Self-cleaning drum washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10526740-B2
Application number	US-201415513329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Sep 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A self-cleaning drum washing machine, comprises a coaxial drum and outer tub. Cleaning particles are arranged between the drum and the outer tub. Structures between the drum and the outer tub opposite to each other are smooth. A flange is fixedly connected to the bottom of the drum; the outer portion of the flange has a smooth structure or an enclosed cavity is arranged on the outer portion of the drum bottom; the flange is arranged in the cavity; a shaft hole is arranged at the center of the cavity; and a drum shaft sticks into the cavity through the shaft hole and is connected to the flange. The smooth structures go against the attachment of dirt, so that the outer wall of the drum and the inner wall of the outer tub can be conveniently cleaned by the cleaning particles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-cleaning drum washing machine, comprising:
a rotatable drum;
an outer tub coaxially arranged with the rotatable drum; and
cleaning particles arranged between the rotatable drum and the outer tub, wherein:
an inner surface of the outer tub is a smooth surface,
a drum rear of the rotatable drum is a nonporous structure,
a recessed groove is arranged at the drum rear of the rotatable drum, and a flange is arranged at the drum rear of the rotatable drum in the recessed groove and connected to the rotatable drum, and
a sealing plate is arranged at an opening of the groove to cover a whole of the drum rear of the rotatable drum, an enclosed cavity containing the flange is defined between the groove and the sealing plate, and an exterior side of the sealing plate has a smooth planar or a smooth curved surface.

2. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
a shape of the groove is the same as a shape of the flange, and an inner side of the drum rear of the rotatable drum has an inward bulge being a same shape as the flange.

3. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein a first sealing ring is arranged between a shaft hole and a rotatable drum shaft, and a second sealing ring is arranged between the sealing plate and the drum rear of the rotatable drum.

4. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein an inner portion of the outer tub is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface,
a heating tube chamber is arranged at a lowest portion inside the outer tub, the heating tube chamber is a second groove recessed downwardly in a vertical direction,
a heating tube is arranged in the second groove,
and a cover plate is arranged at the opening of the second groove, a side of the cover plate towards the rotatable drum is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface.

5. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein an inner portion of the outer tub is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface,
a heating tube chamber is arranged at a lowest portion inside the outer tub, the heating tube chamber is a second groove recessed downwardly in a vertical direction,
a heating tube is arranged in the second groove,
and a cover plate is arranged at an opening of the second groove, a side of the cover plate towards the rotatable drum is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface.

6. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing plate is fixed to the flange by screws, or the flange and the sealing plate are integrally formed.

7. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein a first sealing ring is arranged between a shaft hole and a rotatable drum shaft, and a second sealing ring is arranged between the sealing plate and the drum rear of the rotatable drum.

8. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein an inner portion of the outer tub is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface,
a heating tube chamber is arranged at a lowest portion inside the outer tub, the heating tube chamber is a second groove recessed downwardly in a vertical direction,
a heating tube is arranged in the second groove,
and a cover plate is arranged at the opening of the second groove, a side of the cover plate towards the rotatable drum is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface.

9. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein one end face of the flange extends into a flat plate to form the sealing plate.

10. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein a shaft hole matching with a rotatable drum shaft is arranged at a center of the sealing plate, and the rotatable drum shaft sticks into the cavity through the shaft hole and is connected to the flange.

11. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein an inner portion of the outer tub is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface,
a heating tube chamber is arranged at a lowest portion inside the outer tub, the heating tube chamber is a second groove recessed downwardly in a vertical direction,
a heating tube is arranged in the second groove,
and a cover plate is arranged at an opening of the second groove, a side of the cover plate towards the rotatable drum is a smooth plane or a smooth curved surface.

12. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 11 , wherein the cover plate is provided with an opening communicating with an interior of the outer tub and the heating tube chamber, the cover plate extends smoothly from the opening downwardly to a position which has a distance from a bottom of the heating tube chamber, and the distance is less than a minimum diameter of the cleaning particles.

13. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 12 , wherein a drainage port is arranged at the lowest portion of the heating tube chamber, the cover plate is located above the drainage port, a position of the opening on the cover plate corresponds to a position of the drainage port, the cover plate extends smoothly from the opening downwardly to a position which has the distance, the distance is less than the minimum diameter of the cleaning particles.

14. The self-cleaning washing machine according to claim 11 , wherein the cover plate is a metal plate with thermal conductivity.

Assignees

• Qingdao Haier Drum Washing Machine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lv Peishi
• Xu Sheng
• Huang Zhenxing
• Peng Xiuwen

Classifications

• D06F37/04

  adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis · CPC title

• D06F39/04

  Heating arrangements · CPC title

• D06F37/12

  adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F37/266

  Gaskets mounted between tub and casing around the loading opening · CPC title

• D06F39/085

  Arrangements or adaptations of pumps · CPC title