is closed. This forward travel is therefore greater than the forward travel that can be detected by the sensor unit when the door is closed, preferably independently of the user's operation. This provides the possibility of additional functions, such as detecting the open state of the door. The corresponding sensor signals can be distributed and provided to a higher-level control device of the household appliance.

[0038] Furthermore, it is proposed that the actuator moves axially when the door is closed and the movement of the plunger is detected as a closing movement. This movement is also a backward stroke. In particular, if the forward stroke in the door-open state is greater than the forward stroke in the door-closed state, it can be detected that the user is closing the door. As a result, a closing signal can be provided as a sensor signal to a superior control device of the household appliance. As a result, more functions can be reliably realized.

[0039] Furthermore, it is also proposed that after the user has closed the door, the plunger is moved by the actuator until the plunger head of the plunger is supported on the inner side of the door. Preferably, a supporting force is also applied in this state. In this way, an initial position can be reached, which serves as the starting point for the method according to the invention. It is also advantageous if, after the door has been opened, the plunger is returned to the fully retracted position by the actuator, so that the actuator, in particular the plunger head, is moved, for example, in a recessed position that does not extend beyond the body.

[0040] In relation to the device, it is further proposed that an actuator includes a motor having a rotor rotatable relative to a stator and a transmission mechanically connected to the rotor and the plunger.

[0041] The door is preferably arranged on the body in a first region of the entry edge so as to be pivotable about at least a vertical or horizontal axis. The invention thus allows the detection of actuation of the door of a household appliance by a user, even if such actuation is carried out near the pivot axis. The invention thus allows a significantly larger sensor area to be achieved, thereby largely avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art mentioned at the outset.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the door operator is activated only when the detected pressure curve is within a predetermined pressure curve corridor.

[0043] In one possible embodiment, it is provided that, in the gap open position of the door, the door opening assistance module triggers the resetting of the actuator to the retracted position via the door controller when a predetermined forward travel of the actuator for fully lifting the door is detected by the monitoring unit and / or returns the actuator to the retracted position via the door controller after a determined open holding time.

[0044] In one possible embodiment, the door controller consists of an actuator controller for controlling the process of the door opening assistance module, which is in particular arranged on a printed circuit board in the electric door opening assistance module, wherein the door opening assistance module can be independently activated by the actuator controller when the door is manually operated. The advantage of this is that the door opening assistance module can be autonomously activated and controlled by an actuator controller from the household appliance, in particular from an appliance controller of the household appliance. Therefore, it is possible to choose whether to install the door opening assistance module on the household appliance or not, without integrating the door controller into the appliance controller. This reduces the complexity and cost of the household appliance of the present invention.

[0045] In a possible embodiment, the household device controller and the actuator controller are communicatively connected via an internal communication interface, wherein the internal communication interface is in particular a bus interface. The bus interface is preferably wired, but can also be wireless. This has the advantage that the device controller and the actuator controller can communicate with each other, so that if the device controller takes over the control of the door opening assistance module, for example, the actuator controller can be passively switched by the device controller.

[0046] In one possible embodiment, when the electric door opening assistance module is activated, the actuator controller is passively switched by the device controller. This has the advantage that both the actuator controller and the device controller can independently activate and control the door opening assistance module, while the other controller is in a passive state relative to the door opening assistance module or cannot trigger any error function.

[0047] In one possible embodiment, the door controller is configured to activate the compartment light of the interior space independently of the proximity sensor when the door is activated via the external communication interface or the monitoring unit. This has the advantage that the door gap formed in the gap-open position is illuminated and the user can easily see the actions required to fully lift the door even in dark surroundings. Normally, in the gap-open position of the door, the proximity sensor can still detect the closed position of the door, so that the compartment light remains inactive in the gap-open position. When the activation is detected via the external communication interface or the monitoring unit, the door controller activates the compartment light so that the door gap is illuminated in the gap-open position. The compartment light is then deactivated again when the door or the sensor element is detected by the proximity sensor.

