EP4579031A1

EP4579031A1 - A washing machine comprising a filter

Info

Publication number: EP4579031A1
Application number: EP24201967.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kagan OZERK; Murathan Eren POLAT; Mehmet Ozbek
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2023-12-25
Filing date: 2024-09-23
Publication date: 2025-07-02

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine (1) comprising a detergent dispenser (2) which has a first water inlet (3); a first filter (5) which has a first base (6) and walls (7) surrounding the first base (6) and a second water inlet (4) provided on one of the walls (7) and which is mounted in the detergent dispenser (2) such that the second water inlet (4) fits coaxially into the first water inlet (3); and a second filter (9) which is placed in the first filter (5) opposite the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) and which has a second base (10) provided at an angle determined by the manufacturer with respect to the first base (6), two side walls (11) extending perpendicularly to the second base (10) on the edges of the second base (10) so as to narrow towards the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) and one or more than one first protrusion (15) extending perpendicularly to the second base (10) between the two side walls (11).

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising a microfiber filter.
The large volume occupied by filters used in the washing machines makes the use thereof in limited volumes difficult. Moreover, cleaning the microfiber filter is very difficult for the user and the cleaning process takes a very long time. Furthermore, using a filter which is not suitable for the water flow in the washing machine prevents the water flow from being distributed evenly in the filter and prevents the filter from working efficiently.
The washing water in the washing machine is discharged by being passed through the microfiber filters in each program, regardless of the type of laundry washed by the user. The microfiber filters are used in the washing machines to retain microfiber particles separated from synthetic laundry. The said filters can be disposed in the washing machine or in a separate body outside the washing machine. Although cotton laundry does not release microfiber particles, it releases "lint" particles which cause the said filters to be clogged in a very short time. Trying to retain the said particles on the microfiber filter surfaces with a very fine mesh structure causes the filter surfaces to be clogged in a short time, thus adversely affecting the filtering performance. In order to overcome this problem and increase the life of the filter before cleaning, the filter surface needs to be enlarged; however, it is difficult to find a sufficiently large volume in the washing machine.
In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP2455535 , a washing machine is disclosed, comprising grid-shaped structures used to retain lint and similar particles in the pump filter area.
In another state of the art European Patent Application No. EP1390577 , a washing machine is disclosed, comprising structures with serrated edges to hold lint, fiber and similar particles in the pump filter area.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine comprising a microfiber filter.
The washing machine control method realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a second filter which is placed in the first filter opposite the first and second water inlets and which has a second base provided at an angle determined by the manufacturer with respect to the first base, two side walls extending perpendicular to the second base on the edges of the second base so as to narrow towards the first and second water inlets and one or more than one first protrusion extending between the two side walls perpendicular to the second base.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the side walls which gradually widen from the first and second water inlets slow down the speed of the water entering the second filter and enable the same to stay in the second filter for a longer time, while enabling the water passing through the first and second water inlets to be directed towards the second filter.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second filter is placed into the first filter such that the angle between the first base and the second base is 45°. Thus, the water flow is directed from the first and second water inlets to the second filter with a 45° inclination.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second filter comprises the side walls, a first section positioned between the side walls and a second section positioned at the continuation of the first section. In this embodiment of the present invention, there are a plurality of protrusions on the first and second sections, extending perpendicular to the second base. A part of the said protrusions is cylindrical and a part in the form of a quadrangular prism.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the protrusions on the first section are arranged in a scattered manner, while the protrusions on the second section are arranged in two rows parallel to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the second filter comprises a third section, arranged in the continuation of the second section, having a third protrusion in a crosswise structure which retains short fluff.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first filter is a microfiber filter and the second filter serves as a coarse filter.
By means of the present invention, fluff and similar particles are effectively retained without expanding the volume covered by the filter. The second filter acts as a coarse filter. By means of the second filter of the present invention, the water flow is blocked to a minimum extent and the particles in the water are effectively retained. In the embodiment of the present invention, the water entering through the first and second water inlets directly reaches the second filter. The water and the particles therein, which follow the second base of the second filter, first reach the first protrusions in the first section. The fluff and other particles are retained by means of the first protrusions in the form of a cylinder. The water and the particles therein, leaving the first protrusions in the form of a cylinder in the first section, pass to the second section and reach the second protrusions in the form of a quadrilateral prism and are retained by means of the said second protrusions with relatively sharp corners. The water and the particles therein, leaving the second section, pass to the third section and are retained by means of the third protrusions fixed diagonally to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second protrusions are arranged in the form of a labyrinth. In this embodiment of the present invention, the water and the particles therein are cleansed of fluff and similar particles by following the labyrinth-shaped paths arranged one after the other.
By means of the present invention, by means of the protrusions on the second base that the water follows, the water and the particles therein hit as many obstacles as possible, namely the protrusions, and the fluff and similar particles in the water are retained in the second filter, thus reducing the need for the first filter. Moreover, the filtering efficiency is increased and the filtering surface of the first filter is kept clean for a longer time. Furthermore, by cleaning only the second filter without removing the first filter, the first filter can be used for a longer time without being cleaned.
A washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the exploded view of a detergent dispenser, a first filter and a second filter.
Figure 2 - is the sideways cross sectional view of the first filter and the second filter.
Figure 3 - is the front perspective view of the second filter.
Figure 4 - is the sideways view of the second filter.
Figure 5 - is the view of another embodiment of the second filter.
Figure 6 - is the view of another embodiment of the second filter.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows.

