Door lock forced release mechanism and washing machine

Abstract

To provide a door lock forced release mechanism capable of improving operability for a user without impairing safety.SOLUTION: A door lock forced release mechanism 20 is a mechanism to forcedly release a door lock by a latch member 12 of a door lock mechanism 10 disposed inside an enclosure 2A. The enclosure 2A has an opening 50 for accessing the door lock mechanism 10. The door lock forced release mechanism 20 includes: an operation member 30 operated by a user; and a contact member 40 disposed inside the enclosure 2A and connecting the operation member 30 and the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10. The operation member 30 can be attached to and detached from the opening 50 of the enclosure 2A by a rotation system, and functions as a lid member for closing the opening 50 in a state of being fitted to the opening 50 of the enclosure 2A. The operation member pulls the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10 through the contact member 40 and forcedly releases the door lock in a state of being detached from the opening 50 of the enclosure 2A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a door lock forced release mechanism and a washing machine equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, drum-type washing machines have a door lock function that automatically locks the door during operation for safety reasons. The door lock function is automatically released after the operation is completed. However, if an abnormality such as a power outage or malfunction occurs during operation, the door lock function may not be released, i.e., the door may remain locked.

[0003] In this regard, such a washing machine is provided with a mechanism for mechanically forcibly releasing the door lock. For example, a string or a resin rod connected to a latch member of the door lock mechanism is provided on the inside of the lower decorative panel or the upper decorative panel (for example, Patent Document 1). Alternatively, an operating mechanism connected to the latch member of the door lock mechanism is provided on the inside of the drain filter lid (for example, Patent Document 2). This allows the user to pull the operating mechanism such as the string or resin rod to slide the latch member of the door lock mechanism and forcibly release the door lock. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-024744 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2022-148053 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] If the door lock forced release mechanism is provided on the inside of the lower decorative panel, for example, it is necessary to remove fixing parts such as screws on the lower decorative panel using a special tool such as a screwdriver, and while safety is taken into consideration, user operability is not taken into consideration. Also, if the door lock forced release mechanism is provided on the inside of the drain filter lid, it is necessary to open the drain filter lid and operate the operating mechanism using a special tool such as a screwdriver, and while safety is taken into consideration, user operability is not taken into consideration.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a door lock forced release mechanism and a washing machine that can improve operability for the user without compromising safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) A door lock forced release mechanism according to the present disclosure is a door lock forced release mechanism that forcibly releases a door lock by a latch member of a door lock mechanism arranged inside a housing having a door, the housing having an opening for accessing the door lock mechanism, the door lock forced release mechanism includes an operation member operated by a user, and a connection member arranged inside the housing and connecting the operation member and the latch member of the door lock mechanism. The operation member is detachable from the opening of the housing by a rotational method, functions as a cover member that closes the opening when attached to the opening of the housing, and pulls the latch member of the door lock mechanism via the connection member to forcibly release the door lock when removed from the opening of the housing.

[0008] According to the door lock forced release mechanism of the present disclosure, the operating member functions as a cover member that closes the opening when attached to the opening of the housing, thereby not compromising safety (and design).

[0009] In addition, the operating member can be attached and detached from the opening of the housing by rotating it, and when removed from the opening of the housing, the latch member of the door lock mechanism is pulled via the connecting member to forcibly release the door lock. This eliminates the need to remove fixing parts such as screws from the decorative panel, as in the conventional method, and eliminates the need to open the drain filter cover to operate the operating mechanism, improving operability for the user.

[0010] (2) In the door lock forced release mechanism described in (1), the operating member and the connecting member may be detachably connected via a fitting member.

[0011] According to this configuration, during manufacturing, after the door lock mechanism connected to the connecting member is placed inside the housing, the connecting member can be taken out of the housing through the opening and the fitting member of the connecting member can be connected to the operating member outside the housing, thereby improving the productivity of the manufacturer.

[0012] Furthermore, since the operating member and the connecting member are detachable by means of a fitting member, the ease of maintenance by a maintenance person can be improved.

