EP1911871A2

EP1911871A2 - Laundry basket built in a washing machine

Info

Publication number: EP1911871A2
Application number: EP07425628A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Davide Lanza
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-09
Filing date: 2007-10-08
Publication date: 2008-04-16
Also published as: EP1911871A3; ITVR20060156A1

Abstract

The patents called "laundry basket built-in the washing machine" regards a device situated into the washing machine under the glass door, said laundry basket is set up from a ²²⁵container with folding or firm walls. The laundry basket allows to store the washing when the washing machine is emptied and to carry it to the drying room.

The laundry basket is characterized by:
• folding walls in order to reduce the dimension of the container inside the machine or
• ²³⁰firm walls in order to reduce the cost of production and to store dirty washing during the term before the washing, said container stores clothes inside the washing machine in a volume that has not been used up to now.

The laundry basket with folding walls is characterized by a particular construction which allows to reduce the dimensions at the minimum, said construction allows to benefit from ²³⁵a container that can be unfolded and folded very easily and quickly characterized by a considerable storage capacity and an excellent firm structure.

The laundry basket is unfolded as follow: "walls 1 and 2" are opened at first followed by "walls 3 and 4", said "walls 3 and 4" thank to their construction block "wall 1 and 2" and clamp themselves to the "support structure", see drawing 3/18.

²⁴⁰Once the laundry basket is unfolded, it is load with the washing and carried where it is needed, when the use of the laundry basket is finished the walls are folded following backwards the steps of the unfolding, and replaced into the "opening" like a drawer.

The invention is applicable to all types of washing machines both home and industrial both front loading machines and top loading machines, moreover said invention is ²⁴⁵applicable to drying machines both home and industrial.

The laundry basket built in the washing machine guarantees always to have a specific container for the washing to hand, free of dust or dirt, placed in a small volume inside the washing machine that was not used.

Description

¹The present invention refers to a laundry basket built-in the frame of the washing machine, situated at the bottom of the machine under the glass door.
The laundry basket helps to empty the washing machine when the washing is finished it allows to have a specific container for the washing, placed in a small and not used space such ⁵as the bottom of the washing machine.
The present state of the art (before this invention) shows the problem to have a specific container where to put the washing and which allows to carry the washing to the drying room.
The washing is generally put in plastic containers such as buckets, baskets etc.., these ¹⁰containers take up lots of space in the laundry, specially in small rooms or small flats causing problems of logistics and space.
In order to solve the problem of space mentioned above, a device such as the laundry basket built-in the washing machine was designed and developed.
The laundry basket built-in the washing machine allows always to have a specific ¹⁵container for the washing without problems of space because it is situated inside the washing machine. The place, where the laundry basket is built-in, is not occupied by working or functional parts that belong to the washing machine, so the invention does not modify the functionality of the washing machine and its original dimensions. The laundry basket is kept in a closed space (inside the washing machine) so it is always clean when it ²⁰is used and it does not need to be cleaned from dust as required by traditional washing baskets.
The patent called "laundry basket built-in the washing machine" concerns a container, characterized by folding walls (Fig. 1, Fig.2, Fig.3, Fig.4, Fig.5, Fig.6) or by fixed walls (Fig.47 and Fig.48), said container is built-in a small volume ("opening") at the bottom of ²⁵the washing machine (Fig.49).
When the washing is finished the laundry basket is pulled out from the washing machine (Fig.2 and Fig.48), it is loaded with the washing, it is lifted and then carried to the drying room (Fig. 13).
Once the washing is carried to the drying room and pegged out, the laundry basket is put ³⁰back inside the "opening" into the washing machine.
The laundry basket with folding walls and its working will be now described in detail following drawings (from 1/18 to 16/18).
In drawing (1/18) is showed the laundry basket with folding walls, this solution allows to reduce the dimensions of the basket so the dimensions of the opening. The laundry basket ³⁵is set up from a "support structure" (Fig.2) which supports the walls (Fig.2). The construction of the laundry basket with folding walls, designed to save space, will be described from drawing (6/18) to (16/18), these drawings show how the walls are unfolded too.
Drawing (1/18): (Fig.1) shows the laundry basket inside the washing machine and the ⁴⁰handle to pull it out, (Fig.2) shows the laundry basket outside the machine with folded walls. In (Fig.3) is showed the first step to set the basket: " walls 1 and 2" are opened.
(Fig.4): " walls 3 and 4" are opened after " walls 1 and 2".
(Fig. 5) shows the laundry basket set and ready to be used.
(Fig.6) illustrates the emptying of the washing machine (the washing is put inside the ⁴⁵basket), instead (Fig.8) depicts the laundry basket ready to be lifted and carried.
Drawing (5/18): shows some views of the washing machine and its laundry basket,
(Fig.9 and Fig. 10) depict the basket inside the washing machine, in (Fig. 11 and Fig. 12) the basket is pulled out, then in (Fig. 13) a person holds and carries the laundry basket.
The walls of the laundry basket are set as illustrated by figures (Fig.3, Fig.4, Fig.14, ⁵⁰ Fig.15 and Fig. 16): " walls 1 and 2" are unfolded at first followed by " walls 3 and 4".
The "wall wedge" is a device situated on the lateral side of " walls 3 and 4" (two devices each wall, one each lateral side), it keeps " walls 1 and 2" opened and avoids that they fall.
A second device called "blocking device" is situated on " walls 3 and 4" (a blocking device for each wall), it blocks the walls against the "support structure".
⁵⁵The "blocking device" blocks the walls so the laundry basket becomes a rigid structure ready to be load and lifted.
Figures (Fig.14, Fig.15 and Fig.16) show that:

