CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/076944, filed Oct. 4, 2018, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2019/076635 A1 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2017 218 501.5, filed Oct. 17, 2017, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a household appliance in particular a water-utilizing household appliance.

Many household appliances, such as by way of example household dishwashers, comprise a pivotable door. Furthermore, the household appliance may comprise a facility that is able to compensate for the weight force of the door in order to avoid the door falling down when in the open position. The facility comprises for this purpose a cable, one end of which is connected to the door and the other end of which is connected to a spring element. The spring element is in turn connected by way of example to a housing of the household appliance. During an opening movement of the door, the spring is by way of example pretensioned with the result that with the aid of the cable a resilient force acts on the door in such a manner that the door is prevented from falling down. Furthermore, friction elements may be provided that hamper a pivot movement of the door. When the door is in the open position, a corresponding friction force may form a difference between the weight force of the door, which pulls on the cable, and the resilient force.

EP 0 541 974 A1 discloses by way of example a dishwasher having an appliance housing in which is provided an electromotive drive. By way of example, it is possible with the aid of the electromotive drive fully or in part to close or open an appliance door of the dishwasher.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

On the basis of this background, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved household appliance.

Accordingly, a household appliance is provided having a housing, a door that is pivotably connected to the housing, a cable that has one end connected to the door, a motor and a cable drum onto which it is possible to at least in part wind the cable and from which it is possible at least in part to unwind the cable, wherein the cable and the motor are configured so as by means of winding the cable onto the cable drum or by means of unwinding the cable from the cable drum to cause the door to perform a pivot movement.

By virtue of the fact that a cable drum is used, it is possible to provide a particularly space-saving arrangement. By way of example, it is possible with the aid of the cable drum to directly influence the pivot movement of the door. It is thereby advantageously possible to provide a robust door-opening mechanism since it is possible by way of example to directly transfer force from the cable drum to the cable that pulls on the door. Moreover, a household appliance may be provided with which it is possible using a small number of components to realize an automated door-pivoting movement.

The household appliance is preferably a household dishwasher, a washing machine, a refrigerating appliance, preferably a refrigerator, or an oven. It is preferred that the housing is at least in sections an outermost housing of the household appliance. It is preferred that the housing comprises a base housing and a dishwasher cavity that is arranged on the base housing. The base housing comprises by way of example a base, two opposite-lying outer walls and a rear wall that is arranged opposite the closed door. It is preferred that the base, the outer walls and the rear wall of the base housing are connected to one another and form an essentially cuboid shape. It is preferred that the door is connected to the housing with the aid of a hinge. By way of example, the door pivots with respect to the base on which the household appliance is standing. It is preferred that the door comprises a lever and one end of the cable is connected to said lever. By way of example, another end of the cable is connected to the cable drum. The motor is by way of example an electromotor. By way of example, the motor, the cable and the cable drum are provided in a redundant manner and are arranged accordingly along the two outer walls of the housing.

The term “cable drum” means in this case by way of example a rotatably mounted roller that is configured in such a manner that it is able to wind the cable onto the roller or to unwind the cable from the roller. The term “wind onto” means in this case an increase in a contact surface area between the cable and the cable drum and/or that cable sections are placed on other sections of the cable with the result that a spiral shape is formed. The term “unwind” means in this case a reduction in the contact surface area between the cable and the cable drum and/or that cable sections are released from other sections of the cable. By way of example, during the procedure of unwinding said cable a wrap-angle of the cable around the cable drum is reduced and during the procedure of winding said cable onto said cable drum the wrap-angle of the cable around the cable drum is increased. In so doing, the wrap-angle may be greater than or less than 360°. By way of example, with the aid of winding the cable onto the cable drum, one end of the cable is pulled with the result that the lever of the door is pivoted and thereby the door rotates about the hinge. It is preferred that the cable comprises a synthetic material and/or metal. As an alternative or in addition thereto, the cable may comprise threads and/or textiles, in particular natural fibers and/or synthetic fibers. By way of example, the cable is formed from multiple cable sections that are mechanically connected to one another.

In accordance with one embodiment, the cable drum is drivably connected to the motor and/or is flange-mounted onto the motor.

