Patent Application
20070251278
The invention will be described below, with reference to the attached drawings, given by way of example of a constructive form of the invention and in which:
a represents a partial sectional view of the machine base structure of
a represents an enlarged detail of one of the suspension means illustrated in
As mentioned above and as illustrated in the attached drawings, the invention relates to a clothes washing machine of the top loading type and comprising a base structure 10, defining a generally tubular body to be inferiorly seated on a floor P defined in the site in which the machine will be installed. The base structure 10 may be constructed in different manners, preferably in the form of a tubular body comprising a surrounding housing 11, which in the illustrated embodiment is formed by a front wall portion 11a with a generally semi-cylindrical contour and extending to the rear region of the machine, by means of two opposite parallel lateral wall portions 11b, tangent to the front wall portion 11a. The base structure 10 superiorly carries an upper wall portion 12 incorporated, preferably in a single piece, to an upper edge of the front wall portion 11a and of the lateral wall portions 11b and being provided with a central opening 12a for the passage of other elements of the machine. The base structure 10 can be made in any appropriate material, such as for example, stamped metal sheet or otherwise shaped, or also in injected plastic material, so as to preferably constitute a bottom portion of the machine cabinet, making unnecessary the provision of another cabinet portion surrounding said base structure 10.
In the illustrated embodiment, the base structure 10 further comprises a vertically disposed rear frame having end edges internally affixed to the lateral wall portions 11b of the base structure 10 and also an upper edge inferiorly affixed to the upper wall portion 12, assuring strength to the base structure 10. Thus, the rear frame 13 operates as an open rear wall portion of the base structure 10, being further shaped in a generally semi-cylindrical form. It should be understood herein that the base structure 10 may be constructed in different manners and with different shapes, as long as it carries out the multiple functions of supporting the rest of the component parts of the machine and further preferably operates as a housing for the driving elements, as described hereinafter.
Still according to the illustrated construction, the front wall portion 11a and lateral wall portions 11b of the base structure 10 internally and inferiorly affix bed plates 14, each provided with a generally threaded bore 14a for receiving a respective foot 15 of the machine, as illustrated in
Still according to the illustrated construction, the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10 presents four semi-spherical recesses 16 that are angularly spaced from each other along a circular alignment, each semi-spherical recess 16 being provided, in its central region, with a bore 16a that is radially connected, through a slot 17, to a respective window 18 provided in the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10, in a radially internal position and close to the respective semi-spherical recess 16. It should be understood that the number of semi-spherical recesses 16 corresponds to the number of suspension means to be provided in the machine, the number of four semi-spherical recesses 16 corresponding only to the construction exemplified in the drawings, and this number can be different from four. The function of said semi-spherical recesses 16 will be discussed ahead.
The present machine further comprises a tub 20, dimensioned and shaped to contain a certain amount of washing liquid and which is constructed to be affixed on the base structure 10, esthetically harmonized with the latter. As already described in relation to the base structure 10, the tub 20 can be formed in metal sheet or in injected plastic material and shaped to define a washing liquid containing means that is adequate to the design of the clothes washing machine. In the constructive form illustrated in
According to the illustrated construction, in which the tub 20 is defined by a component independent from the base structure 10, the upper wall portion 12 of the latter incorporates a pair of upper ribs 19, which are fitted in respective slots 29 provided on the lower wall 23 of the tub 20, when the latter is seated on the base structure 10. This constructive arrangement facilitates the relative horizontal locking between the tub 20 and the base structure 10, guaranteeing the vertical alignment of the two parts.
It should be understood that the tub 20 may comprise a bottom wall 23 that is shaped so as to define an upper wall portion for the base structure 10. In a possible non-illustrated constructive form, the tub 20 can be incorporated to the base structure 10, forming a single piece therewith, in which condition the bottom wall 23 of the tub 20 defines itself the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10.
As it can be noted, the present construction allows the tub 20 to be solidly incorporated to the base structure 10, defining with the latter the structure of the machine cabinet and making unnecessary the provision of any other additional housing that is generally defined by the usual cabinets of the prior art clothes washing machine. In the illustrated embodiment, the tub presents a cross-section contour equal to that of the base structure 10.
The construction proposed by the present invention further provides a support frame 30 generally formed in a cast metallic piece which is mounted in the interior of the base structure 10, so as to remain suspended therewithin by elastically deformable suspension means 40 that connect the support frame 30 generally to the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10.
In the illustrated embodiment, the support frame 30 comprises, in a single piece, a central hub 31 incorporating four radial arms 32, angularly spaced from each other in 90 degrees, each provided with a lower projection 33. Beneath each lower projection 33 is affixed, through screws 34, a support plate 35 to which is mounted a motor unit 50, which in the illustrated constructive form comprises an electric motor 51, whose outlet shaft carries a drive pulley 52, a driven pulley 53 and a belt 54 operatively coupling the drive pulley 52 and the driven pulley 53.
