Patent Publication Number: US-9416568-B2

Title: Door lock device with an opening button

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is the US national stage of International Patent Application PCT/IT2012/000072 filed on Mar. 14, 2012 which, in turn, claims priority to Italian Patent Application RM2011A000118 filed on Mar. 15, 2011. 
     The present invention relates to a door lock device with a button opening. 
     More specifically, the invention concerns a door lock device for a household appliance, such as a washing machine or the like, studied and realized to allow opening of the door by pressing a button, eventually placed on the handle of the door itself. 
     In the following, the description will be directed to the application of the door lock device on the door of a washing machine, but it is clear that the same should not be considered limited to this specific use. 
     As it is well known, washing machines are currently provided with suitable safety systems, which prevent the opening of the door while the washing machine is activated and carries out a wash, and allow opening of said door only after an appropriate command to a door lock device. 
     Applicant has already filed the patent application no. RM2010A000498, which provides an unlocking member arranged on the door prong, capable of interacting, when activated, with the mechanical parts of the door to release the prong and to open said door. In particular, said unlocking member is slidingly coupled with said prong and provides an elongated portion having at the end an actuating member, such as a button or the like. 
     Compared to the mechanism described in the previous patent application, it is an object of the present invention to provide a door lock device which presents a simplified and without moving parts on the prong engagement mechanism, and which allows easy interfacing of the release mechanism with the other available moving members. 
     These and other results are obtained according to the invention with a door lock device provided with an opening mechanism activated by a button, which is integrated and, optionally, activated directly by the door handle. 
     It is therefore specific object of the present invention a door lock device for a household appliance door, said door being provided with a prong, said device comprising a mechanical module, for retaining in closed position, or releasing, for the opening, said prong, said device being characterized in that it further comprises opening means, comprising an unlock slider, movable between a first position and a second position, and capable to interact with said mechanical module, returning means of said unlock slider in said first position, and an activation member, having an activation element, like a button or the like, guiding means for the mutual movement being provided between said slider and said activation member, such that, when said prong is retained by mechanical module, pressing said activation element, said guiding means for the mutual movement between said unlock slider and said activation member cause the interaction of said unlock slider with said mechanical module, to release said prong, while when said prong is close to said mechanical module to be retained for closing the door, keeping pressed said activation element, said driving means of the mutual movement, between said unlock slider and said activation member, allow said mechanical module to retain said prong by the combined action of contrast means and said returning means of said unlock slider. 
     Always according to the invention, said guiding means of the mutual movement between said unlock slider, and said activation member could comprise one or more cams, each of which has an upper profile and a lower profile arranged on said unlock slider, and one or more side reliefs, arranged on said activation member, in order to interact with said cams, such that, with said prong retained by said mechanical module, pressing said activation element, said side reliefs of said activation member interact with said upper profile of said cams, causing the interaction of said unlock slider with said mechanical module to release said prong, while, when said prong is close to said mechanical module to be retained for closing the door, keeping pressed said activation element, each of said side reliefs follows the profile of the respective cam, to which it remains constrained by the combined action of said contrast means and said returning means of said unlock slider, sliding on said lower profile of the respective cam, so that the action of said returning means on said unlock slider allows said mechanical module to retain said prong. 
     Still according to the invention, said mechanical module could comprise a hook suitable to engage and retain said prong when said door is closed, and a strut, interacting with said hook, in order to keep said strut engaged with said prong, when said door is closed, and in that said unlock slider comprises a projection, suitable to interact with said strut to disengage it, in its turn, from said hook, so that said hook disengages from said prong, allowing the opening of the door. 
     Advantageously according to the invention, said unlock slider could be arranged under said strut. 
     Further according to the invention, said activation member could have a slot, and said contrast means could comprise a first spring, inserted within said slot and connected with said activation element, so that said first spring is compressible by said activation element, and so that after pressing, said activation element returns to its original position. 
     Always according to the invention, said returning means comprise a second returning spring. 
     Still according to the invention, said button is operated by the handle of said door or by a further member. 
     Further according to the invention, said device could comprise an electric module provided with an activation and block pin, capable to assume an operating position, in which it is extracted to inhibit the operating of the device, preventing the opening of said door, and a resting position, in which it is retracted, said mechanical module could comprise a block slider, capable of interacting with said activation and block pin, such that when it is in said operating position, said block slider remains blocked, and said strut can be operatively connected with said block slider. 
