AU700656B2 - Device for pumping water in washing machine - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a device for pumping water in a washing machine, which can make smooth pumping of water regardless of i:i a water level in the washing machine.

Discussion of the Related Art Fig. l a illustrates a perspective view of a conventional washing machine, Fig. lb illustrates construction of the conventional washing machine, and Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a 10 conventional pumping guide member. A conventional device for pumping water in a washing machine will be explained with reference to Figs. l a to 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 a, lb and 2, the conventional washing machine includes an outer tub 11 supported in a body 9 of the washing machine, a washing tub 1 rotatably mounted in the outer .b tub 11, and a pumping guide member 2a coupled on an outer circumference of the washing tub 1 for receiving water from outside of the washing machine and in turn discharging the water into the washing tub 1. And, there is a waste thread net 10 on top of the pumping guide member 2a for catching foreign matters(ravel and waste thread etc.) contained in the water discharged into the washing tub 1 guided along the pumping guide member 2a. There are a pulsator 7 rotatably mounted on a bottom of the washing tub 1 at a center thereof, a clutch 16 attached under a bottom of the outer tub 11 at a center thereof for receiving a driving force of a motor 12 through a V-belt 14 wound around a motor pulley 13 and a clutch pulley 15 and selectively rotating either the washing tub 1 and the pulsator 7, and a water supply tube 17 with a water supply valve 18 at one side of the body 9 at a top part thereof for supplying water required for washing as a user desires. There is a drain hose 20 with a drain valve 19 at a lower side of the outer tub 11 for draining waste water used for washing and rinsing out of the body 9.

Accordingly, when the user presses a wash starting button on a control panel after putting laundry into the washing tub 1 through an opened cover 21 on top of the body 9 and closing the cover 21, washing, rinsing and dehydrating cycles are conducted automatically in preset time periods in response to control signals from a controller. First, in the washing cycle, the water supply valve 18 in the water supply tube 17 is opened to supply water to be used in the washing 10 through the water supply tube 17, which flows into the washing tub directly until water is filled to a certain height. Then, when water to be used for the washing is filled to a certain height in the -washing tub 1, the water supply valve 18 is closed to stop supply of any more water thereto and, on the same time, the motor 12 fixed to under side of the bottom of the outer tub 11 starts to rotate in regular and reverse directions alternatively. When the motor 12 thus rotates in regular and reverse directions alternatively, a driving force is transmitted to the clutch 16 attached to a center of underside of the outer tub 11 through the belt when the clutch 16, receiving a washing signal from the controller, transmits the driving force from the motor 12 only to the pulsator 7 at a low speed for a certain period of time. According to this, the pulsator 7 pulsates the laundry as well as the water to wash the laundry by the impact with the pulsator 7, the friction both with the pulsating water and the washing tub 1, and the softening effect of a detergent. That is, in the washing cycle, when water is supplied to a preset level in the washing tub 1 under a condition that laundry and detergent are introduced in the washing tub 1, as the motor 12 mounted under the outer tub 11 at one side thereof rotates for producing the rotating force required for the washing, p:\OPER\KAT\LG.329 1/12/97 -3a speed of the rotation is reduced through the motor pulley 13, V belt 14, clutch pulley and the clutch 16, to rotate the pulsator 7 at a reduced speed. In this instance, the water, drawn in by a centrifugal force through a water inlet 3 at a bottom of the pumping guide member 2a coupled to one sidewall of the washing tub 1, rises up along a flow path formed between the pumping guide member 2a and the washing tub 1 and is discharged into the washing tub 1 again through the waste thread net 10 at a water outlet 4 on top of the pumping guide member 2a. The waste thread net 10, filtering foreign matters such as waste threads produced during the washing, prevents the laundry from being contaminated by the foreign matters and the waste threads attached thereto and improves a washing effect of the detergent.

