RU2685100C2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: machine building.SUBSTANCE: washing machine with a pump system, which sucks a mixture of water and detergent from the detergent container and sprays the sucked mixture of water and detergent using an accelerating jet onto the laundry in the laundry drum.EFFECT: washing machine is disclosed.9 cl, 8 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to a device and method for washing laundry, in particular, to a household washing machine.

Household washing machines contain a carrying case, inside of which there is a washing tub having a front opening that can be closed by a window-type door hinged at the front of the cabinet. The drum for receiving linen for washing is placed inside the washing tub for rotation around a horizontal or inclined axis. The drum also defines a front opening located near the opening of the washing tub to allow loading and unloading of the laundry.

The washing tank is designed to contain the washing liquid during the steps of washing the laundry.

To ensure that tap water, detergents and additives are loaded into the tank, a wash water loading system is provided that can be connected to the water supply system. At the bottom of the washing tank, a drainage channel is made, to which a drainage pump is connected, which ensures that the liquid used for washing is removed from the tank and that, together with the loading system, controls the level of liquid inside the tank. To heat the liquid used in the washing contained in the tank, there is an electrical resistor that is installed inside the tank in an intermediate volume between the tank wall and the laundry drum.

Washing and washing-drying machines of the prior art, as well as methods of washing and drying, implemented with their help, being satisfactory in some aspects, are cumbersome and involve a high consumption of water, electricity and detergent.

In order to reduce the consumption of water and detergent, the supply of washing machines to the recirculation system is known, which removes the liquid used for washing from the bottom of the tank (where it accumulates before the laundry is wetted inside the drum) and feeds it back into the drum, due to which a limited amount of liquid is re-filled on the laundry to be washed. In such recycling systems, an electric pump is typically used for recycling, which nevertheless consumes electricity, in addition to the fact that it increases manufacturing costs and increases the overall dimensions of the washing machine.

In addition, pumps are known, called ejector pumps or ejectors, which use the Venturi effect to convert the pressure energy of the driving fluid into kinetic energy, which, in turn, creates a low pressure and draws in a floating fluid. The driving fluid and the fluid to be drawn may be fluid or gas.

When testing systems and washing methods, several configurations of electric pumps and ejectors were tested to re-supply the liquid used in washing from the bottom of the tank to the washing drum of the washing machine for laundry. Some of the tested systems and methods that are the goal of patent applications that have not yet been published, suggest the use of an ejector as a recycling pump to save energy and reduce the size of a washing machine for laundry.

However, washing methods and systems that use or do not recycle the liquid used for washing, known to date, have some drawbacks that have not been eliminated to date.

Tap water and detergent placed in the washing tank instead of immediately and intensively interacting with the laundry enter the tank under the influence of gravity and, therefore, initially accumulate at the bottom of the washing tank and require energy to pump up or tighten / lift up (due to rotation of the washing drum ) and free fall to the bottom of the washing drum or inside it, where they are finally in contact with the laundry.

In addition, in the first stages of washing, the detergent is not completely transferred from the detergent tank to the washing tub, and part of the detergent that is transferred to the tub is not evenly mixed with water and tends to settle at the bottom of the tub. As a result, in the first stages of washing, the concentration of detergent in the laundry is undesirably low.

Finally, re-recycling, which is necessary to bring the detergent deposited on the bottom of the tank into contact with the laundry inside the laundry drum, although it can be done with high-efficiency electric pumps or with an ejector, implies operating costs and electricity and water consumption.

In the known automatic systems and methods of washing, in addition, there is usually no initial stage of direct “soaping” the laundry, which can be associated with friction, which is usually performed during hand washing and significantly contributes to the targeted and economical use of detergents.

In this regard, the main objective of the present invention is to develop a washing machine, as well as a method of washing, which have characteristics that ensure that at least some of the disadvantages mentioned for the prior art are eliminated.

Specific objectives of embodiments of the invention are to increase the efficiency of washing, reducing the consumption of detergent and water, reducing the total energy consumption for automatic washing of linen and simplifying the washing system itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine for laundry with an improved water supply system and detergent and, therefore, improved washing performance.

These and other tasks are achieved in a washing machine for laundry, containing:

- drum for laundry, installed inside the washing tank, designed to hold the liquid used in the wash,

- detergent tank designed to contain the detergent,

- the first supply valve, configured to connect to the water supply system, and the first supply pipe, which hydraulically connects the first supply valve to the detergent tank to supply tap water to the detergent tank,

- the second supply pipe, hydraulically connecting the detergent tank with the internal volume of the drum for laundry,

- pumping means connected to the second supply line and configured to drive for suction of tap water with detergent from the detergent container and spraying the suction mixture of water and detergent onto the laundry inside the laundry drum.

