Household appliance

Abstract

The present application provides a household appliance (1), in particular a refrigerator, comprising: a door frame (11); a door (12) pivotally mounted relative to the door frame; and an electronic lock (13). The electronic lock includes: a bolt (131) provided on one of the door frame and the door; the locking device is arranged on the other one of the door frame and the door, the locking device can be matched with the bolt to lock the door relative to the door frame, the locking device comprises a rotary locking structure (1321) and an electric driving unit (1322), the rotary locking structure (1321) can be locked with the bolt in a releasable mode through rotation, and the electric driving unit (1322) is used for driving the rotary locking structure to rotate. And the locking device is configured to be capable of driving the rotary locking structure to rotate through the electric driving unit in the door closing process so as to ensure that the locking state of the door bolt is reliably locked. According to some embodiments, a pure mechanical action door closing mode, an automatic auxiliary door closing mode, an automatic door opening mode and a power-off manual door opening mode can be achieved, user operation is facilitated, and the quality of household appliances is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliances, and more specifically to a household appliance with an electronic lock, such as a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With societal development, household appliances, such as refrigerators, have become commonplace in ordinary households. These appliances typically have pivot doors that can be opened, and these doors may need to be locked to the door frame.

[0003] In particular, refrigerators are gradually developing towards intelligence, large capacity, multiple doors, and multi-temperature storage compartments. Multi-door refrigerators often use a door-within-a-door structure, which allows users to selectively open the appropriate doors as needed, making refrigerator operation more convenient and reducing unnecessary cold air leakage and moisture exchange with the outside environment.

[0004] Currently, door-within-a-door structures typically use mechanical locks with unassisted manual push-pull mechanisms, requiring significant force to open and close, which is inconvenient for users. Although some door-within-a-door structures employ electronic locks, current electronic locks are complex in structure, have low operational reliability, and some are too large to be properly installed on the inner door of the door-within-a-door structure, thus limiting the design flexibility of the inner door.

[0005] Furthermore, a power outage when an electronic lock is locked may make it difficult to open the door, usually requiring tools, which is cumbersome and typically only allows for single-use unlocking, which is a significant disadvantage.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for continued improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome one of the above-mentioned disadvantages and / or other possible disadvantages in the prior art not mentioned herein, the purpose of this application is to provide an improved household appliance.

[0008] According to one aspect of this application, a household appliance is provided, comprising: a door frame; a door pivotally mounted relative to the door frame; and an electronic lock. The electronic lock includes: a bolt disposed on one of the door frame and the door; and a locking device disposed on the other of the door frame and the door, the locking device being capable of engaging the bolt to lock the door relative to the door frame, wherein the locking device includes a rotary locking structure releasably engaging the bolt by rotation and an electric drive unit for rotating the rotary locking structure, and the locking device is configured to ensure a reliably locked bolt state by driving the rotary locking structure to rotate via the electric drive unit during door closing.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the bolt is disposed on the door, and the locking device is disposed on the door frame.

[0010] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the electric drive unit is a rotary drive unit, particularly an electric motor.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the electronic lock has at least the following four operating modes:

[0012] Purely mechanical closing mode: The closing action is sufficient to move the rotary locking structure to a position that can reliably lock the bolt, and the electric drive unit is not in operation;

[0013] Automatic assisted closing mode: The closing action is insufficient to move the rotary locking structure to a position where the bolt can be reliably locked, but the electric drive unit can be activated to provide an auxiliary action to achieve the locking state;

[0014] Automatic door opening mode: An electrical trigger signal causes the rotary locking structure to rotate in the opposite direction, releasing the locking state; and

[0015] Manual door opening mode after power failure: The locked state is mechanically released by manual operation.

[0016] According to an optional embodiment of this application, in the power-off manual door opening mode, the locked state can be released by pressing the door.

[0017] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes a position detection unit for detecting whether the bolt is in a lockable position relative to the rotary locking structure that allows it to be captured and locked by the rotary locking structure. If the bolt is detected to be in the lockable position, the unit allows the electric drive unit to drive the rotary locking structure to achieve the locking state.

[0018] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes at least a first control switch, which is capable of controlling the start-up of the electric drive unit.

[0019] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the first control switch is a micro switch.

[0020] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the position detection unit can activate the electric drive unit via the first control switch when it detects that the bolt is in the lockable position.

[0021] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the position detection unit is mechanically coupled to the first control switch.

[0022] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the position detection unit is configured to detect and transmit motion information indicating the lockable position to the first control switch in a mechanical manner.

[0023] According to an optional embodiment of this application, when the bolt is detected to be in the lockable position, the electric drive unit is automatically controlled to drive the rotary locking structure to achieve the locking state when a predetermined condition is met.

