Information
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Patent Grant
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6658901
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Patent Number
6,658,901
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Date Filed
Tuesday, November 13, 200122 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, December 9, 200320 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 277 318
- 277 320
- 277 609
- 277 630
- 277 641
- 277 910
- 277 928
- 068 3 R
- 068 13 R
- 068 139
- 134 200
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International Classifications
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Abstract
An indication device for a laundry washing machine, which has a treatment chamber (12) for laundry that can be pressurized in order to treat the laundry with a cleaning agent. The treatment chamber is provided with an opening (13), which in the treatment position is covered by a door (16) fixed to a surrounding housing (11) and is sealed from the housing by means of a sealing arrangement. The sealing arrangement comprises at least two gaskets (19, 20) surrounding the opening and forming an intermediate space (23) that via a channel (24) is arranged to communicate with atmosphere.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an indication device for a laundry washing machine. The washing machine comprises a treatment chamber for laundry that is pressurized in order to treat the laundry with a cleaning agent. The chamber has an opening, which in the treatment position is covered by a door fixed to a surrounding housing and is sealed from the housing by means of a sealing arrangement.
Laundry washing machines of the type mentioned above are previously known and have been developed because of environmental reasons to replace chemical washing machines in which, for instance, trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene are used. In these alternative machines, a cleaning agent such as carbon dioxide is used in liquid state. However, there is a complication with respect to this technique since the washing chamber has to be under pressure during the treatment procedure. Machines of this type are described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,455.
The sealing of the door, in particular the sealing device that is arranged around the fill opening of the machine, is often exposed to wear. Because of the high pressure, there is a risk for gas leakage from the treatment chamber, which would not be observed by people around the machine.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a simple and cost-effective sealing arrangement comprising an indication means intended to call upon the attention of people around a laundry washing machine that a gas leak from the treatment chamber has occurred. This is achieved by means of a device comprising a treatment chamber for laundry with an opening, which in a treatment position, is covered by a door fixed to a surrounding housing and is sealed from the housing by means of a sealing arrangement. The chamber is pressurized to treat laundry with a cleaning agent, and the sealing arrangement is provided with at least two gaskets surrounding the opening and forming an intermediate space. The space is arranged to communicate with the atmosphere via a channel such that a sound indication is achieved if there is gas leakage to the intermediate space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
FIG. 1
is a cross-sectional view of a machine with an embodiment of the invention, and
FIG. 2
is view of an enlargement of a section through part of the door portion of the machine in FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The laundry washing machine shown in
FIG. 1
comprises a frame
10
supporting a pressure housing
11
that forms a treatment chamber
12
with a circular fill opening
13
. The chamber
12
encloses a drum
14
that is rotatably supported by means of a horizontal shaft extending through a rear wall of the chamber
12
and which is driven by an electric motor (not shown). The drum
14
has, in a conventional manner, an opening
15
, which is mainly as large as the fill opening
13
and coaxial with it. During the washing process, the fill opening
13
is covered by a door
16
, which via a hinge (not shown), is fastened to a flange portion
17
surrounding the opening of the front wall
18
of the housing
11
.
The door is sealed from the flange part
17
by means of a sealing arrangement comprising two concentric gaskets
19
and
20
designed as O-rings. The first O-ring
19
has a smaller diameter than the second O-ring
20
. Each O-rings is inserted into a groove
21
and
22
, respectively, in the door and is maintained in the groove because of the dovetail shape of the groove. An intermediate space
23
is located between the two O-rings and is via a channel or gas passage
24
connected to atmosphere.
The sealing arrangement operates in the following manner. When the door
16
is closed and pressurized gas, for instance, liquid carbon dioxide, has filled into the treatment chamber
12
, the inner gasket
19
seals the treatment chamber from the surroundings. Should any damage occur on the gasket
19
, gas will leak out into the space
23
and flow through the channel
24
. Since the channel is designed such that it also serves as a restriction for small amounts of gas leaking to the space
23
, a characteristic whistling sound occurs, thus, indicating for the surroundings that the sealing effect is unsatisfactory and that measurements should be taken to repair the fault.
The described sealing arrangement is not limited to the described use at the fill opening of a laundry washing machine, but may be used for other doors or details arranged in the wall of the treatment chamber.
While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, other modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or method to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. The present invention herein is not to be construed as being limited, except insofar as indicated in the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. An indication device for a laundry washing machine, the washing machine comprising: a treatment chamber (12) for laundry with an opening (13) which in a treatment position is covered by a door (16) fixed to a surrounding housing (11) and is sealed from the housing by means of sealing arrangement, and the chamber (12) is pressurized to treat laundry with a cleaning agent, and the sealing arrangement comprises at least two gaskets (19, 20) surrounding the opening and forming an intermediate space (23) which via a channel (24) is arranged to communicate with atmosphere such that a sound indication is achieved by gas entering into the intermediate space and flowing through the channel to atmosphere if there is a gas leakage into the intermediate space.
- 2. An indication device according to claim 1, wherein said opening (13) forms a fill opening to the treatment chamber.
- 3. Indication device according to claim 1, wherein the opening (13) is mainly circular.
- 4. An indication device according to claim 1, wherein the gaskets (19, 20) comprise O-rings having different diameters.
- 5. An indication device according to clam 1, wherein the channel (24) is designed such that it serves as a restriction for out flowing gas.
- 6. An indication device according to claim 5, wherein a characteristic whistling sound is produced by gas flowing through the restriction.
- 7. An indication device for a laundry washing machine comprising:a treatment chamber for laundry; an opening in the treatment chamber; a housing surrounding the treatment chamber; a cover for the chamber opening; and a sealing arrangement engaging the chamber opening and the cover to seal the chamber from the housing when the chamber contains pressurized gas, the sealing arrangement comprises at least two gaskets surrounding the opening, an intermediate space formed between the at least two gaskets, and a channel connecting the intermediate space to atmosphere, wherein the channel is designed to serves as a restriction for out flowing gas, and wherein gas leaking into the intermediate space flows through the restriction and produces an audible sound indicating there is gas leakage from the treatment chamber.
- 8. An indication device according to claim 7, wherein a characteristic whistling sound is produced by gas flowing through the restriction.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
0004327 |
Nov 2000 |
SE |
|
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1 063 342 |
Dec 2000 |
EP |
63-234198 |
Sep 1988 |
JP |