dishwasher

Abstract

Dishwasher, in particular a fully integrated built-in dishwasher, with a wash chamber (2) which has a loading opening that can be closed in a fluid-tight manner by means of a wash chamber door (3), wherein the wash chamber door (3) is rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending wash chamber door axis (7) and carries a secondary door (4) on its front side which is rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending secondary door axis (6), wherein the secondary door axis (6) extends behind the wash chamber door axis (7) in the loading direction of the dishwasher (1), wherein the secondary door (4) is designed to be translationally displaceable relative to the wash chamber door (3) and is coupled to a drive mechanism (5), characterized in that the drive mechanism (5) has a gear lever (8) which is articulated to the front of the wash chamber door (3) and rotatably mounted about a gear lever axis (9), wherein the gear lever axis (9) extends orthogonally to the front of the wash chamber door (3).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a fully integrated built-in dishwasher, with a wash chamber which has a loading opening that can be closed fluid-tight by means of a wash chamber door, wherein the wash chamber door is rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending wash chamber door axis and carries a secondary door rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending secondary door axis on its front side, wherein the secondary door axis runs behind the wash chamber door axis in the loading direction of the dishwasher, wherein the secondary door is designed to be translationally displaceable relative to the wash chamber door and is coupled to a drive mechanism.

[0002] Dishwashers of this type are well known from the prior art. They have a wash tank that is enclosed within the dishwasher's housing. The wash tank, in turn, provides a wash chamber for receiving items to be cleaned, which are generally dishes, glasses, and / or cutlery. A spray system is located within the wash tank, serving to supply the items to be cleaned with cleaning solution. Typically, such a spray system has several spray arms arranged one above the other in the vertical direction of the dishwasher, which are mounted to rotate about a common axis.

[0003] The dishwasher's tub has a loading opening for loading and unloading clean dishes. This opening can be sealed fluid-tight by means of a rotatably mounted door. The front of the door features a rotating cover panel, for example, a decorative panel, as is commonly used in built-in dishwashers integrated into kitchen units.

[0004] On fully integrated dishwashers, the side panels typically extend beyond the bottom edge of the main door to completely conceal it and maintain a uniform appearance within the fitted kitchen. Therefore, the side panel requires more space than the main door itself to rotate smoothly when opening or closing the main door. To ensure proper operation of the main door, specific clearances must be maintained between the side panel and the floor (or the baseboard in the case of a freestanding appliance), and between the side panel and adjacent kitchen fixtures in the case of a cabinet-mounted appliance.

[0005] To achieve the smallest possible gaps for aesthetic reasons in fully integrated appliances, the front door is designed to be relatively movable relative to the wash chamber door. This allows the front door to be moved relative to the wash chamber door when it is opened or closed, thus minimizing the rotational space required for the front door and consequently the required gap.

[0006] Such a dishwasher is known in particular from EP 2 329 758 B1.

[0007] EP 2 329 758 B1 describes a mechanism for shifting the front door between two positions. The front door and the wash chamber door have horizontally oriented pivot axes that are offset relative to each other, with the front door axis positioned in front of the wash chamber door axis in the loading direction of the dishwasher. A lever, rotatably mounted on the housing and connected to the front door via a bearing, allows the front door to be shifted relative to the wash chamber door.

[0008] Although the known mechanism has proven itself in everyday practical use, there is still room for improvement regarding the achievable displacement of the front door. In the prior art, dishwashers have become particularly well-established as a solution to this problem, in which, unlike EP 2 329 758 B1, the front door axis runs behind the wash door axis in the loading direction of the dishwasher.

[0009] A dishwasher of this type is known in the prior art, in particular from EP 1 875 850 A1.