Due to the forced suction of the detergent tank, a faster and more complete washout and more intensive mixing with the water of the detergent originally contained in the tank is provided. This mixture with a high concentration of detergent, instead of lowering to the bottom of the tank, is sprayed directly under the action of a jet, which provides acceleration (compared to moving only by gravity) on the laundry inside the laundry drum. Due to the rotation of the drum, the laundry is placed from the very beginning along the “satellite” ring along the peripheral wall of the drum, due to which a large portion of the surface of the laundry is opened to the impact of the jet of detergent mixture.

Thus, direct soaping of the laundry is ensured at the initial stage of washing, together with the mechanical action provided by the hydrodynamic spraying pressure. In addition, the deposition of unused detergent on the bottom of the tank is excluded, since the mixture of water and detergent sprayed on the laundry inside the drum must pass before the rotary drum goes outside and therefore interact through the entire thickness of the ring of laundry located along the cylindrical wall the drum.

By spraying a mixture of water and detergent from the detergent tank directly into the laundry drum, in addition, there is no need (and energy costs are excluded) to lift the detergent from the bottom of the tank and recirculate it in the laundry drum.

Other advantageous aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given as non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a laundry washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

in fig. 2 is a partial enlarged view of a laundry washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

in fig. 3 is a spatial view of the detergent container (with the lid removed) of the laundry machine in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

in fig. 4 is a sectional view of the detergent container shown in FIG. 3;

in fig. 5 is a top view of the detergent container shown in FIG. 3;

in fig. 6 shows a system for supplying a liquid used in washing to a washing machine for laundry in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, in which the outer case and some other components of the washing machine are not conventionally shown;

in fig. 7 is a side view of the system shown in FIG. 6;

in fig. 8 is a front view of the system shown in FIG. 6, as well as the embodiment indicated by dotted lines.

As shown in the figures, the laundry washing machine 1 or the washing and drying machine, which is a particular embodiment of the washing machine, comprises a carrier body structure 2 inside which the washing tank 3 is located, having a front opening that can be closed by an illumination-type door 4, hinged mounted on the housing 2. A drum 5 for receiving laundry for washing is placed inside the washing tub 3 for rotation around a horizontal or inclined axis. Tank 5 also defines a front opening located near the opening of the washing tub 3 to allow loading and unloading of the laundry.

The washing tub 3 ensures that the liquid used for washing is retained during the washing steps.

To ensure that tap water, detergents and additives are loaded into tank 3, a wash water loading system is provided that can be connected to the water supply system. This system of loading water for washing may contain multiple channels for the movement of water, for example, coming from two supply solenoid valves 6, 7 through the respective compartments 11 of the tank 12 for detergent into the washing tub 3.

The drainage channel 9 is connected to the lower part 12 of the washing tank 3, and a drainage pump 10 is connected to it, which removes the liquid used in the washing from the tank 3 and which regulates with the electrovalves 6, 7 the level of the liquid in the tank 3.

To heat the liquid used in the washing contained in the tank 3, an electric coil resistor 11 can be installed, which is placed inside the tank 3, in particular, at the bottom 12 of the tank in the intermediate volume between the wall of the tank 3 and the laundry drum 5.

For mixing the laundry and mixing it with the washing liquid, the laundry drum 5 can be rotated by means of an electric motor 13 and a gear 14, for example a belt drive.

The operation of the washing machine 1 is controlled by an electronic, electrical or electromechanical control unit 15, functionally connected to the user control interface 16, which is located on the outer wall of the supporting structure 2 and provides a choice of washing cycles and their characteristics. Reacting to the settings specified by the user using the user interface 16, the control unit 15 ensures that the various components of the washing machine 1 for laundry automatically carry out washing of the laundry.

According to one embodiment, the laundry washing machine 1 comprises:

- the first pipe 17, which hydraulically connects the first supply valve 6 with a container 8 for detergent to supply tap water to the container 8 for detergent,

the second pipe 18, which hydraulically connects the detergent container 8 with the internal volume of the laundry drum 5, and

pumping means connected to the second supply line 18 and driven to suck tap water with detergent from the detergent container 8 and spray the suctioned mixture of water and detergent directly onto the laundry inside the laundry drum 5.

Due to the forced suction from the container 8 for the detergent, a faster and more complete washout and more intensive mixing with the water of the detergent originally contained in the container is provided. This mixture with a high concentration of detergent instead of lowering to the bottom of the tank 3 is sprayed directly (on linen) inside the drum 5 for linen.

