ES2251805T3

ES2251805T3 - WASHING MACHINE AND / OR DRYER OF FRONT LOAD CLOTHING, WITH PERFECTED MEDIA FOR DOOR OPENING.

Info

Publication number: ES2251805T3
Application number: ES99111796T
Authority: ES
Inventors: Dino c/o Merloni Elettrodomestici S.p.A. Bongini
Original assignee: Indesit Co SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 1995-02-21
Filing date: 1996-02-15
Publication date: 2006-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-15
Also published as: DE69635382T2; DE69608481T2; IT235788Y1; DE69608481D1; EP0957196B1; DE69635382D1; ITTO950039U1; EP0728861B1; EP0728861A1; EP0957196A1; ES2147319T3; ITTO950039V0

Abstract

SE DESVELA UNA MAQUINA LAVADORA Y/O SECADORA QUE TIENE UN ARMARIO (1) EN CUYA PARTE FRONTAL EXISTE UNA ABERTURA (4) PARA CARGAR/DESCARGAR LA ROPA, UNA PUERTA (5) PARA CERRAR LA CITADA ABERTURA, UNA BISAGRA (9) PARA HACER PIVOTAR LA PUERTA (5) HACIA EL ARMARIO (1), UN SISTEMA DE BLOQUEO/DESBLOQUEO DE LA PUERTA (6,7,8). DE ACUERDO CON LA INVENCION, EL CITADO SISTEMA DE BLOQUEO/DESBLOQUEO CONSTA DE ELEMENTOS (6,7) SITUADOS EN LA MITAD SUPERIOR DE LA PUERTA (5).A WASHING AND / OR DRYING MACHINE IS DEVELOPED THAT HAS A CABINET (1) IN WHOSE FRONT PART THERE IS AN OPENING (4) TO LOAD / UNLOAD THE CLOTHING, A DOOR (5) TO CLOSE THE APPOINTMENT OPENED, A HINGE (9) PIVOT THE DOOR (5) TO THE CABINET (1), A DOOR LOCK / UNLOCK SYSTEM (6,7,8). ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION, THE CITED LOCK / UNLOCK SYSTEM CONSISTS OF ELEMENTS (6,7) SITUATED IN THE HIGHER HALF OF THE DOOR (5).

Description

Máquina lavadora y/o secadora de ropa de carga frontal, con medios perfeccionados para la abertura de la puerta.Washing machine and / or clothes dryer dryer front, with perfected means for opening the door.

El presente invento hace referencia a una máquina lavadora y/o secadora de ropa que tiene un mueble, existiendo en la parte frontal de dicho mueble una abertura para la carga y descarga de la ropa, una puerta para cerrar dicha abertura, una bisagra para hacer girar dicha puerta en el citado mueble, un sistema de cierre y abertura de la puerta.The present invention refers to a machine clothes washer and / or dryer that has a piece of furniture, existing in the front of said furniture an opening for loading and unloading of clothing, a door to close said opening, a hinge for rotating said door in said furniture, a closing system and door opening

Se sabe que las máquinas lavadoras y/o secadoras de ropa de carga frontal tienen una puerta, con una forma generalmente circular, a través de la cual el usuario puede acceder al interior del tambor de la máquina para llevar a cabo las operaciones usuales de carga y descarga de la ropa. Generalmente dicha puerta o portillo va abisagrado al mueble mediante una bisagra que comprende una parte fija sujeta al cuerpo de la máquina y una parte móvil integrada al portillo, siendo el eje de rotación de la bisagra, y por consecuencia de la puerta, vertical.It is known that washing machines and / or dryers of front-loading clothes have a door, with a shape generally circular, through which the user can access inside the drum of the machine to carry out the usual operations of loading and unloading of clothes. Usually said door or gate is hinged to the furniture by a hinge comprising a fixed part attached to the machine body and a mobile part integrated to the gate, the axis of rotation of the hinge, and consequently the door, vertical.

También se sabe que las máquinas de este tipo disponen asimismo de un sistema de cierre y abertura para mantener la puerta cerrada durante el funcionamiento de la máquina y permitir su abertura para la carga y descarga de las prendas.It is also known that machines of this type they also have a closing and opening system to maintain the door closed during machine operation and allow its opening for loading and unloading garments.

