Lid of a top-loading clothes washing machine

• US 20060059956A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation NV (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation NV (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Zardetto, Ennio
• Application Number:
  US11/231,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20060059956A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/3.R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor

Abstract

The present invention refers to a top-loading clothes washing machine that comprises an upper lid shutting the washing tub and enabling access to be gained into the interior of the clothes-holding drum rotatably supported therewithin, an outer casing and a hopper situated in correspondence to said lid and possibly provided with a joining member that seals the upper edge of the hopper against the upper edge of the outer casing, a top lid provided with a counter-lid on the lower side thereof, elastic gasket means arranged between the counter-lid and an upper portion of the hopper, a groove extending along the inner surface of the counter-lid and adapted to receive the elastic gasket means, the latter being formed by a ring of a suitable thermoplastic material over-injected into said groove close to the outer edges thereof. The portion of this ring that protrudes from the groove comprises two distinct lips that are oriented inwards and outwards, respectively, relative to the ring itself.

Claims

1. Top-loading clothes washing machine, or combined clothes washing a drying machine, comprising:

a tub (1) for holding and washing the clothes,

a drum housed and rotatably supported in said tub, and an upper lid (2) enabling access to be gained into the interior of said drum, an outer casing (3),

a hopper (4) situated in correspondence to said upper lid (2) and possibly provided with a joining member (14) that seals the upper edge of said hopper against the upper edge (5) of said outer casing (1),

an upper lid (6) provided with a counter-lid (7) on the lower side thereof,

elastic gasket means provided between said counter-lid (7) and an upper portion of said hopper (4), or between said counter-lid and said joining member (14),

a groove (9) extending along the inner surface of said counter-lid and adapted to receive said elastic gasket means, characterized in that said elastic gasket means are formed by a ring of a suitable thermoplastic material over-injected into said groove (9) extending in the lower surface of said counter-lid (7), and in proximity of the outer edges thereof.

2. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion (11) of said loop-like gasket (10) that protrudes from said groove (9) comprises two distinct lips (11A, 11B), one of which (11A) is oriented inwards and the other one (11B) is oriented outwards with respect to said gasket (10).

3. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the outer portion of said gasket (10) is not constant, and that said thickness is larger (M) in that portion of periphery (b) of said gasket which lies farther away from the hinge of said upper lid (6), whereas it is smaller (m) in that portion of periphery (a) of said gasket which lies closer to said hinge.

4. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a material interruption or gap (12) is provided in said loop-like gasket (10) so as to allow gas to escape there through from said hopper into the outside ambient when said lid is closed.

5. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that said material interruption or gap (12) is provided in the rear side of said gasket (10).

6. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

7. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the thickness of the outer portion of said gasket (10) is not constant, and that said thickness is larger (M) in that portion of periphery (b) of said gasket which lies farther away from the hinge of said upper lid (6), whereas it is smaller (m) in that portion of periphery (a) of said gasket which lies closer to said hinge.

8. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that a material interruption or gap (12) is provided in said loop-like gasket (10) so as to allow gas to escape there through from said hopper into the outside ambient when said lid is closed.

9. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that a material interruption or gap (12) is provided in said loop-like gasket (10) so as to allow gas to escape there through from said hopper into the outside ambient when said lid is closed.

10. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that a material interruption or gap (12) is provided in said loop-like gasket (10) so as to allow gas to escape there through from said hopper into the outside ambient when said lid is closed.

11. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said material interruption or gap (12) is provided in the rear side of said gasket (10).

12. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that said material interruption or gap (12) is provided in the rear side of said gasket (10).

13. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that said material interruption or gap (12) is provided in the rear side of said gasket (10).

14. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

15. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

16. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

17. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

18. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

19. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.

20. Top-loading clothes washing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that said counter-lid (7) is made of polypropylene, and that said thermoplastic material of said gasket (10) contains propylene, rubber, additives, oil.