WO2001071087A1

WO2001071087A1 - Laundry appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2001071087A1
Application number: PCT/GB2001/000706
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicholas Gerald Fitton; Iain Roberts
Original assignee: Dyson Limited
Priority date: 2000-03-18
Filing date: 2001-02-21
Publication date: 2001-09-27
Also published as: GB0006500D0; GB2360297A; AU2001232136A1; WO2001071087B1

Abstract

A laundry appliance (10) comprises an outer casing (12), an interior container (34) mounted inside the outer casing (12) and defining an interior space for containing laundry, an opening provided in the outer casing (12) and the interior container (34) for allowing laundry to be introduced to the interior space, a door (26) mounted on the outer casing (12) or on the interior container (34) by way of a hinge (28) and arranged so as to close the opening, characterised in that the hinge (28) comprises at least one resilient portion (28m) whereby the door (26) is releasable from the appliance (10) in a snap-fit manner. This ensures that, if a force is applied to the door (26) by the user, the door (26) will easily disengage before damaging forces are transmitted to the components of the hinge (28).

Description

Laundry Appliance

The invention relates to a laundry appliance such as a washing machine, a washer-dryer machine or a tumble dryer. The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a washing machine.

A washing machine generally consists of an outer casing in which is mounted a watertight interior container. A perforated drum is commonly mounted inside the interior container in a manner which allows the drum to rotate with respect to the interior container. An opening is provided, either in the front of the outer casing (front-loading machine) or in the top of the casing (top-loading machine), to allow laundry to be introduced to and removed from the machine. A door is provided which effects sealing of the machine to prevent water or washing liquid from leaking out of the machine during operation. During operation, washing liquid is contained within the interior container and the laundry to be washed is located within the perforated drum. The laundry is agitated, either by slow rotation of the drum or by the operation of an agitator located within the drum. . When the laundry has been washed, some washing liquid is drained from the interior container and further washing liquid is extracted from the laundry by fast rotation of the drum within the interior container to spin washing liquid therefrom. Extraction of rinse water is achieved in a similar manner. The imbalance of the drum caused by the inevitably uneven distribution of the laundry causes some vibration of the interior container within the outer casing when the drum is rotating at fast speeds. In order to avoid this vibration being transmitted to the outer casing of the washing machine, the interior container is mounted in the outer casing so as to allow a limited amount of movement therebetween. It is common, in this respect, to mount the interior container in the outer casing by way of tension springs which damp the movements of the interior container and urge it to return to its equilibrium position.

Tumble dryers comprise an outer casing and an interior drum rotatably mounted therein. A door is provided in the outer casing to allow laundry articles to be introduced to the interior space defined by the drum. Warm gas (commonly air) is caused to flow though the rotating drum whilst the drum is rotating. The rotation of the drum causes the damp laundry articles to be tumbled through the warm air so that the laundry articles are dried by the flow of warm air. Washer-dryer machines are constructed as washing machines as described above but with a drying capability built in.

EP 0 579 069 A discloses a washing machine of the front-loading type described above having a door located in the front panel thereof and which is sealed, in a known manner, to the interior container by way of a seal. The single door provides a means of simultaneously closing, in a sealing manner, both the outer container and the inner container (the tub). The door, which is dish-shaped, is removably attached to the front panel so that, if desired, the door can be removed from the washing machine and used in the manner of a laundry basket. In order to achieve this, the hinge by means of which the door is attached to the front panel comprises hook-shaped members which, when the door is in an open position, can be released from the seats in which they normally rest by lifting the door in an upward direction. The hinge is deliberately designed to ensure that the door cannot be removed unintentionally.

It is a disadvantage of known front-loading washing machines of the type described above that the door, which is commonly supported by a single hinge located on one side thereof, is often subjected to relatively high downward loads. These loads are frequently applied by the user pressing down on the open door to assist in standing or straightening up after loading or unloading the washing machine. Whilst the relevant hinge is manufactured so as to be able to withstand most anticipated loads, application of repeated or excessive downward loads can lead to fatigue and/or damage or distortion of the hinge. This in turn can lead to misalignment of the door with respect to the aperture it is intended to close and, more importantly, with respect to the relevant seal or seals. Simple strengthening of the hinges by manufacturing them from stronger materials is not a viable solution because of cost and weight implications.

