Household device with a casing made from prefabricated sheet metal wall panels, in particular a washing machine or dishwasher

Description

[0001] The invention refers to a household device with a casing made from pre-fabricated sheet metal wall panels, in particular a washing machine or dishwasher where the pre-fabricated sheet metal wall panels have latch openings applied, into which latching elements of a built-in device can be inserted from one side and latched, or latching elements of an attached device can be inserted from the other side and latched, in which the latching elements designed as latch springs at least partially reach around behind the locking ring opening with its locking area.

[0002] With this type of household device, it is always necessary to fix different built-in devices onto the inner side of a sheet metal wall panel such as the rear wall and/or to apply attached devices to the outer side, where the latter will not be attached until the household device is able to be installed at home. Thus the problem often occurs that a latch opening will have to be able to be optionally used from the inner side or from the outer side of the pre-fabricated sheet metal wall panel for fitting a built-in device or attaching an attached device. Built-in devices and attached devices can be latched at the same prescribed depth in the latching opening or a relatively thick sheet metal wall panel. In order to achieve a clear latching effect with a firm fitting, a minimum latching depth is required which greatly exceeds the pre-fabricated sheet metal wall panel thickness used in household devices.

[0003] It is the task of the invention to create the possibility for the type of household device mentioned at the start to use thin sheet metal wall panels to be able to make fastenings on both sides for built-in and attached devices, even when these have a latching depth thicker than the sheet metal wall panel or even differing latching depths.

[0004] This task is solved by the invention, as defined in claim 1.

[0005] This type of latch pick-up can be easily punched into and stamped in the sheet metal wall panel. The latch rings with their latch areas and the additional installation levels with the ring shaped parts of the transition from the latches to the sheet metal wall panel allow latching depths greater than the thickness of the sheet metal wall panel simply through the offset. In this way, different latch depths can be prescribed by the offset which are solely obtained by the stamp. The ring shaped parts can completely surround the latch opening; the installation level can also be formed by concentrically shaped sections arranged in a ring.

[0006] The offset on the sheet metal wall panel to increase the latch depth can be designed so that the latch ring and the ring shaped parts protrude on the inner side or outer side of the sheet metal wall panel. However, the arrangement can be designed so that the latch rings and the ring shaped parts are placed on opposite sides of the sheet metal wall panel.

[0007] To clearly latch between the built-in or attached device and the sheet metal wall panel, it is planned that facing the sheet metal wall panel, the built-in device and the attached device have an installation area on which the latching elements are formed. The arrangement and alignment of the latching elements according to the design is carried out so that the latch elements have a carrier element, which on the end facing away from the built-in or attached device is a lock spring which is aligned to the installation area of the built-in or attached device and whose ends reach to the latch areas on the side away from the latch rings.

[0008] If it is planned that the latch springs of the built-in and attached devices have latch steps on the outside of their ends which hold the latch rings, then the latch springs will brace themselves due to their own elasticity in the latch rings.

[0009] The latch connection between the built-in or attached device and the sheet metal wall panel can, on the one hand, be designed so that the built-in or attached device is fixed by means of several latch elements on the sheet metal wall panel and that the carrier elements are designed as carrier bars.

[0010] However, the design can also be achieved so that the built-in or attached device is fixed by means of a single latch element to the sheet metal wall panel and that the carrier element is designed as a socket.

[0011] With a washing machine or a dishwasher, the water connection is preferably designed so that on the inner side of the sheet metal wall panel, the built-in device has a valve with a connection for an inner hose which can be connected on the outer side of the sheet metal wall panel to a feed hose and that on the outer side of the sheet metal wall panel, the attached device has an aquastop adapter with a connection for an aquastop hose with a valve which can be connected to the inner side of the sheet metal wall panel using an inner hose.

