EP0829567B1 - Washing machine with a device for the security during transport - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a washing machine with a housing and with a swinging built-in tub system, which is used for the purpose of securing transport of a kit is releasably fixed at the factory to the housing, the kit heard at least one traverse, which is attached with its ends to the outside of the housing is, two fixing points between the fastenings on the housing for the tub system and removed to release the shipping lock must become.

In washing machines, it is common to have swinging units, e.g. a tub swing system, to be set at the factory using a multi-part kit. Such a washing machine is known from DE 44 28 197 A1. Due to the The washing machine can be transported, without undue accelerations on the system deflect and damage by impacting the system on the inner parts of the housing arise. Before starting up such a secured washing machine the parts of the kit must be removed so that when commissioning the washing machine can swing the tub system freely and imbalance in the Detergent solution system absorbed by vibration damping devices become. The need to remove the fuse components before commissioning is especially indicated in the enclosed operating instructions.

Suds systems are conceivable, those facing the rear of the housing Side have no very stable setpoints or at which such Don't let points set up. Especially tubs made entirely of plastic are manufactured with regard to the forces that occur during transport impacts above the specified points be introduced into the tub, be sensitive and possibly Get damaged. Transport security devices are in accordance with DE 44 28 197 A1 too rigid unless special measures are taken to avoid them Rigid to mitigate.

Such a special measure is known from DE 42 15 780 A1, whose transport securing device between the hard contact surfaces of screw heads and housing parts and fixing points on the tub system springs made of perforated Sheet metal sleeves or partly made of spiral springs to mitigate hard transport impacts. However, such additional measures require expensive, sometimes even specially constructed Individual parts that are partially (perforated sheet metal sleeves) even with particularly hard Plastic deformations and then become unusable. Plastic deformations The perforated sheet metal sleeves then generally mean harmful to the tub system transmitted forces and corresponding destruction on the tub system.

A washing machine of the type mentioned is known from FR 2 278 827 A1. In it is the traverse over bridges fixed with two screws each attached to the housing. The ends of the trusses have to be laboriously threaded into slots before they can be screwed to the housing. This is complicated and also brings with it unpredictable elasticity due to the bridges that occur during transport impacts the traverse is given a mobility through which such transport impacts occur let the mountings of the vibration system penetrate.

The invention has for its object a washing machine of the aforementioned Type with a transport securing device to be provided without special measures and is designed without additional parts so that occurring in normal traffic hard transport impacts neither plastic deformation of the transport securing parts of the tub system, but in particularly rough traffic - namely when certain threshold values of impact forces are exceeded - instead of damage machine-internal components rather parts of the transport lock plastically deformed become.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that the cross member between the Fixing points is less rigid than in the sections between the Ends and setpoints. For this purpose, the traverse can be made from a sheet metal strip punched with parallel edges and stiffened by folding the side edges. from that an open box-shaped profile forms on the back. Through material reduction in the area between the set points or by reducing the height of the folds, the intermediate area can easily be made less rigid.

According to an advantageous further development, the Invention the sheet metal strip have parallel side edges and the reduced rigidity between the definition points by a broadened base of the cross section the traverse can be made with a reduced height of the folds. Is to only the punch tool so that the base of the cross-sectional profile in The area between the set points is wider than between the ends and the setpoints. This will automatically make one less in the intermediate area high bend, which means that the rigidity is lower than on the End areas of the traverse.

Particularly advantageous is an embodiment of the washing machine according to the invention, where the height of the folds from the fixing points to the middle of the Central section decreases uniformly. This is the best way to control the forces where the traverse should still be sufficiently stiff to deflect the Suds effectively withstand, and on the other hand the limit from which Shock peaks should cause the crossbar to buckle, adjustable enough is.

The invention is explained in more detail below using three exemplary embodiments.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Rückansicht einer mit einem Transportsicherungs-Bausatz versehenen Waschmaschine,

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Traverse gemäß Fig. 1, die aus einem Blechband mit parallelen Kanten gestanzt und im Zentralbereich verhältnismäßig weich ist,

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht auf die zur Gehäuse-Rückwand zeigende Fläche einer Traverse wie Fig. 2, die im größten Teil des Zentralbereichs aber verhältnismäßig steif ist, und

Fig. 4

einen Längsschnitt durch die Traverse gemäß Fig. 3 entlang der Schnittlinie IV-IV.

Show it

Fig. 1

2 shows a perspective rear view of a washing machine provided with a transport securing kit,

Fig. 2

1, which is punched out of a metal strip with parallel edges and is relatively soft in the central area,

Fig. 3

a view of the surface of the cross member facing the housing rear wall as FIG. 2, but which is relatively stiff in most of the central area, and

Fig. 4

a longitudinal section through the cross member of FIG. 3 along the section line IV-IV.

In the drawing is essentially of a so-called top loading washing machine the part of the rear wall of the housing 1 visible, on which two components (trusses 2) one Kit for the transport lock are attached. At the outer ends are the Trusses 2 with bends 3, the height of which is a distance from the rear wall Bottom surface of the cross members 2 to the rear wall 1 of the washing machine housing certainly. The purpose of these offsets and the distance is not discussed here; they do not serve the invention. By means of screws 4, the cross members 2 are attached to the outer edges of the rear wall 1 attached. For the purpose of removing the transport securing device these screws 4 and other screws 5 must be attached to the Fixing points are solved. To bridge the gap between the Trusses 2 and the rear wall 1 serve as invisible spacer sleeves. After distant Transport securing device and connecting the cut off shown here Inlet line 6, outlet line 7 and power line 8, the washing machine is ready for use.

The objects hidden behind the rear wall 1 (in particular the tub system) are not shown here. The approximately on the center line of the trusses 2 arranged holes for the screws 5 with internal threaded holes (Determination points) correspond to the vibrating tub system, share the trusses in two end sections 9 and a central section 10. By means of high-strength screws 5 is the tub system from the inside against the back wall 1 pulled, which is supported from the outside by the crossbars 2. Any bumps that the Transport can be exerted on the tub system using the screws 5 can be caught by the trusses 2.

In the example in FIG. 1, the material of the cross members 2 in the central section 10 is weaker held than in the end sections 9. This results in a lower in this section Stiffness than in the end sections. This lower stiffness is for the Transport safety without concern. The most common load works according to the requirements upright transport position on the transported washing machines in vertical Direction. Occasionally, however, horizontal impact forces are also introduced when maneuvering.

In the vertical direction there is a swinging suspended tub system relatively large freedom of movement compared to the fixed components available, because this direction coincides with the main swing direction in the spin mode. Therefore, to protect against transport impacts from this direction is a relatively simple one and a little stiff transport lock is sufficient. Through an appropriate elasticity a connection between the housing and the tub system are the vertical The resulting stress peaks are relatively low. Therefore, this is one elastic transport lock sufficient, for example, by fixing the back wall of the housing is already in place.

In contrast, the horizontal distance from the tub system is fixed Components of the washing machine are sometimes very small, for example only 20 mm. To prevent the tub system from striking, even when the Preventing impacts is therefore a very stiff - possibly complex - transport lock required. For shock-sensitive tubs - e.g. such out Plastic - large load peaks are too high, however, for very rigid transport locks be introduced into the tub. Such a tub would in the event of load peaks, there is a risk of breaking or otherwise deforming. Since such damage remains invisible at first, the transport lock is deformed more desirable if dangerous stress peaks occur or be crossed, be exceeded, be passed.

The advantage of the transport lock according to the invention over the state of the Technology is therefore on the one hand an elastic connection of the vibration system against the frequent vertical shocks. Another, and a particularly important one However, the transport lock according to the invention has the advantage that the Trusses in particular due to their less rigid central section Only react stiffly to lateral horizontal impacts up to a limit, if exceeded but give this limit plastically. This reduces the stress on the connecting parts, especially the fixing points on the tub, kept low, though if these limits are adhered to, a harmful deflection of the tub system there is no fear within the housing. Should be harmful, the limits exceeding transport shocks have occurred, these may already be due bent trusses can be recognized.

Against the rarely occurring lateral horizontal impacts contains the invention Transport lock but at the same time a sufficiently high level of rigidity, so that this Wise damage to the device by hitting the tub on fixed Components can be prevented. Other known kits of transportation locks that The above requirements are intended to meet different needs Levels of a washing machine. This makes these known devices more difficult manageable (e.g. loosening a screw from the bottom), give rise to incorrect operation Occasion and are also more expensive.

