Abstract:
The aim of the invention is to provide an electric household appliance, especially a dishwasher, comprising a child-proof lock which has a simple and reliable design and is easy to operate. According to the invention, a means for selectively blocking or slide which can be moved between two positions blocks, in a first position, the movement of the locking member, thereby activating the child-safety feature, and in a second position of the means for selectively blocking, does not block the movement of the locking member, thereby deactivating the child-safety feature.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an electric household appliance, especially a dishwasher, comprising a door and a door lock for said door, comprising: a frame with an opening for a hook, a closing member such as a closing lever in said frame, a closing spring disposed between the closing member and a counter-bearing in said frame, said closing member being connected to a gripping device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electric household appliances, especially dishwashers or an electric baking oven, pose a hazard for children which should not be underestimated. Children at play can accidentally or intentionally open the door of an electric household appliance and thereby expose themselves to a considerable risk of injury. In dishwashers this arises, for example, from pointed sharp objects such as knives since children can thereby incur cutting wounds. In baking ovens there is a considerable risk of injury as a result of the high temperatures. For this reason, mechanical devices which prevent any unintentional or undesired opening of the door of an electric household appliance are already available as child-safety features. 
     Known from DE 195 04 928 A1 is a door lock for a dishwasher for whose actuation an unlocking flap is mounted pivotally about a pivot axis in a handle recess and is provided with a locking stop arrangement which prevents any pivoting of the unlocking flap in a locking home position. Moulded on the pivot axis of the unlocking flap is a radially directed locking lug which engages axially in a matched stop in a bearing wall of the handle shell. A disadvantage here is that as a result of the complex structure, the child safety feature is expensive and liable to breakdown and the operating comfort for the user of the dishwasher is only low. 
     Known from DE 198 37 248 C2 is a door lock for the door of an electric household appliance comprising a frame with an opening for a hook, a closing member such as a closing lever, in the frame, a closing spring disposed between the closing member and a counter-bearing in the frame, said closing member being connected to a gripping device. In this case, the closing spring is tensioned in an open position of the door lock and the gripping device is pressed against a part of the frame or in the frame by the closing spring at a contact point in the open position of the door lock, thus preventing the release of the spring. The gripping device has a gripping latch into which a hook is guided on passing through the opening in the frame. The incoming hook presses on a contact surface of the gripping device and thereby causes a movement of the gripping device. The gripping device is shaped so that it loses contact with the contact point during a movement of the hook and the closing spring can thereby be released. The opening of the closed door by forces from inside or outside can only be prevented by a lock which releases the closing member during opening by means of an opening lever. This door lock disadvantageously therefore does not have a child safety feature which prevent undesired opening of the door. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus the object of the present invention to provide an electric household appliance, especially a dishwasher with a door lock, having a child safety feature which allows high operating comfort to be achieved with a simple and reliable structure of the door lock. 
     The electric household appliance according to the invention, especially a dishwasher, comprising a door is provided with a door lock for said door, comprising a frame with an opening for a hook, a closing member such as a closing lever in said frame, a closing spring disposed between the closing member and a counter-bearing in said frame, said closing member being connected to a gripping device, wherein a pin or slide which can be moved between two positions, inhibits the movement of the closing member in a first position for activating a child safety feature and does not inhibit the movement of the closing member in a second position of the pin for deactivating the child safety feature. 
     In the first position where the child safety feature is activated, the movable pin is preferably inserted into a recess of the closing lever or lies at the edge of said closing lever and the movement of the closing lever is thereby positively inhibited. 
     Advantageously disposed on the movable pin is a locking head which in the first position of the pin with the child safety feature activated, is inserted in a recess of a portion of the door, for example, a side wall of the frame or a control panel so that as a result of a positive connection between the locking head and the boundary of the recess, the forces applied to the pin are predominantly transferred to the boundary of the recess. 
     In a further embodiment, in the second position with the 20 child safety feature deactivated, the movable pin is located outside the recess or the edge of the closing lever and thereby the movement of the closing member is not inhibited. 
