Washing machine with conduit for supplying water to nozzles at gasket and manufacturing method of the conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11680351-B2
Application number	US-201916430949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2019
Priority date	Jun 4, 2018
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A washing machine includes a casing, a tub, a drum, a circulation pump, an annular gasket connecting between openings of the casing and the tub and including circulation nozzles configured to supply water into the drum, and a conduit fixed to the gasket and guiding water to the circulation nozzles. The conduit includes an inlet port configured to receive water from the pump, a transport pipe configured to guide water from the inlet port to the circulation nozzles, and a supply ports configured to supply water to the circulation nozzles. A method for manufacturing a conduit includes positioning supply ports in a cavity defined at a first mold, forming a parison having a hollow opening by extruding a raw material, positioning the parison in the cavity, combining the first mold and a second mold, and injecting gas into the hollow opening of the parison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine, comprising:
a casing that defines an introduction hole;
a tub that is disposed in the casing and defines an entrance opening configured to communicate with the introduction hole;
a drum rotatably disposed in the tub;
a pump configured to pump water discharged from the tub;
a gasket that has an annular shape and that connects between the introduction hole and the entrance opening;
a plurality of circulation nozzles disposed at the gasket and configured to supply water into the drum; and
a conduit fixed to the gasket and configured to guide water pumped by the pump to the plurality of circulation nozzles,
wherein the conduit comprises:
an inlet port configured to receive water pumped by the pump,
a transport pipe that extends from the inlet port and is configured to guide water received through the inlet port to the plurality of circulation nozzles, and
a plurality of nozzle water supply ports configured to supply water guided along the transport pipe to the plurality of circulation nozzles,

wherein the transport pipe comprises:
an inner diameter part that faces an outer circumferential surface of the gasket,
a plurality of communication holes that are defined at the inner diameter part of the transport pipe and in fluid communication with the plurality of nozzle water supply ports, respectively, and
a plurality of port connection grooves defined at positions corresponding to the plurality of communication holes, each of the plurality of port connection grooves being disposed at a circumference of one of the plurality of communication holes and receiving an entrance portion of one of the plurality of nozzle water supply ports,

wherein the entrance portion of each of the plurality of nozzle water supply ports defines a port opening configured to receive water discharged from a corresponding communication hole among the plurality of communication holes,
wherein the entrance portion of each of the plurality of nozzle water supply ports comprises a flange that extends outward in a radial direction of the port opening and is bonded to an inside of a corresponding port connection groove among the plurality of port connection grooves, and
wherein an outer surface of the flange comprises:
a first surface that extends outward in the radial direction of the port opening and is bonded to a floor of the corresponding port connection groove,
a second surface spaced apart from the first surface to thereby define a thickness of the flange, the second surface being exposed to an outside of the corresponding port connection groove, and
a conical slope that extends from the second surface and is inclined toward the first surface, the conical slope being bonded to the inside of the corresponding port connection groove.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of port connection grooves has a shape corresponding to a shape of the flange and allows the flange to be bonded to the inside of a corresponding port connection groove among the plurality of port connection grooves.

3. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circulation nozzles are disposed at an inner circumferential part of the gasket,
wherein the transport pipe is disposed at an outer circumferential part of the gasket, and
wherein each of the plurality of nozzle water supply ports is configured to pass through the gasket from the outer circumferential part to the inner circumferential part to thereby connect to one of the plurality of circulation nozzles.

4. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the transport pipe is configured to divide and guide water introduced through the inlet port in two directions.

5. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the transport pipe is made of a first material, and the plurality of nozzle water supply ports are made of a second material different from the first material.

6. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the transport pipe comprises:
a first pipe part that extends from the inlet port to a first side of the gasket and that is configured to guide a first portion of water introduced through the inlet port; and
a second pipe part that extends from the inlet port to a second side of the gasket and that is configured to guide a second portion of water introduced through the inlet port.

7. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the transport pipe is symmetrical with respect to the inlet port.

8. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circulation nozzles are arranged at positions on the gasket that are symmetrical with respect to a vertical extension line passing through a center of the gasket.

9. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the second surface is in contact with an outer surface of the inner diameter part of the transport pipe adjacent to the second surface.

10. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the transport pipe has an annular shape extending in a circumferential direction of the gasket, and
wherein the inner diameter part of the transport pipe extends in a longitudinal direction of the transport pipe.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the gasket further comprises a direct water nozzle disposed at an upper portion of the gasket and configured to spray water supplied from a water source, and
wherein the direct water nozzle is disposed vertically above an uppermost circulation nozzle among the plurality of circulation nozzles.

12. The washing machine of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of circulation nozzles are disposed rearward of the direct water nozzle toward the entrance opening of the tub.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Junghoon
• Kim Jaehyun
• Woo Kyungchul
• Im Myunghun
• Jung Hwanjin

Classifications

• B29C48/16

  Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers · CPC title

• B29C48/03

  characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion · CPC title

• D06F37/266 Primary

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

• D06F39/083

  Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements · CPC title

• B29C48/14

  characterised by the particular extruding conditions, e.g. in a modified atmosphere or by using vibration · CPC title