COMBINED CABLE CONNECTOR AND CHANNEL ASSEMBLY

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical household appliance cable connector or socket integral with a power cable channel, which can advantageously be installed such that the power cable is both fixed and guided.

[0002] Electrical connectors are available in a plurality of designs. Terminal blocks or boards provide a practical means of connecting individual electrical wires. They are used to connect wiring among various items of equipment within an enclosure or to make connections among individually enclosed items. For instance a pluggable terminal block may have a body that clamps the wires and plug into a socket or pin strip.

[0003] An electrical household appliance such as a washing machine typically has cable connectors or sockets electrically connected with a power supply cable. Electrical connection of an electrical household appliance is carried out by staff specialized in working on site. The outer side end of the cable that is extending outside the appliance is accordingly coupled to a power source.

[0004] The electrical cable remaining within the appliance, on the other hand, may in certain cases be needed to be fixed by a cable fixer to be appropriately supported and kept in position. In this regard, in order for connecting the electrical connector or socket with the cable inside the appliance, the power cable should be supported so as to have no contact with the surrounding components in order for preventing cable intermingling and any undesired occurrences.

[0005] It is therefore desirable to establish an electrical connection by which the part of the power cable inside the appliance is supportedly guided when making an electrical connection through a cable connector or socket inside the household appliance. While the power supply cable is connected to an electrical connector or socket of the appliance in a conventional manner, cable management may prove important in places with limited working space, where moving machinery parts are involved. Therefore a structural arrangement by which a cable connector or socket can be conveniently connected to the power supply cable whereby the latter is both fixed and guided is needed.

[0006] A prior art reference in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO0213332, disclosing a multi-purpose plug-socket assembly, which comprises a plug, one or more than one sockets, one or more than one three-step switches disposed on the surfaces exposed to the outside, where the user can easily access.

[0007] The present invention, on the other hand, provides a cable connector integral with a power cable channel, which can advantageously be installed in places where a limited space is available and also where it is not possible to properly install a cable channel. Further, the combined cable connector and channel assembly of the invention effectively eliminates risks associated with interaction of the electrical conductors leading to the connector with surrounding movable machinery parts. In this regard, the electrical conductors are safely carried and taken outside the electrical household appliance in which the combined cable connector and channel assembly of the invention is installed. Prior art document EP382999 discloses an electrical household appliance according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0008] Primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide a combined cable connector and channel assembly in the form of a structural arrangement by which a cable connector or socket can be conveniently connected to the power supply cable extending inside an electrical household appliance whereby the cable is both fixed and safely guided outside the appliance.

[0009] The present invention therefore provides a combined cable connector and channel assembly for an electrical household appliance, which is defined in the characterized portion of Claim 1.

[0010] The present invention discloses an electrical household appliance comprising a cable connector and channel assembly with a first connector or socket part and a second cable channel part.

[0011] Said first part is fixed on an internal wall surface of the electrical household appliance and said second part has a channel outer opening leading to a cable outlet hole that is disposed on an external wall surface of the electrical household appliance.

[0012] Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a combined cable connector and channel assembly whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

[0013] The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.

Fig. 1 demonstrates a general internal perspective view of a combined cable connector and channel assembly according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 demonstrates a front view of the installation surface of the combined cable connector and channel assembly inside a laundry treatment appliance according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 demonstrates a side view of the combined cable connector and channel assembly inside a laundry treatment appliance during initial and final phases of the installation process according to the present invention.

