US20120055203A1

US20120055203A1 - Water recycling device for washing machine

Info

Publication number: US20120055203A1
Application number: US12/875,117
Authority: US
Inventors: Tung-Lin Lu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-02
Filing date: 2010-09-02
Publication date: 2012-03-08

Abstract

The water recycling device for a washing machine contains a hollow body member having a water inlet and a water outlet, and a disc member axially mounted on a vertical axle inside the body member. The disc member has a number of actuating blocks, each having a vertical side facing the water inlet at each turn of the disc member. When used water is poured inside the body member through the water inlet, the actuating blocks are pushed and the disc member spins. Used water and filthy clothes inside the body member are stirred to achieve a cleaning effect. As such, used water from a washing machine is recycled to clean especially filthy clothes without using additional water and electricity.

Description

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to washing machines, and more particular to a water recycling device for washing machines.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Usually when people do their laundry, the clothes especially dirty such as overalls, socks, etc., are separated from the rest. These filthy clothes are few but still require a full washing process by a washing machine. In other words, sorting clothes and washing sorted clothes sometime are not quite environmentally friendly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A major purpose of the present invention is to recycle used water from a washing machine to clean especially filthy clothes without using additional water and electricity.
To achieve the purpose, a water recycling device for a washing machine is provided herein. The water recycling device contains a hollow body member having a water inlet and a water outlet, and a disc member axially mounted on a vertical axle inside the body member. The disc member has a number of actuating blocks, each having a vertical side facing the water inlet at each turn of the disc member. When used water is poured inside the body member, the actuating blocks are pushed and the disc member spins. Used water and filthy clothes inside the body member are stirred to achieve a cleaning effect.
For some dirty clothes that require stronger treatment, the water recycling device could provide some initial cleaning so that less water and energy would be required for the cleaning.
In addition, with the water recycling device, the dirt and debris on the filthy clothes do not accumulate and block the more expensive washing machine.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing a water recycling device for a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective break-down diagram showing the various components of the water recycling device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing an application scenario of the water recycling device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the in-pouring and out-flowing of used water through the water recycling device of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional diagram showing the stirring up of used water inside the water recycling device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional diagram showing the permeation of used water inside the water recycling device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing a water recycling device for a washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective diagram showing a water recycling device for a washing machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a water recycling device 1 for a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention contains a body member 10 and a disc member 12. The body member 10 has an internal space 101 with a top opening and a rotating axle 14 is raised vertically inside the internal space 101. A lower section of the internal space 101 has a smaller aperture so as to form a flange 104 supporting the disc member 12 which is axially mounted on the axle 14. A water inlet 102 and a water outlet 103 run through the body member 10, and connect the internal space 101 to outside of the body member 10. On a top surface of the disc member 12, a number of actuating blocks 16 are arranged in sequence around the disc member 12's center. Each block 16 is wedge-shaped with a vertical side 160 and a slant side 162. The blocks 16 are arranged so that they slant towards the clockwise direction and their vertical sides will be perpendicular to the water inlet 102 at each turn of the disc member 12. Each block 16 has a number of through channels 164 running vertically through the block 16 and the disc member 12. A fan-shaped piece 18 is extended from the axle 14 and is beneath the disc member 12. The top opening of the internal space 101 could be sealed by a cover 105 pin-joined to said body member 10.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the water recycling device 1 described above is placed immediately next to a washing machine 2 with the water inlet 102 piped to a water outlet 20 of the washing machine 2. Those especially dirty clothes such as overalls and socks are placed in the internal space 101 of the body member 10.
As such, soapy water already used to clean those not-so-dirty clothes in the washing machine 2 is expelled into the water recycling device 1 through the water inlet 102. The used water strikes at the vertical sides 160 of the blocks 16 and the disc member 12 spins. As the disc member 12 spins, the blocks 160's slant sides 162 stir the used water and those filthy clothes in the internal space 101, achieving a washing and cleaning effect.
The used water inside the internal space 101, while being stirred by the disc member 12, would permeate through the through channels 164 to a lower section of the internal space 101 and then flow out of the body member 10 via the water outlet 103. In order to be compatible with the used water's in-pouring speed and volume, the water outlet 103 has a larger aperture. The fan-shaped piece 18 beneath the disc member 12 provides some blockage to the penetration of the used water so that most of the used water does not drop behind the disc member 12 immediately.
Usually a full cleaning course of the washing machine 2 involves three cycles. The used water from the first cycle is usually dirtier and the water from the remaining cycles is cleaner. Therefore, it is also possible to give up the used water from the first cycle and the water recycling device 1 is connected to the washing machine 2 after the first cycle is over. In addition, some detergent could be added to the internal space 101 for better cleaning effect.
In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a water recycling device 1 a is an integral part of a washing machine 2 a. The water recycling device 1 a does not have a cover and could be pulled out or pushed inside the washing machine 2 a like a drawer. Additionally, a motor 3 a is configured in the body member 10 a to drive the disc member 12 a to achieve even better cleaning effect. The rest of the details is the same as the previous embodiment and is omitted here.
In a third embodiment shown in FIG. 8, an additional barrel 4 b is configured to surround the internal space of the body member 10 b. A number of through holes 40 b are configured on the side wall of the barrel 4 b so as to expel the re-used water from the washing machine 2 b.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A water recycling device for a washing machine, comprising:

a body member having an internal space with a top opening, a vertical axle inside said internal space, and a water inlet and a water outlet, both connecting said internal space to outside of said body member, said water inlet connected to a water outlet of said washing machine; and

a disc member axially mounted on said axle wherein a plurality of actuating blocks are configured in sequence on a top surface around a center of said disc member, and each actuating block has a vertical side facing said water inlet for each turn of said disc member.

2. The water recycling device according to claim 1, wherein said disc member is supported by a flange inside said internal space.

3. The water recycling device according to claim 1, wherein each actuating block further has a slant side and a plurality of vertical through channels running through said actuating block and said disc member.

4. The water recycling device according to claim 1, wherein a fan-shaped piece is extended from said axle and is beneath said disc member.

5. The water recycling device according to claim 1, wherein said top opening of said internal space is sealed by a cover pin-joined to said body member.

6. The water recycling device according to claim 1, wherein a motor driving said disc member to spin is configured inside said body member.

7. The water recycling device according to claim 1, wherein a barrel surrounds said internal space of said body member; and a plurality of through holes are configured on said barrel's side wall.