WO2003014454A1

WO2003014454A1 - A washing machine with a second drum

Info

Publication number: WO2003014454A1
Application number: PCT/TR2002/000030
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sefik SENYÜREK; Tahsin SÜMER
Original assignee: Arçelik A.S.
Priority date: 2001-07-09
Filing date: 2002-07-08
Publication date: 2003-02-20

Abstract

The washing machine comprises a cabinet (1), a tub (2), a main drum (3) placed in the tub (2), an inner drum (4) placed in the main drum (3), which provides a more efficient washing. Small pieces of laundry such as socks, handkerchieves, under wear, etc. which may be loaded into the second drum (4). Thus, the second drum (4) may be used both for washing small pieces of laundry and for providing only the distribution of laundry within the main drum (3).

Description

A WASHING MACHINE WITH A SECOND DRUM

The present invention relates to washing machines having a second drum that is placed within the other drum of the washing machines especially with horizontal or inclined axes, and which provides an increase in the washing efficiency.

In the washing machines of the state of the art, immersing and removing the laundry into and out of water and dropping the clothes from determined heights within the drum, during the washing cycle, enhance washing efficiency. When the quantity of the laundry contained in the drum is too much, the laundry cannot be moved sufficiently. The rotational/dropping movements of the laundry in the drum and accordingly its interaction with such substances as detergent, etc. that improve the washing operation, decreases as the amount of the laundry in the drum increases.

In the FR 50 1572 and DE 824483, an object being placed in the drum, which floats when the tub is filled with water, and which enhances the movement of the laundry during the washing cycle, due to its outer surface including recesses and protrusions, is disclosed. This object may occupy a large space in the tub and may reduce the inner volume of the drum.

In the US 3316659, a tray that can be removably mounted in the drum, for smaller and delicate laundry is disclosed. Said tray is suspended between the rear wall and the inlet of the drum and used for drying purposes.

The object of the present invention, is to enhance the rotational/dropping movements of the laundry and its interaction with such substances as detergents, etc. even when the drum is fully loaded.. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the possibility of the unbalanced loaddistribution of the laundry in the drum, which leads to unwanted vibrations of the tub.

The washing machine realized in order to attain above mentioned objects of the present invention has been illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein;

Figure 1, is the schematic diagram of a washing machine with a cylindrical inner drum; Figure 2, is the schematic diagram of a washing machine with a conical inner drum;

Figure 3, is the schematic diagram of a washing machine with an other conical inner drum;

Figure 4, is the schematic diagram of a washing machine with a lid over the second drum.

The components shown in the figures have been enumerated separately as listed below;

I . Cabinet 2. Tub

3. Main drum

4. Inner drum

5. Inlet

6. Motor 7. Moment transmission assembly

8. Inner drum shaft

9. Main drum shaft

10. Main drum bearing slot

I I . Inner drum bearing slot 12. Rib

13. Lid The washing machine comprises a cabinet (1), a tub (2), a main drum (3) placed in the tub (2), an inner drum (4) placed in the main drum (3) which provides a more efficient washing, an inlet (5) for loading the laundry into the main drum (3), several ribs (12) on the inner surface of the main drum (3), a motor (6) providing the rotational motion of the main drum (3), a moment transmission assembly (7) for the transmission of the movement of the motor (6), shafts (9 and 8) transmitting the motion from the moment transmission group, such as the belt, pulley, gear, etc., to the main and inner drums (3 and A), and the main and inner bearing slots (10 and 11) through which the shafts (9 and 8) pass.

The washing machine is preferably with a horizontal axis. The rotational axis of the main drum (3) accommodating the laundry, is parallel to the ground or inclined with an angle smaller than 45°. The laundry inlet (5) is situated on top (top-loading type) or preferably on the front face (front-loading type) of the cabinet (1). The inner drum (4) has a conical, preferably a cylindrical shape.

The inner drum (4) is placed in the main drum (3) in such a manner that the inlets (5) of both of them are at the same direction. The inner drum (4) is placed at the rear wall of the main drum (3) preferably with congruent rotational axes. The diameter of the inner drum (4) is smaller than that of the main drum (3), preferably large enough to accommodate a hand, but small enough to provide space for the other laundry between its outer surface and the inner surface of the main drum (3). Small pieces of laundry such as socks, handkerchiefs, underwear, etc. may be loaded into the inner drum (4). Thus, the inner drum (4) may be used both for washing small pieces of laundry and for only providing the distribution of laundry within the main drum (3).

