WO2007000035A1

WO2007000035A1 - Water recirculation system for a laundry machine

Info

Publication number: WO2007000035A1
Application number: PCT/BR2006/000124
Authority: WO
Inventors: Denilson Fernandes De Oliveira; Oscar Broch; Silvio Antônio BORTOLOTTI
Original assignee: Whirlpool S.A.
Priority date: 2005-06-29
Filing date: 2006-06-27
Publication date: 2007-01-04
Also published as: PE20070411A1; CN101171384A; BRPI0502662A; AR053277A1; CN101171384B

Abstract

A water recirculation system for a laundry machine that comprises: a tub (20); a basket (30) rotating around a vertical axis (X); an agitator (40) rotatively driven around said vertical axis (X), in order to produce an ascending recirculating water flow through an axial duct (60) disposed in a vertical wall (32) of the basket (30). The system comprises: a distributing nozzle (70) mounted in the upper opening (62) to receive the recirculating water flow therefrom, and comprising a first water outlet (71) and a second water outlet (72), securing a filter (80), said distributing nozzle (70) being configured to conduct, to the first water outlet (71), a substantially constant part of the recirculating water flow received from the axial duct (60) and, to the third water outlet (73), the remaining part of the recirculating water flow that is not returning to the basket (30) through the second water outlet (72).

Description

"WATER RECIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR A LAUNDRY MACHINE" Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to a water recirculation system used for forming the washing liquid in a laundry machine of the type that comprises a basket to be selectively rotated inside a tub and having an agitator or impeller positioned on its bottom and which is rotatively driven around a vertical axis. Prior Art It is well known in the prior art the laundry machines provided with a superiorly opened tub, usually cylindrical and in which interior is mounted, with a certain radial gap, a perforated basket rotating around a vertical axis, having a bottom wall and a lateral wall and being dimensioned to contain a certain load of clothes and washing liquid consisting of water, soap and other optional additives. In the interior of the basket, immediately above its bottom wall, there is provided an agitator to be rotatively and selectively driven by a motor unit, in two opposite directions around said vertical axis. In this type of laundry machine, an internal longitudinal region of the lateral wall of the basket is constructed to define an axial duct having a lower inlet radially positioned next to the agitator and which is designed to receive a water flow impelled by said agitator when the latter is driven in the washing and rinsing operational cycles . The axial duct further presents an upper outlet to discharge the ascending water flow back to the interior of the basket.

Generally, the upper outlet of the axial duct is positioned in an edge region of the basket, in which is conventionally fitted a finishing and balancing element in the form of a tubular ring . This known water recirculation system allows, during the washing and rinsing operational cycles, the rotation of the agitator in two opposite directions to pump water through the ascending axial duct, promoting a water recirculation, in order to allow at least a portion of this water flow to pass through a fluff filter before returning to the basket, as well as to allow at least another portion of the recirculating water flow to be returned to the basket, in the form of a cascade, to increase the washing efficiency of the machine.

Known solutions presenting the basic characteristics mentioned above are described, for example, in patent documents US 5,509,283, US 5,661,989 and US 5,863,423. Although suggesting water recirculation systems that promote the filtration of at least part of the recirculating water flow, as well as the formation of water jets or cascades over the load of clothes contained in the basket, these prior art constructive solutions present some inconveniences . One problem of the solutions commented above is related to the maintenance of a substantially constant water flow for forming the cascade (s) inside the basket . The higher the incidence of the water cascade falling over the cross section area of the basket, the higher the efficiency of said cascade falling on the load of clothes, with no risk of producing splashes to the outside of the basket and the tub. Since the system is dimensioned to provide a more intense and efficient cascade, with no risks of occurring splashes and with the filter in a clean condition, as the filter is loaded with fluff, the water flow that forms the cascade tends to be altered to a more intense condition, in the cases in which it is parallel to the filtrating flow, or to a less intense condition, in the cases in which it is previously submitted to filtration. In both cases, there occurs a loss of the design pattern established for the cascade. Another deficient aspect of the known solutions results from the construction of the cascade forming means, which tend to be multiplied to maximize the incidence of the water cascade over the load of clothes in the basket. Generally, these solutions need more complex constructions, requiring a relatively- large quantity of component parts, making difficult the production, maintenance and cleaning, and increasing the cost of the product. The known solutions do not allow obtaining a single cascade with an optimal degree of incidence over the load of clothes placed inside the basket. Summary of the Invention

