Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299844-B2
Application number	US-201916578097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A washing machine includes a washing tub which accommodates laundry, a pulsator disposed in the washing tub, a drive which rotates the pulsator, a dehydration shaft connected to the washing tub, a solenoid, a clutch provided at a lower side of the solenoid to perform a shaft-joint connection between the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft at a connection position and to perform a shaft-joint release between the drive shaft and the dehydration shaft at a disconnection position lifted from the connection position by a magnetic force of the solenoid, a bearing disposed above the solenoid and supporting the dehydration shaft, and a bearing housing which receives the bearing and the solenoid. The bearing housing includes a first fixing core surrounding an outer circumference of the bearing, and a second fixing core extended downward from the first fixing core and surrounding an outer circumference of the solenoid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine, comprising:
a washing tub provided to accommodate laundry therein;
a dehydration shaft configured to rotate the washing tub, the dehydration shaft having a hollow portion therein;
a pulsator rotatably disposed in the washing tub;
a drive shaft passing through the hollow portion of the dehydration shaft, the drive shaft configured to rotate the pulsator;
a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic field when a current is applied to the solenoid;
a clutch lifted along the dehydration shaft from a lower side of the solenoid when the current is applied to the solenoid, the clutch being configured to selectively transmit rotation of the drive shaft to the dehydration shaft;
a bearing configured to rotatably support the dehydration shaft, the bearing being located at an upper side of the solenoid; and
a bearing housing configured to receive the bearing and the solenoid therein, the bearing housing comprising:
a first fixing core surrounding an outer periphery of the bearing and contacting the outer circumference of the bearing; and
a second fixing core extended downward from the first fixing core, the second fixing core surrounding an outer periphery of the solenoid to fix an arrangement of the solenoid,
wherein the first fixing core and the second fixing core are integrally formed.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the second fixing core has an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the first fixing core.

3. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the solenoid is supported by an upper end portion of the second fixing core.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the solenoid comprises a bobbin and a coil wound around the bobbin,
wherein the bobbin comprises:
a bobbin body portion providing an aperture through which the dehydration shaft passes, the bobbin body portion including an outer circumferential surface around which the coil is wound; and
an upper plate portion extended radially outward from an upper end of the bobbin body portion, and

wherein the upper end portion of the second fixing core supports the upper plate portion.

5. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising a water storage tub to contain water therein,
wherein the washing tub is located in the water storage tub,
wherein the bearing housing comprises:
an upper bearing housing coupled to a bottom surface of the water storage tub; and
a lower bearing housing located below the upper bearing housing, the upper bearing housing and the lower bearing housing defining a space to accommodate the bearing therein,

wherein the lower bearing housing comprises:
a ring-shaped coupling flange portion coupled to the upper bearing housing; and
a housing side portion extended downward from an inner diameter portion of the coupling flange portion,

wherein the lower bearing housing comprises the first fixing core and the second fixing core, and
wherein the second fixing core defines an opening through which the dehydration shaft passes.

6. The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the solenoid comprises a bobbin and a coil wound around the bobbin, the bobbin providing an aperture through which the dehydration shaft passes, and
wherein the opening of the second fixing core has a diameter larger than a diameter of the aperture of the bobbin.

7. The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the lower bearing housing comprises:
a housing lower plate portion extended radially inward from a lower end of the housing side portion, and through which the dehydration shaft passes;
wherein the first fixing core extends downward from the housing lower plate portion.

8. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the clutch comprises:
a clutch coupler movable along the dehydration shaft between a first position and a second position, the dehydration shaft being connected to the drive shaft when the clutch coupler is in the first position, and the dehydration shaft being disconnected from the drive shaft when the clutch coupler is in the second position; and
an armature fixed to the clutch coupler, the armature being movable by the solenoid to thereby move the clutch coupler from the first position to the second position.

9. The washing machine of claim 8 , wherein the armature comprises:
a core base located below the second fixing core, the core base extending outward from the clutch coupler; and
a core outer portion extending upward from an outer periphery of the core base.

10. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein an uppermost end of the core outer portion is spaced apart from a lowermost end of the second fixing core when the clutch coupler is in the first position.

11. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein a distance between the dehydration shaft and an uppermost end of the core outer portion is larger than a distance between the dehydration shaft and a lowermost end of the second fixing core.

12. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein an uppermost end of the core outer portion is located higher than a lower end of the second fixing core when the clutch coupler is in the second position.

13. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the core base includes an opening through which the dehydration shaft passes,
wherein the armature further comprises a core inner portion extended upward from the core base at the opening,
wherein the clutch coupler is secured to the core inner portion, and
wherein the clutch coupler comprises a synthetic resin material.

14. The washing machine of claim 8 , further comprising:
a motor having a rotor; and
a rotor hub connecting the rotor to the drive shaft,
wherein the clutch coupler is engaged with the rotor hub in the first position and separated from the rotor hub in the second position.

15. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member configured to apply a biasing force to the clutch in a direction biasing the clutch coupler toward the first position.

16. The washing machine of claim 15 , wherein the solenoid comprises:
a bobbin through which the dehydration shaft passes; and
a coil wound around the bobbin, and
wherein the elastic member is a coil spring disposed between the bearing and the clutch.

17. A washing machine, comprising:
a washing tub provided to accommodate laundry therein;
a dehydration shaft configured to rotate the washing tub, the dehydration shaft having a hollow portion therein;
a pulsator rotatably disposed in the washing tub;
a drive shaft passing through the hollow portion of the dehydration shaft, the drive shaft configured to rotate the pulsator;
a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic field when a current is applied to the solenoid;
a clutch lifted along the dehydration shaft from a lower side of the solenoid when the current is applied to the solenoid, the clutch being configured to selectively transmit rotation of the drive shaft to the dehydration shaft, the clutch being movable along the dehydration shaft between a first position and a second position, the dehydration shaft being connected to the drive shaft when the clutch is in the first position, and the dehydration shaft being disconnected from the drive shaft when the clutch is in the second position;
a bearing configured to rotatably support the dehydration shaft, the bearing being located at an upper side of the solenoid; and
a bearing housing configured to receive the bearing and the solenoid therein, the bearing housing comprising a ferromagnetic material, the bearing housing including a cylindrical portion surrounding an outer circumference of t

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jeonguk
• Pyo Joonho
• Lee Taehee

Classifications

• F16D27/00

  Magnetically- {or electrically-} actuated clutches; Control or electric circuits therefor (clutches with magnetisable particles F16D37/02; {with electro-rheological fluids F16D37/008}) · CPC title

• F16D11/14

  with clutching members movable only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• D06F37/30

  Driving arrangements  (control circuits or arrangements D06F34/08) · CPC title

• F16D27/09

  and with interengaging jaws or gear-teeth · CPC title

• H01F27/24

  Magnetic cores · CPC title