Front-loading electrical household appliance, particulary a washing machine or oven

Abstract

 A front-loading electrical household appliance (1), particularly a washing machine, an electrically-heated and/or gas-heated oven or the like, comprises a supporting and containing structure (2) with a front wall (3) in which is a loading aperture (4) with a door (5). The door (5) is connected to the front wall by two closing links (8) positioned near two opposite sides (9, 9') of the door (5) and connected rotatably, by a first end (10), to the door (5) and, by a second end (11), to the front wall (3) to cause the door (5) to move from the closed position to a sliding position. Two tracks (12) formed in the door (5) and in sliding connection with the said first ends (10) of the closing links (8) cause the door (5) to slide parallel to the front wall (3) from the sliding position to the open position.

Description

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a front-loading electrical household appliance, particularly a washing machine or an oven.

[0002] As is well known, front-loading washing machines, especially those for domestic use, have a supporting and containing structure with a front wall containing an aperture for loading and unloading the washing. The said loading aperture is sealed by a door hinged to the front wall. The door is opened and closed in the same way as an ordinary hinged door, the disadvantage being that this requires a large amount of space in front of the machine when the door is open.

[0003] Besides sheer space requirements, both washing machines and ovens of the prior art expose, when opened, structural parts which are normally inside the appliance and not accessible to the user. These structural parts may be wet with wash liquid (in the case of washing machines), very hot (in the case of ovens) or liable to catch on things, which is dangerous or at least annoying.

[0004] The main object of the present invention is therefore to provide a front-loading electrical household appliance, particularly a washing machine or an oven having a system of closure such as to overcome the problems mentioned with reference to the prior art.

[0005] This and other objects are achieved with an electrical household appliance according to Claim 1.

[0006] To explain the invention more clearly, an illustrative, non-restrictive description is given below of certain embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a washing machine with a closure system according to the invention;

[0008] Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are side views showing in section the closure system of Figure 1, in the closed, half-open and open conditions, respectively;

[0009] Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of certain details from Figure 2b;

[0010] Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of certain details from Figure 2c;

[0011] Figure 5 is a plan view in section on V-V as marked in Figure 3;

[0012] Figure 6 is a plan view in section on VI-VI as marked in Figure 3;

[0013] Figures 7a, 7b and 7c are side views in section through a second embodiment of the closure system according to the invention, in the closed, half-open and open conditions, respectively;

[0014] Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of certain details from Figure 7b;

[0015] Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of certain details from Figure 7c;

[0016] Figures 10a, 10b and 10c are side views in section through a third embodiment of the closure system according to the invention, in the closed, half-open and open conditions, respectively;

[0017] Figure 11 is an enlarged side view of certain details from Figure 10a;

[0018] Figure 12 is an enlarged side view of certain details from Figure 10b;

[0019] Figure 13 is an enlarged side view of certain details from Figure 10c;

[0020] Figure 14 is a plan view in section on XIV-XIV as marked in Figure 12;

[0021] Figure 15 is a side view in section through an alternative embodiment of the closure system referred to in Figure 10;

[0022] Figure 16 is a plan view in section on XVI-XVI as marked in Figure 15; and

[0023] Figure 17 is a view in section on XVII-XVII as marked in Figure 16.

[0024] Referring to Figure 1, a front-loading electrical household appliance, a washing machine in this particular example, is marked 1 as a whole. The washing machine 1 comprises a supporting and containing structure 2 with a front wall 3 in which is a loading aperture 4.

[0025] A door 5, consisting of a preferably transparent window 6 and a frame 7, is connected to the front wall 3 by two closing links 8 positioned near two opposite sides 9, 9' of the frame 7 and connected rotatably, by a first end 10, to the frame 7 of the door 5 and, by a second end 11, to the front wall 3. The said closing links 8 are able, by rotation, to cause the door 5 to move from a closed position, cp. Figure 2a, to a sliding position, cp. Figure 2b.

[0026] The said movement from the closed position to the sliding position involves the door 5 moving away from the loading aperture 4 and from the front wall 3 at least as far as a point at which the space requirements of the door 5, and in particular those of the window 6, no longer interfere with the front wall 3 in the event of the door being moved transversely.

[0027] Formed inside the frame 7 of the door 5 are two tracks 12 in which the first ends 10 of the closing links 8 slide, to allow the door 5 to be opened by a movement directed essentially parallel to the front wall 3 from the sliding position, cp. Figure 2b, to an open position, cp. Figure 2c.