[0048] In one possible embodiment, a door closer is provided, by which the door can be moved back to the closed position after the door opening assistance module is reset, in particular after the actuator is retracted. This has the advantage that after the actuator is reset, the door that has not been lifted can be automatically returned to the closed position by the door closer. The design of the door closer can be purely mechanical, for example as an automatically closed hinge device. The door closer can have a guide cam or a spring that acts in the closing direction, which pushes the door back to the closed position from a certain angular position of the door. The action of the door closer is also limited to a certain angular position of the door, preferably up to 30°, preferably 20° relative to the body of the device. The door is pushed all the way to the gap opening position. This will produce, for example, an opening gap of several centimeters. The door leaf is preferably held in this position by the door opening assistance module until the person grabs the door leaf. For example, after a set duration (such as 3 seconds), the door opening assistance module will retract the plunger again. In this way, if the person does not fully open the door, the door leaf will automatically close again. The type of closing can be adjusted by the plunger return speed curve of the door opening assistance module. The opening gap of the door can be adjusted according to the corresponding mechanical door closer. This means that the first opening angle triggered by the door opening auxiliary module is smaller than the second opening angle, within which the self-closing effect of the mechanical door closer is still effective. In the case of a drawer, i.e. a self-closing drawer, the extension displacement (second distance) is not greater than the displacement (first distance) that the drawer or self-closing drawer can automatically retract.

[0049] According to another aspect, the object of the invention is achieved by a method for controlling a door actuator for driving a door of a household appliance, the household appliance having an appliance body, the appliance body having an outer housing and an inner container, the inner container being arranged in the outer housing and defining an inner space, the entrance of which can be closed by means of at least one door, the method comprising the following steps:

[0050] -Detection of the closed position of the door by means of proximity sensors;

[0051] -Detection of manual or remote control operation of the door by the door controller;

[0052] - upon detection of manual or remote control operation of the door, the door is automatically lifted from the device body by a door opening assistance module having an actuator, wherein the door opening assistance module is activated by the door controller;

[0053] - Placing the door in a gap-open position, in which the sensor element in the door or in the device body continues to be detected by the proximity sensor.

[0054] In one possible embodiment, the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, is automatically reset after a fixed hold-open time or after the sensor element leaves the detection range of the proximity sensor.

[0055] In one possible embodiment, the return of the sensor element into the detection range of the proximity sensor is detected by the proximity sensor, and the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, is then placed in an initial position in a time-delayed manner, in which the door opening assistance module, in particular the actuator, is supported on the door, wherein the door is again in the closed position.

[0056] The advantages and effects given for the household appliance of the present invention are also applicable to the method of the present invention, and vice versa. Therefore, the characteristics of the appliance can also be used as the characteristics of the method, and vice versa.

[0057] Further features of the invention are derived from the claims, the drawings and the description of the drawings. The features and feature combinations mentioned in the above description and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the drawings and / or the features and feature combinations shown individually in the drawings can be used not only in the combination shown in each case, but also in other combinations without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, embodiments that are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which result from the explained embodiments and can be produced by individual feature combinations, are also to be regarded as embodiments included and disclosed by the present invention. Embodiments and feature combinations that do not have all the features of the originally proposed independent claims are also to be regarded as disclosed. Furthermore, embodiments and feature combinations that go beyond or deviate from the referenced claims are to be regarded as disclosed, in particular by the above description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and will be described in more detail below.

[0059] In the attached figure:

[0060] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a household appliance according to one embodiment;

[0061] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a household device shown, wherein Figure 1 The door in the closed position;

[0062] Figure 3 Show Figure 1 a schematic diagram of the household appliance shown with the door in a gap-open position; and

[0063] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the household appliance shown with the door in the open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a household appliance 1 according to an embodiment is shown. The household appliance 1 comprises an appliance body 2 with a door 6. The appliance body 2 has an outer shell 3 and an inner container 5, which is arranged in the outer shell 3 and defines an inner space 4, the entrance 13 of which can be closed by at least one door 6. In the inner space 4, shelves 7 and drawers 8 for storing items are arranged. The inner space 4 can be designed as a refrigerator or a freezer. A plurality of door shelves 9 are arranged on the inner side of the door 6. In addition, a surrounding door seal 6a is also provided on the inner side of the door 6, which, in the closed position of the door 6, rests on the front frame of the appliance body 2 to prevent warm air from the surrounding environment from entering the inner space 4. The door seal 6a has a magnetic strip, which is attached to the usually metal front frame of the appliance body when the door 6 is closed. The door 6 is hinged to the appliance body 2 by a door hinge 6b.

[0065] In the area of ​​the door hinge 6b, a mechanical door closer 41 can be provided, by which the door 6 automatically falls back into the closed position after the plunger of the door opening assistance module 30, in particular the actuator 31, has been reset. For this purpose, the mechanical door closer 41 has in particular a guide cam or a spring reset device, which forces the door 6 back into the closed position. The action of the door closer 41 is preferably limited to a certain door angle position, which preferably does not exceed 30°, preferably 20°, relative to the device body 2.

