Cooking appliance comprising a door opening mechanism for automatically moving a door into an intermediate position, and method for opening a door of a cooking appliance

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes a housing having a stowage compartment, a door for closing a cooking chamber, and a door opening mechanism constructed to automatically move the door at least in a section of an entire movement path between a closed position and an open position of the door, in which open position the door is retractable into the stowage compartment of the housing. The door opening mechanism includes an actuation unit which is configured to automatically tilt the door from the closed position into an intermediate position located such that any further movement of the door from the intermediate position into the open position is implemented automatically under the force of gravity of the door.

Claims

1. A cooking appliance, comprising: a housing defining a cooking chamber and having a stowage compartment; a door for closing the cooking chamber; a door opening mechanism constructed to automatically move the door at least in a section of an entire movement path between a closed position and an open position of the door, in which open position the door is retractable into the stowage compartment of the housing, said door opening mechanism including an actuation unit configured to automatically tilt the door from the closed position into an intermediate position located such that any further movement of the door from the intermediate position into the open position is implemented automatically under the force of gravity of the door, a hinge configured to pivot and retract the door into the stowage compartment, a main spring having a spring hardness and configured to produce a spring force which acts as a counter to the force of gravity of the door, resulting in a cushioning and/or damping of the movement of the door from the intermediate position into the open position and an auxiliary spring connected to the main spring and having a spring hardness which is lower than the spring hardness of the main spring, wherein the main spring and the auxiliary spring are connected such that on the movement path between the closed position and the intermediate position of the door the auxiliary spring is compressed and the main spring remains alterable in terms of length.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the intermediate position is reached when the door is tilted with a tilt angle between 15 and 30 relative to the closed position.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the intermediate position is reached when the door is tilted with a tilt angle of between 18 and 22 relative to the closed position.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the hinge is configured to pivot and retract the door into the stowage compartment, the hinge including a hinge arm and a cam follower which is coupled to the hinge arm of the hinge, said actuating unit comprising an electromechanical device which is connected by a Bowden cable to the cam follower, such that a pulling force acting on the cam follower via the Bowden cable causes the cam follower to pivot about a pivot axis and the hinge arm to pivot such that the door is automatically tiltable from the closed position into the intermediate position.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 4, wherein the hinge has a hinge housing to which the hinge arm is rotatably connected, said cam follower being pivotably arranged on the hinge housing.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 5, wherein the main spring is attached to the hinge housing said hinge housing being movable on the movement path between the closed position and the intermediate position of the door relative to a fixed attachment point of the auxiliary spring.

7. The cooking appliance of claim 6, further comprising a coupling rod configured to connect the main spring to the auxiliary spring.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 7, wherein the coupling rod is rigid.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 6, wherein the main spring defines a longitudinal axis arranged in parallel or in a linear extension relative to a longitudinal axis of the auxiliary spring.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 6, further comprising a fixed spring cup configured to accommodate the auxiliary spring.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein the hinge housing is arranged spaced apart from the spring cup when the door assumes the closed position, and wherein the hinge housing bears against the spring cup when the door assumes the intermediate position.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 6, wherein on the movement path between the closed position and the intermediate position of the door the main spring is inactive relative to a spring force to be effected by an alteration in length.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 6, wherein on the movement path of the door between the intermediate position and the open position the main spring expands, thereby applying a spring force which counteracts the force of gravity of the door.

14. The cooking appliance of claim 4, wherein the electromechanical device comprises a motorized drive, a lifting wheel which is rotatable by the motorized drive, and a lifting rod which is connected to the lifting wheel and to which the Bowden cable is coupled, said lifting rod being movable in a linear manner by a rotation of the lifting wheel to thereby cause actuation of the Bowden cable.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 14, wherein the door is moved from the closed position into the intermediate position, when the lifting wheel undergoes a complete revolution by 360 in response to a chain reaction between the lifting wheel and the hinge arm.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the cam follower is automatically returned to its basic position when the lifting wheel undergoes the complete revolution by 360.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail hereinafter with reference to schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of partial regions of the cooking appliance according to FIG. 1 with a partially open door;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of partial components of an actuating unit of the cooking appliance;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view of the components according to FIG. 3 in a different perspective view;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a side view of the components according to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 with an additional view of the door in the closed position;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a view of components of an electromechanical device of an actuating unit in a first operating position;

(8) FIG. 7 shows the view of the components according to FIG. 5 with a door arranged in contrast thereto in an intermediate position; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows the components of the electromechanical device according to FIG. 6 in an operating state pertaining to the arrangement of the door in the intermediate position according to FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(10) In the figures, elements which are the same or functionally the same are provided with the same reference numerals.

