WO2013079561A1

WO2013079561A1 - Household electrical appliance and loading door for such appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2013079561A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/073883
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerardo Martinez Perez; Ismael Gracia Bobed; Jose Luis Perez Luengo; Eduardo Recio Ferrer
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2011-12-02
Filing date: 2012-11-29
Publication date: 2013-06-06
Also published as: RU2600430C2; EP2785907B1; PL2785907T3; CN103958764B; ES2410081A2; EP2785907A1; ES2410081B1; ES2410081R1; CN103958764A; RU2014125837A

Abstract

The invention relates to a household electrical appliance (1), and in particular a washer (1) or a dryer (1), comprising a rotatable drum (2) inside a tub (3) housed in a housing (4), having a loading opening (5) that is closable by means of a loading door (6). The appliance (1) is characterized in that in the closed position, the door (6) closes the opening (5), the door (6) is firmly coupled to the tub (3) or housing (4) by magnetic attraction by means of a magnetic assembly comprising at least one magnetic element and optionally at least one ferromagnetic part (15).

Description

HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE AND LOADING DOOR FOR SUCH APPLIANCE

The present invention relates to a household electrical appliance, and in particular a washer or a dryer, comprising a rotatable drum inside a tub housed in a housing, and having a load opening closable by means of a loading door.

Without being limited thereto, the invention especially envisages household electrical appliances with a front-loading door, that is, with a loading door located in the front wall of the housing, and such that the drum can rotate on an axis that is essentially horizontal.

An example of a practical washer implementation in which the loading door is fastened to the tub can be found in document WO 2008/153497 A1 . Conventionally, in household electrical appliances with a front-loading door, the loading door is fastened to the front wall of the housing of the household electrical appliance so as to open and close laterally by means of a hinge assembly. The door comprises a window, normally made of glass and having a essentially concave shape when viewed from the outside of the appliance, and a frame normally made of plastic in an annular shape around the window.

The hinge assembly performs a double function of supporting the weight of the door when opening and closing as well as when in the closed position, that is, in a position in which the loading door closes the opening. In addition, the household electrical appliance comprises a latch assembly to be able to lock the opening of the door when the latter is in the closed position while the household electrical appliance is being operated. Conventionally, the glass is fastened to the frame securely by screws or by plastic welding, which imposes certain difficulties in assembly and the use of special tools. Moreover, if the window is normally made of glass, the hinge assembly must be sufficiently robust to be able to support the weight of the assembly. In the closed position, the door is fastened to the housing by means of the hinge assembly and the latch assembly. With the door being fastened by these two anchorage points alone, the door is subject to minor movements and vibrations that can occur while the household electrical appliance is being operated, especially in the frame in contact with the housing, and most particularly in the region distant from the anchorage points. These movements and vibrations can cause noise and plastic deformation of the frame over time. Consequently, water leaks from the tub might occur during operation of the washer. In view of the state of the art, it would thus be desirable to provide a household electrical appliance with a loading door that is manufactured easily and without special tools, providing improvements in manufacturing time, lower cost and greater reliability. It would likewise be desirable for the loading door to provide adequate closure of the tub to ensure a good connection and consequently eliminate noise and water leaks.

With the aim of solving the indicated technical problem and making improvements to the known household electrical appliances and loading doors of same, the proposed invention provides the characteristics and functions that are described below. A household electrical appliance according to the invention is characterized in that in the closed position, that is, in the position in which the door closes off the opening, the door is firmly connected to the tub or the housing through magnetic attraction by means of a magnetic assembly comprising at least one magnetic element and optionally at least one ferromagnetic part. In the case of household electrical appliances with a front-loading door, the invention provides in particular for the door to be firmly connected to the front of the tub or to the front wall of the housing.

The at least one magnetic element performs the function of creating a magnetic field that produces magnetic attraction between the magnetic element and other magnetic elements or to at least one ferromagnetic part, which constitute a magnetic assembly. The term "ferromagnetic part" comprises the concept of ferromagnetic element with the function of producing magnetic attraction by means of a magnetic element. The ferromagnetic part can optionally constitute a portion of the metal housing of the household electrical appliance, normally made of steel sheet metal, particularly a portion of the front wall of the housing in the case of front-loading household electrical appliances, without the need to incorporate additional elements into conventional household electrical appliances. Preferably, magnetic elements can be provided in the ferromagnetic part of the housing to reinforce the magnetic attraction of the housing itself. Specifically, these magnetic elements can be joined to the housing itself, and more specifically placed on the surface not visible from the outside of the household electrical appliance.

The at least one magnetic element of the magnetic assembly can be mounted onto the loading door itself and/or on the housing and/or on the tub, in conjunction with other magnetic elements or electromagnetic parts on the door and/or on the housing and/or on the tub. Preferably, the magnetic assembly at least partially extends essentially around the loading opening in the closed position, and the magnetic assembly in particular can be distributed in an essentially annular fashion around the opening. In particular, in the closed position, the door is firmly connected to the tub or the housing by magnetic attraction by means of a magnetic assembly comprising at least one magnetic element and, optionally, at least one ferromagnetic part. In other words, coupling between the at least one magnetic element and the ferromagnetic part in this case is achieved without the requirement for any other complementary element for fastening the door to the housing or to the tub.

The fastening of a loading door according to the invention can ensure that the loading opening is adequately sealed. In particular, it can provide a essentially uniform seal around the opening, which enables a simple solution to the problem of vibrations and plastic deformations that is present in the state of the art.

The fastening of a loading door according to the invention enables the provision of the following additional advantages. First, it is possible to dispense with the opening bellows, which in conventional household electrical appliances have the function of providing air-tightness or leak-tightness to the tub while the household electrical appliance is being operated. Second, it can increase the load capacity of the tub in terms of depth when the separation between the tub and the housing required for the bellows in conventional household electrical appliances is taken into account. Third, it can minimize the amplitude of the vibrations in the tub as well as optimizing control thereof while the household elec- trical appliance is being operated as a consequence of the attachment introduced by the opening bellows in the movement of the tub while a conventional household electrical appliance is being operated. In addition, in the closed position, the door is supported at least partially by the housing or the tub through magnetic attraction by means of a magnetic assembly comprising at least one magnetic element and optionally at least one ferromagnetic part. At least part of the weight of the loading door that is supported by the hinge assembly in the closed position can be supported by means of the magnetic assembly making it possible to simplify or eliminate the hinge assembly. In this sense, the invention provides that the loading door can be removable, in other words attachable to the housing or tub irrespective of the hinge assembly, which enables additional simplification of the door fastening. The door being removable would enable elimination of the need for drilling holes in the housing or tub as well as for other elements necessary for fastening the door in conven- tional household electrical appliances. Therefore, the manufacture of the household electrical appliance with the door and of the door according to the invention would be simplified. Moreover, the door can be configured as container, particularly for moving or containing laundry. Optionally, the door can comprise at least one handle, preferably two handles, to facilitate the placement or removal of the door in the closed position as well as to facilitate the movement thereof.

The magnetic element can be constituted as a magnetic film. The film can be flexible, for example, made of a plastic material. Preferably, the magnetic film can extend at least partially along a connection zone between the door and the housing or the tub in the closed position. The magnetic films can be joined to the door, to the housing, or to the tub, particularly by an adhesive means. The film can have the form of a band extending at least partially along essentially one circumference around the opening, which ensures being able to close the opening with substantial uniformity. Preferably, the household electrical appliance comprises a cushioning gasket made essentially from an elastic material such as rubber or the like. The gasket can be constituted, for example, as a film or as a bellows. The cushioning gasket can be joined to the door and/or to the housing and/or to the tub, for example, by an adhesive means. Also envisioned is that the magnetic film and a cushioning film can be integrally constituted in one and the same element. The cushioning joint incorporates the function of cushioning vibrations and noise in the closed position while the household electrical appliance is being operated. The magnetic element can also be constituted as a magnet or an electromagnet.

