EP3149233A1

EP3149233A1 - Laundry treatment appliance having a structurally improved gasket between a door and a tub of such appliance

Info

Publication number: EP3149233A1
Application number: EP14727499.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ergin METIN; Bugra CETINKAYA; Coskun Filiz; Kutay Edis
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2014-05-30
Filing date: 2014-05-30
Publication date: 2017-04-05
Also published as: WO2015180788A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment appliance (1) performing washing of laundry whereby dirt and filth attached to the laundry is removed as a result of mechanical interaction of cloth items with each other and with a drum (4) surfaces, the laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a front door (2) allowing access into a drum (4) installed in a tub (5) of said appliance and a gasket (3) being in communication with a front door (2) opening by means of a front plate connection member (8) and being connected to a tub (5) opening by means of a tub connection member (10) such that a drum (4) opening is accessible through the front door (2), the gasket (3) having a shock absorber portion (9) between the front plate connection member (8) and the tub connection member (10).

Description

LAUNDRY TREATMENT APPLIANCE HAVING A STRUCTURALLY IMPROVED GASKET BETWEEN A DOOR AND A TUB OF SUCH APPLIANCE

The present invention relates to a laundry washing and/or drying machine comprising a gasket being mechanically improved to withstand axial, transverse as well as radial forces.
A laundry treatment appliance comprises a generally six-sided cabinet with a front side door by which one can put in a laundry to be washed. A gasket in communication with the front access opening is connected to a tub opening and a drum opening, the drum being rotatably disposed inside the tub, can be accessed through said front access opening.
A laundry treatment appliance comprises a drum rotatable in a tub such that water and detergent held in a lower part of the tub is used to perform washing of the laundry whereby dirt and filth attached to the laundry is removed as a result of mechanical interaction of cloth items with each other and with the drum surfaces. Typically, an electric motor rotates the drum by means of a driving pulley so that forward and reverse rotation of the drum is effected during the washing and/or drying cycles.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as US2005178168 among others, the document disclosing a gasket and a washing machine having the same, which is aimed at preventing gasket deformation and damage. The gasket is coupled between a cabinet of a drum-type washing machine and a tub disposed inside the cabinet. The gasket includes a shock absorber having a bent portion for preventing a vibration appearing in the tub from being transferred to the cabinet, and at least one reinforcement member, provided to the shock absorber, for preventing deformation of the shock absorber. The reinforcement member includes a plurality of protruding ribs protruding from an inner wall of the shock absorber.
The present invention, on the other hand, provides a gasket structure which is effective in withstanding axial, transverse as well as radial forces thanks to a plurality of reinforcement elements so that shocks caused by the vibrational forces of the tub and the drum are prevented from effecting the front side of the laundry treatment appliance, while said gasket being at the same time protected against damage. The gasket according to the invention will therefore maintain its leakage prevention function for a long period and will not collapse or pucker in time.
The present invention provides an arrangement in relation to a laundry treatment machine with a gasket having reinforcement elements, which is defined by the characterizing features as defined in Claim 1.
Primary object of the present invention is hence to provide a laundry treatment machine with a gasket having reinforcement elements which can maintain its operational performance in time.
The present invention proposes a laundry treatment appliance having a gasket attached to a front door opening at one end thereof and to a tub opening at the other end. At least one reinforcement region with a plurality of reinforcement profiles is provided only at a circumferential section of the gasket by which a discrete reinforcement region is obtained. The number of discrete reinforcement regions can be two or four so as to be spaced 180 or 90 degrees apart around the circumference of the gasket.
The reinforcement profiles in the reinforcement regions are located on the outer external surface of the gasket in the shock absorber portion thereof between a front plate connection member connecting the gasket to the front door opening and a tub connection member connecting the gasket to the tub.
The reinforcement profiles extend parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum and are designed as identical ridges extending side-by-side longitudinally so as to cover a radial arc of at least 45 degrees in a reinforcement region.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a laundry treatment appliance with a gasket having reinforcement elements, whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.
The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates a general schematic view of the front side of the laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 demonstrates a front view of the front side of the laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 demonstrates a side view of the front side of the laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 demonstrates an enlarged view of the detail A as indicated in Fig. 3 according to the present invention.
Fig. 5 demonstrates another view of the detail A as indicated in Fig. 3 according to the present invention.
Fig. 6 demonstrates a cross-sectional view along lines B-B as indicated in Fig. 5 according to the present invention.
Fig. 7 demonstrates another side view of the front side of the laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention.
Fig. 8 demonstrates a cross-sectional view along lines A-A as indicated in Fig. 7 according to the present invention.
The following numerals are used in the detailed description of the invention:

