U.S. patent application number 11/574824 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for front-loading drum-type washing machine having a laundry deflector on a the bellows seal.
This patent application is currently assigned to MIELE & CIE. KG. Invention is credited to Barbara Blomberg, Marion Fechler, Ralf Kretschmer, Wilhelm Sebeikat.
Application Number | 20070295037 11/574824 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35406314 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070295037 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Blomberg; Barbara ; et
al. |
December 27, 2007 |
Front-Loading Drum-Type Washing Machine Having A Laundry Deflector
On A The Bellows Seal
Abstract
A front-loading drum-type washing machine includes an appliance
housing, a suds container a drum rotatably disposed in the suds
container, and a bellows seal disposed between the suds container
and the appliance housing. The bellows seal is configured to seal a
door opening area of the appliance housing and includes a laundry
deflector disposed in a region of a twelve o'clock position of the
bellows seal. The laundry deflector is directed towards the drum
and includes a channel system forming an opening in a wall of the
bellows seal. A conduit is provided for supplying at least one of
water, wash liquid and rinse liquid to the door opening area. The
conduit is in fluid connection with the opening in the wall of the
bellows seal.
Inventors: |
Blomberg; Barbara;
(Guetersloh, DE) ; Fechler; Marion; (Verl, DE)
; Kretschmer; Ralf; (Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, DE) ;
Sebeikat; Wilhelm; (Verl, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P.O. BOX 770
Church Street Station
New York
NY
10008-0770
US
|
Assignee: |
MIELE & CIE. KG
Carl-Miele-Strasse 29
Guetersloh
DE
33332
|
Family ID: |
35406314 |
Appl. No.: |
11/574824 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
August 31, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/09378 |
371 Date: |
March 7, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/17R ;
68/13R |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 39/08 20130101;
D06F 37/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
068/017.00R ;
068/013.00R |
International
Class: |
D06F 37/28 20060101
D06F037/28; D06F 39/08 20060101 D06F039/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 7, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 043 671.1 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A front-loading drum-type washing machine comprising: an
appliance housing; a suds container; a drum rotatably disposed in
the suds container; a bellows seal disposed between the suds
container and the appliance housing and configured to seal a door
opening area of the appliance housing, the bellows seal including a
laundry deflector disposed in a region of a twelve o'clock position
thereof, the laundry deflector being directed towards the drum, the
laundry deflector including a channel system forming an opening in
a wall of the bellows seal; and a conduit configured to supply at
least one of water, wash liquid and rinse liquid to the door
opening area, the conduit being in fluid connection with the
opening in the wall of the bellows seal.
14. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 13 wherein the
laundry deflector includes an elastic or partially elastic solid
material.
15. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 13 wherein the
laundry deflector: originates at a hammerhead region of the bellows
seal and extends into the door opening area; and includes an
extension at an outer end thereof, the extension being directed
toward an interior of the drum.
16. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 13 wherein the
channel system includes a branch point, a first branch channel
directed toward the drum for laundry wetting, and a second branch
channel directed forwardly toward a door glass of the appliance for
door glass flushing.
17. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 16 wherein the first
branch channel has a cross-sectional area larger than a
cross-sectional area of the second branch channel.
18. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 16 wherein: the
channel system includes a main channel extending in a region of a
hammer section of the bellows seal; and the first and second branch
channels extend below the hammerhead region of the bellows
seal.
19. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 13 wherein the
channel system includes a main channel extending in a region of a
hammer section of the bellows seal, an upper portion of the main
channel having an enlarged section configured to receive a
connecting member for a water supply hose.
20. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 19 wherein the
connecting member includes a tubular member configured to extend
into the main channel.
21. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 20 wherein the
connecting member includes a hard plastic material.
22. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 19 wherein the
connecting member is configured to be secured to the suds container
by a fastening element.
23. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 13 wherein the
laundry deflector includes an integrated sensor.
24. The laundry appliance as recited in claim 13 wherein the
laundry deflector includes an integrated light-emitting device.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION
[0001] This is a U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.371 of International Patent Application No.
PCT/EP2005/009378, filed Aug. 31, 2005, and claims benefit of
German Patent Application No. 10 2004 043 671.1, filed Sep. 7,
2004, which is incorporated by reference herein. The International
Application was published in German on Mar. 16, 2006 as WO
2006/027149 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).
