WO2012089472A1

WO2012089472A1 - A washing machine comprising a plastic bearing sleeve

Info

Publication number: WO2012089472A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/072072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gokhan Gurbuzer; Ozan KAYA
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-12-29
Filing date: 2011-12-07
Publication date: 2012-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-29
Also published as: EP2659049A1; EP2659049B1; PL2659049T3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine (1) which comprises a plastic tub (2) having a rear wall (6), a drum (3) which is placed in the tub (2) so as to be concentrical with the tub (2) and wherein the laundry is placed, a motor which provides the drum (3) to rotate around the axis thereof, a shaft (4) which provides the movement of the motor to be transmitted to the drum (3) and a bearing sleeve (5) produced from plastic material, which is situated in the middle of the rear wall (6) of the tub (2) and wherein the shaft (4) is borne.

Description

A WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING A PLASTIC BEARING SLEEVE

The present invention relates to a horizontal axis washing machine comprising a plastic tub.

In horizontal axis washing machines having plastic tubs, while the tub is produced, the bearing sleeve is placed into the mould and then the mould is filled with plastic material by injecting plastic material into the mould. Thus a plastic tub is obtained wherein the bearing sleeve is embedded at the center of the rear wall of the tub.

The bearing sleeve which is produced from plastic is preferred by the producers due to the advantages it provides in the production processes. For the design of the bearing sleeves produced from plastic and used instead of the bearing sleeves, which are produced from metal and frequently used in the state of the art, in order to meet the needs, various improvements are made in the state of the art by the producers.

In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2010/010114, a bearing sleeve which is produced from plastic is explained.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP1881100, a bearing sleeve which is produced from plastic is described.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine comprising a plastic bearing sleeve, the strength of which is increased and which is integrated with the plastic tub.

The bearing sleeve that the washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention and explicated in the claims comprises, comprises a discharge line that extends between the inner surface and the outer surface of the rear wall of the tub and provides the liquids leaking into the bearing sleeve to be discharged out of the tub. The inlet of the discharge line opens to the inside of the tub and the outlet thereof opens to the outside of the tub. Since the bearing sleeve is produced from plastic material by the injection method, during production, the discharge line also comes out of the same mould and is integrated on the bearing sleeve.

The bearing sleeve comprises an extension situated on the outer wall thereof. The discharge line is surrounded by the extension. The outlet of the discharge line is situated at the end portion of the extension.

The bearing sleeve comprises on its surface which faces the inside of the tub a circular first flange and a second flange that is concentric such that the second flange and the first flange are one within the other. The washing machine comprises a circular sealing element mounted to the middle of the second flange. The sealing element is supported from its outer edge by the second flange and supported from the rear side by a barrier situated on the bearing sleeve.

The inlet of the discharge line is on the barrier. By being positioned at the lowermost point of the barrier, the inlet provides the accumulating liquids to be discharged with the effect of gravity. Thus, the extension aligned with the inlet provides the positioning to be made while the bearing sleeve is placed into the plastic injection mould for the production of the rear wall of the tub.

In the washing machine of the present invention, since the discharge line, the extension, the first flange and the second flange are integrated on the bearing sleeve produced from plastic during the moulding stage of the bearing sleeve, the production and assembly processes are improved.

The washing machine 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 a washing machine.

Figure 2 – is the rear perspective view of a tub.

Figure 3 – is the cross-sectional view of a bearing sleeve.

Figure 4 – is the perspective view of a bearing sleeve.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Washing machine
Tub
Drum
Shaft
Bearing Sleeve
Rear wall
Inlet
Outlet
Discharge line
Extension
First bearing
Second bearing
Spacer
Platform
First flange
Second flange
Barrier
Sealing element

The washing machine (1) comprises a plastic tub (2) having a rear wall (6), a drum (3) which is placed in the tub (2) so as to be concentrical with the tub (2) and wherein the laundry is placed, a motor which provides the drum (3) to rotate around the axis thereof, a shaft (4) which provides the movement of the motor to be transmitted to the drum (3) and a bearing sleeve (5) produced from plastic material, which is situated in the middle of the rear wall (6) of the tub (2) and wherein the shaft (4) is borne (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

During the production of the tub (2), the periphery of the bearing sleeve (5), which is placed into the mould in the plastic injection process, is filled with plastic material. When the plastic injection process is completed, the bearing sleeve (5) remains at the center of the rear wall (6) and is integrated with the plastic tub (2). During the plastic injection process, the plastic material surrounds the bearing sleeve (5).

The bearing sleeve (5) comprises a discharge line (9) which directs the liquids that accumulate in the bearing sleeve (5) out of the tub (2). The discharge line (9) comprises an inlet (7) situated on the inner surface of the rear wall (6) and an outlet (8) situated on the outer surface of the rear wall (6) when the bearing sleeve (5) is embedded into the rear wall (6) by injecting plastic to the periphery thereof. The front of the inlet (7) and the outlet (8) is not covered by plastic during the plastic injection.

During the washing process, the shaft (4) changes shape depending on the rotation of the drum (3), in case of excessive straining, little amount of washing liquid enters into the bearing sleeve (5) from the periphery of the shaft (4). The discharging of the said washing liquid out of the tub (2) is realized by means of the discharge line (9) which extends between the inner surface and the outer surface of the rear wall (6).

