U.S. patent application number 11/521556 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for detergent supply apparatus of washing machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Haeng Maan Jeong.
Application Number | 20070131000 11/521556 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37776790 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070131000 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jeong; Haeng Maan |
June 14, 2007 |
Detergent supply apparatus of washing machine
Abstract
A detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine, which
prevents water, which is not discharged from a detergent tub
through a siphon unit, from overflowing the detergent tub and being
discharged to the outside of the washing machine. The siphon unit
includes a siphon pipe formed on a bottom of a chamber of the
detergent supply apparatus, and a cover member installed above the
siphon pipe. The cover member includes a siphon cap surrounding an
outer circumferential surface of the siphon pipe so that a siphon
channel is provided between the siphon pipe and the siphon cap, and
a bypass channel for circulating water overflowing the siphon
channel to the siphon channel.
Inventors: |
Jeong; Haeng Maan;
(Suwon-Si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
37776790 |
Appl. No.: |
11/521556 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/17R |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 39/022
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
068/017.00R |
International
Class: |
D06F 35/00 20060101
D06F035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 9, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0121155 |
Claims
1. A detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine comprising a
detergent tub having a plurality of chambers and a siphon unit
installed in at least one of a plurality of the chambers, wherein
the siphon unit comprises: a siphon pipe formed on a bottom of the
chamber; and a cover member installed above the siphon pipe, and
comprising a siphon cap surrounding an outer circumferential
surface of the siphon pipe so that a siphon channel is provided
between the siphon pipe and the siphon cap, and a bypass channel
for circulating water overflowing the siphon channel, to the siphon
channel.
2. The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein
the cover member further comprises an upper plate, a lower plate,
and a front plate connecting the upper plate and the lower plate so
that a rear surface of the cover member is opened, and the bypass
channel is provided between the upper plate and the lower
plate.
3. The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein
the siphon cap is downwardly extended from a rear end of the lower
plate, and at least one bypass hole connected with the bypass
channel is formed through a front portion of the lower plate such
that a liquid, which is not discharged to the siphon pipe, is
supplied to the bypass channel through the bypass hole and is
circulated to the siphon pipe through the opened rear surface of
the cover member.
4. The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein
the cover member further comprises a barrier extended from the
lower plate between the siphon cap and the bypass hole towards the
bottom of the chamber so as to prevent the sudden overflowing of
the liquid.
5. The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein
the cover member further comprises an indicator extended downwardly
from the front plate such that the indicator is separated from a
bottom of the chamber by a designated interval, to thereby restrict
a maximum supply amount of a detergent solution or a rinsing
solution.
6. A detergent supply apparatus comprising: a detergent tub having
a plurality of chambers; and a siphon unit installed in at least
one chamber and comprising a pipe formed on a bottom of the
chamber, and a cover member installed above the pipe, such that a
first portion of the cover member covers an outer surface of the
pipe, to thereby form a siphon channel, and a second portion of the
cover member includes a bypass channel for circulating water
overflowing the siphon channel back to the siphon channel.
7. The detergent supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cover
member comprises an indicator extended downwardly from a front end
of the cover member, to indicate a height of the water.
8. The detergent supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cover
member further comprises a bypass hole to circulate the water
overflowing the siphon channel to the bypass channel.
9. The detergent supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein cover member
further comprises a barrier positioned a predetermined distance
from the first portion of the cover member covering the pipe, such
that the barrier prevents an overflow of water towards the
pipe.
10. The detergent supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cover
member further comprises a protrusion formed at an upper portion
thereof, to allow the cover member to be attached to and detached
from the pipe.
11. The detergent supply apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pipe
comprises a plurality of ribs protruded outwardly from a lower end
of the pipe, such that the ribs contact with the first portion of
the cover member when the cover member is attached to the pipe.
12. A detergent supply apparatus comprising: a siphon unit formed
in a channel of the detergent supply apparatus and comprising: a
pipe installed at a bottom of the channel to supply water and
detergent therethrough, and a cover member formed above the pipe,
to circulate water therethrough, and to cover the pipe, wherein the
siphon unit redirects water overflowing the pipe, back to the pipe
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2005-0121155, filed Dec. 9, 2005, in the Korean
Intellectual 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 detergent supply
apparatus of a washing machine. More particularly, to a detergent
supply apparatus of a washing machine which prevents water supplied
to a detergent tub having a siphon unit installed therein from
overflowing the detergent tub and being discharged to an outside of
the washing machine.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a conventional washing machine washes laundry
using water, which is supplied through a water supply apparatus, is
mixed with a detergent by a detergent supply apparatus, and is
supplied to a tub of the washing machine.
