Isolated voltage door latch for an appliance

Abstract

An isolated voltage door latch for an appliance that includes a controller and a door contact. The controller is configured to control an electrical load device within the appliance based on a control signal. The door contact is configured to trigger transmission of a sensing signal to an electrical load actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device. The sensing signal is transmitted to the electrical load actuator via a door latch circuit in a first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state. Furthermore, the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a second instance in which the sensing signal and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator.

1 . An appliance, comprising:
 a controller configured to control an electrical load device within the appliance based on a control signal; and   a door contact configured to trigger transmission of a sensing signal to an electrical load actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device,   wherein the sensing signal is transmitted to the electrical load actuator via a door latch circuit in a first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state, and   wherein the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a second instance in which the sensing signal and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical load actuator is a relay device, and wherein the sensing signal is transmitted from the door contact to the relay device via the door latch circuit in the first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the door latch circuit is configured to facilitate the control of the electrical load device based on the sensing signal. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the door latch circuit is configured to deactivate the electrical load device in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a live alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 5 , wherein a neutral alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide the sensing signal to the door latch circuit via the door contact. 
     
     
         8 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the door latch circuit is further configured to facilitate the control of the electrical load device via a ground voltage signal connected to the electrical load actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a third instance in which the sensing signal, the ground voltage signal, and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the control signal is a first control signal, and wherein the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a third instance in which the sensing signal and a second control signal provided by the controller are received by a neutral actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the control signal is a first control signal, and wherein the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a fourth instance in which: the sensing signal, the ground voltage signal, and the first control signal are received by the electrical load actuator, and the sensing signal, the ground voltage signal, and a second control signal are received by a neutral actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device. 
     
     
         12 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the sensing signal is a direct current (DC) voltage signal. 
     
     
         13 . The appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the direct current (DC) voltage signal is a low-voltage signal. 
     
     
         14 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a dishwasher. 
     
     
         15 . An appliance, comprising:
 a controller configured to control an electrical load device within the appliance based on a control signal; and   a door latch circuit configured to facilitate the control of the electrical load device based on a sensing signal received from a door contact,   wherein the door latch signal is configured to transmit the sensing signal to an electrical load actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device,   wherein the sensing signal is transmitted to the electrical load actuator via the door latch circuit in a first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state, and   wherein the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a second instance in which the sensing signal and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator.   
     
     
         16 . The appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the electrical load actuator is a relay device, and wherein the sensing signal is transmitted to the relay device via the door latch circuit in the first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state. 
     
     
         17 . The appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the door latch circuit is configured to deactivate the electrical load device in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state. 
     
     
         18 . The appliance of  claim 15 , wherein a live alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state. 
     
     
         19 . The appliance of  claim 15 , wherein a neutral alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state. 
     
     
         20 . The appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the appliance is a dishwasher.