1. Washing machine
2. Detergent dispenser
3. First water inlet
4. Second water inlet
5. First filter
6. First base
7. Wall
8. Lid
9. Second filter
10. Second base
11. Side wall
12. First section
13. Second section
14. Third section
15. First protrusion
16. Second protrusion
17. Third protrusion

The washing machine (1) comprises a detergent dispenser (2) which has a first water inlet (3); a first filter (5) which has a first base (6) and walls (7) surrounding the first base (6) and a second water inlet (4) provided on one of the walls (7) and which is mounted in the detergent dispenser (2) such that the second water inlet (4) fits coaxially into the first water inlet (3); and a second filter (9) which is placed in the first filter (5) opposite the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) and which has a second base (10) provided at an angle determined by the manufacturer with respect to the first base (6), two side walls (11) extending perpendicular to the second base (10) on the edges of the second base (10) so as to narrow towards the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) and one or more than one first protrusion (15) extending upwards between the two side walls (11) from the second base (10) (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
In the embodiment of the present invention, the side walls (11) which gradually widen from the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) slow down the speed of the water entering the second filter (9) and enable the same to stay in the second filter (9) for a longer time, while enabling the water passing through the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) to be directed towards the second filter (9).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) is placed into the first filter (5) such that the angle between the first base (6) and the second base (10) is between 0 and 90°. The said angle is preferably 45°. Thus, the water flow is directed from the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) to the second filter (9) with a 45° inclination (Figure 3 and Figure 4).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) comprises the side walls (11), a first section (12) positioned between the side walls (11) and a second section (13) positioned at the continuation of the first section (12). In this embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the side walls (11) widens from the first section (12) to the second section (13).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) comprises a plurality of first protrusions (15) on the first section (12), extending upwards from the second base (10).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first protrusions (15) are cylindrical.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) comprises eleven first protrusions (15) on the first section (12).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first protrusions (15) on the first section (12) have the same dimensions.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the first protrusions (15) on the first section (12) have different dimensions. In this embodiment of the present invention, the lengths of the first protrusions (15) are equal.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) comprises a plurality of second protrusions (16) on the second section (13), extending perpendicularly to the second base (10).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second protrusions (16) are quadrangular prisms.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) comprises fourteen second protrusions (16) on the second section (13).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the second protrusions (16) on the second section (13) have the same dimensions and are arranged in two rows parallel to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the second filter (9) comprises a third section (14) which has a third protrusion (17) in a crosswise structure at the continuation of the second section (13). By means of the said crosswise third protrusion (17), short fluff is retained (Figure 5).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first filter (5) comprises a detachable lid (8).