[0013] (3) In the door lock forced release mechanism described in (1) or (2), the operating member has a disk shape, and at least three rotational engagement structures are formed on the peripheral portion of the operating member for engaging with the opening of the housing in a rotational manner, and each of the at least three rotational engagement structures may have a first flat portion along a main surface of the operating member, a protruding flat portion protruding in an L-shape in a direction intersecting with the main surface of the operating member, and having a protruding portion protruding in a direction intersecting with the main surface of the operating member, and a second flat portion facing a plane along the main surface of the operating member. At least three rotationally fitted structures for fitting the operating member in a rotational manner may be formed around the opening of the housing, and each of the at least three rotationally fitted structures may have a maximum cutout portion where the radius of the opening is the largest, a minimum cutout portion where the radius of the opening is the smallest, and an intermediate cutout portion located between the maximum cutout portion and the minimum cutout portion in the circumferential direction of the opening, the intermediate cutout portion being smaller than the radius of the maximum cutout portion and larger than the radius of the minimum cutout portion. When the operating member is attached to the opening of the housing in a rotational manner, the protruding flat plate portion may fit into the maximum cutout portion, and the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion of the protruding flat plate portion may sandwich the intermediate cutout portion by rotation, and the protruding portion of the protruding flat plate portion may come into contact with the minimum cutout portion, stopping the rotation.

[0014] According to this configuration, the operating member can be easily attached to and detached from the opening of the housing, improving operability for the user.

[0015] (4) In the door lock forced release mechanism described in (3), when the principal surface of the first flat plate portion that faces a plane along the principal surface of the second flat plate portion is defined as an opposing principal surface, the operating member has an elastic flat plate portion having elasticity formed by cutting out a part of the first flat plate portion, and a first protrusion having a curved surface that is provided on the opposing principal surface of the elastic flat plate portion, and the first protrusion may be located at the maximum cutout portion when the operating member is attached to the opening of the housing.

[0016] According to this configuration, when the operating member is attached to the opening of the housing, the rotation of the operating member can be prevented. Furthermore, since the first protrusion has a curved surface, it is possible to ensure ease of attachment and detachment of the operating member 30 by a user's rotational operation while preventing the rotation of the operating member. Furthermore, since the elastic flat plate portion has elasticity, it is possible to further ensure ease of attachment and detachment of the operating member by a user's rotational operation.

[0017] (5) In the door lock forced release mechanism described in (3), when the principal surface of the second flat portion of the protruding flat portion that faces a plane along the principal surface of the first flat portion is defined as the opposing principal surface, the operating member has a second protrusion provided on the opposing principal surface of the second flat portion of the protruding flat portion and having a slope that gradually decreases in the rotational direction, and the second protrusion may be located in the intermediate cutout portion when the operating member is attached to the opening of the housing.

[0018] According to this configuration, when the operating member is attached to the opening of the housing, the rotation of the operating member can be prevented. In addition, since the second protrusion has an inclination that gradually decreases in the direction of rotation, the ease of attaching the operating member by the user's rotation operation is ensured, and as the operation rotates, the intermediate cutout portion can be gradually tightly sandwiched between the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion of the protruding flat plate portion. In addition, since the protruding flat plate portion that protrudes in an L-shape has elasticity, the ease of attaching and detaching the operating member by the user's rotation operation can be further ensured.

[0019] (6) In the door lock forced release mechanism described in any of (1) to (5), the housing has a front panel arranged on the front side and a lower decorative panel arranged below the front panel on the front side, the front panel protrudes further toward the front side than the lower decorative panel, and the front side of the lower decorative panel has a bottom surface away from an installation surface, the opening is arranged on the bottom surface of the front panel, and the operating member is arranged on the bottom surface of the front panel.

[0020] According to this configuration, since the operating member is disposed on the bottom surface of the front panel that protrudes further forward than the lower decorative panel, there is no need to remove the lower decorative panel, improving operability for the user. In addition, the operating member is not conspicuous, improving the design.

[0021] (7) A washing machine according to the present disclosure includes a housing having a door, a door lock mechanism disposed inside the housing and automatically locking and unlocking the door using a latch member under the control of a control device, and a door lock forced release mechanism described in any one of (1) to (6) that mechanically forcibly releases the door lock provided by the latch member of the door lock mechanism.

