Washing machine having circulation nozzles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879200-B2
Application number	US-202117521502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2021
Priority date	Jun 27, 2018
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A washing machine includes a gasket including a gasket body that connects a casing to a tub, and a plurality of nozzles spraying water into a drum. The gasket body has a first area and a second area corresponding to bilateral areas. The nozzles include a first nozzle and a second nozzle disposed in the first area sequentially in a bottom-to-top direction. The washing machine includes a distribution pipe for distribution circulating water to the nozzles, and the distribution pipe includes a first outlet port and a second outlet port for supplying water to first and second nozzles, and a third outlet port and a fourth outlet port for supplying water to third and fourth nozzles. The first and second outlet ports extend parallel to each other, and the third and fourth outlet ports extend parallel to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a casing that defines an entry hole at a front surface of the casing;
a tub disposed in the casing and configured to receive wash water, the tub defining an entrance hole at a front surface of the tub;
a drum rotatably disposed in the tub;
a gasket comprising a gasket body that defines a passage connecting the entry hole to the entrance hole of the tub, the gasket body having a first area and a second area corresponding to bilateral areas of the gasket body;
a plurality of nozzles configured to spray wash water into the drum, the plurality of nozzles comprising:
a first nozzle and a second nozzle that are arranged in a bottom-to-top direction at the first area of the gasket body, and
a third nozzle and a fourth nozzle that are arranged in the bottom-to-top direction at the second area of the gasket body;

a pump configured to circulate wash water discharged from the tub;
a circulation pipe configured to guide wash water discharged from the pump; and
a distribution pipe configured to distribute wash water discharged from the circulation pipe to the plurality of nozzles,
wherein the distribution pipe comprises:
an inlet port connected to the circulation pipe and configured to receive wash water discharged from the pump,
a first conduit part that is disposed at the first area on an outer circumferential surface of the gasket body and extends from the inlet port along the outer circumferential surface of the gasket body, and
a first outlet port and a second outlet port that protrude from the first conduit part toward the outer circumferential surface of the gasket body, that are coupled to the gasket, and that are arranged in the bottom-to-top direction at the first conduit part, the first and second outlet ports being connected to the first and second nozzles, respectively,

wherein the first conduit part includes:
a first port connection part from which the first outlet port protrudes,
a second port connection part from which the second outlet port protrudes, and
a surrounding part that extends from the first port connection part to the second port connection part, and

wherein a width of the first port connection part in a front-rear direction is greater than a width of the surrounding part in the front-rear direction.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional flow area of the second outlet port is greater than a cross-sectional flow area of the first outlet port.

3. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet port and the second outlet port extend from the first conduit part in a same direction and parallel to each other.

4. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein a horizontal distance between the first outlet port and a vertical line passing through a center of the gasket body is greater than a horizontal distance between the second outlet port and the vertical line.

5. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit part comprises an inner circumferential part that defines a first flat surface facing the gasket body and having a flat shape, and
wherein the first outlet port protrudes from the first flat surface toward the gasket body.

6. The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the first outlet port extends in a direction orthogonal to the first flat surface.

7. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit part comprises an inner circumferential part that defines a second flat surface facing the gasket body and having a flat shape, and
wherein the second outlet port protrudes from the second flat surface toward the gasket body.

8. The washing machine of claim 7 , wherein the second outlet port extends in a direction orthogonal to the second flat surface.

9. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet port is disposed lower than half a height of the gasket body, and
wherein the second outlet port is disposed higher than half the height of the gasket body.

10. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the gasket further comprises a first port receiving pipe and a second port receiving pipe that protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the gasket body, the first and second port receiving pipes being configured to receive the first and second outlet ports, respectively, and
wherein the first and second port receiving pipes are configured to communicate with the first and second nozzles, respectively.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the distribution pipe further comprises:
a second conduit part disposed at the second area on the outer circumferential surface of the gasket body and extends along the outer circumferential surface of the gasket body from the inlet port, and
a third outlet port and a fourth outlet port that protrude from the second conduit part toward the outer circumferential surface of the gasket body, that are coupled to the gasket, that are arranged in the bottom-to-top direction, the third and fourth outlet ports being connected to the third nozzle and the fourth nozzle, respectively.

12. The washing machine of claim 11 , wherein the first outlet port and the third outlet port are disposed symmetrically with respect to a reference line that bilaterally divides the gasket body.

13. The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein the second outlet port and the fourth outlet port are disposed symmetrically with respect to the reference line.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jang Hosung
• Kim Kwanghyun
• Kim Sunghoon
• Choi Jaehyun
• Kang Yohwan
• Kim Hansol
• Ryu Hwanchan
• Lee Hyunjae

Classifications

• D06F37/266 Primary

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

• D06F37/04

  adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis · CPC title

• D06F39/083

  Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements · CPC title

• D06F39/088

  Liquid supply arrangements · CPC title

• D06F39/085

  Arrangements or adaptations of pumps · CPC title