EP2798117B1

EP2798117B1 - A laundry washing and/or drying machine

Info

Publication number: EP2798117B1
Application number: EP12808753.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Serdar Ayten; Berrin GULBAY; Ibrahim Yildirim
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2011-12-30
Filing date: 2012-12-11
Publication date: 2016-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 2032-12-11
Also published as: CN104321483A; WO2013098071A2; CN104321483B; WO2013098071A3; EP2798117A2

Description

The present invention relates to a laundry washing and/or drying machine that comprises a lid.
In laundry washing and/or drying machines, there is a lid that provides access into the body in order to load and unload the laundry. The lid is actuated by the user by means of a handle. When the lid is actuated by the user, the handle moves by rotating. In the state of the art, a spring is used for providing the handle to change to the free position again. However, the mounting of the spring is time consuming and the incorrect positioning of the spring causes the handle not to perform its opening/closing function properly.
In the state of the art German Patent No. DE3809998 , a washing machine comprising a lid that is opened/closed by means of a handle is explained. In this embodiment, the handle is provided to return to the free position by means of a spring after being actuated for the aim of opening/closing. Document US 2001/044988 A1 dscloses a device for opening a door, in particular an electric household appliance door, wherein a handle and a catch for engaging a respective seat are formed in a one-piece body from polymer material; and an elastic contrasting member, acting on the catch and defined, for example, by a metal plate, is also co-molded in a one-piece body with the handle and the catch, so that the device according to the invention has fewer component parts to assemble as compared with known devices.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry washing and/or drying machine, the lid of which is opened and closed without any problem.
The laundry washing and/or drying machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises at least one extension integrated to the outer lid, formed by shaping the outer lid, the free end of which extends towards the handle, stretching by moving together with the handle when the user applies force on the handle and providing the handle to return to its free position when the user releases the handle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine comprises the handle having an outer member facing the outside of the body and an inner member one portion of which faces the inside of the body and one portion of which faces the outside of the body, and a housing situated on the inner member, through which the extension passes and bears against the inner member.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the extension is produced from the same material as the lid.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine comprises at least one hole formed by performing cut-out operation on the outer lid, at least one protrusion situated between the outer lid and the inner lid, the free end of which extends from the handle and passes through the hole, at least one shaft that passes through the center of the protrusion and around the axis of which the protrusion rotates and at least one bearing formed by shaping the outer lid and wherein the shaft is placed.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine comprises a locking mechanism having a hook that provides the lid to be locked to the body, a pin around the axis of which the hook rotates and a spring wrapped around the pin and that provides the hook to return to the free position thereof.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine comprises at least one opening situated on the inner member and into which the hook is seated.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the portion of the extension that passes through the housing is arc-shaped. Thus, the extension is prevented from dislodging from the housing.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the handle functions as a lever that provides transmission of force to the extension.
By means of the present invention, a laundry washing and/or drying machine is realized, comprising an extension formed by shaping the inner lid, that moves and thus provides the handle to move by rotating and to return to the free position when the user releases the handle. Thus, mounting time for an additional member is not required during the assembly of the handle and saving in time is provided. Furthermore, saving in additional member costs is provided.
The model embodiments related to a laundry washing and/or drying machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a laundry washing and/or drying machine.
Figure 2 - is the exploded view of the lid.
Figure 3 - is the rear view of the lid.
Figure 4 - is the view of detail A in Figure 3.
Figure 5 - is the perspective view of one part of the lid.
Figure 6 - is the view of detail B in Figure 5.
Figure 7 - is the sideways schematic view of the lid.
Figure 8 - is the partial schematic view of the lid, the hook and the shaft.
Figure 9 - is the front view of the lid.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Laundry washing and/or drying machine
2. Body
3. Outer lid
4. Inner lid
5. Lid
6. Handle
7. Extension
8. Outer member
9. Inner member
10. Housing
11. Hole
12. Protrusion
13. Shaft
14. Bearing
15. Hook
16. Pin
17. Spring
18. Opening

The laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) of the present invention comprises
a body (2),
a lid (5) providing access into the body (2) in order to place the laundry therein, having a ring-shaped outer lid (3) forming the portion thereof facing outside of the body (2) and a ring-shaped inner lid (4) forming the portion thereof facing the inside of the body (2) and
a handle (6) partially rotatably mounted on the outer lid (3) and that allows the user to actuate the lid (5) for opening/closing the lid (5) (Figure 1, Figure 2).
The laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) of the present invention furthermore comprises at least one extension (7)

that is integrated with the outer lid (3),
that bears against the handle (6) by extending from the outer lid (3),
that stretches and moves together with the handle (6) with the effect of the handle (6) whereon force is applied when the user actuates the handle (6) and
that provides the handle (6) to return to its free position after the user releases the handle (6) after actuating (Figure 4 and Figure 6, Figure 7).

In the free position, the user pulls out the outer lid (3) to open the lid (5). The handle (6) that is in the first position (F) when the lid (5) is closed moves by partially rotating upon the actuation of the lid (5) by the user and changes to the second position (S). Meanwhile, the extension (7) that moves together with the handle (6) stretches. When the user releases the handle (6), the pressure force applied on the extension (7) expires. When the handle (6) is released, the extension (7) gets stuck and provides the handle (6) to move by rotating. Thus, the handle (6) is provided to change to the first position (F) by means of the extension (7) that extends from the outer lid (3).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) comprises the handle (6) having an outer member (8) facing the outside of the body (2) and an inner member (9) and a housing (10) situated on the inner member (9), into which the free end of the extension (7) enters. The extension (7) is provided to be situated between the outer member (8) and the inner member (9) by means of the housing (10). When the user applies force on the handle (6), the extension (7) is also provided to move by the actuation of the inner member (9) (Figure 3, Figure 6 and Figure 7).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the extension (7) is produced from the same material as the outer lid (3) and that is thinner than the outer lid (3). The extension (7) is formed by shaping the outer lid (3). By means of the extension (7), the handle (6) is provided to be moved by rotating and to change to the first position (F) when the handle (6) is released by the user without requiring an additional element.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) comprises at least one hole (11) situated on the outer lid (3), at least one protrusion (12) situated on the handle (6) and that passes through the hole (11) to the back of the outer lid (3), a shaft (13) whereon the protrusion (12) is mounted and at least one bearing (14) situated on the outer lid (3) and wherein the shaft (13) is seated. The handle (6) actuated by the user moves by rotating around the axis of the shaft (13). By the handle (6) passing through the hole (11), the handle (6) is provided to be situated between the outer lid (3) and the inner lid (4). Furthermore, the handle (6) is provided to be mounted to the outer lid (3) by means of the shaft (13) and the bearing (14) (Figure 2, Figure 4, Figure 9).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) comprises a hook (15) that provides the lid (5) to be fixed to the body (2), a pin (16) around the axis of which the hook (15) rotates and a spring (17) wrapped around the pin (16) and that provides the hook (15) to return to the free position thereof. The handle (6) actuated by the user moves by rotating. Meanwhile, the hook (15) that bears against the handle (6) rotates around the axis of the pin (16), the spring (17) gets stuck and the hook (15) is provided to move and detach from the body (2) (Figure 6, Figure 8).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) comprises at least one opening (18) situated on the inner member (9) and into which the hook (15) is placed. The opening (18) is situated in the direction where the handle (6) applies force by bearing against the extension (7). Thus, by the handle (6) being released, the extension (7) gets stuck and provides the handle (6) that bears against the extension (7) to return from the second position (S) to the first position (F) and the hook (15) to be moved and bear against the outer lid (3) (Figure 2, Figure 3).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the extension (7) is of curved configuration. The free end of the extension (7) that extends from the outer lid (3) towards into the housing (10) bears against the inner member (9). The extension (7) is curvedly shaped and thus the stretching capacity thereof is increased.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the handle (6) functions as a lever that provides transmission of force to the extension (7). When force is applied on the handle (6) by the user, the handle (6) bears against the extension (7) and provides the extension (7) to be moved.
By means of the present invention, a laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) is realized, comprising a lid (5) having an extension (7) that provides the handle (6) to change to the free position by stressing when the user releases the handle (6). By means of the extension (7) being integrated with the inner lid (4), a state of the art additional member such as spring is not required. Thus, number of members is decreased and saving in additional member costs is provided.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) comprising
- a body (2),

- a lid (5) providing access into the body (2) in order to place the laundry therein, having a ring-shaped outer lid (3) forming the portion thereof facing outside of the body (2) and a ring-shaped inner lid (4) forming the portion thereof facing the inside of the body (2) and

- a handle (6) partially rotatably mounted on the outer lid (3) and that enables the user to actuate the lid (5) for opening/closing the lid (5),
characterized by at least one extension (7)
- that is integrated with the outer lid (3),

- that bears against the handle (6) by extending from the outer lid (3),

- that stretches and moves together with the handle (6) with the effect of the handle (6) whereon force is applied when the user actuates the handle (6) and

- that provides the handle (6) to return to the free position after the user actuates and releases the handle (6).
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the handle (6) having an outer member (8) facing the outside of the body (2) and an inner member (9) and a housing (10) situated on the inner member (9), into which the free end of the extension (7) enters.
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the extension (7) produced from the same material as the outer lid (3) and that is thinner than the outer lid (3).
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 3, characterized by at least one hole (11) situated on the outer lid (3), at least one protrusion (12) situated on the handle (6) and that passes through the hole (11) to the back of the outer lid (3), a shaft (13) whereon the protrusion (12) is mounted and at least one bearing (14) situated on the outer lid (3) and wherein the shaft (13) is seated.
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a hook (15) that provides the lid (5) to be fixed to the body (2), a pin (16) around the axis of which the hook (15) rotates and a spring (17) wrapped around the pin (16) and that provides the hook (15) to return to the free position thereof.
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by at least one opening (18) situated on the inner member (9) and into which the hook (15) is placed.
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the extension (7) that is of curved configuration.
A laundry washing and/or drying machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a handle (6) that transmits force to the extension (7) and functions as a lever.