AT510831A1 - DYNAMIC COUNTERWEIGHT FOR WASHING MACHINES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a spinner having a weight to compensate for the vibrations during the spin cycle, in particular front or top loader washers.

Description

Dynamic counterweight for washing machines Description

The invention relates to a centrifugal machine, which preferably has cement blocks or metal weights as a counterweight, in particular the front, top loader, washing machines.

The basic structure

One distinguishes between washing machines front loader and Toplader. Top loaders are tub washing machines. A particular advantage is the enormous weight reduction. Due to the vertical arrangement of the washing drum, weighting with cement blocks is not necessary.

Machines do not have their own heating, but are powered by the hot water supply of the house. The water flows from the top into the wash tub. This consists of a KunststofFkessel in which the drum is made of enamelled and perforated metal stored. In the middle of the tub is the agitator (Auf-wiegeler). This is specially worked and provided with slats. When the water level is reached, the agitator is triggered. This performs in rapid succession by half a turn to the right and to the left. The resulting vortex passes the laundry past the agitator and its fins, resulting in a mechanical washing process. The lye is disposed of by an electric pump. To spin the laundry, the entire washing drum rotates and reached by their size with little speed, a higher centrifugal force. But American devices have never prevailed on the local market. Since the wash-through is missing and the washing liquor is not poured over as in a European washing machine, the mechanical proportion of the cleaning is lower and the burden on the laundry is greater due to the agitator.

Such a wash tub-based top loader requires more water because the laundry must be completely covered, and so that the liquor fits, also more and above all sharper detergents. So it was not just the washing results but also economic reasons that led to the disappearance of this type in Europe. Since the beginning of the new millennium, European front-loading washing machines are increasingly being used in North America as well.

Front loaders are usually identified by the porthole on the front, which can be opened to load and unload the laundry. A particular disadvantage is the enormous weight by preferably cement blocks (11). This counterweight is required to minimize the shaking and shaking of the machine when spinning. Even though modern washing machines meanwhile run very quietly despite high speeds and do not wander around the apartment, the washing machine still does not remain completely still.

The invention is based on the object to offer a dynamic counterweight for weight reduction and to achieve the associated lower power consumption.

To solve this problem, the invention proceeds from the following finding. Fig.l shows a schematic diagram of a commercially available front loader washing machine, which has a plurality of cement blocks (11) within the housing. The total weight of the counterweight depends on the manufacturer and the spin speed and usually varies by half and more of the actual weight.

To this disadvantage of the enormous weight, which is particularly with the transport of

Washing machines and dryers from the producer to the dealer and from the dealer to the

End user makes it clear to avoid Fig.2, replacing the cement blocks (11) by one or more preferably plastic tanks (5). This empty one

Tanks (5) could preferably be connected between water tap (1), valve prewash (2) and main valve wash (3) by means of inlet hose (4). The tanks (5) could be comfortably accommodated in the free space under the drum. As a result, only after commissioning of the washing machine, the tank (5) would fill with water and the manufacturer's predetermined weight would be achieved.

This tank (5) would preferably be mounted inside the washing machine housing (9). In the case of a further transport, the water would be pumped out of the tank (5), for example via the drain pump (7), a separate pump (12) or emptied via the floor drain (8).

For washing you need about 50 liters of water. The majority is used to rinse the wash liquor. Only ten liters are heated. Nevertheless, a washing machine needs about half of the electricity in the 30 degree program for heating, in the 60 degree wash it is even three quarters.

Most washing machines have a cold water inlet. The necessary washing temperature is achieved by electrically heating the wash liquor.

Another category of washing machines has a hot water connection and can be mixed with cold water if required. Here it should be noted that between z. B. the water boiler and the washing machine, the water pipe is not longer than 5 m.

There is also the invention that the amount of heat of the previous washing process is used again in the subsequent. At least one washing process must have run through here.

Since most washing machines are located in heated rooms (eg bathroom, living room, laundry, etc.), there is another way to store and reuse heat.

The further idea of the invention is that the water for washing the laundry through the tank (5) is removed. This water extraction is controlled as in the current commercial washing machines on valve prewash (2) and valve main wash (3).

The tap water that flows through the faucet (1) into the tank (5) is about 10 degrees and is heated to the ambient room temperature of about 23 degrees.

The tank (5) is connected to the faucet (1) by means of inlet hose (4) at the lowest point and the heated water is removed at the highest point via line (6) for laundry - similar to the hot water boiler.

This preheated water is preferably used from the tank (5) for the laundry, for the rinsing of the water solution is again used the tap water. In this way energy is saved: The difference between the temperature of the tap water (about 10 degrees) and the water temperature in the tank of about 23 degrees, which has been warmed up by the outside air, is 13 degrees.

You would - as usual - wash the laundry with the desired wash program (eg, 90 degrees, 60 degrees, 30 degrees, cold) and it would be the preheated water from the tank (5) of about 23 degrees to the temperature increase the wash program.

The energy (electricity) is saved by the fact that you now have to heat up less water by this difference, because you need 1.16 Wh to heat a liter of water by 1 degree. Suppose that for laundry washing, 10 liters of water (depending on the manufacturer) would be heated in the main wash (without prewash), this would give a difference of 13 degrees x 10 liters x 1.16 Wh = 150 Wh per wash.

Claims (6)

ft. ······························································································································································································································ Compensating the vibrations during the spin cycle, characterized in that the weight is formed by a water-filled tank (5). 2. Dynamic counterweight according to claim 1, consists of one or more interconnected tanks (5). 3. Dynamic counterweight according to claim 1, the tank (5) is connected between faucet (1), valve prewash (2) and valve main wash (3) by means of inlet hose. 4. Dynamic counterweight according to claim 1, the tank (5) is filled after startup with water and so the washing machine reaches the weight specified by the manufacturer. 5. Dynamic counterweight according to claim 1, the tank (5) is pumped in the case of further transport via the drain pump (7), a separate pump (12) or emptied via the floor drain (8). 6. Dynamic counterweight according to claim 1, the tank (5) is connected to the faucet (1) by means of inlet hose (4) at the lowest point and the heated water is removed at the highest point via line (6) for the laundry.