     Advantageously according to the invention, said device could comprise a emergency lever, manually operable and capable to activate a mechanism, in order to force the passage of said activation and block pin from said operating position to said rest position. 
    
    
     
       The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the door lock device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the door lock device according to  FIG. 1  completely assembled; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the door lock device according to  FIG. 1  with the upper cover removed; 
         FIG. 4  shows an unlock slider of the door lock device according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows an activation member of the door lock device according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6 a    shows a plan view of a mechanical module of said door lock device in a closed position; 
         FIG. 6 b    shows a first perspective view of the mechanical module according to  FIG. 6   a;    
         FIG. 6 c    shows a second perspective view of the mechanical module according to  FIG. 6   a;    
         FIG. 7 a    shows a plan view of a mechanical module of said door lock device in opening phase; 
         FIG. 7 b    shows a first perspective view of the mechanical module according to  FIG. 7   a;    
         FIG. 7 c    shows a second perspective view of the mechanical module according to  FIG. 7   a;    
         FIGS. 8 a , 8 b , 8 c  and 8 d    show an operating sequence of said door lock device in closing phase; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the door lock device according to the invention after that a prong of a door has been extracted; and 
         FIG. 10  shows an emergency mechanism of the door lock device according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     In the various figures, similar parts will be indicated by the same reference numbers. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a door lock device  1  according to the present invention, for a household appliance, such as a washing machine or the like, can be seen. 
     Said door lock device  1  comprises a casing  11 , in which an electrical module  2  and a mechanical module  3  and opening means  4  of the door are housed. 
     Said casing  11  comprises a lower base  12 , having a first opening  12 ′, whose operation will be, better explained below, and a second opening  12 ″, through which the door prong of a washing machine can enter or exit. Said casing  11  also comprises an upper cover  13 , coupled by interlocking with said lower base  12 . 
     Said electric module  2  is connected to, and controlled by, a logical unit of the household appliance and comprises an activation and block pin  21 , capable of assuming an operating position, in which it is extracted, so as to inhibit the operation of the mechanical module  3 , as it will be better described below, and a resting position, in which it is retracted. Said activation and block pin  21  is arranged in correspondence of said first opening  12 ′. 
     Said mechanical module  3  is adapted to interact with said door prong of said washing machine, to hold or release it. 
     In particular, said mechanical module  3  comprises a rotary hook  31 , pivoted to said casing  11  and provided with a suitable returning spring  31 ′. Said rotary hook  31  is capable to engage with the prong, when the door is in closed position. 
     Said mechanical module  3  further comprises a strut  33  horizontally movable, pivoted at the point  33 ′, interacting with said rotary hook  31  and provided, also, with a returning spring (not visible in the figures). When the prong interacts with the hook  31 , the latter rotates, contrasting the action of said returning spring with said strut  33 . Said strut  33 , can also position in a suitable profile of the hook  31 , keeping the latter engaged with the prong. Said returning spring of the strut  33  is arranged eccentrically with respect to the center of rotation of the strut  33 , thus generating a motion both axial as well as rotary. 
     Said mechanical module  3  also comprises a block slider  32 , mechanically connected with said strut  33 . Said block slider  32  can assume a first position and a second position. In said first position the door is closed, the prong is engaged with said rotary hook  31  and said slider  32  is arranged so as to leave the activation and block pin  21  free to move. In this way, the activation and block pin  21  can prevent the movement of said slider  32 , and, then, the door opening, when extracted (door closed and washing machine activated). 
     In said second position, the door is open, the prong disengaged from said rotary hook  31  (door open) and said slider  32  is arranged so as to be above said activation and block pin  21 . In this way, said activation and block pin  21  is necessarily in retracted position. 
     When the activation and block pin  21  is retracted, for example when the washing machine is switched off or has finished a program, it releases the cursor  32 . In this way, said slider  32  can move from said first to said second position, to allow the disengagement of said strut  33  by said rotary hook  31  and open the door, according to the dynamics that will be described below. 
     Door opening means  4  comprise a unlock slider  41  (see also  FIG. 4 ), arranged below said strut  33  and provided with cams  411 , each cam having an upper profile  411 ′ and a lower profile  411 ″, and a projection  412 , suitable for interacting with said strut  33 , as will be better explained below. 
