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(11) | EP 0 400 466 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Cabinet for household appliance, particularly for washing machine |
| (57) The present invention refers to a cabinet for a household appliance, particularly
for a washing machine, comprising a main part (1) and a basement (2); the main feature
of the cabinet in that its main part is aesthetically finished on the four sides and
that the basement has a structure which allows to get out at least one of the pipes
(9,10) for the supply and the drain of the washing liquids in a position preferably
approached to a wall of the room where the household appliance is located, whichever
is the cabinet side approached to the wall in the use of the household appliance.
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[0001] The present invention refers to a cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, comprising a main part and a basement.
[0002] Known household appliances, particularly washing machines, have an usually box-shaped cabinet, made out of enamelled metal sheet; for instance it may be obtained bending the sheet like an U, so to realize three vertical walls (one at the front and two on the sides); the rear wall may be made out of metal sheet too, or out of a different material, and fastened later to the other walls by means of screws; the cabinet has also a top platform, usable as a table,which, in the case of top loading washing machines, opens as a lid in order to allow the access to the inside of the machine.
[0003] The designer of household appliance cabinets, particularly for washing machines, has many problems to face, in order to conciliate functional and aestethical needs as well as the manufacturing cost, which of course shall be the lowest possible.
[0004] Among functional problems there is the necessity to allow the appliance to be installed in different positions, still allowing to get out supply and drain pipes at the most convenient side, which may change from case to case, due to different environment particularities; in any case the rear side of the machine must leave a gap towards the room wall in order to allow the pipes to pass.
[0005] Among aestethical problems there is the necessity to match the heights of the machine and adjoining cabinets (or other appliances), as well as the heights of relevant basements, and the problem to avoid assembly screws to be seen.
[0006] Among cost problems there is the necessity to reduce the cost of tools, sharing it on the highest possible number of pieces; and to reduce the storage cost of the components to be assembled later.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to indicate a cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, which permits to optimize the above said often conflicting necessities, functional, aestethical, and of cost.
[0008] To obtain the said object, the subject of present invention is a cabinet for a household appliancexs, particularly for a washing machines, comprising a main part and a basement, characterized in that its main part is aesthetically finished on the four sides and that the basement has a structure which allows to get out at least one of the pipes for the supply and the drain of the washing liquids in a position preferably approached to a wall of the room where the household appliance is located, whichever is the cabinet side approached to the wall in the use of the household appliance.
[0009] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the detailed description which follows and from the attached drawings, which are supplied only as an explanatory and not limiting example, wherein:
- figure 1 shows a view of the washing machine comprising the cabinet according to the invention;
- figure 2 shows a top view of four possible arrangements for a cabinet according to the invention;
- figure 3 shows a view of the opening/closing system of the lid according to the invention;
- figure 4 shows a section of the hooking system for the closure of the lid;
- figure 5 shows a section of a first embodiment of the control panel of the household appliance according to the invention;
- figure 6 shows three different views of a second embodiment of the control panel of the washing machine according to the invention;
- figure 7 shows a top view of the exits of the supply and drain pipes and the electric supply cable according to the invention;
- figure 8 shows a section of an arrangement of the supply and drain pipes and the electric supply cable according to the invention;
- figure 9 shows a variant of the invention where the basement of a cabinet is visible in plan;
- figure 10 shows a plan of a second possible embodiment of the basement of a cabinet, according to a variant of the invention.
[0010] In figure 1, which shows a view of a washing machine comprising the cabinet according to the invention, reference number 1 indicates the main part of the cabinet, while reference number 2 indicates the basement.
[0011] Cabinet 1 is made out of enamelled or pre-enamelled metal sheet and is aesthetically finished on the four sides.
[0012] Cabinet 1 is obtained for example by assembling two identical L shaped elements of enamelled metal sheet, without the use of visible screws, as described in the italian patent application no. 67040-A/89 filed by the same applicant.
[0013] On the other hand, basement 2 can be made out of plastic material, and the main part 1 of the cabinet is screewed to it. Basement 2 has also the function to support some mechanical devices of the machine. Basement 2 is recessed in respect of the main part 1 at least along the shorter sides of the parallelipiped which forms the plan of the cabinet, so to allow the passage of the pipes to be connected to the machine, which get out for example through an aperture 6 or 7.
[0014] The upper part of the cabinet 1 comprise three elements: a panel 3 including the household controls, a squared lid 4 for the access to the inside of the machine, particularly for a top loading washing machine, for the load of the laundry to be washed, and a dispenser 5 for the detergent, provided with a small lid.
[0015] Basement 2, on the other hand, provides a couple of opposite apertures 6 and 7 for the exits of the electric supply cable 8 and the supply and drain pipes 9 and 10; the one of such exits which is not utilized during the practical use of the machine is closed by a cover, as in the described case of the aperture 6. Such apertures 6 and 7 are obtained in the shorter sides of the basement 2, near to two consecutive corners, so that an axis passing through them is parallel to the longest side of the basement 2.
[0016] Basement 2 also presents an aperture 11 in the longest side closer to the apertures 6 and 7, which can be closed by a snap-in-cover lid 12. Such aperture 11 is used during the installation of the machine to operate the connexion of the supply and drain pipes respectively to the input electric valve and to the drain pump which are located inside the basement 2.
[0017] Figure 2 shows four possible arrangements of the household appliance, which can be realized according to the principles inherent to the present invention.
[0018] Arrangements 13 and 16 provide two sides in contact with the wall 17, while a side only is involved in the arrangements 14 and 15. As shown in the cases 13 and 14, exits 7 will be used for pipes 9, 10 and cable 8, which could slide in the gap between wall 17 and basement 2, while the aperture 6 will be closed with an appropriate cover for aesthetical reasons. In the arrangements 15 and 16, on the contrary, it can be indifferently used one of the two apertures while the other one will be closed with the cover; in any case, for aesthetical reasons, in case 16 it is more convenient the use of exit 7, while exit 6 can be used only if the same is covered for instance by a piece of furniture, in order to avoid the pipes and cables which exit from the front of the machine to be seen.
[0019] Great importance, according to the invention, has the lid 4, which, as shown in figure 3, can be open in two different manners. In case 18 lid 4 rotates, by means of hinges 20, along the shortest side of the machine, while in case 19 it rotates along the longest one, always by means of hinges 21.
[0020] In case 19 the rotation axis is always towards the longest side of the machine where there is also obtained the aperture 11.
[0021] Figures 1 and 2 have described a machine having a determined arrangement of the exits of pipes 9 and 10 and cable 8 and, in the specific case of figure 2, it can be noticed that for the arrangements 15 and 16 the user of the household appliance will have, to open the lid 4, on its left the control panel 3 and on its right the dispenser 5. This explicative description, nevertheless, does not exlude the possibility to realize the household appliance in a specular way in respect of the one since here described; this fact is visible in figure 3, case 19, where the user will have on its left the dispenser 5 and on its right the control panel 3; the supply and drain pipes 9 and 10 and the cable 8 will be of course always positioned on the rear.
[0022] With reference number 22 there is shown in figure 4 the hooking system for the lid closure, of which figure 4 is a particular view, in cross section.
[0023] With 24, positioned underneath the door 4 along one of its edges, it is shown a male element, corresponding to the elements indicated with 23 and 40 in figure 3, which is inserted in the hollow 25 of a sleeve 38 fixed to cabinet 1; said element 24 hooking to the cabinet by means of a spring 26 in an appropriate recess 27.
[0024] The just described use of lid 4, i.e. double aperture possibility, instance using springs, elastic wings, knobs, screws and hacks, which pivot said panel 3 in clamping points 43 which can be set according the user wishes on one or the other long side of the dishwashing machine.
[0025] On the other hand from figure 6 it can be noticed a different embodiment of the control panel; in this case there is realized a panel 3 divided in three parts indicated in figure with reference numbers 45, 46 and 47.
[0026] The main characteristic is that their shape always allows the user to have an easy view of all controls. To allow so, every elements is inclined in the direction of the user and can be rotated of 90° to better position it depending on the arrangement of the washing machine.
[0027] By figure 6 it can be noticed that reference 48 indicates an elevation view, from the short rear side of the control panel, which shows the two possible arrangements 49 and 50 of the elements 45, 46 and 47, indicating respectively that said elements are inclined towards the long side, the right one in this case, and inclined towards the lid 4 (in this case there are also shown the rear zones of the elements).
