EP3957790B1

EP3957790B1 - A washing machine having a tub with ribs

Info

Publication number: EP3957790B1
Application number: EP21187569.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cahit ATAGUN; Yunus Emre AYDOGDU; Yasin BALLI; Recep Ayas; Mecid FILIZ
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2020-08-21
Filing date: 2021-07-25
Publication date: 2023-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2041-07-25
Also published as: EP3957790A1; TR202013260A2

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine, in particular to a washing machine having a tub with ribs.
The washing machines comprises a drum wherein the articles to be washed are placed. The drum comprises plurality of perforations so as to allow the water freely circulate inside and outside the drum. The drum is confined by means of a tub, preferably made of a plastic material. The tub, along with seals, prevents the water from escaping the tub. During washing, drying and rinsing steps of the washing process, forces created by the motor is concentrated at the rear side of the tub. During said steps, different reasons may cause unbalanced weight which is undesired as it results in vibration and physical damage to the operational parts of the washing machine. An example of such a situation is wherein the user partially loads the washing machine, leaving most of the drum empty. In such cases, the load caused by the articles inside the drum and the tub is transmitted to the main bearing and the rear face of the tub. It is vital that the end face of the tub comprises ribs and similar support structure so as to divide the tension to protect the main bearing and the bearing mount.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as US2013255328A1 among others, the document disclosing a washing machine including a cylindrical casing and an end wall sealing the cylindrical casing.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2007126167A1 among others, the document disclosing a washing machine having a tub wherein the tub has a structurally strengthened rear and a washing machine with the same therein.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as US5329791A among others, the document relating to a plastic washtub used preferably in household clothes washing machines having a rigid structure formed by a cylindrical wall. Another prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as US2007062225 A1 among others, the document relating to a suds container for a washing machine and method for making a suds container.
An objective of the present invention is to decrease the amount of material used in manufacturing of the tub and especially the end face wall of the tub.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tub having a reinforced structure.
To achieve these aims, a tub for a washing machine according to claim 1 is provided. The washing machine comprises a body and a door pivotably attached onto the body between a closed and an open position. During the open position of the door, the users may load the washing machine with articles to be washed. The washing machine comprises a drum and a tub concentric with the drum. The tub is produced from a synthetic material such as plastic. The tub comprises a cylindrical casing surrounding the drum. The cylindrical casing comprises an end face wall. The end face wall is located opposite to the opening formed by the door and through which the shaft of the motor passes. The motor shaft is seated inside a bearing mount provided on the end face wall. The end face wall comprises plurality of ribs, extending radially away from the bearing mount. The ribs provides structural support and provides a rigid end face wall. The bearing mount is in the circular shape and the ribs are arranged around and away from the bearing mount. The ribs are connected to neighboring ribs by means of bridges wherein the bridges have a wave form. The wave form provides improved structural strength. The bridges provide distribution of loads, when and if the user partially loads the drum thereby creating an uneven load of articles to be washed. The bridges, ribs and the bearing mount are integrally formed onto end face wall. By means of the bridge having wave form, structural strength of the end face wall and that of the tub is improved, meanwhile using minimum amount material. As a result, a rigid tub is provided, meanwhile minimizing material costs.
In an embodiment of the invention, the ribs are arranged symmetrically around the bearing mount. The projection of the ribs coincides at the center of the bearing mount, meaning that the angle between the ribs is equal. By means of arranging ribs symmetrically around the bearing mount further structural support is achieved, eliminating the weak spots that are prone to get cracked during operation of the washing machine.
In an embodiment of the invention, the bridges comprise nodes. The nodes are equidistant to the bearing and lie on a singular line concentric with bearing mount. The nodes being located on a singular line provides structural integrity and assures that the tub and therefore the end face wall can withstand uneven and high loads.
In an embodiment of the invention, the bridges form a parabolic, hyperbolic or a higher order curve. The manufacturer can change the form of the wave, depending on washing capacity of the washing machine.
In the present invention, the end face wall comprises a planar surface partially delimited by consecutive ribs and the bridge in between the ribs.
In an embodiment of the invention, the end face wall comprises a first ring interconnecting the ends of the ribs which are away from the bearing mount. The first ring is concentric with the bearing mount. By means of the first ring, the loads inside the drum during washing steps is equally distributed over the end face wall.
In an embodiment of the invention, the end face wall comprises at least a second ring wherein the second ring is concentric with the bearing mount and the first ring. The second ring provides further structural strength.
In an embodiment of the invention, the first ring and the second ring are in the form of a continuous protrusion. More preferably, the said rings are in the form of a conical protrusion.
By means of the present invention, the tub can be produced from limited material, thereby decreasing the manufacturing costs.
Another advantageous effect provided by means of this invention is that the structure of the tub and the end face wall is improved, providing structural strength.
Another advantageous effect provided by means of the bearing mount having a differentiating wave form is that the end face wall and tub can be used for washing machines with slight variation thereby decreasing manufacturing costs.
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 the claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Figure 1 - is a rear view of the end face wall
Figure 2 - is a view of Figure 1 along the dashed A line
Figure 3 - is a perspective view of the end face wall

The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings and referred to in the present detailed description of the invention:

