Washing machine drum

Abstract

Disclosed is a washing machine drum comprising a cylindrical shell ( 3 ) that is provided with several flood holes ( 4 ) and a front wall and a rear wall, the peripheries of which are connected to the cylindrical shell ( 3 ) by means of a lock seam ( 5 ). Said lock seam ( 5 ) is reinforced by stamping ( 6 ) all the sheet metal layers thereof so as to prevent the lock seam ( 5 ) from tearing during high-speed tumbling. The cylindrical shell ( 3 ) is also provided with several depressions ( 7 ) increasing the surface of the shell ( 3 ) so as to render the shell ( 3 ) more resistant and elastic such that any bulge that might be formed in the shell ( 3 ) during high-speed tumbling will affect the depressions ( 7 ) but not the lock seam ( 5 ), whereby the lock seam is protected.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A washing machine drum comprising: 
 a cylindrical wall defining several flood holes, and having a front end and a back end disposed opposite one another;    a back side wall connected to the back end with a lock seam;    a front side wall connected to the front end with a lock seam; and    a stamping applied along each lock seam, the stamping being formed in all sheet metal layers forming the lock seam.    
   
   
       8 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the stamping is aligned obliquely to the main direction of the sheet metal layers of the lock seam.  
   
   
       9 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the stamping is arranged along the peripheral line of the lock seam.  
   
   
       10 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical wall has several depressions approximately to the depth of a sheet thickness, to enable bulging of the cylindrical wall, without the latter acting on the lock seam.  
   
   
       11 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein each depression defines a flood hole.  
   
   
       12 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the depressions have a truncated section.  
   
   
       13 . A washing machine drum comprising: 
 a cylindrical wall having a back end;    a back side wall connected to the back end; and    a lock seam forming the connection between the back side wall and the back end, the lock seam including overlapping layers of both the back end and the back side wall and having a first section and a second section wherein the first and second sections are not co-linear with one another.    
   
   
       14 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the lock seam is aligned obliquely to the main direction of the sheet metal layers of the lock seam.  
   
   
       15 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the stamping is arranged along the peripheral line of the lock seam.  
   
   
       16 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical wall has multiple depressions extending to a depth approximately equivalent to a thickness of the cylindrical wall.  
   
   
       17 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising a flood hole defined by at least some of the depressions.  
   
   
       18 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the depressions have a truncated section.  
   
   
       19 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical drum and the back side wall are formed from a sheet metal material.  
   
   
       20 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the lock seam includes a third section extending between the first and second section and none of the first, second and third sections are co-linear with one another.  
   
   
       21 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the lock seam includes a first fold including a portion of the back side wall folded 180 degrees around a portion of the cylindrical wall to form a double wall, and a second fold including the double wall portion of both the back side wall and the cylindrical wall being folded 180 degrees around a remaining portion of the back side wall and cylindrical wall.  
   
   
       22 . The washing machine drum of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a front side wall and the cylindrical wall having a front end disposed opposite the back end, the front side wall being connected to the front end with a second lock seam;    a front lock seam forming the connection between the front side wall ( 2 ) and the front end, the front lock seam, the front lock seam including overlapping layers of both the front end and the front side wall and having a front first section and a front second section wherein the front first section and front second sections are not co-linear with one another.    
   
   
       23 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the lock seam includes a third section extending between the first and second section and none of the first, second and third sections are co-linear with one another.  
   
   
       24 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the front lock seam includes a front first fold including a portion of the front side wall folded 180 degrees around a portion of the cylindrical wall to form a front double wall, and a front second fold including the front double wall portion of both the front side wall and the cylindrical wall being folded 180 degrees around a remaining portion of the front side wall and cylindrical wall.  
   
   
       25 . A washing machine comprising: 
 a housing;    a drum supported within the housing for rotation relative to the housing, the drum having: 
 a cylindrical wall having a back end;  
 a back side wall connected to the back end; and  
 a lock seam forming the connection between the back side wall and the back end, the lock seam including overlapping layers of both the back end and the back side wall and having a first section and a second section wherein the first and second sections are not co-linear with one another.  
   
   
   
       26 . The washing machine drum as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the cylindrical wall has multiple depressions extending inwardly from the cylindrical wall, at least some of the depressions defining flood holes.  
   
   
       27 . A method for forming a drum for a washing machine, the drum including a back side wall and a cylindrical wall having a back end, the method comprising the acts of: 
 aligning the back side wall with the back end of the cylindrical wall;    folding a portion of the back side wall 180 degrees around the cylindrical wall to form a double wall;    folding the double wall 180 degrees around a remaining portion of the cylindrical wall and the back side wall to form a lock seam; and    stamping the lock seam wherein the stamping forms all layers of the lock seam.    
   
   
       28 . The method as claim in  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 forming multiple depressions on the cylindrical wall that extend inwardly from the cylindrical wall; and    forming a flood hole within at least some of the multiple depressions.