Liquid sensing apparatus, detergent supply apparatus, and washing machine having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077527-B2
Application number	US-201314090063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2013
Priority date	Nov 26, 2012
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A detergent supply apparatus, and a washing machine including the same. The washing machine includes the detergent supply apparatus which includes a detergent container accommodating housing installed in the cabinet and having an opening in the front portion of the cabinet, a detergent container configured to store the detergent and to be removably inserted into the detergent container accommodating housing through the opening of the detergent container accommodating housing, a pump unit installed outside the detergent container, and configured to pump the detergent stored in the detergent container to the detergent container accommodating housing, and a connector unit configured to supply power to the pump unit, and including a first body attached on an outer portion of the pump unit and a second body attached on the detergent container accommodating housing, the first body is electrically connected to the second body by being removably attached to the second body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub disposed in the cabinet; and
a detergent supply apparatus configured to supply detergent to the tub, the detergent supply apparatus comprising:
a detergent housing installed in the cabinet for accommodating a detergent container, and having an opening at a front side of the detergent housing;
a connection pipe provided to the detergent housing to supply water into the detergent housing;
the detergent container configured to store the detergent, and to be removably inserted into the detergent housing through the opening of the detergent housing;
a detergent container cover coupled to an upper side of the detergent container;
a detergent inlet provided to the detergent container cover to fill the detergent into the detergent container through the detergent inlet;
a pump unit coupled to the detergent container, and configured to pump the detergent stored in the detergent container to the detergent housing;
a water supply pipe provided to the detergent housing to supply water mixed with the detergent into the tub; and
a connector unit configured to supply power to the pump unit, the connector unit including:
a first connector disposed at a rear side of the detergent container, and
a second connector disposed at an inside of the detergent housing so that, as the detergent container is inserted into the detergent housing, the first connector couples to the second connector to form an electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector, thereby to supply the power to the pump unit through the electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector of the connector unit;

at least one guide protrusion formed on one of the first connector and the second connector;
at least one accommodating groove formed on the other one of the first connector and the second connector, so that, as the detergent container is inserted into the detergent housing, the at least one guide protrusion is coupled to the corresponding at least one accommodating groove to guide the coupling of the first connector and the second connector to form the electrical connection; and
a sealing member disposed between the first connector and the second connector while the first connector and the second connector are coupled to each other.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide protrusion and the at least one accommodating groove are respectively formed on both side portions of the first connector and on both side portions of the second connector.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein an end portion of the at least one guide protrusion tapers at a predetermined angle to guide coupling with the corresponding at least one accommodating groove.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the guide protrusion further comprises at least one slip prevention member formed on outer surfaces of the at least one guide protrusion so that the at least one slip prevention member provides additional support to secure the coupling of the detergent container and the detergent housing together and prevents the at least one guide protrusion from slipping out of the at least one accommodating groove.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide protrusion further includes at least one hook formed at ends of the at least one guide protrusion, and at least one hook hole are formed with shapes corresponding to the hooks in the at least one accommodating groove so that when the detergent container is inserted into the detergent housing, the at least one hook is caught into the corresponding at least one hook hole to securely couple the detergent container to the detergent housing together.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector includes a plurality of first ribs configured to guide coupling with the pump unit in one side, and a plurality of second ribs arranged to be opposite to the first ribs to guide coupling with the pump unit in another side, and
the distance between the first ribs is different from the distance between the second ribs.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein the second connector includes a plurality of third ribs configured to guide coupling with the detergent housing in one side, and a plurality of fourth ribs arranged to be opposite to the third ribs to guide coupling with the detergent housing in another side, and
the distance between the third ribs is different from the distance between the fourth ribs.

8. The washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein:
the pump unit includes:
a main body, and
a pump unit cover configured to cover at least one portion of the main body, and

the first ribs are coupled with a portion of the pump unit cover, and the second ribs are coupled with a portion of the main body of the pump unit.

9. The washing machine according to claim 7 , wherein the detergent housing further includes a coupling opening into which the second connector is inserted, and the coupling opening includes one or more rib grooves to accommodate at least one of the third ribs and the fourth ribs in one side of the coupling opening.

10. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the connector unit includes one or more connection terminals provided at ends of one or more wires, and at least one of the connection terminals transfers data regarding whether the detergent container has been attached to or detached from the detergent housing.

11. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the pump unit is coupled with a rear portion of the detergent container, and the first connector is attached on a rear portion of the pump unit.

12. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to detect whether the first connector has been coupled with the second connector in order to control supply of the detergent.

13. The washing machine according to claim 12 , wherein the controller detects whether the first connector has been coupled with the second connector, based on a signal generated by coupling of at least one pair of connection terminals provided in the first connector and the second connector.

14. The washing machine according to claim 12 , wherein the controller comprises an electrode sensor provided in one side of the pump unit, and configured to detect water inflows to determine whether to operate the pump unit, and the electrode sensor comprises an assembling unit to couple the electrode sensor with the pump unit, and a sensor to determine whether to operate the pump unit.

15. The washing machine according to claim 14 , wherein the assembling unit is formed in the shape of a screw in which peaks and valleys are alternately arranged.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Back Dong Il
• Song Hyun Woo

Classifications

• G01V3/02

  operating with propagation of electric current · CPC title

• G01R27/00

  Arrangements for measuring resistance, reactance, impedance, or electric characteristics derived therefrom · CPC title

• D06F39/02 Primary

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F2202/12

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F33/02

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic