Washing machine and washing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410278-B2
Application number	US-201214347785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2012
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A washing machine and a washing method, comprises an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, and solid particles as washing medium. The inner cylinder is driven into rotation by a driver device. The inner cylinder has arranged on the inner wall thereof scraper blades that protrude inwards and are bent along the wall of the inner cylinder. The scraper blades drives the particles into obliquely upward or obliquely downward movements and flipping, thus allowing for more fully mixing clothes with 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 device,
wherein, scraper blades which protrude inwards and are bent along an inner wall of the inner cylinder are arranged on the inner wall of the inner cylinder,
the scraper blades drive the particles to move and turn over obliquely upward or downward,
an isolated cylinder with reticular 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 of the inner cylinder,
a baffle is configured to block clothes between the storage space and the inner cylinder,
a channel between the storage space and the inner cylinder is arranged between a circumference of the baffle and an inner wall of the inner cylinder, and
the scraper blades on the inner wall of the inner cylinder extend to the inner wall of the extension part.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein, the scraper blades are spirally set from a bottom to a top of the inner cylinder.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein, a plurality of scraper blades are arranged in parallel,
a projected length of the scraper blades along an axial direction of the inner cylinder is equal to the length of a side wall of the inner cylinder, and
a line between two end points of the scraper blades has an included angle relative to an axis of the inner cylinder.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein, the included angle is an acute angle or obtuse angle.

5. The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein, the number of the scraper blades is 2-10, and
the scraper blades are uniformly set along the wall of the inner cylinder.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5 , wherein, the number of the scraper blades is 5-8.

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

8. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein, a cross section of the scraper blades is streamline.

9. A washing method for use with the washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein,
several scraper blades which protrude inwards are obliquely arranged on the inner wall of the inner cylinder of the washing machine,
during the inner cylinder rotating, driving the particles to move obliquely upward or downward along the scraper blades and turn over within the inner cylinder,
the particles mix with clothes and washing water and turn together, and washing of the clothes is completed.

10. The washing method according to claim 9 , wherein,
driving the inner cylinder to continuously rotate in a same or an opposite inclined direction of the scraper blades,
the particles are driven to move to a side of the inner cylinder by the scraper blades, finishing putting the particles; or
the particles are driven to move away from the inner cylinder by the scraper blades, finishing recycling the particles.

11. The washing method according to claim 9 , wherein, during washing the clothes, putting and recycling the particles, a rotation speed of the inner cylinder and the extension part is 50-150 r/min.

12. The washing method according to claim 10 , wherein,
the scraper blades on the inner wall of the inner cylinder extend to the inner wall of the extension part,
the extension part and the inner cylinder rotate synchronously, and
the particles are driven to move away from the inner cylinder by the scraper blades and are recycled to the storage space.

13. The washing method according to claim 12 , 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 of the inner cylinder rotate with a speed of 100-1000 r/min,
the particles move to the extension part, and realizing the process of dehydration of the particles and the clothes at the same time.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• He Zhengbao
• Lao Chunfeng

Classifications

• D06F37/06

  Ribs, lifters, or rubbing means forming part of the receptacle · CPC title

• D06F39/026 Primary

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

• D06F31/005 Primary

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

• D06F37/04

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

• D06F35/00

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