(11) In FIG. 1 a cooking appliance 1 which is configured as an oven is shown in a schematic perspective view. The cooking appliance 1 comprises a housing 2 in which a cooking chamber defined by a muffle, not shown, is configured. In the cooking chamber, food may be introduced for preparation. The cooking chamber is able to be closed on the front face by a door 3 which in FIG. 1 is shown in the closed position. A handle 4 is configured on the front face of the door 3.

(12) Moreover, the oven has an operating device 5 which in terms of position and display has merely by way of example one display unit 6 and operating elements 7 and 8.

(13) Moreover, in terms of position and number the cooking zones 9, 10, 11 and 12 are also shown merely by way of example.

(14) The door 3 may be inserted and/or lowered in its lower region 13 into the housing 2 which is the case when transferring the door 3 from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 into the fully open position. The door 3 is then arranged inserted and lowered into a free space of the housing 2, wherein to this end a stowage compartment 14, which is arranged below the cooking chamber and separated therefrom by a corresponding partition, is formed by this free space.

(15) The door 3 is connected to door hinges 15 and 16, shown and identified by way of example, and pivotable thereby and able to be retracted into and extended out of the aforementioned stowage compartment 14.

(16) In FIG. 2 in a schematic and merely partial side view relative to the components present, the cooking appliance 1 in the lower region is shown with the partially open door 3. A bearing unit 17 of a hinge 15 and/or 16 is shown. The hinges 15 and 16 are configured, in particular, to be structurally the same and functionally the same, so that the following description of one of the two hinges 15 and 16 in each case also applies to the other.

(17) The hinges 15 and 16 also have in addition to one respectively provided bearing unit 17 one respective hinge housing 25. These hinges 15 and 16 are, in particular, in each case also assigned to a guide mechanism 18 relative to components and functions. The door 3 is guided in terms of movement by means of these guide mechanisms 18 which are also configured to be structurally the same and as a result correspondingly coupled so that they are guided into the stowage compartment 14 and out of the stowage compartment 14. The bearing unit 17 comprises, in particular, a U-shaped bearing bracket and/or hinge arm 17a. The hinge arm 17a is preferably rotatable about a pivot point which is arranged on a rotational axis A which extends in FIG. 2 perpendicular to the plane of the figures. The bearing unit 17 is also connected to the hinge housing 25 and pivotable relative to the hinge housing 25. The bearing unit 17 comprises two guide elements 19 and 20 which are configured as rollers and arranged so as to be rotatably mounted on the hinge arm 17a.

(18) In FIG. 2 a vertical height h is illustrated which shows the extent of a technical part 21 which belongs to the guide mechanism 18. The technical part 21 describes, in particular, a component which also has a groove and/or a guide track 22, in which one respective guide carriage 23 is guided when sliding the door 3 into the stowage compartment 14. The guide carriage 23 is part of the guide mechanism 18. The door 3 at its lower end is rotatably connected to the guide carriage 23. The pivot point in this case is fixed to the door 3 and thus not displaceable in terms of position.

(19) In contrast, the hinge arm 17a is coupled both rotatably and displaceably relative to the door 3 and thus as a complete component on the door 3 is able to be altered in its position relative thereto. To this end, on one respective side edge of the door 3 a linear guide track 24 and/or groove is formed into which the guide elements 19 and 20 are received and along which they slide as a function of the movement of the door 3. Both opposing narrow vertical side edges of the door 3 in each case have such a guide track 24.

(20) As may also be identified in FIG. 2, the hinge 15 at this point also comprises a hinge housing 25 which is shown here only as a sketch. The hinge housing 25 is rotatably connected to the hinge arm 17a.

(21) In a perspective view in the exemplary embodiment a door opening mechanism 26 by which the door 3 may be automatically moved from its closed position into an open position is shown in FIG. 3. This automatic movement is, however, divided into different concepts effecting the automatic movement and these then act individually in each case in different movement path sections. This door opening mechanism 26 may be initiated via an operating element 27 (FIG. 1). The position and design of the operating element 27 in FIG. 1 is to be understood merely by way of example. The operating element 27 may, for example, be a push button which is pushed by a user.

(22) In FIG. 3 it is also shown here that the stowage compartment 14 is laterally defined by the walls 28 and 29 of the technical part 21. The already mentioned guide tracks 22 are formed on the inner faces of these walls 28 and 29, in each case facing the stowage compartment.

(23) As may also be identified in FIG. 3, the guide carriages 23 which are coupled to the opposing guide tracks 22 are connected to a connecting rod 30 which is rigid per se.

(24) The hinge housing 25 in FIG. 3 is shown in a cut-away and/or broken-away state so that it is possible to see into the interior.

(25) In FIG. 3 it may be identified that the door opening mechanism 26 in the embodiment shown has an actuating unit 31 by which the automatic movement of the door 3 may be implemented. This automatic movement means that without a specific action of a user on the door 3 and thus without any force produced, in particular a pulling force on the door 3 by a user, the door 3 may nevertheless be opened, driven by motor.

(26) Starting from the closed position, this actuating unit 31 is configured to tilt the door 3 automatically only into an intermediate position, in particular driven by motor. This intermediate position is characterized in that at this point the further movement of the door 3 from the intermediate position into the open position, fully retracted into the stowage compartment 14, is performed automatically and without further assistance and thus only by the weight force of the door 3 itself without being driven by motor by the actuating unit 31.

(27) The actuating unit 31 comprises an electromechanical device 32. The electromechanical device 32 has in the exemplary embodiment a motorized drive and/or a motor 33. Moreover, this electromechanical device 32 has a lifting wheel 34 which is driven by the motor 33, in particular rotated. Moreover, the electromechanical device 32 has, in particular, a linear lifting rod 35 which is connected to the lifting wheel 34. A cable lever 36 is arranged at a lower end of the lifting rod 35 remote from the lifting wheel 34. The cable lever 36 is rotatably connected to this lower end of the lifting rod 35. Two separate Bowden cables 37 and 38 are attached to this cable lever 36. The Bowden cables 37 and 38 in each case extend to cam followers of the electromechanical device 32. A cam follower 39 is arranged on the hinge 15. In particular, it is provided here that the cam follower 39 is rotatably fastened to the hinge housing 25, in particular to a coupling element 40, which may be a coupling pin, of the hinge arm 17a. This coupling element 40 is fastened fixedly to the hinge arm 17a, whereas the cam follower 39 is also rotatably fastened to the hinge arm 17a. In a corresponding embodiment, a cam follower is also arranged on the hinge 16 and connected to the Bowden cable 37. As may be identified in the view according to FIG. 3, the Bowden cable 38 is connected to the cam follower 39.

(28) Moreover, it is also provided that the actuating unit 31 in the hinge housing 25 has a main spring 41. The main spring 41 is connected via a connection 42 to the hinge arm 17a. Moreover, in particular a spring cup 43 is arranged outside the hinge housing 25 and separately therefrom, said spring cup in particular being arranged in the housing 2. An auxiliary spring 44 (FIG. 5) is arranged in the spring cup 43. The auxiliary spring 44 has a second spring hardness which is lower than a first spring hardness of the main spring 41.

(29) The main spring 41 in the form of its, in particular, spiral spring is arranged relative to its longitudinal axis parallel and/or coaxial in series relative to the longitudinal axis of the auxiliary spring 44 which is also configured, in particular, as a spiral spring. The main spring 41 is connected to the auxiliary spring 44 via a coupling rod 45 which is rigid per se. The auxiliary spring 44 is fastened by a rear end fixedly to an attachment point 46 which, in particular, is in the spring cup 43.

(30) In a corresponding embodiment, but provided without further reference numerals, the same is provided in the hinge 16.

