KR20090101679A - Clothes treating machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A cloth treating apparatus is provided to prevent contamination of water due to use of the excessive amount of the detergent, and to save the detergent by inputting the detergent according to the amount of laundry. CONSTITUTION: A cloth treating apparatus includes a water supply tube, a tub, a detergent supply tube, and a cartridge. The water supply tube supplies the water. The tub stores water supplied from the water supply tube. The detergent supply tube supplies the detergent with the water to the tub. The cartridge(400) is mounted on the detergent supply tube, and stores the detergent inside.

Description

Clothes treating machine

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment apparatus, and more particularly, to a laundry treatment apparatus having a detergent supply device so that the user does not need to put detergent every time.

In general, the laundry treatment apparatus is a device for removing or drying various contaminants attached to laundry by emulsifying the detergent, friction between the laundry and water, and impact on the laundry.

The type of the clothes treating apparatus includes only washing or drying functions, and being able to perform both washing and drying functions. Recently, a laundry treatment apparatus including a steam supply device having a refresh function such as wrinkle removal, odor removal, and static electricity removal of clothes and the like has been widely used.

The clothes treating apparatus is classified into a front loading type or a top loading type according to a drawing direction of clothes. The washing machine is divided into a vertical axis type in which a pulsator or an inner tub is rotated and a horizontal type in which a drum lying horizontally rotates according to the washing method.

A typical type of horizontal type is a drum washing machine, hereinafter, a drum washing machine will be described as an example.

In general, a drum washing machine includes a cabinet forming an exterior, a tub provided inside the cabinet to store wash water, a drum rotatably installed inside the tub, and washing a laundry object accommodated therein, and the tub rear. It is mounted to include a motor for generating a rotational force of the drum.

The front of the cabinet is provided with an inlet through which laundry is introduced, and the inlet is opened and closed by a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet.

The front of the cabinet is provided with a detergent container for the user to put detergent. The detergent container generally includes a powder detergent storage unit for storing the powder detergent and a liquid detergent storage unit for storing the liquid detergent such as a softener or bleach.

Referring to the operation of the drum washing machine having a detergent container is as follows.

In addition to putting the laundry into the drum, the appropriate amount of detergent is added to the powder detergent storage unit and the liquid detergent storage unit respectively.

When the drum washing machine is operated, water is supplied to the detergent container, and the detergent stored in the detergent container is supplied to the tub while being washed down with the sprayed water. Then, while the drum rotates by a motor, washing, rinsing, and dehydration of laundry proceed.

However, in the conventional drum washing machine, the user has to inject detergent every time the drum washing machine is operated.

In addition, since the user predicts the amount of laundry to be put into the drum, and accordingly the detergent to be added, there is a problem that it is difficult to add the appropriate amount of detergent to the amount of laundry.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, and provides a laundry treatment apparatus that does not require the user to put detergent every time the garment treatment apparatus is operated.

In addition, the present invention provides a laundry treatment apparatus having a detergent supply device for automatically supplying an appropriate amount of detergent according to the amount of laundry.

Clothing processing apparatus according to the present invention

According to the clothes treating apparatus according to the present invention, it is convenient because the user does not need to add detergent each time the clothes treating apparatus is operated.

In addition, since the appropriate amount of detergent is automatically added according to the amount of laundry to be added, it is possible to save the detergent, it is possible to prevent the contamination of water by using excessive detergent.

1 is a perspective view of a drum washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the laundry treatment apparatus shown in FIG.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a detergent supply apparatus of the laundry treatment apparatus shown in FIG.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the opening and closing device according to an embodiment installed inside the outflow pipe.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing an opening and closing device according to another embodiment installed inside the outlet pipe.

6 is a block diagram showing the relationship between various devices installed in the drum washing machine shown in FIG.

7 is a perspective view of a cartridge mounted to the detergent supply apparatus of the laundry treatment apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a state in which the cartridge shown in FIG. 7 is mounted in a cartridge mounting portion. FIG.

9 is a perspective view of a detergent supply device according to another embodiment.

10 is a sectional view showing a state in which the cartridge is mounted on the detergent supply device shown in FIG.

** Description of the main parts of the drawing **

110: cabinet 200: detergent supply device

210: detergent container 220: pump

230: mixing cylinder 300: check valve

400: cartridge

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

Although there are various kinds of clothes treating apparatuses, hereinafter, a drum washing machine, which is one of the clothes treating apparatuses, will be described.

1 and 2, a drum washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet 110 forming an exterior, a tub 120 installed inside the cabinet 110 and storing wash water; , A drum (130) rotatably installed inside the tub (120), and a motor (150) for driving the drum (130).

An inlet 111 is formed on the front surface of the cabinet 110 to inject laundry, and the inlet 111 is opened and closed by a door 112 installed to rotate in the cabinet 110.

In addition, one side of the cabinet 110 allows the user to select various details or input information 160, a display unit 170 for displaying the operation state of the drum washing machine, and controls the operation of the drum washing machine. The control panel 115 having the control unit 180 is provided. The input unit 160 may be a general button or keypad, and the display unit 170 may be configured as an LCD or other display device.

The upper portion of the tub 120 is supported on the upper portion of the cabinet 110 by a hanging spring 121, and the lower portion of the tub 120 is supported by the friction damper 122 to the high speed of the drum 130 To reduce vibration generated in the drum washing machine during rotation.

A lifter 131 is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the drum 130 to raise the laundry introduced into the drum 130 to a predetermined position, and a plurality of washing water is discharged from the drum 130 in a washing operation such as dehydration. A through hole 132 is formed.

A water supply hose 140 and a water supply valve 141 installed on the water supply hose 140 to supply water from the external water source to the tub 120 in an upper side of the tub 120 are controlled. ).

A drain hose 116 and a drain pump 117 are installed below the tub 120 to discharge the wash water used for washing and rinsing to the outside.

One side of the cabinet 111 is provided with a detergent supply device 200 to be supplied to the tub 130 together with the water supplied from the water supply hose 140 after the detergent is stored.

The detergent supply device 200 is equipped with a cartridge 400 as shown in FIG.

A liquid detergent is stored in the cartridge 400, and a nozzle 410 having an outlet formed therein is provided below the cartridge 400 to allow the liquid detergent stored therein to flow out.

The detergent supply device 200 includes a detergent container 210 in which the cartridge 400 is mounted, a pump 220 for pumping the detergent stored in the cartridge 400, and a detergent pumped by the pump 220. It is provided with a mixing barrel 230 which is mixed with the water supplied from the water supply hose 140.

1 and 2 showed that the detergent container 210 is provided in the drawer 180 which is provided under the cabinet 110 and slides to be able to enter and exit the cabinet 110.

The detergent container 210 preferably includes a plurality of cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213 to store various detergents. In the present embodiment, the detergent container 210 has three cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213 as an example, but may be more or less than three.

The cartridge mounting unit includes a main cartridge mounting unit 211 in which a cartridge for storing a main detergent supplied during washing is mounted, and auxiliary cartridge mounting units 212 and 213 in which a cartridge for storing auxiliary detergent supplied for rinsing is mounted. In addition, it is preferable that both the main detergent supplied at the washing stroke and the auxiliary detergent supplied at the rinsing stroke are liquid detergents.

A cover 215 may be installed on the upper portion of each of the cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213 to stably mount the cartridge 400 mounted on the cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213.

The rear side of the detergent container 210 is provided with outlet pipes (211a, 212a, 213a) in communication with the cartridge mounting portion (211, 212, 213), respectively, outflowing detergent.

Figure 4 schematically shows a detergent supply device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The outlet pipes 211a, 212a, and 213a are connected to respective branch pipes 221, 222, and 223, and the branch pipes 221, 222, and 223 are connected by one lamination pipe 225. In addition, the pump 220 is installed on the lamination pipe 225.

And, the height of the portion where the lamination pipe 225 is coupled in the mixing cylinder 230 is preferably formed higher than the height of the portion of the water supply pipe 140 is coupled to the mixing cylinder 230. The reason for this is to prevent the water supplied from the water supply pipe 140 to flow back to the detergent container 210 through the lamination pipe 225.

