Patent Abstract:
A household device includes a useful storage volume that can be closed by a door and a storage compartment disposed below, above, or to the side of the useful storage volume into which the door can be displaced. The door is associated with a guiding system including at least one slide track, wherein a guiding element associated with the door is guided by displacing the door from a closed position and moving it into the storage compartment. The slide track includes a start section that initially guides the door in an upward direction when it moves out of the closed position. Such a configuration has the same size as conventional household device with an increased useful storage volume.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation, under 35 U.S.C. § 120, of copending international application No. PCT/EP03/01502, filed Feb. 14, 2003, which designated the United States; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German patent application No. 102 08 472.6, filed Feb. 27, 2002; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is concerned with a household appliance having a useful space, which can be closed by a door, and a storage space, which is disposed below the useful space and into which the store can be displaced. The door is associated with a guide system having at least one slotted-guide track, by which the door is guided during a movement from a closed position to the storage space.  
         [0003]     German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 199 06 913 discloses a generic household appliance having a door that closes a useful space in the household appliance. Below the useful space, an opening having a guide system disposed in it is formed in a horizontal plane. The door can be slid into the opening through the guide system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a household appliance that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and that has an enlarged useful space while the overall size remains the same.  
         [0005]     With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a household appliance, includes a housing defining a useful space and a door opening, a door pivotally connected to the housing and selectively closing off the door opening in a closed position thereof, the door having a guide element, a storage space disposed below the useful space and the door is displaced selectively into the storage space, and a guide system having at least one slotted-guide track in which the guide element is guided during a movement of the door from the closed position into the storage space, the slotted-guide track having a starting section initially guiding the door upward during a movement from the closed position.  
         [0006]     The slotted-guide track has a starting section that initially guides the door upward during a movement from its closed position. By such a lifting movement, a lower edge of the door, which edge pivots into the storage space, is initially displaced upward. During the movement of the door into this storage space, the lower edge of the door, therefore, describes a pivoting region that is spaced apart from a base of the storage space and does not intersect the plane of the base. The movement of the door into the storage space, therefore, requires an extremely low storage-space height. The low storage-space height advantageously enables the useful space to be enlarged without changing the overall size of the household appliance.  
         [0007]     In accordance with another feature of the invention, the angle of ascent of the starting section is 30° to 60° and, in particular, approximately 45°. This, first, results in an ergonomically favorable door movement for an operator. Second, at the same time as the movement according to the invention upward, the door already can be executing a pivoting movement. The lifting movement of the door is, therefore, not restricted by an upper door boundary, for example, an upper edge strip.  
         [0008]     In accordance with a further feature of the invention, to achieve an ergonomically favorable and harmonic movement of the door, the starting section of the slotted-guide track merges into a substantially horizontal slide-in section, in which the door is guided into the storage space in a substantially horizontal plane.  
         [0009]     In accordance with an added feature of the invention, a space divider is disposed in a region of the storage space below the slotted-guide track. The space divider divides the storage space into a first storage space, in which the door and the guide system are disposed, and into a second storage space. In the second storage space, baking sheets or other accessories, for example, can be stored. In this slide-in section, the door moves rectilinearly in a plane with the slotted-guide track. As a result, a harmonic movement of the door is obtained and a tilting of the door can be avoided.  
         [0010]     In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, it is particularly advantageous if the starting section is no more than 30% of the entire length of the slotted-guided track. In addition to an ergonomically favorable pivoting profile of the door, such a configuration has the effect that the pivoting region of the lower edge of the door protrudes only slightly into the storage space. The above-mentioned space divider can, therefore, divide advantageously virtually the entire storage space without cutting across the pivoting region of the lower edge of the door.  
         [0011]     In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the door can be mounted pivotally about a hinge pin, which is fixed on the housing and which is guided displaceably in a guide rail of the door. This results in an advantageous, ergonomically favorable movement of the door for the operator. In addition, the structural outlay on the movement of the door into the storage space is reduced by the realization of the pivot pin in a manner fixed on the housing because a moving hinge pin and associated moving guide track can be avoided.  
         [0012]     In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, it is advantageous if the hinge pin, which is fixed on the housing, is disposed level with the slide-in section of the slotted-guide track. A pivoting movement of the door, therefore, takes place only if the guide element runs in the starting section of the slotted-guide track. When the guide element runs in the region of the slide-in section, the guide element is already in its horizontal position.  
         [0013]     In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the invention is not restricted to a configuration of the storage space below the useful space. On the contrary, the storage space may also be disposed at the side of or above the useful space.  
         [0014]     Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0015]     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a household appliance, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.  
         [0016]     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of a first exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention with an opened door;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective and partially hidden view of a cutout of a door handle according to the invention with an associated bearing housing;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary, side cross-sectional view of the handle of  FIG. 2  along section line A-A;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary, side cross-sectional view of the door handle of  FIG. 1  along section line B-B;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic, enlarged, cross-sectional view of a detail of the handle of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary, perspective and partially hidden view of a second exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary, perspective and partially hidden view of a storage space module of the cooking appliance of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective view of a detail of the module of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9A  is a fragmentary, side elevational and partially hidden view of a first part of an opening process of the mechanism of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9B  is a fragmentary, side elevational and partially hidden view of a second part of an opening process of the mechanism of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 9C  is a fragmentary, side elevational and partially hidden view of a third part of an opening process of the mechanism of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  shows a side sectional illustration of an upper and lower section of the door of the cooking appliance from  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of the mechanisms of  FIGS. 7 and 8  along line D-D in  FIG. 7  in a first position;  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of the mechanism of  FIG. 11  in a second position;  
         [0031]      FIG. 13A  is a schematic front elevational view of a variant of the household appliance according to the invention with the storage space module on the bottom thereof;  
         [0032]      FIG. 13B  is a schematic front elevational view of a further variant of the household appliance according to the invention with the storage space module on the top thereof; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 13C  is a schematic front elevational view of another variant of the household appliance according to the invention with the storage space module on the side thereof.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0034]     Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown a cooking appliance  1  in a first exemplary embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention. The cooking appliance  1  has front-side operating and display elements  2  with an associated non-illustrated control unit. Furthermore, a cooking space  3  is provided in the cooking appliance  1 . The cooking space  3  is bounded by a muffle  4  that is open on the front side. A front-side muffle frame  8  frames the front-side opening of the muffle  4 . The cooking space  3  can be closed by a door  5  that is mounted pivotally about a horizontal hinge pin or articulation axis  12 . The door  5  has an inner door window  7  and an outer door window  9  of glass or glass ceramic. A door handle  17 , which is mounted pivotally in a bearing housing  21 , is provided on an upper end side  6  of the door  5 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 2  shows the configuration including the door handle  17  and the bearing housing  21  in a perspective illustration enlarged in some sections. For simplification purposes, the inner and outer door windows  7 ,  9  of the door are omitted. The door handle  17  has a handle strip  13  that is connected to a pivoting part  16  through bearing blocks  15 . The pivoting part  16  forms the upper end side  6  of the door  5  and has pivot pins  19  on both sides in the longitudinal direction. The pivot pins  19  are mounted rotatably in the bearing housing  21 . Both the bearing housing  21  and the pivoting part  16  are, preferably, manufactured as an injection molded part from a duroplastic (thermosetting plastic material). Stiffening elements  23  are formed on both longitudinal sides of the bearing housing  21 . These stiffening elements  23  dip into an inner space  41  of the door and are fastened releasably, for example, screwed, to lateral edge strips  25  of the door  5 .  
         [0036]     Additional stiffening elements  27  are formed on the front side of the bearing housing  21 . According to  FIG. 3 , the stiffening elements  27  are in contact with the outer door window  9 .  FIG. 3  shows a sectional illustration along the line A-A from  FIG. 2 , in which the door windows  7 ,  9  are indicated in dashed lines. Accordingly, the stiffening element  27  is in contact with the outer door window  9  while the inner door window  7  rests, with the interposition of a seal  29 , against a contact surface  22  of the bearing housing  21 .  FIG. 3 , furthermore, reveals that the bearing housing  21  has a supporting surface  31 . The supporting surface  31  is disposed between the lateral pivot pins (journals)  19  and extends in the axial direction of the pivoting part  16  over virtually the entire length of the pivoting part  1 . A corresponding mating surface  33  of the pivoting part  16  is in contact with the supporting surface  31 . During the pivoting movement of the door handle  17 , the pivoting part  16  thereof is, therefore, supported on the supporting surface  31 . Furthermore, two stops  35 ,  37  that restrict and bound a pivoting region of the door handle  17  are formed on the bearing housing  21 .  
