WO2010029050A1

WO2010029050A1 - Washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2010029050A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/061587
Authority: WO
Inventors: Orhan Daioglu; Omer Hakan Okutan
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2008-09-09
Filing date: 2009-09-08
Publication date: 2010-03-18

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine (1 ) comprising a body (2), a tub (3) disposed into the body (2), a drum (4) which is disposed into the tub (3) and wherein the laundry to be washed is placed, a loading port (5) which is located on the body (2) and which is used for loading and unloading laundry, a tub inlet port (6) located on the tub (3) in alignment with the loading port (5), a bellows (7) which is disposed between the tub (3) and the body (2), and one end of which is connected to the loading port (5) and the other end to the tub inlet port (6).

Description

PatXML 1/7 BB1698-7.780

Description

WASHING MACHINE

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine having bellows.

[0002] In washing machines, an elastic bellows is situated between the tub and the body that covers the edge of the laundry loading port all around in a leakproof manner and that extends from the tub towards the body. One end of the bellows is fastened to the edge of the loading port on the body and the other end all around the edge of the inlet port on the tub. The bellows is fixed to the loading port by means of a fixing element. The fixing element comprises a C-shaped wire and a spring joining the two ends of the wire.

[0003] In the state of the art, in the bellows assembly, the spring is stretched and the fixing element is disposed around the bellows, and thus, when the spring is released, it compresses and hence provides the bellows to be fixed to the loading port. In the state of the art, depending on the experience of the person performing fixing element assembly, the spring is mounted such that it will correspond to a point that is least visible from the outside.

[0004] In the state of the art European Patent No EP0104475 and German Patent No DE 102007022882, a washing machine is explained that comprises a bellows fixed by such a fixing element.

[0005] However, in the state of the art embodiments, since the fixing element cannot always be mounted to the right point on the bellows, problems such as the visibility of the fixing element by the user, detaching of the fixing element easily in case the user tries to take out the laundry all together and the fixing element is constrained are confronted.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine wherein the bellows fixing is performed in an easy and convenient manner.

[0007] The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises an annular groove at the end of the bellows connected to the loading port, wherein the fixing element is disposed, and a housing on the groove that is bigger than the groove such that at least the spring can be PatXML 2/7 BB1698-7.780

partially disposed therein. During assembly, the fixing element and the spring are disposed such that the fixing element will be seated into the groove and the spring will be seated in the housing. Thus, the spring is provided to be disposed to the desired point independently of the experience of the assembly personnel and hence the risk of assembling the spring in a position visible from the outside is minimized.

[0008] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body comprises a curve located on the edges of the loading port. During the mounting of the bellows to the loading port, the portion, wherein the groove is situated, is disposed into the curve.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the housing is located on the groove and its depth is greater than the depth of the groove. Thus, when the spring is disposed into the groove, it is at least partially hidden in the groove that is deeper. Preferably the length of the groove is almost equal to the height of the spring. In this embodiment, the bellows comprises a protrusion in alignment with the housing at its back face and the curve comprises a recess wherein the protrusion can be disposed. When the fixing element is disposed into the groove, the protrusion is disposed into the recess, as well. Thus, as a result of the recess holding the protrusion in case of constraint, the fixing efficiency is improved.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the housing is located on the groove and its width is greater than the width of the groove. Thus, when the spring is disposed into the groove, it is at least partially hidden in the groove that is wider.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine comprises at least one indicator indicating the position of the housing on the groove. By means of the indicator, the assembly personnel, or the maintenance personnel who wants to demount the bellows later for maintenance can identify the location of the housing when they view the bellows from the front. The indicator is in the form of a mark located in alignment with the housing.

[0012] The model embodiments relating to a washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached PatXML 3/7 BB1698-7.780

figures, where:

[0013] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a washing machine. [0014] Figure 2 - is the schematic view of the detail of the bellows-loading port joining in the former technique. [0015] Figure 3 - is the schematic view of detail A in Figure 1 in an embodiment of the present invention. [0016] Figure 4 - is the schematic view of detail A in Figure 1 in another embodiment of the present invention. [0017] Figure 5 - is the detailed view of the groove and the housing in an embodiment of the present invention. [0018] Figure 6 - is the detailed view of the groove and the housing in an embodiment of the present invention. [0019] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Washing machine

2. Body

3. Tub

4. Drum

5. Loading port

6. Tub inlet port

7. Bellows

8. Fixing element

9. Wire

10. Spring

11. Groove

12. Housing

13. Curve

14. Protrusion

15. Recess

16. Indicator

[0020] The washing machine (1) of the present invention comprises

- a body (2),

- a tub (3) disposed into the body (2),

- a drum (4) which is disposed into the tub (3) and wherein the laundry to PatXML 4/7 BB1698-7.780

be washed is placed,

- a loading port (5) which is located on the body (2) and which is used for loading and unloading laundry,

- a tub inlet port (6) located on the tub (3) in alignment with the loading port (5),

- a bellows (7) which is disposed between the tub (3) and the body (2), and one end of which is connected to the loading port (5) and the other end to the tub inlet port (6), and

- a fixing element (8) which has a C-shaped wire (9) and a spring (10) joining the two ends of the wire (9), which is disposed around the bellows (7), which surrounds the bellows (7) and thus, provides the bellows (7) to be fixed to the loading port (5)

[0021] (Figure 1 and Figure 5).