[0022] According to the washing machine of the present disclosure, since it is equipped with the above-mentioned door lock forced release mechanism, as described above, it is possible to improve operability for the user without compromising safety. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the present disclosure, in a door lock forced release mechanism and a washing machine equipped with the same, it is possible to improve operability for the user without compromising safety. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view showing a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from the front side; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an external view showing the washing machine shown in FIG. 1 from the front and bottom sides. [Diagram 3] 3 is an external view showing the front panel of the housing of the washing machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 from the front and bottom sides, and showing a door lock mechanism and a door lock forced release mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a front and top perspective view of an operating member in the door lock compulsory release mechanism shown in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 4 is a front and bottom perspective view of an operating member in the door lock compulsory release mechanism shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6A] 6 is an enlarged view of a portion VI in FIG. 3, showing from the bottom side a state in which an operating member of the door lock compulsory release mechanism is attached to an opening in a front panel of a housing. FIG. [Figure 6B] 6B is an enlarged view showing the opening in the front panel of the housing shown in FIG. 6A from the bottom side. [Figure 6C] 6B is an enlarged view showing the operation member of the door lock compulsory release mechanism shown in FIG. 6A from the bottom side. FIG. [Figure 7A] 6 is an enlarged view of a portion VI in FIG. 3, showing from above a state in which an operating member of the door lock forcibly releasing mechanism is attached to an opening in the front panel of the housing. FIG. [Figure 7B] 7B is an enlarged view showing the opening in the front panel of the housing shown in FIG. 7A from the top side. FIG. [Figure 7C] 7B is an enlarged view showing the operation member of the door lock compulsory release mechanism shown in FIG. 7A from the top side. FIG. [Figure 8] 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of a connection between an operating member and a connecting member of the door lock forced release mechanism. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the same or corresponding parts in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0026] (washing machine) Fig. 1 is an external view showing a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from the front side, and Fig. 2 is an external view showing the washing machine shown in Fig. 1 from the front and bottom sides. The washing machine 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a so-called drum type washing machine. The washing machine 1 is covered by a housing 2. The housing 2 has a front panel 2A arranged on the front side and a lower decorative panel 2B arranged below the front panel 2A on the front side.

[0027] A door 3 is disposed on the front panel 2A. In this embodiment, a right-opening door 3 is illustrated, but the door 3 may be a left-opening door. In addition, a lid 4 for attaching and detaching a drainage filter may be disposed on the lower part of the front panel 2A.

[0028] The front panel 2A protrudes further forward than the lower decorative panel 2B. The front panel 2A has a bottom surface 2AA away from the installation surface on the front side of the lower decorative panel 2B. The bottom surface 2AA is formed by bending 90° from a main portion covering the front surface of the front panel 2A.

[0029] Fig. 3 is an external view showing the front panel of the housing of the washing machine shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 from the front and bottom sides, and shows the door lock mechanism and the door lock forced release mechanism according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 3, the washing machine 1 includes a door lock mechanism 10 and a door lock forced release mechanism 20.

[0030] The door lock mechanism 10 is disposed inside the front plate 2A of the housing 2. In this embodiment, since the door 3 opens to the right, the door lock mechanism 10 is disposed on the left side of the housing 2, i.e., the front plate 2A. If the door 3 opens to the left, the door lock mechanism 10 is disposed on the right side of the housing 2, i.e., the front plate 2A.

[0031] The door lock mechanism 10 may be any known door lock mechanism, and includes a latch member 12. The door lock mechanism 10 automatically locks and unlocks the door 3 with the latch member 12 under the control of a control device (not shown).

[0032] In this embodiment, the door lock mechanism 10 is disposed on the left side of the housing 2, i.e., the front panel 2A, so the door lock forced release mechanism 20 is disposed on the left side of the housing 2, i.e., the front panel 2A. When the door lock mechanism 10 is disposed on the left side of the housing 2, i.e., the front panel 2A, the door lock forced release mechanism 20 is disposed on the right side of the housing 2, i.e., the front panel 2A.

[0033] The door lock forcible release mechanism 20 mechanically forcibly releases the door locked by the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10. The door lock forcible release mechanism 20 includes an operating member 30 and a connecting member 40.

[0034] The operation member 30 is disposed on the front panel 2A of the housing 2, specifically, on the bottom surface 2AA of the front panel 2A. The operation member 30 is a member that is operated by a user. The material of the operation member 30 is not particularly limited, but for example, a resin is used.

[0035] Specifically, an opening 50 for accessing the door lock mechanism 10 is formed in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2, and the operation member 30 is rotatably attachable to and detachable from the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2. When the operation member 30 is attached to the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2, it functions as a lid member that closes the opening 50.

[0036] In addition, the operating member 30 functions as an operating member that pulls the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10 via the connecting member 40 when it is removed from the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2. This causes the latch member 12 to slide, making it possible to forcibly release the door lock.

[0037] The connection member 40 is disposed inside the front panel 2A of the housing 2. The connection member 40 connects the operation member 30 and the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10. The operation member 30 is not particularly limited, but may be a member such as a string or a resin rod.

[0038] In the following, the operation member 30 of the door lock forcibly releasing mechanism 20 and the opening 50 in the front plate 2A of the housing 2 will be described in detail.

[0039] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the operation member 30 of the door lock compulsory release mechanism 20 shown in Fig. 3 from the front and top sides, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the operation member 30 of the door lock compulsory release mechanism 20 shown in Fig. 3 from the front and bottom sides. Fig. 6A is an enlarged view of a portion VI in Fig. 3, showing the operation member 30 of the door lock compulsory release mechanism 20 attached to the opening 50 of the front plate 2A of the housing 2 from the bottom side, Fig. 6B is an enlarged view showing the opening 50 of the front plate 2A of the housing 2 shown in Fig. 6A from the bottom side, and Fig. 6C is an enlarged view showing the operation member 30 of the door lock compulsory release mechanism 20 shown in Fig. 6A from the bottom side. Figure 7A is an enlarged view of portion VI in Figure 3, and is an enlarged view from the top side showing the state in which operating member 30 of door lock forced release mechanism 20 is attached to opening 50 in front panel 2A of housing 2, Figure 7B is an enlarged view from the top side of opening 50 in front panel 2A of housing 2 shown in Figure 7A, and Figure 7C is an enlarged view from the top side of operating member 30 of door lock forced release mechanism 20 shown in Figure 7A.

[0040] 4, 5, 6C, and 7C, the operation member 30 of the door lock forced release mechanism 20 has a disk shape. Three rotational fitting structures 31 for fitting in a rotational manner with the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2 are formed at equal intervals on the periphery of the operation member 30. Each of the rotational fitting structures 31 has a first flat plate portion 32 and a protruding flat plate portion 34.

[0041] The first flat plate portion 32 is aligned along the main surface of the operating member 30. The protruding flat plate portion 34 protrudes in an L-shape in a direction intersecting the main surface of the operating member 30. The protruding flat plate portion 34 has a protruding portion 34B that protrudes in a direction intersecting the main surface of the operating member 30, and a second flat plate portion 34A that faces a plane along the main surface of the operating member 30.

[0042] 6B and 7B, three rotationally fitted structures 51 for fitting the operating member 30 in a rotational manner are formed at equal intervals around the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2. Each of the rotationally fitted structures 51 has, for example, a maximum cutout portion 52, an intermediate cutout portion 53, and a minimum cutout portion 54, in that order in the clockwise rotation direction A as viewed from the bottom surface side of the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A.

[0043] The maximum cutout portion 52 is the portion where the radius R2 of the opening 50 is the largest. The minimum cutout portion 54 is the portion where the radius R4 of the opening 50 is the smallest. The intermediate cutout portion 53 is located between the maximum cutout portion 52 and the minimum cutout portion 54 in the circumferential direction of the opening 50, and the radius R3 of the opening 50 is smaller than the radius R2 of the maximum cutout portion 52 and larger than the radius R4 of the minimum cutout portion.

[0044] As a result, when the operating member 30 is attached to the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2 by a rotation method, The protruding flat portion 34 fits into the maximum notch portion 52, When viewed from the bottom side of the bottom surface 2AA of the front panel 2A, the first flat plate portion 32 and the second flat plate portion 34A of the protruding flat plate portion 34 sandwich the intermediate cutout portion 53, The protruding portion 34B of the protruding flat plate portion 34 hits the minimum cutout portion 54, and rotation stops. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A, operation member 30 is attached to opening 50 in bottom surface 2AA of front plate 2A of housing 2, and operation member 30 functions as a lid member that closes opening 50.

[0045] On the other hand, when the operating member 30 is removed from the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2 by a rotational method, When viewed from the bottom side of the bottom surface 2AA of the front panel 2A, the protruding portion 34B of the protruding flat plate portion 34 hits the minimum cutout portion 54 due to the rotation in the left rotation direction B, and the rotation stops. The protruding plate portion 34 is removed from the maximum cutout portion 52. As a result, the operating member 30 is removed from the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2, and functions as an operating member that pulls the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10 via the connecting member 40. As a result, the latch member 12 can be slid to forcibly release the door lock.

[0046] Here, the main surface of the first flat plate portion 32 that faces the plane along the main surface of the second flat plate portion 34A is defined as the opposing main surface. Also, the main surface of the second flat plate portion 34A of the protruding flat plate portion 34 that faces the plane along the main surface of the first flat plate portion 32 is defined as the opposing main surface.

[0047] The operation member 30 may have an elastic flat plate portion 32A having elasticity, for example, cut into an L-shape, in one first flat plate portion 32, and a first protrusion 32B provided on the opposing main surface of the elastic flat plate portion 32A. As shown in Fig. 7A, the first protrusion 32B is located at the maximum cutout portion 52 when the operation member 30 is attached to the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2. This makes it possible to prevent rotation in the left rotation direction B when viewed from the bottom surface side of the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A.

[0048] The first protrusion 32B may have a curved surface in the rotation direction, which can restrain rotation in the left rotation direction B while ensuring ease of attachment and detachment of the operating member 30 by a user's rotation operation.

[0049] Furthermore, since the elastic flat plate portion 32A has elasticity, it is possible to further ensure that the operating member 30 can be attached and detached easily by the user's rotating operation.

[0050] The operating member 30 may have a second protrusion 34C provided on the opposing main surface of the second flat plate portion 34A of the protruding flat plate portion 34. The second protrusion 34C is located in the middle cutout portion 53 when the operating member 30 is attached to the opening 50 in the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A of the housing 2. This makes it possible to prevent rotation in the left rotation direction B when viewed from the bottom surface side of the bottom surface 2AA of the front plate 2A.

[0051] The second projection 34C may have an inclination that gradually decreases in the right rotation direction A when viewed from the bottom surface side of the bottom surface 2AA of the front panel 2A, for example. This ensures ease of attachment of the operating member 30 by a user's rotational operation, while allowing the intermediate cutout portion 53 to be gradually tightly sandwiched between the first flat plate portion 32 and the second flat plate portion 34A of the protruding flat plate portion 34 as it rotates in the right rotation direction A.

[0052] Furthermore, since the protruding flat plate portion 34 has elasticity due to its L-shaped protrusion, it is possible to further ensure ease of attachment and detachment of the operating member 30 by the user's rotating operation.

[0053] Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of the connection between the operation member 30 and the connection member 40 of the door lock forced release mechanism 20. As shown in Fig. 8, the operation member 30 and the connection member 40 may be detachably connected via a fitting member 42 such as a clip. In this case, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 8, the operation member 30 has a fitted portion 36 in which the fitting member 42 of the connection member 40 fits at the center of the main surface on the upper side.

[0054] As a result, during manufacturing, after the door lock mechanism 10 connected to the connecting member 40 is disposed inside the front plate 2A of the housing 2, the connecting member 40 can be taken out of the front plate 2A of the housing 2 through the opening 50, and the fitting member 42 of the connecting member 40 can be connected to the operating member 30 outside the front plate 2A of the housing 2. This allows the manufacturer to improve manufacturability.

[0055] Furthermore, since the operating member and the connecting member can be attached and detached by the fitting member 42, the ease of maintenance by a maintenance person can be improved.

[0056] 4 and 5, a handle 38 for the user to rotate the operation may be provided on the main surface on the bottom side of the operation member 30. This can further improve the operability for the user without requiring a special tool such as a screwdriver.

[0057] As described above, according to the door lock forced release mechanism 20 of the washing machine 1 of this embodiment, the operating member 30 functions as a lid member that closes the opening 50 when attached to the opening 50 of the front panel 2A of the housing 2. This does not impair safety.

[0058] In addition, the operating member 30 can be attached to and detached from the opening 50 in the front panel 2A of the housing 2 by a rotational method, and when removed from the opening 50 in the front panel 2A of the housing, the latch member 12 of the door lock mechanism 10 is pulled via the connecting member 40 to forcibly release the door lock. This eliminates the need to remove fixing parts such as screws on the decorative panel, the need to open the drain filter cover to operate the operating mechanism, and the need to use special tools such as a screwdriver, as in the conventional method, improving operability for the user.

[0059] Furthermore, according to the door lock forced release mechanism 20 of the washing machine 1 of this embodiment, the operating member 30 is disposed on the bottom surface 2AA of the front panel 2A of the housing 2, so that the operating member 30 is not conspicuous, thereby improving the design.

