CN116926884A

CN116926884A - Clothes care appliance

Info

Publication number: CN116926884A
Application number: CN202210355068.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 言龙
Original assignee: BSH Electrical Appliances Jiangsu Co Ltd; BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Electrical Appliances Jiangsu Co Ltd; BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2022-04-06
Filing date: 2022-04-06
Publication date: 2023-10-24
Also published as: WO2023194889A1

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a laundry care appliance, wherein the laundry care appliance comprises: a housing (10); a tub (20) installed in the housing (10); a damper (30) connected to the housing (10) and the tub (20) and including a sleeve (31) and a piston rod (32) axially movably inserted into the sleeve (31); and a limiting unit (40) movably connected to the shock absorber (30) and configured to be movable relative to the shock absorber (30) between a first position and a second position, such that the limiting unit (40) is capable of limiting the movement of the sleeve (31) relative to the piston rod (32) in the first position and releasing the limitation in the second position. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the likelihood of damage to components of a laundry care appliance during transportation of the laundry care appliance can be reduced.

Description

Clothes care appliance

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of household appliances, in particular to a clothes care appliance.

Background

Jolt and vibration of the laundry care appliance are inevitably generated during transportation, and thus the parts of the laundry care appliance may collide with each other due to jolt, resulting in damage of the parts.

Taking a drum washing machine as an example, the drum washing machine generally includes a housing having a laundry inlet provided on a front panel thereof to input or output laundry; the inlet is provided with a door to open or close the clothes inlet; the inside of the housing is provided with a laundry treating tub assembly which is connected to the inside of the housing through a spring and a damper and is in a hanging state. The laundry treating tub assembly mainly includes: the liquid containing barrel is arranged on the liquid containing barrel to keep the balancing weight of the liquid containing barrel in the working state of the clothes care appliance, and the roller is arranged in the liquid containing barrel and can rotate around a horizontal axis or a tilting axis under the driving of a motor. One side of the drum has an opening, which is connected with the laundry input opening through a sealing ring made of elastic material.

Since the laundry treating tub assembly is suspended in the housing by the elastic damping means, the laundry treating tub assembly is movable with respect to the housing, and thus, during movement and transportation of the washing machine, the laundry treating tub assembly is easily impacted against the housing due to shaking, thereby causing damage to the housing and the laundry treating tub assembly.

In order to reduce the occurrence of the above-mentioned damage, a damping foam may be supported at the underside of the laundry treating tub assembly. After the washing machine reaches the use place, the damping foam is taken out again. However, such shock absorbing foam is bulky and requires a large installation space. In addition, in order for the washing machine to operate normally, it is necessary to remove the shock-absorbing foam from the washing machine by means of a complicated operation. In addition, the damping foam also has the problems of large storage space, environmental protection and the like.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a laundry care appliance which is capable of reducing the likelihood of damage to components of the laundry care appliance during transport.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention provide a laundry care appliance, wherein the laundry care appliance comprises: a housing; a tub installed in the housing; a damper connected to the housing and the tub, and including a sleeve and a piston rod axially movably inserted into the sleeve; and a limiting unit movably connected to the shock absorber and configured to be movable relative to the shock absorber between a first position and a second position such that the limiting unit is capable of limiting movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod in the first position and releasing the limitation in the second position.

