Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
  • D06F37/20—Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations
  • D06F37/22—Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
  • D06F39/12—Casings; Tubs
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
  • D06F39/12—Casings; Tubs
  • D06F39/125—Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs

Definitions

• the invention relates to a washing machine for laundry.
• the washing machine comprises a casing, a drum for receiving laundry, a tub enclosing the drum, and a support device.
• the tub is mounted to the support de vice .
• Laundry non-uniformly distributed inside the drum of a washing machine generates a rotating unbalance and undesired vibrations of the whole machine during centrifugation.
• the tub is suspended inside the casing by means of a system of springs and damping elements. This system reduces the vibrational forces transferred to the casing .
• the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a washing machine with reduced vi brations of the casing.
• the washing machine comprises at least the following parts:
• the casing forms the machine's outer housing.
• a rotatable drum receives the laundry to be washed. It is advantageously rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation.
• the tub is the part retaining the washing liquid during washing.
• a support device separate from and within the casing.
• the tub is mounted on the support device.
• This arrangement has the advantage of reducing the vibrations transferred from the tub to the casing since the tub is mounted on a support device separate from the casing. With this design, less vibrations are transferred to the casing.
• the tub is suspended from the support device, i.e. a major part of its weight, in particular at least 70% or its weight, in particular at least 95% of its weight, is suspended from the support device.
• the "weight of the tub” includes the weight of a drive for rotating the drum.
• the machine may further comprise a "foot sec tion", which is the part touching the floor the machine stands on and that supports the weight of the machine.
• damping elements which (directly or indirectly) couple the support device to the foot section.
• the damping ele ment form the sole mechanical connection between the support device and the foot section.
• the stiffness of the connection between the casing and the foot section is at least ten times, in particular at least fifty times, higher than the stiff ness of the connection between the support device and the foot section.
• the casing will tend to rest sta tionary on the foot section even when the support device vibrates.
• this relation of the stiffness holds true for all six degrees of freedom of relative movement .
• the stiffness of the connection between the support device and the foot section is at least ten times, in particular at least fifty times, higher than the stiffness of the connection (if there is any such connection) between the support device and the casing. This minimizes the coupling between the support device and the casing.
• this relation of the stiffness holds true for all six degrees of freedom of relative movement.
• the damping elements receive at least 90% of the weight of the drum and the tub.
• the receive all of the weight of the drum and the tub This improves the decoupling of the drum and tub from the casing.
• the damping element (s) comprise, in particular consist of, a material having a hardness between 35 Shore A and 80 Shore D, and/or the damping element (s) comprise, in particular consist of, an elastomer, and/or the damping element (s) comprise, in particular consist of, an EPDM rubber.
• the thickness of the damping element (s) is at least 1 mm, in particular at least 2 m , in particular at least 5 mm. In particular, this relates to the thickness of the damping element (s) in the vertical direction.
• the damping element (s) can form the sole mechanical connection between the support device and the casing.
• the foot section can comprise one or more foot members, in particular at least three foot members, in particular at least four foot members.
• the total connection between all the foot members and the casing is at least ten times, in particular at least fifty times, stiffer than the connection between all the foot members and the support device.
• this relation of the stiffness holds true for all six degrees of freedom of relative movement.
• the foot member can comprise at least one support surface, wherein the casing is arranged on said support surface.
• the damping element is arranged verti cally above the support surface between the casing and the support device to vertically support the support device. This provides a stiff coupling between the foot member and the casing and a less stiff coupling between the foot member and the support device.
• said support surface horizon tally extends at least over 50%, in particular at least over 80%, in particular at least over 100%, of the area of said damping element.
• the support surface should not be much smaller than the damping element and is advantageously larger than the damping element.
• the foot member comprises a projection extending through an opening in the support device.
• the damping element also extends into this open ing and is located there between the projection and the support device, thus providing a good dampening in hori zontal direction.
• the casing and the support device are arranged at a distance from each other. This distance should be at least 0.1 cm, in particular at least 0.25 cm.