[0002] The present invention relates to a front-loading drum-type
washing machine including a drum rotatably mounted in a suds
container, further including a bellows seal which is disposed
between the suds container and the appliance housing for sealing
the door opening area and which has formed thereon a laundry
deflector in the region of the twelve o'clock position, said
laundry deflector being directed towards the drum, the washing
machine further including a conduit for supplying water, wash or
rinse liquid to the door opening area.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In front-loading washing machines, it has become common
practice to make the door opening relatively large, thereby making
it easier for user to load and unload the drum. This requires,
inter alia, a large opening in the front of the drum. Since the
drum diameter is defined by the standardized housing widths, the
width of the annular ring that acts as the front drum end wall is
necessarily reduced because of the enlarged opening. As a
consequence of this reduction in width, laundry is more likely to
be pushed over the edge of the front drum end wall as the drum
rotates, and then get jammed between the door glass and the bellows
seal. Therefore, it is has been proposed, for example, in WO
02/12612 A1, to provide a laundry deflector in the region of the
bellows seal and, more specifically, in the twelve o'clock
position. The laundry deflector is formed on the door sealing ring
such that it is directed toward the drum and serves to return the
laundry back into the rotating drum. For automatic washing machines
having a large drum volume, it is necessary to reinforce the
laundry deflector because of the high weight of the laundry. To
this end, it is proposed in WO 02/12612 A1 that the clamping ring
used to secure the bellows seal to the suds container be provided
with a loop to be inserted into the laundry deflector. This may
lead to difficulties during manufacture, because it is necessary to
position the bellows seal on the suds container and the loop into
the deflector at the same time, while also having to tighten the
clamping ring in the process.
[0004] In front-loading washing machines, it is also known to
introduce water, wash or rinse liquid into the suds container or
the drum in the area of the door opening. In the process, the
liquid is either sprayed directly onto the laundry (DE 197 31 667
A1), or directed onto the door glass (DE 295 20 300 U1). In both
cases, the wall of the bellows seal has an opening formed therein
through which the liquid is passed into the interior of the drum
via a nozzle or a hose line. A combination of direct injection and
introduction by flushing via the door glass known from DE 197 31
667 A1. There, the tubular member, or the nozzle, directed toward
the drum has formed therein an opening which is located in the
immediate vicinity of the bellows seal and is directed toward the
door glass.
[0005] To provide for wetting of the laundry, it is necessary to
use a nozzle that projects from the swinging fold. This results in
the laundry rubbing against the nozzle, which causes wear of the
laundry. German Patent Application DE 37 38 388 A1 describes a
laundry appliance having a bellows seal which has an inflow channel
formed in the inner wall thereof. This channel has an opening
directed toward the drum, and thus provides for direct wetting of
the laundry. This channel is located in the flat portion of the
bellows seal and is deformable in nature, thus preventing damage to
laundry items entering this region. In document WO 02/12612 A1, it
is proposed to insert a nozzle as a separate part into a laundry
deflector.
[0006] German Patent Application DE 199 61 459 A1 describes a
laundry appliance which has sensors disposed in the region of the
door opening in the upper portion thereof. The laundry appliance
described in DE 41 26 966 A1 has an illuminating device mounted in
the bellows seal to illuminate the drum. These additional
components are disposed in the portion of the bellows seal that is
directed toward the housing opening, and thus in the movable
portion thereof.
SUMMARY
[0007] In view of the above, it is an object of the present
invention to increase the stability of the laundry deflector in a
front-loading drum-type washing machine of the type mentioned at
the outset, and at the same time to simplify the design and
manufacture of the washing machine, while also ensuring gentle
treatment of the laundry.