[0066] The door opening assistance module 30 has an actuator 31 for pressing the door 6 open. The door opening assistance module 30 itself has an actuator controller 15b for controlling the process of the door opening assistance module 30, and the actuator controller is preferably arranged on a printed circuit board in the electric door opening assistance module 30. The household appliance 1 itself has a device controller 15a for controlling the process of the household appliance 1, and the device controller is preferably arranged on a printed circuit board outside the door opening assistance module 30 in the household appliance 1. In the case of remote control of the door 6 through the external communication interface 17, the door controller 15 can be composed of the device controller 15a; or in the case of manual operation of the door 6, especially when the user pushes and pulls the door, the door controller 15 can be composed of the actuator controller 15b. In the case of remote control operation of the door 6, the household appliance 1 communicates with the external instance 60 through the network through the external communication interface 17, and the external instance can be composed of a mobile phone or a voice assistant. In this way, the activation instruction can be transmitted from the external instance 60 to the device controller 15a through the external communication interface 17, so that the device controller 15a activates and controls the door opening auxiliary module 30 to lift the door 6 from the device body 2. In this case, the actuator controller 15b is passively switched, and the door opening auxiliary module 30 is independently controlled by the device controller 15a.

[0067] The household appliance 1 further comprises a cooling circuit controller 10 for controlling a compressor in the cooling circuit 11. Since the compressor circulates the refrigerant in the cooling circuit 11, the vaporization of the refrigerant by the evaporator extracts heat energy from the interior space 4 and the condensation of the refrigerant by the condenser releases heat energy back to the environment, which is well known in the prior art. The cooling circuit controller 10, the device controller 15a and the actuator controller 15b are connected to one another via an internal communication interface 18, in particular a bus line. The individual components of the household appliance 1 can exchange data and control commands with the respective control electronics via the internal communication interface 18.

[0068] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment of the household appliance 1 in FIG. 1 , a proximity sensor 12 is further provided as a door sensor. The proximity sensor 12 is used to detect the position of the door 6 relative to the appliance body 2, in particular the closed position of the door 6. For this purpose, a sensing element 12a, such as a magnet, is arranged in the door 6. When the sensing element 12a is within the detection range 12b of the proximity sensor 12, the door 6 is considered to be closed. When the sensing element 12a leaves the detection range 12b of the proximity sensor 12, the proximity sensor 12 activates the lighting device 20 of the interior space 4.

[0069] Furthermore, a monitoring unit 35 is provided for detecting manual operation of the door 6, in particular pressing or pulling the door 6. When the door opening assistance module 30 is activated, the monitoring unit 35 triggers the actuator 31 to move from the initial position 33 to the extended position 34. By activating the door opening assistance module 30, the door moves from the closed position 70 to the gap-opened position 71. For example, the monitoring unit 35 can be a pressure sensor, which monitors the internal pressure curve of the interior space 5 when the door 6 is in the closed position 70, or a voltmeter or an ammeter, which monitors the forward or backward travel of the actuator 31 when the door 6 is operated. When the monitoring unit 35 detects a specific internal pressure curve or a specific forward or backward travel of the actuator 31, the door opening assistance module 30 adjusts the door 6 to the gap-opened position 71 via the actuator 31.

[0070] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a household device 1 is shown, wherein Figure 1The door 6 is shown in a closed position 70. In the closed position 70 of the door 6, the sensor element 12a is located within the detection range 12b of the proximity sensor 12, and the angle of the door 6 relative to the device body 2 is 0° or the zero angle position α0. In addition, the surrounding door seal 6a of the door 6 is attached to the front frame of the housing body 2. In the closed position 70 of the door 6, the door opening assistance module 30 is in the initial position 33, and the actuator 31, in particular the plunger of the actuator 31, is supported on the inner side of the door 6 with a certain supporting force. To ensure that the actuator 31 remains in contact with the door 6 in the initial position and moves with the door 6, a magnet is preferably provided in the plunger head, which is attached to the ferromagnetic material or iron plate of the door 6 in the initial position 33. The supporting force is smaller than the adhesion force of the door seal 6a on the device body 2, in particular the magnetic force of the door seal 6a. Therefore, when the door 6 is manually operated, the movement of the door relative to the device body 2 can be directly transmitted to the plunger of the actuator 31, thereby reducing the delay time of the actuator 31 and preventing the plunger from possibly hitting the door 6. The monitoring device 35 , such as a voltage / current meter or a pressure sensor, can continuously monitor whether the door 6 is manually operated, pressed or pulled by a user in the closed position 70 of the door 6 .

[0071] Figure 3 Show Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a household appliance shown, wherein the door 6 is in the gap-opened position 71. In the gap-opened position 71 of the door 6, the sensor element 12a is further located in the detection range 12b of the proximity sensor 12, and the door 6 is at an angle of about 5-20° or a first angular position α1 relative to the appliance body 2. In addition, the surrounding door seal 6a of the door 6 is no longer attached to the front frame of the housing body 2. Due to the detection of manual or remote control operation of the door 6, the door opening assistance module 30 is activated by the door controller 15 and the door 6 is placed in the extended position 34 or the gap-opened position 71, so that at least the attraction of the magnetic door seal 6a to the front frame of the appliance body 2 is interrupted. In the extended position 34, the actuator 31 of the door opening assistance module 30 continues to support or contact the inner side of the door 6. The door controller 15 monitors whether the actuator 31 has a further forward stroke by means of the monitoring unit 35, for example by measuring the current of the electric motor winding, so as to fully lift the door 6 and then return the door opening assistance module to the retracted position 32. In this case, the actuator controller 15b constitutes the door controller 15. Furthermore, the door controller 15 in the gap opening position 71 can also evaluate whether the door 6 is fully raised by means of the proximity sensor 12. As soon as the sensor element 12a leaves the detection range 12b of the proximity sensor 12, the actuator 31 of the door opening assistance module 30 is placed in the retracted position 32. In this case, the device controller 15a constitutes the door controller 15.

[0072] If the user does not lift the door 6, the door controller 15 automatically places the actuator 31 in the retracted position 31 after a set period of time (e.g. 3 seconds) and moves the door 6 back to the closed position 70 via the door closer 40. The action of the door closer 40 is limited to a specific door angle position, preferably not exceeding 30°, preferably 20° relative to the device body. The action of the door closer 40 is preferably greater than the first angle position α1 of the door 6 in the gap open position 71 relative to the device body 2.

[0073] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 Schematic diagram of household appliance 1 shown, wherein door 6 is in open position 72. In open position 72, door 6 has a second angular position α2 relative to appliance body 2, which is greater than first angular position α1. In open position 72 of door 6, sensor element 12a is outside detection range 12b of proximity sensor 12, so actuator 31 of door opening assistance module 30 moves back from extended position 34 to retracted position 32. In retracted position 32, actuator 31 can be fully retracted. Once sensor element 12a returns to detection range 12b of proximity sensor 12, actuator 31 moves back according to Figure 2 The embodiment shown moves to the initial position 33 in contact with the inner side of the door 6. In this case, the approach to the initial position 33 and the support of the actuator 31 on the inner side of the door 6 are preferably carried out in a time-delayed manner so that the vibrations of the door 6 can initially stabilize during the closing process.

[0074] All features explained and shown in the individual embodiments of the invention can be arranged in different combinations in the subject matter of the invention in order to achieve their advantageous effects simultaneously.

[0075] List of reference numerals:

[0076] 1Household equipment

[0077] 2 Equipment body

[0078] 3External shell

[0079] 4 inner containers

[0080] 5. Internal Space

[0081] 6 doors

[0082] 6a Door seal

[0083] 6b door hinge

[0084] 7 Shelves

[0085] 8 drawers

[0086] 9 Door baffle

[0087] 10 Cooling circuit controller

[0088] 11Cooling circuit

[0089] 12 Proximity Sensor

[0090] 12a Sensing element

[0091] 12b Detection Area

[0092] 13 Entrance

[0093] 15 Door Controller

[0094] 15a Device Controller

[0095] 15b Actuator controller

[0096] 17 External communication interface

[0097] 18 Internal communication interface

[0098] 20 lighting fixtures

[0099] 30 Door opening auxiliary module

[0100] 31 Executive Agency

[0101] 32 Retracted position

[0102] 33 Initial position

[0103] 34 Extended position

[0104] 35 Monitoring Unit

[0105] 40 Mechanical door closers

[0106] 60 External Instances

[0107] 70 Closed position

[0108] 71 Gap open position

[0109] 72 Open Position

[0110] α0 Zero angle position

[0111] α1 First angle position

[0112] α2 second angular position.

Claims

1. A household device (1), comprising: - an apparatus body (2) having an outer casing (3) and an inner container (5) which is arranged in the outer casing and defines an inner space (4) whose inlet (13) can be closed by means of at least one door (6); - a door opening assistance module (30) having an actuator (31) for automatically lifting the door (6) from the device body (2), wherein the door opening assistance module (30) can be activated by a door controller (15) when the door (6) is manually operated and / or remotely operated via an external communication interface (16), characterized in that: - the door controller (15) is configured to place the door (6) in a gap-opening position (71) and to maintain the door (6) in the gap-opening position (71) for at least a certain period of time via the door-opening assistance module (30) when the door-opening assistance module (30) is activated.

