WO2018007340A1

WO2018007340A1 - A household appliance having a discharge line

Info

Publication number: WO2018007340A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/066538
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ergin METIN; Ibrahim Yildirim; Irfan Celik; Bugra CETINKAYA
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2016-07-04
Filing date: 2017-07-04
Publication date: 2018-01-11

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance (1) comprising a body (2); a washing tub (3) that is disposed in the body (2) and wherein the washing process is carried out; a discharge line (4) that enables the waste water used in the washing process to be discharged from the washing tub (3); a discharge port (5) that is disposed on the body (2) and that allows the waste water coming from the discharge line (4) to be discharged from the body (2); a connection element (6) that is disposed between the discharge port (5) and the discharge line (4) and that enables the discharge line (4) to be connected to the discharge port (5), and a siphon breaker (8) that is disposed on the connection element (6), that has an opening (7) opening to the outer environment and that enables the air pressure in the discharge line (4) to be equalized in case of vacuum in the discharge line (4).

Description

A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE HAVING A DISCHARGE LINE

The present invention relates to a household appliance comprising a discharge line that enables the waste water from the washing process to the waste water network.

In household appliances such as laundry washing machine, laundry washing/drying machine, dishwasher, etc, the waste water from the washing process is transferred by means of a pump to the discharge line and discharged from the body. In case of vacuum in the discharge line, the waste water may return from the discharge line and mix with the clean water, causing the washing performance to decrease. Therefore, a siphon breaker that usually opens to the outer environment and eliminates any vacuum effect in the discharge line is disposed in the discharge line. The state of the art siphon breakers can be in the form of a float that opens the opening when vacuum occurs in the discharge line, allowing the intake of air and closes the opening when the water rises so as to prevent the waste water from leaving through the opening or in the form of an air-permeable and water-tight membrane structure. However, in cases such as excessive increase in the water pressure, deformation of elements providing water-tightness in the course of time, etc, some water may leak through the opening and reach electronic components such as control card, cables, etc. in the body. Such cases may cause problems such as failure and short circuiting of electronic components as well as serious safety hazards such as fire.

In the state of the art United States Patent Document No. US6904931, a siphon breaker that is disposed on the discharge line of a laundry washing machine and that has an inlet port opening to the outer environment and a liquid containment chamber encircling the inlet port is disclosed.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a household appliance with improved safety.

The household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a body; a washing tub that is disposed in the body and wherein the washing process is carried out; a discharge line that enables the waste water to be discharged from the washing tub; a discharge port that is disposed on the body; a connection element that enables the discharge line to be connected to the discharge port; and a siphon breaker that is disposed on the connection element and that has an opening allowing the air in the body to reach the discharge line so as to eliminate any vacuum effect in the discharge line.

The household appliance of the present invention comprises a reservoir that is disposed on the connection element so as to at least partially surround the siphon breaker, and a channel that is disposed on the connection element so as to extend between the body and the reservoir and that has an inlet opening to the reservoir and an outlet opening to the outside of the body. The water in the reservoir passes through the inlet and reaches the channel, thus flowing through the outlet to the outside of the body. Thus, any water leaking through the opening is discharged from the body and the safety of the household appliance is improved in a simple and cost-effective manner.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir is formed by means of at least one wall that extends on the connection element in parallel with the siphon breaker so as to almost completely surround the siphon breaker. Thus, ease of production is provided.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the channel is formed by means of opposite walls formed by extending the edges of the wall forming the reservoir toward the body. Thus, the reservoir and the channel can be produced as a single piece.

In an embodiment of the present invention, at least some part of the base of the reservoir is below the inlet level. Thus, in case of minor leaks, the water remains in the reservoir and the water is enabled to be removed by evaporation. Thus, only in case of excessive leak, the water leaking through the opening is discharged from the body.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an abutment that surrounds the discharge port and supports the connection element by bearing against the body is disposed on the connection element. Thus, the connection element is prevented from dislodging.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the outlet is disposed on the abutment. Thus, the need for forming an extra port on the body to discharge the water coming from the channel is eliminated and production and cost advantage is achieved.