[0008] The present invention provides a front-loading drum-type
washing machine. The washing machine includes an appliance housing;
a suds container; a drum rotatably disposed in the suds container;
and a bellows seal disposed between the suds container and the
appliance housing and configured to seal a door opening area of the
appliance housing. The bellows seal includes a laundry deflector
disposed in a region of a twelve o'clock position thereof. The
laundry deflector is directed towards the drum and includes a
channel system forming an opening in a wall of the bellows seal. A
conduit is provided configured to supply at least one of water,
wash liquid and rinse liquid to the door opening area, the conduit
being in fluid connection with the opening in the wall of the
bellows seal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in
the drawings in a schematic way and will be described in more
detail below. In the drawings,
[0010] FIG. 1 is a sectional detail view of a bellows seal having a
laundry deflector integrally formed thereon and a channel system
incorporated therein;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an elevation view showing a laundry deflector and
the components incorporated therein; and
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sketch of a washing machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Advantages that can be achieved with the present invention
are seen in the fact that by incorporating the channel system for
liquid supply, there is no obstruction in the path of the laundry
to be treated. This reduces the risk of damage occurring to the
laundry. In addition, since the laundry deflector is positioned
closer to the drum, and thus closer to the laundry, a more uniform
wetting of the laundry is achieved. This completely eliminates the
need for additional nozzles to ensure door glass flushing and
laundry wetting at the classical positions. Another advantage
results from that fact that the laundry deflector is stiffened by
incorporation of the channel system. Finally, the combination of
different functions into the laundry deflector allows for a
reduction in the number of parts, thus simplifying assembly.
[0014] According to the present invention, this is achieved in that
the wetting of the laundry is performed by the laundry deflector
while, in addition, door glass flushing can be performed together
with the wetting of the laundry. To this end, the laundry deflector
has a channel formed therein which, on the one hand, wets the
laundry and, on the other hand, supplies water for flushing the
door glass.
[0015] For this purpose, it is convenient to manufacture the
laundry deflector from elastic or partially elastic solid material,
and to form the channel therein as a bore or through-hole. When the
laundry deflector is integrally connected to the bellows seal, the
laundry deflector is usually made of the same material as the
bellows seal, and preferably of an elastomer.
[0016] In a suitable embodiment, the laundry deflector originates
at and extends radially from the hammer section toward the center
of the door opening area. The laundry deflector has an extension
formed on the outer end thereof, said extension pointing toward the
interior of the drum and partially covering the gap between the
hammer section and the edge of the drum opening. Thus, laundry
items entering this region are reliably pressed against the laundry
deflector and returned back into the drum by means of the laundry
deflector.
[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the channel branches at a
branch point, the branch channel for laundry wetting being directed
toward the drum, and the branch channel for door glass flushing
being directed forwardly toward the door glass. To control the
amount of water required for door glass flushing, on the one hand,
and for laundry wetting, on the other hand, the branch channel for
laundry wetting has a larger cross-sectional area than the branch
channel for door glass flushing. Thus, the water jet entering
through the main channel is divided according to its intended
functions.
[0018] In an advantageous refinement of the present invention, the
main channel extends in the region of the hammer section of the
bellows seal, while the branch channels extend below the hammerhead
region of the bellows seal. Furthermore, the upper portion of the
main channel is enlarged to receive a connecting member for a water
supply hose.
[0019] It is advantageous if the connecting member, which is in the
form of a tubular member, extends relatively far into the main
channel. As a result, the tubular member acts as a reinforcement of
the laundry deflector. For this purpose, it is convenient to
manufacture the tubular member from a hard plastic. To further
improve the fit of the connecting member, it is convenient for the
inherently rugged connecting member to be secured to the suds
container, i.e. to the front end wall in the area of the suds
container opening, by means of a fastening element. For this
purpose, it is possible to use, for example, a screw but other
fasteners, such as insertion pins or clamps, could also be
used.
[0020] In an advantageous refinement of the present invention, a
sensor and a light-emitting means can be incorporated in the
laundry deflector, in addition to the water channel. Thus, in
particular, the accesses points, which were usually distributed
over the entire area of the swinging fold, are limited to one area,
and more specifically to the region of the laundry deflector. This
provides a bellows seal that ensures gentle treatment of the
laundry.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows a front-loading drum-type washing machine 22
having a housing 4 and a suds container 3 disposed in housing 4. A
drum 11 is rotatably mounted within suds container 3. A bellows
seal 1 extends in door opening area 2 between front appliance
housing 4 and suds container 3. In the operational position, door
glass 24 extends at least partially into housing 4 in door area 2.
When washing machine 22 is in its normal position, a laundry
deflector 5 is disposed or formed on the wall of bellows seal 1 in
the upper region thereof, said laundry deflector extending toward
drum 11, i.e., toward the edge thereof.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a sectional detail view showing a bellows seal 1
for a laundry appliance, especially a front loader. Bellows seal 1
is integrated into the laundry appliance in such a manner that it
is disposed between the fragmentarily illustrated suds container 3
and machine housing 4 (also shown only fragmentarily) in order to
seal door opening area 2. In the front view of bellows seal 1 shown
in FIG. 2, a laundry deflector 5 is disposed on bellows seal 1 in
the twelve'o clock position, said laundry deflector pointing toward
the drum.
[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 1, laundry deflector 5 originates at
and extends from hammer section 6 toward the interior of the door
opening area 2. The laundry deflector has an extension 23 formed on
the outer end thereof, said extension pointing substantially
axially toward the interior of the drum. This extension 23 at least
partially covers the gap between hammer section 6 and the edge of
the opening of drum 11.
[0024] As shown in the cross-sectional view, wetting of the laundry
is performed via laundry deflector 5 in the direction of arrow 6,
the liquid supply for laundry wetting 6 also providing for door
glass flushing in the direction of arrow 7. For this purpose,
hammer section 15 and laundry deflector 5 are manufactured from an
elastic or partially elastic solid material in which is formed a
channel system 8 which supplies water for laundry wetting 6 on the
one hand and for door glass flushing 7 on the other. Channel system
8 has a branch point 9, one branch channel 10, which is for laundry
wetting 6, being directed toward drum 11. Another branch channel 12
is directed forwardly toward the fragmentarily illustrated door
glass 24.
[0025] As shown in the cross-sectional view, branch channel 10,
which is for laundry wetting 6, has a larger cross-sectional area
than branch channel 12 for door glass flushing 7. Branch channels
10 and 12 are approximately orthogonal to one another, main channel
8.1 being directed approximately toward door glass flushing 7.
Bellows seal 1 itself has a swinging fold 13 and, adjacent thereto,
a hammer shaped section which, in turn, has contiguous therewith a
shoulder 14 for engagement with the edge of suds container 3.
Laundry deflector 5 is integrally formed below the so-called hammer
section 15, main channel 8.1. extending in the region of hammer
section 15 of bellows seal 1. Branch channels 10 and 12 are located
below hammerhead region 16 of bellows seal 1. The upper portion of
main channel 8.1 is adapted to receive a connecting member 17, so
that a water supply hose 18 can be attached to connecting member
17.
[0026] As can be seen in the cross-sectional view, the upper
portion of main channel 8.1 is enlarged, so that connecting member
17, which is formed from hard plastic and takes the form of a
tubular member 19, can extend, or be inserted, relatively far into
main channel 8.1. This, in conjunction with water supply hose 18
and the deeply inserted tubular member 19 of connecting member 17,
creates a vibration damper, especially in the region of laundry
deflector 5. The damping action is advantageously assisted if
connecting member 17 is additionally connected directly to suds
container 3, or secured to the edge of suds container 3 by means of
a fastening element 22, as shown in FIG. 1. In the present example,
the attachment is by means of a screw inserted into the material of
suds container 3. Other fastening elements, such as insertable pins
or clamps, could also be used. Using this fastener 22, laundry
deflector 5 is particularly well stabilized relative to suds
container 3.
[0027] The elevation view A of FIG. 2 illustrates the situation on
the outlet side toward drum 11 (FIG. 1), showing, on the one hand,
the opening region of branch channel 10 in the middle of laundry
deflector 5, and, to the left thereof, an opening region 20 which
may be intended for a light-emitting means, and, to the right of
thereof, a further opening region 21 which may be intended for a
sensor. Sensor 21 is preferably an optical sensor and serves to
detect any laundry (not shown) that may have been pulled into the
gap between bellows seal 1 and drum edge 11 (FIG. 1) in this area.
When such a condition is detected, suitable steps may be initiated,
such as aborting the spin cycle and/or redistributing the laundry.
Furthermore, the sensor may be used to detect high foam volume or
to sense the condition of the wash liquid (turbidity, conductivity,
pH, etc.).
[0028] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments
described herein; reference should be had to the appended
claims.
* * * * *