U.S. patent application number 10/172010 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-26 for washing machine with an improved water tub.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Joo, Ki-Hun, Lee, Hong-Yeol, Lee, Kyu-Chai, Shim, Sang-Yong, Song, Seung-Young.
Application Number | 20030115913 10/172010 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19717541 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030115913 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee, Hong-Yeol ; et
al. |
June 26, 2003 |
Washing machine with an improved water tub
Abstract
A washing machine includes a water tub improved in strength and
configured to reduce an amount of washing water consumed by the
washing machine. The water tub has a bottom part, and a body part
upwardly extended from a periphery of the bottom part by a certain
height. The body part includes at least one annular stepped portion
to reduce a diameter of the body part. The water tub includes a
first annular stepped portion formed at a middle of the water tub,
and second and third annular stepped portions formed above and
below the first annular stepped portion, respectively. The body
part of the water tub is widened upwardly. Hence, the washing
machine has a water tub that is strengthened and able to reduce
vibration.
Inventors: |
Lee, Hong-Yeol;
(Yongin-City, KR) ; Lee, Kyu-Chai; (Suwon-City,
KR) ; Joo, Ki-Hun; (Suwon-City, KR) ; Song,
Seung-Young; (Suwon-City, KR) ; Shim, Sang-Yong;
(Kangseo-Gu, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
700 11TH STREET, NW
SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20001
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-city
KR
|
Family ID: |
19717541 |
Appl. No.: |
10/172010 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/23.3 ;
68/23.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 23/04 20130101;
D06F 17/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
68/23.3 ;
68/23.7 |
International
Class: |
D06F 023/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 24, 2001 |
KR |
2001-84402 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A washing machine comprising: a housing defining an external
appearance of the washing machine; a water tub located in the
housing to contain washing water, and including a bottom part and a
body part upwardly extended from a periphery of the bottom part by
a certain height, said body part having at least one annular
stepped portion to reduce a diameter of the body part; and a
rotatable tub located in the water tub.
2. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said water
tub comprises: a first annular stepped portion formed at a middle
of the water tub; and second and third annular stepped portions
formed above and below the first annular stepped portion,
respectively, all of said annular stepped portions together,
enabling the body part to be strengthened and reduced in
vibration.
3. The washing machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of
said annular stepped portions has a radial width in a range of 1 mm
to 5 mm.
4. The washing machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said body
part of the water tub is widened upwardly so that the body part is
stepwise enlarged in diameter from bottom to top via said annular
stepped portions, thereby suppressing vibration of the body
part.
5. The washing machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein said water
tub is made of a plastic material.
6. A washing machine comprising: a housing defining an external
appearance of the washing machine; a water tub located in the
housing to contain washing water; a rotatable tub located in the
water tub and having a plurality of drain holes at a cylindrical
surface of the water tub; a pulsator centrally mounted on an inner
floor of the rotatable tub to generate a turbulent current in the
washing water; and a drive motor and power transmission unit
located under the water tub to rotate the pulsator and the
rotatable tub, wherein, said water tub includes a bottom part and a
body part upwardly extended from a periphery of the bottom part by
a certain height, and has at least one annular stepped portion to
reduce a diameter of the body part.
7. The washing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said body
part includes a plurality of annular stepped portions depending on
a height of the body part.
8. The washing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein a middle of
the water tub includes one of said at least one annular stepped
portion to reduce vibration in the body part caused by rotation of
the rotatable tub and the pulsator.
9. The washing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the water
tub has a reduced internal volume to decrease an amount of the
washing water required in a washing operation.
10. The washing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said water
tub comprises: a first annular stepped portion formed at a middle
of the water tub; and second and third annular stepped portions
formed above and below the first annular stepped portion,
respectively, all of said annular stepped portions, together,
enabling the body part to be strengthened and reduced in
vibration.
11. The washing machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein in a
spin-dry operation of the washing machine, said annular stepped
portions allows the water tub to efficiently absorb a turning force
of the rotatable tub and the pulsator, and a centrifugal force of
the washing water.