Thus, direct soaping of the laundry is ensured at the initial stage of washing, together with the mechanical action provided by the hydrodynamic spraying pressure. In addition, the deposition of unused detergent on the bottom of the tank 3 is excluded, since a mixture of water and detergent sprayed on the laundry inside the drum 5 before it has to go out of the rotating drum must pass and therefore interact through the entire thickness of the ring of laundry along the cylindrical wall 20 of the drum 5.

By spraying a mixture of water and detergent from the detergent container 8 directly into the laundry drum 5, it is not necessary to lift the detergent from the bottom of the tank and recirculate it in the laundry drum 5 (and the energy costs for this are eliminated).

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, pumping means comprise an ejector 19 with a hole 21 for auxiliary fluid, which can be connected to the water supply system by one of the solenoid valves 6, 7, a suction hole 22 and an outlet 23 that are connected in a second conduit 18 As shown, for example, in FIG. 2

Thanks to the use of an ejector 19 for injecting liquid from the tank 8 for detergent into the laundry drum 5, additional energy savings are achieved, as well as a reduction in the size and cost of manufacture compared with the variants in which an electric pump is used.

However, the invention also provides for the use of alternative pumping means, such as an electric pump.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the inlet 21 for the auxiliary fluid of the ejector 19 is connected to a third pipe 24, branching off directly from the first pipe 17 at the branch point 25 in front of the tank 8 for the detergent.

Thus, when tap water is supplied to detergent tank 8, flow portion 26 (see FIG. 2) of tap water is directed to ejector 19, where it performs the function of auxiliary fluid for the injection operation.

In addition to the suction effect, the intensive mixing of detergent and tap water before putting it on linen contributes to the shape of the Venturi channel, in which the narrowing and abrupt change in velocity and direction of flow inside the ejector 19 occurs.

Due to the branch of the flow leading to the ejector of the fluid directly from the first pipe 17, an additional simplification of operation and control is achieved. In fact, due to the drive of the first feed valve 6, a simultaneous filling of the detergent container 8 and the pipes connected to the ejector 19 is achieved without the need to synchronize the water supply to the detergent container 8 and the pumping means.

In another embodiment of the invention, the control unit 15 of the washing machine 1 for laundry provides rotation of the laundry drum 5 and simultaneous spraying of a mixture of water and detergent sucked from the detergent container 8 into the laundry drum 5.

Thus, the rotational movement and the centrifugal force distribute the laundry in the annular zone along (cylindrical or conical) side wall 20 of the drum 5 and force it to continuously move under the stream of a mixture of water and detergent, which therefore falls on a large surface area of the laundry.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the second feed conduit has a plurality of outlet openings or nozzles 27 that create a plurality of separate jets directed to different zones within the laundry drum 5, preferably to the inner surface areas of the side wall 20 along which the laundry to be washed is located.

The nozzle (a) 27 is preferably located (s) opposite the front opening of the laundry drum 5 for direct spraying through this hole into the interior of the drum. Preferably, the nozzle (a) 27 is located in the region of the elastic seal 28 formed between the front opening of the tank 3 and the body 2, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4 and 8.

In one embodiment of the invention, the second pipeline 18 branches off downstream of pumping means, forming two pipeline sections 29, 30 connected to nozzles 27, which are spaced apart and arranged, for example, on two opposite sides of the front opening of the tank 3 (see Fig. 1 and 8).

The ejector 19 may be installed in another unused space between the tank 8 for detergent and the washing tub 3, preferably in the upper third of the height of the tub 3 (see FIG. 6). To eliminate the risk of damage due to vibration of the tank 3, the ejector 19 is preferably located near the outer side of the tank 8 for detergent directed away from the tank 3.

In one embodiment of the invention, the detergent container 8 forms a first reservoir cavity 31 having a first discharge opening 32 formed in the bottom wall of the first reservoir cavity 31 and connected to the second pipe 18. A second reservoir cavity 33 is formed near the first reservoir cavity 31, and the second outlet 34 is formed in the bottom wall of the second reservoir cavity 33 and connected with the help of a downward conduit 35 directly to the washing tub 3. Between the first reservoir The inner cavity 31 and the second reservoir cavity 33 form a separating wall 36 having a predetermined height defining an independent maximum level of filling only the first reservoir cavity 31. The tap water coming from the first pipe 17 is directed, for example, due to the shape of the above-described compartments for detergent first the reservoir cavity 31 and only when the maximum filling level is exceeded, does it flow through the upper edge 37 of the dividing wall 36 from the first reservoir The cavities 31 into the second reservoir cavity 33.

This ensures the creation in the second pipe 18 of the liquid column, which increases the hydrostatic pressure and ensures the accumulation of liquid, which guarantees the continuity of the flow in the pumping means. In case of excessive accumulation of fluid, excess fluid can flow freely into the second reservoir cavity 33 and flow under the action of gravity through the descending conduit 33 into the washing tub 3.

In addition to the first pipeline 17, it is possible to install an additional supply pipeline (the fifth pipeline 38), which hydraulically connects the second supply valve 7 with a container 8 for detergent to ensure the direction of the additional flow of tap water to the container 8 for detergent and by choosing and combining two independent streams (for example, a separate stream from the first pipeline, a separate stream from the fifth pipeline, or a cross-flow from the first and fifth pipeline) means and additives from various departments for detergents of capacity 8 for detergent.

The description here applies to front-loading washing machines. However, the concepts of the invention can likewise be applied also to top-loading washing machines. In such machines, the laundry drum 5 has a feed opening, for example, a sash-type charging opening formed in the side wall of the drum 5, which can be aligned with the top opening of the washing tub and the supporting structure and which can be closed and opened by a hinged lid. In top-loading washing machines, the detergent container may preferably be formed or mounted directly on a hinged lid and hydraulically connected to several pipelines, at least when the lid is closed (in the machine’s operating state).

The washing machine 1 for laundry may also contain a recirculation system, moving the liquid used in the washing from the bottom of the tank to the washing drum, similar to the recirculation systems described for the prior art.

Finally, the present invention also relates to a washing method described by the example of the washing machine 1, the repeated description of the characteristics of which is not given to reduce the description.

Obviously, specialists in the art to meet the special requirements arising in particular applications can make additional changes to the washing machine and washing method of the invention and make modifications to it that, however, are completely within the protection scope of the invention, defined the following claims.

Claims (19)

1. Washing machine (1) for linen, containing: - drum (5) for linen, installed inside the washing tank (3), designed to hold the washing liquid, - capacity (8) for detergent, designed to contain detergent, - the first supply valve (6), made with the ability to connect to the water supply system, and the first supply pipe (17), which hydraulically connects the first supply valve (6) with the tank (8) for detergent to supply tap water to the tank (8) for detergent, - the second pipeline (18), which hydraulically connects the tank (8) for detergent with the internal volume of the drum (5) for laundry, and - pumping means (19) connected to the second supply line (18) and driven to suck tap water along with detergent from the tank (8) for detergent and spraying the sucked mixture of water and detergent directly into the drum (5) for linen wherein the second supply pipe has one or more nozzles (27) facing the front opening of the laundry drum (5) and spraying directly through said front opening into the laundry drum (5). 2. A washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 1, in which the pumping means comprise an ejector (19) having an inlet opening (21) for the auxiliary fluid, connected to a water supply system, a suction opening (22) and an outlet opening ( 23), which are connected to the second pipeline (18). 3. A washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 2, in which the opening (21) for the leading fluid of the ejector (19) is connected to the third pipe (24), which branches off directly from the first pipe (17) at the point (25) of branching downstream in front of the tank (8) for detergent. 4. Washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 1, which is configured to ensure rotation of the drum (5) for laundry while simultaneously driving pumping means (19) for spraying a mixture of water and detergent sucked from the tank (8) for washing means, inside the rotating drum (5) for laundry. 5. A washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 1, in which the second feed pipe has a plurality of nozzles (27), directing a plurality of independent jets to different zones inside the drum (5) for laundry. 6. A washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 1, wherein said one or more nozzles (27) are located in the region of the seal (28) formed between the front opening of the tub (3) and the body (2) of the washing machine (1 ) for linen. 7. A washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 6, wherein the second pipe (18) branches downstream after the pumping means (19), forming two pipeline sections (29, 30) connected to nozzles (27) spaced apart in space and located on two opposite sides of the front opening of the tank (3). 8. Washing machine (1) for linen according to any one of paragraphs. 2-7, in which the ejector (19) is installed on the side of the tank (8) for detergent directed from the tank (3) in the upper third of the height of the tank (3). 9. The washing machine (1) for laundry according to claim 1, in which the following are formed in the tank (8) for the detergent: - the first reservoir cavity (31), having a first outlet (32), made in the bottom wall of the first reservoir cavity (31) and connected to the second pipe (18), - the second reservoir cavity (33), having a second outlet (34), made in the bottom wall of the second reservoir cavity (33) and connected to the washing tub (3) by means of the descending pipeline (35), - a dividing wall (36) between the first reservoir cavity (31) and the second reservoir cavity (33), and this wall has a predetermined height that determines the maximum filling level of the first reservoir cavity (31), at the same time, the detergent tank (8) has an internal shape that guides the liquid into the first tank cavity (31), from which it can flow only if the maximum filling level is exceeded, passing over the upper free edge (37) of the separation wall (36 ), into the second reservoir cavity (33).

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