U.S. patent application number 12/679926 was filed with the patent office on 2010-08-19 for washing machine having a gasket.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERATE GMBH. Invention is credited to Uwe Ackermann, Serkan Koru, Turhan Mutlu.
Application Number | 20100206014 12/679926 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40336577 |
Filed Date | 2010-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100206014 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ackermann; Uwe ; et
al. |
August 19, 2010 |
WASHING MACHINE HAVING A GASKET
Abstract
A washing machine includes a housing with a front panel defining
a front opening, a tub defining a tub opening, and a drum in the
tub rotatable on a rotation axis and defining a drum opening. The
drum is connected to a motor defining a rotation direction. The tub
opening and the drum opening define a gap enabling drum rotation
while the motor is rotating the drum. The washing machine further
includes a ring-shaped gasket providing a substantially waterproof
seal between the front panel and the tub and including a front rim
engaging the front opening, a rear rim engaging the tub opening,
and a collar having a first end adjacent the rear rim and
projecting radially inwardly beyond the gap to a second end. A
collar thickness between the first end and the second end is not
uniform around the gasket.
Inventors: |
Ackermann; Uwe;
(Schonwalde-Glien, DE) ; Koru; Serkan; (Tekirdag,
TR) ; Mutlu; Turhan; (Tekirdag, TR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BSH HOME APPLIANCES CORPORATION;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT
100 BOSCH BOULEVARD
NEW BERN
NC
28562
US
|
Assignee: |
BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERATE
GMBH
Munich
DE
|
Family ID: |
40336577 |
Appl. No.: |
12/679926 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
October 9, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP08/63509 |
371 Date: |
March 25, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/140 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 37/266
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
68/140 |
International
Class: |
D06F 23/00 20060101
D06F023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 18, 2007 |
TR |
2007/07121 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A washing machine comprising: a housing with a front panel
defining a front opening for loading and retrieving laundry, the
housing forming an exterior of the washing machine; a tub behind
the front panel and secured within the housing defining a tub
opening for communicating with the front opening; a drum in the tub
rotatable on a rotation axis and defining a drum opening
substantially aligned with the tub opening; a motor connected to
the drum and defining a rotation direction, wherein the tub opening
and the drum opening define a gap enabling drum rotation while the
motor rotates the drum; and a ring-shaped gasket providing a
substantially waterproof seal between the front panel and the tub
and including a front rim engaging the front opening, a rear rim
engaging the tub opening, and a collar having a first end adjacent
the rear rim and projecting radially inwardly beyond the gap to a
second end, wherein a collar thickness between the first end and
the second end is not uniform around the gasket.
14. The washing machine of claim 13, further comprising a shock
absorber between the front rim and rear rim and having an elongated
bent shape between the front rim and the rear rim to attenuate
vibration from the tub to the housing.
15. The washing machine of claim 13, wherein said collar keeps the
laundry from the gap while the motor is in operation.
16. The washing machine of claim 13, wherein the collar has first
and second arcuate sections along the ring-shaped gasket, the
collar thickness in the first section is greater than the collar
thickness in the second section.
17. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the first section is
partially below the rotation axis and the second section is
partially above the rotation axis.
18. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the first section is
partially above the rotation axis and the second section is
partially below the rotation axis.
19. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the first section has
a first section length and the second section has a second section
length greater than the first section length.
20. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the second section is
partly follows the first section in a clockwise direction starting
from a bottom of the collar.
21. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein adjacent inner
peripherals of the first section and the second section of the
collar defines a substantially circular perimeter with a center
eccentric to the rotation axis when the motor is inactive.
22. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the circular perimeter
has a substantially concentric center with the rotation axis while
the motor is in operation.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine
comprising a housing having a front panel in which a front opening
is formed for loading and retrieving laundry, the housing is
forming exterior of the washing machine, a tub, disposed behind the
front panel, secured within the housing, having a tub opening for
communicating with the front opening, a drum rotatably disposed
within the tub on a rotation axis, having a drum opening
substantially aligned with the tub opening, being connected with a
motor defining a rotation direction, and a gap enabling drum
rotation while the motor is rotating the drum formed between the
tub entrance and drum entrance, and a ring-shaped gasket forming a
substantially waterproof seal between the front panel and the tub
and including a front rim engaging the front opening, a rear rim
engaging the tub opening, and a collar having a first end adjacent
the rear rim and projecting radially inwardly beyond the gap to a
second end.