the pins of " walls 3 and 4" are situated in the "support structure" so that the lateral edges of " walls 3 and 4" are internal positioned in comparison with the lateral edges ⁶⁰of " walls 1 and 2", see (Fig.14, Fig.15 and Fig.16).
the pins of " walls 1 and 2" are situated (in the "support structure") higher then the pins of " walls 3 and 4". This solution allows to reduce the dimension of the laundry basket when the walls are folded and to save material as a matter of fact " walls 1 and 2" are shorter the " walls 3 and 4"; see (Fig.15 and Fig. 16).
⁶⁵the "blocking device" is a device fixed to " walls 3 and 4", it blocks the walls against the "support structure" as shown in (Fig.16 and Fig. 14).
the walls can be supplied with springs in order to obtain an automatic opening when the laundry basket is pulled out as depicted in (Fig.22 and Fig.22(a)).

" Walls 1, 2" and " walls 3, 4" are articulated with the "support structure" at two different ⁷⁰heights, as depicted in (Fig.18 and Fig. 19). The holes for the pins of
" walls 1 and 2" (Fig.18 and Fig.18(a)) are higher positioned then the holes for the pins of " walls 3 and 4", moreover the pins of " walls 3 and 4" are seated in the "u-shaped holes" at the bottom of the "support structure" , see (Fig.19 and Fig. 19(a)).
The "u-shaped holes" allow " walls 3 and 4" to translate up and down so that the ⁷⁵ "blocking device" clamps the "support structure" as shown in (Fig.14, Fig. 15 and Fig.16).
Drawing 11/18 illustrates two top plan views of the laundry basket. (Fig.20) shows the relative position between the walls when the basket is unfolded: " walls 1 and 2" are opened at first (" walls 3 and 4" are still closed). ⁸⁰ (Fig.21) shows the laundry basket with folded walls.
(Fig.22, Fig.22(a) and Fig.23) illustrate the walls supplied with springs, this solution guarantees an automatic walls unfolding when the laundry basket is pulled out from the washing machine
Drawings (12/18) and (13/18) show in detail the technical solution designed to allow ⁸⁵ " walls 3 and 4" to translate up and down during the unfolding (or folding).
Unfolding: when the laundry basket is pulled out (Fig.25), " walls 1 and 2" are opened at first followed by " walls 3 and 4" (Fig.24). " Walls 3 and 4" are opened and lifted at the same time (their pins translate into the "u-shaped holes") (see Fig.24 and Fig.26), once they are unfolded they are lowered so the "blocking device" blocks " walls 3 and 4" ⁹⁰against the "support structure". Unfolding steps are indicated by the letters "a-b-c-d-e" (for wall 4) and "f-g-h-i-l" (for wall 3), see (Fig.24).
(Fig.27): the laundry basket is unfolded and ready to be load. When the use of the laundry basket is finished, " walls 3 and 4" are lifted to unblock them from the
"support structure" then folded as illustrated by steps "e-d-c-b-a" and "1-i-h-g-f"; ⁹⁵eventually " walls 1 and 2" are folded.
(Fig.28 and Fig.29) depict the construction with the "folding wall wedge", this solution allows to fold the "wall wedge" to reduce further the dimension of the laundry basket (folded), in fact the "wall wedge" is folded by 90° so that the volume of the folded walls is reduced.
¹⁰⁰The construction of the "wall wedge" is shown in drawing (15/18); the "folding wall wedge" (detail 1) of drawing (15/18), can be applied to circular section rods (Fig.34, Fig.35 and Fig.35(a)), or to square/rectangle section rods (Fig.36, Fig.37 and Fig.37(a)).
The "wall wedge" fixed to the wall can be applied to circular, or square, or rectangle section rods.
¹⁰⁵ Drawing 16/18: shows in detail the "blocking device", it is important to underline again that the "blocking device" is a device which belongs to " walls 3 and 4" that blocks them against the "support structure", whereas the "wall wedge" is a device which belongs to the lateral side of " walls 3 and 4" that avoids " walls 1 and 2" to fall down when the laundry basket is unfolded to be used.
