Home electric appliance and interlock structure

Abstract

To prevent failures of an interlock structure of a home electric appliance.SOLUTION: An interlock structure of a home electric appliance is provided between a cavity and a case, and includes a frame, a micro switch unit, a rotary unit, and an elastic member, the frame includes a first attachment surface and a second attachment surface, the micro switch unit is provided on the first attachment surface, the rotary unit is provided rotatably on the frame, and the elastic member is provided on the second attachment surface and is respectively connected to the frame and the rotary unit. When a door body is closed, the rotary unit is rotated until being brought into contact with a contact of the micro switch unit by pressing force of a door hook so as to make the elastic member in a compressed state or in an expanded state, and when the door body is opened, the door hook is separated from the rotary unit, and the elastic member is reset by reversely rotating the rotary unit and is switched to an initial state so as to be separated from the micro switch unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular, to household appliances and an interlock structure.

Background Art

[0002] In related technologies, the interlock structure of a microwave oven can control the on / off of the power supply of the whole machine according to the opening and closing of the door body. By the cooperation of the rotating unit and the elastic member, it is possible to touch the microswitch unit and separate from each other from the microswitch unit. Thereby, it can be ensured that the microwave oven does not operate when the door body is opened.

[0003] However, in related technologies, during the process of installing the case of the microwave oven, the elastic member may be accidentally touched, which easily causes a failure of the interlock structure.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In view of the above, the main object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a household appliance and an interlock structure that can prevent the failure of the interlock structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure is realized as follows.

[0006] In a first aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a household appliance is provided, and the household appliance includes a housing including a cavity and a case, the cavity includes a storage chamber having an opening, and the case is located outside the cavity, the housing, a door body that is openably and closably provided at the opening and includes a door hook, An interlock structure provided between the cavity and the case, the interlock structure comprising a frame, a microswitch unit, a rotating unit, and an elastic member, the frame having a first mounting surface on a side close to the case and a second mounting surface on a side away from the case, the microswitch unit being provided on the first mounting surface, the rotating unit being rotatably provided on the frame, and the elastic member being provided on the second mounting surface and connected to the frame and the rotating unit respectively, and an interlock structure. When the door body is closed, the rotating unit triggers the microswitch unit and rotates until it abuts against the contact point of the microswitch unit by the pressing of the door hook so as to compress or extend the elastic member. When the door body is opened, the door hook separates from the rotating unit, and the elastic member rotates the rotating unit in the reverse direction to reset and is switched to the initial state so as to separate from the microswitch unit.

[0007] In one embodiment, the elastic member is a torsion spring, the torsion spring comprising a first connecting leg and a second connecting leg, the first connecting leg being connected to the frame, the second connecting leg being connected to the rotating unit, and the connecting portion of the second connecting leg and the rotating unit being offset from the rotation center of the rotating unit.

[0008] In one embodiment, the frame has a through hole, a part of the rotating unit extends into the through hole so as to form a connecting column, the second connecting leg is connected to the connecting column, and the connecting column is rotatably provided in the through hole.

[0009] In one embodiment, the frame has an abutting port, the first connecting leg passes through the abutting port and abuts against the side wall of the abutting port.

[0010] In one embodiment, a partial region of the first mounting surface is recessed to form a first mounting cavity. The first mounting cavity has the butting interface that communicates both sides of the frame. The first connecting leg extends into the first mounting cavity through the butting interface.

[0011] In one embodiment, the torsion spring includes a spring coil located between the first connecting leg and the second connecting leg. The frame has an abutting groove on the side located on the second mounting surface. The spring coil is located in the abutting groove, and the length dimension of the abutting groove is larger than the outer diameter of the spring coil.

[0012] In one embodiment, the microswitch unit includes a primary microswitch, a secondary microswitch, and a monitoring microswitch. When the door body is closed, the rotating unit sequentially triggers the monitoring microswitch, the primary microswitch, and the secondary microswitch by pressing the door hook. When the door body is opened, the rotating unit sequentially separates from the primary microswitch, the secondary microswitch, and the monitoring microswitch.

[0013] In one embodiment, the rotating unit includes an interlock lever and a cam. The cam is rotatably provided on the first mounting surface. The cam is used to trigger the monitoring microswitch and the secondary microswitch, and the lever is used to trigger the primary microswitch.

[0014] In one embodiment, a partial region of the second mounting surface is recessed to form a second mounting cavity. At least a partial region of the second mounting cavity near the primary microswitch forms a communication port and is open. The interlock lever is rotatably provided in the second mounting cavity so as to trigger the primary microswitch through the communication port by pressing the door hook.

[0015] In a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an interlock structure is provided, and the interlock structure is the interlock structure described in any of the above.

[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a household appliance and an interlock structure. The household appliance includes a housing, a door body, and an interlock structure. The frame of the interlock structure has a first attachment surface on the side close to the case and a second attachment surface on the side away from the case. The microswitch unit is provided on the first attachment surface, and the elastic member is provided on the second attachment surface and is connected to the frame and the rotating unit respectively. In this way, by providing the elastic member on the second attachment surface on the side away from the case, on the one hand, during the process of attaching the case, accidental contact with the elastic member can be prevented, and failures of the interlock structure can be avoided. On the other hand, since the elastic member is not provided on the side of the frame close to the case, there is no need to widen the interlock structure so that the elastic member and the case form a certain safety distance. While satisfying the safety performance, the dimensions of the interlock structure can be reduced, and further, the volume of the household appliance can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a household appliance. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 8, and 9, the household appliance includes a housing 10, a door body 20, and an interlock structure 30. The housing 10 includes a cavity 11 and a case 12. The cavity 11 includes a storage chamber 11a having an opening 11b, and the case 12 is located outside the cavity 11.

[0019] The door body 20 is provided to be openable and closable at the opening 11b portion, and the door body 20 includes a door hook 21.

[0020] Specifically, the household appliance may be any type of electrical appliance such as a microwave oven, a pressure cooker, or other electrical devices. For the sake of easy explanation, in the present disclosure, the case where the household appliance is a microwave oven is taken as an example for explanation.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the interlock structure 30 is provided between the cavity 11 and the case 12. The interlock structure 30 includes a frame 31, a microswitch unit 32, a rotation unit 33, and an elastic member 34. The frame 31 has a first attachment surface 31a on the side close to the case 12 and a second attachment surface 31b on the side away from the case 12. The microswitch unit 32 is provided on the first attachment surface 31a. The rotation unit 33 is rotatably provided on the frame 31. The elastic member 34 is provided on the second attachment surface 31b and is connected to the frame 31 and the rotation unit 33 respectively.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, when the door body 20 is closed, the rotating unit 33 triggers the microswitch unit 32 and rotates until it abuts against the contact point of the microswitch unit 32 by the pressing of the door hook 21 so as to compress or extend the elastic member 34. When the door body 20 is opened, the door hook 21 separates from the rotating unit 33, and the elastic member 34 rotates the rotating unit 33 reversely to reset and is switched to the initial state so as to separate from the microswitch unit 32.

[0023] Specifically, when the door body 20 is closed, the door hook 21 is locked by an elastic snap in the housing 10, and this elastic snap is also connected to the door opening button of the household appliance. The insertion direction of the door hook 21 may be parallel to the plane where the frame 31 is located. The frame 31 may provide attachment support for other structures of the interlock structure 30, and the positional fitting relationship between the components can be ensured.

[0024] The rotating unit 33 can rotate relative to the frame 31. When the door body 20 is closed, the door hook 21 abuts against the rotating unit 33 so as to press the rotating unit 33 until it abuts against the contact point of the microswitch unit 32. Since the elastic member 34 is connected to the frame 31 and the rotating unit 33 respectively, the elastic member 34 can be elastically deformed along with the rotation of the rotating unit 33, and thus has an elastic force.

[0025] The rotating unit 33 may have an integral structure or a separate structure.

[0026] For example, referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the rotating unit 33 includes an interlock lever 332 and a cam 333. The cam 333 is rotatably provided on the first attachment surface 31a. The cam 333 is used to trigger the monitoring microswitch 323 and the secondary microswitch 322, and the lever is used to trigger the primary microswitch 321.

[0027] Correspondingly, the door body 20 has two door hooks 21, and the two door hooks 21 push up the interlock lever 332 and the cam 333 respectively, and rotate the interlock lever 332 and the cam 333 respectively, thereby triggering the monitoring microswitch 323 and the secondary microswitch 322, and triggering the primary microswitch 321.

[0028] The microswitch unit 32 includes at least one microswitch, that is, one microswitch or a plurality of microswitches. The microswitch has a contact that can be triggered by the contact of the rotating unit 33. The microswitch unit 32 is provided on the side close to the case 12 of the frame 31, which can facilitate subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0029] Exemplarily, referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, the microswitch unit 32 includes a primary microswitch 321, a secondary microswitch 322, and a monitoring microswitch 323. When the door body 20 is closed, the rotating unit 33 sequentially triggers the monitoring microswitch 323, the primary microswitch 321, and the secondary microswitch 322 by the pressing of the door hook 21. When the door body 20 is opened, the rotating unit 33 sequentially separates from the primary microswitch 321, the secondary microswitch 322, and the monitoring microswitch 323.

[0030] Specifically, the primary microswitch 321 is used to control the main circuit of the household appliance, the secondary microswitch 322 is used to control the door opening and closing detection circuit of the household appliance, and the monitoring microswitch 323 is used to control the switch circuits of the primary microswitch 321 and the secondary microswitch 322.

[0031] The primary micro-switch 321 and the secondary micro-switch 322 are normally open switches and are located in the main circuit of the circuit. When the door body 20 is closed, the switches are turned on, and the household appliance can operate safely. The monitoring micro-switch 323 is a normally closed switch and is located between the primary micro-switch 321 and the secondary micro-switch 322. When the door body 20 is closed, the monitoring micro-switch 323 must be triggered to turn off first, and then the primary micro-switch 321 and the secondary micro-switch 322 must be triggered to turn on. At this time, the household appliance can operate normally. When the door body 20 is opened, the primary micro-switch 321 and the secondary micro-switch 322 must be reset to turn off first, and then the monitoring micro-switch 323 must be reset to turn on. At this time, the household appliance will stop operating. Otherwise, problems such as circuit short-circuit and fuse burnout will be caused.

[0032] Also, depending on the installation position and connection means of the elastic member 34, when the door body 20 is closed, the elastic member 34 may be compressed or extended.

[0033] Also, when the door body 20 is opened, the door hook 21 is separated from the rotating unit 33. After the rotating unit 33 loses the abutting action of the door hook 21, due to the elastic force of the elastic member 34, the rotating unit 33 rotates in the direction opposite to the process of closing the door body 20, thereby realizing the purpose of reset. Accordingly, the elastic member 34 is also switched to the initial state. Here, the initial state refers to the state of the elastic member 34 when the door body 20 does not act on the rotating unit 33. Depending on the actual design situation, it may be the natural state or a state having a certain elastic force. Also, since the rotating unit 33 rotates reversely to be reset and is separated from the micro-switch unit 32, it does not abut against the contacts of the micro-switch unit 32, whereby the micro-switch unit 32 can be reset.

[0034] The elastic member 34 may be various types of springs or other elastic members that can provide elastic force through elastic deformation, and can be set according to the actual situation.

[0035] Exemplarily, referring to FIG. 7, the elastic member 34 is a torsion spring 341. The torsion spring 341 includes a first connecting leg 342 and a second connecting leg 343. The first connecting leg 342 is connected to the frame 31, and the second connecting leg 343 is connected to the rotating unit 33. The connecting portion between the second connecting leg 343 and the rotating unit 33 is offset from the rotation center of the rotating unit 33. In this way, when the frame 31 and the rotating unit 33 are relatively displaced, the torsion spring 341 can be elastically deformed to provide elastic force. Understandably, in order to avoid the situation where the torsion spring 341 cannot be deformed, the second connecting leg 343 should not be connected to the rotation center of the rotating unit 33.

[0036] In the related art, referring to FIG. 11, the elastic member 34' is provided on the side close to the case 12' of the frame. When the elastic member 34' is brought close to the case 12', the requirements of the safety standard are not met. According to the standard specification, it is required that the elastic member 34' be more than 5 mm away from the case 12'. Therefore, in the related art, since the elastic member 34' and the case 12' are provided at an interval, the size of the case 12' of the microwave oven increases, and the overall volume of the microwave oven increases.

[0037] In contrast, the household appliance of the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing 10, a door body 20, and an interlock structure 30. The frame 31 of the interlock structure 30 has a first attachment surface 31a on the side close to the case 12 and a second attachment surface 31b on the side away from the case 12. The microswitch unit 32 is provided on the first attachment surface 31a, and the elastic member 34 is provided on the second attachment surface 31b and is connected to the frame 31 and the rotation unit 33 respectively. In this way, by providing the elastic member 34 on the second attachment surface 31b on the side away from the case 12, on the one hand, during the process of attaching the case 12, accidental contact with the elastic member 34 can be prevented, malfunction of the interlock structure 30 can be avoided, and the maintenance rate of the household appliance can be reduced. On the other hand, since the elastic member 34 is not provided on the side of the frame 31 close to the case 12, it is not necessary to widen the interlock structure 30 so that the elastic member 34 and the case 12 form a certain safety distance. While satisfying the safety performance, the dimensions of the interlock structure 30 can be reduced, and further, the volume of the household appliance can be reduced. At the same time, since it is not necessary to solve the safety problem by protruding the case 12 to form a convex hull, the aesthetic appearance of the exterior can be maintained.

