IP Library Granted Patent US 12703998
Granted Patent B2
US 12703998 · App. 18/664,766 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Door lock assembly and electrical equipment

Inventors: Yukun Liu (Dongguan City, CN); Yang Wang (Dongguan City, CN)
Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
E05B47/0012A47L15/4259E05B15/022E05B47/026E05B53/003E05B63/22E05B2047/0016E05B2047/002E05B2047/0037
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703998
App. No.
18/664,766
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A door lock assembly includes a door lock slider, a slider gear and a bias device. The door lock slider reciprocates in a first linear direction and a second linear direction along the length of the door lock slider. The door lock slider includes a slider body provided with a slider groove in a length direction of the door lock slider body. The slider groove is provided with a slider rack. The slider gear is mounted in the slider groove and rotates about a rotating shaft. The slider gear engages with the door lock slider rack. When the slider gear rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, the door lock slider reciprocates in the first linear direction or the second linear direction. The bias device is configured to drive the slider gear which drives the door lock slider in the second linear direction.

Claims (77)

1 . A door lock assembly ( 100 ) comprising:

a door lock slider ( 112 ) configured to reciprocate in a first linear direction (E) or a second linear direction (F) along a length of the door lock slider ( 112 ), wherein the door lock slider ( 112 ) comprises a slider body ( 301 ) provided with a slider groove ( 308 ) disposed along a length of the slider body ( 301 ), and the slider groove ( 308 ) including a slider rack ( 304 ) at at least one side of the slider groove ( 308 );

a slider gear ( 302 ) disposed within the slider groove ( 308 ) and configured to rotate about a rotating shaft ( 314 ), and the slider gear ( 302 ) engaging the slider rack ( 304 ), wherein the slider gear ( 302 ) and the slider rack ( 304 ) are configured that the door lock slider ( 112 ) reciprocates along the first linear direction (E) or the second linear direction (F) when the slider gear ( 302 ) rotates about the rotating shaft ( 314 ) in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction;

a bias device ( 132 ) for driving the slider gear ( 302 ) such that the slider gear ( 302 ) drives the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move in the second linear direction (F);

a driving device ( 102 ) for pulling the door lock slider ( 112 ) along the first linear direction (E), wherein the driving device ( 102 ) is connected with the door lock slider ( 112 ) via a flexible component ( 106 ), and the driving device ( 102 ) pulls the door lock slider ( 112 ) along the first linear direction (E) through the flexible component ( 106 ); and

at least one constant pulley ( 151 , 152 , 153 ) configured to change a moving path of the flexible component ( 106 ).

2 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , the door lock assembly ( 100 ) being used for locking a door ( 606 ) of an electrical equipment, wherein

the door ( 606 ) comprises an open position, a closed position and one or more intermediate positions;

the first linear direction (E) of the door lock slider ( 112 ) corresponds to the moving direction of the door ( 606 ) from the one or more intermediate positions to the closed position; and

the second linear direction (F) of the door lock slider ( 112 ) corresponds to the moving direction of the door ( 606 ) from the closed position to the one or more intermediate positions,

wherein the one or more intermediate positions are disposed between the open position and the closed position.

3 . The door lock assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:

a first microswitch ( 202 ) for indicating that the door ( 606 ) is at the one or more intermediate positions; and

a second microswitch ( 204 ) for indicating that the door ( 606 ) is at the closed position;

wherein the door lock slider ( 112 ) is provided with a switch actuating part ( 212 ) on an other side of the door lock slider ( 112 ) opposite to a door hook hole ( 110 ), during a reciprocating process of the door lock slider ( 112 ), the first microswitch ( 202 ), the second microswitch ( 204 ) and the switch actuating part ( 212 ) are configured that:

(1) the switch actuating part ( 212 ) actuates the first microswitch ( 202 ) when the door ( 606 ) is at the one or more intermediate positions; or

(2) the switch actuating part ( 212 ) actuates the second microswitch ( 204 ) when the door ( 606 ) is at the closed position.

4 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the slider groove ( 308 ) is disposed along the length of the door lock slider ( 112 ).

5 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the bias device ( 132 ), the slider gear ( 302 ) and the slider rack ( 304 ) are configured that:

(1) the rotation of the slider gear ( 302 ) in the first rotation direction causes the bias device ( 132 ) to accumulate bias force when the door lock slider ( 112 ) moves along the first linear direction (E); and

(2) the bias force accumulated in the bias device ( 132 ) is able to actuate the slider gear ( 302 ) to rotate in the second rotation direction, so as to drive the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move along the second linear direction (F).

6 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the rotating shaft ( 314 ) extends into the slider groove ( 308 ) of the door lock slider ( 112 ).

7 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the bias device ( 132 ) is a rotating bias device; and

the bias force is torsional force.

8 . The door lock assembly of claim 7 , wherein

the bias device ( 132 ) is a coil spring ( 132 ), and the slider gear ( 302 ) is secured to the coil spring ( 132 ) coaxially to allow the rotation of the slider gear ( 302 ) to drive the coil spring ( 132 ) to twist so as to accumulate the torsional force.

9 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the door lock slider ( 112 ) is provided with a door hook hole ( 110 ) for accommodating a door hook ( 108 ) on one end of the door lock slider ( 112 ).

10 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a locking pin ( 208 ) configured that:

(1) the door lock slider ( 112 ) is locked to be unmovable when the locking pin ( 208 ) inserts into the door lock slider ( 112 ); or

(2) the door lock slider ( 112 ) is released to be able to reciprocate when the locking pin ( 208 ) disengages from the door lock slider ( 112 ).