     More appropriately, the pin can preferably be moved in a direction of movement perpendicular to the direction of movement of the closing member and the pin has a conical  25  shape with increasing diameter beginning at the free end of the pin so that when very high forces act on the closing member, as a result of a small angle of inclination, i.e. 20° between the circumferential surface of the pin and the bearing surface on the pin, e.g. the boundary surface of the recess, the pin can be moved into the second position due to resulting normal forces in the pin. 
     In another embodiment, the closing spring is tensioned in an open position of the door lock, the gripping device is pressed against a part of the frame or in the frame by the closing spring at a contact point in the open position of the door lock, thus preventing the release of the spring, the gripping device has a gripping latch into which a hook is guided on passing through the opening in the frame and has a contact surface onto which the incoming hook presses, thereby causing a movement of the gripping device and the gripping device is shaped so that it loses contact with the contact point during a movement of the hook and the closing spring can thereby be released. 
     Advantageously, the pin is fixed to a pivoted shaft by means of a pivoted lever so that the pin can execute a rotary movement from the first position into the second position and conversely. 
     More appropriately, by means of a restoring lever connected to the pivoted shaft and a spring, a restoring moment can be applied to the pivoted shaft so that the pin is pressed into the first position to activate the child safety feature. 
     In an additional embodiment, a preferably rectangular plate made of plastic with a locating lug and a limiting lug is formed on an adjusting lever connected to the pivoted shaft wherein as a result of the thickness of the plate, said plate  20  can be elastically deformed under application of small forces. 
     Advantageously beginning with the free end, the adjusting lever projects partly over a slot-shaped recess in a gripping shell into a handle of the door such that as a result of a movement of the adjusting lever the pin can be moved from the first position into the second to position to activate and deactivate the child safety features, wherein the direction of movement of the adjusting lever in the handle is preferably lateral and horizontal. 
     More appropriately, the adjusting lever can be detachably fixed in the second position of the pin for continuous deactivation of the child safety feature, whereby the adjusting lever rests with a limiting strip on a flat area, e.g. of the panel dish and the movement of the adjusting lever to the first position is blocked by the locating lug on the limiting strip. 
     In an additional embodiment, to activate the child safety feature, the locating lug can be raised over the limiting strip through a small recess in the gripping shell of the handle using a pointed object, so that as a result of the force of the spring, the adjusting lever can be moved into the first position and for continuous deactivation of the child safety feature, the locating lug can be raised over the limiting strip using a pointed object whilst simultaneously activating the adjusting lever in the handle. 
     Advantageously, the pin is arranged on an actuating slider in a slider housing and by means of a translational movement of the actuating slider in the slider housing, the pin can be moved between the first position and the second position and conversely, preferably between two stop points. 
     In another embodiment, an actuating lever  8  is formed on the actuating slider which projects via a slot in the gripping shell of the handle therein and the actuating slider can thereby be moved from the handle with the actuating lever between the first and second position, wherein the actuating lever can be pressed into the first position by a spring. 
     More appropriately, a locating lug is formed on the actuating slider which in the second position of the actuating slider engages in a recess of the slider housing and preferably either the displacement of the actuating slider from the second position into the first position can be executed only by the actuating lever or the locating lug must be additionally pressed in via a recess on the gripping shell of the handle using a sharp object. 
     Advantageously, the movement of the pin from the first to the second position and conversely to activate and deactivate the child safety feature is adjustable from the top of the door using an actuating element. 
     In another embodiment, the actuating element, e.g. a lever, a cup-shaped disk or a part which can be actuated using a screwdriver is arranged fixedly or removably on the top. 
     In a further embodiment, the actuating element is connected to an actuating shaft on which a cam is formed and using the cam on the actuating shaft the pivoted lever with pin can be moved from the first into the second position and conversely. 
     More appropriately, the movement of the pin from the first to the second position and conversely to activate and deactivate the child safety feature can be executed by a preferably electric actuator, e.g. a wax expansion element, a bimetal part, an electromagnet or an inserted/withdrawn memory part. 