En la mayoría de casos, el sistema de cierre y abertura dispone de una manija adecuada de accionamiento, colocada en la misma puerta, en el costado opuesto con respecto a la bisagra; además, dicha manija, con el correspondiente movimiento cinemático del sistema de cierre y abertura, y la bisagra siempre están alineadas, una en el lado derecho de la puerta y la otra en el lado izquierdo, dispuestas en la línea central de la puerta o de la abertura de carga.In most cases, the closing system and opening has a suitable drive handle, placed on the same door, on the opposite side with respect to the hinge; in addition, said handle, with the corresponding kinematic movement of the closing and opening system, and the hinge are always aligned, one on the right side of the door and the other on the side left, arranged in the center line of the door or of the loading opening

Dicha forma de realización, que es convencional según el conocido estado actual de la técnica, a veces puede ocasionar problemas en el empleo práctico.Said embodiment, which is conventional according to the known current state of the art, sometimes it can cause problems in practical employment.

Por ejemplo, la posición de la manija de abertura de la puerta alineado con su línea central puede a veces ser difícil de conseguir, sobre todo en aquellos casos que el usuario está sosteniendo un recipiente lleno de prendas a lavar.For example, the position of the opening handle of the door aligned with its center line can sometimes be difficult to get, especially in those cases that the user is holding a container full of laundry.

Además, en la máquina según el conocido estado actual de la técnica, el movimiento giratorio de la puerta debe ser realizado por el usuario de manera completamente manual debido a las correspondientes características de la bisagra, salvo que se coloquen algunos complejos mecanismos de resorte para permitir una especie de abertura automática total de la puerta una vez desbloqueada con la propia manija.In addition, in the machine according to the known state current technique, the revolving movement of the door must be performed by the user completely manually due to the corresponding hinge characteristics, unless place some complex spring mechanisms to allow a kind of total automatic door opening once unlocked with the handle itself.

El objeto del presente invento es resolver los anteriores inconvenientes y proporcionar específicamente una máquina lavadora y/o secadora de ropa de carga frontal, en que la manija de abertura de la puerta pueda ser alcanzada de manera más fácil de lo que se ha previsto en las máquinas de tipo conocido; en este ámbito, otro objeto del invento es proporcionar una máquina en que el movimiento de abertura de la puerta, una vez desbloqueada, se consiga de manera automática y natural a través de medios simples y de bajo coste.The object of the present invention is to solve the previous drawbacks and specifically provide a machine front loading clothes washer and / or dryer, in which the handle of Door opening can be reached more easily than which is planned in machines of known type; in this ambit, Another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the door opening movement, once unlocked, will get automatically and naturally through simple means and Low cost.

Por consiguiente, a fin de conseguir tales objetivos, el objeto del presente invento es proporcionar una máquina lavadora y/o una máquina secadora que tenga las particularidades que figuran en la parte característica de la adjunta reivindicación 1; en las demás reivindicaciones se indican otras formas de realización ventajosas del invento.Therefore, in order to achieve such objectives, the object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine and / or a dryer machine that has the particularities contained in the characteristic part of the attached claim 1; in the other claims are indicated other advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Otras características y ventajas del presente invento se pondrán de manifiesto en la siguiente descripción y en los dibujos adjuntos, que se facilitan a modo de un ejemplo explicativo, pero no limitativo, en que:Other features and advantages of this invention will be revealed in the following description and in the attached drawings, which are given by way of an example Explanatory, but not limiting, in that:

La figura 1 muestra una vista frontal de una máquina lavadora y/o máquina secadora de acuerdo con el presente invento, estando la puerta de carga cerrada;Figure 1 shows a front view of a washing machine and / or dryer machine in accordance with this invention, the loading door being closed;

La figura 2 muestra una vista frontal de la máquina de la figura 1, estando la puerta de carga parcialmente abierta; yFigure 2 shows a front view of the machine of figure 1, the loading door being partially open Y

La figura 3 muestra una vista frontal de la máquina de la figura 1 ó 2, no habiéndose representado la puerta de carga frontal por motivos de una mejor descripción.Figure 3 shows a front view of the machine of figure 1 or 2, not having represented the door of front loading for reasons of a better description.

En dichas figuras, el número 1 indica toda la máquina lavadora y/o máquina secadora de acuerdo con el presente invento; dicha máquina comprende un mueble de chapa de acero 2, cuya sección superior aloja un panel de control 3; el costado frontal del mueble tiene una abertura, indicada por el número 4, para alcanzar el interior del tambor de la máquina para las operaciones normales de carga y descarga de ropa.In these figures, the number 1 indicates all the washing machine and / or dryer machine in accordance with this invention; said machine comprises a sheet steel furniture 2, whose upper section houses a control panel 3; the front side of furniture has an opening, indicated by the number 4, to reach The inside of the machine drum for normal operations of loading and unloading of clothes.

El número 5 indica, en su conjunto, la puerta de carga frontal de la máquina 1, la cual sirve para cerrar dicha abertura 4, específicamente durante el funcionamiento de la máquina.The number 5 indicates, as a whole, the door of front loading of machine 1, which serves to close said opening 4, specifically during operation of the machine.

La máquina 1 dispone de un sistema de cierre y abertura de accionamiento manual que comprende un gancho 6 en la puerta 5 y una manija de accionamiento 7, que sirve tanto para cerrar como para abrir dicho gancho; además, dentro de la puerta 5 hay algunos otros medios mecánicos que forman parte del sistema de cierre y abertura, tales como por ejemplo un muelle, no representado en las figuras por motivos de simplificación.Machine 1 has a closing system and manually operated opening comprising a hook 6 in the door 5 and a drive handle 7, which serves both for close as to open said hook; also, inside door 5 there are some other mechanical means that are part of the system of closing and opening, such as for example a spring, not shown in the figures for reasons of simplification.

El sistema de cierre y abertura de la puerta comprende un asiento indicado por 8 en el mueble de la máquina 1 donde, durante el cierre de la puerta, puede entrar el gancho 6 y acoplarse por medio de medios elásticos; el asiento 8 va acoplado dentro del mueble 1 con un dispositivo de seguridad eléctrico apropiado, que bloque mecánicamente el gancho 6 durante todo el ciclo operativo de la máquina, a fin de evitar así una abertura accidental de la puerta 5.The door opening and closing system comprises a seat indicated by 8 in the furniture of machine 1 where, during the closing of the door, the hook 6 and be coupled by elastic means; seat 8 is attached inside furniture 1 with an electrical safety device appropriate, that mechanically blocks the hook 6 throughout the operating cycle of the machine, so as to avoid an opening accidental door 5.

Finalmente, en la figura 3 se indica con 9 la parte fija de la bisagra integrada al mueble de la máquina, siendo la bisagra un modelo utilizado habitualmente para hacer girar la puerta 5 con respecto al mueble de la máquina.Finally, in figure 3 it is indicated with 9 the fixed part of the hinge integrated to the furniture of the machine, being the hinge a model commonly used to spin the door 5 with respect to the furniture of the machine.

Tal como puede verse mejor en las figuras 2 y 3, la línea central horizontal del elemento de bisagra 9 queda inclinada con respecto a la línea central de la abertura 3 o de la puerta 4.As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the horizontal center line of the hinge element 9 is inclined with respect to the center line of the opening 3 or of the door 4.

Dicho con otras palabras, tal como puede verse en las figuras 2 y 3, el eje de rotación de la bisagra sobre el cual gira la puerta 5 está inclinado con respecto al eje vertical de la máquina (M); tan solo a modo de ejemplo, el eje de rotación de la puerta, indicado por S en la figura 2, tiene una inclinación retrasada en el sentido del movimiento de las agujas de reloj, que es de 5 grados con respecto al eje vertical de la máquina, indicado por M.Said in other words, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the axis of rotation of the hinge on which turn the door 5 is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the machine (M); just as an example, the axis of rotation of the door, indicated by S in figure 2, has an inclination delayed in the direction of clockwise movement, which It is 5 degrees with respect to the vertical axis of the machine, indicated by M.

De acuerdo con el presente invento, dicha inclinación del eje de rotación de la bisagra S se selecciona de manera que, cuando se abre la puerta 5 mediante la manija, y se deja ligeramente abierta, entonces realizará un completo movimiento de abertura por si misma gracias a la acción combinada de su peso y la falta de alineación respecto al eje vertical.In accordance with the present invention, said Hinge rotation axis inclination S is selected from so that, when door 5 is opened by the handle, and left slightly open, then you will make a complete movement of opening by itself thanks to the combined action of its weight and lack of alignment with respect to the vertical axis.

Esta disposición también resulta especialmente ventajosa debido al hecho de que, cuando la puerta ha alcanzado su posición abierta, tenderá a mantenerla o recuperarla por si misma, caso de que el usuario moviera casualmente la puerta; esta situación es distinta a la de las máquinas conocidas, donde a menudo la puerta únicamente puede quedar medio abierta, lo cual constituye un impedimento para el usuario.This provision is also especially advantageous due to the fact that, when the door has reached its open position, will tend to keep it or recover it by itself, in case the user casually moved the door; this situation It is different from that of known machines, where the door is often it can only be half open, which constitutes a impediment for the user.

De las anteriores figuras también resulta evidente que, contrariamente a las máquinas conocidas, la máquina 1 de acuerdo con el presente invento tiene una manija para la abertura de la puerta y un correspondiente sistema de cierre y abertura cuyos elementos están situados en la mitad superior de la misma puerta, en una posición ergonómicamente cómoda. Tal como puede verse en las figuras, la manija 7 puede estar situada a unos 40 grados con respecto a la línea central de la puerta, mientras que el gancho y el asiento 8 pueden estar a 30 grados de la misma; tanto la manija como el sistema de cierre y abertura también pueden estar colocados con la misma inclinación o con diferentes inclinaciones a las indicadas a modo de ejemplo.It also results from the previous figures Obviously, contrary to known machines, machine 1 according to the present invention has a handle for opening of the door and a corresponding closing and opening system whose elements are located in the upper half of the same door, in an ergonomically comfortable position. As can be seen in the figures, the handle 7 can be located at about 40 degrees with with respect to the center line of the door, while the hook and the seat 8 may be 30 degrees from it; both the handle as the closing and opening system can also be placed with the same inclination or with different inclinations at indicated by way of example.

Es obvio que, en el uso práctico, el movimiento de abertura de la puerta puede obtenerlo de hecho completamente por si misma, sin necesidad de ningún desplazamiento manual de la puerta por parte del usuario; de hecho, los sistemas de cierre y abertura de la clase ya conocida suelen ser capaces de producir únicamente una cierto empuje de abertura inicial cuando se desbloquea la puerta; esto se debe normalmente a la disponibilidad de algunos medios elásticos que se oponen al cierre de la puerta y a la reacción flexible de la junta tipo fuelle, que usualmente están presentes en correspondencia a la abertura de la puerta, para sellar herméticamente la puerta.It is obvious that, in practical use, the movement of opening the door you can in fact get it completely by itself, without the need for any manual door movement by the user; in fact, the closing and opening systems of the already known class are usually able to produce only a certain initial opening thrust when the door; This is normally due to the availability of some elastic means that oppose the closing of the door and the flexible reaction of the bellows type gasket, which are usually present in correspondence to the door opening, to seal Hermetically the door.

Como resultado, de acuerdo con el presente invento es posible utilizar dicho empuje inicial de abertura, que tal como se ha dicho antes es una característica denominada “inherente” en la mayoría de sistemas de cierre y abertura, para obtener todo el movimiento automático de abertura de la puerta.As a result, in accordance with this invention it is possible to use said initial opening thrust, which as said before is a feature called “Inherent” in most closing and opening systems, to Get all automatic door opening movement.

Desde este punto de vista, el presente invento tiene una ventajosa aplicación específica en caso de máquinas en que el sistema de cierre y abertura de la puerta esté controlado por un pulsador existente en el tablero de control; en este caso, de hecho, el citado empuje inicial en la puerta y la inclinación del eje de rotación de la puerta de acuerdo con el presente invento permiten realizar un completo y prácticamente automático movimiento de abertura de la puerta.From this point of view, the present invention It has an advantageous specific application in case of machines in which the door opening and closing system is controlled by a existing button on the control panel; in this case, in fact, the aforementioned initial thrust in the door and the inclination of the axis of Door rotation according to the present invention allow perform a complete and virtually automatic movement of door opening

Finalmente, hay que indicar que todos los elementos anteriores pueden ser del tipo ya conocido, tanto para la realización de la bisagra de la puerta como de su sistema de cierre y abertura.Finally, it should be noted that all previous elements can be of the type already known, both for the realization of the door hinge as its closing system and opening.