• the support device can comprise:
• a support base arranged below the drum In other words, the support base is arranged lower than the drum. It does not necessarily have to be located vertically below the drum.
• a support frame connected to the support base and extending above the tub.
• This type of support device surrounds the tub at least partially and allows to support the same from several sides.
• the support frame can comprise two support members arranged laterally at opposite sides of the tub and an interconnecting member arranged above the tub.
• the interconnecting member interconnects the support members.
• the bottom ends of the support members are mounted to the support base. This provides a support frame of basically inverted U-shape, and the interconnecting member helps to increase the stiffness of the support frame.
• the interconnecting member is, in vertical direction, thinner at its center than the support members in horizontal direction, thus providing more room for the tub.
• the support base has a central opening located vertically below the tub. This reduces the weight of the support base and/or provides more room for the tub.
• the washing machine comprises exactly one support frame.
• it may comprise two or more support frames.
• At least one, in particular a majority of, in particular all, of the following elements of the washing machine, if present in the washing machine, are mounted to the support device: the water pump, a heat pump, a fan, a valve.
• Such elements are vibrating or at least mov ing during operation. If they are mounted to the support device, the noise and/or vibration of their operation is not (or to a lesser degree) transferred to the casing.
• the machine can comprise at least one, in particular two, spring members suspending the tub from the support device and/or it can comprise at least one damping member arranged between the tub and the support device .
• the spring members advantageously transfer the forces in a direction which is at an angle between 15° and 75° in respect to the vertical direction.
• the support device is of steel for high rigidity.
• Fig. 1 shows a washing machine without a cas ing in a side view
• Fig. 2 shows the washing machine of Fig. 1 in a front view
• Fig. 3 shows a detailed sectional view of a foot member.
• Fig. 1 shows a washing machine without its casing.
• the washing machine comprises a tub 1.
• Tub 1 encloses a rotatable drum 2 for receiving the laundry for washing and, optionally, centrifugation.
• Drum 2 can be rotated e.g. about a substan- tially horizontal axis of rotation.
• the axis of rotation of the drum 2 deviates by less than 30°, in particular by less than 15°, from the horizontal direction .
• the washing machine further comprises a sup port device 3 for supporting the tub 1.
• Support device 3 includes, in the shown embodiment, a support base 60 and a support frame 61, 62, 63.
• Support device 3 is supported by several, e.g. four, foot members 4a, 4b, 4c... forming a foot sec tion 4 of the device. In operating position, the whole weight of the machine rests on foot section 4 and foot section 4 is in direct contact with e.g. the ground or shelf the machine is placed on.
• Support base 60 forms a frame surrounding a central opening 5 located vertically below tub 1.
• Support base 60 supports support frame 61
• Support frame 61, 62, 63 comprises two sup port members 61 and 62, which are arranged laterally at opposite sides of tub 1 and e.g. consist of two vertical pillars.
• the two support members 61 and 62 are interconnected, at their upper ends, by an interconnecting member 63, which is arranged vertically above tub 1.
• the thickness of in terconnecting member 63 at its center 63a is smaller than the thickness of the support members 61, 62 in horizontal direction .
• Support device 3 is advantageously made of steel .
• the support members 61 and 62 are mounted on support base 60 by means of stiff couplings 7.
• Each stiff coupling 7 is e.g. a sleeve that holds the respective support member 61, 62 in a fixed position relative to support base 60.
• the couplings can e.g. be formed or reinforced by weld ing.
• the washing ma chine may comprise two support frames 61, 62, 63, both of which are mounted on support base 60.
• the two support frames can be located at a distance from each other along the axis of rotation of drum 2.
• Fig. 2 shows the washing machine from its front side, again without the casing.
• baffles 21 to 23 are arranged inside drum 2 in a design basically known to the skilled person.
• Tub 1 is suspended from support device 3, in particular from support frame 61, 62, 63, by e.g. two spring members 81 and 82.
• damping mem bers 83 to 85 support tub 1 from below.
• the damping members 83 to 85 are connected to support base 60.