     In an additional embodiment, the actuator can be controlled using an electric, electronic or mechanical control using a specific control logic wherein, for example, the child safety feature is continuously activated, only activated during operation or a certain button or button combination must be pressed to deactivate the child safety feature. 
     The actuator can preferably be controlled by remote control, preferably via a radio signal or via the internet. As a result, the operator need not stay at the household appliance to actuate the child safety feature but he can conveniently execute it from any location in the vicinity of the household appliance. For household appliances connected to the interne, it can even be actuated from any computer with interne access. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is explained in detail hereinafter with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings  8   25 . 
       In the figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a section through a door lock from the prior art, 
         FIG. 2  is a section through a door lock according to the invention in the open position, 
         FIG. 3  is a section through a door lock according to the invention in the closed position, 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a locking device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a plate according to the invention as part of the locking device, 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of an adjusting lever according to the invention as part of the locking device, 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the pivoted lever with pin according to the invention, 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a gripping shell from below for a handle according to the invention, 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a gripping shell from above for a handle according to the invention, 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an actuating slider  15  according to the invention in a slider housing, 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an actuating slider according to the invention in a slider housing, 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an actuating slider according to the invention, 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a door of a dishwasher according to the invention with an actuating element according to the invention at the top, 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a door lock according to the invention with actuating shaft and actuating element, and 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-section through the actuating shaft with cam and pivoted lever according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The operating mode of the door lock  101  is first explained hereinafter disregarding the child safety feature with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The child safety feature according to the invention is also shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 1  exclusively shows a door lock from the prior art without child safety feature. The door lock in  FIG. 1  is a door lock known from DE 198 27 248 C2. 
     A closing lever  12  pivotable about an axis  14  is accommodated in a frame  10 . In the open position of the door lock  101  shown in  FIG. 2  a closing spring  16  is tensioned between the closing lever  12  and a counter-bearing  18 , thus pressing the closing lever  12  in the counterclockwise direction. 
     A gripping device  20  is mounted rotatably about an axis  22  on the closing lever  12 . The axis  22  of the gripping device  20  is located on the closing lever  12  between the area on which the closing spring  16  acts and the axis  14  of the closing lever  12 . The gripping device  20  has a circumferential line which forms a pitch circle about the axis of rotation. As a result of the closing spring  16 , the gripping device  20  is pressed against a stop face  28  on a stop member  26  of the frame  10 . 
     The circumferential line of the gripping device  20  leads to a slide edge which runs radially inwards at an angle of 90° from a tangent of the circumferential line of the gripping device  20 . A stop edge  32  of the gripping device  20  is located perpendicularly to the slide edge  30 . 
     The gripping device  20  is located in a recess of the closing lever  12 . In the exemplary embodiment shown the closing lever  12  is tensioned counterclockwise by two closing springs  16  (only one is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 ). According to the diagram in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , therefore closing spring  16  is located in the viewing direction of the observed in front of the gripping device  20  and one closing spring is located behind the gripping device  20 . 
     A gripping latch  34  is embodied as an eccentric indentation in the circumference of the gripping device. In the open position of the door lock  101 , its opening points towards an opening  36  in a side  40  of the frame  10  facing a hook  38 . When the hook  38  is guided through the opening  36  on closing the door  95 , it presses on a contact surface  42  of the gripping latch  34  and cause the gripping device  20  to turn counterclockwise. As a result of the turning, the slide edge  30  reaches a corner  44  of the frame  10 . The closing spring  16  can be released, the closing lever  12  turns about the axis  14  and the gripping device  20  slides with the slide edge  30  along a surface  46  of the frame  10 , whereby the slide edge  30  is pressed against the surface  46  of the frame  10  by the torsion spring  24 . The front portion  49  of the hook  38  has contact with a second contact surface  48  of the gripping latch  34  and is entrained by the gripping latch  34 . In this case, the door  95  is pressed against the seal. At the same time as these movements, a door switch  50  which is actuated by means of the closing lever  12  is closed, the torsion spring  24  is tensioned and an opening lever  52  is moved by the closing lever  12  acting on an arm  54  of the opening lever  52 . This results in the closed position of the lock  101  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     When the lock  101  is opened, the opening lever  52  is moved clockwise, and the arm  54  of the opening lever  52  presses together the closing lever  12  clockwise and the closing spring  16 . In this case, the gripping device  20  again slides with the slide edge  30  along the surface  46  of the frame  10  ( FIG. 3  to the right),  15  until the gripping device  20  is returned by the torsion spring  24  (possibly in cooperation with a seal pressing the door away from the housing of the appliance) into the position corresponding to the open position of the door lock, where the hook  38  is released and the door opens. At the same time as opening the lock, the door switch  50  is actuated by the closing lever  12  and is opened. 
