WO2007110441A1

WO2007110441A1 - A household appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2007110441A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/052994
Authority: WO
Inventors: Isik Ozyaka; Bogac Simsir
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2006-03-29
Filing date: 2007-03-29
Publication date: 2007-10-04
Also published as: TR200805928T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance (1) that comprises a door (3) locked by a lock. In the said household appliance (1) a stopper (9, 90) is provided at each side of the hole (5). At least one of the stoppers (9, 90) has a resilient structure. Consequently, the stopper (90) bends to leave the fitting path of the shaft (6) as the shaft (6) is being fitted in the holes (5) allowing the passage of the shaft (6), and resumes its initial position after the shaft (6) is seated in the holes (5) thereby preventing the dislocation of the shaft (6).

Description

Description A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

[0001] The present invention relates to a household appliance comprising a lockable door.

[0002] In household appliances like the refrigerator, washing machine or the dryer, a door is provided that closes the body or a compartment within the body. This door is locked by a locking mechanism. The locking mechanisms used particularly in the front loaded washing machines basically comprise a pin situated in the body and a hook on the door that clutches this pin providing to lock the door.

[0003] One end of the hook is rotatably attached preferably to a shaft housed at the inner portion of the door. The other end extends towards the pin in the body from an opening on the door. The hook that is pushed by a spring towards the pin stays clutched to the pin as long as the door is closed.

[0004] The shaft around which the hook rotates is housed in two sockets inside the door from its ends. A stopper on the outside of the sockets prevents the shaft from being dislocated by bearing on its end.

[0005] In some of the state of the art applications, two stoppers are used, one situated on the inner plate of the door and the other on the outer plate. When the door assembly is completed, one of these stoppers extend from below and the other from above, each bearing against on one end of the shaft and preventing the shaft from being dislocated from the socket.

[0006]

[0007] Another state of the art implementation is explicated in the United States of

America patent application no. US20040244435. In this implementation, the shaft seats are situated in a door plate while both of the stoppers are situated in the other door plate. When the plates are assembled, the seats and the shaft are interposed between the two stoppers.

[0008] In the European patent application no. EP1564323 and the United States of

America patent application no. US2005044898, stoppers that one end of the shaft bears on, are seen.

[0009] In the German patent application no. DE4040291, two U shaped housings and a shaft that is assembled to these housings from above is explained. Two stoppers are used for preventing the shaft to move in the direction of its axis.

[0010] In applications wherein the shaft is supported from one side, each time the door is opened it is observed that the shaft turning together with the hook can be dislocated from the unsupported side after a while, thereby rendering the door inoperative. In applications wherein each of the two seats is a hole, because the shaft has to be passed in through one of the holes then pushed towards the other, at least one of the stoppers should be situated on the other door plate in order to leave the entrance of one of the holes open during assembly. Accordingly there is the possibility of the stopper to bump onto the shaft and both of them get broken during the assembly of the door. Furthermore, if the door comprises a movable handle, it is hard to find a suitable place on the other door plate for positioning the stoppers.

[0011] The objective of the present invention is to design a household appliance wherein the shaft can be assembled easily and at the same time is prevented from being dislocated from the hole.

[0012] The household appliance designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is explicated in the attached claims. In the said household appliance, at least one of the stoppers at one side of the two holes wherein the shaft is housed is of a resilient structure. The resiliently structured stopper is composed of two adjacently disposed band shaped thin extensions. While the shaft is passed to the hole, the outwardly resilient extensions depart from each other and allow for the passage of the shaft. After the shaft has passed, the extensions that resume their initial positions close the entrance of the hole together and prevent the dislocation of the shaft. Consequently, it is possible to support the shaft from both sides and also prevent it from unwanted dislocation from the holes. Since both of the stoppers are situated on the same element of the door, the problem of breakage of the shaft or the stoppers during assembly is also solved.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the extensions are positioned angularly to the shaft axis. The stoppers gradually get closer to each other in the direction that the shaft passes while being inserted in the holes. Consequently, it is easier for the shaft to enter in between the stoppers in the direction of entrance to the hole, and on the contrary, gets harder in the exit direction.