The incorporation of an electromagnet can be useful for locking the door, for example, while the household electrical appliance is being operated. Optionally, by varying the intensity of the current, an adequate air-tightness or leak-tightness can be achieved when closing the opening. Providing a system of locking the door enables eliminating the necessity of providing a latching assembly, further simplifying the system and permitting improvements in reliability and safety in closing the door.

In addition, the loading door according to the invention enables simpler manufacture. In this way, the door window can be made of plastic, enabling a reduction in the thickness and weight of the conventional plastic door frame and lightening the structure thereof. Also envisioned is that both the window and the door frame can be integrated into a single plastic piece formed, for example, by injection molding. Additionally, in the same molding operation, for example, injection molding of the frame or door, the handle(s) of the door, components of the hinge assembly, or the latching assembly can be incorporated.

In the case where the door is removable, also envisioned is that the door includes a fastening system with a Poka-Yoke function, for example with nubs having a different size than the door, tongue-in-groove joints that correspond to the self-centering holes in the housing or the tub in the closed position. Additionally, the opening can be of any shape, for example, circular or rectangular, and in particular providing an alternative or complementary plug for self-centering the door.

In conclusion, the present invention provides a household electrical appliance and a loading door for same with a simpler fastening to the housing or tub, and provides ade- quate closing of the tub that ensures air-tightness and leak-tightness while the household electrical appliance is being operated as well as eliminating vibrations and noise. Moreover, as is shown in the present report, the device presents other additional advantages and enables simplified manufacture at reduced costs, and thereby solves the technical problem described. To complement the description of the invention with the aim of providing a better understanding of its technical characteristics, reference is made in the remainder of this descriptive report to the figures of the accompanying drawing, in which an embodiment of a washer and a loading door of same according to the invention is shown as a non-limiting practical example. In said drawing:

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a washer of an embodiment and a loading door of same.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view with details of the back portion of the loading door of the embodiment.

Figure 3 shows a side elevation view of the washer of the embodiment with the loading door of same in the closed position, along section A-A' of the washer

shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 4 shows a side elevation view of a variant of the washer of the embodiment with the loading door of same in the closed position, along section A-A' of the

washer shown in Figure 1.

With reference firstly to Figure 1 , a perspective view of front-loading washer 1 is shown.

Washer 1 comprises rotatable drum 2 within tub 3 housed in housing 4 having load- ing opening 5 closable by means of loading door 6. Washer 1 includes removable loading door 6. Loading door 6 is composed of door frame 7 and door window 8. Door 6 also includes two handles 9 with the function of facilitating the placement or removal of door 6 in the closed position as well as, for example, moving or containing laundry when door 6 has been removed. In the closed position, door 6 is fastened to the front wall of housing 4.

Figure 2 shows a detailed view of loading door 6. Loading door 6 comprises latch 10 corresponding to latch hole 1 1 , constituting a latching assembly that achieves locking of door 6 in the closed position, and two self-centering nubs 12 having a tongue-and-groove correspondence with two self-centering holes 13 that function to ensure the correct posi- tioning of loading door 6 in the closed position. As seen in Figure 2, door frame 7 includes a plurality of magnetic films 14 distributed in an annular pattern on the face of the door that is in contact with the front wall of housing 4 in the closed position. These magnetic films 14 are joined to door frame 7 by an adhesive means. Magnetic films 14 are flexible.

Figure 3 shows an elevation view along section A-A' of the washer of the embodi

ment. Door 6 is in the closed position. As seen in Figure 3, washer 1 comprises rotatable drum 2 within tub 3. Rotation of the drum is achieved by means of motor 19 and a transmission system comprising pulley 20 coupled to the axis of motor 19 by means of fan belt 21. Tub 3 is coupled to housing 4 by means of a cushioning system comprising cushions 17 and springs 18. Between the tub and the front wall of housing 4 in opening 5 is provided opening bellows 22 that functions to ensure the air-tightness or leak-tightness of tub 3 while washer 1 is being operated. The fastening of door 6 to housing 4 in the closed position is achieved by means of magnetic elements constituted as flexible magnetic films 14. In addition, Figure 3 shows that the fastening includes elastic cushioning assembly 16 made of rubber or the like positioned between magnetic films 14 of door 6 and the front wall of housing 4 in the closed position, which acts to cushion vibrations and noise in the closed position. Frame 7 includes several handles 9 to facilitate the positioning of door 6 inserting or extending window 8 by means of opening 5. Figure 4 shows an elevation view along section A-A' of a variant of the washer of the

