EP3056131B1 - Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines - Google Patents
Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3056131B1 EP3056131B1 EP16162955.5A EP16162955A EP3056131B1 EP 3056131 B1 EP3056131 B1 EP 3056131B1 EP 16162955 A EP16162955 A EP 16162955A EP 3056131 B1 EP3056131 B1 EP 3056131B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- filter
- pump assembly
- pump
- filtering
- fluid flow
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 title claims description 8
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 claims description 19
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 13
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 12
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 10
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 10
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 10
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005260 corrosion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007797 corrosion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005213 imbibition Methods 0.000 description 1
- CNQCVBJFEGMYDW-UHFFFAOYSA-N lawrencium atom Chemical compound [Lr] CNQCVBJFEGMYDW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- ORQBXQOJMQIAOY-UHFFFAOYSA-N nobelium Chemical compound [No] ORQBXQOJMQIAOY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003134 recirculating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004753 textile Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/4214—Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor
- A47L15/4225—Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/4202—Water filter means or strainers
- A47L15/4208—Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/4214—Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor
- A47L15/4219—Water recirculation
- A47L15/4221—Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00
- D06F39/08—Liquid supply or discharge arrangements
- D06F39/083—Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements
- D06F39/085—Arrangements or adaptations of pumps
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00
- D06F39/10—Filtering arrangements
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
- F04D29/70—Suction grids; Strainers; Dust separation; Cleaning
- F04D29/708—Suction grids; Strainers; Dust separation; Cleaning specially for liquid pumps
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a pump assembly for household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and the like.
- the wash liquid may be recirculated multiple times, and therefore the filter must filter the wash liquid multiple times as well in order to protect the recirculation pump against the risk of clogging.
- some washing machines manufactured by company V-Zug are equipped with a recirculation circuit whose filter consists of a fixed bulkhead arranged on the intake side of the recirculation pump. The filter needs frequent maintenance to remove the accumulated impurities.
- the idea that allows to overcome said problem is to provide a pump assembly for household appliances, such as washing machines, dishwashers and the like, which is fitted with a filter capable of moving between at least two stable positions:
- a pump assembly 1 comprising a body 2 in fluidic communication with a recirculation pump 3 and a drain pump 4, a support bracket 5 positioned under the recirculation pump 3, an actuator 6 positioned on a cover 7 placed on top of the body 2, a crank 8, and a filter 9.
- the recirculation pump 3 comprises an intake duct 31 and a delivery duct 32, preferably having both a circular cross-section, and a container 33 for the motor assembly.
- the drain pump 4 comprises an intake duct 41, a delivery duct 42, preferably having both a circular cross-section, a container 43 for the motor assembly, a maintenance cover 44, and an inspection duct 46 comprising a mounting flange 121, which in turn comprises fastening seats 47 on its frame to allow it to be coupled to a wall of a case (not shown in the drawings), such as a cabinet of a washing machine.
- the delivery duct 32 of the recirculation pump 3 comprises circular gaskets 35 capable of ensuring a sealed coupling with a hose (not shown in the drawings) communicating with a wash tub (not shown in the drawings); likewise, the delivery duct 42 comprises circular gaskets 45 capable of ensuring a sealed interference coupling with a drain hose (not shown in the drawings).
- the body 2 comprises a central portion 21 substantially shaped like a parallelepipedon with a top aperture 22, an intake duct 23 having a circular cross-section in fluidic communication with the wash tub (not shown in the drawings), a first outlet duct 24, also having a circular cross-section, coupled to the intake duct 31 of the recirculation pump 3; the body 2 also includes a second outlet duct 25 sealingly coupled to the intake duct 41 of the drain pump 4.
- the sealing between the first outlet duct 24 and the intake duct 31 is ensured by a sealing element 102, preferably an O-ring, as is the sealing between the second outlet duct 25 and the intake duct 41, which is also provided by a sealing element 103, preferably an O-ring.
- the top aperture 22 of the body 2 is coupled to the cover 7 by means of a sealing interface; for this purpose, the top aperture 22 has a shape conjugated to that of the cover 7 facing the inside of the body 2.
- the top aperture 22 comprises a housing seat 26 in which a rectangular sealing gasket 101 is placed, whose shape follows the edge of the housing seat 26.
- the cover 7 is secured to the top aperture 22 by means of fastening tabs 71 compatible with fastening seats 27 obtained on the frame of the aperture 22; the positioning of said fastening seats 27 is such that they do not interfere with the housing seat 26.
- Both the fastening tabs 71 and the fastening seats 27 have holes, preferably four pairs thereof, the axes of which are aligned with one another when the cover 7 is coupled to the top aperture 22, so as to allow the use of screw-type fastening means (not shown in the drawings).