     The tolerance of the hook  38  in the closed position is determined by the length of the slide edge  30 . The front portion  49  of the hook  38  cannot snap out of the gripping latch  34  as long as the gripping device  20  does not turn, i.e. as long as the closing lever  12  only turns about its axis  14 . 
     Shown in  FIG. 1  as prior art is the door lock  101  with an additional lock  60  compared with  FIGS. 2 and 3 , apart from the child safety feature according to the invention, which prevents opening of the closed door by forces from inside or outside. The forces acting on the door can, for example, be a steam impact from inside or a pulling open from outside. The lock  60  can, for example, be embodied as the edge on the frame  30  or as an additional part. The lock  60  prevents turning of the closing member  12  in the opening direction before the gripping device  20  is released over the slide edge  30  on the corner  44 . During opening by means of the opening lever  52 , first the closing member  12  is released and then the door  35  is opened. Disadvantageously each opening with the opening lever  52  effects a release of the closing member  12  so that children can lift the lock  60 . The child safety feature according to the invention can naturally also be executed on a door lock  101  with an additional lock  60  according to  FIG. 1 . 
     In order to eliminate undesired opening of the appliance door  95 , e.g. by children as a child safety feature, according to the invention a pin  70  or a slider (not shown) can be inserted in a recess  71  in the closing lever  12 . The pin  70  can rest on a wall of the closing lever  12  (not shown) to block the closing lever  12 . The pin  70  in the recess  71  positively blocks the rotary movement of the closing lever  12  about the axis  14  in the closure position ( FIG. 2 ). As a result, the gripping device  20  does not release the hook  38  and the door cannot be opened. In the open position the pin  70  is located outside the closing lever  12 , for example, it lies on the wall of the closing lever  12 . The frame  10  preferably has a side wall  72  in the area of the recess  71  of the closing lever  12  with a recess  73 . In the closed position the recess  73  in the side wall  72  of the frame  10  and the recess  71  of the closing lever are in alignment with one another. The side wall  72  is located in front of the closing lever  12  in the view in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     Viewed from the plane of the drawing from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a locking head  74  is constructed on the pin  70  which, depending on the type of plug connection, is inserted as an exact fit with little play into the recess  73  in the closed position. By this means the forces applied to the pin  70  by the recess  71  on the closing lever  12  are transferred via the locking to head  74  to the recess  73  of the frame  10 . 
     As a result of the short distance between the locking lever  12  and the side wall  72  of the frame  10 , predominantly only transverse forces thereby occur at the pin  70  and at the locking head  74  and only a small bending moment. High stressing of the material can thereby be avoided even when large forces act on the pin  70  and the movable mounting for the pin  70  can be executed simply and therefore inexpensively because only very small forces act on this mounting. Such a recess  73  for positive retaining of the locking head  74  and therefore the pin  70  can also be constructed in a wall which is not part of the frame  10 , e.g. in the panel housing, where this wall must be located at the shortest possible distance from the closing lever  12 . 
     Step-shaped gradations are advantageously formed on the locking head  74  which run perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in the alignment from  FIGS. 1 and 2  and therefore in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the pin  70  ( FIG. 7 ). Thus, in the closed position when the closing lever  12  is blocked, the locking head  74  rests with one gradation, preferably the last gradation, on the side wall  72  of the frame  10  on the recess  73  (not shown). The insertion of the pin  70  into the recess  71  of the closing lever  12  can thereby be limited in the closed position. 