[0024] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the predetermined conditions include:

[0025] The bolt has remained in the lockable position for a predetermined period of time; and / or

[0026] The bolt moves again toward the rotary locking structure; and / or

[0027] The movement of the bolt toward the rotary locking structure is sufficient to trigger the first control switch to start the electric drive unit.

[0028] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the electronic lock further includes an electrically controlled control element for electrically releasing the locked state.

[0029] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the electronic lock further includes a manual control element, such as a push rod, that allows the locking state to be manually released.

[0030] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes a locking state holding mechanism for maintaining the locked state.

[0031] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes a first reset element, such as a torsion spring, for rotating the rotary locking structure to a new position.

[0032] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes a transmission mechanism disposed between the electric drive unit and the rotary locking structure.

[0033] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes an operating structure for mechanically coupling with the locking state maintenance mechanism, preferably, the operating structure is formed as part of the position detection unit.

[0034] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the electronically controlled control element is disposed on the door.

[0035] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the electronically controlled control element is configured to allow the rotary locking structure to be unlocked by manipulating at least one of the electric drive unit, the locking state holding mechanism, the operating structure, and the transmission mechanism.

[0036] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the manual control element is configured to allow the rotary locking structure to be unlocked by manipulating at least one of the electric drive unit, the locking state holding mechanism, the operating structure, and the transmission mechanism.

[0037] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the locking state holding mechanism is configured to allow the electric drive unit to be de-energized and stop operating in the locked state.

[0038] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the electronic lock is configured to allow the rotary locking structure to be unlocked by pressing the door while the door is locked, thereby actuating at least one of the rotary locking structure, the electric drive unit, the lock-holding mechanism, the operating structure, and the transmission mechanism.

[0039] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the manual control element is configured to act on at least one of the operating structure and the electric drive unit.

[0040] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the transmission mechanism is configured to press directly against the rotary locking structure and control the rotary locking structure to rotate and swing back and forth through reciprocating motion.

[0041] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking state holding mechanism can maintain the locking state by mechanically locking the transmission mechanism.

[0042] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking state holding mechanism includes a slider mechanism that moves along a first direction.

[0043] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the manual control element includes a second reset element.

[0044] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the slider mechanism is mechanically coupled to the operating structure, and at least the movement of the slider mechanism can be controlled by the movement of the operating structure to release or lock the transmission mechanism.

[0045] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the operating structure moves along a second direction that is transverse to the first direction and preferably perpendicular to the first direction.

[0046] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the transmission mechanism acts on the rotation locking structure in a third direction that is transverse to the first direction and preferably perpendicular to the first direction.

[0047] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the first rotation axis of the electric drive unit is transverse to, and preferably perpendicular to, the second rotation axis of the rotation locking structure, or the electric drive unit is arranged coaxially with the rotation locking structure.

[0048] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the manual control element is configured to translate along a fourth direction.

[0049] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the slider mechanism includes a slider and a first elastic element for tending the slider toward the transmission mechanism, the slider including a guide portion, such as a guide pin, slidably embedded in a corresponding guide groove of the operating structure.

[0050] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the second direction is parallel to the third direction and / or the first rotation axis.

[0051] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the second direction and / or the third direction are perpendicular to the second rotation axis and / or the fourth direction.

[0052] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the transmission mechanism includes a cam mechanism, which includes a cam structure mounted on the electric drive unit and a motion structure that can be driven by the cam structure to act on the rotary locking structure.

[0053] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the operating structure is arranged beside the transmission mechanism.

[0054] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the first control switch is arranged beside the electric drive unit.

[0055] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the locking device further includes a second control switch for controlling the stop of the electric drive unit, particularly ensuring that the electric drive unit stops operating when the locked state is reached.

[0056] According to an optional embodiment of this application, a second elastic element is provided between the cam structure and the motion structure.

[0057] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the motion structure is configured for translational motion.

[0058] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the manual control element is simultaneously coupled to the cam structure and the operating structure.

[0059] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the cam structure is coupled to the action of the operating structure.

[0060] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, the second elastic element is configured such that, in the open state, the first reset element enables the rotary locking structure to push the motion structure toward the cam structure to its furthest position.

[0061] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the household appliance has a door-in-door structure, the door-in-door structure including an inner door body as the door frame and an outer door body as the door, and the electronic lock is used to lock the outer door body relative to the inner door body.

[0062] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the household appliance is a multi-door refrigerator.

[0063] According to certain embodiments of this application, a purely mechanical door closing mode, an automatic assisted door closing mode, an automatic door opening mode, and a power-off manual door opening mode can be realized, which is convenient for users to operate, improves the quality of home appliances, and has a compact and simple structure. Attached Figure Description

[0064] The principles, features, and advantages of this application will be better understood below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings include:

[0065] Figure 1 A partial view of a household appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown, taking a multi-door refrigerator as an example.

