Lifting device and water-bearing domestic appliance

Abstract

A lifting device for a holder for items to be washed of a water-bearing domestic appliance includes a driving apparatus configured to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the holder into a washing container of the water-bearing domestic appliance as the holder is lowered and to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the holder out of the washing container as the holder is raised. The driving apparatus is activated by a control apparatus so as to generate the supporting force during the manual movement of the holder.

Claims

1. A lifting device for a basket for items to be washed of a water-bearing domestic appliance, said lifting device comprising: a driving apparatus comprising a servo motor and configured to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket into a washing container of the water-bearing domestic appliance as the basket is lowered and to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket out of the washing container as the basket is raised; and a control apparatus electrically connected to the driving apparatus and configured to activate the driving apparatus and thereby generate the supporting force in response to the manual movement of the basket.

2. The lifting device of claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate the driving apparatus during the manual movement of the basket as a function of a manual operating force.

3. The lifting device of claim 2, further comprising a sensor apparatus configured to detect the manual operating force.

4. The lifting device of claim 3, wherein the sensor apparatus has a torque sensor.

5. The lifting device of claim 4, wherein the torque sensor is arranged on or at an output shaft of the driving apparatus.

6. The lifting device of claim 2, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate the driving apparatus in such a way that the basket remains in its current position when the manual operating force is removed.

7. The lifting device of claim 1, wherein the driving apparatus is configured such as to be locked in the current position.

8. The lifting device of claim 1, wherein the servo motor is arranged in or on a side wall of the water-bearing domestic appliance.

9. The lifting device of claim 1, further comprising a swivel arm configured to move the basket, said swivel arm being pivotably attached to the washing container and to the basket.

10. The lifting device of claim 9, further comprising a rail apparatus along which the swivel arm is guided.

11. The lifting device of claim 1, further comprising two swivel arms configured to move the basket, said swivel arms being pivotably attached in spaced-apart relationship to the washing container and to the basket.

12. The lifting device of claim 11, further comprising a rail apparatus along which the swivel arms are guided.

13. The lifting device of claim 1, further comprising a toothed rack operatively connected to the basket, and a pinion gear disposed in engagement with the toothed rack and operatively connected to the driving apparatus.

14. The lifting device of claim 13, wherein the toothed rack is curved in an arcuate shape.

15. A water-bearing domestic appliance, comprising: a basket for items to be washed; a lifting device including a driving apparatus comprising a servo motor and configured to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket into a washing container of the water-bearing domestic appliance as the basket is lowered and to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket out of the washing container as the basket is raised; and a control apparatus electrically connected to the driving apparatus and configured to activate the driving apparatus and thereby generate the supporting force in response to the manual movement of the basket.

16. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 15, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate the driving apparatus during the manual movement of the basket as a function of a manual operating force.

17. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 16, wherein the lifting device includes a sensor apparatus configured to detect the manual operating force.

18. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 17, wherein the sensor apparatus has a torque sensor.

19. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 18, wherein the torque sensor is arranged on or at an output shaft of the driving apparatus.

20. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 16, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate the driving apparatus in such a way that the basket remains in its current position when the manual operating force is removed.

21. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 20, wherein the driving apparatus is configured such as to be locked in the current position.

22. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 15, further comprising a side wall, said servo motor being arranged in or on the side wall.

23. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 15, wherein the lifting device includes a swivel arm configured to move the basket, said swivel arm being pivotably attached to the washing container and to the basket.

24. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 23, wherein the lifting device includes a rail apparatus along which the swivel arm is guided.

25. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 15, wherein the lifting device includes two swivel arms configured to move the basket, said swivel arms being pivotably attached in spaced-apart relationship to the washing container and to the basket.

26. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 25, wherein the lifting device includes further comprising a rail apparatus along which the swivel arms are guided.

27. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 15, wherein the lifting device includes a toothed rack operatively connected to the basket, and a pinion gear disposed in engagement with the toothed rack and operatively connected to the driving apparatus.

