MXNL00000005A - Wet clothing washing-machine. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention refers to an ameliorated washing-machine of the kind comprising a support structure. There are coupled sliding casters at the lower part of the support structure in order to facilitate the sliding of said support structure from one place to another. A wash-tub placed on top of the support structure, for receiving clothes, water and detergents for the clothes washing and rinsing. And a lid for covering the upper part of the wash-tub, the lid having an upper face and a lower face, said lid having a handle or knob coupled on the upper face of said lid to facilitate the removal or placement of said lid on top of the wash-tub and, at least a retention element coupled at the lower face of said lid, for retaining and lock said lid over the upper edge of the wash-tub.

Description

/ IMPROVED CLOTHING WASHER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to laundry washers and, more particularly, to improvements in the lid of the laundry washer, which includes elements to facilitate the opening / closing and fastening of said lid on the top part of the clothes washer. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are already known laundry washers in the form of a round tub or cylindrical washing machines. These washing machines and other comparable ls are described in the article; "Quality in clothes washing machines", Consumer Magazine pages I to XVI, published in April 1998. Said washing machines have a simple structure, in cylindrical form, and perform washing and rinsing functions controlled manually by the operator, which allows them to be manufactured at a low cost, facilitating their sale among the low-income population, particularly in developing countries. In recent decades, this type of washing machines has had few changes, which have been essentially in the system of transmission and control of rotation system, which converts the rotary movement of an electric motor into rotary oscillatory motion in the agitated blades or in an impeller. The cylindrical washing machines are so called to their essentially cylindrical shape. The simplest ls lack a cabinet and other comparable designs have a rectangular or cylindrical prism. In both cases, the structure of the tub and its lower cylindrical support combine to form an apparent cylindrical cabinet where the tub has a circular upper opening that is covered with a circular lid whose edge is on the upper edge of the tub. The wash / rinse cycle is initiated by filling the wash / rinse tub with water, detergent and laundry load to perform the washing operation by mechanical action. An engine drives transmission means that move the impeller or agitator to produce a stirrer that washes clothes. Once the washing is done, the wash / rinse tub is drained by means of a hose. Subsequently fill said tub with clean water to go to a rinse operation by stirring in water. Once the rinsing is finished, the water is drained by gravity of the wash / rinse tub, and the cycle ends when the clothes are removed for later drying by other means. One of the drawbacks of cylindrical washing machines is that they require a circular lid that covers the tub during washing / rinsing operations to provide safety to the user and avoid splashing in the washing area, as well as to provide it with aesthetic characteristics when It is not in use. However, due to the large diameter of the covers described above, especially in ls for medium to large loads where they measure approximately 600 mm, its use is uncomfortable for the user who manually controls the washing / rinsing cycle.

The difficulties presented by the use of said lid are that during the washing operation the user requires removing and placing the lid to place a filling hose inside the mouth of the tub, monitor the filling level, add load of laundry and detergent , add bleaches and, during the agitated rinsing operation, remove / place the lid to place a filling hose inside the mouth of the tub, monitor the filling level and add conditioners as well as, to remove the clothes at the end of the wash / rinse cycle. The previous thing, causes that the use of the cover is very uncomfortable for the users since it is required to place the cover on a piece of furniture 10 when the laundry is being loaded or unloaded in the wash / rinse tub, or) either during the operation of the washing machine, hold the lid with one hand while monitoring the filling level or also hold the lid with one hand and simultaneously add additives for washing with the other hand. The foregoing means that the user abandons the use of the lid and operates the washing machine without it, thereby reducing safety, cleanliness and aesthetics in the operating environment of the washing machine. To prevent the user from removing or leaving the lid of the washing machine during washing, it has been proposed, as improvements, to place a round frame on the edge of the washing tub and reduce the size of the lid. In addition to providing 20 mounting means for controls in more complex form. However, these improvements have the disadvantage of presenting the following disadvantages: a) It increases the complexity of the washing machine by providing it with elements such as frames, hinges and damping elements. (b) Increase the cost of the washing machine (c) The size of the lid is reduced, making it difficult to insert large garments such as blankets. Another solution they have proposed is to provide the lid with a hinge mounted directly between the periphery of the lid and the edge of the tub, however, this arrangement has the following drawbacks: (a) Due to the large size of the lid (approx. 600 mm diameter), in case the lid accidentally falls to the user, it could hurt him.

It could also fall on the washing machine with a large impact on the rim of the wash / rinse tub. (b) Another disadvantage of this design is that when an accidental or unintentional force is applied on a region near the apex of the cover that is opposite the vertex where the hinge is located, a comparatively large torque will be created on the stops of the hinge (which keeps the lid in an approximately vertical position when in an open condition), causing the cap to permanently deform or loosen or deform the hinge fastening elements, or, that chipping occurs in the area of the tub where the hinge is fixed. (c) A further disadvantage is that this design requires fixing the components of the hinge by means of fasteners, which require perforations in the lid and in the washing / rinsing tub which tends to favor corrosion on the vicinity of said perforations. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the disadvantages cited in the prior art, it is a first objective of the present invention to provide an improved laundry washer including an improved lid that can be retained on top of the washing machine. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved laundry washer in which the lid is held upright and stably in its open condition on the upper edge of the washing machine, preventing the user from having to hold the lid during the step of washing / rinsing the washing machine. Still another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved laundry washer, wherein the lid includes a lower central structure, below the lower face of the lid, in a protuberance shape, which includes at least one hook or half reed with a concave curved face. The hook or half-round having its axis parallel to the underside of the lid to act transiently, in cooperation with an area of the edge of the wash / rinse tub, like a hinge, and the edge of the tub to act virtually as a Cylindrical pivot or hinge axis during the opening or closing operation of the lid. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved laundry washer, the lid of which includes a structure for pivoting opening / closing and securing the lid, which can be used indistinctly on the left or right side of the washing machine according to preferences of the user. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved laundry washing machine, the lid of which includes a structure substantially located in the central part of said lid, which serves as a stop element to prevent the lid from falling due to the effect of a shaking or shock on said cover, when it is horizontally ajar resting on the edge of the wash / rinse tub. It is another object of the present invention to provide the washing machine with an opening system for closing the lid that does not require the use of an auxiliary furniture to support the lid while the washing tub is desired in an open condition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. The novel aspects that are considered characteristic of the present invention will be established with particularity in the appended claims. Nevertheless, the invention itself, both by its organization and by its method of operation, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood in the following description, when read in relation to the attached drawings, in which: Figures 1 a and 1 b shows a conventional perspective view of a washing machine with a round frame on the edge of the tub, corresponding to the prior art.

In figures 2a and 2b there is shown another conventional perspective view of a washing machine of the prior art, with hinged lid. Figure 3a shows a first embodiment of the improved lid of the present invention, placing the lid in its open condition, coupled on the rim of the washing / rinsing tub. Figure 3b is shown to the improved lid of the present invention, placed on the washing tub, in its closed condition. Figure 3c shows a view in disassembly of a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3d is a detailed view of the lid and its placement on the rim of the wash / rinse tub. Figures 4a to 4d, show in schematic form a sequence of positions of the improved lid of the present invention, in its open, half-open condition, displacement to the center, and closed respectively with respect to a laundry washing / rinsing tub. Figure 5a partially shows the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5b shows a detailed view of a second embodiment of the lid of the present invention and its placement on the rim of the washing / rinsing tub. Figure 6a partially shows a third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6b shows a detailed view of a third embodiment of the lid of the present invention and its placement on the rim of the washing / rinsing tub. Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the embodiment illustrated in the figure • 5 6b, showing the improved lid assembly of the present invention. Figures 8a to 8d schematically show a series of arrangements and uses of the improved lid of the present invention, with respect to the laundry tub / rinsing clothes. Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the improved lid of the present invention. • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION. PREVIOUS ART WASHERS. Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1a and 1b, a conventional perspective of a washing machine 10 is shown, in accordance with the prior art, 15 which includes a cylindrical lower support structure 12, said cylindrical structure 12 being supported on slices 14 for its sliding from one side to another. An upper cylindrical tub 16 placed on the support structure 12, which receives the clothes for washing or rinsing. An agitator (not shown) positioned within the cylindrical tub to agitate the laundry during its washing step, said agitator (not shown) being connected to drive means (not shown) placed in the support structure to transmit turning movement to an agitator; and a circular structure 18 on the upper edge of the cylindrical tub 14, having a circular mouth 18A through which clothes are introduced to the washing machine 10. The circular structure 18 comprising mounting means 20 placed on the inside of the edge of the tub to pivotably secure a circular lid 22. Figures 2a and 2b show a second embodiment of a washing machine 10, in accordance with the prior art, which includes a cylindrical lower support structure 12, said cylindrical structure 12 being supported on slices 14 for sliding from one side to the other; and an upper cylindrical tub 16 placed on the support structure 12 to receive the clothes for washing or rinsing. The upper edge of the cylindrical tub 16 has a chamfer or flange 24 (Figure 3d) that projects towards the center of the tub mouth, to provide rigidity to said tub 16. The internal periphery of the rim 24 of the tub 16 it is protected with a caisson (not shown) generally extruded in plastic or elastomeric material to protect the user against the cutting edges of the tub 16, protection of the edge against depostillos, noise damping and to facilitate the positioning and placement of a lid 26. A agitator (not shown) positioned inside the cylindrical tub to agitate the laundry during its washing step, said agitator (not shown) being connected to drive means (not shown) placed on the support structure to transmit turning movement to a stirrer .

Finally, the lid 26 is engaged by a hinge 28 on the upper peripheral edge of the cylindrical tub 16. This version includes stops in the tub 16 to keep the lid in vertical or horizontal position. IMPROVED WASHER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESENT INVENTION. Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3a and 3b, a first embodiment of the improved cover 26 of the present invention is shown, which is placed on top of the peripheral edge of the cylindrical tub 16 having essentially the same diameter of the tub cylindrical top 16. The lid 26 consists of a body 30 generally of metal foil, which is provided with concentric circular patterns 32 to give rigidity to the lid 26. The perimeter edge 34 of the body 30 of the lid 26 is protected by a rim of plastic or elastomers. The lid 26 also includes a knob or a handle 36 in its upper center portion to facilitate its removal or placement on the cylindrical tub 16. The lid 26 further includes a hole 38, near its outer periphery, which serves to retain a hose of drain 40 which is connected to the bottom of the cylindrical tub 16. Said hose 40 has at the outlet end a rigid curved section 42 which operates as a holding hook on the upper edge 24 of the tub 16 or on the orifice 38 of the lid 26, said hose 40 is held to maintain the water level in the tub 16 during the washing and rinsing operations. The curved section 42 of the hose 40 also facilitates the manipulation of the hose to manually place it at a lower level of the bottom of the tub 16 during gravity drainage. In a first embodiment, the lid 26 of the present invention comprises a retaining element 44, which can be in the form of a hook or with a curved section, configured according to the periphery of the chamfer or flange 24 (FIG. 3a) projecting towards the center of the mouth of the tub 16. The retaining element 44 is placed on the lower face of the lid 26 and is screwed with screws 46 into the body 30 of the lid 26. Said holding element 44 having the function of retaining the lid 26 in its open condition and transiently as a hinge element during the opening / closing operation of the lid particularly during the transition from horizontal to vertical position and vice versa. Figures 4a to 4d, show schematically a sequence of positions of the lid 26 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, placed on the upper edge of the tub 16 in its open condition (4a), ajar (4b) , displacement to the center (4c), and closed (4d). With particular reference now to FIGS. 5a and 5b, a second embodiment of the present invention is shown, in which the retaining element 44 is formed in two similar parts, a first part 44a placed centrally on the upper part of the body 30 of the cover 26, which serves as the handle or knob to facilitate the removal or placement of said lid 26 on the cylindrical tub 16 and, a second part 44b placed by the bottom of the lid 26, which serves as a means of hook on the upper edge of the tub 16. In this second embodiment, the first part 44a and the second part 44b are configured as a truncated quadrangular pyramid, having a flat bottom face 48, a flat top face 50 and, four curved walls 52 projecting concavely between the flat bottom face 48 and the flat top face 50. A pair of perforations 54 traverse transversely the quadrangular pyramidal body between the face lower flat 48 and flat upper face 50.

Figure 5b shows the arrangement of the retaining element 44 according to the second embodiment, in which the first part 44a is placed by the upper part of the lid 26 and the second part 44b is placed by the lower part of the top 26. In this case, the flat upper face 50 of each first piece 44a and each second piece 44b are placed coincident with each other, to be screwed by screws (not shown) in the lid 26. In the case of the first piece 44b, one of the curved walls 52 in combination with the flat lower face 48, are placed on the rim 24 of the tub 16 to retain the lid 26. In Figure 5b the curved wall 52 is shown resting on the chamfer or flange 24 of the mouth of the tub 16 The lower curved wall 52 'making contact with a caisson 54 to retain the lid 26. As can be seen from the figure shown the rim 24 of the tub 16 is protected with a caisson 54 generally extruded in plastic or elastomeric material to protect the user against the cutting edges of the tub 16 and to facilitate the positioning of its counterpart the caisson 34 (fig 3a) placed on the periphery of the lid 26 to avoid scratches of the rim of the tub 16 on the curved walls 52 The wobbling of the lid 26 is avoided by the fact that the inner face of the lid 26 is in coincidence and abuts the outer wall of the tub 16 .. In the case of the second part 44a and since it is placed in the upper part of the lid 26, this has the function of supporting the user to remove or place the lid 26 of the tub 16. One of the curved walls 52 projecting in concave form, in combination with the underside 48 flat support the user's fingers. In a third embodiment of the present invention, there is shown an alternative arrangement of the second embodiment of the present invention, in which the retaining element 44 comprises a central passage 56 for placing the socket of a hose for filling the tub 16 This is, the first piece 44a placed centrally in the upper part of the lid 26 and the second piece 44b placed by the lower part of the lid 26, are crossed by the central passage 56, through which the tina 16. Figure 7 shows a sectional view of an assembly system of the retaining element 44, in which the assembly between the first piece 44a and the second piece 44b is carried out by a type of male-female assembly, leaving a central bore 56 for the placement of the filling hose 58 as illustrated in Figures 8a-8d. The cited figures show in schematic form a series of arrangements and uses of the improved lid of the present invention, with respect to the washing / rinsing tub of clothes. For example, Figure 8a shows the placement of the filling hose 58 through the knob or retaining element 44, with the lid 26 placed in an upright position. Figure 8b is shown to the lid 26 in an ajar position. Figure 8c includes filling the tub 16 with the lid 26 completely covering the tub 16. And, figure 8d shows a handle in the form of a knob 60, which can be integrated directly into the body 30 of the lid 26, allowing the passing the water through a central bore in said trough 60. Said trowel 60 can be connected directly to the filling hose 58 of trough 16. Finally, Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the improved cover of the present invention in which includes a knob 62 positioned on top of the lid 26. Said knob 62 having a central bore 64, coincident with a central bore 66 of the lid 26 through which the filling hose 58 is passed. retaining element 68, independent of knob 62, is positioned by the inner part of lid 26 to retain said lid 26 on the upper edge of cylindrical tub 16 of washing machine 10. Cover 26 may additionally include a counterweight 70 at the periphery of said lid 26, wherein said counterweight is placed at a radial distance R1 and allows the position of the retaining element to be varied to a position R2 remote from the center of the lid and where R1 and R2 are substantially collinear and R1 is greater than R2. This allows reducing the lateral maneuvering area, reducing the lateral space required to operate the opening / closing system of the lid. As can be seen from the above, various embodiments of an improved lid for a clothes washer have been described, however, it should be understood that the experts in the field will be able to make changes in the design as well as in the arrangement of its parts, of according to the teachings of the present invention, which however will be included within the true spirit and scope of the invention that is claimed in the following claims.

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS 1.- Improved laundry machine of the type comprising a support structure; a washing tub placed on the support structure to receive clothes, water and detergents for washing or rinsing clothes; an agitator placed inside the wash tub to agitate the laundry during its washing step, said agitated being connected to motor means placed in the support structure to transmit a turning movement to said agitator; and a cap for covering the upper part of the washing tub having an upper face and a lower face, said lid having a handle or knob engaged on the upper face of said lid to facilitate the removal or placement of said lid on the tub of washing, wherein the improvements are characterized by at least one retaining element coupled on the underside of said lid, to retain and secure said lid on the upper edge of the washing tub.
2. 2. Improved laundry washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element is substantially coupled in the central part of the lid.
3. 3. Improved laundry machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element is coupled to the periphery of the lid.
4. 4. Improved laundry washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element comprises at least one curved section, said curved section being configured according to an upper flange of the washing tub.
5. 5. Improved laundry washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element is connected in conjunction with the handle or knob with the lid.
6. 6. Improved laundry washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element is characterized by comprising a part piece placed on the top of the lid, to make the function of the handle or knob and a second piece. placed by the lower part of the lid to retain and secure said lid on a peripheral edge of the washing tub, said first and second parts being aligned with one another and joined in the central part of the lid by means of fasteners that they go through the lid.
7. 7. Improved laundry washing machine according to claim 5, characterized in that said first piece and said second piece have the shape of a truncated pyramid.
8. 8. Improved laundry machine according to claim 7, wherein each piece in the form of a truncated pyramid is characterized by comprising a flat bottom face, a flat top face; and at least one curved wall projecting concavely between the flat bottom face and the flat top face; and at least a pair of perforations axially traversing the truncated pyramid between the flat bottom face and the flat top face.
9. 9. Improved laundry machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the lid comprises a perforation in the center of the lid and, the first piece placed in the upper part of the lid and the second piece placed in the lower part of the lid comprising a central passage, said first piece and said second piece being placed in coincidence with each other through the central perforation of the lid of the washing machine, said central passage being used to place the socket of a hose for the filling of the washing tub.
10. 10. Improved laundry machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid is characterized by comprising a perforation in the center of the lid and said knob or handle comprising a central conduit coinciding with the perforation of the lid, said perforation. of the lid and said duct of the knob or handle being coincident with each other through which a hose is passed for filling the tub with water; and a retention element independent of the knob or handle, said retaining element being placed by the internal part of the lid to retain said lid on the upper edge of the cylindrical tub of the washing machine.
11. 11. Improved laundry washing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the cover is characterized by including a counterweight at the periphery, where said counterweight is placed at a radial distance R1 and allows to vary the position of the retaining element to a position R2 away from the center of the lid and where R1 and R2 are substantially collinear and R1 is greater than R2.
12. 12. Improved laundry machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid is characterized by including a counterweight at the periphery, where said counterweight is placed at a radial distance R1 and allows to vary the position of the retaining element to a position R2 away from the center of the lid and where R1 and R2 are substantially collinear and R1 is greater than R2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved laundry washer of the type comprising a support structure. Slices of sliding are coupled in the lower part of the support structure to facilitate the sliding of said support structure from one place to another. A washing tub placed on the support structure to receive clothes, water and detergents for washing or rinsing clothes. And, a lid to cover the upper part of the washing tub, the lid having an upper face and a lower face, said lid having a handle or knob coupled on the upper face of said lid to facilitate the removal or placement of said lid on the washing tub and, at least one retaining element coupled on the underside of said lid, for retaining and securing said lid on the upper edge of the washing tub.