EP3226740B1

EP3226740B1 - Circulating drainage apparatus and household appliance

Info

Publication number: EP3226740B1
Application number: EP15805297.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Horst Eisert; Zhengwei Li; Lingli Wang; Chengtao Yang
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2014-12-02
Filing date: 2015-11-24
Publication date: 2019-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2035-11-24
Also published as: CN105714522B; WO2016087986A1; EP3226740A1; CN105714522A

Description

The present invention relates to a household appliance that drives water to run, and in particular, to a circulating drainage apparatus in a washing machine or a dish-washing machine.
The Chinese invention patent with authorization publication number of CN102373608B discloses a pump having functions of circulating water and draining water. The pump controls to circulate water or drain water by controlling a rotation direction of a drive motor of the pump, so as to implement the functions of circulating water and draining water by relying on one pump shell. However, since space of the pump shell is limited, water pressure that is generated when an impeller rotates in the pump shell at a high speed is very large, no matter the impeller rotates forwards or backwards. Therefore, water in the pump shell may be discharged along a circulating pipe or a drain pipe under drive of the impeller, and it is impossible to alternatively implement the function of circulating water or draining water purely by using one pump and a drive motor in a real sense.
European patent application EP 1 411 250 A1 discloses a bidirectional hydraulic pump.
United States patent application publication US 2012/114473 A1 discloses a centrifugal pump.
United States patent 4 869 076 A discloses an ice-making machine.
European patent application EP 2 787 114 A1 discloses a washing machine pump.
Unites States patent application publication US 2009/229312 A1 discloses a washing machine.
An objective of the present invention lies in providing a circulating drainage apparatus with an optimized structure, so as to implement functions of circulating water and draining water by relying on one pump shell in a real sense.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a circulating drainage apparatus, including a pump shell body, the pump shell body being provided with an inflow chamber for water to flow in and an outflow chamber for water to flow out; a drive motor provided with an impeller, the drive motor being connected to the outflow chamber of the pump shell body, and the impeller of the drive motor being disposed in the outflow chamber; a circulation pipe in communication with the outflow chamber; a discharge pipe in communication with the outflow chamber; and a movable switch member is provided in the outflow chamber of the pump shell body, where under a function of an external force, the switch member moves from a first position in which the circulation pipe is closed to a second position in which the discharge pipe is closed, to open the circulation pipe, or moves from a second position in which the discharge pipe is closed to a first position in which the circulation pipe is closed, to open the discharge pipe.
Since the movable switch member is provided, it is ensured that the discharge pipe is closed by the switch member and the water flows out only from the circulation pipe in the process of circulating water, and that the circulation pipe is closed by the switch member and the water flows out only from the discharge pipe in the process of draining water. It is implemented in a real sense that a washing machine can simultaneously have functions of circulating water and draining water by relying on match of one pump shell and one drive motor, thereby saving structural design space of an interior of the washing machine and further reducing manufacturing costs.
According to the present invention, the switch member is movably disposed on an inner wall of the outflow chamber.
According to the present invention, a sliding rib is provided on the inner wall of the outflow chamber at a position between the first position and the second position, a sliding hole for the sliding rib to pass through is provided on the switch member, and the switch member slides on the sliding rib back and forth via the sliding hole, so as to movably switch between the first position and the second position.
The switch hangs over the sliding rib via the sliding hole of the switch and slides back and forth along the sliding rib under the function of the external force.
As a further modification of the present invention, the switch member is a baffle that can be pushed by a water stream to switch between the first position and the second position on the inner wall of the outflow chamber.
As a further modification of the present invention, the baffle is disposed on an outer side of a radial edge of the impeller.
The impeller rotates in the outflow chamber and drives the water stream to move centrifugally, and the water stream pushes the baffle to move centrifugally on the inner wall of the outflow chamber, so as to switch back and forth between the first position and the second position.
As a further modification of the present invention, the baffle is provided with an impact surface for bearing impact of the water stream.
By the impact surface for bearing the impact of the water stream, the baffle is more apt to be driven by the water stream, so as to move centrifugally on the inner wall of the outflow chamber.
As a further modification of the present invention, the drive motor drives the impeller to rotate forwards or backwards in the outflow chamber.
A centrifugal movement direction of the impeller in the water stream, that is, forward rotation or backward rotation, is controlled by controlling a rotation direction of the drive motor, so as to change an outflow direction of the water stream, that is, flowing to the circulation pipe or the discharge pipe. The forward rotation or backward rotation of the water stream also drives forward rotation or backward rotation of the switch member at the same time, so as to enable the switch member to move and switch back and forth between the first position and the second position.
As a further modification of the present invention, the circulating drainage apparatus further includes a filter, the filter being detachably disposed in the inflow chamber of the pump shell body.
In addition, the present invention further provides a household appliance that drives water to move, in particular, a washing machine or a dish-washing machine, the household appliance including the circulating drainage apparatus according to any one of the preceding descriptions.
Subsequently, the present invention is described in detail by implementing the household appliance that drives water to move as a washing machine as an optimal embodiment. However, this does not indicate that the scope of protection of the present invention is limited to washing machines only.

FIG. 1: is a schematic structural diagram of a washing machine of the present invention;
FIG. 2: is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a circulating drainage apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 3: is a schematic front vertical plane obtained by vertically planning the outflow chamber of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4: is a schematic diagram of a switch member; and
FIG. 5: is a schematic diagram of FIG. 3 when a switch member therein is located at another position.

Reference signs: 100-washing machine; 101-circulating drainage apparatus; 111-outer barrel; 112-inner barrel; 113-drive motor; 114-heating tube; 115-sealing device; 116-wall; 117-mounting hole; 118-controller; 119-drain pipe; 1-pump shell body; 2-inflow chamber; 21-water inlet pipe; 3-outflow chamber; 31-circulation pipe; 32-discharge pipe; 4-drive motor; 41-impeller; 5-switch member; 51-sliding hole; 52-impact surface; 6-sliding rib; 7-filter; A-first position; and B-second position.
A washing machine 100, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided with an outer barrel 111 for containing water. An inner barrel 112 is disposed in the outer barrel 111. The inner barrel 112 may rotate under drive of a drive motor 113, so as to clean clothes received therein. A bottom of the outer barrel 111 is provided with a heating tube 114. The heating tube 114 passes through a sealing device 115 that is made of an elastic material and is disposed in a mounting hole 117 formed on a wall 116 of the outer barrel 111 for containing water via the sealing device 115. The heating tube 114 is electrically connected to the controller 118 and controlled by the controller 118. A circulating drainage apparatus 101 connected to the outer barrel 111 is disposed below the outer barrel 111, and is configured to filter washing water in the washing machine and discharge the washing water from the washing machine to the outside via a drain pipe 119 connected to the circulating drainage apparatus 101. In addition, the circulating drainage apparatus 101 is further configured to suck water at the bottom of the outer barrel 111 that is filtered in the washing process of the washing machine 100 back to the inner barrel 112 via a circulating pipe (not shown).
As shown in FIG. 2, the circulating drainage apparatus 101 is provided with a pump shell body 1 that includes an inflow chamber 2 for water to flow in and an outflow chamber 3 for water to flow out. The washing water from the outer barrel 111 of the washing machine is guided into the inflow chamber 2 via a water inlet pipe 21 disposed on the inflow chamber 2 and filtered by a filter 7 disposed in the inflow chamber 2, and then flows into the outflow chamber 3. A drive motor 4 having an impeller is closely connected to the outflow chamber 3. The impeller is exactly disposed in the outflow chamber 3 and rotates forwards or backwards under drive of the drive motor 4, so as to drive the washing water in the outflow chamber 3 to rotate forwards or backwards, so that the washing water is discharged along a circulation pipe 31 or a discharge pipe 32 that is separately communicated with the outflow chamber 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the washing machine performs a process of circulating water, the washing machine 100 controls the drive motor 4 to drive the impeller 41 to rotate clockwise, that is, forward rotation. Under drive of forward rotation of the impeller 41, the washing water in the outflow chamber 3 also flows clockwise in a rotation manner and drives the switch member 5 to move clockwise on an inner wall of the outflow chamber 3, so as to enable the switch member 5 to move clockwise from a first position A in which the circulation pipe 31 is closed to a second position B in which the discharge pipe 32 is closed. In this way, the washing water that rotates clockwise is discharged from the opened circulation pipe 31, to be further circulated back to the inner barrel 112 of the washing machine to participate in a corresponding washing process, and the washing water may not enter the discharge pipe 32 that is closed by the switch member 5, thereby implementing the function of circulating water of the washing machine. In combination with FIG. 4, a sliding rib 6 is disposed on the inner wall of the outflow chamber 3 at a position between the first position A and the second position B, a sliding hole 51 for the sliding rib 6 to pass through is provided on the switch member 5, and the switch member 5 hangs over the sliding rib 6 via the sliding hole 51 to slide back and forth on the sliding rib 6, so as to movably switch back and forth between the first position A and the second position B on the inner wall of the outflow chamber 3.
In this implementation manner, the switch member 5 is a baffle, hanging over the sliding rib 6 and also exactly being disposed on an outer side of a radial edge of the impeller 41. Impact surfaces 52 for bearing impact of a water stream are provided on two ends of the baffle 5. In this way, when rotating clockwise or anticlockwise, the impeller 41 exactly drives the washing water on the radial edge of the impeller 41 to rotate clockwise or anticlockwise. The rotating washing water exactly impact on the impact surfaces 52 of the baffle, to push the whole baffle 5 to move clockwise or anticlockwise on the sliding rib 6, so that a back-and-forth switch motion of the whole baffle 5 between the first position A and the second position B on the inner wall of the outflow chamber 3 along with different rotation directions of the washing water become more effective.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the washing machine performs a process of draining water, the washing machine 100 controls the drive motor 4 to drive the impeller 41 to rotate anticlockwise, that is, backward rotation. Under drive of backward rotation of the impeller 41, the washing water in the outflow chamber 3 also flows anticlockwise in a rotation manner and drives the switch member 5 to move anticlockwise on the inner wall of the outflow chamber 3, so as to enable the switch member 5 to move anticlockwise from the second position B in which the discharge pipe 32 is closed to the first position A in which the circulation pipe 31 is closed. In this way, the anticlockwise rotating washing water is discharged from the opened discharge pipe 32 and discharged outside of the washing machine via the drain pipe 119, and at the same time the washing water does not enter the circulation pipe 31 closed by the switch member 5, thereby implementing the function of draining water of the washing machine.
By disposing the movable switch member 5 in the outflow chamber 3, it is ensured that the discharge pipe 32 is closed by the switch member 5 and the water flows out only from the circulation pipe 31 in the process of circulating water, and that the circulation pipe 31 is closed by the switch member and the water flows out only from the discharge pipe 32 in the process of draining water. Therefore, it is implemented in a real sense that a washing machine can simultaneously have functions of circulating water and draining water by relying on match of one pump shell and one drive motor, thereby saving structural design space of an interior of the washing machine and further reducing manufacturing costs.
The series of detailed descriptions listed in the preceding text are only specific descriptions of feasible implementation manners of the present invention, and are not intent to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, in another implementation manner, a sliding slot is provided on the inner wall of the outflow chamber, a sliding rib no longer needs to be provided, and the switch member is clamped and secured in the sliding slot, to slide back and forth in the sliding slot under impact of washing water that rotates clockwise or anticlockwise, so that the switch member switches back and forth between a first position and a second position.

