EP2596161B1 - Water-bearing household appliance having a storage container in the upper area - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a water-conducting household appliance, in particular laundry treatment appliance for washing and / or drying laundry, with a housing, a housed in the housing treatment area and at least one container which serves to receive at least one treatment agent, wherein the container at least partially in a in the Enclosed space is arranged, which is provided between the treatment area, and an upper surface of the housing. Specifically, the invention relates to the field of washing machines and washer-dryers.

A household appliance of this kind is apparent from the WO 2010/0700024 A1 , In this household appliance, a storage chamber is provided, in which detergent for a variety of treatment operations held and, if necessary, can be delivered by means of a pump.

From the WO 2003/027377 A1 is a Vorratsdosiergerät for storing and dosing of liquid detergents in household appliances show that can be used instead of a conventional and manually provided with detergent dispenser in a household appliance.

From the EP 1 884 584 A2 a washing machine is known in which a plurality of containers filled with laundry treatment agents are provided. The amount of laundry treatment agent is sufficient for several washing cycles. The containers are arranged on a movable support, wherein the containers are accessible in an extended position and in a retracted position are not accessible. The movable support is designed in the form of a drawer on the underside of the housing of the washing machine.

The from the EP 1 884 584 A2 known washing machine has the disadvantage that the height of the washing machine is considerably increased by the space required for the container.

An object of the invention is to provide a water-conducting household appliance, which has an improved structure. Specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a water-conducting household appliance, in which the dimensions are optimized with respect to a predetermined size of the treatment area and at the same time a high functionality is ensured.

The object is achieved by a water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular laundry treatment appliance for washing and / or drying laundry, in which household appliance a housing, a treatment area accommodated in the housing and at least one container, which serves to receive at least one treatment agent, are provided the container is at least partially disposed in a space provided in the housing, which is provided between the treatment area and an upper surface of the housing, in which household appliance additionally at least one main container is provided, which serves to receive at least one treatment agent and contains an extendable dispenser bowl, also the container is connected to the main container, and in addition the container has at least one filling opening, which is accessible from the top of the housing.

The measures listed in the dependent claims advantageous refinements of the inventive water-conducting household appliance are possible.

According to the invention, at least one main container is provided, which serves to receive at least one treatment agent and contains an induction bowl, and the container is connected to the main container. In this case, the container can serve, for example, as a reserve container, so that an additional volume to the volume of the main container for receiving one or more treatment agents is available.

According to the invention, the container has a filling opening, which is accessible from an upper side of the housing. This can be filled via the container and the main container. As a result, a comfortable use for an operator is possible.

Advantageously, the intermediate space is limited by a cover plate of the housing. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the intermediate space is bounded by a container which surrounds the treatment area and / or a mass element arranged on the container. In this way, the container can be arranged in a remaining gap between the cover plate and the treatment area or arranged on the treatment area mass elements. As a result, the remaining space in the housing can be advantageously used. In this case, the design of the container can be adapted to the remaining gap.

In this case, it is also advantageous that the connection of the container with the main container has a submersible pump. This can be done from a lowest point of the container from a promotion in the main container.

It is also advantageous that an at least partially transparent ausgestaltetes, connected to the container riser is provided, which is at least partially visible from a front of the housing. As a result, the instantaneous fill level of the container, in particular of a reserve container, can be easily monitored. In operation, for example, first the main container can be emptied and then take a removal of the treatment agent from serving as a reserve container container. For the user, it is thus easily apparent when a refill for the reserve tank and thus possibly also the main tank is necessary.

It is also advantageous that a thermal insulation means is provided between the container and the treatment area. In this way, it is possible to prevent or at least reduce a heating of the container, and thus of the treatment agent stored in the container, starting from the treatment area. Especially with a laundry treatment agent that is a fabric softener, it can prevent clogging by increasing the viscosity.

It is also advantageous that the container has stiffening ribs which are at least substantially honeycomb-shaped. Here, it is also advantageous that at least a part of the stiffening ribs is arranged on a bottom side of the container and has recesses in the region of nodes. By the honeycomb-shaped configuration, an advantageous liquid transport is made possible in the container, wherein the extent of wetting of the stiffening ribs is reduced by a treatment agent. The recesses in the region of the nodal points enable a reliable transfer of the laundry agent to a lowest point of the container.

