WO2012049148A2

WO2012049148A2 - A drum-type washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2012049148A2
Application number: PCT/EP2011/067686
Authority: WO
Inventors: Serkan Koru; Mehmet Merdin; Arif Caglar Pinar
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2010-10-15
Filing date: 2011-10-11
Publication date: 2012-04-19
Also published as: TR201008481A1; WO2012049148A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a drum-type washing machine comprising a rotatable drum (40) arranged inside a body (10); a front door (30) having a bowl-shaped window (31) being engaged to a loading opening (20) of the body (10) while a tapering section (39) of the window (31) extend inside the drum (40) in a closed position. At least one bump (37) is formed on the tapering section (39) configured so that at least partly resist against the laundry when the drum (40) is rotated.

Description

A DRUM-TYPE WASHING MACHINE

The present invention relates to front loading drum-type washing machines with a door closing a front loading opening.

In washing machines, particularly in front loading drum type washing machines, a front door advances in the interior direction through a loading opening on the body in closed position and the front door closes the loading opening in a tight manner. The surface of a window of the front door, facing the drum is in general made of glass and it is smooth. In case the laundry being washed rest onto the window, by means of the smoothness, the laundry continues to rotate together with the drum without being torn.

In order to increase the washing efficiency of the laundry, there is a plurality of fixed or movable bump forms inside the drum. However, to make a form on the drum so as to provide an additional washing support or to fix an additional piece so as to preserve the movement thereof brings difficulties in terms of construction limits, and the cost thereof is high.

The object of the invention is to increase the washing efficiency of a drum type washing machine.

In order to realize the abovementioned object, the present invention is a drum-type washing machine comprising a rotatable drum arranged inside a body; a front door having a bowl-shaped window being engaged to a loading opening of the body while a tapering section of the window extends to interior direction of the drum in a closed position. At least one bump is formed on the tapering section and configured so that at least partly resist against the laundry being tumbled in the drum when the drum is rotated.

According to the invention the bump forms an additional resistance to the moving laundry near the gap between the door and the drum and provides the increasing of the washing performance. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of substantially parallel bumps is provided in a spaced relation against each other. Thus, on the front door, a structure is obtained which follows each other and which increases the cleaning efficiency. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bump surrounds the tapering section and extends in a radial direction. This structure can for instance have radial bumps which follow each other. Even a waved form can be formed on the tapering section. Thus, in the radial direction, the bump contact surface area will be increased and the surface area of the window whose dimensions are fixed will be maximized towards inside the drum.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bump extends in a transverse direction on the tapering section. In this case, the bump will form a direction which is perpendicular to the rotation direction of the laundry. Thus, the penetration efficiency of the bump into the laundry is increased.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bump has a radial edge form for preventing unraveling of the laundry. The radial edge is also implemented with a semi-circular bump section form.

In yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tapering section is plastic injection molded. In this case, by providing a recess in bump form on the tapering section on the plastic injection mold, a low cost production can be provided. In still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bump is in one piece with the tapering section. Thus, there is no need for an additional connection piece.

The additional characteristics and advantages of the subject matter invention will be obtained from the exemplary embodiments referencing to the Figures of the annexed drawing.

In Figure 1 , a perspective view of a washing machine with a front door which has a representative embodiment of the subject matter bump is given. In Figure 2, a perspective view of a front door is given where a representative embodiment of the subject matter bump is transversely positioned on the window.

In Figure 3, a perspective view of a front door is given where a representative embodiment of the subject matter bump is positioned on the window in a radial manner.

List of reference numerals use din the drawing:

10 Body 35 Head end

20 Loading opening 36 Viewing glass

30 Front door 37 Bump

31 Window 38 Groove

32 Rim 39 Tapering section

33 Side wall x Interior direction

40 Drum

In Figure 1 , a perspective view of a front loading washing machine is given. There is a circular loading opening 20 on the front wall of the washing machine body 10. A front door 30 is fixed to the front surface of the body 10 by means of a hinge (not illustrated in the figure). When the front door 30 is in open position, it permits the access of a user to the loading opening 20. If the front door 30 is in closed position, it closes the loading opening 20 in a tight manner.

In Figure 2, the perspective view of a front door 30 is given from the face thereof facing the drum 40 and facing the interior part of the body 10. The front door 30 comprises a window 31 which is in the form of a cut cone, and a rim 32 which is in flange form and which encircles the wide diameter thereof. The peripheral side wall of the window 31 forms the tapering section 39. Onto the narrow diameter of the window 31 , a viewing glass 36 is fixed. A head end 35 which has a housing cross section and which extends inwardly in the window narrow diameter periphery fixes the viewing glass 36. On the face of the tapering section 39 facing the drum 40, there is plurality of bumps 37 which are in parallel form and which have equal space in between transversely. One end of the bumps 37 is adjacent to the head end 35. The bumps 37 are in rod form and they have a semi-circular cross section. When the front door 30 is in opened position, the laundry which is to be washed is placed inside the drum 40. The front door 30 advances in the interior direction x and it is taken to the closed position. Thus, the bumps 37 approach towards inside the drum 40. When the washing machine is operated, the drum 40 rotates and the laundry contact with the window 31 from the inner face thereof. Because of the essentially perpendicular positions of the bumps 37 with respect to the rotation direction of the drum 40, an additional cleaning is provided to the laundry by means of the rubbing process during washing. In Figure 3, the bumps 37 surround the tapering section 39 of the window 31 in a radial manner. Plurality of bumps 37 which is adjacent to each other is sequenced at an equal height so that the diameters thereof are narrowed. These bumps 37 which form grooves 38 in between provide the tapering section 39 to have a corrugated cross section. The waved cross section provides an increased contact surface when compared with a flat cross section during the contact of the laundry to the window 31. Moreover, in the bumps 37 and in the grooves 38, there is no sharp edge, the face of the tapering section 39 facing inwardly forms smooth line which provides unravel of the laundry.

In the embodiments described in the figures, the tapering section 39 is made of one piece plastic material together with the bumps 37 or grooves 38 thereon. In alternative embodiments, it is obvious that different materials like glass or metal can be used. Moreover, in different applications, the bumps 37 can be embodied with plurality of geometric shape or cross section forms which are symmetric or asymmetric. There may be different embodiments like rod forms, point forms or flexible members which extend in different angles so that the bump 37 extends on the surface in interior direction x of the tapering section 39 so as to form a resistance to the laundry rotating inside the drum 40.

Claims

A drum-type washing machine comprising a rotatable drum (40) arranged inside a body (10); a front door (30) having a bowl-shaped window (31) being engaged to a loading opening (20) of the body (10) while a tapering section (39) of the window (31) extends to interior direction (x) of the drum (40) in a closed position, characterized in that at least one bump (37) is formed on the tapering section (39) and configured so to at least partly resist against laundry being tumbled in the drum (40) when the drum (40) is rotated.

A drum-type washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of substantially parallel bumps (37) is provided in a spaced relation against each other.

A drum-type washing machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the bump (37) surrounds the tapering section (39) and extends in a radial direction.

A drum-type washing machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the bump (37) extends in a transverse direction on the tapering section (39).

A drum-type washing machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the bump (37) has a radial edge form for preventing unraveling of the laundry.

A drum-type washing machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the tapering section (39) is plastic injection molded.

A drum-type washing machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the bump (37) is in one piece with the tapering section (39).