On account of the deficiencies of the solutions known so far, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water recirculation system for a laundry machine, which allows- filtrating part of -the recirculating water flow and forming a respective water cascade over the load of clothes contained in the basket of the machine, from a substantially constant part of said water flow, irrespective of the load loss produced by the operational condition of the filter in the respective part of the recirculating water flow.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a water recirculation system as mentioned above, which produces a substantially constant water cascade configured to maximize its area of incidence over the load of clothes contained in the basket and to minimize the risks of occurring splashes to the outside of both the basket and the tub. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a water recirculation system as mentioned above, presenting a simple construction, with reduced number of low cost components, which the user can easily remove and clean.

In order to comply with the objectives mentioned above, the present invention provides a water recirculation system for a laundry machine of the type that comprises: a tub; a basket having a bottom wall and a lateral wall and which is mounted inside the tub, so that it can be rotated around a vertical axis,- an agitator disposed in the interior of the basket to be rotatively driven around said vertical axis; at least one axial duct disposed in the vertical wall of the basket and having a lower opening turned to the agitator and an upper opening; and a driving assembly to rotate the agitator, in such a way as to produce an ascending recirculating water flow through the axial duct.

According to the invention, the present system comprises: a distributing nozzle removably mounted^" in the upper opening of a respective axial duct, in order to receive the recirculating water flow therefrom, and comprising a first water outlet; a second water outlet disposed under the first one and to which is affixed a filter, said first and second water outlets being radially turned to the interior of the, basket; and a third water outlet disposed under the second water outlet according to a descending direction, turned to the interior of the basket, said distributing nozzle being configured to conduct, to the first water outlet, a substantially constant part of the recirculating water flow received from the axial duct and, to the third outlet water, the remaining part of the recirculating water flow that is not returning to the basket through the second water outlet. The basic construction defined above allows the distributing nozzle, which can be easily mounted to the upper region of the machine basket, next to the upper opening of the axial duct, to define a first water outlet configured to provide a cascade that is maintained substantially constant in the washing and rinsing cycles of the machine, irrespective of the load loss produced by the operational condition of the fluff filter which is mounted in a second water outlet disposed under the first. The provision of the third water outlet, which operates as a relief outlet, allows the water flow, which is progressively reduced through the second outlet opening due to the accumulation of fluff in the filter, to be discharged from the distributing nozzle through the third water outlet, minimizing alterations in the formation of the cascade from the first water outlet. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be described below, with reference to the attached drawings, given- by way—of--examp-l-e- -of an embodiment of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a simplified vertical sectional view of a laundry machine provided with the water recirculation system object of the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of part of the assembly illustrated in figure 1, to better visualize the positioning of the distributing nozzle in relation to the axial duct that conducts the recirculating water flow; Figure 3 is a simplified upper view of the assembly illustrated in figure 1, showing the substantially trapezoidal contour of the water cascade; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the central region of the machine, illustrating the upper region of the basket in which the distributing nozzle is mounted; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the assembly of components of figure 4, already in the mounted condition;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the assembly of figure 5, when observed from the seating side in the upper region of the basket;

Figure 7 is an exploded radial sectional view of the upper region of the basket and distributing nozzle; and Figure 8 is a radial sectional view of the assembly of figure 7, with the distributing nozzle in the mounted condition.

Detailed Description of the Invention

As illustrated in the attached drawings and already mentioned above, the present invention relates to the laundry machines of the type provided with a body 10 that usually defines a casing to be seated directly onto a supporting surface and which supports and lodges therewithin,- -a tub—20 --to—contain-- a- --load-- of- water or washing liquid, comprising water and other optional additives, said tub 20 being generally suspended by elastic means (not illustrated) in the body 10 of the machine. In the interior of the tub 20 is positioned a usually cylindrical and perforated basket (30) presenting a bottom wall 31, which is circular and centrally opened, and a preferably cylindrical lateral wall 32 which terminates in an upper free edge 33. The basket 30 is mounted inside the usually cylindrical tub 20, in order to be rotated around a vertical axis X during determined operational steps of the machine, generally defined by cycles such as spinning or simply expelling the liquid from the clothes.

