Front flange of a household-type clothes washing machine

Abstract

Front-loading clothes washing machine comprising: a perforated rotating drum holding the clothes to be washed, an access opening into said drum, a stationary tub containing said drum, an access opening into said tub provided so as to lie in alignment with said access opening of said drum, an outer casing containing said tub therewithin, a front aperture in said outer casing adapted to ensure access to the access opening of the tub, a loading door provided to close said front aperture in the outer casing, an annular bellows-like gasket adapted to provide an elastic, water-tight junction between the access opening of the tub and the front aperture in the outer casing, in which the portion of said drum that defines the respective access opening has an elongated cylindrical configuration on its front side, which extends coaxially with the access opening of the tub, the latter being preferably provided with a corresponding elongated cylindrical configuration adapted to enclose said elongated cylindrical configuration of the drum opening from the outside.

1 . Front-loading clothes washing machine, preferably of the household type, comprising: 
 a perforated rotating drum ( 5 ) holding the clothes to be washed,    an access opening ( 6 ) into said drum,    a stationary tub ( 3 ) containing said drum ( 5 ) rotatably mounted therewithin,    an access opening ( 4 ) into said tub ( 3 ), provided so as to lie in alignment with said access opening ( 6 ) of said drum,    an outer casing ( 1 ) adapted to contain said tub therewithin,    a front aperture ( 2 ) in said outer casing, adapted to ensure access to said access opening ( 4 ) of said tub,    an annular bellows-like gasket ( 7 ) adapted to provide an elastic, water-tight junction of said access opening ( 4 ) of said tub to said front aperture ( 2 ) of said outer casing,    characterized in that the portion of said drum that defines the respective access opening ( 6 ) has an elongated cylindrical configuration ( 12 ) on its front side, which extends coaxially with said access opening ( 4 ) of said tub.    
   
   
       2 . Clothes washing machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the plane (a) containing the front edge ( 11 ) of said access opening ( 6 ) of the drum lies closer to the plane of said front aperture ( 2 ) of the outer casing than the plane (b) centered on said access opening ( 4 ) of said tub ( 3 ) actually is.  
   
   
       3 . Clothes washing machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the portion of said tub that defines the respective access opening ( 4 ) has on its front side a corresponding cylindrically shaped portion ( 14 ) that substantially encloses said elongated cylindrical configuration ( 12 ) of said access opening of the drum from the outside.  
   
   
       4 . Clothes washing machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said annular bellows-like gasket ( 7 ) has an annular lip ( 13 ) provided to lie in a substantially regular manner in front of said circular front edge ( 11 ) of said access opening ( 6 ) of said drum.  
   
   
       5 . Clothes washing machine according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said elongated cylindrical configuration ( 12 ) projecting from the flange ( 9 ) of the drum is at least 12 mm in size lengthwise (as measured on the respective generatrix).