EP0481503A1 - Door lock for household appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

In the case of a household appliance such as a refrigerator, a tumble drier, a washing machine or the like having a casing with an opening on the front side, a door for closing the opening, a hooked part or door catch which is arranged on the door by means of a fixing device, a closure unit on the front wall of the casing for locking the door and an operating element fitted on the casing for actuating the closure unit, fixing devices for door and closure units being respectively provided on either side of the opening, it is proposed, in order to simplify optimally the fixing of the door from both sides, that the closure unit (29) have two opposing mounts (74, 77) for the alternative connection of a Bowden cable (41, 46), that the actuating device (63) comprise changeable elements for making an effective connection between the bolt (53) and the bolt (53) and the Bowden cable (41) in the one or the other mount (74, 77), and in order to make the household appliance totally child-safe, that a further actuating fixture (50, 60) be provided for the locking mechanism (28), which fixture can also be operated from the closed internal compartment (19). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance, such as a refrigerator, a tumble dryer or a washing machine, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such household appliances are known as applicant's products. With such household appliances, it is desirable, depending on the intended installation site, to open the door either to the left or to the right of the opening, a subsequent change of the stop should also be possible, for. B. when changing the installation site. If the device is supplied by the manufacturer in two versions with the door hinged on the left or right, a subsequent change is no longer possible, and manufacturing, sales and warehousing are also complex. It is also already known to provide the device with an optional left and right stop on the door from the outset, which is then set up as required when the device is delivered. However, this can only be done by specialists, since the device housing must be opened to convert the clamping unit.

Fastening devices for the door, the hook part and the locking unit are already provided on both sides of the opening for cost reasons on the housing, but in accordance with the different fastening of the door, different locking units are provided in the two model versions, in which the bolt once to the left and once is biased to the right into its rest position. From each of the two versions of the locking unit there is a Bowden cable that connects the locking device with a push button to open the locked door. To ensure proper operation of this opening mechanism, the Bowden cable is laid with large bending radii so that its inner cable cannot jam.

In the known household appliances, it is disadvantageous that they cannot be set up as the changing circumstances require, for example after a move. The same device can be conveniently loaded either from the left or only from the right. In addition, it is disadvantageous because two different clamping units have to be produced during production, which leads to higher costs.

There is therefore a need to design a household appliance in such a way that the door stop can be set up according to the circumstances even by a technically inexperienced user and without intervention in the appliance. In the area of the fastening device, by means of which the door is pivotably mounted on the housing, this poses no difficulties, since this fastening device can be designed simply and attached to the outside of the housing. Such mutual attachments are such. B. already known in refrigerators that have no locking unit for the door, since the door is held in the closed position by magnetic strips. Household appliances, such as. B. Refrigerators with locking unit, tumble dryer and washing machines, the door of which must not be open while the machine is running, however, require a locking unit due to the safety regulations, which either prevents the door from opening while the machine is running or when the door is opened the machine immediately stops. The clamping unit connected to the control unit must therefore not be accessible from the outside.

In the known household appliances, the locking mechanism generally has a latch which is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner and which is biased into its closed position in the manner of a latch, for example by a biasing spring. A hook or a block is provided on the door of the household appliance, which interacts in a suitable manner with the bolt. When the door is closed, the bolt is first pressed out of its latching position by a suitable pressure surface of the hook or the block against the force of the biasing spring. When the door is closed further, the bolt is released from the pressure surface and is pressed back into its latched position by the biasing spring. The bolt snaps into a corresponding recess in the hook and thus locks the door.

To release the locking mechanism, an actuating device that is only accessible from the outside is provided, which moves the bolt out of its detent position against the force of the biasing spring. For this purpose, the actuating device has, for example, a Bowden cable which connects the bolt to a lever, via which the locking can be released.

Furthermore, it is known to control both the locking mechanism and the actuating device via electrically operated actuating means, for example a lifting magnet or a small electric motor.

With household appliances with a large interior, such as refrigerators and tumble dryers, there is the problem that small children can climb into the interior while playing and that the door may close behind them due to unfavorable circumstances. While the door of refrigerators, which is closed with magnetic strips, can easily be opened from the outside as well as from the inside, this is not the case with locked doors. A particularly great danger is when the locking mechanism can only be opened by an electrical contact as described above and a child z. B. is included in an old device that as bulky waste or on was accessible to a landfill.

In any case, the child is trapped in the interior and cannot free itself from the inside. If the child trapped in this way is not discovered in time, it must die in agony. Experience has shown that this does not only occur with old devices that are discarded and deposited in landfills, but also in the household of parents and friends.

The invention is therefore based on the object of designing a household appliance of the type mentioned in the relevant safety regulations so that, on the one hand, the door stop can be set up by laypersons either on the right or on the left, while at the same time the locking unit should have an inexpensive and simple structure, and that on the other hand, there is no danger from the device even when used for purposes other than those intended, in particular by children.

