Tubing assembly for a washing machine and washing machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a tub assembly (6) for a washing machine (2), comprising a plastic tub (8) for receiving a washing drum (10) of the washing machine (2) for laundry (4) to be treated, wherein the plastic tub assembly (8) has an end wall (12) to which a bearing arrangement (14) of the tub assembly (6) for a rotatable bearing of a shaft (16) of the washing drum (10) is attached, characterized in that the bearing arrangement (14) is detachably attached to the plastic tub assembly (8). Furthermore, the invention relates to a washing machine (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a tub assembly for a washing machine of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 and to a washing machine.

[0002] Such tub assemblies for washing machines and washing machines are already known in the art in a multitude of embodiments. The known tub assemblies for washing machines comprise a plastic tub for receiving a washing drum of the washing machine for the laundry to be treated, wherein the plastic tub has an end wall to which a bearing arrangement of the tub assembly for a rotatable bearing of a shaft of the washing drum is attached.

[0003] The invention therefore addresses the problem of improving a tub assembly for a washing machine and a washing machine.

[0004] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a tub assembly for a washing machine with the features of claim 1, characterized in that the bearing arrangement is detachably attached to the plastic tub. Furthermore, this problem is solved by a washing machine with the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are described in the following dependent claims.

[0005] The advantage achievable with the invention lies particularly in the improved design of the tub assembly for a washing machine. Due to the inventive design of the tub assembly and the washing machine, the bearing arrangement of the tub assembly, despite the permanently sealed plastic tub, can be easily replaced and thus, for example, replaced on-site by a service technician using a spare bearing arrangement. Permanently sealed means that the one-piece, cylindrical tub with its shell, front cap, and rear cap cannot be disassembled, for example, to remove the drum and drum shaft from the tub. Furthermore, the tub assembly can be implemented in a simpler design and manufacturing process. This also applies accordingly to the washing machine equipped with it.The assembly process in the manufacture of the inventive tub assembly, and thus of the inventive washing machine, is significantly shortened and reduced in cost. Furthermore, the individual components of the inventive tub assembly, and thus of the inventive washing machine, can be manufactured easily, so that the development risk for new types of washing machines equipped with it is considerably reduced.

[0006] In principle, the tub assembly and the washing machine according to the invention can each be freely selected within wide suitable limits with regard to type, function, material, and dimensions. For example, the washing machine according to the invention can be a household appliance or a commercial appliance, i.e., a washing machine for professional use. Of course, the invention is not limited to washing machines alone. The invention can also be advantageously used in so-called washer-dryers, i.e., a combination of a washing machine and a clothes dryer.

[0007] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the lye container assembly according to the invention provides that the bearing arrangement is mounted on the end wall of the lye container assembly by means of a bearing receptacle that is positively connected to the end wall. The bearing receptacle and the bearing arrangement are designed to be compatible with each other such that, when the bearing arrangement is moved from a disassembly position to an assembly position along an imaginary axis of rotation of the shaft, it can be inserted into the bearing receptacle from the outside and fastened to the bearing receptacle. Preferably, the bearing arrangement can be screwed to the bearing receptacle. This enables, on the one hand, a secure and robust connection between the bearing arrangement and the plastic lye container, and on the other hand, very good detachability of the bearing arrangement from the plastic lye container.The latter advantage naturally also extends to the replacement of the bearing assembly on-site by a service technician during maintenance or repair. Accordingly, this training is beneficial not only for removing the bearing assembly, but also for installing a replacement bearing assembly or the repaired bearing assembly.

[0008] An advantageous further development of the aforementioned further development of the lye container assembly according to the invention provides that the bearing receptacle and the bearing arrangement have corresponding mating surfaces, wherein the two mating surfaces are designed to be aligned with each other in such a way that the bearing arrangement can be aligned relative to the bearing receptacle when being transferred into its mounting position. In this way, a significantly improved positioning of the bearing arrangement relative to the bearing receptacle and thus to the plastic lye container is enabled in a structurally and manufacturably simple manner.

[0009] A further particularly advantageous embodiment of the two aforementioned embodiments of the alkaline container assembly according to the invention provides that the aforementioned force-fit connection is designed as an overmolding of the bearing receptacle with plastic during the manufacture of the plastic alkaline container. This makes the force-fit connection between the plastic alkaline container and the bearing receptacle particularly easy to implement in terms of manufacturing technology.

[0010] Another particularly advantageous embodiment of the washing drum assembly according to the invention provides that the bearing arrangement has a bearing sleeve for attaching the bearing arrangement to the end wall, preferably that the bearing sleeve is designed to accommodate two bearings of the bearing arrangement for the shaft, and particularly preferably that the bearing sleeve is designed such that the two bearings can be arranged spaced apart from each other in the bearing sleeve along an imaginary axis of rotation of the shaft. This further improves the ease of installation and removal of the bearing arrangement. The preferred and, in particular, the especially preferred embodiment of this further development has the additional advantage that very good support of the washing drum shaft is enabled by means of the bearing arrangement.Accordingly, higher mechanical loads, such as higher spin speeds of the washing drum, can also be absorbed and transmitted by means of the bearing arrangement.

