Washing machine outer barrel sealing structure with notches and washing machine

Abstract

The washing machine outer barrel sealing structure with the notch and the washing machine are characterized in that the notch is formed in at least one side of an outer barrel of the washing machine in the width direction of a machine shell of the washing machine, a flexible sealing piece capable of sealing the notch is arranged on the notch of the outer barrel, and one end of the flexible sealing piece is connected with the notch in a sealed mode; the other end of the flexible sealing piece is arranged opposite to the inner side face of a washing machine shell in the width direction, and the other end of the flexible sealing piece can slide on the inner side face of the shell in a plane mode and is in contact with the shell all the time. The invention has the advantages that: the integral flexible sealing element is adopted, so that the flexible sealing element can be ensured to do plane slippage in all directions along the inner side surface of the casing, the local part of the flexible sealing element can be ensured to be always contacted with the inner side surface of the casing without falling off, and the damping effect is further achieved; and the damage risk caused by pulling can be reduced, and the service life is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing structure of a washing machine, in particular to a sealing structure of a washing machine outer barrel with a cutout, and a washing machine adopting the outer barrel structure. Background Art

[0002] Drum washing machines are common household appliances in daily life. However, during operation, the high-speed rotation of the inner drum causes the laundry to vibrate due to localized excessive centrifugal force. This inevitably leads to random displacement of the center of mass. The vibration caused by the inner drum is transmitted to the outside of the drum-type washing machine through the outer drum and the casing. To prevent vibration from being transmitted from the inner drum through the outer drum to the casing, existing drum washing machines require gaps between the inner drum and the outer drum, as well as between the outer drum and the casing, to provide shock-absorbing devices for buffering and damping outer drum vibrations. This ensures that the washing machine has sufficient space for shaking and displacement during high-speed rotation. Therefore, under standard casing widths, the inner drum diameters of mainstream drum washing machines on the market (e.g., with a capacity of 10kg) cannot be made larger (mostly around 500mm).

[0003] In order to effectively increase the capacity of the inner barrel, the utility model patent I previously applied for, patent number ZL202222649579.7, "A washing machine outer barrel and a drum washing machine using the outer barrel", adopted a new outer barrel structure, that is, by opening holes on both sides of the outer barrel, the original need to leave a safety gap between the inner and outer barrels and between the outer barrel and the box body is converted into only leaving a safety gap between the inner barrel and the box body.

[0004] In the above patent, by cutting a notch on each side of the outer barrel, although this structure can effectively increase the diameter of the inner barrel, the openings on both sides of the outer barrel will weaken or even lose the water holding function of the entire outer barrel. Therefore, it is necessary to find a suitable solution to seal the opening of the outer barrel to achieve the function of holding water; at the same time, in order to improve the reliability of the equipment, the sealing structure of the outer barrel must not only meet the sealing requirements, but also need to meet the requirements of avoiding mutual interference caused by vibration when the washing machine is working. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a sealing structure of a washing machine outer drum with a cutout, which can ensure the long-term operation reliability of the equipment, and the sealing structure can also avoid interference between the inner drum and the flange of the box during the installation process.

[0006] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a washing machine that adopts the above outer drum sealing structure to achieve operation in response to the above-mentioned existing technical status.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a sealing structure of a washing machine outer barrel with a cutout, wherein the washing machine outer barrel is provided with a cutout on at least one side along the width direction of the washing machine casing, and is characterized in that: a flexible seal that can close the cutout is provided on the cutout of the outer barrel, and one end of the flexible seal is sealingly connected to the cutout; the other end of the flexible seal is arranged opposite to the inner side surface of the washing machine casing in the width direction, and the other end of the flexible seal can slide in a plane on the inner side surface of the casing and always maintain contact with the casing.

[0008] In order to better wrap and seal the incision while taking into account aesthetics, it is preferred that the flexible seal is in the shape of an end cover with one end open and the other end closed, and the flexible seal includes a bottom surface that can be connected to the incision, and the flexible seal also includes an end surface that can slide relative to the inner side surface of the casing.

[0009] To improve the elastic seal's stretchability, the bottom and end surfaces of the flexible seal are connected by a flexible portion with elastic deformation. This flexible portion acts as a bending buffer section, allowing the flexible seal to achieve greater flexibility while achieving sealing.

[0010] As a further preferred embodiment, in order to save space and increase the amount of deformation, the cross-section of the flexible portion can be C-shaped or S-shaped. The C-shaped or S-shaped design can reduce the overall size of the flexible seal while increasing the stretchability and flexibility of the flexible portion during movement.

[0011] In order to ensure reliable sealing of the incision, preferably, the bottom surface of the flexible seal includes a pressure ring that is folded outward in a radial direction of the bottom surface and arranged in an annular shape, and the diameter of the pressure ring is adapted to the diameter of the incision.

[0012] In order to facilitate quick assembly and disassembly, as a further preference, a first through hole is opened on the pressure ring, and accordingly, a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole is opened circumferentially on the outer periphery of the incision, and the pressure ring is connected by fasteners passing through the first through hole and the second through hole.

[0013] In order to further improve the reliability of the seal and increase the strength of the outer barrel at the incision, preferably, the flexible seal is further provided with an annular pressing plate which can press the flexible seal against the incision.

[0014] In order to achieve quick connection and disassembly, facilitate assembly and improve assembly accuracy, preferably, the open bottom surface of the flexible seal includes a pressure ring that is radially folded into a ring shape, and a first through hole is provided on the pressure ring. Accordingly, a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole is circumferentially provided on the outer periphery of the incision, and a third through hole is provided on the annular pressure plate. The annular pressure plate fixes the flexible seal to the incision by fasteners passing through the third through hole, the second through hole and the first through hole.

[0015] In order to further improve the strength, preferably, the annular pressure plate is a profile with a U-shaped groove in cross section.

[0016] In order to achieve planar sliding while ensuring constant contact between the flexible seal and the inner side of the casing, it is preferred that a mechanical structure be used to achieve this: a slider is provided on the end face of the flexible seal, and accordingly, a groove is provided on the inner side of the casing corresponding to the end face for the slider to slide in a planar manner, and the slider is axially limited in the groove to ensure that the flexible seal is always in contact with the casing.

[0017] In order to achieve a compact structure and convenient installation and processing, it is preferred to adopt a sliding groove and slider combination method: the casing is formed with a convex cover on the inner side surface corresponding to the end face, and a center hole is opened in the middle of the convex cover, and the sliding groove is formed between the convex cover and the inner side surface of the casing.

[0018] To enhance the slider's flexibility and ensure a wide range of motion in all directions, the raised cover is preferably circular, the chute is an annular groove, and the slider is accordingly circular, with an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the center hole and smaller than the outer diameter of the annular groove. By maintaining a certain clearance between the slider and the chute, the circular slider and the annular groove ensure flexible movement in all directions during operation, regardless of the direction of the outer drum vibration. This reduces sliding resistance and prevents damage caused by stress concentration caused by collisions in angular designs.

[0019] In order to prevent the slider from sliding in the up and down directions and the front and back directions for a long time, causing friction or cracking, preferably, a wear-resistant layer is provided between the slider and the contact surface of the slide groove, and the wear-resistant layer can preferably be felt or Teflon coating.

[0020] The shape and installation method of the slider can be varied. Simply, a one-piece structure can be adopted. As one of the preferred embodiments, the slider has a T-shaped cross section, and the slider and the end face of the flexible seal are integrally injection molded.

[0021] Taking into account the selection of processing and materials, the slider and the flexible seal can be designed separately, that is, a split-part structure can be adopted. As another preferred embodiment, the slider has a T-shaped cross section, and the slider is fixedly bonded to the end face of the flexible seal.

[0022] As another preferred embodiment, the slider has a T-shaped cross-section, and accordingly, a groove is formed on the end surface of the flexible seal, into which the T-shaped vertical portion of the slider is fixed. This structure facilitates replacement and installation of the slider, and the slider assembly is more precise, reliable, and convenient through threaded and snap-fitting methods. Replacing the slider is like replacing the top bead of a pot lid, enabling quick installation and removal.

[0023] In addition to mechanically achieving contact between the slider and the inner side of the casing, a simpler magnetic attraction method can also be used. Preferably, the end face of the flexible seal and the inner side face of the casing corresponding to the end face are always kept in contact and can slide relative to each other through a magnetic connection force; the magnetic connection force is set to F, and the maximum centrifugal force that the washing machine withstands in the horizontal direction when working is f, then F and f satisfy the following formula: F≥f.

[0024] Preferably, a magnetic part is provided between the end face of the flexible seal and the inner side surface of the housing corresponding to the end face, which is the simplest and most practical way to achieve magnetic attraction. The end face of the flexible seal and / or the inner side surface of the housing are made of a metal alloy that can be attracted to the magnetic part, and the magnetic connection force is the magnetic attraction force between the magnetic part and the metal alloy.

[0025] Specifically, as a further preferred embodiment, a slot is defined on the inner side of the housing, and a magnetic member is disposed within the slot. Accordingly, the flexible seal is further provided with a metal alloy that is attracted to the magnetic member. In other words, the magnetic member can be mounted on the inner side of the housing, and the metal alloy is disposed within the flexible seal to achieve adsorption and contact between the two.

[0026] The number of magnetic parts is at least one, which mainly depends on the size of the magnetic force. Preferably, the card slot includes two card slots spaced apart vertically along the inner side of the cleaning housing, each card slot is circular, and the magnetic part is bonded and fixed in each card slot.

[0027] Preferably, the metal alloy may be a metal sheet provided on the end surface of the flexible seal.

[0028] To reduce noise during operation of the washing machine, the metal alloy can more preferably be a metal sheet embedded in the end surface of the flexible seal. That is, the flexible seal encapsulates the metal sheet, thereby retaining the magnetic attraction while preventing noise from colliding with the magnetic element.

[0029] In order to prevent the flexible seal from sliding in the up and down directions and the front and back directions for a long time, causing friction or cracking, it is preferred that a wear-resistant layer is provided between the end face of the flexible seal and the magnetic part arranged on the inner side surface of the casing. The wear-resistant layer may preferably be felt or Teflon coating.

[0030] Preferably, a clamping hole is provided on the end surface of the flexible seal, and a magnetic member is provided in the clamping hole. That is, the magnetic member can be installed on the end cover of the flexible seal, and the housing itself is made of metal to achieve adsorption and contact between the two.

[0031] The number of magnetic parts is at least one, which mainly depends on the size of the magnetic force. Preferably, the card holes include two spaced apart in the vertical direction along the end face of the flexible seal, each card hole is circular, and the magnetic part is bonded and fixed in each card hole.

[0032] In order to prevent the flexible seal from sliding in the up and down directions and the front and back directions for a long time, causing friction or cracking, preferably, a wear-resistant layer is provided between the inner side surface of the housing and the magnetic part provided on the end face of the flexible seal, and the wear-resistant layer is felt or Teflon coating.

[0033] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned second technical problem is: a washing machine, comprising an outer barrel and an inner barrel, wherein the inner barrel is rotatably arranged in the outer barrel, and is characterized in that: the outer barrel is provided with an incision on at least one side along the width direction of the casing, and the outer barrel adopts the outer barrel sealing structure as described above.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: an integral flexible seal is used to close the incision, and the flexible seal and the casing are connected in a contact manner that can slide in a plane. This connection method can greatly reduce the gap between the outer tub and the casing, thereby effectively increasing the diameter of the outer tub and expanding the capacity of the washing drum; secondly, when the washing machine is subjected to high-speed centrifugal dehydration, the outer tub will vibrate in all directions, up and down, left and right, and front and back. The use of an integral flexible seal to close the incision can not only ensure that the flexible seal can slide in all directions along the inner side of the casing, but also ensure that a part of the flexible seal is always in contact with the inner side of the casing without falling off, playing a damping and stretching role, which can further achieve a shock-absorbing effect; furthermore, since the flexible seal is made of soft material, after long-term use and pulling, compared with the incision sealing structure using a hard plate structure, the risk of breakage can be reduced and the service life can be extended; in addition, when the hanging tub of the washing machine is installed, interference with the side panel of the casing can be avoided, making installation more convenient and quick. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1This is a three-dimensional exploded view of the assembly structure of the outer drum and inner drum of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the washing machine casing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the washing machine casing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the flexible seal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a partial three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the outer drum sealing structure of a washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the flexible sealing member according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of a flexible sealing member according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the flexible sealing member according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the flexible sealing member according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 10 This is a partial three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the sealing structure of the outer drum of a washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional exploded view of the assembly structure of the outer drum and inner drum of a washing machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the washing machine casing according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 13 This is a partial three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the outer drum sealing structure of a washing machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the flexible sealing component of Example 5 of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 15 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of a flexible seal according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 16 This is a partial three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the outer drum sealing structure of a washing machine according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0052] The present application discloses a washing machine, which includes an outer barrel 1 and an inner barrel 2. The inner barrel 2 is rotatably arranged in the outer barrel 1. The outer barrel 1 is provided with an incision 11 on at least one side along the width direction of the casing 4. A flexible sealing member 3 is provided on the incision 11 of the outer barrel 1 to close the incision 11.

[0053] The flexible seal 3 is made of an integral flexible rubber material, one end of the flexible seal 3 is sealed with the incision 11, and the other end of the flexible seal 3 is opposite to the inner side surface 41 of the washing machine casing 4 in the width direction. In addition, in order to reduce the shaking of the outer drum 1 of the washing machine during operation, the other end of the flexible seal 3 is always in contact with the casing 4, that is, the other end of the flexible seal 3 can slide in a plane on the inner side surface 41 of the casing 4 and always maintain contact with the casing 4.

[0054] The flexible seal 3 can adopt various structures in the prior art to achieve sealing of the incision 11. In order to achieve the sealing effect while minimizing the vibration of the outer barrel 1, the specific form of the flexible seal 3 maintaining contact with the casing 4 in this application, and the specific structure of the flexible seal 3 connecting the incision 11 can be achieved through the following embodiments.

[0055] Example 1, see Figures 1 to 5 :

[0056] The flexible seal 3 of this embodiment is in the shape of an end cap with one end open and the other end closed. The flexible seal 3 includes a bottom surface that can be connected to the incision 11 (the bottom surface is an open structure), and the flexible seal 3 also includes an end surface 31 that can slide relative to the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4 (the end surface 31 is a flat section that can contact the inner side surface 41). In addition, the bottom surface and the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3 are connected by a flexible portion 33 with elastic deformation. The flexible portion 33 can be stretched and deformed. As a preference, considering the compact structure and good stretchability and flexibility, the cross-section of the flexible portion 33 can be designed in a C-shape or S-shape, see Figure 4 、 Figure 5 .

[0057] Specifically, the bottom surface of the flexible seal 3 includes a pressure ring 32 that is folded outward in a radial direction along the bottom surface and is arranged in an annular shape. In order to ensure complete sealing of the incision 11, the diameter of the pressure ring 32 is adapted to the diameter of the incision 11.

[0058] In order to improve the strength near the incision 11, the flexible seal 3 is also provided with an annular pressure plate 5 which can press the flexible seal 3 against the incision 11. In order to improve the strength of the annular pressure plate 5, the annular pressure plate 5 is a profile with a U-shaped groove in cross section.

[0059] Among them, a first through hole 321 is provided on the pressure ring 32, and accordingly, a boss 12 corresponding to the first through hole 321 is circumferentially provided on the outer periphery of the incision 11, and a second through hole is provided on each boss 12. A third through hole 51 is provided on the annular pressure plate 5, and the annular pressure plate 5 fixes the flexible seal 3 to the incision 11 by fasteners passing through the third through hole 51, the second through hole and the first through hole 321.

[0060] The housing 4 is formed with a convex cover 42 on the inner side surface 41 corresponding to the end surface 31. A central hole 421 is opened in the middle of the convex cover 42, so that an annular slide groove 422 is formed between the convex cover 42 and the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4; a slider 6 is provided on the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3. The cross section of the slider 6 is T-shaped. Figure 4 In order to facilitate processing and manufacturing, the slider 6 in this embodiment is integrally injection-molded with the end face 31 of the flexible seal 3; the slider 6 can slide in a plane within the slide groove 422, and the slider 6 is axially limited in the slide groove 422 to ensure that the flexible seal 3 and the housing 4 always maintain contact.

[0061] In order to improve the flexibility of the slider 6, the convex cover 42 is designed to be circular, and the slide groove 422 is an annular groove. Accordingly, the cross section of the slider 6 is also circular, and the outer diameter of the slider 6 is larger than the diameter of the center hole 421 and smaller than the outer diameter of the annular groove.

[0062] In order to prevent collision interference during movement, the radius of the center hole 421 of the chute 422 is set to a, the maximum inner diameter of the chute 422 is set to A, the radius of the T-shaped small end of the slider 6 is set to r, and the radius of the T-shaped large end of the slider 6 is set to R. In addition, the maximum amplitude of the washing machine outer tub 1 in the vertical direction is set to D, and the downward displacement of the outer tub 1 when fully loaded is set to d; the above parameters satisfy: AR ≥ D + d and Ra ≥ D + d and ar ≥ D + d, see Figure 5 .

[0063] Therefore, when the washing machine is working, the vibration direction of the outer barrel 1 is front and back, left and right, and up and down, which together form a motion trajectory similar to drawing a circle. The circular structure of the slider 6 and the slide groove 422 design can effectively avoid the damage caused by stress concentration caused by collision. As long as a certain interval gap is reserved between the slider 6 and the slide groove 422 (that is, the relationship between the above parameters is satisfied), it can be ensured that the slider 6 can realize flexible movement in all directions in the slide groove 422, reducing the resistance in plane sliding.

[0064] In order to prevent the slider 6 from being damaged due to long-term sliding friction, a wear-resistant layer 7 is further provided between the contact surface of the slider 6 and the slide groove 422. The wear-resistant layer 7 may preferably be a felt or Teflon coating.

[0065] Example 2, see Figure 6 、 Figure 7 :

[0066] The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that: considering the selection of processing and materials, the slider 6 and the flexible seal 3 can be designed separately, that is, a split-piece structure is adopted, and the cross section of the slider 6 is T-shaped, see Figure 7 The slider 6 and the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3 can be made of different materials. The slider 6 can be manufactured separately and then fixedly connected to the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3 by bonding.

[0067] Example 3, see Figures 8 to 10 :

[0068] The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is that the cross section of the slider 6 is T-shaped, and accordingly, a groove 311 is provided on the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3. Figure 8 、 Figure 9 The T-shaped vertical portion of the slider 6 is fixed in the groove 311, see Figure 10 This structure can facilitate the replacement and installation of the slider 6. The slider 6 can be assembled by threaded connection, snap-fitting, bonding, etc., and a groove 311 is provided on the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3, making the assembly more accurate, reliable and convenient. When replacing the slider 6, it is like replacing the top bead of a pot lid, and can be quickly installed and removed.

[0069] Example 4, see Figures 11 to 13 :

[0070] The difference between this fourth embodiment and the above-mentioned first to third embodiments is that: the first to third embodiments use a mechanical structure to achieve the contact connection between the slider 6 and the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4, while this fourth embodiment uses a simpler magnetic attraction method to keep the end face 31 of the flexible seal 3 and the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4 corresponding to the end face 31 always in contact, and to achieve the state in which the end face 31 of the flexible seal 3 slides relative to the inner side surface 41.

[0071] In this embodiment, the magnetic connection force in the magnetic attraction mode is set to F, and the maximum centrifugal force that the washing machine withstands in the horizontal direction during operation is f, then F and f satisfy the following formula: F≥f; and, in actual applications, since the outer drum 1 of the washing machine also withstands horizontal traction from the damper and the suspension spring, if the maximum component force of the damper in the horizontal direction is set to f1, and the maximum component force of the suspension spring in the horizontal direction is set to f2, the magnetic connection force F can be further reduced, that is, satisfying: F≥f-(f1+f2).

[0072] There are many ways to attract magnets, you can use an electric magnetic field or a mechanical magnetic block structure; simply, Figure 12 As shown, a magnetic member 8 is provided between the end face 31 of the flexible seal 3 of this embodiment and the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4 corresponding to the end face 31. The magnetic member 8 of this embodiment is arranged on the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4, and the end face 31 of the flexible seal 3 is made of a metal alloy that can be attracted to the magnetic member 8 (for example, an iron metal material). The magnetic connection force is the magnetic attraction force between the magnetic member 8 and the metal alloy.

[0073] Correspondingly, a slot 43 is provided on the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4, and at least one magnetic member 8 is provided in the slot 43. The slots 43 of this embodiment include two slots spaced apart in the vertical direction along the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4, each slot 43 is circular, and a magnetic member 8 (i.e., a magnet block) is bonded and fixed in each slot 43; a metal alloy 9 that can be attracted to the magnetic member 8 is provided on the flexible seal 3, and the metal alloy 9 can be a metal sheet provided on the surface of the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3, or a metal sheet embedded in the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3. This embodiment adopts the latter, see Figure 13 .

[0074] In order to reduce friction loss and extend the service life of the device, a wear-resistant layer 7 is further provided between the end face 31 of the flexible seal 3 and the magnetic member 8 provided on the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4. The wear-resistant layer 7 can be felt or Teflon coating.

[0075] Example 5, see Figures 14 to 16 :

[0076] The difference between the fifth embodiment and the fourth embodiment is that the magnetic member 8 of the present embodiment is arranged on the flexible sealing member 3. Figure 14-15 At this time, the inner side surface 41 corresponding to the housing 4 needs to be made of a metal alloy that can be attracted to the magnetic component 8.

