Device and method for wet treating laundry

Abstract

The washer-extractor ( 41 ) having only a single front-end opening ( 13 ) of the drums ( 12, 14 ). This opening ( 13 ) is used for loading and also unloading. The openings ( 13, 15 ) can be closed by a door ( 46 ). The door ( 46 ) can be separated from the drums ( 12, 14 ). In addition, the door ( 46 ) does not co-rotate when the inner drum ( 12 ) is rotationally driven for washing and spinning the laundry. A washer-extractor ( 41 ) of this type is characterized by its simple design and by a reliable sealing effected by the door ( 46 ), particularly when the washer-extractor ( 41 ) is arranged in the dividing wall ( 43 ).

1 . A device for wet treatment of laundry, with an inner drum ( 12 ) which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis ( 11 ) and can pivot about at least one pivot axis ( 22 ,  27 ) extending transversely with respect to the rotation axis ( 11 ) and which receives the laundry that is to be treated, the inner drum ( 12 ) having at least one front-end opening ( 13 ), characterized in that the inner drum ( 12 ) has a single front-end opening ( 13 ), and a door ( 29 ,  46 ) is assigned where appropriate to this opening ( 13 ).  
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the opening ( 13 ) is assigned a separate door ( 29 ,  46 ) which is separated from the inner drum ( 12 ) in such a way that it does not co-rotate with the inner drum ( 12 ) and also cannot pivot, or can pivot only to a limited extent, with the inner drum ( 12 ).  
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) can be moved toward the opening ( 13 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) and away from the opening ( 13 ), and otherwise the door ( 29 ) is preferably stationary relative to the inner drum ( 12 ).  
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the inner drum ( 12 ) is water permeable and is surrounded by a water-impermeable drum housing ( 14 ) having a single opening ( 15 ) which is arranged adjacent to the opening ( 13 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) and which corresponds with the opening ( 13 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ), the opening ( 15 ) of the drum housing ( 14 ) and the opening ( 13 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) being by the same door ( 29 ,  46 ).  
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) is assigned to the inner drum ( 12 ) and/or the drum housing ( 14 ) in such a way that, in a position of the inner drum ( 12 ) in which the rotation axis ( 11 ) thereof extends approximately horizontally, the opening ( 15 ) of the drum housing ( 14 ) and/or the opening ( 13 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) is located next to the door ( 29 ,  46 ), and can be driven against at least the single opening ( 15 ) in the drum housing ( 14 ).  
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) is assigned to the opening ( 15 ) of the drum housing ( 14 ) in such a way that, in the operating position of the drum housing ( 14 ) with the drum ( 12 ) rotating therein, with the rotation axis ( 11 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) approximately horizontal, the opening ( 15 ) can be closed by the door ( 29 ,  46 ).  
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) has at least one seal ( 37 ,  55 ) which corresponds with a sealing face surrounding the opening ( 15 ) in the drum housing ( 14 ) and which seals the door ( 29 ,  46 ) off from the drum housing ( 14 ).  
   
   
       8 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) can be moved toward and away from the opening ( 15 ) of the drum housing ( 14 ) and has a door support ( 30 ,  50 ).  
   
   
       9 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) is to be at least partially opened by a relative movement of an inner door ( 47 ) relative to a door frame ( 48 ).  
   
   
       10 . The device as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) including an inner door ( 47 ) and a door frame ( 48 ), can be moved to and fro, and the door ( 29 ) or door frame ( 48 ) is connected to the preferably stationary door support ( 30 ,  50 ) via a flexible connecting means.  
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) is stationary like the door support ( 30 ,  50 ), and the drum housing ( 14 ) can be driven with the inner drum ( 12 ) along the rotation axis ( 11 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) in the direction toward the door ( 29 ,  46 ) and/or the door support ( 30 ,  50 ).  
   
   
       12 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the door ( 46 ) is arranged in a dividing wall ( 43 ) between a dirty area ( 42 ) and a clean area ( 44 ), and in this case the door ( 46 ), including an inner door ( 47 ) and a door frame ( 48 ), can be moved to and fro in a direction perpendicular to the dividing wall ( 43 ).  
   
   
       13 . A device for wet treatment of laundry, with an inner drum ( 12 ) which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis ( 11 ) and can pivot about at least one pivot axis ( 22 ,  27 ) extending transversely with respect to the rotation axis ( 11 ) and which receives the laundry that is to be treated, and a stationary drum housing ( 14 ) surrounding the inner drum ( 12 ), characterized in that the inner drum ( 12 ) and the drum housing ( 14 ) surrounding it can pivot about the at least one pivot axis ( 22 ,  27 ) into any desired loading positions.  
   
   
       14 . The device as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that the inner drum ( 12 ) with the drum housing ( 14 ) can be pivoted into such loading positions, the rotation axis ( 11 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) extending perpendicularly or at an angle of up to  600  to the perpendicular, and the pivot axis ( 27 ), is assigned a direct drive ( 28 ) for pivoting the drum housing ( 14 ) with the inner drum ( 12 ) mounted rotatably therein.  
   
   
       15 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , characterized in that at least one axle journal ( 26 ) of the pivot axis ( 27 ) of the drum housing ( 14 ) is assigned at least one delivery means for at least one medium for wet treatment of the laundry, and the delivery means is preferably configured as an axial passage for the at least one medium.  
   
   
       16 . The device as claimed in  claim 15 , characterized in that a free front end of the at least one axle journal ( 26 ) is assigned a rotary attachment for at least one admission line for delivering at least one medium to the inside of the drum housing ( 14 ).  
   
   
       17 . A device for wet treatment of laundry, with an inner drum ( 12 ) which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis ( 11 ) and can pivot about at least one pivot axis ( 22 ,  27 ) extending transversely with respect to the rotation axis ( 11 ) and which receives the laundry that is to be treated, and a stationary drum housing ( 14 ) surrounding the inner drum ( 12 ), characterized in that the at least one medium necessary for the wet treatment can be delivered to the inside of the drum housing ( 14 ) through a door ( 29 ,  46 ) assigned to the opening ( 15 ) of the drum housing ( 14 ).  
   
   
       18 . The device as claimed in  claim 17 , characterized in that the door ( 29 ,  46 ) is stationary while the inner drum ( 12 ) is being driven in rotation.  
   
   
       19 . The device as claimed in  claim 18 , characterized in that the at least one medium can be delivered to the inside of the drum housing ( 14 ) or of the inner drum ( 12 ) through at least one closable passage in the door ( 29 ,  46 ), in which case the at least one passage is assigned to an inner circle segment ( 35 ) of the door ( 29 ) or of an inner door ( 47 ) of the door ( 46 ).  
   
   
       20 . A method for wet treatment of laundry, in which method an inner drum ( 12 ) that can be driven in rotation about a rotation axis ( 11 ) is loaded with the laundry or other items that are to be treated, and the laundry or other items are then washed and spin-dried, characterized in that loading is carried out with the rotation axis ( 11 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) perpendicular or inclined relative to the perpendicular, and, during loading, the inner drum ( 12 ) is driven in rotation at least intermittently about the rotation axis ( 11 ).  
   
   
       21 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , characterized in that, during loading, the inner drum ( 12 ) is driven at such a speed of rotation that the laundry or items in the inner drum ( 12 ) experience a centrifugal acceleration of up to 25 g.  
   
   
       22 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , characterized in that, during loading, the rotation axis ( 11 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) is inclined maximally relative to the perpendicular to such an extent that the laundry or other items for the most part still reach the bottom area of the inner drum ( 12 ) lying opposite the opening ( 13 ).  
   
   
       23 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , characterized in that, during loading, the rotation axis ( 11 ) of the inner drum ( 12 ) is inclined relative to the perpendicular by a maximum of 60°, preferably by not more than 50°, in particular 40°.