WASHING MACHINE

Abstract

A full-automatic washing machine with a simple shaft system including a single rotating shaft to generate a composite current of wash water while having a pulsator and a drum integrally rotated during a washing cycle and a spin-dry cycle, thereby improving the washing power is provided. The washing machine includes a tub configured to store wash water, a drum disposed inside the tub, a driving apparatus to rotate the drum, and a circulating duct to guide wash water at a lower portion of the drum toward an upper portion of the drum. The drum includes a cylindrical body portion having an open upper and a lower surface, a bowl portion coupled to the lower surface of the body portion and having a center opened, and a bottom portion configured coupled to the center of the bowl portion to cover the center of the bowl portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to, and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0128651, filed on Dec. 2, 2011 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a washing machine having a drum rotated to perform a washing cycle and a spin-dry cycle, and more particularly, to a washing machine having a plurality of water current generating units to improve the washing power.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a washing machine may be classified as a full-automatic washing machine to perform a washing operation by stirring a laundry and wash water and generating a water current through the rotation of a plusator, and/or as a drum-type washing machine to perform a washing operation by dropping a laundry using a lifter that is formed on a drum.

The full-automatic washing machine may be varied in a control method for the washing cycle and the spin-dry cycle. In general, during the washing cycle, a drum does not rotate and a pulsator provided at a lower portion of the drum rotates, so the laundry has friction with the drum by a water current that is generated by the rotary force of the plusator, thereby performing the washing operation.

During the spin-dry operation, the drum and the plusator simultaneously rotate, and the laundry is subject to a centrifugal force, thereby performing the spin-dry operation through the centrifugal force.

Accordingly, in order that a rotary power of a driving motor is transmitted only to the pulsator except for the drum or transmitted to both of the drum and the pulsator, the full-automatic apparatus is needed to have an axis interchange apparatus having a complicated structure.

An example of a washing machine having a drum integrated with a pulsator to substantially rotate the drum and the pulsator during the washing cycle and the spin-dry cycle is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0102907. However, the washing machine is provided only at a lower portion thereof with a rotating blade to generate a current of wash water, and requires a large power consumption to supply a sufficient washing power.

SUMMARY

It is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a full-automatic washing machine capable of rotating a drum during a washing operation, and ensuring a sufficient washing power with a small power consumption.

It is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a full-automatic washing machine capable of improving the washing power by generating an additional current of wash water separately from a current of wash water that is generated by the pulsator.

It is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a full-automatic washing machine capable of improving the washing power by having wash water rapidly circulated between a lower portion and an upper portion of the drum.

Additional aspects of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a washing machine includes a tub, a drum, a driving apparatus and a circulating duct. The tub may be configured to store wash water. The drum may be disposed at an inside the tub to accommodate a laundry. The driving apparatus may be configured to rotate the drum. The circulating duct may be configured to guide wash water at a lower portion of the drum toward an upper portion of the drum. The drum may include a body portion, a bowl portion and a bottom portion. The body portion may be provided in a cylindrical shape having an upper surface and a lower surface that are open. The bowl portion may be fixedly coupled to the lower surface of the body portion, and may have a center opened. The bottom portion may be configured fixedly coupled to the center of the bowl portion to cover the center of the bowl portion. The body portion, the bowl portion and the bottom portion may simultaneously rotate during a washing cycle and a spin-dry cycle. The bottom portion and the body portion may be provided with a first water current generating unit and a second water current generating unit, respectively, to generate a current of wash water rising at an inside the drum. The bowl portion may be provided with a third water current generating unit to generate a current of wash water circulating toward an upper portion of the drum through the circulating duct.

The driving apparatus may include a driving motor to generate a rotary power, and a shaft flange to transmit the rotary power of the driving motor. A shaft portion of the shaft flange may be coupled to the driving motor. A flange portion of the shaft flange may be coupled to the bowl portion. The body portion and the bottom portion may be fixed to the bowl portion such that the body portion and the bottom portion may be rotated together with the bowl portion as the bowl portion is rotated.

The circulating duct may include an inlet, an outlet, and a duct body portion connecting the inlet to the outlet. The inlet may be provided at the bowl portion. The outlet may be provided at an upper side of the body portion. The duct body portion may be provided at an outer circumferential surface of the body portion. The wash water of the drum may be discharged to an outside the drum through the inlet, and after rising, falls from an upper side of the drum.

The first water current generating unit may include at least one first rotating blade that protrudes upward and integrally formed with the bottom portion.

The second water current generating unit may include at least one second rotating blade coupled at an inner circumferential surface of the body portion. The second rotating blade may be inclinedly coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the body portion.

The at least one second rotating blade may be disposed at an equal interval in a circumferential direction of the drum.

The at least one second rotating blade may be screwed to the inner circumferential surface of the body portion.

The third water current generating unit may include at least one opening that is provided along a circumferential direction of the bowl portion, and at least one shovel provided at the at least one opening to lift wash water of an outside the drum toward an inside the drum.

The shovel may include an inclination portion and a support portion. The inclination portion may have one edge making contact with a body of the bowl portion while having the remaining edges being spaced apart from the body of the bowl portion. The support portion may be configured to support the inclination portion by connecting left and right side edges of the one edge to the body of the bowl portion.

The shovel may be fixedly coupled to the body of the bowl portion through welding.

The wash water lifted to the inside the drum through the shovel may be moved through the circulating duct.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a washing machine includes a tub, a drum and a driving apparatus. The tub may be configured to store wash water. The drum may be disposed at an inside the tub to accommodate a laundry. The driving apparatus may be configured to rotate the drum. The driving apparatus may include a driving motor to generate a rotary power, and a shaft flange to connect the driving motor to the drum to transmit the rotary power of the driving motor. The shaft flange may be connected only to the drum so as to transmit the rotary power of the driving motor only to the drum. At least one first rotating blade may be provided on a bottom surface of the drum to generate a current of wash water. At least one second rotating blade may be provided on an inner circumferential surface of the drum to generate a current of wash water. A circulating duct may be provided at an outer circumferential surface of the drum to guide wash water at a lower portion of the drum toward an upper portion of the drum.

The second rotating blade may be configured to guide a current of wash water generated by the first rotating blade upward.

The circulating duct may include a plurality of flow passages to guide water at the lower portion of the drum to the upper portion of the drum, and a middle wall to partition the plurality of flow passages from one another.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a washing machine includes a tub, a drum, a driving apparatus, and a circulating duct. The tub may be configured to store wash water. The drum may be disposed at an inside the tub to accommodate wash water. The driving apparatus may be configured to rotate the drum. The circulating duct may be configured to guide wash water of the drum to an upper portion of the drum. At least one opening may be formed at a lower portion of the drum. A shovel provided with an inclination portion configured to lift wash water of an outside the drum toward an inside the drum is provided on the opening.

The circulating duct may include an inlet provided at a lower portion of the drum, an outlet provided at an upper portion of the drum, and a duct body portion connecting the inlet to the outlet.

The duct body portion may be provided at an outside the drum.

The inlet may be disposed at a side biased in a circumferential direction of the shovel.

As described above, a strong water current is generated by a first rotating blade provided at a lower portion of the drum, a second rotating blade provided at an inner surface of the drum, and a shovel provided at a bowl portion.

In addition, the improved washing power reduces the wash water required for the washing operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a drum of the washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second rotating blade of the washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a shovel of the washing machine in accordance an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a circulation duct of the washing machine in accordance an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a rising water current through the shovel of the washing machine in an the embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 illustrates a washing machine 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, the washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body 10 forming an external appearance of the washing machine, a tub 30 to store wash water, and a drum 50 rotatably disposed inside the tub 30 to accommodate laundry.

The body 10 includes an inside space to accommodate the tub 30. The body 10 may be provided at an upper surface thereof with an input opening 11 to input and withdraw the laundry, and a door 12 to open and close the input opening 11. The tub 30 may be disposed inside the body 10 by a suspension apparatus 31.

The body 10 may be provided at an upper side thereof with a water supply hose 14 connected to an outside water supply source to supply the tub 30 with wash water, and a detergent box 13 connected to the water supply hose 14 to supply the tub 30 with detergent.

The tub 30 may be provided at a lower side thereof with a driving apparatus 20 to supply a rotary power to the drum 50. The driving apparatus 20 includes a driving motor 21 to generate a rotary power, a shaft flange 24 to transmit the rotary power generated by the driving motor 21 to the drum 50, and a bearing housing 23 installed at a lower side of the tub 30 to support the shaft flange 24.

The shaft flange 24 includes a shaft portion including a driving shaft 25, and a flange portion 26 formed at an end of the driving shaft 25 so as to rotate together with the driving shaft 25 while being coupled to a lower surface of the drum 50. The flange portion 26 of the shaft flange 24 includes a plurality of arms radially extending from an end of the driving shaft 25. The flange portion 26 may be fixedly coupled to a rim of the lower surface of the drum 50 through a fastening member. Accordingly, the rotary power of the driving motor 21 is transmitted from the center of the drum 50 to the outside in a distributed manner, thereby reducing a load imposed on the driving motor 21.

The drum 50 may be provided in the form of a hollow cylinder, and rotatably disposed at an inside the tub 30. A plurality of through-holes 63 are formed through a side of the drum 50 to communicate the inside with the outside of the drum 50. A balancer 51 may be provided at an upper side of the drum 50.

The bearing housing 23 may be formed of an aluminum alloy, and may be formed in an insert manner during the injection of the tub 30. A bearing 22 may be installed between the bearing housing 23 and the driving shaft 25 of the shaft flange 24 to smoothly rotate the driving shaft 25.

The washing machine 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a single driving shaft 25 to rotate the drum 50 without having an additional rotating shaft and an axis interchange apparatus.

A bottom portion (see, for example, bottom portion 80 in FIG. 2) of the drum 50 may be integrally coupled to the drum 50, and rotates together with the drum 50 as an integral body. Accordingly, the washing machine 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure rotates the bottom portion 80 together with the drum 50, not only during a spin-dry cycle, but also a washing cycle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a drum of the washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a second rotating blade of the washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a shovel of the washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates a circulation duct of the washing machine in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a rising water current through the shovel of the washing machine in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the drum 50 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body portion 60 provided in a cylindrical shape, a bowl portion 70 coupled to a rim of a lower portion of the body portion 60 to support the body portion 60, and the bottom portion 80 coupled to an open center 72 of the bowl portion 70 to cover the open center 72 of the bowl portion 70.

The body portion 60 may be formed of a stainless material, and provided with at least one second rotating blade 62 configured to generate a current of wash water together with the plurality of through-holes 63.

The second rotating blade 62 may be provided at an inner surface of the body portion 60. The second rotating blade 62 may be formed separately from the body portion 60, and may be firmly coupled to the body portion 60 through a fastening member such as screws, to prevent a separation from the body portion 60.

The second rotating blade 62 may be provided in an elongated bar shape. A plurality of units 62 of second rotating blade may be provided at an equal interval on the inner surface of the body portion 60. For example, six units 62 of second rotating blade may be at an interval of 60 degrees.

The second rotating blade 62 may be inclinedly coupled to the inner surface of the body portion 60. An inclination angle of the second rotating blade 62 may be provided in varied degrees. For example, the second rotating blade 62, as illustrated in FIG. 3, may be inclined at an inclination angle of about 45 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane. The second rotating blade 62 may have a horizontal length L1 of 300 mm, a vertical length L2 of 300 mm, and a width W of 30 mm while having a protruding length of about 20 mm from the inner surface of the drum 50. Further, at least some of a plurality of the second rotating blades 62 may have different inclination angles with each other or the plurality of the second rotating blades 62 may be provided in an alternative way with same inclination angles and different orientations in order to make an upward current of wash water, both in a case of a clockwise rotation of the drum 50 and in a case of a counter-clockwise rotation of the drum 50.

The upper surface and the lower surface of the body portion 60 are open, and the laundry may be input or withdrawn with respect to the drum 50 through the open upper surface of the body portion 60. In addition, the open lower surface of the body portion 60 is covered by the bowl portion 70 and the bottom portion 80 that are to be described later.

The bowl portion 70 is installed at the rim of the open lower surface of the body portion 60 to support the body portion 60. The flange portion 26 of the shaft flange 24 described above is coupled to the lower surface of the bowl portion 70 to transmit the rotary power of the driving motor 21 to the bowl portion 70. The bowl portion 70 is coupled to the body portion 60 through a seaming bonding. Accordingly, the rotary power transmitted to the bowl portion 70 is transmitted to the body portion 60.

A rim of the bowl portion 70 is provided with at least one opening 78 allowing the wash water of outside the drum 50 to be introduced to an inside the drum 50. A shovel 73 is provided at the opening 78 to lift the wash water of an outside the drum 50 to an inside the drum 50. The shovel 73 is configured to lift wash water of an outside the drum 50 toward an inside the drum 50 as the drum 50 is rotated. Further, the orientation of the opening 78 and the shovel 73 may be provided in alternative way along the rim of the bowl portion 70 in order to lift wash water both in case of clockwise rotation of the drum 50 and in case of counter-clockwise rotation of the drum 50.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the shovel 73 includes an inclination portion 74 having an inclination to lift wash water, and a support portion 75 to support the inclination portion 74. The inclination portion 74 may be in the form of a rectangular plate. An edge 76a of the inclination portion 74 makes contact with a body 77 of the bowl portion 70, and the remaining edges 76b, 76c and 76d are spaced apart from the body 77 of the bowl portion 70.

The support portion 75 includes a first support portion 75a connecting one edge 76b of the inclination portion 74 to the body 77 of the bowl portion 70, and a second support portion 75b connecting another edge 76d to the body 77 of the bowl portion 70.

The inclination portion 74 and the support portion 75 may be integrally formed with each other in a bending manner. Bonding portions of the shovel 73 and the body 77 of the bowl portion 70 may be welded, thereby coupling the shovel 73 to the body 77 of the bowl portion 70.

The washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a circulating duct 100 to guide wash water of a lower portion of the drum 50 toward an upper portion of the drum 50. The circulating duct 100 may be provided in plurality. The wash water of the drum 50 is circulated from the lower portion to the upper portion of the drum 50 through the circulating duct 100. The impact of water falling from an exit of the circulating duct 100 provided at the upper portion of the drum 50 may improve the washing performance.

The circulating duct 100 includes an inlet 101 to which wash water is introduced, an outlet 102 to discharge wash water, and a duct body portion 103 connecting the inlet 101 to the outlet 102.

Referring to FIG. 5, two inlets 101a and 101b, two outlets 102a and 102b, two passages 105a and 105b provided at an inside the duct body portion 103, and a middle wall 104 to partition the two passages 105a and 105b from each other. The passage 105a connects the inlet 101a to the outlet 102a, and the passage 105b connects the inlet 101b to the outlet 102b.

The duct body portion 103 may be provided at a lower portion thereof with a lower bending portion 106 bent inward. The inlets 101a and 101b may be formed on the lower bending portion 106. In addition, the duct body portion 103 is provided at an upper portion thereof with a upper bending portion 107 bent inward. The outlets 102a and 102b may be formed on the upper bending portion 107.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the bowl portion 70 of the drum 50 is provided with a lower installation hole 79a into which the lower bending portion 106 of the circulating duct 100 is inserted. The body portion 60 of the drum 50 may be provided with an upper installation hole 79b into which the upper bending portion 107 is inserted. Accordingly, the inlet 101 and the outlet 102 are disposed at an inside the drum 50. In this case, the duct body portion 103 of the circulating duct 100 is disposed at an outside the drum 50.

Referring to FIG. 6, the inlet 101 of the circulating duct 100 may be disposed at a side biased in a circumferential direction of the shovel 73 of the bowl portion 70, so the wash water lifted from the outside the drum to the inside the drum through the shovel 73 may be guided to the inlet 101 of the circulating duct 100.

The wash water guided to the inlet 101 of the circulating duct 100 rises up to the upper portion of the drum along the duct body portion 103 of the circulating duct 100.

The washing machine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure generates an additional current of wash water that circulates between the inside and the outside the drum 50 through the opening 78 and the shovel 73 provided on the bowl portion 70, and the circulating duct 100, and provides the laundry with a mechanical force through the wash water falling at the drum 50, thereby improving the washing power.

The bottom portion 80 may be coupled to the bowl portion 70 to cover the open center 72 of the bowl portion 70. The bottom portion 80 may be fixedly coupled to the bowl portion 70 through a seaming bonding. Accordingly, the body portion 60, the bowl portion 70 and the bottom portion 80 are integrally formed with one another as a single unit. In addition, the body portion 60, the bowl portion 70 and the bottom portion 80 are integrally rotated at an inside the tub 30.

An upper surface of the bottom portion 80 may be provided with at least one first rotating blade 81 radially extending from the center of rotation. The first rotating blade 81 gradually protrudes upward from the upper surface of the bottom portion 80 by a predetermined height to generate a rising water current during the rotation of the drum 50. The first rotating blade 81 may be integrally formed with the bottom portion 80 during an injection molding of the bottom portion 80.

The rising water current generated by the first rotating blade 81 is guided to be further lifted by the second rotating blade 62 provided on the body portion 60.

The washing water in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure generates a primary current of wash water through the first rotating blade 81 of the bottom portion 80, generates a secondary current of wash water through the second rotating blade 62 of the body portion 60, and generates a third current of wash water through the water falling from the upper portion of the drum 50 through the opening 78, the shovel 73 and the circulating duct 100, so that the washing power is improved such a composite current of wash water.

Although a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. For example, even though the present embodiment discloses a washing machine without an axis interchange apparatus, the present disclosure also can be applied to a washing machine that has an additional rotating shaft and an axis interchange apparatus to rotate a pulsator separately from a drum.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising: a tub configured to store wash water;a drum disposed at an inside the tub to accommodate a laundry;a driving apparatus configured to rotate the drum; anda circulating duct configured to guide wash water at a lower portion of the drum toward an upper portion of the drum,wherein the drum comprises: a body portion provided in a cylindrical shape having an upper surface and a lower surface that are open;a bowl portion fixedly coupled to the lower surface of the body portion, and having a center opened; anda bottom portion configured fixedly coupled to the center of the bowl portion to cover the center of the bowl portion,the body portion, the bowl portion and the bottom portion simultaneously rotate during a washing cycle and a spin-dry cycle,the bottom portion and the body portion are provided with a first water current generating unit and a second water current generating unit, respectively, to generate a current of wash water rising at an inside the drum, andthe bowl portion is provided with a third water current generating unit to generate a current of wash water circulating toward an upper portion of the drum through the circulating duct.

2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the driving apparatus comprises a driving motor to generate a rotary power, and a shaft flange to transmit the rotary power of the driving motor, wherein a shaft portion of the shaft flange is coupled to the driving motor,wherein a flange portion of the shaft flange is coupled to the bowl portion,wherein the body portion and the bottom portion are fixedly coupled to the bowl portion such that the body portion and the bottom portion are rotated together with the bowl portion as the bowl portion is rotated.

3. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the circulating duct comprises an inlet, an outlet, and a duct body portion connecting the inlet to the outlet, the inlet is provided at the bowl portion,the outlet is provided at an upper side of the body portion,the duct body portion is provided at an outer circumferential surface of the body portion, andthe wash water of the drum is discharged to an outside the drum through the inlet, and after rising, falls from an upper side of the drum.

4. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the first water current generating unit comprises at least one first rotating blade that protrudes upward and integrally formed with the bottom portion.

5. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the second water current generating unit comprises at least one second rotating blade coupled at an inner circumferential surface of the body portion, and the second rotating blade is inclinedly coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the body portion.

6. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein the at least one second rotating blade is disposed at an equal interval in a circumferential direction of the drum.

7. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein the at least one second rotating blade is screwed to the inner circumferential surface of the body portion.

8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the third water current generating unit comprises at least one opening that is provided along a circumferential direction of the bowl portion, and at least one shovel provided at the at least one opening to lift wash water of an outside the drum toward an inside the drum.

9. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the shovel comprises an inclination portion having one edge making contact with a body of the bowl portion while having the remaining edges being spaced apart from the body of the bowl portion, and a support portion configured to support the inclination portion by connecting left and right side edges of the one edge to the body of the bowl portion.

10. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the shovel is fixedly coupled to the body of the bowl portion through welding.

11. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the wash water lifted to the inside the drum through the shovel is moved through the circulating duct.

12. A washing machine comprising: a tub configured to store wash water;a drum disposed at an inside the tub to accommodate a laundry; anda driving apparatus configured to rotate the drum, at least one first rotating blade is provided on a bottom surface of the drum to generate a current of wash water,at least one second rotating blade is provided on an inner circumferential surface of the drum to generate a current of wash water.

13. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the second rotating blade is configured to guide a current of wash water generated by the first rotating blade upward.

14. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the washing machine further comprises a circulating duct provided at an outer circumferential surface of the drum to guide wash water at a lower portion of the drum toward an upper portion of the drum and to generate a current of wash water.

15. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the at least one second rotating blade is slantedly provided within the height of a cylindrical body of the drum.

16. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the washing machine has a plurality of the second rotating blades, and at least some of the second rotating blades have different inclination angles.

17. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the washing machine has a plurality of the second rotating blades, and the plurality of the second rotating blades are provided in an alternative way with same inclination angles and different orientations.

18. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the at least one first rotating blade is fixed to the drum so that the at least of the first rotating blade is rotatable together with the rotation of the drum.

19. A washing machine comprising: a tub configured to store wash water;a drum disposed at an inside the tub to accommodate wash water;a driving apparatus configured to rotate the drum,wherein at least one opening is formed at a lower portion of the drum, andat least one shovel that is provided with an inclination portion configured to lift wash water of an outside the drum toward an inside the drum is provided on the at least one opening.

20. The washing machine of claim 19, wherein the washing machine further comprises a circulating duct configured to guide wash water at a lower portion of the drum to an upper portion of the drum, and the circulating duct comprises an inlet provided at a lower portion of the drum, an outlet provided at an upper portion of the drum, and a duct body portion connecting the inlet to the outlet.

21. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the duct body portion is provided at an outside the drum.

22. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the inlet is disposed at a side biased in a circumferential direction of the shovel.

23. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the circulating duct comprises a plurality of flow passages to guide water at the lower portion of the drum to the upper portion of the drum, and a middle wall to partition the plurality of flow passages from one another.

24. The washing machine of claim 22, wherein the plurality of flow passages have a plurality of inlets disposed near a plurality of the shovels, and the inlets are oriented toward the shovels nearby respectively.

25. The washing machine of claim 19, wherein the washing machine has a plurality of the shovels which are disposed in an alternative way along the periphery of the lower portion of the drum.