Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11834773-B2
Application number	US-201917054016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2019
Priority date	May 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a washing machine capable of improving solubility of a powder detergent that remains without having been dissolved in mixing water contained in a tub. The washing machine includes a cabinet having a detergent supplier, a tub arranged in the cabinet to be connected to the detergent supplier and containing mixing water in which washing water supplied to the detergent supplier and a powder detergent are mixed, a drum rotatably installed in the tub, a circulation hose connecting between the tub and the drum for the mixing water contained in a lower portion of the tub to be circulated, a detergent dissolution device generating vortex current in mixing water circulated through the circulation hose to improve solubility of the powder detergent, and a circulation pump arranged in the circulation hose and configured to repeatedly supply and discharge mixing water to and from the detergent dissolution device through on/off controlling.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet having a detergent supplier;
a tub arranged in the cabinet to be connected to the detergent supplier and containing mixing water in which washing water supplied to the detergent supplier and a powder detergent are mixed;
a drum rotatably installed in the tub;
a circulation hose connecting between the tub and the drum for the mixing water contained in a lower portion of the tub to be circulated;
a detergent dissolution device generating vortex current in mixing water circulated through the circulation hose to improve solubility of the powder detergent; and
a circulation pump arranged in the circulation hose and configured to repeatedly supply and discharge mixing water to and from the detergent dissolution device through on/off controlling,
wherein the circulation hose comprises a first circulation hose connecting between the tub and the circulation pump, a second circulation hose connecting between the circulation pump and the detergent dissolution device, and a third circulation hose connecting between the detergent dissolution device and the drum, and
wherein the detergent dissolution device comprises a vortex generating member generating vortex current, a flow part in which mixing water having the vortex current generated by the vortex generating member flows, a vortex generating member fixer arranged underneath the flow part to fix the vortex generating member, a first connector arranged underneath the vortex generating member fixer and coupled to the second circulation hose, and a second connector arranged in an upper portion of the flow part and coupled to the third circulation hose.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the detergent dissolution device is arranged at a higher location than the circulation pump.

3. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein when the circulation pump is controlled to be on, mixing water contained in a lower portion of the tub is supplied to the detergent dissolution device through the circulation hose.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein mixing water supplied to the detergent dissolution device stays in the detergent dissolution device for an increased time due to the vortex current generated in the detergent dissolution device, and mixing water with solubility of the powder detergent improved as much as the increased time is supplied to the drum.

5. The washing machine of claim 4 , wherein when the circulation pump is controlled to be off, mixing water supplied into the detergent dissolution device is discharged by gravity toward the circulation pump from the detergent dissolution device.

6. The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein mixing water to be discharged from the detergent dissolution device stays in the detergent dissolution device for an increased time due to the vortex current generated in the detergent dissolution device, and mixing water with solubility of the powder detergent improved as much as the increased time is supplied to the tub.

7. The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the circulation pump is configured to control time to supply and discharge mixing water to and from the detergent dissolution device to prevent the mixing water from overflowing from the detergent dissolution device.

8. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein mixing water is supplied into the flow part or discharged out of the flow part by on/off controlling of the circulation pump.

9. The washing machine of claim 8 , wherein the second connector is arranged at a highest portion of the flow part.

10. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the vortex generating member fixer comprises a linkage part linking the first connector to the flow part, and a fixing projection to fix the current generating member.

11. The washing machine of claim 10 , wherein the vortex generating member comprises a cylindrical rim, an impeller-shaped vortex generator arranged within the rim and generating vortex current, and a fixing groove arranged outside of the rim and fixed by being put on the fixing projection.

12. The washing machine of claim 10 , wherein the vortex generating member comprises a cylindrical rim, a baffle-shaped vortex generator arranged to have a plurality of baffles extend inwards from the rim and generating vortex current, and a fixing groove arranged outside of the rim and fixed by being put on the fixing projection.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Geon Ung
• Cho Hwang Mook
• Kim Jin Baek
• Kim Hyun Joo
• Park Jun Hong
• Seo Eung Ryeol

Classifications

• D06F39/08 Primary

  Liquid supply or discharge arrangements (supply of soap or other washing agents D06F39/02) · CPC title

• B01F21/20

  using flow mixing · CPC title

• B01F25/10

  Mixing by creating a vortex flow, e.g. by tangential introduction of flow components · CPC title

• D06F33/37

  of metering of detergents or additives · CPC title

• D06F39/02

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title