Device for locking a household appliance door
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door locking devices for household appliances, such as dryers and washing machines, are bulky and not compact enough for miniaturization, which is a market requirement, and they have complex structures that increase manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A door-locking device with a containment casing, a hook that moves between disengagement and engagement positions, elastic means, and a locking and sliding element, allowing for compact design and reliable operation with reduced component count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional door locking systems are used, then the door can be reliably locked, but the device occupies large space and has complex structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the locking element and the actuating mechanism into a single integrated hook component. The hook serves dual functions: it engages with the door lug to prevent opening, and its elastic deformation provides the locking action. This merging eliminates the need for separate locking mechanisms, reducing overall device volume while maintaining reliable door engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is nested within the containment casing, with the hook positioned inside the casing body. The abutment element is integrated into the casing structure, and the elastic means are contained within the same housing. This nested arrangement minimizes the external dimensions of the locking device while preserving all necessary functional components.
2Reliability
If traditional door locking systems are used, then the door can be securely locked, but the number of components is large and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into the hook component: it serves as the locking element, the actuating mechanism, and the force transmission element. The elastic means provide both the locking force and the return mechanism. This consolidation reduces the component count from multiple separate parts to just the hook, abutment element, and elastic means, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring reliable door engagement through the elastic locking action.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional door locking systems are used, then the door can be locked, but the structure is not compact enough for miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is fully nested within the containment casing. The hook is positioned inside the casing, the abutment element is integrated into the casing wall, and the elastic means are contained within the same housing. This nested configuration allows the entire locking device to be miniaturized and adapted for installation in compact appliance door assemblies with limited space.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook utilizes elastic deformation in the longitudinal direction to achieve locking, while the engagement with the door lug occurs in a perpendicular direction. This dimensional separation allows the device to achieve effective locking in a compact footprint by exploiting three-dimensional space efficiently, enabling miniaturization without sacrificing locking capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, reliable, and cost-effective door locking mechanism that reduces overall dimensions and simplifies manufacturing, while ensuring safety by preventing the appliance from starting without a properly closed door.
Implementation Method 1
elastic means, interposed between said hook and said abutment element, wherein when said hook is in said disengagement position, said elastic means are compressed, and when said hook is in said engagement position, said elastic means expand, so that said hook moves
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a Door-locking device (1) for a household appliance (E), said household appliance (E) being of the type comprising a door provided with a lug (14), said door locking device (1) comprising a containment casing (10), fixable to said household appliance (E), a hook (11), arranged into said containment casing (10), capable of moving from a disengagement position, in which said lug (14) does not contact said hook (11), to an engagement position, in which said lug (14) is engaged with said hook (11) and said hook (11) is free to move along the movement direction of said lug (14), an abutment element (15) fixed on said containment casing (10), and elastic means (13), interposed between said hook (11) and said abutment element (15), wherein when said hook (11) is in said disengagement position, said elastic means (13) are compressed, and when said hook (11) is in said engagement position, said elastic means (13) expand, so that said hook (11) moves.