The problem is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements result from the subclaims.

In the device according to the invention, the door can be opened by a normal opening movement, i.e. usually by pulling the handle. An enclosed child could also open the door from the inside by exerting pressure, which he will instinctively use as the first reaction. When the door is opened, the device is automatically switched off, while in addition to closing the door, the switch must be operated to restart.

To set up or change the door stop, only the externally accessible parts, namely the fastening device for the door and the door block, need to be mounted on the corresponding side, for which no special expertise is required.

Because the locking unit has two opposing brackets for the optional connection of a Bowden cable, the same locking device can be used for both left and right hinged doors. The locking unit can either be used with the first bracket pointing upwards, for example for a door hinged on the left, while after rotation through 180 with the second bracket pointing upwards it can be used for a door hinged on the right.

Since the actuating device has removable elements for establishing an operative connection between the bolt and the Bowden cable, the locking unit can be converted by simply repositioning these elements so that the bolt either via a Bowden cable arranged in the first holder or via a possibly from the first Bowden cable distinguishing second Bowden cable can be operated, which is arranged in the second holder.

The necessary retrofitting work therefore only includes changing the door stop, converting the hook part on the door and attaching the locking unit after changing the removable elements and after rotating through 180 ° on the other fastening device.

In addition, the Bowden cable may have to be replaced by another Bowden cable.

The only additional component is therefore the additional Bowden cable that may be required, but because of its low cost it can already be installed inside the household appliance. Since no alternative components are provided, the production of the new household appliance is particularly inexpensive. In addition, the trade only has to keep a model version in stock, since the household appliance according to the invention can be converted quickly and easily, depending on the installation requirements. Of course, this also applies, for example, after a move.

In a preferred embodiment of the household appliance according to the invention, the removable elements have a rocker arm which can optionally be plugged into one of two bearing journals, the first arm of which is assigned to the latch and the second arm of which is assigned to the Bowden cable, the two bearing journals each being assigned to a holder.

These measures have the advantage that the actuating device is particularly simple, which is particularly desirable from a cost point of view.

In this exemplary embodiment, it is particularly preferred if the rocker arms are connected to a pin provided on the bolt via an elongated hole guide.

This measure has the advantage that the pivoting movement of the rocker arm caused by the Bowden cable is implemented in a structurally simple manner, namely via a pin guided in an elongated hole, in the longitudinal movement of the bolt. In addition, the rocker arm can engage on the same pin of the bolt regardless of which bearing pin it is plugged in, which also leads to a structurally simple and inexpensive construction.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the locking unit has a housing part on which the bearing pins and the bolt are arranged, and if the locking unit is fold-symmetrical about an imaginary axis of symmetry.

This structurally simple manner makes it possible to also fold the fastening devices provided for the locking device interpret metric, and attach the clamping unit to the housing, for example, with two fastening screws in one or the other position. To convert, only unscrew the housing part from the one fastening device, detach the Bowden cable from the confirmation device and screw the housing part rotated by 180 ° on the other fastening device. This makes it very easy to convert to one or the other type of door opening.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the locking units interacting with the control of the device are both permanently installed and do not need to be changed.

In a preferred embodiment of the household appliance according to the invention, an actuating surface is provided at least in the closed interior, via which the further actuating device can be operated.

This measure has the advantage that no parts protruding into the interior are required, on which, for example in the case of a clothes dryer, the laundry to be dried could get caught. Because the other actuating device has no parts to be gripped that have to be rotated or pulled, the operation and thus the opening of the locked door is made possible even for small children. The actuating surface can be, for example, a large section of a wall that releases the locking mechanism when pressed in via a Bowden cable.

In this exemplary embodiment, it is particularly preferred if the door represents the actuating surface with at least a portion of its inside.

This measure has the advantage that no planned action by the trapped child is required. Rather, the child will automatically press against the door from the inside to open it and thus inevitably touch the operating surface. In this way it is ensured that even small or panicked children can free themselves from the interior. In the case of household appliances which are equipped with electrical actuators for the actuating device and / or the locking mechanism, there is only the danger that children will lock themselves inside when the appliance is switched on. In these devices, the actuating surface can, for example, be a switch acting in a capacitive manner, which opens the locked door when it is touched loosely.

In this exemplary embodiment, it is particularly preferred if the further actuating device opens the locking mechanism as a result of a pressure and / or impact force exerted on the actuating surface.

This measure has the advantage that no auxiliary energy, for example in the form of the power supply, is required to open the door. A trapped child will push or hit the inside of the door to open it, releasing the locking mechanism without the need for routine action. Regardless of the type of this locking mechanism, it is thereby also possible for old devices placed in landfill sites for children trapped in the interior to free themselves.

