EP2388366B1 - A drum type washing machine with a system for fixing the washing unit during transportation - Google Patents

A drum type washing machine with a system for fixing the washing unit during transportation Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP2388366B1
EP2388366B1 EP10163548.0A EP10163548A EP2388366B1 EP 2388366 B1 EP2388366 B1 EP 2388366B1 EP 10163548 A EP10163548 A EP 10163548A EP 2388366 B1 EP2388366 B1 EP 2388366B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
washing machine
tub
cabinet
drum type
type washing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP10163548.0A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2388366A1 (en
Inventor
Andreas Lappoehn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Corp filed Critical Whirlpool Corp
Priority to EP10163548.0A priority Critical patent/EP2388366B1/en
Priority to PL10163548T priority patent/PL2388366T3/pl
Publication of EP2388366A1 publication Critical patent/EP2388366A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2388366B1 publication Critical patent/EP2388366B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
    • D06F39/001—Arrangements for transporting, moving, or setting washing machines; Protective arrangements for use during transport

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a drum type washing machine comprising a cabinet, a tub arranged inside the cabinet, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and at least one inflatable bag disposed between the cabinet and the tub.
  • a washing machine of this kind is known from DE 2531265 A1 . In this machine the inflatable bags are used for safe transportation purposes only.
  • transport fixation bolts and transport brackets to stiffen the cabinet for the shock load transmitted by the transport fixation bolts are needed in the machines according to the state of the art.
  • the addition of bolts, plastic spacers and brackets to the structure of the machines does increase the overall cost and complexity of the known washing machines.
  • the user has to perform a not very easy manual operation for removing the bolts before using the machine. If the user forgets to remove fixing bolts, the rigid fixing of the tub can cause severe damages to the washer which can require the intervention of the service or even the replacement of the machine.
  • inflatable devices which replace the traditional transport fixation bolts and transport brackets to stiffen the cabinet for the shock load transmitted by the transport fixation bolts.
  • inflatable devices we mean any device which can assume a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration; such devices can comprise rubber bellows, flexible bags or the like. In the inflated configuration the inflatable devices can exert a predetermined force on components lying nearby, like parts of the cabinet and the washing unit (i.e. tub).
  • the inflatable bags can be provided with air pressure sensors for providing signals related to degree of drum unbalance during spinning to a control unit of the machine.
  • a washing machine 10 comprises a cabinet 12, a tub 14 arranged in the cabinet 12 for storing washing water and detergent, a drum 16 rotatably mounted in the tub 14 for washing and dehydrating the laundry and a driving motor 18 positioned at the rear side of the tub and connected to the drum 16 by a driving shaft 20.
  • An inlet 22 for loading or unloading the laundry is formed at the front side of the cabinet 12, and a door 24 for opening and closing the inlet 22 is provided at the front side of the machine 10.
  • a plurality of supporting springs 26 are installed between the upper portion of the tub 14 and the upper inner wall of the cabinet 12, and a plurality of dampers 28 are installed between the lower portion of the tub 14 and the lower inner wall of the cabinet 12, thereby supporting the tub 14 with buffering.
  • a fifth inflatable bag 31 is placed between a bottom surface 12c of the cabinet and the tub 14. This inflatable bag 31 is preferably used for preventing the wash unit from dropping during transport and for avoiding an overstress of the spring/damper system of the washing unit.
  • a sixth inflatable elongated bag 34 can be placed between the tub (14) and an upper rear corner 12b of the cabinet 12.
  • All the inflatable bags are connected, by means of the piping system 32, with a feeding nozzle 36 placed preferably in the rear portion of the machine and which can be closed by a plug 38 or by a welded portion of the pipe (not shown).
  • the bags 30 and 34 are inflated to a predetermined pressure level, preferably comprised between 0,1 and 0,5 bar, more preferably between 0,2 and 0,4 bar, for instance at 0,3 bar, in order to fix the position of the tub 14 with respect to the cabinet and therefore avoiding any dangerous relative movement. Then the nozzle 36 is closed (or the corresponding plastic pipe is closed by welding) and the machine can be transported safely.
  • a predetermined pressure level preferably comprised between 0,1 and 0,5 bar, more preferably between 0,2 and 0,4 bar, for instance at 0,3 bar
  • the user or the person of the service can pressurize again the bags, for instance by means of a normal bicycle pump (in this case the nozzle 36 is provided with a usual bicycle tire valve).
  • air inflatable bags with sufficient strength to overcome the stress during the transport shocks can be made of polyethylene film having a thickness of 300 ⁇ m or more. These bags have passed the standard transport shocks applied in the shipping laboratory of the applicant. Of course other materials can be used, for instance rubber bags or bags of multilayered flexible material (textile + rubber) typically used for inflatable boats.
  • the inflatable bags are then mounted during the assembly process of the washing machine into the empty cabinet without wash unit (tub + drum).
  • the bags are then fixed to the side panels of the appliances with double sided adhesive tape.
  • the inflatable bags are connected with the pipe system 32. Over this pipe system they are inflated at the end of the assembly process of the washing machine and the pipes are closed by one or more plugs or by permanent welding. These pipe end or ends are accessible at the outside of the appliance. The customer has to open the plug(s) or cut the welding line(s) to deflate the inflatable bags. The inflatable bags remain in the appliance for the total life time. There is the possibility to inflate them again for further transport of the appliance.
  • the pressure inside the inflatable bags 30 and 31 can be controlled by an electrical pump 40 driven by the control unit 42 of the appliance.
  • a pressure sensor 44 provides signals to the control unit 42 of the machine 10
  • the level of pressure inside the inflatable bags for this purpose is lower than the pressure level for safe transportation purpose, and can be comprised between 0,05 and 0,2 bar, depending also of the dimensions, material and shape of the bags.
  • the changing of the pressure of the inflatable bags has shown that it is possible to tailor such pressure to different spinning speeds.
  • Another use of the inflatable bags is the control of the unbalance, particularly during spinning at high speed.
  • By providing the inflatable bags with pressure sensors 44 it is possible to derive pressure signals to the control unit 42 which are related to the degree of unbalance in the rotating drum.
  • the pressure of the inflatable bags 30 can be controlled also through an electrical relief valve 48.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Main Body Construction Of Washing Machines And Laundry Dryers (AREA)
EP10163548.0A 2010-05-21 2010-05-21 A drum type washing machine with a system for fixing the washing unit during transportation Not-in-force EP2388366B1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP10163548.0A EP2388366B1 (en) 2010-05-21 2010-05-21 A drum type washing machine with a system for fixing the washing unit during transportation
PL10163548T PL2388366T3 (pl) 2010-05-21 2010-05-21 Maszyna do prania typu bębnowego z systemem do mocowania jednostki piorącej w trakcie transportu