Claims

A circulating drainage apparatus, comprising a pump shell body (1), the pump shell body being provided with an inflow chamber (2) for water to flow in and an outflow chamber (3) for water to flow out;
a drive motor (4) provided with an impeller (41), the drive motor (4) being connected to the outflow chamber (3) of the pump shell body (1), and the impeller (41) of the drive motor being disposed in the outflow chamber (3);
a circulation pipe (31) in communication with the outflow chamber (3);
a discharge pipe (32) in communication with the outflow chamber (3); and
a movable switch member (5) being provided in the outflow chamber (3) of the pump shell body (1), wherein under a function of an external force, the switch member (5) moves from a first position (A) in which the circulation pipe (31) is closed to a second position (B) in which the discharge pipe (32) is closed, to open the circulation pipe (31), or moves from a second position (B) in which the discharge pipe (32) is closed to a first position (A) in which the circulation pipe (31) is closed, to open the discharge pipe (32), wherein the switch member (5) is movably disposed on an inner wall of the outflow chamber (3),
characterized in that a sliding rib (6) is provided on the inner wall of the outflow chamber (3) at a position between the first position (A) and the second position (B), a sliding hole (51) for the sliding rib (6) to pass through is provided on the switch member (5), and the switch member (5) slides on the sliding rib (6) back and forth via the sliding hole (51), so as to movably switch between the first position (A) and the second position (B).
The circulating drainage apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, the switch member (5) is a baffle (5) that can be pushed by a water stream to switch between the first position (A) and the second position (B) on the inner wall of the outflow chamber (3).
The circulating drainage apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, the baffle (5) is disposed on an outer side of a radial edge of the impeller (41).
The circulating drainage apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, the baffle (5) is provided with an impact surface (52) for bearing impact of the water stream.
The circulating drainage apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the drive motor (4) drives the impeller (41) to rotate forwards or backwards in the outflow chamber (3).
The circulating drainage apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the circulating drainage apparatus (101) further comprises a filter (7), the filter (7) being detachably disposed in the inflow chamber (3) of the pump shell body (1).
A household appliance that drives water to move, comprising the circulating drainage apparatus (101) according to any one of the preceding claims.
The household appliance that drives water to move according to claim 7, characterized in that, the household appliance is a dish-washing machine (100) or a washing machine.