Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702078-B2
Application number	US-201514720002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A washing machine including a body, a rotary tub disposed inside the body, and a detergent containing unit installed on the body to dissolve a detergent in washing water to supply the detergent. The detergent containing unit includes a housing coupled with the inside of the body, a detergent container contained in the housing to contain the detergent, and a rotary device rotatably coupled with at least part of a path through which the detergent moves to dissolve the detergent in the washing water. A dissolving ability of the detergent may be improved. Also, it is possible to dissolve a solid detergent and a liquid detergent in one detergent containing unit without an additional component. Also, since it is possible to prevent residual detergent from being left in the detergent containing unit after washing, it is unnecessary to additionally use a rinse function to clean the detergent containing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a body;
a tub disposed inside the body; and
a detergent containing unit including:
a housing,
a detergent container housed in the housing,
a siphon pipe vertically extending from a bottom side of the detergent container to communicate an inside of the detergent container with an outside of the detergent container, and
a rotary device rotatable inside the detergent container about the siphon pipe, the rotary device including
a coupled portion detachably coupled to the siphon pipe such that a flow path is formed between an inside of the coupled portion and the siphon pipe, and
a plurality of blades extending radially from the coupled portion.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the detergent container comprises a water supply hole disposed at a side surface of the detergent container such that the rotary device is rotated by water supplied through the water supply hole.

3. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a nozzle device disposed at a side wall of the detergent container, the nozzle device including a washing water inlet hole and at least one air inlet hole to supply water mixed with the air to the detergent container.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the washing water inlet hole of the nozzle device decreases toward the air inlet hole.

5. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the washing water inlet hole and the air inlet hole of the nozzle device are formed as a single member.

6. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the nozzle device comprises:
a nozzle in which the washing water inlet hole is formed; and
a nozzle housing in which the nozzle is inserted and the air inlet hole is formed.

7. The washing machine of claim 6 , further comprising:
an elastic member inserted between the nozzle housing and the nozzle, the elastic member configured to press the nozzle depending on a pressure of the water, which flows into the nozzle, to guide the nozzle to move forward and backward.

8. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the nozzle device further comprises:
an inflow preventer configured to close a flow path through which the water flows, to prevent the water from flowing into the detergent container when the detergent container is withdrawn.

9. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide cover disposed at an upper portion of the housing to supply water into the detergent container.

10. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the guide cover comprises at least one rib configured to extend downward from the guide cover to guide the moving direction of the water.

11. The washing machine of claim 10 , wherein the at least one rib comprises:
a first rib provided on a front side of the guide cover to prevent the supplied water from overflowing a front side of the detergent container;
a second rib configured to extend from a center of the guide cover toward an edge thereof to guide the water to a center of the detergent container; and
a third rib configured to radially extend from the guide cover toward the edge to intensively supply the water to a specific section.

12. The washing machine of claim 10 , wherein the guide cover further comprises a contact preventer provided in a center thereof and located at a level lower than the at least one rib to prevent a contact of the guide cover with the rotary device.

13. A washing machine comprising:
a body;
a rotary tub disposed inside the body;
a detergent housing;
a detergent container accommodated in the detergent housing;
a siphon pipe vertically extending from a bottom side of the detergent container to discharge detergent contained in the detergent container;
a rotary device disposed inside of the detergent container to be rotatable about the siphon pipe; and
a nozzle device configured to supply water into the detergent container to cause the rotary device to rotate.

14. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the nozzle device is coupled to a side wall of the detergent container.

15. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the nozzle device comprises a washing water inlet hole and at least one air inlet hole to mix the water with air and supply the water mixed with the air to the detergent container.

16. The washing machine of claim 15 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the washing water inlet hole decreases toward the air inlet hole.

17. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the rotary device includes:
a coupled portion detachably coupled to the siphon pipe, and
a plurality of blades extending radially from the coupled portion.

18. The washing machine of claim 13 , further comprising:
a guide cover disposed above the detergent container when the detergent container is accommodated in the detergent housing and configured to supply water into the detergent container.

19. A washing machine comprising:
a body;
a rotary tub disposed inside the body; and
a detergent container detachably coupled from inside of the body and comprising a detergent containing space to contain a detergent, wherein the detergent container comprises:
a rotary device disposed in the detergent containing space, and including
a coupling portion, and
a plurality of blades extending radially from the coupling portion, and

a siphon pipe protruding vertically from a bottom side of the detergent container to discharge detergent contained in the detergent container,

wherein the rotary device is rotatable about the siphon pipe by water supplied into the detergent container.

20. The washing machine of claim 19 , further comprising:
a nozzle coupled to a side wall of the detergent container to supply water into the detergent containing space.

21. The washing machine of claim 19 , further comprising:
a guide cover disposed above the detergent container when the detergent container is positioned inside the body, and comprising at least one rib to guide a direction of the water being supplied to the detergent container.

22. A washing machine comprising:
a tub to store water;
a detergent container to store detergent;
a rotary device disposed in the detergent container so that, when water is supplied to the detergent container, the supplied washing-water causes the rotary device to rotate about a vertical axis and thereby agitate the water contained in the detergent container; and
a siphon pipe to discharge the detergent dissolved in the water from the detergent container, wherein at least a portion of the siphon pipe is coupled to the rotary device and extends along the vertical axis.

23. The washing machine of claim 22 , further comprising:
a nozzle to supply the water to the detergent container with a pressure so that the supplied water causes the rotary device to rotate.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sang Up

Classifications

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F39/088

  Liquid supply arrangements · CPC title

• D06F39/02 Primary

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F39/028 Primary

  Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments · CPC title