28. The water-bearing domestic appliance of claim 27, wherein the toothed rack is curved in an arcuate shape.

29. A water-bearing domestic appliance, comprising: a basket for items to be washed; a lifting device including means for generating a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket into a washing container of the water-bearing domestic appliance as the basket is lowered and to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket out of the washing container as the basket is raised; and a control apparatus electrically connected to the means for generating a supporting force and configured to activate the means for generating a supporting force and thereby generate the supporting force during the manual movement of the basket, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate the means for generating a supporting force only in response to a manual movement of the basket as a function of a manual operating force, so that as soon as the manual operating force is no longer applied to the basket, the control apparatus switches off the means for generating a supporting force.

30. A water-bearing domestic appliance, comprising: a basket for items to be washed; a lifting device including means for generating a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket into a washing container of the water-bearing domestic appliance as the basket is lowered and to generate a supporting force to assist a manual movement of the basket out of the washing container as the basket is raised; and a control apparatus electrically connected to the means for generating a supporting force and configured to activate the means for generating a supporting force and thereby generate the supporting force in response to the manual movement of the basket, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate the means for generating a supporting force during the manual movement of the basket as a function of a manual operating force, and wherein the lifting device includes a sensor apparatus comprising a torque sensor and configured to detect the manual operating force.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims, as well as of the below-described exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is explained in more detail hereinbelow with the aid of preferred embodiments and with reference to the attached figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a water-bearing domestic appliance;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a further schematic sectional view of the water-bearing domestic appliance according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial sectional view of the water-bearing domestic appliance according to FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment of a water-bearing domestic appliance;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment of a water-bearing domestic appliance; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment of a water-bearing domestic appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(8) Unless stated otherwise, identical or functionally identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the figures.

(9) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 each show a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a water-bearing domestic appliance 1. The water-bearing domestic appliance 1 is preferably a dishwasher. The domestic appliance 1 has a washing container 2 which can be closed, in particular in a water-tight manner, by means of a door 3. To that end, a sealing apparatus can be provided between the door 3 and the washing container 2. The washing container 2 and the door 3 can form a washing chamber 4 of the domestic appliance 1 for washing items to be washed. The washing container 2 can be arranged in the interior of a housing 5 of the domestic appliance 1. The door 3 is shown in its open position in FIG. 1. The door 3 can be closed or opened by a pivoting movement about an axis of rotation provided at a lower end of the door 3.

(10) The washing container 2 has a base wall 6, a top wall 7 arranged on the opposite side to the base wall 6, and a back wall 8 arranged on the opposite side to the door 3. The washing container 2 additionally has side walls 9, 10 arranged opposite one another. The washing container 2 is preferably cuboid-shaped. The washing container 2 is preferably made from a metal material, in particular from a sheet metal. The base wall 6 can also be fabricated from a plastic material.

(11) The domestic appliance 1 has at least one holder 11 for items to be washed. The holder 11 for items to be washed is preferably box-shaped. A base wall and side walls of the holder 11 for items to be washed are grid-shaped. Preferably, the domestic appliance 1 has several holders 11, 12 for items to be washed. The number of holders 11, 12 for items to be washed is arbitrary. A lower holder 11 for items to be washed or a lower basket and an upper holder 12 for items to be washed or an upper basket of the domestic appliance 1 are shown in FIG. 1. The domestic appliance 1 can additionally have a cutlery basket. The holders 11, 12 for items to be washed are preferably arranged one above the other in the washing container 2. Each holder 11, 12 for items to be washed can be moved selectively into or out of the washing container 2. A handle 30 can be provided on each of the holders 11, 12 for items to be washed.

