GB2269528A

GB2269528A - Overflow protection for washing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2269528A
Application number: GB9315655A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Arthur Bates; Clifford Hugh Prince
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-11
Filing date: 1993-07-29
Publication date: 1994-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-29
Also published as: GB2269528B; GB9315655D0

Abstract

A liquid catchment tray for installing under a water utilising machine such as a washing machine comprises a tray having a base 1 and four side walls 3 hingedly connected thereto. Gusseting 5, 7 between the adjacent side walls seals the corners of the tray when the sides are folded up from an initially flat configuration. A water impervious material is utilised, such as plastics, and the hinges are preferably formed by weld lines in the plastic Press studs 23, 25 or resilient clip means (40, fig. 4) cooperating with the gussets serve to hold the walls in their upstanding condition. With the front wall folded down the machine can be manoeuvred into the tray whereafter the wall can be folded and secured in the upstanding position. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Overflow protection for washing machine DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to overflow protection, particularly for washing machines but without limitation to same.

The domestic clothes washing machine is one example of a machine which utilises water and which if it develops a leak can create many problems. For example, water leaking from a machine will run onto the floor and in the case of a suspended wooden floor is likely to penetrate the floor. If the floor is above ground level then the ceiling below will most probably suffer damage. This has become such a problem that it is not unknown for such machines to be banned from upper floors in blocks of flats.

The present invention aims to provide a solution.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a liquid catchment tray comprising a base and surrounding side walls sealingly connected to the base and wherein at least part of the side walling is hingedly and sealingly connected to the base and adjacent side walling and is foldable between a first position in substantial alignment with the base for positioning of a washing machine within the side walling of the base, and a second position defining part of said side walling to contain any liquid within the tray.

The sizing of washing machine is largely standardised being generally of the order of 600mm deep and 500-600mm wide and accordingly the catch tray is dimensioned to accommodate such machines. For example, a base 630mm wide and 600mm deep is deemed suitable for most applications. More particularly the base is generally square or rectangular and has four side walls hingedly and sealingly connected to the base along a fold line and each is foldable between a first "flat" condition in which the side walls are disposed in the plane of the base and a second "folded" condition in which the side walls are upstanding from the base The ends of adjacent side walls are connected sealingly by a gusseting defined by fold lines.

The tray may be made from a plastics material having lines of weakness defining said fold lines. One embodiment comprises pieces of card defining each of the base and side walls and sandwiched between two layers of, for example plastics such as PVC, with spacing between the card stiffening to define fold lines. The fold lines may be formed by welding together the two overlaying layers of plastics. The gussets forming the sealed corners can be secured in place by any convenient sealing means. In one embodiment we use press studs to ensure positive retention in the folded position. In another embodiment we use resilient clip means.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of installing a liquid catchment tray under a washing machine to catch liquid leaking from the machine, comprising placing a liquid impermeable catch tray having a base and peripheral walling in a space to be occupied by the washing machine; folding down a front side walling of the tray to lie in the same plane as the base and moving the machine into a position standing on the base by passing over the down-turned front walling -and thereafter folding up the front walling and securing it in an upstanding position.

For more convenience the liquid impermeable catch tray comes in a folded flat configuration, preferably with front, rear and two side walls disposed in the same plane as the base and in which the rear and two side walls are hinged to be upstanding from the base Preferably gusseting connecting the rear wall with the adjacent side walls comprises two triangular portions having a common fold line with the two gusset parts being folded inwardly to bring the triangular portions into overlying relation and securing one triangular portion to one of the front or side walls The front side is similarly connected to the adjacent side walls by gusseting comprising a corresponding construction of triangular portions having a common fold line.

The present invention will now be described further by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the drip tray in its flat configuration, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the catchment tray in its partially folded configuration, Figure 3 is a section on 1-1 of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of tray.

Referring firstly to the drawings of Figures 1 to 3, a catchment tray according the invention comprises a base 1, four side walls 3 hingedly connected to the base and four gussets each comprising two triangular portions 5, 7 connecting adjacent side portions. The aforedescribed construction comprises at least one layer of water impermeable material and a preferred construction comprises two overlying layers of water impermeable material 9, 11 with the base and sides being reinforced with for example cardboard or more preferably hardboard for which we have found 3mm thick hardboard suitable as at 13, 15 and with the two overlying layers of water impermeable material, eg. plastics, welded along fold lines 17.

The two triangular portions (reinforced with 750 micron 11,9mum) -cardboard) comprising the corner gusset have a common fold line 19 formed by welding the overlying layers of plastics along the spacing between the adjacent triangular portions. Thus the gussets are stiffened but to a lesser extent than the base and side walls One of the triangular portions is connected to one adjacent side wall and the other is connected to the other adjacent side wall. The boundary with the side wall comprise fold lines 17' which are conveniently formed by lines of welding. Preferably the junction of lines 17' and lines 19 terminate at a position spaced from the corners of weld lines 17 to avoid a potential point of weakness and produces a soft fold.

Means is provided for securing the gussets in the folded configuration to hold the adjacent side walls at 900 to one another and upstanding from the base in the illustrated embodiment this comprises two pairs of male and female press studs 23, 25. In the illustrated embodiment one half of the stud is secured to the gusset portion 7 and the other to the side walling adjacent the other gusset portion 5. The other gusset portion has holes 27 through which the male and female studs make engagement with one another in the folded condition.

In order to fold up the tray the gusset portions are folded inwardly and the press studs engaged to hold in the folded condition as shown in Figure 2. The front side is shown in its downward position and when the tray is in this configuration it will be positioned ready for introducing a washing machine through the down-turned side whereafter it is folded up to adopt the configuration shown in dotted outline.

An improvement provides for fitting of a drain connection indicated by the dotted outline 29 in the side walls which will connect to a convenient overflow location. It is preferred to having the openings formed as knockout or cut-out configurations whereby the user can select which one to connect to the overflow system to suit the intended location. It is preferred to have three such knockouts in the rear side wall. A sealed connection can easily be made with the side walls using proprietary 50mm overflow connectors.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the press studs of the previously described embodiment are replaced with clip means 40 comprising an elongate member of generally U-shaped cross-section.

Other parts bear corresponding numbers. The gussets are folded inwardly as described previously, but are now secured to an adjacent wall, preferably the rear and front walls as illustrated using a respective clip 40.

Claims

1. A liquid catchment tray comprising a base and surrounding side walls sealingly connected to the base and wherein at least part of the side walling is hingedly and sealingly connected to the base and adjacent side walling and is foldable between a first position in substantial alignment with the base for positioning of a washing machine within the side walling of the base, and a second position defining part of said side walling to contain any liquid within the tray.

2 A tray as claimed in claim 1 in which the base has four side walls hingedly and sealingly connected to the base along a fold line and each is foldable between a first "flat" condition in which the side walls are disposed in the plane of the base and a second "folded" condition in which the side walls are upstanding from the base.

3. A tray as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the ends of adjacent side walls are connected sealingly by gusseting defined by fold lines.

4. A tray as claimed in claim 3 in which the gusseting comprises two triangular portions having a common fold line and connecting with respective adjacent side walls with the two gusset parts being folded inwardly to bring the triangular portions into overlying relation and securing one triangular portion to one of the adjacent walls.

5. A tray as claimed in any one of claims 1 to E comprising a plastics material having lines of weakness defining fold lines.

6 A tray as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 in which each of the base and side walls comprise a respective piece of card sandwiched between two layers of plastics and wherein spacing between the card defines lines of folding.

7. A tray as claimed in claim 6 in which the fold lines are formed by welding together the two layers of plastics

8. A tray as claimed in claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 7 when appendant to claim 3 further comprising means to secure the gussets in a folded condition.

9. A tray as claimed in claim 8 in which the gussets are secured by resilient clip means cooperating with a respective gusset and the associated side wall.

10. A tray as claimed in claim 8 in which the gussets are secured by press studs to ensure positive retention in the folded position.

11. A tray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which at least one of the side walls has a knockout aperture to receive a drain pipe.

12 A liquid catchment tray constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings of Figures 1 to 3 or as modified according to Figure 4.

13. A method of installing a liquid catchment tray under a water utilising machine to catch liquid leaking from the machine, comprising placing a liquid impermeable catch tray having a base and peripheral walling in a space to be occupied by the washing machine, positioning a front side walling of the tray to lie in the same plane as the base and moving the machine into a position standing on the base by passing over the down-turned front walling and thereafter folding up the front walling and securing it in an upstanding position.

14 A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising the initial step of forming the upstanding walling by folding up from a folded flat configuration, at least rear and two side walls and in which gusseting between the rear and side walls is secured to hold the tray in its folded up configuration.

15. A method of installing a liquid catchment tray under a machine utilising water substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.