In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one support that extends outward through the discharge port so as to bear against the body from the front side is disposed on the abutment. When the connection element is mounted on the body, the body remains between the support and the abutment, and thus the connection element can be safely mounted on the discharge port.

By means of the present invention, water leaking through the siphon breaker is enabled to be discharged from the body and prevented from reaching the electronic components, thus any safety hazard is eliminated in a cost-effective manner.

A household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where

Figure 1– is the schematic view of the household appliance related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 – is the partial perspective view of the household appliance related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 – is the perspective view of the connection element related to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 – is the perspective view of the connection element related to another embodiment of the present invention.

The elements in the figures are numbered as follows:

Household appliance
Body
Washing tub
Discharge line
Discharge port
Connection element
Opening
Siphon breaker
Reservoir
Inlet
Outlet
Channel
Wall
Abutment
Support

The household appliance (1) comprises a body (2); a washing tub (3) that is disposed in the body (2) and wherein the washing process is carried out; a discharge line (4) that enables the waste water used in the washing process to be discharged from the washing tub (3); a discharge port (5) that is disposed on the body (2) and that allows the waste water coming from the discharge line (4) to be discharged from the body (2); a connection element (6) that is disposed between the discharge port (5) and the discharge line (4) and that enables the discharge line (4) to be connected to the discharge port (5), and a siphon breaker (8) that is disposed on the connection element (6), that has an opening (7) opening to the outer environment and that enables the air pressure in the discharge line (4) to be equalized in case of vacuum in the discharge line (4). The siphon breaker (8) can be in the form of an air-permeable and water-tight membrane covering the opening (7) or in the form of a float/valve system that enables the discharge line (4) to be opened/closed in a controlled manner.

The household appliance (1) also comprises a reservoir (9) that is disposed on the connection element (6) so as to at least partially surround the siphon breaker (8) and wherein water leaking through the opening (7) is collected, and a channel (12) that extends on the connection element (6), that has an inlet (10) opening to the reservoir (9) and an outlet (11) opening to the outside of the body (2) and that enables the water in the reservoir (9) to be discharged from the body (2). The water leaking through the opening (7) is collected in the reservoir (9) and passes through the inlet (10), thus reaching the channel (12). The channel (12) extends between the reservoir (9) and the body (2) so as to enable the water to be directed to the outside of the body (2). The water passing through the inlet (10) and entering the channel (12) passes through the channel (12), reaches the outlet (11) and flows out of the body (2).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir (9) has at least one wall (13) that is disposed on the connection element (6) and that extends upward from the connection element (6) so as to at least partially surround the siphon breaker (8). The reservoir (9) is formed by the wall (13) with a C-shaped cross-section that almost completely surround the siphon breaker (8). The water leaking through the opening (7) is collected in the volume encircled by the wall (13) and passes through the aperture-shaped inlet (10) on the wall (13), thus reaching the channel (12).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the channel (12) comprises two opposite walls (13) that are disposed on the connection element (6) so as to extend between the reservoir (9) and the body (2). The walls (13) extend in parallel to each other from the reservoir (9) toward the body (2) so as to form a single piece with the wall (13) that forms the reservoir (9). Thus, the reservoir (9) and the channel (12) are produced as a single piece with the connection element (6) by the plastic injection method. Thus, the number of parts and the production costs are reduced.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the inlet (10) is disposed at a higher level than the base of the reservoir (9) so as to allow the water to flow into the channel (12) when the level of the water collected in the reservoir (9) reaches the level of the inlet (10). The base of the reservoir (9) has an inclined form such that the depth of the reservoir (9) decreases toward the inlet (10). The water coming through the opening (7) into the reservoir (9) is collected in the reservoir (9) until reaching the level of the inlet (10). If the amount of water leaking through the opening (7) is excessive, the reservoir (9) is filled and the water is enabled to reach the channel (12) so as to be discharged through the outlet (11).

In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one abutment (14) that bears against the body (2) from the rear side so as to support the connection element (6) is provided on the connection element (6). The abutment (14) is in the form of a peripheral skirt disposed on the connection element (6) so as to surround the discharge port (5). When the connection element (6) is mounted on the body (2), the abutment (14) bears against the body (2) and provides that the connection element (6) maintains its correct position on the discharge port (5). Thus, problems such as displacement or sliding of the connection element (6) that may cause the water to spill out of the reservoir (9) are prevented.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the outlet (11) is disposed on the abutment (14). The outlet (11) is in the form of a gap arranged on the abutment (14) that surrounds the discharge port (5). Thus, the need for boring an extra hole on the body (2) for the outlet (11) is eliminated, providing ease of production.

In another embodiment of the present invention, on the connection element (6) at least one support (15) is disposed, that bears against the body (2) from the front side such that the body (2) remains between the abutment (14) and the support (15), thus enabling the connection element (6) to be fixed on the body (2). The support (15) is disposed on the abutment (14) and is in the form of an "L" such that when the connection element (6) is placed into the discharge port (5), one edge of the support (15) extends outward from the discharge port (5) and the other edge thereof extends parallel to the body (2). When the connection element (6) is rotated in the discharge port (5), the support (15) bears against the body (2) such that the body (2) remains between the abutment (14) and the support (15). Thus, the connection element (6) is fixed on the body (2) in an easy and correct manner.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the household appliance (1) is a laundry washing machine and/or drying machine.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the household appliance (1) is a dishwasher.

By means of the present invention, it is provided that the water leaking through the siphon breaker (8) is collected in the reservoir (9) and only in the case that the water reaches a certain level, it is discharged from the body (2). Moreover, by means of the present invention, the need for returning the leaking water to the discharge line (4) so as to discharge the same from the body (2) is eliminated and the water is prevented from reaching other components in the body (2) without causing any effect on the flow of air between the outer environment and the discharge line (4). Thus, safety of the household appliance (1) is improved in a simple and cost-effective manner.

Claims

A household appliance (1) comprising a body (2); a washing tub (3) that is disposed in the body (2) and wherein the washing process is carried out; a discharge line (4) that enables the waste water used in the washing process to be discharged from the washing tub (3); a discharge port (5) that is disposed on the body (2) and that allows the waste water coming from the discharge line (4) to be discharged from the body (2); a connection element (6) that is disposed between the discharge port (5) and the discharge line (4) and that enables the discharge line (4) to be connected to the discharge port (5), and a siphon breaker (8) that is disposed on the connection element (6), that has an opening (7) opening to the outer environment and that enables the air pressure in the discharge line (4) to be equalized in case of vacuum in the discharge line (4), characterized by a reservoir (9) that is disposed on the connection element (6) so as to at least partially surround the siphon breaker (8) and wherein water leaking through the opening (7) is collected, and a channel (12) that extends on the connection element (6), that has an inlet (10) opening to the reservoir (9) and an outlet (11) opening to the outside of the body (2) and that enables the water in the reservoir (9) to be discharged from the body (2).
A household appliance (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the reservoir (9) that has at least one wall (13) that is disposed on the connection element (6) and that extends upward from the connection element (6) so as to at least partially surround the siphon breaker (8).
A household appliance (1) as in Claim 2, characterized by the channel (12) comprising two opposite walls (13) that are disposed on the connection element (6) so as to extend between the reservoir (9) and the body (2).
A household appliance (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by the inlet (10) that is disposed at a higher level than the base of the reservoir (9) so as to allow the water to flow into the channel (12) when the level of the water collected in the reservoir (9) reaches the level of the inlet (10).
A household appliance (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by at least one abutment (14) that is disposed on the connection element (6) and that bears against the body (2) from the rear side so as to support the connection element (6).
A household appliance (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by the outlet (11) that is disposed on the abutment (14).
A household appliance (1) as in Claim 5 or Claim 6, characterized by at least one support (15) that is disposed on the connection element (6) and that bears against the body (2) from the front side such that the body (2) remains between the abutment (14) and the support (15), thus enabling the connection element (6) to be fixed on the body (2).
A household appliance (1) as in any one of the above claims, which is a laundry washing and/or drying machine.
A household appliance (1) as in Claim 1 to Claim 7, which is a dishwasher.