The bearing sleeve (5) comprises an extension (10) that is situated on the outer surface thereof (Figure 3 and Figure 4). The discharge line (9) is situated in the extension (10). When the bearing sleeve (5) is embedded into the rear wall (6) by injecting plastic to the periphery thereof, the extension (10) is surrounded with plastic material and its end portion remains uncoated without being covered with plastic. The outlet (8) is situated at this end portion. By means of the extension (10), the discharge line (9) is provided to have a length so as to cross the thickness of the rear wall (6).

The washing machine (1) comprises a first bearing (11), a second bearing (12) and a spacer (13) which is disposed between the first bearing (11) and the second bearing (12) which are positioned in parallel to each other, and which provides the distance between the first bearing (11) and the second bearing (12) to be fixed. The spacer (13) is in tube form and produced from plastic material.

While the bearing sleeve (5) is produced, the first bearing (11) and the second bearing (12) are placed into the mould such that the spacer (13) is disposed therebetween. Afterwards, plastic is injected onto the first bearing (11) and the second bearing (12). The discharge line (9) and the extension (10) come out of the mould as a single piece together with the bearing sleeve (5).

The bearing sleeve (5) comprises a platform (14) situated at its end that faces the inside of the tub (2), a circular first flange (15) situated on the platform (14), extending outwards from the platform (14) in parallel direction to the axis of the bearing sleeve (5), a circular second flange (16) concentric with the first flange (15), situated on the platform (14) so as to remain at an inner point with respect to the first flange (15) and extending outwards from the platform (14), and a circular barrier (17) situated on the platform (14) so as to remain at an inner point with respect to the second flange (16).

The washing machine (1) comprises a circular sealing element (18) which is mounted to the inner wall of the second flange (16) so as to be seated onto the barrier (17) and which provides the liquid insulation of the tub (2) by closing the gap between the shaft (4) and the bearing sleeve (5).

When plastic material is injected to the periphery of the bearing sleeve (5) which is placed into the mould during the production of the tub (2), the bearing sleeve (5) is covered with the plastic material, but the upper side of the platform (14) and the front walls of the first flange (15) and the second flange (16) are not covered with plastic material. When the bearing sleeve (5) is embedded into the rear wall (6) by injecting plastic to the periphery thereof, the extension (10) is surrounded with plastic material and its end portion remains uncoated without being covered with plastic. The outlet (8) is situated at this end portion. By means of the extension (10), the discharge line (9) is provided to have a length so as to cross the thickness of the rear wall (6).

The inlet (7) is situated on the barrier (17). Thus, the liquids that leak into the bearing sleeve (5) from the edges of the sealing element (18) are collected on the barrier (17). The inlet (7) is at the lowermost point of the barrier (17). Thus, the liquids are directed to the inlet (7) with the effect of gravity and delivered out of the tub (2).

By means of the present invention, by integrating the discharge line (9) to the bearing sleeve (5), the production process of the real wall (6) is accelerated. Moreover, by means of the second flange (16), the assembly of the sealing element (18) to the bearing sleeve (5) is facilitated.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These different embodiments should also be considered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A washing machine (1) comprising a plastic tub (2) having a rear wall (6), a drum (3) which is placed in the tub (2) so as to be concentrical with the tub (2) and wherein the laundry is placed, a motor which provides the drum (3) to rotate around the axis thereof, a shaft (4) which provides the movement of the motor to be transmitted to the drum (3) and a bearing sleeve (5) produced from plastic material, which is situated in the middle of the rear wall (6) of the tub (2) and wherein the shaft (4) is borne, characterized by the bearing sleeve (5) having a discharge line (9) that directs the accumulating liquids out of the tub (2).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the discharge line (9) which comprises an inlet (7) situated on the inner surface of the rear wall (6) and an outlet (8) situated on the outer surface of the rear wall (6) when the bearing sleeve (5) is embedded into the rear wall (6) by injecting plastic to the periphery thereof.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the bearing sleeve (5) which comprises an extension (10) on the outer surface thereof
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 2 or 3, characterized by the discharge line (9) situated in the extension (10) and the outlet (8) which remains at the end portion of the extension (10) that is not covered with plastic when the bearing sleeve (5) is embedded into the rear wall (6) by injecting plastic to the periphery thereof.
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the Claims 2 to 4, characterized by the discharge line (9) and the extension (10) which are produced as a single piece together with the bearing sleeve (5) in the mould.
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the bearing sleeve (5) which comprises a platform (14) situated at its end that faces the inside of the tub (2), a circular first flange (15) situated on the platform (14), extending outwards from the platform (14) in parallel direction to the axis of the bearing sleeve (5), a circular second flange (16) concentric with the first flange (15), situated on the platform (14) so as to remain at an inner point with respect to the first flange (15) and extending outwards from the platform (14), and a circular barrier (17) situated on the platform (14) so as to remain at an inner point with respect to the second flange (16).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by a circular sealing element (18) which is mounted to the inner wall of the second flange (16) so as to be seated onto the barrier (17) and which provides the liquid insulation of the tub (2) by closing the gap between the shaft (4) and the bearing sleeve (5).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 6 or 7, characterized by the inlet (7) which is situated on the barrier (17), at the lowermost point of the barrier (17).