DE102020127919A1 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a washing machine with a tub for holding water, a drum (1) rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry and a filter arranged below the drum (1) and/or below the tub (relative to an operational installation position of the washing machine). (2), in particular a microparticle filter.

Description

The invention relates to a washing machine with a tub for holding water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry and a filter, in particular a microparticle filter.

There are washing machines from Arcelik (Istanbul, Turkey) that have a microparticle filter in an upper area of the washing machine near a dispenser drawer of the washing machine, via which fresh water, optionally provided with detergent and/or care product, is introduced into the tub. This filter arranged there is intended to prevent microparticles such as synthetic microfibers from entering the waste water from the water in the washing machine during and/or after a washing process for washing laundry. In particular when washing synthetic laundry items made of nylon, polyester and the like. Microfibers are released during washing, which can be detected in waste water and animals such as fish. With and/or by arranging the microparticle filter close to the flushing box, however, the installation space is limited and only a reduced filter area of the filter is available. The filter particles are collected in the fresh water area and can thus contaminate the clean water. In addition, dirty water has to be conveyed to the upper area of the washing machine in order to get to the filter and therefore travels long distances in hoses of the washing machine, which increases the risk of contamination.

The invention therefore faces the problem of providing a washing machine in which microparticles can be effectively removed from the water in the washing machine and fed to the household waste.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a washing machine having the features of patent claim 1 . Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention result from the following dependent claims.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention, in addition to filtering out dirt, (micro) fibers and (micro) particles from the water in the washing machine, are that they are prevented from getting into the waste water.

The invention relates to a washing machine with a tub for holding water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry and a filter, in particular a microparticle filter, arranged below the drum and/or below the tub. Information on position and direction relates to an operational installation position of the washing machine.

The lower area of the washing machine is ideal for filtering microparticles from the water in the tub. The filter is arranged below the drum and/or below the tub in such a way that the water can flow through it. The dirty water in the form of suds, which is usually collected in the lower area of the suds container during a washing process, remains in the lower area of the suds container and therefore only has to cover short distances in lines such as hoses of the washing machine for filtering, which prevents or at least reduces the risk of contamination is. The installation space in the lower area of the tub offers a lot of space, so that a filter of relatively large size can be arranged. As a result, the filter surface can be sufficiently large to bring about effective filtering.

The filter is preferably arranged underneath the tub so that the wash suds in the washing machine flow through it during and/or after a washing process. The suds are water that can also contain detergents and/or care products. The term "washing machine" means an automatic washing machine or a combination device such as a washer-dryer.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter has a filter housing with a water inlet, a water outlet and a filter membrane arranged in the filter housing between the water inlet and the water outlet, the filter membrane dividing the filter housing in such a way that there is one chamber for receiving unfiltered water and another Having chamber for receiving filtered water through the filter membrane. This effectively separates clean water from dirty water.

The filter membrane is preferably at least 10×10 cm, ie 100 cm ² in size. This ensures good filtering. The larger the filter surface, the less often the filter clogs and the less often a user of the washing machine has to clean the filter.

The filter preferably has a cover which is detachably arranged on the filter housing and which forms a wall or a part of the wall of the chamber and/or the further chamber. Alternatively or additionally preferably, a housing wall of the washing machine has a cover which is detachably arranged on the filter housing and the one Wall or part of the wall of the chamber and / or the other chamber forms. A seal is preferably arranged between the filter housing and the cover so that water is prevented from escaping from the filter housing. Due to the removable cover, the filter membrane is easy to clean and maintain.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter membrane is designed as a flat surface, U-shaped, V-shaped or as a spherical surface and/or arranged obliquely in the filter housing, preferably offset by up to 45° in an X-Y plane between corner points of the filter membrane. A good filter effect is achieved by these designs.

The filter preferably has a brush. The brush is preferably designed to clean the filter membrane.

The brush preferably has a brush roller and a drive that is designed to drive the brush roller. For example, the brush is designed in such a way that when the filter membrane is pulled out of the filter housing, the brush roller rotates in the opposite direction to the direction in which the filter membrane is pulled. The filter preferably also has a barrier wall. Preferably, the brush and the baffle are arranged and configured such that the brush, when driven, brushes the dirt particles collected on the filter membrane against the baffle.

Alternatively, the brush can also be designed without a drive. The brush can be designed in such a way that the filter membrane can be cleaned by the brush by repeatedly pulling it out of and inserting it into the filter housing. By pushing the filter membrane back and forth, caused by the user, a good cleaning effect can be achieved with a corresponding arrangement of the brush.

The filter preferably also has a collecting device. The collecting device is preferably designed to catch and collect dirt particles such as dirt, (micro) fibers and (micro) particles that are detached from the filter membrane. The collecting device is preferably arranged in such a way that it continues to collect the dirt particles brushed against the barrier wall. The collecting device is designed as a shell, for example.

In a preferred embodiment, the collecting device can be removed from the filter housing. As a result, the user can easily remove the dirt particles that have accumulated in the washing machine and, for example, dispose of them with household waste. This also prevents the dirt particles from getting into the waste water and the water cycle.

The filter membrane and/or the collecting device is or are preferably designed in such a way that after removal from the filter they can be reinserted into the latter. They can be used multiple times.

In a preferred embodiment, the washing machine also has a fill level detector, which is designed to detect a fill level of the collecting device, and an output device, which is designed to output a signal when a fill level detected by the fill level detector is greater than a predetermined threshold value. The predetermined threshold value is preferably selected in such a way that the signal is output when the collecting device is full or at least three-quarters full. This means that the fill level detection primarily recognizes the fill level of dirt particles that have accumulated in the collecting device. This monitoring device can be designed optically or have one or more sensors. The output device is preferably designed to display the signal visually on the washing machine by means of a display and/or to output it acoustically. Alternatively or additionally, the washing machine can be designed to communicate with another electrical device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC and to transmit the signal to the electrical device, which is designed to show the user the signal by means of a display and /or output acoustically.

The filter preferably has ventilation. Ventilation can be active or passive. The purpose of ventilation is that the filter, and especially the filter membrane, dries out after a wash cycle. As a result, the dirt particles can be easily removed by him or her. The filter housing preferably has an opening through which fresh air can be supplied to its interior. This allows the filter membrane and the dirt that has accumulated on it to dry.

The filter preferably has a drain pump. In terms of flow, the drain pump is preferably arranged after the water outlet. If the filter has a drain pump, the washing machine does not have to have a drain pump, which is customary in washing machines, for pumping the water or the washing suds out of the tub.

The filter preferably has an emergency water drain of the washing machine. This allows the user to drain water from the washing machine through the filter.

The filter is preferably integrated into a water circuit of the washing machine. As a result, the filtering continues to be effective.

• - eine Ablaufpumpe,
• - eine Rücklaufsicherung zur Sicherstellung, dass aus dem Laugenbehälter abgepumptes Wasser außerhalb des Laugenbehälters verbleibt,
• - eine Umflutpumpe, und/oder
• - einen Dichtring zum Laugenbehälter auf,

wobei der Filter strömungstechnisch vor oder nach der Ablaufpumpe, der Rücklaufsicherung, der Umflutpumpe und/oder dem Dichtring angeordnet ist.In a preferred embodiment, the washing machine further

• - a drain pump,
• - a non-return valve to ensure that water pumped out of the tub remains outside the tub,
• - a circulation pump, and/or
• - a sealing ring to the tub,

the filter being fluidically arranged upstream or downstream of the drain pump, the non-return valve, the circulation pump and/or the sealing ring.

The filter is preferably arranged in a position in terms of flow after the drain pump and the non-return valve. When the drain pump is activated, i.e. it actively pumps the water in the tub, the water is pumped through the filter before it enters a sewer.

Alternatively, the filter is preferably arranged in a further position in terms of flow after the circulation pump and after the sealing ring. When the circulation pump is activated, i.e. it actively pumps the water in the tub, the water is pumped through the filter. If the circulating pump circulates the water continuously, the water is continuously filtered during the washing process. The sealing ring is preferably a bellows.

Alternatively, the drain pump is preferably arranged in terms of flow after the water outlet of the filter. Furthermore, as an alternative, the circulation pump is preferably arranged in terms of flow after the water outlet of the filter.

The washing machine preferably has a circulation device which is designed to convey the water from the lower area of the tub into a central or preferably upper area of the tub. The circulation device preferably has the circulation pump.

• 1 eine Querschnittsansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Waschmaschine;
• 2 eine Querschnittsansicht des in 1 gezeigten Filters gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;
• 3 eine Querschnittsansicht eines Filters gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;
• 4 eine Querschnittsansicht eines Filters gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform;
• 5 eine Querschnittsansicht eines Filters gemäß einer vierten Ausführungsform; und
• 6 eine Querschnittsansicht eines Filters gemäß einer fünften Ausführungsform.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows schematically and not to scale

• 1 a cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the invention;
• 2 a cross-sectional view of the in 1 shown filter according to a first embodiment;
• 3 a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a second embodiment;
• 4 a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a third embodiment;
• 5 a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a fourth embodiment; and
• 6 12 is a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a fifth embodiment.

1 shows a cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to the invention. The washing machine has a tub (not shown) for holding water (not shown) and a drum 1 rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry (not shown). Furthermore, the washing machine has a microparticle filter 2 which is arranged below the drum 1 and/or below the tub relative to an operational set-up position of the washing machine and which is arranged in a filter area 3 . The microparticle filter 2 is shown purely as an example on the in 1 shown position of the washing machine, but it can be arranged at any position in the filter area 3, which is a lower area of the washing machine, in which the microparticulate filter 2 is arranged.

2 shows a cross-sectional view of the in 1 shown filter according to a first embodiment. The filter 2 has a filter housing 11 with a water inlet 5 and a water outlet 6 . Furthermore, the filter 2 has a filter membrane 4 arranged in the filter housing 11 between the water inlet 5 and the water outlet 6 . The filter membrane 4 is designed as a flat surface. The filter membrane 4 divides the filter housing 11 such that it has a chamber 16 for accommodating unfiltered water and a further chamber 17 for accommodating water filtered by the filter membrane 4 . The water inlet 5 is arranged on the chamber 16, while the water outlet 6 is arranged on the other chamber 7. The filter 2 also has a cover 9 which is detachably arranged on the filter housing 11 and which forms a wall of the chamber 16 and of the further chamber 17 .

A seal 10 is arranged between the cover 9 and the filter housing 11 . The filter membrane 4 is arranged perpendicular to the cover 9 . The filter 2 also has a drain line 8 and a drain pump 7 which, when activated, is designed to supply filtered water that is in the further chamber 17 from the further chamber 17 via the water outlet 6 into the drain line 8 pump. When the drain pump 7 is activated, the water flows through the filter 2 in the direction of the arrows. That is, the water enters the chamber 16 of the filter housing 11 via the water inlet 5, flows through the filter membrane 4 into the further chamber 17, leaves the filter housing 11 via the water outlet 6 and flows through the drain pump 7 into the drain line 8. The filter membrane 4 can optionally be removed from the filter housing 11 when the cover 9 is removed.

3 Fig. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a second embodiment. the inside 3 Filter 2 shown corresponds to that in 2 shown filter with the difference that the filter 2 is arranged obliquely in the filter housing 11 in cross-sectional view. It is arranged at an angle to the cover 9 .

4 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a third embodiment. the inside 4 Filter 2 shown corresponds to that in 2 shown filter with the difference that the filter 2 is v-shaped.

5 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a fourth embodiment. the inside 5 Filter 2 shown corresponds to that in 2 shown filter with the difference that the filter 2 is U-shaped.

6 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a filter according to a fifth embodiment. the inside 3 Filter 2 shown corresponds to that in 2 shown filter with the difference that the filter 2 has a brush 14 and a collecting device 15 in the form of a bowl. The brush 14 is designed to clean the filter membrane 4 . The brush 14 has a brush roller 13 and possibly a drive (not shown), which is designed to drive the brush roller 13 . In the chamber 16 a barrier wall 12 is arranged. The brush 14 and the barrier wall 12 are arranged and designed in such a way that the brush 14, when driven, for example by pulling the filter membrane 4 out of the filter housing 11, brushes the dirt particles (not shown) that have collected on the filter membrane 4 against the barrier wall 12, whereby these continue to be caught by the collecting device 15 when the filter membrane 4 is pulled further out of the filter housing 11 . The brush 14, when driven, rotates in a direction as indicated by the arrow opposite to the direction in which the filter membrane 4 is pulled out.

Reference List

1

drum

2

filter

3

filter area

4

filter membrane

5

water inlet

6

water spout

7

drain pump

8th

drain line

9

lid

10

poetry

11

filter housing

12

barrier wall

13

brush roller

14

brush

15

collection device

16

chamber

17

another chamber

Claims (10)

Washing machine with a tub for holding water, a drum (1) rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry and a filter (2) arranged below the drum (1) and/or below the tub for operating the washing machine, in particular a microparticle filter. washing machine after claim 1 , characterized in that the filter (2) has a filter housing (11) with a water inlet (5), a water outlet (6) and in the filter housing (11) between the water inlet (5) and the water outlet (6) arranged filter membrane ( 4), the filter membrane (4) dividing the filter housing (11) in such a way that it has a chamber (16) for receiving unfiltered water and a further chamber (17) for receiving water filtered by the filter membrane (4). washing machine after claim 2 , characterized in that the filter (2) and/or a housing wall of the washing machine has a cover (9) which is detachably arranged on the filter housing (11) and which has a wall or a part of the wall of the chamber (16) and/or or the further wall (17). washing machine after claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that the filter membrane (4) is designed as a flat surface, U-shaped, V-shaped or as a spherical surface and / or in the filter housing (11) is arranged obliquely, preferably offset by up to 45° in an XY plane between corner points of the filter membrane (4). Washing machine after one of claims 2 until 4 , characterized in that the filter (2) has a brush (14) which is designed to clean the filter membrane (4). washing machine after claim 5 , characterized in that the brush (14) has a brush roller (13) and a drive which is designed to drive the brush roller (13). Washing machine according to any of the preceding claims 2 until 6 , characterized in that the filter has a collecting device (15) which is designed to receive dirt particles loosening from the filter membrane (4), the collecting device (15) preferably being removable from the filter housing (11). washing machine after claim 7 , characterized by a fill level detector, which is designed to detect a fill level of the collecting device (15), and by an output device, which is designed to output a signal when a fill level detected by the fill level detector is greater than a predetermined threshold value. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter (2) has a ventilation, a drain pump (7) and/or an emergency water drain of the washing machine. Washing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by - a drain pump, - a non-return valve to ensure that water pumped out of the tub remains outside the tub, - a circulation pump, and/or - a sealing ring for the tub, the filter (2) in terms of flow is arranged before or after the drain pump, the non-return valve, the circulation pump and/or the sealing ring.

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