Household appliance and method for operating

Abstract

Household appliance (1) comprising a housing device (2) with a treatment chamber (3) having an opening (4) for loading the treatment chamber (3), and a door (5) closing the opening (4) of the treatment chamber (3), wherein the door (5) comprises a lower stop (6) with a hinge device (7). A rail arrangement (9) with an extendable rail (10) is arranged on a wall (8) of the treatment chamber (3), wherein the rail arrangement (9) comprises a preloading device (11) which preloads the rail (10) from a retracted position (12) towards an extended position (13). Furthermore, a pivot lever arrangement (14) is provided with a pivot lever (15) with a fixed pivot axis (16) and with a first guide device (17) and a second guide device (18), wherein an end section (30) of the pivot lever (15) is connected in an articulated manner to a linearly displaceable part (19) of the hinge device (7).A retaining element (20) is guided over the guide devices (18, 19) of the pivot lever (15) and connected to the extendable rail (10). In the method for operating such a household appliance (1), the pivot lever (15) of the pivot lever arrangement (14) is pivoted by actuating the cooking chamber door (5), so that when the door (5) is opened, the rail (10) is moved into the extended position (13) by releasing the retaining element (20) by means of the preloading device (11). When the door (5) is closed, the rail (10) is retracted into the retracted position (12) by retracting the retaining element (20) when the pivot lever (15) is pivoted against the force of the preloading device (11).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a household appliance comprising at least one housing device with at least one treatment chamber with at least one opening for loading the treatment chamber, and at least one door closing the opening of the treatment chamber. The door comprises a lower stop with at least one hinge device, and at least one rail arrangement with at least one extendable rail is arranged on at least one wall of the treatment chamber. The present invention also relates to a method for operating such a household appliance.

[0002] In household appliances with a cooking chamber, such as cooking appliances like an oven, pull-outs for food carriers are well-known in the art. Many users consider such pull-outs practical because they allow the food on the food carrier to be pulled out of the cooking chamber at least partially, and sometimes even completely. This facilitates monitoring the cooking progress, performing processing steps during the cooking process, and even loading the cooking chamber.

[0003] Other household appliances with a treatment room also have pull-outs or drawers or baskets, such as refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and / or the like.

[0004] Particularly convenient for a user are designs in which such pull-outs occur automatically when the door of such a treatment room is opened or closed, or are linked to the opening or closing of the door.

[0005] Such household appliances are known, for example, from the documents WO 2023 198 425 A1 and DE 10 2017 116 061 A1 and FR 1 224 059 A and DE 20 36 930 A1.

[0006] The problem, however, is that the door of a treatment room is usually opened from top to bottom or even sideways. This pivoting movement must be converted into a linear movement to extend and retract the drawer. For this purpose, mechanisms have become known that use quite complex gear arrangements to extend and retract the drawer. However, such gear arrangements are complex in design, expensive to manufacture, and can also be prone to wear.

[0007] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an automatically extending and retracting drawer which is structurally simpler.

[0008] This object is achieved by a household appliance having the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating a household appliance having the features of claim 14. Preferred developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments.

[0009] The household appliance according to the invention comprises at least one housing device with at least one treatment chamber having at least one opening for loading the treatment chamber. At least one door is provided closing the opening of the treatment chamber, wherein the door comprises a lower stop with at least one hinge device. Furthermore, at least one rail arrangement with at least one extendable rail is arranged on at least one wall of the treatment chamber. The rail arrangement comprises at least one preloading device that preloads the rail from a retracted position toward an extended position.

[0010] Furthermore, the household appliance comprises a, in particular flexible, retaining element for the at least one extendable rail, wherein the household appliance has a motor drive or a kinematic drive for the retaining element.

[0011] The motor drive comprises at least one motor which can be controlled by means of an electrical control of the household appliance, and the motor can move the retaining element, in particular to relieve and / or load the preloading device.

[0012] Furthermore, at least one pivot lever arrangement is provided, comprising at least one pivot lever with a fixed pivot axis, a first guide device, and a second guide device. An end section of the pivot lever is pivotally connected to at least one linearly displaceable part of the hinge device. Furthermore, at least one retaining element is provided, which is guided over the guide devices of the pivot lever and connected to the extendable rail.

[0013] The household appliance according to the invention can, for example, be a cooking appliance such as an oven, a microwave, a steamer, a combination appliance or the like, wherein the treatment chamber is then designed as a cooking chamber.

[0014] The household appliance can also be, for example, a dishwasher or a refrigerator, or any other household appliance that has at least one pull-out drawer that is advantageously designed to extend automatically when a door is opened. For example, in a cooking appliance, a food support can be automatically extended out of the cooking chamber when the door is opened. In a dishwasher, the baskets, or at least one basket, can extend automatically when the door is opened, depending on the design. In a refrigerator, for example, a drawer or a drawer can also be automatically extended using the inventive design.

[0015] The first and the second guide device are arranged in particular at a distance along the pivot lever, so that the retaining element is guided when the pivot lever is moved in such a way that the retaining element is further released or retracted.

[0016] Depending on its design, the pivot lever can be positioned either horizontally or vertically. Other positions or orientations can also be advantageous depending on the application.

[0017] The household appliance according to the invention offers many advantages. A significant advantage is that an automatically adjustable rail is provided in a treatment room, which automatically extends depending on the door's opening position.

[0018] A linear movement is achieved depending on the pivoting movement of the door, for which purpose the pivot lever arrangement is provided with at least one pivot lever. This makes it possible for the retaining element to be released by turning the pivot lever when the door is opened or pivoted, so that the preloading device of the rail arrangement moves the at least one movable rail out of the treatment room.

[0019] The design according to the invention makes it possible, in particular, to provide an automated movement of a rail without having to use complex technology with gears or the like.

[0020] The rail is also retracted in the same simple manner, whereby the swinging of the door again translates a linear movement of the hinge device into the swinging of the arm lever, so that the pivot lever swings back and the retaining element is moved back, whereby the rail is retracted against the pre-tensioning force of the pre-loading device so that the door can be closed.

[0021] Preferably, the pivot lever is pivotally connected to the linearly displaceable part of the hinge device via at least one coupling element. The coupling element can be, for example, a rivet or the like, to which the pivot lever is pivotally attached or connected.

[0022] Particularly preferably, the retaining element is fixedly mounted on the hinge device and / or the housing device. This allows a relative release or extension of the retaining element to be achieved by moving the pivot lever.

[0023] In expedient further developments, the pivot axis is fixedly mounted on the hinge device and / or housing device. As already explained, this is advantageous for achieving a corresponding release or relative extension of the retaining element relative to the movable rail.

[0024] Preferably, the retaining element is designed to be substantially flexible, at least in sections. This allows the retaining element to be easily guided to and connected to the rail, and to be flexibly displaced when the pivot lever is displaced.

[0025] Particularly preferably, the retaining element is provided, at least in sections, by at least one rope or the like. A rope is, in particular, a rope-like element, a band or a rope made of metal or another material, a belt, a chain, a cord, and / or the like. Preferably, any material can be used that has suitable properties for the desired application and also provides a certain degree of flexibility.

[0026] In advantageous developments, at least one guide device or at least one further guide device is arranged behind the rear wall of the treatment room, wherein the retaining element is guided through the rear wall and deflected in order to be connected to the rail. It is particularly preferred that the retaining element is then guided through the rear wall at least twice, namely once from the pivoting lever arrangement through the rear wall behind the treatment room, so that the retaining element can be guided behind the treatment room in the direction of the rail, for example, upwards, wherein the retaining element is then guided through the rear wall back into the treatment room in the direction of the rail.

[0027] In advantageous embodiments, at least one guide device is designed as a deflection device. This makes it possible, in particular, for the retaining element to be guided to the rail based on space or installation constraints, or generally along suitable paths or tracks. In particular, the direction or course of the retaining device or the cable can be influenced in this way.

[0028] Preferably, at least one guide device comprises at least one roller. Such a roller configuration can, in particular, fulfill the function of a guide device and a deflection device.

[0029] Preferably, the pivot axis of the pivot lever is positioned substantially centrally between a first end position and a second end position of the pivot lever. The pivot lever is mounted in particular such that the distance to the end stops is substantially equal, thus enabling a preferably maximum length release.

[0030] Preferably, the rail is in the retracted position when the pivot lever is in the first end position and the rail is in the extended position when the pivot lever is in the second end position.

[0031] The rail arrangement preferably comprises a plurality of rails. The rails can be provided in particular in a telescopic manner, wherein, in any configuration with a plurality of rails, at least one preloading device can be assigned to each rail, so that even when multiple rails are used, they are automatically preloaded toward the extended position by means of a preloading device.

[0032] Preferably, the household appliance is designed as a cooking appliance and the rail arrangement provides at least one pull-out for at least one food carrier.

[0033] The inventive method for operating a household appliance, as described above, is characterized in that the pivot lever of the pivot lever arrangement is flipped by actuating the cooking chamber door, so that when the door is opened, the rail is moved into the extended position by releasing the retaining element by means of the preloading device. Likewise, when the door is closed, the rail is retracted into the retracted position by retracting the retaining element when the pivot lever is flipped in the other direction against the force of the preloading device.

[0034] The method according to the invention also offers the advantages already described above for the household appliance according to the invention, and in particular for a cooking appliance. Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments explained below with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0035] The figures show: Figure 1 shows a purely schematic representation of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention with retracted rail in an overview view and a sectional view from the side; and Figure 2 shows the embodiment according to Figure 1 with the rail extended in an overview view and a sectional view from the side; and Figure 3 shows a further embodiment with the rail retracted in a sectional view from the side.

[0036] In Figure 1A purely schematic illustration of a household appliance 1 according to the invention is shown in a small overview view and a sectional side view, which in the exemplary embodiment shown here is designed as a cooking appliance 100. The household appliance 1 comprises a housing device 2 in which a treatment chamber 3 is formed, which in the exemplary embodiment shown provides a cooking chamber 101 of the cooking appliance 100.

[0037] The treatment chamber 3 has an opening 4 through which the treatment chamber 3, or in this case the cooking chamber 101, can be loaded. Furthermore, a door is provided that closes the opening of the treatment chamber 3 and can be swung open or opened downwards, thus exposing the treatment chamber 3 or the opening 4.

[0038] In the overview shown here, the door 5 is in a closed position, which covers the opening 4 of the treatment room 3. For pivoting or opening the door 5, the door 5 has a lower stop 6 with a hinge device 7, or in this case, one hinge device 7 on each side of the opening.

[0039] Furthermore, a rail arrangement 9 with movable rails 10 is arranged on the walls 8 and the side walls of the treatment chamber 3. This provides a pull-out 102 for a food carrier in the cooking chamber 101.

[0040] According to the invention, the rail 10 or, in the case of several rails 10, the rails 10 are automatically moved or extended from a retracted position 12 towards an extended position 13 when the door 5 is opened.

[0041] For this purpose, according to the invention, a pivot lever arrangement 14 with at least one pivot lever 15 is provided, wherein the pivot lever 15 comprises a fixed pivot axis 16 about which the pivot lever 15 can be displaced from a first end position 28 to a second end position 29.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the lower end or an end section 30 of the pivot lever 15 is connected in an articulated manner to a linearly displaceable part 19 of the hinge device 7 by means of a coupling element 21. This ensures that the pivoting movement of the door 5, i.e., the opening or closing of the door by a user, is translated into a linear movement that moves the pivot lever from the first end position 28 to the second end position 29.

[0043] The pivot lever arrangement 14 can preferably be arranged horizontally or vertically, or in any desired position. In particular, the upper or free section of the pivot lever 15 is moved from further forward to further back in the treatment chamber 3.

[0044] Furthermore, the rail arrangement 9 comprises, in addition to several rails 10, a preloading device 11 for each rail 10, which are designed as springs here. By means of these preloading devices 11, the rails 10 are preloaded toward the extended position 13.

[0045] The rails 10 are connected to a back restraint element 20, which is designed here as a cable 22, wherein the cable 22 is guided here via several guide devices 17, 18, 23, 24 or deflection device 26 from a stationary fastening 31 of the restraint element 20 at one end to the rails 10.

[0046] In the embodiment shown here, the guide devices 17, 18, 23, 24 are designed as rollers 27, so that the cable 22 can be optimally guided or guided along the path from the fixed or stationary fastening 31 to the rails 10.

[0047] In Figure 1 the pivot lever 15 is pivoted into the first end position 28, which results from the door 5 being pivoted closed and thus the coupling element 21 being in such a position that the pivot lever 15 is pivoted to the left about the pivot axis 16.

[0048] In this position, the rails 10 are retracted by means of the retaining element 20 against the preloading force of the preloading devices 11 and are in the retracted position 12.

[0049] In order to guide or redirect the retaining element 20 to the rails 10 as hidden and safely as possible, the retaining element 20 or the cable 22 in the embodiment shown is guided through a small opening in the rear wall 25 behind the treatment room, from there guided upwards via two guide devices 23, 24 or deflection devices 26 and guided through another small opening at the level of the rails 10 back into the treatment room 3 to the rails 10 and connected thereto.

[0050] In Figure 2 The previously shown embodiment is shown again in a small overview view and in a sectional view from the side.

[0051] In contrast to the situation in Figure 1 Here, the door for 5 is pivoted open, so that the coupling element 21 together with the linearly displaceable part 19 of the hinge device 7 has been displaced forward in the direction of the opening 4 of the treatment room 3.

[0052] As a result, the pivot lever 15 is pivoted about the stationary pivot axis 16, releasing the retaining element 20 relative to the rails 10, causing the rails 10 to be displaced forward by means of the preloading devices 11. Thus, opening the door 5 results in the pivot lever 15 being in the second end position 29, in which the rails 10 are displaced into the extended position 13.