[0038] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides an interlock structure 30, and the interlock structure 30 is the interlock structure 30 described in any embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] It should be noted that since the elastic member 34 and the microswitch unit 32 of the interlock structure 30 are located on different sides of the frame 31 respectively, when the interlock structure 30 is attached to the housing 10 of the household appliance, by turning one side of the microswitch unit 32 towards the case 12 side, the volume of the household appliance can be reduced. As can be seen from this, the interlock structure 30 of the present disclosure has a small volume and can be used in compact models.

[0040] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 7, the frame 31 has a through-hole 31c, and a part of the rotating unit 33 extends into the through-hole 31c to form a connecting column 331. The second connecting leg 343 is connected to the connecting column 331, and the connecting column 331 is rotatably provided within the through-hole 31c.

[0041] Specifically, the second connecting leg 343 of the torsion spring 341 is connected to the connecting column 331 extending into the through-hole 31c, enabling the torsion spring 341 to be connected even if it is not in the same plane as the rotating unit 33.

[0042] It should be noted that the dimension of the through-hole 31c is larger than the outer dimension of the connecting column 331, allowing the connecting column 331 to rotate within the through-hole 31c during the rotation of the rotating unit 33.

[0043] The specific shape of the through-hole 31c is not limited. For example, the through-hole 31c is an arc-shaped opening 11b.

[0044] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, the frame 31 has a butting port 31d. The first connecting leg 342 passes through the butting port 31d and abuts against the side wall of the butting port 31d. In this way, the first connecting leg 342 can be stably attached to the frame 31.

[0045] It should be noted that the dimension of the opening 11b of the butting port 31d is larger than the outer dimension of the first connecting leg 342. On one hand, it can facilitate the extension of the first connecting leg 342 into the butting port 31d. On the other hand, it can also prevent the torsion spring 341 from being overly connected to the frame 31 and being damaged during expansion and contraction.

[0046] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 7, a part of the first mounting surface 31a is recessed to form a first mounting cavity 31aa. The first mounting cavity 31aa has a butting port 31d that communicates both sides of the frame 31. The first connecting leg 342 passes through the butting port 31d and extends into the first mounting cavity 31aa.

[0047] Specifically, since the first connecting leg 342 directly passes through the mating port 31d, by forming the first attachment cavity 31aa, the area where the first connecting leg 342 passes through the mating port 31d can be accommodated within the first attachment cavity 31aa, and damage to the structure on the side of the first attachment surface 31a caused by the first connecting leg 342 extending from the mating port 31d can be avoided. It is possible to prevent the user from being injured when removing and attaching the interlock structure 30, and the safety hazard can also be reduced.

[0048] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, the torsion spring 341 includes a spring coil 344 located between the first connecting leg 342 and the second connecting leg 343. The frame 31 has a contact groove 31e on the side located on the second attachment surface 31b. The spring coil 344 is located within the contact groove 31e, and the length dimension of the contact groove 31e is larger than the outer diameter of the spring coil 344. In this way, the stability of the torsion spring 341 can be significantly improved, and the elastic deformation of the torsion spring 341 can be facilitated.

[0049] Specifically, one end of the first connecting leg 342 is connected to the frame 31, and the other end extends to the spring coil 344. One end of the second connecting leg 343 is connected to the rotating unit 33, and the other end also extends to the spring coil 344. The number of turns of the spring coil 344 can be set according to the actual situation.

[0050] The specific formation method of the contact groove 31e is not limited. For example, a part of the area of the second attachment surface 31b protrudes to form a reinforcing rib, and a part of the area of the reinforcing rib is cut to form the contact groove 31e.

[0051] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, a partial region of the second attachment surface 31b is recessed to form a second attachment cavity 31ba, and at least a partial region of the side of the second attachment cavity 31ba close to the primary microswitch 321 is opened to form a communication port 31bb. The interlock lever 332 is rotatably provided in the second attachment cavity 31ba so as to trigger the primary microswitch 321 through the communication port 31bb by the pressing of the door hook 21.

[0052] Specifically, the interlock lever 332 can be attached to the second attachment cavity 31ba from the side of the second attachment surface 31b, and by the pressing of the door hook 21, the interlock lever 332 can rotate within the second attachment surface 31b. Since the second attachment cavity 31ba has the communication port 31bb opened toward the primary microswitch 321 side, the interlock lever 332 can trigger the primary microswitch 321 by rotating to the communication port 31bb so as to abut against the contact point of the primary microswitch 321.

[0053] Understandably, when the door body 20 is opened, the door hook 21 separates from the interlock lever 332, and the interlock lever 332 can also rotate reversely to reset, whereby it separates from the primary microswitch 321 and the primary microswitch 321 can be reset.

[0054] In the description of this specification, the descriptions of reference terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "one specific embodiment", or "exemplary" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in this embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the exemplary expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, configurations, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Also, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine different embodiments or examples described in the present disclosure, and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0055] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, the present disclosure can be subject to various modifications and changes. It is not intended to limit the present disclosure, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure should be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Description of Reference Signs

[0056] 10 Housing 11 Cavity 11a Accommodation Chamber 11b Opening 12(12′) Case 20 Door Body 21 Door Hook 30 Interlock Structure 31 Frame 31a First Attachment Surface 31aa First Attachment Cavity 31b Second Attachment Surface 31ba Second Attachment Cavity 31bb Communication Port 31c Passage Port 31d Contact Surface 31e Contact Groove 32 Microswitch Unit 321 Primary Microswitch 322 Secondary Microswitch 323 Monitoring Microswitch 33 Rotating Unit 331 Connecting Column 332 Interlock Lever 333 Cam 34(34′) Elastic Member 341 Torsion Spring 342 First Connecting Leg 343 Second Connecting Leg 344 Spring Coil

Claims

1. An electrical appliance, comprising a housing having a cavity and a case, wherein the cavity comprises a storage chamber having an opening, and the case is located outside the cavity, the housing, a door body provided to be openable and closable at the opening and having a door hook, an interlock structure provided between the cavity and the case, comprising a frame, a microswitch unit, a rotating unit, and an elastic member, the frame having a first attachment surface on a side close to the case and a second attachment surface on a side away from the case, the microswitch unit being provided on the first attachment surface, the rotating unit being rotatably provided on the frame, and the elastic member being provided on the second attachment surface and connected to the frame and the rotating unit respectively, the interlock structure, when the door body is closed, the rotating unit triggers the microswitch unit and rotates until it abuts against the contact point of the microswitch unit by the pressing of the door hook so as to compress or stretch the elastic member, and when the door body is opened, the door hook separates from the rotating unit, and the elastic member rotates the rotating unit reversely to reset and is switched to an initial state so as to separate from the microswitch unit, an electrical appliance.

2. The elastic member is a torsion spring, the torsion spring comprising a first connecting leg and a second connecting leg, the first connecting leg being connected to the frame, the second connecting leg being connected to the rotating unit, and the connecting portion between the second connecting leg and the rotating unit being offset from the rotation center of the rotating unit. The electrical appliance according to Claim 1.

3. The frame has a through hole, a part of the rotating unit extends into the through hole so as to form a connecting column, the second connecting leg is connected to the connecting column, and the connecting column is rotatably provided in the through hole. The electrical appliance according to Claim 2.

4. The frame has an abutting port, and the first connecting leg passes through the abutting port and abuts against the side wall of the abutting port. The electrical appliance according to Claim 2.

5. A part of the region of the first attachment surface is recessed to form a first attachment cavity. The first attachment cavity has the butting port that communicates both sides of the frame. The first connecting leg extends into the first attachment cavity through the butting port. The household electrical appliance according to claim 4.

6. The torsion spring includes a spring coil positioned between the first connecting leg and the second connecting leg. The frame has an abutting groove on the side positioned on the second attachment surface. The spring coil is positioned in the abutting groove, and the length dimension of the abutting groove is larger than the outer diameter of the spring coil. The household electrical appliance according to claim 2.

7. The microswitch unit includes a primary microswitch, a secondary microswitch, and a monitoring microswitch. When the door body is closed, the rotating unit sequentially triggers the monitoring microswitch, the primary microswitch, and the secondary microswitch by the pressing of the door hook. When the door body is opened, the rotating unit sequentially separates from the primary microswitch, the secondary microswitch, and the monitoring microswitch. The household electrical appliance according to claim 1.

8. The rotating unit includes an interlock lever and a cam. The cam is rotatably provided on the first attachment surface. The cam is used to trigger the monitoring microswitch and the secondary microswitch, and the lever is used to trigger the primary microswitch. The household electrical appliance according to claim 7.

9. A part of the region of the second attachment surface is recessed to form a second attachment cavity. At least a part of the region of the second attachment cavity near the primary microswitch is opened to form a communication port. The interlock lever is rotatably provided in the second attachment cavity so as to trigger the primary microswitch through the communication port by the pressing of the door hook. The household electrical appliance according to claim 8.

10. An interlock structure The interlock structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9. Interlock structure

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