Description

A WASHER/DRYER WITH ROTATING DOOR TO ACT AS A LAUNDRY CARRIER

[0001] The present invention relates to a washer/dryer providing the washed laundry to be easily carried and stored after taking them thereout.

[0002] In washer/dryers, particularly in laundry washer/dryers, elements such as a basket, washtub etc. are required for taking the laundry out of the machine and carrying to put away after the washing process is completed. However, these additional elements occupy space when not used and also gather dust making the clean laundry placed therein get dirty in the next usage.

[0003] Various implementations have been designed in the technique for solving these problems. In one of the slate of the art applications, the European Patent Application No EP 1652991, a door for use in a horizontal axis washing machine is explained, that makes a sliding and rotating movement while opening such that an outer facing surface of the door faces upwardly, becoming vertical with respect to the washing machine. The said door is fastened to the cabinet by means of hinged arms. When the door is desired to be opened, the arms move by means of the hinges, rotating to change the door from the vertical position to the horizontal position.

[0004] The hinged arms of the door described in these state of the art implementations that enable the surface facing outside when closed to move to face upwards when opened, are complex devices that makes the production and usage of the machine difficult.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to design a washer/dryer whereby the processes of loading, unloading the laundry and carrying the unloaded laundry to another place can be carried out easily.

[0006] The washer/dryer designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is explicated in the claims.

[0007] The washer/dryer of the present invention comprises a body, a loading port disposed on the body allowing the laundry to be placed into the washer/dryer and a door covering the loading port in a leak-proof manner. The door is secured to the body enabling opening/closing and rotated after opening to bring to the removing position. The door is fixed at this position after rotating and thus the laundry removed from the machine can be placed therein. The washer/dryer comprises stoppers for fixing the door in the position reached after being rotated.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door takes a position that is almost parallel to the floor and the concave side faces upwards by rotating around the point of

fixation.

[0009] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the door is secured to the body such that it can be easily detached from the point of fixation without needing an additional tool.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door is secured to the body with a hinge to enable opening and closing. A housing is provided on the body for securing the hinge. In a version of this embodiment, the hinge is configured to be movable in the housing so that the door is enabled to be moved to a second position for placing the laundry therein by rotating after being opened.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the outwards facing side of the door when closed is opened by turning downwards. Then, the door is rotated to the position such that the outwards facing side when closed faces upwards if the user wants to use the door in the open position for removing and carrying the laundry. That is the door is brought to the second position by rotating 180° around an axis that is almost parallel to the floor. The door is configured to become like a washtub when rotated.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the door is opened such that the outwards facing side when closed faces first to the right or left when opened that is, opening by turning to the side. Then the door can be rotated to the position wherein outwards facing side when closed faces upwards if the user wants to use the door in the open position for removing and carrying the laundry. That is, the door is brought to the second position by rotating 90° around an axis that is almost parallel to the floor.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hinge is configured to be attached to and detached from the housing easily. Thus, when the user wants to use the door for carrying the laundry removed from the washer/dryer, detaches thereof from the body and can carry the laundry with the door to a place for storing or drying.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door comprises a connection element that provides coupling with the hinge, allowing to be opened, closed. The connection element is situated on the side of the door that is to be attached to the hinge. Corresponding protrusion-recess, pin-slot, clamp-sleeve pairs are provided respectively on the hinge for securing the connection element and on the connection element for securing the hinge thereto. In a version of this embodiment, the connection element and the hinge are movably secured with respect to each other so that the door can be rotated after opening.

[0015] The washer/dryer designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0016] Rgure 1 - is the sideways schematic view of a washer/dryer.

