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The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising a baffle which increases the cleaning performance.
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In washing machines, cleaning agents such as detergent and softener are generally loaded into a dispenser disposed at the upper portion of the body. The cleaning agents swept by water supplied into the dispenser flow into the space between the tub and the drum and dissolve in the water agitated by the rotation of the drum. However, in cases where the detergent settles at the bottom of the tub and/or the washing water is cold, the dissolution rate of the cleaning agent decreases, resulting in a reduced amount of detergent reaching the laundry and a decrease in the washing performance. Therefore, manufacturers develop various solutions to increase the dissolution rate of the cleaning agent and the amount of detergent which reaches the laundry. One of the solutions is to increase the movement of the water between the tub and the drum by adding protrusion-shaped barriers to the drum rotated in the tub so as to cause water to strike the barriers during the rotation. However, since the dissolution efficiency increases as the size and number of the barriers increase, achieving effective dissolution performance also leads to increased production complexity and higher energy consumption of the washing machine due to increased friction. Another state of the art solution is to increase the amount of detergent penetrating the laundry by taking the water between the tub and drum into the baffle by means of a scoop structure and pouring the same back onto the laundry. However, since the scoops are structured to increase the amount of water taken into the baffle, the surface area thereof which agitates the water is smaller than that of the baffles, and in cases where the laundry is washed at low temperatures and/or with powder detergent, the scoops have a limited effect on the dissolution rate of the detergent settling at the bottom of the tub.
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In the state of the art Korean Patent Application No.
KR20060114103A , a washing machine is disclosed, comprising impellers which are disposed in the baffles so as to break air bubbles in the drum and increase the amount of detergent dissolved in the water. However, this embodiment is insufficient in terms of detergent dissolution and penetration into the laundry as the impact of the impellers is limited by the flow in the drum.
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The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine wherein the rate of dissolution and penetration into the laundry of the cleaning agent is increased.
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The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a tub wherein the washing water and the cleaning agents are taken to perform the washing process; a drum wherein the laundry to be washed is loaded and which is rotated in the tub about a substantially horizontal rotational axis by means of a motor; at least one baffle which is fixed to the drum and which forms a protrusion toward the inside of the drum to agitate the laundry in the drum; an opening which is arranged on the drum so as to remain under the baffle; a receptacle which defines a volume in the baffle so as to receive the water between the tub and the drum through the opening when the baffle reaches the lower side of the drum during the rotation of the drum; at least one flow hole which is arranged on the baffle and which opens from the receptacle into the drum so as to enable the water in the receptacle to be discharged into the drum by the effect of the gravity when the baffle reaches the upper side of the drum during the rotation of the drum; and at least one impeller which is positioned in the receptacle, immediately behind the opening, and which is configured to be rotated about a rotational axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis under the effect of the water flow entering the receptacle through the opening during the rotation of the drum The impeller hits the water in the tub during the rotation of the drum and rotates about a central axis which is substantially parallel to the axis of the drum By means of the positioning of the impeller immediately behind the opening in the receptacle, the risk of slowing down the rotation of the drum due to friction during the rotation of the drum is minimized. By means of the impeller, a vortex effect with the axial center thereof aligned with the central axis is generated in the volume between the drum and the tub. Thus, by means of the effect of the flow toward the bottom of the tub, the dissolution efficiency of the detergent between the drum and the tub, particularly detergent settling at the bottom of the tub, is increased, and moreover, the flow of water into the receptacle through the opening is accelerated so as to increase the amount of the detergent-water mixture delivered onto the laundry with each drum rotation. Consequently, the efficiency of dissolution and penetration into the laundry of the detergent is increased without causing manufacturing complexity and so as to provide water and energy savings.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, on the baffle, at least one guide is disposed, which forms a protrusion through the opening into the volume between the drum and the tub. The guide protrudes radially outward from the drum and enables the water striking thereon to be directed into the receptacle by the centrifugal force of the rotating drum.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the guide is in the form of a plate protruding outward from the drum from one edge of the opening and extending at an angle toward the other end of the opening. The guide partially covers the side of the opening facing the opening and defines a gap between the guide and the opening. Thus, the water flowing almost parallel to the drum wall is enabled to enter the gap to be directed into the receptacle. Consequently, the amount of water taken into the receptacle per unit time is further increased, and a continuous and consistent water flow into the receptacle is ensured.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, in the receptacle, there is a chamber which is positioned adjacent to the opening and which receives the impeller. The chamber defines a partially isolated volume in the receptacle so as to provide a rotatable connection for the impeller, which is open to the opening on one side and into the receptacle on the other side. Thus, the water in the receptacle is prevented from rotating the impeller in the reverse direction or obstructing the rotation thereof due to the effect of the rotation of the drum.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the chamber comprises two support walls which extend from an inner wall of the baffle facing the receptacle, to which the impeller is rotatably connected; and a boundary wall which extends opposite the receptacle wall, and the support walls and the boundary walls are formed integrally with the baffle. The chamber is a volume limited by the inner wall of the baffle as well as by the boundary wall and the support walls. Thus, the baffle is enabled to gain a simple structure and the support walls and the boundary wall are enabled to be integrally formed with the baffle via plastic injection molding. Consequently, the flexibility of the support walls and the boundary walls facilitates the mounting of the impeller and reduces production costs.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the chamber is configured such that the side thereof adjacent to the opening has a cross-sectional area smaller than the width of the opening. The chamber enables the water entering through the opening to be passed through a narrower cross-section so as to reach the impeller. Thus, the impeller is rotated more quickly, increasing the amount of detergent dissolved and the volume of water pushed into the receptacle per unit time.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, on the baffle, there is a gap which is positioned immediately adjacent to the chamber so as to be aligned with the opening. The gap enables a portion of the water to flow directly from the opening into the receptacle. The said embodiment is particularly advantageous when the receptacle volume is large, enabling the receptacle to be filled more quickly.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, at least two openings are disposed on the drum, and the baffle comprises at least two receptacles which are separated from one another in terms of flow, each opening to a separate opening so as to ensure water intake therein from different openings, one impeller disposed in each receptacle, and at least two guides which extend in the opposite directions from the openings toward the exterior of the drum through the openings belonging to different receptacles. In this embodiment of the present invention, when the drum is rotated in opposite directions about the rotational axis thereof, the amount of water penetrating the laundry and the amount of dissolved cleaning agent are increased in both rotation directions.
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By means of the present invention, a washing machine is realized, comprising a baffle having an impeller which ensures the effective dissolution of the cleaning agent and the transfer thereof into the receptacle between the tub and the drum without blocking the rotation of the drum.
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The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
- Figure 1 - is the schematic view of the washing machine related to an embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 2 - is the view of the baffle related to an embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 3 - is the sideways schematic view of the baffle related to another embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 4 - is the top perspective view of the baffle related to another embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 5 - is the partial view of the drum and the baffle related to another embodiment of the present invention.
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The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:
- 1. Washing machine
- 2. Tub
- 3. Drum
- 4. Baffle
- 5. Receptacle
- 6. Opening
- 7. Flow hole
- 8. Impeller
- 9. Guide
- 10. Chamber
- 11. Support wall
- 12. Boundary Wall
- 13. Gap
- 14. Shaft
- 15. Blade
- M: Motor
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The washing machine (1) comprises a tub (2) wherein the washing water is received; a drum (3) which is disposed in the tub (2) and which is configured to rotate about a rotational axis; at least one baffle (4) which is fixed to the drum (3); at least one receptacle (5) which is disposed in the baffle (4); at least one opening (6) which is arranged on the drum (3) and which opens into the receptacle (5) so as to enable the water in the tub (2) to fill into the receptacle (5); and at least one flow hole (7) which is arranged on the baffle (4) and which opens from the receptacle (5) into the drum (3) so as to enable the water filled into the receptacle (5) to flow into the drum (3). The washing water is received between the tub (2) and the drum (3), and the drum (3) is rotated in the tub (2) about an at least substantially horizontal rotational axis by means of a motor (M). The baffle (4) is fixed to the drum (3) from the base thereof so as to remain opposite the opening (6). The receptacle (5) is in the form of a space in the internal volume of the baffle (4), and when the baffle (4) is at the lower side of the drum (3), the water from the tub (2) reaches the opening (6) and fills into the receptacle (5). As the drum (3) rotates, the baffle (4) reaches the upper side of the drum (3) and the water in the receptacle (5) is discharged into the drum (3) through the flow holes (7) on the baffle (4) by the effect of gravity.
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The washing machine (1) of the present invention comprises at least one impeller (8) which is disposed in the receptacle (5), which is positioned immediately behind the opening (6) so as to face outward from the drum (3) through the opening (6) and which is configured to be rotated by the water filling into the receptacle (5) around a central axis which is at least substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the drum (3). The impeller (8) is positioned immediately in front of the opening (6) so as to be directly hit by the water coming through the opening (6) to fill into the receptacle (5), and faces the interior of the tub (2) through the opening (6). The impeller (8) is mounted on the baffle (4) so as to rotate about a central axis which is parallel or at least substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the drum (3). The impeller (8) comprises a shaft (14) which preferably defines the central axis and which is rotatably borne at both ends on the baffle (5), and a plurality of blades (15) which extend from the shaft (14) in the form of protrusions. While flowing from the tub (2) into the receptacle (5) through the opening (6) during the rotation of the drum (3), the water first hits the impeller (8) and rotates the impeller (8) about the central axis, and then fills into the volume of the receptacle (5) behind the impeller (8). With the rotational effect of the impeller (8), a vortex effect is generated wherein a portion of the water is directed by the blades (15) toward the bottom of the tub (2) and another portion of the water is mechanically pushed into the internal volume of the receptacle (5) by means of the blades (15).
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In another embodiment of the present invention, on the baffle (4), there is at least one guide (9) which is in the form of a protrusion extending out of the drum (3) through the opening (6). The guide (9) is in the form of a protrusion configured on the baffle (4) and extends through the opening (6) into the volume between the tub (2) and the drum (3). The guide (9) hits the water between the tub (2) and the drum (3) so as to increase the mixing effect thereof and enable a portion of the water to be directed onto the impeller (8).
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the guide (9) is in the form of a plate extending outward from one edge of the opening (6) so as to partially cover the front of the opening (6). The guide (9) is configured in the form of a plate extending outward from the opening (6), connected at one end to the opening (6)with the free end partially covering the side of the opening (6) facing the tub (2). Thus, the water in the tub (2) is enabled to be effectively directed onto the impeller (8).
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In another embodiment of the present invention, in the receptacle (5), a chamber (10) is defined so as to be adjacent to the opening (6), wherein the impeller (8) is fixed. The chamber (10) is positioned directly behind the opening (6) in the direction of the water flow from the opening (6) into the receptacle (5), and the impeller (8) is fixed onto the chamber (10). By partially surrounding the impeller (8), the chamber (10) prevents the reverse flow effect in the receptacle (5) and enhances the impelling effect provided by the impeller (8) in the receptacle (5).
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the baffle (4) comprises two opposing support walls (11) which extend into the receptacle (5) from the wall of the receptacle (5) and a boundary wall (12) which extends along the support walls (11), wherein the walls (11 and 12) together with a wall of the receptacle (5) define the chamber (10). The chamber (10) is defined by two parallel support walls (11) which extends perpendicularly from the inner wall of the baffle (4) into the receptacle (5) and a boundary wall (12) which bears against the support walls (11) so as to enclose a volume adjacent to the receptacle (5) wall together with the support walls (11). The shaft (14) of the impeller (8) is rotatably borne on the support walls (11) at the ends thereof, thus providing the placement of the impeller (8) in the chamber (10). By means of the monolithic configuration of the support walls (11) supporting the impeller (8) with the wall of the baffle (4), the impeller (8) is enabled to be mounted in a durable and secure manner.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the chamber (10) has a cross-sectional area at least partially smaller than the opening (6) so as to narrow the flow cross-section from the opening (6) into the receptacle (5). The inlet of the chamber (10) facing the opening (6) has a smaller cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the opening (6). Thus, the water entering through the opening (6) is enabled to flow onto the impeller (8) in a consistent and controlled flow.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, adjacent to the chamber (10), at least one gap (13) is arranged, which allows the water to enter the receptacle (5) from outside the chamber (10). The gap (13) is in the form of a hole adjacent to the chamber (10), which has a smaller cross-sectional area than the chamber (10). The gap (13) acts as a passage opening directly from the opening (6) into the receptacle (5) and enables a portion of the water to enter the receptacle (5) without passing over the impeller (8). Thus, especially in case the volume of the receptacle (5) is large, it is ensured that the receptacle (5) is filled with the maximum amount of water and the water is more effectively distributed in the receptacle (5).
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises at least two openings (6) which are arranged on the drum (3); at least two receptacles (5) which are disposed in the baffle (4), each aligned with one of the openings (6); at least two impellers (8) which are disposed in the receptacles (5); and at least two guides (9) which extend in opposite directions from the openings (6) such that each enables the water flow into the corresponding receptacle (5) in only one of the two opposite rotational directions of the drum (3), clockwise or counterclockwise. Thus, it is ensured that the detergent is effectively dissolved and delivered to the laundry during both the clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the drum (3).
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By means of the present invention, a washing machine (1) is realized, wherein the rate of dissolution and penetration into the laundry of the cleaning agent are increased without blocking the movement of the drum (3) and regardless of the distance between the tub (2) and the drum (3).