     The pin  70  is preferably shaped as conical with decreasing diameter towards the end of the pin  70  ( FIG. 7 ). As a result, in the event of a fault with the lock for example, the door can still be opened with very much increased force in the closed position with the child safety feature activated because as a result of the conical shape of the pin  70 , the casing surface of the pin  70  rests at a very small angle of inclination, e.g. 20° on the recess of the closing lever  12 . As a result, a force applied via a panel handle of the door on the recess  71  and the pin  70  brings about a normal force in the pin  70 , in addition to a transverse force, which presses said pin out from the recess  71 . It is thereby advantageously possible to open the door in an emergency, e.g. in the event of a defect in the device for the child safety feature, e.g. the locking device  69 . 
     There are various possibilities for implementing the mounting for the movement of the pin  70 : 
     In a first embodiment ( FIG. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ) the pin  70  with locking head  74  is affixed to a pivoted lever  75 , the axis of the pin  70  preferably being perpendicular to the axis of the pivoted lever  75 . The pivoted lever  75  opens into a pivoted shaft  76  of the locking device  69  which preferably consists of plastic. In this case, the axis of the pivoted lever  75  is also preferably perpendicular to the axis of the pivoted shaft  76 . The pivoted lever  75  is preferably executed as substantially rectangular in cross-section so that it is better able to absorb a bending moment, the longitudinal side being substantially longer than the broad side, e.g. by a factor of four. The longitudinal sides are parallel to the axis of the pin  70 . The pin  70  can thereby absorb large bending moments. The pivoted shaft  76  is rotatably mounted by a simple friction bearing  77  at the upper end  78  and the lower end  79  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Located near the lower end  79  of the pivoted shaft  76  is another restoring lever  80  with a projection  84 . Located on the upper side of the projection is a wire of a torsion spring  81  whereby a force is continuously applied to the restoring lever  80  ( FIG. 4 ). This produces a continuous restoring torque via the restoring lever  80  in the pivoted shaft  76 , which is directed counterclockwise when viewed in the direction of the axis of the pivoted shaft  76  form the lower end  79  to the upper end  78 . The pin  70  is thereby pressed continuously in the direction of the recess  71  of the closing lever  12 . In each closed position the pin  70  is therefore pressed into the recess  71  of the closing lever  12 . The child safety feature is thus activated. 
     A mechanism which prevents the pin  70  from being inserted into the recess  71  of the closing lever  12  is required to deactivate the child safety feature. For this purpose another adjusting lever  82  is arranged in the pivoted shaft  76  between the pivoted lever  75  and the restoring lever  80 . 
     The axis of the adjusting lever  82 , like that of the levers  75 ,  80 , is perpendicular to the axis of the pivoted shaft  76 . The adjusting lever  82  is not executed as straight like the other levers  75 ,  80  but has an offset  83  approximately at the centre, directed towards the lower end  79  of the pivoted shaft ( FIG. 4 ). The axes of the two halves of the adjusting lever  82  before and after the offset  83  are parallel, i.e. are perpendicular on the axis of the pivoted shaft  76 . A rectangular plate  86  ( FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 )  18  is constructed on the second half of the adjusting lever  82 , i.e., between the free end  85  of the adjusting lever  82  and the offset  83 , in the vicinity of the offset  83 . The plane of the plate  86  is perpendicular to the axis of the adjusting lever  82  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  6 ). The longitudinal sides of the rectangular plate  86  are approximately perpendicular to the axis of the adjusting lever  82 , i.e., the plate  86  is directed approximately perpendicularly downwards in the plane of the drawing in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 . A locating lug  87  and a limiting lug  88  are constructed on the plate  86  as an extension of the plate  86 . The plate  86  and therefore the lugs  87 ,  88  are preferably slightly wedge-shaped, i.e. with increasing thickness in the direction of the pin  70 . The thickness of the plate  86  is relatively small, e.g. between 1 and 2 mm, so that as a result of using plastic the plate  86  is very flexible towards small forces. Furthermore, a wedge  89  ( FIG. 6 ) is located on the second half of the adjusting lever  82  with increasing thickness in the direction of the pin  70 . 