[0066] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a locking device for an electronic lock according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0067] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial technical effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following will provide a more detailed description of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this application and not for limiting the scope of protection of this application. Various embodiments may share the same view or multiple views for description, but not all features appearing in the same view should be interpreted as features that an embodiment must possess. Instead, they can be combined in any suitable manner as long as they are not technically mutually exclusive. Moreover, for the sake of brevity, different embodiments of different aspects may be presented in the same specific design; however, such presentation does not mean that embodiments of these aspects should appear together. The disassembly and / or combination of all possible embodiments and / or technical features should also consider the description in the specification and what a person skilled in the art can directly and unambiguously determine based on the description in the specification. Furthermore, although this application may not provide specific structures for some embodiments, a person skilled in the art can fully implement these structures without creative steps under the teachings of this application. For example, although a cam mechanism may not be specifically shown in the figures, a cam mechanism is known to a person skilled in the art. Therefore, in this sense, the level of disclosure of this application is appropriate and sufficient.

[0068] Figure 1 A partial view of a household appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown, taking a multi-door refrigerator as an example.

[0069] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a locking device for an electronic lock according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown.

[0070] First, according to one aspect of this application, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a household appliance 1 is provided, comprising: a door frame 11; a door 12 pivotally mounted relative to the door frame 11; and an electronic lock 13. The electronic lock 13 includes: a bolt 131 disposed on one of the door frame 11 and the door 12; and a locking device 132 disposed on the other of the door frame 11 and the door 12, the locking device 132 being capable of engaging with the bolt 131 to lock the door 12 relative to the door frame 11. The locking device 132 includes a rotary locking structure 1321 releasably latching to the bolt 131 by rotation, and an electric drive unit 1322 for rotating the rotary locking structure 1321. The locking device 132 is configured to ensure a reliable locking state of the bolt 131 by driving the rotary locking structure 1321 to rotate via the electric drive unit 1322 during door closing.

[0071] It should be noted that the statement "the locking device 132 is configured to drive the rotary locking structure 1321 to rotate via the electric drive unit 1322 during the closing process to ensure a reliable locking state of the bolt 131" means that the electric drive unit 1322 can at least assist in closing the door when necessary, rather than that the electric drive unit 1322 must be activated under any closing operation.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, a bolt 131 is disposed on the door 12, and a locking device 132 is disposed on the door frame 11. This is advantageous because the locking device 132 is relatively large, and there is relatively ample space on the door frame 11.

[0073] As an example, the electric drive unit 1322 is a rotary drive unit, particularly an electric motor. Such electric drive units are common and relatively easy to control.

[0074] In principle, the electric drive unit 1322 can not only drive the rotary locking structure 1321 to help lock the door, but also drive it in reverse, for example, to help open the door.

[0075] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the electronic lock 13 has at least the following four operating modes:

[0076] 1) Pure mechanical closing mode: The closing action is sufficient to move the rotary locking structure 1321 to a position that can reliably lock the bolt 131, and the electric drive unit 1322 may not be working;

[0077] 2) Automatic assisted closing mode: The closing action is not sufficient to move the rotary locking structure 1321 to a position that can reliably lock the bolt 131, but the electric drive unit 1322 can be activated to provide an auxiliary action to achieve the locking state;

[0078] 3) Automatic door opening mode: An electrical trigger signal causes the rotary locking structure 1321 to rotate in the opposite direction to release the lock; and

[0079] 4) Manual door opening mode during power failure: The locked state is mechanically released through manual operation.

[0080] Furthermore, in the manual door opening mode during power failure, the locked state can be released by pressing door 12.

[0081] Below, by combining Figure 2 A description can help to better understand these different working modes.

[0082] To achieve an automatic assisted door closing mode, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking device 132 further includes a position detection unit 1323 for detecting whether the bolt 131 is in a lockable position relative to the rotary locking structure 1321, allowing it to be captured and locked by the rotary locking structure 1321. If the bolt 131 is detected to be in a lockable position, the unit allows the electric drive unit 1322 to drive the rotary locking structure 1321 to achieve a locked state. This corresponds to a situation where the closing force is insufficient, but the bolt 131 is already in a position where the rotary locking structure 1321 can hook it.

[0083] The position detection unit 1323 can be mechanical; for example, the contact of the bolt 131 with the rotary locking structure 1321 will produce a mechanical action, which can be used to activate the electric drive unit 1322. Alternatively, the position detection unit 1323 can be electronic, for example, detecting whether the bolt 131 is hooked within the rotary locking structure 1321. Regardless of the method used, as long as this situation can be detected, the electric drive unit 1322 can be used to drive the rotary locking structure 1321 to achieve an automatic assisted closing mode.