[0053] The pivot lever arrangement 14 provides a type of cable pull, whereby the retaining element 20 is released without an actual change in length by moving the pivot lever 15 relative to the rails 10.

[0054] The stationary fastening 31 of the retaining element 20, the stationary pivot axis 16 and the coupling element 21 which can be displaced together with the linearly displaceable part 19 of the hinge device 7 are marked with dashed arrows in order to better identify the movement or the fixed position of the individual parts relative to one another.

[0055] Figure 3shows, purely schematically, in a sectional side view, a section of a household appliance 1 according to the invention. The household appliance 1 has a motor drive 31 for the retaining element 20. The motor drive 31 comprises at least one motor 32, which can be controlled by means of an electrical control of the household appliance 1. The motor 32 can move the retaining element 20, whereby the preloading device 11 can be relieved of load or loaded. In addition to a direct drive of the preloading device 11 by means of the motor 32, a reel 34 can also be provided, which is designed to be driven by the motor 32 and to at least partially receive the preloading device 11, in particular when the rail is retracted. List of reference symbols

[0056] 1Household appliance 2Housing device 3Treatment chamber 4Opening 5Door 6Stop 7Hinge device 8Wall 9Rail arrangement 10Rail 11Preloading device 12Retracted position 13Extended position 14Pivot lever arrangement 15Pivot lever 16Pivot axis 17First guide device 18Second guide device 19Linearly displaceable part 20Retaining element 21Coupling element 22Cable 23Guide device 24Guide device 25Rear wall 26Deflection device 27Roller 28First end position 29Second end position 30End section 31Motor drive 32Motor 33Kinematic drive 34Reel 100Cooking appliance 101Cooking chamber 102Extension

Claims

1. Household appliance (1) comprising at least one housing device (2) with at least one treatment chamber (3) with at least one opening (4) for loading the treatment chamber (3), and at least one door (5) closing the opening (4) of the treatment chamber (3), wherein the door (5) comprises a lower stop (6) with at least one hinge device (7), and wherein at least one rail arrangement (9) with at least one extendable rail (10) is arranged on at least one wall (8) of the treatment chamber (3), characterized in thatthe rail arrangement (9) comprises at least one preloading device (11) which preloads the rail (10) from a retracted position (12) towards an extended position (13), and wherein the household appliance (1) has a, in particular flexible, retaining element (20) for the at least one extendable rail (10), wherein the household appliance (1) has a motor drive (31) or a kinematic drive (33) for the retaining element (20), wherein the motor drive (31) has at least one motor (32) which can be controlled by means of an electrical control of the household appliance (1), and the motor (32) can move the retaining element (20), in particular for relieving and / or loading the preloading device (11),wherein the kinematic drive (33) comprises at least one pivot lever arrangement (14) with at least one pivot lever (15) with a stationary pivot axis (16) and with at least one first guide device (17) and a second guide device (18), wherein an end section (30) of the pivot lever (15) is articulated to at least one linearly displaceable part (19) of the hinge device (7), wherein the retaining element (20) is guided via the guide devices (18, 19) of the pivot lever (15) and is connected to the extendable rail (10).

2. Household appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot lever (15) is articulated to the linearly displaceable part (19) of the hinge device (7) via at least one coupling element (21).

3. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe retaining element (20) is fixedly received on the hinge device (7) and / or the housing device (2).

4. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axis (16) is fixedly mounted on the hinge device (7) and / or the housing device (2).

5. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining element (20) is essentially flexible.

6. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining element (20) is provided by at least one rope (22).

7. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one guide device (23, 24) is arranged behind the rear wall (25) of the treatment room (3) and that the retaining element (20) is guided and deflected by the rear wall (25) in order to be connected to the rail (10).

8. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one guide device (17, 18, 23, 24) is designed as a deflection device (26).

9. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one guide device (17, 18, 23, 24) comprises at least one roller (27).

10. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axis (16) is provided substantially centrally between a first end position (28) and a second end position (29) of the pivot lever (15).

11. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail is in the retracted position (12) when the toggle lever (15) is in the first end position (28) and that the rail is in the extended position (12) when the toggle lever (15) is in the second end position (29).

12. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail arrangement (9) comprises several rails (10).

13. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the household appliance (1) is a cooking appliance (100) and that the rail arrangement (9) provides at least one pull-out (101) for at least one food carrier.

14. Method for operating a household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe pivoting lever (15) of the pivoting lever arrangement (14) is turned by actuating the cooking chamber door (5), so that the rail (10) is moved into the extended position (13) when the door (5) is opened by releasing the retaining element (20) by means of the preloading device (11), and so that the rail (10) is retracted into the retracted position (12) when the door (5) is closed by retracting the retaining element (20) when the pivoting lever (15) is turned against the force of the preloading device (11).

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