Patent Grant
10443177
Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No. 10-2016-0100804, filed on Aug. 8, 2016 in Korea, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus.
In general, a laundry treating apparatus is an electric device configured to wash laundry. A related art laundry treating apparatus includes a cabinet defining an exterior; a tub mounted in the cabinet and holding wash water therein; a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and holding clothes (hereinafter, laundry); and an agitator rotatably mounted in the drum and configured to form water currents.
Meanwhile, one of related art laundry treating apparatuses further includes a passage unit provided in the drum and configured to move water to an upper region of the drum when the agitator is rotated; and a filter unit provided in the passage unit and configured to filter water. When the agitator is rotated in the drum, the water pushed by the agitator is drawn into the passage unit provided in an inner wall of the drum and the water drawn into the passage unit is filtered by the filter unit and re-supplied to the drum.
While such a process is repeated, foreign substances, such as lint for example are filtered by the filter unit and the washed clothes are able to remain clean. However, the filter unit provided in the related art laundry treating apparatus includes no member for providing passage resistance to the water drawn into the filter unit, so that the conventional laundry treating apparatus is structured for the water to flow in and out of the filter unit, without any resistance.
Accordingly, if the water containing such lint, foreign substances or the like (hereinafter, lint) is drawn into the filter unit, lint floats in the filter unit and is collected on a surface or bottom of the filter unit once the water is drained from the filter unit. When such a process is repeated, the lint remains in the filter unit whenever the water is drawn into the filter unit and more lint accumulates on the bottom of the filter unit.
In this instance, the lint stuck on the surface of the filter unit is collected in the bottom of the filter unit by its weight and the lint accumulates on the bottom of the filter unit. Even if the filter unit of the related art laundry treating apparatus has a large capacity, the lint is likely to accumulate only on the bottom of the filter unit and the capacity of the filter unit for accommodating the lint is not increased disadvantageously.
Moreover, as the lint accumulates on the bottom of the filter unit, water or new lint might be stopped from getting into the filter unit of the related art laundry treating apparatus disadvantageously. Also, as the lint accumulates on the bottom of the filter unit, the lint might escape the filter unit only to be re-drawn into the drum. Accordingly, the laundry might be contaminated by the re-drawn lint into the drum disadvantageously. Meanwhile, the related art laundry treating apparatus has another disadvantage that the lint might float in the water remaining in the filter unit, because the water fails to be drained from the filter unit quickly.
Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:
As shown in
The tub 3 may include a tub body 31 defining a predetermined space in which water is held and the tub body 31 may be fixed in the cabinet 1 via a tub support unit (or suspension) 35. A tub opening 33 may be provided in a top surface of the tub body 31, in communication with the opening 11.
The tub body 31 may be supplied with water by a water supply unit. The water supply unit may include a water supply pipe 151 connected to the water supply source and a valve 153 for opening and closing the water supply pipe. When the water supply pipe 151 is located in an upper region of the tub body 31, the tub body 31 may further include a water supply hole 37 for drawing the water supplied from the water supply pipe 151 into the tub body 31. The water supply hole 37 may penetrate the top surface of the tub body 31.
The water stored in the tub body 31 may be drained outside the cabinet 1 via a drainage unit. The drainage unit may include a drainage pipe 171 for guiding the water held in the tub body 31 outside the cabinet and a drainage pump 173.
The drum 5 may include a drum body 51 defining a predetermined space in which the laundry is stored. The drum body 51 may be rotatably mounted in the tub body 31 and able to communicate with the opening 11 via a drum opening 53. A plurality of drum penetrating holes 55 may be provided in a circumferential surface and a bottom surface of the drum body 51 to draw the water inside the tub body 31 into the drum body 51.
The drum 5 may further include an agitator unit (or agitator) 57 rotatably provided in the drum body 51. When the agitator unit 57 is rotated, water currents may be generated in the drum body 51.