[0077] Specifically, at least one latch hole 312 is provided on the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3. The latch holes 312 of this embodiment include two latch holes 312 spaced apart in the vertical direction along the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3. Each latch hole 312 is circular, and a magnetic part 8 is bonded and fixed in each latch groove 43.

[0078] In order to reduce friction loss and extend the service life of the device, a wear-resistant layer 7 is provided between the inner side surface 41 of the housing 4 and the magnetic member 8 provided on the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3. The wear-resistant layer 7 can be felt or Teflon coating.

[0079] In the present embodiments 1-5, a flexible seal 3 of an integral structure is used to seal the incision 11. When the washing machine is subjected to high-speed centrifugal dehydration, the outer tub 1 vibrates in all directions, such as up and down, left and right, and front and back. The use of the integral flexible seal 3 to seal the incision 11 can ensure that the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3 can achieve planar sliding along all directions of the inner side surface 41 of the casing 4, thereby increasing the mobility of the end surface 31 of the flexible seal 3 and effectively reducing the pulling on the flexible seal 3. Since the flexible seal 3 is made of a soft material, after long-term use and pulling, the risk of damage can be reduced compared to the sealing structure of the incision 11 using a hard plate structure, thereby extending the service life.

[0080] On the other hand, it can ensure that the part of the flexible seal 3 is always in contact with the inner side 41 of the housing 4 without falling off, which is equivalent to playing a damping traction role, and can further achieve a shock absorption effect;

[0081] In addition, when the washing machine's hanging tub is installed, the flexible seal 3 has a compact structure and is made of soft material, which can avoid interference with the side panels of the casing 4, making installation more convenient and quick.

[0082] In the present specification and claims, directional terms such as "front," "back," "up," "down," "left," "right," "side," "top," and "bottom" are used to describe various exemplary structural parts and components of the present invention. However, these terms are used herein for convenience of description only and are based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Because the embodiments disclosed herein can be arranged in various orientations, these directional terms are intended for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. For example, "up" and "down" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

Claims

1. A sealing structure for a washing machine outer drum with a notch, wherein the washing machine outer drum (1) is provided with a notch (11) on at least one side along the width direction of the washing machine casing (4), and is characterized in that: A flexible sealing member (3) capable of closing the cutout (11) is provided on the cutout (11) of the outer barrel (1); one end of the flexible sealing member (3) is sealedly connected to the cutout (11); the other end of the flexible sealing member (3) is arranged opposite to the inner side surface (41) of the washing machine casing (4) in the width direction, and the other end of the flexible sealing member (3) can slide in a plane on the inner side surface (41) of the casing (4) and always maintain contact with the casing (4).

2. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible sealing member (3) is in the shape of an end cap with one end open and the other end closed. The flexible sealing member (3) includes a bottom surface that can be connected to the cutout (11). The flexible sealing member (3) also includes an end surface (31) that can slide relative to the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4).

3. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom surface and the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing member (3) are connected via a flexible portion (33) having elastic deformation.

4. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cross section of the flexible portion (33) is C-shaped or S-shaped.

5. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the flexible sealing member (3) includes a pressure ring (32) that is folded outwardly in a radial direction of the bottom surface and arranged in a ring shape. The diameter of the pressure ring (32) is adapted to the diameter of the incision (11).

6. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pressure ring (32) is provided with a first through hole (321), and correspondingly, the outer periphery of the cutout (11) is provided with a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole (321) along the circumferential direction, and the pressure ring (32) is connected by fasteners passing through the first through hole (321) and the second through hole.

7. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible sealing member (3) is also sleeved with an annular pressing plate (5) which can press the flexible sealing member (3) onto the incision (11).

8. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 7, characterized in that: The open bottom surface of the flexible seal (3) includes a pressure ring (32) that is radially folded and arranged in an annular shape. A first through hole (321) is provided on the pressure ring (32). Correspondingly, a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole (321) is circumferentially provided on the outer periphery of the incision (11). A third through hole (51) is provided on the annular pressure plate (5). The annular pressure plate (5) fixes the flexible seal (3) to the incision (11) by fasteners passing through the third through hole (51), the second through hole and the first through hole (321).

9. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 7, characterized in that: The cross section of the annular pressing plate (5) is a U-shaped groove.

10. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 2, characterized in that: A slider (6) is provided on the end surface (31) of the flexible seal (3), and correspondingly, a slide groove (422) for the slider (6) to slide in a plane is provided on the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4) corresponding to the end surface (31), and the slider (6) is axially limited in the slide groove (422) to ensure that the flexible seal (3) and the housing (4) are always in contact.

11. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 10, characterized in that: The housing (4) is formed with a convex cover (42) on the inner side surface (41) corresponding to the end surface (31), a center hole (421) is opened in the middle of the convex cover (42), and the sliding groove (422) is formed between the convex cover (42) and the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4).

12. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 11, characterized in that: The convex cover (42) is circular, the sliding groove (422) is an annular groove, and accordingly, the slider (6) is circular, and the outer diameter of the slider (6) is larger than the diameter of the center hole (421) and smaller than the outer diameter of the annular groove.

13. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 10, characterized in that: A wear-resistant layer (7) is also provided between the slider (6) and the slide groove (422).

14. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 13, characterized in that: The wear-resistant layer (7) is a felt or Teflon coating.

15. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 10, characterized in that: The cross section of the slider (6) is T-shaped, and the slider (6) and the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing element (3) are integrally injection-molded.

16. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 10, characterized in that: The cross section of the slider (6) is T-shaped, and the slider (6) is fixedly connected to the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing component (3).

17. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 10, characterized in that: The cross section of the slider (6) is T-shaped. Accordingly, a groove (311) is provided on the end surface (31) of the flexible seal (3), and the T-shaped vertical portion of the slider (6) is fixed in the groove (311).

18. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 2, characterized in that: The end surface (31) of the flexible seal (3) and the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4) corresponding to the end surface (31) are kept in constant contact and relatively slidable state by a magnetic connection force; assuming that the magnetic connection force is F and the maximum centrifugal force that the washing machine bears in the horizontal direction during operation is f, then F and f satisfy the following formula: F≥f.

19. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 18, characterized in that: A magnetic member (8) is provided between the end face (31) of the flexible seal (3) and the inner side face (41) of the housing (4) corresponding to the end face (31); the end face (31) of the flexible seal (3) and / or the inner side face (41) of the housing (4) are made of a metal alloy that can be attracted to the magnetic member (8); and the magnetic connection force is the magnetic attraction force between the magnetic member (8) and the metal alloy.

20. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 18, characterized in that: A slot (43) is provided on the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4), and a magnetic component (8) is provided in the slot (43); accordingly, a metal alloy (9) that can attract the magnetic component (8) is also provided on the flexible sealing component (3).

21. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 20, characterized in that: The card slots (43) include two card slots (43) spaced apart in the vertical direction along the inner side surface (41) of the cleaning housing (4); each card slot (43) is circular, and the magnetic member (8) is bonded and fixed in each card slot (43).

22. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 20, characterized in that: The metal alloy (9) is a metal sheet arranged on the surface of the end face (31) of the flexible sealing member (3).

23. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 20, characterized in that: The metal alloy (9) is a metal sheet embedded in the end surface (31) of the flexible seal (3).

24. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 20, characterized in that: A wear-resistant layer (7) is further provided between the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing member (3) and the magnetic member (8) provided on the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4).

25. The sealing structure of the outer drum of a washing machine with a cutout according to claim 24, characterized in that: The wear-resistant layer (7) is a felt or Teflon coating.

26. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 18, characterized in that: A latch hole (312) is provided on the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing component (3), and a magnetic component (8) is provided in the latch hole (312).

27. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 26, characterized in that: The clamping holes (312) include two spaced apart vertically along the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing member (3), each clamping hole (312) is circular, and the magnetic member (8) is bonded and fixed in each clamping groove (43).

28. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 26, characterized in that: A wear-resistant layer (7) is also provided between the inner side surface (41) of the housing (4) and the magnetic member (8) provided on the end surface (31) of the flexible sealing member (3).

29. The sealing structure of the washing machine outer drum with a cutout according to claim 28, characterized in that: The wear-resistant layer (7) is a felt or Teflon coating.

30. A washing machine comprising an outer tub (1) and an inner tub (2), wherein the inner tub (2) is rotatably arranged in the outer tub (1), characterized in that: The outer barrel (1) is provided with a cutout (11) on at least one side along the width direction of the casing (4), and the outer barrel (1) adopts the outer barrel (1) sealing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 29.

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