[0084] Therefore, such as Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking device 132 may further include at least a first control switch 1324, which is capable of controlling the activation of the electric drive unit 1322. For example, when the position detection unit 1323 is mechanical, it can transmit the contact action of the bolt 131 with the rotary locking structure 1321 to the first control switch 1324.

[0085] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the first control switch 1324 is a micro switch. In this case, even a slight touch of the bolt 131 on the rotary locking structure 1321 can activate the micro switch to start the electric drive unit 1322. Preferably, the position detection unit 1323 is mechanically coupled to the first control switch 1324. It should be noted that "mechanical coupling" refers to coupling in action, not that the two components must actually be connected. To enable the position detection unit 1323 to reset and prepare for the next detection operation, a corresponding reset element (not shown) can be provided for the position detection unit 1323.

[0086] To improve reliability, predetermined conditions can be set to determine whether an automatic assisted door closing mode is truly necessary. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, when the door bolt 131 is detected to be in a lockable position, the electric drive unit 1322 is automatically controlled to drive the rotary locking structure 1321 to achieve a locked state when the predetermined conditions are met.

[0087] As an example, the predetermined conditions include: 1) the bolt 131 remains in the lockable position for a predetermined time; and / or, 2) the bolt 131 moves toward the rotary locking structure 1321 again; and / or, 3) the movement of the bolt 131 toward the rotary locking structure 1321 is sufficient to trigger the first control switch 1324 to start the electric drive unit 1322.

[0088] In the first scenario, the fact that "the bolt 131 has remained in the lockable position for a predetermined time" likely indicates that the user intends to close the door. In this case, the automatic assisted closing mode can prevent the door from being accidentally forgotten to be closed. The second scenario also likely indicates that the user intends to close the door, which may correspond to situations where children or other individuals with limited strength lack the power to perform a purely mechanical closing action. In the third scenario, the movement of the bolt 131 towards the rotary locking structure 1321 is sufficient to trigger the first control switch 1324, thereby directly activating the electric drive unit 1322 for assisted closing.

[0089] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, such as Figure 2 As shown, the electronic lock 13 also includes an electronic control element 133 for electrically unlocking the lock. The user can use the electronic control element 133 to automatically open the door.

[0090] For ease of user operation, the electronic control element 133 can be mounted on the door 12. The electronic control element 133 can be a touch element. As an example, in... Figure 2 In the diagram, the electronic control element 133 is schematically connected to the electric drive unit 1322 via a dashed line. At this time, the electronic control element 133 can directly control the electric drive unit 1322 via a wire connection. However, theoretically, the electronic control element 133 can also disrupt any link in the locking chain that locks the rotary locking structure 1321. Disruption of any locking link may break the locking state.

[0091] Corresponding to the manual door opening mode during power outage, such as Figure 2 As shown, the electronic lock 13 may also include a manual control element 134, such as a push rod, that allows the lock to be manually released. Similarly, the manual control element 134 may, in principle, also disrupt any link in the locking chain that enables the rotational locking structure 1321 to be locked.

[0092] If the manual control element 134 is positioned so that it can be activated by pressing the door 12 while the device is locked, the device can be unlocked by pressing the door. This is very advantageous and makes operation convenient for the user.

[0093] Theoretically, the door can be kept locked using the electric drive unit 1322. However, this would lead to two problems: firstly, the electric drive unit 1322 might not be ready for subsequent opening; secondly, it might negatively impact the electric drive unit 1322 itself, keeping it constantly in a "tense" state. Therefore, as... Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking device 132 further includes a lock state holding mechanism 1325 for maintaining the locked state. In particular, this maintenance of the locked state is purely mechanical and requires no electrical assistance. In this case, the electric drive unit 1322 can be in a "resting" state in the locked state. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the lock state holding mechanism 1325 is configured to allow the electric drive unit 1322 to be de-energized and cease operation in the locked state.

[0094] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking device 132 further includes a first reset element (not shown), such as a torsion spring, for rotating and resetting the rotary locking structure 1321.

[0095] In order to transmit the action of the electric drive unit 1322 to the rotary locking structure 1321 in a suitable manner and to achieve more functions and / or working modes in conjunction with other components, the locking device 132 may also include a transmission mechanism 1326 disposed between the electric drive unit 1322 and the rotary locking structure 1321.

[0096] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking device 132 further includes an operating structure 1323-1 for mechanical coupling with the locking state holding mechanism 1325.

[0097] Preferably, the operating structure 1323-1 is formed as part of the position detection unit 1323, for example, as part of its entirety. This is especially true when the position detection unit 1323 is mechanical. In this case, the position detection unit 1323 can not only transmit the action to the first control switch 1324, but also cooperate with the locking state holding mechanism 1325 to achieve locking and unlocking.

[0098] like Figure 2As shown, the electronic control element 133 is configured to allow the rotary locking structure 1321 to be unlocked by manipulating the electric drive unit 1322. For example, the electric drive unit 1322 can be initiated to rotate under the control of the electronic control element 133, thereby applying an action to the operating structure 1323-1 (more generally, the position detection unit 1323), which can release the locking state holding mechanism 1325 from locking the transmission mechanism 1326. However, as mentioned above, in principle, the electronic control element 133 can also control other links in the locking chain to unlock. For example, the electronic control element 133 can also be configured to allow the rotary locking structure 1321 to be unlocked by manipulating at least one of the locking state holding mechanism 1325, the operating structure 1323-1, and the transmission mechanism 1326.

[0099] The locking of the rotary locking structure 1321 can be released by manipulating the locking state holding mechanism 1325, and as Figure 2 As shown, the locking state holding mechanism 1325 is coupled to the operating structure 1323-1, so in principle, the operating structure 1323-1 can also be operated, for example, as described above, through the electric drive unit 1322. Additionally, the transmission mechanism 1326, as a component that transmits motion to the rotary locking structure 1321, especially acting directly on the rotary locking structure 1321, can also be controlled by the electronic control element 133 to achieve unlocking. However, when these components are the objects of control, corresponding electronic actuators can be provided for them.

[0100] Similarly, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the manual control element 134 is configured to allow the rotary locking structure 1321 to be unlocked by manipulating at least one of the electric drive unit 1322, the locking state holding mechanism 1325, the operating structure 1323-1, and the transmission mechanism 1326.

[0101] Similarly, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the electronic lock 13 is configured to allow the rotary locking structure 1321 to be unlocked by pressing the door 12, thereby actuating at least one of the rotary locking structure 1321, the electric drive unit 1322, the lock-holding mechanism 1325, the operating structure 1323-1, and the transmission mechanism 1326 when the door 12 is locked. In this case, it is sufficient to transmit the pressing action of pressing the door 12 to these components. For example, as described above, the manual control element 134 can serve as the component that transmits the action to these components.

[0102] like Figure 2As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the manual control element 134 is configured to act on at least one of the operating structure 1323-1 and the electric drive unit 1322. In particular, it can act on both simultaneously. In this case, by acting on the electric drive unit 1322, it can be ensured from the outset that the electric drive unit 1322 is not in a state that prevents the rotary locking structure 1321 from being unlocked, while acting on the operating structure 1323-1 can release the locking state holding mechanism 1325 coupled to the operating structure 1323-1 from locking the rotary locking structure 1321.

[0103] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the transmission mechanism 1326 is configured to directly press against the rotary locking structure 1321 and control the rotary locking structure 1321 to rotate and swing back and forth through reciprocating motion. "Directly pressing" means that the transmission mechanism 1326 directly presses against the rotary locking structure 1321 without being connected to it. Due to the function of the first reset element and / or other components of the rotary locking structure 1321, the transmission mechanism 1326 and the rotary locking structure 1321 can maintain contact and interact reliably.

[0104] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking state holding mechanism 1325 can maintain a locked state by mechanically locking the transmission mechanism 1326. For example, the locking state holding mechanism 1325 can move toward the transmission mechanism 1326 and engage with the transmission mechanism 1326 to support the transmission mechanism 1326 in pressing the rotary locking structure 1321 to maintain the locked state.

[0105] As an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the locking state holding mechanism 1325 includes a slider mechanism that moves along a first direction A, and is particularly implemented as the slider mechanism.

[0106] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the manual control element 134 includes a second reset element (not shown) to ensure that the electronic lock 13 can still be powered on and used normally after manual unlocking.

[0107] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the slider mechanism is mechanically coupled to the operating structure 1323-1, and the movement of the slider mechanism can be controlled by the movement of the operating structure 1323-1 to release or lock the transmission mechanism 1326.

[0108] As a more specific exemplary embodiment, the slider mechanism includes a slider and a first elastic element, such as a spring, for tending the slider toward the transmission mechanism 1326. The slider includes a guide portion, such as a guide pin, slidably embedded in a corresponding guide groove of the operating structure 1323-1. Thus, the movement of the operating structure 1323-1 (e.g., Figure 2 The horizontal movement in the middle can control the movement of the slider toward the transmission mechanism 1326.

[0109] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the operating structure 1323-1 moves along a second direction B that is transverse to the first direction A and preferably perpendicular to the first direction A.

[0110] Also Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the transmission mechanism 1326 acts on the rotation locking structure 1321 along a third direction C that is transverse to the first direction A and preferably perpendicular to the first direction A.

