The present invention relates to laundry top loading washing machines, both for domestic and professional use.

A laundry washing machine - both of the type which can only wash and rinse laundry and of the type which can also dry laundry - comprises an external, substantially parallepiped-shaped, casing in which a washing tub is provided. The washing tub contains a perforated washing drum where the laundry to be washed can be loaded. Both the washing tub and the washing drum preferably have a substantially cylindrical shape. The washing drum is operated by an electric motor for being rotated, usually about a horizontal axis.

Modem laundry washing machines are available in two main configurations: front loading and top loading. While in a laundry washing machine of the front loading type the washing tub and the washing drum are accessible through a loading/unloading door located on a frontal side of the casing, in a laundry washing machine of the top loading type the washing tub and the washing drum are accessible from the top of the casing.

Making reference to the laundry washing machines of the top loading type, the washing drum is typically provided with a door located on the lateral surface thereof.

Known washing machines usually have the washing tub that is provided with a washing tub opening located on the top of the washing tub. A casing opening is provided on the top side of the casing. The borders of the casing opening and the borders of the washing tub opening are typically coupled to one another by means of an elastic bellows, or gasket. An access lid is usually provided on top of the casing for ermetically closing the casing opening. For example, the access lid may be hingeably connected to the top side of the casing, in such a way to watertight closing the casing opening when the access lid is in the closed position. Purpose of such access lid is to protect the inner components of the washing machine and avoid the occurrence of spurts of water/washing liquid and steam from the washing machine during the washing operations.

Built-in washing machines adapted to be integrated into a kitchen unit or below a stationary worktop have now become commonly widespread. However, the peculiar structure of a top loading washing machine is generally quite unsuitable for a built-in arrangement, since accessing the opening of the washing machine on the top side of its casing is made difficult by the presence of overlying furniture elements.

In order to solve these drawbacks, solutions have been tested and employed.

For example, patent application DE 10 2008 009 791 discloses a casing-loadable washing machine or top loader washing machine with a housing containing a lye container with a casing-side lye container opening and with a rotatable drum which is mounted with a substantially horizontal shaft. The washing machine is driven via a drive unit and has a closable withdrawal opening arranged in the casing. The lye container with the drum is arranged in a moving housing part which can be moved from the housing for opening the lye container opening and into the housing for the purposes of closing. The moving housing part is mounted together with the lye container and the drum so as to be displaceable in the axial direction.

In order to allow the installation within a cavity of a furniture, the known solution described in DE 10 2008 009 791 provides for a specifically designed top loading washing machine in which the washing machine itself mainly consists of two parts movable to one another along a horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the frontal side of the furniture. Specifically, the washing machine is provided with a carrying part integral to the furniture. The carrying part supports the electric drive unit of the washing drum, and it is provided with rail elements extending along the horizontal direction. A lye container (i.e., the washing tub), and the washing drum enclosed therein, are arranged instead in a moving part of the washing machine which is configured to move along the rail elements of the carrying part. The drum is provided with a closable withdrawal opening, while the lye container is provided with a lye container opening. The drive unit provided on the carrying part comprises a motor with a coupling by means of which the drum can be separated from the drive unit. In a closed, operational, configuration, the moving part is enclosed within the furniture. In this configuration, the drive unit is coupled to the drum, and the lye container opening is closed by a lye container lid arranged below the furniture. The moving part can be pulled outside the furniture by sliding on the rail elements; when pulled outside, the drive unit is decoupled from the drum. In an extended configuration, i.e., when the moving part is outside the furniture, the lye container opening is exposed, and laundry can be loaded in / unloaded from the drum trough the withdrawal opening.

The Applicant has observed that a solution of this type is not efficient, in terms of design requirements and cost. Indeed, the solution disclosed in DE 10 2008 009 791 requires the design of an ad hoc top loading washing machine, specifically provided with washing tub and drum that are movable (along the horizontal direction) with respect to the housing.

. Moreover, the design of a top loading washing machine having this feature is more expensive and more complicated than the one of a standard top loading machine (i.e., one that does not require to be installed within or below a furniture element). Indeed, the washing machine disclosed in DE 10 2008 009 791 requires to be carefully designed in such a way to implement a movable washing tub, as well as an effective coupling member for the detachable coupling between the drum and the drive unit.

A further drawback of this solution is that when the washing machine is in the closed configuration, the lye container opening requires to be closed by a lye container lid which is arranged below the furniture. Thus, the furniture needs to be suitably modified in such a way to support such a lid.

The Applicant has found that the abovementioned drawbacks can be solved by providing a top loading washing machine having the features of claim 1.

The tub is equipped with one or more tub doors avoiding that water/washing liquid and/or steam spurts outside the washing machine passing through the casing opening when the washing machine is in operation.

For this purpose, a laundry washing machine is proposed. The laundry washing machine comprise an external casing, a washing tub contained in the external casing, and a washing drum contained in the washing tub. The washing drum is provided on its lateral surface with a drum opening for loading/unloading laundry into/from the washing drum, and with one or more drum doors for closing said drum opening. The washing tub is provided with a tub opening for accessing the washing drum, and with one or more tub doors for closing said tub opening. The external casing top is provided with a casing opening for accessing the washing tub. The external casing top is free from a cover or a door or a lid for closing the casing opening.

Thus, the proposed laundry washing machine has a very compact structure, being free from any lid located on the top of the casing which has to be swung for accessing the tub.

The absence of lid reduces the external size of the laundry washing machine, making it optimal for the built-in arrangements. This feature is particularly advantageous since the furniture elements where the washing machine has to be installed typically have standard, predefined, size.

The casing opening is delimited by a top frame located on the top side of the external casing. Preferably, said top frame is provided with at least one between at least one compartment fluidly connected to the internal of the washing tub for supplying water and washing/rinsing products, and an interface panel of the laundry washing machine.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more tub doors comprise a door of the sliding type, adapted to slide with respect to the washing tub.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the one or more tub doors comprise a door of the hinged type, adapted to swing with respect to the washing tub about hinge elements connected to the washing tub.

Advantageously, the laundry washing machine is adapted to operate with a portion of the washing tub exposed through the casing opening, and, when closed, the one or more tub doors is/are adapted to avoid that water/washing liquid and/or steam spurts outside the laundry washing machine passing through the casing opening when the laundry washing machine is in operation.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry washing machine is adapted to be slidingly inserted/extracted into/from a cavity of a hollow furniture element. Advantageously the external casing may be substantially parallepiped-shaped, with lateral sides extending from the top side of the external casing toward a bottom side of the external casing; in this case the first guide elements and the second guide elements are preferably slanted with respect to the lateral sides of the external casing so as to converge one another toward the bottom side of the external casing.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, wheel elements are provided on a bottom side of the casing to allow the laundry washing machine to be pulled/pushed across a flat element.

Another aspect of the present invention provides for a furniture assembly comprising a hollow furniture element and a top loading laundry washing machine having the features of any one of claims 1 to 9. The washing machine is adapted to be displaced, with respect to said hollow furniture element, from a closed configuration, in which the laundry washing machine is at least substantially housed within a cavity of the hollow furniture element, to an open configuration, wherein the laundry washing machine is extracted from the cavity so that the washing drum can be accessed through the casing opening by opening the tub door and the drum door.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following description of some exemplary and non limitative embodiments thereof; for its better intelligibility, the following description should be read making reference to'the attached drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a isometric view of a laundry washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a sectional view of the laundry washing machine of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an isometric view of the laundry washing machine of Figure 1 with the tub door in an opened configuration and the drum with the drum door exposed through the tub opening according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 4 is an isometric view of the laundry washing machine of Figure 1 with the tub door in an opened configuration and the drum with the drum door exposed through the tub opening according to another embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 5 is an isometric view of the laundry washing machine of Figure 1 with the drum door that is open;
• Figure 6 is a sectional view of the laundry washing machine of Figure 5 without the casing, and
• Figure 7 is an isometric view of the washing machine of Figure 1 in a built-in arrangement.

With reference to the figures, Figures 1-2 illustrate a laundry washing machine 100 of the top loading type - hereinafter referred to as "top loading washing machine" or simply "washing machine"- according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is an isometric view of the washing machine 100, while Figure 2 is a sectional view of the washing machine 100 taken along the section plane of Figure 1 identified with the reference 105. In the exemplary embodiment herein considered, the washing machine 100 is a washing machine adapted to only wash and rinse laundry; however the invention may be applied as well to a washing/drying machine which can also dry laundry.

The washing machine 100 comprises an external casing or housing 110, for example substantially parallepiped-shaped. The casing 110 is provided on its frontal side with a frontal frame 111, and on its top side with a top frame 112. The washing machine 100 comprises a control unit (not shown in the figures) connected to the various parts of the laundry machines 100 in order to ensure its operations. Preferably, but not necessarily, an interface panel 114 coupled to the control unit of the washing machine 100 is provided on the top frame 112, for example on a side portion thereof, by means of which the user may select and set the washing parameters, such as, for example, a desired washing program. Preferably, other parameters can optionally be inserted by the user, for example the washing temperature, the spinning speed, the load in terms of weight of the laundry to be washed and so on.

The casing 110 houses a washing tub 115 containing a rotatable perforated drum 120 where the laundry to be washed can be loaded. In operation, the drum 120 is adapted to rotate about a horizontal axis A, which is substantially perpendicular to the frontal frame 111.

The tub 115 and the drum 120 have preferably a substantially cylindrical shape. A hollow space 122 is defined between the tub 115 and the drum 120. Preferably, although not necessarily, baffles or lifters 124 (only one shown in figure) are mounted within an internal wall of the drum 120 and parallel to the drum rotation axis A for performing turning over and tumbling of the laundry when the drum 120 is in rotation. The tub 115 is preferably suspended in a floating manner inside the casing 110, advantageously by means of a number of coil springs and shock absorbers 126. Preferably, but not necessarily, one or more (two in the figures) compartments 127 fluidly connected to the internal of the tub 115 and adapted to the loading of washing/rinsing products (i.e., detergent, softener, and so on) are provided in the top frame 112. The compartments 127 have been depicted in the figures without any lid; however, each compartment 127 may be provided as well with a corresponding lid for avoiding spurts of the washing/rinsing products.

In order to allow reaching the tub 115 from the outside, a casing opening 130 is provided on the top side of the casing 100, delimited by the top frame 112. A corresponding tub opening (not visible in Figures 1 and 2, but identified in the following figures with the reference 140) is located on the top of the tub 115 for allowing access to the inside of the tub 115. The tub 115 is provided with a tub door 135 (but in another embodiment there could be more than one doors) for closing said tub opening 140. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the tub door 135 is provided with a handle 138 for facilitating the opening and the closing of the tub door 135. When the tub door 135 is in a closed configuration (as depicted in both Figure 1 and 2), the drum 120 housed within the tub 115 cannot be accessed. In this configuration, it is avoided that water/washing liquid and/or steam spurts outside the washing machine 100 passing through the casing opening 130 when the washing machine 100 is in operation (e.g., when the drum 120 is rotating). In the exemplary embodiment considered, the tub door 135 is of the single-leaf type, however similar considerations apply in case the tub door 135 is of the double-leaf type (i.e. two doors hinged to the tub).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the tub door 135 is of the hinged type, adapted to swing with respect to the tub 115 about hinge elements connected to the tub 115 itself. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the tub door 135 is of the sliding type, adapted to slide with respect to the tub opening 140, for example inside a corresponding housing located in proximity to the tub 115 or in the casing 110. Naturally, the concepts of the present invention apply as well to different tub door 135 arrangements.

When the washing machine 100 is not in operation, a user may open the tub door 135, e.g., exploiting the handle 138, in such a way to expose (a portion of) the drum 120. The drum 120 is provided on its lateral surface with a drum opening (not visible in Figures 1 and 2, but identified in the following figures with the reference 160) for loading/unloading the laundry, and with one (or more) drum door for closing said drum opening 160. Advantageously, once the tub door 135 is opened, the user may manually rotate the drum 120 until the drum door is exposed at the tub opening.

Figures 3 and 4 are isometric views of the washing machine 100 with the tub door 135 in an opened configuration and the drum 120 with the drum door exposed through the tub opening. Figure 3 corresponds to the embodiment in which the tub door 135 is of the sliding type, while Figure 4 corresponds to the embodiment in which the tub door 135 is of the hinged type. The drum door is identified with the reference 145. In the considered embodiment, the drum door 145 is of the double-leaf type, with a first leaf 148 hingeably connected to the drum 120 by means of a first hinge 150 and a second leaf 152 hingeably connected to the drum 120 by means of a second hinge 154. The concepts of the present invention can be also applied to a drum 120 provided with a drum door 145 of the single-leaf type. A lock element 156 is provided to firmly secure the drum door 145 in a closed configuration when the washing machine 100 is in operation (and the drum 120 is rotating).

An user may unlock the lock element 156 and open the drum door 145, in such a way to gain access inside of the drum 120 for loading/unloading laundry. Figure 5 is an isometric view of the washing machine 100 (the embodiment thereof with the tub door 135 of the sliding type) with the drum door 145 that is open.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the washing machine 100 of Figure 5 taken along the section plane 105 with the casing 110 that has been removed. According to an embodiment of the invention, the tub 115 is advantageously provided with a tub opening frame 165 surrounding the tub opening 140 and adapted to fit corresponding borders of the casing opening 130 on the top frame 112. Preferably, although not necessarily, the tub opening frame 165 is made of a rigid material, such as the same material of the tub 115 (e.g., plastic). According to another embodiment of the present invention, the tub 115 is not connected with the casing 110, but instead the former is floating with respect to the latter.

According to the invention, the top of the external casing 110 is free from any cover/door/lid provided on the top frame 112 for closing the casing opening 130 (and thus the tub opening 140 as well), so that (a portion of) the tub 115 is exposed also during the operation of the washing machine 100. The presence of the tub door 135 avoids that water/washing liquid and/or steam spurts outside the washing machine 100 passing through the casing opening 130 when the washing machine 100 is in operation (situation in which the tub door 135 is closed).

Compared to the known washing machines of the top-loading type, the washing machine 100 according to the present invention has a more compact structure, being free from any cumbersome lid located on the top frame 112 of the casing 110 which has to be swung (thus requiring a considerable amount of free space above the casing 110) for accessing the tub 115.

Moreover, although the washing machine 100 may be employed as a "standalone" laundry machine, i.e., adapted to be directly set up -alone, without any additional furniture, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the compact structure thereof may be advantageously exploited for a built-in arrangement, in which the washing machine 100 may be integrated into a kitchen unit or into any other hollow furniture element provided with a suitably cavity, as well as below a stationary worktop. The absence of lid reduces the external size of the washing machine 100, making it optimal for the built-in arrangements, especially since the furniture elements typically have standard, predefined, size.

For this purpose, according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine 100 is supported by wheel elements 170 (e.g., one or two pairs of wheels) located on the bottom side of the casing 110 and a handle 171 is coupled with the frontal frame 111, in such a way to easily allow the washing machine 100 to be pulled/pushed across a flat element, such as the floor on which the washing machine 100 is located. In this way, the washing machine 100 may be installed within a hollow furniture element. According to an embodiment of the present invention (illustrated in the figures), a covering panel 172, preferably made in the same material of that of the hollow furniture element in which the washing machine 100 is installed, may be attached to the frontal frame 111, for example by means of screws, rivets and/or glue. In this case, the handle 171 may be fixed to the covering panel 172 (e.g., by means of screws, rivets and/or glue). According to another embodiment of the present invention (not illustrated in the figures), instead of providing a covering panel, the handle 171 is directly fixed to the frontal frame 111.

In a closed configuration, the washing machine is (at least substantially) housed within a cavity of the hollow furniture element; in this configuration, the washing machine 100 may be active, and carry out the selected washing program. When the user has to load/unload laundry within/from the washing machine 100, she/he (at least partially) pulls out the washing machine 100 from the cavity by acting on the handle 171. When the washing machine 100 has been extracted from the cavity of the furniture element by a sufficient amount, the drum 120 may be easily accessed through the casing opening 130 by opening the tub door 135 and the drum door 145. According to another embodiment of the present invention, instead of directly providing the washing machine 100 with wheel elements 170, the washing machine 100 may be installed on a movable floor element (e.g., integral with the furniture element) provided with wheels.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the washing machine 100 is provided with both wheel elements 170 and handle 171 at the same time.

In an embodiment of the invention, the washing machine 100 and the cavity of the hollow furniture are slidingly coupled one another by means of lateral slide elements, which allow the washing machine 100 to be extracted/inserted from the cavity with ease.

The lateral slide element advantageously comprises rail elements 174 located on both the lateral sides of the casing 110 and extending substantially parallel to the direction of the horizontal axis A, and corresponding guide elements 175 located on sides of the cavity of the hollow furniture. As illustrated in Figures 3-6, the rail elements 174 are configured to be slidingly engaged into the guide elements 175. For example, the guide elements 175 comprise suitably shaped protruding members for defining corresponding lanes adapted to engage the rail elements 174. In order to improve the sliding between the rail elements 174 and the guide elements 175, the guide elements 175 may be additionally provided with rollers. Similar considerations apply if the rail elements 174 are located on the sides of the cavity of the hollow furniture and the corresponding guide elements 175 are located on the lateral sides of the casing 110.

Although adapted to be fixed on sides of the cavity of the hollow furniture, for the sake of clarity the guide elements 175 have been illustrated in Figures 3-6 detached from any furniture.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rail elements 174 are advantageously located on two support frames 178, each one coupled to (a bottom portion of) a corresponding lateral side of the casing 110 and slanted with respect to said lateral side. The support frames 178 are arranged in such a way to define, on the section plane identified with the reference 105, substantially a "V", so that the rail elements 174 results to be at least partially faced one to another, converging toward the bottom of the washing machine 110 (as depicted in Figure 2). In order to allow a correct sliding of the rail elements 174 along the lanes defined by the guide elements 175, the guide elements 175 are shaped so as to follow the slanted profile of the support frames 178. Thanks to this peculiar arrangement, once installed, the washing machine 100 self-centers on the above described slide elements, so that any unwanted clearance between the washing machine 100 and the hollow furniture is advantageously kept as low as possible.

In Figure 7 there is illustrated the washing machine 100 (with the tub door 135 of the sliding type) in an exemplary built-in arrangement (the hollow furniture element is identified with the reference 180), with the washing machine 100 that is pulled out from the cavity, and the tub door 135 that is opened.

Naturally, different types of slide elements may be also contemplated.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, instead of being supported by wheel elements 170, the washing machine 100 may be arranged to be installed within the furniture element in a lifted manner, with the washing machine 100 itself that is supported by the slide elements only.