(31) In FIG. 4 the component arrangement according to FIG. 3 is shown in a different perspective thereof. For further explanation, reference is made hereinafter to FIG. 5. In this view, the door 3 is shown in the closed state. Here, in particular, the door is arranged so as to be oriented vertically. In this closed state a rear end 25a of the hinge housing 25 is spaced apart from a front end 43a of the spring cup 43 facing the hinge housing 25.

(32) In FIG. 6 the related operating position of the lifting wheel 34, the lifting rod 35 and the cable lever 36 are shown.

(33) If an opening of the door 3 is now desired, a user may actuate the operating element 27. As a result, the automatic opening of the door 3 is initiated. The drive 33 is then started via a control unit. Then the lifting wheel 34 is rotated, starting from the basic position shown in FIG. 6. As a result, the lifting rod 35 is raised and the cable lever 36 is moved into a relatively more horizontal position. By the movement and the positional alteration of the cable lever 36 associated therewith, the Bowden cables 37 and 38 are pulled. This effects in turn a corresponding pulling on the cam followers 39 shown in FIG. 5 in the basic position. By this pivoting of the cam followers 39 to the rear from the basic position, a pulling force and thus a pivoting of the hinge arm 17a of the hinge 15 and of the corresponding hinge arm of the hinge 16 are effected. As a result, the door 3 is moved from the closed position shown in FIG. 5 into an intermediate position shown in FIG. 7. The intermediate position of the door 3 is at an angle of between in particular 18 and 22, preferably 20, relative to the vertical and thus, in particular, the closed position of the door 3 shown in FIG. 5.

(34) It is provided that this automatically produced movement of the door 3, driven by motor, is only performed as far as this intermediate position. The motorized movement is then no longer carried out hereinafter from the intermediate position into the fully open position of the door 3 which is retracted into the stowage compartment 14. Starting from the intermediate position of the door 3, the door has reached a tilted position from which, by its own weight force and thus also automatically due to weight force, it tilts further downward and then retracts into the stowage compartment 14. Thus a motorized automatic movement of the door 3 is performed only on the short tilting path between the closed position according to FIG. 5 and the intermediate position according to FIG. 7. On the further tilting path from the intermediate position into the open position of the door 3, the motor 33 is inactive and/or deactivated.

(35) In particular, it is also provided that on this first movement path section between the closed position of the door 3 and the intermediate position of the door 3, the main spring 41 substantially remains, in particular, entirely unaltered in terms of length and thus is neither compressed nor expanded. By the action of the cam follower 39, the hinge housing 25 is pushed in the direction of the spring cup 43 until it strikes against the front end 43a of the spring cup 43 in the intermediate position of the door 3 according to FIG. 7 with the rear end 25a. This is also shown in FIG. 7. Thus on the first movement path section between the closed position and the intermediate position of the door 3 only the auxiliary spring 44 is compressed, wherein here due to the variable spring hardnesses the main spring 41 is displaced in the direction of the auxiliary spring 44 and the compressive force produced by this displacement is transmitted via the coupling rod 45 to the auxiliary spring 44.

(36) Once this intermediate position is reached and the hinge housing 25 and the spring cup 43 bear directly against one another, which is associated with the intermediate position, with a further opening movement of the door 3 the main spring 41 is expanded, wherein the hinge housing 25 continues to bear against the spring cup 43. By the expansion of the main spring 41, a spring force is produced which acts counter to the force of gravity of the door 3, so that a further unbraked tilting of the door 3 is performed downwardly from the intermediate position into the open position. By this expansion of the main spring 41 and the resulting spring force produced, therefore, a certain cushioning and/or damping of the second movement path section of the door 3 is achieved from the intermediate position into the open position.

(37) In FIG. 8, the lifting wheel 34, the lifting rod 35 and the cable lever 36 are shown in the operating state and thus the position where the door 3 is in the intermediate position.

(38) In particular, it is provided that with a further actuation of the lifting wheel 34, the cam follower 39 is again automatically returned into its basic position. Thus it is achieved that by a single full revolution of the lifting wheel 34 and thus a revolution of 360 the cam follower 39 is moved from its basic position shown in FIG. 5 into the maximum deflected position shown in FIG. 7 and back again into the basic position.