Lo que cambia sustancialmente, con respecto al conocido estado de la técnica, es la disposición geométrica de dichos elementos, que, de acuerdo con el presente invento, permite una mayor funcionalidad y un uso más cómodo de la máquina; específicamente, en la máquina antes descrita el eje de rotación de la puerta no es perpendicular al plano de colocación de la máquina, lo cual permite conseguir un movimiento sustancialmente autónomo de la abertura de la puerta una vez la misma ha sido abierta mediante el correspondiente sistema de cierre y abertura; además, la máquina tiene una bisagra y un sistema de cierre y abertura que no están mutuamente alineados; en el caso de máquinas con la abertura de puerta accionada por manija, esta última puede estar situada, preferiblemente, en la mitad superior de la puerta, para una más fácil actuación por parte del usuario.What changes substantially, with respect to known state of the art, is the geometric arrangement of said elements, which, according to the present invention, allows greater functionality and more comfortable use of the machine; specifically, in the machine described above the axis of rotation of the door is not perpendicular to the plane of placement of the machine, which allows to achieve a substantially autonomous movement of the opening of the door once it has been opened by the corresponding closing and opening system; in addition, the machine it has a hinge and a closing and opening system that are not mutually aligned; in the case of machines with the opening of door operated by handle, the latter can be located, preferably, in the upper half of the door, for one more Easy performance by the user.

Las características y ventajas de la máquina lavadora y/o máquina secadora del presente invento resultan evidentes de la anterior descripción.The features and advantages of the machine washer and / or dryer machine of the present invention result evident from the previous description.

Obviamente, pueden hacerse muchos cambios a la máquina lavadora y/o a la máquina secadora de acuerdo con el presente invento sin apartarse de los principios novedosos del espíritu innovador, y también es evidente que en el uso práctico del invento, tanto los materiales como las formas de los detalles antes representados pueden ser cambiados y sustituidos por otros elementos técnicamente equivalentes.Obviously, many changes can be made to the washing machine and / or dryer machine according to the present invention without departing from the novel principles of innovative spirit, and it is also evident that in the practical use of invention, both the materials and the forms of the details before represented can be changed and replaced by other elements technically equivalent.

La posibilidad de usar una bisagra rotativa por traslación o una bisagra cuadrilateral articulados para el presente invento se indica como un ejemplo de ello.The possibility of using a rotating hinge by translation or articulated quadrilateral hinge for the present invention is indicated as an example of this.

Claims

1. Washing machine and / or dryer machine that has a piece of furniture (1) existing in the front part of said piece of furniture an opening (4) for loading and unloading clothes, a door (5) for closing said opening, a hinge ( 9) to rotate said door (5) in said furniture (1), a closing and opening system of the door (6, 7, 8), characterized by the fact that said closing and opening system comprises elements ( 6, 7) located in the upper half of said door (5) and in which said hinge (9) has at least one point placed in a central line of the door (5), while none of said elements ( 6, 7) has a point located in said center line of the door (5).

2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said elements (6, 7) comprise a manually operated device (7) which is located in the upper half of said door (5), in a position which is ergonomically comfortable for its operation
I lie.

3. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said closing and opening system comprises at least a first component (6, 7) located in said door (5) and at least a second component ( 8) placed in said furniture (1).

4. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said elements (6, 7) are inclined at least 30 degrees with respect to the center line of the door (5).

5. Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hand-operated device comprises a handle (7).

6. Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

--: dicho dispositivo de accionamiento manual o manija (7),saying manual drive device or handle (7),

--: dicho primer y/o segundo componentes (6, 8)saying first and / or second components (6, 8)

they are in different angular positions with respect to the same center line of the door (5).

7. Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said manual drive device or handle (7) is approximately 40 degrees with respect to said central line, while said first and / or second components (6, 8) are at about 30 degrees with respect to said center line.

Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said hinge (9) is fixed to the furniture (1) so that the axis of rotation (S) of said door (5) is inclined with respect to the vertical axis (M) of the machine, so that said inclination of the axis of rotation (S) of said door (5) serves to allow a movement of opening of the door that is at least partially autonomous once it has been unlocked through said closing and opening system (6, 7, 8).

Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said inclination (S) of the axis of rotation of said door (5) with respect to the vertical axis (M) of the machine is delayed in the opposite direction to the movement clockwise.

10. Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the axis of rotation (S) of said door is inclined at least 5 degrees with respect to the vertical axis (M) of the machine.

Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the inclination of the axis of rotation (S) of said door (5) is suitable to allow the door (5) to be kept in an open position.

12. Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are suitable means to cause an initial opening thrust of said door (59) when it is unlocked with the aid of said closing system and opening (6, 7, 8).

13. Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hinge is of translational rotation type or quadrilateral articulated type.