Patent Application
20170233917
The present disclosure relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a washing machine and a washing method for saving washing water, uniformly turning, laundry unentangled.
At present, the washing method of a pulsator washing machine is to flip laundry through a special water flow which is formed by the rotation of the pulsator or the rotation of both pulsator and inner tub together. And in the process the water flow exerts force on the laundry so that through its own friction, the pulsator and the inner tub wall friction, repeatedly washing to achieve the purpose of cleaning. The shape of pulsator in the pulsator washing machine is ever-changing such as dish-shaped pulsator, rod-shaped pulsator, cup-shaped pulsator, etc. But no matter how the shape of the pulsator changes, the ultimate goal, without exception, is to improve the degree of washing and reduce clothing winding. However, the high degree of cleanliness and low winding rate are contradictory, often the degree of cleanliness improves and the winding is more severe, or the winding rate decreases and the degree of cleanliness decreases as well. The existing pulsator washing machine consumes a lot of water, has a long washing time, uses a big amount of washing detergent, and the laundry is easily getting winded which causes laundry unevenly washing and easy to deformation. The laundry is washed by the impact force of the water generated by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the inner tub, and the laundry is usually carried out as a whole to complete the washing process. Although the water flow also plays the effect of erosion, it is not enough loose the winded laundry, the whole laundry is wound together as a whole mass.
In order to improve the degree of washing, a high angular velocity and rotational speed of the pulsator are needed during washing. The water flow generated by the centrifugal force drives the laundry to move along a direction, but that will eventually lead laundry winded together, so that the laundry will be torn, especially high-end clothing, more vulnerable to damage. In addition, only depending on single water flow in the washing process, the movement form is simple and fixed and the washing efficiency in the inner tub is low, more washing is required to complete the washing effect on the entire laundry.
In addition, when this kind of washing machine operates, the pulsator rotates or swings which generates a circular flow. Since the movement of the laundry in the tub depends on fluid motion or hydrodynamic forces, it is also necessary to fill the automatic washing machine with a pulsator at the bottom with washing water in order to achieve the desired toroidal rollover mode, wherein the height of washing water added to the tub must be sufficient to completely immerse the fabric loaded into the washing tub, which would require a large amount of water to be consumed. In addition, due to the large amount of water, in order to achieve sufficient detergent concentration, it is necessary to increase the amount of detergent which the washing costs are high, and the water resources also cause a certain degree of pollution.
Ordinary pulsator-type washing machine is driven by the pulsator clockwise and counterclockwise alternating movement. Through the friction generated between laundries, laundry and water, it is to improve the cleaning effect. Because the use of more powerful water, the drawbacks are winding with relatively large, washing uneven, and water consumption. Double power washing machine adopts pulsator and inner tub reverse rotation, increases the friction between laundries, laundry and water to enhance the cleaning effect. However, due to the shape of the pulsator, the washing water flow is similar to the one of the ordinary pulsator type washing machine, with strong positive and negative alternating movement. Although the cleaning effect is improved, the winding problem is still limited. Ordinary double power pulsator, commonly used large round pulsator, this pulsator is similar to a basin, the middle concave. If it wants to flip the laundry, a strong water flow is needed to drive the laundry to flip through water and laundries are easy to be wrapped together. The number of laundries flipped up and down is small during the whole washing process.
A Chinese patent application No. 200620101772.5 discloses a washing machine pulsator, comprises a circular chassis and a water stirring rib arranged on the chassis. Wherein, the chassis is high in circumference and low in center, so as to form a concave circular arc spherical surface. The water stirring rib includes a central water stirring rib, a main water stirring rib and an auxiliary water stirring rib. The central water stirring rib is located at the center of the chassis; the main water stirring rib is radially arranged on the chassis, and the two sides thereof are provided with outward inclined inclines. The auxiliary water stirring rib is also set in the radial on the chassis, and its sides are also equipped with outward inclined bevel, and the main water stirring rib and auxiliary water stirring rib are spacing settings. The height of the central water stirring rib is greater than the height of the main water stirring rib, and the height of the main water stirring rib is greater than the height of the auxiliary water stirring rib.