[0010] EP 1 875 850 A1 describes a dishwasher with a wash chamber door that closes off the wash compartment and provides a sliding front door relative to the wash chamber door. Both the wash chamber door and the front door are mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis, with the axis of the front door running behind the axis of the wash chamber door in the loading direction of the dishwasher. A door hinge is rotatably mounted at the pivot point of the wash chamber door. A lifting lever with a short and a long lever arm is rotatably mounted at the pivot point of the front door. The short lever arm is articulated to the door hinge via a push lever. The long lever arm is designed as a telescopic arm and is coupled to the front door. When the wash chamber door is opened, the door hinge rotates with it and pushes the connected push lever upwards in the vertical direction of the dishwasher.The push lever, in turn, presses against the short lever arm of the lift lever, causing the telescopic arm of the lift lever to rotate upwards and move the secondary door upwards in the same direction as the dishwasher door. The door hinge, the push lever, and the lift lever are located outside the housing and extend at least partially into the gap between the secondary door and the appliance base.

[0011] Although this design has proven itself in everyday use, it is not without its drawbacks. In particular, the power transmission between the push lever and the lift lever needs improvement. When the dishwasher door is opened, the door hinge pushes the push lever towards the short lever arm, causing the lift lever to rotate. Due to the short length of the lever arm, the leverage is relatively weak. Consequently, moving the door requires considerable effort and is therefore not very user-friendly. Furthermore, the external placement of the drive mechanism is a disadvantage. Over time, the individual levers and lever connections become increasingly dirty, which can impair the functionality of the sliding mechanism.Furthermore, the telescopic arm is extremely sensitive to mechanical stress, especially forces acting on the telescopic joint that do not align with the telescopic axis, particularly those resulting from improper operation. Failure of the telescopic arm is the consequence, making it impossible to open or close the dishwasher door and necessitating immediate repair.

[0012] Therefore, based on the foregoing, the object of the invention is to propose a dishwasher of the type mentioned at the outset, which has a largely maintenance-free mechanism and improved mechanics with regard to power transmission.

[0013] To solve this problem, the invention proposes a dishwasher of the type mentioned above, which is characterized in that the drive mechanism comprises a gear lever articulated to the front of the washing chamber door and rotatably mounted about a gear lever axis, wherein the gear lever axis runs orthogonally to the front of the washing chamber door.

[0014] The design according to the invention allows the gear lever to be positioned on the front of the dishwasher door, i.e., between the dishwasher door and the secondary door, and thus in a location inaccessible from the outside. This protects the gear lever from external influences. Contamination is thus advantageously prevented, ensuring the proper functioning of the gear lever and, consequently, the entire drive mechanism, even after prolonged and intensive use. Furthermore, the inventive arrangement of the gear lever provides protection against external mechanical impacts. In particular, the inventive alignment of the gear lever axis perpendicular to the front of the dishwasher door ensures that impacts against the secondary door, which regularly occur during practical use of a dishwasher in a normal household, do not result in any damaging stress on the gear lever.This is advantageously avoided because the applied force acts on the gear lever in the direction of the gear lever axis. Undesired rotation of the gear lever as a result of this force and any resulting damaging interaction with other components of the drive mechanism are thus prevented. The design according to the invention completely avoids any impairment or even failure of the gear lever due to external mechanical influences. Furthermore, the arrangement of the gear lever on the front of the wash chamber door and the inventive design of the gear lever axis ensure that the gear lever can be optimized for improved power transmission. While the prior art mechanism was spatially restricted due to its arrangement, this requirement is eliminated in the design according to the invention.The dimensions of the gear lever according to the invention are essentially limited by the area provided by the front of the wash chamber door, whereas the mechanism known from the prior art is limited by the significantly smaller space between the wash chamber door and the appliance base. With the design according to the invention, the gear lever is now spatially much less restricted and can consequently be improved with regard to power transmission, in particular by an optimized length ratio of the lever arms. Overall, this improves the leverage of the gear lever and advantageously allows for a greater lifting capacity of the drive mechanism, resulting in a reduction of the required rotation space of the front door and consequently a reduction or complete elimination of the necessary gap between the front door and the floor.The gap is created between the floor panel in the case of a freestanding appliance and between the front door and adjacent kitchen units in the case of a cabinet appliance. This allows for significantly smaller gap dimensions than those achievable with prior art, thus advantageously reducing the visual impact on the fitted kitchen and expanding the design options for the front door, particularly regarding its position relative to the floor, floor panel, or adjacent kitchen units. Furthermore, the smaller gap significantly reduces the ingress of dirt into the space.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive mechanism according to the invention comprises at least one drive lever. The drive lever is pivotally mounted to the wash chamber, in particular to the outside of the wash chamber housing or to a support rigidly connected to the wash chamber housing, and is rotatably mounted about the axis of the front door. When the wash chamber door rotates, the drive lever undergoes a change in position relative to the wash chamber door, directed downwards in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door. This relative change in position is then preferably transmitted to the gear lever. The drive lever is preferably in operative connection with the gear lever. This operative connection can preferably be established by directly connecting both components. Preferably, the drive lever has a recess, in particular an elongated hole, in which the gear lever is guided for linear displacement.Establishing a direct connection between the drive lever and the gear lever simplifies assembly and reduces the probability of failure. According to an alternative embodiment, the drive lever is operatively connected to the gear lever via a coupling element. This coupling element compensates for the rotational movement of the drive lever and the gear lever. For this purpose, the coupling element is preferably pivotally connected to the drive lever at one end and mounted to the wash chamber door so as to be longitudinally displaceable. Furthermore, the coupling element preferably has a recess, in particular an elongated slot, at its other end, in which the gear lever is guided for linear displaceability.The realization of the functional connection between the drive lever and the gear lever via a coupling element represents a very robust and mechanically stable connection, thereby further minimizing the probability of failure in a synergistic way.