         [0037]     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the door handle  17  is assigned a tension spring  39  that pre-stresses the door handle  17  in a pivoting direction. The tension spring  39  is provided below the bearing housing  21  and extends in the longitudinal direction of the bearing housing  21 . The tension spring  39  is suspended freely in the inner space  41  of the door that is formed between the door windows  7 ,  9 . The freely suspended configuration of the tension spring  39  within the inner space  41  of the door makes it possible to achieve a free expansion and, therefore, low-wear loading of the tension spring  39 .  
         [0038]     The two ends of the tension spring  39  are connected in each case through a first tension cable  43  to the pivoting part  16  to transmit a tension spring force to the pivoting part  16 . The first tension cables  43  are guided through deflecting rollers  45 , which are mounted rotatably on the stiffening elements  27 , to radial cam plates  47 . The radial cams  47  are connected on both sides in a rotationally fixed manner to the longitudinal ends of the pivoting part  16 . Each of the first pulling cables  43  here is fixed on the circumference of the cam plate  47  at a fastening point  46 . As a result, the tension spring  39  pre-stresses the door handle  17  against the first stop  35  and subjects the door handle  17  to a first torque M 1  in a pivoting direction ( FIG. 4 ). To protect against contamination, the radial cams  47  are disposed within lateral cutouts of the pivoting part  16 . Covering sections  18  of the pivoting part  16  cover the cutouts on the end side.  
         [0039]     A second tension cable  48  engages on the circumference of each of the radial cams  47 . The second tension cable  48  is guided around the cam plate  47  in the direction counter to the first pulling cable  43  and is fixed on the circumference of the cam plate  47  at the fastening point  46 . The first and second tension cables  43 ,  48  and the radial cams  47  form constituent parts of a control mechanism  38 . The control mechanism  38  transmits a pivoting movement of the door  5  to the door handle  17 , i.e., when the door  5  is pivoted in a first pivoting direction, the control mechanism  38  pivots the door handle  17  in a second pivoting direction, counter to the first pivoting direction. The construction and functioning of the control mechanism  38  are explained below with reference to  FIG. 4 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  shows an upper and lower cutout of the door  5  in a sectional illustration along the line B-B from  FIG. 1 . The door  5  is disposed in a closed position. A driving drum  54  that serves as a driving part of the control mechanism is disposed in the lower section of the door  5 . Starting from the driving drum  54 , a rotational movement is transmitted through the tension cable  48  to the radial cam  47 . The tension cable  48  engages on the circumference of the radial cam  47 . The tension cable  48 , therefore, converts the rotational movement of the driving drum  54  into a rotational movement of the radial cam  47 .  
         [0041]     If the door  5  is pivoted downward from its closed position, which is shown in  FIG. 4 , the driving drum  54  rotates. The introduction of movement into the driving drum  54  is described later on with reference to the second exemplary embodiment. The rotational movement of the driving drum  54  is transmitted through the tension cable  48  to the radial cam  47 . As a result, a second torque M 2 , which is directed counter to the first torque M 1 , is exerted on the door handle  17 . The effect that can be achieved as a result is that the horizontal alignment of the door handle  17  that is shown in  FIG. 4  is substantially retained regardless of the pivoting position of the door  5 .  
         [0042]     If an operator exerts an upwardly directed actuating force F on the door handle  17  shown in  FIG. 4 —for example, during transportation of the cooking appliance—the resultant pivoting movement of the pivoting part  16  of the door handle in the clockwise direction is absorbed by the tension spring  39 . This prevents the pivoting movement of the door handle  17 , which movement is directed in the clockwise direction of FIG.  4 , from being transmitted to the control mechanism  38 . The tension spring  39 , accordingly, acts, as a safeguarding device that prevents damage to the control mechanism  38 .  
