CN107407033B

CN107407033B - Household appliance for treating laundry with a specially configured sealing ring

Info

Publication number: CN107407033B
Application number: CN201680015008.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·沃纳; R·阿力施; D·马克卡尔德; J·赫斯
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2015-03-11
Filing date: 2016-02-12
Publication date: 2020-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-12
Also published as: DE112016001117A5; WO2016142122A1; DE102015204327A1; CN107407033A

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance (I) for caring for laundry, having a housing (4) and a lye container (6) arranged therein and having an annular sealing ring (1) which is arranged on the housing (4) and the lye container (6), wherein the sealing ring (1) has a sealing lip (19) which rests on a door (16) which extends in the closed state through an annular opening which is delimited by the sealing ring (1) and is arranged on a base body (23) of the sealing ring (1), wherein the sealing lip (19) has an anti-snagging structure (24) for the laundry in a length section of a lower encircling length half (25) of its annular shape in the encircling direction.

Description

Household appliance for treating laundry with a specially configured sealing ring

Technical Field

The invention relates to a household appliance for treating laundry, having a housing and a lye container arranged in the housing and an annular sealing ring which is arranged on the housing and on the lye container, wherein the sealing ring has a sealing lip which rests on a door which extends in the closed state through an annular opening delimited by the sealing ring.

Background

Such a configuration is known, for example, from DE 102010062590 a 1. In this case, it is intended to prevent the laundry from becoming trapped between the lip seal and the outer surface of the door in that the lip seal has a first section which is directed radially inward and to which a second section is connected which extends substantially in the axial direction of the sealing ring and towards the second end of the second section.

In addition to the clamping of the laundry, it is also possible for the laundry to twist and thus at least partially wrap around the sealing lip of the sealing ring when the drum rotates. Whereby the sealing lip may be damaged and even partly torn off when the rotation is continued.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a household appliance for treating laundry, in which damage to the sealing lip by trapped laundry can be avoided.

This object is achieved by a household appliance according to the features of claim 1.

The household appliance according to the invention for treating laundry comprises a housing and a lye container arranged in the housing. Furthermore, the household appliance comprises an annular sealing ring which is arranged on the housing and on the lye container. The sealing ring has a sealing lip. The sealing lip bears against a door which extends in the closed state through an annular opening delimited by the sealing ring.

The basic idea of the invention is that the sealing lip has an anti-snagging structure (fangchuttuktur) for the laundry in the length section of the lower encircling length half of the sealing lip in the encircling direction of its annular shape. In other words, the sealing lip is configured in its configuration in such a way that it is configured in particular in the circumferential direction of its annular shape over a defined length section in such a way that either catching of twisted laundry is avoided or damage and in particular tearing are avoided at least if a length section of the sealing lip is caught by laundry. Since, in the lower circumferential length half, jamming can occur during filling of the drum with laundry when the door is closed, protective measures are mainly taken to avoid the above-mentioned problems, precisely in this particular length section. That is to say, a sealing lip is formed which is rotationally asymmetrical in the circumferential direction. An important improvement with respect to the above-mentioned problems is achieved by the configuration.

The sealing lip is arranged in particular in one piece on the base body of the sealing ring.

Preferably, it is provided that the anti-snag structure is formed on a length section which extends over an angular section of between 10 ° and 140 °, in particular between 60 ° and 140 °, in particular between 90 ° and 140 °, in particular between 110 ° and 130 °, in the lower encircling length half. In particular, the angular region can be designed with an anti-snag structure, since during filling of the washing drum, it is possible for laundry to protrude in the angular region and thus to become jammed when the door is subsequently closed, since this jamming can lead to a corresponding twisting of the laundry and to possible snagging of the sealing lip, in particular subsequently during a subsequent rotation of the drum, and the resulting destruction of the sealing lip is avoided.

Preferably, the anti-snag structure is configured symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis of the sealing ring extending through the center of the annular sealing ring, in particular in angular segments of at most 60 ° on both sides of the vertical axis.

Preferably, the anti-snag structure has a thickened portion of the sealing lip with respect to the configuration of the sealing lip outside the anti-snag structure and is thus at least partially, in particular completely, configured as a thickened portion. This configuration achieves a substantial reinforcement of the sealing lip, which then also withstands much higher forces, in particular tensile forces or torsional forces.

Particularly preferably, the thickening can be formed only at the end of the sealing lip. In other words, the sealing lip has a non-constant thickness in its course from the end facing the base body of the sealing ring to the opposite end. In particular, the thickness of the sealing lip in the region of the end of the base body facing the sealing ring is smaller than in the region of the opposite end. In this embodiment, the sealing forces generated by the sealing lips can be matched particularly well, wherein damage to the sealing lips is simultaneously avoided by the partial thickening.

In particular, the anti-snag structure is integrated into the sealing lip, so that the anti-snag structure can be produced in a simple manner in terms of production technology. In particular, the integrated design also reduces the number of components and allows the anti-snag structure to be arranged in the same position on the sealing ring at all times.

It is preferably provided that the aforementioned thickened portions forming the anti-snag structure are of trapezoidal configuration, viewed in the circumferential direction. This configuration also allows a continuous transition between the thickening caused by the anti-tripping structure on the one hand and the region of the sealing lip which is designed without the anti-tripping structure, so that the sealing properties of the entire sealing ring and the sealing properties of the sealing ring are also achieved precisely also at the transition of the anti-tripping structure to the further region of the sealing ring.

It is preferably provided that the thickened region is of hollow-free design and is therefore also of solid design. The aforementioned advantages are particularly advantageous in the described configuration of the anti-snag structure.

In a configuration according to a first alternative, a higher torsional strength is achieved by a local thickening of the sealing lip in certain critical regions and the avoidance of catching of the twisted laundry or at least the avoidance of disruptive rigidity is achieved in contrast thereto.

Preferably, provision is made for the anti-snag structure to be designed as a projection, in particular as a projection completely, in a cross section perpendicular to the direction of rotation. The selection of the other in the configuration likewise results in an increased stability of the sealing lip and withstands corresponding forces caused by the laundry.

Preferably, the projection has a wave shape. The continuous, in particular corner-free, shape configuration again significantly reduces the catching of the laundry on the projections and also improves the mechanical stability of the anti-snag structure.

Preferably, said particular shaped peak of the anti-snag structure is directed towards said door. This reduces the contact surface between the items of laundry that may be trapped between the door and the anti-snag structure, thereby also reducing the likelihood of the sealing lip becoming snagged in the area of the anti-snag structure and reducing twisting.

Preferably, the projection at least partially forming the anti-snag structure is hollow. This means that the mountain-like structure, which in particular represents the undulating course of the elevations, can be said to be formed by a turned-over or fan-like opening of the sealing lip, which mountain-like structure furthermore preferably has the same cross-sectional thickness over the entire length of the undulating form in the profile course of the elevation. On the one hand, material is saved by this configuration, and on the other hand, high stability is also achieved.

Preferably, it is provided that the anti-snag structure at least partially has a definable reversible sealing lip, which is in particular integrally arranged on the base body of the sealing ring and can be reversed relative to the base body. The base body has a receiving recess into which the sealing lip is arranged to engage in a defined manner in the inverted state. By means of the at least partially immersed arrangement of the relatively movable sealing lips, the gripping and catching of the sealing lips by the rotating laundry can be at least significantly reduced in the door-closed state. The embedding or sinking arrangement of the turned-over sealing lip can prevent the twisted laundry from winding around the sealing lip.

Preferably, the sealing lip is arranged such that it can be automatically at least partially tilted into the receiving recess of the base body by closing the door.

In all embodiments, in addition to increasing the rigidity of the sealing lip to avoid snagging on laundry, the sealing properties of the structure are also maintained in combination with low opening and closing forces. It is also advantageous that the specially configured sealing lip has a sufficient elastic margin in order to compensate for installation tolerances and make an acceptably small contribution to the opening or closing force.

By locally shortening the sealing lip in certain critical regions, in addition to increasing the torsional strength, a smaller active surface for catching by the rotating laundry is achieved. The reduced tolerance margin in the vertical direction can be compensated for by better guidance of the door if required.

Preferably, provision is made for an uninterrupted and continuous transition to be formed between the anti-snag structure and the region of the sealing lip which is free of the anti-snag structure, and thus to be viewed to some extent over a longer length of the circumferential direction. The sealing properties of the entire sealing ring are thereby kept particularly high. A continuous transition is, for example, a thickness change which, in the case of a thickened sealing lip, changes continuously and thus smoothly or without transitions in the transition region between the anti-snag structure and the region of the sealing lip without the anti-snag structure.

Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and feature combinations described above in the description and those described below in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures individually can be used not only in the respectively given combination but also in further combinations or individually without departing from the scope of the invention. The embodiments described below, which are not explicitly shown in the drawing and are not illustrated, can thus also be considered as being encompassed and disclosed by the present invention, but are known from the embodiments described and can be produced by individual feature combinations.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to schematic drawings. In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a partial region of an embodiment of a household appliance for care of laundry according to the invention;

fig. 2 shows a simplified axial view of an embodiment of a sealing ring of the household appliance according to fig. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of one embodiment of the sealing lip;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of an additional embodiment of the sealing lip; and

fig. 5 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the sealing lip in two different positions.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a household appliance I, which is designed for the care of laundry and can be, for example, a washing machine or a drying machine. The household appliance I comprises a substantially hollow-cylindrical and annular sealing ring 1, which radially surrounds a feed-in and take-out opening 2. The insertion and removal opening 2 is thus an annular opening through which the laundry can be accessed. In the direction of a horizontally oriented axis a, about which the drum, into which the laundry can be introduced, can rotate, the sealing ring 1 is fastened with a first end 3 to a housing wall 4 of the front part of the housing of the household appliance I and with a second end 5 to a lye container 6. For this purpose, the front housing wall 4 has a bead 7, which is surrounded by a first encircling flange 8. In the region of the joint with the bead, the sealing ring 1 has a cylindrical shape and finally merges into the bellows 9. However, this is to be understood as merely exemplary and the sealing ring 1 can also be configured otherwise for this purpose.

The sealing ring 1 is flexibly designed by means of the exemplary bellows 9 in such a way that it can compensate for movements of the lye container 6 relative to the front housing wall 4 which occur during the washing process or during the dewatering process in the case of large quantities of laundry. Furthermore, a second flange 11 is provided at the second end 5 of the sealing ring 1, by means of which the sealing ring 1 is fastened to the circumferential edges 10 and 12 of the lye container 6.

Inside the lye container 6, a washing drum 13 is arranged which rotates during the washing process or the spin-drying process, which drum assumes the function of a spin-drying drum during the spin-drying process and is arranged to be filled from the front through the annular opening. The sealing disc 14, which extends in the longitudinal direction and thus in the direction of the axis a of the arrangement, starts from the second flange 11 and thus extends as far as the rolled edge 15 of the washing drum 13.

The household appliance I shown in fig. 1 furthermore has a door 16 which is formed in the shape of a round window and which is pivotably hinged on one side to the front housing wall 4 by means of a hinge (not shown in detail) and which can be locked on its opposite side relative to the front housing wall 4. The door 16 is preferably constructed in part of transparent glass. The door 16 has a housing 17, which extends in the form of a truncated cone, and a rounded bottom 18.

As can be seen in fig. 1, a sealing lip 19 is formed on the first end of the sealing ring 9. The sealing lip 19 extends here substantially from the first flange 8 in the radial direction inward and rests with a particularly planar annular contact 20 against the outer circumferential surface 21 of the door 16 when it is closed.

The sealing lip 19 is arranged in one piece on a base body 23 of the sealing ring 1 and extends with a portion 22 into said base body.

Fig. 2 shows the sealing ring 1 in a schematic view in a direction of view along the axis a. It can be seen here that the annular design of the sealing ring 1 is designed such that, viewed in the vertical direction and thus in the y-direction of the domestic appliance I, a catch prevention structure 24 integrated into the sealing lip 19 is designed in a lower circumferential length half 25 of the entire circumferential portion of the sealing ring 1. The anti-snag structure 24 is formed at least over a length section of the encircling length half 25, which is thus formed over 180 ° of the entire 360 ° lower part of the sealing ring 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown, provision is made for the anti-snag structure 24 to be formed over a length section of the lower encircling length half 25, which length section extends over an angular range of between 110 ° and 130 °, in particular 120 °. In particular, the anti-snag structure 24 is configured symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis of the seal ring 1, wherein the vertical axis extends through the center of the annular shape of the seal ring 1. The anti-snag structure 24 is configured on both sides of the vertical axis in angular sections of 60 ° each. The seal ring 1 is constructed so as to be rotationally asymmetric in the circumferential direction about the axis a.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the sealing lip 19 in the lower circumferential length half 25 in a perspective sectional view. Here, it can be seen that the sealing lip 19 is configured to be in mechanical contact with the outer circumferential surface 21 with a side surface 19a having a contact portion 20 shown in fig. 1. On the side 19b opposite this side, in the embodiment shown, a local thickening 26 is formed, which is trapezoidal in the circumferential direction about the axis a. The thickened portion 26 is thus formed over an angular range of 120 °.