1. End face wall
2. Bearing mount
3. Rib
4. Bridge
5. Planar surface
6. First ring
7. Second ring

The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising; a tub for a washing machine having a front opening for loading and unloading items to be washed, the tub comprising; a cylindrical casing including an end face wall (1) formed to include a bearing mount (2) adapted to receive a shaft of a drum rotatable within the tub, a plurality of ribs (3) integrally formed with said end face wall (2) and extending radially outwardly from said bearing mount (2).
The tub comprises the ribs (3) wherein the ribs (3) are connected to neighboring ribs (3) by means of bridges (4) having a wave form integrally formed with the bearing mount (2). The tub is mainly composed of the end face wall (1) and the cylindrical casing. The end face wall (1) is at the rear face of the cylindrical casing. The end face wall (1) comprises plurality of ribs (3) formed integrally with the end face wall (1). The ribs (3) are located around the bearing mount (2) and extend radially outwardly from said bearing mount (2). The ribs (3) are connected to neighboring ribs (3) by means of bridges (4). The bridges (4) are integrally formed onto the end face wall (1) and the bearing mount (2). The bridges (4) provide distribution of uneven loads among the neighboring ribs (3) and along the end face wall (1). By means of the ribs (3) and the bridges (4), the structural strength of the tub and the end face wall (1) is improved. Another advantageous effect provided by means of the ribs (3) and the bridge (4) is that the material used for manufacturing of the tub and therefore the end face wall (1) is decreased.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ribs (3) are arranged symmetrically about said bearing mount (2). The ribs (3) are integrally formed on the end face wall (1) and are configured to be symmetrical with respect to the bearing mount (2). The ribs (3) extend radially away from the bearing mount (2). The projections of the ribs (3) coincide at the center of the bearing mount (2) and forms an angle which is almost equal to the angle formed between neighboring ribs (3). The symmetrical structure provides a structurally strong tub and end face wall (1) which can withstand high and uneven loads even at high revolution per minute values of the washing machine.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the bridges (4) comprise nodes which, collectively, lie on a single circular line concentric to said bearing mount (2). The bridges (4) comprises nodes. The nodes are located equidistant from the ends of the bridge (4) and provides further structural support.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the bridges (4) from a a parabolic or a hyperbolic or a higher order curve. Washing machines have varying weight capacities. The curvature of the bridges (4) can be changed according to varying weight capacities of the washing machines.
The end face wall (1) comprises a planar surface (5) in between the ribs (3) and the bridges (4). The planar surface formed in between the ribs (3) and the bridges (4) helps reduce the material used for the manufacturing of the end face wall (1) meanwhile helping maintaining structural support of the end face wall (1).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the end face wall (1) comprises a first ring (6) interconnecting the ends of the ribs (3) away from the bearing mount (2), forming a circular line concentric to said bearing mount (2). The first ring (1) is in the form of a circular protrusion and interconnects the ends of the ribs (3) that are away from the bearing mount (2). The first ring is formed so as to be concentric with the bearing mount (2). The first ring (6) provides further structural strength.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the end face wall (1) comprises at least a second ring (7) forming a circular line concentric to said bearing mount (2). The first ring (6), the second ring (7) and the bearing mount (2) are concentric, which helps increase the structural integrity of the tub and therefore that of the end face wall (1). Number of second rings (7) can be increased or decreases depending on the requirements of the washing machine.
In a preferred embodiment, both of the rings (6,7), taken the cross sectional area, are in the form of a conical protrusion. Additionally, the height of the rings (6,7) can be changed depending on the weight requirements of the washing machine.
An advantageous effect provided by means of the bridges (4) and the ribs (3) being placed around the bearing mount (2) is that a structurally strong end face wall (1) and therefore a tub is achieved.
Another advantageous effect provided by means of the bridges (4) and the ribs (3) is that the material required to manufacture the tub is decreased thanks to the high load carrying capacity the bridges (4) and the ribs (3) have.

Claims

A tub for a washing machine having a front opening for loading and unloading items to be washed, the tub comprising:
a cylindrical casing including an end face wall (1) formed to include a bearing mount (2) adapted to receive a shaft of a drum rotatable within the tub,

a plurality of ribs (3) integrally formed with said end face wall (2) and extending radially outwardly from said bearing mount (2), wherein

the ribs (3) are connected to neighboring ribs (3) by means of bridges (4) having a wave form integrally formed with the bearing mount (2) and

characterized in that

the end face wall (1) comprises a planar surface (5) in between the ribs (3) and the bridges (4).
A tub according to claim 1, wherein the ribs (3) are arranged symmetrically about said bearing mount (2).
A tub according to any of the preceeding claims, wherein the bridges (4) comprise nodes which, collectively, lie on a single circular line concentric to said bearing mount (2).
A tub according to any of the preceeding claims, wherein the bridges (4) from a parabolic or a hyperbolic or a higher order curve.
A tub according to any of the preceeding claims, wherein the end face wall (1) comprises a first ring (6) interconnecting the ends of the ribs (3) away from the bearing mount (2), forming a circular line concentric to said bearing mount (2).
A tub according to any of the preceeding claims, wherein the end face wall (1) comprises at least a second ring (7) forming a circular line concentric to said bearing mount (2).