         [0043]     The magnitude of the spring force of the tension spring  39  and/or the torque M 1  exerted thereby is based on a minimum value for the spring force of the tension spring  39 . This minimum value corresponds approximately to the frictional forces that have to be overcome to restore the door handle  17  after an actuating force F is no longer exerted on the door handle  17 . The tension spring  39  is dimensioned such that the abovementioned minimum value is approximately 10% to 20% of the spring force of the tension spring  39 . The spring force of the tension spring  39  is, therefore, approximately five to ten times larger than this minimum value. When the door handle  17  is actuated incorrectly, for example, as a result of the upwardly directed actuating force F being exerted (see  FIG. 4 ), damage to the control mechanism  38  is, thus, prevented. At the same time, the comparatively large spring force permits an ergonomically favorable operating feel during a normal opening or closing actuation of the door handle  17  by the operator.  
         [0044]     The radius of the cam plate  47  is very important to ensure that the movement of the hinge rod  55  is transmitted to the door handle  17  in a correct transmission ratio. On one hand, the radius of the cam plate  47  determines the length of the lever arm and, thus, the magnitude of the torque by which the pulling cables  43 ,  48  act on the cam plate  47 . On the other hand, the cam-plate radius defines the transmission ratio by which a drive movement of the control mechanism  38  is converted into a pivoting movement of the door handle  17 . In  FIG. 5 , the lever-arm lengths r 1 , r 2  of the cam plate  47 , which lengths are associated with the first and the second tension cable  43 ,  48 , are configured such that they differ in magnitude.  FIG. 5  shows an enlarged illustration of the radial cam  47  from  FIG. 4 .  
         [0045]     In  FIG. 5 , the points of action of the pulling cables  43  and  48  are designated A 1  and A 2 . During an operation for opening the door  5 , the point of action A 1  of the pulling cable  43  moves through an angle of rotation of approximately 90° in the counterclockwise direction along the circumference of the cam plate  47 . Over this angle of rotation, the lever arm length r 1  is substantially constant. The torque M 1  exerted on the door handle  17  is, therefore, constant during the pivoting movement of the door  5 . At the same time, the engagement point A 2  of the tension cable  48  moves through an angle of rotation section of approximately 90° in the counter-clockwise direction (with respect to  FIG. 5 ) along the circumference of the radial cam  47 . Over this angle of rotation, the lever arm length r 2  is reduced during a pivoting movement of the door  5  from its closed position; that is to say, in the horizontal door position, the torque M 2  exerted on the door handle  17  is the lowest possible. In the horizontal door position, the torque M 2  counteracts a weight of the door  5 ; the weight of the door  5  keeps the door  5  stably in its horizontal position. The torque M 2 , which is reduced in the horizontal door position, is, therefore, not capable of compensating for the weight of the door. The stable position of the door in its horizontal position is, therefore, not adversely affected by the torque M 2 .  
         [0046]     A radial cam  47  that is formed eccentrically enables the transmission ratio of the control mechanism  38  to be changed as a function of the pivoting position of the door  5 . It is thus possible to compensate for drive losses of the control mechanism  38 , which are produced, for example, at the beginning of a pivoting movement of the door as a result of expansion of the pulling cables  43 ,  48  or of play in the control mechanism  38 .  
         [0047]      FIG. 6  shows a cooking appliance according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The cooking appliance has a useful space module  83 , which is indicated by a chain-dotted line and in which the cooking appliance muffle  3  (not illustrated) is disposed. A storage space module  79  is disposed below the useful space module  83 . The storage space module  79  has a storage space  61  in which a guide system  58  for the door  5  is provided. The guide system  58  enables the cooking appliance door  5  (illustrated by dashed lines) to be displaced into the storage space module  79 . According to  FIG. 6 , the storage space module  79  serves as a base or foundation on which the useful space module  83  is mounted. The storage space module  79  is configured as an upwardly open sheet-metal housing. Step-shaped abutment shoulders  85  are formed on the upper edge of the side walls  80  of the sheet-metal housing  79 . The useful space module  83  rests on the contact shoulders  85  in a positionally correct manner, as indicated in  FIG. 6 . The operating and display elements  2 , which are shown in  FIG. 1 , and an associated control unit are provided in the useful space module  83 . The operating and display elements  2 , here, together with the associated control unit, can function independently of the stowage-space module  79 .  
