[0001] The present invention refers to a door for electric household-appliance, in particular
a machine for the washing and/or drying of laundry, and relative electric household-appliance.
[0002] Currently there are electric household-appliances comprising a structure with a front
panel provided with an opening for the access to an internal chamber of the electric
household-appliance and a door in order to close said opening.
[0003] Electric household-appliances made this way are, for instance, front load washing-machine
in which a drum suitable to contain the laundry to be washed is situated in a central
position of the washing-machine and has an opening on the front of the machine. Such
drum is revolvingly mounted in a container, called washing tank, destined to contain
the washing water and provided with suspension members for its anchorage that allow
it to remain suspended inside a cabinet containing the laundry washing-machine.
[0004] The front opening of the washing drum is closed by a door with window that is hinged
to the front panel of the cabinet and openable outwards of the machine by means of
rotation on an axis parallel to the front panel of the machine. This determines an
operating dimension of the same laundry washing-machine larger than the volume relative
to the physical dimensions of the machine. In fact, with the washing machine with
door open, most part of the door projects from the contour of the cabinet and it is
therefore necessary to consider the volume relative to the opening of the door in
condition of installation of the washing machine. In particular the front opening
volume of the door is the most penalising one since it sums the size of the door to
the depth dimension of the household-appliance.
[0005] In view of the state of the art herein described, scope of the present invention
is to present a door for electric household-appliance that allows to reduce the volume
of the same electric household-appliance.
[0006] According to the present invention, such scope is attained by means of a door for
electric household-appliance characterised in that it comprises at least two sectors
that are mobile as regards one the other and as regards a front panel of the household-appliance,
at least one of said sectors being openable by rotation outwards around an axis fixed
to the front panel.
[0007] According to the present invention it is also possible to provide a electric household-appliance
comprising a structure with a front panel provided with an opening for the access
to an interior chamber of the electric household-appliance and a door to close said
opening, characterised in that said door comprises at least two sectors mobile as
regards one another and as regards the front panel of the household-appliance, at
least one of said sectors being openable by rotation outwards around an axis fixed
to the front panel.
[0008] Owing to the present invention it is possible to provide an electric household-appliance
that allows, both when set next and when built-in to contain the volume of the door
in the front dimension and to avoid any overlapping of the door on nearby structures
or appliances when opening.
[0009] In particular said electric household-appliance is a front load laundry washing-machine
that owing to such type of door can be installed in narrow spaces thus limiting the
occupied volume as compared with traditional laundry washing-machines.
[0010] The characteristics and the advantages of the present invention will become evident
from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, that is illustrated
as a non limiting example in the enclosed drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is schematic front view of a laundry washing-machine provided with a door
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a more detailed front view of the door of the laundry washing-machine
in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic side view partially sectioned according to a vertical plane
of one part of the laundry washing-machine in Figure 1 with door closed;
Figure 4 is a schematic top view partially sectioned according to a horizontal plane
of one part of the laundry washing-machine in Figure 1 with door closed;
Figure 5 is a view similar to the view in Figure 4 but with open door;
Figure 6 is a schematic front view of the locking system of the door;
Figures 7-10 are partially sectioned top views of the locking system in Figure 6 in
the different stages of opening and closing of the sectors of the door;
Figure 11 is a schematic side view of an inclined axis laundry washing-machine with
provided with a door according to the present invention;
Figure 12 is a schematic front view of a laundry washing-machine provided with a door
according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 13 is a schematic side view of the sole door in Figure 12 with one sector open;
Figure 14 is a schematic front view of a laundry washing-machine provided with a door
according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 15 is a schematic partially sectioned side view of the single door in Figure
14 with one sector open;
Figure 16 is a schematic front view of a laundry washing-machine provided with a door
according to a forth embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] With reference to Figures 1-5, 11-16, there are shown different embodiments of a
door for electric household-appliance, in particular for a laundry washing and/or
drying machine, which is provided with at least two sectors mobile as regards one
another and as regards a front panel of the household-appliance. At least one of the
sectors is openable by rotation outwards around an axis fixed to the front panel.
In Figure 1 a laundry washing-machine is shown where a washing tank 1 inside of which
a revolving drum 2 is mounted is suspended inside a the cabinet 3 by means of appropriate
suspension means not visible in figure. The drum 2 suitable to contain the laundry
to be washed is provided with an opening 5 on the front panel 6 of the cabinet 3.
Said opening is closed by a door 7 according to the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] The door 7, better visible in Figures 2-5, is made up of two sectors, a first sector
or the left sector 8 and a second sector or right sector 9, preferably with equal
size and hinged in 10 and 11 to the front panel 6 of the cabinet 3. Each one of the
two sectors 8 and 9 generally comprises a concave central part of glass and a half-ring-like
frame generally made of plastic material. Each one of the sectors 8 and 9 is capable
to rotate around an axis that is fixed and parallel to the front panel 6 at the point
in which each sector is hinged. Each sector 8 or 9 is provided with an abutment edge
80, 90 in its non-circumferencial peripheral part of the glass part. The door 7 is
made in such a way that the abutment edge 80 of the left sector 8 is lower than the
abutment edge 90 of the right sector 9 so that, when the door 7 is closed, the right
sector 9 is in abutment on the left sector 8. Preferably the abutment edge 90 of the
right sector 9 is provided with a watertight packing 91 along its entire length.
[0013] At the points 10, 11 in which the sectors 8 and 9 are hinged to the front panel 6,
the same sectors are provided with brackets 41, 42 with vertical projections 43, 44
provided with cavities for the engagement with vertical hinges 45, 46 integral with
the front panel 6. More precisely the front panel 6 has a round recessing 47 in proximity
of the opening 5 and the hinges 45, 46 are integral with said recessing at the points
10, 11.
[0014] There can also be provided the use of hinges such as to allow a rotation of each
sector around axes parallel to the front panel 6 in such a way so as to obtain a rotation
of the sector up until the same becomes parallel to the front panel 6.
[0015] In Figure 6 the locking the device 20 of the sectors 8 and 9 located on the top part
of the front panel 6 in its round recessing 47 is shown. Said device 20 comprises
a fixed part 21 provided with two holes 22 and 23, in which two hinges 24 and 25 are
engaged of which the hinge 24 has one end with oblique tip and the hinge 25 has an
end with triangular tip and is provided with a hook 26. The hinges 24 and 25 belong
respectively to the left sector 8 and to the right sector 9.
[0016] The device 20 also comprises a part 30 that is longitudinally mobile onto the part
21, associated with a spring 33 anchored to the fixed part 21 and provided with two
holes 31 and 32 for the entrance of the two hinges 24 and 25 of the sectors 8 and
9. The device 20 also comprises an L-shape tang 35 longitudinally mobile on the part
21 and associated with a spring 36 anchored to part 21 too.
[0017] With the door 7 closed, the hinges 24 and 25 are engaged in respective holes 22,
31 and 23, 32 and the hook 26 of the hinge 25 is engaged with the tang 35 (Figure
10). In order to open the door 7 one must operate on the tang 35, for instance by
means of an electromechanical control, so as to move it toward the right and to allow
the hook 26 of the hinge 25 to disengage from it (Figure 9). The hinge 25 can exit
the holes 23 and 32 thus allowing the opening of the right sector 9 (Figure 8). The
hinge 24 is free to exit from the holes 22, 31 thus allowing the opening of the left
sector 8 (Figure 7). The action of extension of the springs 33 and 36 determines a
displacement of the part 30 and of the tang 35 toward the left.
[0018] In order to close the door 7 (Figure 7) it is necessary to close the left sector
8 at first and subsequently the right sector 9. In fact the oblique tip conformation
of the end of the hinge 24 allows, by means of thrust action on the left sector 8,
its entrance into the hole 31 after passing through the hole 22 (Figure 8). This determines
a movement toward the right of the part 30 with consequent compression of the spring
33. The sliding of the part 30 onto the part 21 allows the alignment of the hole 32
with the hole 23; the hinge 25 is free to enter into the hole 32 (Figure 9) and its
hook 26 can engage with the tang 35 thus allowing the closing of the right sector
9 and therefore the locking of entire the door 7 (Figure 10).
[0019] Although in Figures 1-5 there is shown a front load laundry washing-machine with
horizontal axis provided with the door 7 according to the first embodiment of the
invention, such door 7 can be used also for front load laundry washing-machines with
inclined axis as visible in Figure 11. In such laundry washing-machines the opening
of the door 7 is easier because such door 7 is positioned higher and has a smaller
size. The extremely reduced level of water currently used in such laundry washing-machines
allows to prevent outflows of water even with small, reduced or without any packing.
[0020] As a variation of the embodiment of the present invention it is possible, even if
not shown in the Figures, to hinge the two sectors so that their opening and closing
is done according to an axis that is oblique as regards a vertical axis, using the
same locking system as the sectors located in a position different from the one mentioned
above.
[0021] As an additional variation of the embodiment of the present invention it is possible
that the two sectors have a different size so as to rationalise the volume of the
laundry washing-machine with reference to its location.
[0022] In Figure 12 a laundry washing-machine with a door according to a second embodiment
of the invention is shown. Said door comprises two sectors 8 and 9 of which the sector
9 is hinged to the front panel 6 of the cabinet 3 of the laundry washing-machine and
the sector 8 is hinged to the sector 9 by means of an articulated watertight hinge
81 and is provided with a locking hook 82 in a peripheral part that is coupled with
the front panel 6. Each of the sectors 8 and 9 comprises a concave central part generally
made of glass and an arc of circumference frame of plastic material. The sector 9
is capable to rotate around an axis fixed and parallel to the front panel 6 at the
point in which it is hinged to the panel 6 and the sector 8 is capable to rotate as
regards the sector 9 around the hinge 81 articulated toward the outside by flipping
over onto the sector 9, as visible in Figure 13.
[0023] In Figure 14 a laundry washing-machine with a door according to a third embodiment
of the invention is shown. Said door comprises three sectors 71, 72 and 73 hinged
in 74, 75 and 76 to the front panel 6 of the cabinet 3 of the laundry washing-machine.
Each one of the sectors 71, 72 and 73 comprises a concave central part generally made
of glass and a frame shaped as an arc of circumference generally made of plastic material.
Each one of the sectors 71, 72 and 73 is capable to rotate around an axis fixed and
parallel to the front panel 6 at the point in which each sector is hinged. Each sector
71, 72 and 73 is provided with an abutment edge 710, 720 and 730 in its non-circumferencial
peripheral part of the glass part, and at least one of said abutment edges is preferably
provided with a watertight packing. The door 7 is made so that the abutment edges
710, 720 and 730 are either lower or higher so as to assure the tightness of the door
7 when the door 7 is closed. A closing device, preferably the already described locking
device 20, is coupled with sectors 71 and 72 in such way so as to assure a sequential
opening of the sectors 71, 72 and 73 with sequence 71, 72 and 73, and a corresponding
sequential closing of the same with sequence 73, 72 and 71. The sector 71 is opened
by means of rotation upwards, as shown in Figure 15, and it can also be opened while
the laundry washing-machine is in function in order to add any piece of laundry to
be washed.
[0024] In Figure 16 a laundry washing-machine with a door according to a forth embodiment
of the invention is shown. Said door comprises two the sectors 8 and 9 both hinged
in 95 to the front panel 6 of the cabinet 3 of the laundry washing-machine. Each one
of the sectors 8 and 9 generally comprises a concave central part of glass and a frame
shaped as an arc of circumference generally of plastic material.
[0025] The door 7 is capable to slide along a direction orthogonal to the front panel 6
of the cabinet 3 up to reaching a certain distance from the same wall. Once said distance
has been reached the sectors 8 and 9 are able to rotate around a axis A fixed and
orthogonal to the front panel 6 at the point 95 in which they are both hinged to the
panel 6, thus describing an opening V-shape.
1. Door (7) for electric household-appliance characterised that it comprises at least two sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) mobile as regards one another
and as regards a front panel (6) of the electric household-appliance, at least one
of said sectors (8, 9; 9; 71, 72, 73) being openable by outward rotation around an
axis (45, 46; A) fixed to the front panel (6).
2. Door according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least two sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) both hinged to the front panel
(6) of the electric household-appliance in one of their peripheral parts, said sectors
(8, 9; 71, 72, 73) being separately openable by rotation outwards around axes (45,
46) parallel to the front panel (6).
3. Door according to claim 2, characterised in that said sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) are provided with edges of abutment (80, 90; 710,
720, 730) on the not hinged peripheral part.
4. Door according to claim 3, characterised in that at least one (90) of said edges of abutment (80, 90; 710, 720, 730) are provided
with a watertight packing (91).
5. Door according to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises two sectors (8, 9) hinged to a front panel (6) of the electric household-appliance
in one of their peripheral parts.
6. Door according to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises three sectors (71, 72, 73) hinged to the front panel (6) of the electric
household-appliance in one of their peripheral parts.
7. Door according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a first (9) and a second (8) sector, the first sector (9) being hinged
to the front panel (6) of the electric household-appliance in one of its peripheral
parts and the second sector (8) being hinged to the first sector (9) through an articulated
hinge (81), said first sector (9) being openable by rotation outwards around an axis
parallel to the front panel (6) and the second sector (8) being able to rotate as
regards the first sector (9) outwards by flipping over onto the same, said second
sector (8) being able to couple with the front panel (6) by means of a locking element
(82).
8. Door according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises two sectors (8, 9) hinged in a common point (95) to the front panel
(6) of the household-appliance, said door (7) being openable by sliding along one
direction orthogonal to the front panel (6) of the cabinet (3) up to reaching a certain
distance from the same panel (6) and subsequent rotation of the two sectors (8, 9)
around an axis (A) orthogonal to the front panel (6) in said hinge point (95).
9. Door according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said door (7) is round and each of said sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) comprises a central
part made of glass or similar and a frame shaped as an arc of circumference of plastic
material.
10. Electric household-appliance comprising a structure with a front panel (6) provided
with an opening (5) for the access to an interior chamber (2) of the electric household-appliance
and a door (7) to close said opening, characterised in that said door (7) comprises at least two sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) mobile as regards
one another and the front panel (6) of the household-appliance, at least one of said
sectors (8, 9; 9; 71, 72, 73) being openable by rotation outwards around an axis (45,
46; A) fixed to the front panel (6).
11. Electric household-appliance according to claim 10, characterised in that said door (7) comprises at least two sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) both hinged to the
front panel (6) of the electric household-appliance in one of their peripheral parts,
said sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) being openable separately by rotation outwards around
axes (45, 46) parallel to the front panel (6).
12. Electric household-appliance according to claim 11, characterised in that said sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) of the door (7) are provided with edges of abutment
(80, 90; 710, 720, 730) on the non-hinged peripheral part.
13. Electric household-appliance according to claim 12, characterised in that at least one (90) of said edges of abutment (80, 90; 710, 720, 730) are provided
with a watertight packing (91).
14. Electric household-appliance according to claim 11, characterised in that it comprises a locking device (20) at least two sectors (8, 9; 71, 72) for the sequential
closing (8, 9; 73, 72, 71) and opening (9, 8; 71, 72, 73) of the sectors (8, 9; 71,
72, 73) of the door (7), said device (20) comprising a first fixed part (21) provided
with holes (22, 23) in which respective hinges (24, 25) of the two sectors (8, 9;
72, 71) are engaged.
15. Electric household-appliance according to claim 14, characterised in that said device (20) comprises a second part (30) longitudinally mobile onto the first
part (21) by means of an action of compression and extension of first elastic means
(33) and a tang (35) longitudinally mobile on the first part (21) by means of action
of compression and extension of second elastic means (36), said second part (30) being
provided with holes (31, 32) capable to line up with the holes (22, 23) of the first
part (21), said two hinges (24, 25) of the two sectors (8, 9; 72, 71) having one (24)
a blunt end in order allow its inlet in a respective hole (31) of the second part
(30) by means of thrust action on the respective sector (8, 72) thus determining in
such a way the longitudinal movement of the second part (30) for the lining up of
the other hole (32) with the respective hole (23) of the first part (21) in order
to allow the inlet of the other hinge (25), the other hinge (25) being provided with
an end hook (26) suitable to engage with said tang (35), said second elastic means
(36) associated with said tang (35) being externally controlled for the disengagement
of said hook (26).
16. Electric household-appliance according to claim 11, characterised in that said door (7) comprises two sectors (8, 9) hinged to a front panel (6) of the electric
household-appliance in one of their peripheral parts.
17. Electric household-appliance according to claim 16, characterised in that said device (20) is located in proximity of the top part of the opening (5) of the
front panel (6) of the household-appliance.
18. Electric household-appliance according to claim 11, characterised in that said door (7) comprises three sectors (71, 72, 73) hinged one to the front panel
(6) of the electric household-appliance in one of their peripheral parts, and two
(71, 72) of said sectors (71, 72, 73) being provided with said locking device (20).
19. Electric household-appliance according to claim 10, characterised in that said door (7) comprises a first (9) and a second (8) sector, the first sector (9)
being hinged to the front panel (6) of the electric household-appliance in one of
its peripheral parts and the second sector (8) being hinged to the first sector (9)
through an articulated hinge (81), said first sector (9) being openable by rotation
outwards around an axis parallel to the front panel (6) and the second sector (8)
being able to rotate as regard the first sector (9) outwards by flipping over onto
the same, said second sector (8) being able to couple with the front panel (6) by
means of a closing element (82).
20. Electric household-appliance according to claim 10, characterised in that said door (7) comprises two sectors (8, 9) hinged into a common point (95) to the
front panel (6) of the household-appliance, said door (7) being openable by sliding
along a direction orthogonal to the front panel (6) of the cabinet (3) up to reaching
a certain distance from the same panel (6) and subsequent rotation of the two sectors
(8, 9) around an axis (a) orthogonal to the front panel (6) at said hinge point (95).
21. Electric household-appliance according to any one of the claims from 10 to 20, characterised in that said door (7) is round and each one of said sectors (8, 9; 71, 72, 73) comprises
a central part of glass or similar and a frame shaped as an arc of circumference of
plastic material.
22. Electric household-appliance according to claim 10, characterised in that said electric household-appliance is a front load laundry washing-machine and said
internal chamber (2) is a drum revolvingly mounted inside a washing tank (1) suspended
by means of suspension means inside a cabinet (3).