EP2828430B1 - Laundry drum having a structure pattern and laundry treatment machine comprising such laundry drum - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a laundry drum for a laundry treatment machine, which has a drum shell with a textured pattern, and a laundry treatment machine with such a laundry drum. Specifically, the invention relates to the field of washing machines, washer-dryers and clothes dryers.

From the EP 1 458 919 B1 and the EP 1 974 083 B1 in each case a drum for a laundry treatment machine is known. The laundry drum is rotatably mounted within a housing of the laundry treatment machine and has a bottom plate and a jacket. These two components are made of sheet metal and are provided individually or both with a directed towards the drum interior vault structure. In order to make the components stiffer, to improve their drainage ability and to promote their appearance, the arch structure is formed from directed towards the drum interior spherical caps. Furthermore, sufficiently large flood holes are provided, which are suitably arranged. The arrangement promotes the rigidity of the thus structured drum shell. Furthermore, provided on the inner surface of the drum shell driver can be provided, wherein the surface of the driver is also provided with a buckling structure of knobs.

At the time of the EP 1 458 919 B1 or the EP 1 974 083 B1 known drum of the drum shell may be excited to vibrate in operation, which bend this. This may lead to deviations from the ideal cylinder-shaped starting shape as a result of the vibrations. Since the drum is disposed within a tub, in extreme cases, the drum shell could come into contact with the surrounding tub. Also, therefore, a sufficiently large distance between the drum shell and the tub must be specified. Because of the generally very limited space usually the correspondingly large predetermined distance between the tub and the drum shell at the expense of a possible drum diameter. Furthermore, the material thickness of the drum shell must be sufficiently large.

As used herein, "tiling" means a structure mounted in or on a surface consisting of a large plurality of individual surface elements, each of which has dimensions of a maximum length substantially less than each maximum diameter of the surface. do not exceed. Common examples of tilings are therefore coverings for floors in living spaces, which are formed of wooden or ceramic surface elements, each of which has dimensions that are significantly smaller than the dimensions of the respective considered soil. Also, the structures produced by embossing are from the EP 1 458 919 B1 or the EP 1 974 083 B1 known laundry drums Examples of parquetry. A common counterexample would be a decking for such a floor formed of planks or boards extending from one side of the living space to the other side.

The U.S. Patent 4,133,152 inventor Roger Penrose describes a closed, non-periodic tiling of a surface by means of several elements called "tiles". The surface may be a floor or a wall of a building or an instructive puzzle-like game. Such nonperiodic tilings are now commonly referred to as "Penrose tilings". Also from the WO 2001/085274 A1 go out such tilings.

The document EP 2 177 657 A1 describes a drum (3) for a washing machine (1) with a tub (2) in which the drum (3) via a horizontal or inclined axis (7) can be rotatably mounted, comprising a cylindrical shell (19) by means of an end wall (20) is limited, wherein the jacket (19) comprises a structure of the drum interior directed bulges, which consists of individual curved segments (22), wherein the size of the segments (22) is formed differently, such that the Structure of the curved segments (22) on the jacket (19) forms a curved pattern.

The object of the invention is to provide a laundry drum for a laundry treatment machine and a laundry treatment machine with a laundry drum, which have an improved structure. Specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a laundry drum in which possible vibrations are reduced, and a laundry treating machine with such a laundry drum.

The object is achieved by a laundry drum for a laundry treatment machine and by a laundry treatment machine according to corresponding independent claim. Preferred developments of the laundry drum and the laundry treatment machine result from the dependent claims, the following description and attached drawings, preferred developments of the laundry drum correspond to preferred developments of the laundry treatment machine and vice versa, and this even if it is not explicitly indicated herein.

The object is therefore achieved by a laundry drum for a laundry treatment machine, wherein a drum shell is provided, which drum shell has a structural pattern and wherein the structural pattern is based at least in sections on a Penrose tiling. Also, the object is achieved by a laundry treatment machine, which is used in particular for washing and / or drying laundry, with such a laundry drum.

