Detergent supply device for clothes processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12435460-B2
Application number	US-202418599065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2024
Priority date	Oct 26, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a detergent supply device for a clothes treating apparatus including a detergent container, a detergent pump module including a detergent pump and configured to communicate with a valve opening, a valve body configured to communicate with the detergent container at one end thereof, a plunger provided to be movable within the valve body, an opening and closing member provided on the plunger to open or close the valve opening in response to a movement of the plunger, and a sealing member including an outer circumferential sealing portion covering an outer circumferential surface of the valve body, an opening sealing portion extending from the outer circumferential sealing portion to cover at least a portion of an end of the valve body and forming the valve opening, and a sub-sealing portion provided integrally with the valve opening at an end of the opening sealing portion and contacting the opening and closing member when the valve opening is closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detergent supply device for a clothes treating apparatus, comprising:
a detergent container;
a detergent pump module including a detergent pump and configured to communicate with a valve opening;
a valve body configured to communicate with the detergent container at one end thereof;
a plunger configured to move within the valve body;
an opening and closing member provided on the plunger to open or close the valve opening in response to a movement of the plunger; and
a sealing member including:
an outer circumferential sealing portion covering an outer circumferential surface of the valve body,
an opening sealing portion extending from the outer circumferential sealing portion to cover at least a portion of an end of the valve body and forming the valve opening, and
a sub-sealing portion provided integrally with the valve opening at an end of the opening sealing portion and contacting the opening and closing member when the valve opening is closed.

2. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein the opening sealing portion includes a guide portion extending to bend inwardly of the valve body and configured to guide the movement of the plunger.

3. The detergent supply device of claim 2 , wherein the sub-sealing portion is disposed at an end of the guide portion.

4. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein the sub-sealing portion is formed in a ring shape along a surface on the end of the opening sealing portion facing the opening and closing member.

5. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein the outer circumferential sealing portion is integrally formed with the opening sealing portion.

6. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein the sub-sealing portion includes a protrusion protruding from the end of the opening sealing portion.

7. The detergent supply device of claim 6 , wherein:
the opening and closing member includes an inclined surface facing the end of the opening sealing portion, and
the protrusion of the sub-sealing portion is configured to contact the inclined surface of the opening and closing member when the valve opening is closed.

8. The detergent supply device of claim 7 , wherein the inclined surface of the opening and closing member is formed such that a width of the opening and closing member becomes narrower toward a radial direction of the plunger.

9. The detergent supply device of claim 8 , wherein the protrusion of the sub-sealing portion is located in the radial direction of the plunger from a portion of the end of the opening sealing portion that contacts the opening and closing member other than the protrusion.

10. The detergent supply device of claim 6 , wherein the protrusion of the sub-sealing portion is arranged to be in edge contact with the opening and closing member.

11. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein:
the detergent pump module further includes a valve coupling portion configured to receive the valve body, and
the sealing member is configured to seal a gap between an outer surface of the valve body and the valve coupling portion.

12. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the valve body is configured to contact an inner surface of the outer circumferential sealing portion to support an inner side of the sealing member.

13. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the valve body is configured to contact an inner surface of the opening sealing portion to support an inner side of the sealing member.

14. The detergent supply device of claim 12 , wherein the valve body includes:
a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape with a hollow, and
an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion is in contact with the inner surface of the outer circumferential sealing portion.

15. The detergent supply device of claim 1 , wherein an anti-separation portion configured to secure the sealing member is formed on an outer surface of the valve body.

16. A detergent supply device of a clothes treating apparatus includes:
a detergent container,
a detergent pump module including a detergent pump configured to generate pressure for a flow of detergent, and
a valve including:
a valve body having one end in communication with the detergent container, another end provided with a valve opening in communication with the detergent pump module, and a flow path formed therein through which the detergent flows,
a plunger configured to move within the valve body,
an opening and closing member provided on the plunger and configured to open or close the valve opening in response to a movement of the plunger, and
a seal member configured to cover an outer circumferential surface of the valve body and at least a portion of the valve body on a side of the valve opening, and including a sub-sealing portion at one end of the sealing member that contacts the opening and closing member when the valve opening is closed.

17. The detergent supply device of claim 16 , wherein the sub-sealing portion includes a protrusion protruding to contact the opening and closing member when the valve opening is closed.

18. The detergent supply device of claim 16 , wherein the sealing member extends from a portion covering the valve opening to bend inwardly of the valve body.

19. The detergent supply device of claim 16 , wherein the valve body is configured to support the sealing member by being in close contact with an inner side of the sealing member.

20. A detergent supply device of a clothes treating apparatus includes:
a detergent container,
a detergent pump module including a detergent pump and a valve coupling portion, and
a valve coupled to the valve coupling portion so as to connect the detergent container and the detergent pump module, wherein the valve includes:
a valve body configured to communicate with the detergent container,
a plunger configured to move forwardly and backwardly within the valve body,
a sealing member configured to seal a gap between the valve and the valve coupling portion and including:
an outer circumferential sealing portion covering an outer circumferential surface of the valve body,
an opening sealing portion forming a valve opening at one end of the detergent pump module of the valve body, and
a sub-sealing portion provided integrally with the opening sealing portion at an end of the opening sealing portion, and

an opening and closing member coupled to the plunger and configured to selectively open or close the valve opening in response to a movement of the plunger and contacting the sub-sealing portion when the valve opening is closed.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Byeongwoo
• Lee Doyun
• Jo Geonhui
• Sung Jonghun
• Chun Kwangmin
• Jo Youngchul
• Cho Woojin

Classifications

• F16K15/063 Primary

  the valve being loaded by a spring · CPC title

• D06F37/42

  Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door · CPC title

• D06F39/022 Primary

  in a liquid state (D06F39/024 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F39/024 Primary

  mounted on the agitator or the rotating drum; Free body dispensers · CPC title