embodiment. In this variant of the embodiment, door 6 is fastened to tub 3 instead of to housing 4 as in the embodiment described previously. As illustrated in Figure 4, the variant does not incorporate opening bellows 22 as they are not necessary, it being possible to ensure the air-tightness or leak-tightness of tub 3 directly by means of loading door 6 of the invention. Analogously to the embodiment described previously, door 6 incorporates a plurality of magnetic films 14 distributed annularly on door frame 7. Moreover, tub 3 includes ferromagnetic part 15 that can be constituted, for example, from a steel plate or sheet on tub 3, or from another magnetic element that in cooperation with magnetic films 14 on door 6 provides magnetic fastening of door 6 to tub 2 by means of a magnetic assembly constituted from magnetic films 14 and ferromagnetic parts 15. Analogously to the embodiment described previously, the fastening includes elastic cushioning assembly 16 made of rubber or the like positioned between magnetic films 14 of door 6 and the front wall of tub 3 in the closed position, which acts to cushion vibrations and noise in the closed position.

A more extensive description is not considered necessary for one skilled in the art to be able to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages provided by same. In particular, the materials and manufacturing processes required to manufacture each of the different components are known to the technical field and are readily accessible. In general, the materials and the shape, size and arrangement of the components may be varied in any way that does not introduce a change beyond the scope of the present invention, as defined by the attached claims. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

Washer

Drum

Tub

Washer housing

Loading opening

Loading door

Door frame

Door window

Door handle

Latch

Latch hole

Self-centering nub

Self-centering hole

Magnetic element

Ferromagnetic part

Cushioning gasket

Cushion

Spring

Motor

Belt pulley

Fan belt

Opening bellows

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

Electrical household appliance (1 ), in particular a washing machine (1 ) or a dryer, comprising a rotatable drum

(2) inside a tub

(3) housed in a hosing

(4), having a load opening (5) closable by means of a loading door (6), characterized in that, in a closed position in which the door (6) closes the opening

(5), the door (6) is fixedly coupled to the tub (3) or to the housing (4) by magnetic attraction by means of a magnetic set comprising at least a magnetic element.

Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said magnetic set comprises at least one ferromagnetic part (15).

Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the door (6), the tub (3) or the housing (4) includes at least one ferromagnetic part (15).

Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that, in the closed position, the door (6) is fixedly connected to the tub (3) or the housing.

Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that, in the closed position, the door (6) is supported at least partially by the tub (3) or the housing (4) by magnetic attraction by means of the magnetic set.

6. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that at least one of the magnetic elements is mounted on the door (6), on the tub (3) or on the housing (4).

7. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the magnetic set extends at least partially substantially around the opening (5) in the closed position.

8. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to claim 7, characterized in that the magnetic set is distributed in a substantially ring-shaped manner.

9. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that at least one of the magnetic elements is selected from the group consisting of a magnetic film (14), a magnet and an electromagnet.

10. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the magnetic elements is a magnetic film, and the magnetic film (14) is joined to the door (6), to the tub (3) or to the housing (4), in particular by means of an adhesive.

11. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a dampening gasket (10), substantially of an elastic material such as rubber or the like, which is joined to the door (6), to the tub (3) or to the housing (4), in particular by means of an adhesive.

12. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the door (6) is removable.

13. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to claim 12, characterized in that the door (6) comprises at least a handle (9), preferably two handles (9), to facilitate the placement or extraction of the door (6) into or from the closed position.

14. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the door (6) is swivellable by means of a hinge set.

15. Electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the closure of the door (6) is lockable by means of a locking bolt set.

16. Loading door (6) of the electrical household appliance (1 ) according to any any preceding claim.