[0028] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, during its movement from the closed position to the open position and back again, the door 5 defines a fixed angle with the front wall 3.

[0029] In accordance with another embodiment, the door 5 can tilt with respect to the front wall 3, defining with the latter an angle between a minimum value α_min and a maximum value α_max, in which the said minimum value α_min is preferably -15° and the said maximum value α_max is preferably +15°.

[0030] In accordance with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2a, 2b and 2c, the washing machine 1 has two additional closing links 13, also positioned near the said two opposite sides 9, 9' of the door 5 above the first links 8, but separated from them, in the direction in which the door 5 slides, by a length equal to the displacement necessary to open the door. The closing links 13 are connected rotatably, by a first end 14, to the door 5 and, in a rotatable and sliding manner, by a second end 15, to two additional tracks 21 formed in the front wall 3 of the washing machine 1.

[0031] At the top of the door 5 is a hook 16 extending towards the front wall 3 and designed to engage, in the closed position, with a corresponding catch 17 formed in the supporting structure 2. Needless to say, the said hook 16 can also be located at the bottom of the door 5, or on one of its lateral sides.

[0032] As can be seen in Figure 2a, for example, the loading aperture 4 of a dishwasher 1 according to the invention has a preferably circumferential seal 18 made of an elastic material which, when the door 5 is closed, is in contact with the window 6, forming both a seal around the loading aperture 4, and an elastic preloading of the door 5 tending to push it towards its sliding position.

[0033] The electrical household appliance according to the invention advantageously has stop means for locking the closing links 8, 13 in the sliding position. In one embodiment, the said stop means are represented by first abutment surfaces 19 formed in the front wall 3 below the point of rotatable connection of the links 8, and also by second abutment surfaces 20 formed in the door frame above the point of rotatable connection of the links 13, as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4 for example.

[0034] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, as can be seen in Figures 16 and 17 for example, the said stop means take the form of one or more cams 39 connected for example to the ends 11 of the links 8 and provided with recesses 40 at the stop positions of the said links 8. Accompanying the said cams 39 are locking elements, preferably spring-loaded metal balls 41 for engaging in the said recesses to bring about snap locking of the closing links 8 in the stop positions.

[0035] In one embodiment of the invention, the closing links 8, 13 are connected to that surface of the door 5 which faces the front wall 3 and are situated inside the perimeter of the door 5 viewed from the front. This ensures the inaccessibility of components that are liable to catch things, and an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

[0036] Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the rotatable connection of the closing links 8 to the supporting structure 2 is advantageously provided by a hinge connection directly inside the tracks 21. It is also advantageous if the two closing links 8 are coupled in rotation by a shaft 22 integral with the non-sliding ends 11 of the two opposite closing links 8. This coupling of the links 8 creates an essentially rigid frame such as to prevent the door 5 from jerking as it slides.

[0037] The sliding connection between the ends 10 of the closing links 8 and the tracks 12 is advantageously provided by at least one wheel 24, connected rotatably to the said ends 10 and able to run inside the said tracks 12, which preferably form a C in cross section.

[0038] The connection of the other closing links 13 is similar, but the opposite of that of the closing links 8 in order that the ends 14 and 15 of the said other links 13 are always aligned, by the tracks, with the respective ends 10 and 11 of the links 8.

[0039] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the electrical household appliance 1 has brake and/or damper means for attenuating the sliding movement of the door 5 between the sliding position and the open position.

[0040] In the case of a front-loading washing machine with a vertically sliding door 5, the said brake means preferably consist of one or more springs 43 inside the tracks, connected to the sliding ends of the closing links. The said springs 43, acting in the direction of the said tracks, are preferably designed to balance the weight of the door.

[0041] As can also be seen in Figures 3 to 6, the said front wall 3 advantageously includes a cavity 25 corresponding in shape to the door 5, for at least partly housing the door when the door is in the closed position.

[0042] The tracks and the closing links are advantageously positioned and attached to the front surface of the said cavity 25. Alternatively, they may also be positioned and attached to a lateral surface of the cavity 25, as indicated for example by the dashes in Figure 6.