In view of the foregoing, the present disclosure is proposed.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a washing machine and a washing method for saving washing water, increasing the frequency of laundry turning up and down, increasing the clean ratio and cleaning uniformity, reducing the washing time, and reducing the entanglement between laundries, in order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
In order to achieve the object, the present disclosure adopts the following technical scheme: a washing machine comprising a washing tub and a pulsator at a bottom of the washing tub, the pulsator including a pulsator disk and a plurality of stirring blades arranged on a surface of the pulsator disk, wherein the pulsator disk is a disk-like structure with a bulge at center, each stifling blade extends from the center of the pulsator disk to an edge, and a plurality of strip-shaped ribs are vertically arranged on an inner wall of the washing tub.
There is a distance between an outside edge of the pulsator and a bottom edge of the inner wall of the washing tub, and a tub bottom outer ring is arranged between the outside edge of the pulsator and the bottom edge of the inner wall of the washing tub. A junction of the tub bottom outer ring and the inner wall of the washing tub is circumferentially provided with a plurality of bumps projecting from the tub bottom outer ring and the inner wall of the washing tub. It can promote the overturning of the laundry inside the washing tub.
A ratio of a width of the tub bottom outer ring to a radius of the pulsator is in a range from 1:5 to 1:3, preferably 1:4, a number of the bumps is in a range from 3 to 15, preferably a range from 6 to 12, and a ratio of a height of the bumps to a height of the pulsator is in range from 1:3 to 1:2, preferably 1:2.4.
A number of the strip-shaped ribs is in a range from 3 to 6, a plurality of strip-like ribs are uniformly provided on the inner wall of the washing tub, and a ratio of a protruding height of the strip-shaped ribs to the width of the tub bottom outer ring is in a range from 1:2 to 1:1, preferably 1:1.5.
A height of an upper surface of the stirring blades that extends from the center to the edge of the pulsator disk changes as: ascending from the center of the pulsator disk to a highest position and then descending, to form an inclined ramp transition with the edge of the pulsator disk.
The stirring blade comprises at least two ribs which are respectively inclined toward both sides in an extension direction of the stirring blades to form a twisted stirring blade structure. The stirring blade in the extension direction is a straight line or a curve. The stirring blade in the extension direction being a curve means that curvatures or slopes of projections of at least two ribs of the stirring blades in the pulsator disk surface are different, or the stirring blades are at least composed of a combination of an arc-shaped rib and a straight line rib.
The stirring blade comprises a first segment rib adjacent the center of the pulsator disk and a second segment rib adjacent the edge of the pulsator disk. The first segment rib and second segment rib are respectively inclined to surfaces of the pulsator disk on different sides in the extension direction of the stirring blades, an inclination of the first segment rib and second segment rib to a vertical plane of the surface of the pulsator disk with respect to a line where the stirring blades and the surface of the pulsator disk surface intersect is less than or equal to 35°, two side surfaces of the stirring blades and the surface of the pulsator disk are smooth transition, preferably, projections of the first segment rib and the second segment rib on the surface of the pulsator disk are two-segment arcs, centers of the arcs are respectively located on both sides of the stirring blades.
A center angle between two ends of the stiffing blades is in a range from 15° to 90°, preferably the center angle between the two ends of the stirring blades is in range from 30° to 60°.
A plurality of decorative areas is arranged on the surface of the pulsator disk between the two stirring blades, and the decorative area is provided with water permeable holes. The decorative area is shallow grooves with different size and water-trail-shaped, a depth is in a range from 1 to 5 mm, the shallow groove is provided with at least one water permeable hole.
