A container with a magnetic edge capable of adhering to the panels of an electrical household appliance in order to catch the water that runs out during maintenance

Abstract

 A container (1) capable of adhering to the panels of an electrical household appliance to catch the water that runs out during maintenance operations has a flat side (2) to which is fitted a magnetic rubber seal (3) or the like. The magnetic seal (3) has a sloping plane (7) to make the drops run into the container (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a container to catch the water that runs out during inspection of a washing machine filter or when defrosting a refrigerator, for example.

[0002] When a washing machine filter is removed for cleaning, water leaks out and runs down the panel onto the floor. The same thing happens when cleaning a refrigerator or a cabinet freezer. A normal container cannot catch the water running down the panel because the containers normally used are too deep and because they do not adhere closely enough to the panel.

[0003] The aim of the invention is to provide a container capable of collecting liquid running down any sort of wall of material similar to that of a washing machine panel.

[0004] The above aim has been achieved with a container having a flat side to which is fitted a magnetic rubber seal (of the type used for refrigerators), or the like.

[0005] The magnetic seal is preferably shaped so as to have a chute at the top to convey the water inside the container. Alternatively it could be the flat side of the container that has a sloping plane to make the drops run into the container.

[0006] When the container according to the invention is fixed to a washing machine panel, underneath the filter, the water coming out of said filter runs from the panel to the chute of the seal and thus into the container, where it collects without spilling onto the floor.

[0007] The seal preferably has stop tabs at the sides or, alternatively, the upper fixing edge can have a concave or downward sloping profile, to prevent the water from running down the sides of the seal.

[0008] The seal preferably has lightening channels inside it to make it softer.

[0009] The container according to the invention preferably has a spout, so that it is easy to empty.

[0010] The container according to the invention can also be used in a refrigerator during defrosting, or in any other similar case. A suitably sized container, for example, can be placed underneath the door of a washing machine to catch drops of water when the washing is taken out.

[0011] An example of a container according to the invention is illus­trated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a container during use;

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the container in fig. 1.

[0012] The attached drawings show a container 1, with a substantially semi-circular base, having a flat side 2 equipped with a rubber seal 3 that houses a magnet 4. The seal 3 has a sloping plane 7, inner lightening channels 8 and stop tabs 10 set at the side edges. In the part opposite the flat side 2, the container 1 has a spout 9.

[0013] The container 1 can be fixed (as shown in the figures) to a washing machine panel 5, to which it adheres by means of the magnet 4, beneath the filter 6 to catch the water that runs out during inspection of said filter 6. The water runs from the panel 5 to the sloping plane 7 of the seal and reaches the inside of the container 1. The lightening channels 8 make the seal 3 softer and enable it to adapt to any uneveness in the surface of the panel 5, while the tabs 10 prevent the water from running sideways along the edge of the seal 3.

[0014] The spout 9, lastly, serves to make the container easy to empty.

[0015] The container, which in the example illustrated has a semi-circu­lar base, can be made in any shape (for example prismatic with a rectangular or square base etc.) and in any size.

Claims

1. A container capable of adhering to the panels of an electrical household appliance to catch the water that runs out for instance during inspection of the filter, characterized in that it has a flat side (2) to which a magnetic rubber seal (3) or such like is fitted.

2. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic seal (3) has a sloping plane (7) to make the drops run inside the container (1).

3. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge of the flat side (2) of the container (1) has a sloping plane to make the drops run inside the container.

4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal has stop tabs (10) at the sides.

5. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper fixing edge of the seal has a concave or downward sloping profile.

6. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a spout (9) to aid emptying of the container (1).

7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a substantially semi-circular base.

8. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal (3) has lightening channels (8) inside it.

Drawing