     The adjusting lever  82 , preferably in an easily identifiable colour, projects in the area of the free end  85  approximately as far as the recess  93  in the handle to actuate the door on the panel shell. At the same time, a slot-shaped, horizontal recess is provided in the gripping shell  93  of the handle so that the adjusting lever  82  can be moved from outside in the handle (not shown). Advantageously, the adjusting lever  82  can only be displaced laterally in the horizontal direction in the handle so that any unintentional movement of the adjusting lever  82  is eliminated because this must be specifically moved sidewards in the handle. A child is unable to do this. In different panel designs the adjusting lever must be located at different height positions. For this purpose only one adjusting lever  82  with a different offset  83  needs to be selected with an otherwise identical locking device  69 . The child safety feature can thereby be activated and deactivated because the pivoted shaft  76  is also turned by the movement of the adjusting lever  82  and thus the pin  70  can be moved into or out of the recess  71  of the closing lever  12 . In this case, before every opening of the door the adjusting lever  82  must be displaced laterally in the horizontal direction against the spring force of the spring  81  towards the lateral end of the handle. If this does not take place, e.g. if a child is does not known how to do this, the door cannot be opened because the pin  70  remains in the recess  71  of the closing lever  12  and the movement of the closing lever  12  is blocked by the fixing of the locking head  74  in the recess  73  of the side wall of the frame  10 . 
     In a preferred embodiment the adjusting lever  82  can be fixed in the state where the to child safety feature is deactivated, i.e. it is not necessary for the adjusting lever  82  to move in the handle to open the door. In this case, a small round recess (not shown) is additionally located in the handle. The plate  86  which is located on the adjusting lever  82  then rests on a flat area in the panel shell, where a limiting strip is provided on a flat area (not shown) between the locating lug  87  and the limiting lug  88  in the deactivated state of the child safety feature. This prevents movement of the adjusting lever  82 , especially the return movement into the first position in the activated state of the child safety feature is blocked by the locating lug  87  on the limiting strip. The adjusting lever  82  can thus not be moved and as a result of the position of the adjusting lever  82 , the pin  70  is outside the recess  71  of the closing lever  12  so that the door lock cannot be blocked. As a result of the spring force of the spring  81 , the locating lug  87  rests on the limiting strip oh the flat area (not shown). To activate the child safety feature, i.e. to allow a movement of the pin  70  into the recess  71  of the closing lever  12 , the adjusting lever  82  must be released from this position again. For this purpose, a pointed object, e.g. a ball-point pen should be inserted into the small round recess on the handle. The locating lug  87  is thereby raised over the limiting strip, which can advantageously be achieved with small forces because of the resilient properties of the plate  86 . The adjusting lever  82  thus folds back into the position of the activated child safety feature on account of the restoring force of the spring  81 . To deactivate the child safety feature, the adjusting lever  82  must be displaced horizontally laterally in the handle and at the same time, a pointed object must be inserted into the small round recess so that the locating lug  87  can be raised over the limiting strip on the flat area (not shown) and the desired locking of the adjusting lever  82  with the locating lug  87  on the limiting strip against the restoring force of the spring  81  can be achieved. It is especially advantageous here if both a movement of the adjusting lever  82  and the insertion of a pointed object into the small recess is required simultaneously so that any unintentional deactivation of the child safety feature is almost eliminated. 