The basket 30 generally carries, mounted onto its upper edge 33, a balancing tubular ring 35 to avoid vibration of the basket 30 during the washing, rinsing and spinning operations carried out by the laundry machine .

In the interior of the basket 30, more specifically on its bottom wall 31, there is provided an agitator 40 in the form of a rotary impeller, with a generally circular contour and being inferiorly provided with a plurality of radial fins 41 which, upon rotation of the agitator 40 in one or in the other direction around said vertical axis X, produce a water flow that is axialIy upwardly pushed from the bottom of the tub

20 and radially impelled to the outside of the agitator 40 between the latter and the bottom wall 31 of the basket 30, said agitator working as a centrifugal water pump.

The present water recirculation system further comprises, conventionally, at least one axial duct 60 disposed in the vertical lateral wall 32 of the basket

30 and having a lower -open-i-ng—&-1-—-tu-rn-ed—-to--t-he- agitator 40 and an upper opening 62 disposed next to the upper edge 33 of the basket 30. In the illustrated construction, the axial duct 60 is defined between the bottom wall 31 and lateral wall 32 of the basket 30 and an elongated chute 90, with an L-shaped lateral profile and U-shaped cross section, with the free edges of its lateral legs being seated and affixed against the bottom and lateral walls 31,32 of the basket 30. The L-shaped lateral profile of the elongated chute 90 allows a lower extension of the axial duct 60 to be disposed in a horizontal and radial way, positioning the lower opening 61 of the axial duct 60 next to the agitator 40, so that the radial water flow impelled by the latter can be admitted in the interior of the axial duct 60 through by its lower opening 61. The remaining extension of the axial duct 60 is defined close to respective longitudinal extension of the lateral wall 32 of the basket 30, as illustrated in the figures of the attached drawings . It should be understood herein that the fixation of the elongated chute 90 to the basket 30 can be carried out by any adequate manner well known in the art, this aspect not being considered as a differentiating characteristic of the invention. With the construction defined herein for the axial duct 60, when the machine is working in the washing and rinsing cycles, in which the agitator 40 is rotatively driven in two opposite directions around the vertical axis X, an ascending recirculating water flow is formed through the axial duct 60, from its lower opening 61 to its upper opening 62, as indicated by the arrows illustrated in figures 1 and 2. The activation of the agitator 40 is performed by a driving assembly 50, schematically illustrated in the

^"attached drawings by ^"the graphic- representation-^~of^~ the^" vertical shaft 51, to whose upper end is mounted the agitator 40. As already mentioned, the driving assembly 50 allows the agitator 40 to be selectively driven in the different operational cycles of the machine . According to the present invention, the water recirculation system comprises a distributing nozzle 70, generally constructed in a single piece injected in plastic material, to be removably mounted to the upper opening 62 of a respective axial duct 60, in order to receive the recirculating water flow therefrom. The distributing nozzle 70 comprises a first water outlet 71, a second water outlet 72 disposed under the first and to which is affixed a filter 80, generally a filter defined by a mesh net pocket with the free edge hermetically affixed to said second water outlet, in such a way as to project to the interior of the basket 30, said first and second water outlets 71, 72 being radially turned to the interior of the basket 30, as better shown in figures 5 1 and 2.

