Driving assembly for door body of household appliance and method for automatically opening and closing door body

Abstract

The invention provides a driving assembly for a door body of a household appliance, the driving assembly comprises a driving part, an output shaft and an intermediate transmission mechanism, the intermediate transmission mechanism is arranged between the driving part and the output shaft and is used for transmitting torque between the driving part and the output shaft, and the output shaft is driven by the intermediate transmission mechanism to rotate. The intermediate transmission mechanism can be switched between a first state and a second state, in the first state, the torque which can be transmitted to the output shaft by the intermediate transmission mechanism is smaller than or equal to a preset value, when the torque is larger than the preset value, transmission fails, and in the second state, transmission fails. And the intermediate transmission mechanism can always transmit torque between the driving part and the output shaft. The invention further relates to a method for controlling the automatic opening and closing of the door body of the household appliance. According to some embodiments of the invention, safe, reliable and automatic opening and closing of the door body of the household appliance can be realized by using components with fewer parts and a compact structure, and an additional door ejection mechanism is omitted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to a drive assembly for a door of a household appliance, an automatic door opening and closing device for a household appliance having such a drive assembly, a household appliance having such an automatic door opening and closing device, a method for controlling the automatic opening and closing of a door of a household appliance, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] As smart technology continues to expand into the home appliance sector, consumers are demanding higher and higher user experiences. Refrigerators typically have doors, and as refrigerators become larger and heavier, the door seals also require greater suction. Combined with the negative pressure created inside the refrigerator during cooling, these factors make opening the door difficult for users. Therefore, an increasing number of refrigerators are equipped with automatic door opening and closing functions.

[0003] Currently, there are various ways to achieve automatic opening and closing of refrigerator doors, and some manufacturers have added auxiliary functions to the market. However, problems still exist, such as difficulty in opening smoothly, inability to fully open or close, and the inability to freely switch between automatic and manual modes, which only serve an auxiliary function, resulting in a poor user experience. Because the refrigerator door is subjected to various forces when closed, including the magnetic force of the door seal, the spring force of the door closer, the clamping force of the flip beam, and the negative pressure generated by the low temperature inside the refrigerator, the door needs to overcome significant resistance in the initial opening stage. Therefore, most automatic door opening and closing solutions include a push-out device. This independent push-out mechanism first opens the refrigerator door at a small angle to overcome the initial resistance. As the resistance gradually decreases, the subsequent opening action is achieved using another auxiliary door rotation mechanism. However, this solution requires two mechanisms, two motors, and two gear transmission systems, increasing the size and cost of the device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of embodiments of this application is to provide an improved drive assembly for a door of a household appliance, an improved automatic door opening and closing device for a household appliance having such a drive assembly, an improved household appliance having such an automatic door opening and closing device, an improved method for controlling the automatic opening and closing of a door of a household appliance, and an improved computer program product, so as to at least partially improve or solve the defects in the prior art.

[0005] According to a first aspect of this application, embodiments of this application provide a drive assembly for a door of a household appliance, wherein the drive assembly includes:

[0006] - A drive unit, the drive unit being configured to generate drive torque;

[0007] - Output shaft, which is connected to the pivot shaft of the door body for driving the door body to pivot;

[0008] - An intermediate transmission mechanism, arranged between the drive unit and the output shaft, is used to transmit torque between the drive unit and the output shaft.

[0009] The intermediate transmission mechanism is capable of switching between a first state and a second state.

[0010] In the first state, the torque that the intermediate transmission mechanism can transmit to the output shaft is less than or equal to a preset value; if it exceeds the preset value, the transmission fails.

[0011] In the second state, the intermediate transmission mechanism is always able to transmit torque between the drive unit and the output shaft.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the preset value is less than the first torque at the instant the door body changes from closed to open and greater than the second torque required for the door body to rotate in the open state, wherein the first torque is greater than the second torque.

[0013] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the intermediate transmission mechanism includes a switching gear and two gears meshing with the switching gear. The two gears are located upstream and downstream of the switching gear, respectively, in the torque transmission direction from the drive unit to the output shaft.

[0014] The switching gear includes a first sub-gear and a second sub-gear arranged coaxially. A torque limiter is constructed between the first sub-gear and the second sub-gear. The rated torque of the torque limiter corresponds to the preset value. When the second sub-gear is subjected to a torque greater than the rated torque, the second sub-gear rotates relative to the first sub-gear.

[0015] The switching gear is movable between a first position and a second position, allowing the intermediate transmission mechanism to switch between the first state and the second state.

[0016] Wherein, the first sub-gear always meshes with one of the two gears, and

[0017] At the first position, only the second sub-gear meshes with the other of the two gears, while the first sub-gear does not mesh with the other gear.

[0018] At the second position, the first sub-gear also meshes with the other gear.

[0019] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the drive assembly includes an electromagnetic switching device for the switching gear, the electromagnetic switching device being operatively connected to the switching gear, wherein by energizing and de-energizing the electromagnetic switching device, the switching gear is switched between the first position and the second position.

[0020] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the drive unit includes a motor, particularly a DC motor, which is capable of driving the intermediate transmission mechanism via a worm gear mechanism with a driving torque greater than the preset value.

[0021] According to an alternative embodiment of this application, all gears in the torque flow between the drive unit and the output shaft, as well as the pivot shaft of the door, are arranged parallel to each other's axes.

[0022] According to a second aspect of this application, embodiments of this application provide an automatic door opening and closing device for household appliances, wherein the automatic door opening and closing device includes:

[0023] - The driving component according to the first aspect of this application;

[0024] -The door of the household appliance, wherein the pivot shaft of the door is connected to the output shaft of the drive assembly;

[0025] - Triggering unit, the triggering unit is configured to generate a door opening signal or a door closing signal;

[0026] - Angle detection unit, the angle detection unit being configured to detect the current door opening φ of the door. D ;

[0027] - A control unit, configured to respond to the door opening signal or the door closing signal and based on the current door opening degree φ of the door. D The drive assembly is controlled to drive the door to pivot.

[0028] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the control unit is configured to control the intermediate transmission mechanism to switch from a first state to a second state in response to the door opening signal.

[0029] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the control unit is configured to, during the door opening process, determine the current door opening degree φ of the door. D When the angle is greater than or equal to the first angle φ1, the intermediate transmission mechanism is controlled to switch from the second state to the first state.

[0030] According to a third aspect of this application, an embodiment of this application provides a household appliance having an automatic door opening and closing device according to a second aspect of this application.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect of this application, embodiments of this application provide a method for controlling the automatic opening and closing of a door in a household appliance, the method being implemented using an automatic door opening and closing device according to a second aspect of this application, wherein the method includes the step of responding to a door opening signal:

[0032] S11: Obtain the current door opening φ of the door. D ;

[0033] S12: Determine the door opening φ D Is the closing angle greater than φ0, especially 0°? If the result is "No", proceed to step S131:

[0034] The intermediate transmission mechanism is switched from the first state to the second state, and the door is driven to open until the first angle φ1, wherein the first angle φ1 is greater than the closing angle φ0.

[0035] According to an optional embodiment of this application, when the determination is "yes" in step S12, the process proceeds to step S132:

[0036] Determine the door opening φ D Is it less than the second angle φ2, where,

[0037] - When the determination is "yes", proceed to step S142: drive the door to open until the second angle φ2, and then proceed to step S15: end the method;

[0038] - If the result is "no", proceed to step S15.

[0039] Wherein, the second angle φ2 is greater than the first angle φ1.

[0040] According to an optional embodiment of this application, after step S131, step S141 is performed: the intermediate transmission mechanism is switched from the second state to the first state, and then step S142 is performed.

[0041] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the method further includes a step in response to a door closing signal:

[0042] S21: Obtain the current door opening φ of the door. D ;

[0043] S22: Determine the door opening φ D Is it greater than the closing angle φ0, especially 0°?

[0044] - When the determination is "yes", proceed to step S23: drive the door to close until the closing angle φ0, and then proceed to step S24: end the method;

[0045] - If the result is "no", proceed to step S24.

[0046] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the method further includes: when determining the door opening φ D If the closing angle φ0 is greater than the door closing angle and the preset duration is exceeded, step S23 is executed.

[0047] According to a fifth aspect of this application, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product, wherein the computer program product includes computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to a fourth aspect of this application.

[0048] According to certain embodiments of this application, the following advantages can be achieved: safe and reliable automatic opening and closing of household appliance doors can be realized with fewer components and a compact structure. The opening and rotation functions are provided simultaneously through the same mechanism, eliminating the need for separate opening and rotation mechanisms. Furthermore, manual mode can be intervened at any time, and automatic and manual modes can be freely switched. At the same time, a torque limiting device limits the maximum torque acting on the torque transmission system, thereby preventing component damage due to excessive stress and avoiding injury to the operator. Attached Figure Description

[0049] The principles, features, and advantages of this application will be better understood below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings include:

[0050] Figure 1 A household appliance according to one embodiment of this application is shown;

[0051] Figure 2 Shown in top view Figure 1 The internal structure of the driving component in the process;

[0052] Figure 3 Shown in front view Figure 1 and Figure 2 The internal layout of the driving components;

[0053] Figure 4 Shown in magnified view Figure 2 Details of the drive unit;

[0054] Figure 5 The switching gear is shown in the first position;

[0055] Figure 6The switching gear is shown in the second position;

[0056] Figure 7 It shows Figure 5 and Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the switching gear, in which the torque limiter can be seen;

[0057] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of an automatic door opening and closing device for a household appliance according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0058] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the automatic opening of a door in a household appliance according to an embodiment of this application is shown; and

[0059] Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the automatic closing of a door of a household appliance according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0060] List of reference numerals

[0061] 1. Household appliance; 10. Drive assembly; 11. Drive unit; 111. Motor; 112. Worm gear; 12. Output shaft; 121. Output shaft gear; 13. Intermediate transmission mechanism; 131. First gear; 132. Second gear / switching gear; 1321. First sub-gear; 1322. Second sub-gear; 1323. Torque limiter; 133. Third gear; 134. Fourth gear; 135. Fifth gear; 14. Electromagnetic switching device; 15. Synchronous gear; 16. Housing; 17. Worm gear mechanism; 20. Door body; 30. Trigger unit; 40. Angle detection unit; 50. Control unit; 100. Automatic door opening and closing device; S11, S12, S131, S132, S141, S142, S15, S21, S22, S23, S24. Method steps; N "No"; Y "Yes"; H "Height direction"; W "Width direction"; D "Depth direction". Detailed Implementation

[0062] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0063] First, to facilitate understanding, let's return to the description in the background section. Existing automatic door opening and closing devices for refrigerators have problems such as difficulty in opening the door smoothly, inability to fully open or close, inability to freely switch between automatic and manual operation, non-compact structure, and the need to set up multiple drive mechanisms.

[0064] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems or other possible technical problems, an exemplary embodiment of this application provides a drive assembly for a door of a household appliance, wherein the drive assembly includes:

[0065] - A drive unit, the drive unit being configured to generate drive torque;

[0066] - Output shaft, which is connected to the pivot shaft of the door body for driving the door body to pivot;

[0067] - An intermediate transmission mechanism, arranged between the drive unit and the output shaft, is used to transmit torque between the drive unit and the output shaft.

[0068] The intermediate transmission mechanism is capable of switching between a first state and a second state.

[0069] In the first state, the torque that the intermediate transmission mechanism can transmit is less than or equal to a preset value; if it exceeds the preset value, the transmission fails.

[0070] In the second state, the intermediate transmission mechanism is always able to transmit torque between the drive unit and the output shaft.

[0071] This offers the advantage of simultaneously meeting the requirements of high torque at the moment of opening and low torque during the opening process through a single mechanism, eliminating the need for a separate top-opening mechanism. Furthermore, it allows for manual intervention at any time, preventing component damage due to excessive stress during manual intervention and avoiding personal injury to the operator.

[0072] To better understand this application, exemplary embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0073] Before proceeding with the detailed description, it should be noted that the directional terms used in the description refer to the conventional assembly state of household appliances, or more specifically, refrigerators, for ease of description and should not be interpreted as absolute limitations on the corresponding features. In some of the accompanying drawings, arrows are used to schematically indicate the mutually perpendicular directions of height (H), width (W), and depth (D).

[0074] Figure 1 A household appliance 1 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, the household appliance 1 being, for example, a refrigerator. Here, the household appliance 1 includes a door 20 and a drive assembly 10 according to an embodiment of this application, the drive assembly 10 being configured to automatically open and / or close the door 20. Figure 1 As exemplarily shown, the drive assembly 10 is arranged on top of the household appliance 1 and is connected to the pivot axis 21 of the door body 20 (in Figure 1(Not shown) The drive assembly 10 is connected to drive the door 20 to pivot. Alternatively, the drive assembly 10 can be arranged at any position on the appliance 1 suitable for driving the door 20, such as the bottom or side of the appliance 1. Optionally, drive assemblies 10, especially independently operable ones, can be provided for each of the multiple doors 20 of the appliance 1.

[0075] Figure 2 Shown in top view Figure 1 The internal structure of the drive component 10. Figure 3 Shown in front view Figure 1 and Figure 2 The internal arrangement of the drive component 10. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the drive assembly 10 includes a housing 16, in which a drive unit 11, an output shaft 12, and an intermediate transmission mechanism 13 are arranged between the drive unit 11 and the output shaft 12 are disposed.

[0076] exist Figure 4 The enlarged view shows Figure 2 Details of the drive unit 11. (See attached image.) Figure 4 As shown, the drive unit 11 includes a motor 111, preferably a DC motor, configured to generate drive torque. The generated drive torque is large enough to overcome the significant resistance (e.g., magnetic strip force, door closer spring force, tilting beam clamping force, and negative pressure caused by the low temperature inside the refrigerator) when the door 20 is opened. Furthermore, the drive unit 11 includes a worm gear 112 arranged on the motor shaft of the motor 111, which meshes with a first gear 131 in the intermediate transmission mechanism 13, thus forming a worm gear mechanism 17. This allows the torque generated by the motor 111 to be advantageously transmitted at a large transmission ratio.

[0077] Preferably, the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 consists of multiple meshing gears (such as...). Figure 2 and Figure 3 (As shown) For example, five gears 131, 132, 133, 134, and 135 are arranged to transmit the rotational motion generated by the motor 111 in a suitable transmission ratio, thereby achieving the desired torque and desired speed for the pivoting of the door at the output shaft 12.

[0078] Here, the output shaft 12 is preferably fixedly connected to the pivot shaft 21 of the door body 20 in a coaxial manner to resist relative torsion, thereby enabling the pivot shaft 21 to rotate coaxially. In addition, an output shaft gear 121 is constructed on the output shaft 12, which meshes with the fifth gear 135 of the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 to receive torque transmitted from the drive unit 11 via the intermediate transmission mechanism 13.

[0079] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 The diagram further shows that the first to fifth gears 131, 132, 133, 134, and 135 mesh sequentially to form a gear transmission system. Here, exemplarily, the second gear 132 is configured to move along its axial direction, in this case, the height direction H of the household appliance 1, thereby enabling switching between a first position and a second position. Therefore, this second gear 132 is also referred to herein as a switching gear 132.

[0080] exist Figure 5 The switching gear 132 is shown in the first position. Figure 6 The switching gear 132 is shown in the second position. (See diagram.) Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the switching gear 132 includes a first sub-gear 1321 and a second sub-gear 1322 arranged coaxially.

[0081] Figure 7 It shows Figure 5 and Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the switching gear 132. Here, a torque limiter 1323 is constructed between the first sub-gear 1321 and the second sub-gear 1322, and the torque limiter 1323 has a preset rated torque. For example, the torque limiter 1323 is constructed as a common sliding friction torque limiter, in which a slip mechanism is provided. Thus, by means of the torque limiter 1323, it is possible to achieve relative rotation of the second sub-gear 1322 with respect to the first sub-gear 1321 when the torque acting between the second sub-gear 1322 and the first sub-gear 1321 is greater than the rated torque.

[0082] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in both the first and second positions of the switching gear 132, the switching gear 132 is always engaged with the first gear 131 to receive torque from the first gear 131. And as... Figure 5 As shown, in the first position of the switching gear 132, only the second sub-gear 1322 of the switching gear 132 meshes with the third gear 133, while the first sub-gear 1321 does not mesh with the third gear 133. Therefore, in this first position of the switching gear 132, or in the first state of the intermediate transmission mechanism 13, only torque not exceeding the rated torque of the torque limiter 1323 can be transmitted. Conversely, as Figure 6As shown, at the second position of the switching gear 132, the first sub-gear 1321 of the switching gear 132 meshes not only with the first gear 131 but also with the third gear 133, thereby enabling the complete transmission of the torque from the first gear 131, especially a torque greater than the rated torque of the torque limiter 1323. Here, the rated torque of the torque limiter 1323 corresponds to a preset value, which is less than the first torque required for the door 20 to open from closed to open and greater than the second torque required for the door 20 to rotate in the open state. Because the door 20 needs to overcome significant resistance (e.g., magnetic attraction force, elastic holding force, internal negative pressure, etc.) from closed to open, the first torque is greater than the second torque.

[0083] According to one embodiment of this application, when the door 20 needs to be opened from a fully closed state, the switching gear 132 is first switched to the second position, thereby transmitting a sufficiently large opening torque to overcome the large resistance when opening the door. Once the door 20 has opened to a certain angle and the resistance has decreased (e.g., because it has moved away from the magnetic strip and is no longer affected by magnetic force), the switching gear 132 is switched back to the first position, thereby further opening the door 20 with a smaller torque until the desired opening angle is reached. Furthermore, during the automatic closing process of the door 20, the switching gear 132 is also held in its first position, because the closing process typically does not require overcoming large resistance. Moreover, due to the action of the torque limiter 1323, when excessive torque is present (e.g., external force from the user intervenes), relative torsion occurs between the first sub-gear 1321 and the second sub-gear 1322. In this way, during the automatic opening / closing process of the door 20, when the user manually applies operating force to the door 20, the system can directly switch from automatic mode to manual mode, while avoiding damage to the corresponding components in the drive assembly 10 due to excessive stress and / or avoiding personal injury to the user.

[0084] like Figure 2 and Figure 3The diagram further shows that the drive assembly 10 also includes an electromagnetic switching device 14 for switching gear 132. Here, the electromagnetic switching device 14 is operatively connected to the switching gear 132, wherein the switching gear 132 switches between a first position and a second position by energizing and de-energizing the electromagnetic switching device 14. Optionally, the electromagnetic switching device 14 is configured as a common electromagnet-push rod-switching device, which includes an electromagnet, a push rod, and a return spring. According to a preferred embodiment, the push rod is connected to the switching gear 132. When the electromagnet is de-energized, the return spring applies a spring force to the push rod, keeping the switching gear 132 in its first position or initial position. When the electromagnet is energized, the push rod is driven to move, thereby moving the switching gear 132 from the first position to the second position. After de-energizing again, the return spring returns the switching gear 132 to its first position. Thus, a simple position switching of the switching gear 132 is achieved. Alternatively, other types of switching devices can also be used for position switching of the switching gear 132.

[0085] Particularly preferably, all gears 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 of the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 and the output shaft 12, or output shaft gear 121, and the pivot shaft 21 of the door body 20 are arranged parallel to each other's axes, thereby enabling a large transmission ratio to be achieved in a compact manner.

[0086] In addition, the drive assembly 10 also includes a synchronization gear 15 for obtaining the opening angle of the door 20. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the synchronizing gear 15 meshes with the fifth gear 135, which in turn meshes with the output shaft gear 121 of the output shaft 12. Preferably, the synchronizing gear 15 and the output shaft gear 121 have the exact same module and number of teeth. Therefore, the real-time door opening degree of the door 20 can be accurately obtained directly by measuring the rotation of the synchronizing gear 15, and accordingly, the door 20 can be precisely closed or opened at the desired angle during automatic opening and closing.

[0087] exist Figure 8 The diagram shows a schematic block diagram of an automatic door opening and closing device 100 for a household appliance 1 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, the automatic door opening and closing device 100 includes a drive assembly 10 according to this application and a door 20 of the household appliance 1, wherein the pivot shaft 21 of the door 20 is drively connected to the output shaft 12 of the drive assembly 10. Thus, the door 20 is opened or closed by the drive assembly 10.

[0088] In addition, the automatic door opening and closing device 100 also includes a trigger unit 30, which is configured to generate an opening signal or a closing signal. Here, the trigger unit 30 can be configured as a control device on the household appliance 1, such as a physical button, touchscreen, or sensor. The trigger unit 30 may also include a voice recognition device or gesture recognition device. Alternatively, the trigger unit 30 can also be a remote control device, such as a remote control, smartphone, tablet, or smart wearable device. Thus, an opening signal or a closing signal can be generated in a simple manner.

[0089] Furthermore, the automatic door opening and closing device 100 also includes an angle detection unit 40, which is configured to detect the current door opening degree φ of the door 20. D Here, the angle detection unit 40 includes a synchronous gear 15 for acquiring the opening angle of the door 20, and the door opening degree φ of the door 20 is obtained by measuring the angular position of the synchronous gear 15. D .

[0090] To control the automatic opening and closing of the door 20, the automatic door opening and closing device 100 further includes a control unit 50, which is configured to respond to the door opening signal or the door closing signal and based on the current door opening degree φ of the door 20. D The drive assembly 10 is controlled to drive the door 20 to pivot. According to one embodiment of this application, the control unit 50 is configured to control the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 to switch from a first state to a second state in response to the door opening signal. According to one embodiment of this application, the control unit 50 is configured to control the current door opening degree φ of the door 20 during the door opening process. D When the angle is greater than or equal to the first angle φ1, the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 is controlled to switch from the second state to the first state.

[0091] Figure 9 The diagram shows a flowchart of a method for controlling the automatic opening of a door 20 of a household appliance 1 according to an embodiment of this application. In this method, the following steps are performed in response to an opening signal:

[0092] First, in step S11, the current door opening φ of the door 20 is obtained. D Here, the door opening degree φ of the door 20 is obtained by the angle detection unit 40 of the automatic door opening and closing device 100, especially by detecting the angular position of the synchronizing gear 15. D .

[0093] Then, in step S12, the door opening φ is determined. DIs it greater than the closing angle φ0? Here, the closing angle φ0 corresponds to the angle of the door 20 in the fully closed state, that is, preferably substantially corresponding to 0°.

[0094] When the result in step S12 is "No (N)", i.e., when the door 20 is in the closed state, the process proceeds to step S131: the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 is switched from the first state to the second state, and the door 20 is driven to open up to the first angle φ1. Here, the first state corresponds to the state where the switching gear 132 is in the first position, and the second state corresponds to the state where the switching gear 132 is in the second position. Because the switching gear 132 is switched to the second position, a large torque can be transmitted to overcome the large resistance experienced by the door 20 from fully closed to open, thereby driving the door 20 to open. According to one embodiment of this application, the first angle φ1 is set to a predetermined angle greater than the closing angle φ0. When the door opening φ... D When the first angle φ1 is reached, the opening movement of the door 20 is no longer subject to significant resistance, for example, because the door 20 has moved out of the magnetic force range of the magnetic strip or because the negative pressure inside the box has been released due to the opening of the door 20. Then, after step S131, step S141 is performed: the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 is switched from the second state to the first state, and then step S142, which will be described below, is performed.

[0095] When the result in step S12 is "Yes (Y)", proceed to step S132: determine the door opening degree φ. D Is it less than the second angle φ2? Here, the second angle φ2 is set to a pre-defined angle that is greater than the first angle φ1. Preferably, the second angle φ2 corresponds to the angle at which the door 20 is fully open. However, alternatively, the second angle φ2 can also be set to other door openings that are greater than the first angle φ1, such other door openings can be user-defined.

[0096] If the result is "Yes (Y)" in step S132, proceed to step S142.

[0097] In step S142, the door 20 is driven to open until the second angle φ2. At this time, the intermediate transmission mechanism 13 was originally in the second state or has been switched from the first state to the second state, and the current door opening φ of the door 20 is... D The angle is not less than the first angle φ1. Therefore, the door 20 can be driven to open to the desired second angle φ2 with a small torque. At the same time, due to the function of the torque limiter 1323, when the door is subjected to resistance exceeding its torque limit during the opening movement (e.g., the door is blocked), the transmission from the motor 111 is discontinued, thereby switching to manual operation mode and avoiding damage to people or related parts.

[0098] Finally, when the result is "No (N)" in step S132, or after step S142 ends, proceed to step S15: end the method.

[0099] Figure 10 The diagram illustrates a method for controlling the automatic closing of a door 20 of a household appliance 1 according to an embodiment of this application. In this method, the following steps are performed in response to a door closing signal:

[0100] First, in step S21, the current door opening φ of the door (20) is obtained. D .

[0101] Then, in step S22, the door opening φ is determined. D Is it greater than the closing angle φ0?

[0102] When the determination in step S22 is "yes (Y)", step S23 is performed: drive the door (20) to close until the closing angle φ0.

[0103] When the result is "No (N)" in step S22, or after step S23 ends, proceed to step S24: end the method.

[0104] According to an optional embodiment of this application, the method further includes: when determining the door opening degree φ of the door body 20... D When the closing angle φ0 is greater than the preset duration, the door 20 is driven to close until the closing angle φ0 is reached. In this way, the door 20 can be automatically closed if the refrigerator is unintentionally left open for an extended period of time (e.g., due to the user forgetting to close the refrigerator door), thereby preventing the stored food in the refrigerator from being exposed to high temperatures and spoiling, and avoiding energy waste.

[0105] In this specification, for convenience, terms such as "middle," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" are used to indicate orientation or positional relationships in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. This is solely for the purpose of facilitating the description and simplification, and does not imply that the device or element referred to has a specific orientation, or is constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. The positional relationships of the constituent elements may be appropriately varied depending on the direction in which each constituent element is described. Therefore, the use of terms not limited to those described in the specification may be appropriately replaced as needed.

[0106] In this specification, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate component, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the meaning of these terms in this disclosure as appropriate.

[0107] 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 otherwise stated. In practice, multiple features may be combined with each other as needed and where technically feasible. In particular, features from different embodiments may also be combined with each other. Various substitutions, modifications, and alterations are conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

Claims

1. A drive assembly (10) for a door (20) of a household appliance (1), wherein, The driving component (10) includes: - Drive unit (11), the drive unit (11) is configured to generate drive torque; - Output shaft (12), the output shaft (12) is connected to the pivot shaft (21) of the door body (20) for driving the door body (20) to pivot; - An intermediate transmission mechanism (13) is arranged between the drive unit (11) and the output shaft (12) for transmitting torque between the drive unit (11) and the output shaft (12). The intermediate transmission mechanism (13) is capable of switching between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the torque that the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) can transmit to the output shaft (12) is less than or equal to a preset value; when it is greater than the preset value, the transmission fails. In the second state, the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) is always able to transmit torque between the drive unit (11) and the output shaft (12).

2. The driving component (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The preset value is less than the first torque of the door (20) from closing to opening and greater than the second torque required for the door (20) to rotate in the open state, wherein the first torque is greater than the second torque.

3. The driving component (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The intermediate transmission mechanism (13) includes a switching gear (132) and two gears (131, 133) meshing with the switching gear (132). The two gears are located upstream and downstream of the switching gear (132) respectively in the torque transmission direction from the drive unit (11) to the output shaft (12). The switching gear (132) includes a first sub-gear (1321) and a second sub-gear (1322) arranged coaxially. A torque limiter (1323) is constructed between the first sub-gear (1321) and the second sub-gear (1322). The rated torque of the torque limiter (1323) corresponds to the preset value. When the second sub-gear (1322) is subjected to a torque greater than the rated torque, the second sub-gear (1322) rotates relative to the first sub-gear (1321). The switching gear (132) is movable between a first position and a second position, allowing the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) to switch between the first state and the second state. The first sub-gear (1321) is always engaged with one of the two gears (131), and At the first position, only the second sub-gear (1322) meshes with the other gear (133) of the two gears, while the first sub-gear (1321) does not mesh with the other gear (133). At the second position, the first sub-gear (1321) also meshes with the other gear (133).

4. The driving component (10) according to claim 3, wherein, The drive assembly (10) includes an electromagnetic switching device (14) for the switching gear (132), the electromagnetic switching device (14) being operatively connected to the switching gear (132), wherein the switching gear (132) is switched between the first position and the second position by energizing and de-energizing the electromagnetic switching device (14).

5. The drive assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The drive unit (11) includes a motor (111), particularly a DC motor, which is capable of driving the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) via a worm gear mechanism (17) with a driving torque greater than the preset value.

6. The drive assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, All gears (121, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135) in the torque flow between the drive unit (11) and the output shaft (12) and the pivot shaft (21) of the door body (20) are arranged parallel to each other's axes.

7. An automatic door opening and closing device (100) for a household appliance (1), wherein, The automatic door opening and closing device (100) includes: - The drive assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6; - The door (20) of the household appliance (1), wherein the pivot (21) of the door (20) is connected to the output shaft (12) of the drive assembly (10); - Trigger unit (30), the trigger unit (30) is configured to generate a door opening signal or a door closing signal; - Angle detection unit (40), the angle detection unit (40) is configured to detect the current door opening φ of the door body (20). D ; - Control unit (50), the control unit (50) is configured to respond to the door opening signal or the door closing signal and based on the current door opening degree φ of the door body (20). D The drive assembly (10) is controlled to drive the door (20) to pivot.

8. The automatic door opening and closing device (100) according to claim 7, wherein, The control unit (50) is configured to: In response to the door opening signal, control the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) to switch from the first state to the second state; and / or During the opening process, the current door opening degree φ of the door body (20) D When the angle is greater than or equal to the first angle φ1, the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) is controlled to switch from the second state to the first state.

9. A household appliance (1), wherein, The household appliance (1) has an automatic door opening and closing device according to claim 7 or 8.

10. A method for controlling the automatic opening and closing of a door (20) of a household appliance (1), said method being implemented by an automatic door opening and closing device (100) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The method includes the step of responding to a door opening signal: S11: Obtain the current door opening φ of the door (20). D ; S12: Determine the door opening φ D If the closing angle φ0 is greater than 0°, proceed to step S131 if the result is "No". The intermediate transmission mechanism (13) is switched from the first state to the second state, and the door (20) is driven to open until the first angle φ1, wherein the first angle φ1 is greater than the closing angle φ0.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, If the determination in step S12 is "yes", proceed to step S132: Determine the door opening φ D Is it less than the second angle φ2, where, - When the determination is "yes", proceed to step S142: drive the door (20) to open until the second angle φ2, and then proceed to step S15: end the method; - If the result is "no", proceed to step S15. Wherein, the second angle φ2 is greater than the first angle φ1.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, After step S131, proceed to step S141: switch the intermediate transmission mechanism (13) from the second state to the first state, and then proceed to step S142.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein, The method further includes a step in response to a door closing signal: S21: Obtain the current door opening φ of the door (20). D ; S22: Determine the door opening φ D Is it greater than the closing angle φ0, especially 0°? - When the determination is "yes", proceed to step S23: drive the door (20) to close until the closing angle φ0, and then proceed to step S24: end the method; - If the result is "no", proceed to step S24.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The method further includes: when determining the door opening φ D If the closing angle φ0 is greater than the door closing angle and the preset duration is exceeded, step S23 is executed.

15. A computer program product, wherein, The computer program product includes computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 10 to 14.

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