U.S. patent application number 12/929195 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-21 for washing machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Yong Hyun Kim, Yong Kwon Kim, Hong Seok Ko, Sang Up Lee.
Application Number | 20110174021 12/929195 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44266107 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110174021 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Sang Up ; et
al. |
July 21, 2011 |
Washing machine
Abstract
A washing machine including a housing and a detergent supply
device to supply detergents. The detergent supply device includes a
rotary case installed to be rotatable about the lower end thereof
and rotated to be protruded from the housing, and detergent
containers detachably installed in the rotary case. The rotary case
is rotated so that the upper portions of the detergent containers
are protruded forwardly, and thus the detergents are easily
injected into the respective detergent containers.
Inventors: |
Lee; Sang Up; (Yongin-si,
KR) ; Ko; Hong Seok; (Yongin-si, KR) ; Kim;
Yong Kwon; (Suwon-si, KR) ; Kim; Yong Hyun;
(Suwon-si, KR) |
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
44266107 |
Appl. No.: |
12/929195 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/17R |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 39/022 20130101;
D06F 29/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
68/17.R |
International
Class: |
D06F 35/00 20060101
D06F035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 15, 2010 |
KR |
10-2010-0003773 |
Claims
1. A washing machine comprising: a housing; and a detergent supply
device to supply detergents, wherein the detergent supply device
includes a rotary case installed to be rotatable about the lower
end thereof and rotated to be protruded from the housing, and
detergent containers detachably installed in the rotary case.
2. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a
receipt case installed on the housing to rotatably receive the
rotary case.
3. The washing machine according to claim 2, further comprising
arc-shaped guide grooves provided on any one of the receipt case
and the rotary case, and guide protrusions provided on the other
one of the receipt case and the rotary case and movably installed
in the guide grooves.
4. The washing machine according to claim 3, further comprising
latch grooves extended downwardly from the front ends of the guide
grooves.
5. The washing machine according to claim 4, further comprising
hinge grooves provided on any one of the receipt case and the
rotary case, and hinge protrusions provided on the other one of the
receipt case and the rotary case and rotatably installed in the
hinge grooves, wherein the hinge grooves are extended vertically to
guide upward and downward movement of the hinge protrusions.
6. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein: the detergent
supply device further includes valve units to control the
detergents contained in the detergent containers; and each of the
valve units includes a valve body provided with a channel formed
therein, a pair of check valves disposed at both ends of the
channel and selectively opened and closed according to pressure of
a space between the pair of check valves, a piston moving forwardly
and backwardly by external force to change the pressure of the
space between the pair of check valves, and a restoring spring to
elastically support the piston.
7. The washing machine according to claim 6, further comprising: a
water supply pipe connected with an external water supply source;
and mixing units installed at the lower end of the valve body and
connected to the middle portion of the water supply pipe to mix the
respective detergents and water.
8. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a
first washing unit and a second washing unit disposed vertically,
wherein the housing includes a first housing forming an external
appearance of the first washing unit, and the detergent supply
device includes a first detergent supply device installed on the
lower portion of the first housing.
9. A washing machine comprising: a first washing unit; a second
washing unit disposed under the first washing unit to perform
washing independently of the first washing unit; and a detergent
supply device installed on the lower portion of the first washing
unit to supply detergents used in the first washing unit, wherein
the detergent supply device includes a rotary case installed to be
rotatable about the lower end thereof and rotated to be protruded
from the housing, a receipt case to rotatably receive the rotary
case, and detergent containers detachably installed in the rotary
case.
10. The washing machine according to claim 9, further comprising
arc-shaped guide grooves provided on any one of the receipt case
and the rotary case, latch grooves extended downwardly from the
front ends of the guide grooves, and guide protrusions provided on
the other one of the receipt case and the rotary case and movably
installed in the guide grooves and the latch grooves.
11. The washing machine according to claim 10, further comprising
hinge grooves provided on any one of the receipt case and the
rotary case, and hinge protrusions provided on the other one of the
receipt case and the rotary case and rotatably installed in the
hinge grooves, wherein the hinge grooves are extended vertically to
guide upward and downward movement of the hinge protrusions.
12. The washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the guide
grooves, latch grooves and guide protrusions are configured so that
the rotary case is lifted up by a designated distance so as to
separate the guide protrusions from the latch grooves, and force is
then applied to the upper end of the rotary case in the backward
direction to move the guide protrusions along the guide grooves to
thereby rotate the rotary case about the hinge protrusions.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2010-0003773, filed on Jan. 15, 2010 in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Embodiments relate to a washing machine with a detergent
supply device to supply detergents used for washing.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, washing machines are apparatuses, each of which
is provided with a tub and a drum and is used to wash contaminated
laundry using water and a detergent. Among washing machines, there
is a washing machine which washes laundry using a difference in
elevation.
[0006] Such a washing machine includes a tub provided in a main
body to contain water, a drum rotatably installed in the tub, a
water supply device to supply water into the tub and the drum, a
drain device to discharge water used for washing to the outside of
the main body after completion of washing, and a detergent supply
device to enable a detergent to dissolve in water in connection
with the water supply device.
[0007] Recently, a washing machine including a first washing unit
and a second washing unit vertically disposed to simultaneously
wash different kinds of laundry has been proposed. Each of the
first washing unit and the second washing unit of this washing
machine includes a tub and a drum so that the first washing unit
and the second washing unit independently perform washing. The
washing machine further includes a first detergent supply device
and a second detergent supply device to supply detergents to the
first washing unit and the second washing unit, respectively.
SUMMARY
[0008] Therefore, it is an aspect to provide a washing machine in
which detergents are more conveniently injected into a detergent
supply device.
[0009] Additional aspects 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 embodiments.
[0010] In accordance with one aspect, a washing machine includes a
housing, and a detergent supply device to supply detergents,
wherein the detergent supply device includes a rotary case
installed to be rotatable about the lower end thereof and rotated
to be protruded from the housing, and detergent containers
detachably installed in the rotary case.
[0011] The washing machine may further include a receipt case
installed on the housing to rotatably receive the rotary case.
[0012] The washing machine may further include arc-shaped guide
grooves provided on any one of the receipt case and the rotary
case, and guide protrusions provided on the other one of the
receipt case and the rotary case and movably installed in the guide
grooves.
[0013] The washing machine may further include latch grooves
extended downwardly from the front ends of the guide grooves.
[0014] The washing machine may further include hinge grooves
provided on any one of the receipt case and the rotary case, and
hinge protrusions provided on the other one of the receipt case and
the rotary case and rotatably installed in the hinge grooves, and
the hinge grooves may be extended vertically to guide upward and
downward movement of the hinge protrusions.
[0015] The detergent supply device may further include valve units
to respectively control the detergents contained in the detergent
containers, and each valve unit may include a valve body provided
with a channel formed therein, a pair of check valves disposed at
both ends of the channel and selectively opened and closed
according to pressure of a space between the pair of check valves,
a piston moving forwardly and backwardly by external force to
change the pressure of the space between the pair of check valves,
and a restoring spring to elastically support the piston.
[0016] The washing machine may further include a water supply pipe
connected with an external water supply source, and mixing units
installed at the lower end of the valve body and connected to the
middle portion of the water supply pipe to mix the respective
detergents and water.
[0017] The washing machine may further include a first washing unit
and a second washing unit disposed vertically, the housing may
include a first housing forming an external appearance of the first
washing unit, and the detergent supply device may include a first
detergent supply device installed on the lower portion of the first
housing.
[0018] In accordance with another aspect, a washing machine
includes a first washing unit, a second washing unit disposed under
the first washing unit to perform washing independently of the
first washing unit, and a detergent supply device installed on the
lower portion of the first washing unit to supply detergents used
in the first washing unit, wherein the detergent supply device
includes a rotary case installed to be rotatable about the lower
end thereof and rotated to be protruded from the housing, a receipt
case to rotatably receive the rotary case, and detergent containers
detachably installed in the rotary case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more
readily appreciated from the following description of the
embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of
which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine in
accordance with one embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the washing
machine in accordance with the embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detergent supply device
applied to the washing machine in accordance with the
embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the detergent
supply device applied to the washing machine in accordance with the
embodiment; and
[0024] FIGS. 5 to 7 are side views illustrating an operating state
of the detergent supply device applied to the washing machine in
accordance with the embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements
throughout.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, a washing machine in accordance with one
embodiment includes a first washing unit 100 and a second washing
unit 200, which are independently operated. The second washing unit
200 is configured to wash a larger amount of laundry than the first
washing unit 100, and the first washing unit 100 is disposed on the
upper surface of the second washing unit 200 in consideration of
vibration and safety.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the first washing unit 100 includes a
first tub 120 provided in a first housing 110 forming an external
appearance of the first washing unit 100 to contain water, a first
drum 130 rotatably installed in the first tub 120 and rotated to
wash laundry using a difference in elevation, a first driving
device 150 to rotate the first drum 130, a first water supply
device 160 to supply water, to be used for washing, to the first
tub 120, a first drain device 170 to discharge water, which has
been used for washing, to the outside, and a first detergent supply
device 180 to enable detergents to dissolve in water to be supplied
to the first tub 120 in connection with the first water supply
device 160.
[0028] A first door 140, through which a user puts laundry into the
first drum 130, is installed on the front surface of the first
housing 110. The first water supply device 160 includes a first
water supply pipe 161 to guide water from an external water supply
source to the first tub 120, and a first water supply valve 162
installed on the first water supply pipe 161 to open and close the
first water supply pipe 161. The first drain device 170 includes a
first drain pipe 171 to guide water in the first tub 120 to the
outside, and a first drain pump 172 installed on the first drain
pipe 171 to discharge the water in the first tub 120 to the
outside.
[0029] The second washing unit 200 includes a second tub 220
provided in a second housing 210 forming an external appearance of
the second washing unit 200 to contain water, a second drum 230
rotatably installed in the second tub 220 and rotated to wash
laundry using a difference in elevation, a second driving device
250 to rotate the second drum 230, a second water supply device 260
to supply water, to be used for washing, to the second tub 220, a
second drain device 270 to discharge water, which has been used for
washing, to the outside, and a second detergent supply device 280
to enable detergents to dissolve in water to be supplied to the
second tub 220 in connection with the second water supply device
260.
[0030] A second door 240, through which a user puts laundry into
the second drum 230, is installed on the front surface of the
second housing 210. The first water supply device 260 includes a
second water supply pipe 261 to guide water from an external water
supply source to the second tub 220, and a second water supply
valve 262 installed on the second water supply pipe 261 to open and
close the second water supply pipe 261. The second drain device 270
includes a second drain pipe 271 to guide water in the second tub
220 to the outside, and a second drain pump 272 installed on the
second drain pipe 271 to discharge the water in the second tub 220
to the outside.
[0031] Among the detergent supply devices 180 and 280, the first
detergent supply device 180 of the first washing unit 100 is
installed on the lower portion of the first washing unit 100 such
that a user may easily put the detergent into the first detergent
supply device 180. In this embodiment, the first detergent supply
device 180 is installed on the lower portion of the front surface
of the first housing 110.
[0032] The first detergent supply device 180, as shown in FIG. 3,
includes a rotary case 182 installed so as to be rotatable about
the lower end thereof and rotated so that the upper end thereof is
protruded forwardly, a receipt case 181 installed on the front
surface of the first housing 110 and provided with a first receipt
part 181a to receive the rotary case 182, detergent containers 183
separably installed in the rotary case 182 to contain liquid
detergents, and a cap 184 to open and close an injection hole 183a
provided on the upper surface of the detergent container 183. A
second receipt part 182a to receive the detergent container 183 is
provided in the rotary case 182, and a pair of detergent containers
183 are separably installed in the second receipt part 182a such
that detergents, such as a cleaner and a fabric rinse, are
separately stored in the respective detergent containers 183.
[0033] In order to rotatably install the rotary case 182 in the
receipt case 181, hinge grooves 181d are depressed on the lower
portion of the first receipt part 181a of the receipt case 181, and
hinge protrusions 182c are formed on both sides of the lower end of
the rotary case 182. Further, arc-shaped guide grooves 181b to
limit rotation of the rotary case 182 to a designated angle range
are provided on the receipt case 181, and guide protrusions 182b
movably installed in the guide grooves 181b are provided on the
rotary case 182, thereby causing rotation of the rotary case 182 to
be guided and limited by the guide grooves 181b and the guide
protrusions 182b.