[0006] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei-sei 11-290581
discloses a drum washing machine including a tub for containing
washing water, and a water supply apparatus and a detergent supply
apparatus installed above the tub for supplying the washing water
mixed with a detergent to the tub.
[0007] The detergent supply apparatus includes a detergent case
provided with an opened front surface and installed in a housing,
and a detergent tub slidably attached to and detached from the
detergent case. Partitions are installed in a longitudinal
direction in the detergent tub, thereby dividing the detergent tub
into a plurality of chambers.
[0008] The chambers include chambers for storing liquids, such as a
liquid detergent and a rinsing solution, and a chamber for storing
a powdered detergent. A siphon unit is installed in each of the
chambers for storing liquids, thereby allowing the stored liquid
together with the washing water to be effectively supplied to the
tub.
[0009] The siphon unit includes a siphon pipe orthogonally extended
from the bottom of the corresponding chamber, and a siphon cap
covering the siphon pipe. A siphon channel defining a small gap is
formed between the siphon pipe and the siphon cap. Water containing
a detergent solution or a rinsing solution stored in the chamber is
discharged to the tub through the siphon channel.
[0010] Since the siphon channel of the above conventional detergent
supply apparatus defines a comparatively small gap, when a large
amount of water is suddenly supplied to the chamber, the water
containing the detergent solution or the rinsing solution cannot be
discharged to the tub through the siphon channel and thus overflows
the chamber, thereby being discharged to the outside of the washing
machine. Thereby, the water overflowing the chamber contaminates
environment of a place on which the washing machine is installed,
thus deteriorating the quality of the washing machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine, which
prevents water, which is not discharged from a detergent tub
through a siphon unit, from overflowing the detergent tub and being
discharged to an outside of the washing machine when washing water
is supplied to the detergent tub having the siphon unit for
supplying a detergent solution or a rinsing solution to a tub.
[0012] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by
practice of the invention.
[0013] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
are achieved by providing a detergent supply apparatus of a washing
machine comprising a detergent tub having a plurality of chambers
and a siphon unit installed in at least one of the plurality of the
chambers, wherein the siphon unit includes a siphon pipe formed on
the bottom of the chamber, and a cover member installed above the
siphon pipe, and comprising a siphon cap surrounding an outer
circumferential surface of the siphon pipe such that a siphon
channel is installed between the siphon pipe and the siphon cap,
and a bypass channel for circulating water overflowing the siphon
channel, to the siphon channel.
[0014] The cover member further includes an upper plate, a lower
plate, and a front plate connecting the upper plate and the lower
plate wherein a rear surface of the cover member is opened, and the
bypass channel may be provided between the upper plate and the
lower plate.
[0015] The siphon cap is downwardly extended from a rear end of the
lower plate, and at least one bypass hole connected to the bypass
channel is formed through a front portion of the lower plate so
that a liquid, which is not discharged to the siphon pipe, is
supplied to the bypass channel through the bypass hole and is
circulated to the siphon pipe through the opened rear surface of
the cover member.
[0016] The cover member further includes a barrier extended from
the lower plate between the siphon cap and the bypass hole towards
the bottom of the chamber so as to prevent the sudden overflowing
of the liquid.
[0017] The cover member further includes an indicator extended
downwardly from the front plate such that the indicator is
separated from the bottom of the chamber by a designated interval
so as to restrict the maximum supply amount of a detergent solution
or a rinsing solution.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a drum washing
machine having a detergent supply apparatus in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the
detergent supply apparatus of the present invention having a
detergent tub and a siphon unit in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a cover member of
the siphon unit shown in FIG. 2; and
[0022] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of
FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiment of
the present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
like elements throughout. The embodiment is described below to
explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a drum washing
machine having a detergent supply apparatus in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the drum
washing machine of the present invention comprises a housing 1
defining the external appearance of the washing machine, a tub 2
installed in the housing 1 for containing washing water, a rotary
drum 3 rotatably disposed in the tub 2 so that laundry in the
rotary drum 3 can be washed, and a door 4 hinged to the front
surface of the housing 1.