         [0048]     The control mechanism  38  of the second exemplary embodiment has, as driving part, a rotary shaft  57  on which the driving drum  54 , which is already mentioned in the first exemplary embodiment, is formed. The rotary shaft  57  is operatively connected to a guide element  59  of the guide system  58 .  
         [0049]     The construction and the manner of operation of the guide system  58  for the door  5  and the production of a driving movement for the control mechanism  38  are explained below.  
         [0050]     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the guide element  59  is part of the guide system  58 , with the aid of which the door  5  is pushed, during an opening process, into the storage space  61  provided below the cooking space  3 .  FIGS. 6 and 7  reveal that the guide system  58  has slotted-guide tracks  63 . The slotted-guide tracks  63  are formed in the two opposite side walls  80  of the storage space module  79 . The opposite slotted-guide tracks  63  guide sliders  60  of the guide element  59  therein. The sliders  60  are welded to each other through a connecting rod  62 . The guide element  59  is, therefore, guided in the opposite slotted-guide tracks  63  in the manner of a guide carriage. Between the two sliders  60 , adjusting levers  67  are welded to the connecting rod  62 . As illustrated in the enlarged perspective cutout of  FIG. 8 , the adjusting levers  67  are connected in a form-fitting manner to the rotary shaft  57  of the control mechanism  58 . The rotary shaft  57  is indicated in  FIGS. 6 and 7  by chain-dotted lines.  
         [0051]     The above-mentioned form-fitting connection between the adjusting levers  67  of the guide carriage  59  and the rotary shaft  57  of the door  5  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The inner and outer door windows  7 ,  9  of the door  5  have been omitted from  FIG. 8 . Accordingly, the rotary shaft  57  is mounted rotatably in the opposite edge strips  25  of the door  5 . For the form-fitting connection, the adjusting levers  67  of the guide carriage  59  each have a rectangular cutout  69  ( FIG. 8 ). A corresponding, rectangular shape section  71  of the rotary shaft  57  is mounted in the cutout  69 . The lateral edge strips  25  of the door  5  are provided in the outward direction in each case with a U-shaped groove that serves as a guide rail. In these guide rails  25 , respective bearing rollers  65  are guided displaceably on both sides. The bearing rollers  65  are fastened to the side wall  80  of the storage space module  79 . The U-shaped groove, which serves as a guide rail, is constructed on its lower end side with an open end  26 . When the door is removed, as will be described at a later stage in the text, the housing-mounted bearing roller  65  can be released from the associated guide rail  25  by way of the open end  26 .  
         [0052]     Each of the opposite slotted-guide tracks  63  has a starting section  90  and a slide-in section  91 . According to  FIGS. 9A and 9C , an angle of inclination of the starting section  90  is approximately 45°. The starting section  90 , furthermore, takes up approximately 30% of the entire length of the slotted-guide track  63  while the transition between the starting section  90  and the slide-in section  91  has a curved profile. The slide-in section  91  runs substantially in a horizontal plane. The bearing rollers  65 , which are fixed on the housing, are disposed approximately level with the slide-in section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 .  
         [0053]     The course of movement of the guide carriage  59  of the door  5  in the slotted-guide tracks  63  is described with reference to  FIGS. 9A  to  9 C.  FIG. 9A  shows the door  5  in its closed position. In the closed position, the sliders  60  of the guide carriage  59  are in the starting section  90  of the slotted-guide track  63 . During an opening movement of the door  5  from its closed position shown in  FIG. 10 , the sliders  60  of the guide carriage  59  are initially displaced upward. As a result, the adjusting levers  67  of the guide carriage  59  lift the door  5  upward. With this lifting movement of the door  5 , a lower end side  93  of the door  5 , which side pivots into the storage space  61 , is displaced, at the same time, upward away from a base  117  of the storage space module  79 , as is revealed in  FIG. 9B . As a result, a pivoting region S of the lower end side  93 , which region protrudes into the storage space  61  and is indicated by a chain-dotted line, is reduced. After the guide carriage  59  is moved from the starting section  90  into the horizontal slide-in section  91  ( FIG. 9C ), the door  5  is in a horizontal plane, in which it can be slid into the storage space  61 . During the pivoting movement of the door  5 , a pivoting angle between the door  5  and the guide block  59  changes. Because the rotary shaft  57  of the control mechanism  38  is mounted in a form-fitting manner in the adjusting levers  67  of the guide slide  59 , the change in the pivoting angle between the door  5  and the guide carriage  59  causes a rotation of the rotary shaft  57 . That is to say, during the pivoting movement of the door  5 , the rotary shaft  57  is inevitably rotated by the guide element  59 .  
