Washing machine including a shipping protection arrangement

Abstract

A washing machine includes an appliance housing having a front housing part and a rear wall, and includes a washing assembly capable, in an operating mode, of oscillating relative to the appliance housing. The washing assembly includes a washing drum and a suds container enclosing the washing drum. A holding device is attached to the suds container. A shipping protection arrangement including a rod is provided for protecting the suds container against shocks. The rod is connected in a force-locking manner to the washing assembly via the suds container and via the holding device. The holding device includes a through-hole for receiving the rod and includes a plurality of openings forming a plurality of connecting links extending from the through-hole to an edge of the holding device so as to permit elastic, semi-elastic, and/or plastic deformations of the holding device for cushioning of impact energy generated from shocks.

1 . A washing machine comprising: 
 an appliance housing including a front housing part and a rear wall;    a washing assembly capable, in an operating mode, of oscillating relative to the appliance housing, the washing assembly including a washing drum and a suds container enclosing the washing drum;    a holding device attached to the suds container; and    a shipping protection arrangement configured to protect the suds container against shocks, the shipping protection arrangement including a rod, the rod, when in a secured position, being fixed in a first holding receptacle of the front housing part and in a second holding receptacle of the rear wall, the rod being connected in a central region thereof in a force-locking manner to the washing assembly via the suds container and via the holding device;    wherein the holding device includes a through-hole for receiving the rod and includes a plurality of openings forming a plurality of connecting links extending from the through-hole to an edge of the holding device so as to permit at least one of elastic, semi-elastic, and plastic deformation of the holding device so as to enable cushioning of impact energy generated from shocks due to the mass inertia of the assembly so as to protect the suds container.    
   
   
       2 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 1  wherein the openings include through openings.  
   
   
       3 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least a first of the openings is blind-ended, and at least a first of the connecting links formed by other of the openings forms a rib.  
   
   
       4 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 3  wherein the at least a first of the connecting links has a curved shape.  
   
   
       5 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 1  wherein the openings include substantially circular bores.  
   
   
       6 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 1  wherein the edge of the holding device is an outer edge and has substantially a form of a first of the connecting links.  
   
   
       7 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 1  wherein an edge of the through-hole has substantially a form of a first of the connecting links.  
   
   
       8 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 1  wherein the holding device includes a plastic material.  
   
   
       9 . The washing machine as recited in  claim 8  wherein the suds container includes the plastic material, and the holding device is integrally formed on a wall of the suds container as a single molded piece.