- the cover 7 further comprises a fitting system for the actuator 6 positioned on the outer surface of the cover, and a hole 74 for positioning a profiled head 94 included in the filter 9; said fitting system comprises a pair of centering guides 72 and a pair of snap-on coupling tangs 73.
- the actuator 6 is preferably a linear thermoactuator which comprises a stator body 61 shaped substantially like a parallelepipedon, from which a piston 62 protrudes, a pair of electric contacts 63, and a pair of centering tabs 64 which, together with the centering guides 72, allow the actuator 6 to be properly positioned on the cover 7.
- the piston 62 comes out of the stator body 61 by developing a force in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the stator body 61 towards the outside of said body 61; on the contrary, when the potential difference is null, the piston 62 retracts inside the stator body 61 by applying a force in the direction opposite to the force previously exerted.
- the piston 62 comprises an elongated hole 65 that allows coupling to the crank 8, whose crankpin 81 can move along the elongated hole 65 in a direction orthogonal to the direction of motion of the piston 62.
- crankpin 81 In addition to the crankpin 81, the crank also comprises a perforated journal 82 featuring an axial hole (not shown in the drawings) having a cross-like or polygonal cross-section.
- the journal 82 of the crank 8 is inserted in the pivoting hole 74 positioned at one corner of the cover 7: in this manner, the linear motion of the piston 62 is converted into a rotary motion of the crank 8 relative to its journal 82.
- the filter 9 comprises a filtering mesh 91 and a transmission shaft 92 connected to the filtering mesh 91 by means of a flat support 93; the shaft 92 in turn comprises a profiled head 94, the end of which, in the assembled condition, is inserted in the matching hole obtained in the journal 82 of the crank 8, with which it is coupled.
- a stop ring 95 At the base of the profiled head there is a stop ring 95, whereas at the opposite end of the shaft 92 with respect to the profiled head there is a pivoting tip 96 that enters into a housing seat (not shown in the drawings) obtained inside the pump body.
- the sealing between the pivoting hole 74 and the stop ring 95 is ensured by a gasket co-moulded on the ring 95, or alternatively by an O-ring arranged between the ring 95 and the hole 74 (not shown in the drawings).
- the man skilled in the art will choose the appropriate mesh size of the filtering mesh 91 in accordance with the dimensions of the dirt particles to be removed from the wash liquid flow: for example, in order to make the filtering mesh 91 suitable for this purpose, he will adopt a mesh size of 2 millimetres by 2 millimetres.
- the shaft 92, and therefore the filter 9 integral therewith can rotate about its own axis because of the drive torque applied by the crank 8, with which it is coupled through the profiled head 94.
- Fig. 3 shows the pump assembly 1 with the filter 9 in the position for recirculating the wash tub water; in such a condition, the filtering mesh 91 is in front of the intake duct 31 of the recirculation pump 3, and therefore the recirculated wash liquid flows through the filtering mesh 91. In this manner, the filtering mesh 91 will remove from said liquid any impurities bigger than the mesh size of the filtering mesh 91.
- Fig. 4 shows the pump assembly 1 with the filter 9 in the position for draining the wash liquid and cleaning the filter, wherein the filtering mesh 91 is in front of the intake duct 41 of the recirculation pump 4, so that all the wash liquid being drained will flow through the filtering mesh 91.
- the cross-section of the second outlet duct 25 is bigger than the cross-section of the first outlet duct 24, so that in the drain position the filtering mesh 91 will not cover the whole flow passage section; it follows that, even if the filter 9 were irreversibly clogged, the household appliance according to the present invention will still be able to carry out the water drain step successfully.
- the direction of the wash liquid flow is opposite to that of the flow through the filter when the latter is in the recirculation position, so that the impurities can be removed and the filtering mesh 91 can be washed.
- the filter 9 normally remains in the recirculation position; during the drain step the actuator 6 is then activated.
- the piston of the latter advances and, as previously explained, its linear motion rotates the crank 8, which in turn controls the rotation of the shaft 92 and hence of the filtering mesh 91.
- a first variant comprising a pump assembly 1' operating in the same manner as that of the main embodiment 1, but physically implemented in such a way as to advantageously reduce the number of parts required, and also allowing maintaining a filter 9' without requiring the use of any tools and without disassembling the entire pump assembly 1'.
- the pump assembly 1' comprises a body 2', a recirculation pump 3', a drain pump 4', a crank 8', the filter 9' and a filter cartridge 110.
