FR2629550A3 - SEAL TRIM FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to sealing gaskets. This gasket comprises an annular portion 12 of elastomeric material, which establishes the tightness of the radial seal on the shaft 5 of the tank and a second annular portion 13 joined to the first in one piece, and made of an elastomeric material having visco-elastic characteristics, which establishes the seal against the radial wall 7 of the tank 3, and which is capable of damping the vibrations that the shaft 5 tends to transmit to the tank 3. Main application: gasket. sealing for the seal between the tub 3 and the shaft of the drum 5 of washing machines.

Description

The invention relates to a seal of the simple type, which can

to be used in devices

  household appliances, particularly in washing machines

  linen, to reduce the vibrations of the machines that are produced by the rotation of their drum. Current washing machine machines essentially include a wash tub and a mounted drum

  rotating in the interior volume of the vessel, said tamper

  bour being provided with at least one tree which may be

  born in rotation by the engine of the machine and that is

  supported by bearings (or bearings) threaded

  towards the hub of a support brace, which is

  against the corresponding side wall of the said

ve.

  In addition, these machines include

  suitable sealing resins made of elastomeric material,

  prevent the release of the liquid contained in the

  ve. In particular, a known solution provides the use of a single lining composed of two annular parts which are assembled to one another and are made, one made of a hard elastomer material

  and the other in a flexible elastomeric material, for

  seal the radial seal on the shaft and the

  of the axial seal against the side wall of the

ve.

  This lining can be mounted correctly-

  in position by simple operations, avoiding

  possible deformations of this filling and

  Moreover, ensuring an effective sealing of the joint on

  shaft and seal against said tank but it is cri-

  in the presence of high stresses such as those

  that are produced by rotating the drum at the speed of

spinning.

  Indeed, in this situation, the drum tree

  bour transmits strong vibrations to the pads and

  the wall of the tank, through said gasket

  which causes vibrations and excessive noise.

  cessives of the entire metal structure of the washing machine. However, it would be desirable, and this is the object of the present invention, to provide a washing machine machine lining which, in addition to providing effective sealing on the drum shaft and against the side wall of the machine. tank, either

  able to reduce vibrations transmitted by rota-

  said shaft to said metal structure, in

  dragging a reduction of the noise of the machines.

  These and other goals are achieved,

  according to the invention, using a seal of elastomeric material, which can be used in household appliances, in particular in a washing machine machine which comprises a washing tub and a

  drum rotatably mounted within said vessel,

  said drum being provided with a drive shaft supporting

  by at least one bushing threaded through the hub

  a support brace, which is mounted against the

  lateral king of said vessel, the seal comprising a

  first annular portion and a second annular portion

  are joined to each other and shaped in such a way as to

  ensure, one the sealing of the radial seal on said ar-

  and the other the sealing of the axial seal against

wall of the tank.

  This filling is characterized in that

  the second annular portion is formed, at the level of at least one outer surface which is in contact with said side wall of the tank, in a material

  elastomer having viscoelastic properties

  and able to damp the transmitted vibrations towards the

tank by the rotation of said shaft.

  Figures in the attached drawing, given only

  by way of example, make it clear how

  vention can be realized. In these drawings, Figure 1 shows a sectional side view,

  part of the washing tub and the drum of a

  China washing machine, together with the filling of

  in accordance with the invention, in a first form of

embodiment of the invention;

  Figure 2 shows, with a side view of

  For example, the gasket according to the invention

  in a second embodiment of the invention.

tion.

  In FIG. 1, there is shown a tank of

  3 of a washing machine and a drum 4 arranged

  inside the tank 3 and provided with a drive shaft

  5 which can be rotated by the electric motor (not shown) of the machine and passes through the centrally located opening 6.

  in the corresponding side wall 7 of said vessel.

  In particular, this shaft is supported by means of a bearing (or bearing) 8 threaded through the hub 9 of a support spider 10 which is applied against the side wall 7 described above with the aid of

  fasteners known per se (not shown). For ew-

  the outlet of the liquid contained in the tank 3, there is further provided a seal 11 of material

  elastomer, which is shaped and arranged in the machine.

  do washing machine as described below.

  For this purpose, the lining 11 is constituted by

  a first portion of a seal and a second portion

  ring-shaped packing 12, 13, and are

  together, which are carried out each

  in a hard elastomer material and a material

  elastomer having viscoelastic properties

  which has a cushioning capacity

  energy absorption and absorption that can be adapted

  and adjustable according to the conditions of use.

  We can mention, only as examples, in

  quality of materials with characteristic vis-

  co-elastics, those that are known under the brand

  Vibtene, produced by the French firm Vibrachoc, also

  if under the mark Noene, produced by the Italian firm

the same name.

  In particular, this filling is obtained by

  over-injection of the second portion of trim 13 to-

  turn of the first packing portion 12, which is performed with machines and methods of

known work in itself.

  In addition, the. first packing portion 12 is shaped to have a central through hole 14 for threading the packing 11 onto the shaft

  5 of the drum, this hole being provided with a peripheral lip

  15, which is compressed by an elastic ring

  16 around its lip, against the outer surface

  of a sleeve 17 previously threaded on the shaft to ensure the establishment of the seal of the

radial seal on said shaft.

  Finally, the garniture portion 12 is also

  if provided with a circular edge 18 of greater diameter than that of the lip 15, said cicular edge being disposed of

  in a concentric position and being connected to the

lip.

  In turn, the second portion 13 of the

  ture is profiled so as to have at least one circular rib 19, directed towards the side wall of the tank and adapted to ensure the tightness of the axial seal against said wall 7, and a circular edge 20 of diameter greater than that of the circular edge 18 cited

  higher, and concentrically connected to the latter.

  In addition to ensuring effective sealing of the seal on the shaft 5 of the drum and on the side wall 7 of the vessel, this seal also ensures, thanks to the presence of the portion 13 of the seal made of a

  elastomer material having viscous characteristics

  elastics, the damping of vibrations produced by

  the rotation of the shaft 5 of the drum and which are transmitted

  its to the metal structure of the machine through the-

  said trim and said side wall of. tank.

  Therefore, this filling also has ef-

  fet to significantly reduce the noise of the machine.

  The mounting of the lining described above is therefore performed at the hub 9 of the crosspiece 10 by fully threading the circular edge 18 into the through hole 21ducitmoyeu, until said edge comes axially in abutment against a spacer ring

  22, previously mounted laterally against the cushion

  net 8, and the circular edge 20 of said liner is

  then superimposed on the outer surface 23 of the hub.

  Then we apply the cross 10 against the

  side bar 7 of the tank, according to the specific

  above, and then put on the 17 ring

  on the shaft 5 through the through hole 14 of the

  11 and the shaft 5 is threaded through the cushion

net8of the hub 9.

  Figure 2 shows another form of

  possible the packing according to the invention. In this case, all the lining 11 is made of a traditional elastomer material, and the second portion 13 of the liner, which is joined in one piece with the first portion 12 of the liner, is profiled according to

  a different shape and with an inferior wall thickness

  than that of the previous portion so that it can then be covered by a cap 24 made of

  elastomer having viscoelastic properties

  separately, in a manner known per se,

  said cap can be mounted on the portion 13 of the

  pad and being provided with at least one circumferential rib

  19, directed towards the side wall 7 of the tank, to establish here also the tightness of the axial seal against the wall. As in the previous case, the packing thus produced is of a simple and convenient type in use and it is also able to ensure also an effective damping of the vibrations transmitted by the rotating shaft of the drum, and thus to reduce the noise of the machine, with a minimal consumption of viscoelastic elastomeric material and, consequently, with

  low economic costs for the manufacture of the

  niture. Of course, modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art to the device that has just been described, in particular by substituting the equivalent technical means, without thereby going out

of the field of the invention.

R EV E N D I C A T IO N S

  1 - Sealing with elastomeric material

  re, which can be used in household appliances

  particularly in a washing machine that

  takes a wash tub and a rotatably mounted drum within said tub, said drum being provided with a drive shaft supported by at least one pad (or bearing), threaded through the hub

  a support brace that is applied against the

  corresponding lateral king of the tank, the

  taking a first annular portion and a second annular portion joined to each other and shaped so as to ensure, one sealing the radial seal on said shaft and the other sealing the axial seal against said wall; side of the tank, characterized in

  said second annular portion (13) is made

  at least one outer surface (19) which is in contact with said side wall (75) of the

  tank (3) made of an elastomeric material having characteristics

  viscoelastic characteristics and able to dampen vibra-

  transmitted to the tank (3) by the rotation of said

tree (3).

  2 - seal according to the claim

  1, characterized in that said outer surface

  is constituted by a circular rib (19) made

  in one piece with the said second annula-

re (13) of the packing.

  3 - Seal according to the claim

  1, characterized in that said outer surface is constituted by a circular rib (19) made

  in a cap (24) which can be mounted on said two

  x annular portion (13) of the liner.