FR2659670A1

FR2659670A1 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines

Info

Publication number: FR2659670A1
Application number: FR9003691A
Authority: FR
Inventors: Piat Moise
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-03-16
Filing date: 1990-03-16
Publication date: 1991-09-20

Abstract

1. Safety device against water damage in washing machines, of the type which includes a ball valve (13a) interacting with a gate valve with ceramic plates (3) controlled by a sliding rod (4), characterised in that the programme of the washing cycle is set out so that it is the valve (13a) which intervenes to interrupt the last filling, and that its blocking at a certain point (18) causes automatic closure of the gate valve (3) and, simultaneously, electrical triggering of the next sequence of the cycle, that the device applies equally well to machines with a single solenoid valve and to those which have several.

Description

Les machines à laver, aussi bien le linge que la vaisselle, sont parfois à l'origine de dégats des eaux qui peuvent être très importants. Ces dégats sont dus soit à un dérèglement de l'ensemble électrovanneipressostat qui entraine le débordement de la cuve soit à une fuite du tuyau en caoutchouc de raccordement de la machine. Washing machines, both linen and dishes, can sometimes cause water damage which can be very significant. This damage is due either to a disturbance in the solenoid valve pressure switch which causes the tank to overflow or to a leak in the rubber hose connecting the machine.

Différents dispositifs existent qui visent à éliminer ce risque notamment ceux dans lesquels un bac placé au fond de la machine recueille les eaux qui proviendraient du deordement de la cuve ou d'une fuite du tuyau. Un flotteur est alors soulevé pour, au moyen d'un contact, commander la fermeture d'une électrovanne placée sur la sortie du robinet d'arrêt. Various devices exist which aim to eliminate this risk, in particular those in which a tank placed at the bottom of the machine collects the water which would come from the overflow of the tank or from a pipe leak. A float is then lifted to, by means of a contact, control the closing of a solenoid valve placed on the outlet of the stopcock.

L1 inconvénient de ce système tient au fait qu' il entraine une dépense élevée et grève ainsi le coût de la machine. Il est, de plus, très encombrant
La présente invention se rapporte à un ensemble très simple, bon marché, fonctionnant sans électricité et qui assure, en toutes circonstances, une sécurité quasi absolue contre tous risques de dégâts des eaux quelqu'en soit 1' origine. The drawback of this system is that it involves a high expense and thus increases the cost of the machine. It is, moreover, very bulky
The present invention relates to a very simple, inexpensive assembly, operating without electricity and which ensures, in all circumstances, almost absolute security against any risk of water damage whatever its origin.

Il est constitué par un clapet a bille qui coopère avec une vanne à plaquettes céramique faisant fonction de robinet d'arrêt et dont la fermeture intervent automatiquement au moment précis où s'achève le dernier remplissage de la cuve. It consists of a ball valve which cooperates with a ceramic plate valve acting as a shut-off valve and whose closing occurs automatically at the precise moment when the last filling of the tank is completed.

Le clapet à bille est de type connu, notamment par le PCT FR 83/00/140 et la vanne à plaquettes céramique est également de type connu notamment par le brevet Français n* 8912438. Dans ce dernier brevet, la plaque mobile est entrainée par une tige à la fois coulissante et pivotante alors que, dans la présente invention, seule la fonction de coulissement est utilisée, en liaison avec le système d'éjection automatique
Pour bien comprendre l'invention on pourra utilement se référer aux figures ci-annexées qui montrent d'une manière non limitative le dispositif sous différents aspects soit a) La figure 1 qui est une vue en coupe de l'installation et qui fait
apparaître l'intervention d'une seule électrovanne.The ball valve is of known type, in particular by the PCT FR 83/00/140 and the valve with ceramic plates is also of known type in particular by French patent n ° 8912438. In this last patent, the movable plate is driven by a rod that is both sliding and pivoting while, in the present invention, only the sliding function is used, in conjunction with the automatic ejection system
To fully understand the invention, it is useful to refer to the appended figures which show in a nonlimiting manner the device in different aspects, either a) FIG. 1 which is a sectional view of the installation and which makes
appear the intervention of a single solenoid valve.

b) La figure 2 qui est une vue de dessus dans laquelle les remplissages
successifs s'effectuent par l'intermediaire de trois électrovannes qui
correspondent chacune à une opération déterminée, de prélavage, lavage et
assouplissement du linge.b) Figure 2 which is a top view in which the fillings
successive are carried out by means of three solenoid valves which
each correspond to a specific operation, prewash, wash and
softening of the linen.

c) La figure 3 qui est une vue en plan de ce même dispositif.c) Figure 3 which is a plan view of the same device.

L'eau de la canalisation (1) entre par le tuyau (2) dans la vanne (3) dont la tige de commande (4) est abaissée en position d'ouverture et relevée en position de fermeture ce qui est ici une convention visant à faciliter la compréhension, étant bien évident que cette vanne (3) pourrait fonctionner dans n'importe quelle autre position. The water from the pipe (1) enters through the pipe (2) into the valve (3) whose control rod (4) is lowered in the open position and raised in the closed position which is here a convention aimed to facilitate understanding, it being obvious that this valve (3) could operate in any other position.

Sur la sortie de la vanne (3) est branché le tuyau en caoutchouc (5) qui, à l'intérieur de la machine se prolonge parte tube (7) sur lequel est branchée l'électrovanne (8a). Celle-ci coopère avec le pressostat (9) dont le niveau le plus élevé de commande du blocage est celui du plan (10)
Sur l'orifice ( de sortie de l'électrovanne (8a) est branché un tube horizontal (12) sur l'extrémité duquel est fixé le clapet à bille (13a) du type dont le blocage s'effectue sous l'effet d'une pression d'air à l'intérieur d'un tube vertical (14a) lors de la montée en niveau.On the outlet of the valve (3) is connected the rubber hose (5) which, inside the machine is extended by tube (7) on which is connected the solenoid valve (8a). This cooperates with the pressure switch (9) whose highest level of blocking control is that of the plane (10)
On the orifice (outlet of the solenoid valve (8a) is connected a horizontal tube (12) on the end of which is fixed the ball valve (13a) of the type whose blocking is effected by an air pressure inside a vertical tube (14a) during the leveling up.

Ce tube (14a) est placé à l'intérieur d'un vase vertical (15) communiquant avec le fond de la cuve (16) par l'intermédiaire d'un tube (17), le tout aménagé de telle sorte que le niveau de blocage de (13a) coïncide avec un plan (18 > se situant su dessus de (10). This tube (14a) is placed inside a vertical vase (15) communicating with the bottom of the tank (16) via a tube (17), the whole arranged so that the level blocking of (13a) coincides with a plane (18> lying on top of (10).

Le programme de la machine est établi de manière à ce que l'interruption du dernier remplissage du cycle ne s'effectue pas, comme les précédents, par la fermeture de l'électrovanne (8a) mais que, du fait de la montée en niveau JUSqU'au plan (18), ce soit le clapet (13a) qui, en se bloquant, réalise cette interruption. The machine program is established in such a way that the interruption of the last filling of the cycle is not carried out, like the previous ones, by the closing of the solenoid valve (8a) but that, due to the rise in level JUSqU'au plan (18), it is the valve (13a) which, by blocking, performs this interruption.

L'eau sous pression passe alors par la dérivation (20a) pour provoquer, par l'intermédiaire du piston (21), le coulissement vers le haut de la tige (4) qui, en même temps qu'elle ferme la vanne (3), établit un contact (22) qui, dans le cadre du programme de la machine, enclenche la phase suivante du cycle lequel s'achève ainsi alors que l'eau est déjà coupée et le restera jusqu'à l'enclenchement d'un nouveau cycle ce qui élimine le danger lié à la fuite éventuelle du tuyau de raccordement. The pressurized water then passes through the bypass (20a) to cause, via the piston (21), the upward sliding of the rod (4) which, at the same time as it closes the valve (3 ), establishes a contact (22) which, as part of the machine program, starts the next phase of the cycle which ends thus when the water is already cut off and will remain so until a new cycle which eliminates the danger of possible leakage from the connection pipe.

les figures 2 et 3 montrent qu'à chacune des électrovannes (8a), (8b), (ssc) correspond un clapet à bille soit les clapets (13a), (13b), (13c) dont les tubes inférieurs (14a), (14bu C14c) placés cote à côte plongent dans le même vase (15) et ils ont le plan (18) comme niveau commun de blocage. FIGS. 2 and 3 show that each of the solenoid valves (8a), (8b), (ssc) corresponds to a ball valve, namely the valves (13a), (13b), (13c) including the lower tubes (14a), (14bu C14c) placed side by side plunge into the same vessel (15) and they have the plane (18) as a common level of blocking.

Chacun des clapets (13a), (13b) et (13c) communique avec la chambre du piston t21) au moyen des tuyaux de dérivation (20a), (20b), C2Oc) qui comportent chacun un clapet anti-retour soit les clapets (23a), (23b), (23c) et on comprend ainsi que l'eau sera coupée automatiquement si un disfonctionnement vient à se produire à l'occasion de l'un quelconque des remplissages de la cuve cl6), le dernier de ces remplissages étant interrompu normalement par 1' action du clapet (13a). Each of the valves (13a), (13b) and (13c) communicates with the piston chamber t21) by means of the branch pipes (20a), (20b), C2Oc) which each include a non-return valve or the valves ( 23a), (23b), (23c) and it is thus understood that the water will be cut off automatically if a malfunction occurs during any of the fillings of the tank cl6), the last of these fillings being interrupted normally by the action of the valve (13a).