[0111] Furthermore, the first rotation axis D of the electric drive unit 1322 is transverse to, and preferably perpendicular to, the second rotation axis E of the rotation locking structure 1321.

[0112] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the manual control element 134 is configured to translate along the fourth direction F.

[0113] Furthermore, the second direction B is parallel to the third direction C and / or the first rotation axis D.

[0114] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the second direction B and / or the third direction C are perpendicular to the second rotation axis E and / or the fourth direction F.

[0115] It should be pointed out here that, although in Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the electric drive unit 1322 is arranged away from the rotary locking structure 1321 and is neither coaxial nor parallel. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, in principle, the electric drive unit 1322 can also be arranged coaxially or parallel to the rotary locking structure 1321. In this case, the transmission mechanism and the like can be adjusted accordingly.

[0116] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the transmission mechanism 1326 includes a cam mechanism or is implemented as a cam mechanism, the cam mechanism including a cam structure mounted on the electric drive unit 1322 and a motion structure that can be driven by the cam structure to act on the rotary locking structure 1321.

[0117] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, a second elastic element (not shown) is provided between the cam structure and the motion structure.

[0118] In this configuration, the second elastic element is set such that, in the open state, the first reset element enables the rotary locking structure 1321 to push the moving structure towards the cam structure to its furthest position. In this position, the moving structure is furthest from the rotary locking structure 1321, allowing the rotary locking structure 1321 to fully release, preparing for the subsequent closing action.

[0119] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the motion structure is configured for translational motion.

[0120] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the cam structure is coupled to the operating structure 1323-1. Thus, the cam structure can also control the operating structure 1323-1, and consequently control the state of the locking state holding mechanism 1325. Clearly, the movement of the cam structure needs to be coordinated with the state of the locking state holding mechanism 1325, at least in certain circumstances.

[0121] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the operating structure 1323-1 is arranged beside the transmission mechanism 1326.

[0122] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, a first control switch 1324 is arranged beside the electric drive unit 1322.

[0123] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the manual control element 134 is simultaneously coupled to the cam structure and the operating structure 1323-1.

[0124] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the locking device 132 further includes a second control switch 1327, which is used to control the stopping of the electric drive unit 1322, particularly to ensure that the electric drive unit 1322 stops operating when a locked state is reached. For example, after the first control switch 1327 initiates the rotation of the electric drive unit 1322 by a certain angle, the rotation locking structure 1321 has been locked, and then the electric drive unit 1322 can be stopped by the second control switch 1327.

[0125] Below, in conjunction with Figure 2 Describing several operating modes or states can help to better understand the various implementations given above.

[0126] In the purely mechanical closing mode, the closing action allows the bolt 131 to overcome the force of the first reset element and push the rotary locking structure 1321 into the locked state. At this time, the rotary locking structure 1321 will allow the moving structure to move toward or follow the rotary locking structure 1321, for example, under the action of the second reset element. The locking state holding mechanism 1325 will move toward the moving structure, for example, under the action of its first elastic element (as an example, it can also briefly drive the operating structure 1323-1 toward the cam structure), thereby engaging with the corresponding structure on the moving structure and supporting the moving structure, thus achieving locking. During this process, the electric drive unit 1322 does not need to be started, or may not have time to be started, or may only be started for a very short time.

[0127] If the door closing action is incomplete, i.e., in the automatic assisted closing mode, the pushing action of the bolt 131 on the rotary locking structure 1321 causes the position detection unit 1323 (more specifically, the operating structure 1323-1) to move (minorly) towards the first control switch 1324, thus activating the electric drive unit 1322. The electric drive unit 1322, through a cam mechanism, further shifts the moving structure towards the rotary locking structure 1321. After the electric drive unit 1322 rotates a certain angle, it finally reliably achieves locking. The electric drive unit 1322 then stops operating under the action of the second control switch 1327.

[0128] After full locking, one scenario is that even if the locking mechanism 1325 has supported or is able to support the moving structure, the rotational position of the electric drive unit 1322 causes the cam structure to still assist in supporting or merely contact the moving structure to maintain this state. Another possibility is that the electric drive unit 1322 rotates to the point where the cam structure loses its support for the moving structure, so that during unlocking, the moving structure can be quickly pushed to its furthest position by the rotational locking structure 1321 towards the cam structure to achieve unlocking. For the former, unlocking may require the electric drive unit 1322 to rotate another angle (usually very small) to cause the cam structure to lose its support for the moving structure.