- the body 2' incorporates a greater number of parts necessary for the operation of the pump assembly 1', i.e. it includes the following components: the recirculation flow delivery duct 32', a fastening flange 28' for coupling to the recirculation pump 3', the drain flow delivery duct 42', a fastening flange 29' for coupling to the drain pump 4', the snap-on tangs 73' for securing the actuator 6' onto the top of the body 2' and in the pivoting hole 74'.
- the minimal angle formed by the main directions of the drain and recirculation flows is similar to that of the main embodiment, thus allowing the actuator 6' and the filter 9' to operate in a manner wholly similar to the above.
- the cross-section of the second outlet duct 25' is greater than the cross-section of the first outlet duct 24', for the same purpose of allowing the filter 9' to intercept the entire flow during the recirculation steps and to leave a free port for the flow during the drain steps.
- the recirculation pump 3' comprises the container 33' with the motor assembly, which is coupled to an impeller 38' through a direct coupling or a suitable reduction gear (not shown in the drawings).
- the drain pump 4' comprises the motor 43', which is coupled to an impeller 48 through a direct coupling or a suitable reduction gear (not shown in the drawings).
- the coupling between the pumps 3' and 4' and the respective fastening flanges 28' and 29' is done by using fastening means, preferably screws, which are inserted through holes 39' and 49' obtained in the frames of the supports of the respective impellers 38' and 48'.
- the distinctive element of this variant is a filter cartridge 110' that can be inserted into and removed from the pump body 2'.
- the cartridge 110' comprises a circular cover 111', which in turn is fitted with an unscrewing tab 112' which, in the assembled condition, is mounted outside the inspection duct 46', and a thread 113' running along the edge which is compatible with a thread (not shown in the drawings) which is present inside the inspection duct 46'.
- the cartridge 110' also includes a filter support structure 114' having a substantially cylindrical geometry, which is open to allow free access to the inside, and whose ends are joined together; in particular, the structure's proximal end includes a circular seat (coaxial to the cover 111') with an undercut joint that couples to teeth projecting from the surface of the cover 111' opposite to that from which the tab 112' protrudes, and which is connected to the distal end by means of strips 115', 116' extending along generatrices of the cylindrical structure, located on diametrically opposed sides.
- the coupling between the cover 111' and the structure 114' (even when implemented in a way other than that described above) is such that it only allows the cover 111' one degree of freedom relative to the structure 114', consisting of the ability to rotate about an axis A (shown in Fig. 6 ).
- the structure 114' For supporting the filter 9', the structure 114' includes a housing seat 118' that allows the filter 9' to pivot by approximately 90° about the axis BB towards the inside of the volume occupied by the filter cartridge 110' (as shown in Fig. 6 ).
- the shape of the filter cartridge 110' has been studied to minimize the load losses of the wash liquid flows running therethrough during both the recirculation and drain steps.
- the material of the filter cartridge 110' is preferably plastic, so that it is advantageously not subject to any type of corrosion.
- At least one circular sealing element 104' is preferably employed in the area of the thread 113'.
- the cover 111' is free to rotate about an axis AA (shown in Fig. 6 ) relative to the parts 114', 115' and 116', which during installation keep the same orientation with respect to the inspection duct 46'.
- the filter 9' operates in a manner similar to the above-described filter 9, but includes a number of devices that allow it to be uninstalled and removed from the pump assembly 1'.
- the filter 9' is joined, through a parallelepiped head 97', to a hollow base 98' of a control pin 92'.
- the head 97' is located at one end of the pin 99' , in a position opposite to the pivoting head 96'; the base 98' is located at one end of the pin 92', in a position opposite to the cross-like head 94', which in turn fits, through the interposition of a sealing element 105', into a blind hole (non shown in the drawings) obtained on the crank 8'.
- the pin 92' crosses the entire thickness of the body 2', going through the pivoting hole 74' and fitting into the hole in the crank 8'.
- the body 2' also includes a positioning guide 120' having the same width as one dimension (in particular the minor dimension) of the parallelepiped head 97', so as to allow engaging the latter in the guide 120' and consequently placing the entire filter 9' integral therewith in the appropriate position for mounting the cartridge.
- the positioning guide 120' has a draft 122' at its inlet which, as shown in Fig. 9 , helps progressively aligning the filter 9' in the recirculation position starting from any other position.
- the parallelepiped head 97' has bevelled corners that come in contact with the draft 122', thus aligning with the positioning guide 120'; the head 97' then rotates the pin 99' of the filter 9'.
- the body 2' further comprises a centering guide 119' in which the matching rib 117' provided on the cartridge 112' slides in order to ensure the correct alignment during installation.
- the base 98 of the pin 92' performs the same function as the stop ring 95' of the preceding embodiment of the invention, and is coupled to the crank 8' through the pivoting hole 74' in a way similar to the main embodiment, while the sealing between the pin 92' and the pivoting hole 74' is ensured by a sealing element 105'.
