Washing machine and washing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9404210-B2
Application number	US-201214347766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2012
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A washing machine and a washing method, comprises an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, and solid particles as a washing medium. The inner cylinder is driven into rotation by a driver unit. A side wall of the inner cylinder is spirally shaped and drives the particles into a spiral movement and flipping within the inner cylinder. When the inner cylinder is spinning, the screw thread drives the particles into flipping in all directions, back-and-forth and up-and-down, within the inner cylinder, thus allowing for increased mixing between clothes and the particles, for simplified washing process while also for improved cleaning rate, and for facilitated recycling of the particles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A washing machine, comprising an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, and solid particles as washing medium, the inner cylinder being driven to rotate by a driver unit,
wherein, a side wall of the inner cylinder is spirally shaped, and the particles are driven to move and turn spirally within the inner cylinder,
an isolated cylinder with reticulated structure configured to separate clothes from the particles is arranged along an inner side of the inner cylinder,
a storage space configured to store the particles is arranged in the washing machine, and the storage space communicates with the inner cylinder
the storage space configured to store the particles is an extension part of the inner cylinder extending from one side,
a baffle is configured to block clothes between the storage space and the inner cylinder, and
a side wall of the extension part and the side wall of the inner cylinder are continuously spirally shaped.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a screw thread is disturbed all over the side wall of the inner cylinder from a bottom to a top.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein,
a bottom and a top of the isolated cylinder are connected fixedly with a bottom and a top of the inner cylinder respectively.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein,
a channel configured to communicate the storage space with the inner cylinder is provided between a circumference of the baffle and the inner side wall of the inner cylinder.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4 , wherein a cross section of a screw thread on the inner cylinder and the extension part is streamline.

6. The washing machine according to claim 4 , wherein, a screw thread on the inner cylinder and the extension part is equal screw-pitch thread or unequal screw-pitch thread.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a cross section of a screw thread on the inner cylinder and the extension part is streamline.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein, a screw thread on the inner cylinder and the extension part is equal screw-pitch thread or unequal screw-pitch thread.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8 , wherein,
the screw-pitch of the screw thread on the inner cylinder and the extension part is greater than or equal to 5 mm,
a height of a cross-section of the screw thread is greater than or equal to 5 mm.

10. The washing machine according to claim 9 , wherein,
the screw-pitch of the screw thread on the inner cylinder and the extension part is 8-15 mm;
the height of the cross-section of the screw thread is 8-15 mm.

11. A washing method for use with the washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein,
the side wall of the inner cylinder of the washing machine is spirally shaped,
during rotating of the inner cylinder, the particles as a washing medium are driven to spirally move and turn within the inner cylinder, thus the particles mix with the clothes and washing water and turn together, and
washing of the clothes is completed.

12. The washing method according to claim 11 , wherein,
driving the inner cylinder to continuously rotate according to a same direction or an opposite direction of the screw thread,
the particles are driven to move to the side of the inner cylinder by a screw thread, finishing putting the particles; or
the particles are driven to move away from the inner cylinder by the screw thread, finishing recycling the particles.

13. The washing method according to claim 12 , wherein,
a storage space configured to store the particles is an extension part of the inner cylinder extending from one side,
a side wall of the extension part and the side wall of the inner cylinder are continuously spirally shaped,
the extension part and the inner cylinder rotate synchronously,
the particles are driven to move away from the inner cylinder by the screw thread and be recycled to the storage space.

14. The washing method according to claim 13 , wherein,
after the particles are recycled to the extension part, or before the particles are recycled to the extension part, or when the particles are recycled to the extension part, the inner cylinder and the extension part rotate with a speed of 100-1000 r/min,
thus the particles move to the extension part, and realize a process of dehydration and regeneration of the particles and the clothes at the same time.

15. The washing method according to claim 12 , wherein,
during washing the clothes, putting and recycling the particles, the inner cylinder rotates with a speed of 50-200 r/min.

16. The washing method according to claim 11 , wherein,
during washing the clothes, putting and recycling the particles, the inner cylinder rotates with a speed of 50-200 r/min.

Assignees

• He Zhengbao
• Lao Chunfeng
• Haier Group Technique R & D Center
• Haier Group Corp

Inventors

• He Zhengbao
• Lao Chunfeng

Classifications

• D06F31/005 Primary

  consisting of one or more rotating drums through which the laundry passes in a continuous flow · CPC title

• D06F35/00

  Washing machines, apparatus, or methods not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• D06F37/04

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

• D06F39/026 Primary

  the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid · CPC title