[0014] The followings numerals are used in the detailed description:

1. Cable connector and channel assembly

2. Cable connector

3. Cable channel housing

4. Cable channel

5. Channel inner opening

6. Channel outer opening

7. Fixing means

8. Fastening detent

9. Internal wall

10. Drum

11. Cable outlet hole

[0015] The present invention proposes an electrical household appliance and particularly a laundry treatment appliance such as a washing machine, drying machine or a combo washing/drying machine, having a cable connector and channel assembly (1) with a first part in the form of a cable connector (2) or socket, for instance in the form of terminal blocks or boards, joining incoming conductor means with outgoing conductor means in an enclosing manner. A second part of said cable connector and channel assembly (1) is realized in the form of a cable channel (4) provided within a cable channel housing (3) so as to enclose an electrical cable establishing electrical connection with said first part. In a nutshell, the present invention proposes an electrical household appliance comprising a cable connector and channel assembly (1) having a first part in the form of a cable connector (2) joining a plurality of incoming conductor means with a plurality of outgoing conductor means in an enclosing manner, said cable connector and channel assembly (1) further comprising a second part in the form of a cable channel (4) provided within a cable channel housing (3) so as to enclose an electrical cable establishing electrical connection with said first part of said cable connector and channel assembly (1).

[0016] Said first part of the cable connector and channel assembly (1) is disposed on an internal wall (9) surface of said electrical household appliance and said second part thereof has a channel outer opening (6) communicating with a cable outlet hole (11) disposed on an external wall surface of the electrical household appliance.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the invention, said cable connector and channel assembly (1) is a monolithic unit in the manner that said first part is integral with said second part. The cable channel (4) has a channel inner opening (5) through which the electrical conductors extend from said second part to the first part of the cable connector and channel assembly (1).

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, said channel outer opening (6) directly overlaps with said cable outlet hole (11).

[0019] In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the cable connector and channel assembly (1) is fixedly attached to its location on an internal wall (9) surface of the electrical household appliance by means of a fixing means (7). Further, at least one fastening detent (8) provides a mechanical engagement connection with said internal wall (9).

[0020] The present invention therefore provides a structural electrical connection arrangement, which can advantageously be installed in places where a limited space is available and also where it is not possible to properly install a cable channel individually. The combined cable connector and channel assembly (1) of the invention effectively eliminates risks associated with interaction of the electrical conductors leading to the cable connector (2) surrounded by movable machinery parts such as the drum (10) of a laundry treatment machine as seen in Fig. 2 or 3. Fig. 3 demonstrates a side view of the combined cable connector and channel assembly (1) inside a laundry treatment appliance during initial and final phases of the installation process. As the working space is very limited for installing a cable channel (4), a combined cable connector and channel assembly (1) advantageously ensure that the electrical conductors are safely carried and guided outside the electrical household appliance so as to avoid cable intermingling.

Claims

1. An electrical household appliance comprising a cable connector and channel assembly (1) having a first part in the form of a cable connector (2) joining a plurality of incoming conductor means with a plurality of outgoing conductor means in an enclosing manner, said cable connector and channel assembly (1) further comprising a second part in the form of a cable channel (4) provided within a cable channel housing (3) so as to enclose an electrical cable establishing electrical connection with said first part of said cable connector and channel assembly (1), characterized in that said first part of the cable connector and channel assembly (1) is disposed on an internal wall (9) surface of said electrical household appliance and said second part has a channel outer opening (6) communicating with a cable outlet hole (11) disposed on an external wall surface of the electrical household appliance, the cable being both fixed and safely guided outside the appliance, so as to avoid cable intermingling.

2. An electrical household appliance as in Claim 1, characterized in that the cable connector and channel assembly (1) is a monolithic unit in the manner that said first part is integral with said second part.

3. An electrical household appliance as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said channel outer opening (6) directly overlaps with said cable outlet hole (11).

4. An electrical household appliance as in any previous Claims, characterized in that the cable connector and channel assembly (1) is fixedly attached to said internal wall (9) surface of the electrical household appliance by means of a fixing means (7).

5. An electrical household appliance as in any previous Claims, characterized in that the cable connector and channel assembly (1) s attached to said internal wall (9) surface by at least one fastening detent (8) in a mechanical engagement relationship therewith.

