CLOTHING WASHER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a clothes washer of the top loading type having a fixed tub that houses a rotating basket mounted on a vertical drive shaft that passes through the bottom of the tub and it is coupled to a motor unit. In laundry machines of the top loading type, the motor unit, which generally comprises an electric motor coupled to the drive shaft, can be provided under a supporting frame which is secured to the bottom wall of the tub. The assembly defined by the motor unit, the vertical impulse axis and the rotating basket remains fixed to the tub. As a result, the vibration due to the rotation of the basket during the washing and spinning operations, particularly in the centrifugation with a mass of unbalanced clothes, is transmitted to the tub. In this typical construction, the tub vibrates concurrently with the basket and the motor unit. In this type of construction, the tub can not touch the floor directly, since the tub moves during the operation of the machine. Thus, there is a need to provide a suspension system that is capable of absorbing or dissipating at least part of the vibrational energy transmitted to the tub.
A known solution to overcome this problem usually includes a cabinet that surrounds the tub and motor unit and that is placed directly on the floor. This arrangement also includes a suspension system generally in the form of springs or other elastic elements that are secured, at one end, to the tub and at the other end, to the cabinet. This solution requires a cabinet to operate as a support structure for the washing machine and also as an aesthetic accommodation. In addition to increasing the number of components needed to assemble the washing machine, the cabinet increases the space required for the washing machine, since it can internally accommodate the suspension system, while providing a vacuum between the tub and the cabinet. This vacuum must be sufficient to prevent the tub from colliding with the cabinet during centrifugation operations with an unbalanced load of clothes. Another known solution is described in patent document PCT / AU97 / 00334. In this solution, the motor unit is attached at one end to the vertical drive shaft that passes through the bottom of the tub and at an opposite end to the support frame. The support frame is secured to a base structure which is suspended by a suspension system. In this solution, the tub is attached to the support frame and vibrates with the basket and the motor unit during the operation of the machine. The suspension system is provided under the support frame, which allows to limit the height of the cabinet to the height of the support frame. However, this solution still requires a cabinet with sufficient height to surround the entire tub, in order to visually and operationally protect the tub during the operation of the machine, since the tub vibrates concurrently with the basket and the motor unit. One aspect of the present invention is to provide a clothes washer of the top loading type, having a tub that is capable of defining a portion of the cabinet and a base structure that is capable of defining a portion of the cabinet, thereby providing more options for the aesthetic design of the machine. Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a clothes washer that provides a suspension means with reduced dimensions and simple construction, disposed under the tub. These and other aspects of the invention are achieved by a clothes washer of the top loading type having a base structure provided with at least one opening for housing other elements of the washing machine and a tub coupled with the base structure. The base structure and tub are aesthetically matched and when coupled, form an exterior of the washing machine, thus eliminating the need for a cabinet enclosing the base structure and the tub. The base structure can be a tubular body having a front wall portion, two side wall portions, and a top wall portion. The tub may have a cylindrical wall, side wall portions and a bottom wall for coupling the tub to the upper wall portion of the base structure. The lower wall of the tub can have a plurality of internally threaded projections to align with inner diameters provided in the upper wall portion of the base structure and through which screws are inserted to couple the tub with the base structure. Alternatively, the tub and the base structure can be formed as a single piece. The base structure may have ridges that are inserted into slots provided in the bottom wall of the tub to further provide the coupling of the tub and the base structure. The washing machine may further comprise at least one suspension mechanism disposed within an opening of the base structure to absorb the vibration transmitted to the tub during operation. Another embodiment of the invention makes possible a washing machine having a base structure provided with at least one opening, a tub coupled with the base structure, a support frame provided in the base structure, at least one suspension mechanism connecting the supporting frame to the base structure and disposed within an opening in the base structure, a motor unit attached to the supporting frame and supporting a rotating drive shaft, and a rotating basket disposed in the tub and selectively rotated by the axle of impulse. The base structure functions as an outer housing of at least a portion of the washing machine and the tub functions as an outer housing of at least a portion of the washing machine. The support frame may have radial arms angularly spaced apart from each other and each arm may be provided with an inner diameter. The suspension mechanism may include a bar having a top end coupled with the base structure, a middle portion disposed through the inside diameter in the support frame, and a lower end having a stop mechanism, and a support spring provided around the bar having one end connected to the stop mechanism and an opposite end connected to the support frame. There may be a suspension mechanism coupled with each arm of the support frame. The suspension mechanism may further include a shock absorber spring provided around the upper end of the bar to further absorb vibration. The upper end of the support spring can be spliced with a pad provided on the radial arm of the support frame. Additionally, a spade pad can be attached to the upper end of the bar. The wall portions of the base structure can be configured to be matched to the contour of the wall portions of the tub when the tub engages with the base structure. The present invention allows the base structure to remain fixed, such that the laundry washer tub can be attached directly to the base structure, and also remain attached to it while the mobile assembly of the machine vibrates during operation. Since the tub is fixed and free of oscillation and vibration, it can be constructed in such a way as to define a portion of the cabinet. As a result, this solution simplifies the construction of the clothes washer, allowing the cabinet to be configured in different ways and to increase the options for defining different ornamental plastic shapes for the clothes washer. Additionally, since the suspension system only needs to maintain the support frame, the invention also allows the use of simple suspension systems that occupy a small amount of space inside the washing machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a laundry washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken in the direction of line I-I in FIGURE 2; FIGURE la is a partial sectional view of the base structure of the machine shown in FIGURE 1, illustrating a suspension system and engaging the base structure and support frame; FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the laundry washer according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the lower part of the base structure including the suspension system, but without the motor unit, drive shaft and support frame, according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 3a is an elongated detail of an element of the suspension system shown in FIGURE 3; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the upper part of the base structure illustrated in FIGURE 3, including the suspension system; FIGURE 5 is a top view of the base structure, without the suspension system; FIGURE 6 is a bottom perspective view of the tub according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the support frame illustrated in FIGURES 1, la and 2; FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the support frame, taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIGURE 7. With reference to the drawings, and initially to FIGURE 1, the invention relates to a clothes washer of the top loading type comprising a base structure 10, which must be provided on a floor. The base structure 10 can be constructed in different ways, preferably in the form of a tubular body comprising a housing 11, which can be formed by a portion of the front wall extending to the rear of the machine, and by two portions 11b. of parallel side wall that are tangent to the front wall portion. The base structure 10 may further comprise a lower wall portion 12 attached to the front wall portion a and the side wall portions 11 b and provided with a central opening 12 a for accommodating other machine elements. The base structure 10 can be constructed of any suitable material, for example, stamped metal foil or injected plastic material. The base structure preferably forms a lower portion of the machine cabinet, such that an additional cabinet surrounding the base structure 10 is unnecessary. The base structure 10 may further comprise a vertically disposed rear frame having end edges attached to the side wall portions 11b of the base structure 10 and furthermore an upper edge fixed to the bottom wall portion 12, which acts as an additional support for the structure 10 base. In this way, the rear frame 13, as shown in FIGURE 3, operates as an open back wall portion of base structure 10 and can be configured in a generally semi-cylindrical shape. It should be understood that the base structure 10 can be constructed in different ways and with different configurations, as long as it functions to support the machine components and operates as a housing for the transmission elements. The front wall portion and the side wall portions 11b of the base structure 10 can be coupled with support plates 14, each provided with an inner diameter 14a generally threaded to receive a respective foot of the machine, as illustrated in FIG. FIGURES 1, LA and 3. As shown, there can be four support plates 14, on each support plate a foot 15 is mounted. The feet can be constructed in different ways and the number of feet can vary without changing the range of the feet. the invention. Also, the configuration and material of the base structure 10 can be changed without altering the scope of the invention. For example, the base structure 10 can be formed of injected material, for example plastic. Additionally, it can be formed as a single piece, to which the feet 15 are mounted. As shown in FIGURE 3, the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10 may have four hemispherical recesses 16 angled apart from each other along a circular alignment. The embodiments shown have four such recesses 16. As shown in detail in FIGURE 3a, the central region of each hemispherical recess 16 has an inner diameter 16a which is connected radially, through a slot 17, to a respective window 18 provided in a top wall portion 12 of the base structure. The number of semi-spherical holes 16 corresponds to the number of suspension mechanisms to be provided in the machine. In this way, in the embodiment shown, the gaps 16 correspond to four suspension mechanisms. However, this number may be different from four and still achieve the function of the invention. The machine further comprises a tub 20 which is constructed to mate with the base structure 10 and aesthetically match the base structure 10. The tub 20 can be formed of various materials, such as metal foil or injected plastic material. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, the tub 20 is independent of the base structure 10 and comprises a cylindrical lateral wall 21, a pair of parallel side walls 22 that are vertically aligned with the side wall portions 11b of the structure. 10 base, and a lower wall 23 provided with a central opening 23a. The tub 20 can be coupled with the base structure 10 by various fixing mechanisms, such as screws 25, fasteners or any other element that allows attachment of the lower wall 23 of the tub 20 to the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10 . As shown in FIGURE 6, the lower wall 23 of the tub 20 incorporates a plurality of tubular axial projections 24, which are internally threaded and arranged in a circular arrangement. The projections 24 must be aligned with the respective inner diameters 12b provided in the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10, through which screw 25 is inserted to connect the lower wall 23 of the tub 20 to the wall portion 12 upper of the structure 10 base. The inner diameters 24a are also provided in the lower wall 23 of the tub 20, which are aligned with the respective inner diameters 12c provided in the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10 and through which the screws 25 are also insert It can be readily understood that the type and number of attachment mechanisms can be changed without altering the scope of the invention. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10 incorporates at least two top flanges 19, which are inserted into the respective slots 29 provided in the bottom wall 23 of the tub 20, when the tub 20 is coupled with the base structure 10. This arrangement facilitates the connection of the tub 20 and the base structure 10, guaranteeing vertical alignment of the two parts. It should be understood that the tub 20 may comprise a lower wall 23 which is configured to define a top wall portion for the base structure 10. Additionally, the tub 20 and the base structure 10 can be formed as a single piece in such a way that the lower wall 23 of the tub 20 is also the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10. An advantage of the present invention is that it allows the tub 20 to be incorporated in a solid manner with the base structure. In this way, the base structure 10 also functions as the cabinet of the washing machine and no additional housing is necessary. In the illustrated embodiment, the tub 20 has a transverse contour equal to that of the base structure 10 which functions in this way as the upper portion of the cabinet.
As illustrated in FIGURES 1 and FIGURE, the present invention further comprises a supporting frame 30 which can be formed of metal and mounted inside the base structure 10, where it is suspended by suspension mechanisms 40 connecting the frame 30. of support generally to the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure. As shown in detail in FIGURE 7, the support frame 30 is preferably a single piece and comprises a central hub 31 having four radial arms 32, spaced at 90 ° angles from one another and provided with a projection 33. It can be understood rapidly that the number of arms and the amount of space between the arms can be changed without altering the scope of the invention. The lower projections 33 can be joined by screws or other fastening mechanisms to a motor unit 50, which is mounted to the support plate 35. The motor unit may comprise an electric motor having a drive shaft, a drive pulley 52, a pulley 53 driven, and a web 54 operably engaging the drive pulley 42 and the driven pulley 53. The support plate 35 can be fixed to the support frame 30, or alternatively the support plate 35 and the support frame 30 can be a single piece. The support plate 35 may have a bearing 37 supporting the lower end portion of a drive shaft 55 extending upwardly through the tubular hub 31 of the support frame 30. The driven pulley 53 can be fixed to the lower end portion of the drive shaft 55, generally under the bearing 37. The electric motor 51 can be directly coupled to the drive shaft 55, with or without an intermediate drive defined by the pulleys and belts or by other transmission mechanisms. The transmission shaft 55 extends upwardly in the interior of the tub 20. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each radial arm 32 of the support frame 30 may have a hemispherical bottom recess 36, similar to the spherical recesses 16 the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10. The lower recesses 36 also have an inner diameter 36a. Referring again to FIGURE 1, a generally cylindrical and perforated rotating basket 60 is mounted inside the tub 20 and secured to an upper end portion of a tubular shaft 56. The tubular shaft 56 comprises the transmission shaft 55, in such a way that it rotates concurrently with the transmission shaft 55 during the spinning operations of the machines. The upper end of the drive shaft 55 carries an impeller 57 disposed within the basket 60. In one embodiment of the invention, at least three suspension mechanisms 40 are provided, angularly spaced apart from each other around the unit 50. motor. As shown in FIG. 1, each suspension mechanism comprises a bar 41 having a top end 41a coupled with the base structure 10, a middle portion 41b disposed across an internal diameter 36a in the support frame 30, and a threaded lower end 41c, which secures, for example through a threaded nut 42a and washer 42b, a stop mechanism 42. Alternatively, the lower end 41c of the bar 41 can be formed to define a retaining element for the stop mechanism 42, eliminating the need to screw the end of the bar 41. Each suspension mechanism 40 further comprises a support spring 43 generally helical provided around the middle portion 41b of the bar 41 and having one end connected to the stop mechanism 42 and an opposite end connected to a radial arm 32 of the support frame 30. Due to this configuration, the support frame 30 is suspended by the support springs 43 of the suspension mechanism. While the illustrated embodiment uses four suspension mechanisms 40, it can be readily understood that other numbers could be used and the invention could still achieve the desired result. Each suspension mechanism 40 is associated with a radial arm 32 of the support frame 30. The upper end of the support spring 43 can be placed adjacent to a pad 43a, which can be constructed of a polymeric antifriction material. The pad 43a may be provided inside the hemispherical bottom recess 36 of a radial arm 32 of the support frame 30. Each suspension mechanism 40 may further comprise a damping spring 44 disposed about the bar 41 and having one end connected through the pad 44a to the support frame 30 and the opposite end connected through the pad 44b to the portion 44b. 12 of top wall of structure 10 base. The damping spring 44 allows both springs in the suspension mechanism 40 to work in opposite directions, with the damping spring 44 constantly forcing the support frame 30 against the support spring 43. The use of two springs operating in opposite directions gives the suspension mechanism 40 a greater capacity to absorb the vibration of the engine unit during the washing and spinning operations of the machine. The stop mechanism 42 of each suspension mechanism 40 has a cylindrical sleeve 45, and can be constructed of plastic material and designed to surround at least part of the longitudinal support spring 43 of each suspension mechanism 40. The upper end 41a of each bar 41 is disposed through the inner diameter 16a of a spherical recess 16 of the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10.
Additionally, a pad 46 can be attached to the upper end 41a of each bar 41. The pad 46 is preferably manufactured from an antifriction material and its lower portion can be attached to the interior of the hemispherical gap 16, thereby coupling the upper end 41a of each bar 41 and structure 10 base. Due to the windows 18 and radial grooves 17 in the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10, the spacer pad 46 can be attached to the upper end 41a of the bar 41 before being mounted in the hemispherical gap 16, since the windows 18 present an area that is large enough to allow passage of the spacer pads 46. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the central opening 23a of the bottom wall 23 of the tub 20 receives, through any mounting mechanism well known in the art, a sealing mechanism 70 for providing a seal between the bottom wall and the tubular axis 56. While only one possible way of carrying out the current clothes washer has been illustrated here, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and arrangement of the different elements that constitute the equipment, without departing from the inventive concept defined in claims that accompany the present description.