[0034] Further, in order to maintain a forwardly protruded state of
the rotary case 182, latch grooves 181c extended downwardly from
the front end of the guide grooves 181b are provided on the receipt
case 181, and the hinge grooves 181d are extended vertically. That
is, the guide protrusions 182b are latched onto the latch grooves
181c under the condition that the upper end of the rotary case 182
is protruded forwardly, and such a structure prevents the upper end
of the rotary case 182 from moving backwardly, even when external
force is transmitted to the rotary case 182 during injection of the
detergent into the detergent container 183, thereby allowing a user
to stably inject the detergent into the detergent container
183.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, the first detergent supply device 180
further includes valve units 185, each of which is connected to a
supply hole 183b provided on the lower surface of each of the
detergent containers 183 to control selective supply of the
detergent of the detergent container 183. A mixing unit 186
connected to a middle portion of the first supply pipe 161 to mix
the detergent supplied through each valve unit 185 with water
supplied through the first water supply pipe 161 is installed under
each valve unit 185. A sealing member 185d for sealing is
interposed between each valve unit 185 and each detergent container
183, and a first support plane 181e and a second support plane 183c
supported by each other to stably seat the detergent container 183
on the valve unit 185 through the sealing member 185d are provided
on the inner surface of the upper portion of the receipt case 181
and the rear surface of the upper portion of the detergent
container 183.
[0036] The valve unit 185 includes a valve body 185a provided with
a channel formed therein, a first check valve 185e and a second
check valve 185f respectively disposed at both ends of the channel
and selectively opened and closed according to pressure of a space
between the first and second check valves 185e and 185f, a piston
185b moved forwardly and backwardly through external force to
change the pressure of the space between the first check valve 185e
and the second check valve 185f, and an elastic member 185c
elastically supporting the piston 185b to restore the piston 185b
to its original position.
[0037] The first check valve 185e and the second check valve 185f
serve to open and close the channel provided within the valve body
185a due to a pressure difference therebetween. When the pressure
of the space between the first check valve 185e and the second
check valve 185f is raised according to forward movement of the
piston 185b toward the channel due to external force, the second
check valve 185f is opened and thus the liquid detergent filling
the channel is introduced into the mixing unit 186 through the
second check valve 185f, and when the pressure of the space between
the first check valve 185e and the second check valve 185f is
lowered according to backward movement of the piston 185b due to
elastic restoring force of the elastic member 185c, the second
check valve 185f is closed and the first check valve 185e is opened
and thus the detergent in the detergent container 183 is introduced
into the space between the first check valve 185e and the second
check valve 185f.
[0038] Next, operation of the above first detergent supply device
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0039] First, when a user pulls the upper end of the rotary case
182 under the condition that the rotary case 182 is received in the
first receipt part 181a, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotary case 182 is
rotated about the lower end thereof, and the guide protrusions 182b
move forwardly along the guide grooves 181b. Thereby, the upper end
of the rotary case 182 is protruded forwardly, as shown in FIG. 6,
and thus the upper portions of the detergent containers 183
received in the second receipt part 182a are exposed to the
outside.
[0040] Since the latch grooves 181c are extended downwardly from
the front ends of the guide grooves 181b and the hinge grooves 181d
are extended vertically, the rotary case 182 protruded forwardly
moves downwardly due to gravity, and thus the guide protrusions
182b move downwardly along the latch grooves 181c.
[0041] Under the above state, even if external force is applied to
the upper end of the rotary case 182 in the backward direction, the
rotary case 182 is not rotated due to the guide protrusions 182b
supported by the latch grooves 181c. In this state, in order to
cause the rotary case 182 to be received in the receipt case 181,
the rotary case 182 is lifted up by a designated distance so as to
separate the guide protrusions 182b from the latch grooves 181c,
and then force is applied to the upper end of the rotary case 182
in the backward direction so as to move the guide protrusions 182b
along the guide grooves 181b, and thereby the rotary case 182 is
rotated about the hinge protrusions 182c provided on the lower end
thereof and is received in the receipt case 181.
[0042] Accordingly, it may be possible to prevent the rotary case
182 from being received in the first receipt part 181a by external
force applied to the rotary case 182 during injection of the
detergent into the detergent container 183.
[0043] Although this embodiment exemplarily illustrates the first
detergent supply device 180, the second detergent supply device 280
may be formed in the same structure as the first detergent supply
device 180.
[0044] As is apparent from the above description, a washing machine
in accordance with one embodiment allows the upper portions of
detergent containers of a detergent supply device to be protruded
forwardly through rotation of a rotary case, thereby enabling
detergents to be easily injected into the detergent containers.
[0045] Further, the detergent supply device is installed on the
lower portion of a first washing unit located on the upper surface
of a second washing unit, thereby enabling the detergents to be
more easily injected into the detergent containers.
[0046] Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it
would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may
be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles
and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *