DOMESTIC APPLIANCE

Abstract

A household appliance includes a housing, height-adjustable levelling feet arranged on an underside of the housing, and height-adjusting devices for adjusting a height of the leveling feet, respectively. Each height-adjusting device includes an adjustment housing fixed to the housing, a threaded shaft passing vertically through the adjustment housing in an interlocking manner and including a foot plate, a worm wheel as an output gear at an outer circumference thereof which is mounted rotatably in the adjustment housing and threadably engaged with the threaded shaft, and a worm connected to an adjusting rod and forming a drive gear for driving the worm wheel. The threaded shaft can have along a length thereof a flattened section which rests against the adjustment housing at one point at least, or two flattened sections arranged on opposite sides of the threaded shaft, or two axially extending grooves arranged on opposite sides of the threaded shaft.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A household appliance, comprising: a housing having an underside; a plurality of height-adjustable levelling feet arranged on the underside of the housing; and a plurality of height-adjusting devices configured to adjust a height of the leveling feet in one-to-one correspondence from a side wall of the household appliance, each of the height-adjusting devices including an adjustment housing fixed to the housing, a threaded shaft passing vertically through the adjustment housing in an interlocking manner and including a foot plate, a worm wheel which is mounted rotatably in the adjustment housing and threadably engaged with the threaded shaft and which is configured as a nut and configured as an output gear at an outer circumference of the worm wheel, an adjusting rod, and a worm which is connected to the adjusting rod and configured as a drive gear for driving the worm wheel, said threaded shaft being configured in one of three ways, a first way in which the threaded shaft has along a length of the threaded shaft a flattened section which rests against the adjustment housing at one point at least, a second way in which the threaded shaft has two flattened sections arranged on opposite sides of the threaded shaft, a third way in which the threaded shaft has two axially extending grooves arranged on opposite sides of the threaded shaft.

17. The household appliance of claim 16, constructed in the form of a household dishwasher or household washing machine.

18. The household appliance of claim 16, wherein the worm is mounted rotatably in the adjustment housing.

19. The household appliance of claim 16, wherein two of the plurality of height-adjustable levelling feet are arranged at a front of the housing and one of the plurality of height-adjustable levelling feet is arranged at a rear of the housing.

20. The household appliance of claim 19, wherein the housing has a lower rear housing edge, said one of the plurality of height-adjustable levelling feet being arranged approximately in a center of the lower rear housing edge.

21. The household appliance of claim 16, wherein the flattened sections of the threaded shaft rest against the adjustment housing at two points at least.

22. The household appliance of claim 16, wherein the flattened sections extend over an entire length of the threaded shaft.

23. The household appliance of claim 16, wherein the adjustment housing has an exit opening for the threaded shaft of the height-adjustable levelling foot, said exit opening have a shape which matches a cross section of the threaded shaft.

24. The household appliance of claim 19, wherein a further one of the plurality of height-adjustable levelling feet is arranged at the rear of the housing in each corner region of the housing.

25. The household appliance of claim 16, further comprising a torque limiting element interacting with the worm and configured to allow the worm to move out of an operating position when a torque limit is exceeded, thereby releasing a meshing between the worm and the worm wheel.

26. The household appliance of claim 25, wherein the worm is pushed against the torque limiting element with a deflection force that results during torque transmission.

27. The household appliance of claim 25, wherein the torque limiting element is configured for elastic deflection.

28. The household appliance of claim 25, wherein the torque limiting element is a housing part of the adjustment housing.

29. The household appliance of claim 25, further comprising a base support including a base support floor, said torque limiting element being of a same material as the base support floor and/or of a single piece with the base support floor.

30. The household appliance of claim 29, wherein the base support floor of the base support and the torque limiting element form together an injection-molded plastic part.

31. The household appliance of claim 25, wherein the torque limiting element is capable of contacting an outer gear contour of the worm.

32. The household appliance of claim 16, wherein the worm meshes with the worm wheel and is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis which is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the worm wheel.

33. The household appliance of claim 32, wherein the worm executes a compensatory movement which is directed across the rotation axis of the worm wheel.

34. The household appliance of claim 25, wherein the torque limiting element is a sprung rib.

Description

[0044] Further advantageous configurations and aspects of the household appliance are set out in the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments of the household appliance described in the following. The household appliance is also described in more detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a known household appliance, in particular a known household dishwasher;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of an inventive household appliance with height-adjusting devices for a respective height-adjustable levelling foot;

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a side view through an adjustment housing of the height-adjusting device for a height-adjustable levelling foot of an inventive household appliance;

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a detail of a front view through an adjustment housing of the height-adjusting device for a height-adjustable levelling foot of an inventive household appliance;

[0049] FIG. 5 shows a top view of the height-adjusting device for a height-adjustable levelling foot of an inventive household appliance according to a first preferred embodiment;

[0050] FIG. 6 shows a top view of the height-adjusting device for a height-adjustable levelling foot of an inventive household appliance according to a second preferred embodiment;

[0051] FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective partial view of a second preferred embodiment of an inventive household appliance with height-adjusting devices for a respective height-adjustable levelling foot;

[0052] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged sectional view from above of a front actuation element of a height-adjusting device along the sectional plane I-I in FIG. 7;

[0053] FIG. 9 shows an enlarged partial sectional view of a height-adjusting device along the sectional plane II-II in FIG. 7; and

[0054] FIG. 10 shows a perspective detailed view of a height-adjusting device of an inventive household appliance.

[0055] Identical elements or those of identical function are shown with the same reference characters in the figures, unless otherwise specified.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household dishwasher 1. The household dishwasher 1 comprises a wash container 2, which can be closed, in particular in a water-tight manner, by a door 3. A sealing facility can be provided between the door and the wash container 2 for this purpose. The wash container 2 is preferably cuboid in shape. The wash container 2 can be arranged in a housing of the household dishwasher 1. The wash container 2 and the door 3 can form a wash chamber 4 for washing items to be washed.

[0057] In FIG. 1 the door 3 is shown in its opened position. The door 3 can be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis 5 provided at a lower end of the door 3. A loading opening 6 of the wash container 2 can be closed or opened with the aid of the door 3. The wash container 2 has a floor 7, a top 8 arranged opposite the floor 7, a rear wall 9 arranged opposite the closed door 3 and two side walls 10, 11 arranged opposite one another. The floor 7, top 8, rear wall 9 and side walls 10, 11 can be made of stainless steel for example. Alternatively the floor 7 for example can be made of a plastic material.

[0058] The household dishwasher 1 also has at least one dish receptacle 12 to 14. Multiple, for example three, dish receptacles 12 to 14 can preferably be provided, it being possible for the dish receptacle 12 to be a lower dish receptacle or a lower rack, the dish receptacle 13 to be an upper dish receptacle or an upper rack and the dish receptacle 14 to be a flatware drawer. As shown in FIG. 1, the dish receptacles 12 to 14 are arranged one above the other in the wash container 2. Each dish receptacle 12 to 14 can be moved as required into or out of the wash container 2. In particular each dish receptacle 12 to 14 can be moved into the wash container 2 in an insertion direction E (arrow) and out of the wash container 2 in a pull-out direction A (arrow) counter to the insertion direction E (arrow). The lower dish receptacle 12 can also be raised using a lifting facility (to be described below) from an initial position to an end position, in which it is preferably arranged in front of the upper dish receptacle 13 and at the same height as it.

[0059] The wash container 2 of the household dishwasher 1 is positioned on a base support 15, with a technical space 17 for holding mechanical and/or electrical components of the household dishwasher 1 arranged between the base support floor 16 configured on the base support 15 and the wash container 2. The household dishwasher generally comprises a housing 18, which is provided on the underside 18.U (see FIG. 2) with in particular height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ (see FIG. 2). The underside 18.U (see FIG. 2) of the housing is in particular the underside of the base support floor 16 of the base support 15.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of an inventive household appliance 1 with height-adjusting devices 21, 21′ for a respective height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″.

[0061] The household appliance 1 comprises a housing 18, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is provided on the underside 18.U with three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″. The height of each of the height-adjustable levelling feet 19 (front; shown with a broken line), 19′ (front; shown with a broken line), 19″ (rear) can be adjusted. The three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ are each arranged in the region of the outer, lower housing edges 20. The height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ arranged at the rear of the household appliance 1 is arranged approximately in the center of the lower rear housing edge 20 of the household appliance 1.

[0062] The height of each of the three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ can be adjusted using a height-adjusting device 21, 21′, from the front 22 of the household appliance 1 in the exemplary embodiment shown. Each height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ comprises a threaded shaft 23, 23′ (shown at the front with a broken line) and a foot plate 24 (see also FIGS. 3, 4 and 9) fixed thereto.

[0063] The respective threaded shaft 23, 23′ of the height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ passes vertically through an adjustment housing 25, 25′ of the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ fixed to the housing. A worm wheel 26 (see also FIGS. 3 to 6 and 9) mounted rotatably in the respective adjustment housing 25, 25′ and configured as a nut, which is configured as an output gear at its outer circumference and which is driven by way of a worm 27 (see also FIGS. 4 and 9) connected to an adjusting rod 28 (shown at the front with a broken line; see also FIG. 4) and mounted rotatably in the adjustment housing 25, 25′, is displaced by way of the threaded shaft 23, 23′.

[0064] The respective adjusting rod 28 (see also FIG. 4) passes through the housing 18 of the household appliance 1 in a manner not explained in detail and extends to the front 22 of the household appliance 1, where it has for example a slit for a screwdriver, a polygon for an open-jaw wrench or the like for the user to operate the inventive height-adjusting device 21, 21′.

[0065] The respective threaded shaft 23, 23′ of the height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ passes in an interlocking manner through the adjustment housing 25, 25′ to prevent the height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ also rotating during the adjustment operation.

[0066] FIGS. 3 and 4 show two views, a side view and a front view, through an adjustment housing 25 of the height-adjusting device 21 for a height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ of a first embodiment of an inventive household appliance 1.

[0067] So that the threaded shaft 23 of the height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ can pass in an interlocking manner, the threaded shaft 23 (see also FIG. 5) has two flattened sections 29 (see also FIG. 5) arranged on opposite sides, which rest against the adjustment housing 25 at two points, specifically an upper exit opening 30 (see also FIG. 5) and a lower exit opening 31 (see also FIG. 5), which are configured with a shape matched to the cross section of the threaded shaft 23 to achieved interlocking passage. The matching of the shape of the exit openings 30, 31 (see also FIG. 5) to the cross-sectional shape of the threaded shaft 23 is achieved by cutting out the circular shape of the exit openings 30, 31 (see also FIG. 5) using opposing cutouts 32 (see also FIG. 5) with straight chords. This is shown most clearly in FIG. 4. The flattened sections 29 extend over the entire length of the threaded shaft 23.

[0068] FIG. 5 shows a top view of the height-adjusting device 21 for a height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ of the inventive household appliance 1 according to FIGS. 3 and 4, arranged in an adjustment housing 25.

[0069] FIG. 6 shows a top view of the height-adjusting device 21′ for a height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ of a second embodiment of an inventive household appliance 1, arranged in an adjustment housing 25′.

[0070] So that the threaded shaft 23′ of the height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ can pass in an interlocking manner, the threaded shaft 23′ has grooves 33 arranged on opposite sides, into which noses 34 project respectively from the upper exit opening 30′ and also from the lower exit opening 31′ (not shown) in the direction of the threaded shaft 23′.

[0071] The interlocking passage of the threaded shaft 23′ of the respective height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ through the adjustment housing 25′ provides a height-adjusting device 21′ for a height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ of a household appliance 1 in a simple manner, its lower outlay reducing costs, it being able to be operated from a housing side wall, preferably the front 22 (see also FIG. 2) of the household appliance 1 and not causing the height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ also to be rotated.

[0072] FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective partial view of a second preferred embodiment of an inventive household appliance 1 with height-adjusting devices 21, 21′ for a respective height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″.

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a base support 15, manufactured as an injection-molded plastic part, of the simply indicated household appliance 1, which comprises a housing 18. The appliance units provided in a technical space 17 of the household appliance 1, which has a front 22, are omitted for reasons of clarity. In the exemplary embodiment shown the housing 18 is provided on its underside 18.U with three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″. The height of each of the levelling feet 19 (front; shown with a broken line), 19′ (front; shown with a broken line), 19″ (rear) can be adjusted. The three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ are each arranged in the region of the outer, lower housing edges 20 (see also FIG. 2). The height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ arranged at the rear of the household appliance 1 is arranged approximately at the center of the lower rear housing edge 20 of the household appliance 1.

[0074] The height of each of the three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ can be adjusted from the front 22 of the household appliance 1 using a height-adjusting device 21, 21′ in the exemplary embodiment shown. Each height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ can be embodied in the same manner as the height-adjustable levelling foot 19, 19′, 19″ disclosed in FIGS. 2 to 6.

[0075] The respective threaded shaft 23, 23′ of the height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ can pass vertically through an adjustment housing 25, 25′ (only the height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ shown with a broken line) of the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ fixed to the housing.

[0076] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged sectional view from above of a front actuation element 35 of a height-adjusting device 21, 21′ (see FIG. 7) of the inventive household appliance 1 along the sectional plane I-I in FIG. 7.

[0077] The height-adjusting device 21, 21′ (see also FIG. 7) is assigned an adjusting rod 28 (see also FIG. 7), which extends to the front 22 of the base support 15 in the manner of a drive shaft. The front end of the adjusting rod 28 has an adjusting bush 36, which is mounted rotatably in a bearing opening of the front 22, which is twin-walled here, of the base support 15. The front of the adjusting bush 36 of the adjusting rod 28 is provided with a tool holder 37 (see also FIG. 7) for just one tool, for example a screwdriver, open-jaw wrench, ring wrench or Allen key, to adjust the height of all the height-adjustable levelling feet, which can be used to actuate the adjusting rod 28 rotationally. The rear end of the adjusting rod 28 is connected for drive purposes, as disclosed above, to the height-adjusting device 21, 21′.

[0078] FIG. 9 shows an enlarged partial view of the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ of the inventive household appliance 1 arranged in an adjustment housing 25, 25′ along the sectional plane II-II in FIG. 7.

[0079] The respective height-adjusting device 21, 21′ has a gear housing 38, which is preferably molded as a single piece on the base support 15. The gear housing 38 is subdivided into a substantially hollow cylindrical shaft housing 39 and a worm housing 40. A threaded shaft 23 23′ of the height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ is arranged in the shaft housing 39 in a height-adjustable and rotationally fixed manner. For a rotationally fixed arrangement the threaded shaft 23, 23′ has a flattened section 29 (see also FIG. 10) in the external thread of the threaded shaft 23, 23′. The shaft channel 41 of the shaft housing 39 is also flattened to correspond to this flattened section 29, so the threaded shaft 23, 23′ can only move in a vertical direction not in a rotational direction.

[0080] The shaft channel 41 of the shaft housing 39 is also divided into two in a vertical direction. The worm wheel 26 is arranged between the two channel sections, with a screw-type connection to the threaded shaft 23, 23′.

[0081] As shown in the figures, the rotation axis 42 of the worm 27 (see also FIG. 7) extends horizontally in a depthwise direction, while the rotation axis 50 of the threaded shaft 23, 23′ runs perpendicular thereto.

[0082] The worm housing 40 (see also FIG. 10) is limited laterally by a torque limiting element 43. The torque limiting element 43 here is a sprung rib, which is molded onto the base support 15 with a freely movable upper end. When the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ is in a non-actuated state in an operating position the worm 27 is arranged substantially without play between the sprung rib 43 of the worm housing part 40 and the worm 27. FIG. 9 only shows the adjustment housing 23, 23′ of the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ with a broken line.

[0083] FIG. 10 shows a perspective detailed view of a height-adjusting device 21, 21′ of an inventive household appliance 1.

[0084] The worm 27 is extended with a bearing pin 44, which is mounted rotatably in a slot 45 in the rear wall 46 of the base support 15. A worm wheel 26 (see also FIG. 9) is connected between the worm 27 and the threaded shaft 23, 23′ of the height-adjustable levelling foot 19″. The external gears 47 of the worm wheel 26 mesh with the helical screw 48 of the worm 27. The worm wheel 26 also has an internal thread 49 on the inside, which engages with the external thread of the threaded shaft 23, 23′. The adjustment housing of the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ is not shown in FIG. 10 for the sake of clarity.

[0085] FIGS. 9 and 10 show the normal operating position of the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ of the inventive household appliance 1.

[0086] The worm 23 therefore meshes with the worm wheel 26. When the adjusting rod 28 is actuated rotationally, the worm wheel 26 is therefore rotated by way of the worm 23, resulting in a lifting movement of the height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ in a vertical direction.

[0087] Torque is limited by the sprung rib 43, when a torque acting on the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ exceeds a torque limit.

[0088] Such an overload, which is not part of normal operation, results when the rear appliance region comes up against a kitchen worktop for example due to a height adjustment of the rear height-adjustable levelling foot 19″, so that no further lifting movement of the integrated appliance is possible. When the torque limit is exceeded, a deflection force F.sub.A (arrow) results between the helical screw 48 and the external gears 47 of the worm wheel 26, pushing the worm 23 against the sprung rib 43 in a transverse direction. In the case of an overload the sprung rib 43 yields elastically so the worm 23 moves out (arrow III) of its operating position. This means that the helical screw 48 skips a thread pitch of the external gears 47 of the worm wheel 26. Such a skip is perceived as a rattling noise allowing a corresponding lifting actuation of the rear height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ to be stopped.

[0089] As shown in particular in FIG. 10, the compensatory movement (arrow III) of the worm 23 takes place in a transverse direction relative to the rotation axis 42 of the worm wheel 26. The slot 45, in which the bearing pin 44 of the worm 23, 23′ is mounted, also extends in the transverse direction. The upper and lower longitudinal edges 51 (see also FIG. 9) of the slot 45 serve here as a heightwise stop, allowing the outward movement (arrow III) of the worm 23 to be performed reliably in the direction of the sprung rib 43.

[0090] When installing the household appliance 1 the user uses the three height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″ arranged in the region of the outer, lower housing edges 20 (see also FIG. 2) to perform a presetting operation before the household appliance 1 is finally installed for example in a furniture unit, for example a corresponding recess in a built-in kitchen front. The household appliance 1 is then moved to its final installation site, for example by pushing it into the recess. The user now checks the installation position of the household appliance 1 and if necessary carries out a final adjustment of the installation position using the height-adjusting device 21, 21′ of the rear height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ without having to move the household appliance in and out again or even repeatedly. The household appliance 1 can optionally be positioned on five, four or three height-adjustable levelling feet in the process. If the presetting should also be correct for the final installation site, the household appliance remains installed on the height-adjustable levelling feet 19, 19′, 19″, in other words a three-point bearing layout. As the rear height-adjustable levelling foot 19″ is approximately in the center of the lower rear housing edge 20, there is then a bearing layout with the outline of a roughly isosceles triangle, the most stable shape for a three-point bearing layout

[0091] Although the present invention has been described based on exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in many different ways.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0092] 1 Household appliance; household dishwasher; household washing machine [0093] 2 Wash container [0094] 3 Door [0095] 4 Wash chamber [0096] 5 Pivot axis [0097] 6 Loading opening [0098] 7 Floor [0099] 8 Top [0100] 9 Rear wall [0101] 10 Side wall [0102] 11 Side wall [0103] 12 Dish receptacle [0104] 13 Dish receptacle [0105] 14 Dish receptacle [0106] 15 Base support [0107] 16 Base support floor [0108] 17 Technical space [0109] 18 Housing [0110] 19 Height-adjustable levelling foot [0111] 19′ Height-adjustable levelling foot [0112] 19″ Height-adjustable levelling foot [0113] 20 Housing edge [0114] 21 Height-adjusting device [0115] 21′ Height-adjusting device [0116] 22 Front [0117] 23 Threaded shaft [0118] 23′ Threaded shaft [0119] 24 Foot plate [0120] 25 Adjustment housing [0121] 25′ Adjustment housing [0122] 26 Worm wheel; nut; output gear [0123] 27 Worm; drive gear [0124] 28 Adjusting rod [0125] 29 Flattened section [0126] 30 Upper exit opening [0127] 30′ Upper exit opening [0128] 31 Lower exit opening [0129] 31′ Lower exit opening [0130] 32 Circle cutout [0131] 33 Groove [0132] 34 Nose [0133] 35 Actuation element [0134] 36 Adjusting bush [0135] 37 Tool holder [0136] 38 Gear housing [0137] 39 Shaft housing [0138] 40 Worm housing [0139] 41 Shaft channel [0140] 42 Rotation axis [0141] 43 Torque limiting element; sprung rib [0142] 44 Bearing pin [0143] 45 Slot [0144] 46 Rear wall [0145] 47 External gear [0146] 48 Helical screw [0147] 49 Internal thread [0148] 50 Rotation axis [0149] 51 Longitudinal edge [0150] A Pull-out direction (arrow) [0151] E Insertion direction (arrow) [0152] F.sub.A Deflection force (arrow) [0153] I First position [0154] II Second position [0155] Sectional plane [0156] II-II Sectional plane [0157] III-III Compensatory movement (arrow)