Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
  • H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
  • H02K5/04—Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
  • D06F37/20—Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations
  • D06F37/206—Mounting of motor
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
  • D06F39/12—Casings; Tubs
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
  • H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
  • H02K5/26—Means for adjusting casings relative to their supports
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
  • H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
  • H02K5/24—Casings; Enclosures; Supports specially adapted for suppression or reduction of noise or vibrations

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an electrical household appliance, particularly a washing machine or a dryer, comprising a tub in an interior of which is arranged a drum that is rotatable by action of a motor, in particular a BLDC motor, where the motor is fixable to the tub by means of a motor housing.
• a motor in particular a BLDC motor
• the invention is in particular intended for, but not limited to, a front-loading electrical household appliance in which the axis of drum rotation remains substantially horizontal during operation of the electrical household appliance.
• the housing is fixed to the tub removably, usually by means of at least two anchoring points constituted from tabs joined to the housing that are connected in a tongue-and-groove manner to the respective supports of the tab joined to the tub.
• the tabs can comprise pins or orifices with a tongue-and-groove correspondence to the orifices or pins of the respective tab supports.
• the tabs comprise orifices with a tongue-and-groove correspondence to the pins of the tab supports.
• the term "pin” includes the concepts of "nipple", “protrusion” or "extension”.
• the fixing system is constituted by three or preferably four tabs.
• a BLDC type motor is smaller in size and weight than an operationally similar universal motor.
• the fixing system for such universal motor is provided by only two tabs, being intended for cantilever fixing over the tub.
• a fixing system for a BLDC type motor with two tabs may be highly satisfactory for an application in which the body on which the housing is fixed remains static during the operation of the motor.
• the direct application of such fixing system to a body such as the tub of an electrical household appliance may create considerable structural resistance problems such as fatigue as a result of cyclic local forces, particularly flexion, that occur at the anchoring points by the oscillating movement that takes place during the operation of the electrical household appliance.
• the motor housing is provided directly by the motor manufacturer so that the manufacturer of the tub for the electrical household appliance has limited leeway in designing the system for fixing to the motor to the tub.
• the electrical household appliance tub is made of plastic, in particular of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, and obtained by injection molding.
• the motor housing is conventionally made of metal, particularly aluminum.
• the elements of the system for fixing the tub are usually integrated in the same and are obtained from the same injection molding of the tub, the design of said elements additionally depends of the material and manufacturing process used for the tub. From this perspective, given the problem that the elements of the fixing system be adequately structurally resistant, consistent solutions are known for structurally reinforcing said elements by addition of material or modification of their shape. Nevertheless, these solutions are not fully satisfactory due to the limitations imposed by the tub as mentioned above.
• the present invention provides the characteristics and technical effects as defined in the independent claim attached.
• Preferred embodiments of the invention are subjects of the dependent claims attached, the following description and the drawing attached.
• the present invention provides an electrical household appliance comprising a tub inside which a drum is arranged, said drum being rotatable by action of a motor, the motor having a housing with tabs for fixing to the tub, characterized in that the motor is fixed to the tub by means of the tabs and of at least one direct fixing connection between the housing and a tub fixing element of the tub.
• the housing is securely connected to the tub by means of at least one tub fixing element.
• the fixing connection is a direct connection between the housing and the fixing element from the tub, that is without the intermediacy of any additional element.
• the fixing element from the tub can be securely connected in a form-fitting manner in cooperation with existing topography of the housing itself.
• bolt includes the concepts of "screw” and "stud".
• the fastening bolts have the function of securing the motor to the housing, including the winding and other components of the motor.
• the motor housing comprises two housing parts (front and rear) that are arranged one in front of the other in a frontal direction of the front-loading electrical househokkappliance, and in this case the fastening bolts have the function of securing the motor between the housing parts.
• substitution of at least one fastening bolt by a fixing bolt provides the fixing bolt with the complementary function of constituting an additional anchoring point in the system for fixing the motor to the tub.
• the fixing is such that the end of the fixing bolt protrudes a distance out from the housing for fixing to the fixing element of the tub in the position for fixing the motor.
• the protrusion is considered to be a distance greater than or equal to 15% of the length of the fixing bolt.
• the protrusion can be a distance greater than or equal to 25% of the length of the bolt.
• the "length of the bolt” is defined as the distance between the ends of the bolt, including the distance corresponding to the head of the bolt in the case that the bolt has a head.
• the fixing bolt is securely connected in a screwed manner to the tub fixing element.
• the connection of the fixing bolt to the tub fixing element can include a silent block element.
• silent block includes the concept of "damping joint".
• the silent block element can be fixed or joined to the tub fixing element and/or to the fixing bolt in a form-fitting manner or force-fitting manner.
• the form-fitting fixing can be, for example, screwed or clipped.
• the force-fitted connection can be, for example, by press fitting or by adhesive.
• clipped fixing means a fixing that comprises at least one form-fitting fixing element such that to effect the fixing, it is necessary to apply a substantial deformation to said element.
• a fixing that comprises projections and indentations in respective elements fixable with each other with a click by means of the projections and indentations will, for the purposes of the present specification, constitute a clipped fixing.
• the fixing bolt extends in a continuous manner through the tub fixing element and is fixedly connected in a screwed manner to a bolt nut element.
• the electrical household appliance comprises a bolt coupling element that is securely or fixedly connected in a screwed manner to the fixing bolt, in particular by the end of the fixing bolt, and on the other hand is fixed to the tub fixing element.
• the bolt coupling element can be securely connected in a tongue-and-groove manner to the tub fixing element in the motor fixing position.
• the bolt coupling element can be securely connected by form-fitting or by force-fitting.
• the form-fitting fixing connection can be, for example, screwed or clipped.
• the force-fitted fixing connection can be, for example, by press fitting or by adhesive.
• the bolt coupling element can be configured such that said press fitting is effected in such a manner that in the step in which the fixing bolt is inserted in a screwed manner into the coupling element, this expands diametrically producing a stronger fit of the coupling element to the tub fixing element.
• the bolt coupling element can be configured as a male bolt coupling element or a female bolt coupling element.
• the tub fixing element is configured as a female tub fixing element or a male tub fixing element, respectively.
• such preferred embodiment includes that the bolt coupling element is selected from the group consisting of: a male element for coupling the bolt and a female element for coupling the bolt; and the tub fixing element is selected in correspondence with the bolt coupling element from the group consisting of; a female element for fixing the tub and a male element for fixing the tub.
• the connection of the fixing bolt to the bolt coupling element and/or the connection of the bolt coupling element to the tub fixing element can include a silent block element.
• the silent block element can be fixed or joined to the bolt coupling element (through the exterior and/or through the interior of same) and/or the tub fixing element, respectively, by form-fitting or by force-fitting.
• the form-fitting fixing can be, for example, screwed or clipped.
• the force-fitted connection can be, for example, by press fitting or by adhesive.
• the fixing bolt passes through the tub fixing element and is securely connected in a screwed manner to a bolt nut element by the end of the bolt fixing.
• the fixing bolt is also passed through the intermediate coupling element.
• the electrical household appliance comprises retaining means for retaining the movement of the bolt coupling element in relation to the fixing bolt, in particular retaining means for retaining the rotation around the longitudinal axis of the bolt, and more particularly retaining means for retaining the rotation in the direction opposite to the tightening direction of the screwed connection of the fixing bolt to the bolt coupling element.
• the movement of the bolt coupling element with respect to the fixing bolt, in the motor fixing position can be retained, for example, by "a retention assembly constituted by the bolt coupling element itself and the housing, in particular by a contact zone between the coupling element and the hous- ing such that in the motor fixing position, it provides retention of the movement by force- fitting, that is, for example, exerting a pressure in said position between the bolt coupling element and the housing.
• the retention of movement is effected by form-fitting, for example, by means of indentation(s), projection(s), and/or the housing topography, by coupling elements and/or fixing elements in cooperation with indentation(s), projection(s), and/or the housing topography, or by a coupling element and/or fixing element in the motor fixing position.
• the fixing system according to the present invention includes retention means for retaining the movement of the fixing bolt with respect to the motor housing; in particular, for the case in which the fixing bolt is securely connected to the tub fixing element, that is without the intermediacy of said bolt coupling element.
• the tub fixing element can be integrated into the tub or be constituted as an independent piece joined to the tub.
• this can be of plastic.
• the tub fixing element can be obtained by injection molding, including within the same process in which the tub is molded.
• a rubber material or the like can be selected such that the bolt coupling element itself achieves a silent block function in the fixing, permitting the silent block element to be dispensed with.
• the screwed connection between elements can be reinforced by the intermediacy of a sleeve, preferably metallic, which incorporates the corresponding threading.
• Said reinforcing sleeve can be arranged in the drill hole of the coupling element, in the drill hole of the tub fixing element, or included in the external surface of the bolt coupling element.
• the household appliance of any embodiment of the invention is embodied as a laundry care appliance, in particular a washing machine or a dryer.
• the household appliance of any embodiment of the invention is embodied so as to include a motor that is a BLDC motor.
• the present invention provides an electrical household appliance with a system for fixing the motor to the tub in a secure and versatile manner. Moreover, as is shown in the present specification, the device presents other additional advantages and enables simplified manufacture at reduced costs. It thereby entirely solves the technical problem described.
• Figure 1 shows a frontal back view of the oscillating unit of a front-loading washing machine, comprising the tub and motor of the washing machine.
• Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the motor and the motor housing.
• Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the motor fixed to the tub in the motor fixing posi- tion according to the state of the art.
• Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the motor fixed to the washing machine tub in the motor fixing position according to a first embodiment according to the present invention.
• Figure 5 shows an elevational view along section A— A' from figure 4.
• Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the motor fixed to the washing machine tub in the motor fixing position according to a first embodiment according to the present invention.
• Figure 7 shows an elevational view along section B— B' from figure 6.
• Figure ⁇ illustrates in detail the coupling between the fixing bolt and the tub according to the embodiment shown in figure 6 and 7.
• Figure 9 illustrates in detail the coupling between the fixing bolt and the tub according to a variant of the embodiment shown in figures 6 through 8.
• FIG 10 illustrates in detail the coupling between the fixing bolt and the tub according to another variant of the embodiment shown in figures 6 through 8.
• FIG 11 illustrates in detail the coupling between the fixing bolt and the tub according to another variant of the embodiment shown in figures 6 through 8.
• FIG. 1 a frontal back view of the oscillating unit of a front-loading washing machine at which the embodiment is aimed.
• the oscillating unit comprises tub 1 of the washing machine and motor 2, which is fixed to tub 1 by means of motor housing 10. Inside tub 1 is arranged a drum (not shown) rotating by the action of motor 2 through belt pulley 3 integral with the drum and fan belt 4 that transmits the movement of the axle of motor 2 to the drum through said belt pulley 3.
• FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of motor 2 and the housing 10.
• Housing 10 has two housing parts 11, one front and the other back according to the frontal direction of the washing machine.
• motor 2 is secured between the housing parts 11 by means of four housing clamping bolts 12 and respective housing clamping bolt nuts 13.
• FIG 3 shows a perspective view of motor 2 fixed to tub 1 in the motor fixing position according to the state of the art.
• the fixing of .housing 10 to tub 1 is. effected by means of tabs 14 joined to housing 10 with a tongue-and-groove correspondence with tab supports 16 joined to tub 1.
• Tab supports 16 of the conventional embodiment illustrated incorporate respective pins 15 that correspond to tab orifices 14.
• Figures 4 and 5 show motor 2 in a motor fixing position in which motoj 2 is secured between housing parts 11, and housing 10 is fixed to tub 1 with a fixing system according to a first embodiment.
• housing 10 is fixed to the tub in the conventional manner by means of tabs 14 and respective supports 16 such as described above.
• the electrical household appliance of the embodiment incorporates tub fixing element 22 joined to the tub, and which is securely connected to housing 10 through form- fitting in cooperation with the existing topography of housing 10 itself.
• Figures 6 and 7 show motor 2 in a motor fixing position in which motor 2 is secured between housing parts 11, and housing 10 is fixed to tub 1 with a fixing system according to a second embodiment.
• housing 10 is fixed to the tub in the conventional manner by means of tabs 14 and respective supports 16 such as described above.
• the embodiment incorporates fixing bolt 20, substituting for clamping bolt 12, which is situated closer for tub 1 in the motor fixing position.
• Fixing bolt 20 is fixed to tub 1 by means of tub fixing element 22 that is joined to tub 1.
• tub fixing element 22 that is joined to tub 1.
• both tab supports 16 and fixing elements 22 are integrated into the tub 1 that is they are formed by the same injection molding manufacturing process as the tub 1.
• FIG 8 illustrates in detail the coupling of fixing bolt 20 to tub 1 by means of tub fixing element 22 according to the embodiment illustrated in figures 6 and 7.
• fixing bolt 20 is represented in a position close tub fixing element 22, with indication of the direction of insertion thereof to effect fixing, through the end of fixing bolt 21.
• the coupling of fixing bolt 20 to tub fixing element 22 in the embodiment is configures as a screwed connection.
• tub fixing element 22 incorporates a threaded blind hole corresponding to fixing bolt 20.
• FIG. 9 through 11 illustrate in detail the coupling of fixing bolt 20 to tub 1 by means of tub fixing element 22 in accordance with both embodiment variants, Analo- aouslv to fiaure 8. in these fiaures 9 through 11 , fixing bolt 20 is represented in a position close tufa fixing element 22, with indication of the direction of insertion thereof to effect fixing, through fixing bolt end 21.
• Figure 9 represents a variant of the embodiment where fixing bolt 20 is coupled to tub fixing element 22 by means of bolt nut element 25 through fixing bolt end 21.
• fixing bolt 20 passes through tub fixing element 22 and is securely connected in a screwed manner to bolt nut element 25 through fixing bolt end 21.
• tub fixing element 22 incorporates a through-hole, not necessarily threaded, through which fixing bolt 20 is inserted and, once inserted, bolt nut element 25 is connected in a screwed manner through fixing bolt end 21, using the same pressure against tub fixing element 22, securing fixing bolt 20 in the motor fixing position.
• Figure 10 illustrates another variant of the embodiment where fixing bolt 20 is coupled to tub fixing element 22 by means of bolt coupling element 24.
• bolt coupling element 24 In the motor fixing position, bolt coupling element 24 is securely connected in a screwed manner to fixing bolt 20 through fixing bolt end 21 ; on the other hand, bolt coupling element 24 is securely connected in a tongue-and-groove manner to tub fixing element 22.
• Fixing bolt 20, bolt coupling element 24, and tub fixing element 22 are represented in a close position with indication of the direction of insertion of fixing bolt 20, through fixing bolt end 21, in bolt cou- pling element 24, and from there to tub fixing element 22.
• the tongue-and-groove connection between bolt coupling element 24 and tub fixing element 22 is through press-fitting.
• bolt coupling element 24 of the variant of the embodiment illustrated is configured as a male bolt coupling element, corresponding to tub fixing element 22, which is configured as a female tub fixing element.
• Figure 11 illustrates another variant of the embodiment where fixing bolt 20 is coupled to tub fixing element 22 by means of silent block element 23.
• Silent block element 23 is joined to tub fixing element 22, for example, by adhesive.
• 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.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
• Accessory Of Washing/Drying Machine, Commercial Washing/Drying Machine, Other Washing/Drying Machine (AREA)
• Main Body Construction Of Washing Machines And Laundry Dryers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=49354710

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (3)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2012
  • 2012-05-22 ES ES201230765A patent/ES2430948B1/es not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2013
  • 2013-05-22 WO PCT/IB2013/054173 patent/WO2013182931A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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