It is further preferred if the contact surface and the counter surface represent a wedge gear, which is part of the gear mechanism.

This measure has constructive advantages, on the one hand, because the contact surface and the counter surface, which serve to lock the door, at the same time also enable opening from the interior, so that no additional parts are required for the locking mechanism or the further actuating mechanism. This results in a simple structural design of the further actuating device, which is particularly advantageous from the cost point of view. In addition, it does not matter where the inside of the door presses or hits the trapped child against the door: the force exerted on the door is introduced into the wedge gear via the first locking element and its contact surface, which force this force into a deflecting force of the counter surface implements so that it comes out of engagement with the contact surface and the door opens.

The wedge angle preferably has a value between 10 ° and 25 °, preferably between 12 ° and 18 °.

This measure has the advantage that the wedge angle is in any case greater than the friction angle acting between the contact surface and the counter surface, which is determined by the material-dependent coefficient of friction. Such a design of the wedge angle ensures that no self-locking occurs when the coefficient of friction between the contact surface and the counter surface increases, for example due to rust formation on a landfill. Even an old device that has been exposed to the weather for a long time can be opened from the inside in this way by merely exerting pressure on the inside of the door. Since this pressure does not have to be scheduled, even small children can free themselves. The relevant safety of the household appliance according to the invention is thereby significantly increased compared to the known household appliances.

• Fig. 1 in einer perspektivischen Darstellung ein Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemäßen Haushaltsgerätes;
• Fig. 2 die Schließeinheit des Haushaltsgerätes aus Fig. 1, in einer Ansicht entlang des Pfeiles 11 aus Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 die Schließeinheit des Haushaltsgerätes aus Fig. 1, in einer Ansicht entlang des Pfeiles 111 aus Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 die Schließeinheit in einer Darstellung wie Fig. 3, im entriegelten Zustand;
• Fig. 5 den Verriegelungsmechanismus des Haushaltsgerätes aus Fig. 1, in seinem verriegelten Zustand, in einer gebrochenen Schnittdarstellung;
• Fig. 6 die Schließeinheit in der Offenstellung der Tür;
• Fig. 7 und 8 Zwischenstellungen des Schiebers beim Schließen der Tür;
• Fig. 9 die Schließeinheit in geschlossener Stellung der Tür; und
• Fig. 10 die Schließeinheit mit eingesetztem Füllstück.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. Show:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the household appliance according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 shows the locking unit of the household appliance from FIG. 1, in a view along arrow 11 from FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 shows the locking unit of the household appliance from FIG. 1, in a view along arrow 111 from FIG. 1;
• 4 shows the locking unit in a representation like FIG. 3, in the unlocked state;
• FIG. 5 shows the locking mechanism of the household appliance from FIG. 1, in its locked state, in a broken sectional view;
• 6 shows the locking unit in the open position of the door;
• 7 and 8 intermediate positions of the slide when closing the door;
• 9 shows the locking unit in the closed position of the door; and
• Fig. 10, the clamping unit with an inserted filler.

In Fig. 1, a household appliance is designated 10, which is a clothes dryer 101 in the illustrated embodiment.

The clothes dryer 101 has a cuboid housing 11 with an upper side 12, a lower side 13, a right side 14, a left side wall 15 and a front wall 16. The clothes dryer 101, the interior 18 of which is accessible through an opening 19 provided in the front wall 16, comprises in its interior 18 a drum 20 for receiving the laundry to be dried.

A door 23 is hinged on the left side wall via two hinges 22, the inside 24 of which carries a projecting cover 25. The cover 25 is arranged on the door 24 approximately in the middle between its free outer edge 26 and the hinges 22, so that when the door 23 is closed the cover 25 projects into the opening 19 and closes the interior 18. The hinges 22 are screwed to the left side wall 15 of the housing 11 with a first fastening device 27, which cannot be seen in FIG. 1.

A closing unit 29 is arranged on the front wall 16 in the area of the right side wall 14 and approximately midway between the top 12 and the bottom 13, which is screwed onto the front wall 16 from behind by means of screws 31 indicated by 30. In the area of the second fastening device 30, an elongated slot 32 is provided in the front wall 16, into which a hook part 34 provided in the area of its free outer edge 26 engages when the door 23 is closed.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the hook part 34 is a hook 35 which is screwed onto the inside 24 of the door 23 by means of a third fastening device 36 and screws 37.

An input bar 38 is arranged on the front wall 16 just above the top 12, via which the clothes dryer 101 is operated. In Fig. 1 to the left of the input bar 38, an operating part 39 is arranged in the form of a push button 40, which is used to open the locked door 23.

The push button 40 is connected to the locking unit 29 via a Bowden cable 41, the first end 42 of which goes from the push button 40.