The outer surface of the inner drum (4) is preferably perforated as that of the main drum (3) or is in the form of a smooth surface. The main drum shaft (9) mounted onto the rear surface of the main drum (3) is in a hollow cylindrical form. The inner drum shaft (8) fixed on the rear surface of the inner drum (4) passes through the cylindrical space in the main drum shaft (9) and rotates inside the main drum shaft (9). Said main drum shaft (9) rotates in the main drum bearing slot (10) whereas the inner drum shaft (8) rotates in the inner drum bearing slot (11) located at the center of the main drum shaft (9). Said shafts (8 and 9) are driven by the same or different motors and by the moment transmission group (7). The rotation of two shafts (8 and 9) at the same or different speeds, in the same or opposite directions is provided by driving the two shafts (8 and 9) by a single motor (6) using gear mechanisms between the motor (6) and the shafts (8 and 9).

The inner drum (4) and the main drum (3) rotate at the same or different speeds, in the same or opposite directions or it may be possible that only the main drum (3) rotates.

During the rotation of the main drum (3) and the inner drum (4) at the same or different speeds, in the same or opposite directions is provided by driving the laundry is rubbed against the inner surface of the main drum (3) and the outer surface of the inner drum (4) and/or the ribs (12) provided on said surfaces, whereby it is dragged by this frictional movement, which provides a rotation about its own axis in addition to the typical tumbling/rotating movements performed during the normal washing cycle; thus enhancing the interaction of the laundry with the washing fluid, i.e. detergent water, and therefore increases the efficiency of the washing performance.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface of the inner drum (4) is provided with protruding ribs (12) serving to carry the laundry inside the main drum (3), instead of being a homogeneous, cylindrical structure. In this case, the laundries are placed into a region between the inner surface of the main drum (3) and the outer surface of the inner drum (4), and are forced to move by the ribs (12) provided both in the main drum (3) and on the outer surface of the inner drum (4), during the rotational movement of the main drum (3).

In another embodiment of the present invention, a lid (13) is provided on the outer surface of the imier drum (4). The laundry can be moved about the rotational axis of the inner drum (4) by means of the lid (13), when said lid (13) is opened. By virtue of this arrangement, the tumbling action, i.e. raising the laundries to a certain height and dropping them down, is prevented and a circular motion of the laundries inside the main drum (3) is provided. It increases the washing performance and reduces the possibility of an unbalanced distribution of the loads within the main drum (3).

The inner drum (4) is made of the same or different material as the main drum (3), preferably of plastics.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the inner drum (4) is removably mounted by means of a mechanism. When desired, said inner drum (4) can be removed with the laundry it contains or as empty, and in this case the washing machine is operated by the method per se, as explained in the state of art. In this implementation, the inner drum shaft (8) is divided into two parts, one of which remains on the main drum (3), whereas the other part that is mounted on the back surface of the inner drum (4), is removed together with the inner drum (4).

Claims

1. A washing machine that comprises a cabinet (1), a tub (2), a main drum (3) placed in the tub (2), and an inlet (5) for loading the laundry into the main drum (3); characterized with an inner drum (4) placed in the main drum (3), which may be used both for washing laundry and for providing the distribution of laundry within the main drum (3).

2. A washing machine as defined in Claim I, characterized in that said imier drum (4) has a cylindrical shape.

3. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum

(4) has a conical shape.

4. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum

(4), is so placed on the main drum (3) rear wall that the inlet (5) of both drums (3 and 4) are in the same directions and their rotational axes are congruent.

5. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum (4) has a perforated outer surface.

6. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum

(4) has a non-perforated outer surface.

7. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum

(4) has a different rotational axis than the main drum (3).

8. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum (4) has one or more ribs (12) that are placed on its outer surface and provide the movement of the laundries during the rotational motion of the main drum (3).

9. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that said inner drum (4) comprises a lid (13) on its outer surface, such that the lid (13) which , enables the laundry to be moved about the rotational axis when it is opened, prevents the tumbling action, i.e. raising the laundries to a certain height and dropping them down and provides a circular motion of the laundries inside the main drum (3).

10. A washing machine as defined in Claim 1, comprising at least one motor (6) providing the rotational motion of the main drum (3), a moment transmission assembly (7) for the transmission of the movement of the motor (6), shafts (9 and 8) transmitting the motion from the moment transmission assembly (7), such as the belt, pulley, gear, etc., to the main and inner drums (3 and 4), and the main and imier bearing slots (10 and 11) through which the shafts (9 and 8) pass.

11. A washing machine as defined in Claim land 10, characterized with the main drum shaft (9) mounted onto the rear surface of the main drum (3) being in a hollow cylindrical form and the inner drum shaft (8) fixed on the rear surface of the inner drum (4) that passes through the cylindrical space in the main drum shaft (9).

12. A washing machine as defined in Claim land 10, characterized with the inner drum (4) that can be separated and leave out from the main drum (3) and removed by means of the inner drum shaft (8) that may be divided into two parts, one of which remains in the main drum shaft (9), whereas the other part remains mounted on the back surface of the inner drum (4).