     Said opening means  4  also comprise an activation member  42 , having lateral reliefs  421 , arranged so as to interact with said cams  411 , as it will be better defined in the following, and a slot  422  for a first spring  423 . Said first spring  423  is compressible by pressing the button  424  that can also be activated externally with respect to said casing  11  by means of said handle, or even by means of a further member placed on the handle of the door itself. Said activation member  42  is constrained to move vertically. 
     Said opening means  4  also comprise a second returning spring  43  of said unlocking slider  41 . 
     Moreover, said device  1  also comprises a sensor  5 , adapted to detect if the door is open or closed. 
     Finally, the door lock device  1  is completed by an emergency lever  6 , connected to a mechanism  61  that can be activated manually and adapted to force the passage of said activation and block pin  21  from said operating position to said resting position. 
     The operation of the door lock device  1  described above is as follows. 
     When the door of the washing machine is closed, the prong of the door is kept engaged with said rotary hook  31  by means of said strut  33  (see  FIGS. 6 a -6 c   ). During washing phases, the activation and block pin  21  is in said operating position, i.e. extracted, so as to inhibit movement of said block slider  32  and therefore of said strut  33 . In this way, also said unlock slider  41  is blocked, by interacting with said strut  33 , in a resting position or closing position. Then, by pressing the button  424 , the door is not opened. 
     When the washing machine ends the washing program, the activation and block pin  21  returns to said resting position, in which it is retracted, allowing said block slider  32  to move. By pressing now said button  424 , or by pressing on the handle of the door, said activation member  42  is vertically moved and the consequent interaction of said lateral reliefs  421  on the upper profile  411 ′ of said cams  411 , causes the movement of said unlock slider  41 , bringing it in an operating position or opening position. In this way, said projection  412  of said unlock slider  41  interacts with said strut  33 , pushing it in the direction of the arrow A (see  FIG. 7 a   ), disengaging it from said rotary hook  31 , and allowing said strut to rotate with respect to the point  33 ′, so that said rotary hook  31  disengages from the prong. Once the rotary hook  31  is released, the combined effect of the reactions of the spring  31 ′, the first spring  423  of button  424 , together with the contribution of the door seal (not visible in the figures), cause the opening of said door (see also arrows of  FIGS. 7 a -7 c   ). 
     Then, the button  424  returns to its initial position, due to the effect of said first spring  423 . Said unlock slider  41  and said strut  33 , the latter disengaged from said rotary hook  31 , return to their original position. 
     Instead, when the washing machine is switched off and the door is open, the closing of the door takes place by pressing on the handle as described as follows. With reference to  FIGS. 8 a -8 d   , by inserting the prong in said second opening  12 ″ of the door lock  1 , said prong engages with the rotary hook  31 , but the action on the handle, and then on the button  424 , implies that, in a first step ( FIG. 8 a   ) each of said lateral reliefs  421  slides on the upper profile  411 ′ of the respective cam  411 . In this case, said unlock slider  41  is in said operating position or opening position (see again  FIG. 7 a   ). This prevents said strut  33  to engage with said rotary hook  31 . When the door approaches the window to be closed, continuing to exert a pressure on said handle (see the sequence of  FIGS. 8 b , 8 c  and 8 d    and the arrows shown), and then on said button  242 , each of said lateral reliefs  421  follows the profile of the respective cam  411 , to which it remains constrained due to the combined action of said first spring  423  and said second returning spring  43  of said unlock slider  41 , sliding on the lower profile  411 ″ of the respective cam  411 . In this way, the action of said second spring  43  on the unlock slider  41  returns said slider in said resting position or closing position, so that said strut  33  engages with said rotary hook  31 , by means of the projection  412 . 
     Then, when user releases the handle, reducing the pressure on said button  424 , said activation member  42  returns to its initial position, by the action of said first spring  423 , sliding initially on said lower profile  411 ″, in order to arrange, then, in correspondence of said upper profile  411 ′ of the cam  411  (see  FIG. 9 ). As mentioned above, device  1  comprises an emergency lever  6 , whereby it is possible to operate the mechanism  61 , which pushes down the activation and block pin  21 , in case it were in the operating position, i.e. extracted, coming out from said first opening  12 ′, forcing it in said resting position, i.e. retracted (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     The present invention, has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.