EP3580384B1

EP3580384B1 - A laundry treatment appliance comprising a transportation safety device

Info

Publication number: EP3580384B1
Application number: EP17707189.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ismet Bayhan; Serkan Erten; Bugra CETINKAYA; Ergin METIN; Selahattin CORAK
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2017-02-08
Filing date: 2017-02-08
Publication date: 2020-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-08
Also published as: WO2018145735A1; EP3580384A1; TR201801334A2

Description

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment appliance which is prevented from being damaged during transportation by means of a transportation safety device.
In laundry treatment appliances the washing and/or drying group, generally referred to as oscillating group, is composed of oscillating parts such as the electric motor, the drum and the tub and it is connected to the external cabinet of the appliance by elements, like springs and shock absorbers, aimed to dampen the movements of the oscillating group during the washing and spinning steps so that such movements are not transferred to the external cabinet. The oscillatory motion of the oscillating group becomes a problem during transportation of the laundry appliance, so that transportation safety devices are generally used during transport for securing the oscillating group to the cabinet and preventing collisions of such group with the cabinet thereby providing a safe transport process.
The transportation safety devices are used for temporarily securing the oscillating group, and in particular the tub, to the cabinet. To this aim the tub, generally the back of it, is usually provided with a threaded bore and a wall of the cabinet, generally the rear wall, is provided with a through hole aligned to the threaded bore of the tub.
The transportation safety devices usually comprise a spacer to be accommodated between the wall of the cabinet and the tub, a bolt, which is inserted through the spacer and screwed into the threaded bore on the tub to rigidly fix the tub, and hence the oscillating group, to the cabinet and an adaptor, arranged between the head of the bolt and the wall of the cabinet to dampen the forces transferred from the bolt head to the wall. The transportation safety devices, generally used in number of two or more for each appliance, have to be removed by the user or by the installer once the laundry treatment appliance has been installed in order to allow proper functioning of the appliance. An example of such a transportation safety device is disclosed in the European patent n. EP1702097B1 .
Further transportation safety devices have been developed aimed to optimally protect the oscillating group and the cabinet also in case of strong collisions or falls of the appliance during transportation. The European patent n. EP2379791B1 describes for instance a transportation safety device further comprising a bumper which surrounds the bolt head projecting out from the cabinet to safeguard it.
Once the transportation safety devices have been removed, after installation of the laundry treatment appliance, a protection cover is generally mounted on the wall of the cabinet to close the through holes, thus avoiding that water could possibly penetrate into the cabinet through such holes and reach the electrical components arranged in it. Such a cover is for instance disclosed in the German utility model n.
DE202015003360U1 . Document US 2009/074535 A1 discloses a laundry treatment appliance comprising a cabinet having a back wall provided with a securing hole and a vertically-oriented slot, an oscillating group suspended in the cabinet having a bore substantially aligned with the securing hole on the back wall, a fastener assembly having a spacer aimed to be accommodated between the back wall of the cabinet and the oscillating group by passing through the vertically-oriented slot and provided with a through hole to be aligned with the securing hole on the wall and the bore on the oscillating group, a bolt inserted through the securing hole on the wall and the through hole of the spacer and screwed into the bore on the oscillating group to rigidly fix it to the cabinet, and an adaptor having an aperture through which the bolt is inserted and which is arranged between a head of the bolt and the wall to dampen the forces transferred from the head to the wall.
An important drawback of the known transportation safety devices and protection covers resides on the high number of elements that generally constitutes the devices and covers so that high production costs are entailed and the operations for assembling/disassembling and mounting/demounting such safety devices on/from the cabinet and tub of the laundry appliances and subsequently to cover the through holes on the cabinet are burdensome and require a long time.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry treatment appliance comprising a transportation safety device which is cost effective and which is easily and quickly mountable and demountable on/from the cabinet of the laundry treatment appliance.
The laundry treatment appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a transportation safety device having an adaptor, transferring the forces exerted by the bolt head to the wall of the cabinet, which is also usable as a protection cover to plug the passage hole on the wall of the cabinet after the transportation safety device has been removed from the cabinet. This allows to reduce the overall number of elements that have to be used in order to ensure a safe transportation and a secure installation of the appliance, thus rendering more easy and quick for the installer to mount them on the cabinet or remove them and at the same time reducing the production costs.
The adaptor is mountable on the wall with a first face of it facing the wall of the cabinet and with a second face of it, opposite to the first face, pointing outward, when the transportation safety device is mounted on the wall and it is mountable on the wall with the second face facing the wall of the cabinet and with the first face of it pointing outward, when the transportation safety device has been removed and the adaptor is mounted on the wall to function as a protection cover, to avoid that water may possible enter into the cabinet through the passage hole on the whole.
In order to be attached to the wall of the cabinet in the two different positions, the adaptor comprises first and second attaching means, in particular provided respectively on the first and on the second face of it.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the spacer of the transportation safety device comprises anchoring means to anchor to the wall when arranged between the wall of the cabinet and the oscillating group and, preferably, the adaptor comprises a recess on its first face to accommodate the anchoring means of the spacer.
In another embodiment, the spacer comprises grasping means which extends toward the outside through the passage hole on the wall of the cabinet when the spacer is accommodated between the wall and the oscillating group and the adaptor is provided with a concavity on its first face aimed to accommodate the grasping means of the spacer.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the adaptor comprises a bump on its second face designed to extend outward from the wall and beyond the head of the bolt when the transportation safety device is mounted on the appliance aimed to dampen the possible impacts on the cabinet, thus protecting it and the oscillating group from possible damages.
In a version of this embodiment, the bump is provided on the adaptor opposite to the concavity of it provided on the opposite face. Therefore the same portion of the adaptor defines a concavity on the first face of the adaptor and a bump on the opposite second face of the adaptor.
Advantageously, the bump is designed to be accommodated through the passage hole on the wall, extending inward from the wall, when the adaptor functions as a protection cover.
Details of a laundry treatment appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is an exploded view of a transportation safety device, together with a portion of a cabinet wall, of a laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention.
Figure 2 - is a reversed view of a detail of the transportation safety device of Figure 1 related to an adaptor.
Figures 3 and 4 - are a perspective view of a detail of the transportation safety device of Figure 1 related to a spacer during two subsequent phases of the mounting operations of the transportation safety device on a wall of the cabinet of the laundry treatment appliance.
Figure 5 - is a section view of the spacer of Figures 3 and 4 mounted on the wall of the cabinet of the laundry treatment appliance.
Figure 6 - is a section view of the spacer mounted on the wall of Figures 5 and of the cover of Figure 2 while being mounted on the wall.
Figure 7 - is a section view of the transportation safety device of Figure 1 mounted on the wall of the cabinet and on the tub of the laundry treatment appliance.
Figure 8 - is a section view of the cover of Figures 2 while being mounted on the wall after the installation of the laundry treatment appliance.
Figure 9 - is a section view of the cover of Figures 2 mounted on the wall of the laundry treatment appliance.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Wall
2. Securing hole
3. Passage hole
4. Tub
5. Bore
6. Transportation safety device
7. Spacer
8. Through hole
9. Bolt
10. Head
11. Adaptor
12. First face
13. Second face
14. First attaching means
15. Second attaching means
16. Anchoring means
17. Recess
18. Grasping means
19. Concavity
20. Bump
21. Aperture

The laundry treatment appliance comprises a cabinet having a wall 1, a portion of which is illustrated in the attached Figures 1 and 3-9, provided with a securing hole 2, which is a through hole, and a passage hole 3, which is also a through hole. The laundry treatment appliance further comprises an oscillating group suspended in the cabinet for receiving items to be treated, i.e. to be washed and/or dried. More in detail the oscillating group comprises a tub 4, suspended in the cabinet by means of springs and shock absorbers, and a drum (not illustrated) rotatably mounted in the tub 5, wherein the items to be washed and/or dried are inserted by the user.
The oscillating group has a bore 5, preferably a threaded bore, substantially aligned with the securing hole 2 on the wall 1. In particular the bore 5 is advantageously provided on the tub 4 aligned with the securing hole 2 on the wall 1 when the oscillating group is in a resting position, with the forces exerted by the springs and the shock absorbers being balanced.
The laundry treatment appliance further comprises a transportation safety device 6 having a spacer 7, aimed to be accommodated between the wall 1 of the cabinet and the oscillating group by passing through the passage hole 3 on the cabinet wall 1, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, and provided with a through hole 8 to be aligned with the securing hole 2 on the wall 1 and the bore 5 on the oscillating group, once the spacer 7 has been introduced through the wall 1, as illustrated in Figures 5-7, a bolt 9 having a head 10 and aimed to be inserted through the securing hole 2 on the wall 1 and the through hole 8 of the spacer 7 and screwed into the bore 5 on the oscillating group, i.e. on the tub 4, to rigidly fix it to the cabinet, and an adaptor 11 having an aperture 21, aimed to be aligned with the securing hole 2 on the wall 1, the through hole 8 of the separator 7 and the bore 5 on the oscillating group so that the bolt 9 can be inserted through them, and aimed to be arranged between the head 10 of the bolt 9 and the wall 1 to dampen the forces transferred from the head 10 to the wall 1.
According to the present invention, the adaptor 11 is designed to be mounted on the wall 2 to close the passage hole 3 after installation of the laundry treatment appliance and after the transportation safety device 6 has been removed from the laundry treatment appliance, functioning as a protection cover, and it comprises a first face 12 intended to be pointing toward the wall 1, i.e. toward the inside of the laundry treatment appliance, when the transportation safety device 6 is mounted on the appliance and a second face 13, opposite to the first face 12, intended to be pointing toward the wall 1, i.e. toward the inside of the laundry treatment appliance, when the adaptor 11 functions as a protection cover.
Therefore, the adaptor 11 is designed to function both as a damping element, transmitting the forces applied by the head 10 of the bolt 9 to the wall 1, and as a protection cover, plugging the passage hole 3 and thus avoiding that water could possibly penetrate into the cabinet through such holes and reach the electrical components arranged in it. The adaptor 11 is designed to be simply turned upside down, after the laundry treatment appliance has been installed and the transportation safety device 6 has been removed, in order to be used as a protection cover.
In this manner no further elements, such as distinct protection covers, have to be carried by the installer so that the installing operations of the laundry treatment appliance are made easier and the total number of elements to be used to ensure an optimal and safe transportation and a subsequent proper installation of the laundry treatment appliance is reduced and the total production costs are reduced together with it.
In an embodiment, the adaptor 11 comprises first attaching means 14 to attach to the wall 1 with its first face 12 pointing toward the wall 1. The first attaching means 14 allows the adaptor 11 to be correctly positioned and fixedly mounted on the wall 1, so that it is not necessary to hold it in position while screwing the bolt 9.
In a version of this embodiment, the first attaching means 14 is provided on the first face 12 of the adaptor 11. According to the specific embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the first attaching means 14 comprises a hook like element provided on the first face 12 and aimed to be engaged to the wall 1 when the adaptor 11 is mounted on it.
In another embodiment, the adaptor 11 comprises second attaching means 15 to attach to the wall 1 with its second face 13 pointing toward the wall 1. The second attaching means 15 allows the adaptor 11 to be correctly positioned and fixedly mounted on the wall 1 when intended to be used as a protection cover, after the transportation safety device 6 has been removed.
In a version of this embodiment, the second attaching means 15 is provided on the second face 13 of the adaptor 11. According to the specific embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the second attaching means 15 comprises a hook like element provided on the second face 13 and aimed to be engaged to the wall 1 when the adaptor 11 is mounted on it as a protection cover and a rib aimed to abut against the wall 1 in order to prevent the adaptor 11 to be easily removed from the wall 1, as better described in the following.
According to an embodiment, the spacer 7 comprises anchoring means 16 to anchor to the wall 1 when arranged between the wall 1 of the cabinet and the oscillating group. Thanks to the anchoring means 16, the spacer 7 can be correctly arranged by the installer between the wall 1 and the oscillating group, i.e. in particular the tub 4, with its through hole 8 aligned with the securing hole 2 on the wall 1 and the bore 5 on the tub 4 and autonomously held in the correct position. Therefore the spacer 7 is auto-sustained on the wall 1, so that the installer does not need to manually hold the spacer 7 once positioned between the wall 1 and the oscillating group, before and while screwing the bolt 9. In particular, according to the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the anchoring means 16 comprises abutting portions, intended to rest on the outer surface of the wall 1, and a tooth intended to engage with the inner surface of the wall 1, as illustrated in Figure 5.
In a version of this embodiment, the adaptor 11 comprises a recess 17 on the first face 12 to accommodate the anchoring means 16 of the spacer 7 and in particular the abutting portions of it. In this manner the adaptor 11 can be properly mounted on the wall 1 resting with its first face 12 on the outer surface of the wall 1, with the part of the anchoring means extending on the outer surface of the wall 1 accommodated in the recess 17 of the adaptor 11, as illustrated in Figure 7.
In an embodiment, the spacer 7 comprises grasping means 18, aimed to be grasped by the installer to easily position the spacer 7 between the wall 1 and the oscillating group. In the illustrated embodiment the grasping means 18 are in the form of a tab, manually graspable by the installer. The grasping means 18 extends toward the outside of the cabinet, through the passage hole 3 on the wall 1 when the spacer 7 is accommodated between the wall 1 of the cabinet and the oscillating group and the adaptor 11 is provided with a concavity 19 on its first face 12 aimed to accommodate the grasping means 18 of the spacer 7. In this manner the grasping means 18 are covered and protected during the transportation operations, without risking to be damaged.
In another embodiment, the adaptor 11 comprises a bump 20 on its second face 13 designed to extend outward from the wall 1 when the transportation safety device 6 is mounted on the appliance and aimed to dampen the possible impacts on the cabinet. More in detail, the bump 20 of the adaptor 11 extends outward from the wall 1 more than the head 10 of the bolt 9. The presence of the bump 20 on the adaptor 11 prevents the head 10 of the bolt 9 to be directly hit in case of impacts on the cabinet, so that such impacts are not directly transmitted to the cabinet or to the oscillating group and the force of such impacts is diminished by the bump 20.
In a version of this embodiment, the bump 20 on the second face 13 of the adaptor 11 is opposite to the concavity 19 on the first face 12 of the adaptor 11, being substantially defined by it on the second face 13. In this manner the same portion of the adaptor 11 has a double function, covering the grasping means 18 and providing a bump 20 for dampening possible impacts when the transportation safety device 6 is mounted on the wall 1.
In a further embodiment, the bump 20 is designed to be accommodated through the passage hole 3 on the wall 1, extending inward from the wall 1, when the adaptor 11 functions as a protection cover. In this manner the adaptor 11 efficaciously plugs the passage hole 3 while being kept in position on the wall 1.
More in detail, according to the specific embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the bump 20 contributes on maintaining the adaptor 11 mounted on the wall 1. To this aim, the second attaching means 15 are provided also on the bump 20 on the second face 13. In particular, the second attaching means 15 comprises a flexible tongue provided on the bump 20 and having a projecting rib. When the adaptor 11 is mounted on the wall 1 to function as a protection cover, during the insertion of the bump 20 through the passage hole 3, the flexible tongue is elastically deformed to allow the bump 20 to be accommodated through the passage hole 3. Once inserted, the elastic restoring force brings the flexible tongue to the original position, with the rib engaged on the inner surface of the wall 1, as illustrated in Figure 9, so that the adaptor 11 cannot be easily removed from the wall 1, unless the flexible tongue is deformed.
The laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention, thanks to its transportation safety device above described, is securely transportable and easily installable. In particular the transportation safety device of the laundry treatment appliance is cost effective and easily and quickly mountable and demountable on/from the cabinet of the laundry treatment appliance. Moreover, no extra elements, such as distinct protection covers, have to be transported together with the appliance in order to be mounted on the cabinet of the latter during the installation operations, since one of the elements constituting the transportation safety device, and in particular the adaptor of it, is used to this purpose.

