EP0209088A1

EP0209088A1 - Laundry washing and drying machine

Info

Publication number: EP0209088A1
Application number: EP86109496A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Del Frate
Original assignee: Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA
Current assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA
Priority date: 1985-07-15
Filing date: 1986-07-11
Publication date: 1987-01-21
Also published as: IT8545726A0; IT1187286B

Abstract

The invention relates to a laundry washing and drying machine (10) comprising within an unitary housing structure (11) a drying section and a laundering section each provided with a respective drum (13, 68) for containing the laundry and actuated by a single motor (33).

The machine is provided with a unitary structure (11) forming part of the drying air circuit and adapted to be oscillated about the charging opening of the drying section (17) between an engagement position and a disengagement position with respect to said motor (33). Also provided are means (22, 23, 24, 25, 38) for the transmission of the driving power to the drum (13) and to a blower (21) of the drying section, means (56, 57) for oscillating said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) and means (62, 63) for ensuring the transmission of the driving power from said motor (33) to the drying section.

Description

The present invention relates to a laundry washing and drying machine, particularly of the domestic type, comprising a unitary housing enclosing in superposition a drying section and a washing section each provided with a respective drum for containing the laundry and adapted to be rotated about respective horizontal axes by a single motor drive.
Already known are domestic laundry washing and drying machines having a single tub and drum assembly adapted to carry out in successive steps the laundering, the centrifuging and the drying of the laundry.
In machines of this type, the capacity of the laundering drum is insufficient for permitting the previously laundered charge of laundry to be dried in a single operation, so that the charge of laundry has to be subdivided for the drying operation, resulting in a longer duration of the process and an increased consumption of electric energy.
Also known are so-called laundry washing and drying columns comprising a laundry dryer mounted on top of a laundry washing machine with a suitable connecting frame interposed therebetween.
This solution permits a full charge of laundry to be laundered and subsequently dried in a single operation, respectively, but requires the employ of two functionally independent machines which are merely connected by the connecting frame. For this reason, known laundry washing and drying columns have unnecessarily large dimensions, and above all involve a doubling of materials and components, such as certain housing elements, motors, control panels and the like, which might advantageously be unitized.
There is thus a demand for a domestic laundry washing and drying machine which eliminates the disadvantages and inherently unites the positive characteristics of the above described solutions.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a laundry washing and drying machine which should be provided with a drying section and a laundering section disposed above one another in a unitary housing, and comprise a single motor for actuating the two sections so as to render the machine more economical and more compact than the conventional laundry washing and drying columns.
According to the invention, this and other objects are attained by a laundry washing and drying machine, particularly of the domestic type, comprising a unitary housing structure enclosing a drying section disposed above a washing section provided with respective drums for containing the laundry and adapted to be rotated by means of an electric motor and a respective belt transmission, said laundry washing and drying machine being characterized by comprising a single actuating motor mounted above the washing tub and having one end of its shaft connected to the washing drum by a belt transmission, the other end of said shaft being adapted to be operatively coupled to a friction wheel of a unitary assembly forming part of the drying air circuit and adapted to be oscillated about the charging opening of the drying section between a disengaged and an engaged position with respect to said motor, said machine further comprising drive transmission means for actuating the drying drum and a drying blower, actuating means for oscillating said unitary assembly and means for ensuring the engagement of said friction wheel with the end of the motor shaft during the drying operation.
The advantages and characteristics of the invention will become more clearly evident from the following description, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

fig. 1 shows a sectional rear view of the machine according to the invention during the laundering operation,
fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the laundry washing and drying machine during the drying operation,
fig. 3 shows an enlarged detail designated at "b" in fig. 2,
fig. 4 shows a sectional rear view corresponding to fig. 1 during the drying operation, and
fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the machine according to the invention.

A laundry washing and drying machine 10 according to the invention comprises an outer housing 11 enclosing a conventional washing tub 12 of the front-loading type with a drum 68 mounted therein for rotation about a horizontal axis (as indicated by phantom lines in figs. 1 and 2), and, mounted above the washing tub, a conventional open-circuit laundry dryer also provided with a drum 13 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis.
The washing tub 12 is resiliently suspended in housing 11 and provided with all the components of a conventional laundry washing machine, such as shock absorber means, dynamic equilibration means, and means for the supply and discharge of detergents, washing liquids and the like.
The laundry drying drum 13 is supported in a per se known manner by a rear wall 14 of housing 11 (fig. 2), where its shaft rotates in a bearing 15, and by a front wall 16 of housing 11, whereat the peripheral rim of the charging opening of drum 13 is slidably supported on an annular flange 18 (figs. 1-3) secured to the inner boundary of an opening 17 for charging the laundry to be dried, and provided with known means for ensuring low-friction rotation of drum 13 and for sealingly retaining the drying air.
Flange 18 is integrally formed with a conduit 19 for the drying air leaving drum 13 and a housing 20 enclosing a blower 21 for the circulation of the drying air within the laundry dryer.
Mounted to the rear of housing 20 of suction blower 21 is a support 22 for a rotatable shaft 23 having one of its ends rigidly connected to blower 21 and carrying on its other end a multiple V-belt pulley 24 and a friction wheel 25 mounted closely adjacent one another.
A bellows-type sleeve 26 (fig. 4) connects housing 20 of blower 21 to an outlet opening 27 for the moist air formed in rear wall 14 of the housing of laundry washing and drying machine 10.
The open circuit for the drying air is completed by intake openings 28 formed for instance in a projecting portion of rear wall 14 of housing 11 and a conduit 29 containing heating resistors 30 for the conveyance of heated air into drying drum 13 through a perforate rear wall 31 thereof.
It is to be noted that a conventional electric motor 33 is mounted by means of metallic brackets 32 on top of the washing tub for selectively rotating washing drum 68 and drying drum 13 of the machine.
To this purpose, one end of a shaft 34 of motor 33 carries a grooved pulley 35 operatively connected through a V-belt 36 to a driven pulley 37 of washing drum 68. Keyed to the other end of motor shaft 34 is a smooth hub 69 for transmitting the driving force to the already mentioned friction wheel 25 and multiple V-belt pulley 24. Shaft 23 transmits the rotation to blower 21, and drum 13 is rotated by a multiple V-belt 38 engaged with pulley 24.
The unitary structure including flange 18, conduit 19 and blower housing 20, and the components connected thereto by support 22, are adapted to oscillate about the center axis of opening 17 for charging the laundry to be dried for selectively moving friction wheel 25 into and out of engagement with hub member 69 on motor shaft 34. This oscillation, which is brought about by a device to be described, is permitted by the particular system for slidably supporting flange 18 on the inner rim of opening 17 for charging the laundry to be dried. In particular, annular flange 18 has a substantially L-shaped profile with its ends 39, 40 bent at right angles (fig. 3).
The outer peripheral wall of slidable flange 18 is formed with a shoulder 41 and a retainer projection 42 for retaining therebetween a horizontal leg 43 of a ring 44 likewise having an L-shaped profile.
Formed between horizontal leg 43 and a vertical leg 45 of ring 44 is a reentrant portion 46 for receiving retainer projection 42 of flange 18 therein. Vertical leg 45 of ring 44 is secured to the interior rim of charging opening 17 by means of threaded fasteners 47.
Secured to the outer face of the rim of charging opening 17 by means of the same threaded fasteners 47 is a vertical leg 48 of an annular frame member 49 likewise having an L-shaped profile and adapted with its horizontal leg 50 to complete a sealing system for retaining the air exiting from drying drum 13.
Horizontal leg 50 of annular frame member 49 projects towards the interior of the machine to form a sliding and sealing support for the lower bent end portion 40 of flange 18. Between its vertical leg 48 and its horizontal leg 50 annular frame member 49 is formed with a projecting shoulder 51 forming an interior seat for a rearwards bent rim 52 of charging opening 17, and with an outer rib 53 cooperating with a peripheral seal 54 of an access door 55 for providing a reliable seal for retaining the air circulating within the drying section.
During assembly of the machine, slidable flange 18 is slipped onto ring 44 and fixed thereon in the axial direction by snap engagement of its retainer projection 42 with reentrant portion 46 of ring 44.
The sliding oscillation of the unitary structure foremd of flange 18, conduit 19 and blower housing 20 is brought about by a lever and spring system 56 under the control of a solenoid 57 (figs. 1 and 4).
The lever and spring system 56 is somewhat similar to the flexible contact systems employed in a pressostat of a laundry washing machine and comprises a flexible blade 58 connected to a metal plate 59 in such a manner that its free end is flexible relative to its other end connected to plate 59. The system further includes a compression spring 60 interposed between the free end of flexible blade 58 and a point on the outer periphery of housing 20 of blower 21. While metal plate 59 remains at a fixed position, flexible blade 58 is capable of oscillating relative thereto between two end positions in which it is retained by the biasing force of compression spring 60.
The oscillation of flexible blade 58 between the two end positions is brought about by a plunger 61 of solenoid 57. In the rest position shown in fig. 1, compression spring 60 keeps oscillating structure 18, 19, 20 away from motor 33. Energization of solenoid 57 causes plunger 61 to shift flexible blade 58 to the operative position shown in fig.4, in which compression spring 60 is effective to shift oscillating structure 18, 19, 20 towards actuating motor 33 to engage friction wheel 25 with sleeve 69 on motor shaft 34.
For ensuring the force-transmitting contact between friction wheel 25 and sleeve 69 of motor shaft 34 there is provided a hydraulic cylinder and piston unit 62 mounted in the machine at a position adjacent oscillating structure 18, 19, 20 and controlled by a solenoid valve 63 adapted to selectively connect it to the water supply circuit or to a water collecting receptacle 64 disposed within the machine.
The free end of the piston shaft of unit 62 may be connected to housing 20 of blower 21 by a connecting rod or via a suitably shaped cam (not shown) or through any other device capable of converting the rectilinear movement of the piston rod of unit 62 to the arcuate movement of oscillating structure 18, 19, 20.
During the laundering operation, solenoid 57 is deenergized, so that lever and spring system 56 keeps oscillating structure 18, 19, 20 at a position out of engagement with motor 33.
This disengaged position is additionally ensured by the weight of the laundry and the washing liquid contained in washing tub 12, this weight being effective to lower the axis of the washing section so as to increase the distance between tub 12 carrying motor 33 and friction wheel 25 of oscillating structure 18, 19, 20. This increased distance is thus sufficient for accomodating the oscillations to which tub 12 is subjected during the washing and, above all, the centrifuging operations.
After the washing and centrifuging operations, the full charge of laundry is transferred into drying drum 13, as a result of which washing tub 12 and motor 33 carried thereby are resiliently returned to the original position.
The drying operation is initiated by energizing solenoid 57 for shifting flexible blade 58 and compression spring 60 to the position shown in fig. 4. The biasing force exerted by compression spring 60 then causes the unitary structure formed by flange 18, conduit 19 and blower housing 20 to be shifted towards motor 33, so that friction wheel 25 is brought into contact with sleeve 69 on motor shaft 34 (fig. 4).
At the same time the actuation of solenoid valve 63 causes the piston of hydraulic unit 62 to be shifted to a position in which it biases oscillating structure 18, 19, 20 in the direction towards actuating motor 33.
The action of hydraulic piston unit 62 is maintained for the full duration of the drying operation for ensuring the transmission of the rotary driving force from the motor shaft to friction wheel 25.
Contemporaneously with the above the dryer is operated in the conventional manner, i.e. drum 13 is rotated selectively in opposite directions, heater elements 30 are energized and blower 21 is actuated for aspirating air from the environment and exhausting the moisture-laden air through bellows-type sleeve 26 and outlet opening 27.
During the drying operation actuating motor 33 likewise rotates the drum mounted in washing tub 12.
In addition, safety means are provided for preventing the laundry washing and drying machine 10 from being operated unless the doors 55 and 65 of both charging openings of the machine are safely locked.
At the termination of the drying operation solenoid 57 and solenoid valve 63 are deenergized to permit the structure formed by flange 18, conduit 19 and blower housing 20 to return to the position shown in fig. 1.
Thanks to the employ of a single motor 33, the laundry washing and drying machine according to the invention can be accomodated in a housing 11 of reduced dimensions as compared to those of a conventional washing and drying column. In addition, housing 11 may be economically constructed by bending a sheet metal plate so as to form the two sidewalls and the top wall, to which are subsequently connected the front wall 16, optionally provided with a facing door 66 (fig. 5), and the rear walls of the two sections of the machine.
The machine 10 according to the invention may also be provided with a unitary control panel 67 for the laundering and drying functions, which in fig. 5 is disposed at the upper portion of the front wall of the machine 10, but which may of course also be located at a position between the two sections of the machine.
In this manner the invention thus attains the object of providing a machine for washing and drying laundry in two separate drums actuated by a single motor and under the control of a unitary control arrangement.
In consequence the invention similarly attains the object of providing a machine of a more economical and more compact construction as compared to conventional laundry washing and drying columns.