[0002] Generally, a drum type washing machine--that may be embodied
in a washing/drying machine as well--includes a cabinet forming an
exterior of the washing machine and has a forward opening, formed
in a front panel of the cabinet for loading and retrieving laundry
via a door. A tub fixedly installed within the cabinet has an
entrance for communicating with the forward opening of the front
panel. A drum rotatably installed within the tub and provided with
a multitude of perforations for water to pass from the tub to the
interior of the drum and back, has a cylindrical shape with an
entrance at its front end to communicate with the tub entrance. A
gasket having an essentially annular shape is provided between the
cabinet and the tub for preventing water leakage while the door is
closed. To achieve leakage prevention, the gasket includes a front
rim coupled to the front panel of the cabinet and a rear rim
coupled to the entrance of the tub, to thereby close the gap
between cabinet and tub. The rear rim generally includes a
uniformly shaped collar projecting radially inwardly to fill the
gap between the tub and the drum to resist and block passage or
sticking of the laundry between the tub and the drum.
[0003] As the drum rotates within the tub under a drive force of a
motor, various parameters, such as, imbalanced load of the laundry,
vibration of the drum and minor asymmetrical differences on
circular shape of the drum cause dynamic deflection based on a
complex movement of the drum as an axial movement combined with an
eccentric rotation.
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
mitigate a varying gap between the tub and the drum while the
washing machine is in operation.
[0005] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention.
[0006] It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a
washing machine comprising; a housing having a front panel in which
a front opening is formed for loading and retrieving laundry, the
housing is forming exterior of the washing machine; a tub, disposed
behind the front panel, secured within the housing, having a tub
opening for communicating with the forward opening; a drum
rotatably disposed within the tub on a rotation axis, having a drum
opening substantially aligned with the tub opening, being connected
with a motor defining a rotation direction, and a gap, enabling
drum rotation while the motor is rotating the drum, formed between
the tub entrance and drum entrance. A ring-shaped gasket forms a
substantially waterproof seal between the front panel and the tub,
and the tub includes a front rim engaging the front opening and a
rear rim engaging the tub opening. A collar has a first end
adjacent the rear rim and projects radially inwardly beyond the gap
to a second end. A collar thickness between the first end and the
second end is non-uniform around the gasket.
[0007] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions, the collar has first and second arcuate sections
along the ring-shaped gasket, the collar thickness in the first
section is greater and the collar thickness in the second
section.
[0008] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions, the first section is disposed at least partially
below the rotation axis and the second section is disposed at least
partially above the rotation axis.
[0009] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions, the first section is disposed at least partially
above the rotation axis and the second section is disposed at least
partially below the rotation axis.
[0010] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions, the first section has a first section length and the
second section has a second section length, and wherein the second
section length is greater than the first section length.
[0011] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions, the inventive washing machine further includes a
shock absorber, disposed between the front rim and rear rim and
having an elongated bent shape between the front rim and the rear
rim to attenuate vibration from the tub to the housing.
[0012] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions, the said collar keeps the laundry from the gap while
the motor is in operation. In certain preferred aspects and in
certain preferred constructions, the second section is disposed at
least partly following the second section in a clockwise direction
starting from a bottom of the collar.
[0013] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions the collar of the inventive washing machine further
comprises a substantially circular perimeter, having a center
eccentric to the rotation axis when the motor is inactive and
formed by adjacent inner peripherals of the first section and the
second section. In certain preferred aspects and in certain
preferred constructions, the circular perimeter has a substantially
concentric center with the rotation axis, while the motor is in
operation.
[0014] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions; the collar has a first end adjacent the rear rim and
projecting radially inwardly beyond the gap to a second end,
wherein a collar distance from the first end to the second end is
non-uniform around the gasket.
[0015] In certain preferred aspects and in certain preferred
constructions; both the collar distance and the collar thickness,
between the first end and the second end are non-uniform.