[0060] Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various changes and modifications are possible. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an insulating treatment may be applied to the vicinity of the opening 50 on the inside of the opening 50 of the front panel 2A of the housing 2 in order to prevent electric shock to a maintenance worker when the operating member 30 is removed and the opening 50 is exposed. Examples of the insulating treatment include an insulating coating treatment for wiring members and an insulating isolation treatment for electrical components.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the operating member 30 has three rotational engaging structures 31, and the front plate 2A of the housing 2 has three rotational engaged structures 51. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the operating member 30 may have four or more rotational engaging structures 31, and the front plate 2A of the housing 2 may have four rotational engaged structures 51.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the washing machine 1 is provided with the door lock forced release mechanism 20. However, the door lock forced release mechanism 20 of the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to various appliances having a door lock mechanism, such as a dryer, a washer-dryer, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Washing machine 2. Chassis 2A Front plate 2AA bottom 2B Lower decorative panel 3 Door 4 Lid 10 Door lock mechanism 12 Latch member 20 Door lock forced release mechanism 30 Operation member 31 Rotational fitting structure 32 1st flat plate part 32A Elastic plate part 32B 1st protrusion 34 Projecting flat plate part 34A 2nd flat plate part 34B Projecting part 34C 2nd protrusion 40 Connection member 42 Fitting member 50 aperture 51 Rotating fitting structure 52 Maximum notch 53 Middle cutout 54 Minimum notch

Claims

1. A door lock forcibly releasing mechanism for forcibly releasing a door lock by a latch member of a door lock mechanism disposed inside a housing having a door, the housing has an opening for accessing the door lock mechanism, The door lock forced release mechanism includes: An operating member operated by a user; a connecting member disposed inside the housing and connecting the operation member and the latch member of the door lock mechanism; Equipped with The operating member is The housing is detachable from the opening by a rotational manner; When attached to the opening of the housing, the housing functions as a lid member that closes the opening, In a state where the door lock mechanism is removed from the opening of the housing, the latch member of the door lock mechanism is pulled via the connecting member to forcibly release the door lock. Door lock forced release mechanism.

2. The door lock forced release mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the operating member and the connecting member are detachably connected to each other via a fitting member.

3. The operating member has a disk shape, At least three rotational engagement structures are formed around the periphery of the operation member to be engaged with the opening of the housing in a rotational manner; Each of the at least three rotational interlocking structures comprises: A first flat plate portion along a main surface of the operating member; a protruding flat plate portion protruding in an L-shape in a direction intersecting with a main surface of the operating member, the protruding portion having a protruding portion protruding in a direction intersecting with the main surface of the operating member and a second flat plate portion facing a plane along the main surface of the operating member; having At least three rotationally fitted structures are formed around the opening of the housing to allow the operation member to be fitted thereto in a rotational manner, Each of the at least three rotationally fitted structures comprises: a maximum cutout portion where the radius of the opening is the largest; and a minimum cutout portion where the radius of the opening is smallest; an intermediate cutout portion located between the maximum cutout portion and the minimum cutout portion in a circumferential direction of the opening, the intermediate cutout portion having a radius of the opening smaller than a radius of the maximum cutout portion and larger than a radius of the minimum cutout portion; having When the operating member is attached to the opening of the housing by a rotational method, The protruding flat plate portion fits into the maximum notch portion, By the rotation, the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion of the protruding flat plate portion sandwich the intermediate notch portion, The protruding portion of the protruding flat plate portion comes into contact with the minimum notch portion, and rotation stops.

2. The door lock forced release mechanism according to claim 1.

4. When the main surface of the first flat plate portion that faces a plane along the main surface of the second flat plate portion is defined as an opposing main surface, The operating member is a resilient flat plate portion having an elasticity, the resilient flat plate portion being formed by cutting out a part of the first flat plate portion; a first projection provided on the opposing main surface of the elastic flat plate portion and having a curved surface; having the first protrusion is located at the maximum cutout portion when the operation member is attached to the opening of the housing; 4. The door lock forced release mechanism according to claim 3.

5. When the main surface of the second flat plate portion of the protruding flat plate portion that faces the plane along the main surface of the first flat plate portion is defined as an opposing main surface, the operating member has a second protrusion provided on the opposing main surface of the second flat plate portion of the protruding flat plate portion and having an inclination that gradually decreases in a rotational direction; the second protrusion is located in the intermediate cutout portion when the operation member is attached to the opening of the housing.

4. The door lock forced release mechanism according to claim 3.

6. the housing has a front plate disposed on a front surface and a lower decorative plate disposed below the front plate on the front surface, The front panel protrudes further forward than the lower decorative panel, and has a bottom surface on the front side of the lower decorative panel that is spaced apart from an installation surface; the opening is disposed on the bottom surface of the front plate; The operating member is disposed on the bottom surface of the front panel.

2. The door lock forced release mechanism according to claim 1.

7. a housing having a door; a door lock mechanism disposed inside the housing and configured to automatically lock and unlock the door using a latch member under the control of a control device; A door lock forced release mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which mechanically and forcibly releases a door lock caused by the latch member of the door lock mechanism; Equipped with a washing machine.

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