Drum of a machine for the careful treatment for clothes

Abstract

A drum of a machine for the treatment of clothes is provided and includes a drum casing, which is essentially cylindrical in its basic form, with a central cylinder axis that forms an axis of rotation about which the drum can rotate. The drum casing has a tubular main casing portion with a first and a second front wall, which are connected to a first and second axial edge region of the main casing portion, and a reinforcing piece. The reinforcing piece surrounds the main casing portion over the outside circumference of the drum and counteracts the bulging of the main casing portion during the rotation of the drum under the influence of the centrifugal force, wherein the reinforcing piece has a cord-like component that encircles the outside circumference of the main casing portion.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . A drum for a machine that performs a treatment, particularly a treatment of clothes, particularly a washing machine, a washer-dryer, a tumble dryer or the like, the drum comprising:
 a drum casing, the drum casing delimiting an overall cylindrical shape in its basic form and having a central cylinder axis that forms an axis of rotation about which the drum can be rotated, the drum casing having a tubular main casing portion with a first wall at one axial end of the main casing portion and a second wall at an opposite axial end of the main casing portion, the first wall being connected to a first axial edge region of the main casing portion and the second wall being connected to a second axial edge region of the main casing portion; and   at least one reinforcing piece that extends around the main casing portion radially outwardly of the outside circumference of the drum, the reinforcing piece having at least one cord-like component, the at least one cord-like component extending circumferentially around the main casing portion at least once and engaging the main casing portion in a manner to resist a radially outward bulging of the main casing portion that may occur during the rotation of the drum as a result of a centrifugal force acting on the drum.   
   
   
       29 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component extends circumferentially around the main casing portion several times. 
   
   
       30 . The drum as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the cord-like component has a plurality of turns that each extend circumferentially around the main casing portion and the turns extend at generally the same radial diameter as adjacent turns and at an axial displacement relative to such adjacent turns. 
   
   
       31 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein there is a space between the adjacent turns of the cord-like component. 
   
   
       32 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component has a plurality of turns that each extend circumferentially around the main casing portion and the turns of the cord-like component encircle the outside circumference of the main casing portion at different twist angles. 
   
   
       33 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein runs of the cord-like component that encircles the outside circumference of the main casing portion cross over one another. 
   
   
       34 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the at least one cord-like component is arranged substantially axially centrally of the main casing portion. 
   
   
       35 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the at least one cord-like component is extended circumferentially around the main casing portion at two different axially spaced locations thereon. 
   
   
       36 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the reinforcing piece includes at least two cord-like components each of which is located at a different axial position relative to the main casing portion than the other cord-like component, whereby the at least two cord-like components have axial spacing between themselves. 
   
   
       37 . The drum as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein each of the at least two cord-like components includes a single cord at the respective axially spaced position of the main casing portion. 
   
   
       38 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component is fixed to the circumference of the main casing portion in a manner that limits movement of the cord-like component at least circumferentially or axially relative to the main casing portion. 
   
   
       39 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component encircles the main casing portion in a pretensed state. 
   
   
       40 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component is composed of a number of wires or filaments. 
   
   
       41 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component is made of a stainless, anticorrosive material. 
   
   
       42 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component does not extend fully circumferentially around the main casing portion and the at least one reinforcing piece includes a cord joining component that joins two opposite ends of the cord-like component to one another. 
   
   
       43 . The drum as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the cord joining component is a cord-joining component that is chosen from a group of cord joining components consisting of a shape-based joint, a joint working by friction, an adhesive or glued joint, in particular, a knotted joint, a plaited joint, an interlacing joint, a spliced joint, a (strong) welded joint, a soldered or brazed joint, a cast joint, a joint working by clamping or pressure, an interlocking joint, a hooking joint, or a combination of at least two of the cord joining components of the group of cord-joining components. 
   
   
       44 . The drum as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the cord joining component has at least one first coupling element that can be fixed to a first end of the cord-like component and at least one second coupling element that can be fixed to a second end of the cord-like component. 
   
