Domestic appliance and door for a domestic appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a door (10) for a domestic appliance, in particular an oven door (10) for a cooking oven. The door (10) comprises a front panel (12) and at least one door handle (14) made of metal and arranged at an outer side of said front panel (12). The door (10) comprises at least one electric and/or electronic device (18) arranged inside and/or at the door handle (14). The door (10) comprises at least one fastening element (24) for fastening the door handle (14) at the front panel (12). At least one conducting element (26) is attached at the inner side and/or outer side of the front panel (12). The fastening element (24) penetrates the front panel (12) and the conducting element (26), the conducting element (26) includes a terminal lug (32) connected or connectable to a grounding element (32), and the grounding element (30) is connected or connectable to a chassis of the domestic appliance, so that the door handle (14) is grounded via the fastening element (24), the conducting element (26), the terminal lug (32) and the grounding element (30).

Claims

1. A domestic appliance comprising a door for the domestic appliance, wherein the door comprises: a front panel, at least one door handle made of metal and arranged at an outer side of the front panel, at least one electric and/or electronic device arranged inside and/or at the door handle, at least one fastening element for fastening the door handle at the front panel, and at least one conducting element attached at the inner side and/or outer side of the front panel, the fastening element penetrating the front panel and the conducting element, the conducting element comprising a terminal lug connected or connectable to a grounding element, the grounding element being connected or connectable to a chassis of the domestic appliance, so that the door handle is grounded via the fastening element, the conducting element, the terminal lug and the grounding element.

2. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, the door further comprising a door frame or a pair of door columns, wherein the door frame or door columns, respectively, is/are attached at an inner side of the front panel.

3. The domestic appliance according to claim 2, wherein the fastening element penetrates into the door frame or door column, respectively, so that the fastening element and the door handle are supported by the door frame or door column, respectively.

4. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, the conducting element comprising a hole with an internal thread, wherein an external thread of the fastening element engages the internal thread of the conducting element.

5. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the conducting element is glued at the inner side and/or outer side of the front panel, wherein the fastening element and the door handle are supported by the conducting element.

6. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the door handle is an elongated hollow cylinder made of metal.

7. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, the door further comprising at least one adapter arranged between the door handle and the outer side of the front panel.

8. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, the door further comprising power supply wires interconnected between the electric and/or electronic device and the chassis of the domestic appliance, wherein a portion of said power supply wires extends inside the door handle.

9. The domestic appliance according to claim 8, wherein a further portion of the power supply wires extends inside or at the door frame or door column.

10. The domestic appliance according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the power supply wires and at least a portion of the grounding element form a multicore cable.

11. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the grounding element is arranged inside or at the door frame or door column, respectively, of the door.

12. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the grounding element is directly connected or connectable to the chassis of the domestic appliance.

13. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the grounding element is connected or connectable to the chassis of the domestic appliance via a pogo spring connection.

14. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the grounding element is connected or connectable to the chassis of the domestic appliance via sliding contact stripes.

15. The domestic appliance according to claim 7, wherein said fastening element penetrates said adapter.

16. A domestic appliance comprising an appliance door, the door comprising a front panel and an electrically conductive door handle, the door handle comprising an electronic component disposed therein and electrically insulated from the door handle, the door handle being reversibly attached at an outer side of the front panel via an elongated, electrically-conductive fastening element that penetrates said front panel and is reversibly, galvanically connected to and supported by a metal conducting element attached at an inner side of the front panel, a grounding wire providing electrical communication between said metal conducting element and a chassis of said domestic appliance such that said door handle is grounded to said chassis via said fastening element, said conducting element and said grounding wire, all of which together defining an electrical grounding path therebetween, said fastening element thereby reversibly securing said door handle to said door and establishing said grounding path between said door and said chassis, wherein said grounding wire is not directly connected to said door handle such that removal of said door handle from said door does not require disconnection of said grounding wire therefrom, said grounding path being independent of a power supply for supplying power to said electronic component within said door handle.

17. The domestic appliance according to claim 16, said door further comprising an adaptor disposed intermediate said front panel and said handle to space said handle a predetermined distance from said outer side of said front panel, said fastening element penetrating said adaptor, said fastening element being a screw that is received by and attached to said conducting element via a threaded connection.

18. The domestic appliance according to claim 16, said grounding wire being directly connected to said chassis of said appliance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings from which further features, embodiments and advantages may be taken, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic perspective view of an oven door including a protection device against electrostatic discharge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed schematic perspective view of the oven door including the protection device against electrostatic discharge according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(4) In the embodiments shown in the figures, elements similar or identic in function are designated with like reference signs. It is noted, that the figures may not be true to scale with respect to each other.

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic perspective view of an oven door 10 including a protection device against electrostatic discharge according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In general, the present invention relates to a door for an arbitrary domestic appliance, wherein said door includes the protection device.

(6) The oven door 10 comprises a front panel 12, a door handle 14 and a door frame 16. The door handle 14 is attached at an outer side of the front panel 12. The door frame 16 is attached at an inner side of the front panel 12. The door handle 14 is formed as an elongated hollow cylinder and extends horizontally. The door handle 14 is made of metal, preferably of aluminium. The door handle 14 is attached via two adapters 22 at the outer side of the front panel 12. Said adapters 22 act as spacers between the door handle 14 and the outer side of the front panel 12.

(7) An electronic device 18 is arranged at least partially within the door handle 14. In this example, a part of the electronic device 18 is arranged inside the door handle 14, while another part of the electronic device 18 is arranged out of the door handle 14 and between the front panel 12 and said door handle 14. The electronic device 18 is electrically insulated from the door handle 14. Power supply wires 20 are connected to the electronic device 18. The power supply wires 20 extend inside the door handle 14. The power supply wires 20 penetrate the adapter 22 and the front panel 12.

(8) Optionally, further wires, e.g. signal wires, may be connected to the electronic device 18, wherein said further wires extend inside the door handle 14 and penetrate the adapter 22 and the front panel 12.

(9) FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed schematic perspective view of the oven door 10 including the protection device against electrostatic discharge according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an upper corner of the oven door 10. In FIG. 2 only a vertical profile part of the door frame 16 is shown.

(10) The door handle 14 and the adapter 22 are attached at the outer side of the front panel 12 by a fastening element 24, here a screw 24. Said screw 24 is made of metal and penetrates the door handle 14, the adapter 22, the front panel 12 and optionally the vertical profile part of the door frame 16. The screw 24 is connected to a conducting element 26, here a metal element 26, aligned at the inner side of the front panel 12. In this example, the metal element 26 is a washer. For example, the metal element 26 is glued at the inner side of the front panel 12. Preferably, the metal element 26 includes a hole with an internal thread, so that an external thread of the screw 24 engages the internal thread of the metal element 26. Thus, the screw 24 and the metal element 26 are galvanically connected to each other. Further, the metal element 26 includes a terminal lug 32. A grounding element 30, here a grounding wire 30, is connected to the terminal lug 32 via a plug-in connection. Another end of said grounding wire 30 is connected to a chassis of a cooking oven. Thus, the door handle 14 is grounded via the screw 24, the metal element 26, the terminal lug 32 and the grounding wire 30. This grounding concept of the door handle 14 avoids electrostatic discharges.

(11) The door handle 14 and the screw 24 are supported by the metal element 26 or by the door frame 16, in particular by the vertical profile part of the door frame 16. Further, the door handle 14 and the screw 24 may be supported by both the metal element 26 and the door frame 16. If the door handle 14 and the screw 24 are supported by the door frame 16, then the metal element 26 may be also supported by the screw 24 and the door frame 16. In general, the metal element 26 is attached at the inner side or outer side of the front panel 12.

(12) In this example, the power supply wires 20 as well as the grounding wire 30 are arranged inside or at the vertical profile part of the door frame 16. The grounding wire 30 may be directly connected to the chassis of the cooking oven. Further, grounding wire 30 may be connected to the chassis of the cooking oven via a grounding pogo spring element, if the power supply is realized by a pogo spring connection. Moreover, the grounding wire 30 may be connected to the chassis of the cooking oven via sliding contact stripes. Said sliding contact stripes are often used for the power transfer between the chassis and the oven door 10.

(13) The present invention has the advantage that the grounding wire 30 does not have to be pushed through the hollow door handle 14. Further, it is not necessary to connect the grounding wire 30 directly to the door handle 14. No further grounding components are required, since the screw 24 supports the grounding of the door handle 14. The door handle 14 may be disassembled from the front panel 12, e.g. for cleaning purposes, without disconnecting the grounding wire 30. The grounding of the door handle 14 is realized by low complexity and low costs. The grounding concept according to the present invention is very robust. Moreover, the grounding concept is independent from the power supply concept of the oven door 10. The grounding concept is independent from the design of the door handle 14. Additionally, the grounding concept is independent from the structure and the properties of the electronic device 18.

(14) The electric insulation between the electronic device 18 and the door handle 14 on the one hand and the grounding concept of the present invention protects the electronic device 18 from damages by electrostatic discharge.

(15) The embodiments in the figures may relate to preferred embodiments, while all elements and features described in connection with embodiments may be used, as far as appropriate, in combination with any other embodiment and feature as discussed herein, in particular related to any other embodiment discussed further above.

(16) Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(17) 10 oven door

(18) 12 front panel

(19) 14 door handle

(20) 16 door frame

(21) 18 electric device

(22) 20 power supply wires

(23) 22 adapter

(24) 24 screw

(25) 26 metal element

(26) 30 grounding wire

(27) 32 terminal lug