By having the limiting unit in the first position limiting the movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod during transport of the laundry care appliance, the movement of the tub relative to the housing can be correspondingly limited to prevent the tub from impinging on the housing, thus preventing components of the laundry care appliance from being damaged. After the laundry care appliance is transported to the place of use, for example to the home of the user, the restriction unit can be moved by a simple operation to a second position allowing the laundry care appliance to function normally. Thereby, a possibility is provided to protect the components of the laundry care appliance during transport. In particular, in addition to laundry care appliances utilizing shock absorbing foam, additional alternatives are provided. The limiting unit has small structural size and does not need to occupy large installation space additionally. In addition, such a limiting unit is simple to operate and environmentally friendly.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the limiting unit comprises: a bracket movably connected to the piston rod such that the bracket is movable relative to the piston rod to effect movement of the restriction unit between the first and second positions; and a blocking member attached to the bracket and configured to block the sleeve to restrict movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod with the restriction unit in the first position and to release the restriction of the sleeve with the restriction unit in the second position. The limiting unit has simple structure and easy manufacture. The bracket can reliably hold the stopper.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the barrier is formed as a cushion made of an elastic material. Thereby, the blocking member is able to absorb movement energy while blocking movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the sleeve has an upper end and a lower end opposite to each other, the piston rod being inserted into the sleeve from the lower end of the sleeve and having a smaller outer diameter than the lower end of the sleeve; and with the restriction unit in the first position, the blocking member abuts against the piston rod, and the lower end of the sleeve is capable of abutting against the blocking member when the sleeve is moved towards the piston rod. Thereby, the restriction unit is able to reliably restrict the movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod in the first position.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the holder abuts on the housing with the restriction unit in the second position, the blocking member being out of contact with the piston rod and the sleeve. Thus, it can be ensured that with the restriction unit in the second position, the normal operation of the laundry care appliance is not affected and, in addition, the bracket does not need to be removed from the laundry care appliance.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the blocking member and the bracket have a U-shaped cross-section and the bracket surrounds the blocking member such that the blocking member and the bracket can surround the piston rod in the case of the restriction unit being in the first position and the piston rod can leave the blocking member and the bracket from the opening of the U-shape when the restriction unit is moved from the first position to the second position. The limiting unit has a simple structure and is convenient to operate.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the bracket comprises a first wall and a second wall arranged opposite each other and a third wall connected between the first wall and the second wall, forming a U-shape and enclosing a receiving cavity for receiving the barrier, wherein: the first wall and the second wall have a tab for preventing the blocking member from exiting the receiving cavity, the tab extending in the direction of the receiving cavity; and/or the first wall and the second wall have lugs formed with attachment structures for attachment to a piston rod; and/or the third wall is arranged so as to be able to rest against the housing with the limiting unit in the second position; and/or the bracket is formed from sheet metal. The stop can be stably attached to the bracket and reliably restrict the movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod. The bracket can be connected to the piston rod by a lug. In the second position of the limiting unit, the third wall rests against the housing, which is advantageous for stably maintaining the position of the limiting unit. In particular, the restriction unit is not easily displaced by vibration during operation of the laundry care appliance. The bracket formed as a sheet metal member can have sufficient strength and is easy to manufacture. The above-described structure of the bracket is formed by a sheet metal process to be particularly advantageous.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the laundry care appliance further comprises a shock absorber frame, wherein the shock absorber frame, the bracket and the piston rod are hinged in a rotatable manner relative to each other, the movement of the restriction unit between the first position and the second position being achieved by rotation of the bracket relative to the shock absorber frame and the piston rod. This design is advantageous in reducing the installation space required for the restriction unit and in directly applying the restriction unit to the existing laundry care appliance without changing the structure of the existing shock absorber and shock absorber frame.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the restriction unit comprises a positioning structure configured to be able to hold the restriction unit in place in the first position and/or in the second position. This facilitates a stable and reliable holding of the restriction unit in the first position and/or the second position.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the positioning structure comprises a first magnetic body fixed to or formed as a bracket, the piston rod comprises or is made of a second magnetic body, wherein the first and second magnetic bodies are arranged to be able to cooperate with each other to generate a magnetic attraction force driving the bracket close to the piston rod and being held in place in the first position. Thereby, the restriction unit can be held in the first position in a simple manner, and switching between the first position and the second position can be achieved by a simple operation by the user.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises or is made of a third magnetic body, the first and third magnetic bodies being arranged to be able to cooperate with each other to create a magnetic attraction force urging the holder close to the housing and being held in place in the second position. Thereby, the restriction unit can be held in the second position in a simple manner, and switching between the first position and the second position can be achieved by a simple operation by the user.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the support is formed with an outwardly protruding operating handle such that a force urging the support between the first and second positions can be exerted on said operating handle. Thereby, the user can operate the restriction unit more conveniently.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the damper is connected to the tub from below, and the limiting unit is arranged to be able to limit the downward movement of the tub relative to the housing in the first position. This is advantageous in preventing too severe downward displacement of the tub relative to the housing during transport of the laundry care appliance.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the damper and the limiting unit are connected to the floor of the housing by means of a hinge structure, wherein the limiting unit is arranged to be able to abut to said floor in the second position. This makes the operation of the restriction unit simple.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the laundry care appliance further comprises a transport bolt for fixing the tub to the back plate of the housing. The relative position of the barrel and the shell can be fixed at least to a certain extent by using the transport bolts. The combination of the transport bolt and the limiting unit is particularly advantageous, enabling more reliable protection of the components of the laundry care appliance during transport. The limiting unit in particular reduces the forces to which the transport bolts are subjected.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the laundry care appliance is a washing machine, dryer or a washing-drying integrated machine. The restriction unit can be adapted to various types of laundry care appliances.

Drawings

The principles, features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by describing the present invention in more detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings include:

fig. 1 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a laundry care appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, with the restriction unit in a second position;

fig. 3 and 4 schematically show perspective views of a damper and a limiting unit in an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention; and

fig. 5 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a damper and a limiting unit in one example according to the invention.

List of reference numerals:

10. shell body

20. Barrel (barrel)

30. Shock absorber

31. Sleeve barrel

32. Piston rod

40. Limiting unit

41. Support frame

411. A first wall

412. A second wall

413. Third wall

414. Tabs

415. Lugs

416. Operating handle

42. Barrier element

43. First magnetic body

44. Second magnetic body

50. Shock absorber rack

90. Shock absorbing foam

Detailed Description

In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and advantageous technical effects to be solved by the present invention more apparent, the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and a plurality of exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

First, in order to facilitate understanding, returning to the description of the background art section, the related art laundry care appliances have problems in that damage to components easily occurs during transportation, the shock absorbing foam for protection is bulky, the operation is complicated, and the like.

In view of at least one of the above technical problems, or other possible technical problems, one exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a laundry care appliance, wherein the laundry care appliance comprises: a housing; a tub installed in the housing; a damper connected to the housing and the tub, and including a sleeve and a piston rod axially movably inserted into the sleeve; and a limiting unit movably connected to the shock absorber and configured to be movable relative to the shock absorber between a first position and a second position such that the limiting unit is capable of limiting movement of the sleeve relative to the piston rod in the first position and releasing the limitation in the second position.

For a better understanding of the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Before beginning the detailed description, it should be noted that directional terms used in the description refer to the state of normal use of the laundry care appliance for convenience of description and are not to be construed as absolute definitions of the corresponding features.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a laundry care appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the laundry care appliance is implemented as a washing machine. As can be seen from fig. 1, the washing machine includes a housing 10 and a tub 20 mounted in the housing 10. The tub 20 may be configured as a tub for containing washing liquid, and is suspended within the housing 10, for example, by an elastic suspension unit. Fig. 1 exemplarily shows a laundry care appliance implemented as a drum type washing machine. The drum type washing machine may further include a drum rotatably disposed within the tub 20, the drum being provided for accommodating laundry to be treated, and may be provided to be rotatable, for example, by motor driving, particularly about a substantially horizontal axis. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is equally applicable to other types of washing machines, such as pulsator washing machines. In addition, the laundry care appliance according to the present invention may also be implemented as a dryer, a washing and drying integrated machine, or the like.

As can be seen from fig. 1, the washing machine further includes a damper 30, the damper 30 being connected to the housing 10 and the tub 20 and configured to at least reduce shock transmission between the housing 10 and the tub 20. During operation of the washing machine, the rotation of the drum will cause vibrations of the tub 20 as well as other components of the washing machine. Such vibration may cause problems of life loss of electric devices or rubber parts of the washing machine, causing unpleasant noise, affecting the user's use experience, etc. The damper 30 connected between the case 10 and the tub 20 can advantageously achieve damping. The shock absorber 30 may include a sleeve 31 and a piston rod 32 axially movably inserted into the sleeve 31. Here, "axial" is with respect to the sleeve 31 and the piston rod 32. The sleeve 31 and the piston rod 32 may be directly or indirectly connected to the tub 20 and the housing 10, respectively, and absorb and eliminate shock by means of a relative movement between the sleeve 31 and the piston rod 32. For example, a friction plate may be provided between the sleeve 31 and the piston rod 32 to provide a damping force by a frictional movement and consume vibration energy. Alternatively or additionally, other damping structures, such as springs or the like, capable of providing a damping force may be provided between the sleeve 31 and the piston rod 32.

During transportation of the washing machine, the washing machine may shake due to unavoidable jolts. This in turn may cause the tub 20 to strike the casing 10, so that parts of the washing machine are damaged. Currently, the washing machine can fix the position of the tub 20 during transportation by means of a shock-absorbing foam 90 (schematically shown in dotted lines in fig. 1) arranged at the bottom of the tub 20, which has many drawbacks as described above.

For this, the washing machine shown in fig. 1 is provided with a restriction unit 40 for protecting components of the washing machine during transportation of the washing machine. The limiting unit 40 is movably connected to the shock absorber 30 and is configured to be movable relative to the shock absorber 30 between a first position and a second position such that the limiting unit 40 is capable of limiting the movement of the sleeve 31 relative to the piston rod 32 in the first position and releasing the limitation in the second position. Fig. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional view similar to fig. 1, wherein the restriction unit 40 is in the second position.

Thereby, the restriction unit 40 may be brought to the first position during transportation of the washing machine, thereby restricting the movement of the sleeve 31 with respect to the piston rod 32. Accordingly, movement of the tub 20 relative to the housing 10 will also be limited. Accordingly, the restriction unit 40 in the first position can prevent the tub 20 from being severely displaced with respect to the housing 10 and prevent the tub 20 from being bumped on the housing 10. After the washing machine is transported to a place of use, for example to a user's home, the restriction unit 40 may be moved from the first position to the second position and the restriction released. Thereby, the damper 30 can realize a damping function by means of the movement of the sleeve 31 with respect to the piston rod 32 during the normal operation of the washing machine. In this process, the operation is simple without detaching the restriction unit 40. Such a restriction unit 40 is small in structural size without occupying a large installation space additionally. In addition, such a restraining element 40 is more environmentally friendly relative to the use of shock absorbing foam 90.

Additionally, the laundry care appliance may further comprise a transport bolt for fixing the tub 20 to the back plate of the housing 10. The transport bolts may be removed after the laundry care appliance is transported to the place of use and before normal operation. The combination of the transport bolts and the restriction unit 40 can particularly advantageously prevent the tub 20 from being severely displaced with respect to the housing 10 during transportation of the washing machine, thereby protecting the parts of the washing machine. In the case where the tub 20 is fixed to the rear plate of the housing 10 by the transport bolts, when the washing machine is shaken, the front end of the tub 20, which is far from the rear plate, is still significantly shaken with respect to the housing 10. This may cause the front end of the tub 20 to strike the housing 10 on the one hand, and on the other hand, the transit bolt to be subjected to considerable forces, and may even cause the tub 20, the housing 10 or the transit bolt to deform or break. With the restriction unit 40, the tub 20 can be effectively prevented from striking the housing 10, and the force that the transportation bolt receives can be reduced, reducing the possibility of damage to the tub 20, the housing 10, or the transportation bolt of the washing machine. The limiting unit 40 may be connected to the damper 30 at the front end of the tub 20, in particular, which is advantageous for protecting components of the washing machine in cooperation with the transport bolts.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the damper 30 may be connected to the tub 20 from below, and the limiting unit 40 is arranged to be able to limit the downward movement of the tub 20 with respect to the housing 10 in the first position. Thereby, it is advantageous to prevent the tub 20 from being excessively downwardly displaced with respect to the housing 10 during transportation of the washing machine. This design is particularly advantageous in cases where the tub 20 and other components mounted on the tub 20, such as a counterweight or the like, have a large weight. In particular, it is also advantageous to reduce the forces to which the transport bolts are subjected.

The damper 30 and the limiting unit 40 may be connected to the housing 10, for example, a bottom plate or a side plate of the housing 10, through a hinge structure. The limiting unit 40 is rotatable from the first position to the second position by means of a hinge structure. As shown in fig. 2, the restriction unit 40 is arranged to be able to abut to the bottom plate or the side plate in the second position. During normal operation of the washing machine, the restriction unit 40 is still disposed in the washing machine without being removed. In case it is required to transport the washing machine again, the restriction unit 40 may be moved from the second position to the first position to protect the washing machine during transport.

The invention is described in more detail below in connection with fig. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 and 4 schematically show perspective views of the damper 30 and the limiting unit 40 in an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention.

As can be seen from fig. 3 and 4, the sleeve 31 of the shock absorber 30 and the piston rod 32 inserted into the sleeve 31 may be arranged coaxially with each other. The axial direction is schematically shown in fig. 3 and 4 in dashed lines. The limiting unit 40 is, for example, relatively rotatably connected to the shock absorber 30 and is configured to be movable relative to the shock absorber 30 between a first position and a second position, such that the limiting unit 40 is capable of limiting the movement of the sleeve 31 relative to the piston rod 32 in the first position and releasing the limitation in the second position. The restriction unit 40 is shown in a first position in fig. 3, and the restriction unit 40 is shown in a second position in fig. 4. It should be understood that "restricting the movement of the sleeve 31 relative to the piston rod 32" does not mean completely prohibiting the movement of the sleeve 31 relative to the piston rod 32. For example, the relative movement between the sleeve 31 and the piston rod 32 may have a certain free travel beyond which the limiting unit 40 only prevents the sleeve 31 from moving relative to the piston rod 32.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 4, the limiting unit 40 includes: a bracket 41 movably connected to the piston rod 32 such that the bracket 41 is movable relative to the piston rod 32 to effect movement of the restriction unit 40 between the first and second positions; and a blocking member 42 attached to the bracket 41 and configured to block the sleeve 31 to restrict movement of the sleeve 31 relative to the piston rod 32 with the restriction unit 40 in the first position and to release the restriction of the sleeve 31 with the restriction unit 40 in the second position. The holder 41 can reliably hold the stopper 42. Such a limiting unit 40 is simple in structure and easy to manufacture.

The sleeve 31 may have upper and lower ends opposite each other. The piston rod 32 is inserted into the sleeve 31 from the lower end of the sleeve 31 and has a smaller outer diameter than the lower end of the sleeve 31. With the restriction unit 40 in the first position, the blocking member 42 may abut against the piston rod 32, and when the sleeve 31 moves toward the piston rod 32, the lower end of the sleeve 31 may abut against the blocking member 42. Thereby, the restriction unit 40 can reliably restrict the movement of the sleeve 31 with respect to the piston rod 32 in the first position. Alternatively, the blocking member 42 may be spaced apart from the lower end of the sleeve 31 by a certain interval, for example, 3mm to 5mm, in a state in which the washing machine is at rest and the restriction unit 40 is located at the first position. Accordingly, when the sleeve 31 moves downward relative to the piston rod 32 and spans the gap, the lower end of the sleeve 31 will rest against the stop 42 and further downward movement of the sleeve 31 will be blocked by the stop 42. Such spacing may allow for more freedom of movement of limiting unit 40 relative to shock absorber 30.

The blocking member 42 may be formed as a cushion pad made of an elastic material. For example, the cushion pad may be made of a material such as silicone or polyester ammonia. The cushion pad absorbs movement energy while resisting movement of the sleeve 31 relative to the piston rod 32.

The laundry care appliance for example further comprises a shock absorber frame 50, the bracket 41 and the piston rod 32 being rotatably hinged with respect to each other, the movement of the limiting unit 40 between the first and the second position being achieved by rotation of the bracket 41 with respect to the shock absorber frame 50 and the piston rod 32. For example, the hinged connection of the shock absorber mount 50, the bracket 41 and the piston rod 32 may be achieved by shoulder screws passing through holes of the bracket 41, the shock absorber 30 piece and the piston rod 32 so that any two of the three can rotate relative to each other. This design is advantageous in reducing the installation space required for the restriction unit 40. In addition, this design also enables the limiting unit 40 to be directly applied to an existing washing machine without changing the structures of the existing damper 30 and damper frame 50. The damper frame 50 may be fixed to the housing 10, for example, by riveting or screwing, etc., to a bottom plate or a side plate of the housing 10. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the limiting unit 40 may be mounted in other ways as well. For example, the limiting unit 40 may be mounted directly to the housing 10 or the piston rod 32, and/or mounted in a translatable manner.

After the bracket 41 is rotated relative to the damper frame 50 and the damper 30 and the restricting unit 40 is brought to the second position shown in fig. 4, the bracket 41 may abut on the housing 10 while the stopper 42 is not in contact with the piston rod 32 and the sleeve 31. Therefore, in the case where the restriction unit 40 is located at the second position, the damper 30 can perform its damping function, and the normal operation of the washing machine is not affected.

Fig. 5 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the shock absorber 30 and the limiting unit 40 in one example according to the invention, wherein the limiting unit 40 is in a first position, the cross-section being perpendicular to the axial direction of the shock absorber 30.

As can be seen in fig. 5, the blocking member 42 and the bracket 41 may have a U-shaped cross section and the bracket 41 surrounds the blocking member 42. With the restriction unit 40 in the first position, the blocking member 42 and the bracket 41 can surround the piston rod 32. When the limiting unit 40 is moved from the first position to the second position, the piston rod 32 can leave the blocking member 42 and the bracket 41 from the opening of the U-shape. Such a restriction unit 40 is simple and stable in structure and convenient in operation.

