Sensor-Triggered Oven Door Handle for Fast Automatic Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door devices for household appliances, such as ovens, require significant user effort to open and often result in user-unfriendliness due to complex electronic controls, slow reaction times, and potential for door soiling from manual operation, with a lack of intuitive grip points and increased risk of bumping into protruding handle elements.
Innovation Solution
A door device with a handle element positioned on a vertical or upper side of the door, integrated with a detection sensor and control unit for automatic opening, allowing for quick and ergonomic operation, and featuring a child safety device for enhanced safety and reduced installation space, utilizing capacitive or inductive sensors for precise detection and a cam-based actuation mechanism for smooth door movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protruding handle element is provided on the front of the door for manual operation, then the user can easily grip and open the door, but the handle element requires additional space and the user may bump into it
Solution Approach 1:
The handle element is repositioned from the front surface to the side edge of the door, utilizing the vertical dimension along the side profile. This dimensional relocation eliminates the protrusion into the front space while maintaining ergonomic accessibility from the side, resolving the conflict between grip availability and space occupation.
2Extent of automation
If an electronically controlled door opening device with a control button is provided, then automatic opening is achieved, but no explicit handle element is provided and the user must touch areas not intended for grasping, causing soiling
Solution Approach 1:
The solution merges the manual handle function with the automatic opening system by positioning the handle element in the detection area of the sensor. This integration allows the same structural element to serve both as a manual grip and as the trigger for automatic opening, eliminating the need for separate control buttons and preventing soiling of non-grasping surfaces.
3Extent of automation
If an electronically controlled door opening device is provided, then automatic opening is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and reaction time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door opening system operates autonomously by using the handle element itself as the sensing trigger. When the user grips the handle, the sensor automatically detects the presence and initiates the opening sequence without requiring additional control mechanisms. This self-service approach simplifies the overall structure by eliminating complex electronic control buttons while maintaining fast reaction times.
4Ease of operation
If the handle element is positioned on the front side of the door, then it is easily accessible, but it increases the thickness and requires more installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The handle element is relocated from the front surface to the side edge of the door, utilizing the vertical profile dimension instead of the front-to-back thickness dimension. This repositioning maintains ergonomic accessibility while eliminating the need for additional thickness, as the handle is formed within the existing side profile of the door structure.
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 reduces door opening time to less than 0.5 seconds, enhances user-friendliness by providing an intuitive grip point, prevents door soiling, and ensures safe operation with quick detection and actuation, while also reducing wear and tear on components.
Implementation Method 1
The door has at least one detection sensor which is designed to detect a finger in a detection area around or on the or a handle element
Implementation Method 2
utilizing capacitive or inductive sensors for precise detection
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a door device for a household appliance (1), comprising a door (6) having in particular a first vertical longitudinal side (7), a second vertical longitudinal side (8) disposed opposite the first longitudinal side (7), and a top side (41) extending between the longitudinal sides, and further comprising a door opening device (24) for automatically opening the door (6), wherein a handle element (9) is designed in particular on the second longitudinal side (8) and/or a handle element (9) is designed in particular on the top side (41), and the door (6) comprises at least one detection sensor (20), which is designed to detect a finger (21) in a detection region (22) around or on the handle element (9), and a control unit (23), which is designed to control the door opening device (24) depending on the information of the detection sensor (20). The invention further relates to an oven (1) and to a method for actuating a door device (37).