Laundry treatment appliance
Front door
Gasket
Drum
Tub
Reinforcement region
Reinforcement profile
Front plate connection member
Shock absorber portion
Tub connection member
Reciprocating surfaces

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a front door (2) allowing access into a drum (4) installed in a tub (5) of said laundry treatment appliance (1).
The laundry treatment appliance (1) functions such that water and detergent held in a lower part of the tub (5) is used to perform washing of the laundry whereby dirt and filth attached to the laundry is removed as a result of mechanical interaction of cloth items with each other and with the drum (4) surfaces. An electric motor conventionally rotates said drum (4) by means of a pulley mechanism so that bidirectional rotation of the drum (4) is effected during the washing and/or drying cycles.
The laundry treatment appliance (1) generally comprises a six-sided cabinet with a front side door by which one can put in a laundry to be washed. A gasket (3) in communication with the front access opening by means of a front plate connection member (8) is connected to the tub (5) opening by means of a tub connection member (10) such that the drum (4) opening, the latter being rotatably disposed inside said tub (5), can be accessed through said front door (2).
A gasket (3) in a laundry treatment appliance (1) is conventionally effective in withstanding axial, transverse as well as radial forces so that shocks caused by the vibrational forces of the tub (5) and the drum (4) are prevented from effecting the front side of the laundry treatment appliance (1) and are not transferred thereto. The shock absorption function is typically performed by a bent portion (the shock absorber portion, 9) of the gasket (3) as seen in Fig. 8. The gasket (3) in accordance with the present invention have a prolonged lifetime thanks to a plurality of reinforcement elements provided to prevent collapsing or puckering of the gasket (3) in time.
To this end, to protect the gasket (3) against damage and prevent the washing water to be leaked out therefrom due to abrasions as a result of friction occurring between respective reciprocating surfaces (11) of the shock absorber portion (9) during operation of the laundry treatment appliance (1), it can be suggested that the respective reciprocating inner surfaces of the shock absorber portion (9) should be reinforced to prevent abrasion and damage by this abrasion.
The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned abrasion problem by way of obstructing abrasive contact of the reciprocating surfaces (11) by means of a plurality of reinforcement profiles (7) so that the gasket (3) is provided with a sturdy structure and durability. In this manner, the gasket (3) will not collapse or pucker in time and will be much less subject to damage as continuous abrasive contact of the reciprocating surfaces (11) during operation is substantially eliminated by the reinforcement profiles (7).
According to the present invention, said reinforcement profiles (7) are provided only over a partial section of the circumference of the gasket (3) forming a discrete reinforcement region (6). Alternatively, two or four discrete reinforcement regions (6) can be provided in the manner to be spaced respectively 180 and 90 degrees apart around the circumference of the gasket (3). Since continuous placement of the reinforcement profiles (7) over the entire circumference of the gasket (3) is not found to be particularly more effective than the above-exemplified configurations, an equally effective performance can be obtained by reinforcement regions (6) over a partial section of the circumference without unnecessarily increasing the weight as well as the manufacturing cost of the gasket (3).
The front door (2) of the laundry treatment appliance (1) is conventionally openable around a door hinge such that a lock mechanism releasably secures an engagement end part to a locking slot. To this end, a discrete reinforcement region (6) can be provided to cover and coincide with the lock mechanism side of the front door (2), which can be subject to external forces applied by the users.
According to the present invention, said reinforcement profiles (7) are located on the radially outermost surface of the gasket (3) in the shock absorber portion (9) thereof, to be extending from the front door (2) in a direction to the drum (4). Therefore, said reinforcement profiles (7) prevent a first reciprocating surface (11a) from contacting a second reciprocating surface (11b) to have an abrasive contact relationship.
In accordance with the invention, the reinforcement profiles (7) are identically formed longitudinal ribs extending side-by-side in a certain number and are disposed about a radial arc of at least 45 degrees.
In a nutshell, the present invention proposes a laundry treatment appliance (1) performing washing of laundry whereby dirt and filth attached to the laundry is removed as a result of mechanical interaction of cloth items with each other and with a drum (4) surfaces, the laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a front door (2) allowing access into a drum (4) installed in a tub (5) of the laundry treatment appliance (1) and a gasket (3) being in communication with a front door (2) opening by means of a front plate connection member (8) and being connected to a tub (5) opening by means of a tub connection member (10) such that a drum (4) opening is accessible through the front door (2), the gasket (3) having a shock absorber portion (9) between the front plate connection member (8) and the tub connection member (10).
At least one reinforcement region (6) comprising a plurality of reinforcement profiles (7) is provided over a partial section of the circumference of the gasket (3) forming a discrete reinforcement region (6).
In an embodiment of the present invention, two discrete reinforcement regions (6) are provided in the manner to be spaced 180 degrees apart around the circumference of the gasket (3).
In a further embodiment of the present invention, four discrete reinforcement regions (6) are provided in the manner to be spaced 90 degrees apart around the circumference of the gasket (3). In any of the above configurations, i.e. with evenly distributed two or four discrete reinforcement regions (6), a more balanced load distribution and vibration absorption effect is obtained.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement profiles (7) are located on a radially outermost surface of the gasket (3). Therefore, abrasive contact of the reciprocating surfaces (11) is avoided by the reinforcement profiles (7) on the external surface of the gasket (3) so as to provide the same with a sturdy structure and durability.
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement profiles (7) are located in the shock absorber portion (9) of the gasket (3).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement profiles (7) extend from the front door (2) in a direction to the drum (4). Since the horizontal components of their line vectors extend parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum (4), i.e. in perpendicular to the front door (2) surface, a durable structure against axial forces is ensured.
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement profiles (7) are identically formed longitudinal ribs extending side-by-side in a certain number.
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement profiles (7) are disposed about a radial arc of at least 45 degrees in a reinforcement region (6).
In a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, a discrete reinforcement region (6) is provided so as to coincide with a lock mechanism side of the front door (2).
The present invention therefore ensures that a gasket (3) whose leakage prevention function is maintained for a long period and which will not lose its vibration prevention capabilities by collapsing or puckering in time is provided.