The bracket 41 may include first and second walls 411 and 412 disposed opposite to each other and a third wall 413 connected between the first and second walls 411 and 412, thereby being formed in a U shape and enclosing a receiving chamber for receiving the blocking member 42. The first wall 411 and the second wall 412 may have a tab 414 for preventing the blocking member 42 from exiting the receiving cavity, said tab 414 extending in the direction of the receiving cavity. This enables the stopper 42 to be stably and reliably attached to the bracket 41. The first wall 411 and the second wall 412 may each have a plurality of tabs 414, which tabs 414 can prevent both the barrier 42 from exiting the receiving cavity from the U-shaped opening in a direction away from the third wall 413 and the barrier 42 from being displaced downward by being pressed by the sleeve 31 (see fig. 3).

Referring again to fig. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the first wall 411 and the second wall 412 have downwardly extending lugs 415, the lugs 415 being formed with attachment means for attachment to the piston rod 32. For example, the lugs 415 may have through holes for shoulder screws to pass through.

The third wall 413 is arranged to be able to rest against the housing 10 with the limiting unit 40 in the second position. This is advantageous in stably maintaining the position of the restriction unit 40. Particularly, the restriction unit 40 is not easily displaced by vibration during the operation of the washing machine.

The support 41 may be formed with an outwardly protruding handle 416 such that a force urging the support 41 between the first and second positions can be exerted on said handle 416.

The holder 41 is formed of, for example, a sheet metal member. This makes the bracket 41 strong enough and easy to manufacture. The above-described structure of the bracket 41 is formed by a sheet metal process to be particularly advantageous.

In one exemplary embodiment, the restriction unit 40 may include a positioning structure configured to hold the restriction unit 40 in place in the first position and/or the second position.

For example, referring to fig. 5, the positioning structure may include a first magnetic body 43 fixed to the bracket 41 or formed as the bracket 41, and the piston rod 32 includes a second magnetic body 44. The first magnetic body 43 and the second magnetic body 44 are arranged to be able to cooperate with each other to create a magnetic attraction force that urges the holder 41 close to the piston rod 32 and is held in place in the first position. Thereby, the restriction unit 40 can be held in the first position in a simple manner, and it is advantageous to achieve switching between the first position and the second position by a simple operation of the user. The first magnetic body 43 and the second magnetic body 44 may be formed of a magnet or a magnet and a metal material that can be attracted to the magnet, respectively. For example, the first magnetic body 43 may be embedded in the third wall 413 of the holder 41, and the second magnetic body 44 may be embedded in the piston rod 32 at a position corresponding to the first magnetic body 43.

The piston rod 32 may also be made of a second magnetic body 44. For example, the piston rod 32 is made of a metal material that can be attracted by a magnet, and the first magnetic body 43 is made of a magnet.

Alternatively, the housing 10 may comprise or be made of a third magnetic body, the first 43 and third magnetic bodies being arranged to be able to cooperate with each other to create a magnetic attraction force urging the bracket 41 towards the housing 10 and being held in place in the second position. For example, the third magnetic body may be embedded in the bottom plate of the housing 10 adjacent to the damper frame 50. Thereby, the restriction unit 40 can be held in the second position in a simple manner, and it is advantageous to achieve switching between the first position and the second position by a simple operation of the user.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the positioning structure may also be embodied in other forms, such as in the form of an adhesive connection, a snap connection, a threaded connection, etc.

Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, even where only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The characteristic examples provided in the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative, not limiting, unless stated differently. In a specific implementation, the features may be combined with one another where technically feasible according to the actual requirements. In particular, features from different embodiments may also be combined with one another. Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A laundry care appliance, wherein the laundry care appliance comprises:

a housing (10);

a tub (20) installed in the housing (10);

a damper (30) connected to the housing (10) and the tub (20) and including a sleeve (31) and a piston rod (32) axially movably inserted into the sleeve (31); and

a limiting unit (40) movably connected to the shock absorber (30) and configured to be movable relative to the shock absorber (30) between a first position and a second position, such that the limiting unit (40) is capable of limiting movement of the sleeve (31) relative to the piston rod (32) in the first position and releasing the limitation in the second position.

