EP2367997A1

EP2367997A1 - Door locking device, in particular for household applicances

Info

Publication number: EP2367997A1
Application number: EP09807719A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabrizio Promutico
Original assignee: Bitron SpA
Current assignee: Bitron SpA
Priority date: 2008-12-24
Filing date: 2009-12-23
Publication date: 2011-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2029-12-23
Also published as: WO2010073231A9; CN102257232A; CN102257232B; WO2010073231A1; IT1392570B1; ITTO20080992A1; EP2367997B1

Abstract

The device comprises: a support structure (2) with an opening (3) into which, when the door (P) is being closed, a hook member (4) connected to the door (P) is introduced, a retaining slider (7), which is capable of partially- obstructing the opening (3) and retaining the hook member (4) and a safety mechanism including: a slide (30) translatable in the support structure (2) and having a first and a second control member (35, 36) cooperating with corresponding retaining formations (46, 45) of the support structure (2) and the retaining slider (7), respectively; such that when the door (P) is open, the control members (35, 36) engage with the retaining formations (46, 45) such that the retaining slider (7) is substantially locked with respect to the support structure (2); and when the door (P) is being closed, the hook member (4) causes a displacement of the control members (35, 36), causing the disengagement thereof from said retaining formations (46, 45), so that the retaining slider (7) is capable of translating with respect to the support structure (2).

Description

DOOR LOCKING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLICANCES

The present invention relates to a door locking device, in particular for household appliances, such as laundry washing machines or the like.

More specifically the invention relates to a device for locking a door or the like, of the type comprising: a support structure in which there is defined an opening into which, when the door is being closed, a hook member connected to the door is introduced, a retaining slider, translatable with respect to said structure between a working position in which it is capable of partially obstructing said opening and retaining the hook member introduced into said opening, and a rest position in which it is able to allow said hook member to be disengaged and the door to be opened; an electro-mechanical control device, including a movable locking member able to be displaced, following activation of the household appliance, from a passive or releasing position into a blocking position, in which positions it is capable of allowing and preventing, respectively, the passage of the retaining slider from the working position into the rest position; and a safety mechanism including a safety member movable with respect to the support structure near the retaining slider, under the action of associated resilient means which tend to urge it towards said opening; the safety member forming a feeler member sensitive, when the door is closed, to the position of the hook member of the door, and an actuating member which, when the hook member is disengaged from said feeler member while the locking member is in the blocking position, is capable of interacting with the locking member causing the return thereof into the releasing position.

A door locking device of this type is described in the European patent application EP 1 544

387 A. One object of the present invention is to provide a door locking device of the type initially mentioned, in which the safety mechanism is suitable for performing further safety functions.

This object, together with others, is achieved according to the invention with a door locking device of the type defined further above, characterized in that the safety member is a slide which is translatable parallel to the retaining slider and has at least one first and one second control member which cooperate with corresponding retaining formations of the support structure and the retaining slider, respectively; the arrangement being such that when the door is open, the control members of the slide engage with the corresponding retaining formations such that the retaining slider is locked with respect to the support structure, and when the door is being closed, the hook member of the door is capable of causing a displacement of said control members of the slide such as to disengage them from said formations, so that the retaining slider is capable of translating with respect to the support structure.

Owing to this characteristic feature the slide of the door locking device according to the invention is able to perform a further safety function, in particular the safety function performed by the door locking device described in US patent No. 6,082,787 A, which is also in the name of the same Applicant, namely making it impossible or at least extremely difficult for a user to start deliberately operation of the household appliance when the door is open.

Further characteristic features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description provided purely by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a door locking device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the door locking device according to Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a retaining slider included within the door locking device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a partial plan view of support casing of the door locking device according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a view essentially cross-sectioned along the line V-V of Figure 1 and shows the door-locking device according to the invention in the condition where the door is open;

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 and shows the door locking device in the condition where the door is closed; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to that illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 and shows the door locking device in a condition where its safety mechanism is activated.

In the drawings 1 denotes overall a door locking device according to the invention.

In the embodiment shown by way of example, this device comprises a body 2 which is made of plastic and at one end of which an opening 3 is formed (see in particular Figures 4 to 7).