11 . The door lock assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:

an actuator ( 209 ) driving the locking pin ( 208 ) to move.

12 . The door lock assembly of claim 10 , wherein

the door lock slider ( 112 ) is provided with a pin slot ( 206 );

wherein the locking pin ( 208 ) and the pin slot ( 206 ) are configured that:

(1) the door lock slider ( 112 ) is locked to be unmovable when the locking pin ( 208 ) inserts into the pin slot ( 206 ); or

(2) the door lock slider ( 112 ) is released to be able to reciprocate when the locking pin ( 208 ) disengages from the pin slot ( 206 ).

13 . The door lock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a door lock box ( 104 ), wherein the door lock slider ( 112 ), the slider gear ( 302 ) and the bias device ( 132 ) are disposed in the door lock box ( 104 ).

14 . The door lock assembly of claim 13 , wherein

the door lock assembly ( 100 ) is used for a dishwasher ( 600 ).

15 . An electrical equipment ( 600 ), comprising the door lock assembly ( 100 ) of claim 1 and a door ( 606 ), wherein the door ( 606 ) comprises one or more intermediate positions and a closed position;

wherein the door lock assembly ( 100 ) is configured to drive the door ( 606 ) to move between the one or more intermediate positions and the closed position.

16 . A door lock assembly ( 100 ) comprising:

a door lock slider ( 112 ) configured to reciprocate in a first linear direction (E) or a second linear direction (F) along a length of the door lock slider ( 112 ), wherein the door lock slider ( 112 ) comprises a slider body ( 301 ) provided with a slider groove ( 308 ) disposed along a length of the slider body ( 301 ), and the slider groove ( 308 ) including a slider rack ( 304 ) at at least one side of the slider groove ( 308 );

a slider gear ( 302 ) disposed within the slider groove ( 308 ) and configured to rotate about a rotating shaft ( 314 ), and the slider gear ( 302 ) engaging the slider rack ( 304 ), wherein the slider gear ( 302 ) and the slider rack ( 304 ) are configured that the door lock slider ( 112 ) reciprocates along the first linear direction (E) or the second linear direction (F) when the slider gear ( 302 ) rotates about the rotating shaft ( 314 ) in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction;

a bias device ( 132 ) for driving the slider gear ( 302 ) such that the slider gear ( 302 ) drives the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move in the second linear direction (F); and

a driving device ( 102 ) for pulling the door lock slider ( 112 ) along the first linear direction (E), wherein the driving device ( 102 ) is connected with the door lock slider ( 112 ) via a flexible component ( 106 ), the driving device ( 102 ) pulls the door lock slider ( 112 ) along the first linear direction (E) through the flexible component ( 106 ), and the driving device ( 102 ) comprises:

a driving gear ( 120 ) configured to rotate unidirectionally and provided with a gear teeth driving portion ( 414 ) and a toothless portion ( 432 ) on the periphery of the driving gear ( 120 ); and

a driving rack ( 128 ) for driving the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move along the first linear direction (E) and being able to reciprocate along the first linear direction (E) and the second linear direction (F);

wherein the driving gear ( 120 ) and the driving rack ( 128 ) are configured that:

(1) the driving rack ( 128 ) engages the gear teeth driving portion ( 414 ) when the driving rack ( 128 ) drives the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move along the first linear direction (E), so as to drive the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move along the first linear direction (E); or

(2) the movement route of the driving rack ( 128 ) corresponds to the toothless portion ( 432 ) when the driving rack ( 128 ) drives the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move along the second linear direction (F), so as to reduce the resistance generated when the door lock slider ( 112 ) moves along the second linear direction (F).

17 . The door lock assembly of claim 16 , wherein

the flexible component ( 106 ) is connected with the door lock slider ( 112 ) linearly.

18 . The door lock assembly of claim 16 , further comprising:

at least one constant pulley ( 151 , 152 , 153 ) configured to change a moving path of the flexible component ( 106 ).

19 . The door lock assembly of claim 16 , wherein

the driving gear ( 120 ) and the driving rack ( 128 ) are configured that:

the driving rack ( 128 ) engages the gear teeth driving portion ( 414 ) when the driving gear ( 120 ) rotates within a first angle range, or

the movement route of the driving rack ( 128 ) corresponds to the toothless portion ( 432 ) of the driving gear ( 120 ) when the driving gear ( 120 ) rotates within a second angle range.

20 . The door lock assembly of claim 19 , wherein

the driving gear ( 120 ) and the driving rack ( 128 ) are configured that:

the driving rack ( 128 ) moves along the first linear direction (E) when the driving gear ( 120 ) rotates within the first angle range, so as to drive the door lock slider ( 112 ) to move along the first linear direction (E); or

the door lock slider ( 112 ) moves along the second linear direction (F) and drives the driving rack ( 128 ) to move along the second linear direction (F) when the movement route of the driving rack ( 128 ) corresponds to the toothless portion ( 432 ) of the driving gear ( 120 ).

21 . The door lock assembly of claim 20 , wherein

the driving gear ( 120 ) and the driving rack ( 128 ) are configured that:

the driving gear ( 120 ) drives the driving rack ( 128 ) to move from a start position to an end position when the driving gear ( 120 ) rotates within the first angle range;

the door lock slider ( 112 ) drives the driving rack ( 128 ) to move from the end position to the start position when the driving gear ( 120 ) rotates to within the second angle range.

22 . The door lock assembly of claim 21 , wherein the driving device ( 102 ) further comprises:

a driving motor ( 126 ) for driving the driving gear ( 120 ) to rotate within the first angle range and the second angle range.