12. The washing machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein said body
part of the water tub is widened upwardly so that the body part is
stepwise enlarged in diameter from bottom to top via said annular
stepped portions, thereby suppressing vibration of the body
part.
13. The washing machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of
said annular stepped portions has a radial width in a range of 1 mm
to 5 mm.
14. A washing machine comprising: a housing defining an external
appearance of the washing machine; and a water tub located in the
housing to contain washing water, the water tub including a bottom
part and a body part upwardly extended from a periphery of the
bottom part by a certain height, and the body part being widened
from bottom to top to suppress vibration of the body part.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application
No. 2001-84402, filed Dec. 24, 2001, in the Korean Industrial
Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more
particularly, to a water tub for a washing machine having an
improved structure to thereby increase a strength of the water tub
and reduce an amount of washing water consumed by the washing
machine.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Generally, a washing machine is intended to wash laundry by
rotating a cylindrical rotatable tub containing washing water. Such
a washing machine is divided into a drum type and a vertical type
washing machine. The drum type washing machine includes a rotatable
tub horizontally positioned and rotated in the washing machine. The
rotatable tub causes laundry to rise along a rotating inner surface
of the rotatable tub, and to fall during forward and reverse
rotations, thereby obtaining a washing effect. The vertical type
washing machine includes a rotatable tub equipped with a pulsator,
and is vertically positioned and rotated to wash laundry with water
flow generated from the pulsator during forward and reverse
rotations.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an
internal structure of a vertical type washing machine having a
conventional water tub. Referring now to FIG. 1, an internal
structure of a conventional vertical type washing machine 10
equipped with a water tub is shown. The vertical type washing
machine 10 includes a housing 1 which defines the external
appearance of the washing machine 10, a cylindrical water tub 2
vertically positioned in the housing 1 to contain washing water,
and a cylindrical rotatable tub 3 rotatably positioned in the water
tub 2 and having a plurality of drain holes at a cylindrical
surface of the cylindrical rotatable tub 3. The vertical type
washing machine 10 also includes a pulsator 4 centrally mounted on
an inner floor of the rotatable tub 3 to generate a turbulent
current in the washing water, and a driving motor 5 and power
transmission unit 6 positioned under the water tub 2 to rotate the
pulsator 4 and the rotatable tub 3.
[0007] The housing 1 is opened at a top portion thereof to allow
laundry to be put into and drawn from the rotatable tub 3. An
opened portion of the housing 1 includes a door 7 hingedly
connected thereto to permit opening and dosing of the rotatable tub
3. Furthermore, a bottom of the water tub 2 includes a drainage
hose 8 outwardly extended from the housing 1 to drain the washing
water contained in the water tub 2 after completion of a washing
operation.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows the water tub 2 of FIG. 1, which is separated
from the washing machine 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional
water tub 2 includes a circular bottom part 21 and a body part 22
upwardly extended from a periphery of the bottom part 21 by a
certain distance which defines a cylindrical surface for the water
tub 2. Thus, the body part 22 forms a cylindrical body opened at a
top portion of the water tub 2 and has a certain thickness. The
water tub 2 is centrally formed at the bottom part 21 with a hole
21 a through which a shaft of the power transmission unit 6 passes.
The shaft of the power transmission unit 6 is connected to the
rotatable tub 3 and the pulsator 4. An outer surface of the water
tub 2 includes brackets 22a to support lower ends of suspension
rods 9. The suspension rods 9 are hung at upper ends thereof on
inner portions of the housing 1 to suspend the water tub 2 (see
FIG. 1).
[0009] The vertical type washing machine 10 having the conventional
water tub 2 is operated as follows. When the washing machine 10 is
turned on after depositing laundry into the rotatable tub 3, the
water tub 2 is supplied with the washing water, and the pulsator 4
is rotated in the forward and reverse rotations by the driving
motor 5 and the power transmission unit 6. With the forward and
reverse rotations of the pulsator 4, the washing water becomes
turbulent. Therefore, the laundry is subjected to a washing process
by friction with the inner surface of the rotatable tub 3 while
being rotated along with the turbulent current.