Each branch pipe (221, 222, 223) is provided with opening and closing valves (221a, 222a, 223a) for opening and closing each branch pipe (221, 222, 223).

Each of the outlet pipes 211a, 212a, and 213a includes a cartridge 400 mounted on the cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213 only when the drawer 180 is fully inserted into the cabinet 110 and the pump 220 is operated. An opening and closing device is provided to allow the detergent inside to flow out.

5 shows an opening and closing device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 6 shows an opening and closing device according to another embodiment. Since the opening and closing devices provided in each of the outlet pipes 211a, 212a, and 213a are all the same, only the opening and closing device installed in the outlet pipe 211a of the main cartridge mounting unit 211 in which the cartridge for storing the main detergent is mounted will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outlet pipe 211a according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention extends from the first outlet passage 212 and the first outlet passage 212 communicating with the main cartridge mounting portion 211. A second outflow passage 213 having a larger diameter than the first outflow passage 212 is formed. A locking jaw 214 is formed at the end of the second outflow passage 213.

The opening and closing device installed inside the outlet pipe 211a may be formed as a check valve 300. One end of the check valve 300 is an elastic spring 310 having one end supported by the locking jaw 214 and a ball that is elastically supported by the elastic spring 310 to close one side of the first outflow passage 212 ( 320).

In general, since the elastic spring 310 supports the ball 320 and closes the outlet side of the first outflow passage 212, the liquid detergent of the main cartridge mounting part 211 does not leak, but the pump 220 operates. When the outside pressure of the outlet pipe 211a is lowered, the elastic spring 310 is compressed and the ball 320 opens the outlet side of the first outflow passage 212, so that the liquid detergent flows out, and the spilled liquid detergent It is raised by the pressure of the pump 220.

Therefore, the liquid detergent stored in the cartridge 400 mounted on the main cartridge mounting portion 211 does not flow out through the outlet pipe 211a, but when the pump 220 is operated, the outlet pipe 211a is opened by the pressure to open the liquid. Detergent spills.

Figure 6 discloses a check valve according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The check valve 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a valve body 330 for opening or closing the outlet pipe 211a and a fixing part 340 for fixing the valve body 330 to the outlet pipe 211a. Equipped. The valve body 330 may be made of an elastic material, and in this case, the valve body 330 is elastically deformed by the pressure of the pump 220 to open the outlet 212.

In general, the valve body 330 is inserted into the outlet pipe 211a to close the outlet 212 so that the liquid detergent stored in the cartridge 400 mounted on the main cartridge mounting unit 211 does not leak, but the pump 220 When the pressure outside the outlet pipe 211a is lowered to operate the valve body 330 is rotated around the fixing portion 340 to open the outlet 212. Therefore, the liquid detergent stored in the cartridge 400 mounted on the main cartridge mounting portion 211 flows out.

6 is a block diagram showing the relationship between various devices and various devices installed in the clothes treating apparatus according to the present invention.

The laundry treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a weight measuring unit 125 for measuring the weight of laundry, a pollution degree measuring unit 126 for measuring the contamination of laundry, and a detergent amount for measuring the amount of detergent stored in the cartridge 400. The measurement unit 215 may be included.

Then, the controller 180 is based on the information measured by the weight measuring unit 125, detergent amount measuring unit 215, pollution degree measuring unit 126, water supply valve 141, valves (221a, 222a, 223a), The pump 220 and the display unit 170 are controlled.

Hereinafter, the operation of the drum washing machine described above will be described in detail.

When a user injects laundry into the drum 130 and instructs the operation of the drum washing machine through the input unit 160, the weight measuring unit 125 measures the weight of the laundry accommodated in the drum 130. In addition, the pollution degree measuring unit 126 measures the degree of contamination of the laundry to be washed, the detergent amount measuring unit 215 measures the amount of detergent stored in each cartridge mounting unit 211, 212, 213 and transmits the information to the controller 180.