The distributing nozzle 70 further presents a third water outlet 73 disposed under the second water outlet 72 and according to a descending direction, substantially orthogonal to the direction of the 0 second water outlet 72 and turned to the interior of the basket 30. The distributing nozzle 70 is configured to conduct, to the first water outlet 71, a substantially constant part of the recirculating water flow received from the axial duct 60 and also to 5 conduct, to the third water outlet 73, which takes the form of a relief outlet, the remaining part of the recirculating water flow that is not returning to the basket 30 through the second water outlet 72. ^• - ^• In the illustrated"--construetron, the—distributing- 0 nozzle 70 comprises a generally rectangular frame, preferably in a single piece injected in plastic material and defined by lower and upper opposite lateral wall portions 70a, 70b, a lower wall 70c, an upper wall 7Od and an intermediate wall 7Oe. The 5 intermediate wall 7Oe defines, with the lower wall 70c and with respective lower lateral wall portions 70a, the second water outlet 72, to which is affixed the filter 80 projecting outwardly toward the interior of the basket 30, said intermediate wall 7Oe defining, 0 with the upper wall 7Od and with respective upper lateral wall portions 70b, the first water outlet 71. The construction of the distributing nozzle 70 is made so that the first water outlet 71 presents a certain axial expansion, with a rectangular cross section 5 having the larger dimension lying horizontally and increasing toward the basket 30 and having the upper larger side defined by the upper wall 70d of the frame of the distributing nozzle 70, curved outwardly and diverging in relation to the lower larger side that is defined by said intermediate wall 7Oe of the frame of the distributing nozzle 70, said cross section being substantially rectangular, increasing in the radial direction of the water flow, and dimensioned to produce a water cascade with maximized area of incidence over a load of clothes contained in the basket 30.

With this construction, the width of the lower and upper lateral wall portions 70a, 70b and upper and lower walls 7Od, 70c defines the axial extension of the first and second water outlets 71,72.

The third water outlet 73 is preferably defined by an opening 73a provided in the lower wall 70c of the distributing nozzle 70, which opening 73a can be defined by a simple cutout produced in the- rear- edge- of said lower wall 70c. In the illustrated construction, there is provided a deflecting wall portion 65, radially projecting inwardly, from the upper region of the basket 30, said deflecting wall 65 being positioned under the third water outlet 73, so as to receive the water flow passing through the latter, directing said water flow to the interior of the basket 30.

With the construction proposed herein, the recirculating water flow, which is upwardly discharged through the upper opening 62 of the axial duct 60, is supplied to the distributing nozzle 70, so that part of this recirculating water flow is directed to the first water outlet 71, while the remaining part of this flow is directed to the second water outlet 72 of the distributing nozzle 70, to pass through the filter 80 before returning to the interior of the basket 30. However, that part of the recirculating water flow reaching the distributing nozzle 70 and which is not discharged by both the first water outlet 71 and the second water outlet 72, is relieved through the third water outlet 73 and returned to the interior of the basket 30.

As a function of the construction imparted to the distributing nozzle 70, and particularly to the first water outlet 71, the water cascade discharged through the latter presents, when viewed from above, a substantially trapezoidal contour, with the smaller base coinciding with the first water outlet 71, with the sides coinciding with projections of the smaller sides of the cross section of the first water outlet 71 and defined by the upper lateral wall portions 7Oe of the frame of the distributing nozzle 70 and having the larger base in the form of an arc of a circle accompanying the curvatu-r-e— of-—the-—reg-ion--of --the cylindrical lateral wall of the basket 30 opposite to that on which the axial duct 60 is positioned. In this arrangement, the water cascade falls over the cross section region of the basket 30 delimited by said substantially trapezoidal contour of the water cascade when viewed from above.

Besides assuring a specific shape for the water cascade, which maximizes its incidence over the load of clothes contained in the basket 30, the distributing nozzle presents an intermediate wall 7Oe that is rearly cut to define therein a water flow passage restricted to the first water outlet 71, restricting the water flow directed to the first water outlet 71, so as to produce a water cascade CA (see figures 1 and 3) that maximizes its incidence over the load of clothes contained in the basket 30, with no risk of occurring undesirable splashes of water to the outside of both the basket 30 and the tub 20. Preferably, the distributing nozzle 70 is designed so that the first water outlet 71 receives from about 15% to 30% of the recirculating water flow passing through the axial duct 60.

The provision of the third water outlet 73 in the distributing nozzle 70, downwardly directed, from the lower wall 70c of the frame of the distributing nozzle 70, allows maintaining the water flow directed to the first water outlet 71 substantially constant, even with the variation of the water flow that passes through the filter 80. As the filter 80 is loaded with fluff received from the clothes, the water flow through the second water outlet 72 is progressively reduced, whereby, in the absence of the third water outlet 73, it is possible to occur an undesirable increase of the water flow passing through the f-irst -water outlet- -7-1-,-- -i-nc-reasi-ng t-he- intensity of the water cascade CA and making the latter exceed the incidence limitations designed to maximize its action over the load of clothes with no risk of occurring splashes to the outside of the basket 30 and the tub 20. With the progressive clogging of the filter, the third water outlet 73 allows the recirculating water flow portion passing therethrough, towards the interior of the basket 30, to be progressively increased, absorbing the amount of water that would be otherwise directed to the first water outlet 71, undesirably increasing the intensity of the water cascade CA.

In the illustrated construction, the distributing nozzle 70 has its lower wall 70c disposed next to the upper opening 62 of the axial duct 60, and the balancing tubular ring 35 of the basket 30 defines an upper extension 64 of the axial duct 60, against which the distributing nozzle 70 is seated. The upper wall 70d of the distributing nozzle 70 presents a radially external edge which is seated, in an overlapping relationship onto an upper peripheral step 35a of the tubular ring 35, defining a tight connection to prevent the ascending recirculating water flow from flowing over the tubular ring 35, splashing to the outside of the basket 30 and the tub 20.

As illustrated in figures 4-8, the axial duct 60 can be defined jointly with an axial recess 68 provided in the lateral wall 32 of the basket 30, said axial recess 68 being covered by the chute 90 schematically illustrated in figure 1 and also by a cover 101 inferiorly incorporated to a nozzle support 100 which is affixed and retained in a respective cutout 36 provided in the tubular ring 35 and having a rear wall 36a inclined radia-lly outwardly -and-- to--the- inside of the basket 30, defining the upper extension 64 of the axial duct 60.

The nozzle support 100 incorporates the deflecting wall 65 and defines an opened median housing 102 with lateral walls 103 configured to allow the relatively tight fitting of the lower lateral wall portions 70a of the distributing nozzle 70, which are provided by a locking means 77, generally in the form of a small rib, to be fitted into a respective groove 104 provided in each lateral wall 103 of the nozzle support 100 in order to maintain the distributing nozzle 70 retained in its operational position. While only one embodiment for the present system has been illustrated herein, it should be understood that alterations can be made in the form and physical arrangement of the constitutive elements of the system, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claims that accompany the present specification.

Claims

1. A water recirculation system for a laundry machine of the type comprising: a tub (20) ; a basket (30) having a bottom wall (31) and a lateral wall (32) and mounted inside the tub (20) , so that it can be rotated around a vertical axis (X) ; an agitator (40) provided inside the basket (30) , in order to be rotatively driven around said vertical axis (X) ; at least one axial duct (60) disposed in the vertical wall (32) of the basket (30) and having a lower opening (61) turned to the agitator (40) and an upper opening (62) and a driving assembly (50) to rotate the agitator (40) , in order to produce an ascending recirculating water flow through the axial duct (60) , characterized in that it comprises: a distributing nozzle (70) removably mounted to the upper opening (62) of a respective axial duct (60) , to receive the recirculating water flow therefrom, and comprising a first water outlet

(71) ; a second water outlet- (-72) provided -under-the first and to which is affixed a filter (80) , said first and second water outlets (71,72) being radially turned to the interior of the basket (30) ; and a third water outlet (73) provided under the second water outlet (72) , according to a descending direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the second water outlet (72) and turned to the interior of the basket (30) , said distributing nozzle (70) being configured to conduct, to the first water outlet (71) , a substantially constant portion of the recirculating water flow received from the axial duct (60) and, to the third water outlet (73), the remaining part of the recirculating water flow that is not returning to the basket (30) through the second water outlet (72) .

2. The system, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the first water outlet (71) has a certain axial extension presenting a rectangular cross section with the larger dimension disposed horizontally and increasing torwards the basket (30) and having the upper larger side outwardly arched and diverging in relation to the lower larger side, said cross section, increasing in the radial direction of the water flow, being dimensioned to produce a water cascade with maximized area of incidence over a load of clothes contained in the basket (30) .

