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TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the field of household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and/or similar household appliances. In particular, the present invention is advantageously applied to the field of washing machines and/or dryers with top loading. In detail, the present invention relates to a closing and opening device, in particular for hatches, doors or the like, for example of household appliances of the aforesaid type. Again in greater detail, the present invention relates to a device of the aforesaid type adapted to allow the performance of at least some of the functions of the household appliance only in the presence of a safe and reliable acknowledgement or electric permission of hatch closed and/or absent and/or not correctly positioned. The present invention further relates to a closing system including said device and to a household appliance equipped with said system.

BACKGROUND ART

The most widespread closing and opening devices and/or systems used for household appliances such as, for example washing machines, in particular of the top loading type, and/or similar household appliances essentially comprise a true closing (and opening) assembly, usually applied to the casing of the household appliance, and a reference element usually fixed to the hatch of the household appliance itself. According to the most common solutions, the closing and opening assembly further comprises a closing element or latch which is switchable by translation between a first opening position and a second closing position and vice versa, wherein in the closing position, the closing element engages the reference element corresponding to the hatch, therefore ensuring the closing and locking of the hatch itself, while contrarily, with the latch in opening position, the reference element is not engaged and therefore the hatch may be opened.

Closing devices and/or systems are also known, including a control unit adapted to generate an electric reference in the absence of which at least some of the functions of the household appliance are inhibited or at least limited, wherein said electric reference is automatically generated as soon as the latch reaches the closing position in which it engages the reference member on the hatch.

Although Figures 10 to 13 relate to a device and/or system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a description of the functionalities of a closing device or system of known type is given below with reference to Figures 10 to 13.

Reference numeral 1000 in Figures 10 to 13 identifies a closing system including a closing assembly 100 (as anticipated, adapted to be applied to the casing of the household appliance) and a reference element 200 usually fixed to the hatch of the same household appliance and comprising a cavity 201. The closing assembly further comprises a closing and opening element 110 (substantially a latch) which is switchable by translation (see the following description) between a first end-stop position in which it does not engage cavity 201 , and a second end-stop position in which it contrarily engages cavity 201 , wherein obviously with latch 110 engaged in cavity 201 , the opening of the hatch is prevented by the mutual contrast between latch 110 and the reference member 200.

Electric contacts 801 in the form of metal plates are also fixed to latch 110, wherein assembly 100 comprises electric circuitry with electric terminals 701.

The translation of the latch from the opening position (Figure 10) to the closing position (Figure 13) results in the repositioning of the contacts 801 with respect to the terminals 701 , and therefore in the generation of an acknowledgement or electric permission upon the closing of at least one electric circuit.

The electric permission is also used to activate and deactivate, respectively, at least some of the functionalities of the household appliance, wherein, for example with the latch or slider in the closing position, and therefore in the presence of the corresponding electric permission, the wash cycle may be started, whilst contrarily with latch or slider 110 in the opening position, and therefore in the absence of the electric permission, the wash cycle may not be started.

Although they may be appreciated from different viewpoints (construction and operating simplicity, good reliability, all in all curbed manufacturing and/or installation costs), the closing devices and/or systems of known type have certain drawbacks which are intended to be solved by means of the present invention.

A first drawback relates to the fact that the electric reference of“latch or slider 110 in closing position” and the corresponding electric permission are generated irrespective of the actual position of the hatch, and therefore irrespective of the engagement or not of the reference member by the latch, therefore wherein the acknowledgement of “latch or slider 110 in closing position” is not an acknowledgement of “hatch in the closing position” and much less of “reference member 200 engaged by the latch or cursor”. As a result, if for any reason latch 110 is switched into the closing position with, for example, the hatch in the opening position, and therefore without the reference member 200 being actually engaged by latch 110, the electric permission generated in any case activates the functionalities of the household appliance, with serious risks in the case, for example the wash cycle is activated.

A further drawback or dissatisfaction relates to the fact that with the hatch in closing position and the reference member 200 engaged by latch 110 (and therefore with the hatch actually locked by latch 110), following a forced opening of the hatch, for example with breaking of the reference member 200, the electric permission is not modified (since the latch does not switch from the closing position to the opening one), wherein if underway, the wash cycle therefore is not stopped, here too with serious risks due to, for example the leak of liquids.

Therefore, it is the main object of the present invention to overcome or at least minimize the problems summarized above and found in the closing devices and/or systems according to the prior art.

In particular, it is a first object of the present to provide a closing and opening device and/or system which allows the acknowledgement of the actual presence of the hatch in closing position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a solution which allows generating an electric permission only with the slider or latch in the closing position and with the reference member on the hatch actually engaged by the slider or latch. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a solution whereby the accidental disengagement of the reference member on the hatch from the latch results in a switching of the electric permission“hatch closed and locked” into an electric“dissent” and therefore in the inhibition (if not already underway) or locking (if already underway) of the functionalities of the household appliance, for example in the inhibition or locking of the wash cycle.

Lastly, the closing and opening device and/or system according to the present invention is to be characterized by manufacturing costs which are compatible with the needs of the market, contained sizes and overall volume, and also be applicable to household appliances of known type according to just as simple methods and with just as curbed costs, and also without requiring substantial variations of said household appliances.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is based on the general consideration that the above preset objects may be achieved and the functional and reliability needs may be dealt with in compliance with the safety legislation by means of a device which, in addition to the locking latch, also includes a permission element adapted to verify, with the latch in closing position, the actual presence of the reference member on the hatch, and therefore the actual closing position of the hatch.

On the basis of the above considerations, as well as in view of the problems and/or drawbacks found in the closing and opening devices and/or systems according to the prior art, according to a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a closing and opening device for doors and/or hatches and/or similar components, in particular of household appliances such as washing machines, in particular with top loading, dishwashers and similar household appliances, said device comprising a closing and opening assembly adapted to be fixed to one of a fixed part and the hatch of a household appliance, and including a closing and opening element which is switchable by translation between a first end-stop position and a second end-stop position and vice versa; wherein said device comprises a permission element which is switchable by translation between a first own end-stop position thereof and a second own end-stop position thereof and vice versa, wherein said closing and opening element, during its translation from said first end-stop position to said second end-stop position, translationally drags said permission element from its own first end-stop position to its own second end- stop position, and wherein said permission element, during its translation from said its own first end-stop position to said its own second end-stop position, is adapted to be locked in an own third intermediate position between said own first and second end-stop positions.

According to an embodiment, the locking of said permission element in said own third intermediate position does not interfere with the translation of said closing element towards said second closing position, wherein, on the contrary, with said permission element locked in said own third intermediate position, said closing and opening element is translatable with respect to said permission element.

According to an embodiment, said device comprises elastic means interposed between said closing and opening element and said permission element, wherein the translation of said closing and opening element from said first end-stop position to said second end-stop position results in a thrust exerted by said closing and opening element on said elastic means, and in a thrust exerted on said permission element by said elastic means.

According to an embodiment, with said permission element locked in said own third intermediate position, the translation of said closing and opening element towards said second position occurs against the elastic resistance exerted by said elastic means.

According to an embodiment, with said permission element locked in said own third intermediate position, and with said closing and opening element in said second end-stop position, the unlocking of said permission element results in the automatic translation of said permission element from said own third intermediate position towards said own second end-stop position.

According to an embodiment, the automatic translation of said permission element from said own third intermediate position to said own second end-stop position is generated by the elastic response of said elastic means.

According to an embodiment, with said closing and opening element in said second end-stop position, and with said permission element in said own second end-stop position, the translation of said closing and opening element towards said first end-stop position results in the translation of said permission element towards said own first end-stop position, due to a dragging action exerted by said closing and opening element.

According to an embodiment, the translation of said closing and opening element from said second end-stop position towards said first end-stop position results in a thrust exerted by said closing and opening element on said elastic means, and in a thrust exerted on said permission element by said elastic means.

According to an embodiment, with said closing and opening element in said second end-stop position, and with said permission element in said own third intermediate position, the translation of said closing and opening element towards said first end-stop position occurs first with respect to said permission element and then it results in the translation of said permission element towards said first own end-stop position, due to a dragging action exerted by said closing and opening element.

According to an embodiment, said device comprises a control unit for controlling at least some of the functions of said household appliance, wherein said device comprises at least one electric circuit, the closing of which results in the activation, by said control unit, of at least one function of said household appliance, and wherein said at least one circuit is electrically closed only with said closing and opening element in said second end-stop position and with said permission element locked in said own third intermediate position.

According to an embodiment, said at least one circuit comprises a plurality of terminals, wherein said device comprises a plurality of contact elements fixed to said closing element and/or said permission element, and wherein only with said closing and opening element in said second end-stop position and with said permission element locked in said own third position, said at least one electric circuit is electrically closed by mutual contact between said terminals of said at least one circuit and said contact elements.

The present invention also relates to a system for closing and opening doors and/or hatches and/or similar components, in particular of household appliances, such as washing machines, dishwashers and similar household appliances, said system comprising a reference member adapted to be fixed firmly to said hatch and/or a fixed part of said one household appliance, wherein said system comprises a closing and opening device according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

According to an embodiment, said reference member defines a cavity, wherein said closing and opening element comprises an end portion adapted to be accommodated in said cavity.

According to an embodiment, said reference member defines an engagement element adapted to be engaged by said permission element during the translation thereof from said own first end-stop position to said own second end-stop position, and to lock said permission element in said own third intermediate position.

The present invention also relates to a household appliance, such as for example a washing machine, including at least one hatch, said household appliance comprising at least one hatch which is switchable between a first opening position and a second closing position, wherein said household appliance comprises a system according to one of the embodiments of the present invention, wherein said reference member is fixed to said hatch or to a fixed part of said household appliance, wherein said device is fixed to a fixed part of said household appliance or to said hatch of said household appliance, respectively, and wherein said reference member and device are mutually positioned so that, with said hatch in said closing position, said reference member is adapted to be engaged by said closing and opening element in said second closing position and by said permission element in said own third intermediate position.

Possible further embodiments of the present invention are defined in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further clarified below by means of the following detailed description of possible embodiments depicted in the drawings in which features and/or corresponding or equivalent component parts of the present invention are identified by the same reference numerals. It is in any case worth noting that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and depicted in the drawings; contrarily, all those variants and/or modifications of the embodiments described below and shown in the accompanying drawings which are apparent and obvious to those skilled in the art fall within the scope of the present invention.

In the drawings:

- Figures 1 to 3 show perspective views of a closing and opening device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the closing element and the permission element in different positions, respectively;

- Figures 4 to 9 show side views of the device and the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the closing element and the permission element in different positions, respectively;

- Figures 10 to 13 show top and partial sectional views of the device and the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the closing element and the permission element in different positions, respectively;

Figures 14 and 15 show a side and partial sectional view and a perspective and partial sectional view, respectively, of the device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 16 shows an exploded perspective view of the device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is particularly applied to the field of household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and similar household appliances, in particular washing machines with top loading, this being the reason whereby the present invention is described below with possible particular reference to the applications thereof to the field of household appliances, in particular of a washing machine.

It is in any case to be pointed out that the possible applications of the present invention are not limited to those described below. Contrarily, the present invention is conveniently applied in all cases in which the reliable, simple, safe, and legally- compliant closing and opening of a hatch are required.

Reference numeral 1000 in Figures 1 to 9 indicates a closing and opening system as a whole, comprising a closing assembly 100 adapted to be fixed to a rigid part, for example of a household appliance (not shown for reasons of clarity), and a reference member 200 adapted to be fixed to hatch 2000 of said device. Said reference member further comprises a cavity 201 adapted to be engaged by the end portion of a latch 110. To this end, the cross sections (with respect to the translation direction of latch 110) of cavity 201 and of the end portion of latch 110 have corresponding sizes and shapes, for example square, rectangular (as depicted) and/or similar shapes. Again as shown, latch 110 is translatable (according to methods clarified in detail below) from a first end-stop position (Figures 1 and 4) in which it substantially is completely accommodated in assembly 100, and a second end-stop position (Figures 3 and 7 to 9) in which it contrarily protrudes from assembly 100. Therefore, it is shown that with hatch 2000 in closing position, and therefore with the reference member 200 positioned in front of assembly 100 (on the translation trajectory of latch 110), the switching by translation of latch 110 from the first end-stop position to the second end-stop position results in the engagement of cavity 201 by the end portion of latch or slider 110, and therefore in the locking of the hatch in the closing position.

Assembly 100 further comprises a second slider 300, hereinafter also identified as slider or permission element 300 for reasons which will be apparent in light of the following description, said slider 300 being translatable along a translation direction parallel to that of latch 110, between a first own end-stop position (Figures 1 , 4 and 5) in which it is accommodated in assembly 100, and a second own end-stop position (Figures 3, 8 and 9) in which contrarily it protrudes from assembly 100. Flowever, a peculiarity of the device according to the present invention relates to the fact that during the translation thereof between its own first end-stop position and second end-stop position, slider 300 may be stopped, stationary, in a third own intermediate position (Figures 2 and 7) without interfering with the translation of latch 110 which contrarily, with slider 300 locked in its own third intermediate position, may be translated up to reaching the second end-stop and closing position (from right to left with respect to the drawings), and from the second end-stop and closing position to the first end-stop and opening position (from left to right with respect to the drawings). The locking of slider 300 in its own third end-stop position occurs by interference with the reference member 200 according to the following methods. As described in detail below, slider 300 is dragged by latch 110, in particular (but not only) from its own first end-stop position to its second own end-stop position; whether slider 300, when dragged by latch 110 toward its own secind end-stop position, actually reaches said own second own end-stop position or rather is locked (stopped) in its own third intermediate position depends on the position of hatch 2000 and of the corresponding reference member 200. In particular, if hatch 2000 is not in closing position (Figures 8 and 9), and therefore if the reference member 200 is not in such a position as to be engaged by latch 110, slider 300 is dragged by latch 110 until latch 110 reaches its own second end-stop position and also slider 300 reaches its own second end-stop position; contrarily, with hatch 2000 in closing position, and therefore with the reference member 200 in such a position as to be engaged by latch 110, during the translation of latch 110 towards the second end-stop position, and before latch 110 reaches the second end-stop position, slider 300 abuts against the reference member 200 and therefore is locked by the reference member 200. The same can be said for the case in which, with hatch 2000 locked by latch 110, hatch 2000 is forced and switched into opening position, causing the breaking of the reference member 200. In this case (Figures 8 and 9), slider 300 continues its stroke up to reaching its own second own end-stop position.

With reference to Figures 10 to 16, a description is given below of the switching methods of latch 110 and slider 300.

As shown, assembly 100 comprises an electric motor 500, on the rotating shaft onto which a worm screw 501 is keyed. Moreover, latch 110 comprises a fork portion 1101 which extends from the end portion 1102 (that engaging cavity 201 according to the preceding description) to form a substantially 90° angle. Therefore, it is shown that the rotation of screw 501 in a first rotation direction results in the translation of latch 110 in a first translation direction, where the rotation of screw 501 in a second rotation direction, opposite to the first, results in the translation of latch 110 in a second translation direction, opposite to the first one. Moreover, the end 1103 of latch 110 opposite to the engagement end 1102 defines an engagement pin 1104 on which a first end portion of a helicoidal spring 600 is engaged. Slider 300 further comprises a shaped portion 302 which extends from the end (engagement) portion 301 and defines an engagement pin 304 on which the second end portion of the helicoidal spring 600 is engaged. Both latch 110 and slider 300 are supported by a support 400 and are guided in translation by guides defined by said support 400 and not described in detail for synthesis purposes. Therefore, it is shown that the translation of latch 110 (generated by the rotation of screw 501 ) from the first end-stop position (Figure 10) to the second end-stop position (Figure 12), and therefore from right to left with respect to the drawings, results in a thrust exerted by latch 110 (by means of pin 1104 and/or the corresponding wall 1105 from which pin 1104 extends) on the helicoidal spring 600, and therefore in a thrust exerted by the helicoidal spring 600 on pin 304 and/or on the respective wall 305 of slider 300 from which pin 304 extends, and therefore definitively in a thrust exerted by spring 600 on slider 300 which is therefore translationally dragged by latch 110 from its own first end-stop position (Figure 10) to its own second end-stop position (Figure 12). With reference therefore again to the circumstance described above and depicted in Figures 4, 8 and 9 (hatch 2000 open or in any case with the reference member 200 not positioned at assembly 100 or also with reference member 200 broken), it is shown that in such a circumstance, latch 110 may be translated up to reaching the second end-stop position (Figures 8, 9 12), and thereby that slider 300 is also dragged up to reaching its own second end-stop position.

Contrarily, with hatch 2000 in closing position (Figures 6, 7, 10, 11 and 13), and therefore with the reference member 200 positioned at assembly 100, with cavity 201 in position suitable for being engaged by the end portion 1102 of latch 110, during the translation of latch 110 towards the second end-stop position, slider 300 abuts with the reference member 200 and therefore is stopped by the reference member 200 in its own third intermediate position (Figure 12); in particular, upon the impact of slider 300 against the reference member 200 (or also against hatch 2000), latch 110 continues the translation thereof up to substantially reaching its own second end-stop position in which it engages the reference member 200, where from the moment of impact of slider 300 against the reference member 200, the further translation of latch 110 results in a compression of spring 600 which is therefore elastically loaded. Whereby, supposing that with cavity 201 engaged by latch 110, and therefore with the hatch locked in closing position, hatch 2000 is forced and therefore opened, therefore disengaging the reference member 200 from latch 110, or also breaking the reference member 200 (Figures 8 and 9), it is shown that slider 300 is automatically further translated by virtue of the thrust of spring 600, from its own third intermediate position in which it was locked by the reference member 200, in particular up to reaching its own second end-stop position.

Figures 10 to 16 further show that assembly 100 comprises a board 700 from which emerge the terminals of electric circuits which are adapted to generate just as many electric references or permissions on the basis of which or in the absence of which, respectively, a control unit (not shown and adapted to be connected to the different component parts of the household appliance) enables or inhibits, respectively, at least some of the functionalities of said household appliance. To this end, latch 110 and slider 300 each carry electric contacts 801 and 802, respectively, which are translationally dragged by latch 110 and slider 300, respectively, and repositioned with respect to the terminals 701 according to the positions taken on by latch 110 and slider 300.

In particular:

a) with both latch 110 and slider 300 in the respective first end-stop positions, only the sliding contact 802 closes the corresponding electric circuit, while the electric circuit served by the sliding contact 801 remains open, whereby the electric reference is such as to inhibit at least some of the functionalities of the household appliance, in particular such as to prevent the start of the wash cycle;

b) with both latch 110 and slider 300 in the respective second end-stop positions, each of the sliding electric contacts 801 (carried by latch 110) and 802 (carried by slider 300) closes the corresponding circuit and the electric reference is such as to again inhibit said at least some of the functionalities of the household appliance, in particular such as to prevent the start of the wash cycle;

c) with latch 110 and slider 300 in the respective second end-stop position and own third intermediate position and only with latch 110 and slider 300 in the respective second end-stop position and own third intermediate position, the sliding contact 801 closes the corresponding electric circuit, while the electric circuit served by the sliding contact 802 remains open, and the electric reference (here, the electric permission) is such as to enable at least some of the functionalities of the household appliance, in particular such as to allow the start of the wash cycle.

Therefore, a situation in which the start of the wash cycle first generates the actuation of motor 500, and then the positioning of latch 110 and slider 300 can be configured, and in which the true start of the wash cycle takes place only in the case of electric permission as per item c), while the wash cycle may not be started or is interrupted if already underway in the case of electric references as per items a) and b).

It has therefore been shown, by means of the preceding detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention depicted in the drawings, that the present invention allows the desired results to be achieved and the drawbacks found in the prior art to be overcome or at least limited.

In particular, a closing and opening device is provided by the present invention, which:

allows the problems found in the closing devices and/or systems according to the prior art to be overcome or at least minimized;

allows the acknowledgement of the actual presence of the hatch in closing position;

allows generating an electric permission only with the slider or latch in the closing position and with the reference member on the hatch actually engaged by the slider or latch;

allows the accidental disengagement of the reference member on the hatch from the latch to be transformed into a switching of the electric permission“hatch closed and locked” into an electric“dissent” and therefore into the inhibition (if not already underway) or into the locking (if already underway) of the functionalities of the household appliance, for example into the inhibition or locking of the wash cycle; is characterized by manufacturing costs which are compatible with the needs of the market, contained sizes and overall volume, and also is applicable to household appliances of known type according to just as simple methods and with just as curbed costs, and also without requiring substantial variations of said household appliances.

Although the present invention was clarified above by means of the detailed description of the embodiments depicted in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the drawings;contrarily, all those variants and/or modifications of the embodiments described below and depicted in the accompanying drawings which are apparent and obvious to those skilled in the art fall within the scope of the present invention.

In particular, the device according to the present invention is adapted to be used in combination, or also to be equipped with, a further presence sensor of hatch 2000 and/or of the corresponding reference member 200. For example, device 1000 according to the present invention could be equipped with a feeler sensor of the reed switch type or also of the optical type, it also capable of detecting the presence or absence of hatch 2000 and/or of the reference member 200. In detail, a reed switch sensor may be provided, including a magnetic element to be fixed to hatch 2000 and/or to the reference member 200, and a reader consisting of flexible strips connected to further contacts of the circuitry described above; with the hatch and the reference member 200 in closing position and with the reference member 200 being intact and not damaged, the reader perceives the presence of the magnetic element which causes the flexible strips to approach and closes the corresponding circuit, thus generating a further electric permission. Here, the functionalities of the household appliance, the wash cycle in particular, may be started only in the case of a first electric permission as per item c), and a further electric permission generated by the reed switch. And therefore, the start of the wash cycle is however subordinate to the further electric permission generated by the reed switch even in the highly unlikely case of electric permission as per item c) generated in an improper manner (with the hatch open and/or the reference member 200 absent or damaged).

The scope of protection of the present invention is therefore defined by the claims.