Bellows-Type Collar for Washing Machines

Abstract

A bellows-type collar for washing machines comprising a machine housing, a lye container that is arranged therein, a cantilevered drum which is rotatably disposed in the lye container, and a frontal charging door. Said bellows-type collar is provided with an inner, a central, and an outer collar ring and is sealingly fixed to both the machine housing and the lye container in the area of the charging door. The inner collar ring is visible through a bull's eye-type glass of the access hole located on the housing side. The aim of the invention is to embody the bellows-type collar in such a way that the inner collar ring remains as crease-free as possible during movements of the lye container. Said aim is achieved by assigning an annular stiffening element to the visible inner collar ring, said stiffening element blocking forces that could deform the inner collar ring starting from the more peripheral collar rings.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . A bellows-type collar for washing machines comprising a machine housing, a lye container that is arranged therein, a cantilevered drum which is rotatably disposed in the lye container, and a frontal loading opening, wherein the bellows-type collar comprises an inner, a central and an outer collar ring and is sealingly fixed to both the machine housing and the lye container in the area of the loading opening, and the inner collar ring is visible through a closure of the loading opening, wherein an annular stiffening element comprising a thickened area of the bellows-type collar is assigned to the visible inner collar ring, which stiffening element reduces any spreading of deformation forces from the central and outer collar ring on to the inner collar ring.  
   
   
       9 . The bellows-type collar according to  claim 8 , wherein a flexible metal ring is vulcanized at least one of on and in the bellows-type collar.  
   
   
       10 . The bellows-type collar according to  claim 8 , wherein the stiffening element is disposed in the area of the inner collar ring which lies closest to the drum neck of the drum.  
   
   
       11 . The bellows-type collar according to  claim 8 , and comprising a non-visible section of the bellows-type collar, wherein an articulated section is disposed in the non-visible section which promotes deformation of the bellows-type collar in said non-visible section.  
   
   
       12 . The bellows-type collar according to  claim 11 , wherein the articulated section is formed by a thinner-material area between two thickened areas of the bellows-type collar.  
   
   
       13 . The bellows-type collar according to  claim 11 , wherein the articulated section in the non-visible section of the bellows-type collar directly adjoins the stiffening element.  
   
   
       14 . A washing machines comprising: 
 a housing;    a lye container supported within the housing;    a cantilevered drum disposed within the lye container and mounted for rotation with respect to the lye container; and    a frontal loading opening in the housing providing access to the drum; and    a bellows-type collar at least partially surrounding the frontal loading opening, the bellows-type collar comprising: 
 an inner collar ring including an inner fixed edge coupled to the housing and extending inwardly toward the drum to an inner free edge;  
 an outer collar ring disposed radially outwardly from the inner collar ring and including an outer fixed edge sealingly coupled to the lye container and extending outwardly toward the housing to an outer free edge;  
 a central collar ring extending between the inner free edge and the outer free edge; and  
 an annular stiffening element disposed near the inner free edge and restricting the spread of deformation forces from the central and outer collar ring on to the inner collar ring.  
   
   
   
       15 . The washing machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the annular stiffening element includes a nose with a thickened area disposed at the inner free edge near the intersection of the inner collar ring and the central collar ring, at least a portion of the inner collar ring having a thickness being less than the thickness of the nose.  
   
   
       16 . The washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the thickened area of the nose extends radially outwardly from the inner collar ring providing the inner collar ring with a radially inwardly facing surface being substantially uniform and uninterrupted.  
   
   
       17 . The washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the annular stiffening element includes a bead disposed on the central collar ring and an articulated section disposed between the bead and the nose, the thickness of the bead being greater than the thickness of the articulated section.  
   
   
       18 . The washing machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the nose is greater than the thickness of the articulated section.  
   
   
       19 . The washing machine according to  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the central collar ring disposed between the bead and the outer free edge includes a thickness being less than the thickness of the bead.  
   
   
       20 . The washing machine according to  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the central collar ring disposed between the bead and the outer free edge includes a thickness being less than the thickness of the articulated section.  
   
   
       21 . The washing machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner collar ring and outer collar ring extend in directions substantially parallel to one another and the central collar ring extends in a direction substantially diagonal with respect to the inner and outer collar rings.  
   
   
       22 . The washing machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the bellows-type collar includes a flexible vulcanized metal ring is vulcanized.