FR2773042A1 - FIXING DEVICE FOR A HEATING ELEMENT, IN PARTICULAR A TUBULAR HEATING BODY, FOR SEALING INTO AN OPENING - Google Patents

Abstract

Fastening device for a heating element, the connection ends of which pass through a sealing element inserted in an opening 2 of a container wall 1. A flanged plate closing said opening is applied against the outer side of the heating element. sealing by covering with a peripheral rim said sealing element and at least one marginal rib extending outwardly from said opening. A backing plate in contact with the inner side of the sealing member is clamped against the flange plate.To simplify mounting and increase mounting accuracy, two opposing side ribs 4 extend outwardly along the lateral marginal parts 3 of the opening 2 and the arcuate, substantially semicircular ribs 6 extend inwardly along the end parts 5 of the opening 2. Application: especially household appliances such as washing machine and dishwasher.

Description

FIXING DEVICE FOR A HEATING ELEMENT, IN

  PARTICULARLY A TUBULAR HEATING BODY, INTENDED TO BE

  SEALING INTO AN OPENING

  The present invention relates to a fixing device for a heating element, in particular a tubular heating body, intended to be mounted in a leaktight manner from the outside in an oblong hole-shaped opening of a container wall, element of which the connection ends pass through a sealing element added in said opening, device comprising a rim plate which is applied against the external side of the sealing element, which closes said opening and which covers the element with a peripheral rim sealing and at least one marginal rib 15 extending outward from said opening, and a counter-bearing plate applied against the interior side

  of the sealing element and clamped against the flange plate using a clamping device passing through the sealing element.

  Such a device can be used, for example, on household appliances such as washing machines

linen and dishwashers.

  Such a fixing device is known from document DE 33 18 998 C2. When mounting the heating elements described in this document, problems arise due to tolerances in the area of the opening, on the flange plate and on the sealing element, insofar as the three elements intended for to be connected

  between them are made in different factories.

  Often, the sealing element then comes to bear on the circumferential rib of the opening, which rib is inserted into the rubber of the sealing element, which causes the heating body to be positioned in

bias in the container.

  The object of the present invention is to

  perfect a fixing device of the type defined above

  above so as to remedy the drawbacks of the state of the art, simplify assembly and increase the

mounting accuracy.

  According to the invention, this object is achieved by the fact that two lateral marginal ribs extend outward along the long opposite sides of the opening and that arc end ribs extend inward. at the location of the at least substantially semicircular end portions of the opening. The arrangements according to the invention provided at the location of the opening mean that when mounting the heating element in the opening in the form of an oblong hole, it is not necessary to compensate for tolerances over a length also important, along a peripheral rim or along the lateral ribs, only according to the state of the art. The arrangements in accordance with the invention eliminate the risks of mounting at an angle to the heating element, of permanent deformation of the sealing element compromising the connection by form complementarity between itself and the opening of the container or permanent deformation in the area of the opening on the container. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the lateral ribs and the arc-shaped ribs overlap at their respective ends. The edge of the opening thus retains great stability, although the lateral ribs do not surround

the opening.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the sealing element extends, outside the container, following the contour of the end parts of the opening, beyond the edge of the 'opening. Indeed, the sealing element can then, in the context of its freedom below the rim plate, expand outwards beyond the rim in the case where, for reasons of tolerances, the sealing element has a

too large mass.

  The invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an opening according to the invention on a container liquid; Figure 2 is a cross section of a heating element mounted with the fixing device according to the invention; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a heating element mounted according to Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a view from the outside on

the sealing element.

  For reasons of simplicity, the wall 1 of a non-visible container is shown as being placed flat. The opening 2 formed in this wall is normally approximately vertical in the case of heating elements of the type chosen for the illustrated embodiment. The visible upper side constitutes the outer side of the container. On the long sides 3 of the opening 2 are formed lateral ribs 4 facing outwards, the height H of which corresponds approximately to 5 to 10 times the wall thickness, in the case of sheet metal containers, and about 2 to 4 times the wall thickness in the case of material containers

  plastic. On the end portions 5 substantially half

  circular of the opening 2 are formed end ribs 6 in arc, substantially semicircular, turned inwards, the height of which corresponds to that of the lateral ribs 4. The lateral ribs 4 substantially rectilinear and the ribs 6 in arc-shaped overlap at their respective ends, so that in the overlap area, the opening has portions of marginal ribs on both the outer side and the inner side of the container. Therefore, the edge of the opening 2 is stiffened over the entire

around the opening.

  The wall 1 of the container is shown on the

  Figures 2 and 3 in section in the area of opening 2.

  The opening is traversed by two tubes 7 of a heating element, these tubes being integral with a rim plate 8. The rim plate 8 has a peripheral rim 9 oriented towards the wall 1 of the container, which covers the element sealing 10 also traversed by the tubes 7 of the heating element and, in the region of the lateral ribs 4, also covers said ribs. Since

  the inner side of the container, a counter plate

  pressure 11 is threaded onto the heating element (tubes 7), this plate being secured to a threaded stud 12 facing outward. From the outside, a nut 13 is screwed onto the stud 12 to tighten the sealing element 10 between the

  back pressure plate 11 and flange plate 8.

  The elastic sealing element 10 thus applies from the inside of the opening 2 against the zones

  side 3 and the end zones 5 of the opening 2.

  Since the upper side and the lower side of the sealing element 10 are also clamped between the flange plate 8 and the back pressure plate 11, these contact surfaces also are absolutely liquid tight. The sealing element 10 shown in plan in FIG. 4 has contours 14 which extend beyond the edge of the end zones 5 of the opening 2. Between these contours 14, the sides of the element sealing 10 are set back to receive the lateral ribs 4 of the opening 2. These contours 14 provide the sealing element 10 with a sufficiently reliable support on the opening 2 to prevent undefined mounting positions.

Claims (3)

  1. Fastening device for a heating element, in particular a tubular heating body, intended to be mounted in a leaktight manner from the outside in an oblong hole-shaped opening in a container wall, element the connection ends of which pass through a sealing element attached to said opening, this device comprising a rim plate which is applied against the external side of the sealing element, which closes the opening and which covers the sealing element with a peripheral rim and at least one marginal rib extending from the opening towards the outside, and a counter-bearing plate applied against the internal side of the sealing element and clamped against the flange plate by means of a device clamp through the sealing element, characterized in that two lateral lateral ribs (4) extend outwards along the long sides lat opposite sides (3) of the opening (2) and that arcuate ribs (6) extend inwardly along the   at least substantially half end portions (5) opening circulars.   2. Fastening device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral ribs (4) and the arcuate ribs (6) overlap at their respective ends.   3. Fastening device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sealing element (10) extends, outside the container, between the lateral ribs, along the contour of the parts   end (5), beyond the edge of the opening.