The cable drum may thereby be directly driven or rotated with the aid of the motor. Furthermore, the cable drum and the motor are thereby arranged in a space-saving manner. By way of example, the motor comprises a drive shaft on which the cable drum sits. It is preferred that the motor is fixedly connected to the housing. By way of example, the cable drum together with the motor may also be described as a cable winch.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises a further cable, one end of which is connected to the door, wherein the cable and the further cable may be wound synchronously at least in part onto the cable drum and may be unwound at least in part from the cable drum, wherein the cable, the further cable and the motor are configured so as by means of winding the cable and the further cable onto the cable drum or by means of unwinding the cable and the further cable from the cable drum to cause the door to perform a pivot movement.

It is advantageous that it is possible with the aid of the cable drum, the cable and the further cable to create two force drive points on the door. In particular, by way of example a safe pivot movement of the door may thereby be realized. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the door from tilting. In addition, it is possible to counteract an unsymmetrical pivot movement of the door. By way of example, one end of the further cable is connected to a further lever of the door and the other end of the further cable is connected to the cable drum. It is preferred that the cable drum comprises a first section on which the cable may be wound or from which the cable may be unwound. Furthermore, the cable drum comprises by way of example a second section on which the further cable may be wound or from which the further cable may be unwound. It is preferred that the first section and the second section of the cable drum are arranged in a coaxial manner. By way of example, the first section and the second section of the cable drum are designed in an identical manner and fixedly connected to one another. Furthermore, the first and the second section of the cable drum may be formed from one piece of material.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises a spring element that is configured so as to compensate at least in part for the weight force of the door.

This has the advantage that it is possible to avoid the door falling down in an uncontrolled manner. Furthermore, it is easier to manually close the door. It is preferred that the spring element is a helical spring. By way of example, a spring characteristic curve of the spring element is progressive, degressive or linear. By way of example, as an opening angle of the door increases, the spring element comes into contact with the door and is thereby pretensioned. It is preferred that the household appliance comprises furthermore a friction element that is configured so as to apply a friction force to the cable. By way of example, a friction force of this type corresponds to a difference between the weight force of the door, which pulls on the cable and likewise on the further cable, and the resilient force. By way of example, it is possible with the aid of the friction element for the door to adopt a resting position at any opening angle. Since the weight force of the door is at least in part compensated for with the aid of the spring element, it is possible to use a motor that has a lower power rating.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises a rotational element that is configured so as to tension the spring element.

It is advantageous that the spring element may be tensioned or relieved of tension with the aid of a rotational movement and thereby a space-saving arrangement is created. By way of example, one end of the spring element is connected directly to the rotational element. By way of example, the other end of the spring element is connected to the housing. By way of example, the rotational element and the cable drum are drivably connected to one another.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises an auxiliary cable, wherein the rotational element is configured as an auxiliary cable drum, wherein the auxiliary cable may be wound at least in part onto the auxiliary cable drum or may be unwound at least in part from the auxiliary cable drum and one end of the auxiliary cable is connected to the spring element.

It is advantageously possible with the aid of the auxiliary cable to form an indirect connection (cable connection) between the rotational element and the spring element. It is preferred that the auxiliary cable drum is arranged in a coaxial manner with respect to the cable drum. By way of example, the auxiliary cable drum is fixedly connected to the cable drum. In so doing, the auxiliary cable drum and the cable drum may be embodied as a single cable drum. By way of example, the cable drum and the auxiliary cable drum are configured so as simultaneously to wind on the cable and to unwind the auxiliary cable or simultaneously to unwind the cable and wind on the auxiliary cable. In so doing, by way of example the auxiliary cable and the cable are wound on or unwound in a parallel manner with respect to one another. Furthermore, by using the cable drum and the auxiliary cable drum, the advantage is achieved that preferably slippage does not occur between the cable and the cable drum and/or the auxiliary cable and the auxiliary cable drum.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the rotational element is embodied as a lever that is drivably connected to the cable drum and to the spring element.

