Washing device comprising a washing drum with profile elements

Abstract

A washing device (1), e.g. a human-powered washing device, for washing of goods, e.g. laundry, comprises a washing drum (2) rotatable about an axis of rotation (200) that extends in an axial direction. Said washing drum comprises a drum wall (20, 21, 22) with an interior surface (222) and an exterior surface (221). The interior surface (222) extends along the axial direction and encloses in a rotational direction about said axis of rotation of the washing device. Said washing device moreover comprises a plurality of profile elements (25) provided to the interior surface of said drum wall, wherein each profile element comprises a plurality of ribs (26). Each rib (26) extends along the interior surface of the drum wall between two ends by a rib length (281) and extends from the interior surface into said interior of the washing drum by a rib height (29). In the axial direction of the interior surface of the drum wall the rib height (29) varies along the rib length (281). The ribs are connected to each other at their ends so as to form a profile element embodied as a closed contour around a cavity (255) that is open opposite from the drum wall, e.g. three ribs forming a triangular contour, e.g. two curved ribs forming a circular or oval contour profile element. Profile elements adjacent in the rotational direction of the washing drum are offset in respect of each other in the axial direction.

1 . A washing device, e.g. a human-powered washing device, for washing of goods, e.g. laundry, said washing device comprising a washing drum rotatable about an axis of rotation that extends in an axial direction, said washing drum comprising:
 a drum wall, said drum wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said interior surface extending along the axial direction and enclosing in a rotational direction about said axis of rotation of the washing device, and   a plurality of profile elements provided to the interior surface of said drum wall, wherein each profile element comprises a plurality of ribs,   wherein each rib extends along the interior surface of the washing drum between two ends by a rib length,   wherein each rib extends from the interior surface into said interior of the washing drum by a rib height,   wherein said rib height varies along the rib length,   wherein said ribs are connected to each other at their ends so as to form a profile element embodied as a closed contour around a cavity that is open opposite from the drum wall, e.g. three ribs forming a triangular contour profile element, e.g. two curved ribs forming a circular or oval contour profile element, and   wherein profile elements adjacent in the rotational direction of the washing drum are offset in respect of each other in the axial direction.   
     
     
         2 . A washing drum according to  claim 1 , wherein the profile elements adjacent in the rotational direction of the washing drum are offset in respect of each other in the axial direction in a zig-zag pattern, the offset in the axial direction being less than a width of the profile elements in the axial direction. 
     
     
         3 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the ribs form protrusions that extend in a radial direction inwardly from the interior surface of the washing drum, the ribs protruding in respect of the interior surface of the washing drum enclosed by the closed contour and in respect of the interior surface of the washing drum outside the closed contour. 
     
     
         4 . A washing device according to  claim 3 , wherein the interior surface of the washing drum enclosed by the closed contour is flush with the interior surface of the washing drum outside the closed contour. 
     
     
         5 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the ribs have an inside side wall surface protruding from the interior surface of the washing drum enclosed by the closed contour and an outside side wall surface protruding from the interior surface of the washing drum outside the closed contour, the inside and outside side wall surfaces protruding radially inward from the interior surface of the washing drum. 
     
     
         6 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the drum wall is substantially flush along a direction of rotation. 
     
     
         7 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein profile elements adjacent in the rotational direction of the washing drum are provided partially in front of each other in the axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of holes extend through said drum wall from the interior surface to the exterior surface thereof, wherein each hole ends on the interior surface within a respective one of the profile elements. 
     
     
         9 . A washing device according to  claim 8 , wherein, seen in radial direction, the holes are provided centrally in each closed contour formed by the profile elements. 
     
     
         10 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein each rib has a rib width perpendicular to the rib length and perpendicular to the rib height, wherein the rib width is constant over the rib height. 
     
     
         11 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the profile element comprises a plurality of straight ribs and wherein neighbouring profile elements adjoin, e.g. adjoin along the length of said ribs, so as to provide to said interior surface of the drum wall a grid. 
     
     
         12 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of profile elements is embodied a plurality of identical profile elements. 
     
     
         13 . A washing device according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of profile elements are embodied as a plurality of identical profile elements, so as to provide to said interior surface of the drum wall a regular grid. 
     
     
         14 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the profile element comprises an even number of straight ribs connected to each other under an angle so as to provide a number of vertices equal to the number of ribs and wherein the height of each rib varies along its length between a maximum height at one end and a minimum height at the other end, thereby providing the profile element with alternating vertices of maximum height and vertices of minimum height. 
     
     
         15 . A washing device according to  claim 14 , wherein the height of each rib varies linearly along its length between a maximum height and a minimum height. 
     
     
         16 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the closed contour is a hexagonal contour comprising six straight ribs connected end-to-end and six vertices, and wherein in the rotational direction the front end and rear end of said hexagonal contour are a vertex, 
     
     
         17 . A washing device according to  claim 16 , wherein the height of each rib varies along its length between a maximum height at one end and a minimum height at the other end, thereby providing the profile element with alternating vertices of maximum height and vertices of minimum height, wherein neighbouring profile elements adjoin to form a grid, and wherein the ribs extending from the front end vertex of one profile element each extend to a rear end vertex of a respective offset neighbouring profile element. 
     
     
         18 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein said axis of rotation is a horizontal axis of rotation. 
     
     
         19 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the drum wall is embodied as a smooth exterior surface only interrupted by the holes extending through said drum wall. 
     
     
         20 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the drum wall is embodied as a cylindrical, oval, or spherical drum wall. 
     
     
         21 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the drum wall is a cylindrical drum wall comprising a plurality of fixed drum wall parts and one or more slidable drum wall parts, wherein the slidable drum wall parts are slidable parallel to the axis of rotation of the washing drum out from between and in between two fixed drum wall parts, so as to provide an aperture to the drum wall, said aperture allowing goods to be inserted into said washing drum, and so as to cover said aperture, thereby closing said washing drum. 
     
     
         22 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the drum wall and plurality of profile elements are embodied as a plastic drum wall and plastic plurality of profile elements respectively, and wherein the profile elements are formed integrally with said drum wall. 
     
     
         23 . A washing device according to  claim 18 , said washing device further comprising:
 an enclosure surrounding substantially the lower half of the washing drum,   two spindles attached to opposing ends of the washing drum along the horizontal axis of rotation thereof, and   two bearing blocks, each provided with a bearing, said bearing block being insertable into and removable from opposed ends of said enclosure from the top thereof, said opposed ends along said horizontal axis of rotation of the washing drum, allowing the assembly of washing drum, spindles and bearing blocks to be inserted into and removed from said enclosure, e.g. for transporting laundry after washing to a drying location.   
     
     
         24 . A washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device is embodied as a hand-operated washing device comprising a handle to rotate said washing drum about its axis of rotation. 
     
     
         25 . Method to wash goods, e.g. laundry, wherein use is made of a washing device according to  claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of:
 inserting goods, e.g. laundry, into said washing drum,   providing liquid, e.g. water, and detergent to the enclosure, and   exerting a movement that is transferred to a rotation of said washing drum about its axis of rotation, wherein the profile elements provided on the interior of the drum wall provide to the liquid near said profile elements a flow component in the axial direction, wherein said flow component facilitates the mixing of liquid and detergent.   
     
     
         26 . Method to wash and transport goods according to  claim 25 , said method further comprising the steps of:
 removing water mixed with detergent from said enclosure, and   removing for transport the assembly of washing drum with goods, spindles and bearing blocks from said enclosure.