[0025] A water supply apparatus 10 and a detergent supply apparatus
20 for respectively supplying washing water and detergent to the
tub 2 are installed above the tub 2, and a drain pipe 5 and drain
pump 6 for discharging the washing water contained in the tub 2 to
the outside of the housing 1 when the washing of the laundry is
completed are installed below the tub 2.
[0026] The water supply apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of water
supply valves 11 and a plurality of water supply pipes 12, thereby
supplying the washing water to the detergent supply apparatus 20
and the tub 2.
[0027] The detergent supply apparatus 20 comprises a detergent case
21 fixedly installed in an upper portion of the housing 1 and
provided with an opened front surface, and a detergent tub 30
slidably attached to and detached from the detergent case 21
through the opened front surface of the detergent case 21, thereby
supplying a detergent and a rinsing solution to the tub 2.
[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates the detergent tub 30 of the detergent
supply apparatus 20 in a state in which a siphon unit 50 is
disassembled from the detergent tub 30, FIG. 3 illustrates a cover
member 60 of the siphon unit 50, and FIG. 4 illustrates the
detergent tub 30 of the detergent supply apparatus 20 in a state in
which the siphon unit 50 is assembled with the detergent tub
30.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the detergent tub 30, which is slidably
attached to and detached from the detergent case 21 (see FIG. 1),
comprises a front hand grip portion 31, a rear plate 32, side
plates 33, and a bottom plate 34 so that the detergent and the
rinsing solution can be put into the detergent tub 30, and the
upper portion of the detergent tub 30 is opened.
[0030] The detergent tub 30 further comprises a plurality of
partitions 35, which are vertically installed on the bottom plate
34, for dividing the detergent tub 30 into a plurality of storage
chambers and are provided with both ends, respectively connected to
the front hand grip portion 31 and the rear plate 32. Accordingly,
the detergent tub 30 is divided into a preliminary detergent
chamber 36, a main detergent chamber 37, and a rinsing solution
chamber 38.
[0031] The preliminary detergent chamber 36 and the main detergent
chamber 37 store powdered detergents, and sequentially supply the
detergents to the tub 2 according to the washing procedure. The
rinsing solution chamber 38 stores a rinsing solution, such as a
fabric softener, and supplies the rinsing solution to the tub
2.
[0032] The bottom plate 34 of the detergent tub 30 is slanted such
that a height of the bottom plate 34 is decreased from the front
hand grip portion 31 to the rear plate 32. Thereby, the powdered
detergents stored in the preliminary detergent chamber 36 and the
main detergent chamber 37 and the rinsing solution stored in the
rinsing solution chamber 38 are mixed with the water supplied from
the upper part of the detergent case 21 (see FIG. 1) to the
detergent tub 30, and the water containing the detergents and the
rinsing solution flows down to a lower part of the detergent tub
30.
[0033] Discharge holes 39 are formed through the rear plate 32 at
positions corresponding to the preliminary detergent chamber 36 and
the main detergent chamber 37, thereby supplying the water
containing the detergents from the preliminary detergent chamber 36
and the main detergent chamber 37 to the tub 2 through the lower
part of the detergent case 21.
[0034] The siphon unit 50 for supplying the rinsing solution stored
in the rinsing solution chamber 38 to the tub 2 using a siphon
phenomenon is installed in the rear portion of the rinsing solution
chamber 38.
[0035] The preliminary detergent chamber 36 and the main detergent
chamber 37 store a liquid detergent or another rinsing solution. In
this case, the siphon unit 50 may be installed in the preliminary
detergent chamber 36 and the main detergent chamber 37.
[0036] The siphon unit 50 comprises a siphon pipe 51 upwardly
extended from the bottom plate 34 at a position close to the rear
plate 32, and the cover member 60 for generating a siphon
phenomenon together with the siphon pipe 51.
[0037] The siphon pipe 51 comprises a circular cross section having
a designated diameter, and is disposed vertically from the bottom
plate 34 at a height slightly lower than that of the detergent tub
30. The siphon pipe 51 allows the rinsing solution stored in the
rinsing solution chamber 38 to be mixed with the water supplied
from the upper part of the detergent case 21 and the obtained
mixture to be supplied to the lower part of the detergent case
21.
[0038] In FIG. 3, the cover member 60 comprises an upper plate 61,
a lower plate 62, a front plate 63 connecting the upper plate 61
and the lower plate 62, thereby forming a bypass channel 64 between
the upper plate 61 and the lower plate 62. An opening 66 for
discharging a liquid, supplied to the bypass channel 64, from the
cover member 60 is formed through the rear portion of the bypass
channel 64.
[0039] The cover member 60 further comprises a siphon cap 70
downwardly extended from the rear end of the lower plate 62, and a
plurality of bypass holes 65 formed through the front end of the
lower plate 62.
[0040] In FIG. 4, the siphon cap 70 has a circular cross section
having a diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of the
siphon pipe 51, and surrounds the outer circumferential surface of
the siphon pipe 51 under the condition that the outer
circumferential surface of the siphon pipe 51 is separated from the
inner circumferential surface of the siphon cap 70 by a designated
interval, thereby forming a siphon channel 52 between the siphon
pipe 51 and the siphon cap 70.
[0041] The liquid, which is not discharged from the siphon pipe 51
through the siphon channel 52 formed between the siphon pipe 51 and
the siphon cap 70, is supplied to the bypass channel 64 through the
bypass holes 65, and is circulated again to the siphon channel 52
through the opening 66 formed through the rear end of the cover
member 60.
[0042] The cover member 60 further comprises a barrier 67
downwardly extended from the lower plate 62 between the siphon cap
70 and the bypass holes 65, and an indicator 68 downwardly extended
from the front plate 63.
[0043] The barrier 67, which has a plate-shape and is separated
from the bottom plate 34 of the detergent tub 30 (or the bottom of
the rinsing solution chamber 38) by a designated interval, prevents
a liquid, which does not pass through the siphon channel 52, from
being suddenly pushed to the front portion of the detergent tub 30,
thereby assisting the liquid to be supplied to the bypass channel
64 through the bypass holes 65.
[0044] Further, the barrier 67 prevents the rinsing solution stored
in the rinsing solution chamber 38 from temporarily rising and
being discharged through the siphon channel 65, when the detergent
tub 30 collides with the detergent case 21 during a process of
inserting the detergent tub 30 into the detergent case 21.
[0045] The indicator 68 is extended downwardly from the front end
of the cover member 60 such that the indicator 68 is separated from
the bottom plate 34 of the detergent tub 30 by a designated
interval, and serves to indicate to a user that the level of the
rinsing solution is not higher than the height of the indicator
68.
[0046] The cover member 60 further comprises a protrusion 69
protruded upwardly from the upper plate 61, thereby being easily
attached to and detached from the siphon pipe 51. Accordingly, when
a user holds the protrusion 69 of the cover member 60 and presses
the protrusion 69 so that the siphon pipe 51 is inserted into the
siphon cap 70, the lower end of the siphon cap 70 is connected to a
plurality of ribs 53 protruded outwardly from the lower end of the
siphon pipe 51. On the other hand, when the user holds the
protrusion 69 and pulls the protrusion 69 upwardly with designated
force, the cover member 60 is separated from the siphon pipe
51.
[0047] In FIG. 4, when a large amount of water is suddenly supplied
to the rinsing solution chamber 38 and is not discharged through
the siphon channel 52, the water containing the rinsing solution is
supplied to the bypass channel 64 through the bypass holes 65 and
is circulated to the siphon channel 52 through the opening 66, such
that the water is not pushed towards the front hand grip portion 31
of the detergent tub 30.
[0048] The barrier 67 prevents the water from being suddenly pushed
towards the front hand grip portion 31 of the detergent tub 30. The
water, which are first restricted by the barrier 67, is pushed
towards the right and left surfaces and the rear surface of the
detergent tub 30, and flows towards the detergent case 21, thereby
not being discharged to the outside of the detergent supply
apparatus 20 (or to the outside of the housing 1) (with reference
to FIG. 1).
[0049] Although this embodiment describes the detergent supply
apparatus installed in a drum washing machine, the detergent supply
apparatus of the present invention is not limited thereto, but may
be installed in an agitation-type washing machine, which washes
laundry by a pulsator or the like.
[0050] As apparent from the above description, the present
invention provides a detergent supply apparatus of a washing
machine, which prevents water containing a detergent solution or a
rinsing solution from flowing towards the front surface of a
detergent tub and being discharged to the outside of the detergent
supply apparatus even when a large amount of water is supplied to
the detergent tub having a chamber with a siphon unit for supplying
the detergent solution or the rinsing solution to a tub, thereby
not contaminating environment of a place on which the washing
machine is installed, and thus improving the reliability of the
washing machine.
[0051] Although an embodiment of the invention has been shown and
described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is
defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *