Latching mechanism for the door of an electric household appliance

• US 6,634,684 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elektromanufaktur Zangenstein Hanauer GmbH & Co KGaA
• Original Assignee: Elektromanufaktur Zangenstein Hanauer GmbH & Co KGaA
• Inventors: Spiessl, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/909,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/341.16, 292/DIG.66, 292/DIG.69, 70/10, 68/122.6, 134/57.DL, 134/58.DL
• US Class Current: 292/341.16
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/42 Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0009 with thermo-electric actuators, e.g. heated bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/69 Washing machine or stove closure latch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/699 Motor controlled

Abstract

A door latching mechanism for the door of an electric household appliance, in particular a washing machine, is described. The door latching mechanism comprises an element (34) of which at least a deflection part changes its spatial position (C, D) upon a change in temperature of the element (34) and thereby operates a bar element (32) for locking and unlocking the door. The door latching mechanism further comprises an electromagnetic device (46) comprising an actuating member (48) for unlocking the door. The actuating member (48) cooperates with an extension (40A) of the bar element (32).

Claims

1. A washing machine, comprising:

a door, and

a door latching mechanism for the door of the washing machine, the door latching mechanism comprising

an element (34) of which at least a deflection part changes its spatial position (C, D) upon a change in temperature of the element (34) and thereby operates a bar element (32) for locking and unlocking the door, as well as

an electromagnetic device (46) comprising an actuating member (48) for unlocking the door, wherein

the actuating member (48) directly cooperates with the bar element (32).

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized by a control unit which causes that the door can be unlocked for opening by means of the electromagnetic device (46), with the door being unlockable by means of the element (34) in the absence of an electric current.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the position of the bar element (32) can be changed by a change in position (C, D) of the deflection part of the element (34), and the electromagnetic device (46) also effects a change in the position of the bar element (32).

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the bar element (32) is formed as a blocking slide and upon locking engages a locking window (30) of a main slide (20), in order to prevent a movement of the main slide (20), whereby the release of a door hook (10) at the door is precluded.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that a compression spring (36) is arranged at the deflection part of the element (34), which acts on the bar element (32) via an intermediate member (40) arranged at the bar element (32).

9. The washing machine according to one of claim 6, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the intermediate member is a switching spring (40).

10. The washing machine according to one of claim 6, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that at least one stop (42) limits the movement of the intermediate member (40).

11. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the element (34) consists of a bimetal element.

12. The washing machine according to one of claim 1, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the deflection part of the element (34) is a free end of same, while the element (34) with its opposite end is secured at the door latching mechanism.

13. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that a temperature change of the element (34) is produced by means of a PTC resistor (44) operatively coupled to the element (34).

14. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the electromagnetic device (46) upon its excitation unlocks the door if it remained locked due to the change in position (D) of the deflection part with the electromagnetic device (46) not excited.

15. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a means for interrupting a washing operation, which can be externally operated;

a sensor for sensing whether the door is open or closed; and

a control unit which effects the unlocking of the door by the electromagnetic device (46) upon an actuation of the means and subsequently effects that the unlocking action is can-celled and the door is locked again by the element (34), if the sensor has either sensed that the door was opened and closed again, that it has remained closed longer than a certain period of time and/or that a start button was pressed.

2. A washing machine, comprising:

a door, and

a door latching mechanism for the door of the washing machine, the door latching mechanism comprising

an element (34) of which at least a deflection part changes its spatial position (C, D) upon a change in temperature of the element (34) and thereby operates a bar element (32) for locking and unlocking the door, as well as

an electromagnetic device (46) comprising an actuating member (48) for unlocking the door, wherein

the actuating member (48) cooperates with an extension (40A) of the bar element (32).

7. The washing machine according to one of claim 2, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the actuating member is formed as a bolt (48) or a hinged armature and the electromagnetic device (46) effects a movement of the bolt (48) or the hinged armature which acts on the bar element (32) via the extension (40A).

8. The washing machine according to one of claim 7, wherein the door latching mechanism is characterized in that the compression spring (36) on the one side of the bar element (32) and the bolt (48) or the hinged armature on the opposite side of the bar element (32) acts on the intermediate member (40).