Simplified front loading laundry washing machine

• US 5,570,597 A
• Filed: 11/29/1994
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Duri, Sandro, Bongini, Dino, Stopponi, Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/346,154
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 68/17 R, 68/23.1, 68/23.2, 68/24, 68/139, 68/140, 68/210, 134/93, 210/364, 210/365
• US Class Current: 68/17.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/22 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/28 Doors; Security means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor

Abstract

A front loading laundry washing machine, whereby the group constituted by the tub, the basket and by the balancing masses of the machine is suspended within the cabinet in a position being substantially higher than that of normal front loading washing machines, so as that at least the aperture of the frontal wall of the cabinet can be found at a height substantially higher than that of normal front loading washing machines.

Claims

1. A front loading laundry machine, comprising:

a housing having a median horizontal plane and formed with a front side, said front side being provided with a door opening delimited by an edge, at least a substantial part of said edge extending above the median horizontal plane of said housing;

a door mounted on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof to close said opening in the closed position;

a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing;

a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket opening being aligned with one another;

balancing means for reducing vibration of the laundry machine during the rotation of said laundry basket, said balancing means and said laundry basket forming an oscillating unit;

restricting means for impeding exiting of the laundry from said basket in said open position of the door and formed on a lower edge of said chamber opening and protruding into said basket; and

sealing means for preventing exit of a washing liquid from said chamber and extending between said respective openings of said basket and chamber and between said housing and restricting means.

2. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 1, further comprising a base suspended in said housing below said laundry basket, said balancing means including a plurality of counterweights mounted on said base.

3. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 2, further comprising a motor mounted on said base symmetrically to a vertical median plane of said housing.

4. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 2, wherein said balancing means includes a plurality of shock absorbers extending downwardly from said base and provided with means for elastic anchoring of said shock absorbers to said housing, so that said shock absorbers are able to oscillate in a plane parallel to said horizontal median plane.

5. A front loading laundry machine, comprising:

an upright housing having a median horizontal plane and formed with a front side, said front side being provided with a door opening a substantial part of which is above the median horizontal plane of said housing;

a door mounted on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof to close said opening in the closed position;

a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing;

a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket openings being aligned with one another and being at least in substantial part above said median horizontal plane of said housing;

balancing means for reducing vibration of the laundry machine during the rotation of said laundry basket, said balancing means and said laundry basket forming an oscillating unit; and

distributor means for delivering a washing agent into said basket and mounted on said front wall of said chamber and extending inwardly therefrom through a lower segment of said chamber opening into said basket.

7. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 5 further comprising access means for entering said housing and formed in said front side.

6. The front loading machine defined in 5 wherein said distributor means is at least partially removable.

8. A front loading laundry machine, comprising:

an upright housing having a median horizontal plane and formed with a front side, said front side being provided with a door opening a substantial part of which is formed above the median plane of said housing;

a door mounted on said front side and displaceable between closed and open positions thereof to close said opening in the closed position;

a washing chamber mounted in said housing and formed with a front wall, said wall having a chamber opening and being juxtaposed with said front side of the housing;

a laundry basket mounted in said chamber and rotatable about a horizontal axis and formed with a basket opening, the door, chamber and basket openings being aligned with one another and above said median horizontal plane of said housing; and

a support surface mounted on said front side below said door and swingable upwardly from a vertical rest position to a working position in which said support surface lies in a plane extending parallel to said horizontal median plane.

9. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 8, further comprising access means for entering said housing and formed in said front side, said access means being covered by said support surface in said rest position thereof.

10. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 8, further comprising balancing means for reducing vibration of the laundry machine during the rotation of said laundry basket, said balancing means and said laundry basket forming an oscillating unit;

and

a base in said housing below said laundry basket, said balancing means including a plurality of counterweights mounted on said base and a plurality of shock absorbers extending downwardly from said base and provided with means for elastic anchoring of said shock absorbers to said housing, so that said shock absorbers are able to oscillate in a respective plane parallel to said horizontal median plane.

11. The front loading machine defined in claim 10 wherein said balancing means includes a plurality of counterweights mounted on said base.

12. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 10, further comprising a motor mounted on said base symmetrically to a vertical median plane of said housing below said basket.

13. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 10, further comprising distribution means for distributing a washing agent into said basket and mounted on said door of said housing.

14. The front loading laundry machine defined in claim 10, further comprising distribution means for delivering a washing agent into said basket and mounted on an inner side of said front side of the housing in the vicinity of one of the corners of said housing.

15. Front loading laundry washing machine, comprising a cabinet, a washing tub housed within said cabinet, a laundry basket, arranged in the tub and rotatable around a substantially horizontal axis, the cabinet, the tub and the basket each having a front aperture for allowing the loading and unloading of the laundry, a door being provided for closing the front aperture of the cabinet, the tub and the basket, whereby

said door is located in the upper half of the front side of the cabinet,

below said door a support surface is articulated, which allows said support surface to be raised, from a vertical rest position, to a horizontal work position, in both said positions said door being directly in view.