SIPHON FOR A DISPENSING COMPARTMENT OF A WASHING MACHINE

Abstract

A siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine includes: a first siphon part and a second siphon part, the first siphon part and the second siphon part being interconnectable to form a tube comprising a suction opening; an outlet opening and a transition curve arranged between the suction opening and the outlet opening; and a mold joint between the first siphon part and the second siphon part, the mold joint extending, when the siphon is in operation, at least in part above a fill level plane representing a maximum fill level of the dispensing compartment, and/or intersecting the transition curve.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

Priority is claimed to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2017 121 877.7, filed on Sep. 21, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The invention relates to a siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine.

BACKGROUND

A siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine can be formed, for example, by an inner tube and a siphon cap surrounding the inner tube, as shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the outlet of the inner tube requires a particular installation space in the dispensing compartment.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine, comprising: a first siphon part and a second siphon part, the first siphon part and the second siphon part being interconnectable to form a tube comprising a suction opening; an outlet opening and a transition curve arranged between the suction opening and the outlet opening; and a mold joint between the first siphon part and the second siphon part, the mold joint extending, when the siphon is in operation, at least in part above a fill level plane representing a maximum fill level of the dispensing compartment, and/or intersecting the transition curve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Other features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a dispensing compartment comprising a siphon;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a siphon comprising a mold joint extending in the longitudinal direction;

FIG. 3 is a cross section through a siphon from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a siphon according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a siphon from FIG. 4 in the assembled state;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a first siphon part from FIGS. 4 and 5; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a second siphon part from FIGS. 4 and 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Against this background, the problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing an improved siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine.

The invention has the advantage that capillary effects in the region of the siphon can be avoided by the mold separation line being above a reservoir level of the dispensing compartment or in the region of a transition curve of the siphon. Advantageously, a siphon of this kind also requires less installation space in comparison with a design having an inner tube and a siphon cap.

The invention relates to a siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine, the siphon comprising the following features:

a first siphon part and a second siphon part, the first siphon part and the second siphon part being interconnected or interconnectable to form a tube comprising a suction opening, an outlet opening and a transition curve arranged between the suction opening and the outlet opening, a mold joint between the first siphon part and the second siphon part extending, when the siphon is in operation, at least in part above a fill level plane representing a maximum fill level of the dispensing compartment, and/or intersecting the transition curve.

A siphon can be understood to be a tube-like apparatus for siphoning a textile treatment agent or water out of the dispensing compartment. A dispensing compartment can be understood to be a water dispensing compartment comprising a prewashing agent, main washing agent or fabric softener tray, for example. A washing machine can alternatively also be understood to be a washer-dryer. A first or second siphon part can be understood to be a tubular or semitubular, straight or curved portion of the siphon. A mold joint can be understood to be a plane of a mold parting line. A fill level plane can be understood to be a reservoir level of the dispensing compartment. The siphon can be a one- or two-part injection-molded part, for example. A transition curve can be understood to be a curved tube portion of the siphon interconnecting the suction opening and the outlet opening. For example, the suction opening or, additionally or alternatively, the outlet opening can face a base of the dispensing compartment when the siphon is in operation.

According to one embodiment, the mold joint can extend horizontally at least in portions when the siphon is in operation. As a result, capillary effects in the mold joint can be particularly effectively avoided.

According to another embodiment, the tube may comprise a suction tube having the suction opening and an outlet tube having the outlet opening. In this case, the transition curve can interconnect the suction tube and the outlet tube to form a U-shaped tube. The suction tube or the outlet tube can be a largely rectilinear tube, for example. As a result, it can be ensured that there is no connection between a suction side and an outlet side of the siphon that extends into the reservoir level.

Advantageously, the first siphon part can form the suction tube or, additionally or alternatively, the outlet tube.

It is also advantageous if the first siphon part forms a first portion of the transition curve and the second siphon part forms a second portion of the transition curve. As a result, simple demolding of the siphon is made possible.

According to another embodiment, the first siphon part and the second siphon part are or can be telescopic. As a result, an interlocking connection can be produced between the two siphon parts. The stability of the siphon can thus be increased.

Depending on the embodiment, the first siphon part and the second siphon part are or can be interconnected by an interlocking connection or integral bond or by an interlocking connection and integral bond. As a result, the siphon can be made to be very stable.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a dispensing compartment 100 comprising a siphon 102. The siphon 102 comprises an inner tube 104, which is closed by a siphon cap 106 to form a symmetrical unit. A direction of flow through the siphon 102 is indicated by a plurality of arrows.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a siphon 200 comprising a mold joint extending in the longitudinal direction. Two tube parts 202, 204 of the siphon 200 are shown. The two tube parts 202, 204 can be welded together.