When the controller 180 determines that there is no detergent stored in each cartridge mounting unit 211, 212, 213 based on the information measured by the detergent amount measuring unit 215, the controller 180 displays 'no detergent' on the display unit 150 so that the user can install the cartridge mounting unit 211, 212, 213. ) Can be added to the detergent.

The controller 180 calculates an appropriate amount of detergent to be added based on the information measured by the weight measuring unit 125 and the pollution degree measuring unit 126. Then, the calculated amount of detergent and the amount of detergent stored in the display unit 150 to be displayed so that the user can check it.

Thereafter, the controller 180 controls the pump 220 based on the calculated amount of detergent so as to supply an appropriate amount of detergent to the tub 120. If the operation time of the pump 220 is long, the amount of detergent pumped into the mixing vessel 230 increases, and if the operating time of the pump 220 is short, the amount of detergent pumped into the mixing vessel 230 decreases, so that the controller 180 ) Controls the amount of detergent introduced into the tub 120 by adjusting the operating time of the pump 220.

The controller 180 controls the valves 221a, 222a, and 223a installed in the branch pipes 221, 222, and 223 according to the washing stroke.

For example, in the washing step, the first detergent 221a is opened, and the second and third valves 222a and 223a are closed so that the main detergent stored in the first detergent cleaning unit 211 is supplied. The second valve 222a is opened and the first and third valves 221a and 223a are closed so that the auxiliary detergent stored in the second detergent storage 212 is supplied.

7 shows a cartridge 400 that can be used in the detergent supply device.

The user may add detergent to the cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213, but may use the cartridge 400 shown in FIG. 7 on the cartridge mounting parts 211, 212, and 213.

Each cartridge mounting unit 211, 212, 213 or the cartridge 400 is preferably provided with a fixing device (not shown) to fix the cartridge 400 to each cartridge mounting unit 211, 212, 213. The fixing device may be a hook having elasticity.

The cartridge 400 is provided with a nozzle 410 is formed with an outlet so that the liquid detergent contained therein, the nozzle 410 is inserted into the cartridge mounting portion 211 of the detergent container 210 and the outlet pipe (211a) and An insertion hole 216 is formed in communication.

8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the cartridge 400 is mounted to the cartridge mounting unit 211.

 When the cartridge 400 is mounted to the cartridge mounting portion 211, the nozzle 410 is inserted into the insertion hole 216. In the state in which the cartridge 400 is mounted, the detergent stored in the cartridge 400 is raised to the mixing container 230 so that the pump 220 is operated. In the mixing container 230, the detergent is mixed with water and the tub ( 120).

9 shows a detergent supply apparatus 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detergent supply device 200 according to the present embodiment is provided on the upper portion of the cabinet 110, one side is connected to the water supply pipe 140, the other side is formed of a detergent container 500 is connected to the tub 120.

The detergent container 500 includes an accommodating space 510 that is open at the top thereof to accommodate detergent, and a cover 520 that opens and closes the opened upper portion of the accommodating space 510. In addition, the front of the receiving space 510 is provided with a transparent window 530 so that the user knows when to change the detergent.

In addition, the detergent container 500 is preferably a cartridge 600 containing a high concentration detergent.

10 illustrates a state in which the cartridge 600 containing the highly concentrated detergent is put into the detergent container 500. When water is supplied from the water supply pipe 140 to the detergent container 500, the highly concentrated detergent inside the cartridge 600 injected into the detergent container 500 is dissolved in water, and little is discharged.

The high concentration detergent contained in the cartridge 600 is changed in amount depending on the amount of water introduced into the detergent container (500). In other words, if the amount of water introduced into the detergent container 500 is high, the highly concentrated detergent is dissolved in a large amount, and a large amount of detergent is supplied into the tub 120. Thus, a small amount of detergent is supplied into the tub 120.

Since the water does not go through the detergent container 500 may be put into the washing administration, the branch pipe 540 branched from the water supply pipe 140 so as to be immediately introduced into the tub 130 without passing through the detergent container 500. Equipped. At the intersection of the water supply pipe 140 and the branch pipe 540, a flow path switching valve 550 for switching a flow path is provided.

When the detergent is required to be inserted into the tub 130, the controller 180 controls the flow path switching valve 550 to allow water to flow into the detergent container 500. In addition, when the detergent is not required, the controller 180 controls the flow path switching valve 550 so that water is not supplied to the detergent container 500 and is directly supplied to the tub 130 through the branch pipe 540.

The user only needs to periodically replace the cartridge 600 when the color of the cartridge 600 containing the highly concentrated detergent becomes light through the transparent window 530.

In the above it was described with respect to the detergent supply apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.

According to the clothes treating apparatus provided with the detergent supply apparatus according to the present invention, it is convenient because the user does not need to add detergent each time the washing is performed.

In addition, since the appropriate amount of detergent is added according to the amount of laundry or the degree of contamination of the laundry, detergent can be saved, and water can be prevented from being contaminated by using excessive detergent.

Claims (17)

A water supply pipe for supplying water; A tub for storing water supplied from the water supply pipe; A detergent supply device for supplying detergent to the tub together with water supplied from the water supply pipe; The laundry treatment apparatus storing a detergent therein and including a cartridge mounted to the detergent supply device. The method of claim 1, The detergent supply device includes a detergent container in which the cartridge is mounted, a pump for pumping the detergent stored in the cartridge, and a mixing container in which the detergent pumped by the pump is mixed with water supplied from the water supply hose. Clothing processing apparatus made of. The method of claim 2, The detergent container includes a plurality of cartridge mounting portions, and a discharge tube in communication with each of the cartridge mounting portion, the outlet pipe for the detergent stored in the cartridge outflow. The method of claim 3, wherein The laundry treatment apparatus further comprises a detergent amount measuring unit for measuring the amount of detergent stored in each cartridge. The method of claim 3, wherein The cartridge mounting unit includes a main cartridge mounting unit in which a cartridge for storing a main detergent supplied when washing is mounted, and a subsidiary cartridge mounting unit in which a cartridge for storing an auxiliary detergent supplied for rinsing is mounted. . The method of claim 3, wherein The outlet pipe is a clothes handling apparatus, characterized in that the opening and closing device is provided so that the detergent stored in the cartridge only when the pump is operated. The method of claim 6, The outlet pipe has a first outflow passage communicating with the cartridge mounting portion, a second outflow passage extending from the first outflow passage and having a larger diameter than the first outflow passage, and a locking jaw formed at an end of the second outflow passage. Clothing processing apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein The opening and closing device is a clothes processing apparatus characterized in that it comprises an elastic spring, one end is supported by the locking jaw, and the ball is elastically supported by the elastic spring to close the first outflow passage. The method of claim 6, The opening and closing device is a clothing processing apparatus characterized in that it is made of an elastic material and has a valve body for closing the end of the outlet pipe and a fixing portion for fixing one end of the valve body to the outlet pipe. The method of claim 3, wherein And a branch pipe connected to each outlet pipe, and one side connected to each branch pipe and the other pipe connected to the mixing tube. The method of claim 10, The height of the portion where the lamination pipe is coupled to the mixing cylinder is higher than the height of the portion of the water supply pipe is coupled to the mixing cylinder. The method of claim 10, And a control unit for controlling opening and closing of the valves according to the stroke and the valves provided on the branch pipes. The method of claim 12, And a weight measuring unit for measuring the weight of the laundry, and a contamination level measuring unit for measuring the degree of contamination of the laundry. The method of claim 13, The control unit is a clothes processing apparatus, characterized in that for controlling the rotational speed of the pump in accordance with the value measured by the weight measuring unit and the contamination measuring unit. The method of claim 2, The detergent container is provided in the lower portion of the cabinet, the laundry treatment apparatus. The method of claim 15, The detergent container is a clothes processing apparatus, characterized in that it is provided in the drawer sliding to allow access to the front of the cabinet. The method of claim 2, The detergent container is a clothes processing apparatus, characterized in that provided in the upper portion of the cabinet.