| 摘要 |
A door opening mechanism for a domestic appliance (for example, a microwave oven), the domestic appliance including a housing, a front door, and a resilient member (e.g. spring bias), for urging the door open, wherein the door opening mechanism is adapted to be located within the housing; the door opening mechanism comprising: a retention mechanism, engageable with the door and movable between a first configuration, in which the door is retained in a closed position, and a second configuration, in which the door is non-engaged; a cam, the cam having a plurality of cam surfaces, each being adapted to move the retention mechanism out of said first configuration through camming action; and a rotary motor, for driving the cam in response to control signals. The cam suitably comprises a plurality of equally angularly spaced projections, the outer surfaces of the cam between successive projections comprising a cam surface. Suitably, each cam surface comprises of two slopes, one for clockwise cam motion and the other for anticlockwise cam motion, both cooperating with the retention mechanism as it moves from the first configuration to the second configuration, thus opening the door. This allows for a directional or multi-directional camming action. Each cam surface may comprise a first part, for cooperating with the retention mechanism as it moves into the first configuration, and a second part, for cooperating with the retention mechanism as it moves from the first configuration to the second configuration. In use, the cam moves a rotatable member into a position such that the spring biasing element acts on the door such that the door rotates to the partially open position. The rotatable member has a guide surface, the guide surface including a transition point and being disposed such that, in use, a key member attached to the door is capable of sliding contact with the rotatable member along the guide surface; wherein, after the key member has slid beyond the transition point, forces due to gravity and to the spring biasing element operate on the door such that the door rotates to the partially open position. Also disclosed is a domestic appliance, comprising: a housing, a front door, the door opening mechanism, a resilient member (e.g. spring bias), for urging the door open, and controller, coupled to the motor, the controller being operable in response to one or more signals to activate the motor, and thereby cause the door to move open. |