FIG. 3 is a cross section through a siphon 200 from FIG. 2. Three arrows indicate a direction of flow through the siphon 200.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a siphon 400 according to one embodiment. The siphon 400 for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine comprises a first siphon part 402 and a second siphon part 404, which can be combined to form a (by way of example here) U-shaped tube. According to this embodiment, the first siphon part 402 forms a lower part of the siphon 400. In this case the lower part comprises a suction tube 406 having a suction opening 408 and an outlet tube 410 having an outlet opening 412. By way of example, the two tubes 406, 410 are largely rectilinear and are interconnected in a U-shaped manner by means of a first portion 414, likewise associated with the lower part, of a transition curve 416 of the U-shaped tube, here a lower half of the transition curve 416. Similarly, the second siphon part 404 forms a second portion 418 of the transition curve 416, here correspondingly an upper half of the transition curve 416.

According to one embodiment, the two siphon parts 402, 404 can be telescopic and can thus be interlockingly interconnected. This is indicated in FIG. 4 by a large vertical arrow. Depending on the embodiment, the two siphon parts 402, 404 can be additionally or alternatively integrally bonded to each other, for example by means of welding or adhesive bonding.

A mold joint 420 between the two siphon parts 402, 404, indicated here schematically by a dot-dash line, is selected, for example, such that it extends above a fill level plane 422 when the siphon 400 is in operation, the fill level plane representing a maximum fill level or a reservoir level of the dispensing compartment. The fill level plane 422 is indicated schematically by another dot-dash line. It is particularly advantageous if the mold joint 420 extends horizontally at least in portions, as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a siphon 400 from FIG. 4 in the assembled state. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the mold joint 420 intersects the transition curve 416 in the assembled state. A direction of flow through the siphon 400 is indicated by three curved arrows.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a first siphon part 402 from FIGS. 4 and 5. The suction tube 406, the outlet tube 410 and the lower portion 414 of the transition curve are shown.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a second siphon part 404 from FIGS. 4 and 5. The second siphon part 404 is shown together with the upper portion 418 of the transition curve.

Depending on the type of washing machine and the installation space, the siphon concept of a fabric softener tray, as shown in FIG. 1, cannot always be used. Alternatively, a siphon in the form of an inverted U can be produced, which is divided into two parts in the longitudinal direction in order to be able to demold the component, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this case, the two parts are welded together in the longitudinal direction. However, this can result in various capillary effects outside the siphon which should be avoided as much as possible.

For this reason, the join shown here creates the siphon 400, in particular in the form of an inverted U which is not divided in the longitudinal direction but rather is separated horizontally, the component separation line being above the reservoir level. As a result, in contrast to a siphon having an inner tube and a siphon cap, which requires an outlet at the bottom, installation space can be saved. Capillary effects at the component separation lines can be avoided by means of the horizontal separation line. In addition, a connection between the suction side and the outlet side that extends into the reservoir level can be avoided.

It is particularly advantageous if the siphon 400 has a horizontal separation line in the region of the transition curve 416. In this case, the separation line is outside the reservoir level. The siphon 400 consists in particular of a lower part 402 and an upper part 404, the suction tube 406, the outlet tube 410 and the lower half 414 of the transition curve 416 being located in the lower part 402. In contrast, the upper half 418 of the transition curve 416 is located in the upper part 404. According to another embodiment, the upper half 418 of the transition curve 416 is inserted into the lower part 402 when the siphon 400 is assembled, and thus forms a complete U-shaped siphon, as shown in FIG. 5. The two components 402, 404 are easy to demold since only one demolding direction is required. There are thus no longer any undesired capillary effects. The media are then flushed in when required.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. Additionally, statements made herein characterizing the invention refer to an embodiment of the invention and not necessarily all embodiments.

The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.

Claims

1. A siphon for a dispensing compartment of a washing machine, comprising:

a first siphon part and a second siphon part, the first siphon part and the second siphon part being interconnectable to form a tube comprising a suction opening;

an outlet opening and a transition curve arranged between the suction opening and the outlet opening; and

a mold joint between the first siphon part and the second siphon part, the mold joint extending, when the siphon is in operation, at least in part above a fill level plane representing a maximum fill level of the dispensing compartment, and/or intersecting the transition curve.

2. The siphon according to claim 1, wherein the mold joint extends horizontally at least in portions when the siphon is in operation.

3. The siphon according to claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a suction tube comprising the suction opening and an outlet tube comprising the outlet opening, the transition curve interconnecting the suction tube and the outlet tube to form a U-shaped tube.

4. The siphon according to claim 3, wherein the first siphon part forms the suction tube and/or the outlet tube.

5. The siphon according to claim 1, wherein the first siphon part forms a first portion of the transition curve and the second siphon part forms a second portion of the transition curve.

6. The siphon according to claim 1, wherein the first siphon part and the second siphon part are configured to be telescopic.

7. The siphon according to claim 1, wherein the first siphon part and the second siphon part are interconnectable by an interlocking connection and/or integral bond.