[0016] According to a preferred feature of the invention, during the opening of the dishwasher door, the gear lever converts the downward movement of the drive lever (pulling movement) into an upward movement (push movement) in the same direction. For this purpose, the gear lever has a first lever arm and a second lever arm. The second lever arm is at least as long as the first lever arm. Preferably, however, the second lever arm is longer than the first, so that the movement of the drive lever is amplified by the longer second lever arm of the gear lever. Furthermore, the force required to move the door is reduced, thus noticeably decreasing the additional effort required by the user. The first lever arm is preferably coupled to the drive lever at its end.This is preferably achieved either directly, in particular via an elongated hole provided by the drive lever, or via a coupling element, which preferably has an elongated hole. The second lever arm is preferably coupled at its end to an output lever. This design has the effect that the downward movement of the drive lever in the direction of the height of the wash chamber door pulls the first lever arm of the gear lever downwards in the direction of the height of the wash chamber door. As a result of the downward movement of the first lever arm, the gear lever is set into rotation, which moves the second lever arm in the opposite direction, namely upwards in the direction of the height of the wash chamber door. In this way, the downward movement of the drive lever in the direction of the height of the wash chamber door is easily converted into an upward movement in the direction of the height of the wash chamber door and transmitted to the output lever.The amount of movement therefore depends on the opening angle of the wash chamber door. The following applies: the larger the opening angle, the greater the amount of movement of the drive lever, the greater the downward rotation of the first lever arm of the gear lever, the greater the upward rotation of the second lever arm, and the greater the amount of movement of the output lever.

[0017] According to a further preferred feature of the invention, the first lever arm and the second lever arm are at an angle to each other. By selecting the angle, the change in the travel of the drive lever, and thus also of the secondary door, resulting from the rotational movement of the wash chamber door, can be controlled as desired. In particular, an angle range is preferred that results in a large change in the travel of the drive lever when the wash chamber door is opened at a small angle, i.e., at the beginning of the opening process. A preferred angle range for the lever arms is 140° to 180°, and a more preferred angle range is 155° to 165°. The opening angle range of the wash chamber door in which the linear change in travel of the drive lever should be as large as possible is preferably between 1° and 25°, more preferably between 1° and 10°, and most preferably between 1° and 5°.