The device for transport security according to the invention sets the tub system only at four points on the back of the device. There will be two Points connected to the rear wall of the device 1 via a traverse 2. At the setpoints (Screws 5) either result in all directions of impact Tensile or compressive forces on the tub. The table below shows the force directions [Zug = (-), Druck = (+)] at the four fixing points. Thrusts, the one require high rigidity of the trusses 2 are framed particularly bold; the details "Left" and "Right" always refer to the view in Fig.1.

tung der Vorderwand, der Rückwand oder auch der Fußplatte erzeugen in beide Festlegungspunkte jeder Traverse gleichsinnig eingeleitete Kräfte. Sie lassen eine höhere Elastizität in den Zentralabschnitten der Traversen zu. Die erfindungsgemäße Transportsicherung hat sich diese Erkenntnis dadurch zunutze gemacht, daß in den Traversen entsprechend unterschiedliche Momentverläufe realisiert sind. Dazu wurde der Zentralbereich geschwächt, da hier im Falle gleichsinniger Krafteinleitung allenfalls kleine Momente auftreten. Größere dabei auftretende Momente wirken nur von den Festlegungspunkten aus in Richtung auf die Enden der Traverse. Hier sind die Traversen aber sehr steif ausgebildet. Im Falle gegensinniger Krafteinleitung bewirkt diese Schwächung zwar eine verringerte Steifigkeit, da aber hierbei das im Zentralbereich auftretende Moment wegen der Begrenzung der eingeleiteten Kräfte eher klein ist, wirkt die Traverse bis zum Erreichen dieser Grenze immer noch als steif. Nach Überschreiten dieser Grenze soll sie aber voraussetzungsgemäß einknicken, damit Transport-Behandlungen mit zu großen Stoßkräften sofort von außen erkennbar sind.Impacts on the sides of the washing machine therefore require a limited degree of rigidity for the transport lock. These impacts create opposing forces in the trusses. The end sections of the trusses must therefore be designed to be particularly rigid. Jerks from one direction

tion of the front wall, the rear wall or the base plate generate forces introduced in the same direction in both fixing points of each crossbeam. They allow a higher elasticity in the central sections of the truss. The transport lock according to the invention has made use of this knowledge in that correspondingly different torque profiles are realized in the crossbeams. For this purpose, the central area was weakened, since only small moments occur in the case of the same directional force application. Larger moments occurring only act from the fixing points in the direction of the ends of the traverse. Here, the trusses are very stiff. In the case of opposing force application, this weakening results in a reduced stiffness, but since the moment occurring in the central area is rather small due to the limitation of the forces introduced, the crossbeam still acts as stiff until this limit is reached. After exceeding this limit, however, it should buckle as required so that transport treatments with excessive impact forces are immediately recognizable from the outside.

The traverse shown in Fig. 2 is completely contrary to the example shown in Fig. 1 just held and in their end portions 3 with holes 11 for screwing the outer edges of the washing machine housing (screws 4). The Screw holes 12 for the screws 5 correspond to the fixing points on the tub. The bevels 13 are held high in the end sections 3 and decrease rapidly in height from the screw holes 12 towards the center, so that the central section 10 is relatively soft almost over its entire length is. The permissible lateral horizontal joints must therefore not exert large forces on the Exercise articulation points, otherwise the would protect the tub Bend the crossbar in the central area 10.

The cross member 2 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is again as shown in FIG. 1 with bends in the end sections 3 provided. Here the distance to the rear wall 1 must be in the central section 10 are bridged by spacer sleeves (not shown). In the end sections 3, the traverse has a relatively high bend 13, which is in the central section 10 from the screw holes 12 towards the center continuously except for one Remaining height becomes lower. This residual height determines the softness of the central section 10 and thus the moment of force at which the traverse 2 starting from lateral horizontal joints buckled. Any other possible force holds it stood and thus protects the tub on the one hand from excessive deflections and on the other hand, before overload breaks due to over the set points initiated forces. This crossbar is against forces applied in the same direction very stable because the end sections 3 additionally with flat embossings 14 between the folds 13 are provided.

Claims (4)

1. Washing machine with a housing (rear wall 1) and a washing solution container system which is installed to be oscillating and which for the purpose of security during transport is detachably fixed at the factory to the housing by means of a kit, wherein at least one cross member (2), which belongs to the kit, is fastened by its ends (cranked portions 3) externally to the housing, has two fixing points (screws 5), which are disposed between the fastenings (screws 4) at the housing (rear wall 1), for the washing solution container system and has to be removed for detaching the transport security, characterised in that the cross member (2) is constructed to be less stiff between the fixing points (section 10) than in the sections (9) between the ends (cranked portions 9) and the fixing points (screws 5).
2. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the cross member (2) is punched out of sheet metal strip with parallel edges and is stiffened by flanging the side edges.
3. Washing machine according to claim 2, characterised in that the sheet metal strip has parallel side edges and the reduced stiffness between the fixing points (screws 5) is produced by a widened base of the cross-section of the cross-member (2) with reduced height of the flanges (13).
4. Washing machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the height of the flanges (13) decreases uniformly from the fixing points (screws 5) to the centre of the central section (10).

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