Claims

A laundry treatment appliance (1) performing washing of laundry whereby dirt and filth attached to the laundry is removed as a result of mechanical interaction of cloth items with each other and with a drum (4) surfaces, said laundry treatment appliance (1) comprising a front door (2) allowing access into a drum (4) installed in a tub (5) and a gasket (3) being in communication with a front door (2) opening by means of a front plate connection member (8) and being connected to a tub (5) opening by means of a tub connection member (10) such that a drum (4) opening is accessible through the front door (2), the gasket (3) having a shock absorber portion (9) between the front plate connection member (8) and the tub connection member (10) characterized in that;

at least one reinforcement region (6) comprising a plurality of reinforcement profiles (7) is provided over a partial section of the circumference of the gasket (3) forming a discrete reinforcement region (6).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that two discrete reinforcement regions (6) are provided in the manner to be spaced 180 degrees apart around the circumference of the gasket (3).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that four discrete reinforcement regions (6) are provided in the manner to be spaced 90 degrees apart around the circumference of the gasket (3).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the reinforcement profiles (7) are located on a radially outermost surface of the gasket (3).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the reinforcement profiles (7) are located in the shock absorber portion (9) of the gasket (3).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 4 or 5, characterized in that the reinforcement profiles (7) extend from the front door (2) in a direction to the drum (4).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 4 or 6, characterized in that the reinforcement profiles (7) are identically formed longitudinal ribs extending side-by-side in a certain number.
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 4 or 6, characterized in that the reinforcement profiles (7) are disposed about a radial arc of at least 45 degrees in a reinforcement region (6).
A laundry treatment appliance (1) as in Claim 1, 4, 6 or 8, characterized in that a discrete reinforcement region (6) is provided so as to coincide with a lock mechanism side of the front door (2).