   
       45 . The drum as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein the two coupling elements can be inserted into each other. 
   
   
       46 . The drum as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the cord joining component is configured as a pressure terminal and both coupling elements have, in the pressed-in state, a logico-conclusive joint in a longitudinal direction of the cord-like component. 
   
   
       47 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component, in its mounted condition on the main casing portion in which it extends circumferentially around the main casing portion, has cord ends joined together via a reversibly releasable and elastic cord-joining component, and the length of the cord-like component in this mounted condition substantially equals the circumference of the main casing portion and is longer than a first predetermined length of the cord-like component prior to mounting of the cord-like component that is shorter than the circumference of the main casing portion, whereupon the cord-like component, in its mounted condition, encircles the main casing portion in a pretensed state. 
   
   
       48 . The drum as claimed in  claim 47 , wherein the cord-like component does not extend fully circumferentially around the main casing portion and the at least one reinforcing piece includes a cord joining component that joins two opposite ends of the cord-like component to one another, the cord joining component has at least one first coupling element that can be fixed to a first end of the cord-like component and at least one second coupling element that can be fixed to a second end of the cord-like component, the two coupling elements can be inserted into each other, and the cord joining component has a limiter for at least one of the coupling elements, whereby, when the cord-like component is in its state prior to mounting, one coupling element is placed at a predetermined distance in front of the limiter, thus defining the length of a first turn of the cord-like component, and, when the cord-like component is in its mounted state, this coupling element is adjusted at the limiter to thereby set the length of a second turn of the cord-like component and, thus, to set the magnitude of pretensing of the cord-like component. 
   
   
       49 . The drum as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the limiter is formed on at least one of the coupling elements. 
   
   
       50 . The drum as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the cord joining component has a separate limiter, which is associated with at least a first and a second coupling element. 
   
   
       51 . The drum as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the cord-like component does not extend fully circumferentially around the main casing portion and the at least one reinforcing piece includes a cord joining component that joins two opposite ends of the cord-like component to one another, the main casing portion has, on its outside circumferential surface, a plurality of grooved elbows, each of which extends essentially parallel to the length of the cylinder axis and forms a blade-like breaker inside the main casing portion, and the cord joining component is placed at least in the area of one of these elbows. 
   
   
       52 . The drum as claimed in  claim 51 , wherein the tubular main casing portion is made from a basic sheet material which is deformed to obtain a tubular structure and is joined at the two edges of the sheet to an extended inserting region that extends essentially parallel to the cylinder axis, the inserting region is fitted with at least one elbow in the form of a small channel, whose longitudinal axis extends substantially in the direction of the circumference of the main casing portion; and the cord-like component extends through the grooved elbow in a manner via which the grooved elbow secures the cord-like component in the axial direction of the drum. 
   
   
       53 . The drum as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the cord-like component does not extend fully circumferentially around the main casing portion, the at least one reinforcing piece includes a cord joining component that joins two opposite ends of the cord-like component to one another, and the cord joining component is located in a region of the circumference of the main casing portion opposite the extended inserting region. 
   
   
       54 . A machine that performs a treatment, particularly a treatment of clothes, particularly a washing machine, a washer-dryer, a tumble dryer or the like, the machine comprising:
 a drum; and   a device for rotating the drum, the drum having a drum casing, the drum casing delimiting an overall cylindrical shape in its basic form and having a central cylinder axis that forms an axis of rotation about which the drum can be rotated, the drum casing having a tubular main casing portion with a first wall at one axial end of the main casing portion and a second wall at an opposite axial end of the main casing portion, the first wall being connected to a first axial edge region of the main casing portion and the second wall being connected to a second axial edge region of the main casing portion, and at least one reinforcing piece that extends around the main casing portion radially outwardly of the outside circumference of the drum, the reinforcing piece having at least one cord-like component, the at least one cord-like component extending circumferentially around the main casing portion at least once and engaging the main casing portion in a manner to resist a radially outward bulging of the main casing portion that may occur during the rotation of the drum as a result of a centrifugal force acting on the drum.