     In a second embodiment for mounting the movement of the pin  70  ( FIGS. 8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ), said pin is disposed on an actuating slider  90 . The actuating slider  90  is located in a slider housing  91  in which it executes a translational movement between two stop points. For movement of the actuating slider  90  an actuating lever  92  is formed thereon, which projects into the gripping shell  93  of the handle via a slit therein ( FIG. 8 ). The actuating slider  90  can thereby be moved. Also located in the slider housing  91  is a spring (not shown) which presses to the actuating slider  90  in the activated state of the child safety feature, i.e. so that in the closed position of the lock the pin  70  is pressed into the recess  71  of the closing lever  12 . To open the door on the dishwasher the actuating slider  90  must be pressed using the actuating lever  92  against the force of the spring in the deactivated state of the child safety feature i.e. so that in the closed position of the lock the pin  70  does not project into the recess  71  of the closing lever  12 . In a preferred embodiment a locating lug  94  is formed on the actuating slider  90  ( FIG. 8 ,  10 ,  12 ). In the deactivated state this engages in a recess on the slider housing  91  whereby the actuating slider  90  is fixed in the deactivated state. As a result, the actuating lever  92  must be displaced in the handle to open the door. In addition to this, the locating lug  94  can be constructed on the actuating slider  90  such that to deactivate the child safety feature it is not merely sufficient to move the actuating lever into the corresponding position but in addition the locating lug  94  must be pressed with a pointed object. For this purpose, a suitably aligned recess is formed on the gripping shell  93  of the handle ( FIG. 8 ). In a dishwasher, the slider housing  91  is preferably located above the gripping shell  93  for the handle. 
     In a third mechanical embodiment of the invention, especially for fully integrable dishwashers and dishwashers with clip handles which do not have a handle, the child safety feature can be activated and deactivated from the top  96  of the door  95  by means of an actuating element  97  ( FIG. 13 ). For this purpose the actuating element  97  is continuously or temporarily connected at the top  96  to an actuating shaft  98  with a removable actuating element  110  ( FIG. 14 ). Located on the actuating element  98  is a cam  99  which raises the pivoted lever  75  during a rotary movement of the actuating shaft  98  ( FIG. 15 ) and thereby deactivates the child safety feature. The actuating shaft  98  is preferably only rotatable within a certain angular range e.g. 30° as a result of corresponding additional protrusions on the actuating shaft  98  (not shown). In addition to this mechanism, other devices for activating and deactivating the child safety feature are also possible. 
     For example, the pivoted shaft  76  can be extended as far as the top  96  with the result that an additional actuating shaft  98  is not required (not shown). 
     The removable actuating element  110  can be variously executed. For example, it can preferably be coupled to a removable lever  97  according to  FIG. 13  or it could take the form of to a disk  110  according to  FIG. 14 . A removable lever has the advantage that this is not visible when removed. The actuating element  97  can preferably be actuated when the door  95  is closed e.g. it projects lightly over the gap between the top  96  of the door  95  and the lower edge of the worktop of the door (not shown). It is also possible to have an actuating element  97  which is only actuated using a screwdriver, for example, when the door  95  is closed and/or open. 
     In another fourth embodiment (not shown) the pivoted lever  75  can be operated by means of a tension cable with restoring spring from the clip handle  100  of the door  95 . 
     In a further embodiment the movement of the pin  70  is accomplished using a preferably electric actuator. For example, this can be a wax expansion element, a bimetal part, an electromagnet or an inserted or withdrawn memory part. The child safety feature is activated and deactivated by means of a mechanical, electrical or electronic appliance control. The pin  70  can also be part of the actuator. 
     Various possibilities exist for the control logic: for example, the child safety feature can be continuously activated or only during operation of the household appliance. The child safety feature can also deactivated by programming, i.e. a special button or a special combination of buttons must be pressed to open the door  95 . This embodiment with an actuator can be used in all appliance designs, e.g. a free-standing appliance, a build-under appliance, an integrated build-under appliance and a fully integrated build-under appliance. It is also possible for the activation and deactivation to be accomplished by remote control, preferably via a radio signal. The control system has a corresponding receiving portion for this purpose. Remote control can be secured against unauthorised actuation by means of a coding, e.g. a password. For household appliances connected to the Internet, the activation or deactivation can be accomplished by the internet. 
     The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive device for a child safety feature in household appliances with a door, especially a dishwasher, with an emergency unlocking function. As a result of the different embodiments, an optimal adaptation to different design variants can be made both for a mechanical actuation and for actuation using an actuator.