When the washing cycle is finished, after waste water is drained in a condition that rotation of thew washing tub 1 and the pulsator 7 are stopped, the washing tub 1 and the pulsator 7 are rotated at a high speed simultaneously to conduct the dehydrating cycle for dehydrating water from the laundry. Thereafter, the above explained series of cycles are repeated for a few times, and a final dehydrating cycle is conducted, to finish the washing.

,.15 However, the conventional washing machine has a problem in that the water is not circulated smoothly when the water level is low because the waste thread net 10 is located high. That is, a height of the rise of the water drawn in through the water inlet 3 at the pumping guide member 2a is dependent on several factors such as a rotating speed of the pulsator 7, configuration of the pumping guide member 2a, a driven time period of the pulsator 7, water level etc. However, in general, the water cannot reach the water outlet 4 when the height is low. In other words, when the water level is low, the water drawn in through the water inlet 3 in the pumping guide member 2a spins around within the flow path, but does not flow into the washing tub 1 again through the P:\OPER\KAT\LG.32 9 -25/11/97 -4waste thread net 10. Therefore, because the circulation of water, drawn into the water inlet 3 in the pumping guide member 2a and discharged through the water outlet 4 again, is not smooth, the detergent becomes less active compared to the case when the water level is high, resulting in a drop of a washing effect. Moreover, buoyant foreign matters such as thread and the like are attached to the laundry, to stay thereon even after finish of the washing, giving an impression that the laundry is not tidy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Devices for pumping water in a washing machine, constructed in accordance with the invention may induce a smooth circulation of the water pumped through the pumping guide member regardless of the water level in a washing tub, for improving the washing and rinsing effect by causing more active dissolving of detergent and more effective catching of foreign matters.

In one aspect, the invention provides a device for pumping water in a washing .15 machine including a pumping guide member having a water inlet at a bottom thereof for drawing in water, a first water outlet at a top thereof for discharging the water into a washing tub, and a second water outlet at a location between the water inlet and the first water outlet for discharging the water into the washing tub regardless of a water level in the washing tub.

The invention also provides CLAIM 13 It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: In the drawings: Fig. la illustrates a perspective view of a conventional washing machine; P:\OPER\KAT\LG.329 25/11/97 Fig. lb illustrates construction of the conventional washing machine; Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a conventional pumping guide member; Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a pumping guide member in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 illustrates a back side view showing a key part of the pumping guide member shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 illustrates a section of the key part across line I-I shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 illustrates a section of an another embodiment key part across line I-I shown in Fig. 4; 10 Fig. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a back side of the pumping guide member shown S in Fig. 3 in accordance with another embodiment; and, Fig. 8 illustrates a section across line II-II shown in Fig. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a pumping guide member in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 illustrates a back side view showing a key part of the pumping guide member shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 illustrates a section of the key part across line I-I shown in Fig. 4.

In the present invention, a second water outlet 5 is provided additionally at any location between a water inlet 3 and a first water outlet 4 provided at a bottom and a top of a pumping guide member 2 respectively, for introduction of water into the washing tub 1 irrespective of a water level therein, the water inlet 3 and the first water outlet 4 being provided for drawing in and discharging water respectively, and the pumping guide member 2 being disposed at one sidewall of a washing tub 1 for pumping water. And, there is a baffle plate 6 of an form having a horizontal portion 6a and a vertical portion 6b disposed inwardly from the second water outlet toward inside of the pumping guide member 2 as a unit of the pumping guide member 2 as shown in Fig. 5 for dividing the water drawn in through the water inlet 3 into two and discharging the divided water through the first and second water outlets 4 and 5, respectively.

The action of the aforementioned pumping guide member 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

There are the additional second water outlet 5 at any location between the water inlet 3 Fig. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a back side of the pumping guide member shown in Fig. 3 in accordance with another embodiment. and Fig. 8 illustrates a section across line II-II shown in Fig. 7.

In this another embodiment of the pumping guide member, guide ribs 101 are provided in a flow path of the pumping guide member 2 for reducing a width of the flow path at a portion between a water inlet 3 and a second water outlet 5 for guiding the water. The guide ribs 101 are disposed close to the second water outlet 5 one each on each side of the flow path in curved forms or in three-point-bent plate forms(first, second and third points), for regulating a flow speed V of the water. Each of the guide ribs 101 of the three-point-bent plate form has a first region from one end to the first point becoming gradually narrower, a second region from the first point to the second point with a fixed width, and a third region from the second point becoming gradually wider. A width of the guide rib 101 is formed wider than a width hi of the baffle plate 6 and 8 for smooth guide of the entire water.

a. S: The action of the another embodiment pumping guide member will be explained will be explained with reference to Figs. 7 and 8.

oeaoo The water in the washing tub 1 flows into the water inlet 3 in the pumping guide member 2 by the pulsation of the pulsator 7 on the bottom of inside of the washing tub 1, and rises upwardly along the flow path between the pumping guide member 2 and the washing tub 1. The water, rising upwardly along the flow path, is involved in a flow speed V increase as it passes the first region which has a smaller flow sectional area in the pumping guide member 2. That is, since the sectional area of the flow path in the first region is smaller while the flow rate of the water passing through the flow path in the pumping guide member 2 is constant, the flow speed of the water is increased. The water, having its speed gradually increased as it is guided along the first flow path in the first region of which sectional area is gradually reduced, flows at the highest speed in the flow path in the second region Then, the speed of the water is slows down gradually in the third region in which a distance between the guide ribs 101 becomes gradually farther, but the water still flows at a speed higher than at an entrance of the guide rib region. After leaving the guide ribs 101, the water, having its speed increased as it passes through the first region and the second region of the guide ribs 101, is divided into two streams by the baffle plate 6 having the horizontal portion 6a and vertical portion 6b or the stream lined baffle plate 8 at the top of the second water outlet 5 of the pumping guide member 2 in the flow path. In this instance, a portion of the water having its rise barred by the baffle plate 6 or 8 is o10 discharged into the washing tub 1 again through the second water outlet 5, with a greater angular 9o9o distribution of discharge due to the curved guide ribs 101. The water discharged with the greater angular distribution of discharge hits the laundry over a wide range in the washing tub, to activate the residual detergent stayed in the laundry, resulting to improve a washing effect. On the other .i hand, the rest portion of the water passed through the flow path without being barred by the baffle 999*°9 plate 6 or 8 continues to rise along the flow path until it reaches to the top of the pumping guide Smember 2 where the water is discharged into the washing tub 1 through the first water outlet 4 at the top of the pumping guide member 2. The foreign matters contained in the water discharged through the first water outlet 4 is filtrated as it passes through the waste thread net 10 coupled to the first water outlet 4, thereby no foreign matters such as waste threads can be contained in the water flowing into the washing tub 1, again. Since the water discharged through the first water outlet 4 also hits the laundry in the washing tub 1 to activate the detergent stuck on the laundry, the washing effect of the laundry can of course be improved. The greater widths h of the guide ribs 101 than the width hi of the baffle plate 6 or 8 allows a smooth flow of the water along the flow path formed between a back side of the pumping guide member 2 and the washing tub 1.

As has been explained, in this embodiment, the guide ribs 101 on both sides of the flow path formed to make a smaller sectional area of the flow path in a portion between the water inlet 3 and the second water outlet 5 in the pumping guide member 2 causes a flow speed of the water flowing through the flow path in the pumping guide member 2 to increase. The increase of flow rate of the water during proceeding washing caused by this increase of the flow speed of the water discharged through the second water outlet 5 on the pumping guide member 2 facilitates an i effective activation of the detergent stuck on the laundry, to improve the washing effect.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the device for pumping water in a washing machine of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