Depending on the configuration of the water-conducting household appliance, the container may have one or more chambers. Depending on the application, the inclusion of several different treatment agents is thereby possible. Accordingly, a possibly provided main container can be divided into different chambers.

Fig. 1

ein wasserführendes Haushaltsgerät in einer auszugsweisen, schematischen Schnittdarstellung entsprechend einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;

Fig. 2

das in Fig. 1 dargestellte wasserführende Haushaltsgerät in einer auszugsweisen Schnittdarstellung entlang der mit II bezeichneten Schnittlinie und

Fig. 3

einen auszugsweisen, schematischen Schnitt durch das in Fig. 1 dargestellte wasserführende Haushaltsgerät entlang der mit III bezeichneten Schnittlinie.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding elements are provided with corresponding reference numerals. It shows:

Fig. 1

a water-conducting household appliance in a partial, schematic sectional view according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2

this in Fig. 1 illustrated water-conducting household appliance in an excerpted sectional view along the section line designated II and

Fig. 3

a partial, schematic section through the in Fig. 1 shown water-conducting household appliance along the designated III cutting line.

Fig. 1 shows a water-conducting household appliance 1 in a partial, schematic sectional view according to a first embodiment of the invention. The water-conducting domestic appliance 1 can in particular be configured as a laundry treatment appliance and serve for washing and / or drying laundry. Specifically, the water-conducting household appliance 1 can be configured as a washing machine or washer-dryer. However, the water-conducting domestic appliance 1 of the invention is also suitable for other applications.

The water-conducting household appliance 1 has a housing 2, which may be configured in several parts. In this embodiment, the housing 2 has a cover plate 3 which extends at least approximately from a left side wall 4 to a right side wall 5 of the housing 2. The cover plate 3 has an underside 6. In the housing 2, a treatment area 7 is provided, which is limited in this embodiment by a tub 8. The tub 8 in this case has an at least approximately cylindrical jacket-shaped outer side 9. Between the treatment area 7 and a top 10 of the housing 2, a gap 11 is formed. The top 10 is formed in this case by the top of the cover plate 3. In this embodiment, the intermediate space 11 is bounded on the one hand by the underside 6 of the cover plate 3 and on the other hand by the tub 8, which surrounds the treatment area 7, and a mass element 12 arranged on the tub 8. The intermediate space 11 is part of an interior of the housing 2. In the intermediate space 11, a container 14 is arranged.

The container 14 has a relatively flat part 15 and a cup-shaped part 16. The relative flat part 15 in this case has an inclined bottom 17. In addition, the container 14 has at its relative flat portion 15 a filling opening 18 which is accessible from the top 10 of the cover plate 3 by a provided in the cover plate 3, adapted to the filling opening 18 recess 19. Via the filling opening 18, a laundry treatment agent can be filled into the container 14. Due to the inclined configuration of the bottom 17, the laundry treatment agent introduced via the filling opening 18 initially flows into the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14. The inclined bottom 17 has a rounded raised filling section 20 in the region of the filling opening 18 in order to ensure a smooth, injection-free inflow of the laundry treatment agent to ensure. The filling opening 18 can in this Embodiment with a screw-lid 21, which has a ventilation opening 22, are closed. In this embodiment, the filling opening 18 is located in a right, front corner of the cover plate 3. The cover 3 may serve as a storage tray 3 here.

In the interior 13 of the housing 2, a metal plate 23 is arranged, which is connected to the housing 2. The metal plate 23 supports the container 14, wherein the metal plate 23 has a recess 24 through which the cup-shaped part 16 is passed. Between the metal plate 23 and the bottom 17 of the relatively flat part 15 of the container 14, a thermal insulation means 25 is provided. Furthermore, the cup-shaped part 16 is surrounded by a thermal insulation means 26. The thermal insulation means 25, 26 may for example be formed from foams. By the insulating means 25, 26 of the container 14 and thus an optionally provided in the container 14 laundry treatment agent is protected against a occurring in the treatment area 7 high temperature. As a result, heat transfer to a liquid laundry treatment agent is prevented or at least reduced. In particular, this can prevent an excessive increase in the viscosity of a laundry treatment agent stored in the container 4 for some time, in particular clumping. The container 14 may be configured as a plastic container 14.

The container 14 has a plurality of stiffening ribs 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, wherein in the Fig. 1 For simplicity of illustration only the stiffening ribs 27 to 32 are shown. Here, the stiffening ribs 31, 32 extend from the bottom 17 of the container 14 to the metal plate 23. The thermal insulation means 25 is in this case between the stiffening ribs 31, 32 are arranged. The stiffening ribs 28, 29, 30 have on a bottom side 40 of the container 14 in the region of junctions recesses 41, 42, 43. Through the recesses 41, 42, 43, a filled over the filling opening 18 laundry treatment agent can be distributed in the container 14. By stiffening ribs 27 to 32 and the metal plate 23 a stiffening of the container 14 is ensured. The metal plate 23 may be configured in this case according to a VDE cover.

In the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14, a submersible pump 44 is arranged, which sucks in the laundry treatment agent from a lowest point of the container 14 and promotes via a connecting pipe 45. The submersible pump 44 is from below tight in the cup-shaped part 16 used. The configuration of the water-conducting household appliance 1 of the embodiment is described below with reference to the Fig. 2 explained in further detail.

Fig. 2 shows an excerpt, schematic section through the in Fig. 1 shown water-conducting household appliance 1 along the section line designated II. The housing 2 has a rear side 50 and a front side 51. The treatment area 7, which is enclosed by the tub 8, extends from the front side 41 to close to the rear side 50. Furthermore, a bearing 52 is provided, on which, for example, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub 8 is mounted.

In the interior 13 of the housing 2, a main container 53 is arranged. The main tank 53 is connected to the tank 14 via the connection pipe 45 and the submersible pump 44.

The main container 53 has an upper part 54. In the upper part 54, a breakthrough 55 is provided, can be performed on the laundry treatment agent from the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14 via the connecting pipe 45 in the main container 53.

The main container 53 may receive a dispensing system with one or more dispensing chambers. In this case, a chamber of the main container 53 for the flushing of detergent into the tub 8 of water to be flowed through, while laundry treatment agent is conveyed via the connecting pipe 45 from the submersible pump 44 into the main tank 53.

However, the main container 53 may also serve for storing a larger amount of one or more laundry treating agents to allow additional storage volume adjacent to the container 14. Further, it is possible for the main tank 53 to have relatively small chambers which are individually filled with laundry treating agents prior to a respective washing cycle, while in the container 14 a larger amount of a mainly used laundry treating agent is stored.

The container 14 is preferably adapted to the structural conditions in the interior 13 of the housing 2. Here, a remaining gap 11 in an advantageous manner Storage volume can be used, which is optionally provided in addition to a main storage volume. For example, a valve unit 56 may be provided in the inner space 13, wherein the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14 between the valve unit 56 and the main container 53 exploits. The main container 53 accommodates an extendable dispenser tray which a user can pull out to fill with laundry treating agents.

On the container 14, a transparent ausgestaltetes riser 57 is provided, which is visible from the front 51 of the housing 2. Depending on the configuration of the water-conducting household appliance 1, the riser 57 may also be visible from another outside, in particular from the left side wall 4 or the right side wall 5. About the riser 57, the current fluid level in the container 14 can be detected and controlled. As a result, overfilling can be avoided and the achievement of a reserve level can be detected. In this embodiment, the reserve level is reached when the relatively flat part 15 of the container 14 emptied and only the volume of the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14 is filled. In this way, a user is signaled that a refilling of the container 14 is required.

In the region of the riser 57, the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14 may have a depression 58, which is connected via a channel at the same level with the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14. In the region of the depression 58, for example, no thermal insulation or only a reduced thermal insulation can be provided.

The submersible pump 44 and possibly other electrical components can be connected via a plug-in coupling with a controller of the water-conducting household appliance 1. As a result, a simple installation is guaranteed.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic, excerpted section through the in Fig. 1 illustrated water-conducting domestic appliance 1 of the embodiment along the designated III cutting line. Here, stiffening ribs 33, 34, 35, 36 are shown, between which a node 60 is provided. At the junction 60, the stiffening ribs 33 to 36 have a common recess 61. The recess 61 is provided in the region of the bottom side 40 and designed, for example, cylindrical. Via the recess 61, the liquid laundry treatment agent can flow in a direction 62 through the honeycomb-shaped stiffening ribs 27 to 30, 33 to 36. The direction 62 is oriented in this embodiment of the right side wall 5 of the housing 2 to the left side wall 4 of the housing 2.

The stiffening ribs 27 to 30, 33 to 36 are honeycomb-shaped, so that a drainage of the laundry treatment agent from the stiffening ribs 27 to 30, 33 to 36 favors and wetting is reduced. Depending on the configuration of the water-conducting household appliance 1, the container 14 can be flushed through, for example, for cleaning. There are several possibilities for this.

A first possibility is that the container 14 is filled with water and a washing program of the water-conducting household appliance 1 is started. In this case, rinse water can be promoted by the submersible pump 44 in the main tank 53. From the treatment area 7, the used rinse water can then be pumped out. For this purpose, the submersible pump 44 may have a motor with two speed levels.

A second possibility is that the cup-shaped part 16 of the container 14 is provided with an outlet. Such an outlet can be realized, for example, by a nozzle provided at a lower point of the cup-shaped part 16, onto which a hose is plugged, which is guided behind a maintenance flap or the like and closed with a plug. As a result, then flushed into the container 14 rinse water can flow.

Depending on the configuration of the water-conducting domestic appliance 1 and in particular of the intermediate space 11, a more or less large volume for storing laundry treatment agents may be available. With a relatively large interspace 11, a large storage volume can be realized in which, for example, 4.5 l and a reserve volume in the cup-shaped part 16 of 0.25 l are available. Especially in such a case, the container 14 may optionally have a plurality of chambers. If appropriate, further submersible pumps 44 and connecting tubes 45 can also be provided for this purpose. For example, two chambers may be provided to store a heavy duty detergent and a colored laundry detergent.

In one embodiment of the water-conducting household appliance 1, wherein the Interspace 11 is relatively small, an additional volume can be created via the container 14, for example, adds a storage volume of a designed as a memory main container 53. Depending on the design and application but other uses are conceivable.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Water-conducting household appliance

2

casing

3

cover

4

left side wall

5

right side wall

6

bottom

7

treatment area

8th

tub

9

outside

10

top

11

gap

12

mass element

13

inner space

14

container

15

relatively shallow part

16

cup-shaped part

17

inclined ground

18

fill opening

19

recess

20

reservoir section

21

cover

22

ventilation opening

23

sheet metal plate

24

recess

25, 26

thermal insulating agent

27-36

stiffening rib

40

bottom side

41-43

recess

44

submersible pump

45

connecting pipe

50

back

51

front

52

camp

53

main tank

54

top

55

breakthrough

56

valve unit

57

riser

58

lowering

60

junction

61

recess

62

direction

Claims (9)

1. Water-bearing household appliance (1), especially laundry treatment appliance for washing and/or drying laundry, with a housing (2), a treatment area (7) accommodated in the housing (2) and at least one container (14), which serves to receive at least one treatment means, wherein the container (14) is disposed at least partly in an intermediate space (11) provided in the housing (2), which is provided between the treatment area (7) and an upper side (10) of the housing (2), characterised in that at least one main container (53) is provided, which serves to receive at least one treatment means and contains a pull-out rinsing drawer, that the container (14) is connected to the main container (53) and that the container (14) has at least one filling opening (18) which is accessible from the upper side (10) of the housing (2).
2. Water-bearing household appliance according to claim 1,
   characterised in that,
   the intermediate space (11) is delimited by a cover plate (3) of the housing (2) and/or that the intermediate space (11) is delimited by a container (8) which surrounds the treatment area (7) and/or a mass element (12) disposed on the container (8).
3. Water-bearing household appliance according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that
   the connection of the container (14) to the main container (53) has a submersible pump (44)
4. Water-bearing household appliance according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   at least one thermal insulation means (25, 26) is provided between the container (14) and the treatment area (7).
5. Water-bearing household appliance according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the container (14) has stiffening ribs (27 - 36) which are embodied in a honeycomb shape.
6. Water-bearing household appliance according to claim 5,
   characterised in that
   at least a part of the stiffening ribs is disposed on the floor side (40) of the container (14) and has recesses (41, 42, 43, 60) in the area of node points (60).
7. Water-bearing household appliance according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the container (14) is supported at least partly by a metal plate (23).
8. Water-bearing household appliance according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   a riser pipe (57), connected to the container (14), embodied at least partly transparent, is provided, that at least in sections is visible from an outer side (4, 5, 51) of the housing (2).
9. Water-bearing household appliance according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the container (14) has a first chamber, which serves to receive a first treatment means and at least one second chamber, which serves to receive a second treatment means.

Images