Washing machine having blade for circulating wash water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11028518-B2
Application number	US-201615766678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2016
Priority date	Oct 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A washing machine includes an inner tub assembly for accommodating laundry, a pulsator rotatably provided to an inner lower portion of the inner tub assembly, a blade that is provided to a lower portion of the pulsator, that is configured to rotate independently of the pulsator, and that is configured to pump wash water to raise the wash water to an upper end of the inner tub assembly, a drive motor for providing power for rotating the pulsator and the blade, a power transmission unit transmitting the power of the drive motor to the pulsator and the blade, respectively, and a jig disposed between the pulsator and the blade and coupled with the power transmission unit. The jig is fastened to an inner bottom surface of the inner tub assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
an inner tub assembly configured to receive laundry;
a pulsator rotatably provided to an inner lower portion of the inner tub assembly;
a blade installed below the pulsator and rotatable independently from the pulsator, the blade being configured to pump wash water to raise the wash water to an upper end of the inner tub assembly;
a drive motor configured to provide power for rotating the pulsator and the blade;
a washing shaft configured to transmit rotational power of the drive motor;
a power transmission unit configured to transmit the rotational power of the drive motor to the pulsator and the blade; and
a jig disposed between the pulsator and the blade and coupled to the power transmission unit, the jig being fastened to an inner bottom surface of the inner tub assembly,
wherein the power transmission unit comprises:
a sun gear connected to the washing shaft and configured to rotate with the washing shaft,
a plurality of planetary gears configured to rotate based on engaging with an outer circumferential surface of the sun gear,
a carrier comprising a plurality of planetary gear connection shafts that connect the plurality of planetary gears, that penetrate center portions of the plurality of planetary gears, and that are coupled to the plurality of planetary gears,
a ring gear having an inner side engaged with the plurality of planetary gears, and
a gearbox housing that is fixed to the jig and that accommodates the sun gear, the plurality of planetary gears, the ring gear, and the carrier,

wherein the blade is configured to rotate with the sun gear, and
wherein an upper surface of the jig is in contact with a lower surface of the gearbox housing.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the jig extends from an outer circumferential portion of the power transmission unit in a radial direction of the inner tub assembly.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein, when viewed from an upper side of the pulsator, the blade is disposed to be fully hidden.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a base of the inner tub assembly is depressed downward to define a space, and the blade is disposed in the space.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the blade is disposed between a lower portion of the pulsator and a bottom surface of the inner tub assembly.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a base of the inner tub assembly comprises:
a first step portion formed to be stepped, the first step portion surrounding an outer circumferential surface the pulsator; and
a second step portion formed to be stepped at a lower side of the first step portion, the second step portion surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the blade.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein the jig is fastened to a seating surface connected between the first step portion and the second step portion.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the gearbox housing comprises:
a ring gear accommodation groove concavely defined along an inner circumferential surface of the gearbox housing to accommodate the ring gear; and
a plurality of ring gear rotation prevention lugs defined along the ring gear accommodation groove.

9. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the gearbox housing is installed by being inserted into a concave groove defined at a center portion of a bottom surface of the pulsator.

10. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a wash water circulation module guiding the wash water moved by the blade to an upper side of the inner tub assembly to spray the wash water.

11. The washing machine according to claim 10 , wherein the wash water circulation module comprises:
a wash water discharge portion communicatively connected with an outer circumferential portion of the blade to discharge the wash water pumped from the blade;
a filter unit provided with a filter installed therein and installed at an upper end portion of the inner tub assembly, the filter unit spouting the pumped wash water into the inner tub assembly through an outlet directed to an interior of the inner tub assembly; and
a circulation flow channel connecting the wash water discharge portion and the filter unit to circulate the wash water.

12. The washing machine according to claim 10 , wherein the wash water circulation module comprises:
a wash water discharge portion communicatively connected with an outer circumferential portion of the blade to discharge the wash water pumped from the blade,
wherein an end of the jig, a bottom surface of the inner tub assembly, and a coupling member of the wash water discharge portion are disposed to overlap in a thickness direction and triple-fastened by a fastening member.

13. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the jig comprises:
a center coupling portion having a ring structure to surround a lower portion of the gearbox housing;
a plurality of extensions radially extending from the center coupling portion, the plurality of extensions being spaced a distance from each other in a circumferential direction; and
a connection portion connecting the extensions.

14. The washing machine according to claim 13 , wherein the jig comprises:
a plurality of projections protruding from a bottom surface of the center coupling portion and arranged in a circumferential direction, and
wherein air gaps are defined between the projections.

15. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the jig comprises a center coupling portion that defines an opening that receives at least a portion of the gearbox housing, and
wherein an inner circumferential surface of the center coupling portion is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the gearbox housing.

16. A washing machine comprising:
an inner tub assembly configured to receive laundry;
a pulsator rotatably provided to an inner lower portion of the inner tub assembly;
a blade installed below the pulsator and rotatable independently from the pulsator, the blade being configured to pump wash water to raise the wash water to an upper end of the inner tub assembly;
a drive motor configured to provide power for rotating the pulsator and the blade;
a washing shaft configured to transmit rotational power of the drive motor;
a power transmission unit configured to transmit the rotational power of the drive motor to the pulsator and the blade; and
a jig disposed between the pulsator and the blade and coupled to the power transmission unit, the jig being fastened to an inner bottom surface of the inner tub assembly,
wherein the power transmission unit comprises:
a sun gear connected to the washing shaft and configured to rotate with the washing shaft,
a plurality of planetary gears configured to rotate based on engaging with an outer circumferential surface of the sun gear,
a carrier comprising a plurality of planetary gear connection shafts that connect the plurality of planetary gears, that penetrate center portions of the plurality of planetary gears, and that are coupled to the plurality of planetary gears,
a ring gear having an inner side engaged with the plurality of planetary gears, and
a gearbox housing that is fixed to the jig and that accommodates the sun gear, the plurality of planetary gears, the ring gear, and the carrier,

wherein the blade is configured to rotate with the sun gear,
wherein the jig comprises a center coupling portion that defines an opening that receives at least a portion of the ge

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Youngjun
• Kim Youngjong
• Kim Dongcheol
• Yu Insik

Classifications

• D06F17/10

  Impellers · CPC title

• D06F17/08

  Driving arrangements for the impeller · CPC title

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F39/085

  Arrangements or adaptations of pumps · CPC title

• D06F39/10

  Filtering arrangements · CPC title