¹¹⁰The "blocking device" can be manufactured in different ways, drawing (16/18) shows three solutions. (Fig.38, Fig.39, Fig.40 and Fig.41): the "blocking device" is composed by an "internal part" situated on the internal side of the wall, a "blocking" situated on the external side of the wall and some "screws" ( situated between rods) that fix the two parts together.
¹¹⁵ (Fig.42, Fig.43 and Fig.44) show a second solution of the "blocking device", in this case the "blocking device" is integrated with the wall as a single-structure (created together), instead in (Fig.45 and Fig.46) the "blocking device" is welded (or melted, or glued, etc) on the rods.
As already said, it is possible to make the laundry basket with rigid walls, in other words ¹²⁰the laundry basket is composed by a single rigid structure as depicted in (Fig.47 and Fig.48), this solution has as advantage a reduction in cost of production and on the other hand the advantage to use the laundry basket to store dirty laundry before washing.
Drawing (18/18) illustrates some views of the "opening", the opening is an empty space made inside the frame of the washing machine where the laundry basket is placed, as ¹²⁵depicted in (Fig.49, Fig.50 and Fig.51). It is goes without saying that the "opening" can be made in many ways and supplied with supporting rails, rails for the laundry basket supplied with wheels etc.. in order to improve the laundry basket's handling.
(Fig.49) shows the "opening" for the laundry basket with folding walls; the opening for the laundry basket with rigid walls is proportional to the laundry basket dimensions, see ¹³⁰ (Fig.47 and Fig.48).
In conclusion it is important to underline the innovations and the advantages this invention introduces:

the advantage to have a specific container for the washing, ready and easy to be used, the laundry basket is always clean because it is situated in a closed space moreover the ¹³⁵laundry basket causes no mess in the laundry room because it is kept into the washing machine (the laundry basket makes the most of a volume inside the frame of the washing machine, a volume that has not been used up to now).
the laundry basket built in the washing machine is very helpful for a daily operation such as the empting of the washing machine specially in small rooms or small flats ¹⁴⁰where traditional washing containers cause mess and take up precious space.

Claims

a container for washing characterized in that said container is built in the frame of the washing machine, said container is a pull-out device (the direction is orthogonal to the glass door's plane) whose proposal is the washing storage when the washing machine ¹⁴⁵ is emptied so the possibility to carry the container to the drying room.
a container for washing characterized in that it is possible to make said container in any shape, of any material, with any colour, moreover said container can be set up from: several parts joined together or a single structure.
the use of said container in all types of washing machines and drying machines both ¹⁵⁰home and industrial.
The use of the laundry basket built-in the washing machine in top loading machines, in this case the direction of the outgoing container is parallel to the drum's rotation axis, besides said laundry basket is situated at the bottom of the washing machine.
a container built-in the washing machine characterized by an automatic or semi-¹⁵⁵automatic system for pulling the container in or out from the washing machine
a container built-in the washing machine made together with the washing machine.
a container for washing characterized by folding walls and set up from:
• a "support structure" (Fig.2 and Fig. 14) characterized by a rectangular shaped frame (or square shaped or any geometrical shape) where the folding walls are ¹⁶⁰articulated (Fig.3). Said "support structure" is built-in the "opening" (Fig.7 and Fig.49) of the washing machine (or drying machine) and it is pulled in or out from the "opening" like a drawer.

