Plastic receptacle for domestic washing machines
View Patent ↗A plastic container for domestic washing machines comprising a bearing shell ( 1 ) that accommodates a plastic member ( 3 ) in an injection moulding process, said plastic member being more solid and of better quality than the plastic forming the container ( 5 ). The metal bearing shell ( 1 ) and the plastic member ( 3 ) that is injection-moulded thereinto form a structural unit onto which the corresponding plastic container ( 5 ) is injection-moulded.
1. A plastic container for domestic washing machines which internally receives a rotary drum whose axis is mounted on bearings arranged in a bearing shell made of metallic material,
wherein a plastic member is accommodated on at least one section of a surface of the bearing shell, with the plastic member and the bearing shell together forming a structural unit, before the remainder of the plastic container is injection-molded onto the structural unit formed by the bearing shell and the plastic member, and
the material of the plastic member differs from the material of the remainder of the plastic container.
2. The plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the plastic member covers a portion of an inside surface of the bearing shell.
3. The plastic container according to claim 2 , wherein the plastic member is formed with a plurality of ribs.
4. The plastic container according to claim 2 , wherein the plastic member covers an entire outside surface of the bearing shell.
5. The plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one section of the surface of the bearing shell is a first portion of an outside surface of the bearing shell, the plastic member is a ring which surrounds the at least one section of the surface of the bearing shell, and a second portion of the outside surface of the bearing shell is contacted by the remainder of the plastic container.
6. A container for a washing machine having a rotary drum disposed within the container and being mounted for rotation with respect to the container, the container being for retaining liquids during operation of the washing machine, the container comprising:
a bearing shell for receiving at least one bearing, the bearing shell having a substantially cylindrical shape;
a plastic member formed on the bearing shell; and
a container body being formed on the plastic member,
wherein the plastic member is made from a first plastic material and the container body is made from a second plastic material different than the first plastic material.
7. The plastic container according to claim 6 , wherein the plastic member includes at least one projection extending into the container body to form an interlocking engagement with the container body.
8. The plastic container according to claim 6 , wherein the first plastic material has higher hardness and strength characteristics than the second plastic material.
9. The plastic container according to claim 6 , wherein the bearing shell is made from a metal material.
10. The plastic container according to claim 6 , wherein the plastic member is formed directly on the bearing shell with a first injection molding process and the container body is formed directly on the plastic member with a second injection molding process.
11. A method for making a container for retaining liquids within a washing machine having a rotary drum mounted for rotation with respect to the container, the method comprising the following steps:
providing a bearing shell for receiving at least one bearing, the bearing shell comprised of metallic material;
forming a plastic member on the bearing shell by a first injection molding process, the plastic member and the bearing shell together forming an intermediate structure, the plastic member being a portion of the container; and
then applying a container body formed on the intermediate structure by a second injection molding process,
wherein the plastic member is formed from a first plastic material and the container body is formed from a second plastic material different than the first plastic material.
12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising forming at least one projection extending from the plastic member and into the container body to form an interlocking engagement between the plastic member and the container body.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first plastic material has higher hardness and strength characteristics than the second plastic material.
14. A method for making a container for retaining liquids within a washing machine having a rotary drum mounted for rotation with respect to the container, the method comprising:
providing a bearing shell for receiving at least one bearing, the bearing shell comprised of metallic material;
applying a plastic member on the bearing shell via a first injection molding process, the plastic member and the bearing shell together forming an intermediate structure and the plastic member being a portion of the container; and
after the plastic member applied on the bearing shell has at least partially cured following the step of applying the plastic member, forming the remainder of the container on the intermediate structure with a second injection molding process,
wherein the plastic member is formed from a first plastic material and the remainder of the container is formed from a second plastic material different than the first plastic material.
15. The plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the remainder of the container is injection-molded onto the structural unit formed by the bearing shell and the plastic member only after the plastic member has been applied to the bearing shell by an injection molding process and allowed to at least partially cure.
16. The plastic container according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing shell is adapted to receive the bearings after the remainder of the plastic container is injection molded onto the structural unit.
17. The container according to claim 6 , wherein the bearing shell is adapted to receive the at least one bearing after the container body is formed on the plastic member.
18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the bearing shell is adapted to receive the at least one bearing after the container body is formed on the plastic member.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the bearing shell is adapted to receive the at least one bearing after the remainder of the container is formed on the intermediate structure.