By means of the present invention, fluff and similar particles are effectively retained without expanding the volume covered by the first filter (5). The second filter (9) acts as a coarse filter. By means of the second filter (9) of the present invention, the water flow is blocked to a minimum extent and the particles in the water are effectively retained. In the embodiment of the present invention, the water entering through the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) directly reaches the second filter (9). The water and the particles therein, which follow the second base (10) of the second filter (9), first reach the first protrusions (15) in the first section (12). The fluff and other particles are retained by means of the first protrusions (15) in the form of a cylinder. The water and the particles therein, leaving the first protrusions (15) in the form of a cylinder in the first section (12), pass to the second section (13) and reach the second protrusions (16) in the form of a quadrilateral prism and are retained by means of the said second protrusions (16) with relatively sharp corners. The water and the particles therein, leaving the second section (13), pass to the third section (14) and are retained by means of the third protrusions (17) fixed diagonally to each other.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second protrusions (15 and 16) are arranged in the form of a labyrinth. In this embodiment of the present invention, the water and the particles therein are cleansed of fluff and similar particles by following the labyrinth-shaped paths arranged one after the other (Figure 6).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the first filter (5) is a microfiber filter.
By means of the present invention, the protrusions (15, 16, 17) provided on the second base (10) that the water follows ensure that the water and the particles therein hit as many obstacles as possible, namely the protrusions (15, 16, 17), and the fluff and similar particles in the water are kept in the second filter (9), thus reducing the need for the first filter (5). Moreover, the filtering efficiency is increased while ensuring that the filtering surface of the first filter (5) remain clean for a longer time. Furthermore, by cleaning only the second filter (9) without removing the first filter (5), the first filter (5) can be used for a longer time without being cleaned.

Claims

A washing machine (1) comprising a detergent dispenser (2) which has a first water inlet (3) and a first filter (5) which has a first base (6) and walls (7) surrounding the first base (6) and a second water inlet (4) provided on one of the walls (7) and which is mounted in the detergent dispenser (2) such that the second water inlet (4) fits coaxially into the first water inlet (3), characterized by a second filter (9) which is placed in the first filter (5) opposite the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) and which has a second base (10) provided at an angle determined by the manufacturer with respect to the first base (6), two side walls (11) extending perpendicular to the second base (10) on the edges of the second base (10) so as to narrow towards the first and second water inlets (3 and 4) and one or more than one first protrusion (15) extending upwards between the two side walls (11) from the second base (10).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the second filter (9) is placed into the first filter (5) such that the angle between the first base (6) and the second base (10) is between 0 and 90°.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the side walls (11), a first section (12) positioned between the side walls (11) and a second section (13) positioned at the continuation of the first section (12).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by the side walls (11) the distance between which widens from the first section (12) to the second section (13).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, 2 and 3, characterized by the second filter (9) comprising a plurality of first protrusions (15) on the first section (12), extending upwards from the second base (10).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by the cylindrical first protrusion (15).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 6, characterized by the first protrusions (15) which have the same dimensions.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the second filter (9) comprising a plurality of second protrusions (16) on the second section (13), extending perpendicularly to the second base (10).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 8, characterized by the second protrusion (16) which is quadrangular prism.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 9, characterized by the second protrusions (16) which have the same dimensions.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 10, characterized by the first protrusions (16) which are arranged in two rows parallel to each other.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1 and 3, characterized by the second filter (9) comprising a third section (14) which has a third protrusion (17) in a crosswise structure at the continuation of the second section (13).
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the first and second protrusions (15 and 16) which are arranged in the form of a labyrinth.