- crank 8' carries out the same functions already described, the only difference being that the crankpin 81' is directly positioned on the crank journal 82' in an eccentric manner.
Description
- The present invention relates to a pump assembly for household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and the like.
- As known, modern washing machines and dishwashers very often include "low-consumption" wash cycles; such cycles allow the appliance to reduce the consumption of both water and electric energy. Lower consumptions can be obtained by reducing the quantity of wash liquid remaining between the tub bottom and the drum through a better imbibition of the textile items; to this end, it is possible to use a recirculation circuit including a pump, which has a filter capable of capturing the dirt suspended in the wash liquid flow, thus allowing for an efficient utilization of said pump.
- During a "low consumption" wash program, the wash liquid may be recirculated multiple times, and therefore the filter must filter the wash liquid multiple times as well in order to protect the recirculation pump against the risk of clogging. By way of example, some washing machines manufactured by company V-Zug are equipped with a recirculation circuit whose filter consists of a fixed bulkhead arranged on the intake side of the recirculation pump. The filter needs frequent maintenance to remove the accumulated impurities.
- This is a difficult task because the filter cannot be reached from the outside.
- It becomes therefore necessary to counter the phenomenon of the accumulation of impurities that tend to clog the filter, so as to lengthen the service life of the latter, by facilitating the cleaning and maintenance thereof, resulting in a greater effectiveness of the recirculation process over time. This is known to be solved - for instance from document
US 3 064 661 - by providing a pump assembly having such structural and functional features that the water can be filtered and the filter can be cleaned without incurring in the above-mentioned drawbacks. - The idea that allows to overcome said problem is to provide a pump assembly for household appliances, such as washing machines, dishwashers and the like, which is fitted with a filter capable of moving between at least two stable positions:
- in the first position, the filter is run through by a fluid flow directed towards a first side of the filter, thereby allowing said flow to be filtered;
- in the second position, the filter is run through by a fluid flow directed towards the opposite side of the filter, thereby allowing the filter to be cleaned.
- This advantageously allows to increase the service life of the filter, which thus becomes similar to the service life of the household appliance employing it.
- It is the aim of the present invention to further improve such a system by providing it in a more compact configuration as defined in
claim 1. Further advantageous features of the present invention will be set out in the appended claims. - These features, as well as the results and advantages of the present invention, will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof as shown in the annexed drawings, which are supplied by way of non-limiting example, wherein:
-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pump assembly according to the present invention, in the assembled condition; -
Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the pump assembly ofFig. 1 ; -
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the pump assembly ofFig. 1 , wherein the filter is in the wash liquid recirculation and filtering position; -
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the pump assembly ofFig. 1 , wherein the filter is in the wash liquid drain and filter cleaning position; -
Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the pump assembly; -
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a filter cartridge of the second embodiment of the pump assembly; -
Fig. 7 is a top view of the second embodiment of the pump assembly ofFig. 5 , with the filter cartridge in the installed condition; -
Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the plane D-D shown inFig. 7 of the second embodiment of the pump assembly; -
Fig. 9 is a sectional perspective view along the plane E-E shown inFig. 8 of the second embodiment of the pump assembly. - Referring now to
Figs. 1 and2 , there is shown apump assembly 1 comprising abody 2 in fluidic communication with arecirculation pump 3 and adrain pump 4, asupport bracket 5 positioned under therecirculation pump 3, anactuator 6 positioned on acover 7 placed on top of thebody 2, acrank 8, and afilter 9. - The
recirculation pump 3 comprises anintake duct 31 and adelivery duct 32, preferably having both a circular cross-section, and acontainer 33 for the motor assembly. - The
drain pump 4 comprises anintake duct 41, adelivery duct 42, preferably having both a circular cross-section, acontainer 43 for the motor assembly, amaintenance cover 44, and aninspection duct 46 comprising amounting flange 121, which in turn comprises fasteningseats 47 on its frame to allow it to be coupled to a wall of a case (not shown in the drawings), such as a cabinet of a washing machine. - The
delivery duct 32 of therecirculation pump 3 comprisescircular gaskets 35 capable of ensuring a sealed coupling with a hose (not shown in the drawings) communicating with a wash tub (not shown in the drawings); likewise, thedelivery duct 42 comprisescircular gaskets 45 capable of ensuring a sealed interference coupling with a drain hose (not shown in the drawings). - The
body 2 comprises acentral portion 21 substantially shaped like a parallelepipedon with atop aperture 22, anintake duct 23 having a circular cross-section in fluidic communication with the wash tub (not shown in the drawings), afirst outlet duct 24, also having a circular cross-section, coupled to theintake duct 31 of therecirculation pump 3; thebody 2 also includes asecond outlet duct 25 sealingly coupled to theintake duct 41 of thedrain pump 4. - The sealing between the
first outlet duct 24 and theintake duct 31 is ensured by asealing element 102, preferably an O-ring, as is the sealing between thesecond outlet duct 25 and theintake duct 41, which is also provided by asealing element 103, preferably an O-ring. - The
top aperture 22 of thebody 2 is coupled to thecover 7 by means of a sealing interface; for this purpose, thetop aperture 22 has a shape conjugated to that of thecover 7 facing the inside of thebody 2. In order to ensure a sealed interface between the two components, thetop aperture 22 comprises ahousing seat 26 in which arectangular sealing gasket 101 is placed, whose shape follows the edge of thehousing seat 26. - The
cover 7 is secured to thetop aperture 22 by means offastening tabs 71 compatible withfastening seats 27 obtained on the frame of theaperture 22; the positioning of saidfastening seats 27 is such that they do not interfere with thehousing seat 26. - Both the
fastening tabs 71 and thefastening seats 27 have holes, preferably four pairs thereof, the axes of which are aligned with one another when thecover 7 is coupled to thetop aperture 22, so as to allow the use of screw-type fastening means (not shown in the drawings). - The
cover 7 further comprises a fitting system for theactuator 6 positioned on the outer surface of the cover, and ahole 74 for positioning a profiledhead 94 included in thefilter 9; said fitting system comprises a pair ofcentering guides 72 and a pair of snap-oncoupling tangs 73. - The
actuator 6 is preferably a linear thermoactuator which comprises astator body 61 shaped substantially like a parallelepipedon, from which apiston 62 protrudes, a pair ofelectric contacts 63, and a pair ofcentering tabs 64 which, together with thecentering guides 72, allow theactuator 6 to be properly positioned on thecover 7. - When the
electric contacts 63 are subjected to an adequate potential difference for a certain period of time (typically 2 or 3 minutes), thepiston 62 comes out of thestator body 61 by developing a force in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of thestator body 61 towards the outside of saidbody 61; on the contrary, when the potential difference is null, thepiston 62 retracts inside thestator body 61 by applying a force in the direction opposite to the force previously exerted. - At the end opposite to the
stator body 61, thepiston 62 comprises anelongated hole 65 that allows coupling to thecrank 8, whosecrankpin 81 can move along theelongated hole 65 in a direction orthogonal to the direction of motion of thepiston 62. - In addition to the
crankpin 81, the crank also comprises aperforated journal 82 featuring an axial hole (not shown in the drawings) having a cross-like or polygonal cross-section. - The
journal 82 of thecrank 8 is inserted in thepivoting hole 74 positioned at one corner of the cover 7: in this manner, the linear motion of thepiston 62 is converted into a rotary motion of thecrank 8 relative to itsjournal 82. - Referring now to the
filter 9, it comprises afiltering mesh 91 and a transmission shaft 92 connected to thefiltering mesh 91 by means of aflat support 93; the shaft 92 in turn comprises a profiledhead 94, the end of which, in the assembled condition, is inserted in the matching hole obtained in thejournal 82 of thecrank 8, with which it is coupled. At the base of the profiled head there is astop ring 95, whereas at the opposite end of the shaft 92 with respect to the profiled head there is apivoting tip 96 that enters into a housing seat (not shown in the drawings) obtained inside the pump body. - The sealing between the
pivoting hole 74 and thestop ring 95 is ensured by a gasket co-moulded on thering 95, or alternatively by an O-ring arranged between thering 95 and the hole 74 (not shown in the drawings). - For the purpose of fulfilling the design requirements, the man skilled in the art will choose the appropriate mesh size of the
filtering mesh 91 in accordance with the dimensions of the dirt particles to be removed from the wash liquid flow: for example, in order to make thefiltering mesh 91 suitable for this purpose, he will adopt a mesh size of 2 millimetres by 2 millimetres. - In the assembled condition, the shaft 92, and therefore the
filter 9 integral therewith, can rotate about its own axis because of the drive torque applied by thecrank 8, with which it is coupled through the profiledhead 94. -
Fig. 3 shows thepump assembly 1 with thefilter 9 in the position for recirculating the wash tub water; in such a condition, thefiltering mesh 91 is in front of theintake duct 31 of therecirculation pump 3, and therefore the recirculated wash liquid flows through thefiltering mesh 91. In this manner, thefiltering mesh 91 will remove from said liquid any impurities bigger than the mesh size of thefiltering mesh 91. -
Fig. 4 shows thepump assembly 1 with thefilter 9 in the position for draining the wash liquid and cleaning the filter, wherein thefiltering mesh 91 is in front of theintake duct 41 of therecirculation pump 4, so that all the wash liquid being drained will flow through thefiltering mesh 91. - It must be pointed out that the cross-section of the
second outlet duct 25 is bigger than the cross-section of thefirst outlet duct 24, so that in the drain position thefiltering mesh 91 will not cover the whole flow passage section; it follows that, even if thefilter 9 were irreversibly clogged, the household appliance according to the present invention will still be able to carry out the water drain step successfully. - In this condition, it should be noted that the direction of the wash liquid flow is opposite to that of the flow through the filter when the latter is in the recirculation position, so that the impurities can be removed and the
filtering mesh 91 can be washed. - In other words, it can be stated that, assuming a first imaginary surface and a second imaginary surface, both of which are integral with the filter, transversal (in particular, orthogonal) to the flow direction, and arranged at a non-null distance between each other, it follows that in the first position the flow will first run through the first imaginary surface and then through the second imaginary surface, whereas in the second position the flow will first run through the second imaginary surface and then through the first imaginary surface.
- During a wash cycle, the
filter 9 normally remains in the recirculation position; during the drain step theactuator 6 is then activated. - The piston of the latter advances and, as previously explained, its linear motion rotates the
crank 8, which in turn controls the rotation of the shaft 92 and hence of thefiltering mesh 91. - It is apparent that the man skilled in the art may decide when and how many times the
actuator 6 must be activated in order to fulfill the design requirements at best. - Of course, the example described so far may be subject to many variations.
- With reference to
Figs. 5 ,6 ,7, 8 and9 , there is shown a first variant comprising a pump assembly 1' operating in the same manner as that of themain embodiment 1, but physically implemented in such a way as to advantageously reduce the number of parts required, and also allowing maintaining a filter 9' without requiring the use of any tools and without disassembling the entire pump assembly 1'. - It is apparent that a smaller number of parts, in this case making up the pump assembly 1', implies lower production costs as well as an advantageous increase in the strength and reliability of the part.
- The description of this second embodiment will mainly take into account the new or modified components, while similar parts will be designated in the drawings by the same reference numerals with the addition of an apostrophe.
- The pump assembly 1' comprises a body 2', a recirculation pump 3', a drain pump 4', a crank 8', the filter 9' and a
filter cartridge 110. - In this variant, the body 2' incorporates a greater number of parts necessary for the operation of the pump assembly 1', i.e. it includes the following components: the recirculation flow delivery duct 32', a fastening flange 28' for coupling to the recirculation pump 3', the drain
flow delivery duct 42', afastening flange 29' for coupling to the drain pump 4', the snap-on tangs 73' for securing the actuator 6' onto the top of the body 2' and in the pivoting hole 74'. - It should be noted that the minimal angle formed by the main directions of the drain and recirculation flows is similar to that of the main embodiment, thus allowing the actuator 6' and the filter 9' to operate in a manner wholly similar to the above.
- In this embodiment as well, the cross-section of the
second outlet duct 25' is greater than the cross-section of the first outlet duct 24', for the same purpose of allowing the filter 9' to intercept the entire flow during the recirculation steps and to leave a free port for the flow during the drain steps. - The recirculation pump 3' comprises the container 33' with the motor assembly, which is coupled to an
impeller 38' through a direct coupling or a suitable reduction gear (not shown in the drawings). - Likewise, the drain pump 4' comprises the motor 43', which is coupled to an
impeller 48 through a direct coupling or a suitable reduction gear (not shown in the drawings). - The coupling between the pumps 3' and 4' and the
respective fastening flanges 28' and 29' is done by using fastening means, preferably screws, which are inserted through holes 39' and 49' obtained in the frames of the supports of therespective impellers 38' and 48'. - The distinctive element of this variant is a filter cartridge 110' that can be inserted into and removed from the pump body 2'.
- In particular, the cartridge 110' comprises a circular cover 111', which in turn is fitted with an
unscrewing tab 112' which, in the assembled condition, is mounted outside theinspection duct 46', and athread 113' running along the edge which is compatible with a thread (not shown in the drawings) which is present inside theinspection duct 46'. - The cartridge 110' also includes a
filter support structure 114' having a substantially cylindrical geometry, which is open to allow free access to the inside, and whose ends are joined together; in particular, the structure's proximal end includes a circular seat (coaxial to the cover 111') with an undercut joint that couples to teeth projecting from the surface of the cover 111' opposite to that from which thetab 112' protrudes, and which is connected to the distal end by means ofstrips - The coupling between the cover 111' and the
structure 114' (even when implemented in a way other than that described above) is such that it only allows the cover 111' one degree of freedom relative to thestructure 114', consisting of the ability to rotate about an axis A (shown inFig. 6 ). - Along one of these strips there is a centering rib 117' that allows the cartridge to be correctly inserted into the corresponding seat in the body 2'.
