JP2886963B2 - Washing machine outer frame - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a structure of an outer frame of a washing machine.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional fully-automatic washing machines use painted steel plates, and the corner plates and the upper and lower connecting plates and the frame are driven by rivets. Also,
The plastic base and the frame are connected by screws.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned prior art employs rivets as a joining method. However, since many rivets are required, the cost is high, and there is a problem in that attention must be paid to the stability of operations such as automatic feeding and certainty of swaging.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art,
An object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine outer frame structure that is low in cost, has high productivity through automation, and is suitable for painted steel plates.

[Means for solving the problem]

To achieve the above object, a frame body having an opening at an upper portion formed by pressing a painted steel plate that has been coated, a top cover attached to an upper portion of the frame body, and the frame body In an outer frame of a washing machine having a corner plate provided at a corner of an opening and on which a hanging bar is hung, the opening of the frame body is inwardly bent substantially horizontally and next to a flange formed next to the opening. The collar plate has two collar crimping pieces located near the corner of the fitting flange and extending substantially perpendicularly above the collar, and the corner plate has a greater thickness than the collar and the collar A bottom portion located below the bottom portion, a wall portion extending integrally and upwardly to an outer peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion, and a flange portion formed on the wall portion and extending upward along the rib crimping piece. The crimping piece for the corner plate is longer than the crimping piece for the brim portion and has two crimping pieces for the corner plate corresponding to the crimping piece for the brim portion whose tip is curled, and the crimping piece for the corner plate is provided. The piece and the crimping piece for the collar portion abut against a lower portion than the curled portion of the crimping piece for the corner plate, and the curled portion is brought into contact with the collar portion above the collar portion by the crimping. And the corner plate crimping piece is folded in the middle to sandwich the collar portion crimping piece from both sides, and the collar portion crimping piece is formed of the corner plate. It is characterized in that the folded portion of the crimping piece is crimped so as to sandwich the folded portion with the collar portion.

[Action]

The present invention relates to a crimping piece for a brim portion formed so as to extend at a right angle from the face of the brim portion, and a crimping piece for a corner plate extending upward from a tip of a wall portion remote from the bottom. By caulking in contact, the caulked portion is brought into close contact with the body and structural strength is increased. In addition, by disposing the bottom portion below the collar portion, when the hanging rod hung on the corner plate receives a downward load, the corner plate bottom portion is below the collar portion, so the collar portion and the corner As compared with the case where the height of the plate bottom is on the same plane, the section modulus of the corner plate is increased and the rigidity is increased. In addition, since the bottom of the corner plate is located below (inside) the flange formed on the frame body, when the crimping is performed, the flange is received from below and the crimping lower mold is disposed. The guide of the caulking upper mold (this moves and the crimping piece for the brim part and the crimping piece for the corner plate is crimped) guides the crimping piece for the corner plate, and the caulking upper metal As the mold moves to perform the swaging, the corner plate will be able to neatly swage outward along the collar without the buckling piece buckling inside the corner plate.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the washing machine, which comprises a steel frame 1, a plastic top cover 2 attached to the upper part of the frame 1, and a plastic base 3 attached to the lower part of the frame 1. It is an outer frame.

As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 1 is formed so that its rear surface is open, leaving both ends, and the upper connecting plate 5 of steel plate is stretched over both left and right sides of the opening 7.

The corner plate 4 at the upper corner of the frame 1 is connected to form a hanging rod support portion for supporting the washing tub side. The lower corner 6 of the frame 1 has an outer frame structure in which mating pieces extending from respective sides of adjacent corners are formed, and both pieces are overlapped and fixed.

The frame 1 shown in FIG. 1 is formed by pressing a coated steel plate on which both ends of the steel plate are coated, and has an appearance surface side as a finish coating surface of the coating. The upper connecting plate 5 in FIG. 2 is formed by bending the left and right ends of the upper connecting plate 5 by bending the left and right ends of the opening 7 of the frame body 1 and engaging each other as shown in FIG. The upper connecting plate 5 and the frame 1 are connected.

FIG. 4 shows the corner plate 4 joined to the upper corner of the frame 1 by crimping.

A method of connecting the corner plate 4 to the frame 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the corner plate 4 is a steel plate thicker than the frame 1, and the frame 1 has a thickness of about 0.65 mm and the corner plate 4 has a thickness of about 1.2 mm.

The frame 1 has a flange 10 formed by bending an upper open end inward substantially horizontally. In addition, a collar crimping member 11 is provided on each of the inner end surfaces of the flange 10 adjacent to the corner at the opening end of the frame. The collar crimping member 11 is formed so as to extend outward along the surface of the collar 10 as described later.

On the other hand, the corner plate 4 has a bottom portion 4a and a vertical wall portion 8 formed so as to rise to an edge of the bottom portion 4a.
The wall portion 8 is in contact with both inner end surfaces of the collar portion 10 and has a corner plate crimping member 9.

The corner plate crimping member 9 includes a corner plate crimping front side piece 9a which is bent so as to extend outward from a tip of the wall portion 8 remote from the bottom portion 4a. Front fold 9a
The corner plate has a folded back end piece 9b.

And, the crimped back side piece for the corner plate
9b, the flange crimping member 11 and the collar
10 and the crimping member 11
The frame body 1 and the corner plate 4 are connected by the crimp crimping which is sandwiched between the corner plate crimping back piece 9b and the corner plate crimping front piece 9a.

The above mainly relates to the structure of the crimped connection, but the connection method is as shown in FIG. 5 (a).
The crimping member 11 for the collar portion and the crimping member for the corner plate are crimped in a state where they are in contact with each other.

With such a configuration, the caulked portions are closely adhered and integrated, and the sectional modulus of the corner plate is increased, so that the structural strength is increased.

FIG. 6 shows that a collar portion 12 is formed at a lower portion of the frame body 1, and the collar portion 12 is formed by bending a lower end of the frame body 1 inwardly. Each of the joining pieces 13 extending from each side is formed, and the two joining pieces 13 are overlapped to form a frame 1 fixed by a spot caulking 14 of a half plate.

FIG. 7 (a) shows a connecting portion 15 between the plastic base 3 attached to the lower portion of the frame 1 and the frame 1. As shown in FIG.

Conventionally, screwing was used for connection with the plastic base (Hitachi's conventional product), but this screwing had the problem that automation was difficult.

As shown in FIG. 7 (b), the connecting portion 15 forms a flange 12 at the lower portion of the frame 1, and this flange 12 bends the lower end of the frame 1 inward and further lowers the tip 16 thereof. It is formed by folding back so as to curl to the side, and is caulked and fixed so as to sandwich the rib portion 17 of the base 3.

The third method to construct the outer frame by using painted steel plate
Connection of the frame 1 and the upper connecting plate 5 shown in FIG.
The joint between the frame 1 and the corner plate in (b) is subjected to crimping, and a part of each other's base material to be joined can be used.
Fastening parts are not required. Further, since the two base materials are joined to each other, a sufficient effect can be obtained in terms of the rigidity and strength of the outer frame.

Further, the rigid connection and the sufficient strength of the frame 1 and the stable and stable mounting of the plastic base 3 attached to the lower portion of the frame 1 can be achieved by the fixed connection as shown in FIG.

FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b) show another embodiment of the fixed portion of the corner plate 4, in which a steel plate corner plate 4 is provided at the upper corner of the frame 1 and a flange is provided on the upper portion of the frame 1. The flange 18 is formed by bending the upper end of the frame 1 inwardly and substantially horizontally, and the collar 18 has a flange-side holding portion formed at the inner end of the flange 18.
A flange 19 is formed to extend substantially vertically upward from the inner end, and is folded back so as to curl outward. A rising wall 20 is formed around the corner plate 4, and a corner plate 4 side holding portion is formed at the upper end of the rising wall 20. The holding portion of the corner plate 4 is formed by bending outwardly downward 21 from the upper end of the rising wall portion 20 and rising almost vertically, and the rising wall portion 20 of the corner plate 4 and the flange side holding portion 19 of the upper end portion of the frame 1 are connected to each other. Engage both holding parts 19, 20
And fix them together by crimping.

FIG. 9 also shows another embodiment of the fixed portion of the corner plate 4, in which a corner plate 4 made of a steel plate is provided at the upper corner of the frame body 1 and the upper end portion of the frame body 1, which is the vicinity thereof, is bent. 22 is provided with a water flow guide portion 23 which is formed in a concave shape and becomes lower inward. By providing the water flow guide portion 23, outflow of rust, ice, and the like can be stopped on the outer side of the frame 1.

〔The invention's effect〕

 According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) In order to maintain the strength of the frame by making the frame of the washing machine thinner, it is necessary to increase the strength of the corners of the frame. To this end, the joint strength between the corner plate and the frame must be increased. Need to be strong.

It is necessary to increase the strength of the swaged part in order to join the corner plate and the frame by swaging and increase the bonding strength, but the thickness of the swaged part at the flange of the frame is required. By increasing the thickness of the caulked portion of the corner plate as compared with the above, it is possible to increase the strength of the corner portion of the frame even in a state where the frame is thin, and to prevent deformation of the frame.
This is because the joint strength between the flange portion of the frame and the caulked portion of the corner plate is caused by the thickness of the entire caulked portion after the caulking connection.

Therefore, by making the thickness of the corner plate thicker than the thickness of the frame, the strength of the frame can be maintained even when the frame is thin.

(2) As described above, in the case where the thin frame is crimped at the thickly bent corner plate crimping portion, as in the present invention, the curled portion of the corner plate bent crimping piece is used. It is necessary to abut the caulking piece of the frame below and to caulk the frame at this curled portion. This is because it is difficult to crimp the crimping part of the thin frame body tightly to the crimping part of the thick corner plate when crimping with the crimping part for the corner plate whose tip is not curled It is because it becomes.

Therefore, by adopting the configuration as in the present invention, it is possible to crimp a corner plate thicker than the frame while keeping the frame thin.

(3) The crimping piece for the corner plate and the crimping piece for the brim part are brought into contact with each other, and the crimping piece for the corner plate sandwiches the crimping piece for the brim part by crimping. By bending the collar upward along the flange, a structure is provided which can sufficiently withstand the vertical external force of the hanging rod locked to the corner plate.
That is, the corner plate receives a substantially vertical force due to the force from the hanging bar, and this force is transmitted along the wall of the corner plate to the crimp crimping portion formed on the upper side of the flange portion, and crimped. The whole department works to increase the binding force. For this reason, by receiving an external force from the hanging rod, the caulked portion of the corner plate receives a force in the crushing direction and the frictional force increases, so that there is no fear that the caulked portion is broken and separated. That is, contrary to the present invention, when the crimping piece for the brim portion is bent to the lower side of the brim portion, and the crimping piece for the corner plate is bent so as to sandwich it, the corner is formed by the downward force from the hanging bar. The bent portion of the plate crimping piece for the plate exerts a force in a direction to open the bent portion of the collar crimping piece for the collar portion, and as a result, the crimping of both is released, and the bonding strength is weakened However, according to the configuration of the present invention,
The structure which becomes rigid with respect to the external force from a hanging bar can be used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an external view of a washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a structural view of a frame 1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a frame 1 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the corner plate and the frame body, FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the crimped portion, (a) is before crimping, and (b) is after crimping. Detailed view of the sixth
FIG. 7 is a state diagram of the lower corner of the frame body, FIG. 7 is a state diagram of the connection between the frame body and the base, FIG.
8 is a state diagram before fastening, FIG. 8 is a state diagram of an application example of a corner plate swaging, (a) is an overall view, (b) is a detailed view of a swaged portion, and FIG. 9 is a frame near the corner plate portion. It is a detailed view of an application example of a shape. 1 ... frame, 2 ... top cover, 3 ... base, 4 ...
… Corner plate, 4a …… bottom part, 5 …… upper connecting board,
6: Lower corner of frame, 7: Opening, 8: Vertical wall of corner plate, 9: Hook crimping member for corner plate, 9a: Hook crimping front piece for corner plate,
9b …… Handle the corner plate for the corner plate, 10 ……
Collar part, 11… A crimping member for collar part, 12… frame lower side flange part, 13… frame lower side mating piece part, 14… spot crimping, 15… connecting part, 16… ... the tip of the brim, 17 ... the rib.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuo Ishikawa 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside the Taga Plant, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Tamotsu Kamori 4-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Address Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Seishiro Kawamoto 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Pref. Hitachi, Ltd. Taga Plant (56) References JP-A-63-206289 (JP, A) Hei 2-115624 (JP, A) JP-A-57-148994 (JP, A) JP-A-57-172635 (JP, A) JP-A-54-146466 (JP, A) , U) Fully open 1979-57780 (JP, U) Fully open 1984-588085 (JP, U) Fully open 1979-125416 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A frame body having an opening at an upper portion formed by pressing a painted steel plate which has been coated, a top cover attached to an upper portion of the frame body, and an opening of the opening of the frame body. In an outer frame of a washing machine having a corner plate provided at a corner and on which a hanging bar is hung, the opening of the frame body is bent inward substantially horizontally and the collar is adjacent to the opening. A corner plate having two rib crimping pieces located near the corner of the portion and extending substantially perpendicularly above the collar portion, wherein the corner plate is thicker than the collar portion and below the collar portion; And a wall portion extending integrally and upwardly to the outer peripheral edge of the bottom portion, and a rib formed on the wall portion and extending upward along the rib crimping piece, and the rib for the collar portion A crimping piece for the corner plate corresponding to the crimping piece for the collar portion, which is longer than the crimping piece and whose end is curled, has a crimping piece for the corner plate, and the crimping piece for the corner plate and the collar portion. The seam crimping piece abuts below the curled part of the corner plate seam crimping piece, and the curled part is bent along the collar part on the collar part upper side by the seam crimping, Furthermore, the corner plate crimping piece is folded in the middle to sandwich the collar portion crimping piece from both sides, and the collar portion crimping piece is the corner plate crimping piece. An outer frame of a washing machine characterized in that a folded portion of a piece is swaged so as to be sandwiched between the brim portion and the piece.