Washing machine and operating method for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191203-A1
Application number	US-201515314639-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a washing machine including: a washing tub connected with an outer rotor and an outer shaft; a pulsator connected with an inner rotor and an inner shaft; and a planetary gear set mounted between the inner rotor and the pulsator and between the outer rotor and the washing tub, to thus reduce a rotational force of the inner shaft, wherein at least one of the pulsator and the washing tub is rotated during performing a washing stroke by allowing the washing tub to be rotated for a period of time when the pulsator is stopping, to thus minimize a washing machine stop time during performing a washing stroke to thereby enhance a running rate and improve washing efficiency.

First claim

1 . A washing machine comprising:
a washing tub connected with an outer rotor and an outer shaft; a pulsator connected with an inner rotor and an inner shaft; and a planetary gear set mounted between the inner rotor and the pulsator and between the outer rotor and the washing tub, to thus reduce a rotational force of the inner shaft, wherein at least one of the pulsator and the washing tub is rotated during performing a washing stroke by allowing the washing tub to be rotated for a period of time when the pulsator is stopping.

2 . The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the inner shaft comprises: a first inner shaft connected to the inner rotor; and a second inner shaft connected to the pulsator, and the outer shaft comprises: a first outer shaft connected to the outer rotor; and a second outer shaft connected to the washing tub.

3 . The washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the planetary gear set comprises: a ring gear that connects between the first outer shaft and the second outer shaft; a sun gear coupled to the first inner shaft; a planetary gear meshed with an outer surface of the sun gear and an inner surface of the ring gear; and a carrier rotatably supported by the planetary gear and connected to the second inner shaft.

4 . The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the outer rotor performs a braking action by using an electromagnetic brake or by allowing the outer rotor to rotate in the same direction as the inner rotor, to thus transmit the rotational force of the inner rotor to the pulsator.

5 . A method of operating a washing machine, the method comprising the steps of:
rotating an inner rotor in a clockwise (CW) direction; transmitting a rotational force of the inner rotor to a pulsator, by using an electromagnetic brake in the outer rotor or by allowing the outer rotor to rotate in the same direction as the inner rotor; releasing the braking action of the outer rotor when a rotational time of the pulsator reaches a set time; and rotating the inner rotor in a counterclockwise (CCW) direction.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of transmitting the rotational force of the inner rotor to the pulsator is characterized in that, when the outer rotor acts as a brake, the ring gear connected to the outer rotor acts as a brake and an input applied to the sun gear connected to the inner rotor is outputted to a carrier associated with the pulsator through the planetary gear.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein when an RPM (Round Per Minute) of the outer rotor is a set value or above in the step of releasing the brake of the outer rotor, the RPM of the outer rotor is adjusted to maintain the set value or less.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the ring gear performs the braking action, by using an electromagnetic brake in the outer rotor or by allowing the outer rotor to rotate in the same direction as the inner rotor.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the pulsator and the washing tub are simultaneously rotated to implement dual-power in the step of transmitting the rotational force of the inner rotor to the pulsator.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of releasing the braking action of the outer rotor is performed by releasing the electromagnetic brake of the outer rotor or by rotating the outer rotor.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pulsator and the washing tub are simultaneously rotated to thus implement a dual-power in the step of releasing the brake of the outer rotor.

12 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of adjusting the RPM of the outer rotor to allow the RPM of the outer rotor to maintain a set value or less when the RPM of the outer rotor is the set value or higher.

13 . A washing machine comprising:
a washing tub connected with an inner rotor and an outer shaft; a pulsator connected with an outer rotor and an inner shaft; and a planetary gear set mounted between the outer rotor and the pulsator and between the inner rotor and the washing tub, to thus reduce a rotational force of the inner shaft, wherein at least one of the pulsator and the washing tub is rotated during performing a washing stroke by allowing the washing tub to be rotated for a period of time when the pulsator is stopping so as to be rotated in a reverse direction.

14 . A method of operating a washing machine, the method comprising the steps of:
rotating an outer rotor in a clockwise (CW) direction; transmitting a rotational force of the outer rotor to a pulsator by allowing an inner rotor to perform a braking action, by using an electromagnetic brake in the inner rotor or by allowing the inner rotor to rotate in the same direction as the outer rotor; releasing the braking action of the inner rotor when a rotational time of the pulsator reaches a set time; and rotating the outer rotor in a counterclockwise (CCW) direction.

Assignees

• Amotech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Byung Soo
• Ko Hyung Hwan
• Kim Hak Rok
• Lee se ki

Classifications

• D06F37/30

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

• D06F37/40 Primary

  for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} · CPC title

• D06F37/206

  Mounting of motor · CPC title

• D06F37/24

  in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F37/304

  Arrangements or adaptations of electric motors · CPC title