The laundry drum is particularly suitable for laundry treatment machines that are designed as a washing machine or washer-dryer. Especially with a spin-up of the laundry drum, natural frequencies have the effect that it can lead to relatively strong influences on the laundry drum. Due to the design of the drum shell with the structural pattern, which is based on the Penrose tiling, such natural frequencies are avoided. For, in contrast to regular embossing and hole structures, symmetries are at least largely avoided in the structural pattern provided according to the invention. Even if the structural pattern of the drum shell is only partially based on the Penrose tiling, there is an effective suppression of vibrations. This has a particularly favorable effect on the stability requirements. With regard to a given stability, a material saving can be achieved thereby. For example, the drum shell may be formed from a metal sheet. Then, for example, the sheet thickness can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing the oscillation amplitude that occurs, the space predetermined, for example, within a tub can be better utilized. Because by reducing the vibrations, for example, the diameter of the laundry drum can be increased. This also increases the capacity of the laundry drum. This allows larger loading volumes.

For the increase of the drum stability is particularly relevant that there is no longer straight line and thus potential crease line along which a distortion-free bending of the component and certainly not kinking would be possible. Thus, an irreversible, for example, by kinks, or reversible, so elastic, deformation of the laundry drum compared to regular structuring and embossing can be significantly reduced by the structure based on the Penrose tiling. Furthermore, there is the advantage that acoustic vibration modes with wavelengths in small integer fractions of the component dimensions or small integer multiples thereof are reduced. This has the effect of reducing the noise emission.

In addition, the laundry treatment can be improved. Because the transmission of a periodic pattern when rolling, especially reversing, the laundry or repeated turning the laundry drum to spin can be avoided from the outset. Thus, by design, there is no preferred point for the mechanics entry in a laundry bale or the like. An unfavorable mechanics entry, which occurs, for example, when a laundry bale always falls back to the same place, is thus avoided.

Finally, the laundry drum according to the invention offers a special appearance of the surface, which differs significantly from the known, based on periodic models structures.

Thus, the non-periodicity of the structure pattern provides significant advantages. The Penrose tiling is characterized by a global non-periodicity. It can not be matched with itself by any symmetry operation, such as displacement, rotation, reflection, glide reflection, and combinations thereof. This nonperiodicity translates into the structural pattern that is based on the Penrose tiling. In this case, however, the structure pattern still allows adjustments to the particular application, for example by the design of structural elements of the structure pattern. Furthermore, the Penrose tiling of different tiles and in different ways or by the selection of the section of the Penrose tiling for the areal limited structure pattern can be adapted to the particular application. In particular, a tile size can serve as a parameter for the Penrose tiling.

The structural pattern can in particular be designed by embossing in the drum shell. In this case, structural elements can be designed which extend inward, outward or both inward and outward depending on the application. In particular, an alternate embodiment is conceivable, wherein juxtaposed structural elements are alternately formed inwardly or outwardly. The height of the structural elements can be suitably varied.

Advantageously, the Penrose tiling is composed of a variety of tiles. Specifically, the Penrose tiling may be composed of a first tile type and a second tile type, the first tile type being based on a rhombus having corner angles of 36 ° and 144 °, and the second tile type being based on a rhombus having corner angles of 72 ° and 108 ° ,

In this case, it is further advantageous for the structure pattern to have structural elements that are each configured within a tile of the Penrose tiling. In this case, a structural element of the structure pattern can thus be selected for each tile. However, it is also conceivable that no structural elements are provided on individual tiles.

It is also advantageous here that at least a part of the structural elements is configured as inwardly shaped truncated pyramids and / or as inwardly formed domes. The calottes can be configured in particular as spherical caps. A height of the structural elements designed as truncated pyramids or calottes may be, for example, about 1 cm. The structural elements can ensure the entrainment of the laundry.

Depending on the application, the laundry drum can thereby be configured without additional driver. Especially in this case, the structural pattern extending over the entire circumference of the laundry drum can be based on exactly one Penrose tiling. Individual or all structural elements can act as a driver by a suitable choice of their size and shape.

It is also advantageous here that the structural pattern has at least one group of structure elements arranged next to one another, which form a driver. This group of structural elements may in particular be designed with a greater height than the other structural elements which do not form a driver.