3. The system, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the water cascade discharged through the first water outlet (71) presents, when viewed from above, a substantially trapezoidal contour with the smaller base coinciding with the first water outlet (71) , with the sides coinciding with projections of the smaller sides of the cross section of the first water outlet

(71) and with the larger base, in the form of an arc of a circle accompanying the curvature of the region

-of- the cylindri-ca-1 - lateral- wall of- the basket (-30) opposite to that on which the axial duct (60) is positioned.

4. The system, as set forth in claim 3 , characterized in that the water cascade falls over the cross section region of the basket (30) delimited by said substantially trapezoidal contour of the water cascade when viewed from above .

5. The system, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the first water outlet (71) receives from about 15% to 30% of the recirculating water flow passing through the axial duct (60) .

6. The system, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the distributing nozzle (70) comprises a generally rectangular frame defined by lower and upper opposite lateral wall portions (70a, 70b), a lower wall (70c) , an upper wall (7Od) and an intermediate wall (7Oe) , said intermediate wall (7Oe) defining, with the lower wall (70c) and with respective lower lateral wall portions (70a) , the second water outlet (72) , to which is affixed the filter (80) and, with the upper wall (7Od) and with respective upper lateral wall portions (70b) , the first water outlet (71) .

7. The system, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the width of the lower and upper lateral wall portions (70a, 70b) and upper and lower walls (70c, 70d) defines the axial extension of the first and second water outlets (71,72).

8. The system, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the third water outlet (73) is defined by an opening (73a) provided in the lower wall (70c) of the distributing nozzle (70) .

9. The system, as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a deflecting wall portion (65) radially projecting from the axial duct (60) and positioned under the third water -outlet - (-7-3) , to receive the water flow passing there through.

10. The system, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the intermediate wall (7Oe) is rearly cut to define therein a water flow passage restricted to the first water outlet (71) .

11. The system, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the axial duct (60) is defined between the bottom and lateral walls (31,32) of the basket (30) and an elongated chute (90) , with an L-shaped lateral profile and U-shaped cross section, with the free edges of its lateral legs seating against the bottom and lateral walls (31,32) of the basket (30), said distributing nozzle (70) having its lower wall (70c) seated against the elongated chute (90) , next to the upper opening (62) of the axial duct (60) .

12. The system, as set forth in claim 11, characterized in that the basket (30) has an upper edge (33) carrying a balancing tubular ring (35) , which defines an upper extension (64) of the axial duct (60) against which the distributing nozzle it seated and retained.

13. The system, as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that the upper wall (7Od) of the distributing nozzle (70) presents a radially external edge seated in an overlapping relationship onto an upper peripheral step (35a) of the tubular ring (35) .

14. The system, as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that the axial duct (60) is defined jointly with an axial recess (68) provided in the lateral wall (32) of the basket (30) , said axial recess (68) being covered by the chute (90) .

15. The system, as set forth in claim 14, characterized in that it comprises a nozzle support (100) to be affixed in a cutout (36) provided in the tubular ring (35) and having- a^~ xeax^~"wa±l ^{~~ ~}(36a)^~ radially inclined outwardly and to the inside of the basket (30) and which defines the upper extension (64) of the axial duct (60) .

16. The system, as set forth in claim 15, characterized in that the nozzle support (100) inferiorly incorporates a cover (101) that covers an upper extension of the axial recess (68) .

17. The system, as set forth in claim 16, characterized in that the nozzle support (100) incorporates a deflecting wall (65) radially projecting from the axial duct (60) and which is positioned under the third water outlet (73), to receive the water flow passing there through, said nozzle support (100) defining an opened median housing

(102) with lateral walls (103) configured to allow the relatively tight fitting of the lower lateral wall portions (70a) of the distributing nozzle (70) , which are provided with a locking means (77) , generally in the form of a small rib, to be fitted in a respective groove (104) provided in each lateral wall (103) of the nozzle support (100) , in order to maintain the distributing nozzle (70) retained in its operational position.