U.S. patent application number 13/570636 was filed with the patent office on 2013-02-14 for washing machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is Ji Hoon CHOI, Kab Jin JUN, Hyun Mook KIM, Jung Hee LEE, Sang Hyeok LEE, Je Hong MIN. Invention is credited to Ji Hoon CHOI, Kab Jin JUN, Hyun Mook KIM, Jung Hee LEE, Sang Hyeok LEE, Je Hong MIN.
Application Number | 20130036774 13/570636 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46603728 |
Filed Date | 2013-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130036774 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Hyun Mook ; et
al. |
February 14, 2013 |
WASHING MACHINE
Abstract
A washing machine includes a rotary tub having a diameter
progressively increasing from a first end side thereof to a second
end side thereof located opposite the first end side, dehydration
holes arranged at the second end side of the rotary tub, and a
dehydration hole switching unit to open and close the dehydration
holes. The dehydration holes are opened depending on increase of a
rate of rotation of the rotary tub.
Inventors: |
KIM; Hyun Mook; (Osan-si,
KR) ; LEE; Sang Hyeok; (Suwion-si, KR) ; MIN;
Je Hong; (Seongnam-si, KR) ; LEE; Jung Hee;
(Suwon-si, KR) ; CHOI; Ji Hoon; (Hwaseong-si,
KR) ; JUN; Kab Jin; (Gwangju-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KIM; Hyun Mook
LEE; Sang Hyeok
MIN; Je Hong
LEE; Jung Hee
CHOI; Ji Hoon
JUN; Kab Jin |
Osan-si
Suwion-si
Seongnam-si
Suwon-si
Hwaseong-si
Gwangju-si |
|
KR
KR
KR
KR
KR
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon
KR
|
Family ID: |
46603728 |
Appl. No.: |
13/570636 |
Filed: |
August 9, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/142 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 39/083 20130101;
D06F 37/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
68/142 |
International
Class: |
D06F 21/00 20060101
D06F021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 10, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0079490 |
Claims
1. A washing machine comprising: a rotary tub having a diameter
progressively increasing from a first end side thereof to a second
end side thereof located opposite the first end side; at least one
dehydration hole arranged at the second end side of the rotary tub;
and a dehydration hole switching unit to open and close the at
least one dehydration hole.
2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the
dehydration hole switching unit is selectively opened and closed
depending on a rate of rotation of the rotary tub.
3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein: the at least
one dehydration hole comprises a plurality of dehydration holes
disposed at the rotary tub, to be spaced apart from one another in
a circumferential direction; and the dehydration hole switching
unit comprises a plurality of dehydration valves movably installed
to open and close the plural dehydration holes depending on
movement thereof, respectively, and dehydration valve elastic
members to elastically support the dehydration valves.
4. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein: the
dehydration hole switching unit further comprises a plurality of
switching guides formed in an arc shape, each of which connecting
two or more of the plural dehydration valves, and movement guides
installed so as to allow opposite ends of each switching guide to
be movable in a radial direction; and the dehydration valve elastic
members are respectively disposed at the movement guides, to
elastically support the dehydration valves through each switching
guide.
5. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein: the rotary
tub comprises a drainage hole for drainage; and the rotary tub
further comprises a drainage hole switching unit disposed at the
drainage hole, to open and close the drainage hole.
6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the drainage
hole switching unit comprises a drainage valve movably installed to
open and close the drainage hole depending on a position thereof,
and a drainage valve drive unit to move the drainage valve.
7. The washing machine according to claim 6, wherein: the drainage
valve drive unit comprises a solenoid; and the drainage valve
comprises a valve portion to open and close the drainage hole, a
plunger portion made of a magnetic substance, and a guide portion
to connect the valve portion to the plunger portion and to guide
movement of the drainage valve.
8. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a
rotational shaft mounted, at one end thereof, to a central portion
of a rear surface of the rotary tub, a bearing housing provided
with a shaft mounting hole through which the rotational shaft is
mounted, and bearings mounted at the shaft mounting hole so as to
rotatably support the rotational shaft, wherein: the bearing
housing comprises a first feed passage to guide water used for
washing; and the rotary tub comprises a feed guide portion
extending rearward from a periphery of the rotational shaft while
being provided therein with a second feed passage connected to the
first feed passage so as to guide water supplied from the first
feed passage into the rotary tub.
9. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a
gutter disposed at an outer side of the rotary tub so as to guide
drainage of water discharged from the rotary tub.
10. A washing machine comprising: a main body; a rotary tub
rotatably mounted within the main body; and a gutter disposed at an
outer side of the rotary tub so as to guide drainage of water
discharged from the rotary tub, wherein the rotary tub comprises at
least one dehydration hole which is selectively opened only during
dehydration.
11. The washing machine according to claim 10, further comprising a
dehydration hole switching unit which selectively opens the at
least one dehydration hole only during dehydration.
12. The washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the
dehydration hole switching unit selectively opens and closes the
dehydration hole depending on a rate of rotation of the rotary
tub.
13. The washing machine according to claim 12, wherein: the at
least one dehydration hole comprises a plurality of dehydration
holes disposed at the rotary tub, to be spaced apart from one
another in a circumferential direction; and the dehydration hole
switching unit comprises a plurality of dehydration valves movably
installed to open and close the plural dehydration holes depending
on movement thereof, respectively, and dehydration valve elastic
members to elastically support the dehydration valves.
14. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein: the
dehydration hole switching unit further comprises a plurality of
switching guides formed in an arc shape, each of which connecting
two or more of the plural dehydration valves, and movement guides
installed so as to allow opposite ends of each switching guide to
be movable in a radial direction; and the dehydration valve elastic
members are respectively disposed at the movement guides, to
elastically support the dehydration valves through each switching
guide.
15. The washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the drainage
hole switching unit further comprises a drainage valve elastic
member to elastically support the drainage valve.
16. The washing machine according to claim 10, wherein the rotary
tub comprises a drainage hole for drainage and a drainage hole
switching unit disposed at the drainage hole to open and close the
drainage hole.
17. The washing machine according to claim 16, wherein the drainage
hole switching unit comprises a drainage valve movably installed to
open and close the drainage hole depending on a position thereof,
and a drainage valve drive unit to move the drainage valve.
18. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein: the
drainage valve drive unit comprises a solenoid; and the drainage
valve comprises a valve portion to open and close the drainage
hole, a plunger portion made of a magnetic substance, and a guide
portion to connect the valve portion to the plunger portion and to
guide movement of the drainage valve.
19. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein the drainage
hole switching unit further comprises a drainage valve elastic
member to elastically support the drainage valve.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Korean
Patent Application No. 10-2011-0079490 filed on Aug. 10, 2011 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 to directly supply
water to a rotary tub so as to perform washing using a small amount
of water.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, a washing machine includes a main body defining
an external appearance thereof, a water tank arranged within the
main body, and a rotary tub rotatably mounted within the water
tank. The rotary tub is provided with communicating holes to enable
water in the water tank to be introduced.
[0006] Such a washing machine is utilized to perform washing within
the rotary tub by supplying wash water to the water tank and
introducing the wash water supplied to the water tank into the
rotary tub through communicating holes provided in the rotary
tub.
[0007] In the washing machine having such a structure, a washing
operation is performed within the rotary tub, although an amount of
water corresponding to the relatively larger water tank than that
of the rotary tub is required. Thus, a considerable amount of water
should be inserted into the water tank, compared with water
actually used in the rotary tub, thereby also increasing an input
amount of washing agent so as to correspond to an amount of water
which is inserted into the water tank.
[0008] Accordingly, there is recently a washing machine capable of
performing washing using a small amount of water by directly
supplying water into the rotary tub which is not provided with the
communicating holes.
SUMMARY
[0009] Therefore, it is an aspect of one or more embodiments to
provide a dehydration structure of a washing machine capable of
performing washing using a small amount of water by virtue of
directly supplying water into a rotary tub without a configuration
corresponding to a water tank.
[0010] Additional aspects 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.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of one or more embodiments, a
washing machine includes a rotary tub having a diameter
progressively increasing from a first end side thereof to a second
end side thereof located opposite the first end side, at least one
dehydration hole arranged at the second end side of the rotary tub,
and a dehydration hole switching unit to open and close the at
least one dehydration hole.
[0012] The dehydration hole switching unit may be selectively
opened and closed depending on a rate of rotation of the rotary
tub.
[0013] The at least one dehydration hole may include a plurality of
dehydration holes disposed at the rotary tub, to be spaced apart
from one another in a circumferential direction, and the
dehydration hole switching unit may include a plurality of
dehydration valves movably installed to open and close the plural
dehydration holes depending on movement thereof, respectively, and
dehydration valve elastic members to elastically support the
dehydration valves.
[0014] The dehydration hole switching unit may further include a
plurality of switching guides formed in an arc shape, each of which
connecting two or more of the plural dehydration valves, and
movement guides installed so as to allow opposite ends of each
switching guide to be movable in a radial direction, and the
dehydration valve elastic members may be respectively disposed at
the movement guides, to elastically support the dehydration valves
through each switching guide.
[0015] The rotary tub may include a drainage hole for drainage, and
the rotary tub may further include a drainage hole switching unit
disposed at the drainage hole, to open and close the drainage
hole.
[0016] The drainage hole switching unit may include a drainage
valve movably installed to open and close the drainage hole
depending on a position thereof, and a drainage valve drive unit to
move the drainage valve.
[0017] The drainage valve drive unit may include a solenoid, and
the drainage valve may include a valve portion to open and close
the drainage hole, a plunger portion made of a magnetic substance,
and a guide portion to connect the valve portion to the plunger
portion and to guide movement of the drainage valve.
[0018] The washing machine may further include a rotational shaft
mounted, at one end thereof, to a central portion of a rear surface
of the rotary tub, a bearing housing provided with a shaft mounting
hole through which the rotational shaft is mounted, and bearings
mounted at the shaft mounting hole so as to rotatably support the
rotational shaft, the bearing housing may include a first feed
passage to guide water used for washing, and the rotary tub may
include a feed guide portion extending rearward from a periphery of
the rotational shaft while being provided therein with a second
feed passage connected to the first feed passage so as to guide
water supplied from the first feed passage into the rotary tub.
[0019] The washing machine may further include a gutter disposed at
an outer side of the rotary tub so as to guide drainage of water
discharged from the rotary tub.
[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a washing machine includes a main body, a rotary tub rotatably
mounted within the main body, and a gutter disposed at an outer
side of the rotary tub so as to guide drainage of water discharged
from the rotary tub, wherein the rotary tub includes at least one
dehydration hole which is selectively opened only during
dehydration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and/or other aspects of one or more embodiments will
become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following
description of embodiments, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a washing machine
according to an embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
dehydration hole switching unit applied to a rotary tub of the
washing machine according to an embodiment;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a feed path and the
dehydration hole switching unit applied to the rotary tub of the
washing machine according to an embodiment; and
[0025] FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a drainage hole
switching unit applied to the rotary tub of the washing machine
according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
like elements throughout.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, a washing machine according to an
embodiment includes a main body 10 to define an external appearance
of the washing machine while being provided, at a front surface
thereof, with an input hole 10a, a door 20 rotatably mounted at one
side of the main body 10 to open and close the input hole 10a, a
rotary tub 30 into which laundry is inserted while being rotatably
mounted within the main body 10 so as to perform washing of the
laundry in the rotary tub 30 during rotation thereof, a gutter 40
disposed at an outer side of the rotary tub 30 so as to guide
drainage of water discharged from the rotary tub 30, a drive unit
50 to rotate the rotary tub 30, a feed unit 60 to supply water to
the rotary tub 30, and a drainage unit 70 to discharge the water
outward of the washing machine from the rotary tub 30 during
drainage and dehydration.
[0028] The rotary tub 30 is provided, at a front surface thereof,
with a through hole 30a so that laundry may be inserted into the
rotary tub 30, and is mounted, at a central portion of a rear
surface thereof, with one end of a rotational shaft 53 to be
described later. Also, the rotary tub 30 includes a plurality of
lifters 31 arranged at an inner peripheral surface thereof to be
spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction so as
to lift up laundry, and is formed to have a diameter progressively
increasing from a first end side of the rotary tub 30 to a second
end side thereof located opposite the first end side. That is, the
rotary tub 30 in an embodiment is formed to have a diameter
progressively increasing from a front end side thereof to a rear
end side thereof. In addition, the rotary tub 30 is provided, at
the second end side thereof, namely, an outer peripheral surface of
the rear end side thereof, with a plurality of dehydration holes
30b (see FIG. 2) to discharge water during dehydration. The
plurality of dehydration holes 30b is arranged at the outer
peripheral surface of the second end side of the rotary tub 30 to
be spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction,
in order to smoothly discharge the water.
[0029] The gutter 40 has a round shape, for example, a barrel
shape, opened at a front surface thereof, and is disposed at an
outer side of the rotary tub 30 while being connected, at a lower
surface thereof, with a first drainage pipe 71 to be described
later. The lower surface of the gutter 40 is formed to be inclined
downward toward a portion to which the first drainage pipe 71 is
connected so as to guide water discharged from the rotary tub 30
during washing or dehydration to the first drainage pipe 71,
thereby discharging the water.
[0030] The drive unit 50 includes a stator 51 having a coil, a
rotor 52 rotating while interacting with the stator 51, and a
rotational shaft 53 fixed, at one end thereof, to the rear surface
of the rotary tub 30 while being connected, at the other end
thereof, to the rotor 52 so as to rotate with the rotor 52.
[0031] The feed unit 60 includes a washing agent feed unit 61 to
supply washing agents, first feed pipes 62 to guide water from an
external feed source to the washing agent feed unit 61, feed valves
64 to allow the water to be selectively transferred to the first
feed pipes 62, and a second feed pipe 63 to guide the water from
the washing agent feed unit 61 to a bearing housing 100 to be
described later.
[0032] The drainage unit 70 includes the first drainage pipe 71
connected to the lower surface of the gutter 40, a drainage pump 72
to discharge water by pumping, and a second drainage pipe 73 to
guide the water discharged from the drainage pump 72 to the
outside.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the washing machine includes the bearing
housing 100 mounted therein with bearings 101 to rotatably support
the rotational shaft 53. The bearing housing 100 is connected to
the second feed pipe 63 so as to enable guidance of water supplied
to the rotary tub 30. The bearing housing 100 includes a shaft
mounting hole 100a through which the rotational shaft 53 is
mounted, a first feed passage 100b to guide the water supplied to
the rotary tub 30, a sealing member 102 mounted at the shaft
mounting hole 100a, to prevent leakage of water through a gap
between the rotational shaft 53 and the shaft mounting hole 100a,
and the bearings 101.
[0034] Meanwhile, the central portion of the rear surface of the
rotary tub 30 is provided with a feed guide portion 32 protruding
rearward, and the feed guide portion 32 is provided therein with a
second feed passage 32a to be connected with the first feed passage
100b and to guide water in the rotary tub 30.
[0035] Accordingly, water supplied from the external feed source
passes through the first feed pipes 62, the water agent feed unit
61, the second feed pipe 63, the first feed passage 100b of the
bearing housing 100, and the second feed passage 32a provided at
the feed guide portion 32 of the rotary tub 30 in sequence, thereby
supplying the water to the rotary tub 30.
[0036] Referring again to FIG. 1, a support bracket 110 is disposed
beneath the gutter 40 so as to mount the bearing housing 100 and
attenuate vibration generated from the rotary tub 30. The support
bracket 110 is disposed to be spaced apart from a bottom surface of
the main body 10 thorough a plurality of buffer units 120 coupled,
at upper ends thereof, to the support bracket 110 while being
supported, at lower ends thereof, by the bottom surface of the main
body 10. The support bracket 110 is provided, at a rear end
thereof, with a fixing portion 110a extending upwards to fix the
bearing housing 100.
[0037] Also, the washing machine includes a dehydration hole
switching unit 80 to open and close the dehydration holes 30b so
that the dehydration holes 30b may be selectively opened only
during dehydration. In an embodiment, the dehydration hole
switching unit 80 selectively opens and closes the dehydration
holes 30b depending on a rate of rotation of the rotary tub 30.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the dehydration hole switching
unit 80 includes a plurality of dehydration valves 81 movably
installed to open and close the plural dehydration holes 30b
depending on positions thereof, respectively, switching guides 82
formed in an arc shape, each of which connecting two or more of the
plural dehydration valves 81, movement guides 84 installed to allow
opposite ends of each switching guide 82 to be movable so as to
guide movement of the switching guide 82 in a radial direction, and
dehydration valve elastic members 83 respectively installed at the
movement guides 84 so as to elastically support the associated
switching guide 81 toward the outer peripheral surface of the
rotary tub 30, thereby indirectly and elastically supporting the
associated dehydration valves 81 through the elastically supported
switching guide 81.
[0039] The rotary tub 30 rotates at a high rate of rotation during
dehydration, compared with during washing. As such, when the rate
of rotation of the rotary tub 30 is increased for dehydration,
centrifugal force acting on water in the rotary tub 30 is
increased. As the centrifugal force increases, water progressively
moves along the inner peripheral surface of the rotary tub 30
toward the second end side, namely, the rear end side of the rotary
tub 30, which is formed to have a relatively large diameter.
[0040] As the centrifugal force also increases, each switching
guide 82 moves along the associated movement guides 84 in the
outward radial direction while the dehydration valve elastic
members 83 supporting the switching guide 82 are elastically
deformed, and thus the associated dehydration valves 81 are spaced
apart from the dehydration holes 30b, respectively, to open the
dehydration holes 30b. Consequently, water in the rotary tub 30,
moving to the rear end side thereof, is discharged through the
dehydration holes 30b, and the water discharged through the
dehydration holes 30b is guided to the first drainage pipe 71 by
the gutter 40, thereby passing through the first drainage pipe 71,
the drainage pump 72, and the second drainage pipe 73 in sequence.
As a result, the water is discharged outward of the washing
machine.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 4, the rear surface of the rotary tub 30 is
provided with a drainage hole 30c to allow water to be discharged
from the rotary tub 30 during drainage, and the drainage hole 30c
is provided with a drainage hole switching unit 90 to open and
close the drainage hole 30c so that the drainage hole 30c may be
selectively opened only during drainage.
[0042] The drainage hole switching unit 90 includes a drainage
valve 91 movably installed to open and close the drainage hole 30c
depending on a position thereof, and a drainage valve drive unit 93
to move the drainage valve 91. In an embodiment, the drainage valve
drive unit 93 includes a solenoid to generate a magnetic field by
application of power, and the drainage valve 91 includes a valve
portion 91a to open and close the drainage hole 30c, a plunger
portion 91b made of a magnetic substance, and a guide portion 91c
to connect the valve portion 91a to the plunger portion 91b and to
guide movement of the drainage valve 91. Furthermore, the drainage
hole switching unit 90 includes a drainage valve elastic member 92
to elastically support the drainage valve 91, thereby allowing the
drainage hole 30c to be maintained in a state of being closed by
the elastically supported drainage valve 91.
[0043] Thus, the drainage valve 91 is elastically supported by the
drainage valve elastic member 92 so as to maintain the state of
closing the drainage hole 30c, in a state in which a washing or
dehydration operation is executed. In addition, when the rotary tub
30 rotates at a predetermined angle so that the drainage valve
drive unit 93 is disposed at a position corresponding to the
drainage valve 91 during drainage and then power is applied to the
solenoid forming the drainage valve drive unit 93, the magnetic
field is generated in the solenoid, and thus the drainage valve 91
moves toward the drainage valve drive unit 93 by magnetic force
acting on the plunger portion 91b. Consequently, the drainage hole
30c is opened to discharge water in the rotary tub 30 through the
drainage hole 30c.
[0044] Although the dehydration valves 81 in an embodiment are
indirectly and elastically supported by the dehydration valve
elastic members 83 through the switching guides 83, an embodiment
is not limited thereto. For example, dehydration valves may be
elastically supported by dehydration valve elastic members,
respectively.
[0045] Also, although the dehydration hole switching unit 80 in an
embodiment opens and closes the dehydration holes 30b by increasing
centrifugal force occurring due to increasing of the rate of
rotation of the rotary tub 30, an embodiment is not limited
thereto. For example, a dehydration hole switching unit includes a
solenoid valve and the like, thereby enabling opening and closing
of dehydration holes.
[0046] In addition, although the rotary tub 30 in the illustrated
embodiment is formed to have a large diameter at the rear end side
thereof, compared with at the front end side thereof, the present
invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, a rotary tub may
be formed to have a large diameter at a front end side thereof,
compared with at a rear end side thereof. In addition, the rotary
tub may be formed to have a uniform diameter at a front end side
thereof.
[0047] As is apparent from the above description, a rotary tub has
a diameter progressively increasing from a first end side thereof
to a second end side thereof, and the rotary tub is provided, at an
outer peripheral surface of the second end side thereof, with
dehydration holes. Therefore, when a rate of rotation of the rotary
tub is increased for dehydration, water moves to the second end
side of the rotary tub depending on increase of the rate of
rotation thereof, thereby being discharged through the dehydration
holes arranged at the second end side. As a result, dehydration is
achieved.
[0048] 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.
* * * * *