[0018] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the drive mechanism has at least one output lever. Preferably, the output lever is operatively connected at one end to the second lever arm of the gear lever and at the other end to the secondary door. For this purpose, the output lever is preferably pivotally connected to the second lever arm of the gear lever. This advantageously transmits the upward rotational movement resulting from the rotation of the second lever arm, directed in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door, to the output lever and amplifies it. This movement is then preferably transmitted to the secondary door via the operative connection between the output lever and the secondary door, resulting in the transverse drive of the secondary door relative to the wash chamber door. The coupling of the output lever to the secondary door is preferably also pivotally designed.It is preferred to connect the output lever directly to the secondary door via a pivot. This direct connection also simplifies assembly and reduces the probability of failure. In an alternative embodiment, the output lever is operatively connected to the secondary door via a linear bearing. The linear bearing serves to convert the movement of the output lever into a linear movement relative to the wash chamber door and transmit this movement to the secondary door. The linear bearing is preferably formed from a sliding element that is mounted to the wash chamber door so as to be longitudinally displaceable. Preferably, the output lever is pivotally connected to the linear bearing at its end furthest from the gear lever.The realization of the functional connection between the output lever and the front door via a linear bearing represents a very robust and mechanically stable connection, which further minimizes the probability of system failure in a synergistic way.

[0019] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the drive lever is arranged between the wash chamber door and the secondary door, thus protecting it from both contamination and external mechanical damage. This further reduces the susceptibility of the drive mechanism to failure, thereby also increasing the robustness of the system.

[0020] All the described features, both individually and especially in combination, have a synergistic effect, improving the maintenance and repair requirements of a dishwasher of this type, particularly a fully integrated one, as well as its power transmission. In particular, the required rotation space of the front door can be reduced through improved power transmission, thereby minimizing the resulting gaps.

[0021] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the figures. These show: Fig. 1 in schematic perspective view a dishwasher according to the invention with a completely closed wash chamber door; Fig. 2 in schematic representation a dishwasher according to the invention with a completely closed wash chamber door; Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a dishwasher according to the invention with the wash chamber door open at 45°. Fig. 4 in schematic representation a dishwasher according to the invention with the dishwasher door fully open; Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic view of a dishwasher according to the invention with sketched rotation paths.

[0022] The Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a dishwasher 1 according to the invention with a closed wash chamber door 3.

[0023] The dishwasher 1 has, in a manner known per se, a wash chamber 2, which provides a wash chamber not shown in detail in the figures. The wash chamber 2 is equipped at the front with a loading opening, which can be closed fluid-tight by means of the wash chamber door 3. The wash chamber door 3 is mounted to rotate about the horizontally extending wash chamber door axis 7. The dishwasher 1 is designed as a so-called fully integrated built-in appliance and has a front door 4 arranged on the front of the wash chamber door 3 (in Fig. (5 shown in more detail). In the present embodiment, the secondary door 4 is designed to be translationally displaceable relative to the wash chamber door 3 and is rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending secondary door axis 6. In this embodiment, the secondary door axis 6 runs behind the wash chamber door axis 7 in the loading direction of the dishwasher. For the translational drive of the secondary door 4, it is coupled to a drive mechanism 5, which is articulated to the wash tub 2 coaxially with the secondary door axis 6. Due to the offset position of the axes of rotation 6, 7, a force is introduced into the drive mechanism 5 when the wash chamber door 3 rotates. This force is used to drive the secondary door 4 and is transmitted to it. According to the invention, the drive mechanism 5 has a gear lever 8 articulated to the front of the wash chamber door 3. The gear lever 8 is rotatably mounted about a gear lever axis 9.The gear lever axis 9 runs orthogonally to the front of the wash chamber door 3.

[0024] This allows for a drive mechanism that is significantly more robust and requires less maintenance compared to the prior art. Furthermore, the design according to the invention allows for improved power transmission of the gear lever, thereby significantly reducing the required rotation space of the front door and consequently minimizing or even completely eliminating the necessary gap between the front door and the floor or floor panel in the case of a freestanding unit, as well as between the front door and adjacent kitchen fixtures in the case of a cabinet unit. In particular, gaps well below 2 mm can be achieved in this way.

[0025] In this case, the drive mechanism 5 comprises, in addition to the gear lever 8, a drive lever 10, a coupling element 11, and an output lever 12. The drive lever 10 is pivotally connected to the wash chamber at the pivot point 13 of the front door, causing it to move downwards in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door when the door is opened. The end of the drive lever 10 opposite the pivot point 13 is pivotally connected to the coupling element 11. The coupling element 11 is mounted to the wash chamber door 3 so that it can slide linearly downwards, causing the drive lever 10 to pull the coupling element 11 downwards in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3 during the opening process. The coupling element 11 has an elongated hole 14 for the linearly sliding guidance of the gear lever 8.

[0026] As especially from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2, the gear lever 8 is pivotally connected at point 15 on the front of the wash chamber door and has a first lever arm 16 and a second lever arm 17. The first lever arm 16 is guided linearly displaceably at one end in the elongated hole 14 of the coupling element 11. The second lever arm 17, on the other hand, is pivotally connected at one end to the output lever 12. A movement of the coupling element 11 in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3 forces the first lever arm 16 into a downward rotational movement in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door. As a result of the forced rotation of the gear lever 8 about the gear lever axis 9, the second lever arm 17 undergoes an upward rotational movement in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door. The upward portion of the rotational movement of the second lever arm 17, directed in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door, is transmitted to the output lever 12 by means of its articulated connection with the output lever 12.The design of the gear lever 8 therefore advantageously converts a downward movement in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3 into an upward movement of the output lever 12 in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3. The first and second lever arms 16, 17 are at an angle of 160° to each other, which in particular greatly increases the amount of the upward movement of the output lever 12 in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door and consequently also the amount of the transverse displacement of the front door 4 in the opening angle range of the wash chamber door between 1° and 10°.

[0027] The output lever 12 is pivotally connected to the linear bearing 18 at its end furthest from the gear lever 8. The linear bearing 18 has a sliding element 19 which is mounted to the wash chamber door 3 for longitudinal displacement. As the output lever 12 moves, the sliding element 19 is linearly displaced upwards or downwards relative to the wash chamber door 3 when the door 3 is opened or closed. This displacement causes the secondary door 4 (not shown) connected to the linear bearing 18 to be linearly driven, resulting in a displacement of the secondary door 4 relative to the wash chamber door 3. This mechanism allows the secondary door to be displaced more than 32 mm relative to the wash chamber door, a significant improvement over prior art systems and a considerable reduction in the rotational space of the secondary door 4 and the resulting required gap.

[0028] Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 4 shows the dishwasher 1 according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 during the opening process of the dishwasher door 3.

[0029] Fig. Figure 3 shows the dishwasher 1 with the dishwasher door 3 open at an angle of 45°, while Fig. Figure 4 describes a fully opened dishwasher 1 with an opening angle of 90°. It can be seen that, as a result of the rotation of the drive lever 10 about the axis of the front door, the coupling element 11, compared to the closed state, is... Fig. 2 undergoes a linear downward movement in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3. The linear movement of the coupling element 11 forces the gear lever 8, guided in the elongated hole 14 provided by the coupling element 11, to rotate about the gear lever axis 9. In this process, the first lever arm 16 rotates downwards and the second lever arm 17 upwards. Due to its rotation, the second lever arm 17 pushes the output lever 12 upwards in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3. The drive lever 12, which is pivotally connected at one end to the linear bearing 18, in turn pushes the sliding element 19 upwards, which, in conjunction with its longitudinally displaceable bearing on the wash chamber door 3, is linearly displaced upwards in the vertical direction of the wash chamber door 3. By connecting the sliding element 19 to the secondary door 4 (not shown here), the linear movement of the sliding element 19 results in a linear drive of the secondary door 4. This is evident from a comparison of the Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 4 shows that the distance traveled by the sliding element 19, and consequently also by the front door 4, increases with increasing opening angle of the wash chamber door 3. It is also evident that the distance traveled by the sliding element 19 in the opening angle range of the wash chamber door 3 between 1° and 45° is significantly greater than the distance traveled in the angle range between 45° and 90°. According to the invention, this is due to the angled design of the gear lever 8, which ensures improved lifting capacity of the gear lever 8 in the small opening angle range of the wash chamber door 3.

