Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085140-B2
Application number	US-201916267414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 18, 2016
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A washing machine (10) including a wash tub configured by a water tub (13) and a rotary tub (14); a connecting port (21) connected to a water source; a water feeding case (40) connected to the connecting port (21) to receive water from the water source and containing a detergent storing part (42) in which a detergent is stored; a first water feeding port (41) configured to feed water flown into the water feeding case (40) into the wash tub; a minute bubble generator (22) configured to generate minute bubbles in water passing therethrough; a minute bubble water path (B) extending from the connecting port (21) and reaching into the wash tub from the first water feeding port (41) after passing through the minute bubble generator (22) and the detergent storing part (42) inside the water feeding case (40); a tap water path (A) extending from the connecting port (21) to the wash tub without passing through the minute bubble generator (22); a water supplying valve for tap water (31) provided midway of the tap water path (A) and capable of opening and closing the tap water path (A); and a water supplying valve for minute bubble water (32) provided midway of the minute bubble water path (B) and capable of opening and closing the minute bubble water path (B).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a wash tub configured by a water tub and a rotary tub;
a connecting port connected to a water source;
a water feeding case connected to the connecting port to receive water from the water source and containing a detergent storing part in which a detergent is stored;
a first water feeding port configured to feed water flown into the water feeding case into the wash tub;
a minute bubble generator configured to generate minute bubbles in water passing therethrough, the minute bubbles having a diameter ranging from 50 nm to several hundred μm;
a minute bubble water path extending from the connecting port and reaching into the wash tub from the first water feeding port after passing through the inside of the minute bubble generator and the detergent storing part inside the water feeding case;
a tap water path extending from the connecting port to the wash tub without passing through the minute bubble generator;
a water supplying valve for tap water provided within the tap water path and between the connecting port and the water feeding case, and capable of opening and closing the tap water path; and
a water supplying valve for minute bubble water provided within the minute bubble water path and between the connecting port and the water feeding case, and capable of opening and closing the minute bubble water path.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the tap water path is path which does not pass through the detergent storing part and which merges with the minute bubble water path in the water feeding case, and wherein the minute bubble water path merges with the tap water path in the water feeding case after passing through the detergent storing part.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a minute bubble water branching path which is branched in a downstream side of the water supplying valve for minute bubble water and the minute bubble generator in the minute bubble water path and which reaches the wash tub without passing through the detergent storing part, and wherein the minute bubble water branching path reaches the wash tub through a second water feeding port which is different from the first water feeding port.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the second water feeding port feeds water between the water tub and the rotary tub.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a tap water branching path which is branched in a downstream side of the water supplying valve for tap water in the tap water path and which reaches the wash tub without passing through the detergent storing part, and wherein the tap water branching path reaches the wash tub through a second water feeding port which is different from the first water feeding port.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the tap water path does not merge with the minute bubble water path in the water feeding case and reaches the wash tub through a second water feeding port different from the first water feeding port.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the water supplying valve for tap water and the water supplying valve for minute bubble water are configured by the same three way valve.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein in a water supplying step preceding a wash step, a first period is provided in which the minute bubble water containing minute bubbles is supplied to the detergent storing part through the minute bubble generator by opening the water supplying valve for minute bubble water at or before a timing in which a detergent supplied into the detergent storing part is washed down into the wash tub.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8 , further comprising a second period in which water is fed to a set water level by closing the water supplying valve for minute bubble water and opening the water supplying valve for tap water after lapse of the first period in the water supplying step preceding the wash step.

10. The washing machine according to claim 8 , further comprising a third period in which water is fed to a set water level by opening the water supplying valve for minute bubble water and the water supplying valve for tap water after lapse of the first period in the water supplying step preceding the wash step.

11. The washing machine according to claim 8 , wherein the water supplying valve for tap water is also opened during the first period in the water supplying step preceding the wash step.

Assignees

• Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corp

Inventors

• Uchiyama Tomonori
• Sasaki Hironori

Classifications

• B01F23/23122

  having elements opening under air pressure, e.g. valves · CPC title

• B01F25/40

  Static mixers (colloid-mills B02C; mixing valves F16K11/00) · CPC title

• D06F35/002

  using bubbles · CPC title

• D06F39/028

  Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments · CPC title

• D06F39/088 Primary

  Liquid supply arrangements · CPC title