A washing method of the washing machine of the present disclosure comprises, during washing process, laundry is loaded into the washing tub and detecting loads, water is flooded in to a water level corresponding to the loads, so that a weight of the wet laundry falls on the pulsator, then the laundries in the washing tub as a whole being driven to rotate reversely by a plurality of strip-shaped ribs on the inner wall of the washing tub and a plurality of bumps on the tub bottom outer ring rotating relative to the pulsator in a small angle, the pulsator pushing the laundries in the center of the pulsator up through the slope of the stirring blades and a pulsator center part, and pushing the laundries on the bottom and at a periphery of the pulsator to the center, it achieves the laundry in the tub doing a constantly rapid floral-like overturn from the center to the periphery, and controlling the pulsator to rotate as a fixed rotation stop ratio to wash or using different rotation stop ratios corresponding to different load rates to wash.
The technical proposal of the present disclosure brings the following beneficial effects:
1. In the disclosure, the pulsator disk of the pulsator adopts a disk-like structure, and the laundry need only be soaked during the washing process. Compared with the conventional basin-type structure, the disclosure can save a large amount of washing water.
2. The new pulsator structure in the disclosure can greatly increase the number of times of the laundry to be overturned in washing, and the laundry on the bottom can be flipped from the center upwards and then flipped downwards to the outside, so that the laundry can be fully overturned. In this way, the cycle of continuous overturn can improve the cleaning effect and washing uniformity, reduce the winding between the laundry.
3. In the present disclosure, the pulsator has a twisted stirring blade structure. When the pulsator is rotated in the forward and reverse directions, a certain force can be exerted on the laundry, thereby causing the laundry to form a circulating overturning path. Especially reducing the water can increase the friction between pulsator and laundry, and the same concentration of detergent solution needs less detergent. It can save water, meanwhile the amount of detergent is saved relatively to reduce the pollution of the drainage. Each washing can save about 20%-40% of the water needed.
4. In the present disclosure, the relative reciprocating rotation amplitude of the pulsator and the inner tub is small, the laundry is not easy to be winded after washing, and the laundry is evenly distributed in the tub after washing to be favorable for the subsequent dewatering stationarity.
5. In the present disclosure, a plurality of ribs are provided on the inner wall of the washing tub and a plurality of bumps are provided on the tub bottom outer ring to facilitate the relative movement of the laundry in the washing tub relative to the pulsator, promote the laundry circulation to overturn.
Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are further described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Wherein: 1. pulsator, 2. pulsator disk, 3. stirring blade, 4. tub bottom outer ring, 5. pulsator center, 6. decorative areas, 7. water permeable holes, 8. bumps, 9. strip-shaped ribs, 10. inner wall of washing tub, 31. first segment rib, 32. second segment rib.
The washing machine of the present disclosure comprises a washing tub, a rotatable pulsator and a motor, the motor drives the pulsator to rotate forwardly and reversely during washing. As shown in
Further, the stirring blades 3 in an extension direction are straight lines or a curves. The stirring blade in the extension direction being a curve means curvatures or slopes of projections of at least two convex ribs of the stirring blade in the pulsator disk surface are different, or the stirring blade is at least composed of a combination of an arc-shaped rib and a straight line rib. So that when the pulsator is rotated in the forward and reverse directions, a certain force can be exerted on the laundry, thereby causing the laundry to form a circularly overturning path.
A washing machine of the present embodiment, comprises a washing tub and a pulsator 1 at a bottom of the washing tub. The pulsator 1 includes a pulsator disk 2 and a plurality of stirring blades 3 arranged on a surface of the pulsator disk, wherein the pulsator disk 2 is a disk-like structure with a bulge at center, and each stirring blade 3 extends from the center of the pulsator disk to an edge. An inner wall of the washing tub 10 is vertically provided with a plurality of strip-shaped ribs 9. A number of the strip-shaped ribs is in a range from 3 to 6, a plurality of strip-like ribs are uniformly arranged on the inner wall of the washing tub. A ratio of a protruding height of the strip-shaped ribs to a width of a tub bottom outer ring is in a range from 1:2 to 1:1, preferably 1:1.5. The strip-shaped ribs 9 can drive the laundry in the washing tub as a whole to reversely rotate relative to the pulsator 1 in a small angle. The laundries move along the height of the stirring blades toward the center of the inner tub while rotating, and at the same time, it gradually rises up to the center of the inner tub. The pulsator pushes the laundries in the center of the pulsator up through the slope of the stirring blades and a pulsator center part, and pushes the laundries at a periphery of the pulsator to the center. It achieves to wash and rinse the laundry in the tub by doing a constantly rapid floral-like overturn.
A ratio of a protruding height of the strip-shaped rib to the width of the tub bottom outer ring is in a range from 1:2 to 1:1, that is the protruding height of the strip-shaped rib is half of the width of the tub bottom outer ring. In this way, when the friction between laundry and the strip-shaped ribs drive the laundry to rotate reversely relative to the pulsator 1 in a small angle and rotates the angle occupied by one stirring blade, it is ensured that the laundry can reach an innermost side (the center of the inner tub) from the outermost side of the stirring blades (the outer side of the inner tub) along the ascending arc of the stirring blades, and then overturns outwards to form a floral-like state. When the inner tub continues to rotate, the next overturning cycle is entered. When the ratio of 1:1.5, the effect is the best.
The strip-shaped rib comprises a first rib with strip-shaped, one side of the first rib is mounted on a side wall of the washing tub, and a second rib has a shape which is formed by extending outside in an arc from a center portion of a side of the first rib opposite to the side mounted on the side of the washing tub first close to a center and perpendicular to the side, then extending outside in an arc far away from a center and perpendicular to the side, wherein the center portion is a certain distance from the edge. The strip-shaped ribs of this shape are able to have a contact with the laundry to get a better friction. The arc-shaped curved surface of the second rib edge can accumulate a certain amount of washing water. When the strip-shaped rib is able to contact the laundry to rub, the washing water flows to the laundry and has a certain impact on the laundry and improves the cleaning rate of the washing.
As shown in
The edge of the pulsator 1 is a certain distance from a bottom edge of the inner wall 10 of the washing tub, and a tub bottom outer ring 4 is arranged between the outside edge of the pulsator and the bottom edge of the inner wall 10 of the washing tub. A ratio of the width of the tub bottom outer ring and a radius of the pulsator is in a range from 1:5 to 1:3, preferably 1:4.
A junction of the tub bottom outer ring 4 and the inner wall 10 of the washing tub is circumferentially provided with a plurality of bumps 8 projecting from the tub bottom outer ring 4 and the inner wall 10 of the washing tub. A number of the bumps is in a range from 3 to 15, preferably 6 to 12, a ratio of a height of the bump to a height of the pulsator is in a range from 1:3 to 1:2, preferably 1:2.4.
A plurality of bumps 8 can drive the laundry at the corners of the tub bottom and the tub wall to rotate, and prevent the laundry from stacking at a corner of the tub bottom and the tub wall that can't be washed. A plurality of bumps 8 can drive the laundry in the washing tub as a whole to reversely rotate relative to the pulsator 1 in a small angle. The laundries move along the height of the stirring blades toward the center of the inner tub while rotating, and at the same time, it gradually rises up to the center of the inner tub along the stirring blades, and then overturns outwards to form a floral-like state. When the inner tub continues to rotate, the next overturning cycle is entered. When the ratio of a height of the bump to a height of the pulsator is 1:2.4, the effect is the best.
The strip-shaped ribs 9 on the inner wall of the washing tub 10 and the bumps 8 on the tub bottom outer ring 4 can drive the laundry in the washing tub as a whole to reversely rotate relative to the pulsator 1 in a small angle. The pulsator 1 pushes the laundries in the center of the pulsator up through the slope of the stirring blades 3 and a pulsator center part, and pushes the laundries at a periphery of the pulsator 1 to the center. It achieves the laundry in the tub doing a constantly rapid floral-like overturn to wash or rinse. It can effectively improve the cleaning effect and washing uniformity.
As shown in
As shown in
A washing method of the washing machine of the present disclosure comprises, during washing process, loading laundry into the washing tub, detecting loads, flooding in water to a water level corresponding to the loads. An amount of water is less to make a weight of the wet laundry fall on the pulsator. The laundry after washing is not easy to wind, and the laundry after washing in the tub is evenly distributed to facilitate the subsequent smoothness of dehydration. Then the laundries in the washing tub as a whole are driven through a plurality of strip-shaped ribs on the inner wall of the washing tub and a plurality of bumps on the tub bottom outer ring to rotate reversely relative to the pulsator in a small angle. The pulsator pushes the laundries in the center of the pulsator up through the slope of the stirring blades and a pulsator center part, and pushes the laundries on the bottom and at a periphery of the pulsator to the center. It achieves the laundry in the tub doing a constantly rapid floral-like overturn from the center to the periphery, controlling the pulsator to rotate as a fixed rotation stop ratio to wash or using different rotation stop ratios corresponding to different load rates to wash.
Reducing the washing water can increase the friction between pulsator and laundry, the same concentration of detergent solution needs less detergent. It can save water, meanwhile the amount of detergent is saved relatively to reduce the pollution of the drainage. Each washing can save about 20%-40% of the water needed. Reducing the washing water level, the laundry is not easy to wind after washing, and laundry after washing in the tub is evenly distributed to facilitate the subsequent smoothness of dehydration.
The fixed rotation stop ratio is: rotating for 0.5 s˜2.4 s, stop for 0 s˜1.8 s, the time of rotating includes the time of forward and reverse rotating, the time of stop including forward and reverse stop.
The frequency conversion rotation stop ratio corresponding to different loads is: rotating for 0.7 s, stop for 0.1 s, the time of rotating includes the time of forward and reverse rotating, the time of stop including forward and reverse stop. The load weight is different and the frequency is different. See the table below:
A washing machine of the present disclosure includes an automatic washing machine and a twin-tub washing machine. During the washing process, the laundry is loaded into the washing tub and detecting the load, water is flooded in to a water level corresponding to the load, wherein the water level is lower than or equal to the load height, and the weight of wet laundries falls on the pulsator. During the washing process, by controlling the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator to produce different water flows, a variety of water flow are combined to circulate in single order or multiple alternations to break the load balance and make laundries scattered, evenly flip washing, and maintain load balancing overturn.
Further, by controlling the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator, three types of water flow are generated during the washing process: stirring water flow, strengthening water flow and balancing water flow. First washing proceeds with the stirring water flow to completely wet laundries, and evenly overturn to wash. After washing with the stirring water flow for a while, washing proceeds with the strengthening water flow to make laundries scattered and fully overturned so that laundries are fully washed. At last it is achieved to maintain load to overturn circularly in a balanced manner with the balancing water flow. The washing process is controlled to circulate the stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing water flow in single order or multiple alternations
The rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow and the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the balancing water flow may be the same or different in the present disclosure. The operation time of the stirring water flow and the operation time of the balancing water flow may be the same or different. When the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow and the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the balancing water flow are the same, the purpose of the balancing water flow is to maintain the load to overturn in a balance, not to break the load balance, as a reason, the stirring water flow breaks the load balance to make laundries scattered and then the strengthening water flow makes laundries overturned so that laundries are evenly distributed and start to wash and overturn. Therefore, when the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow and the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the balancing water flow are the same, in fact two water flows have the same mode of operation but with different functions. After maintaining balance washing and overturning for a certain time, the washing process is completed. Or the washing process is not completed and further washing is needed, there is a tendency that laundries are entangled at this situation. In order to have a better evenly washing and avoid the potential entanglement, a circulation washing mode comprising the stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing water flow is adopted. In the above circulation washing by alternating water flows, each cycle when the balancing water flow and stirring water flow are in convergence, the rotation stop ratios of the pulsator corresponding to the two water flows are combined into one driving mode, driving time is the sum of the operation times of the two water flows.
