Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10626537-B2
Application number	US-201615283527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A washing machine is provided. The washing machine may include a circulation hose, a water discharge hose, and a pump configured to selectively supply water to the circulation hose and the water discharge hose. The pump may include a pump motor that is reversible and rotatable in a first direction and second direction, an impeller rotated by the pump motor, and a pump housing to provide a space in which the impeller is accommodated. The pump housing may include a supply port, a circulation water discharge port coupled to a second end of the circulation hose, and a water discharge port coupled to the water discharge hose. The water discharge outlet and the circulation water outlet may be arranged in a circumferential direction and spaced apart from each other on a ring-shaped inner surface of the pump housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine, comprising:
a cabinet;
an outer tub provided within the cabinet;
an inner tub to receive laundry, the inner tub provided in the outer tub and being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis;
a circulation nozzle to spray water into the inner tub;
a circulation hose having a first end coupled to the circulation nozzle;
a water discharge hose to allow drainage of water from the outer tub to an outside of the washing machine;
a pump provided below the outer tub and configured to selectively supply water from the outer tub to the circulation hose and the water discharge hose, the pump including:
a pump motor that is reversible and rotatable in a first direction and second direction;
an impeller rotated by the pump motor; and
a pump housing to provide a space in which the impeller is accommodated, the pump housing including:
a supply port to receive water from the outer tub;
a circulation water discharge port coupled to a second end of the circulation hose and providing a circulation water outlet; and
a water discharge port coupled to the water discharge hose and providing a water discharge outlet, wherein the water discharge outlet and the circulation water outlet are arranged in a circumferential direction and spaced apart from each other on a ring-shaped inner surface of the pump housing;

a water discharge prevention rib that protrudes from the inner surface of the pump housing, the water discharge prevention rib located at a downstream side of the circulation water outlet and at an upstream side of the water discharge outlet; and
a circulation water discharge prevention rib that protrudes from the inner surface of the pump housing, the circulation water discharge prevention rib located at a downstream side of the water discharge outlet and at an upstream side of the circulation water outlet, the upstream side and the downstream side being based on a water current generated when the pump motor rotates in the first direction.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the circulation water outlet is provided upstream from a water current generated when the impeller rotates in first direction and is located higher than the water discharge outlet, the circulation water discharge port extends from the circulation water outlet in a first direction with respect to the first rotation of the pump motor, and the water discharge port extends from the water discharge outlet in a direction opposite to the first rotation of the pump motor.

3. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the circulation water discharge port and the water discharge port form an acute angle when the circulation water discharge port and the water discharge port are viewed along a rotational axis of the impeller.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the circulation water outlet and the water discharge outlet are located in a range of about 140 to 170 degrees around a shaft of the pump motor.

5. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the water discharge prevention rib is formed at an edge of the water discharge outlet.

6. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the circulation water discharge prevention rib is formed at an edge of the circulation water outlet.

7. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the water discharge prevention rib and the circulation water discharge prevention rib protrudes about 3 mm to 6 mm from the inside surface of the pump housing.

8. The washing machine of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the water discharge prevention rib and the circulation water discharge prevention rib protrudes at an oblique angle from the inside surface of the pump housing.

9. The washing machine of claim 8 , wherein an arc angle formed between the water discharge prevention rib and the circulation water discharge prevention rib is 75 to 85 degrees.

10. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein centers of the circulation water outlet and the water discharge outlet are spaced apart from each other at a specific interval in a shaft direction of the pump motor.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the supply port extends along a rotational axis of the pump motor.

12. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the pump further includes a check valve to selectively open and close the circulation water outlet or the water discharge outlet in response to a rotation direction of the pump motor.

13. The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein the check valve is rotatably coupled to the inner surface of the pump housing.

14. The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein a rotational axis of the check valve is parallel to a rotational axis of the pump motor.

15. A washing machine, comprising:
a cabinet supported by a base;
at least one tub provided within the cabinet to receive laundry;
a circulation nozzle to spray water into the inner tub;
a first hose having a first end coupled to the circulation nozzle;
a second hose to allow drainage of water from the at least one tub; and
a pump provided below the at least one tub on the base and configured to selectively pump water in the at least one tub to one of the first hose and the second hose, the pump including:
an impeller;
a motor to rotate the impeller in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction and the second direction being opposite directions; and

a pump housing having:
an interior space, the impeller being provided in the interior space;
a supply port to receive water from the at least one tub is introduced;
a first port coupled to a second end of the first hose and having a first channel for the water from the at least one tub to flow into in the first hose when the impeller is rotated in the first direction; and
a second port coupled to the second hose and having a second channel for the water from the at least one tub to flow into the second hose when the impeller is rotated in a second direction, wherein the second port and the first port are spaced apart from each other and extend out from a circumference of the pump housing;

a first prevention rib that protrudes from the inner surface of the pump housing, the first prevention rib formed at a location corresponding to an edge of the first port; and
a second prevention rib that protrudes from the inner surface of the pump housing, the second prevention rib formed at a location corresponding to an edge of the second port.

16. The washing machine of claim 15 , wherein the first port is provided at an upstream and the second port is provided at a downstream when the impeller rotates in the first direction.

17. The washing machine of claim 15 , wherein the second port is provided at an upstream and the first port is provided at a downstream when the impeller rotates in the second direction.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Naeun
• Jung Hwanjin
• Lee Sanghyun
• Koo Bonkwon
• Lee Sunho
• Kim Dongwon

Classifications

• D06F21/06

  about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F17/06

  by rotary impellers · CPC title

• D06F37/40

  for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} · CPC title

• D06F39/085

  Arrangements or adaptations of pumps · CPC title

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title