• folding "walls 1 and 2" (Fig.4, Fig. 14, Fig. 15 and Fig.16) characterized by a frame articulated to the basement through two pins set into their respective holes seated ¹⁶⁵in the basement's sides, see (Fig. 18 and Fig.18(a)). This solution allows to rotate the walls at a 90° angle.

• folding "walls 3 and 4" (Fig.4, Fig. 14, Fig. 15 and Fig. 16) characterized by a frame articulated to the basement through two pins set into two "u-shaped holes" seated in the basement's sides, see (Fig. 19 and Fig.(19(a)). Said walls are characterized ¹⁷⁰by both rotating and translating movement inasmuch they can rotate by 90° angle around the axis of the pins and translate inside the "u-shaped holes", see (Fig.24).
a container for washing characterized by fixed walls (Fig.47 and Fig.48), wherein said container can be whether made of assembled parts or a single solid structure.
¹⁷⁵the container of claim 7 wherein "walls 3 and 4" clamp the "support structure" through a special system, wherein said system "blocking device" shown in (Fig.14, Fig.24, and Fig.28) is characterized by an u-shaped device fixed to each wall (wall 3 and wall 4) (Fig.39 and Fig.42) that blocks the walls against the "support structure" when "walls 3 and 4" are opened, see (Fig.24, Fig.41, Fig.44, Fig.46).
¹⁸⁰the container of claim 7 wherein the folding walls are characterized in that:
• the pins of "walls 1 and 2" and the pins of "walls 3 and 4" are seated in the "support structure" on two different geometric planes, the pins of "walls 1 and 2" belong to a plane instead the pins of "walls 3 and 4" belong to another different plane as depicted in (Fig.15, Fig.16, Fig.18 and Fig.19)

• ¹⁸⁵when the walls are unfolded, "walls 3 and 4" ( which are opened and blocked against the "support structure") block "walls 1 and 2" because of the relative position between "walls 3, 4" and "walls 1, 2", in fact when "walls 3 and 4" are opened their lateral sides are internal to "walls 1 and 2" as shown in (Fig. 14). Said "walls 1 and 2" can be even blocked by a further device called "wall wedge" ¹⁹⁰illustrated in (Fig. 14), wherein said device is characterized by a small rod fixed to the lateral side of "walls 3 and 4" (one rod each lateral side of each wall) which avoids the fall of "walls 1 and 2" when the laundry basket is unfolded, see (Fig.24 and Fig.28).
the "wall wedge" of claim 10 characterized in that it is fixed to the lateral side of ¹⁹⁵"walls 3 and 4" (Fig.24) or joined to the lateral side of "walls 3 and 4" through a hinge (Fig.35, Fig.37) which allows to bend the "wall wedge" at a 90° angle as depicted in (Fig.28, Fig.32).
the "blocking device" of claim 9 characterized in that:
• said blocking device can be set up from two parts: the "internal part" situated on ²⁰⁰the internal side of "walls 3 and 4" and the "blocking" situated on the external side of "walls 3 and 4", said two parts are joined with some screws, see (Fig.39 and Fig.40)

• said "blocking device" can be integrated with the wall as a single-structure (created together), see(Fig.42, Fig.43, and Fig.44)

• ²⁰⁵said "blocking device" can be made separately and fixed to the rods though welding, melting, gluing, etc...,see (Fig.45 and Fig.46).
a container built-in the washing machine characterized in that the walls are supplied with springs nearby the pins, wherein said springs automate the opening of the walls as shown in (Fig.22 and Fig.22(a)). Furthermore it is claimed that said automatic ²¹⁰system for the walls' opening can be obtained with any other solution.
any solution or device different from the "blocking device" and the "wall wedge" whose proposal is to block the folding walls whether to the "support structure" or together.
any technical solution whose proposal is the reduction in dimension of the laundry ²¹⁵basket with folding walls.
the application of any device such as wheels, rails, etc.. whether on the container (with fixed walls (Fig.48) or folding walls (Fig.2)) or on the "opening" (Fig.49), wherein said devices help to pull in and to pull out the laundry basket from the "opening".
a container for washing with fixed walls characterized in that it is used to store dirty ²²⁰clothes during the term before the washing (Fig.47 and Fig.48), wherein said container stores clothes inside the washing machine in a volume that has not been used up to now.