The agitator unit 57 may be rotated by a drive unit (or drive) 7. The drive unit may include a stator 71 fixed to an outer surface of the tub body 31 and configured to generate a rotating magnetic field, a rotor 73 rotatable by the rotating magnetic field and a rotation shaft 75 connecting the agitator unit 57 and the rotor with each other via the bottom surface of the tub body 31.
The rotation shaft 75 may be perpendicularly arranged with respect to the bottom surface of the tub body 31. The agitator unit 57 may include a hub 751 fixed to the rotation shaft 75 and a vane 573 radially arranged with respect to the hub.
Once the agitator unit 57 is rotated by the drive unit 7, the water stored in the drum body 51 may flow along a rotational direction of the vane 573 within the drum body 51. Although not shown in the drawings, the laundry treating apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure may further include a drum drive unit configured to rotate the drum.
The laundry treating apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure may further include a passage unit (or passage) 8 configured to move the water inside the drum body 51 toward an upper region of the drum from a lower region of the drum and a filter unit or filter 9 configured to configured to filter the water drawn into the passage unit and exhaust the filtered water. The passage unit 8 may include a passage body 81 extending from the lower region of the drum toward the upper region and an inlet passage 811 provided in the passage body 81 and configured to supply water to the filter unit 9. The passage body 81 may be fixed to the drum body 51 and may define an inner circumferential surface of the drum.
As shown in
When the passage 8 is configured to define an inner circumferential surface of the drum body 51, the passage body 81 may be made of the same material as the drum. For example, when the drum 5 is made of stainless steel, the passage body 81 may be also made of stainless steel. When the material of the drum 5 is the same with that of the passage body 81 forming the inner circumferential surface of the drum, a sense of design unity may be provided so as to enhance an internal aesthetic sense of the laundry treating apparatus.
The effect mentioned above may be realized by the passage body 81 made of plastic or the like and a body cover (82, see
The body cover 82 may be made of a material that has the same metal base as the drum body 51 but not the same exact material as the drum body 51, or may be made of the completely same material. In other words, a composition of the stainless steel used in manufacturing the drum body 51 may be different from a composition of the stainless steel used in manufacturing the body cover 82.
When the drum body 51, the agitator unit 57 and the passage unit 8 are made of the same material, the design unity can be maximized. The filter unit 9 may include a body (B) coupled to the passage body 81 via the detaching portion 85, an inlet 913 provided in the body (B) and configured to guide the water supplied to the inlet passage 811 to the body (B), a filter 943 configured to filter the water drawn into the body (B) and guide the filtered water to the drum body 51, and a handle 95 detachably coupling the body (B) to the passage body 81.
As shown in
The first body 91 may include a base 91a parallel with the passage body 81; and a flange 91b projected from the base 91b toward the second body 94 to surround the filter 943. In this instance, the inlet 913 may penetrate the flange 91b.
The second body 94 may be coupled to the first body 91 and configured to form the inner circumferential surface of the drum body 51. A plurality of through holes 941 may be provided in the second body 94 to allow the inside of the body (B) to communicate with the drum 5. In this instance, the filter 943 may be provided as a mesh provided in the through holes 941.
The filter 943 may be provided on only one of the surfaces formed by the body (B) which defines the inner circumferential surface of the drum 5. When the filter 943 is provided on only the surface forming the inner circumferential surface of the drum 5, the pressure of the water exhausted from the filter 943 may be enhanced effectively, compared with a related case where the filter is provided in surfaces of the body (B).
When the pressure of the water filtered through the filter 943 becomes high, water may be strongly injected over the laundry stored in the drum during the rotation of the agitator unit 57. Accordingly, a laundry treating apparatus having a high washing performance may be provided.
A reverse-current preventing unit or flap 97 may be provided in the inlet 913 and the reverse-current preventing unit 97 may be provided on the first body 91 or the second body 92 as a means for opening and closing the inlet 913. The reverse-current preventing unit 97 shown in
A support portion (or support) 96 configured to maintain a gap between the first body 91 and the second body 94 may be provided in the first body 91 or the second body 94. In other words, the support portion 96 may be projected from one of the first and second bodies 91 and 94 toward the other one.