Claims

1. A laundry washing and drying machine, particularly of the domestic type, comprising a unitary housing structure enclosing a drying section disposed above a washing section, both said sections including a respective drum for containing the laundry and adapted to be rotated by an electric motor and a belt transmission, characterized by comprising a single actuating motor (33) mounted above the washing tub (12) and having one end of its shaft (34) connected to the washing drum (68) by means of a belt transmission (35, 36, 37), the other end (69) of said shaft being adapted to be engaged by a friction wheel (25) of a unitary structure (18, 19, 20) forming part of a circuit for the drying air and adapted to be oscillated about the charging opening (17) of said drying section between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to said motor (33), said machine further comprising means (22, 23, 24, 25, 38) for transmitting the driving power to said drum (13) and a blower (21) of said drying section, means (56, 57) for oscillating said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) and means (62, 63) for ensuring the engagement of said friction wheel (25) with said end (69) of said motor shaft (34) during the drying operation.

2. A laundry washing and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) comprises an annular flange (18) adapted to slidably and sealingly support a front portion of said drying drum (13) and secured by a slidable and sealing mounting arrangement about two annular profile members (44, 49) threadedly secured respectively to the inner and outer rims of said charging opening (17) for the laundry to be dried, and further includes a conduit portion (19) for the air exiting from said drum (13) and a housing (20) for a suction air blower (21).

3. A laundry washing and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for transmitting the driving power to said drum (13) of said drying section comprise a support (22) mounted at the rear portion of said housing (20) of said suction blower (21) and supporting a rotatable shaft (23) having one of its ends fixedly connected to said blower (21), its other end carrying a multiple V-belt pulley (24) for rotating said drying drum (13) by means of a belt transmission (38), said means finally including said friction wheel (25) adapted to be engaged with said end (69) of said motor shaft (34).

4. A laundry washing and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for oscillating said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) comprise a lever and spring system (56) controlled by a solenoid (57), said lever and spring system (56) including a blade (58) secured to a metal plate (59) disposed in the machine at a position adjacent said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) so that a free end of said blade is flexible between two end positions whereat said blade is retained by a compression spring (60) interposed between said free end of said flexible blade (58) and a location on the periphery of said housing (20) of said suction blower (21), said solenoid (57) being operable by means of a plunger (61) to cause said flexible blade (58) to oscillate between an operative position and a rest position in which the biasing force of said compression spring (60) acting on said housing (20) and thus on said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) is directed respectively towards said actuating motor (33) and away therefrom.

5. A landry washing and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for ensuring the engagement of said friction wheel (25) of said unitary structure (18, 19, 20) with said end (69) of said motor shaft (34) comprise a hydraulic actuator (62) adapted under the control of a solenoid valve (63) to communicate with the water supply circuit or with a collector receptacle (64) disposed within the machine, a piston rod of said actuator (62) being connected to said housing (20) of said blower (21) by means of a connecting rod or a suitably shaped cam member for converting the rectilinear movement of said piston rod into an arcuate movement of said oscillating unitary structure (18, 19, 20) when the hydraulic pressure on actuation of said solenoid valve (63) during the drying operation acts on said hydraulic actuator (62) and thus on said oscillating unitary structure (18, 19, 20) in the direction towards said actuating motor (33).