EP3090090B1

EP3090090B1 - Household washing appliance

Info

Publication number: EP3090090B1
Application number: EP14830685.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Angelini; Antonio Mazzarella
Original assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 2013-12-30
Filing date: 2014-12-17
Publication date: 2021-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2034-12-17
Also published as: EP3090090A1; ITPR20130109A1; WO2015101872A1

Description

Technical field

The object of the present invention is a household washing appliance.

State of the art

There are known household washing appliances comprising a washing compartment and a drain pump for draining the washing liquid. This pump comprises a delivery connection that is connected to the mouth of a drain line. With the aim of ensuring a mechanical connection between said mouth and said delivery connection, an elastic metal band is provided, wrapped around said mouth and tightening it onto the delivery connection inserted therein.
Document JP H 11 151 398 discloses a drain hose for household appliances having a connecting member made of a material whose flexibility is higher than the flexibility of the main body of the hose.

Aim of the invention

In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to make available a household washing appliance that enables an optimization of the components and more rapid assembly.
The defined technical task and the specified aims are substantially achieved by a household washing appliance that comprises the technical characteristics set forth in one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the approximate and thus non-limiting description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a household appliance as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a view of a household appliance according to the present invention with some parts being omitted so as to illustrate others more clearly;
Figures 2 and 3 are section views of some details of a household appliance according to the present invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

A household washing appliance is indicated by the reference number 1 in the attached figures. This household appliance 1 could consist of a washing machine (including washer-dryers in this category as well) or a dishwasher for example.
According to the invention, the household appliance comprises:

a washing compartment 2;
a pump 3 that takes a liquid from the washing compartment 2. This liquid consists of the washing liquid utilized by the household appliance 1. The pump 3 typically consists of a drain pump that completely evacuates the washing liquid.

According to the present invention, the pump 3 comprises a delivery connection 30 (which is found at the outlet of the pump 3). The delivery connection 30 is tubular and comprises an internal side 31 designed to come into contact with the liquid and an external side 32. The internal side 31 and the external side 32 are opposite each other and face the inside and the outside of the tubular connection 30, respectively.
According to the invention, the external side 32 comprises a plurality of grooves 33 that are side by side and extend transversely to a direction of flow 34 of a liquid inside the delivery connection 30. These grooves 33 lie in parallel planes transverse (preferably perpendicular) to said direction 34. The grooves 33 extend circumferentially. Each groove 33 defines a separate, seamless furrow.
According to the invention, the household appliance 1 further comprises a line 4 that comprises an end union 41 in which said delivery connection 30 is engaged. The delivery connection 30 then projects inside of the union 41. At the inlet of the union 41, there is a pilot hole 8 that facilitates entry of the delivery connection 30. The delivery connection 30 further comprises a stop ring 81 that is in contact with one end 82 of said union 41. This stop ring 81 defines the end point for insertion of the delivery connection 30 inside the union 41.
According to the invention, the delivery connection 41 comprises a plurality of seal rings 42 that protrude out towards the inside of the union 41 and are engaged in said grooves 33. These rings 42 involve the inside of the union 41. Conveniently, these rings 42 do not involve the outside of the union 41. Advantageously, four or five seal rings 42 are present. The rings 42 extend radially for about 3 millimetres. In cooperation with said grooves 33, the rings 42 thus serve as hydraulic seals and perform the action of mechanically connecting the union 41 and the connection 30. According to the present invention, the seal rings 42 are a single piece with at least one zone of the union 41 from which they protrude. Conveniently, the seal rings 42 are a single piece with at least a remaining part of the union 41. Advantageously, the entire union 41 is a single piece. More specifically, the union 41 is a single moulded piece.
According to the invention, the connection 30 is rigid and the union 41 is more flexible than said connection 30. This allows the union 41 to adapt partially to the shape of the connection 30, taking up slack. In a particular design solution, the union 41 could be elastic and radially compress said connection 30. The union 41 is preferably made of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer).
As mentioned above, the household appliance 1 comprises mechanical connection means 5 for mechanically connecting the connection 30 and the union 41. The mechanical connection means 5 coincides with said seal rings 42 and said grooves 33. Therefore, there is no need to use an elastic metal band for constraining the connection 30 and the union 41.
As illustrated by way of example in the accompanying figures, the line 4 comprises:

a corrugated hose 44;
a fitting 45 comprising said union 41 at one end and a connection zone 46 for connection with said corrugated hose 44 at the opposite end. The connection zone 46 comprises a plurality of ridges 47 that are side by side around the circumference thereof and engaged in corresponding grooves of said corrugated hose 44. In Figure 3, this fitting 45 is an elbow fitting.

The object of the present invention is also a method for realizing a household appliance having one or more of the characteristics described hereinabove.
The method conveniently comprises the steps of:

obtaining said union 41 and said seal rings 42 by moulding in a single piece;
inserting the delivery connection 30 of the pump 3 inside the union 41, engaging said seal rings 42 in the grooves 33 of the attachment.

The present invention makes it possible to achieve multiple advantages.
First of all, it makes it possible to achieve an optimization of the components of the household appliance, given that in addition to serving as hydraulic seals, the seal rings also function as mechanical connection elements. In particular, this makes it possible to avoid the application of elastic metal bands for locking the union on the delivery side of the hose.
The elimination of this component allows for shorter assembly time and lower costs resulting from fewer components being utilized.

Claims

A household washing appliance, comprising:
- a washing compartment (2);

- a pump (3) that takes a liquid from the washing compartment (2), said pump (3) comprising a delivery connection (30) that is tubular and comprises an internal side (31) designed to come into contact with the liquid and an external side (32), said external side (32) comprising a plurality of grooves (33) that are side by side and extend transversely to a direction (34) of flow of a liquid inside the delivery connection (30);

- a line (4) comprising an end union (41) wherein said delivery connection (30) is engaged;
whereby said end union (41) comprises a plurality of seal rings (42)that protrude out towards the inside of the end union (41) and are engaged in said grooves (33) thereby serving as hydraulic seals and performing the action of mechanically connecting the end union (41) and the delivery connection (30); said seal rings (42) being a single piece with at least one zone (43) of the end union (41) from which they protrude and said delivery connection (30) is rigid, and said end union (41) is more flexible than said delivery connection (30).
The household washing appliance according to claim 1, where by said pump (3) is a drain pump for draining the liquid present in the washing compartment (2).
The household washing appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, whereby said household washing appliance comprises mechanical connection means (5) for mechanically connecting the delivery connection (30) and the end union (41), said
mechanical connection means (5) coincide with said seal rings (42) and said grooves (33).
The household washing appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, whereby said household washing appliance is a dishwasher or a laundry washer.
The household washing appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, whereby said end union (41) is elastic and radially compresses said delivery connection (30).
The household washing appliance according to any one of the preceding claims,whereby said line (4) comprises:
- a corrugated hose (44);

- a fitting (45) comprising said end union (41) at one end and a connection zone
(46) for connection with said corrugated hose (44) at the opposite end, of said fitting (45), said connection zone (46) comprising a plurality of ridges (47) that are side by side around the circumference thereof and engaged in corresponding grooves of said corrugated hose (44).
The household washing appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, whereby said end union (41) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
The household washing appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, whereby said end union (41) is a single moulded piece.