According to
Generally, the first body 91 and the second body 94 may be made of a soft and light material such as plastic, not steel. This may minimize an inertia moment of the drum 5 by lightening the weight of the drum 5 as much as possible. In this instance, the shape of the first and second bodies 91 and 94 might be deformed or damaged by severe vibration generated in the drum 5, the centrifugal force of the rotating drum at a high speed, the impact applied to the laundry held in the drum 5, and other diverse causes, for example.
If the first body 91 and the second body are pushed toward each other, the amount of water flowing into the filter unit 9 may decrease and the filter unit 9 may fail to perform its function. Accordingly, the support portion 96 may keep the gap between the first body 91 and the second body 94, so that the strength of the filter unit 9 may be reinforced and the volume of the filter unit 9 may be maintained so as to secure the amount of the water drawn into the filter unit 9.
According to
The outlet 915 provided in the filter unit may exhaust the water containing the foreign substances in a rotation locus contact direction (R) of the drum 5. In other words, the outlet 915 may be provided in a flange 91b forming a lateral surface of the first body 91.
The second body 94 forming the inner circumferential surface of the drum body 51 may be made of the same material as the drum body 51 so as to form design unity. In other words, the drum body 51 and the agitator unit 57 may be made of stainless steel.
The effect mentioned above may be realized by providing a cover 945 made of the same material as the drum on the surface of the second body 94. The cover 945 may cover only the surface defining the inner circumferential surface of the drum body 51, out of the surfaces of the second body 94. In this instance, the drum body 51, the agitator unit 57, and the cover 945 may be made of the same material (stainless steel or the like).
The cover 945 and the drum body may be made of the same material or made of the same material-based metal, but not the same material. In other words, the cover 945 may be made of a composition of the stainless steel used in manufacturing the drum body 51 different from a composition of the stainless steel used in manufacturing the cover 945.
When the second body 94 forms the inner circumferential surface of the drum body 51, the cover 945 may be provided in the same shape as the second body 94. To couple the second body 94 and the cover 945 to each other, a coupling projection 947 may project from the cover 945 toward the second body 94 and a coupling hole 948 may be provided in the second body 94 so that the coupling projection 947 may penetrate the coupling hole 948.
As shown in
Hereinafter, referring to
The water drawn into the passage unit 8 may be filtered by the filter unit 9 detachably provided in the passage unit 8. More specifically, the water may be filtered by the filter 943 provided in the inner wall of the drum 5 to be re-supplied to the drum 5 or guided by the outlet 915 to be re-supplied to the tub 3.
When such a process is repeated, a large amount of water inside the drum may be supplied to the filter unit 9 and supplied to the drum 5 again to be circulated. Hence, the circulated water may be filtered by the filter unit 9.
Accordingly, foreign substances such as dirt and lint contained in the water held in the tub after being separated from the laundry may be filtered by the filter unit 9. The laundry may be kept in a clean state where the foreign substances, dirt and lint (hereinafter, the foreign substances) are removed from tub 3.
However, when the body (B) forming the passage of the filter unit is provided smooth as shown in
Moreover, the flow rate of the water drawn in the filter unit 9 may not be lowered, so that a change of rate of accumulating foreign substance contained in the water may be reduced. Even when remaining in the body (B) after being filtered by the filter 943, the foreign substances may not be fixed to the body (B). The foreign substances may be separated from the inner wall of the body (B) again and may be resupplied to the body (B).
The foreign substances floating in the body (B) may be more likely to re-enter into the drum 5 after escaping the filter unit 9. Also, the foreign substances not filtered in the body (B) may be collected in the bottom of the filter unit 9, when all of the water is exhausted from the filter unit 9.
Moreover, when the filter unit 9 in accordance with the embodiment is provided with the structure illustrated in
Also, when accumulating near the inlet 913, foreign substances may interfere with the lead-in of the water into the filter unit 9 and may to escape into the inlet 913. In other words, if the amount of the foreign substances stored in the body (B) increases in spite of a stopper 973, the valve body 971 may be rotated outside the body (B) to as to exhaust the foreign substances inside the body (B) outside.
Accordingly, the function of the filter unit 9 may be deteriorated enough to cause contamination of the laundry. To prevent contamination, the body (B) may include a projected unit (or projection) 92 projected from an inner surface as shown in
The projected unit 92 may distribute the foreign substances on the surface of the body (B) uniformly by fixing the foreign substances separated from the water and also increase the amount of the foreign substances accommodated by the body (B). In addition, the projected unit 92 may stop the foreign substances from separating outside the filter unit 9 by preventing the foreign substances filtered from the water from entering into the body (B).
As shown in
The projected unit 92 may occupy much of the volume in the first body, so that the projected unit 92 may be provided in the base 91a of the first body 91. The base 91a may occupy more area than the flange 91b and more projected units 92 may be provided. The projected unit 92 may also be provided in the second body 94. Alternatively, the projected unit 92 may be provided in the second body 94 or flange 91b of the first body 91. That is, the projected unit 92 may be provided in any portion of the body (B), only if capable of increasing the passage resistance of the water drawn into the filter unit 9.
The projection 921 may be projected from one surface of the body (B), perpendicular to the flow direction of the water drawn into the body (B). The water drawn in the filter unit 9 may collide with the projections 921 to slow down the flow rate. While the water is flowing along an outer circumferential surface of the projection 921, the stream line of the water may be changed to generate agitation.
Accordingly, the projections 921 may facilitate the separation of the foreign substances contained in the water so that the foreign substances can be attached to the filter 943 or clogged to the projection 921. Meanwhile, the projection shown in
More specifically, the first projection 921a and the second projection 921b may be sequentially arranged in the body (B). In other words, the first projection 921a and the second projection 921b may be alternatively arranged along a longitudinal direction of the body (B). The first and second projections 921a and 921b may not be provided on the same stream not to be coincident with the flow direction of the water.
As the first projection 921a and the second projection 921b are not provided on the same stream line, the water passing the first projection 921a without collided against the first projection 921a collide with the second projection 921b. The water drawn into the filter unit 9 may collide with the first projection 921a and then generate an eddy. The eddy may facilitate more collisions of the water against the second projection 921b.
Moreover, the eddy may generate an effect of lowering the flow rate of the water moving the body (B), so that the foreign substances contained in the water can be separated from the water easily and that the filtering ability of the filter unit 9 may be enhanced noticeably. Meanwhile, as shown in
The plurality of the second projections 921b may be spaced a preset distance from each other in a parallel direction to the flow direction of the water and in the same direction with the parallel direction of the first projections 921a. The first projections 921a and the second projections 921b may be alternatively arranged, not to be provided on the same line. The number of the first projections 921a may be different from that of the second projections 921b.
Meanwhile, the ribs 922 may be inclined with respect to the direction of the water drawn into the body. Specifically, the ribs 922 may be inclined in the reverse direction of the water flow direction to the body (B). Alternatively, the ribs 922 shown in
When the water is drawn into the filter unit 9, the water may be dispersed and moved toward the flange 91b along the ribs. The, the water may be guided to the end of the body (B) by the surface tension to be drawn into the filter unit 9. At this time, when the amount of the flowing water in the body (B) decreases as the water is released from the filter unit 9, foreign substances may be clogged to the ribs 922 and attached thereto.
As the filter unit 9 is attached to one surface of the drum body 51, the water may be drawn to the upper portion of the body (B) and then released to the lower portion. After that, the foreign substances contained in the water may be caught by the ribs 922 inclined in the reverse direction only to be hooked and stuck to the ribs 922.
When the ribs 922 are inclined, the foreign substances may accumulate easily and be held in a direction toward the lower portion. In this instance, the ribs 922 may include a first rib 922a inclined from a central line 923 of the base parallel with the water flow direction toward one flange 91b along the water flow direction to the body (B); and a second rib 922b inclined from the central line toward the other flange 91b along the water flow direction to the body (B).
The central line 923 may be projected into the first body 91. This may be for the assembling sake of the filter body 9 and the drum body 91 and the central line 923 may be provided as a virtual line passing the central line of the first body.
As shown in
Referring to
Accordingly, water may be able to flow between the first rib 922a′ and the second rib 922b′ smoothly. The water may also be able to flow between the first rib 922a′ and the flange 91b and between the second rib 922b′ and the flange 91b smoothly.
The water drawn into the filter unit 9 may be drawn from one end to the other end of the body (B) smoothly. To enhance the foreign substance filtering and holding ability, the areas of the first and second ribs 922a′ and 922b′ may be increased. In other words, the first rib 922a′ and the second rib 922b′ may be projected as far as the gap between the first body 91 and the second body 94.
Referring to
The separation preventing unit 98 may prevent the foreign substances from moving toward the inlet 913 when the foreign substances attached to the projected unit 92 or the filter 943 are separated by the vibration of the drum 5. The separation preventing unit 98 may be formed in any shape, only if capable of preventing the foreign substances from moving to the inlet 913.
Referring to
While the water is released via the second outlet 915b, the foreign substances held in the body (B) may be attached to the base 91a and held to the projected unit 92 provided in the base 91a more efficiently. Also, the foreign substances may be held to the projected unit 92 and may accumulate on the projected unit 92, not to be separated.
The second outlet 915b may be provided between the projected unit 92, and more specifically between the projections 915b. The projected area of the projections 92 from the body (B) may have a consistent ratio to the entire area of the body (B). In other words, the area of the projected unit 92 may be determined according to a preset ratio to the area of the first body 91 in which the projected unit 92 is projected.
If the projected unit 92 is projected to occupy most area of the first body 91, the water flow to the body (B) may be interfered with enough to deteriorate the function of the filter unit 9. If the projected unit 92 is projected too little, compared with the area of the first body (B), the foreign substance holding and filtering ability may be deteriorated. Accordingly, the projected unit 92 may have a preset area ratio with respect to the body (B) which is a parent area of the projected unit 92.
Referring to
When the projected unit 92 occupies 25% of the first body 91 area, the foreign substance collecting rate rises remarkably. When the area of the projected unit is over 50%, the volume of the water flow to the body (B) may be reduced or too much passage resistance may be generated. Accordingly, it can be expected that the foreign substance collecting rate falls remarkably.
Accordingly, it may be said that the projected unit 92 is able to collect and filter remarkably more foreign substances than the projected unit having the other areas, when the area of the projected unit 92 is a quarter or more of the first body 91 area.
When the projected unit 92 is provided as the projections 921, the area of the projected unit may be a cylindrical surface area (see
The area of the rib (B) may be the area of a surface where the projected unit 92 is provided. When the projected unit 92 is provided on the base 91a of the first body, the area of the projected unit may be the area of the base 91a.
A laundry treating apparatus may comprise a tub holding water; a drum mounted in the tub and holding laundry; a passage provided in the drum and configured to provide a flow passage of the water; an agitator rotatably provided in the drum and configured to move at least a predetermined amount of the water held in the drum when being rotated; and a filter device configured to filter the water flowing along the passage, wherein the filter device includes a body defining a storage space of a foreign substance; an inlet configured to draw the water into the body from the passage; a filter provided in the body and configured to filter foreign substances from the water drawn into the body and supply the water to the drum; and a projected boss projected from the body and configured to hold the filtered foreign substances to the body, wherein an area of the projected boss is between 25% and 50% of the body area.