Le branchement de la vanne (3) sur le tuyau (2) pouvant se trouver placé en un endroit peu accessible, il est important, pour la commodité de l'usager, que l'ouverture de cette vanne (3) puisse se faire à distance, par exemple au moyen d'un bouton (24) place sur le tablier de la machine et que;simultanément, ce bouton (24) commande l'enclenchement électrique du cycle de lavage. The connection of the valve (3) on the pipe (2) being able to be placed in an inaccessible place, it is important, for the convenience of the user, that the opening of this valve (3) can be done at distance, for example by means of a button (24) placed on the apron of the machine and that simultaneously, this button (24) controls the electrical engagement of the washing cycle.

Pour celà l'enfoncement de la tige (1) s'effectue par la poussée d'un vérin électromagnétique (25) qui est mis sous tension par l'intermédiaire de l'interrupteur 26) lui même ouvert par le mouvement de la tige (27) au bout de laquelle est fixé le bouton (24). For this, the rod (1) is pushed in by the push of an electromagnetic jack (25) which is energized by means of the switch 26) itself opened by the movement of the rod ( 27) at the end of which the button (24) is fixed.

Lors du même mouvement la tige (27) ouvre 1 'interrupteur (28) d'enclen chement électrique du cycle de lavage. During the same movement the rod (27) opens one switch (28) for electrical engagement of the washing cycle.

Le programme du cycle est établi de manière à ce que, avant le moment où pourrait intervenir le blocage d'un des clapets à bille à l'occasion du premier remplissage, le verin (25) soit revenu à sa position initiale de manière à ne pas s'opposer à la fermeture éventuelle de la vanne (3). The cycle program is established in such a way that, before the moment when one of the ball valves could become blocked on the occasion of the first filling, the cylinder (25) returned to its initial position so as not to not oppose the possible closing of the valve (3).

On pourrait aussi, sans sortir du cadre de 11 invention, réaliser la commande à distance de l'ouverture de la vanne (3) au moyen d'un cable Bowden reliant la partie inférieure de la tige (27) et la partie supérieure de la tige (4). It would also be possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, to carry out the remote control of the opening of the valve (3) by means of a Bowden cable connecting the lower part of the rod (27) and the upper part of the rod (4).

Claims

1 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines, of the type which includes a ball valve (-13a) cooperating with a ceramic plate valve (3) controlled by a sliding rod (4), characterized by fact that the washing cycle program is established so that it is the valve (13a) which intervenes to interrupt the last filling and that its blocking at a determined level (18) causes the automatic closing of the valve (3) and, simultaneously, the electrical engagement of the following sequence of the cycle, that the device applies as well to machines with single solenoid valve as to those which comprise several

2 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines according to claim 1 characterized in that the level (18) is above the plane (10) which corresponds to the maximum level that can be reached by successive fillings by the combined action of the pressure switch (q) and the single solenoid valve t8a) which is programmed not to close during the last filling.

3 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines according to claim 1 characterized in that in machines which have several solenoid valves, such as for example (8a), (8b), (8c), each of they feed a ball valve or the valves (13a), (13b)> (13c) whose lower tubes a), (14bu (14c) are placed side by side in the same vessel (15) communicating with the bottom of the tank C16) and that these valves tl3a), (13b)} (13cl have the plane (18) as a common level of blocking.

4 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines according to claims 1 and 3 characterized in that the valves (13a), (13b), (13c) are connected to the rod ejection device ( 4) by bypass pipes or pipes (20a), (20b), (20c) which are each provided with a non-return valve so that if, during a filling preceding the last, the level Ci8) is reached, the valve in service is blocked and causes the valve (35.

5 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines according to the preceding claims taken as a whole characterized in that the depression of the rod (4) for the opening of the valve (3) is carried out by the push of an electromagnetic cylinder (25> which is programmed to return to its initial position before the moment when the blocking of any of the ball valves could occur.

6 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines according to claims 1 and 5 characterized in that a rod (27) operated remotely by means of a control button (24) slides for in a Same movement; open the switch (26) which supplies the actuator (25) for opening the valve t3) and the switch (28) for starting the electric cycle.

7 - Safety device against water damage in washing machines according to claims I and 6 characterized in that the remote control of the opening of the valve (3) could also be done by means of a cable Bowden connecting rods (4) and (27)