Seen from the viewer, the closing unit 29 is arranged on its right-hand side 43 with respect to the opening 19, while a closing unit 29 ′ indicated by dashed lines can be seen on its left-hand side 44. The locking unit 29 ', which is fastened to the front wall 16 via a further second fastening device 30', is connected to the push button 40 via a further Bowden cable 46.

The door 23 hinged on the left in FIG. 1 can also be hinged on the right side wall 14 with the aid of a further first fastening device indicated at 27 '/ 1 and 27' / 2. In this case, the hook part 34 is screwed onto a further third fastening device 36 ′, which is assigned to the locking unit 29 ′.

When the door 23 is hinged on the left, as shown in FIG. 1, the hook 35 screwed onto the fastening device 36 engages in the locking unit 29 and is locked by the latter. With the door 23 hinged on the right, in which the hinges 22 are fastened to the fastening device 27 ', the hook 35 screwed to the fastening device 36' engages in the locking unit 29 'screwed to the fastening device 36'. In both cases, the locked door 23 can be unlocked using the button 40.

2, the locking unit 29 is shown in a view in the direction of arrow 11 from FIG. 1. The locking unit 29 has a bell-like housing part 48 which is fold-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry indicated at 47 and is delimited by a circumferential upstanding wall 49. In the wall 49 two fastening holes 50 pointing into the plane of the drawing are provided, with which the locking unit 29 can be screwed to the fastening device 30.

The housing part 48 carries 51 in its interior two guide brackets 52, each centered in relation to the axis of symmetry 47, in which a bolt 53 is guided so as to be longitudinally displaceable. The bolt 53 aligned in the center of the axis of symmetry 47 has a blind hole 55 at its rear end 54, in which a compression spring 56 is supported at one end. The compression spring 56 is supported at the other end on a projection 57 which is provided on the wall 49 and is also centered on the axis of symmetry 47.

The bolt 53 has at its front end 59 an edge 60 which is associated with an elongated stop 61 connected to the housing part 48. In the illustration according to FIG. 2, the bolt 53 is in its latched position, designated 62, into which it is prestressed by the compression spring 56. In this latching position 62, the edge 60 is in contact with the stop 61, so that the bolt 53 cannot fall out of the guide brackets 52.

The front end 59 of the bolt 53 is rounded in a suitable manner so that when the hook 35 is pressed into the slot 32, the bolt is moved out of its detent position 62 against the force of the compression spring 56. The hook 35 comes so far into the slot 32 that the bolt 53 can engage with its front end 39 in a suitable recess of the hook 35 in order to lock the door 23.

To release the bolt 53, an actuation device, indicated at 63, is provided which has a rocker arm 64 which has a first arm 65 assigned to the bolt 53 and a second arm 66 assigned to the Bowden cable 41. The arms 65 and 66 run essentially at right angles to one another, a bore 67 being provided between them, by means of which the rocker arm 64 is pivotably mounted on a first bearing pin 68. The bearing journal 68 is provided in FIG. 2 above the axis of symmetry 47 and is assigned to a second bearing journal 69 such that the bearing journals 68 and 69 are mirror-symmetrical to the axis of symmetry 47.

An elongated hole guide 70 is provided in the first arm 65 of the rocker arm 64 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the first arm 65. A pin 71, which is fastened to the bolt 53, is inserted in the slot guide 70 from below. In the longitudinal direction of the arm 65, the length of the slot guide 70 corresponds approximately to twice the diameter of the pin 71.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the rocker arm 64 faces the viewer with its first side 72, the second arm 66 extending from the bearing pin 68 to the left.

In Fig. 2 it can also be seen that the Bowden cable 41 is inserted with its second end 73 in a first holder 74 which is arranged on the outside of the wall 49 and points away from the axis of symmetry 47. The Bowden cable 41 projects with its inner cable 75 through the first holder 74 and through the wall 49 into the interior 51 of the locking unit 29 and is fastened there in a known manner to the second arm 66 of the rocker arm 64 with a screw nipple 76.

Mirror-symmetrical to the first holder 74, a further holder 77 is provided, in which - as can be seen in FIG. 3 - the second end 73 'of the further Bowden cable 46 is inserted when the locking unit 29 has been converted to the locking unit 29', in order then to Fastening device 30 'to be fastened.

In the brackets 74 and 77 channels 78 and 79, which are open to the viewer, for receiving the Bowden cable 41 and 46 are provided, so that the Bowden cables 41, 46 can be removed from the holders 74 and 77 without loosening the screw nipple 76. When the locking unit 29 or 29 'is converted, the Bowden cables 41 and 46 thus remain on the rocker arm 64.