(12) The domestic appliance 1 comprises a lifting device 13 which is configured to raise the lower holder 11 for items to be washed when said holder is moved out of the washing container 2 and to lower the lower holder 11 for items to be washed when said holder is moved into the washing container 2. As FIG. 3 shows, the lifting device 13 has a driving apparatus 14 (also referred to as means for generating a supporting force) and a control apparatus 15. The driving apparatus 14 comprises a servo motor 16 or is embodied as a servo motor 16. The control apparatus 15 is connected to the driving apparatus 14 via a control line 17. A power supply of the driving apparatus 14 can also be implemented via the control line 17. Alternatively, the driving apparatus 14 can be driven pneumatically or hydraulically. The driving apparatus 14 or, as the case may be, the servo motor 16 is arranged in or on a side wall 18 of the water-bearing domestic appliance 1. As FIG. 3 shows, the driving apparatus 14 and the control apparatus 15 are positioned between the side wall 10 of the washing container 2 and the side wall 18 of the housing 5 of the domestic appliance 1. The control apparatus 15 can furthermore be integrally embodied with the driving apparatus 14. This results in a particularly compact design of the lifting device 13. In particular, the control apparatus 15 operates autonomously, that is to say it preferably operates independently of a control apparatus of the water-bearing domestic appliance 1. The control apparatus of the domestic appliance 1 can actuate a drain pump and/or a heat pump, for example.

(13) FIG. 1 shows the holder 11 for items to be washed in its initial state, in which it has been moved into position in the washing container 2. FIG. 2 shows the holder 11 for items to be washed in its final state, in which it has been moved out of the washing container 2. In the moved-out state, the lower holder 11 for items to be washed is arranged at least partially in front of the upper holder 12 for items to be washed. The control apparatus 15 is configured to actuate the driving apparatus 14 in such a way during a manual movement of the holder 11 for items to be washed that the driving apparatus 14 assists the manual movement of the holder 11 for items to be washed with a supporting force. A lifting device 13 can be provided on both sides of the holder for items to be washed, in which case preferably only one of the two lifting devices 13 will have a driving apparatus 14. Alternatively, both lifting devices 13 can comprise a driving apparatus 14.

(14) In order to raise and lower the holder 11 for items to be washed when the holder is being moved out of or into the washing container, the lifting device 13 has a toothed rack 19. In addition, the lifting device 13 comprises a pinion gear 20 that is provided on the side wall 9, 10. The pinion gear 20 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an output shaft 21 (shown in FIG. 3) of the driving apparatus 14. The toothed rack 19 is in particular curved in an arcuate shape. Preferably, the toothed rack 19 is curved in a circular arc shape. As FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show, the toothed rack 19 can have the shape of a quadrant. The toothed rack 19 is in particular pivotably attached at a center point 32 of its circular arc shape to the side wall 9, 10. The attachment can be realized with the aid of a rivet or a bolt, for example. In addition, the toothed rack 19 is pivotably connected to the holder 11 for items to be washed at an attachment point 33. The attachment point 33 is preferably positioned circumferentially on the toothed rack 19. At the attachment point 33, the toothed rack 19 can, for example, be riveted, screwed or bolted to the holder 11 for items to be washed.

(15) The lifting device 13 additionally has a swivel arm 22. The swivel arm 22 is pivotably attached to a side wall 9, 10 of the washing container 2. An attachment element 23 of the swivel arm is preferably arranged relative to the base wall 6 of the washing container 2 at the same height as the center point 32 of the toothed rack 19. The attachment element 23 can be a rivet, for example. The swivel arm 22 is pivotably attached to the lower holder 11 for items to be washed by means of an end section facing away from the attachment element 23.

(16) Furthermore, a rail apparatus 31 can optionally be provided on the holder 11 for items to be washed. In the raised state shown in FIG. 2, the holder 11 for items to be washed can be moved even further out of the washing container 2 with the aid of the rail apparatus 31.

(17) The lifting device 13 can have a sensor apparatus 24 for detecting a manual operating force. The manual operating force is applied to the handle 30 by the user. The sensor apparatus 24 can be an integral part of the driving apparatus 14. Alternatively, the sensor apparatus 24 can be an integral part of the control apparatus 15. The sensor apparatus 24 preferably has a torque sensor 25. The torque sensor 25 is arranged on or at the output shaft 21 of the driving apparatus 14, in particular of the servo motor 16. The control apparatus 15 determines the manual operating force based on a signal of the torque sensor 25.

(18) The operation of the lifting device 13 is explained in the following. In order to move the holder 11 for items to be washed out of the washing container 2, a user grips the handle 30 of the holder 11 for items to be washed and moves said holder 11 out of the washing container 2. When the holder 11 for items to be washed is being moved out of the washing container 2, as indicated by means of arrows 26 in FIG. 1, the control apparatus 15 actuates the driving apparatus 14 as a function of the manual operating force. In other words, the higher the manual operating force applied by the user, the higher also is the supporting force generated by the driving apparatus 14. In particular, the supporting force is proportional to the manual operating force.

