Tank for washing machine with topside loading

Abstract: An Inox stainless steel washing tank for washing machine with topside loading has an opening for the laundry to be washed to which is fixed a mouth (6) in plastic material. Said mouth (6) in plastic material is fixed to the rims of said opening by a film of glue (11) interposed between the tank (1) and the plastic mouth (6), said glue being able to guarantee an integral mechanical coupling of the plastic mouth to the tank and, at the same time, to guarantee the tight sealing of the water contained in the tank.

Description: The present invention deals with a tank for washing machine with topside loading. Washing machines with topside loading are traditionally characterized by an opening on the topside of the tank to permit the loading of the laundry in the basket, which in turn is provided with a respective flap door. In some of the known washing machines, such opening is closed off by a flap door having the function of keeping the water inside during the washing cycle. In other known washing machines, the opening at the top of the tank is attached to the upper plane of the washing machine housing by means of a rubber coupling, on which then a tight-joint sealing off is exerted by the upper door of the washing machine that seals off the tank. Moreover, in some known washing machines the tank is made of plastic material by injection molding, while in others the tank is made of Inox steel. In the washing machines with plastic tank, the attachment of the rubber coupling above mentioned or, as an alternative, the application of the flap door is carried out directly on the tank. In washing machines with Inox steel tank, the attachment of the rubber coupling is achieved directly starting from the sheet of Inox steel that constitutes the tank, or on a mouth in plastic material that is fixed to the tank by screws and the sealing off of the water is reached interposing a rubber gasket between the tank and said mouth in plastic material. Also in the solution that foresees, instead, the application of the flap door to the tank it is indispensable to apply to the tank, in the above cited description employing screws and rubber gasket, a mouth in plastic material. It appears that, in washing machines with an Inox steel tank, whatever may be the method of closing off the tank, it is presently necessary to foresee for the tank, by means of screws and rubber packing, the application of a mouth in plastic material. This system of fixing the plastic mouth to the tank proves to be laborious and does not guarantee the sealing off of the water in time. From FR-A-2.218.421 a top loading washing machine is also known, having a hopper being fixed to the upper opening of the tank by means of screws and having a seal gasket, a door being pivoted to the hopper. In view of the state of the art described, the object of the present invention is to provide an Inox steel tank for washing machines with topside loading which solves the aforementioned problem. In accordance with the present invention, such an object is achieved by an Inox steel washing tank for washing machines having the features of the annexed claim 1. Thanks to the present invention, the fastening of the plastic mouth to the Inox steel tank proves to be simplified, and guarantees in time the water sealing. The features of the present invention will appear evident from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial section view of a tank for washing machine with topside loading according to the invention; and Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 1. With reference to Figure 1, there is shown in partial view and in section view according to a vertical plane a tank 1 for a washing machine with topside loading according to the present invention. Tank 1 is made of Inox stainless steel and has the know cylindrical conformation, with two side flanges 2 and 3. Inside of tank 1 there is rotatively lodged a basket 4 for containing the laundry to be washed provided with a flap door 5 for its internal access. Tank 1 is provided, on the upper part of its lateral cylindrical surface, with an opening to allow the loading of the laundry. Said opening is made by cutting the Inox steel sheet that constitutes the lateral cylindrical surface of the tank, and by subsequent drawing of the rims of said opening. At the rims of the opening of tank 1 is applied a mouth 6 in plastic material provided with a collar 7 that protrudes upward, with a perimetrical flange 8 that rests on the outer surface of tank 1 in correspondence with the rims of said opening and with a perimetrical tooth 9 for hooking up with a turned edge 10 of the rims of the opening in tank 1 (Fig. 2). In accordance with the invention, and as is visible in Figure 2, the fastening of the mouth 6 to tank 1 is obtained by a film 11 of a glue, preferably a mastic, interposed between the lower surface of the perimetrical flange 8 of mouth 6 and the outside surface of tank 1. Said mastic must be able to guarantee, aside from the integrated mechanical coupling of mouth 6 with tank 1, also the sealing off of the water present in the tank, that obviously must not leak out of the same. It is to be noted that the two lateral flanges 2 and 3 are permanently seamed to the rims of the cylinder constituing tank 1; this operation is carried out after having inserted basket 4 into the tank. This methodology permits the building of the oscillating group constitued by tank 1 and by basket 4 in a completely automated way and guarantees a better centering with respect to the traditional methodology, that foresees instead the assemblage of the oscillating group by screwing down the lateral flanges to the tank cylinder, or by a tank tightening ring with a rubber gasket for the sealing off of the water.

Claims: Inox stainless steel washing tank for washing machine with topside loading, said tank (1) having an opening for loading the laundry to be washed, a mouth (6) in plastic material being fixed to said opening, whereby fastening means (8-11) are provided for mechanically coupling said plastic mouth (6) to said tank (1) and water sealing means (11) are provided between said mouth (6) and said tank (1), characterized in that said mouth (6) comprises a perimetrical flange (8) resting on the outer surface of said tank (1) in correspondence with the rims of said opening, said water sealing means (11) being interposed between the lower surface of said flange (8) and said outside surface of tank (1), whereby said water sealing means are constituted by a film of glue (11), said film (11) of glue also realizing the integral mechanical coupling of said plastic mouth (6) to said tank (1). Inox stainless steel washing tank, according to claim 1, characterized in that said mouth (6) further comprises a tooth (9) protruding downwards from a first end of said flange (8), said tooth (9) being inserted within said opening and hooking up with an edge (10) of the rims of the latter. Inox stainless steel washing tank, according to claim 2, characterized in that said edge (10) is turned towards the inside of said opening, said film (11) of glue being at least partially interposed also between a surface defining said tooth (9) and a surface of said edge (10). Inox stainless steel washing tank, according to claim 1, characterized in that , at the end opposite to said first end, said flange (8) has an inclined portion, said inclined portion matching with an inclined portion of said outside surface of tank (1), said film (11) of glue being at least partially interposed also between the lower surface of said inclined portion of the flange (8) and said inclined portion of the outside surface of tank (1). Inox stainless steel washing tank, according to claim 1, characterized in that said mouth (6) further comprises a collar (7) protruding upward from said first end of the flange (8). Inox stainless steel washing tank, according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said glue is a mastic. Inox stainless steel washing tank, according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that said tank (1) comprises a cylindrical surface and two lateral flanges (2,3), said flanges (2,3) being permanently seamed to the rims of said cylindrical surface.

Inventors: PAROLINI FIORENZO, REBOLINI ERNESTO, TORNARI GIUSEPPE, PAROLINI, FIORENZO, REBOLINI, ERNESTO, TORNARI, GIUSEPPE
Applicants: PHILCO ITALIANA, PHILCO ITALIA S.P.A.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: D06F37
IPC codes: D06F37