[0010] When the washing operation is completed after a certain time
elapses, the washing water is drained through the drainage hose 8,
and then a rinsing procedure is carried out to extract washing
detergent from the laundry. Thereafter, the rotatable tub 3 is
again rotated at a high speed by the driving motor 5 and the power
transmission unit 6 to fulfill spin-drying of the laundry. Having
been subjected to the spin-dry operation, the washing process for
the laundry is completed.
[0011] In the above-described vertical type washing machine 10,
since the water tub 2 includes the circular bottom part 21, a body
part 22 upwardly extended from the periphery of the bottom part 21,
and an upper opening, the water tub 2 inevitably has weak
structural integrity. Hence, the water tub 2 may not efficiently
cope with vibration caused by the operation of the washing machine
10. In other words, for example, since the conventional water tub 2
has the body part 22 extended straight up from the periphery of the
bottom part 21 by a substantial length to contain a certain amount
of the washing water, and has a relatively thin wall to reduce a
weight thereof, the body part 22 vibrates excessively. This is due
to a turning force of the pulsator 4 and a centrifugal force of the
washing water, when the pulsator 4 and the rotatable tub 3 are
rotated together with the laundry and the washing water at a high
speed in the spin-dry operation. Therefore, after being used for a
long period, the body part 22 of the water tub 2 may not
efficiently absorb the turning force of the pulsator 4 and the
rotatable tub 3, thereby generating intense vibrations and noise.
As a result of such a generation of vibrations and noise, the water
tub 2 is deformed and thus shortened in service life. Furthermore,
since the body part 22 of the water tub 2 has a normal plain wall,
the washing machine 10 having the water tub 2 consumes a large
amount of washing water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a washing machine in which a water tub to contain washing
water is modified in structure to improve a structural strength of
the water tub and to reduce an amount of washing water consumed by
the washing machine.
[0013] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
[0014] The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are
achieved by providing a washing machine including a housing
defining an external appearance of the washing machine, a water tub
positioned in the housing to contain washing water, and including a
bottom part and a body part upwardly extended from a periphery of
the bottom part by a certain height. The body part includes at
least one annular stepped portion which reduces a diameter of the
body part. The washing machine also includes a rotatable tub
positioned in the water tub.
[0015] According to an aspect of the invention, the water tub
includes a first annular stepped portion formed at a middle of the
water tub and second and third annular stepped portions formed
above and below the first annular stepped portion, respectively
[0016] According to an aspect of the invention, each of the annular
stepped portions has a radial width in a range of 1 mm to 5 mm.
[0017] According to an aspect of the invention, the body part of
the water tub is configured to be widened upwardly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more appreciated from the following
description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an
internal structure of a vertical type washing machine having a
conventional water tub;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the
conventional water tub of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an
internal structure of a vertical type washing machine having a
water tub, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0022] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the
water tub of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which
are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an
internal structure of a vertical type washing machine having a
water tub, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 3, the vertical type washing machine 10 includes a
housing 1 defining an external appearance of the washing machine
10, a cylindrical water tub 30 vertically positioned in the housing
1 to contain washing water, and a cylindrical rotatable tub 3
rotatably positioned in the water tub 30 and having a plurality of
drain holes at a cylindrical surface thereof. The vertical type
washing machine 10 also includes a pulsator 4 centrally mounted on
an inner floor of the rotatable tub 3 to generate a turbulent
current in the washing water, and a driving motor 5 and a power
transmission unit 6 positioned under the water tub 30 to rotate the
pulsator 4 and the rotatable tub 3.
[0025] The housing 1 is provided at a top portion of the housing 1
with a door 7 via a hinge to allow laundry to be put into and drawn
from the rotatable tub 3. A bottom of the housing 1 includes a
drainage hose 8 outwardly extended from the housing 1 to drain the
washing water contained in the water tub 30 after completion of a
washing operation. The water tub 30 is suspended from the housing 1
by suspension rods 9, which are connected between upper portions of
the housing 1 and brackets 40 attached to lower portions of the
water tub 30.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the
water tub of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the water tub 30 includes
a bottom part 31, which is centrally formed with a central hole 31
a through which the power transmission unit 6 that rotates the
rotatable tub 3 and the pulsator 4 passes at an upper portion of
the bottom part 31. The water tub 30 also includes a body part 32
upwardly extended from the periphery of the bottom part 31 to
define a generally cylindrical wall surface of the water tub
30.
[0027] The water tub 30 is widened upwardly such that the body part
32 of the water tub 30 is stepwise enlarged in diameter from bottom
to top. Accordingly, an outer and inner surface of the body part 32
is formed with at least one annular stepped portion. Although the
body part 32 is shown in FIG. 4 to have three annular stepped
portions, the body part 32 may have more or less annular stepped
portions depending on a height or diameter of the body part 32.
[0028] The water tub 30 is horizontally provided at approximately a
middle height thereof with a first annular stepped portion 33 so
that the body part 32 is reinforced by a first annular stepped
portion 33, thereby achieving a strength to endure vibration.
Therefore, the body part 32 is able to efficiently suppress
vibration caused by rotation of the rotatable tub 3 and the
pulsator 4.
[0029] In addition, the body part 32 is provided above and below
the first annular stepped portion 33 with second and third annular
stepped portions 34 and 35, respectively. The second and third
annular stepped portions 34 and 35, respectively, are configured to
be similar to the first stepped portion 33, so that a wall of the
body part 32 includes several annular stepped portions 33, 34, and
35 along a length of the wall. Therefore, the annular stepped
portions 33, 34, and 35, enable the body part 32 of the water tub
30 to be stronger. Consequently, the annular stepped portions 33,
34, and 35 allow vibration of the body part 32, due to high-speed
rotation of the rotatable tub 3 and the pulsator 4, to be
lessened.
[0030] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the body part 32 is divided into
four sections L1, L2, L3 and L4 along a vertical length of the body
part 32 via the sequentially positioned annular stepped portions
33, 34 and 35. Accordingly, the water tub 30 is strengthened and
reduced in vibration, as compared with the conventional water tub 2
(see FIG. 2) which is configured to have a plain cylindrical
wall.
[0031] With the annular stepped portions 33, 34, and 35 formed at
the body part 32, the water tub 30 has reduced internal volume,
thereby decreasing an amount of the washing water required.
[0032] The annular stepped portions 33, 34 and 35 are sized to have
a radial width in a range of 1 mm to 5 mm (e.g., preferably having
a radial width of 3 mm).
[0033] The operation of the vertical type washing machine 10 having
a water tub 30 is described below.
[0034] When the washing machine 10 is turned on after depositing
laundry into the rotatable tub 3, the water tub 3 is supplied with
the washing water, and the pulsator 4 is rotated in forward and
reverse rotations via the driving motor 5 and the power
transmission unit 6. Due to the forward and reverse rotations of
the pulsator 4, the laundry is subjected to a washing process by
friction with an inner surface of the rotatable tub 3 while being
rotated along with the turbulent current of the washing water.
[0035] When the washing operation is completed after a certain time
period elapses, the washing water is drained through the drainage
hose 8, and then a rinsing procedure is carried out to extract
washing detergent from the laundry. Thereafter, the rotatable tub 3
is again rotated at a high speed via the driving motor 5 and the
power transmission unit 6 to carry out a spin-dry operation of the
laundry. After the spin-dry operation, the washing process for the
laundry is completed.
[0036] In the spin-dry operation, a turning force of the rotatable
tub 3 and the pulsator 4, and a centrifugal force of the washing
water, are transmitted to the water tub 30. Therefore, since the
water tub 30 includes the cylindrical body part 32 divided into the
four sections L1 to L4 by the annular stepped portions 33, 34 and
35, the water tub 30 efficiently absorbs the turning force of the
rotatable tub 3 and the pulsator 4, and the centrifugal force of
the washing water.
[0037] As described above, the present invention provides a washing
machine with a water tub that is strengthened and able to reduce
vibration. Therefore, noise caused by vibration of the water tub is
reduced, and the water tub is only slightly deformed after usage
for a long period of time. Hence, the washing machine is more
reliable to a user and is equipped with a water tub that reduces
the amount of washing water required to wash laundry.
[0038] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled
in the art that changes may be made without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is
defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *