Mounting Star for a Washing Machine

Abstract

A mounting star stabilizing and rotationally mounting a washing drum of a washing machine. The mounting star comprises at least three arms near the center of the mounting star and a hollow molded body with a box-like open profile. Support points support the mounting star against the rear wall of the washing drum and are arranged at a distance from approximately the mid-length of each arm. The open profile of the arm is made of a pair of surfaces which are non-connected between themselves and are at least similar to a flat rectangle which forms the transversal section of the supports and the short sides thereof are oriented towards the rear wall of the washing drum. Both of the supports are connected by means of a third support of the identical transversal surface from arm to arm, with a support of the other arm.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . A mounting star for stabilizing a rear wall of a rotating drum of a washing machine, and for assembly on the said rear wall, the mounting star comprising:
 at least three arms extending from a center of the mounting star and including hollow molded bodies with a box-like, open profile;   support points provided at a distance from approximately a mid-length point of each arm and supporting against the rear wall of the drum;   wherein the open profile of the arms includes a pair of surfaces that are not connected together and are similar to a flat rectangle, the pair of surfaces forming the cross-section of supports and are orientated with a short side towards the rear wall of the drum, the two supports being connected, at least at the support points, by a third support with a similar cross-sectional area from arm to arm, to a support of the other arms.   
   
   
       16 . The mounting star according to  claim 15 , wherein the supports arranged in pairs are connected to each other by a latticework. 
   
   
       17 . The mounting star according to  claim 15 , wherein at least the supports arranged in pairs run in an arc shape with bends opposing each other. 
   
   
       18 . The mounting star according to  claim 17 , wherein neutral fibers of both supports of a pair run through the central axis and each of the supports running through the central axis forms part of two arms, so that the respectively assigned supports of each arm intersect in the central axis. 
   
   
       19 . The mounting star according to  claim 16 , wherein the adjacent supports of two arms are connected at the support points to a further support which runs outside the central axis. 
   
   
       20 . The mounting star according to  claim 19 , wherein the arc-shaped supports continue to run from the supporting points with the same curvature in the direction of the arm ends and are connected to each other at the end points of the arms. 
   
   
       21 . The mounting star according to  claim 19 , wherein the arc-shaped supports continue to run from the support points with a tighter curvature and intersect before the ends of the arms so that they connect to each other. 
   
   
       22 . The mounting star according to  claim 21 , wherein the arc-shaped supports terminate at the ends of the arms at a certain distance from each other and are connected to each other by means of a cross bracket. 
   
   
       23 . The mounting star according to  claim 15 , wherein the supports of each pair are connected to each other level with the support points by a cross strut. 
   
   
       24 . The mounting star according to  claim 23 , wherein all the arms are secured to a bearing hub so that each arc running through the central axis of the mounting star is arranged at a certain distance from the adjacent arc of the adjacent arm. 
   
   
       25 . The mounting star according to  claim 23 , wherein the supports of all the arms are connected to a round for a bearing journal of the washing drum with the same fastening distance. 
   
   
       26 . The mounting star according to  claim 24 , wherein all its components are manufactured from a material in the continuous casting process. 
   
   
       27 . The mounting star according to  claim 24 , wherein the cavities formed by the lattice structure of the arms are sealed on the side facing away from the drum at least partially by a cover not participating in the flow of forces from the arms. 
   
   
       28 . The mounting star according to  claim 24 , wherein the cavities formed by the lattice structure of the arms are sealed at least partially by a sealing compound not participating in the flow of forces from the arms. 
   
   
       29 . A washing machine comprising:
 a housing;   a tub disposed within the housing;   a drum having a rear wall and being disposed within the tub and mounted for rotation with respect to the tub;   a mounting star coupled to the rear wall of the drum and comprising:
 at least three arms extending from a center of the mounting star and including hollow molded bodies with a box-like, open profile; 
 support points provided at a distance from approximately a mid-length point of each arm and supporting against the rear wall of the drum; and 
 wherein the open profile of the arms includes a pair of surfaces that are not connected together and are similar to a flat rectangle, the pair of surfaces forming the cross-section of supports and are orientated with a short side towards the rear wall of the drum, the two supports being connected, at least at the support points, by a third support with a similar cross-sectional area from arm to arm, to a support of the other arms. 
   
   
   
       30 . The washing machine according to  claim 29 , wherein the supports arranged in pairs run in an arc shape with bends opposing each other and are connected to each other by a latticework. 
   
   
       31 . The washing machine according to  claim 30 , wherein the adjacent supports of two arms are connected at the support points to a further support which runs outside the central axis. 
   
   
       32 . The washing machine according to  claim 30 , wherein the arc-shaped supports continue to run from the supporting points with the same curvature in the direction of the arm ends and are connected to each other at the end points of the arms. 
   
   
       33 . The washing machine according to  claim 29 , wherein the supports of each pair are connected to each other level with the support points by a cross strut. 
   
   
       34 . The washing machine according to  claim 29 , wherein the supports of all the arms are connected to a round for a bearing journal of the drum with the same fastening distance.