EP0335454A2

EP0335454A2 - Drainage device particularly for washing machines, for preventing water leakage during extraction of the filtration member

Info

Publication number: EP0335454A2
Application number: EP89200744A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Silvano Maretti
Original assignee: IRE Industrie Riunite Eurodomestici SpA; Whirlpool Europe BV; Whirlpool International BV
Current assignee: IRE Industrie Riunite Eurodomestici SpA; Whirlpool Europe BV
Priority date: 1988-03-29
Filing date: 1989-03-23
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Also published as: EP0335454A3; IT8820972V0; IT213775Z2

Abstract

A device particularly for washing machines, for preventing water leakage while extracting the filtration member from such machines. The device comprises a hose (11) which is connected to a suitable point of the delivery pipe (6) from a pump (4) and which, at that end (17) distant from the end (12) at which said connection is made, comprises a part (18) which acts as a shutoff member and carries elastically deformable means (23) for its removable securing to a front part (2A) of the housing (2) of the washing machine (1).

Description

This invention relates to the field of washing machines. These machines are provided with known filtration members or more simply filters, the purpose of which is to prevent foreign bodies, wash residues or the like from reaching the pump which discharges wash water from the tub, this pump being connected to the usual water intake pipe from the tub and to the water delivery pipe for discharging water to the outside of the washing machine. The filter has to be cleaned after a certain number of washes, and for this purpose must be extracted from its seat in the washing machine.
However in known washing machines, even after its discharge some wash water remains in the pump and in its connection pipes. Because of this, when the filter is extracted there is usually a leakage of residual water from the seat in which the filter is housed.
An object of the present invention is therefore to enable the filter to be extracted from the washing machine without creating the aforesaid problems.
This and further objects which will be more apparent to the expert of the art are attained by a device comprising a hose which is connected to a suitable point of the pump delivery and which, at the end distant from the end at which said conntection is made, comprises a shutoff member and means for its removable securing to a front part of the washing machine housing.
The present invention will be more apparent from the accompanying drawing provided by way of non-limiting example, and in which the single figure represents a plan view, with some parts shown in section for greater clarity, of the device according to the present invention during its use in a washing machine.
The figure shows part of a washing machine 1 comprising a housing 2 having a front part 2A. In the housing 2 there is positioned a usual pump 4 to which there are connected a pipe 5 for the intake of water from the tub (not shown), a delivery pipe 6 for discharging this water, and a usual filter facing the front part 2A of said housing 2. This delivery pipe is inserted into a connection member 7 which is itself mounted on a projecting part 8 of the casing 9 of the pump 4. The deivce 10 of the present invention is connected to the member 7.
Specifically, the device 10 comprises a hose 11 in which water from the delivery pipe 6 is present. This hose is at one end mounted and fixed in known manner onto a connector 13 which is inserted into a part 14 projecting from the member 7. These connections are made at a point of the member 7 which is substantially the lowest point of said member and thus of the pipe 6. The connector 13 is inserted into the part 14 until the connector flange 15 makes contact with the free end 16 of said part 14.
At the other end 17 of the hose 11 there is provided a part 18 acting as a shutoff member for said hose.
The part 18 has a side 19 and a side 20, the former facing outwards from the washing machine 1 and the latter, 20, facing towards the interior 21 of the washing machine housing. On the side 19 of the part 18 there is provided a projecting appendix 22 which enables the user to grip said part. From the inner side 20 of the part 18 there project elastic means 23 (only one of which is shown in the figure) for securing the part 18 in a hole in the front 2A of the housing 2, and a substantially cylindrical member 24 with surface ridges 25 which is inserted into the end 17 of the hose 11. The member 24 acts as a plug for the hose 11.
The use of the device 10 is very simple. When the filter is to be extracted from the washing machine 1, the user firstly removes the part 18 of said device 10 from the front 2A of the housing 2 of said washing machine by gripping it on its side 19 and moving it for example into a position shown by dashed lines in the figure, by which the hose 11 is extracted from the interior 21 of the housing 2 through a suitable hole. He then removes the part 18 and places the end 17 of said hose into for example a bowl to allow the water contained in the hose to drain into the bowl. As the water present in the hose 11 originates as stated from the delivery pipe 6 and as the connection between the hose 11 and the delivery pipe is made as described, this latter pipe is also drained. At this point the filter 3 can be removed from the washing machine 1 without water leaking from the filter seat. Such a device is simple to construct and obviates the stated inconvenience involved in extracting the washing machine filter. The present invention also includes an embodiment in which a cock is provided in place of the plug 24.

Claims

1. A device particularly for washing machines, for preventing water leakage while extracting the filtration member from such machines, characterized by comprising a hose (11) which is connected to a suitable point of the delivery pipe (6) from a pump (4) and which, at the end (17) distant from the end (12) at which said connection is made, comprises a part (18) which acts as a shutoff member land carries elastically deformable means (23) for its removable securing to a front part (2A) of the housing (2) of the washing machine (1).

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the point at which the hose (11) is connected to the delivery pipe (6) is substantially the lowest point of said pipe (6), i.e. the point closest to the pump (4).

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the part (18) acts as a plug and comprises projecting from that side (20) facing the interior (21) of the washfing machine (1) means (24) which are inserted into the hose (11), and further comprises on that side (19) opposite the said side (20) means (22) which facilitate the gripping of said part (18) during its removal from the housing (2) of the washing machine (1).

4. A device as claimed in Claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the means (23) for securing the plug-acting part (18) to the housing (2) of the washing machine (1) are elastic clips projecting from the side (20) of said part (18).