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the sealing lip 19 in the region of the anti-snag structure 24 in a further perspective sectional view. In this case, in contrast to the configuration according to fig. 3, the anti-snag structure 24 is of convex design in a sectional view perpendicular to the direction of rotation about the axis a (the direction of rotation is thus perpendicular to the section) and shows a wavy shape in the section according to the illustration in fig. 4. By means of this configuration, local thickenings can also be formed, in which the wave crests 27 bear against the outer circumferential surface 21.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a sealing lip 19, which is also arranged in one piece on a base body 23 of the sealing ring 1 and can be tilted in a defined manner relative thereto, as is indicated by the arrows. Adjacent to the sealing lip 19, the base body 23 has a receiving recess 28, into which the sealing lip 19 can be tilted in a defined manner according to the lower drawing in fig. 5 and is thereby at least partially recessed or embedded. Starting from the upper illustration in fig. 5, in which the door 16 is not yet closed, the sealing lip 19 is then automatically at least partially folded over when the door 16 is closed and correspondingly folded over into the receiving recess 28. The completely folded-over sealing lip 19 is shown in the lower drawing in fig. 5. The sealing lip 19 can also continue to be turned into the receiving recess 28 if, when the door 16 is closed, laundry remains between the door 16 and the sealing lip 19 in the region of the anti-snag structure 24, which laundry is thus easily caught. The laundry which may be trapped between the door 16 and the sealing ring 1 can then also not catch and thus not damage the sealing lip 19 in the event of a rotation of the washing drum 13 and subsequent twisting of the laundry, since in the event of a twisting-in of the sealing lip 19, the side 19a of the sealing lip 19 which forms the contact 20 can no longer be caught by the twisted-in laundry. Furthermore, the laundry can be drawn into the drum interior by the turned-over sealing lip 19. After the laundry has been drawn into the drum interior, for example by the drum rotation, the sealing lip 19 is at least partially turned out of the receiving recess 28 by its restoring force, and the side 19a can in turn form the contact 20 with the door 16 in order to provide the sealing action of the sealing lip 19.

The same applies to the configuration according to fig. 3 and 4. In particular, the anti-snag structure 24 can also be formed by a combination of a local thickening 26 of the sealing lip 19 and a receiving recess 28 formed in this region.

List of reference numerals

I household appliance

1 sealing ring

2 put-in and take-out openings

3 first end part

4 casing wall

5 second end portion

6 alkali liquor container

7 crimping

8 first flange

9 corrugated pipe

10 edge of

11 second flange

12 second flange

13 washing drum

14 sealing plate

15 rolled edge

16 door

17 outer cover

18 bottom

19 sealing lip

19a side surface

19b side surface

20 contact part

21 outer peripheral surface

22 part (B)

23 base body

24 anti-trip structure

25 lower part of the encircling length half

26 thickened part

27 wave crest

28 receiving recess

Axis A

Claims

1. Household appliance (I) for the care of laundry, having a housing (4) and a lye container (6) arranged therein and having an annular sealing ring (1) which is arranged on the housing (4) and on the lye container (6), wherein the sealing ring (1) has a sealing lip (19) which rests on a door (16) which extends in the closed state through an annular opening which is delimited by the sealing ring (1) and is arranged on a base body (23) of the sealing ring (1), wherein the sealing lip (19) has an anti-snagging structure (24) for the laundry in a length section of a lower encircling length half (25) of its annular shape in the encircling direction,

the anti-snag structure (24) is a definable reversible sealing lip (19) which is arranged on a base body (23) of the sealing ring (1) and can be reversed relative to the base body, wherein the base body (23) has a receiving recess (28) into which the sealing lip (19) is arranged to engage in the reversed state.

2. Household appliance (I) according to claim 1, characterized in that said anti-snag structure (24) is configured on a length portion configured in said lower surrounding length half (25) in angular sectors of between 10 ° and 140 °.

3. The household appliance (I) according to claim 2, characterized in that the anti-snag structure (24) is configured symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis of the sealing ring (1) extending through the center of the annular sealing ring (1).

4. A household appliance (I) according to claim 3, characterized in that the length section is configured in the lower surrounding length half (25) in an angular section between 110 ° and 130 °.

5. Household appliance (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said anti-snag structure (24) comprises a thickening (26) of said sealing lip (19) which is thickened compared to the configuration of said sealing lip (19) outside said anti-snag structure (24).

6. Household appliance (I) according to claim 5, characterized in that the thickenings (26) are each configured with a continuously decreasing thickness on the opposite end, viewed in the circumferential direction of the annular shape of the sealing ring (1).

7. Household appliance (I) according to claim 5, characterized in that the thickening (26) of 8 is configured as a trapezoid, seen in the circumferential direction of the ring shape of the sealing ring (1).

8. Household appliance (I) according to claim 5, characterized in that the thickening (26) has a different thickness in its course from the end of the base body (23) facing the sealing ring (1) to the opposite end.

9. Household appliance (I) according to claim 5, characterized in that said thickening (24) is cavity-free.

10. The household appliance (I) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 6 to 9, characterized in that the sealing lip (19) is arranged such that it can be automatically at least partially turned into the receiving recess (28) by closing the door (16).