Plastic suds container for a washing machine

Abstract

A plastic suds container for a washing machine for receiving a drum rotatable therein includes a container wall including a cylindrical shell and an end wall at an end of the shell. The end wall defines a plane and includes a stabilizing device and a number of channel-like relief profiles formed therein in limited regions within respective areas bounded by the stabilizing device. Each of the relief profiles includes a hollow, the hollow being at least substantially surrounded by a remaining flat or unprofiled region of the respective area bounding the stabilizing device. Each of the relief profiles is expandable and / or compressible in a respective direction of extension of the plane.

Description

[0001] Priority is claimed to German patent application DE 10 2005 019 414.1, filed Apr. 25, 2005, the entire subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. [0002] The present invention relates to a plastic suds container for a washing machine for receiving a drum rotatable therein, the plastic suds container having cylindrical shell and at least one end wall closing the shell, the shell and / or the end wall being provided with stabilizing means. BACKGROUND [0003] In the prior art, plastic suds container for washing machines have been described which take the form of a cylindrical container enclosing the drum. In one of the end walls, a metallic cross-shaped bearing member including a hub for receiving a drive shaft for the drum is incorporated in the molded plastic mass. Injection-molding around the cross-shaped bearing member made of cast iron leads to considerable internal stresses, which result from the fact that the plastic shrinks as it cools from its solid...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a plastic suds container for a washing machine that includes a container wall with improved durability and reduced susceptibility to cracking. This is achieved by incorporating a cross-shaped bearing member or a stabilizing device in the end wall of the container. The container also includes a plurality of channel-like relief profiles formed in limited regions within the container wall. The relief profiles are expandable and / or compressible in a respective direction of extension of the plane of the container wall. The molded-in relief profiles provide a hollow in the container wall, which is elastic in the direction of extension of the container wall. The remaining areas of the container wall, which are not deformed by the relief profiles, provide stability to the extent possible. The invention also provides a plastic suds container with improved load-carrying capacity and reduced internal stresses.

Problems solved by technology

Injection-molding around the cross-shaped bearing member made of cast iron leads to considerable internal stresses, which result from the fact that the plastic shrinks as it cools from its solidification temperature to ambient temperature.

In addition, the forces can lead to cracks in the container wall, resulting in leaks and unstable connection of the cross-shaped bearing member.

When injection-molding around large-volume metal parts, generally, considerable internal stresses occur in the plastic, which also lead to stresses in the metal part.

This may possibly even lead to deformations of the metal part, and thus make the composite construction useless.

However, this has the disadvantage that significant energy costs are incurred, and that the handling in the manufacture of a cross-shaped bearing member incorporated in a plastic suds container is thereby made much more difficult.

Another problem is the unequal heating of the cross-shaped bearing member and the suds container during operation.

Here too, material stresses may occur within the container wall due to the different temperature expansion coefficients, leading to the problems mentioned earlier.

In that approach, however, after the cooling process during the manufacture of the plastic suds container is completed, material stresses may be present in the transition regions between the hub and the plastic part.

Moreover, the material accumulations in the area of the ribs may shrink to different extents during cooling, and may therefore lead to unwanted force peaks and / or material stresses in the transition regions.

Excessive material stresses may lead to unwanted cracks, resulting in leakage of the suds container.

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