[0016] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and are more readily appreciated from the
following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1a illustrates a perspective view of a washing machine
having a gasket in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
[0018] FIG. 1b illustrates a front view of an embodiment of the
gasket used in a washing machine;
[0019] FIG. 2a is a cross-sectional view of the gasket depicted in
FIG. 1b taken along the line AA;
[0020] FIG. 2b is a cross-sectional view of the gasket depicted in
FIG. 1b taken along the line BB;
[0021] FIG. 2c is a cross-sectional view of the gasket depicted in
FIG. 1b taken along the line CC;
[0022] FIG. 2d is a cross-sectional view of the gasket depicted in
FIG. 1b taken along the line DD;
[0023] FIG. 2e is a cross-sectional view of the gasket depicted in
FIG. 1b taken along the line EE;
[0024] FIG. 2f is a cross-sectional view of the gasket depicted in
FIG. 1b taken along the line FF;
[0025] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a portion of gasket and
showing drum positions while rotating;
[0026] FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of a portion of gasket
showing the axial and radial changes on the cross-section of a
gasket.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a complete length graphic of the washing machine
at each clock position of the drum rotating at 1200 or 800 rpm;
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0028] 10 Housing 46 Collar
[0029] 12 Front panel 47 Groove
[0030] 14 Front opening 48 Rear rim
[0031] 16 Door 50 Motor
[0032] 20 Tub 60 Suspension means
[0033] 22 Gap .alpha. Sensor angles
[0034] 26 Tub opening X1 First axial distance
[0035] 30 Drum X2 Second axial distance
[0036] 32 Lifter Y1 First radial distance
[0037] 34 Perforations Y2 Second radial distance
[0038] 36 Drum opening R Radial difference
[0039] 40 Front rim L Axial difference
[0040] 42 Front rim
[0041] 44 Shock absorber
[0042] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings,
like elements are indicated using the same or similar reference
numerals wherever possible.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, a drum type washing machine according
to the present invention comprises; a housing 10 forming an
exterior of the washing machine and having a circular forward
opening 14, formed in a front panel 12 of the housing 10, for
loading and retrieving laundry via a door 16. A tub 20, disposed
behind and suspended within the housing 10, having a tub opening 26
for communicating with the front opening 14 of front panel 12; and
a drum 30, rotatably installed within the tub 20 and provided with
a multitude of perforations 34 to allow water to pass from the tub
20 to the drum 30, having a cylindrical shape with a drum opening
36 at its front end to communicate with the tub openings 26.
[0044] A motor 50 such as an induction or BLDC motor for rotating
the drum 30 and including rotational shaft centrally coupled to the
rear of the drum 30, is installed behind the tub 20 and rotates the
drum 30 forward and reversely according to the motor's rotational
direction. At least one lifter 32 is provided to an inner wall of
the drum 30 to assist the washing action by repeatedly lifting the
laundry to a predetermined height as the drum 30 is rotated and
then allowing the lifted laundry to fall from the predetermined
height.
[0045] To attenuate vibration generated during operation of the
drum-type washing machine, the tub 20 is supported by a suspension
means 60, including springs, dampers etc., disposed above and below
the tub 20.
[0046] A drum-type washing machine as described above is provided
with a gasket 40 as shown in FIG. 1b. The gasket 40 has a ring
shape, is provided between the housing 10 and the tub 20 installed
behind the front panel 12, essentially connecting the tub opening
26 to the front opening 14. To prevent water leakage while the door
16 is closed, the gasket 40 includes a front rim 42 having u-shaped
cross section which is bent outwardly to couple the front opening
14. The gasket 40 further includes a rear rim 48 coupled to the tub
opening 26 by means of a groove 47 which is formed at rear rim 48.
A hollow shock absorber 44 having S-shaped cross-section is
disposed between the front rim 42 and the rear rim 48. A collar 46
on the rear rim 48 is radially inwardly extending beyond a gap 22
between the tub opening 26 and drum opening 36 which are
essentially aligned. Collar 46 thickness differs around the gasket
40.
[0047] To perform washing action the motor 50 provides rotational
movement on the drum 30 wherein a laundry load and lifters 32 force
the drum 30 to present an imbalance due to a dynamic bending
moment; consequently, a vibration occurs. Vibration causes radial
and axial movement of the drum 30 within the tub 20. The amplitude
of movement is bound to different parameters of the washing machine
such as cycle time, speed or weight of the laundry. Under certain
circumstances axial movement causes the drum 30 to hit some
portions of the collar 46 which is stationary between the tub 20
and drum 30. In order to define such a problem a test has been
conducted to define axial distance of a drum 30 in predetermined
positions and rotational speed parameters.
[0048] Various collar 46 thicknesses are provided on the rear rim
48 to prevent at the one hand drum 30 friction with the collar 46
and at the other hand to increase gap 22 distances.
[0049] FIGS. 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and 2e show cross-sections of the
same gasket 40 wherein the collar 46 thicknesses vary as shown in
Table 1 below.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Variable collar thickness of rear rim (mm)
at clock positions a b-b' d-d' c-c' e-e' f-f' 10.82 8.69 9.2 9.8
10.82 10.82 10.48 10.18 9.69 9.96 9.69
[0050] Test results related to total length of the drum 30 and tub
20 at 1200 rpm and 800 rpm are shown in Table 2 below. It can be
derived that total difference between maximum and minimum lengths
at predetermined clock positions on drum 30 is equal to axial
distances of the drum 30 movement with respect to the housing 10
which are 1.69 mm and 1.79 mm respectively.
[0051] As seen on FIG. 5 both graphics indicate minimum lengths
which means a hit of drum 30 to collar 46 is possible at 5 to 9
o'clock positions. At the other hand average total lengths are
396.85 mm and 395.88 mm respectively.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Total length at the drum of 1200 rpm and 800
rpm washing machine at clock positions (mm) 1200 rpm 800 rpm
Position Total Length Total Length Collar (Hours) (mm) Position
(mm) Thickness 12 a 397.23 12 396.29 10.82 1 b 397.01 1 395.99 8.69
2 d 397.01 2 395.91 9.2 3 c 396.95 3 395.88 9.8 4 e 397.11 4 395.91
10.82 5 f 396.99 5 395.86 10.82 6 a' 396.41 6 395.44 n/a 7 b'
395.86 7 395.05 10.48 8 c' 396.09 8 395.18 10.18 9 d' 396.82 9
395.96 9.69 10 e' 397.55 10 396.84 9.96 11 f' 397.54 11 396.67
9.69
[0052] Inverse proportion between collar 46 thicknesses and total
length of the drum 30 can be derived from the Table 2 wherein the
collar 46 thickness is decreased while total length is becoming
higher. This is also means that the collar 46 thickness is
decreasing at clock positions 12 to 1 hour afterwards increasing
until 4 and 5 hours, again decreasing 9 hours and increasing until
10 hours then decreasing again until 12 hours. This movement is the
x-y symmetrical of the graphic seen on FIG. 5 which discloses total
length of the drum 30 and tub 20 on 1200 rpm and 800 rpm washing
machines.
[0053] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of upper parts of the gasket
40 and drum 30 during the operation of the washing machine at two
different rotational speeds which are 800 rpm and 1200 rpm. Due to
the vibration and other effective forces, complex movement of the
drum 30 causes a first axial distance x1 relative to the stationary
gasket 40. In case of the 1200 rpm rotational speed of the drum 30
or lesser laundry weight for the same washing machine, a second
axial distance x2 which cause bigger gap 22 between the drum 30 and
the gasket 40 occurs.
[0054] In FIG. 4 it is shown that axial difference L of the
cross-section of the gasket 40 which is calculated by an equation
of a fixed gap 22 length and total length of the drum 30, first x1
or second axial distance x2 and the tub 20. In each clock position
of the gasket 40, collar 46 length including axial difference L
value, provides the predefined gap 22 between the collar 46 and the
drum 30 having first axial distance x1. The gap 22 length is
defined not only to prevent friction but also to obstruct laundry.
Likewise, a radial difference R varying on cross-sections at each
clock positions of the gasket 40 provides the gap 22 between the
collar 46 and peripheral of the tub opening 26 wherein a first
axial distance y1 at 800 rpm or a second radial distance at 1200
rpm occurs. Radial difference R provides predefined gap length at
first y1 and second radial distances y2 and also overall positions
of the drum 30.
* * * * *