specifically coated flush-in tray

The invention relates to a household appliance for caring pieces of laundry including a housing and a flush-in tray disposed in the housing for laundry care agents.

In a washing machine or a washer-dryer, it is known that the laundry care agent, for example a liquid or powdery washing agent, is introduced into a so-called flush-in tray and is then flushed up to the drum from there, in which the pieces of laundry are located for cleaning, for example by addition of water.

In the operation of a washing machine or a clothes dryer, condensed water occurs, which can also form in the area of the flush-in tray. This is in particular the case if care of laundry is performed at relatively high temperatures, and for example an operating program for cleaning hot wash is performed. Therein, condensed water then also correspondingly accumulates on the bottom of the flush-in tray. If a user then opens the flush-in tray by extracting it in a drawer-like configuration, thus, the water drops adhering to the bottom of the flush-in tray drip downwards. Thereby, for example, the ground or other items located below the extracted flush-in tray are wetted or soaked with these water drops.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a household appliance for caring pieces of laundry, in which dripping down of water drops in the extracted state of the flush-in tray is at least substantially reduced. This object is solved by a household appliance according to the independent claim 1.

A household appliance according to the invention for caring pieces of laundry includes a housing and a flush-in tray disposed in the housing for receiving laundry care agents. A substantial idea of the invention is to be regarded in that the flush-in tray is coated with a protective layer at least on a bottom preventing the formation of water drops adhering to the bottom. By this additional protective layer formed on an exterior bottom of this flush-in tray, thus, a permanent or long-term adhesion of water drops is at least considerably reduced. By this configuration, it is thus achieved that condensed water occurring in the operation of the household appliance then still can form on the bottom, but either drop formation is effected very fast and these drops then also immediately and thus very fast drip off from the bottom or on the other hand the formation of drops is avoided and then only a larger or large-area water film can form on the bottom, however in which dripping down then is prevented in particular in the opened state of the flush-in tray.

Thus, by this configuration, the probability is at least reduced that condensed water occurring during the operation of the household appliance then also deposits on the bottom of the flush-in tray as drops for a long time. Rather, it can deposit, but immediately drops off again there or only remains by a then long-term adhering thin film. Upon opening the flush-in tray then usually occurring only again later or after terminating the caring operation, the adhesion of larger water drops on the bottom, which then could drip down to the ground in the opened state of the flush-in tray, is at least considerably reduced. Preferably, it is provided that the protective layer has at least hydrophobic components. By hydrophobic components, the formation of larger water drops is prevented, which then would adhere to the bottom for a long time. Rather, such water drops are formed very fast and then also drip off from the bottom very fast. Thus, such water drops drip off from the bottom when the flush-in tray is still closed or usually when the flush-in tray is not opened during the operation of the household appliance anyway. In particular, in this context, super-hydrophobic components can be formed, by which the above mentioned advantages are again promoted.

It can also be provided that the protective layer has at least hydrophilic components. By this configuration, the formation of water drops is virtually completely prevented, and only a large-area thin water film can then form on the bottom, which then does not drip down.

In a particularly advantageous manner, it is provided that the protective layer has amphipathic components. By such components, a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic components is virtually formed. Thereby, the above mentioned configurations are again promoted because even if very much condensed water arises and optionally then drops would actually form, they are very fast again formed dripping off from the bottom and on the other hand a large-area thin water film is very fast and extensively generated on the bottom.

Preferably, it is provided that the protective layer has at least a silane derivative as the component. Preferably, the protective layer includes TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate) and/or HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) and/or HMDSO (hexamethyl disiloxane) as the silane derivative. These components can also be amphipathic components.

Additionally to or instead of it, it can also be provided that the protective layer has titanium dioxide derivatives as the component.

Similarly, additionally to or instead of it, it can be provided that the protective layer has silicon dioxide and/or aluminum oxide as the component. Nanoparticles or precursors can also be provided to this. In an advantageous implementation, it is provided that the components are contained or embedded in a matrix material. Thereby, they are arranged very equally distributed and contained in a suitable carrier material, which can then also be attached to or integrated in the material of the flush-in tray in correspondingly sufficiently secured manner. Thereby, the environmental conditions, as they exist in the area of a flush-in tray in the household appliance, are also accommodated for a long time, and this protective layer is long-term stably and functionally attached to, in particular integrated in the flush-in tray.

Preferably, it is provided that the matrix material is a thermoplastic material. In particular, for example, an extrudable, preferably co-extrudable thermoplastic material, for example plastic, can be provided as the matrix material.