[0011] An advantageous further development of the tub assembly according to the invention provides that the bearing housing and / or the bearing sleeve are designed as a single casting, preferably as a gray cast iron part. This significantly simplifies the manufacturing of the bearing housing and / or the bearing sleeve and thus reduces costs. Furthermore, gray cast iron parts, in particular, possess very good mechanical properties, such as high strength, good thermal conductivity, good damping properties, and good dimensional stiffness. Accordingly, high mechanical loads are not a problem. The high wear resistance and good castability of gray cast iron ensure a long service life, so that even very high quality requirements for the washing machine equipped with it can be met.Overall, it is advantageous to manufacture both the bearing sleeve and the bearing housing from metal. The bearing housing can be made of a different metal than the bearing sleeve. In particular, the bearing housing can be made of a light metal, such as aluminum, while the bearing sleeve is made of gray cast iron. The bearing housing can be manufactured as a casting or extrusion, thus eliminating the need for post-processing, such as turning, milling, and / or forging.

[0012] A further particularly advantageous embodiment of the lye container assembly according to the invention provides that the bearing arrangement is at least partially designed as a pre-assemblable unit, preferably that the bearing sleeve with the two bearings is designed as a pre-assemblable unit. This allows, for example, a further streamlining of the manufacturing process. For instance, the bearing arrangement can be stored as a complete, ready for installation. Accordingly, on-site service by a customer service technician for replacing the bearing arrangement is also significantly simplified.

[0013] Furthermore, an advantageous embodiment of the washing machine according to the invention provides that a housing of the washing machine, which conceals the bearing arrangement in a mounting position of the washing machine, is designed such that the bearing arrangement can be removed from the washing machine, preferably that the housing has a removable or openable end wall for this purpose. This improves, on the one hand, the overall visual appearance of the washing machine and the protection against accidental contact with the washing machine, and on the other hand, enables the repairability and replacement of the bearing arrangement on site by a service technician.

[0014] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows Fig. 1 an embodiment of the washing machine according to the invention with the tub assembly according to the invention in a partial, lateral sectional view and Fig. 2 the embodiment in an enlarged detail view in the area of ​​the bearing arrangement in analogous representation to the Fig. 1.

[0015] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 is an embodiment of the washing machine according to the invention, with the tub assembly according to the invention shown purely by way of example.

[0016] The washing machine 2, designed as a household washing machine for laundry 4, comprises a tub assembly 6 with a plastic tub 8 for receiving a washing drum 10 of the washing machine 2 for the laundry 4 to be treated, wherein the plastic tub 8 has an end wall 12 to which a bearing arrangement 14 of the tub assembly 6 for a rotatable bearing of a shaft 16 of the washing drum 10 is attached.

[0017] According to the invention, the bearing assembly 14 is detachably attached to the plastic tub 8. Accordingly, the bearing assembly 14 can be replaced by a service technician, for example, during on-site maintenance or repair at the end customer's premises, i.e., exchanged for a spare bearing assembly 14. Naturally, it is also possible to repair the removed bearing assembly 14 and reinstall it in the washing machine 2 after the repair has been completed. For example, a defective bearing 18, 20 of the bearing assembly 14 could be replaced by a spare bearing (not shown). Since the washing machine 2 is a front-loading washing machine, the end wall 12 of the plastic tub 8 serves as the rear wall of the plastic tub 8.

[0018] The bearing arrangement 14 is arranged on the end wall 12 by means of a bearing receptacle 22 of the lye container assembly 6 which is force-fit to the end wall 12, wherein the bearing receptacle 22 and the bearing arrangement 14 are designed to be coordinated with each other such that the bearing arrangement 14, when transferred from a disassembly position (not shown) to a position in the Fig. 1 and Fig. The bearing assembly 14 can be inserted into the bearing receptacle 22 from the outside along an imaginary axis of rotation 24 of the shaft 16 and fastened to the bearing receptacle 22, namely in such a way that the bearing assembly 14 can be screwed to the bearing receptacle 22 by means of a total of three fastening screws 26. The aforementioned force-fit connection is formed by overmolding the bearing receptacle 22 with plastic during the manufacture of the plastic caustic soda container 8.

[0019] Furthermore, the bearing receptacle 22 and the bearing assembly 14 have corresponding mating surfaces, the two mating surfaces being designed to be aligned with each other such that the bearing assembly 14 can be aligned relative to the bearing receptacle 22 when being transferred into its assembly position. The two mating surfaces, designed as circumferential surfaces, are in the Fig. 2 marked at two points by means of a dashed, closed line 28.

[0020] Furthermore, the bearing arrangement 14 has a bearing sleeve 30 for fastening the bearing arrangement 14 to the end wall 12, wherein the bearing sleeve 30 is designed to accommodate the two bearings 18, 20 for the shaft 16, namely, that the bearing sleeve 30 is designed such that the two bearings 18, 20 can be arranged spaced apart from each other in the bearing sleeve 30 along the imaginary axis of rotation 24 of the shaft 16. The two bearings 18, 20 are each designed as a rolling bearing, namely as a deep groove ball bearing.

[0021] In the present embodiment, the bearing receptacle 22 and the bearing sleeve 30 are each formed as a single casting, namely as a gray cast iron part. Furthermore, the bearing receptacle 22 and the bearing sleeve 30 are connected to the bearings 18 and 20 in the Fig. 1 is only simplified by hatched areas.

[0022] The bearing arrangement 14 is also designed at least partially as a pre-assemblable unit, namely in such a way that the bearing sleeve 30 with the bearings 18, 20 is designed as a pre-assemblable unit.

[0023] For the purpose of providing the necessary accessibility to the bearing arrangement 14 for maintenance or repair, a housing of the washing machine 2 (not shown) is further designed such that the housing, on the one hand, provides access to the bearing arrangement 14 in the Fig. 1 and Fig.The mounting position of the washing machine 2 shown in Figure 2 is concealed, i.e., covered, and the bearing arrangement 14, namely the bearing sleeve 30 with the two bearings 18, 20 designed as a pre-assembled unit, can be removed from the washing machine 2. For example, the housing can have a removable or openable end wall for this purpose. Since the washing machine 2 is a front loader, this end wall is designed as a rear wall of the housing.

[0024] Due to the inventive design of the tub assembly 6 and the washing machine 2, the bearing arrangement 14 of the tub assembly 6, despite the permanently sealed plastic tub 8, can be easily replaced and thus, for example, replaced on-site by a service technician using a spare bearing arrangement. Furthermore, the tub assembly 6 can be implemented in a simpler design and manufacturing process. This also applies accordingly to the washing machine 2 equipped with it. The assembly process in the production of the tub assembly 6, and thus of the washing machine 2, is significantly shortened and reduced in cost. Moreover, the individual components of the tub assembly 6, and thus of the washing machine 2, can be manufactured easily, so that the development risk for new types of washing machines 2 equipped with it is significantly reduced.

Claims

[1] Tub assembly (6) for a washing machine (2), comprising a plastic tub (8) for receiving a washing drum (10) of the washing machine (2) for laundry (4) to be treated, wherein the plastic tub (8) has an end wall (12) to which a bearing arrangement (14) of the tub assembly (6) for a rotatable bearing of a shaft (16) of the washing drum (10) is attached, characterized by , that the bearing arrangement (14) is detachably attached to the plastic caustic container (8). [2] Lye container assembly (6) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the bearing arrangement (14) is arranged on the end wall (12) by means of a bearing receptacle (22) of the tub assembly (6) which is force-fit connected to the end wall (12), wherein the bearing receptacle (22) and the bearing arrangement (14) are designed to be coordinated with each other in such a way that the bearing arrangement (14) can be inserted into the bearing receptacle (22) from the outside and fastened to the bearing receptacle (22) when being transferred from a disassembly position to an assembly position along an imaginary axis of rotation (24) of the shaft (16), preferably that the bearing arrangement (14) can be screwed to the bearing receptacle (22). [3] Lye container assembly (6) according to claim 2, characterized by, that the bearing receptacle (22) and the bearing arrangement (14) have corresponding mating surfaces (28), wherein the two mating surfaces (28) are designed to be aligned with each other in such a way that the bearing arrangement (14) can be aligned relative to the bearing receptacle (22) when being transferred into its assembly position. [4] Lye container assembly (6) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by , that the aforementioned force-fit connection is formed as an overmolding of the bearing receptacle (22) with plastic during the manufacture of the plastic caustic pot (8). [5] Lye container assembly (6) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by, that the bearing arrangement (14) has a bearing sleeve (30) for fastening the bearing arrangement (14) to the end face wall (12), preferably that the bearing sleeve (30) is designed to accommodate two bearings (18, 20) of the bearing arrangement (14) for the shaft (16), particularly preferably that the bearing sleeve (30) is designed such that the two bearings (18, 20) can be arranged spaced apart from each other in the bearing sleeve (30) along an imaginary axis of rotation (24) of the shaft (16). [6] Lye container assembly (6) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by , that the bearing receptacle (22) and / or the bearing sleeve (30) are / are designed as a casting, preferably that the bearing receptacle (22) and / or the bearing sleeve (30) are / are designed as a grey cast iron part. [7] Lye container assembly (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by, that the bearing arrangement (14) is at least partially designed as a pre-assemblable unit, preferably that the bearing sleeve (30) with the two bearings (18, 20) is designed as a pre-assemblable unit. [8] Washing machine (2) for laundry (4), comprising a tub assembly (6) with a plastic tub (8) for receiving a washing drum (10) of the washing machine (2) for the laundry (4) to be treated, wherein the plastic tub (8) has an end wall (12) to which a bearing arrangement (14) of the tub assembly (6) for a rotatable bearing of a shaft (16) of the washing drum (10) is attached, characterized by , that the lye container assembly (6) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 7. [9] Washing machine (2) according to claim 8, characterized by, that a housing of the washing machine (2) covering the bearing arrangement (14) in a mounting position of the washing machine (2) is designed in such a way that the bearing arrangement (14) can be removed from the washing machine (22), preferably that the housing has a removable or openable end wall for this purpose.

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