[0028] Reference 51 shows the washing machine with a top view of the controls where it can be noticed that in this way the elements 45, 46 and 47 of the control panel 3 are positioned as indicated with the above said reference number 50 and the elements have the function tb contain respectively the control keys and the relevant warning lights 52, the thermostat and/or other operating devices, for instance for the drying of the laundry and the programmer of the washing cycle (timer) 54.
[0029] Reference 55 indicates a particular of the washing programmer (timer) 54, which has a selection knob 56, a series of wirings 57 to the control box 58. From such particular 55 it can be noticed how it is possible to rotate each element of the control panel 3. In fact even being each element, in section, preferably square shaped, it can rotate, after that it has been a little raised (see arrow) on a cylindric base. This operation grants by means of a clamping, by release for instance, to position the elements 45,46 and 47 one independently from the other and allows timer wires 57 to tolerate without any drawback the rotation of element 57.
[0030] With reference to figure 7 there is visible the system for the exit of the load and drain pipes 9 and 10 respectively connected to an electric valve 33 and to a drain pump 34. The connexion of the pipes has a great importance as only when the household appliance is installed there is the possibility to know if said pipes 9 and 10 have to get out through the aperture 6 o through the aperture 7; for this reason the aperture 11 is obtained in the basement 2, which allow in this way the installer to realize the desired connexions with the simple removal of the small cover 12.
[0031] Figure 8 shows in view and in section the already indicated elements of figure 7, where there is shown that the electric valve 33 and the drain pump 34 are arranged one underneath the other. In this last figure there are also shown a foot 35 and the electric supply cable 8 with small teeth 39 obtained in the cabinet to keep it clear from the floor.
[0032] The characteristics of the described system are clear from the given description and from the attached drawings.
[0034] Particularly they are represented by:
- possibility to install and/or orient the machine in different ways, mantaining an agreeable aesthetic appearance;
- connexion flexibility to the existing piping for the supplying and the draining of the water;
- easy use of panel controls, by means of the inclination of the whole panel, in a sole piece or separate parts;
- easy access to the inside of the machine cabinet, for the laundry loading and unloading operations, whatever is the position of the machine.
[0035] It is clear that many variations to the cabinet described as an example are possible for the man skilled in the art, without departing from the novelty principles inherent to the invention.
[0036] It is possible to realize a washing machine with a basement provided with several exits disposed on more sides, so to use the more convenient exit close to the electric and hydraulic connexions which get out from the wall of the room; or having two exits arranged on the same side of the basement, or four, two on a side and two on the opposite one.
[0037] It is possible to realize a basement which provides, besides the recesses on the short side, also recesses on the long side, or which has a groove on said longer sides, which is obtained on the same basement or inside it, so to allow the electric cable and/or the pipes to slide in it.
[0038] As variant there is also the possibility to realize a basement 2 with a 45° chamfered corner, indicated with 36 in figure 9, from which the supply and drain pipes and the electric supply cable (indicated for simplicity with number 37) get out through appropriate holes; such particular 36 allows the pipes and the cable 37 to be easily directed towards left or towards right, as indicated by the arrows, so to use the two sides adjacent to the chamfered corner 36 to cover said pipes and cable against a wall of the room, also in force of the presence of the cited recess, indicated with reference number 44, on the longer side.
[0039] Further possible variant to the invention is those illustrated in figure 10, which represents a plan of the basement of a cabinet according to the invention, in an embodiment different from the one of figure 9; as shown, obtaining four equal chamfers on the basement 2, one on each corner of the basement 2, it is possible to obtain the best flexibility of installation; each chamfer has in fact a series of holes for said piping, normally closed, but one, with removable plugs.
1. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, comprising
a main part and a basement, characterized in that its main part (1) is aesthetically
finished on the four sides and that the basement (2) has a structure which allows
to get out at least one of the pipes for the supply and the drain of the washing liquids
in a position preferably approached to a wall of the room where the household appliance
is located, whichever is the cabinet side approached to the wall in the use of the
household appliance.
2. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 1, characterized in that said basement (2) is recessed at least on two opposite
sides in respect of the size of the sides of the cabinet and has on said opposite
sides (6,7) holes for the exit of said pipes (9,10) and/or electric supply cable (8)
of the household appliance.
3. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 2, characterized in that on at least one of the not recessed basement (2)
sides there is obtained outside the basement a seat, especially a groove, for the
sliding of pipes (9,10) and/or electric supply cable of the household appliance.
4. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 2, characterized in that on at least one of the not recessed basement (2)
sides there is obtained outside the basement a seat, especially a groove, for the
sliding of pipes (9,10) and/or electric supply cable of the household appliance.
5. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 2, characterized in that said opposite holes (6,7) can be either at a first
end of the side or at the opposite end.
6. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 2, characterized in that the plan of said cabinet is parallelipid shaped
and that said recessed sides of the basement (2) are the shorter ones and that said
holes (6,7) are near to two consecutive corners.
7. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 6, characterized in that depending on the arrangement of the machine close
to the wall, one of the two holes (6,7) is used for the exit of cable (8) and pipes
(9,10), while the other one is closed with a cover.
8. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 7, characterized in that on the longest side of basement (2) closer to holes
(6,7) there is an aperture (11) which can be closed with a small cover (12) to allow
the connexion of pipes (9,10) and cable (8), respectively to a supply electric valve
(33), to a drain pump (34) and to electric supply means.
9. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 1, characterized in that said basement (2) have chamfers of 45° on at least
one (36) of the four corners.
10. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 9, characterized in that on said chamfer (36) there are the holes for the
entry and exit piping of the washing liquids and/or the electric supply cable (37).
11. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 9, characterized in that, in case of two or more chamfers, each of them has
some holes for the entry and exit piping of the washing liquids and/or the electric
supply cable, and that one of them is used for said purposes while the other one or
the other ones are closed with removable covers.
12. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the household appliance can
be positioned in contact with one or more walls (17), using like rear side one of
the short sides or one of the long sides of the cabinet and that there are provided
means in the basement of the cabinet which allow cable (8) and/or pipes (9,10) for
the washing liquids to be always in its rear zone.
13. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 12, characterized in that the lid (4) for the access to the inside of the
machine can be opened in two different manners: by rotating it by means of hinges
(20) along the shortest side (18) of the machine or by rotating it by means of hinges
(21) along the longest side (19) of the machine.
14. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 13, characterized in that the lid (4) for the access to the inside of the
machine, in order to be opened in the two said manners (18,19) has to be unhooked
from hinges and rotated of 90° to be then rearranged into different hinges.
15. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 13, characterized in that the lid (4) for the access to the inside of the
machine has a substantially squared shape.
16. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 13, characterized in that the lid (4) for the access to the inside of the
machine has a rectangular shape and has also the function of lid of the dispenser
(5).
17. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that said lid (4) has a closure system (22,23)
at least provided of a male element (24) which is inserted in a hollow (25) of a sleeve
(38) fixed to the cabinet (1) and which engages with a spring (26) in a recess (27).
18. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 1, comprising a control panel which is on the upper face of the household
appliance, characterized in that the control panel (3) can be moved from a horizontal
position (28) to an inclined position (29), so to be better visible by the user depending
on the arrangement of the household appliance in respect of the walls of the room
where it is located.
19. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 18, characterized in that the control panel (3) has clamping means (43) to
secure it in the horizontal or inclined position.
20. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 18, characterized in that the control panel is realized with separate or
separable elements.
21. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 20, characterized in that the separate elements of the control panel (3)
are preferably three (45,46,47), and contain the control keys and the relevant warning
lights (52), the thermostat and/or other control devices (53) and the electric programmer
(timer) (54).
22. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 20, characterized in that the separate elements of the control panel (45,46,47)
can be independently inclined towards the most convenient side for the user.
23. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 20, characterized in that the separate elements (45,46,47) can rotate of
90° independently.
24. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric supply cable (8)
is supported by teeth (39) obtained in the cabinet of the household appliance.
25. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 8, characterized in that said connexions of pipes (9,10) are respectively
made to an electric valve (33) and to a drain pump (34).
26. Cabinet for a household appliance, particularly for a washing machine, according
to claim 25, characterized in that the electric valve (33) and the pump (34) can be
indifferently positioned side by side or one underneath the other.