         [0054]     The manner in which the control mechanism  38  transmits the inevitable rotation of the rotary shaft  57  to the door handle  17  is explained with reference to  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 10  shows a side sectional view of the upper and lower section of the door  5  according to the second exemplary embodiment. This reveals that the adjusting lever  67  protrudes through an access opening  129  of the door  5  into the interior space  41  of the door and is connected in a form-fitting manner to the rotary shaft  57 . As can be gathered from  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the rotary shaft  57  is configured with a driving drum  54 , which is disposed in a rotationally fixed manner on the rotary shaft  57 . The driving drum  54  is in engagement circumferentially with the tension cable  48 . As in the first exemplary embodiment, the tension cable  48  is connected to the door handle  17 .  
         [0055]     During the pivoting movement of the door  5 , a pivoting movement, therefore, arises between the guide carriage  59  and the door  5 . As a result, the rotary shaft  57  is rotated inevitably. The rotational movement of the rotary shaft  57  is transmitted through the driving drum  54  to the tension cable  48 . The tension cable  48  converts the rotational movement of the rotary shaft  57  into a rotational movement of the radial cam  47  and subjects the door handle to the second torque M 2 , which is directed counter to the first torque M 1 , on the door handle  17 . The door handle  17 , therefore, retains its horizontal alignment regardless of the pivoting position of the door  5 .  
         [0056]     In contrast to  FIG. 4  of the first exemplary embodiment, in  FIG. 10 , the first tension cables  43 , which engage on both sides on the radial cams  47  of the pivoting part  16  of the door handle  17 , are not connected to a common tension spring. Rather, according to  FIG. 10 , each of the first tension cables  43  is associated with a dedicated tension spring  39 . The tension spring  39  is fastened at one end of the spring to the edge strip  25  of the door  5 . The other end of the tension spring  39  is coupled to the tension cable  43  through a retaining eyelet  75 . As a result, the door handle  17  is subjected to the first torque M 1  in the counterclockwise direction.  
         [0057]     The control mechanism  38  shown in  FIG. 10  has a third tension cable  77 . The third tension cable  77  is, on one hand, in circumferential engagement with the driving drum  54  of the rotary shaft  57  and is guided about the driving drum  54  in the opposite direction to the second tension cable  48 . On the other hand, the third tension cable  77  is connected to the retaining eyelet  75  of the first tension cable  43 . The first, second, and third tension cables  43 ,  48 ,  77  of the control mechanism  38  form a closed cable control that envelops the radial cam  47  and the driving drum  54  to transmit the rotational movement to the door handle  17 .  
         [0058]     To tighten the closed cable control  43 ,  48 ,  77 , a tightening spring  79  is integrated in the third tension cable  77 . The tightening spring  79  serves to tighten the closed cable control  43 ,  48 ,  77 . In addition, the tightening spring  79  increases the torque M 1  that is exerted by the tension spring  39  on the door handle  17 . Therefore, both the tightening spring  79  and the tension spring  39  are present for exerting the torque M 1 . It is, therefore, advantageously possible for use to be made of two comparatively small springs that take up only a small amount of space in the limited inner space  41  of the door.  
         [0059]     If the operator, for example, during transportation of the cooking appliance  1 , exerts an upwardly directed actuating force F on the door handle  17  shown in  FIG. 4 , the resultant pivoting movement of the pivoting part  16  of the door handle in the clockwise direction is absorbed by the tension spring  39  and by the tightening spring  79 . The resultant pivoting movement of the pivoting part  16  is, therefore, not transmitted from the door handle  17  to the control mechanism  38 . As a result, damage to the control mechanism  38  is prevented.  
         [0060]     The dimensioning of the spring force of the tension springs  39 ,  79  depend on the minimum value for the spring force, which value is specified in conjunction with  FIG. 4 .  
         [0061]     Furthermore, the tension cables  43 ,  48 ,  77  can be provided with adjusting elements for adjusting a tensile stressing. By the adjusting elements, the tension cables provided on both sides of the door sides can be acted upon with an identical tensile stress. As a result, a synchronous operation of the two control mechanisms  38  is achieved.  
         [0062]     A weight-balancing configuration  94  for the door  5  of the second exemplary embodiment is described below with reference to  FIGS. 7, 11 , and  12 . During a movement of the door  5 , the weight-balancing configuration  94  exerts a balancing force on the door  5 , which force acts counter to the weight of the door  5 . The weight of the door  5  is, therefore, not absorbed by the operator during a door movement, but, rather, by the weight-balancing configuration  94 .  
         [0063]      FIG. 7  shows, in a perspective view, the storage space module  79 , of which a space divider  111  (described later on) is illustrated separately. On each of the opposite side walls  80 , the weight-balancing configuration  94  has a pivoting lever  95 . The pivoting lever  95  is mounted pivotally on the opposite side walls  80  through a lever spindle  97 .  FIG. 11  shows one of the side walls  80  in an enlarged side elevational view along the line D-D from  FIG. 7 . Accordingly, the pivoting lever  95  protrudes into the starting section  90  of the slotted-guide track  63  and is in engagement with the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59 . A pivoting region of the pivoting lever  95  is configured such that the pivoting lever  95  is in engagement with the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59  only in the region of the starting section  90 . By contrast, in the horizontal section  91 , the pivoting lever  95  is disengaged from the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59 . The pivoting lever  95  is connected to a tension spring  103 . The tension spring  103  is fastened to the side wall  80 . In  FIG. 11 , the tension spring  103  pre-stresses the pivoting lever  95  in the counter-clockwise direction.  
         [0064]     When the door  5 , which is illustrated by dashed lines in  FIG. 11 , is pivoted from its closed position downward into the horizontal position, the slider  60  runs from the starting section  90  into the horizontal section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 . During this movement, the slider  60  of the guide slide  59  presses against the spring-pre-stressed pivoting lever  95 . The pivoting lever  95 , therefore, subjects the sliding component  60  to a balancing force. The balancing force acts counter to the weight of the door  5 .  
         [0065]     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the pivoting lever  95  is pressed by the spring  103  against a first end stop  99 , which is formed by a rubber support. In the position shown in  FIG. 11 , the pivoting lever  95  permits an initial movement of the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59  out of the closed position of the door  5 . During this initial movement, the slider  60  does not engage with the pivoting lever  95 . According to  FIG. 11 , the slider  60  comes into contact with the pivoting lever  95  only at a pivoting angle of the door  5  of approximately 20°. This simplifies the initial movement of the door  5  out of its closed position for the operator. Moreover, the pre-stressed pivoting lever  95  according to  FIG. 11  acts as a stop against which the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59  strikes during the opening movement of the door  5 . A certain pivoting position of the door  5  is, thus, signaled to the user. In the present case, this pivoting position corresponds to a removal position (described later on), in which a simple removal of the door  5  from the guide system  58  is made possible.  
         [0066]     Furthermore, the weight-compensating configuration  94  has a pivotally mounted retaining element  105  that is pre-stressed by a spring  106 . During the previously described initial movement of the door  5 , the spring-pre-stressed retaining element  105  presses the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59  in the direction of the pivoting lever  95 . As a result, the door  5  is retained stably in the removal position shown in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0067]      FIG. 12  shows the door  5  mounted horizontally and slid into the storage space  61 . The slider  60  of the guide carriage  59  of the door  5  is in the horizontal slide-in section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 . During the movement of the slider  60  in the region of the slide-in section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 , the pivoting lever  95  is disengaged from the slider  60 . The pivoting lever  95 , therefore, does not exert any balancing force on the door  5 . While the slider  60  runs in the slide-in section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 , the pivoting lever  95  is in the clockwise direction, by the spring  103 , against a second end stop  101 , which is, likewise, formed by a rubber support.  
         [0068]     The pivoting lever  95  has a driver  107 . The driver  107  of the pivoting lever  95  protrudes, in  FIG. 12 , into the slotted-guide track  63 . According to  FIG. 12 , the slider  60  has been displaced from the starting section  90  into the slide-in section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 . The adjusting lever  95  is pre-stressed against the second end stop  101  and is in a holding position. When the door  5  is displaced out of the storage space  61 , the slider  60  comes into engagement with the driver  107  of the pivoting lever  95 . As a result, the pivoting lever  95  is brought out of its holding position and comes, once again, into a pressure contact with the slider  60  of the guide carriage  59 . As a result, the pivoting lever  95  can, once again, exert the compensating force on the guide carriage  59  during a pivoting movement of the door  5 .  
         [0069]     The releasable mounting of the door  5  on the guide system  58  is explained below with reference to  FIG. 8 . Due to the releasable mounting of the door  5  in the guide system  58 , the door  5  can easily be removed for cleaning. As already described with reference to  FIG. 8 , the adjusting levers  67  have a rectangular cutout  69 . The corresponding rectangular shape section  71  of the rotary shaft  57  is mounted in the rectangular cutout  69 . This produces a form-fitting connection between the guide carriage  59  and the rotary shaft  57 . A locking element  73  that, according to  FIG. 8 , is mounted on the rotary shaft  57  is explained below. The locking element  73  can be displaced between a locking position and a release position. In the release position, the locking element  73  releases the mounting of the rotary shaft  57  in the adjusting lever  67 . In a locking position of the locking element  73 , the rotary shaft  57  is connected non-releasably to the adjusting lever  67 .  
         [0070]     The space divider  111  that is mentioned in conjunction with  FIG. 7  is explained in the following text. As emerges, in particular, from  FIG. 6 , the space divider  111  is disposed in the storage space module  79 . The space divider  111  divides the storage space  61  into a first storage space  61   a  and a second storage space  61   b . The space divider  111  has a horizontal intermediate base  113  and side walls  115 . The door  5  can be displaced into the first storage space  61   a . The space divider  111  also separates the guide system  58 , which is formed from the slotted-guide track  62  and guide carriage  59 , and the weight-balancing configuration  94  from the second storage space  61   b . Baking sheets or other accessories may be stored in the second storage space  61   b.    
         [0071]     As emerges from  FIGS. 9A  to  9 C, the space divider  111  is disposed below the starting section  90  and the slide-in section  91  of the slotted-guide track  63 . The intermediate base  113  together with the side walls  115  and a housing base  117  form an access opening  119 . The latter is disposed spaced apart from the pivoting region S (indicated by a chain-dotted line) of the lower end side  93  of the door  5 . Display elements  121  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) are provided in the region of the access opening  119  of the second storage space  61   b . The display elements  121  are configured as cams or protuberances that are fastened to the base  117  of the storage space  61 . The display elements  121  indicate to the operator a maximum permissible length for objects that can be stored in the second storage space  61   b  without protruding into the pivoting region S of the lower end side  93  of the door  5 . Appliance front-side panels  123  are formed on the side walls  115  of the space divider  111  ( FIG. 7 ). The panels  123  serve for concealing the first storage space  61   a  from view. In addition, a collecting or drip channel  125  is provided in the housing base  117 , in the region of the appliance front-side access opening  119 , to keep the second storage space  61   b  free from contaminants, for example, dripping condensation water.  
         [0072]      FIGS. 13A  to  13 C illustrate, schematically, variants of the household appliance according to the invention. According to  FIG. 13A , the useful space module  83  and the storage space module  79  are shown separately from each other. The construction and the manner of operation of the two modules  79 ,  83  corresponds to that of the preceding figures. The storage space module  79  and the useful space module  83  are manufactured, first of all, independently of each other as separate constructional units. The storage space module  79  and the useful space module  83  are, then, joined together in an assembly step to form the household appliance. According to  FIG. 13A , the storage space module  79  serves as a pedestal on which the useful space module  83  is placed in the arrow direction.  
         [0073]     In contrast to  FIG. 13A , in  FIG. 13B , the storage space module  79  is disposed above the useful space module  83 . The door  5  can, therefore, be displaced upward into the storage space  61  of the storage space module  79 . In  FIG. 13C , the storage space module  79  is disposed upended. According to  FIG. 13C , the storage space module  79 , which is disposed upended, is fastened to one side of the useful space module  83 . The door  5  can, therefore, be displaced into the storage space  79 , which is disposed at the side of the useful space module  83 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 4