The support plate 35 affixed to the support frame 30, or incorporated to the latter in a single piece, carries a bearing 37 in which journals the lower end portion of a drive shaft 55 extending vertically upwardly through the tubular hub 31 of the support frame 30, the driven pulley 53 being affixed to the lower end portion of the drive shaft 55, generally under the bearing 37.
However, it should be understood that the electric motor 51 may be directly coupled to the drive shaft 55, with or without an intermediate transmission defined by pulleys and belts or by other transmission means.
The drive shaft 55 extends vertically upwardly to the interior of the tub 20, penetrating into the interior of the latter.
In the illustrated construction, each radial arm 32 of the support frame 30 further presents a semi-spherical lower recess 36, similar to the spherical recesses 16 of the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10 also provided with a bore 36a, and whose function will be described below.
A generally cylindrical and perforated rotative basket 60 is mounted in the interior of the tub 20 and secured in an upper end portion of a tubular shaft 56 mounted to journal around the drive shaft 55, so as to rotate jointly with said drive shaft 55 upon the rotative coupling between said shafts in the spinning operations of the machine, as taught in the prior art. The upper end of the drive shaft 55 carries an impeller 57 disposed in the interior of the basket 60.
In a possible construction of the invention, there are provided at least three suspension means 40 which are equally and angularly spaced from each other around the motor unit 50. Each suspension means comprises: a rod 41 having an upper end 41a articulated to the base structure 10, generally to an upper wall portion 12 of the latter; a median portion 41b disposed through a respective bore 36a of the lower recess 36 of a respective radial arm 32 of the support frame 30, and a preferably threaded lower end 41c, securing, for example through a threaded nut 42a and washer 42b, a stop means 42 in any adequate material. The lower end 41c of the rod 41 can be also deformed to define a retaining element for the stop means 42, eliminating the need of threading the end of the rod 41 and the provision of the nut 42a. Each suspension means 40 further comprises a generally helical support spring 43 disposed around the median portion 41b of the rod 41 and having its opposite ends respectively seated onto the stop means 42 and under the respective radial arm 32 of the support frame 30, making the latter remain seated onto the support springs 43 of the suspension means provided in the machine. In the illustrated construction, four suspension means 40 are provided, each being associated to a respective radial arm 32 of the support frame 30, the upper end of the support spring 43 being seated against a pad 43a, preferably in an anti-friction polymeric material whose upper portion is in the form of a spherical calotte to be seated in the interior of the semi-spherical lower recess 36 of a respective radial arm 32 of the support frame 30, allowing an articulated coupling to be defined between the upper end of the support spring 43 and the support frame 30, as the central bore 36a of each lower recess 36 is dimensioned to permit the free and radially loose passage of the median portion 41b of the rod 41.
Each suspension means 40 may further comprise a dampening spring 44 disposed around the rod 41 and having its opposite ends respectively seated, through pads 44a, 44b, onto the support frame 30 and under an upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10. The provision of the dampening spring 44 in each suspension means 40 allows both springs of each suspension means to work in opposite directions, with the dampening spring 44 constantly forcing the respective portion of the support frame 30 against the support spring 43 of the same suspension means 40. This construction using double springs acting in opposite directions in each suspension means 40 gives to the latter a higher capacity to absorb the vibratory energy and the oscillating motions coming from the motor unit during the washing and spinning operations of the machine. In a constructive form illustrated in the drawings, the stop means 42 of each suspension means 40 carries a cylindrical tubular sleeve 45, generally in plastic material and which is designed to surround at least part of the longitudinal support spring 43 of the respective suspension means 40.
In the illustrated construction, the upper end 41a of each rod 41 is disposed through the bore 16a of a respective spherical recess 16 of the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10. To the upper end 41a of each rod 41 is fixed, for example by threading, a spacer pad 46, preferably made of an anti-friction material whose lower portion has the form of a spherical calotte to be seated and rotatably affixed in the interior of the semi-spherical recess 16, constituting an articulated coupling between the upper end 41a of each rod 41 and the base structure 10.
Due to the provision of the windows 18 and the radial slots 17 in the upper wall portion 12 of the base structure 10, the spacer pad 46 can be attached to the upper end 41a of the rod 41 before being mounted in the interior of a respective semi-spherical recess 16, since the spacer pad 46 can be passed upwardly through a window 18 and conducted to the adjacent semi-spherical recess 16, by displacing the rod 41 along the radial slot 17. It should be noted that the windows 18 present an area that is sufficiently open to allow the passage of the spacer pads 46.
As illustrated in
While only one possible way of carrying out the present clothes washing machine has been illustrated herein, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and arrangement of the different elements that constitute the equipment, without departing from the inventive concept defined in the claims that accompany the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PI0601707-0 | Apr 2006 | BR | national |
