Household appliance comprising a balancing system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a balancing system (50) that exerts force with different values to a door during the opening-closing stages and the household appliance (100) wherein the same is used. The different force values during opening/closing are obtained by the cable (3) in the balancing system (50) rubbing against the sections (9, 10) of the first spool (5)z with different physical properties.

Claims

1. A balancing system (50) that balances a door of a household appliance (100) that is openable and closable, and comprising a hinge plate (4) fixed to a body (8) of the household appliance (100), a hinge arm (1) attached to the hinge plate (4) so as to rotate around a horizontal axis (7) of the hinge arm (1) and whereon the door is mounted, a spring (2), one end of which is fixed to the body (8) of the household appliance (100) and which exerts force on the door in the direction of closing, a cable (3), one end of which is connected to the hinge arm (1) and the other end to a free end of the spring (2), transferring force from the spring (2) to the hinge arm (1), characterized in that a first spool (5) that is fixed to the hinge plate (4) or to the body (8) of the household appliance (100) so as to rotate around a rotational axis of the first spool (5), that supports and directs the cable (3) running thereover during opening and closing of the door and that has two separate sections (9, 10) formed in different sizes or from different materials that rub against the cable (3) such that the cable (3) is run over a first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) without running over a second section of the two separate sections (9, 10) during the closing of the door and the cable (3) is run over the second section (10) without running over the first section (9) during the opening of the door.

2. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that the two separate sections (9, 10) of the first spool (5) form opposite parts of the first spool (5) and extend towards an upper side and a lower side of the household appliance (100) body (8), respectively.

3. A balancing system (50) as in claim 2, characterized in that the separate sections (9, 10) are produced from materials with different coefficients of friction and with equal lengths that rub against the cable (3).

4. A balancing system (50) as in claim 3, characterized in that a first coefficient of friction of a first material forming a first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) and rubbing against the cable (3) that extends towards the hinge arm (1) is lower than a second coefficient of friction of a second material forming a second section (10) of the two separate sections (9, 10) and rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

5. A balancing system (50) as in claim 2, characterized in that the two separate sections (9, 10) are produced from materials with equal coefficients of friction and with different lengths that rub against the cable (3).

6. A balancing system (50) as in claim 5, characterized in that a first length of a first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the hinge arm (1) is shorter than a second length of a second section (10) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

7. A balancing system (50) as in claim 5, characterized in that a first distance between the rotational axis of the first spool (5) and a first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the hinge arm (1) is less than a second distance between the rotational axis of the first spool (5) and a second section (10) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

8. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that the two separate sections (9, 10) are produced from materials with different coefficients of friction and have equal lengths that rub against the cable (3).

9. A balancing system (50) as in claim 8, characterized in that a first coefficient of friction of a first material forming a first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) and rubbing against the cable (3) that extends towards the hinge arm (1) is lower than a second coefficient of friction of a second material forming a second section (10) of the two separate sections (9, 10) and rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

10. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that the two separate sections (9, 10) are produced from materials with equal coefficients of friction and have different lengths that rub against the cable (3).

11. A balancing system (50) as in claim 10, characterized in that a first length of first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the hinge arm (1) is shorter than a second length of a second section (10) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

12. A balancing system (50) as in claim 10, characterized in that a first distance between the rotational axis of the first spool (5) and a first section (9) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the hinge arm (1) is less than a second distance between the rotational axis of the first spool (5) and a second section (10) of the two separate sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

13. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that the two separate sections (9, 10) form a single piece structure.

14. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that a stopper limits rotational movement of the first spool (5) around the rotational axis to a predetermined angular interval.

15. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in the two separate sections (9, 10) each comprises a rounded protrusion extending in opposite directions.

16. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that the first spool (5) is substantially shaped as a rhombus having rounded corners.

17. A balancing system (50) as in claim 1, characterized in that a second spool (6) is disposed at a position on a line of the cable (3) that extends between the spring (2) and the first spool (5), that is fixed to the hinge plate (4) or to the body (8) of the household appliance (100) so as to rotate around a second rotational axis of the second spool (6) and that supports and directs the cable (3) running thereover during opening and closing of the door.

18. A dishwasher characterized in that the dishwasher comprises a balancing system (10) as in claim 1.

Description

(1) The model embodiments relating to the balancing system and the dishwasher wherein the same is used, realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, are illustrated in the attached figures, where:

(2) FIG. 1is the partial view of a dishwasher and a balancing system when the door of the dishwasher is closed.

(3) FIG. 2is the partial view of a dishwasher and a balancing system when the door of the dishwasher is open.

(4) FIG. 3is the cross-sectional view of a dishwasher and a balancing system while the dishwasher door is being closed.

(5) FIG. 4is the cross-sectional view of a dishwasher and a balancing system while the dishwasher door is being opened.

(6) FIG. 5is the schematic view of the first spool.

(7) The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows: 1. Hinge arm 2. Spring 3. Cable 4. Hinge plate 5. First spool 6. Second spool 7. Horizontal axis 8. Body 9. First section 10. Second section 50. Balancing system 100. Household appliance

(8) The balancing system (50) is suitable for balancing the openable-closable door of a household appliance (100), for example a dishwasher, and comprises a hinge plate (4) fixed to the body (8) of the household appliance (100), a hinge arm (1) attached to the hinge plate (4) so as to rotate around its horizontal axis (7) and whereon the openable-closable door is mounted, a spring (2), one end of which is fixed to the body (8) and which exerts force on the door in the direction of closing, a cable (3), one end of which is connected to the hinge arm (1) and the other end to the free end of the spring (2), transferring force from the spring (2) to the hinge arm (1), a first spool (5) that is fixed to the hinge plate (4) or to the body (8) of the household appliance (100) so as to rotate around its axis, that supports and directs the cable (3) running thereover during opening and closing of the door and that has two separate sections (9, 10) formed in different sizes and/or from different materials that rub against the cable (3) (FIG. 2 to FIG. 5).

(9) The first spool (5) can be produced from a material like self-lubricant polyoxymethylene or can be produced from any other plastic material as well.

(10) The respective components of the balancing system (50) and their positions for the closed state of the household appliance (100) door are shown in FIG. 1. If the door is opened in this position, the spool (5) rotates some amount counterclockwise until contacting the cable (3) from the lower side and then continues rubbing against the cable (3) (FIG. 2, FIG. 4). In the situation the door is closed from the same position, the first spool (5) this time rotates some amount clockwise until contacting the cable (3) from the upper side and then continues rubbing against the cable (3) (FIG. 3). The first spool (5) rotates a certain amount during the first movement of the door and afterwards becomes stationary. Even if the balancing force is low while the cable (3) rotates the first spool (5) by means of friction, the door is enabled to be balanced at the desired positions since the first spool (5) becomes stationary at subsequent angles.

(11) In an embodiment of the present invention, the sections (9, 10) form the opposite parts of the first spool (5) that extend towards the upper side and lower side of the household appliance (100) body (8) (FIG. 5).

(12) In an embodiment of the present invention, the sections (9, 10) of the first spool (5) are produced from materials having different coefficients of friction (FIG. 5). Moreover, the lengths of the sections (9, 10) that rub against the cable (3) are equal (FIG. 5).

(13) In an embodiment of the present invention, in the assembled state of the balancing system (50) shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, the coefficient of friction of the material forming the first section (9) rubbing against the cable (3) that extends towards the hinge arm (1) is lower than the coefficient of friction of the material forming the second section (10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2). Thus, the wooden weights are enabled to be balanced in built-in household appliances (100) and the door is enabled to stop at any position while being opened. Furthermore, it becomes possible to easily close the door of the household appliance (100).

(14) In another embodiment of the present invention, the sections (9, 10) of the first spool (5) are produced from materials having equal coefficients of friction and the lengths of the sections (9, 10) rubbing against the cable (3) are different.

(15) In another embodiment of the present invention, in the assembled state of the balancing system (50), the length of the first section (9) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the hinge arm (1) is shorter than the length of the second section (10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2). Thus, similarly the wooden weights are enabled to be balanced in built-in household appliances (100) and the door is enabled to stop at any position while being opened. Furthermore, it becomes possible to easily close the door of the household appliance (100).

(16) In yet another embodiment of the present invention, in the assembled state of the balancing system (50), the distance between the rotational axis of the first spool (5) and the first section (9) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the hinge arm (1) is less than the distance between the rotational axis of the first spool (5) and the second section (10) rubbing against the cable (3) extending towards the spring (2).

(17) In an embodiment of the present invention, the sections (9, 10) of the first spool (5) form a single piece structure (FIG. 5).

(18) In an embodiment of the present invention, the balancing system (50) comprises a stopper, not shown in the figures, that limits the rotational movement of the first spool (5) to a predetermined angular interval. In this embodiment of the present invention, the first spool (5) is preferably circular. Alternatively, the first spool (5) has an asymmetrical shape.

(19) In another embodiment of the present invention, the first spool (5) preferably has a rhombus shape with rounded corners (FIG. 5). In this embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary to use the stopper that limits the rotational movement of the first spool (5) to an angular interval (FIG. 5). In another embodiment of the present invention, the first spool (5) is elliptical.

(20) In an embodiment of the present invention, the balancing system (50) furthermore comprises a second circular spool (6) (FIG. 2 to FIG. 5). The second spool (6) is disposed at a position on the line the cable (3) extends between the spring (2) and the first spool (5) (FIG. 2 to FIG. 5). The second spool (6) is fixed to the hinge plate (4) or the body (8) of the household appliance (100) so as to rotate 360 degrees around its axis (FIG. 2 to FIG. 5). The second spool (6) serves to support and direct the cable (3) running thereover during closing and opening of the door (FIG. 2 to FIG. 5). The cable (3), one end of which is attached to the hinge arm (1), is mounted by being run over the circular second spool (6) that rotates around a single axis and fixed to the hinge plate (4) (FIG. 2 to FIG. 5).

(21) In an embodiment of the present invention, the dishwasher comprises a balancing system (50) of the present invention as described above (FIG. 1). Thus, it becomes possible to balance the wooden piece mounted by the customer to the built-in dishwashers. The balancing system (50) of the present invention can be used both in dishwashers and in other household appliances (100) or pieces of furniture comprising a door that can be opened/closed by rotating around a horizontal axis.

(22) By means of the present invention, a balancing system (50) of simple configuration, that prevents the door from falling abruptly with the effect of its weight while opening, that enables the door to stop at the desired position and to be closed easily by applying different friction forces during opening and closing of the door, and a household appliance (100) wherein the said balancing system (50) is used are realized.