The use of a lever has by way of example the advantage that the spring element may be directly connected to the lever and by way of example it is thereby possible to forego an auxiliary cable. By way of example, the lever and the cable drum may be manufactured as an integral injection-molded part. By way of example, the cable drum and the lever are configured so as to rotate about the same central axis.

In accordance with a further embodiment, a first end of the spring element is connected to another end of the cable and a second end of the spring element is connected to the motor and/or to the cable drum.

The spring element is thus arranged by way of example between the cable and the motor and/or the cable drum.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises a coupler that is configured so as to disconnect a drive connection between the motor and the cable drum and/or the cable.

It is advantageously possible with the aid of the coupler to uncouple the motor from the pivot movement of the door. By way of example, an uncoupling procedure of this type may be referred to as a procedure of switching to idle. By way of example, it is possible thereby to protect the motor and/or to reduce the resistance for a manual movement of the door. It is preferred that the coupler is configured so as in the case of a door resistance limit being exceeded to release with the result that the drive connection between the motor and the cable drum and/or the cable is disconnected. By way of example, a door resistance limit of this type is achieved in the case of an object becoming trapped between the housing and the door. It is advantageously possible thereby to produce a safety device by means of which objects are prevented from becoming squashed. The risk of injury at shearing-off sites and sites where objects may become trapped is thus reduced. By way of example, the coupler is embodied as a friction coupler or as a decoupler.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises a control unit that is configured so as to control the motor in such a manner that the door performs a pivot movement.

It is thereby advantageously possible by way of example to realize a fully automated pivot movement of the door. By way of example, the control unit and the motor are coupled to one another for signal purposes. It is preferred that the control unit is configured so as to control a fully opening movement of the door. Furthermore, the control unit may be configured by way of example so as to control a fully closing movement of the door. By way of example, the control unit is connected to the coupler for signal purposes. In so doing, the control unit is configured so as to actuate the coupler, in particular the decoupler. By way of example, the control unit is configured so as to control the motor to open the door in order to counteract a build-up of noise within the household appliance.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the control unit is configured so as to switch the motor into a generator mode in order to generate a resistance against the pivot movement of the door.

It is advantageously possible thereby to optimize haptic feedback on the door. By way of example, it is possible with the aid of the resistance to compensate for the difference between the weight force of the door, which pulls on the cable, and the resilient force.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises an operator interface that is configured so as to communicate with the control unit.

This has the advantage that different opening and closing functions of the door may be implemented in the household appliance. By way of example, the operator interface may be a push button, a touch display, a microphone or any other input apparatus or output apparatus. Furthermore, the operator interface comprises a sensor that is configured so as to detect an operator input, in particular an operator's gesture.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises an output apparatus that is configured so as during the pivot movement of the door to output an acoustic signal and/or an optical signal.

This has the advantage that any people located in the proximity of the household appliance are warned with the aid of the acoustic signal and/or optical signal. It is possible hereby by way of example to avoid undesired collisions between the door and the people. It is preferred that the output apparatus comprises a loudspeaker for outputting the acoustic signal and/or a light source for outputting the optical signal.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the household appliance comprises a locking brake that is configured so as to prevent the cable drum performing a cable winding-on movement and/or a cable unwinding movement and/or to prevent the pivot movement of the door.

By way of example, the locking brake is configured so as to prevent the door falling down. It is preferred that the parking brake is connected to the control unit for signal purposes.

Furthermore, a household appliance is proposed having a housing, a door that is pivotably connected to the housing, a spring element, a cable, one end of which is connected to the door and the other end of which is connected to the spring element, and a linear drive that is fastened to the housing, is directly connected to the spring element and is configured so as to move the spring element in order to cause the door to perform a pivot movement.

It is possible with the aid of the linear drive that is directly connected to the spring element to provide a compact door-opening mechanism. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a simple and definite operating mechanism. It is preferred that the linear drive comprises a spindle drive or the linear drive is embodied as a spindle drive. The advantages and embodiments that are described for the household appliance having the cable drum apply accordingly for the household appliance that comprises the linear drive.

Further possible implementations of the method include also combinations that have not been explicitly mentioned of features or embodiments that have been previously described or are to be described below with regard to the exemplary embodiments. In so doing, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or supplements to the respective basic format of the invention.