The projected boss may include a plurality of projections projected along one surface of the body. The plurality of projections may include a first projection provided along a first surface of the body; and a second projection spaced a preset distance apart from the first projection on the first surface and alternatively arranged with the first projection not to be in the same line with the first projection, wherein the first projection and the second projection are projected sequentially.
The projected boss may include a plurality of ribs projected from the body and spaced a preset distance apart from each other. The ribs may be projected in a perpendicular direction to the water flow direction to the body. The ribs may be inclined with respect to the water flow direction to the body.
The ribs may be inclined along the water flow direction to the body. The body may include a base provided parallel to the passage unit and a flange projected from each of both sides of the base and defining a water flow passage and a storage space of foreign substances, with the inlet passing therethrough, and the projected unit may be projected from the base. The projected unit may include a plurality of ribs projected from the body and spaced a preset distance from each other, and the ribs may connect both ends of the flanges with each other.
The projected unit may include a plurality of ribs projected from the body and spaced a preset distance from each other, and the ribs may include a first rib inclined from a central line of the base parallel to the water inflow direction toward one flange along the water flow direction to the body and a second rib inclined from the central line toward the other flange along the water flow direction to the body. The first rib and the second rib may be extended from the central line to the flange and connected with each other at the central line.
The first rib and the second rib may be separated from each other. The first rib and the second rib may be extended from the central line toward the flange, spaced a preset distance from the flange. The base may further include a separation preventing unit projected along the inlet, and the projected unit may be provided in a rear portion of the passage, compared with the separation preventing unit.
The body may include an outlet configured to dispense the water drawn into the body, and the outlet may include a first outlet penetrating the flange and configured to dispense the water in a contact direction of drum rotation locus; and a second outlet penetrating the base and configured to dispense the water in a radial direction of the drum rotation locus. The second outlet may be provided between the projected unit.
The filter may be provided only in one surface forming an inner circumferential surface of the drum out of the surfaces defined by the body. The body may include a first body detachably provided in the passage unit and comprising the base and the flange; and a second body rotatably coupled to the first body and forming an inner circumferential surface of the drum, with the filter fixed thereto.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a cover made of the same material as the drum and fixed to a surface of the second body. The laundry treating apparatus may further include a reverse-current preventing unit provided in the first body or the second body and configured to open and close the inlet, rotatable only toward the inside of the body. The passage unit may include a passage body extended from a lower portion toward an upper portion of the drum and forming an inner circumferential surface of the drum, made of the same material with the drum; and an inlet passage configured to guide the water drawn into the passage body to the inlet.
The laundry treating apparatus may include a filter device to filter water. Furthermore, the laundry treating apparatus may uniformly distribute lint in a filter device to filter water.
Still further, the laundry treating apparatus may uniformly distribute lint in a filter device, not agglomerating the lint at one spot. Still further, the laundry treating apparatus may increase passage resistance in a filter device to allow the filter device to filter the lint contained in the water, when water flows in or out from the filter device.
Still further, the laundry treating apparatus may prevent the lint remaining after being filtered in the filter device from being redistributed to the drum or tub. Still further, the laundry treating apparatus may prevent lint from flowing or floating in the filter device for a long time by releasing the water from the filter device quickly.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2016-0100804 | Aug 2016 | KR | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20110047714 | Kim et al. | Mar 2011 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1693571 | Nov 2005 | CN |
| 202380285 | Aug 2012 | CN |
| 203846309 | Sep 2014 | CN |
| S60-145191 | Jul 1985 | JP |
| 2005-192920 | Jul 2005 | JP |
| 2006-263359 | Oct 2006 | JP |
| 2009-131399 | Jun 2009 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Australian Office Action dated Oct. 30, 2018 issued in AU Application No. 2017213439. |
| Chinese Office Action (with English translation) dated Jun. 5, 2019 issued in CN Application No. 201710670150.7. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180038031 A1 | Feb 2018 | US |