Claims

A laundry treatment appliance comprising:
- a cabinet having a wall (1) provided with a securing hole (2) and a passage hole (3),

- an oscillating group suspended in the cabinet for receiving items to be treated and having a bore (5) substantially aligned with the securing hole (2) on the wall (1),

- a transportation safety device (6) having:

- a spacer (7) aimed to be accommodated between the wall (1) of the cabinet and the oscillating group by passing through the passage hole (3) on the wall (1) and provided with a through hole (8) to be aligned with the securing hole (2) on the wall (1) and the bore (5) on the oscillating group,

- a bolt (9) having a head (10) and aimed to be inserted through the securing hole (2) on the wall (1) and the through hole (8) of the spacer (7) and screwed into the bore (5) on the oscillating group to rigidly fix it to the cabinet, and

- an adaptor (11) having an aperture (21) through which the bolt (9) is insertable and aimed to be arranged between the head (10) of the bolt (9) and the wall (1) to dampen the forces transferred from the head (10) to the wall (1), characterized in that the adaptor (11) is designed to be mounted on the wall (1) to close the passage hole (3) after installation of the laundry treatment appliance, functioning as a protection cover, and it comprises a first face (12) intended to be pointing toward the wall (1) when the transportation safety device (6) is mounted on the appliance and a second face (13), opposite to the first face (12), intended to be pointing toward the wall (1) when the adaptor (11) functions as a protection cover.
A laundry treatment appliance as in Claim 1, characterized in that the adaptor (11) comprises first attaching means (14) to attach to the wall (1) with its first face (12) pointing toward the wall (1).
A laundry treatment appliance as in Claim 2, characterized in that the first attaching means (14) is provided on the first face (12).
A laundry treatment appliance as in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adaptor (11) comprises second attaching means (15) to attach to the wall (1) with its second face (13) pointing toward the wall (1).
A laundry treatment appliance as in Claim 4, characterized in that the second attaching means (15) is provided on the second face (13).
A laundry treatment appliance as in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacer (7) comprises anchoring means (16) to anchor to the wall (1) when arranged between the wall (1) of the cabinet and the oscillating group.
A laundry treatment appliance as in Claim 6, characterized in that the adaptor (11) comprises a recess (17) on the first face (12) to accommodate the anchoring means (16) of the spacer (7).
A laundry treatment appliance as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the spacer (7) comprises grasping means (18) which extends toward the outside through the passage hole (3) on the wall (1) when the spacer (7) is accommodated between the wall (1) of the cabinet and the oscillating group and the adaptor (11) is provided with a concavity (19) on its first face (12) aimed to accommodate the grasping means (18) of the spacer (7).
A laundry treatment appliance as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the adaptor (11) comprises a bump (20) on its second face (13) designed to extend outward from the wall (1) when the transportation safety device (6) is mounted on the appliance and aimed to dampen the possible impacts on the cabinet.
A laundry treatment appliance as in Claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the bump (20) on the second face (13) of the adaptor (11) is opposite to the concavity (19) on the first face (12) of the adaptor (11).
A laundry treatment appliance as in Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the bump (20) is designed to be accommodated through the passage hole (3) on the wall (1), extending inward from the wall (1), when the adaptor (11) functions as a protection cover.