It can also be provided that the matrix material is a varnish or a resin. Similarly, a paint can be provided as the matrix material. The protective layer can be generated by coextrusion. Similarly, it can be provided that the protective layer is generated by TECVD or by a vacuum plasma or by inkjet methods or by screen printing or by sol gel synthesis. Additionally, a so-called dip coating or spin coating can then also be effected. Similarly, generation by spraying or brushing on can be effected.

It can also be provided that not only the bottom of the flush-in tray is correspondingly coated, but the entire flush-in tray is provided with a corresponding protective layer.

Further features of the invention are apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of figures and/or shown in the figures alone are usable not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, implementations are also to be considered as encompassed and disclosed by the invention, which are not explicitly shown in the figures and explained, but arise from and can be produced by separated feature combinations from the explained implementations.

Below, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail based on schematic drawings. There show:

Fig. 1 a perspective illustration of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention for caring pieces of laundry;

Fig. 2 an enlarged perspective illustration of a section of the household appliance according to Fig. 1 with an extracted flush-in tray;

Fig. 3 a simplified illustration of a partial area of the flush-in tray with the bottom; and

Fig. 4 an illustration according to Fig. 3, in which an alternative configuration is illustrated.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters. In Fig. 1 , a household appliance 1 for caring pieces of laundry is shown, which can for example be a washing machine or a washer-dryer. The household appliance 1 includes a housing 2, in which a drum 3 for receiving pieces of laundry to be cleaned is rotatably supported disposed. Moreover, a not shown suds container is also disposed, into which the drum 3 partially extends, and in which the washing suds is contained. At the front side, the drum 3 has a loading opening, which is closable by a door 4. Moreover, the household appliance 1 includes a flush-in tray 5, which is accessible at the front side and is formed as a drawer and thus can be extracted from or pushed into the housing 2 in horizontal direction. A laundry care agent is input into the flush-in tray 5, which is then directed or flushed to the suds container and the drum 3 in particular by addition of water, which can for example be supplied via an external water system.

In Fig. 2, in a perspective partial illustration, the household appliance 1 is shown in the area of the flush-in tray 5, which is here shown in the extracted and thus opened state. The flush-in tray 5 has a front part 6, which includes a grip area 7. A user can engage it with his hand and extract the flush-in tray 5. As it is apparent, the flush-in tray 5 includes a receiving area 8 adjoining the front part 6, in which multiple, in particular groove-like chambers 9, 10 and 1 1 are formed in the embodiment. The laundry care agent can then be input into at least one of these chambers 9 to 1 1. The flush-in tray 5, in particular the area 8, includes a bottom 12, which thus also presents an outer side facing downwards. If the flush-in tray 5 is inserted and the household appliance 1 is operated, for example hot wash is washed, thus, condensed water can also form in the housing 2, which can accumulate or deposit on this bottom 12.

It is provided that this flush-in tray 5 is optionally completely formed with a protective layer at least on this bottom 12. To this, in Fig. 3, a simplified sectional illustration through the flush-in tray 5 is shown. It is apparent that a protective layer 13 is formed on the bottom 12. This protective layer 13 includes at least hydrophilic components in the shown embodiment. By them, water drops, which could form from the deposited condensed water, are prevented from being formed, but only a relatively large-area and flat film 14 forms. Then, it does not drip down, even if the flush-in tray 5 is then opened.

In Fig. 4, in corresponding sectional illustration as in Fig. 3, an illustration of the flush-in tray 5 is shown, in which a protective layer 15 is also formed on the bottom 12. This protective layer 15 includes at least hydrophobic components, by which a very fast and extensive formation of drops 16 is involved, such that the drops are formed immediately and very fast after deposition of condensed water on the bottom 12 or on the protective layer 15 and immediately again drip off. These drops 16 then drip into the housing 2 in the operation of the household appliance, since the flush-in tray 5 is usually closed at such times in the operation of the household appliance. By this configuration, the number of drops 16 on the bottom 12 is considerably reduced and incidentally these drops 16 then also again drip off very fast from the bottom 12 or the protective layer 15

In a preferred implementation, it can also be provided that the protective layer has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components. In particular, it can be provided that the protective layer has amphipathic components, by which the functionality of the protective layer 13, as it was explained in Fig. 3, and the functionality of the protective layer 15, as it was explained to Fig. 4, are combined.

List of reference signs

1 household appliance

2 housing

3 drum

4 door

5 flush-in tray

6 front part

7 grip area

8 receiving area

9, 10, 11 chambers

12 bottom

13 protective layer

14 film

15 protective layer

16 drop