2. The laundry care appliance of claim 1, wherein,

the restriction unit (40) includes:

a bracket (41) movably connected to the piston rod (32) such that the bracket (41) is movable relative to the piston rod (32) to effect movement of the restriction unit (40) between the first and second positions; and

a blocking member (42) attached to the bracket (41) and configured to block the sleeve (31) to limit movement of the sleeve (31) relative to the piston rod (32) with the limiting unit (40) in the first position and to release the limitation of the sleeve (31) with the limiting unit (40) in the second position.

3. The laundry care appliance of claim 2, wherein,

the barrier (42) is formed as a cushion made of an elastic material.

4. The laundry care appliance of claim 2 or 3, wherein,

the sleeve (31) has upper and lower ends opposite to each other, and the piston rod (32) is inserted into the sleeve (31) from the lower end of the sleeve (31) and has a smaller outer diameter than the lower end of the sleeve (31); and

with the limiting unit (40) in the first position, the blocking member (42) abuts against the piston rod (32), and when the sleeve (31) moves towards the piston rod (32), the lower end of the sleeve (31) can abut against the blocking member (42).

5. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 2-4, wherein,

when the limiting unit (40) is in the second position, the support (41) is adjacent to the housing (10), and the blocking member (42) is not in contact with the piston rod (32) and the sleeve (31).

6. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 2-5, wherein,

the blocking member (42) and the bracket (41) have a U-shaped cross section and the bracket (41) surrounds the blocking member (42) such that the blocking member (42) and the bracket (41) can surround the piston rod (32) with the restriction unit (40) in the first position and the piston rod (32) can leave the blocking member (42) and the bracket (41) from the opening of the U-shape when the restriction unit (40) is moved from the first position to the second position.

7. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 2-6, wherein,

the bracket (41) comprises a first wall (411) and a second wall (412) arranged opposite to each other and a third wall (413) connected between the first wall (411) and the second wall (412), so as to form a U-shape and enclose a receiving cavity for receiving the blocking member (42), wherein:

the first wall (411) and the second wall (412) have a tab (414) for preventing the blocking element (42) from leaving the receiving chamber, said tab (414) extending in the direction of the receiving chamber; and/or

The first wall (411) and the second wall (412) have lugs (415), said lugs (415) being formed with connection means for connection with the piston rod (32); and/or

The third wall (413) is arranged so as to be able to rest on the housing (10) when the limiting unit (40) is in the second position; and/or

The bracket (41) is formed of a sheet metal member.

8. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 2-7, wherein,

the laundry care appliance further comprises a shock absorber mount (50), wherein the shock absorber mount (50), the bracket (41) and the piston rod (32) are rotatably hinged with respect to each other, the movement of the limiting unit (40) between the first position and the second position being achieved by rotation of the bracket (41) with respect to the shock absorber mount (50) and the piston rod (32).

9. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 2-8, wherein,

the restraining element (40) includes a locating structure configured to be able to hold the restraining element (40) in place in the first position and/or the second position.

10. The laundry care appliance of claim 9, wherein,

the positioning structure comprises a first magnetic body (43), which first magnetic body (43) is fixed to the bracket (41) or formed as the bracket (41), the piston rod (32) comprises or is made of a second magnetic body (44), wherein the first magnetic body (43) and the second magnetic body (44) are arranged to be able to cooperate with each other to generate a magnetic attraction force driving the bracket (41) close to the piston rod (32) and being held in place in the first position.

11. The laundry care appliance of claim 10, wherein,

the housing (10) comprises or is made of a third magnetic body, the first magnetic body (43) and the third magnetic body being arranged to be able to cooperate with each other to create a magnetic attraction force urging the bracket (41) close to the housing (10) and being held in place in the second position.

12. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 2-11, wherein,

the bracket (41) is formed with an outwardly protruding lever (416) such that a force urging the bracket (41) between the first and second positions can be exerted on said lever (416).

13. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 1-12, wherein,

the damper (30) is connected to the tub (20) from below, the limiting unit (40) being arranged to be able to limit the downward movement of the tub (20) relative to the housing (10) in the first position; and/or

The damper (30) and the limiting unit (40) are connected to the floor of the housing (10) by means of a hinge structure, wherein the limiting unit (40) is arranged to be able to abut to said floor in the second position.

14. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 1-13, wherein,

the laundry care appliance further comprises a transport bolt for fixing the tub (20) to the back plate of the housing (10).

15. The laundry care appliance of any one of claims 1-14, wherein,

the laundry care appliance is a washing machine, dryer or washing-drying integrated machine.