KR101042451B1 - A protecting structure of the heater terminal for a washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a heater terminal portion protection structure for protecting the terminal portion of the heater mounted on the bottom of the water tank of the washing machine to heat the wash water.

The heater terminal protection structure of the washing machine according to the present invention includes a water tank in which a washing tank is accommodated therein; A heater mounted on the bottom surface of the water tank to heat the wash water, the heater being firmly mounted to the water tank by a fastening bolt and a fastening nut; And a water penetration prevention cover attached to an outer wall of the reservoir to protect the terminal of the heater.

By the heater terminal protection structure of the washing machine according to the present invention, when the wash water is supercharged and flows into the outer wall of the reservoir, the effect that the risk of washing water flowing down the outer wall of the reservoir into the heater terminal portion mounted on the bottom of the reservoir is eliminated. have.

Water penetration cover, heater, water tank

Description

A protecting structure of the heater terminal for a washing machine}

1 is a plan view showing the bottom of the reservoir is equipped with a heater according to the spirit of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the reservoir with a heater.

3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the heating unit of the heater according to the spirit of the present invention is mounted to the clamp.

4 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamp;

5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the heater cover is mounted on the heater seating groove according to the spirit of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a water penetration prevention cover according to the spirit of the present invention.

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the water tank showing a state in which the water penetration prevention cover is mounted.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: reservoir 110: damper insertion groove 120: heater seating groove

130: heater cover fastening boss 140: drain port 150: heater inlet

200: heater 210: heat generating unit 220: pressing plate                 

230: sealing member 240: tightening bolt 250: power supply terminal

260: ground terminal 270: sealing case 280: tightening nut

300: clamp 310: coupling point 320; bend

400: thermostat 500: washing shaft 600: heater cover

The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a heater terminal portion protection structure for protecting the terminal portion of the heater mounted on the bottom of the water tank of the washing machine to heat the wash water.

In general, a washing machine is provided with a reservoir in an inner space of a cabinet. The reservoir is supported by a damper connected to the upper part of the cabinet, and wash water is stored therein. In addition, the washing tank is rotatably installed in the reservoir. In detail, a plurality of through-holes are formed on the bottom and side of the washing tank, so that the wash water stored in the storage tank freely flows between the washing tank and the storage tank to remove dirt from the laundry.

On the other hand, the bottom surface of the reservoir is installed a heater for heating the wash water to make hot water. Therefore, even if cold water is introduced into the reservoir in winter, when the heater is operated, it is heated to an appropriate temperature for washing, so that it is not necessary to connect the tap with the hot water discharged separately.                         

The conventional technical contents of the reservoir equipped with the heater functioning as described above are described in detail in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2003-0055973 filed by the present applicant.

However, in the conventional heater as described above, the heating portion of the heater is inserted into the reservoir, but the terminal portion protrudes outward of the reservoir. Therefore, there is a risk that the washing water flowing down the outer circumferential surface of the reservoir may seep into the terminal and cause an electrical problem.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heater terminal portion protection structure that protects the heater terminal portion protruding to the outside of the reservoir from moisture ingress, so that no electrical problems occur.

Heater terminal protection structure of the washing machine according to the present invention for achieving the object as described above is a storage tank accommodated in the washing tank; A heater mounted on the bottom surface of the water tank to heat the wash water, the heater being firmly mounted to the water tank by a fastening bolt and a fastening nut; And a water penetration prevention cover attached to an outer wall of the reservoir to protect the terminal of the heater.

By the structure as described above, there is an effect that the phenomenon causing the electrical problem is removed by washing water flowing through the outer wall of the reservoir into the heater terminal portion.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the scope of the present invention to the embodiment shown, and that other embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention may be easily devised by adding, Can be proposed.

1 is a perspective view showing the bottom of the reservoir is equipped with a heater according to the spirit of the present invention, Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the reservoir is equipped with a heater.

1 and 2, the reservoir 100 of the washing machine according to the present invention has a cylindrical shape having a predetermined diameter and height.

In detail, the reservoir 100 has a damper insertion groove 110 for coupling one end of the damper to the side. In addition, a through hole for penetrating the washing shaft 500 is formed in the center portion. And, one side of the bottom surface of the reservoir 100 includes a heater seating recess 120 recessed in a predetermined depth and shape in order to allow the heater 200 to be seated.