It is also advantageous that at least a part of the structural elements is designed as outwardly shaped pyramids. In this case, it is also advantageous that at least part of the outwardly shaped pyramids each have a pyramid tip with a drainage hole. The outwardly shaped structural elements may for example have a height of about 0.5 cm. A drainage hole is preferably provided approximately in the middle of a tile of Penrose tiling. Specifically, with diamond-shaped tiles, the drainage hole may be located at the center of the diamond, which is then outermost with respect to the drum axis on the feature. For diamond-shaped tiles, for example, the side length can be in the range of a few centimeters.

It is also advantageous, however, that the drum shell is divided into several sections, as viewed in one direction of rotation, and that each section has a structure pattern based on the Penrose tiling. Here, the sections of the drum shell can be configured with at least substantially matching structure patterns. This embodiment can be used especially with laundry drums with separate drivers. In this case, one of the sections with the structural pattern based on the Penrose tiling, for example, may be provided between any two consecutive drivers in the direction of rotation. As a result, the area between each two carriers is then structurally structured in a quasi periodic manner, whereby the structure pattern can be repeated in the course of simpler production or design in each section. In the strict mathematical sense, the drum shell with the structural pattern has a symmetry with respect to a full revolution of 360 °. If several sections with identical structural patterns realized, then the drum shell has a periodicity, which is a fraction of 360 °. However, with respect to each section results in a non-periodic design, which may already result in respect of the particular application, a sufficient vibration damping.

It is also advantageous that the structural pattern has drainage channels which extend in each case along joined edges of tiles of the Penrose tiling. Specifically, a system of drainage channels can be configured between structural elements designed as inwardly shaped truncated pyramids and / or as internally shaped domes. It is also advantageous that the Structural pattern has drainage holes, which are respectively arranged at corners of the joined tiles of Penrose tiling. The drainage holes can in this case in particular with respect to drainage channels, which are arranged along the edges, are arranged advantageously.

Fig. 1

eine Kachel entsprechend einer ersten Kachelart einer Penrose-Parkettierung für ein Strukturmuster eines Trommelmantels einer Wäschetrommel für eine Wäschebehandlungsmaschine entsprechend einem Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 2

eine Kachel entsprechend einer zweiten Kachelart der Penrose-Parkettierung für das Strukturmuster gemäß diesem Ausführungsbeispiel;

Fig. 3

die Penrose-Parkettierung des Ausführungsbeispiels auf einer begrenzten Fläche und

Fig. 4

den Trommelmantel der Wäschebehandlungsmaschine des Ausführungsbeispiels in einer schematischen, abgewickelten und auszugsweisen Darstellung.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, in which corresponding elements are provided with corresponding reference numerals. Show it:

Fig. 1

a tile according to a first tile type of a Penrose tiling for a structural pattern of a drum shell of a laundry drum for a laundry treating machine according to an embodiment;

Fig. 2

a tile corresponding to a second tile type of Penrose tiling for the texture pattern according to this embodiment;

Fig. 3

the Penrose tiling of the embodiment on a limited area and

Fig. 4

the drum shell of the laundry treatment machine of the embodiment in a schematic, developed and excerpted representation.

Fig. 1 1 shows a tile 1 corresponding to a first tile type of a Penrose tiling 3 'for a structural pattern 3 of a drum shell 4 of a laundry drum 5 for a laundry treatment machine 6 (FIG. Fig. 4 ) according to an embodiment. The tile 1 has edges 7, 8, 9, 10, each of equal length. The length of the edges 7 to 10 is one unit of length (LE). The length unit LE is selected with respect to the particular application. For example, the length unit LE can be specified in the range of a few cm.

The tile 1 also has corners 11, 12, 13, 14. The corner 11 is located between the edges 7, 10. The corner 12 is located between the edges 7, 8. The corner 13 is located between the edges 8, 9. The corner 14 is located between the edges 9, 10. At the Corners 11 to 14 result between the respective edges 7 to 10 corner angle 15, 16, 17, 18. The corner angle 15, 17 at the edges 11, 13 are each 36 °. The corner angles 16, 18 at the corners 12, 14 are each 144 °. Thus, the corner angles 15 to 18 are each given as integer multiples of 36 °.