[0043] Figures 7a to 7c illustrate another embodiment of the invention, in which the two closing links 8 at the bottom and the other two closing links 13 at the top are positioned near the two opposite sides 9, 9' of the door 5 and connected rotatably, by their second ends 11, 15, to the front wall 3 and rotatably and in a sliding manner, by their first ends 10, 14, to the door 5.

[0044] The sliding connection of the said first ends 10, 14 of the links 8, 13 to the door 5 is advantageously provided by a guide means 12 of telescopic type, as is clear from Figures 8 and 9 for example.

[0045] The first ends 10, 14 of respectively one of the links 8, 13 are connected rotatably to a tubular body 26 fitted with bushes 27 or bearings to form a guide means for a rod 28, its outer end 29 attached to the bottom of the door 5 and its inner end 29', remote from the outer end 29, inserted in the said tubular body 26. The top of the door 5 is connected in a sliding manner to the tubular body 26 by an external sliding ring 30, which is advantageously a bush or bearing.

[0046] In this embodiment of the invention, the links 8 and 13 form, with the tubular body 26 and the supporting structure 2, a hinged parallelogram.

[0047] Figures 10a to 10c show another embodiment of the invention with only one pair of links 8, connected rotatably to the front wall 3 and rotatably and in a sliding manner to the two tracks 12 provided in the frame 7 of the door 5.

[0048] Figures 11 to 14 illustrate an advantageous embodiment of the invention in which the track 12 formed in the door 5 has, at the point at which the end 10 of the link 8 is parked when the door 5 is in the closed position, a portion 31 forming an angle to the direction of sliding. The end 10 of the link 8 is basically a cam shaped so as to be complementary to the portion 31, when the door 5 is in the closed position. This particular configuration of the track and of the closing link presents an initial resistance to the movement of the door from the closed position to the sliding position. As an alternative to the cam shape of the end 10, it may also have a number of wheels 24 arranged so as to perform the function of the cam.

[0049] The end 10 of the link 8 is advantageously connected by a spring 32 to a roller 33 to brake the sliding movement of the door 5 and lock the door elastically in the vertical position.

[0050] In another embodiment, shown in Figures 15 to 17, a rack 34 is placed in the tracks 12. Each of the two closing links 8 is fitted with a gear train transmission mechanism 35 that includes an outer gear 36 meshing with the teeth of the rack 34, and, positioned at the end 11 of the link 8, an inner gear 37 coupled in rotation with the said outer gear 36. The inner gears 37 of the two transmission mechanisms 35 are advantageously coupled in rotation, for example by a shaft 38, in order to couple together the sliding movements of the links 8 along the tracks 12.

[0051] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the shaft 38 or the inner gears 37 are operated by electric drive means, such as one or more brushless motors, for automatic controlled sliding of the door 5.

[0052] In a washing machine according to the invention, with downward-sliding aperture, the height C of the supporting structure 2 is advantageously between 750 mm and 950 mm, preferably 850 mm, the width B of the supporting structure 2 is between 550 mm and 650 mm, preferably 600 mm, the height A of the door 5 is preferably equal to or greater than 336 mm and its width L is preferably equal to or greater than 430 mm. The distance D between the bottom edge of the door 5 in the closed position and the bottom edge of the supporting structure 2 is advantageously between 300 mm and 400 mm, preferably approximately 330 mm. Still more advantageously, the ratio L/A of the width to the height of the door 5 is equal to or greater than 7/6.

[0053] The operation of the front-loading electrical household appliance according to the invention will now be described.

[0054] In the closed position the door 5 is locked by the hook 16 and the catch 17. The seal 18 is in contact with the transparent window 6, making the closure of the loading aperture 4 watertight. On disengaging the hook 16 from the catch 17, for example by pressing a button 42, the door 5 is unlocked and pushed, by the elastic force exerted by the seal 18, from the closed position towards the sliding position. In the said sliding position, the closing links are arrested by abutment surfaces or other stop means. The door 5 then moves as the wheels 24 roll inside the tracks 12, 21 or as the rod 28 and the ring 30 move along the tubular body 26 to the door 5 open position, thus opening the loading aperture 4 completely. According to the invention, the sliding of the door 5 is essentially parallel to the front wall 3.

[0055] The said sliding of the door 5 is brought about, depending on the embodiment of the invention, by electric power, gravity or manual action. Naturally, the inventive concept applies both to an essentially vertical and an essentially horizontal opening movement. Furthermore, the tracks may advantageously be curved to give a nonlinear sliding movement, possibly following the shaped form of the front wall of the electrical household appliance.

