EP2778276B1 - Housing for household appliances and method for preparing a housing for household appliances - Google Patents

Description

Housing for household appliances and method for preparing a housing for household appliances.

The invention relates to a housing for household appliances and a method for the preparation of a housing for household appliances, such as a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, which includes in its basic design a floor module, a front wall and side walls and a rear wall.

From the prior art are according to the DE 103 03 131 , of the DE 198 23 424 as well as from the DE 38 13 462 Washing machine housing or housing for household appliances known. In these known from the prior art housings, there are different housing designs for each surface or mounting style, which requires an early variant formation in the housing structure. In these known from the prior art housing designs, there is the disadvantage that the loads acting from the outside on the device are not properly distributed. The visible from the outside slit images are not formed as narrow and uniform, to which the proposed housing forms make assembly unfriendly.

A housing having the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE 10 2005 013 051 A1 known.

In addition, from the EP 2 594 182 A1 a housing having all the features of the preamble of claim 1. It also describes that the side walls are connected to the floor module.

The EP 2 468 172 A1 and the US Pat. No. 4,618,193 show frameless housing of household appliances which include in their respective basic design a floor module, a front wall and side walls and a rear wall. There, the side walls are connected to at least one crossbar.

By the DE 10 2006 001 437 A1 a housing of a clothes dryer is known, wherein the front wall is fixed by means of support and positioning elements on a frame support member.

The invention thus raises the problem, a housing for household appliances, such as a tumble dryer, a washing machine or a dishwasher to continue to form, which on the one hand overcomes the disadvantages, on the other hand, the Housing without an independent inner frame to be manufactured, and wherein the structure of the housing should be as easy as possible assembly.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by the features of patent claim 1 and claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention will become apparent from the following subclaims.

The advantages achieved with the invention are now that the housing according to the invention can be made without a separate inner frame. The externally acting loads on the device are distributed appropriately, the externally visible slit images are formed as narrow and uniform. A particular advantage is that the chosen structure also fails very easy to install. It is of particular importance that the assembly / disassembly of the side walls is ensured, with a defined suspension of the cantilevered side walls is given to the front wall and the rear wall. In the case of the housing according to the invention, visibly acting loads, such as during a transport test, are picked up and forwarded to the device. The visible from the outside slit images fall as close as possible and evenly.

According to the invention it is thus proposed that for the construction of the frameless housing the front wall and the rear wall are fixed to the floor module for transmitting the weight of the household appliance to the footprint of the floor module, wherein the front wall is arranged on the floor module in a fixed position, and Sidewalls which are connected to a crossbar, are mounted cantilevered under a gap formation to the floor module in a defined suspension between the front wall and the rear wall. Due to this design, a housing is created which has sufficient internal rigidity without inner frame, to form narrow and uniform slit images.

In a further development of the invention, the front wall and the rear wall occupy a defined height position of the housing on the floor module. As a result, the height position of attached front wall and rear wall is determined on the floor module, in particular in the X direction and in the Z direction. In a further development of the invention, the side walls between the front wall and the fixed rear wall are aligned in their inclination by fixed brackets on the front wall and the rear wall, thereby giving the fixed position in the Y-orientation. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the brackets for fixed inclination consist of hooks on the front wall, which engage in the mounted state in provided on the side wall keyhole punches. Here, the hooks are pre-adjusted in the preassembled state of the front wall module, so that in the assembled state, the exact Y orientation is given.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the holder for fixed height position of the side walls of angle elements which are fixed to the side wall and rest in the mounted state on the upper front wall edge. The mounted angle elements on the side walls, the altitude of the side wall is defined exactly on the front wall. In development of the housing, the side walls in the upper region of the housing are connected to the crossbar. The assembled Traverse gives the case advantageously the sufficient rigidity. On the traverse the extending between front wall and rear wall guide for the condensate tank is fixed.

The self-supporting side walls are fixed to the rear wall by means of screw connections for alignment in height and width. The screw connection on the rear wall cooperates with a cup-in-hole form-fitting connection, so that the exact Z and Y orientation of the rear region of the side walls is thereby also given on the rear wall when the screwing takes place. The rear wall module receives its fixed Z-position through the floor module.

The problem is also solved by a method for preparing a housing for household appliances, such as a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, which in its basic design comprises a floor module, a front wall and side walls and a rear wall. According to the invention, in order to build up a frameless housing, the front wall is fastened in a fixed position to the floor module in a first step, wherein in a second step the rear wall is attached to the floor module. Thereafter, in a third step, the side walls under a gap formation to the floor module in a defined suspension on the front wall and then set cantilevered on the rear wall. In a fourth step, the side walls are connected to a crossbeam. Due to this design, a mounting-friendly design of a frameless housing is given, which in addition to the ease of installation for given cases pretends disassembly friendliness.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention are fixed to the defined inclination position of the side walls between the front wall and the rear wall in the pre-assembly brackets mounted in the form of hooks on the front wall. For the defined height of the side walls are mounted on the front wall in the pre-assembly angle elements on the side wall. In this case, in the mounted situation of the side walls on the front wall, the angle elements are placed with their horizontally oriented legs on the front front wall edge and screwed there, the hooks are inserted into keyhole punches. By this connection, on the one hand reaches an exact altitude, on the other hand, the inclination position of the side wall relative to the front wall is thereby defined.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the stiffening cross member is mounted on the side walls. As a result, the device rigidity is significantly increased and fixed. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the self-supporting side walls on the rear wall act together by means of screw connections for alignment in height and width, wherein the screw on the back wall with cup-in-hole form-locking connections cooperate. As a result, in particular on the rear wall, the height position and the width position of the rear area of the self-supporting side walls are determined.

Figur 1

eine explosionsartige Darstellung der Gehäuseteile in perspektivischer Darstellung;

Figur 2

eine Ablaufdarstellung der Montage der Seitenwand an die Vorderwand in drei Darstellungen a, b und c;

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung von Seitenwand und Vorderwand ebenfalls in der explosionsartigen Darstellung in einer ersten Ansicht;

Figur 4

eine weitere explosionsartige Darstellung von Seitenwand und Vorderwand in einer zweiten Ansicht;

Figur 5

eine weitere perspektivische Darstellung des montierten Gehäuses;

Figur 6

eine perspektivische Darstellung ebenfalls in explosionsartiger Darstellung von Rückwand und angesetzter Seitenwand;

Figur 7

eine geschnittene Seitenansicht von Rückwand und Seitenwand im montierten Zustand und

Figur 8

eine perspektivische Darstellung von Rückwand und Seitenwand ebenfalls im montierten Zustand.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows:

FIG. 1

an exploded view of the housing parts in a perspective view;

FIG. 2

a flow diagram of the mounting of the side wall to the front wall in three representations a, b and c;

FIG. 3

a perspective view of the side wall and front wall also in the exploded view in a first view;

FIG. 4

another exploded view of side wall and front wall in a second view;

FIG. 5

another perspective view of the assembled housing;

FIG. 6

a perspective view also in explosive representation of the rear wall and attached side wall;

FIG. 7

a sectional side view of the rear wall and side wall in the assembled state and

FIG. 8

a perspective view of the rear wall and side wall also in the assembled state.

The FIGS. 1 . 2 . 3, 4 and 5 show a housing 1 for household appliances, such as a clothes dryer, a washing machine or the like, which in its basic design, a floor module 2, indicated in the FIG. 1 , a front wall 3 and by means of a cross member 4 connected side walls 5 and 6 and a rear wall 7 comprises.

As from the synopsis of FIGS. 1 . 2 . 3 , and 6 it can be seen that the front wall 3 and the rear wall 7 are fixed to the floor module 2 for the purpose of constructing a frameless housing 1, for transmitting the weight of the domestic appliance to the floor surface of the floor module 2. The front wall 3 is arranged on the floor module 2 in a fixed position, wherein the side walls 5 and 6 between the front wall 3 and the rear wall 7 are cantilevered. This is especially in the FIGS. 3 and 4 the determination of the side walls 5 and 6 clearly visible on the front wall 3, whereas the FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate the attachment or the fixed position of the self-supporting side walls 5, 6 on the rear wall 7. In the determination of the side walls 5, 6 on the front wall 3, shown in the FIGS. 3 and 4 , the front wall 3 and the rear wall 7 occupy a defined height position of the housing 1 on the floor module 2. The side walls 5 and 6 are aligned between the front wall 3 and the rear wall 7 in their inclination by fixed brackets 8 and 9 on the front wall 3 and the rear wall 7, respectively.

These fixed brackets 8 and 9 comprise for fixed inclination of the side walls 5, 6 opposite the front wall 3 hooks 9 on the front wall 3, which engage in the mounted state in provided on the side walls 5, 6 keyhole punches, as shown in particular in FIGS FIGS. 4 can be seen. The bracket 8 to the fixed height position of the side walls 5, 6 also visible in the Figures 3 this includes angle elements, which are each attached to the side walls 5, 6 and rest in the mounted state on the upper front wall edge, recognizable in the FIG. 5 , For fixed mounting of the side walls 5, 6 in their overall width, the side walls 5 and 6 are connected in the upper region of the housing 1 with the cross member 4, which stiffens and fixes an orientation of the housing 1. The traverse 4 is here in particular in the FIG. 1 to recognize in the exploded view, and in the assembled state in the FIG. 5 ,

Like from the FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 can be seen, the cantilevered side walls 5 and 6 are fixed to the rear wall 7 by means of screw 10 for alignment in height and in width in the upper Gehäusebeich. From the FIGS. 6 and 7 It can be seen that the screw 10 cooperate on the rear wall 7 with a cup-in-hole positive connection 11, so that thereby the exact height and width position of the side walls 5, 6 can be done to the rear wall 7 in the so-called preassembled fixation before then the screws for the final attachment of the side walls 5, 6 is screwed.

The invention likewise relates to a method for the preparation or production of the housing 1 for household appliances, such as a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, which in its basic design, a floor module 2, a front wall 3 and side walls 5, 6 connected by cross member 4 and a rear wall 7. According to the manufacturing method is proposed for this purpose that for the construction of a frameless housing 1, as it is with its parts in the FIG. 1 is shown in an explosive representation, in a first step, the front wall 3 is fixed in a fixed position on the bottom module 2, in such a way that initially the front wall 3 is attached to the bottom module 2, so that thereby a fixed position of the front wall 3 is given as this in the FIG. 2a can be seen. Thereafter, the rear wall 7 is attached to the floor module 2. Between the Front wall 3 and the rear wall 7 are then according to the arrow, the side walls 5 and 6 brought with the support members 8 to the support members 9 so that they come to cover, as shown in the FIG. 2b is apparent. If this situation is reached, the side walls 5 and 6 are pressed into the hook, with the horizontal legs of the angle elements lie on the front wall edge and so the situation of Figure 2c and the FIG. 5 results.

The side walls 5, 6 are determined cantilevering under a gap formation to the floor module 2 on the front wall 3 and the rear wall, as shown in the FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 is shown. The side walls 5, 6 are brought into positive engagement with the rear wall 7 and then screwed, shown in particular in the FIG. 7 , Here are the defined inclination of the side walls 5, 6 fixed between the front wall 3 and the side walls 5, 6 in the pre-mounting brackets 9 in the form of hooks on the front wall 3, as shown in the FIGS. 3 and 4 can be seen. In the preassembled situation of the side walls 5, 6 are mounted on the side walls 5, 6 as the bracket elements comprehensive angle elements 8, which are placed and screwed with their horizontally aligned legs on the upper front wall edge, as shown in the FIG. 5 can be seen. Trained as a hook support members 9 push when assembling the housing parts in keyhole punches.

In a further development of the method is on the side walls 5, 6 is attached, which also significantly increases the housing stiffness in the upper area, as this in the exploded view of FIG. 1 can be seen. Between the front wall 3 and the rear wall 7, the side walls 5, 6 are fixed to the rear wall 7 by means of screw 10 for alignment in height, wherein the screw 10 cooperate with the rear wall 7 with cup-in-hole form-fitting connections 11, as in the FIGS. 6 and 7 is apparent. It is not shown in detail that in the prepared housing 1 a guide for a condensate tank is introduced, which is fixed to the rear wall 7 and the top of the cross member 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

2

Base module

3

front wall

4

traverse

5

Side wall

6

Side wall

7

rear wall

8th

Bracket, mounted on the side wall

9

Bracket, mounted on the side wall

10

screw

11

Form-fitting connection cup-in-hole connection

Claims (12)

1. Housing (1) for domestic appliances, such as a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, which housing comprises, in its basic design, a base module (2), a front wall (3), lateral walls (5, 6) and a rear wall (7), the front wall (3) and the rear wall (7) being secured to the base module (2) so as to form a frameless housing (1) in order to transfer the weight of the domestic appliance to the support surface of the base module (2), and the front wall (3) being arranged in a fixed position on the base module (2),
   characterised in that
   the lateral walls (5, 6), which are connected to a cross member (4), are fastened in a defined suspension between the front wall (3) and the rear wall (7) so as to be self-supporting and thus forming a gap with respect to the base module (2).
2. Housing according to claim1,
   characterised in that
   the front wall (3) and the rear wall (7) occupy a defined height position on the base module (2).
3. Housing according to claim
   1, characterised in that
   the inclination of the lateral walls (5, 6) between the front wall (3) and the rear wall (7) is oriented by means of fixed mounting elements (8, 9, 10, 11) on the front wall (3) or the rear wall (7).
4. Housing according to claim
   3, characterised in that
   the mounting elements (9) for fixed inclination consist of hooks on the front wall (3) which, when assembled, engage in punched holes provided in the lateral wall (5, 6).
5. Housing according to claim
   3, characterised in that
   the mounting elements (8) for positioning the lateral walls (5, 6) at a fixed height consist of angular elements which are fastened to the lateral wall (5, 6) and, when assembled, rest on the upper front wall edge.
6. Housing according to claims 1 to
   3, characterised in that
   the cross member (4) connects the lateral walls (5, 6) in the upper region of the housing (1) and stiffens the housing (1).
7. Housing according to claims 1 to
   3, characterised in that
   the self-supporting lateral walls (5, 6) are secured to the rear wall (7) by means of screw connections (10) and an interlocking connection (11) in order to orient the height and width thereof.
8. Method for preparing a housing (1) for domestic appliances such as a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, which housing comprises, in its basic design, a base module (2), a front wall (3), lateral walls (5, 6) and a rear wall (7),
   characterised in that
   in a first step the front wall (3) is fastened to the base module (2) in a fixed position so as to form a frameless housing (1), in a second step the rear wall 7 being attached to the base module (2), and then in a third step the lateral walls (5, 6) being secured in a defined suspension between the front wall (3) and the rear wall (7) so as to be self-supporting and thus forming a gap with respect to the base module (2), and in a fourth step the lateral walls (5, 6) being connected to a cross member (4).
9. Method according to claim
   8, characterised in that
   fixed mounting elements (9) in the form of hooks are mounted on the front wall (3) during pre-assembly in order to position the lateral walls (5, 6) at a defined incline between the front wall (3) and the rear wall (7).
10. Method according to claim 9,
    characterised in that
    angular elements (8) are mounted on the lateral wall (5, 6) during pre-assembly in order to position the lateral walls (5, 6) at a defined height.
11. Method according to claims 9 and
    10, characterised in that,
    when the lateral walls (5, 6) are mounted on the front wall (3), the horizontally oriented limbs of the angular elements (8) rest on the upper front wall edge and are screwed to said edge, the hooks sliding into punched holes.
12. Method according to claims 8 to 11,
    characterised in that
    the self-supporting lateral walls (5, 6) are secured in the rear region to the rear wall (7) by means of screw connections (10) in order to orient the height and width thereof, the screw connections (10) on the rear wall (7) interacting with cup-in-hole interlocking connections (11).

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