[0030] Fig. Figure 5 shows different rotation patterns of the front door 4.

[0031] Reference numeral 20 here denotes the curve of the deflection of the secondary door 4 over the entire angular range required to open the wash chamber door 3 without a secondary door lifting mechanism. Particularly at the beginning of the opening process, i.e., at small opening angles of the wash chamber door 3, especially in the opening angle range between 1° and 5°, the curve is very steep. Consequently, the rotational space required by the secondary door 4 in this angular range is so large that a significant gap must be maintained between the secondary door 4 and, in particular, a panel or a cabinet door below it, to prevent a collision between the secondary door 4 and the panel or cabinet door.

[0032] Reference numeral 21, on the other hand, denotes the curve of the deflection of the secondary door 4 according to the invention over the entire angular range required to open the wash chamber door 3 with the secondary door lifting mechanism according to the invention. It is evident that the curve is very flat, particularly at the beginning of the opening process, i.e., at small opening angles of the wash chamber door 3, especially in the opening angle range between 1° and 5°. Consequently, the required rotation space of the secondary door 4 is so small that a gap of significantly less than 2 mm can be achieved between the secondary door and, in particular, a panel or a cabinet door below it. Reference sign 1 dishwasher 2 washing containers 3. Dishwashing area door 4. Front door 5 Drive mechanism 6 Front door axle 7. Dishwasher door axis 8 Gear levers 9 Gear lever axle 10 drive levers 11 Coupling element 12 output levers 13 Pivot point of the front door 4 14 elongated holes 15 Pivot point of the gear lever 8 16 First lever arm of the gear lever 8 17 Second lever arm of the gear lever 8 18 linear bearings 19 sliding element 20 Curve of the deflection of a secondary door without a secondary door lifting mechanism 21 Curve of the deflection of a secondary door 4 with mechanism according to the invention

Claims

[1] Dishwasher, in particular a fully integrated built-in dishwasher, with a wash chamber (2) which has a loading opening that can be closed in a fluid-tight manner by means of a wash chamber door (3), wherein the wash chamber door (3) is rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending wash chamber door axis (7) and carries a front door (4) rotatably mounted about a horizontally extending front door axis (6), wherein the front door axis (6) extends behind the wash chamber door axis (7) in the loading direction of the dishwasher (1), wherein the front door (4) is designed to be translationally displaceable relative to the wash chamber door (3) and is coupled to a drive mechanism (5), characterized by , that the drive mechanism (5) has a gear lever (8) hinged to the front of the wash chamber door (3) and rotatably mounted about a gear lever axis (9), wherein the gear lever axis (9) runs orthogonally to the front of the wash chamber door (3). [2] Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized by , that the gear lever (8) has a first lever arm (16) and a second lever arm (17), wherein the second lever arm (17) has the same length as, or a greater length than, the first lever arm (16). [3] Dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized by , that the first lever arm (16) and the second lever arm (17) are at an angle of 140° - 180° to each other. [4] Dishwasher according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the drive mechanism (5) has at least one drive lever (10) which is rotatably mounted about the front door axis (6) and which is articulated to the wash tank (2). [5] Dishwasher according to claim 4, characterized by , that the drive mechanism (5) has a coupling element (11) which is operatively connected at one end to the drive lever (10) and at the other end to the gear lever (8). [6] Dishwasher according to claim 5, characterized by , that the coupling element (11) has an elongated hole (14) for guiding the first lever arm (16). [7] Dishwasher according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by , that the drive mechanism has an output lever (12) which is operatively connected at one end to the second lever arm (17) of the gear lever (8) and at the other end to a linear bearing (18) connected to the front door (4). [8] Dishwasher according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized by , that the output lever (12) is articulated to both the second lever arm (17) and the linear bearing (18). [9] Dishwasher after, characterized by , that the drive lever (12) is arranged between the wash chamber door (3) and the front door (4).

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