PACKING SPACER FOR WASHING MACHINES

• US 20120031796A1
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: V.I.C. Viterie Italia Centrale S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: V.I.C. Viterie Italia Centrale S.R.L.
• Inventors: Perini, Carlo, De Angelis, Enrico
• Granted Patent: US 9,279,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/521
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/001 Arrangements for transporting, moving, or setting washing machines; Protective arrangements for use during transport transport in general B65

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packing spacer for washing machines, of the type having a monolithic structure obtained from one material, comprising a tubular cylindrical stem (1) with enlarged head (2), both crossed by an axial conduit for a fixing screw (V); said spacer (D) being provided, on the cylindrical stem (1), with a section (4, 40, 400) that collapses elastically when the spacer is subjected to axial compression.

Claims

1. Packing spacer for washing machines, of the type having a monolithic structure obtained from one material, comprising a tubular cylindrical stem (1) with enlarged head (2), both crossed by an axial conduit for a fixing screw (V), spacer (D) characterised in that it is provided, on the cylindrical stem (1), with a section (4, 40, 400) that collapses elastically when the spacer is subjected to axial compression.

2. Packing spacer for washing machines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is composed of one moulded plastic piece.

3. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collapsible section consists in a section (4, 40, 400) of the cylindrical stem (1) in intermediate position between a first, shorter portion (1a) of the cylindrical stem (1) that protrudes directly from the back of the enlarged head (2) and the second remaining portion (1b) of the same stem (1).

4. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein it adopts one or more through transversal holes (7) in the second portion (1b) of the cylindrical stem (1).

5. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastically collapsible section (4) is provided with a large transversal through window (4a) with polygonal section, which contains a support peg (4b), facing the enlarged head (2), that extends for approximately half of the length of the window (4a), which is designed to stop against the opposite internal edge (4c) of the latter when the collapsible section (40) reaches maximum compression.

6. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastically collapsible section (40) is provided with a through transversal notch that comprises two thin longitudinal sections (40a, 40b) obtained in opposite position near the lateral edges of the cylindrical stem (1) and joined by means of a central oblique section (40c) with higher width.

7. Spacer as claimed in claim 6, wherein the collapsible section (40) is provided, in the connection point of the oblique section (40c) and the first (40a) of the longitudinal sections, with a tooth (41) that protrudes from the edge of the first portion (1a) of the cylindrical stem (1), which corresponds to an opposite seat (42) obtained on the edge of the second portion (1b), in which the tooth (41) is exactly engaged when the collapsible section (4) reaches maximum compression.

8. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastically collapsible section (400) is provided with a basically L-shaped notch (410) that comprises a first longitudinal section (410a) near the lateral edge of the cylindrical stem (1) joined with a second section (410b) in the direction of the enlarged head (2) that cuts the cylindrical stem (1) transversally with approximately 45°

inclination for nearly the entire thickness.

9. Spacer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the collapsible section (400) provides that the free end of the second section (410b) is joined with a tooth (420) that protrudes from the edge of the first section (1a) of the cylindrical stem (1), which corresponds, on the edge of the second portion (1b) of the stem (1), to a seat (430) with basically double width able to exactly receive the tooth (420), also following to a lateral movement of the second portion (1a) of the cylindrical stem when the entire collapsible section (400) is brought to maximum compression.

10. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enlarged head (2) incorporates frontally an elastically compressible base (20).

11. Spacer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base (20) has a reticular structure.

12. Spacer as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is provided with an opposite specular pair of catching wings (5) that protrude from the head, in which the said wings (5) have a profile that is slightly curved towards the outside of the head.