[0022] The bellows (7), furthermore, comprises a groove (11) on its end that is connected to the loading port (5), which is located all around its face facing the outside and wherein the fixing element (8) is disposed, and a housing (12) which is located on the groove (11) and wherein the spring (10) is at least partially seated. During assembly, while the fixing element (8) is disposed into the groove (11), the spring (10) is corresponded to the housing (12). Thus, while the spring (10) is provided to be assembled such that it will always be at the desired point, the possibility of it being seen by the user during usage is also eliminated (Figure 3 and Figure 5).

[0023] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body (2) comprises a curve (13) which is located on the edges of the loading port (5), into which the portion of the bellows (7), wherein the groove (11) is situated, is disposed and which facilitates the mounting of the bellows (7) to the loading port (5) (Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4).

[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, the depth of the housing (12) is greater than the depth of the groove (11) and the length of the housing (12) is almost equal to the height of the spring (10) (Figure 3). In a version of this embodiment, the bellows (7) comprises a protrusion (14) in alignment with the housing (12) at the face of its end mounted to the loading port (5), wherein the face faces the loading port (5). The curve (13) PatXML 5/7 BB1698-7.780

comprises a recess (15) wherein the protrusion (14) can be disposed (Figure 4). When the fixing element (8) is disposed into the groove (11) and the spring (10) into the housing (12), then the protrusion (14) is disposed into the recess (15). Thus, while the fixing element (8) is provided to be positioned onto the bellows (7) such that the spring (10) will not be visible from the outside, the risk of detaching of the fixing element (8) during loading/unloading is also reduced. Furthermore, the wall thickness, which decreases due to the housing (12) being deep, is increased with the help of the protrusion (14) and thus, the bellows (7) is prevented from wearing out.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the width of the housing (12) is greater than the width of the groove (11) and the length of the housing (12) is almost equal to the height of the spring (10) (Figure 5).

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises at least one indicator (16) which indicates the position of the housing (12) on the groove (11) and which is visible when viewed from the outside. By means of the indicator (16), the assembly personnel is provided to easily identify the location of the housing (12) and hence, the assembly time is provided to be reduced. In an embodiment of the present invention, the indicator (16) is in the form of a protuberance that is on the bellows (7) and in alignment with the housing (12) when viewed from the front (Figure 6).

[0027] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and an expert in the technique can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

PatXML 6/7 BB1698-7.780Claims

1. A washing machine (1) comprising a body (2), a tub (3) disposed into the body (2), a drum (4) which is disposed into the tub (3) and wherein the laundry to be washed is placed, a loading port (5) which is located on the body (2) and which is used for loading and unloading laundry, a tub inlet port (6) located on the tub (3) in alignment with the loading port (5), a bellows (7) which is disposed between the tub (3) and the body (2), and one end of which is connected to the loading port (5) and the other end to the tub inlet port (6), and a fixing element (8) which has a C-shaped wire (9) and a spring (10) joining the two ends of the wire (9), which is disposed around the bellows (7), which surrounds the bellows (7) and thus, provides the bellows (7) to be fixed to the loading port (5), characterized by the bellows (7) comprising a groove (11) on its end that is connected to the loading port (5), which is located all around its face facing the outside and wherein the fixing element (8) is disposed, and a housing (12) which is located on the groove (11) and wherein the spring (10) is at least partially seated.

2. A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by the housing (12), the depth of which is greater than the depth of the groove (11) and the length of which is almost equal to the height of the spring (10).

3. A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the housing (12), the width of which is greater than the width of the groove (11) and the length of which is almost equal to the height of the spring (10).

4. A washing machine (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 3, characterized by the body (2) that comprises a curve (13) which is located on the edges of the loading port (5), into which the portion of the bellows (7), wherein the groove (11) is situated, is disposed and which facilitates the mounting of the bellows (7) to the loading port (5).

5. A washing machine (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by the bellows (7) that has a protrusion (14) in alignment with the housing (12) at the face of its end mounted to the loading port (5), wherein the face faces the loading port (5) and by the curve (13) that has a recess (15) wherein the protrusion (14) can be disposed.

6. A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by at PatXML 7/7 BB1698-7.780

least one indicator (16) which indicates the position of the housing (12) on the groove (11) and which is visible when viewed from the outside.