Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for blocking and releasing a door lock of an electrical appliance

US6840553B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by

15References

18Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Elektromanufaktur Zangenstein Hanauer GmbH & Co KGAA · DE

Inventors

Albert Dirnberger · Neunburg vorm Wald, DE
Georg Spiessl · Willhof, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 10, 2001
Grant date	Jan 11, 2005
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 10, 2021

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10T292/699
WIPO fieldFurniture, games
WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for blocking and releasing a door lock of an electrical appliance, such as e.g. a washing machine, a dishwasher or a tumble drier. In said apparatus, use is made of a blocking and release unit, which in a blocking state blocks the locked door lock in order to prevent unlocking of the door lock. In a release state the blocking and release unit enables unlocking of the door lock in that it releases the still locked door lock. Furthermore, an emergency release unit, which is constructed separately from the blocking and release unit, is used to bring the blocking and release unit automatically into the release state in an abnormal operating state of the electrical appliance, such as e.g. in the event of a power failure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.