Patent Application
20070262213
The invention will be described below with reference to the enclosed drawings, given by way of example of possible embodiments of the invention and in which:
As already mentioned and illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the self-leveling foot object of the present invention is of the type to be mounted under a lower frame portion of an appliance such as, for example, the washing machines in which the machine cabinet presents a lower frame portion 1 with any adequate construction, which permits the fixation of a plurality of feet, generally in the number of four. The lower frame portion 1 can be defined, for example, by a flat plate or by plate portions affixed or incorporated to the appliance frame or cabinet in the mounting regions of the feet. According to the invention, the self-leveling foot comprises a base 10 constructed in steel, plastic or other adequate material and which, in the illustrated embodiment, takes the form of a plate of circular contour, presenting an upper face 10a and a lower face 10b and incorporating an upper peripheral wall 11. It should be understood that the base 10 can present different regular and irregular polygonal contours, without the selected shape altering the functionality of the foot proposed herein.
Also according to the illustrated construction, the base 10 is peripherally and laterally surrounded by a band 12, usually made of a synthetic and anti-slip material, such as an elastomer, incorporating, in a lower edge, a small inner peripheral flange 12 dimensioned to seat under a peripheral portion of the lower face 10b of the base 10, defining an annular shoe to be seated on the floor P, maintaining the lower face 10b of the base 10 slightly spaced from said floor P, as illustrated in
According to the invention, the self-leveling foot further comprises a generally cylindrical rod 15, having a lower end 15a attached to the upper face 10a of the base 10 and projecting upwardly therefrom, generally vertically and having a free upper end 15b. In the illustrated construction, the rod 15 is coaxial to the cylindrical base 10 incorporated to the base 10, forming therewith, and optionally with the cap 13, a single piece and presenting its lower end 15a with a transversal section that is enlarged in relation to that of the remainder of the axial extension of the rod 15. However, it should be understood that the rod 15 can be formed in a separate piece to be affixed to the base 10 by any appropriate fixation means.
Each self-leveling foot is further provided with an elastic element 20 having a lower end 20a, seated on an upper face 10a of the base 10, and an upper end 20b. In the illustrated construction, the elastic element 20 is defined by a helical spring arranged around the rod 15 and having its lower end mounted with reduced radial gap around the enlarged lower end 15a of the rod 15. It should be noted that the elastic element 20 can be constructed in different ways using laminar metal springs or a body made of an elastically deformable elastomer material.
Around the rod 15 is slidably mounted and guided a tubular sleeve 30, axially moveable in relation to the rod 15 and having a lower portion 30b seated on the upper end 20b of the elastic element 20 and an upper portion 30a to be mounted under the appliance. In the illustrated construction, the tubular sleeve 30 has its lower portion 30b projected to fit in the interior of an end recess provided in the elastic means 20 and, in the case of using a helical spring-shaped elastic means 20, the lower portion 30b of the tubular sleeve 30 is fitted in the interior of the upper end of the helical spring, said lower portion 30b incorporating, preferably in a single piece, an outer annular flange 31 against which is seated the upper end 20b of the elastic means 20.
The tubular sleeve 30 has its upper portion 30a constructed to facilitate its assembly under the frame lower portion 1 of the appliance. In the illustrated construction, the upper portion 30a of the tubular sleeve 30 is provided with an outer thread 32 configured to be adapted and retained in a corresponding threaded hole 2 of the lower frame portion 1. Nevertheless, it should be understood that it is possible to use different constructive arrangements to mount the tubular sleeve 30 to the lower frame portion 1.
With this construction, a respective portion of the appliance weight is applied onto the tubular sleeve 30 which, by being seated on the elastic element 20, applies said appliance weight portion, by means of the elastic element 20, on the base 10 and from this to the floor P. In order that the parts defined by the base-rod assembly, elastic element and tubular sleeve remain mounted together, independently of the fact that the foot is mounted under an appliance, a stop 40 is seated and retained in the upper end 15b of the rod 15, projecting radially outwardly from the contour of the latter, to limit the axial displacement path of the tubular sleeve 30, by action of the elastic element 20 or of any other piece, towards said upper end 15b of the rod 15.
The dimensioning of the component parts of the foot is made so that the elastic element 20 remains tightly positioned, or slightly compressed between the tubular sleeve 30 and the base 10, considering the actuation of the stop 40 over the upper end 15b of the rod 15.
In the illustrated construction, the stop 40 takes the form of a kind of washer which is attached by a screw 41 mounted in an axial threaded hole 15c provided in the upper end 15b of the rod 15. However, it should be understood that it is possible to use other stop designs and other fixation means at the upper end 15b of the rod 15, without these constructive modifications altering the function of the stop 40 in relation to the tubular sleeve 30.
The construction proposed by the invention allows the rod 15, solidly attached to the base 10, to operate as a safe guiding element for the tubular sleeve 30, withstanding high transversal forces that may be applied to the latter during the machine operation or displacement.
Aiming at giving to the foot a desired capacity of absorbing the vibrating energy resulting from the movement of the oscillating masses upon operation of the appliance, a dampening means 50 is provided, mounted between the parts of rod 15 and tubular sleeve 30, so as to exert a braking force against the relative axial movement between said parts.
In the illustrated construction, the dampening means 50 comprises two elastically deformable elements, preferably in the form of elastic rings 51, each being carried by one of the parts of rod 15 and tubular sleeve 30 and causing attrition against the other of said parts. As illustrated in
As already mentioned above, the tubular cap 13 has the function of providing a finishing for the foot, maintaining invisible the elastic element 20 and the rod 15. Therefore, the tubular cap 13, which defines with the base 10 a kind of cup, has a height sufficient to surround laterally the extension of the rod 15 defined between the base 10 and the tubular sleeve 30 and also the elastic element 20. Moreover, the inner cross-section of the tubular cap 13 is dimensioned to allow the outer annular flange 31 of the tubular sleeve 30 to penetrate, with a radial gap, in the interior of the tubular cap 13 in intense compression conditions of the elastic element 20.
While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and in the arrangement of different parts of the foot assembly, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claims accompanying the present specification.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PI0601993-5 | May 2006 | BR | national |