- For supporting the filter 9', the
structure 114' includes a housing seat 118' that allows the filter 9' to pivot by approximately 90° about the axis BB towards the inside of the volume occupied by the filter cartridge 110' (as shown inFig. 6 ). - The shape of the filter cartridge 110' has been studied to minimize the load losses of the wash liquid flows running therethrough during both the recirculation and drain steps.
- The material of the filter cartridge 110' is preferably plastic, so that it is advantageously not subject to any type of corrosion.
- As to the sealing between the cover 111' and the
inspection duct 46', at least onecircular sealing element 104'(such as an O-ring) is preferably employed in the area of thethread 113'. - In order to allow installing the filter cartridge 110' into the
inspection duct 46', the cover 111' is free to rotate about an axis AA (shown inFig. 6 ) relative to theparts inspection duct 46'. - The filter 9' operates in a manner similar to the above-described
filter 9, but includes a number of devices that allow it to be uninstalled and removed from the pump assembly 1'. - In fact, the filter 9' is joined, through a
parallelepiped head 97', to a hollow base 98' of acontrol pin 92'. - The
head 97' is located at one end of thepin 99' , in a position opposite to the pivoting head 96'; the base 98' is located at one end of thepin 92', in a position opposite to the cross-like head 94', which in turn fits, through the interposition of a sealingelement 105', into a blind hole (non shown in the drawings) obtained on the crank 8'. - The
pin 92' crosses the entire thickness of the body 2', going through the pivoting hole 74' and fitting into the hole in the crank 8'. - In order to make it easier to properly place the filter 9' into the recirculation position during installation, the body 2' also includes a positioning guide 120' having the same width as one dimension (in particular the minor dimension) of the
parallelepiped head 97', so as to allow engaging the latter in the guide 120' and consequently placing the entire filter 9' integral therewith in the appropriate position for mounting the cartridge. - In fact, in order to avoid that the filter cartridge 110' might suffer undesired blockage and/or stopping when inserted into the
inspection duct 46, the positioning guide 120' has a draft 122' at its inlet which, as shown inFig. 9 , helps progressively aligning the filter 9' in the recirculation position starting from any other position. - In practice, the
parallelepiped head 97' has bevelled corners that come in contact with the draft 122', thus aligning with the positioning guide 120'; thehead 97' then rotates thepin 99' of the filter 9'. - Finally, it must be pointed out that in this variant of the invention the body 2' further comprises a centering guide 119' in which the matching rib 117' provided on the
cartridge 112' slides in order to ensure the correct alignment during installation. - As far as the other parts of the filter 9' are concerned, the
base 98 of thepin 92' performs the same function as the stop ring 95' of the preceding embodiment of the invention, and is coupled to the crank 8' through the pivoting hole 74' in a way similar to the main embodiment, while the sealing between thepin 92' and the pivoting hole 74' is ensured by a sealingelement 105'. - The crank 8' carries out the same functions already described, the only difference being that the
crankpin 81' is directly positioned on the crank journal 82' in an eccentric manner. - Further variants of the
pump assembly 1 and 1' may however also be conceived, wherein the filter may be positioned, through the same or different actuation means, in two or more positions for the purpose of filtering different flows, without however departing from the teachings of this patent.
Claims (11)
- A pump assembly (1,1') for household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and the like, comprising a body (2, 2') fitted with fluid passage means (23, 24, 27) for letting a wash fluid flow therethrough, at least one pump (3,4,3',4') associated with the body for pumping the fluid, a filter (9, 9') for filtering the fluid flowing through the body (2, 2');
wherein the filter (9,9') is movable between a first position, in which a fluid flow runs through it towards a first side of the filter, and a second position, in which a fluid flow runs through it towards the opposite side of the filter;
the pump assembly (1,1') comprising a linear actuator (6) which actuates the filter (9, 9') in order to move it between said first and second positions,
characterized in that said body (2, 2') includes a cavity open at the top and closed by a removable cover (7, 7'), on which the linear actuator (6, 6') is mounted. - A pump assembly (1, 1') according to claim 1, wherein the filter (9, 9') in said first and second positions cooperates with the fluid passage means (23, 24, 27) in a manner such that the fluid flow is directed towards either side of the filter.
- A pump assembly (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filter (9, 9') is housed in the body (2, 2') when it is in the filtering operating condition.
- A pump assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filter (9, 9') comprises a filtering mesh (91).
