Suspension arrangement for a clothes washing machine

Abstract

The present suspension arrangement is applied to a clothes washing machine of the type which comprises: a plurality of stay rods, having an upper end coupled in a structural cabinet, and a lower end coupled to a tub, to maintain said tub suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet. Each stay rod, which is formed by rigid stay rod portions or in a single piece flexible cable, presents, along its longitudinal extension, at least one hinge means interconnecting two adjacent stay rod portions and allowing the latter to be angularly and relatively displaced from each other around axes orthogonal to the stay rod.

1 . A suspension arrangement for a clothes washing machine of the type which comprises: a structural cabinet; a plurality of suspension means, each comprising a stay rod, having an upper end coupled to the structural cabinet, and a lower end; and a tub to contain a washing liquid and having a plurality of spaced apart supports in each of which is coupled the lower end of a respective stay rod, so as to maintain the tub suspended in the interior of the structural cabinet, characterized in that the stay rod of each suspension means comprises, along its longitudinal extension, at least one hinge means interconnecting two adjacent stay rod portions and allowing the latter to be angularly and relatively displaced from each other around axes orthogonal to the stay rod. 
     
     
         2 . The suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the stay rod portions are coaxial. 
     
     
         3 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in any of  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the stay rod portions are rigid. 
     
     
         4 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 3 , characterized in that the adjacent ends of two stay rod portions are bent so as to define hooks, the hinge means being defined by the mutual coupling of said hooks. 
     
     
         5 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 2 , characterized in that the hinge means comprises a body provided with an upper groove and with a lower groove, both extended in a convex semicircular are and in planes orthogonal to each other, the adjacent ends of two stay rod portions being bent in the form of a hook, each hook being slidingly seated in one of the upper and lower grooves, in order to allow the angular displacement of each stay rod portion around the axis of the respective hook and groove. 
     
     
         6 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 5 , characterized in that the upper groove and lower groove have enlarged opposite end portions to allow the angular displacement of each stay rod portion around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the respective hook and groove. 
     
     
         7 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 6 , characterized in that the body of each hinge means incorporates two pairs of stops, each pair of stops being associated with the end portions of a respective upper groove or lower groove, so as to limit the angular displacement of each stay rod portion around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the respective hook and groove. 
     
     
         8 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 7 , characterized in that each pair of stops is defined by a pair of flanges divergently projecting from the body of the hinge means. 
     
     
         9 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 5 , characterized in that the body of the hinge means is formed in a single piece of a synthetic material. 
     
     
         10 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 2 , characterized in that the stay rod portions of each suspension means are formed in a single piece in the form of a flexible cable, each portion of the extension of the latter defining a hinge means. 
     
     
         11 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the structural cabinet superiorly comprises a plurality of cradles in the form of semi-spherical recesses provided with a lower axial opening, each cradle bearing a semispherical hub attaching the upper end of an adjacent stay rod portion disposed through the lower axial opening of the respective cradle. 
     
     
         12 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 11 , characterized in that the semi-spherical hubs are formed in synthetic material. 
     
     
         13 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 12 , characterized in that each semi-spherical hub presents a passage, through which passes the upper end of the stay rod. 
     
     
         14 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 13 , characterized in that each semi-spherical hub presents, in its upper region, a seat, onto which is  10  seated the usually bent upper end of the stay rod. 
     
     
         15 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 1 , characterized in that the supports of the tub project outwardly and inferiorly define semi-spherical recesses that are centrally provided with an axial passage extending through the support and through which is loosely disposed an adjacent stay rod portion having a lower end configured to axially retain a lower block onto which is seated a respective elastically deformable element, disposed around said stay rod portion and onto which is seated the semi-spherical recess of the respective support. 
     
     
         16 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 15 , characterized in that the elastically deformable element is usually tubular and disposed around said stay rod portion and onto which is seated the semi-spherical recesses of the respective support. 
     
     
         17 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 16 , characterized in that the elastically deformable elements are defined by helical springs with a lower end seated onto a respective lower block and an upper end seated against a semi-spherical upper block, seated under the semi-spherical recess of the respective support. 
     
     
         18 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 17 , characterized in that the lower block and upper block are constructed in synthetic material. 
     
     
         19 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 16 , characterized in that the lower end of the stay rod is enlarged, so as to retain a washer on which is seated the lower block. 
     
     
         20 . Suspension arrangement, as set forth in  claim 16 , characterized in that the upper block presents a central axial projection, through which projects a respective stay rod portion, said upper block incorporating, in a single piece, an elongated tubular skirt configured so as to define a casing that surrounds, with a radial gap, the elastically deformable element.