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP10163548.0A EP2388366B1 (en) 2010-05-21 2010-05-21 A drum type washing machine with a system for fixing the washing unit during transportation

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2388366A1 EP2388366A1 (en) 2011-11-23
EP2388366B1 true EP2388366B1 (en) 2016-09-28

Family

ID=43027430

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP10163548.0A Not-in-force EP2388366B1 (en) 2010-05-21 2010-05-21 A drum type washing machine with a system for fixing the washing unit during transportation

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2388366B1 (pl)
PL (1) PL2388366T3 (pl)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3124671B1 (en) * 2015-07-27 2022-09-07 Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag Laundry dryer
DE102016112705B4 (de) * 2016-07-12 2020-03-05 Miele & Cie. Kg Vorrichtung für ein Haushaltgerät zum Erfassen einer Transportbedingung des Haushaltgeräts, Haushaltgerät und Verfahren zum Erfassen einer Transportbedingung eines Haushaltgeräts

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2531265A1 (de) * 1975-07-12 1977-01-27 Licentia Gmbh Waschmaschine
JP2000128273A (ja) * 1998-10-21 2000-05-09 Toshiba Corp 洗濯機の包装装置及び包装方法
ATE537292T1 (de) * 2006-06-09 2011-12-15 Arcelik As Schutzanordnung für ein haushaltsgerät

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
PL2388366T3 (pl) 2017-01-31
EP2388366A1 (en) 2011-11-23

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