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(11) |
EP 1 111 120 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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11.02.2004 Bulletin 2004/07 |
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Date of filing: 02.11.2000 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC)7: D06F 58/04 |
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Closure means for front panel of heat exchanger for condensation tumble dryer
Verschlussvorrichtung einer Frontplatte für einen Wärmetauscher eines Wäschetrommeltrockners
mit Kondensateinrichtung
Dispositif de fermeture pour une plaque frontale d'un échangeur de chaleur d'un séchoir
à tambour avec condenseur
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Designated Contracting States: |
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DE ES FR GB IT SE |
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Priority: |
15.12.1999 DE 19960414
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Date of publication of application: |
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27.06.2001 Bulletin 2001/26 |
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Proprietor: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION |
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Benton Harbor
Michigan 49022 (US) |
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Inventor: |
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- Bollmann, Andreas,
c/o Whirlpool Europe s.r.l.
21025 Comerio (IT)
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Representative: Guerci, Alessandro |
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Whirlpool Europe S.r.l.
Patent Department
Viale G. Borghi 27 21025 Comerio (VA) 21025 Comerio (VA) (IT) |
| (56) |
References cited: :
EP-A- 0 538 655 GB-A- 2 105 450
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FR-A- 2 218 424 US-A- 3 579 851
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
|
[0001] The invention concerns a condensation tumble dryer with a clothes cylinder and a
heat exchanger, wherein fitted into the front panel is a filling opening for the clothes
cylinder, below which is an access opening to the heat exchanger and wherein the access
opening can be locked and released by means of a fold-down cover, wherein to lock
and release the cover, a vertical finitely adjustable control rod is used, which is
held between filling opening and access opening on the rear side of the front panel,
wherein the control rod can be accessed in the filling opening with an operating end
and, in the area of the upper edge of the access opening, the locking and release
of the cover is controlled by an actuation end.
[0002] This embodiment of condensation tumble dryer is known from EP 0 538 655 B1. This
known connection and control of the cover by means of a control. rod is adequate,
providing that the cover is small and has a flat unit on the front panel, i.e. the
access opening. If this is not the case, several control rods are required which must
be used at the same time in order to disengage the lock. This hinders access to the
heat exchanger. Thus, various embodiments of control rods may become necessary, if
the cover and the access opening have a horizontal and/or vertical curvature. A further
difficulty can occur if the access opening is offset to the side of the filling opening
and for this reason, the control rods cannot be distributed over the horizontal dimension
such that they can be operated in the area of the filling opening.
[0003] The task of the invention is, on a condensation tumble dryer of the type mentioned
above, to control the cover at the access opening to the heat exchanger with one single
control rod, even if this is offset to the side of the filling opening and due to
a horizontal and/or vertical curve geometry, several locking positions are required
on the closing side.
[0004] This task is solved in accordance with the invention, in that in the area of the
upper edge of the access opening, a horizontal, finitely adjustable closing rod is
held by tension in a closing position, in which with at least 2 separate closing hooks,
it can be made to establish a connection with the corresponding closing elements of
the cover and that the closing rod, with an actuation end of the control rod formed
as a sliding catch, can be pushed from the closing position against the effect of
the spring, into an opening position.
[0005] To control the cover, only one single control rod is provided, which is to be coupled
at any point in the longitudinal direction of the closing rod. This is always possible,
since only parts of the access opening and the filling opening have to overlap. The
closing rod and the cover can be designed to have any number of locking points and
adapted in line with the curvature of the cover. This ensures that once the control
rod has been disengaged, the cover is opened so far that it folds down into the open
position, as will be illustrated later.
[0006] The adjustable position of the closing rod is achieved in accordance with one embodiment,
in that the closing rod extends over the horizontal dimension of the access opening
and is guided on the rear side of the front panel in mounted guide elements, wherein
the tensioned support is achieved most simply by the spring being mounted in one piece
on the closing rod and supported on a sliding catch on the front panel to maintain
the closed position.
[0007] The coupling between the control rod and closing rod can be achieved at any pojnt
along the longitudinal direction of the closing rod, since the closing rod is fitted
with a mount, into which the sliding catch of the control rod is inserted and since
the sliding catch and the bevel of the control rod interacts with a sliding bevel
of the closing rod, angled in the opposite direction. Thus, when the closing rod returns
from the pushed open position into the closed position, an opening movement is automatically
exerted on the cover, provided that the closing hooks of the closing rod are formed
as detent springs with catches, which are mounted in one piece on the closing rod
and interact with closing elements with bevels angled in opposite directions and mounted
on the cover in one piece, which are formed as detent catches. The bevels of the closing
hooks and closing elements slide towards each other and open the cover so wide, such
that its intrinsic weight causes it to fold down into the open position.
[0008] If in accordance with one embodiment, fitted to both ends of the control rod are
catches, which limit the vertical adjustment of the control rod, wherein at least
the catches on one end of the control rod, to insert into the mount located on the
front panel, can be moved from a held engaged position, then the control rod can easily
be inserted into mounts of parallel bridges of the front panel, wherein the movable
catch has to be moved out so far that it can pass the fitted mount and resume its
engaged position on the bridge.
[0009] In accordance with a preferential embodiment, the control rod can be made to establish
a connection with one end of the closing rod and the closing rod on the front panel
is supported by the spring mounted onto the other end.
[0010] The.cover is preferably composed of a lockable grid insert and a cover frame, which
is coupled to the front panel in the area of its lower edge.
[0011] The invention is explained in more detail by way of one of the embodiments illustrated
in the drawings. The following are shown:
- Fig. 1:
- a partial view on the rear side of the front panel with the attached control rod and
the horizontal sliding closing rod,
- Fig. 2:
- an exploded view of the control rod,
- Fig. 3:
- a partial view on the front side of the front panel with the cover coupled for free
access opening,
- Fig. 4:
- an exploded view of the closing rod,
- Figs. 5a to 5c:
- the control rod assembly in three schematic positions, and
- Figs. 6a to 6c
- the cover positions and closing point when the cover is being opened in three schematic
positions.
[0012] As the partial view in Fig. 1 shows, the filling opening 11 for the clothes cylinder
in the front panel 10 can be arranged offset against the access opening 14 to the
heat exchanger. In the area of the upper edge of the access opening 14, a horizontal
bridge 12 is attached to the rear side of the front panel 10, so that in the edge
between the filling opening 11 and the bridge 12, a vertical finitely adjustable control
rod 20 can be inserted as shown in Fig. 2, as shown in Figs. 5a to 5c.
[0013] The control rod 20 is firstly inserted with an actuation end 25 into a mount 12a
of the bridge 12, as shown by Fig. 5a. Thus, the mounted springs 22 are supported
on the bridge 12 and are tensioned as indicated in Fig. 5b with the reference figure
22'. Thus, the catch 23, which is distanced as a detent spring, can be pushed back
so far, that it can pass the mount 12a, as indicated by the reference figure 23'.
The control rod 20 can then be pivoted so far towards the front panel 10, that the
control end 21 can be inserted into the mount 11a of the filling opening 11 side catches
24 on the control rod 20 limit the idle position shown in Fig. 5c, which is held by
the springs 22. The catch 23 assumes the locking position and, by means of.the catch
on bridge 12, limits the downward adjustment movement of the control rod 20.
[0014] As also shown by Fig. 1, in the area of the bridge 12 in sliding catches 13 and 15,
a closing rod 30 in accordance with Fig. 4 can be adjusted in a horizontal direction.
Thus, closing hooks 34 and 35 with locking bevels 36 formed as locking springs are
mounted onto both ends of the closing rod 30. These closing hooks 34 and 35 with locking
bevels 36 project onto the front side of the front panel 10, as shown in Fig. 3. The
cover 40 comprising the cover frame 44 and engaged grid insert 42 is coupled to the
front panel 10 with the lower edge in the area of the lower edge of the access opening
14 on the front panel 10, as shown by the link elements 45. Mounted onto the closing
rod 30 is also a spring element 33, which is supported on the front panel 10 and which
holds the closing rod 30 in a starting position, which corresponds to the closing
position, in which the closing element 43 of the cover 40, formed as locking catches,
can engage with the locking catches 36 of the closing hooks 34 and 35. The grid insert
42 can be engaged into the cover frame 44.
[0015] In the locking position, the closing rod 30 is positioned in relation to the control
rod 20, such that its actuation end 25 can be inserted into a mount 31 of the closing
rod 30. This takes place when the control rod 20 is actuated downwards, wherein the
door of the filling opening 11 is opened, providing access to the control end 21.
The actuation end 25 of the control rod 20 is formed as a sliding catch and fitted
with a sliding bevel 26, which during downward adjustments, slides along a sliding
bevel 32 of the closing rod 30 angled in the opposite direction and pushes the closing
rod 30 against the effect of the spring 33 so far in a horizontal direction, that
the locking catches 36 of the closing hooks 34 and 35 on the closing rod 30 disengage
the closing elements 43 of the cover 40 which are formed as locking catches. Thus,
the closing hooks 34, which are supported on bridges 41 of the cover 40, are placed
under spring tension, as indicated by the reference figure 34 in Fig. 6b. The closing
position shown in Fig. 6a is released. If the control rod 20 is disengaged, the springs
22 return the control rod 20 to the starting position as shown in Fig. 5c.
[0016] When the control rod 20 is released, the closing rod 30 is returned to its starting
position through the tensioned spring element 33, as shown in Fig. 6c.
[0017] The bevels 36 of the closing hooks 34 and 35 slide onto the bevels angled in an opposite
direction of the closing elements 43 of the cover 40, which are formed as locking
catches, and opens this so wide, that its intrinsic weight causes it to fold down
into the open position, as shown by Fig. 6c.
[0018] If the cover 40 is closed, the locking position shown in Fig. 6a is resumed.
[0019] The closing hooks 34 and 35 are mounted in one piece onto the closing rod 30 and
dstributed over the horizontal dimension of the cover 40 with the fitted closing elements
43.
1. Condensation tumble dryer with a clothes cylinder and a heat exchanger, wherein fitted
into the front panel (10) is a filling opening (11) for the clothes cylinder, below
which is an access opening (14) to the heat exchanger and wherein the access opening
(14) can be locked and released by means of a fold-down cover (40), wherein to lock
and release the cover (40), a vertical finitely adjustable control rod (20) is used,
which is held between filling opening (11) and access opening (14) on the rear side
of the front panel (10), wherein the control rod (20) can be accessed in the filling
opening (11) with a control end (21) and, in the area of the upper edge of the access
opening, the locking and release of the cover is controlled by an actuation end
characterised in that
in the area of the upper edge (12) of the access opening (14), a horizontal, finitely
adjustable closing rod (30) is tensioned by a spring (33) in a closing position, in
which with at least 2 separate closing hooks (34, 35), it can be made to establish
a connection with the corresponding closing elements (41) of the cover (40) and
that the closing rod (30), with an actuation end of the control rod (20) formed as
a sliding catch (25), can be pushed from the closing position against the effect of
the spring (33) into an opening position.
2. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with Claim 1,
characterised in that
the closing rod (30) extends over the horizontal dimension of the access opening (14)
and can be guided into the guide elements (13,15) mounted onto the rear side of the
front panel (10).
3. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with Claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that
the spring (34) is mounted onto the closing rod (30) in one piece and supported on
the guide catch (15) of the front panel (10), which maintains the closing position.
4. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with one of the Claims 1 to 3,
characterised in that
the closing rod (30) is fitted with a mount (31), into which the sliding catch (25)
of the control rod (20) is inserted and that the sliding catch (25) with bevels (26)
of the control rod (20) interacts with a sliding bevel (32) of the closing rod (30)
angled in the opposite direction.
5. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with one of the Claims 1 to 4,
characterised in that
the closing hooks (34, 35) of the closing rod (30) are formed as locking springs with
locking catches (36), which are mounted onto the closing rod (30) in one piece and
interact with closing elements (43) moulded as one single component onto the cover
(40) with bevels angled in an opposing direction, which are formed as locking catches.
6. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with one of the Claims 1 to 5,
characterised in that
fitted to both ends of the control rod (20) are catches (23, 24), which limit the
vertical adjustment movement of the control rod (20), wherein at least the catches
(23) at one end of the control rod (20) are released from their held locking position
for insertion into the corresponding mount (11a, 12a) of the front panel (10).
7. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with one of the Claims 1 to 6,
characterised in that
the control rod (20) is made to establish a connection with one end of the, closing
rod (30), and
that the closing rod (30) on the front panel (10) is supported by the spring (33)
mounted to the other end.
8. Condensation tumble dryer in accordance with one of the Claims 1 to 7,
characterised in that
the cover (40) comprises a grid insert (42), which is inserted and in particular engaged
into a cover frame (44).
1. Kondensattrommeltrockner mit einer Wäschetrommel und einem Wärmetauscher, wobei in
der Frontplatte (10) eine Füllöffnung (11) für die Wäschetrommel angeordnet ist, unter
der sich eine Zugangsöffnung (14) zum Wärmetauscher befindet, die Zugangsöffnung (14)
mittels eines nach unten klappbaren Deckels (40) verschlossen und geöffnet werden
kann, zum Verschließen und Öffnen des Deckels ein vertikaler, begrenzt einstellbarer
Steuerstab (20) verwendet wird, der zwischen der Füllöffnung (11) und Zugangsöffnung
(14) auf der Rückseite der Frontplatte (10) gehalten wird, auf ein Betätigungsende
(21) des Steuerstabs (20) in der Füllöffnung (11) zugegriffen werden kann und das
Verschließen und Öffnen des Deckels (40) im Bereich der oberen Kante der Zugangsöffnung
(14) mittels eines Betätigungsendes (25) gesteuert wird,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass ein horizontaler, begrenzt einstellbarer Schließstab (30) im Bereich der oberen Kante
(12) der Zugangsöffnung (14) mittels einer Feder (33) in eine Schließposition vorgespannt
ist, in der mit mindestens zwei getrennten Schließhaken (34, 35) eine Verbindung mit
entsprechenden Schließelementen (41) des Deckels (40) hergestellt werden kann, und
dass der Schließstab (30) mit einem als Rastvorrichtung ausgebildeten Betätigungsende
(25) aus der Schließposition gegen die Wirkung der Feder (33) in die offene Position
gestoßen werden kann.
2. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach Anspruch 1,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass der Schließstab (30) längs der horizontalen Dimension der Zugangsöffnung (14) verläuft
und in Führungselementen (13, 15) geführt werden kann, die auf der Rückseite der Frontplatte
(10) befestigt sind.
3. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach Anspruch 1 oder 2,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Feder (34) mit dem Schließstab (30) einstückig verbunden ist, sich in der Führungsaufnahme
(15) der Frontplatte (10) abstützt und die Schließposition aufrechterhält.
4. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass der Schließstab (30) mit einer Aufnahme (31) versehen ist, in der die Gleitrastvorrichtung
(25) des Steuerstabs (20) aufgenommen ist, und dass die Gleitrastvorrichtung (25)
Abschrägungen (26) des Steuerstabs (20) und mit diesen Abschrägungen zusammenarbeitende
Gleitabschrägungen (32) des Schließstabs (30) aufweist, wobei die Abschrägungen (26,
32) in entgegengesetzten Richtungen verlaufen.
5. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Schließhaken (34, 35) des Schließstabs (30) als Rastfedern mit Rastvorsprüngen
(36) ausgebildet sind, wobei die Rastfedem mit dem Schließstab (30) einstückig verbunden
sind und mit den Schließelementen (43) zusammenarbeiten, die als eine einzelne Komponente
an den Deckel (40) mit Abschrägungen angespritzt sind, die in entgegengesetzter Richtung
abgeschrägt sind, wobei die Schließelemente (43) als Rastvorrichtungen ausgebildet
sind.
6. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass an beiden Enden des Steuerstabs (20) Rastvorrichtungen (23, 24) vorgesehen sind,
die die vertikale Einstellbewegung des Steuerstabs (20) begrenzen, wobei mindestens
die Rastvorrichtungen (23) an einem Ende des Steuerstabs (20) aus ihrer gehaltenen
Schließposition zum Einfügen in die entsprechende Aufnahme (11a, 12a) der Frontplatte
(10) freigegeben werden.
7. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass der Steuerstab (20) derart ausgebildet ist, dass er eine Verbindung mit einem Ende
des Schließstabs (30) herstellt, und dass sich der Schließstab (30) mittels der Feder
(33) an der Frontplatte (10) abstützt.
8. Kondensattrommeltrockner nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass der Deckel (40) einen Gittereinsatz (42) aufweist, der in einen Deckelrahmen (44)
eingefügt ist, insbesondere in diesen eingreift.
1. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur avec un tambour à vêtements et un échangeur de chaleur,
dans lequel est monté dans le panneau avant (10) une ouverture de remplissage (11)
pour le tambour à vêtements, sous laquelle se trouve une ouverture d'accès (14) à
l'échangeur de chaleur et dans laquelle l'ouverture d'accès (14) peut être verrouillée
et déverrouillée au moyen d'un couvercle rabattable (40), dans lequel pour verrouiller
et déverrouiller le couvercle (40), une tige de commande verticale réglable de manière
finie (20) est utilisée, qui est maintenue entre l'ouverture de remplissage (11) et
l'ouverture d'accès (14) sur le côté arrière du panneau avant (10), dans lequel on
peut accéder à la tige de commande (20) dans l'ouverture de remplissage (11) avec
une extrémité de commande (21) et, dans la zone du côté supérieur de l'ouverture d'accès,
le verrouillage et le déverrouillage du couvercle sont commandés par une extrémité
d'actionnement
caractérisé en ce que
dans la zone du bord supérieur (12) de l'ouverture d'accès (14), une tige de commande
horizontale réglable de manière finie (30) est mise sous tension par un ressort (33)
dans une position fermée, dans lequel avec au moins deux crochets de fermeture séparés
(34, 35), on peut établir une connexion avec les éléments de fermetures correspondants
(41) du couvercle (40) et
en ce que la tige de fermeture (30), avec une extrémité d'actionnement de la tige de commande
(20) formée comme un loquet coulissant (25), peut être poussée hors de la position
fermée contre l'action du ressort (33) dans une position ouverte.
2. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon la revendication 1,
caractérisé en ce que
la tige de fermeture (30) s'étend au-dessus de la dimension horizontale de l'ouverture
d'accès (14) et peut être guidée dans les éléments de guidage (13, 15) montés sur
le côté arrière du panneau avant (10).
3. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon la revendication 1 ou 2,
caractérisé en ce que
le ressort (34) est monté sur la tige de fermeture (30) dans une pièce et supportée
sur le loquet de guidage (15) du panneau avant (10), qui maintient la position fermée.
4. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3,
caractérisé en ce que
la tige de fermeture (30) est montée avec un trou de montage (31), dans lequel
le loquet coulissant (25) de la tige de commande (20) est insérée et en ce que le loquet coulissant (25) avec des biseaux (26) de la tige de commande (20) interagit
avec un biseau coulissant (32) de la tige de fermeture (30) incliné dans la direction
opposée.
5. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon l'une des revendications 1 à 4,
caractérisé en ce que
les crochets de fermeture (34, 35) de la tige de fermeture (30) sont formés comme
des ressorts de fermeture avec des loquets de fermeture (36), qui sont montés sur
la tige de fermeture (30) en une pièce et interagissent avec des éléments de fermeture
(43) moulés comme un seul composant sur le couvercle (40) avec des biseaux inclinés
dans une direction opposée, qui sont formés comme des loquets de fermeture.
6. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon l'une des revendications 1 à 5,
caractérisé en ce que
aux deux extrémités de la tige de commande (20), sont montées des loquets (23,
24), qui limitent le mouvement de réglage vertical de la tige de commande (20), dans
lequel au moins les loquets (23) à une extrémité de la tige de commande (20) sont
déverrouillés de leur position de verrouillage maintenue pour l'insertion dans le
trou de montage correspondant (11a, 12a) du panneau avant (10).
7. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon l'une des revendications 1 à 6,
caractérisé en ce que
la tige de commande (20) est faite pour établir une connexion avec une extrémité
de la tige de fermeture (30), et
en ce que la tige de fermeture (30) sur le panneau avant (10) est supportée par le ressort
(33) monté sur l'autre extrémité.
8. Séchoir à tambour avec condenseur selon la revendication 1,
caractérisé en ce que
le couvercle (40) comprend une grille insérée (42), qui est insérée et en particulier
en prise dans un cadre de couvercle (44).