[0129] In automatic door opening mode, the electric drive unit 1322 is activated to rotate via the electronic control element 133. The cam structure pushes the operating structure 1323-1, causing the locking mechanism 1325 to move away from the moving structure and release the lock on the moving structure. Even when the cam structure is still in contact with the moving structure in the locked state, this rotation of the electric drive unit 1322 causes the cam structure to lose support for the moving structure, or at least fail to provide support. Consequently, the rotating locking structure 1321, under the action of the first reset element, pushes the moving structure towards the cam structure to its furthest position, thus unlocking the door. At this point, the rotation of the electric drive unit 1322 is stopped by the second control switch 1327.

[0130] In the manual opening mode after power failure, pushing the manual control element 134 moves the operating structure 1323-1, thereby moving the locking mechanism 1325 away from the moving structure and releasing the lock on the moving structure. Of course, even when the cam structure is still in contact with the moving structure in the locked state, pushing the manual control element 134 will also cause the cam structure to rotate slightly, thus losing its support for the moving structure. The subsequent operation is similar to the automatic opening mode and will not be described further.

[0131] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the household appliance 1 has a door-in-door structure, which includes an inner door body as a door frame and an outer door body as a door. An electronic lock is used to lock the outer door body relative to the inner door body.

[0132] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this application, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The feature examples provided in this application are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, unless explicitly stated otherwise. In practice, multiple features can be combined with each other where technically feasible and according to actual needs. Various substitutions, modifications, and alterations are also conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

Claims

1. A household appliance (1), comprising: Door frame (11); A door (12) that is pivotally mounted relative to the door frame (11); and An electronic lock (13), the electronic lock (13) comprising: A bolt (131) is provided on one of the door frame (11) and the door (12); and A locking device (132) is provided on the other of the door frame (11) and the door (12), the locking device (132) being capable of cooperating with the door bolt (131) to lock the door (12) relative to the door frame (11). The locking device (132) includes a rotary locking structure (1321) that can be releasably locked to the bolt (131) by rotation and an electric drive unit (1322) for driving the rotary locking structure (1321) to rotate. The locking device (132) is configured to ensure a reliable locking state of the bolt (131) by driving the rotary locking structure (1321) to rotate via the electric drive unit (1322) during the closing process.

2. The household appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bolt (131) is disposed on the door (12), and the locking device (132) is disposed on the door frame (11); and / or The electric drive unit (1322) is a rotary drive unit, particularly an electric motor.

3. The household appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The electronic lock (13) has at least the following four operating modes: Purely mechanical closing mode: The closing action is sufficient to move the rotary locking structure (1321) to a position that can reliably lock the bolt (131), and the electric drive unit (1322) is not working; Automatic assisted closing mode: The closing action is not sufficient to move the rotary locking structure (1321) to a position that can reliably lock the bolt (131), but the electric drive unit (1322) can be activated to provide an auxiliary action to achieve the locking state; Automatic door opening mode: An electrical trigger signal causes the rotary locking structure (1321) to rotate in the opposite direction to release the locking state; and Manual door opening mode after power failure: The locked state is mechanically released by manual operation.

4. The household appliance (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, In the power-off manual door opening mode, the locked state can be released by pressing the door (12).

5. The household appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The locking device (132) further includes a position detection unit (1323) for detecting whether the bolt (131) is in a lockable position relative to the rotary locking structure (1321) that allows it to be captured and locked by the rotary locking structure (1321). If the bolt (131) is detected to be in the lockable position, the unit allows the electric drive unit (1322) to drive the rotary locking structure (1321) to achieve the locking state; and / or The locking device (132) further includes at least a first control switch (1324), which is capable of controlling the start of the electric drive unit (1322).

6. The household appliance (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first control switch (1324) is a micro switch; and / or When the position detection unit (1323) detects that the bolt (131) is in the lockable position, it can activate the electric drive unit (1322) via the first control switch (1324).

7. The household appliance (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The position detection unit (1323) can be mechanically coupled to the first control switch (1324); and / or The position detection unit (1323) is configured to detect and transmit motion information indicating the lockable position to the first control switch (1324) in a mechanical manner.

8. The household appliance (1) according to any one of claims 5-7, characterized in that, When the bolt (131) is detected to be in the lockable position, the electric drive unit (1322) is automatically controlled to drive the rotary locking structure (1321) to achieve the locking state when a predetermined condition is met.

9. The household appliance (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The predetermined conditions include: The bolt (131) has remained in the lockable position for a predetermined period of time; and / or The bolt (131) moves again toward the rotary locking structure (1321); and / or The movement of the bolt (131) toward the rotary locking structure (1321) is sufficient to trigger the first control switch (1324) to start the electric drive unit (1322).

10. The household appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The electronic lock (13) further includes an electronically controlled control element (133) for electrically releasing the locked state; and / or The electronic lock (13) also includes a manual control element (134), such as a push rod, that allows manual release of the locked state; and / or The locking device (132) further includes a locking state holding mechanism (1325) for maintaining the locked state; and / or The locking device (132) further includes a first reset element, such as a torsion spring, for rotating and resetting the rotary locking structure (1321); and / or The locking device (132) further includes a transmission mechanism (1326) disposed between the electric drive unit (1322) and the rotary locking structure (1321).

11. The household appliance (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The locking device (132) further includes an operating structure (1323-1) for mechanical coupling with the locking state holding mechanism (1325), preferably, the operating structure (1323-1) is formed as part of the position detection unit (1323).

12. The household appliance (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The electronically controlled control element (133) is disposed on the door (12); and / or The electronically controlled control element (133) is configured to allow the rotary locking structure (1321) to be unlocked by manipulating at least one of the electric drive unit (1322), the locking state holding mechanism (1325), the operating structure (1323-1), and the transmission mechanism (1326); and / or The manual control element (134) is configured to allow the rotary locking structure (1321) to be unlocked by manipulating at least one of the electric drive unit (1322), the locking state holding mechanism (1325), the operating structure (1323-1), and the transmission mechanism (1326); and / or The locking state holding mechanism (1325) is configured to allow the electric drive unit (1322) to be de-energized and stop operating in the locked state; and / or The electronic lock (13) is configured to allow the rotary locking structure (1321) to be unlocked by pressing the door (12) while the door (12) is locked, thereby actuating at least one of the rotary locking structure (1321), the electric drive unit (1322), the lock holding mechanism (1325), the operating structure (1323-1), and the transmission mechanism (1326); and / or The manual control element (134) is configured to operate on at least one of the operating structure (1323-1) and the electric drive unit (1322).

13. The household appliance (1) according to any one of claims 10-12, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism (1326) is configured to directly press against the rotary locking structure (1321) and control the rotary locking structure (1321) to rotate and swing back and forth through reciprocating motion; and / or The locking state holding mechanism (1325) can maintain the locking state by mechanically locking the transmission mechanism (1326); and / or The locking state holding mechanism (1325) includes a slider mechanism that moves along a first direction (A); and / or The manual control element (134) includes a second reset element.

14. The household appliance (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The slider mechanism is mechanically coupled to the operating structure (1323-1) and can at least control the movement of the slider mechanism through the movement of the operating structure (1323-1) to release or lock the transmission mechanism (1326); and / or The operating structure (1323-1) moves along a second direction (B) that is transverse to the first direction (A) and preferably perpendicular to the first direction (A); and / or The transmission mechanism (1326) acts on the rotary locking structure (1321) in a third direction (C) transverse to the first direction (A) and preferably perpendicular to the first direction (A); and / or The first rotation axis (D) of the electric drive unit (1322) is transverse to, and preferably perpendicular to, the second rotation axis (E) of the rotation locking structure (1321), or the electric drive unit (1322) and the rotation locking structure (1321) are arranged coaxially; and / or The manual control element (134) is configured to translate along the fourth direction (F).

15. The household appliance (1) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, The slider mechanism includes a slider and a first elastic element for tending the slider toward the transmission mechanism (1326). The slider includes a guide portion, such as a guide pin, slidably embedded in a corresponding guide groove of the operating structure (1323-1); and / or The second direction (B) is parallel to the third direction (C) and / or the first axis of rotation (D); and / or The second direction (B) and / or the third direction (C) are perpendicular to the second axis of rotation (E) and / or the fourth direction (F).

16. The household appliance (1) according to any one of claims 11-15, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism (1326) includes a cam mechanism, which comprises a cam structure mounted on the electric drive unit (1322) and a motion structure that can be driven by the cam structure to act on the rotary locking structure (1321); and / or The operating structure (1323-1) is arranged beside the transmission mechanism (1326); and / or The first control switch (1324) is arranged beside the electric drive unit (1322); and / or The locking device (132) further includes a second control switch (1327) for controlling the stopping of the electric drive unit (1322), and in particular ensuring that the electric drive unit (1322) stops working when the locked state is reached.

17. The household appliance (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that, A second elastic element is provided between the cam structure and the motion structure; and / or The motion structure is configured for translational motion; and / or The manual control element (134) is simultaneously coupled to the cam structure and the operating structure (1323-1); and / or The cam structure is coupled to the operating structure (1323-1).

18. The household appliance (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that, The second elastic element is configured such that, in the open state, the first reset element enables the rotary locking structure (1321) to push the motion structure toward the cam structure to its furthest position.

19. The household appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1-18, characterized in that, The household appliance (1) has a door-in-door structure, the door-in-door structure including an inner door body as the door frame and an outer door body as the door, the electronic lock being used to lock the outer door body relative to the inner door body; and / or The household appliance in question is a multi-door refrigerator.

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