After washing, the drive motor rotates and stops to drive dehydration and draining for a set time, the spray rinsing is carried out. At this time, the washing machine does not drain and the driving motor operates intermittently to rotate and stop.
During the draining process in rinsing, the drive motor operates intermittently to rotate and stop for the dehydration at the same time. During the dehydration process, the washing machine operates dehydrating by using the non-drainage, drainage alternate way, and the drainage is braked after the end of the dehydration. Most of the water in the laundry is thrown out and drained during the rinsing and draining process. In the dehydration stage, due to lower water content in laundries, in a certain period of time, water being thrown out from laundries does not require immediate discharge. Some thrown out water is accumulated during this period of time, and then drained in the next set time period, and then not drainage, drainage, alternately conducted, at last drained in braking. The dehydration process of the drainage, non-drainage alternate can save power consumption of the drainage device. Preferably, the drive motor uses intermittent way to operate at the early stage of dehydration in the dehydration process.
Further, the water level meets that the water can wet laundries and laundries cannot float off the surface of the pulsator. The water level is below the height of laundries. During the washing process, it can increase the friction between pulsator and laundries, and facilitate the laundries being dragged to the pulsator center.
The stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing water flow of the present disclosure are controlled by driving the pulsator to rotate at different rotation stop ratio of the pulsator, and the strength of the strengthening water flow is greater than the strength of the stirring water flow. The great strength of the strengthening water flow can increase the rotation degree of load.
The strength of the strengthening water flow is greater than the strength of the stirring water flow. When the drive unit of the washing machine is a variable frequency direct drive motor, the intensity of the stirring water flow is adjusted according to the load. The larger the load is, the greater the intensity of the stirring water flow.
The rotation stop ratios of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing flow of water is adjusted according to the load, the larger the load is, the greater the rotation stop ratios of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing flow of water are.
The washing machine sets different gears according to different ranges of the load which at least includes a first load indicating a minimum load range. In washing with the strengthening water flow corresponding to the first load, during a set working time of the strengthening water flow, the pulsator rotates in one direction according to the rotation stop ratio for a set time, then rotates in the reverse direction according to the rotation stop ratio for a set time. When washing with the stirring water flow and the balancing water flow corresponding to any load and the strengthening water flow corresponding to load other than the first load, the pulsator rotates forwardly and reversely according to the corresponding rotation stop ratio.
Specifically, when a rated load of the washing machine is M, the first load is set to be greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.3M, the second load is set to be greater than 0.3M and less than or equal to 0.7M, and the third load to be greater than 0.7M and less than or equal to M. According to different models and different rated load, the division is also different.
For the rotation stop ratios of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing water flow, each time a rotation time is 0.2-3.0 s, and a stop time is 0-3.0 s. The arbitrary time within the two ranges is combined into the rotation stop ratio corresponding to the stirring water flow, the strengthening water flow and the balancing water flow.
Specifically, for the rotation stop ratio of the pulsator corresponding to the stirring water flow and the balancing water flow, each time the rotation time is 0.2-3.0 s, and the stop time is 0-3.0 s. The arbitrary rotation time and stop time within the two ranges are combined into the rotation stop ratio corresponding to the stirring water flow and the balancing water flow.
The rotation stop ratio corresponding to the strengthening water flow, each time the rotation time is 0.2-3.0 s, and stop time is 0-3.0 s. The two arbitrary rotation time and stop time within the two ranges are combined into the rotation stop ratio corresponding to the strengthening water flow.
The above description is only preferred embodiments of the disclosure. It should be noted that without departing from the principle of the present disclosure, various variations and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure by persons skilled in the art all belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201410407782.0 | Aug 2014 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2014/087884 | 9/30/2014 | WO | 00 |