(19) As soon as a manual operating force is no longer applied to the holder 11 for items to be washed, the control apparatus 15 switches off the driving apparatus 14, with the result that the holder 11 for items to be washed remains in its current or most recent position. In particular, the driving apparatus 14 can be actuated by the control apparatus 15 in such a way that the holder 11 for items to be washed is held by the driving apparatus 14 in the most recent position in which a manual operating force was applied to the holder 11 for items to be washed. The driving apparatus 14 can furthermore be lockable in the current position. To that end, the driving apparatus 14 can have a locking element.

(20) FIG. 4 shows the water-bearing domestic appliance 1 with a further embodiment of the lifting device 13. The lifting device 13 according to FIG. 4 differs from the lifting device 13 according to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 in that two swivel arms 27, 28 arranged spaced apart at a distance from one another are provided in lieu of the swivel arm 22 and the toothed rack 19. In FIG. 4, the holder 11 for items to be washed is shown both in the position in which it has been moved into the washing container 2 and in the position in which it has been moved out of the washing container 2. Each swivel arm 27, 28 is pivotably mounted on the holder 11 for items to be washed by means of a respective end section 34, 35. The end sections 34, 35 are spaced apart at a distance from one another and attached to the holder 11 for items to be washed. The swivel arms 27, 28 are arranged in such a way that they are inclined in the direction of the back wall 8 of the washing container 2. The swivel arm 27 is movably attached to the side wall 9, 10 by means of an end section 36 facing away from the end section 34. The end section 36 can be pivotably riveted or screwed to the side wall 9, 10. The swivel arm 28 is fixedly connected to the output shaft 21 of the driving apparatus 14 at an end section 37 facing away from the end section 35. The functionality of the lifting device 13 according to FIG. 4 corresponds to the functionality of the lifting device 13 according to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3.

(21) FIG. 5 shows the water-bearing domestic appliance 1 with a further embodiment of the lifting device 13. The lifting device 13 according to FIG. 5 differs from the lifting device 13 according to FIG. 4 in that a rail apparatus 29 is provided on the holder 11 for items to be washed. Items to be washed 38, such as plates, for example, are arranged in the holder 11 for items to be washed. The swivel arms 27, 28 are spaced apart at a distance from one another by means of their end sections 34, 35 and pivotably attached to the rail apparatus 29. The swivel arm 27 is additionally pivotably mounted on the side wall 9, 10 of the washing container 2 by means of its end section 36. The swivel arm 28 is operatively connected to the output shaft 21 of the driving apparatus 14 in a rotationally fixed manner by means of its end section 37.

(22) In order to move the holder 11 for items to be washed out of the washing container 2, said holder 11 is initially moved along the rail apparatus 29 relative to the swivel arms 27, 28. When the holder 11 for items to be washed is moved further out of the washing container 2, the lifting device 13 assists, as previously explained, the movement of the holder 11 for items to be washed by means of the supporting force. By this means it is possible in particular to guide the lower holder 11 for items to be washed around the upper holder 12 for items to be washed that is arranged above the lower holder 11. In the state of the lower holder 11 for items to be washed in which it has been moved out of the washing container, said lower holder 11 is arranged in particular at the same level as and in front of the upper holder 12 for items to be washed. A particularly easy and convenient loading of the holder 11 for items to be washed is possible as a result.

(23) FIG. 6 shows the water-bearing domestic appliance 1 with a further embodiment of the lifting device 13. The embodiment of the lifting device 13 according to FIG. 6 differs from the embodiment of the lifting device 13 according to FIG. 4 only in that the swivel arms 27, 28 are more steeply inclined in the direction of the back wall 8 of the washing container 2. This enables the holder 11 for items to be washed to be moved even further in an upward direction, as a result of which the holder 11 for items to be washed can be loaded more easily and more quickly.

(24) Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it lends itself to a wide variety of modifications.