- A pump assembly (1,1') according to claim 4, wherein the filter (9,9') comprises a filtering mesh (91) which can rotate about an axis (B) to move between said first and second positions.
- A pump assembly (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filter (9') can be extracted from the body (2, 2') without requiring the removal of at least one pump (3, 4; 3', 4') associated therewith.
- A pump assembly (1, 1') according to claim 6, wherein the filter (9, 9') is arranged in a cartridge (110) which can be extracted from the body (2, 2').
- A pump assembly (1, 1') according to claim 7, comprising guiding means (120') with which the filter (9') engages when the cartridge is inserted into the body (2'), so that the filter is oriented in a predetermined condition.
- A pump assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising two pumps (3, 4; 3', 4') associated with respective outlet ducts (24, 25; 24', 25') arranged in the body (2, 2') of the assembly.
- A pump assembly according to claim 9, wherein the cross-section of the second outlet duct (25, 25') is greater than the cross-section of the first outlet duct (24, 24'), so that, in particular, said filter (9,9') covers the cross-section of the second outlet duct (25, 25') only partially.
- A household appliance such as a washing machine, a dishwasher or the like, comprising a pump assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT001044A ITTO20101044A1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2010-12-23 | PUMPING GROUP WITH MOBILE FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINES. |
EP11810677.2A EP2654545B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
Related Parent Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP11810677.2A Division-Into EP2654545B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
EP11810677.2A Division EP2654545B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3056131A1 EP3056131A1 (en) | 2016-08-17 |
EP3056131B1 true EP3056131B1 (en) | 2017-08-16 |
Family
ID=43737433
Family Applications (4)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP11810677.2A Active EP2654545B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
EP16162955.5A Active EP3056131B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
EP16162964.7A Active EP3056132B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Filter cartridge for a pump assembly for household appliances |
EP16162949.8A Active EP3056130B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP11810677.2A Active EP2654545B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
Family Applications After (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP16162964.7A Active EP3056132B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Filter cartridge for a pump assembly for household appliances |
EP16162949.8A Active EP3056130B1 (en) | 2010-12-23 | 2011-12-20 | Pump assembly with movable filter for washing machines |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (4) | EP2654545B1 (en) |
IT (1) | ITTO20101044A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012085840A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9758918B2 (en) * | 2012-09-28 | 2017-09-12 | Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation | Washing machine |
EP3324812B1 (en) * | 2015-07-21 | 2020-09-02 | LG Electronics Inc. | Dishwasher |
JP6691028B2 (en) * | 2016-09-12 | 2020-04-28 | 日立グローバルライフソリューションズ株式会社 | Washing machine |
CN112941836A (en) * | 2021-01-25 | 2021-06-11 | Tcl家用电器(合肥)有限公司 | Liquid suction mechanism and washing machine |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2287628A (en) * | 1939-10-26 | 1942-06-23 | Gen Electric | Washing apparatus |
US2512394A (en) * | 1945-05-12 | 1950-06-20 | Apex Electrical Mfg Co | Self-cleaning lint trap |
US2629390A (en) * | 1946-02-13 | 1953-02-24 | Frank G Walker | Dishwashing machine |
US2649765A (en) * | 1946-07-18 | 1953-08-25 | Landers Frary & Clark | Self-cleaning strainer arrangement for dishwashing machines |
US3064661A (en) * | 1958-11-17 | 1962-11-20 | Gen Motors Corp | Cleaning apparatus for dishes or the like |
JP3282948B2 (en) * | 1995-08-31 | 2002-05-20 | シャープ株式会社 | Dishwasher |
-
2010
- 2010-12-23 IT IT001044A patent/ITTO20101044A1/en unknown
-
2011
- 2011-12-20 EP EP11810677.2A patent/EP2654545B1/en active Active
- 2011-12-20 EP EP16162955.5A patent/EP3056131B1/en active Active
- 2011-12-20 EP EP16162964.7A patent/EP3056132B1/en active Active
- 2011-12-20 EP EP16162949.8A patent/EP3056130B1/en active Active
- 2011-12-20 WO PCT/IB2011/055815 patent/WO2012085840A2/en active Application Filing
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
None * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ITTO20101044A1 (en) | 2012-06-24 |
EP3056130B1 (en) | 2017-08-16 |
EP2654545B1 (en) | 2016-06-15 |
EP3056131A1 (en) | 2016-08-17 |
WO2012085840A2 (en) | 2012-06-28 |
EP2654545A2 (en) | 2013-10-30 |
EP3056130A1 (en) | 2016-08-17 |
EP3056132B1 (en) | 2018-08-15 |
EP3056132A1 (en) | 2016-08-17 |
WO2012085840A3 (en) | 2013-11-07 |
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