The opening 3 is designed to allow the introduction of a hook member such as that indicated by 4 in Figures 5 to 7.

In a manner known per se, the door locking device 1 is able to be fixed near an opening of a household appliance and the hook member 4 is intended to be connected, for example in a hinged manner, to a movable door P associated with this opening in the household appliance.

In the embodiment shown, the hook member 4 comprises a shank 4a, one end of which is hinged at 5 with the door P and the other end of which, situated after a narrower cross- section or neck 4b, forms an enlarged head indicated by 6.

7 denotes a shaped retaining slider, which is axially translatable with respect to the support body 2 in a direction approximately at right angles to the direction in which the hook member 4 is introduced into the opening 3. The slider 7 has a main opening 8 (see Figures 5 to 7) which in the various operating conditions or positions of the slider is at least partly facing and aligned with the opening 3 of the support structure 2.

A helical spring (not shown) is arranged in a manner known per se between the slider 7 and the support structure 2 and tends to keep the slider 7 in the rest position shown in Figure 5 where the slider 7 presses with its end against an end wall of the support body 2 and its opening 8 is aligned with the opening 3 in the said body 2. When the slider 7 is in this position, the hook member 4 of the door P may be introduced into the opening 3 such that its end head 6 projects beyond said opening 3 and engages inside the opening 8 formed in the slider, as shown in Figure 6.

The door locking device also comprises an electro-mechanical control device denoted overall by 9 in the drawings. This device is of a type known per se, such as that described and illustrated in detail in GB patent No. 2,364,350, also in the name of the same Applicant. This electro-mechanical control device will therefore not be further described in all of its details, although solely in relation to those aspects which are relevant for the purposes of understanding of the present invention.

The electro-mechanical control device 9 includes a movable locking member denoted by 27 in Figures 5 to 7. This member is mounted axially translatable, in a vertical direction when viewing Figures 5 to 7, through an opening 28 formed in the casing of the electromechanical device 9, facing the zone in which the retaining slider 7 is translatably mounted.

The movable locking member 27 is displaceable, following activation of the household appliance with which the door locking device 1 is associated, from a passive or releasing position, shown in Figure 5, into a blocking position, shown in broken lines in Figure 6 where it is able to allow and prevent, respectively, the passage of the retaining slider 7 from the working position (Figure 6) into the retaining position (Figure 5). Inside the control device 9, an electric switch, able to change condition or state when this locking member 27 passes from the releasing position into the blocking position, and vice versa, is associated with the locking member 27 (in a manner known per se and not shown).

A way of associating an electric switch with the locking member is described in detail in the abovementioned British patent.

The electric switch associated with the locking member 27 allows in particular signalling, to the control unit of the household appliance, of the closed and locked condition of the door 7.

In connection with that described hitherto, the door locking device according to the invention corresponds substantially to the devices according to the prior art.

The door locking device 1 also comprises a safety mechanism comprising a slide, denoted overall by 30 in the drawings (see in particular Figure 2). This slide 30 is mounted so as to be translatable within the support body 2, between the end wall of the latter and the slider 7, in a plane which is essentially parallel to the plane of translation of said slider.

A helical spring 31 is associated with the slide 30 (Figure 2), said spring reacting on one side against a stop provided in the support body 2 and on the other side against a lug 32 (Figure 2) of the slide 30. The spring 31 tends to push the slide 30 towards the opening 3 of the support body 2.

In the embodiment shown, the slide 30 has at one end a pair of longitudinal arms 33 which can be splayed resiliently in a transverse direction. The arms 33 of the slide extend, so as to partly face the opening 3 of the support body 2, at a mutual distance such that they are able to be resiliently splayed by the head 6 of the hook member 4 which is mounted on the door P, when the latter is closed. The distal ends of the arms 33 form respective heads 34 from which respective upper lugs 35 extend upwards and respective lower lugs 36 extend downwards.

With reference in particular to Figure 3, the end of the retaining slider 7 directed towards the opening 3 of the support body has two essentially L-shaped openings 45 inside which the upper lugs 35 of the slide 30 engage. In particular, when the door P is open, the lugs 35 of the slide 30 are arranged in the positions shown in broken lines in Figure 3, namely inside the shorter sections of the openings 45 of the slider 7, substantially preventing longitudinal relative sliding of the slider 7 and the slide 30.

On the other hand, when the door P is closed (Figure 6), the head 6 of the hook member 4 resiliently splays the arms 33 of the slide 30, so that the lugs 35 of these arms move away from each other, being displaced transversely outwards and engaging with the longitudinal sections of the openings 45 in the retaining slider 7. Since these sections of the openings 45 are longer, in this condition a certain relative translation of the slider 7 and slide 30 is possible.

With reference to Figures 2 and 4, the lower lugs 36 of the arms 33 of the slide 30 engage inside corresponding openings 46 provided in the end wall of the support body 2. These openings 46 also have an L shape, with the longer section being essentially parallel to the direction of translation of the slider 7 and the slide 30.

When the door is open (Figure 5), the lower lugs 36 of the slide 30 engage inside the short sections of the openings 46 of the support body 2, as shown in broken lines in Figure 4. In this condition the slide 30 is substantially locked and prevented from translating relative to the support body 2.

When the door P is closed, splaying of the arms 33 of the slide, caused by the head 6 of the hook member 4, causes the displacement of the lower lugs 36 of the arms 33 inside the relatively longer longitudinal sections of the openings 46 in the body 2, so that a relative translation of the slide 30 and the support body 2 is possible. With reference to Figures 2 and 5 to 7, the slide 30, on its end opposite to that of arms 33, is provided on top with a lug 50 which is essentially in the form of a right-angled trapezium, with an inclined side 50a. This lug 50 projects upwards and, as will emerge more clearly below, is intended to cooperate with the bottom end of the locking member 27 of the electro-mechanical control device 9.

In the assembled condition, the lug 50 of the slide 30 is translatable inside a longitudinal slit 7a (Figure 2) in the retaining slider 7. This slit has a middle part which is transversely wider and inside which the abovementioned locking member 27 is able to extend during operation.

With reference again to Figures 2 and 5 to 7, in the vicinity of the splayable arms 33, the slide 30 has a pair of longitudinal lugs 60 which are relatively shorter than the arms 33.

When the door P is closed (Figure 6), the distal ends of the longitudinal lugs 60 of the slide 30 press against the head 6 of the hook member 4 in a direction substantially transverse to this member, acting as feeler/sensor members in relation to the presence of this head inside the opening 8 of the retaining slider 7.

The door locking device 1 described above essentially operates in the manner now described.

When the door P of the household appliance is open, the door locking device assumes the rest configuration shown in Figure 5. In this condition the electro-mechanical control device 9 is not passed through by current. Moreover, the locking member 27 is kept in the retracted position shown in Figure 5 so that it does not interfere with any translation of the retaining slider 7. The spring which in a manner known per se is associated with this slider keeps the latter in the rest condition so that its opening 8 is facing and aligned with the opening 3 of the body 2.

If the user closes the door P, the hook member 4 associated with this door passes through the opening 3 of the support body 2 and with its head 6 engages inside the opening 8 of the slider, as shown in Figure 6. The head 6 of the hook member 4 splays in resilient manner the arms 33 of the slide 30, causing a corresponding displacement of the upper lugs 35 and the lower lugs 36 towards the respective positions in which they allow a relative translation of the slide with respect to the support body 2 and a relative translation of the retaining slider 7 with respect to this slide. In fact, as can be seen from a comparison of Figures 5 and 6, the retaining slider 7 is translated (to the left when viewing these figures) towards the retaining position shown in Figure 6, against the action of the associated spring.

If the household appliance is activated now, an electric current flows inside the electromechanical control device 9. In a manner known per se, this current causes, if necessary after a certain predetermined time period, the passage of the movable locking member 27 into the extracted position where it is capable of interfering with the retaining slider 7, preventing the return thereof towards the rest position shown in Figure 5. In this condition the door P is effectively closed and locked, i.e. can no longer be opened.

This condition may be sensed by a control unit of the household appliance, since the switch associated with the movable locking member 27 has changed its condition or state.

The door P may then be opened again if the flow of current in the electro-mechanical control device 9 is interrupted, for example at the end of an operating cycle of the household appliance or following interruption of the electric power supply to this apparatus.

When this occurs, if necessary after a certain time period, the movable locking member 27 is brought back into the retracted position where it does not prevent the return of the slider 7 into the rest condition shown in Figure 5. The door P can then be opened again.

If, while the household appliance is functioning and the door P is therefore closed and locked, an exceptionally strong force is applied to said door such as to cause breakage of the hook member 4 or such as to cause the forced disengagement of this hook member from the retaining slider 7, the slide 30, pushed by the spring 31, translates immediately to the right, when viewing Figure 6, assuming the position shown in Figure 7 and moving the retaining slider 7 along with it. During this movement, the lug 50 with its inclined side 50a interacts with the movable locking member 27, pushing it back in fact into the unlocked retracted position.

As a result, owing to said translation of the slide 30, the switch which in the device 9 is associated with the movable locking member 27 changes again condition or state and signals to the control unit of the household appliance the fact that the door is no longer closed and locked.

Obviously, without affecting the principle of the invention, the embodiments and the constructional details may be significantly modified with respect to that described and illustrated purely by way of a non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. Device for locking a door (P) or the like, in particular for a household appliance, comprising: a support structure (2) in which there is defined an opening (3) into which, when the door (P) is being closed, a hook member (4) connected to the door (P) is introduced, a retaining slider (7), translatable with respect to said structure (2) between a working position in which it is capable of partially obstructing said opening (3) and retaining the hook member (4) introduced into said opening (3), and a rest position in which it is able to allow said hook member (4) to be disengaged and the door (P) to be opened; an electro-mechanical control device (27), including a movable locking member (27) able to be displaced, following activation of the household appliance, from a passive or releasing position into a blocking position, in which positions it is capable of allowing and preventing, respectively, the passage of the retaining slider (7) from the working position into the rest position; and a safety mechanism (30) including: a safety member (30) movable with respect to the support structure (2) near the retaining slider (7), under the action of associated resilient means (31) which tend to urge it towards said opening (3); said safety member (30) forming a feeler member (60) sensitive, when the door (P) is closed, to the position of the hook member (4) of the door (P), and an actuating member (50) which, when the hook member (4) is disengaged from said feeler member (60) while the locking member (27) is in the blocking position, is capable of interacting with the locking member (27) causing the return thereof into the releasing position; characterized in that the safety member is a slide (30) which is translatable parallel to the retaining slider (7) and has further at least one first and one second control member (35, 36) cooperating with corresponding retaining formations (45, 46) of the support structure (2) and the retaining slider (7), respectively; the arrangement being such that when the door (P) is open, the control members (35, 36) of the slide (30) engage with the corresponding retaining formations (45, 46) such that the retaining slider (7) is substantially locked with respect to the support structure (2); and when the door (P) is being closed, the hook member (4, 6) is capable of causing a displacement of said control members (35, 36) of the slide (30) such as to disengage them from said retaining formations (45, 46), so that the retaining slider (7) is capable of translating with respect to the support structure (2).

2. Door locking device according to Claim 1, wherein the slide (30) has at least one longitudinal arm (33) which extends close to said opening (3) and which is resiliently deformable in a transverse direction and has a first and a second lug (35, 36) which cooperate with corresponding retaining formations (45, 46) of the support structure (2) and the retaining slider (7), respectively; the arrangement being such that when the door (P) is open, the lugs (35, 36) of said at least one arm (33) of the slide (30) engage with the corresponding retaining formations (45, 46) so that the slide (30) is substantially locked with respect to the support structure (2) and the retaining slider (7) is substantially locked with respect to the slide (30); and when the door (P) is being closed, the hook member (4, 6) is capable of causing a resilient deflection of said at least one arm (33) of the slide (30), causing the disengagement thereof from said retaining formations (45, 46), so that the slide (30) and the retaining slider (7) are capable of translating with respect to each other and with respect to the support structure (2).

3. Door locking device according to Claim 2, wherein said first and second lugs (35, 36) are projections which extend in opposite directions and the corresponding retaining formations are openings or seats (45, 46) which are essentially L-shaped and provided in the support structure (2) and in the retaining slider (7), respectively.