[0014] The household appliance designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0015] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a household appliance.

[0016] Figure 2 - is the A-A sectional view.

[0017] Figure 3 - is the top view of the locking mechanism inside the door.

[0018] Figure 4 - is the perspective view of the locking mechanism inside the door before it passes through the shaft extensions. [0019] Rgure 5 - is the perspective view of the locking mechanism inside the door as it passes through the shaft stoppers. [0020] Rgure 6 - is the perspective view of the locking mechanism inside the door after the shaft is seated in the holes. [0021] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Household appliance

2. Body

3. Door

4. Handle

5. Hole

6. Shaft

7. Hook

8. Pin

9. , 90. Stopper

10. Extension

11. Locking mechanism

12. Vertical element

[0022] The household appliance (1) of the present invention, for example a washing machine, dryer etc. comprises a body (2), a door (3) that provides access into the body (2) and a locking mechanism (11) providing the door (3) to be locked to the body (2) (Rgure 1).

[0023] The locking mechanism (11) comprises:

[0024] a hook (7), one end of which is attached inside the door (3), and the other end goes out from the door (3) extending towards the body (2),

[0025] a pin (8) situated on the body (2), to which the hook (7) is clasped thereby providing locking,

[0026] at least two vertical elements (12) situated oppositely at the interior of the door (3),

[0027] one hole (5) on each of these vertical elements (12), with their central axis thereof on the same line (X) and,

[0028] a shaft (6) seated in the holes (5) from its two ends, to which the hook (7) is rotatably attached.

[0029] The household appliance (1) of the present invention furthermore comprises two stoppers (9, 90) that extend towards the front of the holes (5), preventing the shaft (6) from being dislocated by being positioned on the fitting path of the shaft (6) to the holes (5). The stoppers (9, 90) extend from the plane wherein the vertical elements (12) are situated inside the door (3) to the space inside the door (3) in the same direction as the vertical elements (12). The stoppers (9, 90) are outside the region between the two vertical elements (12), on the axis (X) that joins the centers of the holes (5). The shaft (6) and the vertical elements (12) are disposed in between the two stoppers (9, 90). The stoppers (9, 90) close the entrance of the holes (5). Therefore, at least one of the stoppers (90) has a resilient structure so that the shaft (6) can pass over the stoppers (9, 90) and be fitted in the holes (5) (Rgure 1).

[0030] The resiliently structured stopper (90) comprises two extensions (10) that extend side by side, allowing the shaft (6) to be passed in between them to be fitted in the holes (5) and to be released from the holes (5). The shortest distance between the two extensions (10) is shorter than the diameter of the shaft (6). As the shaft (6) is being fitted in the holes, it enters in between the two extensions (10), the two extensions (10) stretch by going away from each other with the force applied by the shaft (6), allowing the shaft (6) to pass. After the shaft (6) passes through them, the extensions (10) stretch back nearing each other, preventing the dislocation of the shaft (6) by closing the entrance of the hole (5) (Rgure 2). The extensions (10) also help the shaft (6) to be directed towards the holes (5).

[0031] The extension (10) is designed like a leaf in order to be able to stretch. The extension (10) should stretch in the direction perpendicular to the shaft (6) axis (X), but not in the direction of the axis (X) so that the stopper (90) can serve its purpose. Therefore the wall thickness of the extension (10) in the direction that is approximately perpendicular to the axis (X) is much thinner than its width in approximately the direction of the axis (X).

[0032] In this embodiment of the present invention, the two extensions (10) are positioned symmetrically to each other with respect to the shaft axis (X), with an angle in between thereof. The apex of this angle is closer to the vertical element (12). In other words, the extensions (10) are disposed such that they can come closer to each other in the direction of the shaft (6) fitting. The distance between the two extensions (10) is shorter than the diameter of the shaft (6) near the hole (5) and is longer farther away. By this means, the shaft (6) can be easily inserted between the two extensions (10) as it is being fitted; however its dislocation is made difficult. Furthermore, as the contact surface of the shaft (6) with the extensions (10) is reduced, the shaft (6) can easily slide over the extensions (10).

[0033] In the household appliance (1) of the present invention, during the assembly of the locking mechanism (11), firstly one end of the shaft (6) bears against in between the two extensions (10) (Rgure 4). The shaft (6) is pushed in between the extensions (10) by applying a longitudinal force. The two extensions (10) go away from each other by stretching, allowing the passage of the shaft (6) (Rgure 5). The shaft (6) first enters the hole (5) on the vertical element (12) near the extensions (10), then goes through the hook (7) and reaches the hole (5) on the further vertical element (12). When the shaft (6) is housed by both of the holes (5), its ends extend out of the holes (5). These ends are disposed between the two stoppers (9, 90). The distance between the two stoppers (9, 90) is preferably such that it allows for small amplitude longitudinal movements of the shaft (6) but prevents its dislocation from the holes (5) (Rgure 6). Accordingly, the shaft (6) is bound in the perpendicular direction to the axis (X) by means of the holes (5) and bound along the axis (X) by means of the stoppers (9, 90), providing a more dur ble mechanism. If the shaft (6) needs to be dislocated for any reason, it can be tdcen out of the holes (5) by moving apart the extensions (10) from each other.

[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention, the portions of the extension (10) that the shaft (6) first bears against as it enters the holes (5) are rounded. Consequently, the shaft (6) can be passed between the extensions (10) without causing any damage.

[0035] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism (11) furthermore comprises a handle (4) attached to the shaft (6) providing to move the hook (7) (Rgure 2).

[0036] By means of the household appliance (1) of the present invention, the shaft (6) is prevented from being dislocated by being bound from both ends by the extensions (10) and also easy fitting is provided. Consequently, a household appliance (1) is provided comprising a more dur ble locking mechanism (11) which can be easily assembled.

Claims

[0001] 1. A household appliance (1) comprising a body (2), a door (3) that provides access into the body (2) and a locking mechanism (11) providing the door (3) to be locked to the body (2), having a hook (7), one end of which is attached inside the door (3), the other end extending from the door (3) towards the body (2), a pin (8) situated on the body (2), to which the hook (7) is clutched thereby providing locking, at least two vertical elements (12) situated oppositely at the interior of the door (3), one hole (5) on each of these vertical elements (11), with their central axis on the same line (X) and, a shaft (6) seated in the holes (5) from its two ends, to which the hook (7) is rotatably attached, and characterized by two stoppers (9, 90) having two extensions (10) that extend from the plane wherein the vertical elements (12) are situated inside the door (3) to the space inside the door (3) in the same direction as the vertical elements (12) towards the front of the holes (5), preventing the shaft (6) from being dislocated from the holes (5) by being positioned in the fitting path of the shaft (6) to the holes (5), with at least one of them having a resilient structure allowing the shaft (6) to be passed in between them to be fitted in the holes (5) and to be released from the holes (5).

[0002] A household appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by an extension (10) having a wall thickness in the direction that is approximately perpendicular to the axis (X) that is much thimer than its width in approximately the direction of the axis (X).

[0003] A household appliance (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by two extensions (10) positioned symmetrically to each other with respect to the shaft (6) axis (X), with an angle in between thereof.

[0004] A household appliance (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by two extensions (10) having a distance in between the one that is shorter than the diameter of the shaft (6) near the hole (5) and the one that is longer farther away.

[0005] A household appliance (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by an extension (10) the portions of which are rounded to which the shaft (6) first bears against as it enters the hole (5).