It is known for some front-loading washing machines to have an outer casing comprising a hinged front panel which covers an opening in the outer casing. The interior container is located inside the outer casing in a manner which allows limited movement therebetween as described above. A door is located in the interior container so that the opening allows access by the user to the door. The door seals the interior container when it is in the closed position. The hinged front panel conceals the opening and the door so that the washing machine has a pleasing appearance when the front panel is in^' a closed position. The front panel is irremovably attached to the outer casing by hinges.

A disadvantage of this type of arrangement is that, in the known arrangement, the front panel is hinged about its lower edge. In its open position, the front panel forms a flat surface on which the user is encouraged to place either a laundry basket or the laundry to be placed inside or removed from the washing machine. The hinges by means of which the front panel is supported are therefore designed to accept loading of this order of magnitude, but heavier loading, such as that applied when a user leans on the front panel in order to stand or straighten up, is likely to damage or distort the hinges.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a laundry appliance which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laundry appliance which has a door to which considerable downward loads can be applied without causing damage to the hinges. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laundry appliance which has a door to which considerable downward loads can be applied without causing damage to the hinges and which is inexpensive to manufacture. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laundry appliance which is easier and safer to operate than prior art machines.

The invention provides a laundry appliance comprising an outer casing, an interior container mounted inside the outer casing and defining an interior space for containing laundry, an opening provided in the outer casing and the interior container for allowing laundry to be introduced to the interior space, a door mounted on the outer casing or on the interior container by way of a hinge and arranged so as to close the opening, characterised in that the hinge comprises at least one resilient portion whereby the door is releasable from the appliance in a snap-fit manner.

By providing a door which can be released from the appliance in a snap-fit manner, any excessive force applied to the door will result in the door disengaging from the appliance. This will inevitably limit the maximum force which can be applied to the hinge. The snap-fit connection also allows the door to be easily and conveniently relocated on the appliance without the use of specialist tools or equipment. The risk of damage to or distortion of the hinge through the application of excess forces thereto is minimised.

Preferably, the door is mounted on the outer casing such that, in the closed position, the door closes the outer casing. More preferably, the door closes the interior container in a sealing manner either by providing a seal between the door and the interior container or by providing a seal between the interior container and the outer casing. Alternatively, the door can be mounted on the interior container so as to seal the interior container. Any of these arrangements provides a convenient and suitable door arrangement for an appliance of the type specified.

In a preferred embodiment, the hinge comprises a support member mounted on either the outer casing or the interior container and a pivoting member mounted on the door, the support member and the pivoting member being cooperable to allow pivoting movement therebetween about an axis of the hinge. It is preferred that the resilient portion of the hinge is resiliently defor able in the direction of the axis of the hinge.

By providing this type of hinge arrangement, the effect of applying an excessive force parallel to the axis of the hinge is to cause resilient deformation of the resilient portion of the hinge. This will result in the release of the door from the appliance in a snap-fit manner so that no further force can be applied to the hinge. The maximum force which can be applied to the hinge in this manner is therefore limited which allows the hinge to be designed with lower tolerances to damage and/or distortion. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine forming a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the washing machine of Figure 1 showing, schematically, the interior components of the machine;

Figure 3 is a front view of the washing machine of Figure 1 in a first configuration;

Figure 4 is a front view of the washing machine of Figure 1 in a second configuration;

Figure 5 is a front view of the washing machine of Figure 1 in a third configuration;

Figure 6 is an exploded view of a hinge and door arrangement forming part of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5;

Figures 7a and 7b are elevation views, respectively, of first and second support arms forming part of the hinge of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view through the hinge of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a tumble dryer forming a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 10 is a schematic side view of a washer-dryer machine forming a third embodiment of the invention. A first embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 8. Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the laundry appliance shown therein is a washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 has an outer casing 12 comprising a front panel 14, side panels 16 and a cover 18. The front panel 14, side panel 16 and cover 18 are shaped and configured so as to give a pleasing aesthetic appearance to the commonly visible portions of the washing machine 10. The rear and underneath views of the washing machine 10 are normally hidden from view and therefore do not need to be aesthetically pleasing. The outer casing 12 can be dimensioned so as to fit within a standard appliance space as is commonly provided in European kitchens and utility rooms. However, the dimensions of the washing machine 10 do not form part of the present invention and can be varied to suit requirements.

The front panel 14 includes a control panel 20 in which are housed various control buttons or other means for appropriate operation of the washing machine 10. The front panel 14 also includes a soap tray drawer 22 by means of which access to a soap tray for receiving detergent can be gained. Also positioned in the front panel 14 is a coin trap 24 which can be used to provide access to a cavity for collecting large foreign objects inadvertently introduced to the washing machine 10. It will be appreciated that the design, operation and relative positioning of the control panel 20, the soap tray drawer 22 and the coin trap 24 are immaterial to the present invention and variations to these particular features are intended to be encompassed within the invention.

Mounted on the front panel 14 of the outer casing 12 is a first door 26. The door 26 is supported on one side thereof by way of a hinge 28. Located on the door 26 on the side thereof remote from the hinge 28 is a handle 30 which co-operates with a latch 32 (see Figures 4 and 5) mounted on the front panel 14.

An interior container or tub 34 is mounted inside the outer casing 12 by way of tension springs 36. This method of mounting a tub 34 inside a washing machine 10 is known. A cylindrical drum 38 is mounted inside the tub 34, also in a known manner, with a motor 40 being provided so as to cause the drum 38 to rotate about its own longitudinal axis. Perforations are provided in the drum 38 so as to allow washing liquid and/or rinse water contained within the tub 34 to pass through the perforations and into the interior of the drum 38.

A second door 42 is provided in the tub 34 on the face thereof closest to and generally parallel with the front panel 14 of the outer casing 12. The door 42, like the door 26, is supported by and pivotable about a hinge 44 (see Figures 4 and 5). A handle 46 is also provided on the door 42 on the side thereof remote from the hinge 44. The handle 46 co-operates with a latch 48 (see Figure 5) mounted on the tub 34.

In order to perform as a washing machine, means (not shown) are provided for introducing water to the tub 34 and also for draining water from the tub 34 and pumping it to a water outlet. These features are well known in the art and, for this reason, are not shown in the Figures nor described any further here.

The washing machine 10 will also include control means for causing the washing machine 10 to perform appropriate washing cycles. A typical washing cycle will include the introduction of water and detergent to the interior of the tub 34 to produce a washing liquid, the heating of the washing liquid to a required temperature, the rotation of the drum 38 about its axis within the tub 34 to agitate laundry contained within the drum 38, the draining of the washing liquid from the tub 34, a series of rinse cycles involving the introduction of rinse water to the interior of the tub 34 and its extraction from the tub 34 by draining and slow spinning of the drum 38, and spinning of the laundry by fast rotation of the drum 38 about its axis. Further discussion of the washing cycles will not be given here. However, the control means 50 provided to operate the washing machine 10 are also operatively connected to the latch 32 and the latch 48 so that, during specific portions of the washing cycle, one or both of the doors 26,42 can be prevented from being opened.

Figure 3 shows the washing machine 10 in a first configuration in which both doors 26,42 are closed. As can also be seen from this Figure, the door 26 comprises a generally circular panel 52 which is supported on one side by the hinge 28. The hinge 28 is located on the front panel 14 adjacent one of the side panels 16. Locating the hinge so close to the side panel 16 allows the circular panel 52 to have as large a diameter as possible-. The circular panel 52 supports the handle 30 on the side thereof remote from the hinge 28.

The circular panel 52 is made from a transparent material. In the embodiment shown, the material used is polycarbonate although other transparent materials may be used. This allows the door 42 to be visible through the door 26. The position of the door 42 is shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The door 26 is dimensioned and arranged so as to be able to close an opening 54 in the front panel 14. As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5, the circular panel 54 carries a lip 56 which projects through the opening 54 into the interior of the outer casing past the front panel 14 when the door 26 is in the closed position. A seal 58 is located on the rim of the circular panel 52 radially outwardly of the lip 56 so that, when the door 26 is in the closed position, the seal 58 is compressed between the circular panel 52 and the rim of the opening 54 in the front panel 14. Thus, when the door 26 is closed, the outer casing 12 is firmly and sealingly closed in the area of the opening 54.