[0056] The sliding movement of the door is braked and/or damped by the spring 43 which, in the case of vertical sliding, can be designed to counterbalance the weight of the door itself.

[0057] The loading aperture is closed in a similar way by moving the door from the open position to the sliding position, in which the closing links, having reached the end stops of the tracks, rotate about their hinges to place the door in the closed position, in which it is once again locked.

[0058] An electrical household appliance 1 according to the invention has many advantages.

[0059] The electrical household appliance 1 takes up very little space, whatever position the door is in, and is therefore particularly suitable for home use.

[0060] Owing to the closing system according to the invention, no hot, sharp or wet structural parts are ever exposed and the risk of accidents is thereby minimized.

[0061] In particular, in the case of an electrically heated and/or gas-heated oven according to the invention, the risk of burns to the user is practically eliminated.

[0062] In a washing machine or tumble-dryer according to the invention, surfaces that are hot and/or wet with wash liquid are no longer exposed and always face towards the cabinet itself, thus being effectively inaccessible to the user and others, such as children.

[0063] All the parts of the closing system are located inside the perimeter of the door and are therefore invisible to the user.

[0064] Since the entire door is moved away from the loading aperture, loading and unloading of the appliance are less obstructed by the door and are therefore carried out more quickly and easily.

[0065] The closing system of the electrical household appliance according to the invention is also very safe and reliable.

[0066] It will be obvious that a person skilled in the art may, in order to satisfy particular and specific requirements, make further modifications and alterations to the electrical household appliance 1 according to the present invention, all of which would remain within the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. Front-loading electrical household appliance (1), particularly a washing machine, an oven or the like, comprising

- a supporting and containing structure (2) with a front wall (3) in which is a loading aperture (4);

- a door (5) for closing the said loading aperture (4); and

- connecting means (8, 12) for connecting the said door (5) to the said supporting structure (2) in such a way that it can be moved between a closed position and an open position,

   characterized in that the said connecting means (8, 12) comprise

- two closing links (8) positioned near two opposite sides (9, 9') of the door (5) and connected rotatably, by a first end (10), to the door (5) and, by a second end (11), to the front wall (3), these links causing the door (5) to move from the closed position to a sliding position; and

- two tracks (12) formed in the door (5) and in sliding connection with the said first ends (10) of the said closing links (8) to cause the door (5) to slide generally parallel to the front wall (3) from the said sliding position to the said open position.

2. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 1, comprising

- two additional closing links (13) positioned near the said two opposite sides (9, 9') of the door (5) and connected rotatably, by a first end (14), to the door (5) and, by a second end (15), to the front wall (3); and

- two additional tracks (21) formed in the front wall (3) and in sliding connection with the said second ends (15) of the said additional closing links (13).

3. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 1, comprising two additional closing links (13) positioned near the said two opposite longitudinal sides (9, 9') of the door (5) and connected rotatably, by a first end (14), to the said tracks (12) of the door (5) and, by a second end (15), to the front wall (3).

4. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the orientation of the door (5), during its movement from the closed position to the open position and back again, remains generally parallel to the front wall (3).

5. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which, during its movement from the closed position to the open position and back again, the door (5) defines a fixed angle with the front wall (3).

6. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which, during its movement from the closed position to the open position and back again, the door (5) can tilt with respect to the front wall (3), such that the angle defined by the door (5) and the front wall (3) is between a minimum value α_min and a maximum value α_max.

7. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 6, in which the said minimum value α_min is approximately -15° and the said maximum value α_max is approximately +15°.

8. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising locking means (16, 17) for locking the door (5) in the closed position.

9. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 8, in which the said locking means (16, 17) comprise a hook (16) mounted on the said door (5) and designed to engage, in the closed position, with a corresponding catch (17) formed in the supporting structure (2).

10. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising elastic push means (18) for pushing the door (5) from the closed position towards the sliding position.

11. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 10, in which the said elastic push means (18) take the form of a seal (18) of the loading aperture (4).

12. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said closing links (8, 13) are connected to that surface of the door (5) which faces the front wall (3) and are situated inside the perimeter of the door (5) viewed from the front.

13. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising stop means (19, 20, 39, 40, 41) for locking the said closing links (8, 13) in the sliding position.

14. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 13, in which the said stop means (19, 20, 39, 40, 41) comprise abutment surfaces (19, 20).

15. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 13, in which the said stop means (19, 20, 39, 40, 41) comprise

- one or more cams (39) connected to the closing links (8; 13) and having recesses (40) at the stop positions of the said links (8; 13), and

- one or more spring-loaded locking elements (41) for engaging in the said recesses (40) to bring about spring-loaded locking of the closing links (8; 13) in the said stop positions.

16. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising brake means (43, 32, 33) for braking the said sliding movement of the door (5) between the sliding position and the open position.

17. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 16, in which the said brake means (43, 32, 33) comprise one or more springs (43) connected to the sliding ends of the closing links (8, 13) and acting approximately in the direction of the tracks (12, 21).

18. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least two closing links (8; 13) are coupled in rotation.

19. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 18, in which the rotational coupling is provided by a shaft (22, 23) integral in rotation with the non-sliding ends of two corresponding opposite closing links (8; 13).

20. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said sliding connection between the ends of the closing links and the tracks is provided by at least one wheel (24), connected rotatably to the said ends and able to run inside a C channel forming the said tracks (12, 21).

21. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which

- a rack (34) is fitted to at least two of the said tracks (12; 21),

- a respective gear train transmission mechanism (35) is fitted to each of the two or more closing links (8; 13) in sliding connection with the said two or more tracks (12; 21),

- the said gear train transmission mechanism (35) includes an outer gear (36) meshing with the teeth of the rack (34), and, at the non-sliding end (11; 14) of the link (8; 13), an inner gear (37) coupled in rotation with the said outer gear (36),

- the said inner gears (37) of two different transmission mechanisms (35) are coupled in rotation in order to couple together the sliding movement of the said two or more closing links (8; 13) up and down the said two or more tracks (12; 21).

22. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 21, in which the said inner gears (37) of two different transmission mechanisms (35) are coupled in rotation by a shaft (38).

23. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sliding connection of the ends (10, 14) of the closing links (8, 13) to the door (5) is provided by a guide means (12, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30) of telescopic type.

24. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 23, in which

- the first ends (10, 14) of respectively one of the closing links (8, 13) are connected rotatably to a tubular body (26),

- a rod (28), its outer end (29) attached at one point to the door (5) and its inner end (29'), remote from the outer end (29), inserted in the said tubular body (26), and

- an external sliding ring (30) fitted around the said tubular body (26) and attached to the door (5) at a second point, remote from the said first point in the door (5) sliding direction.

25. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the closing links (8, 13) form, with the track (12; 21) and the supporting structure (1), a hinged parallelogram.

26. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said front wall (3) includes a cavity (25) for at least partly housing the said door (5) in the closed position.

27. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 26, in which the closing links are attached to the front surface of the said cavity (25).

28. Electrical household appliance (1) according to Claim 26, in which the closing links are attached to a lateral surface of the cavity (25).

29. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said electrical household appliance (1) is a washing machine.

30. Washing machine according to Claim 29 with downward-sliding aperture, in which the height (C) of the supporting structure (2) is between 750 mm and 950 mm, the width (B) of the supporting structure (2) is between 550 mm and 650 mm, the height (A) of the door (5) is equal to or greater than 336 mm and its width (L) is equal to or greater than 430 mm.

31. Washing machine according to Claim 29 or 30, in which the distance (D) between the bottom edge of the door (5) in the closed position and the bottom edge of the supporting structure (2) is between 300 mm and 400 mm.

32. Washing machine according to Claim 31, in which the said distance (D) between the bottom edge of the door (5) in the closed position and the bottom edge of the supporting structure (2) is approximately 330 mm.

33. Washing machine according to any one of Claims 29 to 32, in which the ratio L/A of the width to the height of the door (5) is equal to or greater than 7/6.

34. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 29, in which the said electrical household appliance (1) is a tumble-dryer.

35. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 28, in which the said electrical household appliance (1) is an electrically heated and/or gas-heated oven.

36. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the movement of the door (5) when opening is an essentially vertical movement.

37. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the movement of the door (5) when opening is an essentially horizontal movement.

38. Electrical household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the movement of the door (5) when opening is a nonlinear movement, following the shaped form of the front wall (3) of the electrical household appliance (1).

Drawing