o S o* 5 p:\OPER\KAT\LG,329- 1/12/97 l- THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:- 1. A device for pumping water in a washing machine, having a pumping guide member including: a water inlet at a bottom thereof for drawing in water; a first water outlet at a top thereof for discharging the water into a washing tub; and a second water outlet at a location between the water inlet and the first water outlet for discharging the water into the washing tub regardless of a water level in the washing tub.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further having a baffle plate having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion extended inwardly from the second water outlet to inside of the pumping guide member for dividing the water drawn in through the water inlet into portions for the first water outlet and the second outlet.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, further having a streamlined baffle plate extending inwardly from the second water outlet to inside of the pumping guide member for dividing the water drawn in through the water inlet into portions for the first water outlet and the second outlet.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, the pumping guide member including a first portion of a flow path having a sectional area smaller than another portion of the flow path between the water inlet and the second water outlet.

A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first portion is formed at a portion of the flow path positioned to be lower than the second water outlet.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the first portion includes guide ribs for reducing the sectional area.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the guide ribs are provided one each on each

Claims (11)

12- side of the flow path. 8. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the guide ribs is curved. 9. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the guide ribs has more than three bent portions. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the guide ribs includes a region having a slope for reducing the sectional area of the flow path as it goes from a lower portion 10 to an upper portion of the guide ribs. S11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the guide ribs includes a region for making the sectional area greater at a location above the region for reducing the sectional area. 12. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a width of the guide rib is greater than a width of the baffle plate. CCC...

13. A device for pumping water in a washing machine, having a pumping guide member including: a water inlet at one end of the pumping guide member; a first water outlet at another end of the guide member, opposite said one end; and a second water outlet at a location between the water inlet and the first water outlet; the pumping guide member being positionable on the inner surface of a washing tub of the washing machine with the water inlet at the bottom of the washing tub and the first water outlet at the top thereof, and to define a water flow path between the inner surface of the tub and the pumping guide member such that in use water circulating in the tub is pumped from the bottom of the tub through the water inlet and thence on said flow path for discharge into the tub at the top of the tub through said first water outlet and/or for discharge into the tub at an intermediate level via the second water outlet. p:\OPER\KAT\LG.329 26/11197 13

14. A device as claimed in claim 13 further having, on the pumping guide member, a baffle plate positioned for in use dividing the water drawn in through the water inlet into portions for outflow via the first water outlet and the second water outlet.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the baffle plate extends rearwardly from the pumping guide member at a location between the first and second water outlets, but adjacent the second water outlet, and thence extends generally in the direction of extent of the pumping guide member away from the first water outlet to a free end of the baffle plate. 10 16. A device as claimed in one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the pumping guide member has a first portion in use restricting the sectional area of the flow path to be smaller than that prevailing at a portion of the flow path between the water inlet and the second water outlet.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first portion is positioned between the second water outlet and said one end. 9

18. A device as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the first portion includes guide 4: o. iribs for effecting said restricting of the sectional area. 20 19. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the guide ribs are provided such as to be in use one each on each side of the flow path. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein each of the guide ribs is curved.

21. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the guide ribs has more than three angularly disposed portions.

22. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the guide ribs includes a reduction region having a slope arranged whereby in use to reduce the sectional area of the flow path in the direction from a portion of the guide rib closer to said one end to a portion thereof P:\OPER\KAT\LG.329 26/11/97 -14- further from said one end.

23. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of the guide ribs includes a region for in use making the sectional area of the flow path relatively greater at a location closer to said another end of the pumping guide member than the reduction region.

24. A device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the width of each guide rib is wider than the width of the baffle plate. 10 25. A washing machine having a wash tub and means for circulating water therein, fitted e** with a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24. 0 2

26. A device for pumping water in a washing machine substantially as hereinbefore by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant(s) ABSTRACT A device for pumping water in a washing machine, having a pumping guide member including: a water inlet at a bottom thereof for drawing in water; a first water outlet at a top thereof for discharging the water into a washing tub; and a second water outlet at a location between the water inlet and the first water outlet for discharging the water into the washing tub regardless of a water level in the washing tub. o.o ,*o.o