To convert the locking unit 29, the rocker arm 64 is pulled off the first bearing pin 68, turned over and, as can be seen in FIG. 3, inserted on the second bearing pin 69. In this position, the rocker arm 64 'faces the viewer with its second side 80. Since the two sides 72 and 80 of the rocker arm 64 are fold-symmetrical to one another, the second arm 66 'extends from the second bearing pin 69 parallel to the axis of symmetry 47 towards the guide bracket 52/2 and thus the compression spring 56. Because of the representation of the housing part 48 rotated by 180 in FIG. 3 - with reference to FIG. 2 - the second arm 66 in FIG. 2 points to the left, while the second arm 66 ′ in FIG. 3 points to the right.

Except for the rocker arm 64, which is provided only once in the locking unit 29 for reasons of cost, all other parts of the locking unit 29 are axially symmetrical with respect to the axis of symmetry 47, for example the brackets 74 and 77 lie on opposite sides of the axis of symmetry 47 and are the same distance from it away.

2 and 3, the bolt 53 is shown in its latching position 62, in which it has either engaged with the hook part 34 or has been completely released from the hook part 34, FIG. 4 shows the bolt 53 using the example of the locking unit 29 ' in its release position 81.

By pressing the push button 40, the inner cable 75 'was pulled towards the further holder 77, which is why the rocker arm 64' was pivoted clockwise around the second bearing pin 69. As a result of this pivoting movement, the first arm 65 'is at its free end 82 in FIG to the right towards the guide bracket 52/2.

Due to the elongated hole guide 70 ', which is also moved, the pin 71 and thus the bolt 53 were taken to the right against the force of the compression spring 56 now compressed.

The front end 59 of the bolt 53 has almost completely disappeared in the guide bracket 52/1, so that the hook part 34 (not shown in FIGS. 2 to 4) has been released from the bolt 53 and the door can be opened.

It is assumed below that the tumble dryer 101 - as shown in FIG. 1 - is set up with the door 23 attached to its left side wall 15. The clothes dryer 101 is now to be converted to a door 23 attached to the right side wall 14.

For this purpose, the screws 31 are loosened and the locking unit 29 is removed from the front wall 16. The interior 51 of the locking unit 29 is now accessible and the Bowden cable 41 can be removed on the channel 78, but it remains connected to the rocker arm 64 by means of the screw nipple 76. The Bowden cable 41 is released from the rocker arm 64, for example, and is otherwise moved or completely removed in the housing 11 of the washing machine 101. The further Bowden cable 46 is now attached to the rocker arm 64 and, together with it, is assembled to the locking unit 29 'in the manner described above.

However, it is also possible to leave the first Bowden cable 41 on the rocker arm 64 and only to relocate it in the housing 11 such that it comes to lie in the vicinity of the fastening device 30 '.

For this purpose, the rocker arm 64 is pulled off the first bearing journal 68, relocated together with the Bowden cable 41 and then rotated so that its second side 80 points away from the housing part 48 and then pushed onto the second bearing journal 69. It should be ensured that the pin 71 comes to rest in the slot guide 70. The Bowden cable 41 is now pushed into the channel 79 of the further holding device 77 from the open side. The locking unit 29 'thus created is now screwed to the fastening device 30' using the screws 31.

After the hook 35 has been screwed onto the fastening device 36 'and the hinges 22 have been mounted on the fastening device 27', the conversion of the washing machine 101 has ended.

The locking mechanism 29 will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 5. 5 that the front side 16 of the housing 11 is assigned to a thin front wall, in the section of which is shown in the lower area of FIG. 5, the opening 19 is provided.

The door 23, also shown with its section 23/2, projects with the cover 25 through the opening 19 into the interior 18. A rubber seal 28 is provided between the front wall and the door 23, which seals the interior 18 when the door 23 - as shown in FIG. 5 - is closed and locked.

In the upper area of FIG. 5 it can be seen that the base plate of the hook 35 is arranged in a rectangular recess 33 provided in the section 23/1 of the door 23. The lower retaining screw 37/2 is also indicated in Fig. 5.

In the shown locked state of the locking mechanism 30, the hook 35 projects through a conical opening or a slot 32 into a suitably arranged locking housing 48 in the front wall. The locking housing 48 carries a laterally guided bolt 53 which is displaceable in its longitudinal direction. The latch 53 is designed in the manner of a trap and is pretensioned into its latching position shown in FIG. 5 by pretensioning means, for example a pretensioning spring, which are not shown in FIG.

The latch 53 carries on its nose-like front end 59 which, in the locked state, engages with the hook 35, an inclined surface which extends approximately below 45 to the longitudinal direction 32 and is accessible from the outside through the conical opening 32. At a distance from the inclined surface, the bolt 53 also has a wedge surface at its front end 59, which includes a wedge angle indicated at 58 with the longitudinal direction. The arrangement of the inclined surface and the wedge surface is such that the front end 59 of the bolt 53 tapers.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the wedge angle 58 is approximately 15 °.

The wedge surface acts as a counter surface with a contact surface which is provided on the hook 35 in the form of an outwardly curved surface formed on its hook nose. Between the hook nose and the base plate, the hook 35 has a web 35/1, above which the front end 59 of the bolt 53 comes to rest when the bolt 53 engages in the hook 35 to lock the door 23.

Remote from the curved surface, a pressure surface 35/2 is provided on the hook nose, which faces away from the base plate, while the contact surface faces the base plate. When the door is closed, the hook reaches through the conical opening and its pressure surface 35/2 comes into contact with the inclined surface of the bolt. When the door 23 is closed further, the bolt 53 is pressed over the inclined surface in the direction of arrow A until the inclined surface releases the pressure surface 35/2 again when the hook 35 has reached the conical opening 32 so far that the bolt 53 can snap back into its rest position. The bolt 53 comes with its wedge surface into contact with the contact surface of the hook 35.

A child enclosed in the interior 18 of the tumble dryer 101 will consciously or unconsciously press against the inside 24 of the door 23 in the region of the cover 25, which is referred to as the actuating surface 63. As a result, a compressive force designated C in FIG. 5 is exerted on the door 23. Because of the articulation of the door 23 in the region of the left side wall 15, the pressure force C tends to move the section 23/1 of the door 23, which is associated with the locking mechanism 29, away from the front wall. The hook 35 connected to the door 23 via the retaining screws exerts a tensile force indicated at D on the bolt 53 or its wedge surface via its contact surface. Since the bolt 53 is fixed in the direction of arrow D in the lock housing and therefore cannot deflect in this direction, the wedge surface and the contact surface act like a wedge gear, so that a part of the tensile force D defined by the wedge angle 58 in the direction of arrow A acts on the bolt 53 and pushes it out of its detent position against the force of the pretensioning means.

The wedge angle 58 is selected so that it is greater than the friction angle acting between the contact surface and the wedge surface, which is determined by the material-dependent friction coefficient between the contact surface and the wedge surface. The greater the coefficient of friction, the greater the wedge angle 58 must be designed so that the wedge gear has no self-locking.

It is clear from what has been said that the compressive force C required to release the locking mechanism 29 is determined both by the wedge angle 58 and by the force of the prestressing means. In addition, it must be taken into account that the tensile force D is smaller than the compressive force C in accordance with the lever laws. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lever arm of the compressive force C to the hinges 22 serving as pivot points of the door 23 is approximately half as large as the corresponding lever arm of the tensile force D. It follows that the tensile force D is about half as large as the compressive force C.

It should also be taken into account that the greater the wedge angle 58 selected, the greater the force component of the tensile force D deflecting the bolt 53 in the direction of the arrow A.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, a compressive force C of between 80 and 150 N is required in order to push the latch 53 snapped into the hook 35 out of its latched position. This strength can also be easily applied by small children, especially since no scheduled procedure is required. On the other hand, this compressive force C is large enough so that there is no risk of the door 23 opening unintentionally when the tumble dryer 101 is operating correctly.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, it is assumed that two locking units 29, 29 'are inserted into the housing 11.

The other end of the Bowden cable is connected to a cam disk, not shown, in the control panel of the tumble dryer. The cam disc actuates a pawl for the dryer ON / OFF switch. The arrangement is such that when the door 53 is in the closed position, the ON / OFF switch is actuated and the device can be switched on. If the bolt is brought into the rear position by opening the door, the switch is disengaged via the angle lever 72, the Bowden cable 41, the cam disk and the pawl, so that it jumps to the OFF position and the machine is stopped. When the door is then closed again and the latch 53 is brought into engagement with the door block, the ON / OFF switch is released again, but remains in the exhibition. The device must therefore only be started again by pressing the switch again.

The tumble dryer is accordingly equipped with two clamping units 29, the Bowden cables of which engage in the same direction on the cam disk in the operating part of the device. When the bolt 53 cooperating with the door block 35 is shifted, the bolt in the other locking unit is therefore moved along empty via the two Bowden cables.

Fig. 6 shows the position of the essential parts of the locking unit 29 when the appliance door is open. Behind the opening in the front wall 16 there is a locking slide 13 which is moved into the position shown by a spring 84. The locking slide has two wings 85 on both sides of the bolt 53, which slide along contours 86 on a stop surface 87 of the bolt 53. In the end position shown, the latch 53 with the stop surface 87 lies against the contour 86 of the wing 85 without play. In this position, the ON / OFF switch of the device is locked via the rocker arm 64 and the Bowden cable 41.

If the door block 35 is inserted into the opening when the door is closed, it meets the locking slide 83 according to FIG. 7 and moves it against the action of the spring 84 inwards. The latch 53 is under the action of the spring 56 such that the stop surface 87 on the contours 86 of the wing 85 slides to the corner between the radius and the straight section of the contour without the nose 89 of the latch 53 the locking slide 83 or touched the door block 35. Only when the corner slides past is the bolt 53 fully released and moves through the opening of the door block 35 into a defined closed position without touching the door block. Only when the door is released does the restoring force of the door seals come into contact with the inner edge of the door block opening against the inclined surface 91 of the locking lug, while the locking slide 83 is held in the end position over the straight section of the wing contour and therefore no longer exerts any counterforce on the door block . A certain overflow is required to close. The door is opened by pulling on the outside or pushing on the inside of the door or by actuating the Bowden cable using a push button integrated in the switch. In the first two cases, the ON / OFF switch is disengaged and locked via the Bowden cable and the cam disk, in the latter case via the tappet in the switch and the cam disk. After loosening the door block 35 from the nose 89 of the bolt 53, ie approximately from the intermediate position shown in FIG. 7, the locking slide 83 acts as a door projector, so that the door is brought into the open position from the inside without further tension or pressure and cannot remain in the intermediate position. Accordingly, the latch 53 can not assume an intermediate position in which there might not be a clearly defined switching position of the ON / OFF switch, since from the intermediate position according to FIG. 7 the locking slide has already been released by the latch 53 and now in turn the slide via the Radius in the contour of its wings fully pushed back into the end position With decreasing force of the spring 84, the radius causes an increasing proportion of the force component acting in the direction of movement of the slide.

As already mentioned, the two clamping units attached in the front wall of the tumble dryer are connected to the cam disk via the Bowden cables, which causes the ON / OFF switch to be disengaged or locked. As a result, the slider not cooperating with the door block 35 is moved by the other slider over the Bowden cables. Since the slide is locked in the retracted position according to FIG. 6 by the wing 85 of the locking slide 83 when the door is open, there must be the possibility that the bolt in the unused locking unit can reach the position corresponding to the closed door, otherwise the blocking of the ON / OFF switch would not be released. The filler 92 shown in FIG. 10 serves this purpose.

The filler has approximately the outer shape of the door block 35, but with larger dimensions, so that it is held in the opening by clamping in the opening. In the area facing the bolt 53, the filler 92 has a recess 93 into which the nose 89 of the bolt 53 can enter. The blocking slide 83 is held in the pushed-back position in the unused closing unit by the filler piece, and the slide 53 can follow the movement of the slide in the loaded closing unit.

When setting up or changing the door stop, therefore, only the fastening device 27 and the door block 35 are to be attached on the desired side, and the filler 92 is to be inserted into the unused locking unit 29, and a suitable shape can ensure that it is inserted correctly. If the filler 92 is erroneously removed only from the clamping unit that was not previously required, without being inserted into the clamping unit that will not be required in the future, the ON / OFF switch remains locked and there is no risk of security.

Instead of the filler, other devices can also be provided to release the slide in the unused clamping unit.

Reference symbol list

• 1
• 2nd
• 3rd
• 4th
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8th
• 9
• 10 home appliance
• 10/1 tumble dryer
• 11 housing
• 12 top
• 13 bottom
• 14 right side
• 15 left side
• 16 front wall
• 17th
• 18 interior
• 19 opening
• 20 drum
• 21
• 22 hinges
• 23 door
• 24 inside
• 25 lids
• 26 free outer edge
• 27 / 1,2 first attachment
• 27 '/ 1.2 additional attachment
• 28 rubber seal
• 29 clamping unit
• 29 'clamping unit
• 30 second fastening device
• 30 'second fastening device
• 32 slot
• 33 recess
• 34 hook part
• 35 hooks
• 35/1 bridge
• 36 third attachment
• 36 'third attachment
• 37 screws
• 38 input bar
• 39 control panel
• 40 push button
• 41 Bowden cable
• 42 first end
• 43 right S.d. Opening
• 44 left S.d. Opening
• 45
• 46 more Bowd.z.
• 47 axis of symmetry
• 48 housing part
• 49 wall (all round)
• 50 holes, for example
• 51 interior d. Go
• 52 guide bracket
• 53 bars
• 54 rear end
• 55 blind hole
• 56 compression spring
• 57 head start
• 58 wedge angles
• 59 Front end
• 60 edge
• 61 stop
• 62 rest position
• 63 operating surface
• 31 screws
• 65 first arm
• 65 'first arm
• 66 second arm
• 66 'second arm
• 67 hole
• 68 journals
• 69 journals
• 70 slot guide
• 71 cones
• 72 first page
• 73 second end of Bowden cable
• 73 'second end of Bowden cable
• 74 first bracket
• 75 inner cable
• 76 screw nipples
• 77 more brackets
• 78 open channels
• 79 open channels
• 80 second page
• 81 release position
• 82 free end 65 '
• 83 gate valve
• 84 spring
• 85 wings
• 86 contours
• 87 abutment surface
• 88
• 89 nose
• 91 sloping surface
• 92 filling piece
• 93 recess
• 35/2 pressure surface
• 64 rocker arms

