Aggregate for a washing machine with a plastic sudsing container

Abstract

An aggregate for a washing machine provided with a substantially hollow cylindrical suds container of fiberglass reinforced polymeric material and consisting of two end walls and a shell, a hollow cylindrical washing drum disposed in the suds container for rotation on a shaft about a non-vertical axis, and a unitary support structure embedded substantially completely in one of the end walls and with a bearing support adapted to receive the shaft and at least one arm extending radially from the bearing support.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention refers to an aggregate for a washing machine with a plastic sudsing container made of a fiber glass reinforced polymeric material and consisting of a front and a rear wall held together by a shell or circularly bent wall, with a hollow cylindrical drum disposed within the sudsing container for rotation about a horizontal or inclined axis and with a bearing seat for the cantilevered bearing of the drum by receiving a shaft connected therewith. Moreover, the invention relates to a method of making an aggregate for a washing machine with a plastic sudsing container made of a fiber glass reinforced polymeric material and consisting of a front and a rear wall held together by a shell or circularly bent wall, with a hollow cylindrical drum disposed in the sudsing container for rotation about a horizontal or inclined axis and with a support structure in the area of one of the front and rear walls having in it...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an aggregate for a washing machine with a suds container made of a polymeric material in which forces and high temperatures are safely dissipated from the area of the bearings. Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple and economic method of manufacturing such an aggregate.

[0013] In addition to excellent force and heat diversion from the area of the bearings, the advantages resulting from the invention reside in an increased strength of the bottom of the suds container. Thus, there is a saving of material since the conventional stiffening rods in mass-produced washing machines with polymeric suds containers are no longer required. Moreover, the strengthening of the bottom of by sectors of different depths known from European patent EP 0 043 428 A1 can also be dispensed with in favor of a substantially planar and smooth interior surface of the suds container wall. This results in reducing the operational noise otherwise caused by laundry moving in the pockets formed by sectors.

[0015] This leads to an increased strength of the suds container bottom and improved heat dissipation. It also provides for an optimal mass distribution for the compensation of imbalance force. The connecting braces are preferably positioned between the ends of two opposite pairs of arms.

[0017] Advantageously, connecting braces are also provided at an intermediate section of the side of the arms opposite the end braces. Placement of the braces in this intermediate position makes it possible to produce a plurality of support structures in an interdigitated arrangement by a single casting operation.

[0018] Another advantage derived from the method of the invention resides in the fact the support structure and suds container bottom form are intimately connected without the use of any fasteners. While more economical, the aggregate is nevertheless of significant strength and stability.

Problems solved by technology

Variants in which a support cross is separately made and mounted on the sudsing container, as is the case with stainless steel sudsing containers, are not known and are not useful since, for reasons to be explained hereinafter, the connecting points are subjected to high loads which could result in breaking of the polymer.

Also, heat dissipation of the bearing is not optimal, so that large temperature peaks and differences in temperature within the rear wall of the suds container are possible.

This may damage the material and loosen the connection between the metal and polymeric material.

At imbalances caused by a non-symmetric distribution of laundry in the drum, the high revolutions also generate high flexural forces which are diverted to the bottom of the suds container by way of the bearings.

This may also damage the bottom itself or its connection with the bearing housing as well as the curved wall or shell of the suds container.

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