Domestic dishwashing machine and door latch therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12091891-B2
Application number	US-202117391487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2021
Priority date	Aug 31, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A domestic dishwashing machine includes a machine body having a dishwashing chamber formed therein, a door for closing the dishwashing chamber, which door is mounted on the machine body so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis close to the floor, and a door latch for holding the door closed, having a latch assembly installed in a body roof above the dishwashing chamber and includes a one-piece closing member arranged to be movable between an open position and a closed position, and a closing spring arrangement supported on the closing member and which, in the open position of the closing member, urges the closing member into blocking engagement with a blocking surface that prevents relaxation of the closing spring arrangement, and comes into gripping engagement with an engagement structure arranged on the door and pulls the door shut under the action of the relaxing closing spring arrangement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A domestic dishwashing machine, comprising:
a machine body having a dishwashing chamber formed therein;
a door for closing the dishwashing chamber, which door is mounted on the machine body so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis proximate to a floor; and
a door latch for holding the door closed, having a latch assembly installed in a body roof above the dishwashing chamber, wherein the latch assembly comprises a one-piece closing member arranged so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, and a closing spring arrangement which is supported on the closing member and which, in the open position of the closing member, urges the closing member into blocking engagement with a blocking surface, which blocking engagement prevents relaxation of the closing spring arrangement, wherein the closing member has a contact surface for a blocking-release element which, on closing of the door, pushes against the contact surface and thereby frees the closing member from blocking engagement with the blocking surface, wherein the closing member, on closing of the door, comes into gripping engagement with an engagement structure arranged on the door and pulls the door shut under the action of the relaxing closing spring arrangement,
wherein the engagement structure is formed by a closing shackle, the closing shackle forming the blocking-release element and protruding from a first wall portion, extending substantially parallel to the plane of the door, of an inner lining of the door, and wherein the closing shackle has a shackle crosspiece which extends substantially horizontally and is in advance on closing of the door and behind which the closing member engages on closing of the door, and
wherein, on closing the door, the shackle crosspiece initiates a tilting of the closing member as a whole relative to the housing member about a horizontal tilt axis, wherein the horizontal tilt axis is not fixed stationarily so that a tilting movement of the closing member is to a certain extent a floating tilting movement.

2. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the closing shackle is inserted from behind through a wall aperture in the first wall portion.

3. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the inner lining has a wall step which is formed by the first wall portion and a second wall portion extending transversely relative to the door plane beneath the closing shackle, and wherein a gap is formed between the closing shackle and the second wall portion.

4. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the gap is no less than 2 mm or no less than 3 mm.

5. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the body roof has a front wall provided with a wall opening which the closing shackle enters on closing of the door, wherein a roof bottom wall adjoins the front wall at an underside of the body roof, and wherein the wall opening ends before the front wall transitions into the roof bottom wall.

6. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 5 , wherein the wall opening ends no less than 1 mm or no less than 2 mm before the front wall transitions into the roof bottom wall.

7. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the closing member forms a gripping mouth for the closing shackle, which gripping mouth is formed by an upper and a lower jaw structure, wherein one of the two jaw structures forms the contact surface and the other jaw structure engages behind the shackle crosspiece of the closing shackle on closing of the door.

8. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the striking of the closing shackle against the contact surface of the closing member on closing of the door initiates a tilting of the closing member that leads to the release of the blocking engagement, and a subsequent relaxation of the closing spring arrangement is effective to cause a substantially translational displacement of the closing member in a direction deeper into the body roof into the closed position of the closing member, wherein both the tilting and the translational displacement are carried out by the closing member as a whole.

9. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a frame having mounting structures for fastening the frame to a structural component of the body roof, wherein the latch assembly further comprises a housing member which is supported on the frame and in which the closing member is arranged so as to be movable between its open position and its closed position, wherein the blocking surface is arranged stationarily relative to the housing member, and wherein the housing member is supported on the frame so as to be movable, in particular pivotable, relative thereto, such that, when the door is open, a change of position, in particular a vertical change of position, of the contact surface of the closing member relative to the frame can be brought about by movement of the housing member relative to the frame.

10. The domestic dishwashing machine according to claim 9 , wherein the housing member is pivotably supported on the frame, such that, when the door is open, a vertical change of position of the contact surface of the closing member relative to the frame can be brought about by movement of the housing member relative to the frame.

11. A domestic electrical appliance comprising:
an appliance body having a process chamber formed therein;
a door for closing the process chamber, which door is movably mounted on the appliance body; and
a door latch for holding the door closed,
wherein the door latch comprises a latch assembly installed in the appliance body,
wherein the latch assembly comprises a frame having mounting structures for fastening the frame to a structural component of the appliance body,
wherein the latch assembly further comprises a housing member supported on the frame, a closing member arranged in the housing member so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, and a closing spring arrangement supported on the closing member,
wherein, in the open position of the closing member, the closing spring arrangement urges the closing member into blocking engagement with a blocking surface arranged stationarily relative to the housing member, which blocking engagement prevents relaxation of the closing spring arrangement,
wherein the closing member has a contact surface for a blocking-release element which is arranged on the door and which, on closing of the door, pushes against the contact surface and thereby frees the closing member from blocking engagement with the blocking surface,
wherein, on closing of the door, the closing member comes into gripping engagement with an engagement structure arranged on the door and pulls the door shut under the action of the relaxing closing spring arrangement,
wherein the housing member is supported on the frame so as to be movable relative thereto, such that, when the door is open, a change of position of the contact surface of the closing member relative to the frame can be brought about by movement of the housing member relative to the frame, and
wherein the closing member is freed from the blocking engagement by a tilting of the closing member about a tilt axis, wherein the tilt axis is not fixed stationarily so that a tilting movement of the closing member is to a certain extent a floating tilting movement.

12. The domestic electrical appliance according to claim 11 , wherein there is formed on the housing member at least one centering bevel which serves to cooperate with the blocking-release elem

Assignees

• Emz Hanauer Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Bauer Matthias

Classifications

• E05C3/006

  about an axis parallel to the surface on which the fastener is mounted · CPC title

• A47L15/4259 Primary

  Arrangements of locking or security/safety devices for doors, e.g. door latches, switch to stop operation when door is open · CPC title

• E05C19/063

  Released by pull or pressure on the wing (E05C19/022 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05C19/02

  Automatic catches, i.e. released by pull or pressure on the wing (E05C19/06 takes precedence {; with locking means E05B63/22}) · CPC title

• D06F39/14

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title