2. The household appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that A proximity sensor (12) is provided for detecting a sensor element (12a) in the door (6) or in the device body (2), in particular for detecting a closed position (70) of the door (6), wherein the sensor element (12a) is also located in a detection range (12b) of the proximity sensor (12) in a gap open position (71) of the door (6).

3. The household appliance (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The door controller (15) is configured to automatically reset the door opening assistance module (30), in particular the actuator (31), to a retracted position (32) after a fixed hold-open time or after the sensor element (12a) leaves the detection range (12b) of the proximity sensor (12).

4. The household appliance (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that The door controller (15) is configured to place the door opening assistance module (30), in particular the actuator (31), in a time-delayed manner in an initial position (33) after the sensor element (12a) returns to the detection range (12b) of the proximity sensor (12), in which the door opening assistance module (30), in particular the actuator (31), is supported on the door (6) which is again in the closed position (70).

5. The household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The door controller (15) is composed of a device controller (15a) for controlling the process of the household appliance (1), which device controller is preferably arranged on a printed circuit board outside the door opening assistance module (30) in the household appliance (1), wherein the door opening assistance module (30) can be independently activated by the device controller (15a) in the case of remote control activation via the external communication interface (16).

6. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A monitoring unit (35) is provided for detecting manual operation of the door (6), in particular pulling or pushing the door (6), wherein the monitoring unit (35) is provided for triggering activation of the door opening assistance module (30), in particular for placing the actuator (31) from an initial position (33) into an extended position (34).

7. The household appliance (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The monitoring unit (35) is configured to monitor an internal pressure curve in the interior space (5) in the closed position (70) of the door (6), or the monitoring unit (35) is configured to monitor a forward stroke or a backward stroke of the actuator (31) when the door (6) is operated.

8. The household appliance (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that The door controller (15) is configured to place the door (6) in the gap opening position (71) with the aid of the door opening assistance module (30) when the monitoring unit (35) detects a certain internal pressure curve or a certain forward stroke or backward stroke of the actuator (31).

9. The household appliance (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that The door controller (15) is configured to reset the door opening assistance module (30) to a retracted position (32) when a further determined forward stroke of the actuator (31) for fully lifting the door (6) is detected in the gap open position of the door (6), or to reset the actuator (31) to the retracted position (32) after a fixed hold open time.

10. The household appliance (1) according to one of claims 5 and 9, characterized in that The door controller (15) is composed of an actuator controller (15b) for controlling the process of the door opening assistance module (30), and the actuator controller is particularly arranged on a printed circuit board in the electric door opening assistance module (30), wherein the door opening assistance module (30) can be independently activated by the actuator controller (15b) when the door (6) is manually operated.

11. The household appliance (1) according to claims 6 and 10, characterized in that The plant controller (15a) and the actuator controller (15b) are connected in a communication manner via an internal communication interface (18), wherein in particular the internal communication interface (18) is a bus interface.

12. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The door controller (15) is configured to switch on a compartment light (20) of the interior space (4) independently of the proximity sensor (12) when remotely activated via the external communication interface (60) or a monitoring unit (35).

13. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A door closer (40) is provided, by which the door (6) can be automatically reset to a closed position after the door opening assistance module (30) is reset, in particular after the actuator (31) is moved from an extended position (34) to a retracted position (32).

14. A method for a household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, the household appliance having an appliance body (2), the appliance body having an outer shell (3) and an inner container (5), the inner container being arranged in the outer shell (3) and defining an inner space (4), the entrance (13) of the inner space being closable by means of at least one door (6), the method comprising the following steps: - detecting the closed position (70) of the door (6) by means of a proximity sensor (12); - detecting manual or remote control operation of the door (6) by means of a door controller (15); - upon detecting manual or remote control operation of the door (6), the door (6) is automatically lifted from the device body (2) by a door opening assistance module (30) having an actuator (31), wherein the door opening assistance module (30) is activated by a door controller (15); and - Placing the door (6) in a gap-opening position (71), in which the sensor element (12a) in the door (6) or in the device body (2) continues to be detected by the proximity sensor (12).

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that After a fixed hold-open time or after the sensor element (12a) leaves the detection range (12b) of the proximity sensor (12), the door opening assistance module (30), in particular the actuator (31), is automatically reset.

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