[0017] Rgure 2 - is the sideways schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention just after the door is opened. [0018] Rgure 3 - is the sideways schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention after the door is opened and rotated. [0019] Rgure 4 - is the schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the door is closed. [0020] Rgure 5 - is the schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the door is open and in the position of being rotated a little. [0021] Rgure 6 - is the schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the door is open and in the position of being rotated to a great extent. [0022] Rgure 7 - is the schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention when the door is open and in the position of being rotated entirely. [0023] Rgure 8 - is the detailed view of the hinge, the housing and the connection element in an embodiment of the present invention. [0024] Rgure 9 - is the schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention just after the door is opened. [0025] Rgure 10 - is the schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention after the door is opened and rotated. [0026] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Washer/dryer

2. Body

3. Loading port

4. Door

5. Hinge

6. Housing

7. Connection element

[0027] The washer/dryer (1) of the present invention comprises a body (2), a loading port (3) disposed on the body (2) allowing the laundry to be placed therein, a door (4) mounted on the body (2) such that the loading port (3) is covered enabling opening and closing, having a convex configuration extending into the body (2) and rotating after opening to be used for unloading and carrying the laundry by taking a position almost parallel to the floor and the concave side facing upwards (Rgure 1, Rgure 4).

[0028] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door (4) rotates around the point of fixation and takes a position that is almost parallel to the floor and the concave portion

faces upwards such that the laundry can be placed therein.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door (4) is secured to the body (2) from a point below the loading port (3) and opens by turning downwards. Thus, the outwards facing side (A) of the door (4) when closed lakes the position of partially facing the floor when opened. Thus the outwards facing side (A) of the door when closed, comes to the position of at least partially facing downwards when opened. The user rotates the door (4) 180° such that the outwards facing side (A) when closed faces upwards for using the door (4) in the open position for removing and carrying the laundry (Figures 5-7). Thus the door (4) reaches a position that is almost entirely below the loading port (3) and whereby the laundry can be placed therein (Figure 3, Figure 7).

[0030] In another embodiment of the present invention, the door (4) is secured from a point at the right or left side of the loading port (3) and opens towards the side. Thus the outwards facing side (A) of the door (4) when closed, at least partially faces sideways (to the right or left) when opened (Figure 9). In this embodiment, when the user wants to use the door (4) for removing and carrying the laundry, it is rotated 90° such that the outwards facing side (A) when closed faces at least partially downwards. In this position, the door (4) reaches a position whereby the laundry can be placed therein (Figure 10).

[0031] When the user wants to remove the laundry from the washer/dryer (1), he/she opens the door (4) and rotates around the point of fixation until the door (4) comes to a position whereby the laundry can be placed therein. After the rotation, the outwards facing side (A) of the door (4) when closed comes to an almost parallel position to the floor, facing upwards. The user puts the laundry removed from the washer/dryer (1) inside the door (4) (Figure 3). Consequently, the laundry can be removed without using an additional element such as a basket, washtub etc.

[0032] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the door (4) is secured to the body (2) such that it can be easily detached by the user from the point of fixation after being opened without needing an additional tool.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the washer/dryer (1) comprises a hinge

(5) for securing the door (4) to the body (2) enabling opening or closing and a housing

(6) situated on the body (2) wherein the hinge (5) is placed. In an alternative of this embodiment, the hinge (5) is configured to be rotatable inside the housing (6) to allow for the rotational movement of the door (4) after opening.

[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge (5) is configured to be attached,

detached to the housing (6) easily. Thus when desired to be utilized for carrying the laundry the door (4) can be detached from the body (2) and used for taking the laundry to a place for storing or drying and can be attached in place later on.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present invention, the door (4) comprises a connection element (7) for fastening to the hinge (5). A suitable counterpart is provided on the hinge (5) for securing this connection element (7). In a version of this embodiment, the connection element (7) and the hinge (5) are rotalably secured to each other in order to allow for the rotational motion of the door (4) after opening.

[0036] The washer/dryer (1) of the present invention furthermore comprises at least one stopper (not shown in the figures) for fixing the door (4) at the desired position after being opened and rotated.

[0037] With the washer/dryer (1) of the present invention, when the washing process is completed, the use of additional elements such as a basket, washtub etc. for storing and carrying the laundry after taking out of the washer/dryer (1) is not necessary anymore. The unloading of the laundry is made easier by rotating the door (4) after opening for suitably positioning to place the laundry therein. The requirement of using an additional element for carrying the laundry is eliminated by detaching the door (4) from the body (2) afterwards to be taken to another place with the laundry contained therein.