Claims (22)

1. Household appliance (10), such as a refrigerator, tumble dryer (101), washing machine or the like, with a housing (11) which has an interior (18) accessible through an opening (19) on a front side of the housing (11), a door (23) which is used to close the opening (19) by means of a first fastening device (27) is pivotally mounted on the housing (11), a hook part (34) or door block, which is arranged on the door (23) by means of a second fastening device (36), a locking unit (29) which is arranged on the housing (11) by means of a third fastening device (30) and has a bolt (53) which engages in the hook part (34) to lock the door (23) and to unlock the door (23) can be brought out of engagement with the hook part (34) by means of an actuating device (63), and an operating part attached to the housing (11) for actuating the closing unit (29),
a first (27, 27 '), a second (36, 36') and a third (30, 30 ') fastening device are provided on both sides of the opening (18) in order to secure the door (23) to one or the other to be able to strike the other side of the opening (18), characterized in that the locking unit (29) has two opposing brackets (74, 77) for the optional connection of a Bowden ges (41, 46) that the actuating device (63) removable elements for establishing an operative connection between the bolt (53) and the bolt (53) and the Bowden cable (41) in one or the other holder (74, 77) and that for the locking mechanism (28) a further actuating device (50, 60) is provided which can also be operated from the closed interior (19). 2. Household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable elements have an optionally on one of two bearing pins (68, 69) pluggable rocker arm (64), the first arm (65), the bolt (53) and the second arm (66 ) is assigned to the Bowden cable (41, 46), and that the two bearing journals (68, 69) are each assigned to a holder (74, 77). 3. Household appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the rocker arm (64) via a slot guide (70) with a on the bolt (53) provided pin (71) is connected. 4. Household appliance according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the locking unit (29) has a housing part (48) on which the bearing pins (68, 69) and the bolt (53) are arranged, and that the locking unit ( 29) is fold-symmetrical to an imaginary axis of symmetry (47). 5. Household appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the brackets (74, 77) are arranged symmetrically about the axis of symmetry (47) on the housing part (48). 6. Household appliance according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the rocker arm (64) has two mirror-image sides (72, 80). 7. Household appliance according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the brackets (74, 77) each have a laterally open channel (78, 79) for receiving the respective Bowden cable (74, 77). 8. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that two locking units (29) are arranged on the housing at the same time, which lock the door after changing the fastening device (27) and the door block or hook part (34) on the other Door side enables, wherein both locking units (29) are of identical design and are arranged in mirror image. 9. Household appliance according to one of the claims, characterized in that the other end of the Bowden cable (41, 46) is connected to a cam disk or the like which, depending on the position of the bolt (53), a disengagement or unlocking of an ON / OFF switch of Household appliance causes. 10. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a spring-loaded locking slide is arranged in the closing unit (29) in the opening for receiving the door block or the hook (34). 11. Household appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking slide has at least one wing with inclined surfaces which cooperate with a stop surface on the bolt (53). 12. Household appliance according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that when the door is open, the bolt (53) is blocked by the inclined surfaces of the locking slide in the depressed position. 13. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that when the door is closed, the bolt (53) engages under the action of a spring in the opening of the door block or behind the hook (34) and via the Bowden cable (41, 46 ) enables the device's ON / OFF switch. 14. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a device is provided to enable a displacement of the bolt (53) in the closing unit (29) not acted upon by the door block or the hook (34). 15. Household appliance according to claim 14, characterized in that the device holds the locking slide in the depressed position. 16. Household appliance according to claim 15, characterized in that the device is a filling piece which is held clamped in the opening and has a recess for part of the bolt (53). 17. Household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that at least in the ver closed interior (19) an actuating surface (60) is provided, via which the further actuating device (50, 60) can be operated. 18. Household appliance according to claim 17, characterized in that the door (22) with at least a portion of its inside (23) represents the actuating surface (60). 19. Household appliance (10) according to claim 18, characterized in that the further actuating device (50, 60) opens the locking mechanism (28) as a result of a pressure and / or impact force (61) exerted on the actuating surface (60). 20. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bolt (53) of each locking unit has a nose with inclined surfaces inclined at a wedge angle, one of which when closing the door and the other when opening the door on the door block Facility is coming. 21. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inclined surface of the bolt coming into contact with the door block when the door is closed has such an inclination that an additional opening force causes a movement of the bolt (53) into the release position. 22. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wedge angle has a value between 10 ° and 25 °, preferably between 12 "and 18.

Images