• vibrating or noise-generating machine elements 91 and 92 such as a water pump, a heat pump, fans, etc. are advantageously mounted to support device 3, in particular to support base 60
• support device 3 is supported by the foot members 4a, 4b, 4c, which are ar ranged on the ground when the machine is in its operating position .
• both the vibrations of the tub 1 and the vibrations of the machine elements 91 and 92 are directly transferred to the sup port device 3 and from there to the ground via the foot members 4a, 4b, 4c.
• Fig. 3 shows one foot member 4 in a detailed, sectional view. It comprises a sole 41, a projection 42 extending upwards from sole 41, and a support element 43.
• the projection 42 extends upwards through an opening 31 of support base 60.
• Support element 43 is screwed to an outer threading on projection 42 and is thus adjustable in height. It has a vertical sleeve 431 engaging the thread ing of support element 43 as well as a horizontally pro jecting tray section 432.
• a nut 432 is used to secure foot member 4a.
• tray section 432 forms a support surface 44.
• the casing 10 of the washing machine is arranged on the support surface 44, in particular it rests thereon. This provides a stiff support of casing 10 on foot member 4a and therefore on the ground.
• a damping element 11 is arranged between casing 10 and support base 60. Its purpose is to damp the vibrations of support device 3 during the operation of the machine, in particular during centrifugation.
• damping element 11 is an EPDM rubber .
• Damping element 11 comprises a sleeve-shaped, vertical section 111 and a horizontal section 112 extending horizontally outwards from vertical section 111.
• Horizontal section 112 is located between casing 10, in particular a horizontally extending bottom section 102 of casing 10, and support base 60. It sup ports the weight of support device 3 as well as of tub 1, drum 2, and the laundry and water arranged therein.
• casing 10 and support device 3 are arranged at a distance from each other such that vibrations cannot be transferred directly from support device 3 to casing 10.
• support device 3 and casing 10 are only connected via damping element 11. And since the coupling of casing 10 to the ground through support element 43 is much stiffer than any coupling of casing 10 to support device 3, vibrations are not transmitted to casing 10.
• support surface 44 is located vertically below damping element 11.
• support surface 44 extends, in horizontal direc tion, over at least 100% of the area of horizontal sec tion 112 of damping element 11. This is to be understood such that the area of bottom side 113 of damping element 11 is smaller than or at most equal to the area of support surface 44 of foot member 4. Thus, no bending forces are exerted to base section 102 of housing 10, which fur ther reduces the transmission of vibrations.
• Casing 10 of the machine can e.g. be of sheet metal or of plastics.
• casing 10 encloses the ma chine from the front side, where it has a door giving ac cess to the interior of drum 2, its back side (i.e. the side opposite to the door) , from its two lateral sides as well as from above.
• support frame 61 In the above embodiments, support frame 61,
• support device 3 can be of a single piece or it can be constructed from differently assembled sub parts .
• a weak coupling between support device 3 and casing 10 is, even though not preferred, well within the scope of the present invention.
• soft, foamed elements may be provided between these parts in order to reduce the risk of violent impacts under extremely strong vibrations.
• the stiffness of the various couplings should be within the parameters indi cated above .
• tub 1 may also rest on support base 60 only by means of elastic, dampening support elements.
• casing 10 may be connected to the foot section in different manner, e.g. by using a part separate from support element 43 in order to obtain improved decoupling between support device 3 and casing 10. Casing 10 may even rest on the ground directly
• the invention can also be ap plied to washer-driers, where the laundry can be dried after washing, e.g. by means of hot, dehydrated air.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Main Body Construction Of Washing Machines And Laundry Dryers (AREA)
• Vibration Prevention Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=61622582

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2018
  • 2018-03-08 CN CN201880090917.1A patent/CN111819321A/zh active Pending
  • 2018-03-08 EP EP18710433.6A patent/EP3762531B1/en active Active
  • 2018-03-08 WO PCT/EP2018/055719 patent/WO2019170236A1/en active Application Filing

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