EP0321037B1

EP0321037B1 - Control linkage with an eccentric adjustment pin, for water distribution in domestic washing machines

Info

Publication number: EP0321037B1
Application number: EP88202834A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bruno Cereda
Original assignee: IRE Industrie Riunite Eurodomestici SpA; Whirlpool International BV
Current assignee: IRE Industrie Riunite Eurodomestici SpA; Whirlpool International BV
Priority date: 1987-12-15
Filing date: 1988-12-09
Publication date: 1992-04-01
Also published as: IT213110Z2; IT8722874V0; EP0321037A1; DE3869751D1; ES2032005T3

Description

This invention relates to a control linkage for water distribution in domestic washing machines, the linkage being of the type comprising: a lever system which takes its movement from a conventional motor means (such as the programmer) incorporated in the machine and transfers it to a member which directs the water towards predetermined points, and means provided in said lever system for adjusting or presetting the lever system itself. In order for the water stream to be correctly directed towards the predetermined points, the linkage has to be preset. According to German utility model 8220740.2, in order to enable this presetting to be carried out, the linkage comprises two mutually engaged toothed sectors provided at the ends of two levers. The wash requirements can be properly set by adjusting the position of engagement between the two toothed sectors. However this known method has the defect of being relatively complicated and bulky, and during the assembly stage requires the assistance of specialists.
In FR-A-2 446 883 is disclosed a lever system where the adjusting and presetting means act directly on the fixed pivot of one lever.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a lever system of the indicated type which incorporates simple and compact adjustment and presetting means without this affecting its operability or its ease of adjustment, and which therefore requires no special experience by the personnel concerned. This and other objects which will be more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter are attained by a linkage in which the adjustment means are provided in correspondence with an articulated joint of the lever system at which two of its elements converge, and comprise an eccentric pin on which one of said elements is pivoted and which is carried by a toothed male member housed in a toothed female seat provided in the other element, so that any variation in the angular position of the toothed male member relative to the female seat, implemented by adjusting the pin, results in an adjustment to the lever system. Advantageously, the female seat is diametrically slotted, so that the male member can be repositioned angularly in the seat without having to be extracted, and by simply rotating it in the seat, this being enabled by the presence of the slot, by the elastic characteristics of the material and by the geometrical shape of the seat. Thus the making of this adjustment causes a slight widening of the female seat followed by the elastic return of the seat into its locking position.
The invention will be more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a partial plan view of the linkage according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a detail of the articulated joint at which the compensation takes place.

With reference to the figures, the illustrated control linkage 1 for water distribution in domestic washing machines receives movement from a motor means, not shown but generally consisting of the programmer (timer) incorporated in the machine, and transfers it to amember 2 which directs a water stream towards predetermined points, such as the conventional detergent drawer incorporated in the machine.
This linkage comprises a first element or rod 3 of elastically deformable material (such as plastics) which is directly or indirectly connected at its non-visible end to said motor means, whereas at the end visible in Figure 1 it comprises a female seat or eyelet 4 which is diametrically slotted at 5, so that the eyelet is elastically deformable in the sense that its two sides (y) are able to diverge to a certain extent.
The inner face (x) of the eyelet is densely toothed.
The eyelet 4 houses a male member 6 in the form of a peripherally cylindrical body correspondingly toothed at Z. A discoidal part 7 is rigid with the male member and rests at its edge on a step 8 of the eyelet 4. Thediscoidal part 7 carries an eccentric pin 9 which is lowerly cylindrical at 9A and upperly square at 9B. With the use of a tool, the male member 6 can be rotated by means of the square portion 9B so as to reposition the eccentric pin 9 in the desired direction relative to the eyelet 4.
The end of a further element or lever 10 of the lever system is pivoted on the cylindrical portion 9A and receives movement from the first lever 3 through the pin 9.
At an intermediate point the lever 10 is pivoted on a fixed pin provided in the washing machine. The lever 10 terminates with an elongated hole 12 into which a pin 13 of the controlled member 2 penetrates.
In order to adjust or preset the lever system and thus set the reference position of the controlled member 2 it is necessary only for the operator to engage the tool on the square portion 9B and rotate the tool as required, so equally rotating the toothed male member 6 which consequently rotates in the eyelet 4, this widening sufficiently because of the presence of the slot. On termination of the rotation, the toothings re-engage, and the male member 6 and consequently the eccentric pin 9 are locked in their newly adjusted position.

Claims

A control linkage for water distribution in domestic washing machines, the linkage comprising: a lever system which takes its movement from a motor means (such as the programmer) incorporated in the machine and transfers it to a member which directs the water towards predetermined points; and means provided in said lever system for adjusting, presetting or compensating the lever system itself, characterized in that the adjustment means are provided in correspondence with an articulated joint at which two of the lever system elements (3, 10) converge, and comprise an accentric pin (9) on which one (10) of said elements (3, 10) is pivoted and which is carried by a toothed male member (6) housed in a toothed female seat (4) provided in the other element (3), so that any variation in the angular position of the toothed male member (6) relative to the female seat (4), implemented by adjusting the pin (9), results in an adjustment to the lever system (3, 10).
A linkage as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the female seat (4) is represented by an eyelet which is slotted (at 5) and is provided in one (10) of said elements (3, 10) .