[0012] The invention will be described in more detail using the embodiments shown in the drawings. The figure shows the following:

Fig 1

is a schematic diagram of a built-in device with a latch element which, from the inner side of a sheet metal wall panel, can be latched into a latch pick-up according to the invention

Fig. 2

is a schematic diagram of an attached device with a latch element which, from the outer side of a sheet metal wall panel, can be latched into a latch pick-up according to the invention

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4

show situations with built-in and attached devices corresponding to Fig 1 and Fig 2 with latch pick-ups stamped in the other direction and a different design of latch element

Fig. 5

shows an enlarged cross-section of the stamped latch pick-up according to the invention

Fig. 6

shows the connection of a feed hose and

Fig. 7

shows the connection of an aquastop hose to a washing machine.

[0013] Figures 1 and 2 show sheet metal wall panel 10 which has a latch opening 13, as can be seen more clearly in section in Figure 5. This latch opening 13 is surrounded by a latch ring 14 which lies with its latch area 15 on the inner side 11 and with its latch area 16 on the outer side 12 of the sheet metal wall panel 10. In this way, the outer side 12 of the sheet metal wall panel 10 and the inner latch area 15 form a latch depth Rb for a fitting element 30 which can be inserted and latched from the outer side 12 of the sheet metal wall panel 10, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 5.

[0014] The transition from the latch ring 14 to the sheet metal wall panel 10 has a ring shaped part 17 which defines an installation level, 18 which protrudes above the inner side 11 of the sheet metal wall panel 10 and with the outermost latch area 16 of the latch ring 14 defines a latch depth Ra for a built-in device 20.

[0015] The built-in device 20 is inserted and latched from the inner side 11 of the sheet metal wall panel 10 to the latch opening 13, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 5.

[0016] In the embodiment, the built-in device 20 and the attached device 30 only carry one latch element which consists of a carrier element 21 or 31 with latch springs 22 and 32 on the free end. These latch springs 22 and 23 are aligned to the sheet metal wall panel 10 and in the area of their free ends on the outer sides contain latch steps 23 and 33 which pick up the latch ring 14. In this way, part of the latch spring 22 and 32 penetrates into the latch opening 13 so that the latch springs 22 and 32 can be braced in the latch opening 13 due to their own elasticity.

[0017] The installation area of the built-in or attached devices 20 or 30 and the distance to the latch steps 23 and 33 of the latch springs 22 or 32 matches the latch depths Ra or Rb which are established by the distance of the latch area 16 of the latch ring 14 from the installation level 18 or by the distance of the latch area 15 of the latch ring 14 from the outer side 12 of the sheet metal wall panel 10.

[0018] The built-in device 20 and the attached device 30 can also be latched over several latch elements and latch openings of this type to the sheet metal wall panel 10. In this, the carrier elements 21 and 31 are arranged evenly distributed over the installation areas of the built-in device 20 and attached device 30 like the latch openings 13 in the sheet metal wall panel 10.

[0019] As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the stamping in the area of the latch opening 13 can be carried out so that the latch ring 14 and the ring shaped part 17 also protrudes as an additional installation level 18 on the outer side 12 of the sheet metal wall panel 10. The built-in device 20 then lies on the inner side 11 of the sheet metal wall element 10 and not on the part 17, whilst the latching of the latch springs 21 to the outer latch area 16 of the latch ring 14 remains the same. The attached device 30 lies on the installation level 18 of the part 17 whilst the latching of the latch springs 32 to the inner latch area 15 of the latch ring 14 remains the same.

[0020] The ring shaped part 17 of the transition from the latch ring 14 to the sheet metal wall panel 10 can enclose the latch opening 13 as a closed ring shaped installation level 18; it can also be designed with sections arranged concentrically. The built-in device 20 and the attached device 30 can also only be fixed using a single latch connection to the sheet metal wall panel 10. In this way, the carrier element 21 or 32 can be designed as a socket on whose outer extent the latch springs 22 or 32 are arranged.

[0021] Thus carrying a medium such as water is possible through the built-in device 20 or the attached device 30 which is particularly important for water-carrying household devices such as washing machines and dishwashers, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0022] If a washing machine WA is switched on over a feed hose ZS, then a valve V is latched into a socket from the inner side of the rear wall. In the casing an inner hose IS is attached to the valve. The valve V is linked to the feed hose ZS on the outside of the casing, as shown in Figure 6.

[0023] If, on the other hand, the washing machine WA is connected over an aquastop hose ASt, then from the outside of the casing, an aquastop adapter ASt-Ad is latched into a latch opening in the rear wall, and the aquastop hose ASt is connected to the adapter ASt-Ad, as seen in Figure 7. The aquastop hose ASt is equipped with a valve V on the free end of the connection. An inner hose IS can be connected to the aquastop adapter ASt-Ad on the inner side of the rear wall.

Claims

1. Household device in particular washing machine or dishwasher comprising a casing made of pre-fabricated sheet metal wall panels, with latch openings in said sheet metal wall panel and latch rings surrounding said openings, and a built-in device with latching elements which may be inserted and latched from one side of said panel and with an attachable device comprising latching elements which can be inserted and latched from the other side of said panel, said latching elements having latch springs at least partially surrounding said latch rings with their latch areas in an assembled status
characterised in that
the latch rings (14) comprise latch areas (15, 16) located in a plane offset and at a distance from the plane of the sheet metal wall panel (10), and in that ring shaped parts (17) are provided , said ring shaped parts constituting the transition from the latch rings (14) to the sheet metal wall panel (10) and being located in a plane offset and at a distance from the plane of the sheet metal wall panel (10) and/or of the plane of the latch rings (14) to increase the latch depth (Ra, Rb) for said built-in and attachable devices (20, 30)

2. Household device according to claim 1,
characterised in that
the latch rings (14) and the ring shaped parts (17) are offset and protrude to the inner side (11) or the outer side (12) of the sheet metal wall panel (10).

3. Household device according to claim 1,
characterised in that
the latch rings (14) and the ring shaped parts (17) are offset and protrude on opposite sides of the sheet metal wall panel (10).

4. Household device according to one of the claims 1 to 3,
characterised in that
the built-in device (20) and the attachable device (30) have an installation area turned towards the sheet metal wall panel (10) and on which the latch elements are formed.

5. Household device according to claim 4,
characterised in that
the latch elements have a carrier element (21, 31) on which are formed latch springs (22, 32) on the end opposite the installation area of the builtin or attachable device (20 or 30), which are aligned with the installation area of the built-in or attached device (20 or 30) and whose ends reach behind the latch areas (15 or 16) on the side of the latch rings (14) opposite the installation area.

6. Household device according to one of the claims 1 to 5,
characterised in that
the latch springs (22, 32) of the built-in and attachable devices (20 and 30) have latch steps on the outer sides of their ends (23,33) which hold the latch rings (14).

7. Household device according to claim 5,
characterised in that
the built-in or attachable device (20 or 30) is fixed using several latch elements to the sheet metal wall panel (10) and that the carrier elements (21) are designed as carrier bars.

8. Household device according to claim 5,
characterised in that
the built-in or attachable device (20 or 30) is fixed by means of a single latch element to the sheet metal wall panel (10) and that the carrier element (31) is designed as a socket.

9. Household device according to claim 8,
characterised in that
the built-in device is a valve (V) on the inner side (11) of the sheet metal wall panel (10) with a connection for an inner hose (IS) which can be connected to the outer side (12) of the sheet metal wall panel (10) using a feed hose (ZS) (Figure 6).

10. Household device according to claim 8,
characterised in that
the attachable device (30) is consists in an aquastop adapter (ASt-Ad) on the outer side (12) of the sheet metal wall panel (10) with a connection for an aquastop hose (ASt) equipped with a valve (V), which can be connected to an inner hose (IS) on the inner side (11) of the sheet metal wall panel (10) (Figure 7).

Ansprüche

1. Haushaltgerät, insbesondere Waschmaschine oder Geschirrspülmaschine, das ein Gehäuse bestehend aus vorgefertigten Wandverkleidungen aus Blech aufweist, mit in dieser ausgebildeten Halteöffnungen und Halteringen, die die Öffnungen umgeben, und ferner ein Einbaugerät mit Halteelementen aufweist, die von einer Seite der Verkleidung eingesetzt und befestigt werden können und mit einem Anbaugerät, das Halteelemente aufweist, die von der anderen Seite der Verkleidung eingesetzt und befestigt werden können, wobei die Halteelemente Haltefedern besitzen, die die Halteringe mit ihren Haltebereichen in zusammengesetztem Zustand zumindest teilweise umgreifen,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Halteringe (14) Haltebereiche (15, 16) aufweisen, die in einer Ebene versetzt und in Abstand zur Ebene der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) angeordnet sind, und
dass ringförmige Teile (17) vorhanden sind, welche den Übergang der Halteringe (14) in die Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) bilden und welche in einer Ebene versetzt und in Abstand zur Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) und/oder zur Ebene der Halteringe (14) angeordnet sind, um die Haltetiefe (Ra, Rb) der Einbau- oder Anbaugeräte (20/30) zu vergrößern.

2. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 1,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Halteringe (14) und die ringförmigen Teile (17) versetzt sind und zur Innenseite (11) oder Außenseite (12) der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) hin vorstehen.

3. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 1,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Halteringe (14) und die ringförmigen Teile (17) versetzt sind und auf gegenüberliegenden Seiten der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) hin vorstehen.

4. Haushaltgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das Einbaugerät (20) und das Anbaugerät (30) einen Installationsbereich besitzen, der der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) zugewandt ist und auf dem die Halteelemente ausgebildet sind.

5. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass Halteelemente ein Trageelement (21, 31) besitzen, an dem Haltefedern (22, 32) an dem dem Installationsbereich des Einbau- oder Anbaugerätes (20 oder 30) gegenüberliegenden Ende gebildet sind, welche zu dem Installationsbereich des Einbau-oder Anbaugerätes (20 oder 30) ausgerichtet sind und deren Enden hinter die dem Installationsbereich gegenüberliegenden Haltebereich (15 oder 16) auf der Seite der Halteringe (14) reichen.

6. Haushaltgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Haltefedern (22, 32) der Einbau- und Anbaugeräte (20 und 30) Halteabsätze (23, 33) auf den Außenseiten ihrer Enden besitzen, die die Halteringe (14) aufnehmen.

7. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 5,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das Einbau- oder Anbaugerät (20 oder 30) mittels mehrerer Halteelemente an der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) befestigt ist und
dass die Trageelemente (21) als Tragezapfen gestaltet sind.

8. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 5,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das Einbau- oder Anbaugerät (20 oder 30) mittels eines einzelnen Trageelements an der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) befestigt ist und
dass das Trageelement (31) als Sockel gestaltet ist.

9. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 8,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das Einbaugerät ein Ventil (V) auf der Innenseite (11) der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) ist mit einer Verbindung für einen inneren Schlauch (IS), der unter Verwendung eines Zulaufschlauchs (ZS) mit der Außenseite (12) der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) verbunden werden kann (Fig. 6).

10. Haushaltgerät nach Anspruch 8,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass das Anbaugerät (30) aus einem Wasserverschluss-Adapter (ASt-Ad) auf der Außenseite (12) der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) besteht mit einer Verbindung für einen Wasserverschluss-Schlauch (ASt), der mit einem Ventil (V) ausgestattet ist, welcher mit einem inneren Schlauch (IS) auf der Innenseite (11) der Wandverkleidung aus Blech (10) verbunden werden kann (Fig. 7).

Revendications

1. Dispositif ménager, notamment machine à laver ou lave-vaisselle, comprenant un boîtier formé de panneaux de paroi préfabriqués en tôle métallique, et comportant des ouvertures de verrouillage formées dans ledit panneau de paroi en tôle métallique et des bagues de verrouillage entourant lesdites ouvertures, et un dispositif intégré équipé d'éléments de verrouillage qui peuvent être insérés et verrouillés à partir d'un côté dudit panneau, et comportant un dispositif pouvant être rattaché et comprenant des éléments de verrouillage qui peuvent être insérés et verrouillés à partir de l'autre côté dudit panneau, les éléments de verrouillage possédant des ressorts de verrouillage entourant au moins partiellement lesdites bagues de verrouillage par leurs zones de verrouillage dans un état assemblé, caractérisé en ce que
les bagues de verrouillage (14) comprennent des zones de verrouillage (15,16) situées dans un plan décalé et à distance du plan du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10), et en ce que des parties (17) en forme de bagues sont prévues, lesdites parties en forme de bagues constituant la jonction entre les bagues de verrouillage (14) et le panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) et étant situées dans un plan décalé et à distance du plan du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) et/ou du plan des bagues de verrouillage (14), pour augmenter la profondeur de verrouillage (Ra, Rb) pour ledit dispositif intégré (20) et ledit dispositif pouvant être rattaché (30).

2. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les bagues de verrouillage (14) et les parties en forme de bagues (17) sont décalées et font saillie sur le côté intérieur (11) ou sur le côté extérieur (12) du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10).

3. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les bagues de verrouillage (14) et les parties en forme de bagues (17) sont décalées et font saillie sur des côtés opposés des panneaux de paroi formés d'une tôle métallique (10).

4. Dispositif ménager selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif intégré (20) et le dispositif pouvant être rattaché (30) possèdent une zone d'installation tournée vers le panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) et sur laquelle les éléments de verrouillage sont formés.

5. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que les éléments de verrouillage comportent un élément de support (21,31), sur lequel des ressorts de verrouillage (22,32) sont formés sur l'extrémité à l'opposé de la zone d'installation du dispositif intégré ou du dispositif pouvant être rattaché (20 ou 30), ces ressorts étant alignés avec la zone d'installation du dispositif intégré ou du dispositif rattaché (20 ou 30) et leurs extrémités s'étendant derrière les zones de verrouillage (15 ou 16) sur le côté des bagues de verrouillage (14) à l'opposé de la zone d'installation.

6. Dispositif ménager selon l'une des revendications 1 à 5, caractérisé en ce que les ressorts de verrouillage (22,32) du dispositif intégré et du dispositif pouvant être rattaché (20 et 30) comportent des parties étagées de verrouillage qui sont situées sur les côtés extérieurs de leurs extrémités (23,33) et retiennent les bagues de verrouillage (14).

7. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif intégré ou le dispositif pouvant être rattaché (20 ou 30) est fixé moyennant l'utilisation de plusieurs éléments de verrouillage au panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) et que les éléments de support (21) sont agencés sous la forme de barres de support.

8. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif intégré ou le dispositif pouvant être rattaché (20 ou 30) est fixé au moyen d'un seul élément de verrouillage au panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) et que l'élément de support (31) est agencé sous la forme d'une douille.

9. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif incorporé est une soupape (V) située sur le côté intérieur (11) du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) et comportant un raccordement pour un tuyau intérieur (IS), qui peut être raccordé au côté extérieur (12) du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) moyennant l'utilisation d'un tuyau d'alimentation (ZS) (figure 6).

10. Dispositif ménager selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif pouvant être rattaché (30) est constitué par un adaptateur aquastop (ASt-Ad) sur le côté extérieur (12) du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) avec un raccord pour un tuyau aquastop (ASt) équipé d'une soupape (V), qui peut être raccordée à un tuyau intérieur (IS) sur le côté intérieur (11) du panneau de paroi en tôle métallique (10) (figure 7).

Drawing