The opening 54 in the front panel 14 is sufficiently large that the door 42 can pass therethrough when the door 26 is open. The door 42 is supported on the tub 34 by way of the hinge 44. The hinge 44 is located at a greater distance from the side panel 16 than the hinge 28 when the tub 34 is in its equilibrium position. This ensures that the door 42 is able to pass through the aperture 54 when the door 42 is rotated about the hinge 44.

The door 42 comprises an annular rim portion 60 which is supported at one side thereof by the hinge 44. The handle 46 is located on the rim portion 60 on the side thereof remote from the hinge 44. The rim portion 60 surrounds and supports a dish-shaped portion 62 which is manufactured from a transparent material such as glass or Pyrex. Other transparent materials may also be used. When the door 42 is in the closed position, the dish-shaped portion 62 projects into the interior of the tub 34.

The door 42 is located and dimensioned so that it closes an opening 64 located in the portion of the tub 34 adjacent the front panel 14 of the outer casing 12. The opening 64 is circular and has a diameter which is smaller than that of the opening 54. A seal 66 is positioned around the rim of the opening 64 on the outer face of the tub 34 in such a position that, when the door 42 is closed, the rim portion 60 is pressed against the seal 66. In this manner, the tub 34 is sealed in a watertight manner when the door 42 is in the closed position.

Each of the handles 30,46 co-operates with the respective latch 32,48 in a known manner. In the closed position, each latch 32,48, is operable so as to hold the respective door 26,42 in a closed position until the respective handle 30,46 is operated. In this way, each door 26,42 is maintained in a position in which the respective seal 58,66 remains under compression and therefore operative so as to form a seal against any leakage of water.

The present invention relates primarily to the hinge 28. The components of the hinge 28 and its operation are illustrated in greater detail in Figures 6 to 8. As can be seen from Figure 6, the hinge comprises a support member 28a and a pivoting member 28b. The support member 28a is fixedly mounted on the front panel 14 of the outer casing 12 as shown in Figure 1. The support member 28a can be manufactured separately from the front panel 14 and attached thereto during manufacture or, alternatively, can be manufactured integrally with the front panel 14. The pivoting member 28b is attached to the circular panel 52 forming part of the door 26 on the side of the circular panel 52 opposite the handle 30. As with the support member 28a, the pivoting member 28b can be manufactured separately from and attached to the circular panel 52 during manufacture or, alternatively, it can be manufactured integrally with the circular panel 52. The pivoting member 28b includes an elongate cylindrical portion 28c at either end of which is located an enlarged flange portion 28d. Each enlarged flange portion 28d is generally cylindrical in shape and lies concentric with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion 28c. Each enlarged flange portion 28d is formed integrally with laterally extending connection arms 28e by means of which the pivoting member 28b is fixedly connected to the circular panel 52 of the door 26. The shape and configuration of the connection arms 28e are determined by the shape and aesthetic appearance of the remainder of the washing machine 10 and do not form an essential part of the present invention.

Each of the enlarged flange portions 28d has an outer planar surface 28f on the side thereof remote from the cylindrical portion 28c. A circular recess 28g is formed in each of the outer planar surfaces 28f, each circular recess 28g being located concentric with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion 28c.

The support member 28a has a connection portion 28h whose shape and configuration is determined by the shape and aesthetic appearance of the washing machine 10. The purpose of the connection portion 28h is to fixedly connect the support member 28a to the front panel 14 of the washing machine 10. A first support arm 28i extends laterally away from the lower end of the connection portion 28h. A second support arm 28j extends parallel to the first support arm 28i but from the top of the connection portion 28h. Each support arm is moulded integrally with the connection portion 28h and is generally circular in elevation. Elevation views, seen from a point between the support arms 28i,28j, are shown in Figures 7a and 7b. Each support arm 28i,28j has a D-shaped aperture located centrally of the generally circular portion thereof.

The second support arm 28j differs from the first support arm 28i in that the circular portion of the second support arm 28j comprises an outer rim 281 and a resilient portion 28m (see Figure 7b). The resilient portion 28m is separated from the outer rim 281 by a slot 28n formed therebetween during manufacture. The resilience of the resilient portion 28m is provided by the characteristics of the plastics material from which the support member 28a is manufactured in combination with the dimension of the neck 28o of the resilient portion 28m by means of which it is connected to the connection portion 28h. The first support arm 28i does not include a slot or resilient portion so that, in comparison to the second support arm 28j, the first support arm 28i is relatively rigid.

A disc member 28p is snap-fittedly connected to each support arm 28i,28j. Each disc member 28p comprises a disc portion 28q having a D-shaped peg 28r extending outwardly therefrom. Each D-shaped peg 28r co-operates with the D-shaped aperture 28k in the respective support arm 28i,28j. The non-circular shaping of the apertures 28k and the pegs 28r prevents relative rotation between the disc members 28p and the support arms 28i,28j. Located on the inner side of each disc portion 28q is a circular protrusion 28s which is dimensioned so as to fit without play into one of the circular recesses 28g on the enlarged flange portions 28d of the pivoting member 28b. The circular shaping of the circular recesses 28g and the circular protrusions 28s allows pivoting movement to take place between these respective parts.

The hinge 28 is shown in assembled form in Figure 8. In this form, the disc members 28p are snap-fittedly connected to the first and second support arms 28i,28j by means of the D-shaped pegs 28r and the D-shaped apertures 28k. Relative rotation between these parts is prevented. The circular protrusions 28s of the disc members 28p are located in the circular recesses 28g of the pivoting member 28b. Thus, when the user releases the latch 32 by operation of the handle 30, the door 26 is able to be rotated about the axis 28t of the hinge 28. In this respect, the circular protrusions 28s rotate about the axis 28t within the circular recesses 28g.

As has been mentioned in the introduction, it is not uncommon for the user of a laundry appliance to apply a downward force to the door 26, particularly when standing or straightening up after loading or unloading the appliance. The direction of the applied force is shown by arrow A in Figure 6. In this event, a turning moment is applied to the hinge 28 whose effect is to urge the upper end of the cylindrical portion 28c away from the support member 28a. Such movement is resisted, up to a point, by the construction of the hinge 28. However, if the downward force applied to the door 26 exceeds a given value, the turning force will be sufficient to cause the resilient portion 28m of the second support arm 28j to move in the direction of arrow B (see Figure 8). The disc member 28p attached to the resilient portion 28m will therefore move upwardly in the direction of arrow B and the enlarged flange portion 28d at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 28c will become disconnected from the disc member 28p. The upper end of the cylindrical portion 28c is thus allowed to move to the right in Figure 8. The door 26 is thus released from the appliance 10.

This arrangement has the advantage that, at a given maximum downward force applied to the door 26, the door 26 will become disconnected from the appliance. This has the effect of limiting the downward force which can be applied and therefore the hinge 28 need not be designed or constructed to withstand forces which are greater than the load at which the door will become disconnected.

In order to return the door 26 to its operational position, the user is required to bring the circular recess 28g located in the upper enlarged flange portion 28d into contact with the circular protrusion 28s forming part of the disc member 28p attached to the resilient portion 28m of the second support arm 28j. By applying an upward force to the pivoting member 28b, the resilient portion 28m is displaced upwardly to a small extent so that the circular recess 28g at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 28c can be aligned with the circular protrusion 28s forming part of the disc member 28p attached to the first support arm 28i. Releasing the upward force on the pivoting member 28b allows the resilient portion 28m to return to its normal position in which both circular protrusions 28s are reliably seated within the circular recesses 28g. The door 26 can then again be used in its normal manner.

The invention has been described above in detail in relation to a washing machine having an outer casing and an interior container, with a separate door being provided on each of the outer casing and the interior container. However, the invention can be applied to an appliance in which only one door is provided, the door being used to close both the outer casing and the interior container simultaneously. Illustrated schematically in Figure 9 is such an arrangement. In this embodiment, the appliance 110 takes the form of a tumbler dryer. Because the interior workings of the appliance 1 10 are not important to the invention, no detailed description will be given here. However, the appliance 1 10 has an outer casing 112 and an interior container 134 which, in the case of the tumble dryer, comprises a closed rotatable drum. A single door 126 is mounted on the outer casing 112 by way of a hinge 128. The door 126 is shaped so that it projects some way into the interior of the appliance 1 10 in a known manner. Two alternative sealing methods are illustrated in Figure 9: shown adjacent the upper edge of the door 126, a seal 168a is provided on the interior container 134. The seal 168a extends towards and abuts against the door 126 in its closed position. Shown adjacent the lower edge of the door 126, a flexible seal 168b extends between the interior container 134 and the outer casing 112. It will be appreciated that, in either case, the seal will extend around the whole of the door 126. Either arrangement is suitable for providing a seal between the outer casing 1 12 and the rotatable drum 134 of a tumble dryer. The hinge 128 by means of which the door 126 is mounted on the outer casing 112 is similar to that, illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 and described above.

An alternative arrangement, forming a third embodiment, is illustrated in Figure 10. In this arrangement, the appliance 210 has an outer casing 212 and an interior container 234 as before. However, the door 226 is supported on the interior container 234 by way of a hinge 228. Again, the hinge 228 is of a design similar to that described above in relation to Figures 6 to 8. A seal 268 is provided between the interior container 234 and the outer casing 212 in the vicinity of the door 226. If relative movement between the interior container 234 and the outer casing 212 is likely to be substantial, as in the case of a washing machine or a washing-dryer machine, the seal 268 is arranged to be flexible.

In order to improve the appearance of the appliance 210, an optional front panel 270 is provided on the front of the appliance 210. The front panel 270 is connected to the appliance 210 by way of a hinge 272 extending horizontally across the front panel of the outer casing 212. When the front panel 270 is in a closed position, the door 226 is hidden from view. The hinge 272 is a standard hinge of common design.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the precise details of the embodiment described above. Firstly, the doors and openings can be arranged so as to be any convenient shape. They do not have to be circular. Furthermore, although the doors are here shown as being substantially wholly transparent, it is possible for the doors to be partially transparent or opaque. It is preferred, but not essential, that the components of the hinge are manufactured from a plastics material. It is also possible for both of the support arms of the support member to include resilient portions for the purpose of releasing and accepting the circular protrusions from and into the circular recesses. It is also envisaged that the invention described above can be embodied in a top-loading washing machine having a drum which is rotatable about a vertical axis. Further adaptations and variations will be apparent to a skilled reader.

Claims

Claims:

1. A laundry appliance comprising an outer casing, an interior container mounted inside the outer casing' and defining an interior space for containing laundry, an opening provided in the outer casing and the interior container for allowing laundry to be introduced to the interior space, a door mounted on the outer casing or on the interior container by way of a hinge and arranged so as to close the opening, characterised in that the hinge comprises at least one resilient portion whereby the door is releasable from the appliance in a snap-fit manner.

2. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer casing comprises a front panel and the opening in the outer casing is located in the front panel.

3. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the door is mounted on the outer casing such that, in the closed position, the door closes the outer casing.

4. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein a seal is provided between the closed door and the outer casing.

5. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein a seal is provided adjacent the opening in the interior container such that, in the closed position, the door closes the interior container in a sealing manner.

6. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein a seal is provided between the interior container and the outer casing in the vicinity of the door such that, in the closed position, the door closes the inner container in a sealing manner.

7. A laundry appliance as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein a second door is provided, the second door being mounted on the inner container.

8. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the door is mounted on the interior container such that, in the closed position, the door closes the interior container.

9. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein a seal is provided between the outer casing and the interior container.

10. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein a second door is provided, the second door being mounted on the outer casing.

1 1. A laundry appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge comprises a support member mounted on either the outer casing or the interior container and a pivoting member mounted on the door, the support member and the pivoting member being cooperable to allow pivoting movement therebetween about an axis of the hinge.

12. A laundry appliance.as claimed in claim 1 1, wherein the resilient portion of the hinge is resiliently deformable in the direction of the axis of the hinge.

13. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 12, wherein the support member comprises two opposing support arms having circular protrusions formed in opposing faces thereof, and the pivoting member has circular recesses for receiving the circular recesses.

14. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of the support arms incorporates the resilient portion of the hinge.

15. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 14, wherein the resilient portion forming part of one of the support arms is resiliently deformable away from the other support arm.

16. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the support arms incorporates a resilient portion of the hinge.

17. A laundry appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein the resilient portion forming part of each of the support arms is resiliently deformable away from the other respective support arm.

18. A laundry appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge is manufactured from a plastics material.

19. A laundry appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the appliance is a washing machine.

20. A laundry appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the appliance is a washer-dryer machine.

21. A laundry appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the appliance is a tumble dryer.

22. A laundry appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the drawings.