Fig. 2 shows a tile 2 corresponding to a second tile type of Penrose tiling 3 'for the pattern 3 of the structural in Fig. 4 illustrated drum shell 4 of the laundry drum 5 for the laundry treatment machine 6 according to the embodiment. The tile 2 has edges 20, 21, 22, 23. The edges 20 to 23 abut at corners 24, 25, 26, 27 of the tile 2 together. Here, the corner 24 is between the edges 20, 23. The corner 25 is located between the edges 20, 21. The corner 26 is located between the edges 21, 22. The corner 27 is located between the edges 22, 23. An The corners 24 to 27 are each corner angle 28, 29, 30, 31 predetermined. The corner angles 28, 30 at the corners 24, 26 are each 72 °. The corner angle 29, 31 at the corners 25, 27 are each 108 °. Thus, the corner angles 28 to 31 are each selected as integer multiples of 36 °. The edges 20 to 23 each have an edge length of one unit length LE.

The tiles 1, 2 are thus configured as diamond-shaped tiles 1, 2. From the tiles 1, 2, the Penrose tiling 3 'are composed, as in the Fig. 3 is illustrated. As a result, a Penrose tiling 3 'of a plurality of tiles 1, 2, which consist of the first tile type and the second tile type, are joined together. When assembling the plurality of tiles 1, 2, however, a rule for joining must still be considered. This rule is illustrated by constructive joining elements 32, 33, 34, 35, which can be considered as mental auxiliary constructs. At the edge 7 of the tile 1 and at the edge 23 of the tile 2 simple bulges 32 are provided. At the edge 8 of the tile 1 and at the edge 20 of the tile 2 simple notches 33 are provided. The simple bulge 32 and the simple notch 33 are associated with each other. The rule for joining now says that the tiles 1, 2 can be attached to each other so that the simple bulge 32 engages in the simple notch 33. This means that the tile 1 with the edge 7 can be added to the edge 20 of the tile 2. Likewise, the tile 2 can be added with its edge 23 to the edge 8 of the tile 1. Two tiles 1 of the first tile type can also be added to each other, namely at the edges 7, 8. Accordingly, two tiles 2 of the second tile type at the edges 20, 23 are attached to each other.

According to this scheme, two-fold bulges 34 are provided on the edge 9 of the tile 1 and the edge 22 of the tile 2. And two notches 35 are provided on the edge 10 of the tile 1 and on the edge 21 of the tile 2. The double bulge 34 corresponds to the double notch 35, so that related edges can be added to each other.

Thus, the constructive elements, namely the simple bulges 32, the simple notches 33, the double bulges 34 and the double notches 35, a vivid way to the rule for joining a plurality of tiles 1, 2 according to the first tile type and second tile type, so that a Penrose tiling arises. This ensures that a non-periodic tiling arises.

It should be noted that the Penrose tiling can also be formed from differently shaped tiles. Here, the number of tile types is not necessarily equal to 2.

Fig. 3 shows the Penrose tiling 3 'of the embodiment on a limited area 40. Here, only the tiles 1, 2 are marked to simplify the illustration. Considering the rules for joining, for example, in the Fig. 3 illustrated Penrose tiling 3 'arise, the surface 40 selects a particular section. Depending on the selected section, the size of the surface 40 and the specification of the unit length LE adaptation to different drum shells 4 and applications can be made.

Fig. 4 shows the drum shell 4 of the laundry drum 5 of the laundry treatment machine 6 of the embodiment in a schematic, developed and excerpted representation. In this embodiment, the drum shell 4 in several Sections are divided, of which in the Fig. 4 the section 41 is shown. The drum shell 4 has the structural pattern 3. The pattern 3 is based on the section 41 on the Penrose tiling 3 '. Tiles 1, 2 of the Penrose tiling 3 'are exemplarily illustrated by broken lines. The Penrose tiling 3 'is composed in this embodiment of a plurality of tiles 1, 2 of the first tile type and the second tile type. To simplify the illustration, only the tiles 1, 2 are illustrated here.

The structural pattern 3 has structural elements 42, 43. The structural element 42 is in this case configured within the tile 1 of the Penrose tiling 3 '. The structural element 43 is embodied within the tile 2 of the Penrose tiling. The structural elements 42, 43 may be designed, for example, as inwardly shaped truncated pyramids or as inwardly formed domes. A part of the structural elements can also be designed as outwardly shaped structural elements, in particular as outwardly shaped pyramids.

For illustration, a structural element 44 is shown, which is configured as outwardly shaped pyramid 44. The structural element 44 has a pyramid tip 45. At the pyramid tip 45, a drainage hole 46 is configured. In this case, any combination of suitable structural elements 42 to 44 is possible with respect to the respective application.

In this embodiment, the edge 7 of the tile 1 is attached to the edge 20 of the tile 2. The pattern 3 may have a plurality of drainage channels 47 each extending along joined edges, in particular the edges 7, 20, of tiles, in particular of the tiles 1, 2, of the Penrose tiling 3 '. Further, it is advantageous that the pattern 3 has drainage holes 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, which are respectively arranged at corners 11 to 14, 24 to 27 of the joined tiles 1, 2 of the Penrose tiling 3 '. To simplify the illustration are in the Fig. 4 only the drainage holes 48 to 53 at the corners 11 to 14, 24 to 27 marked.

Thus, a network of drainage channels 47 can be realized in which a plurality of drainage holes 48 to 53 are arranged.

The number of tiles 1, 2 and thus the number of structural elements 42 to 44 in the section 41 can be influenced by the choice of the length unit LE. Specifically, a significantly larger number of structural elements may be provided 42 to 44, as it in the Fig. 4 is shown.

In this embodiment, drivers 60, 61 of the laundry drum 5 are realized as separate carriers 60, 61. However, one or more drivers 60, 61 may also be replaced by a group 62 of structural elements 62A to 62E. This group 62 then forms a driver 62. For this purpose, the structural elements can have a greater height than the remaining structural elements 42, 43.

The drum casing 4 may, viewed in a direction of rotation 63, be divided into a plurality of sections 41, each section 41 having a structural pattern 3 based on the Penrose tiling 3 '. To simplify the production, it is advantageous in this case that the individual sections 41 of the drum shell 4 are configured with substantially matching structure patterns 3. However, different structural patterns 3 can also be used.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 2

tile

3

structural patterns

3 '

Penrose tiling

4

drum shell

5

washing drum

6

Laundry appliance

7-10

edge

11-14

corner

15-18

corner angle

20-23

edge

24-27

corner

28-31

corner angle

32

simple bulge

33

simple notch

34

double bulge

35

double notch

40

area

41

section

42-44

structural element

45

Pyramidenspitze

46

drainage hole

47

drainage channel

48-53

drainage hole

60, 61

takeaway

62

group

62A-62E

structural element

63

direction of rotation

Claims (10)

1. Laundry drum (5) for a laundry treatment machine (6) having a drum body (4), wherein the drum body (4) has a structure pattern (3),
   characterised in that the structure pattern (3) is based, at least in sections, on a Penrose tiling (3'), wherein the Penrose tiling (3') is composed of a plurality of tiles (1, 2), and wherein the structure pattern (3) has structure elements (42, 43, 44) which are in each case embodied inside a tile (1, 2) of the Penrose tiling (3').
2. Laundry drum according to claim 1, characterised in that at least some of the structure elements (42, 43) are embodied as inwardly moulded truncated pyramids (42, 43) and/or as inwardly moulded calottes (42, 43).
3. Laundry drum according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least some of the structure elements (44) are embodied as outwardly moulded pyramids.
4. Laundry drum according to claim 3, characterised in that at least some of the outwardly moulded pyramids (44) each have a pyramid apex (45) with a drainage hole (46).
5. Laundry drum according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the structure pattern (3) has at least one group (62) of structure elements (62A-62E) which are arranged next to one another and form an agitator paddle (62).
6. Laundry drum according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the structure pattern (3) has drainage channels (47), each of which extends along joined edges (7, 20) of tiles (1, 2) of the Penrose tiling (3').
7. Laundry drum according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the structure pattern (3) has drainage holes (48-53) which in each case are arranged at corners (11-14, 24-27) of the joined tiles (1, 2) of the Penrose tiling (3').
8. Laundry drum according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the drum body (4) viewed in one direction of rotation (63) is divided into several sections (41) and that each section (41) has a structure pattern (3) based on the Penrose tiling (3').
9. Laundry drum according to claim 8, characterised in that the sections (41) of the drum body (4) are embodied with at least essentially consistent structure patterns (3).
10. Laundry treatment machine (6), which serves in particular to wash and/or dry laundry, having a laundry drum (5) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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