Ansprüche

1. Ein Elektrohaushaltsgerät beinhaltet einen Kabelverbinder und eine Kanalanordnung (1) mit einem ersten Teil inder Form eines Kabelverbinders (2) der zusammenfügt eine Mehrzahl von hinkommenden Leitungsmitteln mit einer Mehrzahl von ausgehenden Leitungsmitteln in einer geschlossenen Weise, besagte Kabelverbinder und Kanalanordnung (1) weiter bestehend aus einem zweiten Teil in der Form eines Kabelkanals (4) versorgt in einem Kabelkanalgehäuse (3), um einzuschließen ein elektrisches Kabel, das ermittelt die elektrische Verbindung mit dem besagten ersten Teil des Kabelverbinders und Kanalanordnung (1), dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß besagter erster Teil des Kabelverbinders und Kanalanordnung (1) sind angeordnet auf einer internen Wand (9) fläche des besagten Elektro-haushaltsgerät und besagter zweiter Teil hat eine Kanalaußenöffnung (6), die mit einem Kabelausflussloch (11) in Verbindung ist, angeordnet auf einer Außenwand-fläche des Elektrohaushaltsgeräts, die Kabel ist festgesetzt und sicher geführt außerhalb von dem Haushaltsgerät, um Kabelvermischung zu verhindern.

2. Ein Elektrohaushaltsgerät nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Kabelverbinder und Kanalanordnung (1) eine monolithische Einheit ist in der Weise, daß besagter erster Teil mit dem besagten zweiten Teil fest eingebaut ist.

3. Ein Elektrohaushaltsgerät nach Ansprüche 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß besagte Kanalaußenöffnung (6) direkt überlagert mit dem besagten Kabelausflussloch (11).

4. Ein Elektrohaushaltsgerät nach den vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Kabelverbinder und Kanalanordnung (1) fest eingebaut ist zur besagten internen Fläche der Wand (9) des Elektrohaushaltsgerät durch ein Befestigungsmittel (7).

5. Ein Elektrohaushaltsgerät nach den vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Kabelverbinder und Kanalanordnung (1) eingebaut ist zur besagten internen Fläche der Wand (9) durch mindestens ein Befestigungssperre (8) in einer mechanischen Eingriffsbeziehung damit.

Revendications

1. Appareil électroménager comprenant un ensemble de connecteur de câble et de canal (1) ayant une première partie sous la forme d'un connecteur de câble (2) reliant une pluralité de moyens conducteurs entrants avec une pluralité de moyens conducteurs sortants d'une manière enfermant, ledit ensemble de connecteur de câble et de canal (1) comprenant en outre une seconde partie sous la forme d'un canal de câble (4) prévu dans un boîtier de canal de câble (3) pour enfermer un câble électrique établissant une connexion électrique avec ladite première partie dudit câble ensemble de connecteur et de canal (1), caractérisé en ce que ladite première partie de l'ensemble de connecteur de câble et de canal (1) est disposée sur une surface de paroi interne (9) dudit appareil électroménager et ladite seconde partie comporte une ouverture extérieure de canal (6) communiquant avec un trou de sortie de câble (11) disposée sur une surface de paroi extérieure de l'appareil électroménager, le câble étant à la fois fixe et guidé de manière sûrement à l'extérieur de l'appareil, de manière à éviter l'entremêlement des câbles.

2. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'ensemble de connecteur de câble et de canal (1) sont une unité monolithique de la manière dont ladite première partie est solidaire de ladite seconde partie.

3. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que ladite ouverture extérieure de canal (6) chevauche directement ledit trou de sortie de câble (11).

4. Appareil électroménager selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'ensemble de connecteur de câble et de canal (1) sont fixés de manière fixe à ladite paroi interne (9) de l'appareil électroménager au moyen d'un moyen de fixation (7).

5. Appareil électroménager selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'ensemble de connecteur de câble et de canal (1) sont fixés à ladite paroi interne (9) par au moins un cliquet de fixation (8) dans une relation d'engagement mécanique avec celle-ci.

Drawing