In addition, the bottom surface of the heater seating groove 120, the drain port 140 for draining the wash water, and at least one heater cover fastening boss 130 protruding to a predetermined height on the edge of the heater seating groove 120. Included.

In addition, a thermostat 400 for detecting whether the heater 200 is overheated is mounted at one side of the heater seating groove 120, and the heater is fixed at an upper side of the thermostat 400. Clamp 300 is mounted.

In addition, a heater inlet 150 for inserting the heater 200 is formed at a bottom of the water tank 100, and a water penetration preventing rib 160 for preventing washing water from penetrating into the terminal portion of the heater 200. ) Is formed. In detail, the heater inlet 150 is formed to be indented to a predetermined depth at the bottom of the reservoir 100 to prevent penetration of moisture or wash water into the terminal portion of the heater 200.

In addition, the heater 200 accommodated in the heater seating groove 120 is formed having a predetermined diameter and length, and formed on both ends of the heat generating portion 210 and the heat generating portion bent a plurality of times, A power terminal 250 is electrically connected to the heat generator 210 to apply power.

In addition, the heater 200 is a sealing member 230 is inserted through the power terminal 250. And, before the sealing member 230 is inserted, the pressing plate 220 for pressing the sealing member 230 is inserted first. The sealing member 270 is recessed to a predetermined depth so that the sealing member 230 is seated on the rear side of the sealing member 230, and a sealing case 270 is inserted to prevent the washing water from leaking from the heater inlet 150. The sealing case 270 includes a ground terminal 260 formed between the power terminal 250. Here, the sealing case 270 is strongly adhered to the outer wall of the reservoir 100 by a fastening member which will be described later.

On the other hand, the pressing plate 220 and the sealing case 270 is tightly tightened by a fastening bolt 240 and a fastening nut 280 penetrating the center portion of the pressing plate 220. In detail, as the tightening nut 280 threaded to the outer circumferential surface of the tightening bolt 240 is tightened, the sealing member 230 receives a strong compressive force between the pressing plate 220 and the sealing case 270. do. Here, the sealing member 230 is a material having a predetermined elastic force and flexibility is used, preferably a rubber material may be used.                     

In more detail, the sealing member 230 is formed in the same shape or slightly smaller than the heater inlet 150, it is easily inserted into the heater inlet 150. However, the thickness of the sealing member 230 is formed thicker than the thickness of the reservoir (100).

Here, when the sealing member 230 receives a compressive force by the fastening bolt 240 and the fastening nut 280, the upper portion of the sealing member 230 is extended to the inner peripheral surface of the reservoir 100 as shown . In addition, the area of the sealing member 230 is expanded to be wider than the area of the heater inlet 150. Therefore, the sealing member 230 is spread sideways by the compression force, thereby completely sealing the heater inlet 150, the phenomenon that the wash water leaks to the heater inlet 150 is removed.

On the other hand, the heat generating unit 210 of the heater 200 as described above as a conductor having a predetermined diameter and length, is bent a plurality of times is formed. In detail, the heating unit 210 is a first bent portion 211 is bent at a predetermined length from one end and the second bent portion is bent again at a point extending from the first bent portion 211 a predetermined length 212 and a third bending portion 213 which is bent again at the same point as the first bending portion 211, that is, a predetermined length from the second bending portion 212. The length from the third bent portion 213 to the other end of the heat generating portion 210 is the same from the first bent portion 211 to one end of the heat generating portion 210.

Here, the length and the number of times the bending of the heat generating portion 210 is not limited to the scope of the embodiment of the present invention, it will be revealed that the appropriate number of times can be bent according to the length of the heating portion 210 is required.

3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the heating unit of the heater according to the spirit of the present invention is mounted to the clamp, Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamp.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the heating unit 210 of the heater 200 according to the present footing is firmly mounted to the clamp 300 so as not to be shaken by the flow of the wash water occurring in the reservoir 100. Do not.

In addition, one end of the clamp 300 is mounted on the upper side of the thermostat 400 for detecting whether the heater 200 is overheated, the thermostat 400 to the state of the heating unit 210 It delivers to

On the other hand, the clamp 300 is made of a metal material having a predetermined strength, one end is formed with a coupling point 310 is joined by welding on the upper side of the thermostat 400. In addition, the clamp 300 has at least one curved portion 320 formed therein so that the heat generating portion 210 of the heater 200 is inserted into the curved portion 320.

In detail, the clamp 300 extends a predetermined length horizontally in the direction of the center of the water storage tank 100 from the coupling point 310, the heater heating portion 210 at a point away from the coupling point 310 The first curved portion 321 is formed to be bent at a curvature corresponding to the diameter. Then, at a point away from the first curved portion 321, the first curved portion 321 is bent again in a direction opposite to the bending direction of the first curved portion 321. A horizontal portion 323 is formed to extend horizontally at a predetermined length at the bending point.                     

On the other hand, the clamp 300 is bent to be symmetrical with respect to the vertical line passing through the approximately center point of the horizontal portion 323. Therefore, the second curved portion 322 is formed at a point symmetrical with the first curved portion 321. The heating part 210 is inserted into and fixed to the first curved part 321 and the second curved part 322.

In addition, the temperature of the heat generating portion 210 transmitted to the first curved portion 321 and the second curved portion 322 is conducted to the coupling point (310). And, the heat conducted to the coupling point 310 is transferred to the thermostat 400, the temperature of the heating unit 210 is sensed in the thermostat 400. Then, the sensed temperature value is transmitted to the control unit of the washing machine.

Hereinafter, the process of inserting the heating unit 210 of the heater 200 into the clamp 300 will be described.

First, the heater 200 is inserted into the reservoir 100 through the heater inlet 150. In detail, the first bent part 211 and the third bent part 213 serving as the front part of the heater 200, the heat generating part 210 are inserted through the heater inlet 150. The inner curvature surface of the first bent portion 211 and the inner curvature surface of the third bent portion 213 are in contact with the curved portion 320 of the clamp.

More specifically, the inner curvature surface of the first bent portion 211 is in contact with the first curved portion 321, the inner curvature surface of the second bent portion 212 is in contact with the second curved portion 322 Done. In addition, when the heater 200 is pushed deeper, a linear heating part extending from the first bent part 211 is inserted into the first curved part 321. At the same time, the linear heating portion extending from the second bent portion 212 is inserted into the second curved portion 322.

On the other hand, when the clamp 300 or the thermostat 400 is old or a problem occurs to be separated and separated from the water reservoir 100, first pull the heater 200, the curved portion of the clamp 300 To depart from 320. Then, by pulling the thermostat 400 to the lower side of the reservoir 100 to be separated from the bottom surface of the reservoir (100). Here, since the clamp 300 and the thermostat 400 is formed in a substantially "A" shape, the thermostat 400 is separated from the reservoir 100, and then rotates about 90 degrees. Then, the horizontal portion 323 of the clamp 300 is pulled downward at an angle in which the vertical state.

In the case of a conventional heater structure in which the thermostat 400 forms a “T” shape or the like, which is mounted at the center of the clamp 300, there is a hassle to lift the washing tank in order to separate the clamp 300. However, in the case of the present invention, as described above, the thermostat 400 is mounted at one end of the clamp 300, thereby allowing the thermostat 400 to be easily detached from the reservoir 100.

5 is a perspective view illustrating a heater cover mounted on a heater seating groove according to the spirit of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the heater structure according to the present invention covers the heater seating groove 120 in order to reduce the pressure change due to the height difference between the bottom of the reservoir 100 and the bottom of the heater seating groove 120. The heater cover 600 is mounted.                     

In detail, the heater cover 600 not only functions to match the height of the reservoir 100 and the heater seating groove 120, but also prevents the laundry from being damaged by directly touching the heater 200 and the laundry. It prevents the fire from happening.

In more detail, the heater cover 600 is a refractory material having the same shape as the heater seating groove 120, and preferably, a light weight and no flammable stainless steel may be used.

In addition, the heater cover 600 has a fastening member through groove 630 is formed at a position corresponding to the heater cover fastening boss 130 formed on the edge of the heater seating groove 120. In addition, the washing water inlet groove 610 is formed to guide the washing water stored in the water storage tank 100 to the heater seating groove 120. In addition, the washing water outlet groove 610 is formed at a predetermined distance away from the washing water inlet groove 610.

Here, the washing water inlet 610 is recessed to a predetermined depth in the upper surface of the heater cover 600, so that the wash water in the reservoir 100 is easily guided to the washing water inlet 610. On the contrary, the washing water outlet groove 620 protrudes from the lower surface of the heater cover 600 to the upper surface. Therefore, the wash water stored in the heater seating groove 120 is easily discharged to the reservoir 100.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a water penetration prevention cover according to the spirit of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a water tank showing a state where the water penetration prevention cover is mounted.

6 and 7, in the case of the heater 200 mounted inside the reservoir 100, the heat generator 210 is inserted into the reservoir 100. However, the power supply terminal 250 at both ends to allow power to be applied to the heat generating unit 210 protrudes out of the reservoir 100. Therefore, the washing water overflowing the outer wall of the washing tank 100 flows down the outer wall, and may penetrate the power terminal 250 and the ground terminal 260. In addition, electrical interference may be caused by the wash water penetrating the power terminal 250 and the ground terminal 260.

Therefore, the present invention is characterized in that the water penetration prevention cover 700 to prevent the washing water flows into the power supply terminal and the like as described above.

In detail, the water penetration prevention cover 700 may include a sealing case seating part 730 seated on the sealing case 270, and a power terminal protective cover 710 formed at both sides of the sealing case seating part 730. A ground terminal protective cover 720 is formed between the power terminal protective cover 710.

In more detail. The sealing case seating portion 730 includes a tightening nut accommodating cover 740 protruding at a predetermined diameter and height in the center thereof, and tightening so that an end portion of the tightening bolt penetrates through a central portion of the tightening nut accommodating cover 740. A bolt through groove 741 is formed.

In addition, the power terminal protective cover 710 is formed to be bent in a downward direction from the top, so that the washing water flowing down from the outer wall of the reservoir 100 does not penetrate into the power terminal 250. In addition, the ground terminal protective cover 720 is formed between the power supply terminal 250 and protects the ground terminal 270 protruding from the lower side of the tightening nut accommodating cover 740. It is formed to cover and protect the upper portion of the (260).

In addition, since the water penetration prevention cover 700 functions to cover and protect the power terminal 250 and the ground terminal 260, the water penetration prevention cover 700 may be in contact with the terminals 250 and 260. Therefore, the water penetration prevention cover 700 is preferably formed of an electrical non-conductor material such as plastic injection molding.

On the other hand, in order for the water penetration prevention cover 700 to be mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the water reservoir 100, first, the end of the tightening bolt 240 passes through the tightening bolt through groove 741. Then, after inserting the end of the fastening bolt 240 using a separate new nut, the nut is tightened by tightening.

Here, the shape and size of the protective cover 710, 720 is not limited to the embodiment of the present invention, the cover of any shape that is mounted to protect the terminals 250, 260 of the spirit of the present invention It is included in the scope.

By the heater terminal portion protection structure of the washing machine according to the present invention having the above configuration, when the wash water is supercharged and flows to the outer wall of the reservoir, the washing water flowing down the outer wall of the reservoir may penetrate into the heater terminal portion mounted on the bottom surface of the reservoir. The risk is eliminated.

Claims (6)

A water tank in which a washing tank is accommodated; A heater mounted on the bottom surface of the water tank to heat the wash water, the heater being firmly mounted to the water tank by a fastening bolt and a fastening nut; And And a water penetrating prevention cover attached to an outer wall of the water storage tank to protect the terminal of the heater. The method of claim 1, The water penetrating prevention cover is a heater terminal portion protection structure of a washing machine, characterized in that the electrical insulator. The method of claim 1, The water penetration prevention cover and a power terminal protection cover for protecting the power terminal of the heater, A ground terminal protective cover formed between the power terminal protective cover; Heater terminal protection structure of a washing machine including a tightening nut receiving cover for receiving the tightening nut. Reservoir tank for washing water; At least one power terminal protective cover mounted on an outer wall of the water tank and protecting a power terminal of the heater; A ground terminal protective cover protecting a ground terminal of the heater; And a water penetrating prevention cover formed with a through hole for penetrating the fastening member for coupling the heater and the water storage tank. The method of claim 4, wherein Heater terminal protection structure of a washing machine characterized in that it is firmly mounted to the outer wall of the water tank by a nut fitted into the outer peripheral surface of the tightening member penetrating through the through groove. The method of claim 4, wherein The power terminal protective cover and the ground terminal protective cover is a heater terminal portion protection structure of a washing machine, characterized in that the inclined downward toward the outside from the point in close contact with the reservoir.

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